Nicki Minaj's Official Top 40 biggest songs in the UK revealed

Nicki Minaj is the self-titled Queen of Rap, and who are we to argue with royalty?

In a mainstream career now totalling 15 years and more, Nicki's career has taken so many diverse and exciting turns, and she has racked up a near-countless collection of guest verses, almost all of them being the highlight of the song they were placed on.

So now, as her Pink Friday 2 World Tour arrives on British soil, we're revealing her Official Top 40 biggest songs of all time in the UK for the first time.

But before we get to that, here's a closer look at the Top 5 in full...

5. Swalla (with Jason Derulo and Ty Dolla $ign)

Released: 2017
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 6
Total UK chart units: 1.5 million

A big and bright collaboration with Jason Derulo and Ty Dolla $ign, where Nicki cashes in another eye-catching verse where she memorably gives 'word to John Galliano,' while wearing the biggest pair of sunglasses you've ever seen in your life.

4. Super Bass

Released: 2010
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 8
Total UK chart units: 1.6 million

This one is for the boys with the boomin' system! Nicki's original coming out party as a bona fide pop star was a long-time coming - Super Bass was actually the fifth single from debut album Pink Friday and was something of a sneaky surprise, initially only being available as a bonus deluxe track. As Nicki's first solo UK Top 10 single, you could say it was well worth the wait.

3. Side to Side (with Ariana Grande)

Released: 2016
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 4
Total UK chart units: 1.7 million

Ariana's third album Dangerous Woman was a well-publicised turn into a more mature image for the US starlet. Whereas the title track sounded like Ari's attempt at a seductive Bond theme and career-high Into You ramps up with almost uncontainable desire, Side to Side is less showy and more humourous...just don't ask us to explain what it's actually about.

2. Bang Bang (with Jessie J and Ariana Grande)

Released: 2014
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 1
Total UK chart units: 2.1 million

There have been calls for years for a modern-day remake of Lady Marmalade, but really, it's been under our noses all along. Much like the team-up between Christina, Pink, Mya and Lil Kim, Bang Bang brings together three artists who would have never really fit on a song together and forces them to stick with the loudest, brashest chorus you've maybe ever heard.

Nicki's rap, of course, is the highlight of it all; a tongue-twisting marathon of lyricism that over the years we have tried (and mostly failed, tbh) to master. 

To date, Bang Bang ranks as Nicki's first (and so far, only) UK Number 1 single. With 2.1 million chart units overall, it's her second biggest track here, but is also her most-streamed ever (182 million) too.

1. Starships

Released: 2012
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 2
Total UK chart units: 2.2 million

Let's go the beach! Each! Nicki's second album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded most definitely leaned into pop's maximalist tendencies, nowhere best exemplified by its garish lead single Starships produced by RedOne, who was then best known as the producer helping Lady Gaga become the weirdest (and biggest) pop sensation on the planet.

Despite never reaching Number 1 in the UK, Starships now ranks as Nicki's biggest-song ever in the UK, with 2.2 chart units in total, including 137 million streams. With over 1 million digital downloads, Starships is a member of the million-sellers club, and one of the biggest-selling singles in Official Chart history.