Whose hit "Best Thing I Never Had", charted well in 2011?

“Best Thing I Never Had” was a hit by Beyoncé that charted well in 2011. Beyoncé released it as the second single from her fourth studio album, 4, following “Run the World (Girls).” The song was released in June 2011 and became one of the album’s most recognizable tracks.

Written by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Antonio Dixon, Shea Taylor, Beyoncé, and others, the song is an upbeat breakup anthem about realizing that a failed relationship was ultimately a lucky escape. Its polished pop-R&B production and prominent piano-driven chorus helped it reach listeners beyond Beyoncé’s core R&B audience.

The single performed strongly internationally. It reached No. 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, and No. 2 in Ireland. It also appeared on Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 list for 2011. A common mix-up is confusing it with “Irreplaceable,” another major Beyoncé breakup hit; that song was released several years earlier, in 2006.