Chart Commentary (Past and Present)

APRIL 13, 2024

COWBOY CARTER RIDES INTO TOWN: THE BEYONCE EDITION

THREE IN TEN

Beyoncé claims three songs in the Hot 100’s top 10: former two-week leader “Texas Hold ‘Em” rebounds 11-2; “II Most Wanted,” with Miley Cyrus, debuts at No. 6; and Beyoncé’s update of Dolly Parton’s classic “Jolene” begins at No. 7. All three tracks are from Beyoncé’s album Cowboy Carter, which soars in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Beyoncé ups her count to 24 Hot 100 top 10s as a soloist. (Destiny’s Child, with her as a member, tallied 10 top 10s in 1998-2005.) Cyrus achieves her 13th top 10.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

• 77, Drake
• 49, Taylor Swift
• 38, Madonna
• 35, The Beatles
• 32, Rihanna
• 30, Michael Jackson
• 29, Elton John
• 28, Mariah Carey
• 28, Stevie Wonder
• 27, Janet Jackson
• 26, Justin Bieber
• 25, Lil Wayne
• 25, Elvis Presley (whose career start predated the Hot 100’s inception)
• 24, Beyoncé
• 23, Whitney Houston
• 23, Paul McCartney
• 23, The Rolling Stones

WELCOME TO THE TOP 10, “JOLENE”

Beyoncé surpasses Whitney Houston for the sixth-most Hot 100 top 10s among women – and both stars’ counts have direct ties to Dolly Parton.

Houston last ranked in the Hot 100’s top 10 in 2012, following her passing, as her cover of Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” re-entered and reached No. 3. It originally reigned on the chart for (a then-record) 14 weeks in 1992-93.

Parton posts her first Hot 100 top 10 writing credit since then, thanks to Beyoncé’s reworking of “Jolene,” which augments the lyrics of the original. The classic hit No. 60 on the Hot 100 for Parton, marking her first appearance, in 1974, and crowned Hot Country Songs for a week that year, becoming the second of her 25 No. 1s, the most among women. The song also earned Parton a 1975 Grammy nomination for best female country vocal performance for the recording, while a live version earned her a nod in the category the following year.

In its only other Hot 100 appearance until this week, “Jolene” spent a week at No. 76 in 2011 via Vicci Martinez’s version, from her run as a contestant on NBC’s The Voice.

Parton, meanwhile, expands her career top 10 span as a writer on the Hot 100 to 43 years, two months and two weeks, dating to her first week in the region as a writer with her self-penned “9 to 5” on the chart dated Jan. 31, 1981. (The song became the first of her two No. 1s as a recording artist that February.)

APRIL 6, 2024

AND JUST “LIKE THAT,” LAMAR BOOMS IN AS A FUTURE #1

Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” soars in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Future and Lamar each land their third Hot 100 leader, while Metro Boomin earns his first as a billed recording artist.

Future adds his third Hot 100 No. 1 – and third No. 1 debut – following “Wait for U,” featuring Drake and Tems (May 14, 2022), and Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug (Sept. 18, 2021); each led for one week.

Despite Future and Drake’s prior teaming, Lamar “throws several volleys, suggestively targeting Drake and J. Cole” on “Like That,” which has helped fuel the song’s buzz.

Likewise with a third Hot 100 No. 1, Lamar previously led with “Humble.” (May 6, 2017) and as featured on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” (June 6, 2015).

“TRUST” FALLS INTO HALF THE TOP 10

“Like That” is one of five tracks from Future and Metro Boomin’s We Don’t Trust You that debut in the Hot 100’s top 10, as the LP opens as Future’s ninth No. 1 and Metro Boomin’s fourth on the Billboard 200.

Here’s a rundown of the five songs:

No. 1, “Like That,” Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar

No. 2, “Type Shit,” Future, Metro Boomin, Travis Scott & Playboi Carti

No. 6, “Cinderella,” Future, Metro Boomin & Travis Scott

No. 8, “We Don’t Trust You,” Future & Metro Boomin

No. 9, “Young Metro,” Future, Metro Boomin & The Weeknd

Future ups his count to 15 Hot 100 top 10s and Metro Boomin doubles his total to 10 (as a billed recording artist). The Weeknd now boasts 18 top 10s; Travis Scott, 17; Lamar, 13; and Playboi Carti, four.

Meanwhile, here’s a recap of every week that acts have infused half the Hot 100’s top 10 or more. Future and Metro Boomin mark the second tandem to earn the feat simultaneously, joining Drake and 21 Savage, via their 2022 album Her Loss. The Beatles initiated the honor 60 years ago this week.

• 10 songs, Taylor Swift, Nov. 5, 2022
• 9, Drake, Sept. 18, 2021
• 8, Swift, Nov. 11, 2023
• 8, Drake, Nov. 19, 2022
• 7, Drake, Oct. 21, 2023
• 7, 21 Savage, Nov. 19, 2022
• 7, Drake, July 14, 2018
• 5, Future & Metro Boomin, April 6, 2024
• 5, Morgan Wallen, March 18, 2023
• 5, Juice WRLD, July 25, 2020
• 5, The Beatles, April 11, 1964
• 5, The Beatles April 4, 1964

A THREEFER FOR THE FOURTH TIME

“Like That” is the fourth Hot 100 No. 1 billed to three lead solo males.  This excludes listings that uses terms such as “featuring” or “with.”

Here’s a look at all four triumphant trios:

“Like That,” Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar, one week at No. 1 (to date), April 6, 2024

“Crack a Bottle,” Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent, one, Feb. 21, 2009

“Shake Ya Tailfeather,” Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee, four weeks, beginning Sept. 6, 2003

“All for Love,” Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting, three, beginning Jan. 22, 1994

HOZIER’S “SWEET” SUCCESS

Hozier’s “Too Sweet” starts at No. 5 on the Hot 100.  Hozier adds his second Hot 100 top 10, nearly a decade after his breakthrough hit “Take Me to Church” rose to No. 2 in December 2014. He has now charted three Hot 100 hits in the past year, after not appearing on the survey since “Church” wrapped its run; prior to “Sweet,” Noah Kahan’s “Northern Attitude,” remixed with Hozier, debuted and peaked at No. 37 in November 2023, after “Eat Your Young” entered and peaked at No. 67 last April.

Hozier ends the longest wait between Hot 100 top 10s since The Beatles returned to the tier after 27 years, 10 months and two weeks with “Now and Then” last November.

MARCH 30, 2024

TEDDY SWIMS TO THE TOP: TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH

Teddy Swims, real name Jaten Dimsdale, from Conyers, Ga., lifts to No. 1, from No. 2, on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.  “Lose Control” completes the longest climb to No. 1, by weeks on the chart, for a title by a solo male ever on the Hot 100. Overall, it finishes the fifth-steadiest rise to the summit.

Most chart weeks to No. 1 on the Hot 100:

1. 59, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, reached No. 1 on the chart dated March 12, 2022
2. 54, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Brenda Lee, Dec. 9, 2023
3. 35, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey, Dec. 21, 2019
4. 33, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
5. 32, “Lose Control,” Teddy Swims, March 30, 2024
6. 31, “Die for You,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, March 11, 2023
7. 31, “Amazed,” Lonestar, March 4, 2000
8. 30, “All of Me,” John Legend, May 17, 2014

“LOSE” WINS BIG

“Lose Control” is the fourth song with the word “lose” in its title to emerge victorious on the Hot 100. The winners circle:

• “Lose Control,” Teddy Swims, one week at No. 1 to date, March 30, 2024
• “Lose You To Love Me,” Selena Gomez, one week, Nov. 9, 2019
• “Lose Yourself,” Eminem, 12 weeks, beginning Nov. 9, 2002
• “Don’t Wanna Lose You,” Gloria Estefan, one week, Sept. 16, 1989

Plus, three songs with “lost” in their titles have triumphed on the Hot 100:

• “Lost in Your Eyes,” by Debbie Gibson (1989)
• “Lost in Emotion,” by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam (1987)
• “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” by The Righteous Brothers (1965)

(In perhaps an upset, no songs with “win” or “won” have taken the Hot 100’s top prize.)

“MIAMI” MAKES 12

Cardi B’s “Enough (Miami)” debuts at No. 9.  Cardi B notches her 12th Hot 100 top 10, and first on her own since “Up,” which became her fifth No. 1 in March 2021.

(305 in top 10: Miami appears in the title of a Hot 100 top 10 for a second time – Jan Hammer’s “Miami Vice Theme” sped to No. 1 for a week in 1985.)

MARCH 23, 2024

ARIANA GRANDE: THE “FRIENDS” EDITION:

7 OF 9

Ariana Grande’s “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the pop superstar’s ninth career leader on the list.

Grande achieves her ninth Hot 100 No. 1. She notches her seventh No. 1  debut, surpassing Taylor Swift for the most among women; Drake leads all acts with nine chart-topping entrances.

Ariana Grande’s Hot 100 No. 1s: (*No. 1 debut)

1. “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” one week at No. 1 to-date, March 23, 2024*
2. “Yes, And?,” one week, Jan. 27, 2024*
3. “Die for You,” with The Weeknd, one week, March 11, 2023
4. “Save Your Tears,” with The Weeknd, two weeks, beginning May 8, 2021
5. “Positions,” one week, Nov. 7, 2020*
6. “Rain on Me,” with Lady Gaga, one week, June 6, 2020*
7. “Stuck With U,” with Justin Bieber, one week, May 23, 2020*
8. “7 Rings,” eight weeks, beginning Feb. 2, 2019*
9. “Thank U Next,” seven weeks, beginning Nov. 17, 2018*

Grande also ties Beyoncé and Katy Perry for the seventh-most Hot 100 No. 1s among solo women. Mariah Carey leads all women, and soloists, with 19 (and overall trails only The Beatles, with 20), followed by Rihanna (14), Madonna (12), Whitney Houston, Taylor Swift (11 each) and Janet Jackson (10).

“FRIENDS” IN HIGH PLACES

“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” is only the second Hot 100 No. 1 with the word “friends” in its name. The other included the word in both its title and artist fields: “That’s What Friends Are For,” by Dionne & Friends (Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder).

If including variations of the word “friend,” the total of such Hot 100 No. 1s would rise to five. A friendly reminder of the other three: “Girlfriend,” by Avril Lavigne (2007); “You’ve Got a Friend,” by James Taylor (1971); and “My Boyfriend’s Back,” by The Angels (1963).

(No songs with “enemy” in their titles have topped the Hot 100. Imagine Dragons’ “Enemy” has made the furthest such invasion, hitting No. 5 in April 2022.)

As for the word “love,” it appears in the title of a Hot 100 No. 1 for the first time since Jawsh 685, Jason Derulo and BTS’ “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” led for a week in October 2020.

“AND” ANOTHER THING: ARIANA STREAKS

With Eternal Sunshine’s tracklist official upon the set’s release – and retroactive to the Hot 100 entrance of “Yes, And?” – Grande extends an unprecedented streak: She has now debuted the first single from each of her seven proper studio albums in the chart’s top 10.

Album, Lead single, Hot 100 debut/peak, Year:

Eternal Sunshine, “Yes, And?,” No. 1, 2024

Positions, “Positions,” No. 1, 2020

Thank U, Next, “Thank U, Next,” No. 1, 2018

Sweetener, “No Tears Left To Cry,” No. 3, 2018

Dangerous Woman, “Dangerous Woman,” No. 10/8, 2016

My Everything, “Problem,” feat. Iggy Azalea, No. 3/2, 2014

Yours Truly, “The Way,” feat. Mac Miller, No. 10/9, 2013

DRAKE AND 4BATZ: 77 – 1 

4Batz surges 61-7 with “Act II: Date @ 8,” following the March 8 release of its remix with featured artist Drake, who is now also credited on the song’s chart listing.  4Batz (real name Neko Bennett), from Dallas, earns his first Hot 100 top 10, while Drake claims his record-extending 77th.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

• 77, Drake
• 49, Taylor Swift
• 38, Madonna
• 35, The Beatles
• 32, Rihanna
• 30, Michael Jackson
• 29, Elton John
• 28, Mariah Carey
• 28, Stevie Wonder
• 27, Janet Jackson
• 26, Justin Bieber
• 25, Lil Wayne
• 25, Elvis Presley (whose career start predated the Hot 100’s inception)

(Where it’s @: “Act II: Date @ 8” is the first Hot 100 top 10 with “@” in its title. It leaps over the only other such top 40 hit: Playboi Carti’s “@ MEH” hit No. 35 in May 2020.)

MARCH 16, 2024

THE “CARNIVAL” ARRIVES: THE YE EDITION…

Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival,” featuring Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti, rises to No. 1, from No. 2, on the Billboard Hot 100. The song marks Ye’s fifth leader and Ty Dolla $ign’s second, as well as the first each for Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti.

Ye adds his fifth Hot 100 leader, as “Carnival” follows Katy Perry’s “E.T.,” on which he’s featured (five weeks at No. 1, beginning in April 2011); “Stronger” (one week, September 2007); “Gold Digger,” featuring Jamie Foxx (10 weeks, beginning in September 2005); and Twista’s  “Slow Jamz,” featuring Ye and Foxx (one week, February 2004).

Ye completes his quickest run to No. 1 on the Hot 100 – four weeks – passing the seven-week flight of “E.T.”

Ty Dolla $ign previously topped the Hot 100 for a week in June 2018 as featured on Post Malone’s “Psycho.”

Ye ends the longest break between Hot 100 No. 1s (12 years and 10 months) since Brenda Lee went a record 63 years, one month and two weeks between “I Want to Be Wanted” in 1960 and her Yuletide standard “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” this past December. Among non-holiday hits, Ye wraps the longest gap between No. 1s since Coldplay waited 13 years, three months and two weeks between “Viva La Vida” in 2008 and “My Universe,” with BTS, in 2021.

YE DURING THE DECADES

Ye has now led the Hot 100 in the 2000s, ‘10s and ‘20s, becoming the only male to earn the honor. Overall, he joins Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Lady Gaga for the feat over the three decades. (Carey gained inclusion thanks to commands each holiday season since 2019 with her 1994 classic carol “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”)

Ye is also the first rapper ever to have topped the Hot 100 in any three distinct decades.

From the first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for “Slow Jamz” through, now, the coronation of “Carnival,” Ye spans 20 years and one month of appearing atop the chart, as he becomes the first rapper to reach the 20-year milestone.

Longest Spans of Hot 100 No. 1s:

• Brenda Lee – 63 years, five months, three weeks (July 18, 1960-Jan. 6, 2024)
• Mariah Carey – 33 years, four months, three weeks (Aug. 4, 1990-Dec. 30, 2023)
• Cher – 28 years, five months (Nov. 6, 1971-April 3, 1999)
• Elton John – 24 years, 11 months, one week (Feb. 3, 1973-Jan. 10, 1998)
• Beach Boys – 24 years, four months (July 4, 1964-Nov. 5, 1988)
• Michael Jackson – 22 years, 10 months, three weeks (Oct. 14, 1972-Sept. 2, 1995)
• Stevie Wonder – 22 years, six months (Aug. 10, 1963-Feb. 8, 1986)
• Rod Stewart – 22 years, four months (Oct. 2, 1971-Feb. 5, 1994)
• Beyoncé – 20 years, eight months (July 12, 2003-March 9, 2024)
• Ye – 20 years, one month (Feb. 21, 2004-March 16, 2024)

Notably, “Carnival” dethrones Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” atop the Hot 100 – marking the first tradeoff at No. 1 ever among artists with over 20-year spans of leaders, excluding holiday music. (In the only other such instances, Carey, with “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and Lee, with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” swapped spots at the apex twice over the latest holidays.)

MARCH 9, 2024

“SATURN” SINGS

By debuting at a stellar #6, “Saturn” launches as SZA’s 10th Hot 100 top 10, and joins her No. 2-peaking “Snooze” (6-9) in the region. “Saturn” simultaneously dethrones “Snooze” atop the Hot R&B Songs chart, debuting as her sixth No. 1. (“Snooze” topped Hot R&B Songs for 30 weeks, tying SZA’s own “Kill Bill” for the longest command by a woman dating to the chart’s 2012 inception.)

Meanwhile, “Saturn” joins a small system of Hot 100 top 10s with names of planets in their titles. The identified such objects that have flown to the top 10:

• “Venus,” Frankie Avalon (No. 1 for five weeks, 1959)
• “Venus in Blue Jeans,” Jimmy Clanton (No. 7, 1962)
• “Venus,” The Shocking Blue (No. 1, one week, 1970)
• “It’s Too Late”/“I Feel the Earth Move,” Carole King (No. 1, five weeks, 1971)
• “Give Me Love – (Give Me Peace on Earth),” George Harrison (No. 1, one week, 1973)
• “Venus,” Bananarama (No. 1, one week, 1986; a remake of The Shocking Blue’s leader, above)
• “Heaven Is a Place on Earth,” Belinda Carlisle (No. 1, one week, 1987)
• “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me),” Train (No. 5, 2001)
• “Saturn,” SZA (No. 6 peak, to date, 2024)

Notably, Saturn becomes the fourth planet in the title of a Hot 100 top 10 (with six of the nine songs above having hit No. 1). Honorable mentions to: Bruno Mars (18 career top 10s), Earth, Wind & Fire (seven), Rare Earth (three) and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (one); The Neptunes, who have produced 16 top 10s; “Baby Pluto” by Lil Uzi Vert (No. 6, 2020; Pluto was downgraded to “dwarf planet” status in 2006); and all top 10s released on Mercury Records, from the Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace” in 1959 through Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” (on Mercury/Republic Records) last month.

MARCH 2, 2024

“HOLD” UP!  WAIT A MINUTE!:  THE BEYONCE EDITION

Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” shuffles to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a week after it debuted at No. 2. The superstar earns her ninth leader on the list, and her first since “Break My Soul” in 2022.

A week earlier, the single became the superstar’s historic first No. 1 on the multimetric Hot Country Songs survey; prior to the triumph for “Texas Hold ‘Em,” no Black woman, or female known to be biracial, had previously topped the chart.

#9 #1

Beyoncé notches her ninth Hot 100 No. 1 as a soloist.

Here’s a recap:

“Texas Hold ‘Em,” one week to date, March 2, 2024

“Break My Soul,” two weeks, beginning Aug. 13, 2022

“Savage” (Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé), one, May 30, 2020

“Perfect” (Ed Sheeran duet with Beyoncé), five (on which she was credited; the song led for six weeks total), beginning Dec. 23, 2017

“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” four, beginning Dec. 13, 2008

“Irreplaceable,” 10, beginning Dec. 16, 2006

“Check on It,” feat. Slim Thug, five, beginning Feb. 4, 2006

“Baby Boy,” feat. Sean Paul, nine, beginning Oct. 4, 2003

“Crazy in Love,” feat. Jay-Z, eight weeks at No. 1, beginning July 12, 2003

Additionally, Destiny’s Child, with Beyoncé as a member, scored four Hot 100 No. 1s: “Bootylicious” (for two weeks in 2001); “Independent Women (Part 1)” (11, 2000-01); “Say My Name” (three, 2000); and “Bills, Bills, Bills” (one week, 1999).

CAREER WEEKS AT #1

Beyoncé boasts the seventh-most weeks spent atop the Hot 100, as “Texas Hold ‘Em” ups her count to 45 in her solo career.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:

• 93, Mariah Carey
• 60, Rihanna
• 59, The Beatles
• 56, Drake
• 50, Boyz II Men
• 47, Usher
• 45, Beyoncé
• 37, Michael Jackson
• 34, Adele
• 34, Elton John
• 34, Bruno Mars
• 34, Taylor Swift

Further, Destiny’s Child spent 17 weeks at No. 1 among the act’s four Hot 100 leaders, making for 62 weeks at the summit for Beyoncé if we were to combine her solo and the group’s songs. (Among the acts above, Paul McCartney [89 weeks total; 30 solo], both George Harrison and John Lennon [each 65; six] would also sport higher sums of weeks at No. 1 than Beyoncé when mixing their solo leaders and those by The Beatles with them as members (with Ringo Starr at 61 weeks, thanks to two solo), while Michael Jackson’s total would extend to 47, thanks to 10 weeks at No. 1 for the Jackson 5.)

20+ YEAR SPAN OF SOLO #1s

From the first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for “Crazy in Love” through, now, the reign of “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé spans 20 years, seven months and three weeks of appearing atop the chart as a soloist.

Longest Spans of Hot 100 No. 1s:

• Brenda Lee – 63 years, five months, three weeks (July 18, 1960-Jan. 6, 2024)
• Mariah Carey – 33 years, four months, three weeks (Aug. 4, 1990-Dec. 30, 2023)
• Cher – 28 years, five months (Nov. 6, 1971-April 3, 1999)
• Elton John – 24 years, 11 months, one week (Feb. 3, 1973-Jan. 10, 1998)
• Beach Boys – 24 years, four months (July 4, 1964-Nov. 5, 1988)
• Michael Jackson – 22 years, 10 months, three weeks (Oct. 14, 1972-Sept. 2, 1995)
• Stevie Wonder – 22 years, six months (Aug. 10, 1963-Feb. 8, 1986)
• Rod Stewart – 22 years, four months (Oct. 2, 1971-Feb. 5, 1994)
• Beyoncé – 20 years, seven months, three weeks (July 12, 2003-March 2, 2024)
• Aretha Franklin – 19 years, 10 months, two weeks (June 3, 1967-April 18, 1987)

Notably, in looking at acts’ group and solo careers combined, Beyoncé’s span of appearing atop the Hot 100 stretches 24 years, seven months and two weeks, from the first week at No. 1 for Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills” (July 17, 1999) through this week’s takeover on top for “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Similarly among the acts above, Cher’s career span including Sonny & Cher and her solo No. 1s would encompass 33 years, seven months and two weeks (1965-99) and Michael Jackson’s Jackson 5 and solo output would span 25 years, seven months and a week (1970-95).

Meanwhile (as first noted when Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, hit No. 1), Beyoncé and Mariah Carey are the only acts to place atop the Hot 100 in four distinct decades – the 1990s, 2000s, ‘10s and ‘20s for both – thanks to the former’s runs at No. 1 with Destiny’s Child in the ‘90s and solo in the ‘00s-‘20s, and Carey’s reigns in each decade, including in the ‘10s and ‘20s with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

STATE YOUR CASE

Thanks to “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Houston-born Beyoncé, Texas appears in the title of a Hot 100 No. 1 for the first time. It’s also just the third U.S. state in the name of a leader on the list – with three each previously shouting out California and Georgia.

Hot 100 No. 1s With U.S. States in Their Titles:

• “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé, hit No. 1 March 2, 2024
• “California Gurls,” Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg, June 19, 2010
• “How Do U Want It”/“California Love,” 2Pac feat. K-Ci & JoJo, July 13, 1996
• “Hotel California,” Eagles, May 7, 1977
• “Midnight Train to Georgia,” Gladys Knight & the Pips, Oct. 27, 1973
• “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” Vicki Lawrence, April 7, 1973
• “Georgia on My Mind,” Ray Charles, Nov. 14, 1960

If you’re a reader from any of the other 47 states, you might feel more included knowing the other Hot 100 No. 1s with geographical American references either in their titles or via the acts that recorded them. One indirectly celebrates Texas: “Amazed,” by Lonestar, whose original members were from the Lone Star State (with the group first called Texassee, as they all met in Tennessee).

Here’s a rundown of those songs:

• “This Is America,” Childish Gambino, hit No. 1 May 19, 2018
• “Whistle,” Flo Rida, Aug. 25, 2012
• “Empire State of Mind,” Jay-Z + Alicia Keys, Nov. 28, 2009
• “Right Round,” Flo Rida, Feb. 28, 2009
• “Amazed,” Lonestar, March 4, 2000
• “We Are the World,” USA for Africa, April 13, 1985
• “Love Rollercoaster,” Ohio Players, Jan. 31, 1976
• “Sister Golden Hair,” America, June 14, 1975
• “Fire,” Ohio Players, Feb. 8, 1975
• “We’re an American Band,” Grand Funk, Sept. 29, 1973
• “A Horse With No Name,” America, March 25, 1972
• “American Pie (Parts I & II),” Don McLean, Jan. 15, 1972
• “American Woman”/“No Sugar Tonight,” The Guess Who, May 9, 1970

26 TIMES

“Texas Hold ‘Em” is the 26th hit to have topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs, dating to 1958, when the Hot 100 originated and Hot Country Songs became the country genre’s singular Billboard chart. Beyoncé scores the first dual leader of 2024, after four such songs topped the Hot 100 in 2023, the most in a year since 1975.

Songs to Have Hit No. 1 on Both the Hot 100 & Hot Country Songs Charts:

• “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé, 2024
• “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves, 2023
• “Rich Men North of Richmond,” Anthony Oliver Music, 2023
• “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean, 2023
• “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023
• “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021
• “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012
• “Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000
• “Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers, duet with Dolly Parton, 1983
• “I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981
• “9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981
• “Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980
• “Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977
• “Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76
• “I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975
• “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975
• “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975
• “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975
• “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975
• “I Can Help,” Billy Swan, 1974
• “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973
• “Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968
• “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Jeannie C. Riley, 1968
• “Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961
• “El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60
• “The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959

FEBRUARY 24, 2024

THREE NEW ENTRIES IN THE TOP 10; TWO, ONTO THE ENTIRE CHART

BEYONCE “HOLDS” ON

Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” blasts onto the Hot 100 at No. 2 and lands her 22nd Hot 100 top 10 – which concurrently soars in as her first No. 1 on the multimetric Hot Country Songs chart; “16 Carriages” starts at No. 9 on the latter list, giving her two top 10s with her first two entries on the chart.  “16 Carriages” enters the Hot 100 at No. 38.

THE “CARNIVAL” COMES TO TOWN

Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival” debuts at No. 3.  The pair are being billed collaboratively as ¥$: Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign.  Ye adds his 21st Hot 100 top 10 and Ty Dolla $ign, his third – and first in a lead role; he previously led for a week in 2018 as featured on Post Malone’s “Psycho” and hit No. 4 in 2016 as featured on Fifth Harmony’s “Work From Home.”

IT’S NOAH “SEASON”

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” climbs to No. 10, from No. 11.  The song is the Strafford, Vt., native’s first Hot 100 top 10. He arrived on the chart last June with “Dial Drunk” (featuring Post Malone), which reached No. 25, and peaked at a No. 14 best among his entries prior to “Stick Season” as featured on Zach Bryan’s “Sarah’s Place” in October. Notably, Kahan wrote “Stick Season” solo, making it any soloist’s first top 10 solely written by that artist since Bryan’s “Something in the Orange” (No. 10, January 2023).

SUPER BOWL LOVE

The arrival of both Beyonce tracks was announced via a Verizon commercial that aired during CBS’ February 4 broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII, ahead of the March 29 release of Beyoncé’s album expected to be titled Act II, which follows her 2022 Renaissance LP.

Halftime performer Usher had one of his biggest song re-enter the Hot 100 almost 20 years after it was originally released.  “Yeah!” debuts again at No. 20, after spending 12 consecutive weeks at No. 1 from February to May 2004.

FEBRUARY 17, 2024

JACK’S BACK…AGAIN

Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” returns to No. 1, from No. 2, for a fifth nonconsecutive week atop the Billboard Hot 100. The song first led for a week in December, followed by two frames at the summit in January, and again for two more weeks (thus far) in February.

A “CRUEL” PERSONAL BEST

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” retreats 3-4 on the Hot 100, following four nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning in October 2023. It also becomes the sixth of her 232 charted titles (the most among women) to log at least 40 weeks on the tally, joining “Anti-Hero” (53 weeks; 2022-23), “Shake It Off” (50; 2014-15), “You Belong With Me” (50; 2008-10), “Love Story” (49; 2008-09) and “Teardrops on My Guitar” (48; 2007-08).

POST-GRAMMY LOVE

After some winning performances and winning some trophies, a few acts re-enter the Top 10…

“FLOWERS” REBLOOM

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” (32-10) benefits from buzz at the Grammys, where it won for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance – marking her first career Grammy wins – and she performed the song. The song dominated the chart for eight weeks starting upon its debut in January 2023.

“SNOOZE” MOVES

SZA’s “Snooze” reawakens with a 10-5 jump on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 2. SZA performed the song, in a medley with her 2023 No. 1 “Kill Bill,” while “Snooze” additionally won for Best R&B Song.  Notably, “Snooze” scores its 60th week on the Hot 100. It’s just the 26th title to reach the milestone (among the over 30,000 that have hit the chart dating to its Aug. 4, 1958, inception).

“FAST CAR” RACES BACK

Luke Combs’ “Fast Car” revs 20-8 on the Hot 100, after peaking at No. 2. Combs performed the song, which was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance, at the Grammys with Tracy Chapman, whose original version hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 1988.

Chapman’s “Fast Car” re-enters the Hot 100 at No. 42. She appears on the chart for the first time since the survey dated Dec. 28, 1996, while her recording of “Fast Car” reaches the ranking for the first time since it wrapped its original 21-week run on the list dated Oct. 22, 1988.

(Chapman has won four Grammy Awards, including best female pop vocal performance for “Fast Car,” which she wrote solo, in 1989; she also won for best new artist, while “Fast Car” parent LP Tracy Chapman won for best contemporary folk album that year.)

THE PIANO MAN RETURNS

While nowhere near the Top 10, Billy Joel returns to the Hot 100 with his first charting single in 26 years and eight months. He was last seen on the survey dated Oct. 11, 1997, when he wrapped the run of his version of Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love.”  Joel returns to the Hot 100 with “Turn the Lights Back On” just one week shy of the 50th anniversary of his first appearance on the chart: on the list dated Feb. 23, 1974, he debuted at No. 94 with his breakthrough hit “Piano Man,” which went on to peak at No. 25.  Among his 43 career Hot 100 entries including “Turn the Lights Back On,” he has banked 13 top 10s, including three No. 1s: “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” (for two weeks in 1980), “Tell Her About It” (one week, 1983) and “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (two weeks, 1989).

FEBRUARY 10, 2024

THEE STALLION MAKES A “HISS”

Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hiss” slithers onto the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart at No. 1. The rapper notches her third leader with the debut of the diss track, following two in 2020: “Savage,” with Beyoncé, for a week that May, and Cardi B’s “WAP,” on which Megan Thee Stallion is featured, for four weeks beginning that August.  This is her first unaccompanied #1.

THE “BEAUTIFUL” BENSON BOONE

Newcomer (to the Top 10) Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” jumps 15-8 on the Hot 100, becoming his first top 10.  The 21-year-old Monroe, Wash., native previously charted two Hot 100 entries, each for one week: “Ghost Town” (No. 100, November 2021) and “In the Stars” (No. 82, May 2022).

FEBRUARY 3, 2024

FOUR TIMES THE “LOVIN”

Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” lands a fourth nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. With the song, which first led in early December, the rapper rewrites his longest reign on the chart, among his three leaders, after “First Class” ruled for three weeks in April-May 2022. He has also reigned with “Industry Baby,” with Lil Nas X, for one week in October 2021.  The song’s hook samples singer Delbert “Dale” Greer’s 1995 track “Whatever.”

JANUARY 27, 2024

ARIANA THE 8^TH

Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” soars in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the pop superstar’s eighth career leader on the chart and the 74^th to debut at #1.  She notches her sixth No. 1  debut, following her first five leaders, as she ties Taylor Swift for the most among women; Drake leads all acts with nine chart-topping entrances.

1. “Yes, And?,” one week at No. 1 to-date, Jan. 27, 2024
2. “Die for You,” with the Weeknd, one week, March 11, 2023
3. “Save Your Tears,” with the Weeknd, two weeks, beginning May 8, 2021
4. “Positions,” one week, Nov. 7, 2020
5. “Rain on Me,” with Lady Gaga, one week, June 6, 2020
6. “Stuck With U,” with Justin Bieber, one week, May 23, 2020
7. “7 Rings,” eight weeks, beginning Feb. 2, 2019
8. “Thank U Next,” seven weeks, beginning Nov. 17, 2018

“YES,” IT’S #1, “AND,” IT’S A FIRST

“Yes, And?” is the first Hot 100 No. 1 with the word “yes” in its title. It one-ups Teri DeSario’s “Yes, I’m Ready” (with K.C.), which hit No. 2 in March 1980.

Honorable mention: 40 years ago, the band Yes ruled the Hot 100 with “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” for two weeks in January 1984.

21 AT 17

21 Savage debuts two songs in the Hot 100’s top 10: “Redrum,” at No. 5, and “Née-nah,” with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin, at No. 10.  21 Savage tallies his 16th and 17th Hot 100 top 10s – with “Redrum” marking his first with no accompanying artists. Travis Scott scores his 15th top 10 and Metro Boomin, his fifth.

JANUARY 20, 2024

“LOVIN ON” 3

Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” adds a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The rapper ties his longest reign on the chart, among his three leaders, after “First Class” ruled for three weeks in April-May 2022. He has also topped the chart with “Industry Baby,” with Lil Nas X, for one week in October 2021.

YOU “SNOOZE,” YOU “LOSE”

With “Snooze (SZA, #6)” and “Lose (Control/ Teddy Swims, #8),” this is the first time they appear in song titles in the Hot 100’s top 10 simultaneously for the first time.  Meanwhile, the latter is the second top 10 titled “Lose Control”; Missy Elliott’s, featuring Ciara and Fat Man Scoop, hit No. 3 in September 2005. Plus, Eric Carmen’s “Make Me Lose Control” cruised to No. 3 in August 1988.

JANUARY 13, 2024

JACK’S BACK

Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” rebounds to No. 1, from No. 9, for a second week atop the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. It first reigned for a week in early December. The track became Harlow’s third Hot 100 leader on the Dec. 2, 2023-dated chart, following “First Class” (No. 1 for three weeks in April-May 2022) and “Industry Baby,” with Lil Nas X (No. 1, one week, October 2021). Notably, he is the first artist to have placed atop the chart each year since 2021. (Drake and Taylor Swift each led with new No. 1s in 2020-23; plus, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has jingled to No. 1 on charts dated each year in 2019-23.)

DOJA CAT’S 9TH…LIFE

Doja Cat’s “Agora Hills” hikes 35-10 notching her ninth Hot 100 top 10, following…“Paint the Town Red”“Vegas” (No. 10 peak, October 2022)Post Malone’s “I Like You (A Happier Song),” on which she’s featured (No. 3, October 2022)“Woman” (No. 7, May 2022)“Need To Know” (No. 8, November 2021)“Kiss Me More,” featuring SZA (No. 3, July 2021) Ariana Grande’s “34+35,” on which she and Megan Thee Stallion are featured (No. 2, January 2021)“Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj (No. 1, one week, May 2020)Also, by having two songs in the Top 10, Doja is the first solo rap female artist to perform this feat.

JANUARY 6, 2024

HOLIDAY 2023 WRAP UP

The Hot 100’s top eight titles are holiday songs for the first time ever. A year ago this week, the top seven were seasonal songs. Plus, nine of the top 10 are holiday hits for the second time, matching the festive feat first achieved three years ago this week.

