Beyoncé turned back the clock for the BeyHive.
The superstar released a sprawling 27-track deluxe edition of her sophomore album, B’Day, on Sept. 4, her 45th birthday and the 20th anniversary of the original 2006 release. The expanded collection folds in the classic tracklist, rare B-sides, Spanish-language recordings such as Irreemplazable, and her recent surprise single, Morning Dew (Donk).
Diehard fans have already crowded pre-order pages for the $149.98 four-LP box set, pressed on eye-catching bayou blue vinyl and paired with a 60-page commemorative booklet and two collectible art prints. Two-LP and CD versions are also available for fans who want the music without the full collector’s package.
The anniversary release, distributed through Parkwood Entertainment, marks two decades since B’Day introduced a bolder, more assertive version of Beyoncé following her run with Destiny’s Child. The original album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and later won the Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album, cementing its place as one of the defining records of her solo career. Recorded in just three weeks in April 2006, the project brought together producers including Rich Harrison, Swizz Beatz, Stargate, and The Neptunes.
As fans revisit the era, here is a countdown of the five songs that made B’Day an instant classic and why they still hold up two decades later.
Freakum Dress
This song is still one of the album’s most quoted tracks. Rich Harrison, the producer behind Beyoncé’s breakout hit Crazy in Love, built the song around a horn-driven funk groove that urges listeners to pull out the freakum dress whenever they need a confidence boost. Two decades later, the phrase remains pop-culture shorthand for dressing to feel unstoppable, and the song stays a fan favorite during Beyoncé’s live shows. It also appears in this year’s expanded vault as part of the extended 27-track lineup.
Get Me Bodied
Released as the album’s fifth single in July 2007, Get Me Bodied turned into a dance-floor staple. Beyonce released an extended version with step-by-step choreography instructions, and the routine became a viral sensation long before “viral” was a common way to describe internet trends. The song’s horn stabs and call-and-response energy made it a signature moment on The Beyonce Experience Tour.
“Ring the Alarm”
The album’s second single, released in September 2006, Ring the Alarm peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Produced by Swizz Beatz, the track opens with a blaring siren and features some of Beyoncé’s most aggressive vocal runs. Its cover art, which showed Beyoncé posing with a baby alligator, drew criticism from PETA, adding to the single’s buzz at the time of its release.
Déjà Vu featuring Jay-Z
The lead single from B’Day, released in June 2006, Deja Vu reintroduced Beyoncé’s sound after Destiny’s Child disbanded. Producer Rich Harrison built the track around a live horn section, giving it a funk-forward energy that stood apart from other pop radio hits of the era. Featuring Jay-Z, the song peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was paired with a widely discussed music video and choreography.
Irreplaceable
The undisputed heavyweight of B’Day, Irreplaceable spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 2006 and early 2007, making it the longest-running chart-topper of Beyonce’s career. Co-written by Ne-Yo and produced by Stargate, the acoustic-driven breakup anthem turned the line “to the left” into a cultural catchphrase. It remains one of the most recognizable songs in Beyoncé’s catalog and a defining moment in her transition to solo superstardom.