BRENDA’S BACK

Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” rebounds to No. 1, from No. 2, on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The holiday classic adds a third week at the apex, four weeks after it led the list for the first time – 65 years after its release. It became Lee’s third Hot 100 No. 1, and her first since 1960.  The song was originally recorded and released in 1958. Written by Johnny Marks and produced by Owen Bradley, it first hit the Hot 100 in December 1960 and reached an original No. 14 peak two weeks later. It went on to spend nine weeks at No. 2 between December 2019 and last holiday season prior to its coronation over the latest holiday season.

With another week at No. 1, Lee extends her record for the longest span of an artist topping the Hot 100: 63 years, five months and three weeks, from her first frame at No. 1 with “I’m Sorry” (July 18, 1960) through the latest list.

Plus, Lee, at 79 years and three weeks of age, expands by another week her mark as the senior-most artist to have ruled the Hot 100.

DEAN’S NEW PEAK

Just before we close out the holiday season, Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!,” from 1959, ascends 8-7 for a new Hot 100 high.

THE SLINGSHOT EFFECT

Next week, we’re looking forward to see all of the holiday songs be put on ice until Thanksgiving weekend while the non-holiday music aggressively rebounds onto the Top 40.  We’ll see you in a week.

DECEMBER 30, 2023

3 x 14

Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” tops the Billboard Hot 100 for a second consecutive week – as it logs a 14th total week at No. 1, dating to its first coronation in December 2019.

Notably, the modern Yuletide standard is Carey’s third Hot 100 leader of at least 14 weeks – as she becomes the first artist in the chart’s history with three such No. 1s. She previously reigned for 16 weeks with “One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men, in 1995-96 and for 14 weeks with “We Belong Together” in 2005.  She one-ups Boyz II Men, who have notched three leaders of 13 or more frames apiece, with Carey and the group having teamed for the 16-week No. 1 smash “One Sweet Day.”

93 & MC

With “Christmas,” Carey adds her record-extending 93rd week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:

• 93, Mariah Carey
• 60, Rihanna
• 59, The Beatles
• 56, Drake
• 50, Boyz II Men
• 47, Usher
• 43, Beyoncé
• 37, Michael Jackson
• 34, Adele
• 34, Elton John
• 34, Bruno Mars
• 34, Taylor Swift

“Christmas” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades, dating to her first week on top in August 1990 with her debut hit, “Vision of Love.”

64 AND COUNTING…

Carey’s “Christmas” rules the Hot 100 in its 64th week on the chart. It passes Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” for the latest, by total chart weeks, that a song has led the list. The latter completed a record 59-week trip to No. 1 in March 2022 and reigned for five consecutive weeks, through its 63rd frame; it went on to amass a record 91 weeks on the chart.

DECEMBER 23, 2023

“CHRISTMAS” RETURNS TO #1

Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as it adds a 13th total week at the chart’s highest bough.  It hit the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in December 2017 and the top five for the first time in the 2018 holiday season. It led at last, prior to this week, over the holidays in 2019 (for three weeks), 2020 (two), 2021 (three) and 2022 (four).

The song tops the Hot 100 after Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” spent the last two weeks at No. 1, having led for the first time 65 years after its release.  Thanks to Carey’s and Lee’s No. 1s, two holiday songs have led the Hot 100 in the same holiday season for the first time.

Carey’s “Christmas” rules the Hot 100 in its 63rd week on the chart. It ties Glass Animals’ seasonally-opposite “Heat Waves” for the latest, by total chart weeks, that a song has led the list. The latter completed a record 59-week trip to No. 1 in March 2022 and reigned for five consecutive weeks, through its 63rd frame; it went on to log a record 91 weeks on the chart.

LUCKY 13

Carey ties Boyz II Men as the only artists with three songs that have topped the Hot 100 for 13 or more weeks each. Notably, Carey and the group teamed for one smash that contributes to the feat: “One Sweet Day.”

Mariah Carey:

16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men, 1995-96

14 weeks, “We Belong Together,” 2005

13 weeks (to-date), “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” 2019-23

Boyz II Men:

16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Carey, 1995-96

14 weeks, “I’ll Make Love to You,” 1994

13 weeks, “End of the Road,” 1992

TOTAL WEEKS AT #1

With “Christmas,” Carey adds her record-extending 92nd week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:

92, Mariah Carey

60, Rihanna

59, The Beatles

56, Drake

50, Boyz II Men

47, Usher

43, Beyoncé

37, Michael Jackson

34, Adele

34, Elton John

34, Bruno Mars

34, Taylor Swift

“SLEIGH” RIDES

The Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride” dashes 14-8 on the Hot 100, hitting a new high.  Originally released in 1963, the same year that the act posted its lone other top 10 – the iconic No. 2-peaking “Be My Baby” – “Sleigh Ride” previously ranked in the top 10, at No. 10, for a week over the 2021 holidays (shortly before the passing of group co-founder Ronnie Spector). The Ronettes now boast a span of 60 years and three months in the Hot 100’s top 10 – the longest among groups.

(Excluding holiday fare, The Beatles broke the record for the longest top 10 span among all acts last month: 59 years, nine months and three weeks, from “I Want To Hold Your Hand” in 1964 to the debut of their newly-released single “Now and Then.”)

DECEMBER 16, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRENDA!!!

On December 11, Brenda Lee turned 79 years young while holding onto the #1 spot for the second week with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”  She expands by another week her mark as the senior-most artist to have ruled the Hot 100.

With another week at No. 1, Lee extends her record for the longest span of an artist topping the Hot 100: 63 years and five months, from her first week at No. 1 with “I’m Sorry” (July 18, 1960) through the latest list.

SPAN OF TIME BETWEEN FIRST WEEK AND CURRENT WEEK IN THE TOP 10

Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” originally released in 1963, lifts 10-8 on the Hot 100. The late singer now sports a record span of 64 years, two months and one week from his first week in the top 10 with “Lonely Street” in October 1959 through his latest frame. (Excluding holiday fare, The Beatles broke the record for the longest top 10 span last month: 59 years, nine months and three weeks, from “I Want To Hold Your Hand” in 1964 to the debut of their newly-released single “Now and Then.”)

DECEMBER 9, 2023

A SENTIMENTAL FEELING: THE BRENDA LEE STORY

AFTER 65 YEARS…

Brenda Lee dances merrily to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with her holiday classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” The song rewrites multiple records as it tops the chart for the first time – 65 years after its release. Lee, meanwhile, adds her third No. 1 – and her first since 1960.  Below, let’s unwrap the coronation of the song, whose history dates back just as long…

Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” was originally recorded and released in 1958. Written by Johnny Marks and produced by Owen Bradley, it first hit the Hot 100 (at No. 64) dated Dec. 12, 1960 – after Lee had notched her first four top 10s that year – and reached an original No. 14 peak two weeks later.

The song went on to spend nine weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100 between December 2019 and last holiday season. (Notably, it ties for the most weeks logged at No. 2 before rising to No. 1 at last, matching Billie Eilish’s wait with “Bad Guy” in 2019.)

THIRD HOLIDAY #1…EVER!!!

Lee claims just the third holiday No. 1 ever on the Hot 100. “The Chipmunk Song,” by The Chipmunks with David Seville, from 1958, spent four weeks on top beginning that December, and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” released in 1994, has rung up 12 weeks at No. 1, from its first ascent to the summit in December 2019 through last holiday season.

Two of the three leaders, Lee’s and The Chipmunks’ singles, thus, were released in 1958 (the Hot 100’s first year of existence).

THIRD BRENDA LEE #1

Lee lands her third Hot 100 No. 1 … 65 years after her first two. “I’m Sorry” reigned for three weeks beginning on the chart dated July 18, 1960, and “I Want To Be Wanted” topped the tally dated Oct. 24, 1960.

Lee has charted 51 Hot 100 hits, starting with “Sweet Nothin’s,” which marked her debut on the ranking dated Dec. 21, 1959. The song rose to No. 4 in April 1960, becoming her first of 13 top 10s. (She went on to earn nine top 10s on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1973-80.)

Notably, Lee posted the most Hot 100 hits – 46 – among women in the ‘60s, one more than runner-up Connie Francis that decade; she and Francis tied for the most top 10s – 12 each – among solo women in the ’60s.

LONGEST TRIP TO THE TOP

Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” shatters the record for the longest wait from a song’s release – 65 years – to it hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100. It surpasses the 25-year gap between the release of Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 1994 and its rise to No. 1 in 2019.

Lee’s single also breaks the record for longest climb to No. 1 on the Hot 100 from a song’s debut on the chart. As it entered the Dec. 12, 1960-dated list and leads the Dec. 9, 2023-dated ranking, it rules at last three days shy of 63 years later.

LONGEST SPAN OF #1s:

Lee additionally rewrites the record for the longest span of an artist topping the Hot 100: 63 years, four months and three weeks, from her first week at No. 1 with “I’m Sorry” (July 18, 1960) through the latest list. She supplants Carey, whose span of leaders stretches 32 years and five months, from her first week in charge (Aug. 4, 1990) with her debut single “Vision of Love” through the most recent week on top for “All I Want for Christmas Is You” last holiday season.

LONGEST BREAK BETWEEN #1s:

Making more history, Lee marks the longest break between Hot 100 No. 1s: 63 years, one month and two weeks between “I Want To Be Wanted” (Oct. 24, 1960) and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

Cher previously held the mark: just 10 days shy of 25 years between her one week atop the Hot 100 with “Dark Lady” (March 23, 1974) and the start of her four-week command with “Believe” (March 13, 1999). (Cher reaches No. 1 on another Billboard chart this week with her own holiday hit.)

MOST SENIOR #1 HOLDER

Lee is 78 years young; her new Hot 100 coronation will add to her birthday celebration Dec. 11. She becomes the senior-most artist to top the chart, surpassing Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when “Hello, Dolly!” led in 1964. Among women, Lee passes the likewise busy Cher, who was 52 when “Believe” ruled the Hot 100.

In a bit of time-bending, while Lee is currently 78, again, the highest age for an artist atop the Hot 100, she was 13 when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”; if the song had led when she was that age, she’d be the youngest woman to have reached No. 1. Little Peggy March remains the youngest woman to have led the list – at the time of a song hitting No. 1 – as the singer (now 75) was 15 when “I Will Follow Him” ruled in 1963.

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 26, 1960…

What 13 songs kept Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” from No. 1 when it originally peaked at No. 14 on the Dec. 26, 1960-dated Hot 100? You can browse the entire chart here. Notably, Elvis Presley led with “Are You Lonesome To-night?,” with the Jordanaires.

Plus, Floyd Cramer ranked at No. 3 on the Dec. 26, 1960, Hot 100 with “Last Date.” The piano player (who passed in 1997) was an in-demand session musician in the ‘50s and ‘60s – and played on Lee’s new No. 1.

ON THEIR VERY OWN HOLIDAY CHART

Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” concurrently hits No. 1 for the first time on the multi-metric Holiday 100 chart. Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” led for 43 consecutive weeks, dating to the start of the 2015-16 holiday season, and has dominated for 58 of the wintry summary’s 64 total frames since the chart began in 2011.

The only other Holiday 100 No. 1s to date: Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe,” for a week in the 2011-12 holiday season; Pentatonix’s “Little Drummer Boy” (one, 2013-14) and “Mary, Did You Know?” (two, 2014-15); and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (one, 2014-15).

DECEMBER 2, 2023

“LOVIN ON” JACK

Jack Harlow “Lovin on Me” lifts to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, a week after it debuted at No. 2. The song becomes the rapper’s third leader on the list, following “First Class” (No. 1 for three weeks in April-May 2022) and “Industry Baby,” with Lil Nas X (No. 1, one week, October 2021).  The song’s hook samples singer Delbert “Dale” Greer’s 1995 cut “Whatever” (which to date has never hit a Billboard chart).

Notably, Harlow is one of just three artists to tally at least one new Hot 100 No. 1 in each of the last three years, joining Drake and Taylor Swift (whose streaks both date to 2020).

‘TIS THE SEASON…

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – the No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs retrospective – dashes 17-4 on the Hot 100.  The song, originally released in 1994, hit the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in December 2017. In December 2019, it ascended to the summit at last, for three weeks that holiday season. It became the second holiday song ever to reign, after “The Chipmunk Song,” by The Chipmunks with David Seville, spent four weeks at No. 1 beginning in December 1958.

“Christmas” led the Hot 100 for two more weeks in the 2020 holiday season, thus, passing “The Chipmunk Song” for the most for a Yuletide song. It added three more weeks at No. 1 over the 2021 holidays and a single-season-best four frames during the 2022 season, upping its total to 12 weeks at No. 1.

Brenda Lee dances merrily back onto the Hot 100 at No. 8 with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” It has spent nine weeks at its No. 2 high since it first reached the rank in December 2019; it was originally released in 1958 and hit a prior No. 14 peak in 1960.  With the carol’s latest week in the Hot 100’s top 10, Lee claims the record for the longest span of an act appearing in the tier to 63 years, eight months and two weeks, dating to her first week in the top 10 with “Sweet Nothin’s” in March 1960. (She passes the late Andy Williams, with a span of nearly 63 years and three months from his first week in the top 10 with “Lonely Street” in October 1959 through the most week in the region for his “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” last holiday season; the latter re-enters the chart at No. 28, so the record is in line to revert to Williams, should the song return to the top 10.)

NOVEMBER 25, 2023

JACK’S BACK

Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” enters the Hot 100 at No. 2.  The track is Harlow’s fifth Hot 100 top 10, and top five hit, following “3D,” with Jung Kook (No. 5 peak, October); “First Class” (No. 1 for three weeks in 2022); “Industry Baby,” with Lil Nas X (No. 1, one week, 2021); and “Whats Poppin,” featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez and Lil Wayne (No. 2, 2020).

Harlow becomes just the fourth artist to tally at least one new top five Hot 100 hit each year this decade, joining Doja Cat, Drake and Taylor Swift.

LET THE NEW YEAR BEGIN!!!

With this being the last qualifying week for our Top 40 Weekly calendar (which began 12/3/22), we will have the tabulations for you for our Top 100 of 2023.  How we differ from Billboard is that we only use songs that garnered points within the Top 40 and we don’t include Holiday Songs in the year-end.  Before the month is over, we’ll have a side by side comparison of our rankings of songs and artists.  Stay tuned readers!  Let us know what you think will be topping our 2023 Year-End chart in the comments below! 

The 2024 chart season begins with next week’s chart ending December 2, 2023!

NOVEMBER 18, 2023

“SUMMER” RETURNS

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” rebounds for a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Three weeks earlier, it became her 10th career leader. It takes over for her 11th, “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” which interrupted the reign of “Cruel Summer” with its No. 1 debut a week ago.  As “Cruel Summer” reclaims the baton atop the Hot 100, Swift becomes the second artist in the chart’s archives to reign with a song, take over at No. 1 with a different track, and directly return to the summit with that first leader. In 2021, BTS led for seven weeks with “Butter,” halted the song’s command with a No. 1 debut for “Permission to Dance” and then returned to the top the following week with “Butter” (which ran up its rule to 10 total nonconsecutive weeks).

“STANDING” IN THE TOP 5

Jung Kook’s “Standing Next to You” enters the Hot 100 at No. 5.  The track is Jung Kook’s third Hot 100 top 10. Here’s a recap of all four top 10s so far by BTS members apart from the group, ranked by peak position. As a group, BTS boasts 10 top 10s, including six No. 1s.

Peak Pos., Date, Artist, Title:

• No. 1, one week, July 29, 2023, Jung Kook feat. Latto, “Seven”
• No. 1, one week, April 8, 2023, Jimin, “Like Crazy”
• No. 5 (to date), Nov. 18, 2023, Jung Kook, “Standing Next to You”
• No. 5, Oct. 14, 2023, Jung Kook & Jack Harlow, “3D”

“NOW:” MORE BEATLES MILESTONES

The Beatles bound onto the Hot 100 at No. 7 with “Now and Then.”  “Now and Then” is billed as the final Beatles song, first recorded as a demo in 1977 by John Lennon and initially intended for the band’s three-edition Anthology series in the mid-‘90s before being shelved. The song was completed at last by surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, among others, after new technology helped extract Lennon’s vocals from the original demo, while George Harrison guitar parts from the initial attempt to finish the track were also incorporated into the song.  With the song’s Hot 100 debut (The Beatles’ second-highest, after “Let It Be” launched at a then-record No. 6 in 1970), The Beatles mark multiple new chart milestones.

MOST TOP 10s AMONG GROUPS

“Now and Then” becomes The Beatles’ 35th Hot 100 top 10, extending their record for the most among groups. The Rolling Stones rank second among groups with 23 top 10s, followed by Chicago and The Supremes, each with 20.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

76, Drake

49, Taylor Swift

38, Madonna

35, The Beatles

32, Rihanna

30, Michael Jackson

29, Elton John

28, Mariah Carey

28, Stevie Wonder

27, Janet Jackson

26, Justin Bieber

25, Lil Wayne

25, Elvis Presley (whose career start predated the Hot 100’s inception)

SPAN OF TIME BETWEEN TOP 10s, EXCLUDING HOLIDAY SONGS

The Beatles first hit the Hot 100’s top 10 on the chart dated Jan. 25, 1964, with their iconic U.S. breakthrough single “I Want to Hold Your Hand” – which became the first of their record 20 No. 1s. They now claim a span of top 10s of 59 years, nine months and three weeks, the longest excluding holiday fare. They surpass Elton John, who has logged a top 10 span of 51 years, seven months and three weeks, dating to his first frame in the bracket with “Your Song” (Jan. 23, 1971) and running through “Hold Me Closer,” with Britney Spears (Sept. 10, 2022).

The Beatles achieve their first Hot 100 top 10 since “Free as a Bird,” from the Anthology series, hit No. 6 on the Jan. 6, 1996-dated chart. They end a break of 27 years, 10 months and two weeks between top 10s – the longest for an act, excluding holiday music, with sole billing on bookending top 10s. Among all waits between top 10s (again, not including holiday hits), The Beatles end the fifth-longest break; as a soloist, McCartney ranks third.

Longest Breaks Between Hot 100 Top 10s, excluding holiday songs:

• Ozzy Osbourne: 30 years and three months, between “Close My Eyes Forever” with Lita Ford in 1989 and Post Malone’s “Take What You Want” featuring Osbourne and Travis Scott in 2019
• Dobie Gray: 30 years, two months and one week, between “Drift Away” in 1973 and Uncle Kracker’s cover featuring Gray in 2003
• Paul McCartney: 29 years and two weeks, between “Spies Like Us” in 1986 and “FourFiveSeconds” with Rihanna and Kanye West in 2015
• Santana: 28 years, seven months and two weeks, between “Black Magic Woman” in 1971 and “Smooth” featuring Rob Thomas in 1999
• The Beatles: 27 years, 10 months and two weeks, between “Free as a Bird” in 1996 and “Now and Then” in 2023
• Billy Ray Cyrus: 26 years and eight months, between “Achy Breaky Heart” in 1992 and Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” featuring Cyrus in 2019
• Aqua: 25 years, nine months and three weeks, between “Barbie Girl” in 1997 and “Barbie World” with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice in 2023

MOST HOT 100 HITS AMONG BANDS

“Now and Then” also marks The Beatles’ 72nd Hot 100 hit overall (and their first since Anthology single “Real Love,” which reached No. 11 in 1996 as the follow-up to “Free as a Bird”). They extend their mark for the most entries among bands that play their own instruments (and rank second among all multi-member acts only to TV troupe the Glee cast’s 207).

Among all bands, The Beatles lead over The Rolling Stones (57 Hot 100 hits), The Beach Boys (55) and The Temptations (53).

NOVEMBER 11, 2023

TAYLOR SWIFT’S NEXT CHAPTER: IT’S NOT “OVER”

…AND ANOTHER ONE

“Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault]” is the 73rd song to debut at #1 and her 11th.  With her 11th Hot 100 No. 1, Swift ties Whitney Houston for the eighth-most since the chart began on Aug. 4, 1958.

Most Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:
20, The Beatles
19, Mariah Carey
14, Rihanna
13, Drake
13, Michael Jackson
12, Madonna
12, The Supremes
11, Whitney Houston
11, Taylor Swift
10, Janet Jackson
10, Stevie Wonder

Here’s a recap of Swift’s 11 Hot 100 No. 1s, which now include two rerecorded “(Taylor’s Version)” tracks, as her new leader joins “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” from 2021:
“Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” one week at No. 1 to-date, Nov. 11, 2023
“Cruel Summer,” two weeks, beginning Oct. 28, 2023
“Anti-Hero,” eight weeks, beginning Nov. 5, 2022
“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” one week, Nov. 27, 2021
“Willow,” one week, Dec. 26, 2020
“Cardigan,” one week, Aug. 8, 2020
“Look What You Made Me Do,” three weeks, beginning Sept. 16, 2017
“Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, one week, June 6, 2015
“Blank Space,” seven weeks, beginning Nov. 29, 2014
“Shake It Off,” four weeks, beginning Sept. 6, 2014
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” three weeks, beginning Sept. 1, 2012

IRREPLACEABLE

Taylor Swift’s “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault]” launches at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.   On the Hot 100, Swift scores her 11th No. 1 – and dethrones her 10th, “Cruel Summer,” after two weeks on top. There are 19 instances in which artists have replaced themselves atop the Hot 100.  She replaces herself at the summit for a second time, and is the only woman ever to have achieved the feat.  The other 18 are…

BTS
“Permission to Dance” replaced “Butter,” July 24, 2021

Drake
“In My Feelings” replaced “Nice for What,” July 21, 2018

“Nice for What” replaced “God’s Plan,” April 21, 2018

Justin Bieber
“Despacito” (by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Bieber) replaced “I’m the One” (by DJ Khaled feat. Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper & Lil Wayne), May 27, 2017

“Love Yourself” replaced “Sorry,” Feb. 13, 2016

The Weeknd
“The Hills” replaced “Can’t Feel My Face,” Oct. 3, 2015

Taylor Swift
“Blank Space” replaced “Shake It Off,” Nov. 29, 2014

The Black Eyed Peas
“I Gotta Feeling” replaced “Boom Boom Pow,” July 11, 2009

T.I.
“Live Your Life” (feat. Rihanna) replaced “Whatever You Like,” Oct. 18, 2008

Usher
“Confessions Part II” replaced “Burn,” July 24, 2004

“Burn” replaced “Yeah!” (feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris), May 22, 2004

OutKast
“The Way You Move” (feat. Sleepy Brown) replaced “Hey Ya!,” Feb. 14, 2004

Nelly
“Dilemma” (feat. Kelly Rowland) replaced “Hot in Herre,” Aug. 17, 2002

Ja Rule
“Ain’t It Funny” (by Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule) replaced “Always on Time,” March 9, 2002

Puff Daddy
“Mo Money Mo Problems” (by The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy & Mase) replaced “I’ll Be Missing You” (by Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112) August 30, 1997

Boyz II Men
“On Bended Knee” replaced “I’ll Make Love to You,” Dec. 3, 1994

The Beatles

“Can’t Buy Me Love” replaced “She Loves You,” April 4, 1964

“She Loves You” replaced “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” March 21, 1964
…AND ANOTHER SEVEN“Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault]” paces seven songs from 1989 (Taylor’s Version) in the Hot 100’s top 10. Here’s a recap of their ranks

No. 1: “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” 
No. 2: “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],”
No. 3: “Slut! (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” 
No. 5: “Say Don’t Go (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” 
No. 7: “Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version),” 
No. 9: “Style (Taylor’s Version),” 
No. 10: “Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” 
Swift swells her career total to 49 Hot 100 top 10s, the most among women and second among all acts only to Drake’s 69.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:
76, Drake
49, Taylor Swift
38, Madonna
34, The Beatles
32, Rihanna
30, Michael Jackson
29, Elton John
28, Mariah Carey
28, Stevie Wonder
27, Janet Jackson
26, Justin Bieber
25, Lil Wayne
25, Elvis Presley (whose career start predated the Hot 100’s inception)

NEW “BLOOD,” NEW “STYLE”

Swift returns two compositions to the Hot 100’s top 10, as “Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version)” debuts at No. 7 and “Style (Taylor’s Version)” starts at No. 9. The original version of the former, as noted above, led for a week and the initial version of the latter hit No. 6, both in 2015.

Swift sends revamped versions of her songs to the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time. She previously came closest to the feat when “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” hit No. 11 in 2021, after the original reached No. 4 in 2009. She’s the first artist to take a song to the top 10 via different versions in just over 20 years: In August 2003, Uncle Kracker’s update of “Drift Away,” featuring Dobie Gray, hit No. 9, after Gray’s original reached No. 5 in 1973.

EASY AS 1-2-3

Swift infuses the Hot 100’s top three for a second time, following the Nov. 5, 2022, chart, when her album Midnights premiered atop the Billboard 200. The Beatles (five weeks, 1964), Drake (three, 2021-23) and Swift are the only acts with multiple such weeks, with Ariana Grande having earned the honor once, in 2019.

Plus, as Swift scores eight songs in the Hot 100’s top 10, she achieves her second week with at least that many simultaneous top 10s, following the frame in which 10 tracks from Midnights made for a historic sweep, led by “Anti-Hero” at No. 1. The only other such weeks belong to Drake, who logged nine and eight top 10s on the charts dated Sept. 18, 2021, and Nov. 19, 2022, respectively, each likewise sparked by his chart arrivals of new albums.

WOMEN RULE

In addition to Swift’s eight songs in the Hot 100’s top 10, Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” ranks at No. 4 and SZA’s “Snooze” drifts off to No. 8. The chart hosts just the second all-woman top 10 in its history, following, again, the Nov. 5, 2022, chart, when Swift ranked at Nos. 1-10 with songs from Midnights (with Lana Del Rey featured on the No. 4 track that week, “Snow on the Beach”).

NOVEMBER 4, 2023

SWIFT’S 10^th FOR 2

Taylor Swift’s 10^th Number 1 spends a second week at the top boosting her career weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 to 31.

MORGAN MAKES MOVES

By moving to #7 in its 34 week on the Hot 100, “Thinkin’ Bout Me” by Morgan Wallen reaches a new peak and sits back-to-back with his 16-week non-consecutive #1 smash, “Last Night” – which moves up to #6.

OCTOBER 28, 2023

A TAYLOR MADE STORYTAYLOR’S TOP 10

“Cruel Summer” was released on Swift’s 2019 album Lover and since June has been promoted as a proper single. It gained momentum as Swift has performed it on The Eras Tour (which began in March), her first in which she’s been able to spotlight songs from Lover, which was released shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taylor’s 10th: Swift joins 10 other acts since the Hot 100 began on Aug. 4, 1958, with 10 or more No. 1s each.

Most Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:
20, The Beatles
19, Mariah Carey
14, Rihanna
13, Drake
13, Michael Jackson
12, Madonna
12, The Supremes
11, Whitney Houston
10, Janet Jackson
10, Taylor Swift
10, Stevie Wonder

Here’s a recap of Swift’s 10 Hot 100 No. 1s:
“Cruel Summer,” one week at No. 1 to-date, Oct. 28, 2023
“Anti-Hero,” eight weeks, beginning Nov. 5, 2022
“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” one week, Nov. 27, 2021
“Willow,” one week, Dec. 26, 2020
“Cardigan,” one week, Aug. 8, 2020
“Look What You Made Me Do,” three weeks, beginning Sept. 16, 2017
“Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, one week, June 6, 2015
“Blank Space,” seven weeks, beginning Nov. 29, 2014
“Shake It Off,” four weeks, beginning Sept. 6, 2014
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” three weeks, beginning Sept. 1, 2012LONG TRIP TO #1The song completes the fifth-longest trip to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in terms of time from a debut to scaling the summit. Of those five enduring songs, two have reigned this year (both on Republic), as “Cruel Summer” follows The Weeknd’s likewise revived “Die for You,” which reigned for a week in March following the release of its remix with Ariana Grande.

Most Time to No. 1 on Hot 100, from Chart Debut:

• 19 years, 11 months, 2 weeks, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (2000-19; originally released in 1994, the carol ultimately first led 25 years after its release)
• 6 years, 2 months, 3 weeks, “Die for You,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande (2016-23)
• 5 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, “When I’m With You,” Sheriff (1983-89)
• 4 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, “Red Red Wine,” UB40 (1984-88; the pop/reggae classic and Sheriff’s love song above were renewed, in part, by adventurous radio exec Guy Zapoleon)
• 4 years, 1 month, 3 weeks, “Cruel Summer,” Taylor Swift (2019-23)

A “CRUEL” “SUMMER” TWIST

Since ‘Cruel Summer’ tops the Hot 100, it is the first No. 1 with ‘cruel’ in its title. It is also only the third song with ‘summer’ in its title, and the first in over 57 years.” Here are the three, with only one having led during summertime:

“Cruel Summer,” Taylor Swift, one week at No. 1 to-date, Oct. 28, 2023
“Summer in the City,” The Lovin’ Spoonful, three weeks, beginning Aug. 13, 1966
“The Theme From A Summer Place,” Percy Faith and His Orchestra, nine weeks, beginning Feb. 22, 1960

Notably, Elvis Presley’s classic “Don’t Be Cruel” topped multiple charts in 1956, prior to the Hot 100’s inception. Until this week, Swift’s new leader had tied James Darren’s “Goodbye Cruel World,” a No. 3 entry in 1961, for the top-charting Hot 100 hit with “cruel” in its title. Next up: Cheap Trick’s cover of Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel” (No. 4, 1988) and Bobby Brown’s “Don’t Be Cruel” (same title different song) – which rode the chart concurrent with Cheap Trick in 1988 – peaked at #8. Meanwhile, Bananarama’s own “Cruel Summer” reached No. 9 in 1984.

OCTOBER 21, 2023

“FIRST” THINGS FIRST: THE DRAKE STORY

Drake’s “First Person Shooter,” featuring J. Cole, launches at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The collaboration, from Drake’s LP For All the Dogs – which concurrently debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart – is his 13th Hot 100 leader, tying him with Michael Jackson for the most in the list’s history among solo males, and the fourth-most among all acts.  J. Cole achieves his first Hot 100 No. 1.  Drake, meanwhile, charts seven songs in the Hot 100’s top 10, including six debuts, upping his record total to 76 career top 10 hits.

“I’m one away from Michael,” chart-watcher Drake notes in “First Person Shooter,” while also shouting out Jackson’s classic 1983 Hot 100 No. 1 “Beat It.” Upon the former song’s debut, the lyric is outdated, as Drake now ties Jackson for the most leaders among solo males: 13 each.

Drake and Jackson tie for the fourth-most Hot 100 No. 1s among all acts, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.

Most Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:

20, The Beatles

19, Mariah Carey

14, Rihanna

13, Drake

13, Michael Jackson

12, Madonna

12, The Supremes

11, Whitney Houston

10, Janet Jackson

10, Stevie Wonder

Here’s a recap of Drake’s 13 Hot 100 No. 1s – 9 of which debuted at #1 (italicized); yet another record Drake holds:

“First Person Shooter,” Drake feat. J. Cole (one week to-date, Oct. 21, 2023)

“Slime You Out,” Drake feat. SZA (one week, Sept. 30, 2023)

“Jimmy Cooks,” Drake feat. 21 Savage (one week, July 2, 2022)

“Wait for U,” Future feat. Drake & Tems (one week, May 14, 2022)

“Way 2 Sexy,” Drake feat. Future and Young Thug (one week, Sept. 18, 2021)

“What’s Next,” Drake (one week, March 20, 2021)

“Toosie Slide,” Drake (one week, April 18, 2020)

“In My Feelings,” Drake (10 weeks, beginning July 21, 2018)

“Nice for What,” Drake (eight weeks, beginning April 21, 2018)

“God’s Plan,” Drake (11 weeks, beginning Feb. 3, 2018)

“One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla (10 weeks, beginning May 21, 2016)

“Work,” Rihanna feat. Drake (nine weeks, beginning March 5, 2016)

“What’s My Name?,” Rihanna feat. Drake (one week at No. 1, beginning Nov. 20, 2010)

Drake ups his haul to seven Hot 100 No. 1s in the 2020s – pushing him past BTS for the most so far this decade. Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift follow with four each in that span.

Drake earned six Hot 100 No. 1s in the ‘10s, the fourth-best sum, after Rihanna (nine), Katy Perry (eight) and Bruno Mars (seven).

Here’s a recap of the artists with the most Hot 100 leaders in each decade:

• ‘20s, to date: Drake, seven
• ‘10s: Rihanna, nine
• ‘00s: Usher, seven
• ‘90s: Mariah Carey, 14
• ‘80s: Michael Jackson, nine
• ‘70s: Bee Gees, nine
• ‘60s: The Beatles, 18

(Frankie Avalon and The Fleetwoods tied for the most Hot 100 No. 1s, two each, over 1958-59.)

Drake tallies seven songs overall in the latest Hot 100’s top 10. He infuses the entire top three for a third time (after he tripled up on the Sept. 18, 2021, and March 20, 2021, charts). He and The Beatles (five weeks, 1964) are the only acts with multiple such weeks, while Grande and Swift have monopolized the top three once each.

Here’s a rundown of Drake’s tracks in the latest Hot 100’s top 10 (all of which are debuts except for No. 6):

No. 1, “First Person Shooter,” feat. J. Cole

No. 2, “IDGAF,” feat. Yeat

No. 3, “Virginia Beach”

No. 5, “Calling for You,” feat. 21 Savage

No. 6, “Slime You Out,” feat. SZA (up from No. 18; debuted at No. 1 on the Sept. 30 chart)

No. 8, “Daylight”

No. 10, “Fear of Heights”

As J. Cole lands his first Hot 100 No. 1, and 12th top 10 (from 72 chart appearances), Yeat earns his first top 10 and 21 Savage, his 15th (and 10th in collaboration with Drake).

“First Person Shooter” also contributes to Drake’s marks for the most top two, top five and top 10 Hot 100 hits.

Here’s an updated look at Drake’s leading ranks among acts with the most hits in those tiers:

Top 2: Now with 23 top two Hot 100 hits, Drake ties The Beatles and Mariah Carey for the most. (The Beatles boast 20 No. 1s, the most among all acts, and three top two hits; Carey has 19 and four, respectively; and Drake now has 13 and a record 10, respectively.)

Top 5: Now with 41 top five Hot 100 hits, Drake moves further ahead of runners-up The Beatles (29). Madonna follows with 28.

Top 10: Now with 76 top 10 Hot 100 hits, Drake surges further past Swift, in second place with 42. Madonna is next with 38.

Last but not least, “First Person Shooter” is the fifth Hot 100 No. 1 with the word “first” in its title. Here’s an updated firsthand look:

• “First Person Shooter,” Drake feat. J. Cole, one week at No. 1, beginning Oct. 21, 2023
• “First Class,” Jack Harlow, three weeks, beginning April 23, 2022
• “The First Night,” Monica, five weeks, beginning Oct. 3, 1998
• “The First Time,” Surface, two weeks, beginning Jan. 26, 1991
• “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Roberta Flack, six weeks, beginning April 15, 1972

OCTOBER 14, 2023

DOJA “PAINT(S) THE TOWN” WITH A THIRD COAT

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” tops the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a third non-consecutive week.  She triples her prior Hot 100 command, as “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj, led for a week in May 2020.

LADIES LEAD

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” climbs 4-3 on the Hot 100, returning to its best rank. Thanks to “Paint the Town Red,” “Snooze” and “Cruel Summer,” the chart’s top three consists entirely of women for the first time in over seven months, since the March 4-dated ranking, when Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” placed at No. 1, followed by SZA’s “Kill Bill” at No. 2 and PinkPantheress and Ice Spice’s “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” at No. 3.

The latest list marks the first top three each by a single female artist since a month before that, with SZA and Swift again involved; on the Feb. 4 chart, Cyrus’ “Flowers” was No. 1, followed by “Kill Bill” at No. 2 and Swift’s “Anti-Hero” at No. 3.

JACK & JUNG LIVE IN “3D”

Jung Kook and Jack Harlow’s “3D” launches at No. 5 on the Hot 100.  “3D” is Jung Kook’s second Hot 100 top 10 – making him the first BTS member with multiple solo top 10s – while Harlow adds his fourth.

Here’s a recap of all six top 40 Hot 100 entries so far by BTS members apart from the group, ranked by peak position. All seven of the act’s members have reached the chart overall with solo songs: J-Hope, Jimin, Jin, Jung Kook, RM, Suga and V. (As a group, BTS boasts 15 top 40 hits, including 10 top 10s and six No. 1s.)

Peak Pos., Date, Artist, Title:

• No. 1, one week, July 29, 2023, Jung Kook feat. Latto, “Seven”
• No. 1, one week, April 8, 2023, Jimin, “Like Crazy”
• No. 5 (to date), Oct. 14, 2023, Jung Kook & Jack Harlow, “3D”
• No. 22, July 9, 2022, Charlie Puth feat. Jung Kook, “Left and Right”
• No. 29, Dec. 25, 2021, Juice WRLD & Suga, “Girl of My Dreams”
• No. 30, April 1, 2023, Jimin, “Set Me Free, Pt. 2”

OCTOBER 7, 2023

A FRESH COAT OF “PAINT”

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” rebounds from No. 2 for its second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The rapper/singer’s second career leader, which first led three weeks earlier, is her first to reign for multiple weeks, after her “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj, spent a week at No. 1 in May 2020.

As “Paint the Town Red” samples Dionne Warwick’s 1964 standard “Walk on By,” legendary late songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David are credited as writers on both songs. Doja Cat’s hit is Bacharach’s first multi-week leader, among eight total No. 1s, since “That’s What Friends Are For” by Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder [four weeks in 1986]; David has his first multi-week No. 1, among five leaders, since the Carpenters’ “[They Long To Be] Close to You” [four weeks, 1970].

A SLEEPER HIT

SZA’s “Snooze” rises 3-2 for a new Hot 100 high.  The song becomes SZA’s third to reach the Hot 100’s top two – all this year – following her first two No. 1s: “Kill Bill,” which led for a week in April, and Drake’s “Slime You Out,” on which she’s featured; the latter debuted at No. 1 a week earlier and falls to No. 12.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

“SLIME” OOZES IN AT #1

“Slime You Out” is the 1,156th single to top the Hot 100 over the chart’s 65-year history, and the 71st to debut at No. 1.  

DRAKE’S DIRTY DOZEN

Drake achieves his 12th Hot 100 No. 1. He ties for the fifth-most leaders among all acts – and moves to within one of Michael Jackson’s mark for the most among solo males.

Most Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:

1. 20, The Beatles
2. 19, Mariah Carey
3. 14, Rihanna
4. 13, Michael Jackson
5. 12, Drake
6. 12, Madonna
7. 12, The Supremes
8. 11, Whitney Houston
9. 10, Janet Jackson
10. 10, Stevie Wonder

Meanwhile, here’s a recap of Drake’s 12 Hot 100 No. 1s:

1. “Slime You Out,” Drake feat. SZA  (one week to-date, Sept. 30, 2023)
2. “Jimmy Cooks,” Drake feat. 21 Savage (one week, July 2, 2022)
3. “Wait for U,” Future feat. Drake & Tems (one week, May 14, 2022)
4. “Way 2 Sexy,” Drake feat. Future and Young Thug (one week, Sept. 18, 2021)
5. “What’s Next,” Drake (one week, March 20, 2021)
6. “Toosie Slide,” Drake (one week, April 18, 2020)
7. “In My Feelings,” Drake (10 weeks, beginning July 21, 2018)
8. “Nice for What,” Drake (eight weeks, beginning April 21, 2018)
9. “God’s Plan,” Drake (11 weeks, beginning Feb. 3, 2018)
10. “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla (10 weeks, beginning May 21, 2016)
11. “Work,” Rihanna feat. Drake (nine weeks, beginning March 5, 2016)
12. “What’s My Name?,” Rihanna feat. Drake (one week at No. 1, beginning Nov. 20, 2010)

DRAKE’S RECORDS: #1 DEBUTS | TOP 5 | TOP 10 | TOP 40 | OVERALL | #1s PER DECADE

“Slime You Out” is Drake’s record-extending eighth song to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100. He previously started at the top with “Jimmy Cooks,” “Wait for U,” “Way 2 Sexy,” “What’s Next,” “Toosie Slide,” “Nice for What” and “God’s Plan.”

Top 5: Now with 37 top five Hot 100 hits, Drake moves further ahead of runners-up The Beatles (29). Madonna follows with 28.

Top 10: Now with 70 top 10 Hot 100 hits, Drake surges further past Taylor Swift, in second place with 42. Madonna is next with 38.

Top 40: Now with 178 top 40 Hot 100 hits, Drake likewise lifts further ahead Swift, second with 119. Lil Wayne follows with 88, while Elvis Presley ranks fourth with 81 (with his career having predated the chart’s inception by two years).

Overall: Now with 299 total Hot 100 hits, Drake extends his record for the most over Swift, who places second with 212. The Glee Cast is third with 207.

Drake ups his count to six Hot 100 No. 1s in the 2020s – tying BTS for the most so far this decade. Ariana Grande and Swift follow with four each in that span.

Drake earned six Hot 100 No. 1s in the ‘10s, the fourth-best sum, after Rihanna (nine), Katy Perry (eight) and Bruno Mars (seven).

Here’s a recap of the artists with the most Hot 100 leaders in each decade starting with the 1960s, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958 inception:

‘20s, to date: BTS, Drake, six each

‘10s: Rihanna, nine

‘00s: Usher, seven

‘90s: Mariah Carey, 14

‘80s: Michael Jackson, nine

‘70s: Bee Gees, nine

‘60s: The Beatles, 18

(Frankie Avalon and The Fleetwoods tied for the most Hot 100 No. 1s, two each, in 1958-59.)

SZA’s SECOND

SZA earns her second Hot 100 No. 1. She first reigned for a week in April with “Kill Bill.” She claims her first No. 1 debut, after “Kill Bill” reached the summit in its 19th week on the chart, and after a wait of seven nonconsecutive weeks at No. 2.

Notably, SZA is the first artist with multiple Hot 100 No. 1s in 2023. Last year, one artist doubled up at the summit: none other than Drake, with “Jimmy Cooks” and “Wait for U.”

SEPTEMBER 23, 2023

THE “VAMPIRE” RETURNS

Olivia Rodrigo’s former Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Vampire” surges back to the chart’s summit, from No. 9.  “Vampire” debuted atop the Hot 100 dated July 15 and has spent nine of its subsequent 10 weeks on the chart in the top 10.  Notably, as “Vampire” first led the Hot 100 in July and returns to the top after nine weeks below the top spot, it ties for the longest gap between No. 1 stays among songs in a single release cycle over the chart’s 65-year history; Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” ruled for two weeks in September-October 2013 before swinging back for a third frame in the lead that December.

(Among all songs, the only longer breaks between No. 1 Hot 100 runs belong to Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – each over multiple release cycles. The former returned to the top after a wait of a year, three months and three weeks, between 1960 and 1962, after it re-entered the chart thanks to new popularity among adult audiences; Carey’s Yuletide anthem has led for 12 total weeks, via annual reigns beginning in December 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.)

Guts enters the Billboard 200.  It’s her second Billboard 200 No. 1, after Sour premiered on top in June 2021 and spent five weeks at the summit. Meanwhile, with “Vampire” serving as the lead single from Guts after “Drivers License” introduced Sour, Rodrigo became the first artist ever to debut the lead singles from two career-opening albums at No. 1 on the Hot 100.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023

“PAINT THE TOWN RED”: THE DOJA CAT STORY

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” rises from No. 3 to No. 1 in its fifth week on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. It becomes the rapper/singer’s second career leader, following “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj, in 2020.

54 WEEKS BETWEEN RAP #1s

“Paint the Town Red” marks the first rap track (defined as songs that have hit or are eligible to appear on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart) to lead the Hot 100 since Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl,” which ruled upon its debut atop the chart dated Aug. 27, 2022. Doja Cat ends a 54-week break between rap No. 1s (during which three rap titles peaked at No. 2: Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole; Drake’s “Search & Rescue”; and Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex”).

Before the 2022-23 break, the last time the Hot 100 went without a rap champ longer was pre- and post-Y2K: after Will Smith’s “Wild Wild West,” featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee, reigned for a week in July 1999, rap was absent from the top spot until Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me,” featuring Ricardo “RikRok” Ducent, began a two-week command in February 2001 – ending a drought of 79 weeks, or just over 18 months, and 22 No. 1s without a rap leader.

In the 54 frames between the dominations of “Super Freaky Girl” and “Paint the Town Red,” 15 songs topped the Hot 100, ranging from pop to R&B, country and rock/alternative.

CLIMB TO THE TOP

“Paint the Town Red” reaches No. 1 in its fifth week on the Hot 100, competing what’s become a rare multiple-week ascent to the top in 2023; it debuted at No. 15 on the Aug. 19 chart. The previous five new No. 1s (discounting “Last Night,” which logged a record-tying five distinct stays at No. 1 beginning in March) all debuted at the apex: “I Remember Everything”; “Rich Men North of Richmond”; “Try That in a Small Town”; Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto (July 29); and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” (July 15).

Before the launch of “Vampire” (and 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for “Last Night” in May-July), SZA’s “Kill Bill” hit No. 1 in its 19th week on the chart (April 29) – helped in part by a remix released in that survey’s tracking week with Doja Cat (who did not receive billing on SZA’s song, as the remix did not account for a majority of its consumption that week).

BACHARACH’S BACK – AND HAL DAVID, TOO

“Paint the Town Red” samples Dionne Warwick’s standard “Walk on By,” which hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 1964. Thanks to its inclusion, legendary late songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David crown the Hot 100 for the first time since Twista’s “Slow Jamz,” featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, ruled for a week in 2004; that song samples Luther Vandross’ cover of Warwick’s fellow 1964 release “A House Is Not a Home.”

Bacharach, who passed away Feb. 8, has now co-written eight Hot 100 No. 1s, which have reigned in five distinct decades – the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s, 2000s and ‘20s – and spanned over 55 years.

Burt Bacharach’s No. 1 Hot 100 Songwriting Credits:

Artist billing, Title (Weeks at No. 1, Peak date)

Doja Cat, “Paint the Town Red” (one to date, Sept. 16, 2023)

Twista feat. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx, “Slow Jamz” (one, Feb. 21, 2004)

Dionne & Friends (Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder), “That’s What Friends Are For” (four, beginning Jan. 18, 1986)

Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald, “On My Own” (three, beginning June 14, 1986)

Christopher Cross, “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (three, beginning Oct. 17, 1981)

Carpenters, “(They Long To Be) Close to You” (four, beginning July 25, 1970)

B.J. Thomas, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (four, beginning Jan. 3, 1970)

Herb Alpert, “This Guy’s in Love With You” (No. 1 for four weeks, beginning June 22, 1968)

David, who died in 2012, has now co-penned five Hot 100 No. 1s (over the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘00s and ‘20s), all with Bacharach.

Hal David’s No. 1 Hot 100 Songwriting Credits:

Artist billing, Title (Weeks at No. 1, Peak date)

Doja Cat, “Paint the Town Red” (one to date, Sept. 16, 2023)

Twista feat. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx, “Slow Jamz” (one, Feb. 21, 2004)

Carpenters, “(They Long To Be) Close to You” (four, beginning July 25, 1970)

B.J. Thomas, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (four, beginning Jan. 3, 1970)

Herb Alpert, “This Guy’s in Love With You” (No. 1 for four weeks, beginning June 22, 1968)

Adding to the new Hot 100’s No. 1 star power, Warwick’s voice appears atop the chart for the first time since “That’s What Friends Are For,” as noted above, in 1986. The ballad became her second leader, following her Spinners team-up “Then Came You” for a week in 1974.

“PAINT,” “TOWN,” “RED” RULES

“Paint the Town Red” is the 11th Hot 100 No. 1 with either “paint,” “town” or “red” in its title. Here’s an eclectic recap of the others (with half the No. 1s with “town” in their titles having led since 2015).

• “Paint It, Black,” The Rolling Stones, 1966
• “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean, 2023
• “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
• “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, 2015
• “Funkytown,” Lipps, Inc., 1980
• “New Kid in Town,” Eagles, 1977
• “Poor Side of Town,” Johnny Rivers, 1966
• “Downtown,” Petula Clark, 1965
• “Red Red Wine,” UB40, 1988
• “Roses Are Red (My Love),” Bobby Vinton, 1962

SEPTEMBER 9, 2023

“EVERYTHING” ABOUT COUNTRY

Continuing his chart breakthrough that began in 2022, singer-songwriter Zach Bryan’s “I Remember Everything” featuring Kacey Musgraves launches at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song – each singer-songwriter’s first Hot 100 leader – is from Bryan’s self-titled LP, which concurrently premieres at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.  It’s the 1,154th song to top the Hot 100 over the chart’s 65-year history, and the 70th to debut at No. 1.

IT’S THEIR FIRST

Bryan and Musgraves each achieve their first Hot 100 No. 1 with “I Remember Everything.” Bryan charted four entries prior to this week, with one hitting the top 10: His first charted song, “Something in the Orange,” reached No. 10 in January; with 66 total weeks on the tally (May 7, 2022-Aug. 5, 2023), it became the longest charting country hit by a solo male in the survey’s history.

Musgraves completes over a decade’s journey to No. 1 on the Hot 100, having first reached the chart with “Merry Go ‘Round” (No. 63 peak, 2013; it’s also her lone Country Airplay top 10 to date). She previously charted highest on the Hot 100 with “Follow Your Arrow” (No. 60, 2014) and added her other entry before this week, “Rainbow” (No. 98, 2019). The Golden, Texas, native has won six Grammy Awards, with her most recent LP, 2018’s Golden Hour, claiming album of the year honors at the 61st Grammy Awards.

ANOTHER CROSSOVER #1

“I Remember Everything” is the 24th song to have topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs (dating to 1958, when the Hot 100 originated and Hot Country Songs became the country genre’s singular Billboard chart). Four such songs have led the Hot 100 in 2023, the most in a year since 1975.

Songs to Have Hit No. 1 on Both the Hot 100 & Hot Country Songs Charts:

• “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves, 2023
• “Rich Men North of Richmond,” Anthony Oliver Music, 2023
• “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean, 2023
• “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023
• “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021
• “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012
• “Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000
• “Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers, duet with Dolly Parton, 1983
• “I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981
• “9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981
• “Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980
• “Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977
• “Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76
• “I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975
• “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975
• “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975
• “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975
• “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975
• “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973
• “Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968
• “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Jeannie C. Riley, 1968
• “Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961
• “El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60
• “The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959

THE COUNTRY FOURPEAT

On the newest, Sept. 9-dated Hot 100, “I Remember Everything” supplants Anthony Oliver Music’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” at No. 1, after the latter led the last two weeks (Aug. 26 and Sept. 2). Before that, Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” rebounded for the last two of its 16 weeks on top (Aug. 12 and 19), directly following Jason Aldean’s one-week reign with “Try That in a Small Town” (Aug. 5).

Four country songs have topped the Hot 100 consecutively for the first time in the chart’s history, extending a record run for the genre. Previously, country hits reigned back-to-back twice: in 1981 (Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night”) and 1975 (Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” and John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”).

ZACH & KACEY & KENNY & DOLLY

“I Remember Everything” is just the second shared Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs No. 1 by a male and female artist together. It joins Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s 1983 classic “Islands in the Stream” (written by the Bee Gees).

ZACH & KACEY & ED & BEY

Bryan and Musgraves also co-wrote “I Remember Everything,” which Bryan solely produced. It’s the first Hot 100 No. 1 by a male and female artist also boasting co-writing credit with no other billed writers since Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé’s “Perfect,” which reached the top of the chart dated Dec. 23, 2017. (Sheeran wrote and originally recorded the love song solo; Beyoncé joined for its remix and gained co-writing credit.)

SIMULTANEOUS DEBUTS ATOP THE HOT 100 & BILLBOARD 200

Zach Bryan logs just the ninth instance of an act debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously. As “I Remember Everything” opens atop the Hot 100, parent LP Zach Bryan soars onto the Billboard 200, likewise as his first No. 1, with 200,000 equivalent album units.

Bryan joins only Taylor Swift, BTS, Drake and Future and having scored such a double debut. Swift initiated the club and has earned the honor four times, while Drake has done so twice.

Artists to Have Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 & Hot 100 Simultaneously:

• Zach Bryan: Zach Bryan, Billboard 200 & “I Remember Everything” (feat. Kacey Musgraves), Hot 100, Sept. 9, 2023
• Taylor Swift: Midnights & “Anti-Hero,” Nov. 5, 2022
• Drake: Honestly, Nevermind & “Jimmy Cooks” (feat. 21 Savage), July 2, 2022
• Future: I Never Liked You & “Wait for U” (feat. Drake & Tems), May 14, 2022
• Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor’s Version) & “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Nov. 27, 2021
• Drake: Certified Lover Boy & “Way 2 Sexy” (feat. Future & Young Thug), Sept. 18, 2021
• Taylor Swift: Evermore & “Willow,” Dec. 26, 2020
• BTS: BE & “Life Goes On,” Dec. 5, 2020
• Taylor Swift: Folklore & “Cardigan,” Aug. 8, 2020

Zach Bryan also bows at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Americana/Folk Albums charts.  #ShowOff  #Overachiever  

YOU MUST “REMEMBER” “EVERYTHING”

Thanks to “I Remember Everything,” the word “remember” is in the title of a Hot 100 No. 1 for the first time. Previously, Madonna notched the highest charting such song, as “I’ll Remember” reached No. 2 in 1994.

Meanwhile, the word “everything” appears atop the Hot 100 for a ninth time (and for a second time by an artist with Bryan in his name):

• “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves, 2023
• “Give Me Everything,” Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer, 2011
• “Everything You Want,” Vertical Horizon, 2000
• “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You,” Bryan Adams, 1991
• “I’ll Be Your Everything,” Tommy Page, 1990
• “Everything She Wants,” Wham!, 1985
• “I Just Want to Be Your Everything,” Andy Gibb, 1977
• “Everything Is Beautiful,” Ray Stevens, 1970
• “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season),” The Byrds, 1965

A DOZEN FOR MILEY

Miley Cyrus’ “Used to Be Young” bounds onto the Hot 100 at No. 8.  Cyrus collects her 12th Hot 100 top 10. Her previous top 10s, including one under her former Hannah Montana alter ego:

• “Flowers” (No. 1, eight weeks, 2023)
• “Without You,” with The Kid LAROI (No. 8, 2021)
• “Malibu” (No. 10, 2017)
• “Wrecking Ball” (No. 1, three weeks, 2013)
• “We Can’t Stop” (No. 2, 2013)
• “Can’t Be Tamed” (No. 8, 2010)
• “Party in the U.S.A.” (No. 2, 2009)
• “He Could Be the One” (Hannah Montana; No. 10, 2009)
• “The Climb” (No. 4, 2009)
• “7 Things” (No. 9, 2008)
• “See You Again” (No. 10, 2008)

SEPTEMBER 2, 2023

THERE’S MUSIC EVERYWHERE…

Oliver Anthony Music’s viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” spends a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. A week earlier, the song rocketed in on top, making the singer-songwriter the first artist ever to launch atop the survey with no prior chart history in any form.  Oliver Anthony Music is just the second act with “music” in its name to top the Hot 100, following C+C Music Factory with “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” in 1991. Also, let’s shout out the two No. 1s with “music” in their titles: “Play That Funky Music,” by Wild Cherry, in 1976 and “Music,” by Madonna, in 2000.

Plus, “Richmond” is only the eighth Hot 100 No. 1 to name-check a U.S. city in its title (two are odes to Philadelphia), and the first since 1985:

• “Rich Men North of Richmond,” Oliver Anthony Music (2023)
• “Miami Vice Theme,” Jan Hammer (1985)
• “Philadelphia Freedom,” Elton John (1975)
• “The Night Chicago Died,” Paper Lace (1974)
• “T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia),” MFSB (1974)
• “El Paso,” Marty Robbins (1960)
• “The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton (1959)
• “Kansas City,” Wilbert Harrison (1959)

(Please note that The Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville,” from 1966, “is not on this list as lyricist Bobby Hart has insisted that he wrote the song about a fictional town, not the real city of Clarksville, Tenn.” Meanwhile, Baauer’s 2013 No. 1 “Harlem Shake” also doesn’t count, as Harlem is a neighborhood in New York City. The last city at all named in the title of a Hot 100 No. 1 prior to “Richmond”? Cuba’s capital, as Camila Cabello’s “Havana,” featuring Young Thug, led in 2018.)

A NEW COAT OF “PAINT”

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” jumps from No. 15 to No. 5 on the Hot 100, marking her seventh career top 10, following “Vegas” (No. 10 peak, October 2022); Post Malone’s “I Like You (A Happier Song),” on which she’s featured (No. 3, October 2022); “Woman” (No. 7, May 2022); “Need To Know” (No. 8, November 2021); “Kiss Me More,” featuring SZA (No. 3, July 2021); and “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj (No. 1, one week, May 2020).

Meanwhile, “Paint the Town Red” samples Dionne Warwick’s standard “Walk on By,” which hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 1964. Thanks to its inclusion, legendary late songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David appear in the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time since Twista’s “Slow Jamz,” featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, reigned for a week in 2004; that song samples Luther Vandross’ cover of Warwick’s fellow 1964 release “A House Is Not a Home.”  Bacharach, who passed away Feb. 8, wrote seven Hot 100 No. 1s, which reigned in four distinct decades (the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s and 2000s). David died in 2012.

AUGUST 26, 2023

“NORTH” AT #1

Oliver Anthony Music’s breakout viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Among other chart achievements for the singer-songwriter, he’s the first artist ever to launch atop the list with no prior chart history in any form.  Prior to this week, Oliver Anthony Music had not appeared on any Billboard chart in any form, making him the first such artist ever to debut atop the Hot 100.

He’s just the sixth artist ever to debut a first solo Hot 100 entry at No. 1, following Zayn, Baauer, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia and Clay Aiken.

• Zayn’s debut solo single “Pillowtalk” opened on top in 2016, after he had become established as a member of One Direction
• Baauer’s viral hit “Harlem Shake” debuted a week after first appearing on dance/electronic rankings
• Underwood soared in, driven by sales, after the season finale of American Idol in 2005 (when Underwood won). “Inside Your Heaven” brought Underwood to the Hot 100 in her first sole-credited role after she first charted via the group effort “When You Tell Me That You Loved Me,” billed to American Idol Finalists Season 4
• Fantasia soared in, driven by sales, after the season finales of American Idol in 2004 (when Fantasia won). “I Believe” marked Fantasia’s debut chart hit, although it reached rankings other than the Hot 100 the week before (as with Baauer’s Hot 100 arrival); and Aiken had charted prior to “This Is the Night” as a singer on the collaborative “God Bless the U.S.A.,” billed to American Idol Finalists.
• Aiken 2005 soared in, driven by sales, after the season finales of American Idol in 2003 (when Aiken finished second).  Aiken had charted prior to “This Is the Night” as a singer on the collaborative “God Bless the U.S.A.,” billed to American Idol Finalists.

With Oliver Anthony Music doubling as the label credit for the self-released “Rich Men North of Richmond,” the singer-songwriter marks a rare unsigned artist at No. 1 on the Hot 100. Lisa Loeb became the first such act, when “Stay (I Missed You)” led in 1994, although the song was released on RCA Records, from the hit Reality Bites soundtrack. (Loeb subsequently signed with Geffen Records.)

“Rich Men North of Richmond” is the first solo-written Hot 100 No. 1 since Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves,” penned by the band’s frontman, Dave Bayley, dominated for five weeks in March-April 2022.

“Richmond” is the first Hot 100 leader written entirely and sung by a soloist since Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” logged its last of six weeks at No. 1 in January 2018.

The track marks the 23rd song to have topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs. With Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” having ruled the Hot 100 for 16 weeks, nonconsecutively, from March through last week (tied for the second-longest command in the survey’s history), and Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” leading for a week earlier this month, 2023 is the first year with at least three shared Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs leaders since 1975.

Songs to Have Hit No. 1 on Both the Hot 100 & Hot Country Songs Charts:

• “Rich Men North of Richmond,” Anthony Oliver Music, 2023
• “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean, 2023
• “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023
• “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021
• “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012
• “Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000
• “Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers, duet with Dolly Parton, 1983
• “I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981
• “9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981
• “Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980
• “Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977
• “Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76
• “I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975
• “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975
• “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975
• “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975
• “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975
• “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973
• “Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968
• “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Jeannie C. Riley, 1968
• “Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961
• “El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60
• “The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959

Of the 23 songs listed above, 12 were concentrated in 1973-83. Meanwhile, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Taylor Swift are the only acts with two songs each that have crowned both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs.

Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” adds a sixth week at its No. 2 Hot 100 high, where it’s steady in rank, and Wallen’s “Last Night” falls to No. 3. Thanks to “Rich Men North of Richmond,” “Fast Car” and “Last Night,” country hits (as defined by those that have hit Hot Country Songs) claim the Hot 100’s top three spots in a single week for only the second time; Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town,” “Last Night” and “Fast Car” placed at Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, on the Hot 100 dated Aug. 5.

NOT A “BAD IDEA”

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Olivia Rodrigo’s “Bad Idea Right?” debuts at No. 10.  The song is Rodrigo’s sixth top 10, with all having debuted in the region, following “Vampire”; “Drivers License” (No. 1 for eight weeks, beginning in January 2021); “Good 4 U” (No. 1, one week, May 2021); “Deja Vu” (No. 3, June 2021); and “Traitor” (No. 9, June 2021). Her first four top 10s are from her first LP, Sour, while her two latest are from follow-up Guts, due Sept. 8.

AUGUST 19, 2023

MORGAN’S SWEET 16

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” adds a 16th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The song breaks out of a tie with Harry Styles’ “As It Was” for the sole longest No. 1 run for a non-collaboration, while overall tying for the second-longest reign in the Hot 100’s 65-year history. 

Among all songs, “Last Night” matches the second-longest rule in the Hot 100’s history, which dates to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.

Longest-Leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:

• 19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, beginning April 13, 2019
• 16 (to date), “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, March 18, 2023
• 16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017
• 16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995
• 15, “As It Was,” Harry Styles, April 16, 2022
• 14, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
• 14, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009
• 14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005
• 14, “Candle in the Wind 1997”/“Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997
• 14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
• 14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994
• 14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992
• “Last Night” also passes “As It Was” for the longest No. 1 Hot 100 stay of the 2020s so far. Here’s an updated look at the longest-leading hits each decade (with songs, on average, having logged longer No. 1 runs since Luminate data began contributing to the chart in late 1991).

Longest-Leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s by Decade:

• 2020s: 16 weeks (to date), “Last Night,” 2023
• 2010s: 19 weeks, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
• 2000s: 14 weeks, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, 2009 / “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, 2005
• 1990s: 16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, 1995-96
• 1980s: 10 weeks, “Physical,” Olivia Newton-John, 1981-82
• 1970s: 10 weeks, “You Light Up My Life,” Debby Boone, 1977
• 1960s: 9 weeks, “Hey Jude,” The Beatles, 1968 / “The Theme From A Summer Place,” Percy Faith and His Orchestra, 1960
• 1950s: 9 weeks, “Mack the Knife,” Bobby Darin, 1959

“CRUEL” FREE

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” pushes to a new No. 3 Hot 100 high, from No. 4, four years after its release on her 2019 album Lover, as it’s now being promoted as a single, while she has been performing the song on her The Eras Tour.

A “SNOOZE” OF A HIT

SZA’s “Snooze” jumps from No. 15 to No. 10 on the Hot 100, becoming her eighth career top 10, and the fifth on her album SOS, after “Kill Bill,” which led for a week in April, marking her first No. 1; “Nobody Gets Me” (No. 10, December 2022, concurrent with the set’s launch atop the Billboard 200 albums chart); “I Hate U” (No. 7, December 2021); and “Good Days” (No. 9, February 2021).  SZA has also hit the Hot 100’s top 10 as featured on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” (No. 3, July 2021); with Kendrick Lamar on “All the Stars” (No. 7, March 2018); and as featured on Maroon 5’s “What Lovers Do” (No. 9, November 2017).

AUGUST 12, 2023

IT “LAST”S

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” rebounds to lead the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a 15th week. The hit ties for the fourth-longest reign in the Hot 100’s 65-year history, and the longest for a song by an act with no accompanying artists.

Longest-Leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:

• 19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, beginning April 13, 2019
• 16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017
• 16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995

15 (to date), “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, March 18, 2023

• 15, “As It Was,” Harry Styles, April 16, 2022
• 14, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
• 14, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009
• 14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005
• 14, “Candle in the Wind 1997”/“Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997
• 14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
• 14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994
• 14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992

“Last Night” first led the Hot 100 in March, becoming Wallen’s initial leader on the list, and has now logged five distinct stays at No. 1: March 18; April 15-22; May 6-July 8; July 22; and Aug. 12. It likewise matches Styles’ “As It Was,” as well as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (over four distinct stays on the Hot 100), for the most interrupted runs at No. 1. (“Last Night” has yo-yoed between Nos. 1 and 3 over the 22-week span dating to its first week on top.)

TWO IN THE FIVE FOR SCOTT

Travis Scott launches two tracks in the Hot 100’s 10, each in the top five: “Meltdown,” featuring Drake (No. 3), and “FE!N,” featuring Playboi Carti (No. 5).  Scott adds his 13th and 14th Hot 100 top 10s (and charts multiple songs in the top five simultaneously for the first time). Playboi Carti collects his second top 10, following his featured turn on Drake’s “Pain 1993” (No. 7, 2020).

DRAKE’S RECORDS CONTINUES

Drake, meanwhile, earns his record-extending 69th Hot 100 top 10.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

• 69, Drake
• 42, Taylor Swift
• 38, Madonna
• 34, The Beatles
• 32, Rihanna
• 30, Michael Jackson
• 29, Elton John
• 28, Mariah Carey
• 28, Stevie Wonder
• 27, Janet Jackson

Most Top Five Billboard Hot 100 Hits:

• 36, Drake
• 29, The Beatles
• 28, Madonna
• 27, Mariah Carey
• 27, Taylor Swift
• 24, Janet Jackson
• 24, Rihanna
• 21, Elvis Presley
• 20, Justin Bieber
• 20, Michael Jackson
• 20, Stevie Wonder

NOT SO “CRUEL SUMMER”

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” climbs 6-4 on the Hot 100, four years after its release on her 2019 album Lover.  Swift achieves her 27th top five Hot 100 hit, tying for the fourth-most in the chart’s archives – as Drake adds his record-padding 36th, as featured on Travis Scott’s “Meltdown.”  (see above)

DUA FOR FIVE

• Lipa lands her fifth Hot 100 top 10, as “Dance the Night” joins…
• “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” with Elton John (No. 7, January 2022)
• “Levitating” (No. 2, May 2021 – and the No. 1 song on the 2021 year-end Hot 100)
• “Don’t Start Now” (No. 2, March 2020)
• “New Rules” (No. 6, 2018)

“BARBIE” REIGNS

With “Dance the Night” and “Barbie World” both from Barbie: The Album, the soundtrack to the box office smash Barbie, the set is the first soundtrack to spin off multiple new Hot 100 top 10s since Disney’s Encanto yielded two in 2022: “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast (No. 1 for five weeks), and “Surface Pressure,” by Jessica Darrow (No. 8).

HE TRIED IT

A week after Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100, the song tumbles to No. 21. The song is the sixth to fall from No. 1 to a rank on the chart outside the top 20.

• Jimin’s “Like Crazy” (1-45; April 15, 2023)
• Taylor Swift’s “Willow” (1-38; Jan. 2, 2021)
• 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj’s “Trollz” (1-34; July 4, 2020)
• BTS’ “Life Goes On” (1-28; Dec. 12, 2020)
• Travis Scott’s “Franchise,” featuring Young Thug and M.I.A. (1-25; Oct. 17, 2020).

BACK-TO-BACK COUNTRY #1s ON THE HOT 100

As “Last Night” replaces “Try That in a Small Town” at the summit, country songs (as defined by those that have hit Hot Country Songs) top the Hot 100 back-to-back for the first time in over 42 years: on the chart dated March 14, 1981, Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” returned to No. 1, supplanting Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night.”

AUGUST 5, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOT 100!

The Billboard Hot 100, where a lot of our data is sourced, turns 65 years as of this chart week, dating to the list’s Aug. 4, 1958, start.  Theoretically, I guess the chart can retire itself.

THE COUNTRY 1-2-3 PUNCH

Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” rises to No. 1, from its No. 2 debut, on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.  With “Try That in a Small Town” at No. 1, “Last Night” at No. 2 and “Fast Car” at No. 3, country hits (as defined by those that have hit Hot Country Songs) claim the Hot 100’s top three spots in a single week for the first time in the survey’s history, which hits 65 years as of this chart week, dating to the list’s Aug. 4, 1958, start.

FROM FIRST CHART ENTRY TO FIRST NUMBER ONE

Aldean achieves his first Hot 100 No. 1, with his 40th entry on the chart. He first made the list dated Aug. 13, 2005, with “Hicktown”; he tallied one top 10 prior to his new leader, as “Dirt Road Anthem,” which, helped by its remix featuring Ludacris, hit No. 7 in July 2011.

Aldean’s 17-year, 11-month and three-week wait from his first Hot 100 visit to his first No. 1 marks the longest since Billy Ray Cyrus went 26 years and 11 months between the debut of “Achy Breaky Heart” in 1992 and the coronation of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Cyrus, in 2019. Santana holds the record for the most sustained such suspense: two days shy of 30 years, between the group’s arrival with “Jingo” in 1969 and the reign of “Smooth,” featuring Rob Thomas, in 1999.

21 TIMES

“Try That in a Small Town” marks only the 21st song to have topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs. With Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” having begun its 14-week domination in March, 2023 is the first year with multiple shared Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs leaders since 1981.

Songs to Have Hit No. 1 on Both the Hot 100 & Hot Country Songs Charts:

• “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean, 2023
• “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023
• “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021
• “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012
• “Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000
• “Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers, duet with Dolly Parton, 1983
• “I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981
• “9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981
• “Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980
• “Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977
• “Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76
• “I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975
• “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975
• “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975
• “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975
• “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975
• “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973
• “Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968
• “Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961
• “El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60
• “The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959

Of the 21 songs listed above, 12 were concentrated in 1973-83. Meanwhile, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Taylor Swift are the only acts with two songs each that have crowned both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs.

“POP” ON POP

Travis Scott, Bad Bunny and The Weeknd’s “K-POP” launches at No. 7 on the Hot 100.  Scott adds his 12th Hot 100 top 10, Bad Bunny, his 11th, and The Weeknd, his 17th.

“BARBIE” IS BACK

Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s “Barbie World,” with Aqua, returns to the Hot 100’s top 10.  The song is from the soundtrack to the movie Barbie, which, along with its soundtrack, featuring the collab, arrived July 21. The track debuted at its No. 7 Hot 100 high on the July 8-dated chart.

JULY 29, 2023

“SEVEN” TO 1

Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto, bounds in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Jung Kook becomes the second member of BTS with a Hot 100 leader, after Jimin’s “Like Crazy” launched at No. 1 in April.  Latto also lands her first Hot 100 No. 1.  She previously hit the top 10 with “Big Energy,” which rose to No. 3 in April 2022.  Jung Kook earns his first Hot 100 No. 1, or even top 10, following two charted songs in 2022: Charlie Puth’s “Left and Right,” featuring Jung Kook, hit No. 22 (July), after Jung Kook’s own “Stay Alive” spent a week on the list at No. 95 (February).

WHEN SUPER GROUPS BECOME SUPERGROUPS

Jung Kook becomes the second member of BTS with a Hot 100 No. 1 (or, again, even a top 10), after Jimin’s “Like Crazy” debuted at No. 1 in April.  BTS – comprising j-hope, Jimin, Jin, Jung Kook, RM, Suga and V – has posted six Hot 100 leaders.

The superstar South Korean septet is now among elite company, as nine groups boast multiple members with solo Hot 100 No. 1s. Boldfaced and first set of parentheses means the groups – of which there are five – have also hit #1 and how many times:

The Beatles (20) (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, & Ringo Starr)

The Black Eyed Peas (3) (Fergie, will.i.am)

Blind Faith (Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood)

BTS (6) (Jimin, Jungkook)

Destiny’s Child (4)  (Beyonce, Kelly Rowland)

Fugees (Lauren Hill, Wyclef Jean)

Genesis (1) (Active Members: Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford [Mike  + the Mechanics]; Former Members: Peter Gabriel)

Hot Boys (Lil Wayne, Juvenile)

One Direction (Harry Styles, Zayn)

“TRY THAT” ON THE POP CHART

Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” debuts at No. 2 on the Hot 100. On July 18, Billboard confirmed that CMT had pulled the official video for “Try That in a Small Town” after three days in rotation; the network declined to say why. Following CMT’s decision, Aldean posted a message to his Instagram Stories addressing the contrasting reactions that the song and video have faced.

The song’s video, released July 14, features footage of an American flag burning, protesters in confrontation with police, looters breaking a display case and thieves robbing a convenience store. The clip has prompted a firestorm of opinions about it and the song’s intent and messaging.

Aldean achieves his second Hot 100 top 10, after “Dirt Road Anthem,” which, helped by its remix featuring Ludacris, hit No. 7 in July 2011.

Notably, thanks to Aldean, Wallen and Combs’ hits, which rank at Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, on Hot Country Songs, the top three songs on the chart place in the Hot 100’s top four spots for the first time since the rankings began using the same formula.

JULY 22, 2023

A BOOMERANG “NIGHT”

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” rebounds to top the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a 14th total week. The smash ties for the fifth-longest command in the Hot 100’s nearly 65-year history.  As “Last Night” leads the Hot 100 for a 14th week, returning from No. 2, it ties for the fifth-longest domination in the chart’s history.

Longest-Leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:

• 19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, beginning April 13, 2019
• 16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017
• 16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995
• 15, “As It Was,” Harry Styles, April 16, 2022
• 14 (to date), “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, March 18, 2023
• 14, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
• 14, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009
• 14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005
• 14, “Candle in the Wind 1997”/“Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997
• 14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
• 14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994
• 14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992

“I CAN SEE” ANOTHER SET OF TAYLOR FIRSTS

As Taylor Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) launches at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, the set’s “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” debuts at No. 5 on the Hot 100. The song joins Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” from 2019’s Lover, and “Karma,” from 2022’s Midnights, in the Hot 100’s top 10 – making Swift the first woman ever with simultaneous top 10s from three of her own albums. Among all acts, only The Beatles previously achieved such a triple from three of their albums.  Among all acts, only The Beatles have also charted three simultaneous Hot 100 top 10s from three different albums of theirs: On the Feb. 29, 1964, chart, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” ranked at No. 1, “She Loves You” placed at No. 2 and “Please Please Me” entered the top 10 at No. 6; the songs were released on, respectively, the Fab Four’s U.S. albums Meet The Beatles, The Beatles’ Second Album and Introducing… The Beatles.

The track arrives as Swift’s 42nd Hot 100 top 10, extending her record for the most among women.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

• 68, Drake
• 42, Taylor Swift
• 38, Madonna
• 34, The Beatles
• 32, Rihanna
• 30, Michael Jackson
• 29, Elton John
• 28, Mariah Carey
• 28, Stevie Wonder
• 27, Janet Jackson
• 26, Justin Bieber
• 25, Lil Wayne
• 25, Elvis Presley (whose career start predated the Hot 100’s inception)

“I Can See You” is also Swift’s 26th top five Hot 100 hit, the chart’s fifth-best total. Drake leads with 35 top five entries, followed by The Beatles (29), Madonna (28) and Mariah Carey (27).

JULY 15, 2023

OLIVIA’S “VAMPIRE” WEEK

There’s new blood atop the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, as Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” debuts at No. 1.  “Vampire” is Rodrigo’s third Hot 100 No. 1. “Drivers License” dominated for eight weeks, starting upon its debut in January 2021, and “Good 4 U” ruled for a week in its first frame in May 2021. “Vampire” is her fifth top 10, as her debut album Sour also generated “Deja Vu” (No. 3 peak) and “Traitor” (No. 9). All 11 songs from Sour reached the Hot 100’s top 30.

With “Vampire” serving as the lead single from Rodrigo’s sophomore album Guts, due Sept. 8, after “Drivers License” introduced her first LP, Sour, she is the first artist ever to debut the lead singles from two career-opening albums at No. 1 on the Hot 100.

“V” IS FOR VICTORY

“Vampire” is just the seventh song that begins with the letter “v” to top the Hot 100.

Here the songs that have made such vaunted vaults:

• “Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo, 2023
• “Viva La Vida,” Coldplay, 2008
• “Vision of Love,” Mariah Carey, 1990
• “Vogue,” Madonna, 1990
• “Venus,” Bananarama, 1986
• “Venus,” The Shocking Blue, 1970
• “Venus,” Frankie Avalon, 1959

(Strange, but it’s the tooth: Rodrigo has the first Hot 100 hit with the word “vampire” in its title.)

Y IS FOR Y2K

Rodrigo was born Feb. 20, 2003. She is the only artist born in the 2000s with multiple Hot 100 No. 1s.

The other acts born since 2000 to have led the Hot 100: Billie Eilish (“Bad Guy,” 2019); Jawsh 865 (“Savage Love [Laxed – Siren Beat]” with Jason Derulo and BTS, 2020); 24kGoldn (“Mood” featuring Iann Dior, 2020); and The Kid LAROI (“Stay” with Justin Bieber, 2021).

LONGEST-RUNNING NUMBER ONES IN THE 2020s…SO FAR…

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” dips to No. 2 on the Hot 100 following 13 weeks at No. 1, the second-longest command this decade, after Harry Styles’ “As It Was” (15 weeks, 2022). “Last Night” spent the last 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1, the best streak since Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” linked 11 weeks on top all in a row in January-March 2020.

“SUMMER” NOT SO “CRUEL”

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” bounds 13-7 on the Hot 100.  The song was released on Swift’s 2019 album Lover and is now being promoted as her newest single.  Nearly four years after Lover’s release, “Cruel Summer” becomes the set’s fourth Hot 100 top 10, joining lead single “Me!” featuring Brendon Urie (No. 2 peak); “You Need to Calm Down” (also No. 2); and the title track (No. 10), all in 2019.

“Cruel Summer” is Swift’s 41st career Hot 100 top 10, the second-most among all acts and the most among women.

Most Hot 100 Top 10s:

• 68, Drake
• 41, Taylor Swift
• 38, Madonna
• 34, The Beatles
• 32, Rihanna
• 30, Michael Jackson
• 29, Elton John
• 28, Mariah Carey
• 28, Stevie Wonder
• 27, Janet Jackson
• 26, Justin Bieber
• 25, Lil Wayne
• 25, Elvis Presley (whose career start predated the Hot 100’s inception)

4^TH FOR GUNNA

Gunna’s “Fukumean” charges 12-8 on the Hot 100.  The song is the rapper’s fourth Hot 100 top 10, following “Pushin P” with Future and featuring Young Thug (No. 7, January 2022); “Lemonade” with Internet Money and featuring Don Toliver and NAV (No. 6, November 2020); and “Drip Too Hard” with Lil Baby (No. 4, October 2018).

JULY 8, 2023

MORGAN CONTINUES TO “LAST”

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” extends its command to 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. It’s now one of just 14 hits ever to have led the Hot 100 for at least that long.

# of Weeks  Artist(s)	Song	Year(s)
19 Lil Nas X (1 week solo, 18 weeks featuring Billy Ray Cyrus)	“Old Town Road”	2019
16 Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men	“One Sweet Day”	1995–96
16 Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber	“Despacito”	2017
15 Harry Styles	“As It Was”	2022
Whitney Houston	“I Will Always Love You”	1992–93
Boyz II Men	“I’ll Make Love to You”	1994
Los del Río	“Macarena” (Bayside Boys mix)	1996
14 Elton John	“Candle in the Wind 1997” / “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”	1997–98
14 Mariah Carey	“We Belong Together”	2005
14 The Black Eyed Peas	“I Gotta Feeling”	2009
14 Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars	“Uptown Funk”	2015
13 (to date) Morgan Wallen	“Last Night”	2023
13 Boyz II Men	“End of the Road”	1992
Brandy and Monica	“the Boy Is Mine”	1998

“Last Night” is from Wallen’s album One Thing at a Time, which claims a 15th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album and song have, respectively, led the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously for 11 of those weeks – making the set just the third ever to have topped the Billboard 200 for at least 11 weeks while one or more of its songs have ruled the Hot 100. Wallen breaks out of a tie with Michael Jackson, thanks to Thriller and two of its smashes, for the best such chart double-up ever by a solo male artist.

Most Weeks for Albums & Their Songs Topping the Billboard 200 & Hot 100 Simultaneously:

13: Soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever; “Stayin’ Alive” (4; Bee Gees), “Night Fever” (8; Bee Gees), “If I Can’t Have You” (1; Yvonne Elliman), 1978

12: Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard soundtrack; “I Will Always Love You,” 1992-93

11: Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time; “Last Night,” 2023

10: Michael Jackson, Thriller; “Billie Jean” (7), “Beat It” (3), 1983

TOP COUNTRY DUO

Luke Combs’ version of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” holds at its No. 2 Hot 100 high. With Wallen’s “Last Night” at No. 1 and Combs’ “Fast Car” at No. 2, country hits (as defined by titles that have reached Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, where they also currently place at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively) rank in the Hot 100’s top two simultaneously for a second consecutive week; previously a tandem of country songs in the top two had not occurred since the charts dated Feb. 21 and 28 and March 7, 1981, via Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night.”

IT’S A “BARBIE WORLD” AND WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT…

Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s “Barbie World,” with Aqua, premieres at No. 7 on the Hot 100. The song, from the movie Barbie, due in theaters July 21.  The track bows as Minaj’s 23rd Hot 100 top 10 – extending her record for the most among female rappers – while she ties Whitney Houston for the sixth-most among women overall in the chart’s history. Taylor Swift leads all women with 40 top 10s, followed by Madonna (38), Rihanna (32), Mariah Carey (28) and Janet Jackson (27). 

Ice Spice scores her fourth Hot 100 top 10, and second with Minaj, after their “Princess Diana” debuted and peaked at No. 4 in April.

Aqua adds its second Hot 100 top 10, after its “Barbie Girl,” which “Barbie World” samples, reached No. 7 in September 1997. The European group’s 25-year, nine-month and three-week break between its top 10s marks the sixth-longest wait between Hot 100 top 10s, and the second-longest among groups, after Santana, fronted by Carlos Santana. (Notably, all acts below make the list thanks to collaborations on the songs that brought them back to the top 10.)

Longest Breaks Between Hot 100 Top 10s, excluding holiday songs:

Ozzy Osbourne:      30 years and three months, between “Close My Eyes Forever,” with Lita Ford, in 1989 and Post Malone’s “Take What You Want,” featuring Osbourne and Travis Scott, in 2019

Dobie Gray:              30 years, two months and one week, between “Drift Away” in 1973 and Uncle Kracker’s cover, featuring Gray, in 2003

Paul McCartney:     29 years and two weeks, between “Spies Like Us” in 1986 and “FourFiveSeconds,” with Rihanna and Kanye West, in 2015

Santana:                    28 years, seven months and two weeks, between “Black Magic Woman” in 1971 and “Smooth,” featuring Rob Thomas, in 1999

Billy Ray Cyrus:       26 years and eight months, between “Achy Breaky Heart” in 1992 and Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Cyrus, in 2019

Aqua:                         25 years, nine months and three weeks, between “Barbie Girl” in 1997 and “Barbie World,” with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, in 2023

JULY 1, 2023

THE COUNTRY 1-2 PUNCH

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” logs a 12th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.  Additionally, “Last Night” tops Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for a milestone 20th week – surpassing “You Proof” (May-December 2022) for Wallen’s longest rule among his seven Hot Country Songs No. 1s. “Last Night” is now one of only seven titles to have led Hot Country Songs for 20 or more weeks since the chart became an all-encompassing genre reflection in 1958; Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant To Be” spent a record 50 frames at No. 1 in 2017-18.

“Last Night” is from Wallen’s album One Thing at a Time, which adds a 14th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album and song have, respectively, led the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously for 10 of those weeks – making the set just the fourth ever to have topped the Billboard 200 for at least 10 weeks while one or more of its songs have ruled the Hot 100. It’s the first LP to achieve the feat in over 30 years.

Most Weeks for Albums & Their Songs Topping the Billboard 200 & Hot 100 Simultaneously:

13: Soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever; “Stayin’ Alive” (4; Bee Gees), “Night Fever” (8; Bee Gees), “If I Can’t Have You” (1; Yvonne Elliman), 1978

12: Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard soundtrack; “I Will Always Love You,” 1992-93

10: Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time; “Last Night,” 2023

10: Michael Jackson, Thriller; “Billie Jean” (7), “Beat It” (3), 1983

Luke Combs’ version of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” (which hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in August 1988) ascends to a new No. 2 Hot 100 high, from No. 3.  With Wallen’s “Last Night” at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and Combs’ “Fast Car” at No. 2, country hits (as defined by titles that have reached Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, where they also currently place at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively) rank in the Hot 100’s top two simultaneously for the first time in over 42 years – since the chart dated March 7, 1981, when Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” placed at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. (The latter two songs also teamed up in the top two on the charts dated Feb. 21 and 28, 1981.)

JUNE 24, 2023

A LONG “LAST NIGHT”

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” adds an 11th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  Additionally, “Last Night” tops Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for a 19th week – tying “You Proof” (May-December 2022) for Wallen’s longest command among his seven Hot Country Songs No. 1s.

MOVING “FAST”

Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s classic “Fast Car” (which hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in August 1988) accelerates to No. 3, from No. 4, on the Hot 100.

TWO OUT OF THREE AIN’T BAD…

Thanks to “Last Night” and “Fast Car,” two country hits share space in the chart’s top three for the first time since March 2000, and for only the second time in over 42 years.  With Wallen’s “Last Night” at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and Combs’ “Fast Car” at No. 3, two country hits (as defined by titles that have hit Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, where they currently place at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively) rank in the Hot 100’s top three simultaneously for the first time since the chart dated March 11, 2000, when Lonestar’s “Amazed” held at No. 1 and Faith Hill’s “Breathe” took the No. 3 spot. (Before that, such a double-up had not occurred since March 7, 1981, when Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” ranked at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.)

JUNE 17, 2023

“NIGHT” #10

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” achieves a 10th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. It becomes the 44th song since the Hot 100 began in August 1958 to reign for 10 or more weeks, out of 1,149 total No. 1s – an achievement that only 4% of all leaders have attained.  Additionally, “Last Night” tops Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for an 18th week – tying for the 10th-longest command since the chart became an all-encompassing genre survey in October 1958. Wallen is the only soloist with two of the 10 longest-leading Hot Country Songs hits in that span, as his “You Proof” amassed 19 weeks on top in 2022.

“FAST CAR” KEEPS ON DRIVING

Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s classic “Fast Car” keeps on driving, advancing from No. 8 to No. 4 on the Hot 100. The song surpasses the No. 6 peak in 1988 of Chapman’s original.  Combs adds his second top five Hot 100 hit, after “Forever After All” debuted at its No. 2 peak in November 2020.

COUNTRY GOES POP

Meanwhile, with Wallen’s “Last Night” at No. 1 and Combs’ “Fast Car” parked at No. 4, two country hits (as defined by titles that have hit Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, where they currently place at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively) rank in the Hot 100’s top five simultaneously for the first time in over 23 years: for eight weeks in February-April 2000, Lonestar’s “Amazed” and Faith Hill’s “Breathe” shared space in the top five. (Before that, such tandems had not occurred since September 1981, when Juice Newton’s “Queen of Hearts” and Ronnie Milsap’s “[There’s] No Gettin’ Over Me” ranked in the top five together.)

Three weeks ago, Combs’ version became the 16th remake of an ‘80s Hot 100 top 10 to also reach the tier. As his has now charted higher than Chapman’s, of those 16 such double-ups, covers have peaked higher than originals in only five cases.

“DOWN” MOVES UP

Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” rises to a new No. 3 Hot 100 high, from No. 5. (It reaches the top three in its 40th week on the chart, the fifth-longest ascent to the region; Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” took a record 51 weeks to the top three in 2021-22.)

JUNE 10, 2023

GOOD “KARMA”

Taylor Swift’s “Karma” vaults from No. 27 to No. 2 on the Hot 100. After it originally spent a week in the top 10, at No. 9, upon its debut last November (concurrent with the chart start of parent album Midnights), the song hits a new high following the May 26 release of its remix with Ice Spice, and the wide premiere of its official video May 27.

“KARMA” BY THE NUMBERS

…MOST TOP FIVES

Swift achieves her 25th top five Hot 100 entry, solely claiming the fifth-most such hits since the chart began in August 1958.

Most Top Five Hot 100 Hits:

35, Drake

29, The Beatles

28, Madonna

27, Mariah Carey

25, Taylor Swift

24, Janet Jackson

24, Rihanna

21, Elvis Presley (whose career began before the chart originated)

20, Justin Bieber

20, Michael Jackson

20, Stevie Wonder

…MOST TOP TWOS

Swift boasts the sixth-most top two Hot 100 hits: 17, with nine having hit No. 1 and eight having reached No. 2.

The Beatles (23; 20 No. 1s, three No. 2 hits)

Mariah Carey (23; 19 No. 1s, four No. 2 hits)

Drake (20; 11 No. 1s, nine No. 2 hits)

Rihanna (18; 14 No. 1s, four No. 2 hits)

Madonna (18; 12 No. 1s, six No. 2 hits)

Midnights has now generated three top two Hot 100 songs: “Anti-Hero” became Swift’s longest-leading No. 1, for eight weeks in November-January, and “Lavender Haze” debuted at its No. 2 peak in November, as 10 tracks from the album blanketed the top 10 in the set’s starting frame and Swift made history as the first artist to rank at each spot in the top 10 in a single week.

The album is Swift’s second to produce a trio of top two Hot 100 hits, after 1989 yielded three No. 1s in 2014-15: “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood” (featuring Kendrick Lamar).

Midnights is the first album by any act with three top two Hot 100 hits since The Weeknd’s After Hours spun off three No. 1s in 2019-21: “Heartless,” “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears,” the lattermost remixed with Ariana Grande – who, prior to that LP, posted three top two hits, including two No. 1s, from Thank U Next in 2018-19. Earlier in 2018, Drake rung up four, including three No. 1s, from his album Scorpion.

THRICE NICE ICE SPICE

Ice Spice is now credited on “Karma” on the Hot 100, as the remix accounts for over half the song’s consumption in the tracking week. She notches her third top 10 – and highest-charting hit – following “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2,” with PinkPantheress (No. 3, March), and “Princess Diana,” with Nicki Minaj (No. 4, April).

A BOUQUET OF “FLOWERS”

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” becomes the first song by a woman to have spent its first 20 weeks on the Hot 100 in the top three. Overall, only one song has had a better such start: Harry Styles’ “As It Was” ranked in the top three in its first 29 weeks on the chart.

“CALM DOWN” CALMS DOWN

Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” retreats to No. 5 on the Hot 100, from its No. 4 high.

A NOTABLE FACT AMONGST PEERS…

Despite Swift, Cyrus and Gomez having all first hit the Hot 100 in the second half of the 2000s – Cyrus in August 2006 [via her former Hannah Montana alter ego]; Swift that September; and Gomez in January 2009 – the three artists appear in the top five together for the first time this week.

JUNE 3, 2023

“ONE THING” ABOUT HIS ALBUM…

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” adds an eighth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. “Last Night” parent album One Thing at a Time dominates the Billboard 200 for a 12th week, encompassing its entire stay on the chart so far. It boasts the most weeks in a row at No. 1 since the Titanic soundtrack linked 16 in 1998. Meanwhile, One Thing at a Time is just the second album to spend its first 12 weeks on the chart on top, after Stevie Wonder’s classic Songs in the Key of Life led in its first 13 weeks in 1976-77. Plus, the dozen weeks atop the Billboard 200 for One Thing at a Time mark the most for a country album since Billy Ray Cyrus’ Some Gave All, sparked by its own crossover smash, “Achy Breaky Heart,” ruled for 17 weeks in 1992.
CONTINUING TO “KILL” IT

SZA’s “Kill Bill” lifts 4-3 on the Hot 100, after it became her first No. 1, for a week in April.  On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the No. 1 run of “Kill Bill” is historic, as the song passes Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring the aforementioned Billy Ray Cyrus, for the longest command since the chart became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958.
Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs:
21, “Kill Bill,” SZA, 2022-23
20, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
18, “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, 2021-22
18, “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla, 2016
16, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, 2013
15, “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige, 2006
“SHE GOES” TOP 10

Bad Bunny’s “Where She Goes” bounds onto the Hot 100 at No. 8.  The Spanish-language song arrives as the star’s 10th top 10, and second this year, after “Un x100to,” with Grupo Frontera, hit No. 5 earlier in May.

MAY 27, 2023

MAKING IT “LAST”

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” concurrently leads the Hot Country Songs chart, which uses the same methodology as the Hot 100, for a 15th week. It became just the 20th song to have topped both charts – and having now ruled the Hot 100 for seven weeks, it claims outright the longest Hot 100 reign among those 20 hits, surpassing Kenny Rogers’ “Lady” and Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans,” which spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1980 and 1959, respectively.

As previously reported, parent album One Thing at a Time dominates the Billboard 200 for an 11th week, encompassing its entire stay on the chart so far. It boasts the most weeks in a row at No. 1 since the Titanic soundtrack linked 16 in 1998. One Thing at a Time is also the first album to spend its first 11 weeks on the chart on top since Whitney Houston’s Whitney also ruled in its first 11 frames in 1987; the only other title to tally as many or more weeks at No. 1 from a debut is Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life (13 in 1976-77), dating to the chart’s 1956 launch.

LIVING THE HIGH “LIFE”

Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, soars onto the Hot 100 at No. 2, tying a career-best rank for each artist.  Both artists match their best career Hot 100 placements. Lil Durk lands his third top 10 – and first in a lead role – following his featured turns on Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” (No. 2, August 2020) and “In the Bible” (No. 7, September 2021), the latter also featuring Giveon. J. Cole tallies his 11th top 10 (and first as a featured artist); he previously hit No. 2 with “my.life,” with 21 Savage and Morray, in May 2021.

“FAST” CLIMBING

Luke Combs’ faithful remake of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” zooms to the Hot 100’s top 10, accelerating 11-9.  Combs claims his third Hot 100 top 10, following “The Kind of Love We Make” (No. 8, October 2022) and “Forever After All” (No. 2, November 2020).

“Fast Car,” which Chapman solely wrote, hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in August 1988 and went on to win the singer-songwriter the Grammy Award for best female pop vocal performance in 1989. Combs’ cover marks the first remake (not including samples or interpolations) of an ‘80s Hot 100 top 10 to also reach the region since Artists for Haiti’s “We Are the World 25: For Haiti” hit No. 2 in 2010, after USA for Africa’s original “We Are the World” dominated for four weeks in 1985.

THE “HERO” STAYS

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” keeps at No. 10. The song became her sole longest-leading No. 1, for eight weeks in November-January. It adds a 28th week in the top 10, likewise extending her longest stay in the bracket.

MAY 20, 2023

MORGAN 2 X 10

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” claims a sixth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.  As previously reported, parent album One Thing at a Time tops the Billboard 200 for a 10th week. As Wallen’s last LP, Dangerous: The Double Album, also reigned for 10 frames, he becomes the first male soloist ever with back-to-back 10-week No. 1s, dating to the chart’s 1956 launch.

SZA AT 20

SZA’s “Kill Bill” keeps at No. 2 on the Hot 100, three weeks after it became her first No. 1. It rules the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for a 20th week.  It makes history, as it ties Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, for the longest No. 1 run since the chart became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs:

20, “Kill Bill,” SZA, 2022-23

20, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019

18, “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, 2021-22

18, “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla, 2016

16, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, 2013

15, “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige, 2006

YOUR “FAVORITE SONG” HITS THE TOP 10

“Favorite Song” surges from No. 11 to No. 8 on the Hot 100, where it becomes the first top 10 for Toosii, born Nau’Jour Grainger in Syracuse, N.Y., where he was raised before relocating to Raleigh, N.C., and pursuing a music career.   “Favorite Song” is the whopping 43rd Hot 100 top 10 with the word “song” in its title. The list began with The Chipmunks’ “The Chipmunk Song” with David Seville (No. 1 for four weeks in 1958-59), and was most recently bolstered by … a fellow Yuletide standard, Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You),” which reached the region for the first time over the latest holiday season (No. 9). Just before that, Post Malone’s “I Like You (A Happier Song)” featuring Doja Cat, hit No. 3 last October.

TAYLOR CONTINUES

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” keeps at No. 10. The song became her sole longest-leading No. 1, for eight weeks in November-January. It adds a 27th week in the top 10, likewise extending her longest stay in the tier.

MAY 13, 2023

ABOUT “LAST NIGHT”

“Last Night” concurrently leads the Hot Country Songs chart for a 13th week. It became just the 20th song to have topped both charts. As it has now ruled the Hot 100 for five weeks and Hot Country Songs for 13, among those 20 songs, its 18 combined weeks atop the rankings mark the most, surpassing Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans,” which spent six and 10 weeks at No. 1, respectively, in 1959.

Songs to Have Topped Both the Hot 100 & Hot Country Songs Charts:

Combined Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Year(s), Weeks atop Hot 100/Hot Country Songs

18 – “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023 – 5/13

16 – “The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959 – 6/10

13 – “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012-13 – 3/10

10 – “Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000 – 2/8

9 – “El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60 – 2/7

8 – “Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968 – 5/3

7 – “Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980 – 6/1

7 – “Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76 – 1/6

7 – “Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961 – 5/2

5 – “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975 – 2/3

5 – “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973 – 2/3

4 – “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021 – 1/3

4 – “Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers, duet with Dolly Parton, 1983 – 2/2

3 – “I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981 – 2/1

3 – “9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981 – 2/1

3 – “Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977 – 1/2

3 – “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975 – 1/2

2 – “I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975 – 1/1

2 – “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975 – 1/1

2 – “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975 – 1/1

SZA STAYS PUT

SZA’s “Kill Bill” keeps at No. 2 on the Hot 100, two weeks after it became her first No. 1. It concurrently commands the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for a 19th week. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, “Kill Bill” claims the sole second-longest No. 1 run – and moves to within a week of tying the record for the longest.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs:

20, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019

19, “Kill Bill,” SZA, 2022-23 to date

18, “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, 2021-22

18, “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla, 2016

16, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, 2013

15, “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige, 2006

“DOWN” GOES UP

Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” rises 6-5 on the Hot 100.  Rema hits the Hot 100’s top five with his first entry on the chart. Gomez adds her fourth top five hit, as “Calm Down” joins “Lose You To Love Me” (No. 1, one week, November 2019), “Same Old Love” (No. 5, January 2016) and “Good for You,” featuring A$AP Rocky (No. 5, October 2015). 

THE “HERO” CONTINUES

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” keeps at No. 10. The song became her sole longest-leading No. 1, for eight weeks in November-January. It adds a 26th week in the top 10, likewise extending her longest run in the region.

MAY 6, 2023

“LAST”ING ALL “NIGHT”

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” returns to No. 1, from No. 2, for a fourth total week atop the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. It first ruled in March, becoming the country singer-songwriter’s initial leader on the list.  “Last Night” concurrently tops the Hot Country Songs chart for a 12th week.   “Last Night” became just the 20th song to have topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs. As it has now ruled the former for four weeks and the latter for 12, among those 20 songs, its 16 combined weeks atop the charts ties for the most, matching Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans,” which spent six and 10 weeks at No. 1, respectively, in 1959.

Songs to Have Topped Both the Hot 100 & Hot Country Songs Charts (from most recent):

“Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023 – 4 weeks atop the Hot 100 / 12 weeks atop Hot Country Songs

“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021 – 1 week / 3 weeks

“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012-13 – 3 weeks / 10 weeks

“Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000 – 2 weeks / 8 weeks

“Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers, duet with Dolly Parton, 1983 – 2 weeks / 2 weeks

“I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981 – 2 weeks / 1 week

“9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981 – 2 weeks / 1 week

“Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980 – 6 weeks / 1 week

“Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977 – 1 week / 2 weeks

“Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76 – 1 week / 6 weeks

“I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975 – 1 week / 1 week

“Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975 – 2 weeks / 3 weeks

“Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975 – 1 week / 1 week

“Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975 – 1 week / 2 weeks

“(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975 – 1 week / 1 week

“The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973 – 2 weeks / 3 weeks

“Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968 – 5 weeks / 3 weeks

“Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961 – 5 weeks / 2 weeks

“El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60 – 2 weeks / 7 weeks

“The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959 – 6 weeks / 10 weeks

“KILL”ING IT SOFTLY ON THE R&B CHART

SZA’s “Kill Bill” slips to No. 2 on the Hot 100 a week after it became her first No. 1. It concurrently crowns the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for an 18th week.

On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, “Kill Bill” extends the longest reign for a song by a woman in a lead role since the survey became an all-encompassing genre chart in 1958, having passed Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You” (15 weeks, 2006). Overall, “Kill Bill” ties for the second-longest Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs command.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (since 1958):

20, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019

18, “Kill Bill,” SZA, 2022-23

18, “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, 2021-22

18, “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla, 2016

16, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, 2013

15, “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige, 2006

VIVA LA MEXICO!

A week after Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma scored the Hot 100’s first top five regional Mexican hit, Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny add the second. The former pairing retains the mark for the highest-charting song ever for the genre, as “Ella Baila Sola” rises 5-4, while the latter leaps 15-5 with “Un x100to.”  Regional Mexican sextet Grupo Frontera, from Texas, achieves its first Hot 100 top 10, among six career entries dating to its first last October, while Bad Bunny adds his ninth.

Here’s a Hot 100 fact: “Un x100to” is the first top 10, among over 5,000 top 10s in the Hot 100’s history, with “100” in its title. Special shout-outs to Gene McDaniels’ “A Hundred Pounds of Clay” (No. 3 peak, 1961) and “Somebody’s Been Seeping” by 100 Proof Aged in Soul (No. 8, 1970).

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

TAYLOR MADE

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Taylor Swift rewrites her longest run in the Hot 100’s top 10, as “Anti-Hero” spends a 25th week in the region, re-entering at No. 10, surpassing the 24-week top 10 stay of “Shake It Off” in 2014-15.  The song became her sole longest-leading No. 1, for eight weeks in November-January, surpassing the seven-week reign of “Blank Space” in 2014-15. Now, with a 25th week in the top 10, it bests “Shake It Off” (24 weeks, 2014-15) for her longest run in the bracket. Next up in her catalog, “Blank Space” totaled 17 weeks in the top 10, also in 2014-15, followed by (each with 16), “I Knew You Were Trouble.” (2012-13) and “You Belong With Me” (2009).

APRIL 29, 2023

THE SZA STORY

NO LONGER A BRIDESMAID

SZA slices her way to her first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, as “Kill Bill” jumps from No. 4 to the top spot, following eight non-consecutive weeks at its prior No. 2 high.  Since this is her highest ranking of her seven Top 10 hits, let’s take a look at her tally…

No. 1, one week, to-date, April 29, 2023, “Kill Bill”

No. 3, July 10, 2021, “Kiss Me More” (Doja Cat feat. SZA)

No. 7, Dec. 18, 2021, “I Hate U”

No. 7, March 3, 2018, “All the Stars” (with Kendrick Lamar)

No. 9, Feb. 6, 2021, “Good Days”

No. 9, Nov. 25, 2017, “What Lovers Do” (Maroon 5 feat. SZA)

No. 10, Dec. 24, 2022, “Nobody Gets Me”

EIGHT WAS ENOUGH

“Kill Bill” tops the Hot 100 after eight nonconsecutive weeks at No. 2. It debuted at No. 3 on the Dec. 24, 2022 chart.

The song ties for the second-most weeks spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100 before rising to No. 1 at last:

9 weeks at No. 2 on Hot 100 before hitting No. 1, “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish, hit No. 1 Aug. 24, 2019

8, “Kill Bill,” SZA, April 29, 2023

8, “Starboy,” The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk, Jan. 7, 2017

8, “Sorry,” Justin Bieber, Jan. 23, 2016

8, “The Way You Move,” OutKast feat. Sleepy Brown, Feb. 14, 2004

7, “Havana,” Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug, Jan. 27, 2018

7, “Sexy and I Know It,” LMFAO, Jan. 7, 2012

6, “Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B, Sept. 29, 2018

6, “All of Me,” John Legend, May 17, 2014

“KILL”ER NUMBER ONES

As SZA takes out all chart competition in her way, she notches the fourth Hot 100 No. 1 (out of a total of 1,149) with “kill” (or any form of the word) in its title:

“Kill Bill,” one week at No. 1, to-date, April 29, 2023

“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” Kelly Clarkson, three weeks, beginning Feb. 18, 2012

“A View to a Kill,” Duran Duran, two, July 13, 1985

“Killing Me Softly With His Song” Roberta Flack, five, Feb. 24, 1973

Meanwhile, “Kill Bill” is the second Hot 100 No. 1 of the four above that doubles as a movie title, as it’s an ode to the 2003 Quentin Tarantino-directed, and likewise revenge-focused, martial arts favorite (subtitled Volume 1) starring Uma Thurman, among others (including David Carradine in the role of Bill). Duran Duran’s “A View to a Kill” is the theme from the same-named 1985 James Bond movie, and the only one from the franchise to have topped the Hot 100.

…ELSEWHERE ON THE CHART…

TWICE ICE SPICE IS VERY NICE

Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj’s “Princess Diana” launches at No. 4 on the Hot 100, marking the second top 10 for the former rapper and the 22nd for the latter – extending her record for the most among women rappers.  The song starts as Ice Spice’s second Hot 100 top 10 – her first, “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2,” with PinkPantheress, drops 8-10, after reaching No. 3.

“SHE DANCES” INTO THE TOP 5

Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” vaults 10-5 on the Hot 100. It becomes the first regional Mexican top five hit in the chart’s archives, a week after it became the list’s initial top 10 for the genre.  “Ella Baila Sola” translates to “She Dances Alone.”

APRIL 22, 2023

“LAST”ING EFFECT

“Last Night” concurrently leads the Hot Country Songs chart for a 10th week. It became just the 20th song to have topped both lists – and the first by a solo male unaccompanied by any other acts since Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night” ruled Hot Country Songs for a week and the Hot 100 for two weeks in 1981.

As “Last Night” has now ruled Hot Country Songs for 10 weeks and the Hot 100 for three, it’s the first song among those that have topped both charts with that many weeks atop that pair of tallies since Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” also ran up 10 and three weeks at No. 1, respectively, in 2012-13.

DOING THE RE“SEARCH”

Drake’s “Search & Rescue” bounds onto the Hot 100 at No. 2.  This is his record-extending 68th Hot 100 top 10, and first of 2023.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

68, Drake

40, Taylor Swift

38, Madonna

34, The Beatles

32, Rihanna

30, Michael Jackson

29, Elton John

28, Mariah Carey

28, Stevie Wonder

27, Janet Jackson

“Search & Rescue” is also Drake’s record-padding 35th top five Hot 100 hit (distancing himself further from runners-up The Beatles’ 29); his 174th top 40 hit (ahead of Taylor Swift, second with 105); and his 294th entry overall (with the Glee Cast second with 207). (He adds his 20th top two hit; The Beatles and Mariah Carey lead with 23 each.)

“Search & Rescue” is the highest-charting Hot 100 hit with “search” in its title, surpassing Survivor’s No. 4-peaking love song “The Search Is Over” in 1985. (Honorable mention to the No. 3 classic “Love Potion Number Nine,” in 1965, by The Searchers.) Drake’s new hit is also the highest charting with “rescue” in its name. It bests The Rolling Stones’ “Emotional Rescue” (No. 3, 1980), followed by “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass (No. 4, 1965).

REGIONAL MEXICAN MUSIC MAKES SOME NOISE

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” soars 17-10.  Quartet Eslabon Armado, from California, and Peso Pluma, from Mexico, each reach the Hot 100’s top for the first time – as “Ella Baila Sola” makes history as the first regional Mexican song ever to hit the Hot 100’s top 10. The genre has surged this decade, thanks in part to exposure on TikTok and other social media, with Gera MX and Christian Nodal’s “Botella Tras Botella” having become the first regional Mexican Hot 100 hit in May 2021, peaking at No. 60.

After “Ella Baila Sola,” Peso Pluma also has the second-highest-charting regional Mexican Hot 100 hit: “La Bebe,” with Yng Lvcas, rises to a new No. 17 best on the latest, April 22-dated chart. The next-highest-peaking such hits: Yahritza y Su Esencia’s “Soy El Unico” (No. 20, April 2022 – it debuted at that rank, the highest entrance for a regional Mexican song) and Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera’s “Bebe Dame” (No. 25, this January).

Among Latin genres, regional Mexican’s arrival in the Hot 100’s top 10 follows that of Latin pop, which, after English-language hits by Gloria Estefan in the 1980s (plus Los Lobos’ “La Bamba,” in Spanish) surged in the late ‘90s and beyond thanks to songs (in varying degrees of English and Spanish) by Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin, among other stars. At the same time, Marc Anthony helped tropical break through on the chart. In more recent years, Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi’s pop-centered, mostly-Spanish-language “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, spent a then-record-tying 16 weeks at No. 1 in 2017, while, this decade, Bad Bunny, with Spanish-language songs, has carried the torch for Latin rhythm in the top 10.

As for Latin music overall, Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma earn the Hot 100’s third Spanish-language top 10 this year, following two Latin pop hits: Bizarrap and Shakira’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” (No. 9, January) and Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” (No. 7, March).

APRIL 15, 2023

THE “LAST” COUNTRY/POP CONNECTION

“Last Night” concurrently leads the Hot Country Songs chart for a ninth week. It became just the 20th song to have topped both tallies – and the first by a solo male unaccompanied by any other acts in over 42 years, since Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night” ruled Hot Country Songs for a week in January 1981 and the Hot 100 for two weeks that February-March.

As “Last Night” has now ruled Hot Country Songs for nine weeks and the Hot 100 for two, it’s the first song with multiple weeks atop each chart since Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” (10 and three weeks at No. 1, respectively) in 2012. It’s the first such hit by a solo male and no accompanying acts since Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy” (three and two weeks, respectively) in 1975. The only other titles by unaccompanied solo males to have topped Hot Country Songs and the Hot 100 for multiple weeks each: Charlie Rich’s “The Most Beautiful Girl” (1973), Bobby Goldsboro’s “Honey” (1968), Jimmy Dean’s “Big Bad John” (1961), Marty Robbins’ “El Paso” (1959-60) and Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans” (1959).

“BILL” PASSES MARY J.

SZA’s “Kill Bill” rises 4-2 on the Hot 100, adding an eighth week at its No. 2 high.  “Kill Bill” simultaneously dominates the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs charts for a 16th week each. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it passes Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You” (15 weeks at No. 1 in 2006) for the longest reign for a song by a woman in a lead role since the survey became an all-encompassing genre chart in 1958.

TAYLOR’S 23

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” reverses course, 9-8, on the Hot 100, following a personal-best eight weeks at No. 1 in November-January. It has spent 23 weeks in the top 10 – one week shy of Swift’s longest stay in the region, set by “Shake It Off” in 2014-15.

JIMIN DROPS

After debuting at #1 last week with “Like Crazy,” Jimin not only falls out of the Top 10 but is evicted from the Top 40 in his second week!  Freefalling and landing at #45, he is now the owner of the record for the biggest drop from #1.  Barring holiday songs, here are the ten biggest drops from the #1 slot…

FROM 1 TO…	SONG	ARTIST(S)	DATE
45	Like Crazy	Jimin	4/15/23
38	Willow	Taylor Swift	1/2/21
34	Trollz	6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj	7/4/20
28	Life Goes On	BTS	12/12/20
25	Franchise	Travis Scott featuring Young Thug and M.I.A.	10/17/20
17	Heartless	The Weeknd	12/21/19
17	Butter	BTS	9/18/21
15	Nothing from Nothing	Billy Preston	10/26/74
15	Then Came You	Dionne Warwicke and the Spinners	11/2/74
13	Stuck with U	Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber	5/30/20

APRIL 8, 2023

“CRAZY” DEBUTING ASIAN a/k/a THE STORY OF JIMIN

Jimin’s “Like Crazy” blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, marking his first leader – and the first for a member of superstar South Korean pop group BTS. He’s also the first South Korean solo artist to lead the list.  It’s the 66th title to premiere at the summit and the first by a South Korean solo artist.  Previously among South Korean solo artists, PSY reached a No. 2 best with “Gangnam Style” for seven weeks in 2012.  The history of Asian acts atop the Hot 100 dates back to the chart’s early years, as Japanese-born Kyu Sakamoto became the first to lead, with “Sukiyaki” for three weeks in 1963. In 2010, Far*East Movement reigned with “Like a G6,” with the act’s lineup at the time including two members of Korean heritage.

NUMBER ONE DEBUTS AS A MEMBER OF A GROUP AND AS A SOLOIST

Jimin makes history as the first soloist to score a solo Hot 100 debut breaking out of a group that has also debuted at No. 1 on the chart.  Here’s a rundown of the BTS leaders (5) to Jimin’s (1):

Jimin, “Like Crazy,” one week at No. 1 (to-date), April 8, 2023

Coldplay & BTS, “My Universe,” one, Oct. 9, 2021

BTS, “Permission To Dance,” one, July 24, 2021

BTS, “Butter,” 10, June 5, 2021

BTS, “Life Goes On,” one, Dec. 5, 2020

“Dynamite,” three weeks at No. 1, beginning Sept. 5, 2020

Jimin and BTS join the ranks of soloists and groups each with Hot 100 No. 1s.  Cementing this point before this week, Beyoncé reigned with “Break My Soul” for two weeks last August.  With Destiny’s Child, they tallied four No. 1s.

THE SEVEN FACES OF BTS

Jimin scores not only the first Hot 100 No. 1 by a BTS member solo, but the first top 10, or even top 20, hit on the chart. Plus, of the four solo top 40 hits by the group’s members, Jimin has two.

Here’s a recap of all 15 Hot 100 entries so far by BTS members apart from the group, ranked by peak position. All seven of the act’s members have reached the chart with solo songs: J-Hope, Jimin, Jin, Jung Kook, RM, Suga and V.

Peak Pos., Date, Artist, Title:

No. 1 (one week to-date), April 8, 2023, Jimin, “Like Crazy”

No. 22, July 9, 2022, Charlie Puth feat. Jung Kook, “Left and Right”

No. 29, Dec. 25, 2021, Juice WRLD & Suga, “Girl of My Dreams”

No. 30, April 1, 2023, Jimin, “Set Me Free, Pt. 2”

No. 51, Nov. 12, 2022, Jin, “The Astronaut”

No. 60, March 18, 2023, J-Hope with J. Cole, “On the Street”

No. 76, Jan. 28, 2023, TAEYANG feat. Jimin, “Vibe”

No. 76, June 6, 2020, Agust D (Suga’s alternate billing), “Daechwita”

No. 79, Jan. 8, 2022, V, “Christmas Tree”

No. 80, May 14, 2022, PSY feat. Suga, “That That”

No. 81; Oct. 12, 2019, J-Hope feat. Becky G, “Chicken Noodle Soup”

No. 82; July 16, 2022, J-Hope, “More”

No. 83; Dec. 17, 2022, RM with Youjeen, “Wild Flower”

No. 95; Feb. 26, 2022, Jung Kook, “Stay Alive”

No. 96; July 30, 2022, J-Hope, “Arson”

A LOT TO “LIKE”…

“Like Crazy” is the 21st Hot 100 No. 1 (out of a total of 1,148 #1s) with the word “like” in its title.  Here are the others in reverse order…

Girls Like You/Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B beginning 9/29/18 (7 weeks)

I Like It/Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin , 7/7/18 (1)

That’s What I Like/Bruno Mars, 5/13/17 (1)

Someone Like You/Adele, 9/17/11 (5)

Moves Like Jagger/Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera, 9/10/11 (4)

Like a G6/Far East Movement featuring the Cataracs and Dev, 10/30/10 (3)

Whatever You Like/T.I., 9/6/08 (7)

Drop It Like It’s Hot/Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell, 12/11/04 (3)

A Moment Like This/Kelly Clarkson, 10/5/02 (2)

I Like the Way (the Kissing Game)/Hi-Five, 5/18/91 (1)

Like a Prayer/Madonna, 4/22/89 (3)

Walk Like an Egyptian/the Bangles, 12/20/86 (4)

Like a Virgin/Madonna, 12/22/84 (6)

(Just Like) Starting Over/John Lennon, 12/27/80 (5)

Looks Like We Made It/Barry Manilow, 7/23/77 (1)

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing/Leo Sayer, 1/15/77 (1)

That’s the Way (I Like It)/KC and the Sunshine Band, 11/22/75 (2)

He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You)/Tony Orlando and Dawn, 5/3/75 (3)

Feel Like Makin’ Love/Roberta Flack, 8/10/74 (1)

Walk Like a Man/the Four Seasons, 3/2/63 (3)

…WHEN COMPARED TO “CRAZY”

“Like Crazy” is the 6th Hot 100 No. 1 (out of a total of 1,148 #1s) with the word “crazy” in its title.  Here are the others in reverse order…

Crazy in Love/Beyonce featuring Jay-Z, 7/12/03 (8)

She Drives Me Crazy/Fine Young Cannibals, 4/15/89 (1)

Crazy for You/Madonna, 5/11/85 (1)

Let’s Go Crazy/Prince and the Revolution, 9/29/84 (2)

Crazy Little Thing Called Love/Queen, 2/23/80 (4)

(Honorable mention: Crazy Town ruled the Hot 100 with “Butterfly” in 2001.)

APRIL 1, 2023

SMILEY MILEY MAKES IT EIGHT

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” adds an eighth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.  The song, from Cyrus’ new album Endless Summer Vacation, debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated Jan. 28 and spent its first six weeks on the chart at the summit; it then ranked at No. 2 for two weeks and has since logged its latest two frames on top.

PLAY ON “PLAYERS”

Coi Leray’s “Players” surges 12-9 on the Hot 100 earning her her first Top 10.  Leray, who was born in Boston and raised in Hackensack, N.J. posts her first Hot 100 top 10, following two top 40 entries: “Blick Blick!,” with Nicki Minaj (No. 37, April 2022), and “No More Parties,” featuring Lil Durk (No. 26, March 2021).  “Players” samples Grandmaster Flash’s classic “The Message,” which hit No. 4 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (and No. 62 on the Hot 100) in 1982.

A “HARD” CLIMB TO THE TOP 10

Bailey Zimmerman’s “Rock and a Hard Place” lifts 11-10 becoming his first top 10 among three top 40 hits.  The track hits the top 10 in its 41st week on the Hot 100 – rewriting the record for the longest climb to the top 10 for a song by a soloist in the chart’s history. Among all acts, only Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” took longer, reaching the tier in its 42nd week in November 2021. Now in third place overall, Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange,” Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” (both this January) and Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” (2007) all completed 38-week trips to the top 10.

“Rock and a Hard Place” becomes the Louisville, Ind., native’s second No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart, after “Fall in Love” led for a week in December. Notably, his three-month, three-week span between his first two Country Airplay leaders is the quickest for any act’s first two in nearly a quarter-century – since The Chicks took three months between “There’s Your Trouble” and “Wide Open Spaces” in August-November 1998.

MARCH 18, 2023

I WANT TO RETURN THESE “FLOWERS”…

…to the #1 spot!  Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” rebounds for a seventh week atop the Billboard Hot 100. The song debuted at No. 1 and spent its first six weeks on the chart in charge before ranking at No. 2 the last two weeks, as The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Die for You” and then Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” took turns at the summit.

“CALM DOWN” MOVES UP

Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” bounds 19-8 on the Hot 100, besting its prior No. 15 high set two weeks earlier.  Nigeria native Rema (real name: Divine Ikubor) released the original version of “Calm Down” in February 2022 as a single from his debut solo LP, Rave & Roses. Its remix with Gomez arrived Aug. 26, and that version’s official video premiered Sept. 7. He hits the Hot 100’s top 10 with his first entry on the chart.

Gomez lands her ninth Hot 100 top 10. “Calm Down” follows “Lose You to Love Me” (one week at No. 1, November 2019); “It Ain’t Me,” with Kygo (No. 10, May 2017); Charlie Puth’s “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” on which she’s featured (No. 9, October 2016); “Hands to Myself” (No. 7, February 2016); “Same Old Love” (No. 5, January 2016); “Good for You,” featuring A$AP Rocky (No. 5, October 2015); “The Heart Wants What It Wants” (No. 6, December 2014); and “Come & Get It” (No. 6, May 2013).

WE’RE REVISITING DISNEYWORLD

Gomez and Cyrus, both of whom broke through on Disney Channel shows, on Wizards of Waverly Place and Hannah Montana, respectively, share space in the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in nearly 10 years; on the July 20, 2013, tally, Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” ranked at No. 3 and Gomez’s “Come & Get It” placed at No. 9.

MARCH 18, 2023

WE’RE GONNA TALK ABOUT MORGAN WALLEN, ONE THING AT A TIME

First off, Morgan Wallen’s album, One Thing at a Time, debuts atop the Billboard 200 the same week his single, “Last Night,” leaps from 5-1.  

He is the first country solo male artist to hit #1 since “I Love a Rainy Night” by Eddie Rabbitt 42 years ago(!) in February/March 1981.

Wallen notches the first Hot 100 No. 1 for a contestant from NBC’s The Voice, which has run for 23 seasons, dating to its April 2011 premiere. (Its latest season began March 6, 2023.) He competed in the series’ sixth season, in 2014, and was eliminated in playoff rounds.

TOPPING BOTH THE HOT 100 AND THE COUNTRY CHART

As “Last Night” leads the Hot Country Songs chart, which uses the same methodology as the Hot 100, for a fifth week, it becomes just the 20th song to have topped both tallies.

“Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023

“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021

“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012

“Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000

“Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers, duet with Dolly Parton, 1983

“I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981

“9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981

“Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980

“Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977

“Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76

“I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975

“Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975

“Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975

“Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975

“(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975

“The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973

“Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968

“Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961

“El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60

“The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959

Of the 20 songs listed above, 12 were concentrated in 1973-83. Meanwhile, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Swift are the only acts with two songs each that have crowned both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts.

BIG WEEK FOR MORGAN’S LABELS

Big Loud Records achieves its first Hot 100 No. 1 with Wallen’s “Last Night.” The Nashville-based label formed in 2011.

Mercury Records tops the Hot 100 for the first time since Taio Cruz’s “Break Your Heart” ruled for a week in March 2010. The label, whose history dates to 1945, first led over 64 years ago, with The Platters’ “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” in January 1959.

Republic Records, meanwhile, succeeds itself atop the Hot 100, a week after The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Die for You” surged to No. 1. Republic, which began in 1995, wrapped at No. 1 on the 2022 Hot 100 Labels recap and has earned the distinction in nine of the last 11 years.

FIVE OUT OF TEN AIN’T BAD

Wallen ups his career count of Hot 100 top 10s from five to eight, as he stockpiles half the Hot 100’s top 10, with “Last Night” at No. 1 followed by “Thought You Should Know” (13-7); “You Proof” (21-8, after hitting No. 5 last October); “Thinkin’ Bout Me” (No. 9 debut); and “One Thing at a Time,” the new LP’s title cut (51-10).  He becomes a member of an elite club – and the only country act – of those who’ve had a minimum of five Top 10s in a single week, and only the sixth act overall to achieve the feat. (Drake has posted three such weeks and The Beatles, who inaugurated the exclusive club in 1964, two.)

10, Taylor Swift, Nov. 5, 2022

9, Drake, Sept. 18, 2021

8, Drake, Nov. 19, 2022

7, 21 Savage, Nov. 19, 2022

7, Drake, July 14, 2018

5, Morgan Wallen, March 18, 2023

5, Juice WRLD, July 25, 2020

5, The Beatles, April 11, 1964

5, The Beatles, April 4, 1964

SAVING THE “LAST” FOR BEST; A LOT OF TOP “NIGHT”S

Occasionally, “last” shall be first on the Hot 100. Wallen’s “Last Night” is just the fifth song with “last” in its title to lead the list. Here’s a recap:

“Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, one week to-date, March 18, 2023

“Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” Katy Perry, two weeks, beginning Aug. 27, 2011

“Save the Best for Last,” Vanessa Williams, five weeks, beginning March 21, 1992

“Last Train to Clarksville,” The Monkees, one week, Nov. 5, 1966

“Save the Last Dance for Me,” The Drifters, No. 1 for three weeks, beginning Oct. 17, 1960

We love reign-y “night”s: “Last Night” also marks the first “night”-titled Hot 100 No. 1 since Maroon 5’s “One More Night,” which led for nine weeks in 2012. Wallen scores the 30th such No. 1 (including variations “nights,” “midnight” and “tonight” in song titles).

MARCH 11, 2023

SPENDING THE WEEKND WITH ARIANA GRANDE

LONGEST TRIP TO #1

The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Die for You” bounds from No. 6 to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, after Grande joined for its remix. The song reigns after it was originally released on The Weeknd’s album Starboy in 2016, before it was revived in recent months thanks in part to interaction on TikTok, which helped spark new promotion to radio and streaming services.  As Starboy opened atop the Billboard 200 dated Dec. 17, 2016, “Die for You” concurrently debuted at No. 43 on the Hot 100. The song spent three weeks on the chart that month.  It returned to the Hot 100 dated Sept. 3, 2022. In October, it reached the Hot 100’s top 40 and this January it hit the top 10.  The song completes the longest trip to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in terms of time from a debut to scaling the summit. Notably, The Weeknd and Grande claim two of the six longest such journeys.   Here’s the list…

6 years, 2 months, 3 weeks, “Die for You,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande (2016-23)

5 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, “When I’m With You,” Sheriff (1983-89)

4 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, “Red Red Wine,” UB40 (1984-88; the pop/reggae classic and Sheriff’s love song above were revived, in part, by adventurous radio exec Guy Zapoleon)

1 year, 2 months, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals (2021-22)

1 year, 1 month, “Save Your Tears,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande (2020-21)

If you include holiday songs, here’s what leads…

19 years, 11 months, 2 weeks, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (2000-19; originally released in 1994, the carol ultimately first led 25 years after its release)

Meanwhile, “Die for You” tops the Hot 100 in its 31st total week on the tally, the fourth-longest such climb. “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals reigned when it wrapped a record 59-week ascent.

LUCKY 7

The Weeknd and Grande earn a seventh Hot 100 No. 1 each. Here’s a recap of their leaders.

The Weeknd’s Hot 100 No. 1s:

“Can’t Feel My Face,” three weeks at No. 1, beginning Aug. 22, 2015

“The Hills,” six weeks, Oct. 3, 2015

“Starboy,” feat. Daft Punk, one week, Jan. 7, 2017

“Heartless,” one week, Dec. 14, 2019

“Blinding Lights,” four weeks, April 4, 2020

“Save Your Tears,” with Ariana Grande, two weeks, May 8, 2021

“Die for You,” with Grande, one week to-date, March 11, 2023

Notably, Starboy now boasts two Hot 100 leaders, as “Die for You” joins the set’s title cut after over six years.

Ariana Grande’s Hot 100 No. 1s:

“Thank U Next,” seven weeks at No. 1, beginning Nov. 17, 2018

“7 Rings,” eight weeks, Feb. 2, 2019

“Stuck With U,” with Justin Bieber, one week, May 23, 2020

“Rain on Me,” with Lady Gaga, one week, June 6, 2020

“Positions,” one week, Nov. 7, 2020

“Save Your Tears,” with The Weeknd, two weeks, May 8, 2021

“Die for You,” with The Weeknd, one week to-date, March 11, 2023

Grande simultaneously adds her milestone 20th Hot 100 top 10. “Die for You” became The Weeknd’s 16th top 10 – his first such hit was also with Grande, as their “Love Me Harder” reached No. 7 in November 2014.

IT TAKES TWO

The Weeknd and Grande become the latest pair of solo acts that have teamed up for multiple Hot 100 No. 1s. Here’s a look at the acts that might want to consider making their collaborations more frequent, given their repeat success rates. (Drake and Rihanna have achieved the feat thanks to two pairings apiece.)

Acts That Have Teamed for Multiple Hot 100 No. 1s:

The Weeknd & Ariana Grande: “Save Your Tears,” 2021; “Die for You,” 2023

Drake & Future: “Way 2 Sexy” (Drake feat. Future & Young Thug), 2021; “Wait for U” (Future feat. Drake & Tems), 2022

Rihanna feat. Drake: “What’s My Name?,” 2010; “Work,” 2016

Eminem feat. Rihanna: “Love the Way You Lie,” 2010; “The Monster,” 2013-14

Nelly Furtado & Timbaland: “Promiscuous” (Furtado feat. Timbaland), 2006; “Give It to Me” (Timbaland feat. Furtado & Justin Timberlake), 2007

Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule: “I’m Real,” 2001; “Ain’t It Funny,” 2002

TWO MEN, THREE ALBUMS, MULTIPLE #1s

The Weeknd joins Michael Jackson as the only other male soloist to have three albums spinoff multiple Number One singles.

The Weeknd

Beauty Behind the Madness: “the Hills” and “Can’t Feel My Face” (2015)

Starboy: “Starboy” (2017) and “Die for You (with Ariana Grande)” (2023)

After Hours: “Heartless” (2019), “Blinding Lights” (2020), and “Save Your Tears (with Ariana Grande)” (2021)

Michael Jackson

Off the Wall: “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (1979) and “Rock with You” (1980)

Thriller: “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” (1983)

Bad: “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You (with Siedah Garrett)” and “Bad” (1987), “the Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Dirty Diana” (1988)

ELSEWHERE IN THE TOP 10…

SHAKIRA REVISITED

Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” soars onto the Hot 100 at No. 7, marking the former’s first top 10 and the latter’s sixth – and second this year, following a nearly 16-year break from the region, since “Beautiful Liar,” with Beyoncé, rose to No. 3 in April 2007.  While Shakira’s lengthy break from the Hot 100’s top 10 only to return with two such hits in relatively quick succession is rare, it’s not unprecedented: Elton John went over 24 years after 1998 before revisiting the tier with “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” with Dua Lipa (No. 7, 2021), and “Hold Me Closer,” with Britney Spears (No. 6, 2022). Plus, a shout out to Santana’s wait of over 28 years after 1971 before bounding back with two No. 1s in 1999-2000 – “Smooth,” featuring Rob Thomas, and “Maria Maria,” featuring The Product G&B – along with two more top 10s in 2002-03. (All such examples reflect acts teaming with artists who followed in their footsteps, capitalizing on multi-generational appeal.)

Just so you know, “TQG” is an acronym for “Te Quedó Grande” – which when translated from Spanish to English, roughly means “I’m too good for you.”

TO “DIE FOR/4”In a chart rarity, the Hot 100 is bookended by two songs that are to die for.  The Weeknd and Ariana Grande with “Die for You” leaps to #1 while Halsey debuts at #100 with “Die 4 Me.”

MARCH 4, 2023

A HALF DOZEN “FLOWERS”

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” leads the Billboard Hot 100 for a sixth week, encompassing its full run on the chart so far, dating to its debut at No. 1.

SPICE GIRL DUO

PinkPantheress and Ice Spice’s “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” climbs 4-3 on the Hot 100, a week after it became each act’s first top 10.

FEBRUARY 25, 2023

FIVE WEEKS OF “FLOWERS”

Miley Cyrus‘ “Flowers” rules the Billboard Hot 100 for a fifth week, encompassing its entire run on the chart so far, dating to its debut at No. 1.

NOT A LIE…

PinkPantheress and Ice Spice each make their first appearance in the Hot 100’s top 10 as “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” bounds from No. 14 to No. 4.  Notably, “Liar” leaps to the Hot 100’s top 10 in just its second week on the chart. It’s the first duet by two acts each making a first top 10 appearance since Nicky Youre and Dazy hit No. 4 with “Sunroof” last September. That song took 10 weeks to hit the top 10.  “Liar” is the first song between two acts each scoring a first top 10 to reach the region in two weeks or fewer since Lil Tjay’s “Calling My Phone,” featuring 6LACK, debuted at its No. 3 peak in February 2021.

FEBRUARY 18, 2023

“FLOWERS” “WRECKING” PERSONAL BEST

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” tops the Billboard Hot 100 for a fourth week, encompassing its entire run on the chart so far, dating to its debut at No. 1. As it extends its reign, it passes the three-week command of her prior leader, “Wrecking Ball,” in 2013.

MORGAN’S BEST “NIGHT”

Following its first full week of tracking, Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” surges from No. 27 to No. 3 on the Hot 100 becoming his fifth top 10 and highest-charting hit.  It’s preceded by “7 Summers” (No. 6 peak, August 2020), “Wasted on You” (No. 9, January 2021), “Don’t Think Jesus” (No. 7, April 2022) and “You Proof” (No. 5, October 2022). Meanwhile, his three most recent top 10s are all on One Thing at a Time – as the set becomes the first country album with as many as three top 10s since Taylor Swift’s Red spun off four in 2012-13. (Country albums are defined as those that have hit or are eligible for Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.)

BEYONCE “CUFFS” GRAMMY RECORD

Beyoncé’s “Cuff It” charges 15-6 for a new Hot 100 high, besting its prior No. 10 peak.  Also boosting Beyoncé’s buzzy profile, and the song’s, during the tracking week: with four more Grammy Awards Feb. 5, she upped her count to a record-breaking 32 wins, including best R&B song for “Cuff It.”

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

“FLOWERS” TIES “BALL”

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” leads the Billboard Hot 100 for a third week, encompassing its entire run on the chart so far, dating to its launch at No. 1. With its continued command, it ties the three-week rule of her prior leader, “Wrecking Ball,” in 2013.

“ROCK” ON, UZI

Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” jumps 12-10.  The rapper lands their seventh Hot 100 top 10 with the stand-alone single, following their featured turn on Migos’ “Bad and Boujee” (three weeks at No. 1, 2017) and their own “XO TOUR Llif3” (No. 7, 2017), “Futsal Shuffle 2020” (No. 5, 2019), “Baby Pluto” (No. 6, 2020), “Lo Mein” (No. 8, 2020) and “Silly Watch” (No. 9, 2020).

Rock on: “Just Wanna Rock” is the first Hot 100 top 10 with “rock” in its title since … well, just last month, when two holiday classics decorated the tier: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” by Brenda Lee, and “Jingle Bell Rock,” by Bobby Helms, ranked at their respective Nos. 2 and 3 peaks. One other such song has rolled to the top 10 in the ’20s: DaBaby’s “Rockstar,” featuring Roddy Ricch, reigned for seven weeks beginning June 2020. Not that “Just Wanna Rock” is considered a rock song (having not appeared on any of Billboard’s rock-based charts; it holds at its Nos. 2 and 5 highs on Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, respectively). The last rock chart hit with “rock” in its title to hit the Hot 100’s top 10? Nickelback’s “Rockstar” smashed its way to No. 6 in 2007.

FEBRUARY 4, 2023

“HOUR” TIME

“Golden Hour” becomes the first top 10 for Rhode Island native JVKE (born Jake Lawson).

Small state, big hits: Other acts to score chart success with Rhode Island origins include Bill Conti, whose Rocky theme song “Gonna Fly Now” topped the Hot 100 for a week in 1977; John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, whose “On the Dark Side,” from the film Eddie and the Cruisers, rose to No. 7 in 1984; and Blu Cantrell, whose “Hit ‘Em Up Style [Oops!]” reached No. 2 in 2001.

JANUARY 28, 2023

“FLOWERS” GROW AT #1

Miley Cyrus plants “Flowers” at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart in its debut week. Her new single soars in as her second leader, after “Wrecking Ball” reigned for three non-consecutive weeks beginning September 2013.  “Flowers” is the 65th title to roar in at No. 1 in the Hot 100’s history. It’s the 1,145th leader overall, and the first new No. 1 of 2023.

Cyrus ends a break of nine years, one month and two weeks between Hot 100 No. 1s, the longest between leaders since Coldplay went 13 years, three months and two weeks from “Viva La Vida” in 2008 to “My Universe,” with BTS, in 2021.

Cyrus also adds her 11th Hot 100 top 10 and first since The Kid LAROI’s “Without You” (which she joined for a remix) hit No. 8 in May 2021. Her previous top 10s, in order of peak date, including one under her Hannah Montana alter ego: “See You Again” (No. 10, 2008); “7 Things” (No. 9, 2008); “The Climb” (No. 4, 2009); “He Could Be the One” (Hannah Montana; No. 10, 2009); “Party in the U.S.A.” (No. 2, 2009 – it debuted at that spot, marking her top start until “Flowers”); “Can’t Be Tamed” (No. 8, 2010); “We Can’t Stop” (No. 2, 2013); “Wrecking Ball”; and “Malibu” (No. 10, 2017).

Cyrus’ “Flowers” blooms as the third Hot 100 No. 1 with that word in its title. Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond’s virtual duet “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” reigned for two weeks in December 1978 and Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)” ruled for a week in January 2019.

Some dirt on similarly-themed Hot 100 No. 1s: “Roses Are Red (My Love),” by Bobby Vinton, led in 1962; “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” by Poison, in 1988-89; and “Kiss From a Rose,” by Seal, in 1995. (We can also give flowers to past leading acts David Rose, Rose Royce, Guns N’ Roses, and Iggy Azalea.)

SHAKIRA, SHAKIRA

Bizarrap and Shakira’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” charges onto the Hot 100 at No. 9.  The diss track to her ex sung completely in Spanish marks her fifth Hot 100 top 10, and first since 2007, following “Whenever, Wherever” (No. 6, 2001), “Underneath Your Clothes” (No. 9, 2002), “Hips Don’t Lie,” featuring Wyclef Jean (No. 1, two weeks, 2006), and “Beautiful Liar,” with Beyoncé (No. 3, 2007). She ends a 15-year and nine-month break between top 10s, the longest outside holiday titles since Elton John waited 23 years, 11 months and two weeks between 1998 and 2022, when he returned to the tier with “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” with Dua Lipa.

JANUARY 21, 2023

EIGHT IS GREAT

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” holds at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, logging an eighth total week on top. With its latest frame at No. 1, Swift rewrites her longest Hot 100 reign, surpassing the seven weeks at the summit for “Blank Space” in 2014-15.  Here’s a look at the weeks at No. 1 for each of her nine leaders:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Date Reached No. 1:

8, “Anti-Hero,” Nov. 5, 2022

7, “Blank Space,” Nov. 29, 2014

4, “Shake It Off,” Sept. 6, 2014

3, “Look What You Made Me Do,” Sept. 16, 2017

3, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Sept. 1, 2012

1, “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Nov. 27, 2021

1, “Willow,” Dec. 26, 2020

1, “Cardigan,” Aug. 8, 2020

1, “Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, June 6, 2015

“Anti-Hero” debuted atop the Hot 100 as Swift made history as the first artist to infuse the chart’s entire top 10 in a single week (November 5, 2022), with all tracks all from her album Midnights.

“KILL”ING IT

SZA’s “Kill Bill” rises 3-2 for its highest Hot 100 rank yet.  SZA earns a new career-best Hot 100 placement, among seven top 10s; prior to “Kill Bill,” she reached a No. 3 high as featured on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” in July 2021.

“ORANGE” YOU GLAD YOU MADE THE TOP 10

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange” rises 11-10.  The track, which Bryan wrote solo and is from his major-label debut album American Heartbreak, is his first Hot 100 top 10, after it became his first entry on the chart in May. It ties for the second-longest trip to the top 10 – 38 chart weeks – matching the journeys of Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” in 2006-07 and Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You),” the latter over a whopping 11 on-and-off runs from its 1960 debut to the latest holiday season. Just one song has taken longer to reach the top 10, by total time on the tally: Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves”: 42 weeks in 2021.

A little more color: “Orange” brings that hue to the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time. The previous best? Lemon Pipers’ “Jelly Jungle (Of Orange Marmalade)” hit No. 51 in 1968. In third place is another song on the current chart: Megan Moroney’s “Tennessee Orange” holds at its No. 58 high. (And to squeeze in an honorable mention, Oran ‘Juice’ Jones’ “The Rain” reached No. 9 in 1986.)

JANUARY 14, 2023

HOLDING OUT FOR A “HERO”

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” rebounds to No. 1 this week, from No. 8, on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a seventh total week on top. As “Anti-Hero” tops the Hot 100 for a seventh week, Swift matches her longest reign: “Blank Space” dominated for seven frames in 2014-15. Here’s a look at the weeks at No. 1 for her nine leaders:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Date Reached No. 1:

7, “Anti-Hero,” Nov. 5, 2022

7, “Blank Space,” Nov. 29, 2014

4, “Shake It Off,” Sept. 6, 2014

3, “Look What You Made Me Do,” Sept. 16, 2017

3, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Sept. 1, 2012

1, “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Nov. 27, 2021

1, “Willow,” Dec. 26, 2020

1, “Cardigan,” Aug. 8, 2020

1, “Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, June 6, 2015

A “GOOD” LEAP

David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” roars 19-4 on the Hot 100, surpassing its prior No. 7 high. Guetta ties his best career rank, previously established by “Without You,” featuring Usher, in 2011 and “Turn Me On,” featuring Nicki Minaj, in 2012. Guetta has also hit the top five with “Sexy Chick,” featuring Akon (No. 5, 2010). Rexha adds her second top five entry, following “Meant to Be,” with Florida Georgia Line (No. 2, 2018).  Notably, “Good” bests the Hot 100 peak of the song that it interpolates for its basis: Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” which hit No. 6 in January 2000.

“IT WAS” HERE

Harry Styles’ “As It Was” soars 31-7, following 15 weeks at No. 1 beginning last April, the fourth-longest reign in the chart’s history.

A LONG WAIT TO “DIE”

The Weeknd’s “Die for You” vaults 26-8 on the Hot 100.  The song hits the Hot 100’s top 10 over six years after its original release on The Weeknd’s album Starboy, sparked by interaction on TikTok (which does not presently contribute to Billboard‘s charts).

The Weeknd ups his career count to 16 Hot 100 top 10s, while Starboy generates its third, after the title cut topped the chart for a week in January 2017, becoming his third of six No. 1s, and “I Feel It Coming” hit No. 4 that April, with both songs featuring Daft Punk.

OFF THE “CUFF”

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Beyoncé’s “Cuff It” soars 38-10.  Beyoncé achieves her 21st Hot 100 top 10 as a soloist. She scores her second from her latest album, Renaissance, after “Break My Soul” spent two weeks at No. 1 beginning in August. The set is her first to spin off multiple top 10s since I Am…Sasha Fierce yielded four in 2008-09: “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” (No. 1, four weeks), “If I Were a Boy” (No. 3), “Halo” (No. 5) and “Sweet Dreams” (No. 10).

Notably, Destiny’s Child, with Beyoncé as a member, tallied 10 Hot 100 top 10s, in 1998-2005. When “Break My Soul” hit the tier in August, the superstar joined elite company among acts with at least 20 solo top 10s and 10 in a group – and became the first woman to achieve the feat. Michael Jackson notched 30 solo top 10s and 11 in Jackson 5/The Jacksons, while Paul McCartney boasts 23 solo (including his output with Wings) and 34 in The Beatles. (In a reverse of the feat, The Supremes scored 20 top 10s, including six billed as by Diana Ross & The Supremes, and Ross went on to tally 12 as a soloist.)

JANUARY 7, 2023

THE CAREY CHRONICLES: FINAL CHAPTER OF THIS HOLIDAY SEASON…?

“ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS”…MORE PERSONAL BESTS

ON THE THIRD YEAR OF CHRISTMAS, MY FANBASE GAVE TO ME…

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” extends the longest span from a song’s first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to its latest, to over three years and two weeks (Dec. 21, 2019-Jan. 7, 2023).

ON THE FOURTH WEEK OF CHRISTMAS, MY FANBASE GAVE TO ME…

Carey’s “Christmas”  first reached the Hot 100’s top 10 in December 2017 and first hit the top five in the 2018 holiday season, before leading over the holidays in 2019 (for three weeks), 2020 (two), 2021 (three) and this season (a single-season-best four).  With a current 12 total weeks, Carey’s “Christmas” expands its record for the most time atop the Hot 100 for a holiday song. The only other seasonal single to lead, “The Chipmunk Song,” by David Seville & the Chipmunks, spent, as noted above, four weeks at No. 1 beginning in December 1958.

The two songs now share the mark for the most consecutive frames atop the Hot 100 – four each – for a Yuletide title, as well as the most in any singular holiday season.

ON THE FIFTH YEAR OF CHRISTMAS, MY FANBASE GAVE TO ME…

With this week’s Hot 100 dated Jan. 7, 2023, Carey’s “Christmas” is the first song to lead Hot 100 charts dated in five distinct years (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and now 2023). No other song has reigned in more than two individual years.

ON THE TWELFTH WEEK OF CHRISTMAS, MY FANBASE GAVE TO ME…

Carey becomes the second artist, and first woman, with three songs that have topped the Hot 100 for 12 or more weeks each. She joins Boyz II Men for the honor – with Carey and the group having teamed for one song contributing to the feat:

Mariah Carey:

16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men, 1995-96

14 weeks, “We Belong Together,” 2005

12 weeks (to-date), “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” 2019-22

Boyz II Men:

13 weeks, “End of the Road,” 1992

14 weeks, “I’ll Make Love to You,” 1994

16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Carey, 1995-96

“Christmas” is the 22nd title to command the Hot 100 for 12 or more weeks, a run that under just 2% of all 1,144 No. 1s have achieved.

ON THE 19TH YEAR OF CHRISTMAS, MY FANBASE GAVE TO ME…

Carey has now placed at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in a record-extending 19 distinct years (per Hot 100 chart dates): 1990-2000, 2005-06, 2008 and, thanks to “Christmas,” 2019-23.

Next up are three acts that have each spent time atop the Hot 100 in 10 individual years: Paul McCartney/Wings (1971, 1973-76, 1978, 1980, 1982-84; additionally, The Beatles, with him as a member, led in seven years: 1964-70); Michael Jackson (1972, 1979-80, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1995; additionally, The Jackson 5, with him in the group, led in 1970); and Madonna (1984-87, 1989-92, 1995, 2000).

ON THE 32ND YEAR OF CHRISTMAS, MY FANBASE GAVE TO ME…

The latest week atop the Hot 100 for “Christmas” stretches Carey’s record for the longest span of an artist ranking at No. 1 on the chart to 32 years and five months, dating to her first week atop the list dated Aug. 4, 1990, with her debut single “Vision of Love.”

ON THE 91ST WEEK OF CHRISTMAS, MY FANBASE GAVE TO ME…

With “Christmas,” Carey adds her record-extending 91st week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:

91, Mariah Carey

60, Rihanna

59, The Beatles

54, Drake

50, Boyz II Men

47, Usher

43, Beyoncé

37, Michael Jackson

34, Adele

34, Elton John

34, Bruno Mars

“Christmas” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades, dating to her first week on top with “Vision of Love.” “Christmas” is additionally the only title to have led in four separate runs on the survey.

OTHER HOLIDAY “CHESTNUTS”…

WHAM!  BAM!  NEW PEAK, MA’AM

Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” from 1984, rises to a new No. 4 best, from No. 5, after it hit the top five for the first time a week earlier.

“WONDERFUL” FOR ANDY

Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” from 1963, keeps at No. 6 on the Hot 100; it hit a No. 5 high during the 2020 holidays. The song’s latest week in the top 10 extends the late singer’s record for the longest span of an act appearing in the tier to nearly 63 years and three months, dating to his first week in the top 10 with “Lonely Street” in October 1959.

SEVEN CAROLS CAROLLING

Holiday hits shine like ornaments in the Hot 100’s top seven spots for the first time in the chart’s history.

OLD KING COLE RETURNS TO THE TEN

Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” climbs from its prior No. 11 Hot 100 high (first reached over the 2018 holidays) to No. 9, with 27.4 million streams (down 4%), 15.5 million in airplay audience (down 30%) and 1,000 sold (down 41%).

The song, which Cole first recorded while fronting the King Cole Trio in 1946, becomes his third Hot 100 top 10, following “Ramblin’ Rose” (No. 2, 1962) and (opposite in theme from “Christmas”) “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer” (No. 6, 1963). Cole, who passed away in 1965, places in the top 10 for the first time in 59 years, six months and a week, rewriting the record for the longest break between hits in the region set last holiday season by The Ronettes, whose “Sleigh Ride” led the group back to the top 10 after a wait of 58 years and two months.

Before this week, Cole last ranked in the top 10 of the Hot 100 dated June 29, 1963. That week, Kyu Sakamoto’s “Sukiyaki” spent its third and last week at No. 1 and other enduring top 10s included Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party” (No. 2), The Chiffons’ “One Fine Day” (No. 7) and Jan & Dean’s “Surf City” (No. 10).

(After August 1966, Cole was not credited on a Hot 100 hit until “Christmas” returned over the 2013 holidays. He was, however, heard on daughter Natalie Cole’s virtual duet with him, “Unforgettable,” which reached No. 14 in 1991 and won, among other Grammy Awards, Record of the Year in 1992.)

Plus, Cole’s “Christmas” wraps the longest ascent to the Hot 100’s top 10, dating to its debut on the Dec. 12, 1960, chart. Its odyssey of 62 years and 26 days narrowly surpasses that of Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run” (62 years and 18 days) for the most time a song has taken to hit the top 10 from its debut; “Rudolph” arrived in 1958 and lit up the top 10 at last over the 2020 holidays.

OTHER HOLIDAY MUSINGS

In this week’s Top 40, there are 29 holiday songs.  Most likely, this will be their last week…until December.  This means that the boomerang effect of a whole host of hits will rocket back into the Top 40 next week.  I cannot wait to see what lands where! 

DECEMBER 31, 2022

MORE MARIAH FOOTNOTES

A MINIMUM OF 11 REQUIRED

With “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at #1 again this week, Mariah Carey becomes the second artist, and first woman, with three songs that have topped the Hot 100 for 11 or more weeks each. She joins Boyz II Men for the honor – with Carey and the group having teamed for one song contributing to the feat:

Mariah Carey:

16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men, 1995-96

14 weeks, “We Belong Together,” 2005

11 weeks (to-date), “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” 2019-22

Boyz II Men:

13 weeks, “End of the Road,” 1992

14 weeks, “I’ll Make Love to You,” 1994

16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Carey, 1995-96

“Christmas” is the 28th title to command the Hot 100 for 11 or more weeks, a run that under just 2% of all 1,144 No. 1s have achieved. (Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” solely held the record for the chart’s longest reign for over 21 years, until Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, matched it with 16 weeks on top in 2017. The songs now share the second-longest No. 1 stay, after Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, ruled for 19 weeks in 2019.)

SPANNING THE TOP

Carey’s “Christmas” extends the longest span from a song’s first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to its latest, to over three years and a week (Dec. 21, 2019-Dec. 31, 2022).

Plus, the latest week atop the Hot 100 for “Christmas” extends Carey’s record for the longest span of an artist ranking at No. 1 on the chart: 32 years and nearly five months, dating to her first week at No. 1 on the list dated Aug. 4, 1990, with her debut single “Vision of Love.”  Carey’s “Christmas” expands its record for the most time atop the Hot 100 for a holiday song.

CAREER WEEKS AT #1

With “Christmas,” Carey adds her record-extending 90th week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958 inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:

90, Mariah Carey

60, Rihanna

59, The Beatles

54, Drake

50, Boyz II Men

47, Usher

43, Beyoncé

37, Michael Jackson

34, Adele

34, Elton John

34, Bruno Mars

“Christmas” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades (90s, 00s, 10s, 20s), dating to her first week at the summit with “Vision of Love.” The song is additionally the only title to have led in four separate runs on the survey. 

NOT THEIR “LAST” TOP 5

Wham!’s “Last Christmas” dashes to a new best Hot 100 rank, rising 6-5, after the 1984 release first reached the top 10 during the 2020 holidays and, until this holiday season, hit a prior No. 7 high over last year’s holidays.

The duo of George Michael (who died in 2016, on Christmas Day) and Andrew Ridgeley adds its sixth top five Hot 100 hit, among seven top 10s, after charting its first six top 10s in 1984-86: the No. 1s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Careless Whisper” and “Everything She Wants”; the No. 3 hits “Freedom” and “I’m Your Man”; and the No. 10-peaking “The Edge of Heaven.”

Wham! appears in the Hot 100’s top five for the first time since the Feb. 8, 1986-dated chart (the last week in the top five for “Man”); Michael subsequently notched nine solo top five hits, including seven No. 1s, among 14 solo top 10s, through 1996; he last ranked in the top five as a soloist on the Feb. 15, 1992, list with former leader “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” with Elton John. Meanwhile, a song written by Michael places in the top five for the first time since former No. 1 “Praying for Time” ranked at No. 3 on the Oct. 20, 1990, chart.

DECEMBER 24, 2022

THE CAREY CHRONICLES

3 WITH A 10-WEEK MINIMUM

Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” tops the Billboard Hot 100 for a 10th week. With its latest frame at No. 1, Carey becomes the third artist – and first woman – with three songs that have reigned for double-digit weeks.  Here’s a recap of the elite three acts to have earned the honor – with Carey and Boyz II Men having teamed for one song below. Boyz II Men initiated the club in 1996 and Drake became its second member in 2018.

Mariah Carey:

16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men, 1995-96

14 weeks, “We Belong Together,” 2005

10 weeks (to-date), “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” 2019-22

Drake:

10 weeks, “One Dance,” featuring WizKid & Kyla, 2016

11 weeks, “God’s Plan,” 2018

10 weeks, “In My Feelings,” 2018

Boyz II Men:

13 weeks, “End of the Road,” 1992

14 weeks, “I’ll Make Love to You,” 1994

16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Carey, 1995-96

“Christmas” is the 43rd song to command the Hot 100 for 10 or more weeks, a feat that under just 4% of all 1,144 No. 1s have achieved. (Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” solely held the record for the chart’s longest reign for over 21 years, until Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, matched it with 16 weeks on top in 2017. The songs now share the second-longest No. 1 stay, after Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, dominated for 19 weeks in 2019.)

#1 ON “CHRISTMAS” EVE AND DAY

Among its 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Carey’s “Christmas” has led lists dated Dec. 24 (this year) and Dec. 25 (2021). It, fittingly, becomes the only song to have topped Hot 100 charts dated both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

A PAIR OF SZAs

SZA scores two debuts in the Hot 100’s top 10 – “Kill Bill,” at No. 3, and “Nobody Gets Me,” at No. 10 – both from her new album, S.O.S.  SZA ups her career total to seven Hot 100 top 10s and, with the entrance of “Kill Bill,” ties her highest rank, establishes a new highest placement as a lead act and makes her strongest debut. Her previous top 10s: as featured on Maroon 5’s “What Lovers Do” (No. 9, November 2017); with “All the Stars,” with Kendrick Lamar (No. 7, March 2018), and “Good Days” (No. 9, February 2021); as featured on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” (No. 3, July 2021); and with “I Hate U” (No. 7, December 2021). (SZA previously debuted at a No. 7 best with both “Kiss Me More” and “I Hate U.”)

“LAST” BUT NOT LEAST

Wham!’s “Last Christmas” hits a new best Hot 100 rank, jingling 9-6, after the 1984 release first reached the top 10 during the 2020 holidays and hit a prior No. 7 high last holiday season.

DECEMBER 17, 2022

UNWRAPPING “CHRISTMAS” (or the MARIAH STORY, PART 6)

Like Santa setting off on his annual airborne sleigh ride, Mariah Carey makes her ascent back to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” The modern carol logs its ninth total week atop the Hot 100 and becomes the first song to have led in four distinct runs on the ranking.  The song was first released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in 1994 and, as streaming has grown and holiday music has become more prominent on streaming services’ playlists, it hit the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in December 2017 and the top five for the first time in the 2018 holiday season.

Carey’s “Christmas” first topped the Hot 100 dated Dec. 21, 2019, and led again on the next two lists, dated Dec. 28, 2019, and Jan. 4, 2020.  The following holiday season, it returned to No. 1 on the chart dated Dec. 19, 2020, and, after a week at No. 2, topped the Jan. 2, 2021-dated tally.  As “Christmas” returned to rule the Dec. 25, 2021-dated chart, it became the first song in the Hot 100’s now-64-year history to lead in three distinct chart runs. It held atop the charts dated Jan. 1 and 8, 2022, and now becomes the first title to have led in four separate stays on the ranking.

Carey’s “Christmas” extends the longest span from a song’s first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to its latest: three years (Dec. 21, 2019-Dec. 17, 2022).

Plus, the latest week atop the Hot 100 for “Christmas” extends Carey’s record for the longest span of an artist ranking at No. 1 on the chart: 32 years, four months and three weeks, dating to her first week at No. 1 on the list dated Aug. 4, 1990, with her debut single “Vision of Love.”

Notably, when “Christmas” first hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2019, Carey passed Cher, whose solo leaders span 27 years and five months, from “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” (from its first week at No. 1 in 1971) through “Believe” (through its last week on top in 1999). (If Cher’s career as half of duo Sonny & Cher were combined with her solo output, her No. 1 span would cover 33 years, seven months and two weeks, from the twosome’s “I Got You Babe,” which hit the top spot in 1965, through “Believe.”)

With its ninth week atop the Hot 100, Carey’s “Christmas” expands its record for the most time at No. 1 for a holiday song. The only other seasonal single to lead, “The Chipmunk Song,” by David Seville & the Chipmunks, spent four weeks at No. 1 beginning in December 1958.

With “Christmas,” Carey adds her record-extending 88th week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.

Most Career Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:

88, Mariah Carey

60, Rihanna

59, The Beatles

54, Drake

50, Boyz II Men

47, Usher

43, Beyoncé

37, Michael Jackson

34, Adele

34, Elton John

34, Bruno Mars

“Christmas” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades (90’s, 00’s, 10’s, and 20’s) dating to her first week at the summit with “Vision of Love.”

BOOMIN INTO THE 10

Metro Boomin blasts in with two songs in the Hot 100’s top 10, as “Creepin’,” with The Weeknd and 21 Savage, debuts at No. 5 and “Superhero (Heroes & Villains),” with Future and Chris Brown, opens at No. 8.

Metro Boomin hits a new Hot 100 best and doubles his career top 10 total as a billed recording artist, as he previously debuted and peaked at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively, with “Runnin” (with 21 Savage) and “Mr. Right Now” (with 21 Savage and featuring Drake) in October 2020.  Thanks to “Creepin’,” The Weeknd adds his 15th Hot 100 top 10 and 21 Savage, his 14th. With “Superhero,” Future and Chris Brown stretch their top 10 totals to 10 and 17, respectively.

DECEMBER 10, 2022

“SPACE” FOR A “HERO”…?

As “Anti-Hero” tops the Hot 100 for a sixth week, Swift moves to within a week of her longest reign: “Blank Space” dominated for seven weeks in 2014-15.

Meanwhile, of the 64 singles that have debuted atop the Hot 100, “Anti-Hero” is just the 10th to have spent at least its first six weeks on the chart at No. 1.

Singles to Spend Their First Six Weeks on the Hot 100 at No. 1:

Title, Artist, Year(s), Weeks at No. 1 from debut (marking titles’ total weeks at No. 1 unless otherwise noted)

“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift, 2022 (six, to-date)

“Butter,” BTS, 2021 (seven / 10 weeks at No. 1 total)

“Drivers License,” Olivia Rodrigo, 2021 (eight)

“God’s Plan,” Drake, 2018 (11)

“Hello,” Adele, 2015-16 (10)

“Born This Way,” Lady Gaga, 2011 (six)

“Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” 1997-98 (14)

“I’ll Be Missing You,” Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112, 1997 (11)

“One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, 1995-96 (16)

“Fantasy,” Mariah Carey, 1995 (eight)

DECEMBER 3, 2022

FIVE AT ONE

As “Anti-Hero” tops the Hot 100 for a fifth week, Taylor Swift solely scores her second-longest reign, passing the four-week rule of “Shake It Off” in 2014. Among her nine No. 1s, the two songs are bested only by the seven-week dominance of “Blank Space” in 2014-15.  Also, among the 64 singles that have debuted atop the Hot 100, “Anti-Hero” is just the 12th to have spent at least its first five weeks on the chart at No. 1, and the first since BTS’ “Butter” led in its first seven weeks in June-July 2021 (before pushing its total to 10 nonconsecutive weeks in the top spot).

CHRISTMASTIME IS HERE

Four holiday classics jingle all the way back to the Hot 100’s top 10: Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” up from No. 25 to No. 5; Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (41-6); Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (50-9); and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (a re-entry at No. 10 – as it becomes the first holiday song, and ninth song overall, to re-enter the Hot 100 in the top 10).

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

FOUR “ANTI-HEROS” AND COUNTING…Taylor Swift‘s “Anti-Hero” notches a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, encompassing its entire run on the ranking so far.  Swift ties her second-longest Hot 100 rule, as “Shake It Off” led for four weeks in 2014. Among her nine No. 1s, the two hits are bested only by the seven-week reign of “Blank Space” in 2014-15.

DRAKE’S FINAL FOURA week after Drake flooded the Hot 100’s top 10 with eight songs, all debuts, including seven with 21 Savage, the pair places four tracks in the region: “Rich Flex” logs a second week at No. 2, followed by “Major Distribution” (3-6); “Spin Bout U” (5-9); and “On BS” (4-10).

BOOMERANGING BACK INTO THE TOP 10Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” rebounds 10-3 on the Hot 100 (as longer-established hits ascend amid the waning of Swift and Drake’s recent top 10 onslaughts), after it topped the Oct. 29-dated chart.  
Also bouncing back into the Top 10 is Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” which jumps 13-4 on the Hot 100, following three weeks at No. 1 in October.
Harry Styles’ “As It Was” climbs 17-5 on the Hot 100, after 15 weeks at No. 1 beginning in April, the fourth-longest reign in the chart’s history.

Elsewhere in the Hot 100’s top 10, Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” leaps 22-8, two weeks after it debuted at No. 2. The ballad is from the soundtrack to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which premiered in theaters Nov. 11.“BLUE” IS “GOOD”David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” bounds 20-7 on the Hot 100.  The song interpolates Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” which hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 2000. (The original is the latest 2000s top 10 to appear in the region in a new form this year; notably, Jack Harlow’s “First Class,” which led for three weeks in April-May, reimagines Fergie’s 2007 two-week No. 1 “Glamorous,” featuring Ludacris.)

NOVEMBER 19, 2022

HER LOSS IS DRAKE’S GAIN

Drake blasts in with eight debuts in the Hot 100’s top 10, including seven with 21 Savage, as the pair’s collaborative LP Her Loss launches at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

With Drake having claimed nine of the Hot 100’s top 10 spots on the chart for a week in September 2021 (concurrent with the chart start of his album Certified Lover Boy), he is now the only artist to have logged at least eight songs in the top 10 twice.  Plus, Drake extends his record total to 67 career Hot 100 top 10s, dating to his first top 10, “Best I Ever Had,” in 2009 over the chart’s 64-year history.

Here’s a recap of the eight tracks new in the Hot 100’s top 10 – all by Drake and 21 Savage unless otherwise noted:

No. 2, “Rich Flex”

No. 3, “Major Distribution”

No. 4, “On BS”

No. 5, “Spin Bout U”

No. 6, “Pussy & Millions” (feat. Travis Scott)

No. 7, “Privileged Rappers”

No. 8, “Circo Loco”

No. 9, “BackOutsideBoyz” (Drake)

Notably, of his 67 Hot 100 top 10s, Drake has notched a likewise-record 49 as a lead artist. (Swift has been credited as the lead artist on all 40 of her top 10s, while Madonna ranks third with 38 top 10s, also all as a lead act.)

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

67, Drake

40, Taylor Swift

38, Madonna

34, The Beatles

32, Rihanna

30, Michael Jackson

29, Elton John

28, Mariah Carey

28, Stevie Wonder

27, Janet Jackson

26, Justin Bieber

25, Lil Wayne

25, Elvis Presley (with the start of Presley’s career having predated the Hot 100’s inception)

Meanwhile, Drake becomes the only artist to have logged at least eight songs in the Hot 100’s top 10 twice, plus as many as seven concurrent top 10s in three distinct weeks. Prior to this week’s haul of eight top 10s courtesy of Her Loss, he posted nine alongside the chart arrival of his album Certified Lover Boy in 2021 and seven as Scorpion made its chart entrance in 2018.

Also thanks to Her Loss, 21 Savage boasts the fourth-most simultaneous Hot 100 top 10s.

Most Simultaneous Hot 100 Top 10s:

10, Taylor Swift, Nov. 5, 2022

9, Drake, Sept. 18, 2021

8, Drake, Nov. 19, 2022

7, 21 Savage, Nov. 19, 2022

7, Drake, July 14, 2018

5, Juice WRLD, July 25, 2020

5, The Beatles, April 11, 1964

5, The Beatles, April 4, 1964

In the rundown above, the Hot 100 has sported six instances of acts having amassed five or more simultaneous top 10s since July 2018, after only The Beatles had achieved the feat in two distinct weeks in 1964. As streaming has ascended in prominence in recent years, the select acts above have run up such lofty totals in weeks that high-profile albums of theirs have arrived. The model contrasts with prior decades, when acts generally promoted one single at a time in the physical-only marketplace and on radio. That shift in consumption also helps explain certain acts having swelled their career top 10 totals to historic highs over relatively short spans in recent years.

21 Savage more than doubles his career Hot 100 top 10 total, from six to 13. He logged his most recent top 10 before this week as featured on Drake’s “Jimmy Cooks,” which became his second No. 1 and Drake’s 11th, and latest, leader upon its debut in July.

Thanks to his featured turn on the chart’s sixth-biggest song, Travis Scott earns his 11th Hot 100 top 10.

NOVEMBER 12, 2022

“UP” WHERE SHE BELONGS

Rihanna roars onto the Hot 100 at No. 2 with “Lift Me Up.” The song is her 32nd top 10, first since 2017 AND the fifth-most in the chart’s history.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

59, Drake

40, Taylor Swift

38, Madonna

34, The Beatles

32, Rihanna

30, Michael Jackson

29, Elton John

28, Mariah Carey

28, Stevie Wonder

27, Janet Jackson

26, Justin Bieber

25, Lil Wayne

25, Elvis Presley (with the start of Presley’s career having predated the Hot 100’s inception). 

Rihanna earns her first Hot 100 top 10 since 2017, when DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts,” on which she and Bryson Tiller are featured, peaked at No. 2 for seven weeks that July-September. She first reached the top 10 with her debut hit “Pon De Replay,” which rose to No. 2 in July 2005. She boasts 14 No. 1s, the third-most after The Beatles’ 20 and Mariah Carey’s 19.

With “Lift Me Up,” Rihanna ties her best career Hot 100 entrance, and makes her best arrival as a lead artist, after Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie,” on which she’s featured, debuted at No. 2 in July 2010 (and went on to reign for seven weeks).

NOVEMBER 5, 2022

SHE STRUCK “SWIFT”LY AT MIDNIGHT(S) or HOW TAYLOR SWIFT MADE CHART HISTORY!

Taylor Swift scores one of the most historic weeks in the 64-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, as she becomes the first artist to claim the survey’s entire top 10 in a single frame.  All 10 songs in the Hot 100’s top tier are from Swift’s new LP Midnights, which, released Oct. 21 on Republic Records, blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with the biggest week for any release in seven years.

Her hit list is as follows…

No. 1, “Anti-Hero”
No. 2, “Lavender Haze”
No. 3, “Maroon”
No. 4, “Snow on the Beach,“ feat. Lana Del Rey
No. 5, “Midnight Rain”
No. 6, “Bejeweled”
No. 7, “Question…?”
No. 8, “You’re on Your Own, Kid”
No. 9, “Karma”

No. 10, “Vigilante Shit”

With her total takeover of the Hot 100’s top 10 (with assistance from Lana Del Rey at No. 4), Swift passes Drake, who claimed nine of the top 10 (all except for No. 6) on the chart dated Sept. 18, 2021, when nine songs, all from his album Certified Lover Boy, bounded into the region, led by “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, at No .1, as the set opened atop the Billboard 200.

Meanwhile, Swift passes Drake and The Beatles for the most titles from the top of the Hot 100 in a single week. Before Drake’s top five tally on Sept. 18, 2021, The Beatles held Nos. 1-5 on the chart dated April 4, 1964.

Leading the way for Swift on the Hot 100, “Anti-Hero” launches at No. 1, marking her ninth career leader.

#9 #1s

Here’s a recap of Swift’s nine Hot 100 No. 1s, notched over a span of just over 10 years:

“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” three weeks at No. 1, beginning Sept. 1, 2012

“Shake It Off,” four weeks, beginning Sept. 6, 2014

“Blank Space,” seven weeks, beginning Nov. 29, 2014

“Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, one week, June 6, 2015

“Look What You Made Me Do,” three weeks, beginning Sept. 16, 2017

“Cardigan,” one week, Aug. 8, 2020

“Willow,” one week, Dec. 26, 2020

“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” one week, Nov. 27, 2021

“Anti-Hero,” one week to-date, Nov. 5, 2022

Swift becomes one of 16 acts with nine or more Hot 100 No. 1s, and one of seven solo women, joining Mariah Carey (19), Rihanna (14), Madonna (12), Whitney Houston (11), Janet Jackson (10) and Katy Perry (nine). The Beatles lead all acts with 20 Hot 100 No. 1s.

#5 #1 DEBUTS

Swift debuts atop the Hot 100 with a fifth title, as “Anti-Hero” (the 64th single to enter at No. 1) follows the chart-topping premieres of “Shake It Off,” “Cardigan,” “Willow” and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version).” With her latest, she ties Ariana Grande for the most No. 1 entrances among women.

Overall, Drake leads with seven No. 1 Hot 100 debuts, followed by BTS, Grande, Swift (five each) and Justin Bieber (four).

SIMULTANEOUS #1 SONG & ALBUM DEBUTS

Thanks to Midnights and “Anti-Hero,” Swift is the first artist to have debuted atop the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously as many as four times. (The Billboard 200 began on March 24, 1956, and the Hot 100, on Aug. 4, 1958.)

Swift became the first act to launch with such a double when Folklore and “Cardigan” began atop the Billboard 200 and Hot 100, respectively, on Aug. 8, 2020. She repeated the feat with Evermore and “Willow” (Dec. 26, 2020) and Red (Taylor’s Version) and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” (Nov. 27, 2021).

Drake, with two, is the only other act with multiple such simultaneous starts on the surveys.

TAYLOR’S TOP 10 TOTALS

By instantly adding 10 Hot 100 top 10s, Swift now sports the second-most, 40, in the chart’s history. Previously tied with Michael Jackson, Swift leapfrogs Madonna – as she now claims the most top 10s among women – The Beatles and Rihanna.

Swift first hit the Hot 100’s top 10 with “Change” on the chart dated Aug. 30, 2008.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

59, Drake

40, Taylor Swift

38, Madonna

34, The Beatles

31, Rihanna

30, Michael Jackson

29, Elton John

28, Mariah Carey

28, Stevie Wonder

27, Janet Jackson

26, Justin Bieber

25, Lil Wayne

25, Elvis Presley (with the start of Presley’s career having predated the Hot 100’s inception)

Similar to Swift’s timeline, Drake earned the first of his record 59 top 10s in July 2009 and most recently ranked in the bracket this August.

MOST TOP 10s FROM AN ALBUM

Upon its chart start, Swift’s Midnights becomes the first album to generate as many as 10 Hot 100 top 10s. It passes Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, which landed nine, likewise all in the same week (Sept. 18, 2021) that the set started atop the Billboard 200.

Swift previously ran up a personal-best five Hot 100 top 10s from an album, via 1989 in 2014-15.

Janet Jackson leads with three albums that have each yielded at least five Hot 100 top 10s, while Drake and now Swift are the only acts with at least two such sets. (Jackson plays into the success of Midnights: “Snow on the Beach” includes the lyric: “I’m all for you like Janet.”)

LANA’S LOFTY PEAK

As “Snow on the Beach” debuts at No. 4 on the Hot 100, Lana Del Rey, featured on the song (which she co-wrote with Swift and Antonoff), lands her highest Hot 100 placement. She scored one prior top 10: “Summertime Sadness,” with Cedric Gervais, hit No. 6 in September 2013.

HOLDING OUT FOR A “HERO”

“Anti-Hero” is the third Hot 100 No. 1 with “hero” in its title, and the first since Mariah Carey’s “Hero” in 1993-94.

Here’s a look at the highest-charting such Hot 100 hits:

No. 1 (one week to-date), “Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift, 2022

No. 1 (four), “Hero,” Mariah Carey, 1993-94

No. 1 (two), “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,” Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, 1974

No. 2, “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome),” Tina Turner, 1985

No. 2, “Theme From ‘Greatest American Hero’ (Believe It or Not),” Joey Scarbury, 1981

No. 3, “Hero,” Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott, 2002

No. 3, “Hero,” Enrique Iglesias, 2001

Now that the Midnights bomb has exploded, let’s see who returns back into the Top 10…

OCTOBER 29, 2022

AN “UNHOLY” ALLIANCE

Sam Smith and Kim Petras‘ “Unholy” ascends to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, marking each artist’s first leader on the list.  Smith collects their 20th entry on the chart and Petras with her first. Smith had previously reached a No. 2 top peak with “Stay With Me” in 2014, among seven total top 10s.

Smith and Petras are the first publicly non-binary and transgender soloists, respectively, to top the Hot 100.

“I just really don’t want to be the last,” Petras told Billboard. “There’s always been incredible and talented trans artists. I’m just happy that Sam gave me the chance to shine here. It feels like people are finally ready for us to succeed, and that fills me with a lot of joy.”

Smith also recently shared with Billboard, “People understanding us… is just the best feeling in the world. Because there’s nothing bad happening here, it’s all love. No one’s taking anything from anyone. People are just trying to live in their own skin on this earth.”

CAPITOL & EMI RECLAIM #1 STATUS

Thanks to “Unholy,” Capitol Records notches its first Hot 100 No. 1 since Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” began a three-week reign on the chart dated Nov. 2, 1019.

Meanwhile, the EMI imprint appears atop the Hot 100 for the first time since EMF’s “Unbelivable” led for a week in July 1991. (EMI also ruled the chart for a week in May 1991 via Roxette’s “Joyride.”) EMI was revived in 2020 and had since released two Hot 100 top 10s prior to “Unholy,” both by Elton John: “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” with Dua Lipa (on Rocket/EMI/Mercury/Interscope; No. 7 peak in January), and “Hold Me Closer,” with Britney Spears (EMI/Mercury/Interscope; No. 6 debut and peak to-date, September).

A BIG BRIT YEAR

With Smith born in London, “Unholy” is the third Hot 100 No. 1 this year by a British act in a lead role, following Harry Styles’ “As It Was” and Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves.” (Petras is from Germany.)

2022’s trio of Hot 100 No. 1s by lead British acts marks the most in a year since 1989, when six such songs reigned (Phil Collins’ “Two Hearts” and “Another Day in Paradise”; Mike + The Mechanics’ “The Living Years”; Fine Young Cannibals’ “She Drives Me Crazy” and “Good Thing”; and Simply Red’s “If You Don’t Know Me by Now”). (With the ’80s a strong period for British acts, a single-year record 13 such hits ruled in 1985.)

STILL STYLIN’

Harry Styles’ “As It Was” holds at No. 3 on the Hot 100, after 15 weeks at No. 1 – the fourth-longest reign in the chart’s history. Still, the song, which debuted at No. 1 on the April 16-dated list, extends its record for the most weeks, 29, logged in the top three, encompassing its entire run on the chart so far.

LIL BABY HAS TRIPLETS

Due to his current album bomb, Lil Baby launches three songs in the Hot 100’s top 10 – “California Breeze”; “Forever,” featuring Fridayy; and “Real Spill” – at Nos. 4, 8 and 10, respectively, upping his count to 13 career top 10s. All three tracks are from his new album It’s Only Me, which bounds in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.  Lil Baby notches his 11th, 12th and 13th Hot 100 top 10s while Fridayy earns his first Hot 100 top 10, in his second appearance, following his featured turn (with Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and John Legend) on DJ Khaled’s “God Did” (No. 17, September).

LIL BABY’S ALBUM BOMB

Lil Baby charts a whopping 25 songs on the latest, Oct. 29-dated Billboard Hot 100, including all 23 tracks from his new album It’s Only Me.

In the 64-year history of the Hot 100, Lil Baby is just the third act to have his fingerprint on at least a quarter of the chart, after Drake, who placed a one-week record 27 songs on the July 14, 2018, survey, concurrent with the release of his LP Scorpion, and Taylor Swift, who sent 26 songs onto the Nov. 27, 2021-dated chart, as Red (Taylor’s Version) simultaneously made its chart arrival, with both sets having opened atop the Billboard 200 albums tally.

With 20 debuts, Lil Baby ups his career total to 131 Hot 100-charting songs, passing Chris Brown (113) and Nicki Minaj (125) for the seventh-most. Drake leads all acts with 278, followed by the Glee Cast (207), Lil Wayne (183), Taylor Swift (168), Future (152) and Kanye West (141).

Upon the rapper’s latest achievement, here’s a look at every week in which an act has charted at least 20 songs on the Hot 100:

Most Concurrent Hot 100-Charting Songs:

27, Drake, July 14, 2018

26, Taylor Swift, Nov. 27, 2021

25, Lil Baby, Oct. 29, 2022

24, Drake, July 21, 2018

24, Drake, April 8, 2017

23, Kanye West, Sept. 11, 2021

22, Bad Bunny, May 21, 2022

22, Lil Uzi Vert, March 28, 2020

22, Lil Wayne, Oct. 13, 2018

21, Drake, Sept. 18, 2021

21, Drake, April 15, 2017

20, Bad Bunny, May 28, 2022

20, Lil Uzi Vert, March 21, 2020

20, Drake, May 21, 2016

Meanwhile, Lil Baby has now charted 40 songs on the Hot 100 in 2022 alone, passing YoungBoy Never Broke Again (30) for the most among all acts this year. Lil Uzi Vert holds the record for the most entries in a calendar year among soloists, with 46 in 2020. The Glee Cast holds the overall yearly record, with 80 in 2010.

A “BABY” BROKE THE “GLASS”

With Lil Baby taking up at least 25 new spots on the chart, he has effectively ended the record setting 91-week chart run of “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals.  Maybe, they’ll revisit the Hot 100 as year-end surveys begin but I doubt it.  With Taylor Swift’s album bomb next week and the re-entry of recurring Christmas music starting after Thanksgiving, I think they may have to settle for 91 weeks.

OCTOBER 22, 2022

STYLES EXTENDED

Harry Styles “As It Was” is steady at No. 3 on the Hot 100, after 15 weeks at No. 1 – the fourth-longest reign in the chart’s history. Still, the song, which debuted at No. 1 on the April 16-dated list, extends its record for the most weeks, 28, tallied in the top three, encompassing its entire run on the chart so far.

“PROOF” OF A HIT

Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof” rises 7-5 for a new Hot 100 high, becoming the country star’s first top five hit, among four top 10s.

GAMBLING ON “VEGAS”

Doja Cat climbs 11-10 with “Vegas.” The song, from the hit Elvis movie soundtrack, adds her sixth Hot 100 top 10. Prior to “Vegas” and “I Like You,” she tallied “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj (No. 1, one week, May 2020); “Kiss Me More,” featuring SZA (No. 3, July 2021); “Need to Know” (No. 8, November 2021); and “Woman” (No. 7, this May). She boasts the most top 10s among women this decade, surpassing Taylor Swift’s five since the start of 2020 (although with Swift appearing primed to reignite that race thanks to her LP Midnights, due this Friday).

“Vegas” samples Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog,” a Billboard R&B chart No. 1 for the blues legend (who passed away in 1984) nearly 70 years ago. Written by Songwriters Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Elvis Presley’s version crowned multiple Billboard charts in 1956. (The Hot 100 began Aug. 4, 1958.)

THE ”HEAT” CONTINUES

With its 91st week on the chart, the Glass Animals passes the record 90-week mark set by The Weeknd in 2021 with “Blinding Lights.”  In August of 2021, the all-time mark for longest run on the Hot 100 was set by The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” passing the previous mark of 87 (held by Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive”) and ultimately holding on for 90 weeks total. This week, on the Hot 100 dated Oct. 22, the benchmark is once again passed — this time by U.K. alt-pop outfit Glass Animals, with their first-ever Hot 100 entry, the global smash “Heat Waves.” 

Most Weeks Spent on the Billboard Hot 100:

91, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals

90, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd

87, “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons

79, “Sail,” AWOLNATION

77, “Levitating,” Dua Lipa

76, “I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz

69, “Save Your Tears,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande

69, “How Do I Live,” LeAnn Rimes

68, “Counting Stars,” OneRepublic

68, “Party Rock Anthem” LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock

As “Heat Waves” adds a new record to its repertoire, here is a breakdown of the song’s biggest stats, as of Billboard charts dated Oct. 22, 2022.

91: Record number of weeks that “Heat Waves” has spent on the Hot 100, dating to its debut on the chart dated Jan. 16, 2021.

37: Number of weeks “Heat Waves” spent in the top 10 of the Hot 100, the fifth-most all-time, after “Blinding Lights” (57 weeks in the region), The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” (44), Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” (41) and Post Malone’s “Circles” (39).

57: Number of weeks “Heat Waves” logged in the top 20 of the Hot 100, tied for the fourth-most with “Stay,” after “Blinding Lights” (80 weeks in the tier), “Levitating” (62) and “Circles” (60).

76: Number of weeks “Heat Waves” has tallied in the top 40 of the Hot 100, the second-most after “Blinding Lights” (86).

59: The record number of weeks that “Heat Waves” took to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100, as it began a five-week domination in March.

12: The number of U.S.-specific Billboard charts on which “Heat Waves” has hit No. 1. It topped the Hot 100, Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, Hot Rock Songs, Hot Alternative Songs, Radio Songs, Alternative Airplay, Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay, Alternative Streaming Songs, Alternative Digital Song Sales, Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts.

37: Number of weeks that “Heat Waves” spent at No. 1 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, Hot Rock Songs and Hot Alternative Songs charts. Only Panic! At the Disco’s “High Hopes” has spent more time atop Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs (65 weeks on both). “Heat Waves” holds the record on the Hot Alternative Songs, which launched in June 2020.

11: Number of countries in Billboard‘s international charts menu in which “Heat Waves” has hit No. 1: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic/Czechia, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Slovakia and Switzerland.

2: Weeks that “Heat Waves” has not appeared on the Hot 100, dating to its debut. The song entered at No. 100 on Jan. 16, 2021, and fell off the ranking for two weeks, before re-entering at No. 91 that Feb. 6. The song has, thus, appeared on the Hot 100 over a span of 93 weeks since its debut. (It was released in June 2020.)

28: Total number of songs that have topped the Hot 100 since “Heat Waves” debuted on Jan. 16, 2021 (excluding “Heat Waves”). In chronological order, the leaders are 24kGoldn’s “Mood,” featuring iann dior (which was in its eighth and final week at No. 1); Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” Drake’s “What’s Next”; Cardi B’s “Up”; Justin Bieber’s “Peaches,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon; Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”; Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”; Polo G’s “Rapstar”; The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Save Your Tears”; Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U”; BTS’ “Butter” and “Permission To Dance”; The Kid LAROI and Bieber’s “Stay”; Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug; Coldplay and BTS’ “My Universe”; Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow’s “Industry Baby”; Adele’s “Easy On Me”; Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)”; Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”; Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and Encanto Cast’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”; Harry Styles’ “As It Was” (which dethroned “Heat Waves” upon its debut); Future’s “Wait for U,” featuring Drake and Tems; Harlow’s “First Class”; Drake’s “Jimmy Cooks,” featuring 21 Savage; Lizzo’s “About Damn Time”; Beyonceì’s “Break My Soul”; Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl”; and Steve Lacy’s current leader “Bad Habit.”

1,266: Total number of songs that have charted on the Hot 100 alongside “Heat Waves” since its debut.

4: Total number of No. 1 hits that Drake has earned on the Hot 100 since “Heat Waves” debuted on Jan. 16, 2021, the most among all acts in that span. BTS has earned three leaders in that window, while Bieber, Future, Harlow, Lil Nas X and Rodrigo have each earned two.

60: Total number of entries that Lil Durk has tallied on the Hot 100 since “Heat Waves” debuted, the most among all acts. Drake is next with 53, followed by Lil Baby (49), YoungBoy Never Broke Again (48) and Taylor Swift (41).

66: Total number of weeks that “Heat Waves” spent on the Hot 100 alongside The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Save Your Tears,” the most of any song over the former’s run on the chart. Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” follows with 64 shared weeks, then The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” (63).

12: Total number of songs to debut at No. 100 on the Hot 100 and hit No. 1. They are: Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City” (in 1959); Mark Dinning’s “Teen Angel” (1960); The Highwaymen’s “Michael” (1961); Steve Lawrence’s “Go Away Little Girl” (1963); Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves A Woman” (1966); Vicki Lawrence’s “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” (1973); UB40’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (1993); Chris Brown’s “Kiss Kiss,” featuring T-Pain (2007); Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again,” featuring Charlie Puth (2015); “Heat Waves”; and, as of two weeks ago, Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit.”

3: Total number of songs to chart in the Hot 100’s history with “heat wave” in their titles. Martha & The Vandellas’ “Heat Wave” was the first in 1963 (No. 4 peak), followed by Linda Ronstadt’s cover of that classic (No. 5, 1975) before Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves.”

134 degrees Fahrenheit: The hottest recorded heat wave in history. Furnace Creek Ranch in California’s Death Valley recorded a high temperature of 134.1°F (or 58°C) on July 10, 1913, the highest ambient air temperature recorded on earth, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

OCTOBER 15, 2022

AN “UNHOLY” ALLIANCE

Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” rises 3-2 in its second week on the Hot 100, equaling Smith’s best rank among their seven Hot 100 top 10s, first established by “Stay With Me” in August 2014. Petras rises to the runner-up spot with her first entry on the chart.

Also notably, “Unholy” is the first song to debut in the Hot 100’s top three and rise in rank in its second week (and gain in overall chart points) in nearly a decade, since Eminem’s “The Monster,” featuring Rihanna, also pushed 3-2 in its second frame (Nov. 23, 2013), on its way to a four-week No. 1 run beginning that December.

(Devil is in the details: “Unholy” is now solely the highest-charting Hot 100 hit with “holy” in its title, as it one-ups Justin Bieber’s No. 3-peaking “Holy,” featuring Chance the Rapper, in 2020; before that, Jay Z’s “Holy Grail,” featuring Justin Timberlake, hit No. 4 in 2013.)

“IT” STILL “WAS”

Harry Styles “As It Was” descends 2-3 on the Hot 100, after 15 weeks at No. 1 – the fourth-longest reign in the chart’s history. Still, the song, which debuted at No. 1 on the April 16-dated list, extends its record for the most weeks, 27, tallied in the top three, encompassing its entire run on the chart so far.

OCTOBER 8, 2022

STEVE LACY HAS DONE A FEW “BAD” THINGS

FIRST HIT, FIRST #1

Steve Lacy‘s “Bad Habit” ascends to No. 1, after four weeks at No. 2, on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.  Lacy notches his first Hot 100 No. 1, with his first entry on the chart. The song is the third leader this year by acts in their first visit to the survey, following “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals (five weeks at No. 1, beginning in March) and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast (five weeks, starting in January).

STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM NOW WE’RE HERE

As “Bad Habit” debuted at No. 100 on the Hot 100, the track wraps a rare 100-to-1 journey.

Here’s a recap of all 12 singles that have topped the Hot 100 after they started at the bottom (with 2022 the first year with two such treks completed).

Hot 100 No. 1s That Debuted at No. 100:

“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy, hits No. 1 on the chart dated Oct. 8, 2022

“Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, March 12, 2022

“See You Again,” Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, April 25, 2015

“Black and Yellow,” Wiz Khalifa, Feb. 19, 2011

“Kiss Kiss,” Chris Brown feat. T-Pain, Nov. 10, 2007

“Can’t Help Falling in Love,” UB40, July 24, 1993

“The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” Vicki Lawrence, April 7, 1973

“When a Man Loves a Woman,” Percy Sledge, May 28, 1966

“Go Away Little Girl,” Steve Lawrence, Jan. 12, 1963

“Michael,” The Highwaymen, Sept. 4, 1961

“Teen Angel,” Mark Dinning, Feb. 8, 1960

“Kansas City,” Wilbert Harrison, May 18, 1959

ALL THE “BAD” #1s

Lacy sends the 14th song to the top of the Hot 100 with the word “bad” in its title:

“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy, hits No. 1 on the chart dated Oct. 8, 2022

“Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish, Aug. 24, 2019

“Bad and Boujee,” Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert, Jan. 21, 2017

“Bad Blood,” Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, June 6, 2015

“Bad Day,” Daniel Powter, April 8, 2006

“U Got It Bad,” Usher, Dec. 15, 2001

“Bad Medicine,” Bon Jovi, Nov. 19, 1988

“Bad,” Michael Jackson, Oct. 24, 1987

“You Give Love a Bad Name,” Bon Jovi, Nov. 29, 1986

“Bad Girls,” Donna Summer, July 14, 1979

“Bad Blood,” Neil Sedaka, Oct. 11, 1975

“Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” Jim Croce, July 21, 1973

“One Bad Apple,” The Osmonds, Feb. 13, 1971

“Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, Nov. 6, 1961

It’s a good week not just for “Bad Habit” but also Bad Bunny, whose Un Verano Sin Ti adds a 12th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

RCA RETURNS TO THE TOP

RCA Records rules the Hot 100 for the first time since Doja Cat’s “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj, topped the May 16, 2020-dated chart.

Lacy is the first artist on RCA to lead the Hot 100 in a first visit to the chart since Mark Ronson, whose “Uptown Funk!,” featuring Bruno Mars, dominated for 14 weeks starting in January 2015.

”IT WAS” 26 WEEKS…

Harry Styles “As It Was” descends to No. 2 on the Hot 100, after 15 weeks at No. 1 – the fourth-longest reign in the chart’s history.  Notably, “As It Was” extends its record for the most weeks spent in the Hot 100’s top two positions, having logged 25 weeks, of its 26 total weeks on the chart, in the top two, from its April 16 debut at No. 1 through the newest, Oct. 8-dated survey. The song also extends its mark for the most weeks, 26, tallied in the Hot 100’s top three in the chart’s history – and is the first single ever to spend its first 26 weeks, or half a year, on the list all in the top three.

AN ”UNHOLY” DEBUT

Sam Smith and Kim Petras unleash “Unholy” at No. 3 on the Hot 100.  “Unholy” arrives as Smith’s seventh Hot 100 top 10, following their featured turn on Disclosure’s “Latch” (No. 7 peak, 2014) and Smith’s own “Stay With Me” (No. 2, 2014), “I’m Not the Only One” (No. 5, 2014), “Lay Me Down” (No. 8, 2015), “Too Good at Goodbyes” (No. 4, 2017) and “Dancing With a Stranger” (with Normani; No. 7, 2019).

Petras achieves her first Hot 100 entry, after reaching various Billboard charts beginning in 2012. (Notably, she makes the highest debut with an act’s first Hot 100 hit since Zayn’s “Pillowtalk,” his first charted single outside One Direction, premiered at No. 1 in February 2016. Before that, Baauer bowed on top with his first entry, the then-viral “Harlem Shake,” in March 2013.)

NOT “TOMORROW” NOW!

GloRilla and Cardi B’s “Tomorrow 2” bounds onto the Hot 100 at No. 9.  GloRilla (born Gloria Woods in Memphis, Tenn.) claims her first Hot 100 top 10, in her second trip to the chart, after “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” with Hitkidd, reached No. 42 in September.

Cardi B adds her 11th Hot 100 top 10 and first since her featured billing on Lizzo’s “Rumors,” which debuted and peaked at No. 4 in August 2021. Before that, she boosted her No. 1 count to five with “WAP,” featuring Megan Thee Stallion (August 2020), and “Up” (March 2021).

OCTOBER 1, 2022

HARRY: STYLIN’ & PROFILIN’

HARRY IS NOW 4^th IN LINE

“As It Was” now solely boasts the fourth-longest reign in the Hot 100’s history, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception. It has achieved the longest command since Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (also on Columbia), ruled for a record 19 weeks in 2019.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100:

19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, beginning April 13, 2019

16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017

16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995

15 (to date), “As It Was,” Harry Styles, April 16, 2022

14, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015

14, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009

14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005

14, “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997

14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996

14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994

14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992

Further, “As It Was” breaks out of a tie for the longest Hot 100 domination among singles by artists with no accompanying acts, as it passes the 14-week leaders above by The Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Los Del Rio, Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston.

BRITISH RULES

With Styles from Redditch, Worcestershire, England, “As It Was” surpasses Ronson and John’s hits listed above for the longest Hot 100 rule ever by a British artist.

(In the rundown below, * denotes British artists on songs with multiple acts.)

Most Weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 by British Artists:

15 (to date), “As It Was,” Harry Styles, beginning April 16, 2022

14, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson* featuring Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015

14, “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997

12, “Shape of You,” Ed Sheeran, Jan. 28, 2017

10, “Easy on Me,” Adele, Oct. 30, 2021

10, “One Dance,” Drake featuring WizKid & Kyla*, April 23, 2016

10, “Hello,” Adele, Nov. 14, 2015

10, “We Found Love,” Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris*, Nov. 12, 2011

10, “Physical,” Olivia Newton-John, Nov. 21, 1981

9, “Hey Jude,” The Beatles, Sept. 28, 1968

UH-ONE, AND-A-TWO, AND-A-THREE

Most Weeks Ever in Hot 100’s Top Two & Top Three

“As It Was” extends its record for the most weeks spent in the Hot 100’s top two positions, having logged 24 weeks, of its 25 total weeks on the chart, in the top two, from its April 16 debut at No. 1 through the newest, Oct. 1-dated survey.

The song also extends its mark for the most weeks, 25, tallied in the Hot 100’s top three in the chart’s history.

“As It Was” is additionally the first song ever to spend its first 25 weeks on the Hot 100 all in the top three.

15 OVER 25 = FUNKY MATH

“As It Was” has now topped the Hot 100 for 15 weeks over a span of 25 weeks, from its debut through the current chart. (In its other 10 weeks on the list, it ranked at No. 2 for nine weeks and No. 3 for one frame.) The song extends the longest span of a title leading the list in a single release cycle. (Overall, Mariah Carey’s 1994 carol “All I Want for Christmas Is You” holds the record for the longest stretch from a song’s first to its most recent week at No. 1: two years and three weeks [Dec. 21, 2019-Jan. 8, 2022]).

#1 SONG AND #1 MOVIE SIMULTANEOUSLY

Meanwhile, Styles can celebrate having the top song and starring in the top movie in the U.S. While “As It Was” holds atop the Hot 100, Don’t Worry Darling premiered with a weekend-winning $19.2 million domestically in theaters.

Such a double domination is rare, with Styles following such notable examples as Prince, whose five-week Hot 100 reign in 1984 with “When Doves Cry” coincided with the rule in theaters of Purple Rain, and Eminem, whose “Lose Yourself” controlled the Hot 100 for 12 weeks in 2002-03, aligning with his box office-topping acting debut in parent film 8 Mile.

(Going back to Back to the Future, Huey Lewis made a comical cameo in the 1985 blockbuster, which reigned as the top movie as his and The News’ “The Power of Love” [not Marty McFly’s version …] led the Hot 100.)

TWO TOP TEN COUNTRY CROSSOVERS

“PROOF” OF COUNTRY “LOVE”

Thanks to Wallen’s “You Proof” and Combs’ “The Kind of Love We Make,” two top 10 Hot Country Songs hits place in the Hot 100’s top 10 together. The tracks rank at No. 1 (for a sixth week, as noted above) and No. 2 on Hot Country Songs (after four weeks on top), respectively.

The songs combine for the fourth such double-up in just over two years – after none had occurred in over 20 years, since May 13, 2000, when Faith Hill’s “Breathe” and Lonestar’s “Amazed” ranked at Nos. 3 and 10 on the Hot 100, respectively.

Here’s a recap of the five most recent instances of Hot Country Songs top 10s sharing space in the Hot 100’s top 10, with Wallen, Combs and Gabby Barrett factoring into two each:

Oct. 1, 2022: “You Proof,” Morgan Wallen (No. 6 on the Hot 100), “The Kind of Love We Make,” Luke Combs (No. 8)

Nov. 27, 2021: “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift (No. 1), “Fancy Like,” Walker Hayes (No. 10)

Nov. 7, 2020: “Forever After All,” Combs (No. 2), “I Hope,” Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth (No. 6)

Aug. 29, 2020: “7 Summers,” Wallen (No. 6), “I Hope” (No. 10)

May 13, 2000: “Breathe,” Faith Hill (No. 3), “Amazed,” Lonestar (No. 10)

SEPTEMBER 24, 2022

“WAS” 14 THE LUCKY NUMBER…?

Harry Styles‘ “As It Was” adds a 14th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The song’s latest frame at the summit marks another milestone, as it ties for the fourth-longest command in the chart’s 64-year history.

It boasts the longest command since Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (also on Columbia), ruled for a record 19 weeks in 2019.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100:

19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, beginning April 13, 2019

16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017

16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995

14 (to date), “As It Was,” Harry Styles, April 16, 2022

14, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015

14, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009

14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005

14, “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997

14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996

14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994

14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992

Notably, “As It Was” ties for the longest Hot 100 domination among singles by artists with no accompanying acts. (Of those seven songs above with 14-week commands, “As It Was” is one of four by solo artists, joining the hits listed by Mariah Carey, Elton John and Whitney Houston.)

Most Weeks Ever in Hot 100’s Top Two & Top Three

“As It Was” extends its record for the most weeks spent in the Hot 100’s top two positions, having logged 23 weeks, of its 24 total weeks on the chart, in the top two, from its April 16 debut at No. 1 through the newest, Sept. 24-dated survey.

Meanwhile, the song passes The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay,” beginning in July 2021, for the most weeks, 24, tallied in the Hot 100’s top three in the chart’s history.

Further, “As It Was” is the first song ever to spend its first 24 weeks on the Hot 100 all in the top three.

No. 1 on Hot 100 for 14 Weeks Over 24 Weeks

“As It Was” has now placed atop the Hot 100 for 14 weeks over a span of 24 weeks, from its debut through the current chart. (In its other 10 weeks on the list, it ranked at No. 2 for nine weeks and No. 3 for one frame.) The song extends the longest span of a title leading the list in a single release cycle. (Overall, Mariah Carey’s 1994 carol “All I Want for Christmas Is You” holds the record for the longest stretch from a song’s first to its most recent week at No. 1: two years and three weeks [Dec. 21, 2019-Jan. 8, 2022]).

A ”HAPPIER” TOP 5

Post Malone’s “I Like You (A Happier Song),” featuring Doja Cat, climbs 6-5 for a new best. Post Malone notches his eighth top five Hot 100 hit, and first since “Circles,” which led for three weeks in 2019-20, while Doja Cat claims her third and first since “Kiss Me More” (No. 3 peak, July 2021).

“PROOF” OF A HIT

Aided by the Sept. 9 premiere of its official video, Morgan Wallen returns to his highest Hot 100 rank, as “You Proof” jumps 10-6, its peak first set upon its debut on the May 28-dated chart. It concurrently rules the multi-metric Hot Country Songs chart for a fifth week. Wallen first hit a No. 6 Hot 100 high with the launch of “7 Summers” in August 2020.

GLASS ANIMALS WON’T BREAK

Glass Animals‘ former five-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Heat Waves” continues its impressive run on the survey, as it ties Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” for the second-most weeks spent on the chart in the list’s history.  “Heat Waves” spends an 87th total week on the latest Hot 100 (dated Sept. 24), at No. 17, matching the stay of “Radioactive,” in 2012-14.

The only song with more time spent on the Hot 100 is The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” which ran up 90 weeks in 2019-21. Of those 90 frames, four were spent at No. 1; a record 43 in the top five; a record 57 in the top 10; a record 80 in the top 20; and a record 86 in the top 40. Its longevity eventually helped it earn the distinction as the No. 1 title on Billboard‘s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs chart.

“Heat Waves” debuted at No. 100 on the Hot 100 on Jan. 16, 2021. The No. 1 song that week was Taylor Swift’s “Willow.” Since then, an additional 25 songs (excluding “Heat Waves”) have reached the summit. From the Jan. 16, 2021-dated Hot 100 to the current Sept. 24, 2022, chart, “Heat Waves” has ranked alongside a whopping 1,241 other songs.

Of the 87 weeks that “Heat Waves” has spent on the Hot 100, 66 weeks were shared with The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Save Your Tears,” the most of any song. Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” follows with 64 shared weeks, then The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” (62).

Notably, “Heat Waves” already holds a key longevity record on the Hot 100: the longest climb to No. 1. The song reached the summit on the March 12, 2022, tally in its 59th week on the chart, far surpassing the 35 chart weeks needed for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

“TALKING” STYLES

Harry Styles’ follow-up single, “Late Night Talking,” along with his 13 nonconsecutive week #1, “As It Was,” becomes the first artist with two songs in the chart’s top three spots simultaneously this year.  He’s the first since Drake dominated with a record nine simultaneous top 10s, including the entire top five, on the Sept. 18, 2021, chart.

LUCKY NUMBER 13

“As It Was” becomes one of just 13 songs in the Hot 100’s history, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception, to reign for at least 13 weeks. It boasts the longest command since Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, ruled for a record 19 weeks in 2019.

19: Old Town Road/Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)

16: One Sweet Day/ Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (1995-96)

16: Despacito/Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber (2017)

14: I Will Always Love You/Whitney Houston (1992-93)

14: I’ll Make Love to You/Boyz II Men (1994)

14: Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)/Los del Rio (1996)

14: Candle in the Wind 1997 / Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Elton John (1997-98)

14: We Belong Together/Mariah Carey (2005)

14: I Gotta Feeling/the Black Eyed Peas (2009)

14: Uptown Funk!/Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars (2015)

13: End of the Road/Boyz II Men (1992)

13: the Boy Is Mine/Brandy & Monica (1998)

13: As It Was/Harry Styles (2022 and counting)

TOP 2 HOLDOUTS

“As It Was” breaks the record for the most weeks spent in the Hot 100’s top two positions, having logged 22 of its 23 weeks on the chart in the top two, from its April 16 debut through the newest, Sept. 17-dated survey.

Most Weeks in the Hot 100’s Top Two:

22: As It Was/Harry Styles, beginning April 16, 2022 (13 weeks at No. 1, 9 weeks at No. 2)

21: Stay/the Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, Aug. 14, 2021 (7, 14)

19: Old Town Road/Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, April 13, 2019 (19, 0)

18: Uptown Funk!/Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015 (14, 4)

17: Despacito/Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017 (16, 1)

“AIN’T WORRIED”

OneRepublic‘s “I Ain’t Worried” jumps from No. 14 to No. 8 on the Hot 100, marking the band’s fourth top 10 and first since 2014. The Ryan Tedder-fronted act also becomes the latest to have notched top 10s in the 2000s, ’10s and ’20s, and one of just three groups to earn the honor following Maroon 5 and Aerosmith (‘70s, ‘80s, 90s, and ‘00s)

The band notches its fourth Hot 100 top 10 and first since 2014, when “Counting Stars” hit No. 2. The group also reached No. 8 with “Good Life” (2011) and No. 2 as featured on its breakthrough hit “Apologize” by Timbaland (2007). OneRepublic becomes the 18th act with top 10s in the 2000s, ’10s and ’20s – and one of just three groups in those ranks, joining Coldplay and Maroon 5.

“Worried” is the first Hot 100 top 10 from the Top Gun: Maverick Soundtrack, released in May; the set’s “Hold My Hand” by Lady Gaga reached No. 49 in June. (The original Top Gun soundtrack yielded Berlin’s No. 1 ballad “Take My Breath Away,” which led the list dated Sept. 13, 1986, plus Kenny Loggins’ No. 2-peaking “Danger Zone” and Loverboy’s No. 12 hit “Heaven in Your Eyes” the same year.)

SEPTEMBER 10, 2022

LIVING IN HARRY’S HOUSE Harry Styles‘ “As It Was” rules the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a 12th week. The song claims outright the longest stay at the summit this decade, breaking out of a tie with Roddy Ricch’s “The Box,” which led for 11 weeks in 2020.

“As It Was” boasts the longest Hot 100 domination since Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, reigned for a record 19 weeks in 2019.
Here’s a recap of the longest commands so far this decade:
12 weeks at No. 1, “As It Was,” Harry Styles, beginning April 16, 2022
11, “The Box,” Roddy Ricch, Jan. 18, 2020
10, “Easy on Me,” Adele, Oct. 30, 2021
10, “Butter,” BTS, June 5, 2021
8, “Drivers License,” Olivia Rodrigo, Jan. 23, 2021
8, “Mood,” 24kGoldn feat. iann dior, Oct. 24, 2020
Notably, four of the six songs above were released on Columbia (with “The Box” on Atlantic Records and “Drivers License” on Interscope Records). (“Old Town Road,” as noted above, is also a Columbia release.)Most weeks ever in Hot 100’s top two
In addition to logging the longest Hot 100 rule of the 2020s so far, “As It Was” ties the record for the most weeks spent in the chart’s top two positions over the list’s entire 64-year history, having logged 21 of its 22 weeks on the chart in the top two, from its April 16 debut through the newest, Sept. 10-dated survey.
Here’s a look at the titles to post the most weeks in the Hot 100’s top two spots:

21 weeks in the top two, “As It Was,” Harry Styles, beginning April 16, 2022 (12 weeks at No. 1, 9 weeks at No. 2)
21, “Stay,” The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, Aug. 14, 2021 (7, 14)
19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, April 13, 2019 (19, 0)
18, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015 (14, 4)
17, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017 (16, 1)
16, “Shape of You,” Ed Sheeran, Jan. 28, 2017 (12, 4)
16, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009 (14, 2)
16, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005 (14, 2)
16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995 (16, 0)
The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” added its 21st week in the Hot 100’s top two on the chart dated this April 9, a week after becoming the first song to spend 20 weeks in the top two. 
ELTON & BRITNEY ARE “CLOSER”Elton John and Britney Spears‘ “Hold Me Closer” bounds onto the chart at No. 6. The latter, the latest mash-up of John classics, marks his 29th Hot 100 top 10 and Spears’ 14th, and her first in nearly 10 years. Earlier this year, John added his first top 10 since 1998, when his previous multi-song reworking of his own catalog, “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” with Dua Lipa, reached No. 7.  The new mash-up blends the chorus of his 50-year-old “Tiny Dancer” and the verses of his 30-year-old “The One.” It also includes elements of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” his four-week 1976 Hot 100 No. 1 with Kiki Dee.  While not outranking “Breaking,” “Hold Me Closer,” upon its No. 6 start, marks new Hot 100 highs for the songs that make up the bulk of the mash-up: “Tiny Dancer” fell a spot shy of the top 40, reaching No. 41 in April 1972, and “The One” rose to No. 9 in September 1992.  
“The One,” meanwhile, marks John’s impressive fifth song to have hit the Hot 100’s top 10 via two interpretations each.

John has logged the seventh-most Hot 100 top 10s. Among solo males, he has earned the third-most, after Drake and Michael Jackson, as he breaks out of a tie with (his good friend) Stevie Wonder.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

59, Drake
38, Madonna
34, The Beatles
31, Rihanna
30, Michael Jackson
30, Taylor Swift
29, Elton John
28, Mariah Carey
28, Stevie Wonder
27, Janet Jackson
John sports his highest Hot 100 rank since the chart dated Jan. 24, 1998, when his “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight” placed at No. 5 after 14 weeks at No. 1. Additionally, John has now achieved two top 10s in a single year for the first time since 1992 (with “The One” from that year playing into his latest top 10, as well; see below).

John also expands his span of Hot 100 top 10s to 51 years, seven months and three weeks, dating to his first frame in the top 10 with “Your Song” (Jan. 23, 1971) – the longest such span among all acts not involving holiday titles.

Meanwhile, Spears achieves her 14th Hot 100 top 10 and her first since “Scream & Shout,” with will.i.am, hit No. 3 in 2013. She first appeared in the top 10 on the chart dated Dec. 12, 1998, when her debut smash “…Baby One More Time” surged 18-9 (before becoming her first of five No. 1s). Overall, Spears places on the Hot 100 for the first time since the chart dated Dec. 10, 2016.
Spears also joins John and 10 other stars with Hot 100 top 10s in at least four decades, padding her résumé to include top 10s in the 1990s, 2000s, ’10s and now ’20s. The other acts in the exclusive (and eclectic) club: Aerosmith, Mariah Carey, Cher, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, Madonna, Snoop Dogg, Barbra Streisand and Andy Williams.  Of those artists, Carey, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and now Spears have all tallied Hot 100 top 10s in the ’90s, ’00s, ’10s and ’20s.
John charts his fourth top 10 duet, and his fifth top 10 collaboration, on the Hot 100, as “Hold Me Closer” follows “Cold Heart”; “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” with George Michael (No. 1 for one week, 1992); and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” He also led for four weeks in 1986 with “That’s What Friends Are For,” credited to Dionne & Friends, the foursome of Dionne Warwick, John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder.

Spears scores her fourth accompanied Hot 100 top 10, after “Scream & Shout”; “Till the World Ends,” featuring Nicki Minaj and Kesha (No. 3, 2011); and her featured turn on Rihanna’s “S&M” (No. 1, one week, 2011).

SEPTEMBER 3, 2022

BOOMERANG #1 Harry Styles‘ “As It Was” returns to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, rebounding from No. 2 for an 11th total week at No. 1. It claims the longest stay at the summit since Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” also ran up 11 weeks at No. 1 in January-March 2020. No song has led longer since Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, ruled for a record 19 weeks in April-August 2019.

Meanwhile, “As It Was” logs its unprecedented fifth distinct run at No. 1 on the Hot 100, after it first reigned upon its debut in April. It has since yo-yoed among the top three spots and last led, until the latest list, in July.  Here’s a recap of the titles to top the tally dating to the song’s debut. (In every week that it wasn’t No. 1 in the weeks noted below, the track ranked at No. 2, except for on the Aug. 13 chart, when it placed at No. 3.)

April 16, “As It Was,” Harry Styles

April 23, “First Class,” Jack Harlow

April 30, “As It Was”

May 7, “As It Was”

May 14, “Wait for U,” Future feat. Drake & Tems

May 21, “First Class”

May 28, “First Class”

June 4, “As It Was”

June 11, “As It Was”

June 18, “As It Was”

June 25, “As It Was”

July 2, “Jimmy Cooks,” Drake feat. 21 Savage

July 9, “As It Was”

July 16, “As It Was”

July 23, “As It Was”

July 30, “About Damn Time,” Lizzo

Aug. 6, “About Damn Time”

Aug. 13, “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé

Aug. 20, “Break My Soul”

Aug. 27, “Super Freaky Girl,” Nicki Minaj

Sept. 3, “As It Was”

With “As It Was” having now made five distinct runs atop the Hot 100, beginning on, as noted above, the charts dated April 16, April 30, June 4, July 9 and now Sept. 3, it surpasses three songs that each logged four separate No. 1 stints: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (from December 2019 through this January); 24kGoldn’s “Mood,” featuring Iann Dior (2020-21); and Drake’s “Nice for What” (2018).

AUGUST 27, 2022

NICKI’S “SUPER” #1

“Super Freaky Girl” by Nicki Minaj bows as the 1,141st No. 1 in the Hot 100’s 64-year history. It’s the 63rd to enter on top, and the first by a woman in a lead role this year. Notably, it’s the first No. 1 debut for a hip-hop song by a solo female and no accompanying acts since Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” in 1998.

Minaj earns her first Hot 100 No. 1 as an unaccompanied artist and her third overall. She previously reigned with her 6ix9ine collab “Trollz,” which bounded in at No. 1 on the June 27, 2020, chart, and her featured turn on Doja Cat’s “Say So,” which topped the May 16, 2020, tally.

“Super Freaky Girl” is additionally Minaj’s 21st Hot 100 top 10, and her second this year, after “Do We Have a Problem?,” with Lil Baby, debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the Feb. 19-dated chart.

Minaj posts her 124th overall Hot 100 entry, dating to her first in February 2010. She boasts the seventh-most appearances in the chart’s archives.

SLICK RICK RETURNS

Rick James’ “Super Freak,” which “Super Freaky Girl” samples, hit No. 3 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in September 1981, while M.C. Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This,” which also samples James’ original, spent a week at No. 1 in June 1990. On Hot Rap Songs, which originated in 1989, “Touch” reached No. 2. (Among other notable reimaginations of “Super Freak,” Jay-Z’s “Kingdom Come” hit No. 52 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 98 on the Hot 100 in 2006 and Gucci Mane’s “Freaky Gurl” rose to Nos. 19 and 62 on the respective charts in 2007.)

LADIES FIRST

“Super Freaky Girl” follows Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul,” which led the Aug. 13 and 20-dated Hot 100 charts, and Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” which topped the July 30 and Aug. 6 tallies. The tracks combine for the first streak of three songs each hitting No. 1 for the first time by solo women and no accompanying artists since Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” and Swift’s “Blank Space” in September 2014-January 2015. (Before that, Katy Perry’s “Roar,” Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” and Lorde’s “Royals” reigned consecutively in September-December 2013.)

4 OUT OF 5 ARE WOMENWith Nicki Minaj at #1, Lizzo at #3, 

Beyoncé at #4 and Kate Bush rounding out the Top 5 with “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God),” the Top 5 is ruled by solo female artists.

While researching to find out the last time that solo women had this much control on the Top 5, I did uncover the fact that the Top 5 was dominated by eight(!) women.  During the week ending November 1, 2014, the chart read like this…

1 1 ALL ABOUT THAT BASS –•– Meghan Trainor -15 (1) (7 Weeks at #1)
2 2 SHAKE IT OFF –•– Taylor Swift -9 (1) (2 Weeks at #1)
3 5 BANG BANG –•– Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj -12 (3)
4 3 BLACK WIDOW –•– Iggy Azalea featuring Rita Ora -16 (3)
5 4 HABITS (STAY HIGH) –•– Tove Lo -21 (4)

AUGUST 20, 2022

“STAYING ALIVE” RESUSCITATES

DJ Khaled’s “Staying Alive,” featuring Drake and Lil Baby, bounds onto the Hot 100 at No. 5.  The song interpolates the Bee Gees’ classic “Stayin’ Alive,” which topped the Hot 100 for four weeks in 1978 (while reworkings by N-Trance and Wyclef Jean featuring Refugee Allstars hit No. 62 in 1996 and No. 45 in 1997, respectively). All three Bee Gees – Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb – wrote the original and Barry and the late Robin receive their first writing credits on a Hot 100 top 10 since Destiny’s Child’s version of “Emotion” – originally a No. 3 hit in 1978 for Samantha Sang – reached No. 10 in December 2001. (The Bee Gees’ original “Stayin’ Alive” was released from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, which ruled the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks in 1978; Samantha Sang’s “Emotion” was recorded for the film but ultimately not included.)  The late Maurice Gibb, meanwhile, draws his first Hot 100 top 10 credit as a writer since the Bee Gees’ last of 15 top 10s as a recording act, “One,” which all members of the trio wrote, hit No. 7 in September 1989.

DRAKE BREAKS (AND EXTENDS) RECORDS

On the Hot 100, Drake achieves his record-extending 59th top 10, Lil Baby logs his 10th and DJ Khaled earns his seventh. (The first top 10 among the three together, “Staying Alive” is the fourth shared top 10 between DJ Khaled and Drake, as well as the fourth between Drake and Lil Baby.)

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

59, Drake

38, Madonna

34, The Beatles

31, Rihanna

30, Michael Jackson

30, Taylor Swift

28, Mariah Carey

28, Elton John

28, Stevie Wonder

27, Janet Jackson

Plus, “Staying Alive” marks Drake’s landmark 30th top five Hot 100 hit – as he breaks out of a tie with The Beatles for the most in the chart’s 64-year history.

Most Top Five Billboard Hot 100 Hits:

30, Drake

29, The Beatles

28, Madonna

27, Mariah Carey

24, Janet Jackson

23, Rihanna

21, Elvis Presley (with the start of his career predating the Hot 100’s inception)

20, Justin Bieber

20, Michael Jackson

20, Stevie Wonder

SNOOP’S NOT SO “BAD DECISIONS”

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, benny blanco, BTS and Snoop Dogg’s “Bad Decisions” roars in at No. 10.  The track starts as Snoop Dogg’s 12th Hot 100 top 10, BTS’ 10th – as the group becomes the first South Korean act with at least 10 Hot 100 top 10s – and benny blanco’s second (after “Eastside,” with Halsey and Khalid; No. 9, 2019). 

Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg has now notched Hot 100 top 10s in the 1990s (two), 2000s (six), ’10s (three) and ’20s (one). He joins Mariah Carey and Jay-Z in having ranked in the top 10 in each of the past four decades. (Carey reached the milestone thanks to the annual resurgence of her holiday chestnut “All I Want for Christmas Is You”; additionally, Beyonceģ has appeared in the top 10 in each of the last four decades, although in the ’90s as a member of Destiny’s Child, followed by top 10s – and No. 1 ranks, like Carey – in the ’00s, ’10s and ’20s as a soloist.)

Snoop Dogg tallies his first Hot 100 top 10 as a lead artist in over 10 years, since his and Wiz Khalifa’s “Young, Wild & Free,” featuring Bruno Mars, hit No. 7 in March 2012. He first reached the region with his own “What’s My Name?” (No. 8, January 1994) and, until this week, had last ranked in the tier in August 2014 as featured on Jason Derulo’s “Wiggle,” which hit No. 5 that June.

Further, Snoop Dogg extends his span of Hot 100 top 10s to 28 years, seven months and three weeks (Dec. 25, 1993-Aug. 20, 2022) – now the longest among rappers in the chart’s history, surpassing Jay-Z’s (24 years, five months and three weeks; March 29, 1997-Sept. 18, 2021).

AUGUST 13, 2022

THE RENAISSANCE BEGINS (A/K/A THE BEYONCE SHOW)…

8^th #1 AND TOTAL WEEKS COUNTING

Beyonceì lands her eighth Hot 100 No. 1 as a soloist. Here’s a recap:

“Crazy in Love,” feat. Jay-Z, eight weeks at No. 1, beginning July 12, 2003

“Baby Boy,” feat. Sean Paul, nine, Oct. 4, 2003

“Check on It,” feat. Slim Thug, five, Feb. 4, 2006

“Irreplaceable,” 10, Dec. 16, 2006

“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” four, Dec. 13, 2008

“Perfect” (Ed Sheeran duet with Beyonceì), five (on which she was credited; the song led for six weeks total), Dec. 23, 2017

“Savage” (Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyonceì), one, May 30, 2020

“Break My Soul,” one week to-date, Aug. 13, 2022

Additionally, Destiny’s Child, with Beyonceì as a member, notched four Hot 100 No. 1s: “Bills, Bills, Bills” (for one week in 1999); “Say My Name” (three weeks, 2000); “Independent Women (Part 1)” (11, 2000-01); and “Bootylicious” (two, 2001).

Beyonceì boasts the seventh-most weeks spent atop the Hot 100, as “Soul” ups her count to 43 in her solo career.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:

87, Mariah Carey

60, Rihanna

59, The Beatles

54, Drake

50, Boyz II Men

47, Usher

43, Beyonceì

37, Michael Jackson

34, Adele

34, Elton John

34, Bruno Mars

Further, Destiny’s Child spent 17 weeks at No. 1 among their four Hot 100 leaders, making for 60 weeks at the summit for Beyonceì if we were to combine her solo and the group’s songs. (Among the acts above, Paul McCartney [89 weeks total; 30 solo], both George Harrison and John Lennon [65; six] and Ringo Starr [61; two] would also sport higher sums of weeks at No. 1 mixing their solo leaders and those by The Beatles with them as members, while Michael Jackson’s total would extend to 47, thanks to 10 weeks at No. 1 for the Jackson 5.)

SPANNING THE #1s

From the first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for “Crazy in Love” through, now, the coronation of “Soul,” Beyonceì spans 19 years and one month of appearing atop the chart – the ninth-best mark in the ranking’s archives.

Longest Spans of Hot 100 No. 1s:

Mariah Carey – 31 years, five months, one week (Aug. 4, 1990-Jan. 8, 2022)

Cher – 28 years, five months (Nov. 6, 1971-April 3, 1999)

Elton John – 24 years, 11 months, one week (Feb. 3, 1973-Jan. 10, 1998)

Beach Boys – 24 years, four months (July 4, 1964-Nov. 5, 1988)

Michael Jackson – 22 years, 10 months, three weeks (Oct. 14, 1972-Sept. 2, 1995)

Stevie Wonder – 22 years, six months (Aug. 10, 1963-Feb. 8, 1986)

Rod Stewart – 22 years, four months (Oct. 2, 1971-Feb. 5, 1994)

Aretha Franklin – 19 years, 10 months, two weeks (June 3, 1967-April 18, 1987)

Beyonceì – 19 years, one month (July 12, 2003-Aug. 13, 2022)

George Harrison – 17 years, three weeks (Dec. 26, 1970-Jan. 16, 1988)

Madonna – 15 years, nine months, one week (Dec. 22, 1984-Oct. 7, 2000)

Notably, in looking at acts’ group and solo careers combined, Beyonceì’s span of appearing atop the Hot 100 stretches over 23 years and three weeks, from the first week at No. 1 for Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills” (July 17, 1999) through this week’s takeover on top for “Soul.” Similarly among the acts above, Cher’s career span including Sonny & Cher and her solo No. 1s would encompass (a record) 33 years, seven months and two weeks (1965-99); Michael Jackson’s Jackson 5 and solo output would span 25 years, seven months and a week (1970-95); and George Harrison’s time with The Beatles and as soloist would amount to a No. 1 span of 23 years, 11 months and two weeks (1964-88).

Meanwhile (as first noted when Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage,” featuring Beyonceì, hit No. 1), Beyonceì and Mariah Carey are the only acts to place atop the Hot 100 in four distinct decades – the 1990s, 2000s, ’10s & ’20s for both – thanks to the former’s runs at No. 1 with Destiny’s Child in the ’90s and solo in the ’00s-’20s, and Carey’s reigns in each decade, including in the ’10s and ’20s with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

WAITS BETWEEN #1s

With “Soul,” Beyonceì scores her first Hot 100 No. 1 in a lead role in 13 years and seven months, since “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” in 2009. That gap marks the longest among acts with lead billing on both bookending leaders since Cher, whose “Believe” ascended to the top of the chart in March 1999, a record 10 days shy of 25 years since she’d last led with “Dark Lady” in March 1974.

“BREAK”-ING DOWN “SOUL” MUSIC AT #1

Beyonceì’s new Hot 100 No. 1 marks the latest with the words “break” or “soul” in a song title. Here’s a recap of each:

“Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You,” Connie Francis, 1962

“Breaking Up Is Hard To Do,” Neil Sedaka, 1962

“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” Elton John & Kiki Dee, 1976

“Un-Break My Heart,” Toni Braxton, 1996-97

“Heartbreaker,” Mariah Carey feat. Jay-Z, 1999

“Break Your Heart,” Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris, 2010

“Break My Soul,” Beyonceì, 2022

(Beyonceì joins husband Jay-Z for the distinction.)

“(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration,” The Righteous Brothers, 1966

“Crank That (Soulja Boy),” Soulja Boy Tell’em, 2007

“Break My Soul,” Beyonceì, 2022

(Beyonceì is, thus, the … sole … woman with a Hot 100 No. 1 with “soul” in its title, with all due … respect … to the Queen of Soul.)

AUGUST 6, 2022

AROUND THE CHART IN 80 WEEKS

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” descends 8-10, following five weeks at No. 1 starting in March. Notably, it logs its 80th week on the chart, becoming just the third title in the chart’s 64-year history to reach the milestone (and is the only one of those hits to have ranked in the top 10 as late as its 80th frame).

Most Weeks Totaled on the Billboard Hot 100:

90, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, No. 1 peak (for four weeks), beginning April 4, 2020

87, “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons, No. 3, July 6, 2013

80, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, No. 1 (five weeks), beginning March 12, 2022

79, “Sail,” AWOLNATION, No. 17, Oct. 12, 2013

77, “Levitating,” Dua Lipa, No. 2, May 22, 2021

76, “I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz, No. 6, Sept. 20, 2008

69, “Save Your Tears,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, No. 1 (two weeks), beginning May 8, 2021

69, “How Do I Live,” LeAnn Rimes, No. 2, Dec. 13, 1997

68, “Counting Stars,” OneRepublic, No. 2, Jan. 18, 2014

68, “Party Rock Anthem,” LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock, No. 1 (six weeks), beginning July 16, 2011

JULY 30, 2022

INTERPOLATING IT’S “ABOUT” “DAMN” “TIME”

Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” becomes the 1,139th Hot 100 No. 1 in the chart’s nearly 64-year history after completing a 14-week ascent to the summit, after it debuted at No. 50 on the April 30-dated chart. 

Noting that her new No. 1 brings the word “damn” to the summit for the first time. Previously, YoungBloodz, featuring Lil Jon, reached a No. 4 best with “Damn!” in 2003. Honorable mention to rock group Damn Yankees, which hit No. 3 with “High Enough” 1991. Lizzo scores the first No. 1 with “about” in its title since … just March, when the ensemble Encanto hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” spent its fifth and final week on top. Much more time passed between No. 1s with “time” in their titles: Lizzo achieves the first such leader since Ja Rule’s “Always on Time,” featuring Ashanti, ruled for two weeks in 2002.

Also notably, “Time” interpolates “Hey! DJ,” which the World’s Famous Supreme Team took to No. 15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 1984 and has now been reimagined in two Hot 100 No. 1s: prior to “Time,” Mariah Carey’s “Honey,” which samples “Hey! DJ,” notched three weeks in the lead in September 1997.

“HILL” CLIMBING

“Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God),” Kate Bush’s first Hot 100 top 10 which moves up a notch to #3, wraps the longest run to the chart’s top three in terms of years from a debut on the chart to the top five – 36 years, 10 months and three weeks – for a non-holiday hit in the list’s history, and the third-longest such rise overall.

Longest Climbs to the Billboard Hot 100’s Top Three (from debut date):

61 years, two weeks: “Jingle Bell Rock,” Bobby Helms, Dec. 22, 1958-Jan. 4, 2020

59 years, one week: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Brenda Lee, Dec. 12, 1960-Dec. 21, 2019

36 years, 10 months, three weeks: “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” Kate Bush, Sept. 7, 1985-July 30, 2022

19 years: “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey, Jan. 8, 2000-Jan. 5, 2019

16 years, four months, one week: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen, Jan. 3, 1976-May 9, 1992

Three of the songs above are holiday tracks, spurred in recent years by the growth of streaming, while Queen’s classic, like Bush’s, benefited from its own sync, in the 1992 hit Saturday Night Live spinoff film Wayne’s World.

FEEL THE “HEAT”

Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” dips 7-8 on the Hot 100, following five weeks at No. 1 starting in March. It logs its 79th week on the chart, tying for the third-longest run in the list’s history (and is the only one of those hits to have ranked in the top 10 as late as its 79th frame).

Most Weeks Totaled on the Billboard Hot 100:

90, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, No. 1 peak (for four weeks), beginning April 4, 2020

87, “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons, No. 3, July 6, 2013

79, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, No. 1 (five weeks), beginning March 12, 2022

79, “Sail,” AWOLNATION, No. 17, Oct. 12, 2013

77, “Levitating,” Dua Lipa, No. 2, May 22, 2021

76, “I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz, No. 6, Sept. 20, 2008

JULY 23, 2022

THE 10+ CLUB

“As It Was” becomes the 42nd song in the history of the Hot 100, which launched on Aug. 4, 1958, to reign for at least 10 weeks, a feat that just 4% of all No. 1s (1,138 total) have achieved.

While “As It Was” marks Styles’ first Hot 100 leader of at least 10 weeks (after his other No. 1, “Watermelon Sugar,” ruled for a week in August 2020) – it’s the 10th for Columbia Records, the most among all labels over the chart’s history. Arista and Atlantic follow with five such No. 1s each.

Here’s a recap of Columbia’s 10 Hot 100 No. 1s to reign for at least 10 weeks, with the label having logged the last three, as Adele and BTS’ latest leaders preceded Styles’ command:

“One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, 16 weeks at No. 1, beginning Dec. 2, 1995

“Independent Women Part I,” Destiny’s Child, 11, Nov. 18, 2000

“Irreplaceable,” Beyonceì, 10, Dec. 16, 2006

“Happy,” Pharrell Williams, 10, March 8, 2014

“Hello,” Adele, 10, Nov. 14, 2015

“Closer,” The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey, 12, Sept. 3, 2016

“Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, a record 19, April 13, 2019

“Butter,” BTS, 10, June 5, 2021

“Easy on Me,” Adele, 10, Oct. 30, 2021

“As It Was,” Harry Styles, 10, April 16, 2022

DRAKE’S NEAR MISSES

Honestly, Nevermind now ups Drake’s count to peaks at 91 rungs on the Hot 100. The only ranks at which he hasn’t peaked so far? Nos. 31, 43, 46, 59, 77, 93, 96, 98 and 99. He’s peaked at every position between Nos. 1 and 30, and every number in the top 40 except 31.

Plus, Drake has ranked at every position on the Hot 100, even if he hasn’t peaked at each spot.

Meanwhile, as of the latest, July 16-dated Hot 100, Drake has placed a record 276 total entries on the chart, 157 in the top 40 and 58 in the top 10.

THE “HILLS” ARE ALIVE

With Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” having risen to No. 4 on the Hot 100, helped by its placement in Stranger Things, it has passed “Castle on the Hill” by Ed Sheeran and “The Fool on the Hill” by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 as the second-highest-charting song with “hill” (or “hills”) in its title. “Castle” hit No. 6 in 2017 and “Fool” peaked at No. 6 in September 1968 (after The Beatles first recorded the song for their 1967 Magical Mystery Tour album).

The only higher-charting such hit? The Weeknd’s “The Hills,” which logged six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2015.

Hills have made for a popular motif in music over the years, with their built-in inspirational imagery of aspiring to higher ground, of any kind. Here are the highest-charting Hot 100 hits with “hill” (or “hills” or any other variation) in their titles.

No. 1 (six weeks), 2015, “The Hills,” The Weeknd
No. 4, 2022, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” Kate Bush
No. 6, 2017, “Castle on the Hill,” Ed Sheeran
No. 6, 1968, “The Fool on the Hill,” Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66
No. 7, 2022, “Silent Hill,” Kendrick Lamar & Kodak Black
No. 10, 2005, “Beverly Hills,” Weezer
No. 10, 1981, “The Theme From Hill Street Blues,” Mike Post feat. Larry Carlton (an instrumental, although not always)
No. 15, 1969, “Cherry Hill Park,” Billy Joe Royal
No. 19, 2001, “Purple Hills,” D12
No. 20, 1961, “I Dreamed of a Hill-Billy Heaven,” Tex Ritter
No. 23, 2022, “Churchill Downs,” Jack Harlow feat. Drake
No. 25, 1995, “Sugar Hill,” AZ
No. 28, 2021, “hunger.on.hillside,” J. Cole & Bas
No. 36, 1980, “King of the Hill,” Rick Pinette & Oak
No. 40, 2010, “Hillbilly Bone,” Blake Shelton feat. Trace Adkins
No. 40, 2008, “Violet Hill,” Coldplay

JULY 16, 2022

ANIMALS RUNNING LONG

Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” lifts 9-8 on the Hot 100, following five weeks at No. 1 starting in March. It adds its 77th week on the chart, tying for the fourth-longest run in the list’s history, which dates to August 1958 (and is the only one of those hits to have ranked in the top 10 as late as a 77th frame).

Most Weeks Totaled on the Billboard Hot 100:
90, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, No. 1 peak (for four weeks), beginning April 4, 2020
87, “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons, No. 3, July 6, 2013
79, “Sail,” AWOLNATION, No. 17, Oct. 12, 2013
77, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, No. 1 (five weeks), beginning March 12, 2022
77, “Levitating,” Dua Lipa, No. 2, May 22, 2021
76, “I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz, No. 6, Sept. 20, 2008

Plus, “Heat Waves” spends a 34th week in the Hot 100’s top 10, passing Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You,” featuring Cardi B, for the most among groups. Overall, “Heat Waves” has now solely logged the fourth-most top 10 weeks, after The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” (57), The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” (44) and Lipa’s “Levitating” (41).

JULY 9, 2022

BOOMERANG #1

Harry Styles’ “As it Was” scores its record-tying fourth distinct stay atop the Hot 100, after it debuted at No. 1 on the April 16 chart; led again on April 30 and May 7; and added four more weeks on top on the charts dated June 4, 11, 18 and 25, ahead of its return to No. 1 on the new, July 9, ranking. (The songs that have interrupted its reign: Jack Harlow’s “First Class,” April 23 and May 21 and 28; Future’s “Wait for U,” featuring Drake and Tems, May 14; and Drake’s “Jimmy Cooks,” featuring 21 Savage, July 2.) “As It Was” is the fourth to log as many as four separate No. 1 stints, after Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (2019-22), 24kGoldn’s “Mood,” featuring Iann Dior (2020-21), and Drake’s “Nice for What” (2018).

“BREAK MY” 20

With “Break My Soul,” Beyonceì banks her landmark 20th solo Hot 100 top 10 and first since Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage,” on which she’s featured, became her seventh No. 1 in May 2020. Beyonceì notches her first top 10 in a lead role since “Formation” debuted and peaked at No. 10 in May 2016.

Here’s an updated rundown of the elite 23 artists with 20 or more Hot 100 top 10s, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception:

58, Drake

38, Madonna

34, The Beatles

31, Rihanna

30, Michael Jackson

30, Taylor Swift

28, Elton John

28, Mariah Carey

28, Stevie Wonder

27, Janet Jackson

26, Justin Bieber

25, Elvis Presley (with his career having predated the Hot 100’s start)

25, Lil Wayne

23, Whitney Houston

23, Paul McCartney

23, The Rolling Stones

22, Eminem

22, Jay-Z

20, Beyonceì

20, Chicago

20, Nicki Minaj

20, The Supremes

20, Kanye West

Beyonceì first appeared in the Hot 100’s top 10 as a soloist when Jay-Z’s “’03 Bonnie & Clyde,” on which she’s featured, rose 11-8 on the Dec. 7, 2002, tally.

Meanwhile, Beyonceì now has twice as many top 10s as Destiny’s Child, the group in which she broke through: the act notched 10 top 10s (including four No. 1s) in 1998-2005.

Also impressively, Beyonceì joins select company among artists with at least 20 solo top 10s and 10 as a member of a group. The exclusive club, of which she’s the first female member: Paul McCartney, with 23 solo top 10s (including his work with Wings), in addition to 34 with The Beatles; Michael Jackson, with 30 solo top 10s along with 11 as a member of the Jackson 5/Jacksons; and, now, Beyonceì (20 solo, 10 with Destiny’s Child).

“HEAT” RISES

Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” rises 10-9 on the Hot 100, following five weeks at No. 1. It adds its 76th week on the chart, tying for the fifth-longest run in the list’s history (and is the only one of those hits to have ranked in the top 10 as late as a 76th frame).

Most Weeks Totaled on the Billboard Hot 100:

90, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, No. 1 peak (for four weeks), beginning April 4, 2020

87, “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons, No. 3, July 6, 2013

79, “Sail,” AWOLNATION, No. 17, Oct. 12, 2013

77, “Levitating,” Dua Lipa, No. 2, May 22, 2021

76, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, No. 1 (five weeks), beginning March 12, 2022

76, “I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz, No. 6, Sept. 20, 2008

JULY 2, 2022

“JIMMY COOKS” AS DRAKE EXTENDS RECORDS

Drake‘s “Jimmy Cooks,” featuring 21 Savage, blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The collaboration marks Drake’s 11th Hot 100 No. 1 and 21 Savage’s second.  The track (seemingly an ode to the character of Jimmy Brooks that Drake portrayed on the CTV drama Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2001-08) arrives as the 1,138th No. 1 in the Hot 100’s 63-year history, and the 62nd to enter on top.

Drake adds his 11th Hot 100 No. 1. He ties Whitney Houston for the seventh-most leaders among all acts and passes Stevie Wonder to claim the second-most among male soloists.

Most Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s:

20, The Beatles

19, Mariah Carey

14, Rihanna

13, Michael Jackson

12, Madonna

12, The Supremes

11, Drake

11, Whitney Houston

10, Janet Jackson

10, Stevie Wonder

Meanwhile, here’s a recap of Drake’s 11 Hot 100 No. 1s:

“What’s My Name?,” Rihanna feat. Drake (one week at No. 1, beginning Nov. 20, 2010)

“Work,” Rihanna feat. Drake (nine weeks, beginning March 5, 2016)

“One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla (10 weeks, beginning May 21, 2016)

“God’s Plan” (11 weeks, beginning Feb. 3, 2018)

“Nice for What” (eight weeks, beginning April 21, 2018)

“In My Feelings” (10 weeks, beginning July 21, 2018)

“Toosie Slide” (one week, April 18, 2020)

“What’s Next” (one week, March 20, 2021)

“Way 2 Sexy,” Drake feat. Future and Young Thug (one week, Sept. 18, 2021)

“Wait for U,” Future feat. Drake & Tems (one week, May 14, 2022)

“Jimmy Cooks,” Drake feat. 21 Savage (one week to-date, July 2, 2022)

Plus, “Jimmy Cooks” is Drake’s record-extending seventh song to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100, following “God’s Plan,” “Nice for What,” “Toosie Slide,” “What’s Next,” “Way 2 Sexy” and “Wait for U.”

For those keeping score at home, this is Drake’s 54^th career week at #1 (…and counting).

87, Mariah Carey

79, Elvis Presley

60, Rihanna

59, the Beatles

54, Drake

50, Boyz II Men

47, Usher

42, Beyonce

37, Michael Jackson

34, Adele

34, Elton John

34, Bruno Mars

Further, Drake ties The Beatles for the most top five Hot 100 hits: 29 each. Madonna (28) and Mariah Carey (27) follow.

21 Savage previously topped the Hot 100 as featured on Post Malone’s “Rockstar,” which reigned for eight weeks beginning in October 2017.

Simultaneous Artist Debuts Atop the Billboard 200 & Hot 100

As Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind opens atop the Billboard 200 concurrent with the Hot 100-topping entrance of “Jimmy Cooks,” he makes the eighth-such double debut – and becomes the first male soloist to score the honor twice. Taylor Swift first achieved the feat in August 2020 and has made a record three such starts.

Drake: Honestly, Nevermind & “Jimmy Cooks,” feat. 21 Savage, July 2, 2022

Future: I Never Liked You & “Wait for U,” feat. Drake & Tems, May 14, 2022

Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor’s Version) & “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Nov. 27, 2021

Drake: Certified Lover Boy & “Way 2 Sexy,” feat. Future & Young Thug, Sept. 18, 2021

Justin Bieber: Justice & “Peaches,” feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon, April 3, 2021

Taylor Swift: Evermore & “Willow,” Dec. 26, 2020

BTS: BE & “Life Goes On,” Dec. 5, 2020

Taylor Swift: Folkore & “Cardigan,” Aug. 8, 2020

Drake up to 58 Hot 100 top 10s

As “Sticky” debuts at No. 6 and “Falling Back” bows at No. 7 on the Hot 100, respectively, Drake, thanks to those tracks and “Jimmy Cooks,” pads his record career count to 58 top 10s.

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

58, Drake

38, Madonna

34, The Beatles

31, Rihanna

30, Michael Jackson

30, Taylor Swift

28, Mariah Carey

28, Elton John

28, Stevie Wonder

27, Janet Jackson

JUNE 18, 2022

KEEP “RUNNING”

Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” bounds to No. 4 on the Hot 100, a week after it re-entered at No. 8 – blasting past its prior No. 30 high, reached in 1985 when it was first released – fueled by its sync in Netflix’s Stranger Things. The fourth season of the ’80s-set show, which premiered May 27, incorporates the song in multiple episodes. (Bush is a fan of the series, and, in a rare move for her music, approved the song’s usage in it.)

Notably, “Hill” wraps the longest run to the Hot 100’s top five in terms of years from a debut on the chart to the top five – 36 years, nine months and two weeks – for a non-holiday hit in the list’s 63-year history, and the third-longest such rise overall.

Longest Climbs to the Hot 100’s Top Five (from debut date):

61 years, two weeks: “Jingle Bell Rock,” Bobby Helms, Dec. 22, 1958-Jan. 4, 2020

59 years, one week: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Brenda Lee, Dec. 12, 1960-Dec. 21, 2019

36 years, nine months, two weeks: “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” Kate Bush, Sept. 7, 1985-June 18, 2022

19 years: “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey, Jan. 8, 2000-Jan. 5, 2019

16 years, three months, two weeks: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen, Jan. 3, 1976-April 18, 1992

Three of the songs above are holiday tracks, spurred in recent years by the growth of streaming, while Queen’s classic, like Bush’s, benefited from its own sync, in the 1992 box office hit Wayne’s World.

Meanwhile, as Bush solely wrote, produced and performs “Hill,” the song is the first top five Hot 100 hit by a solo singer, writer and producer and no accompanying credited talents since Hozier’s “Take Me to Church,” which hit No. 2 in December 2014. Before that, Pharrell Williams’ self-performed, -penned and -produced “Happy” dominated for 10 weeks beginning in March 2014. “Hill” is the first such top five hit by a female artist in nearly 18 years, since Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” which reached No. 4 in July 2004.

A ”HAPPIER” MALONE

Post Malone’s “I Like You (A Happier Song),” featuring Doja Cat, debuts at No. 9 on the Hot 100.  Post Malone adds his 11th Hot 100 top 10 while Doja Cat adds her fifth.

JUNE 11, 2022

“RUNNING UP THAT HILL” TO A TOP 10 HIT

After almost 37 years and major inclusion in the fourth season of “Stranger Things,” Kate Bush lands her first top 10 – and her highest charting American hit – as “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” re-enters the entire chart at #8! 

The English singer-songwriter, who first appeared on Billboard‘s charts in 1979, hit #30 on the Nov. 30, 1985 survey. (That week, Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin’s “Separate Lives” rose to No. 1, dethroning Starship’s “We Built This City”; Eddie Murphy’s “Party All the Time” hit the top 10; Wham!’s “I’m Your Man” scored the list’s highest debut, at No. 55; and Madonna’s “Dress You Up” rounded out the chart at No. 100.)

The song, which Bush solely wrote and produced, completes the longest journey from a title’s Hot 100 debut to its first week in the top 10 – 36 years, nine months and a week – since Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run” jingled to the tier in the 2020 holiday season after a record wait of 62 years and two weeks. Among non-holiday catalog songs this decade, the resurgence of “Hill” is similar to that of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 No. 1 “Dreams,” which returned to the Hot 100, reaching No. 12, in October 2020 as it went viral on TikTok.

“STAY” RETURNS

The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” returns to the region (12-10). It adds a 44th week in the top 10, second only to The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” (57 weeks, 2020-21) for the most in the chart’s history; “Stay” spent its first 43 weeks on the tally in the top 10, a record for the most time spent in the bracket consecutively from a song’s debut.

JUNE 04, 2022

STYLIN’ & PROFILIN’

Harry Styles‘ “As It Was” rebounds for a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. It soared in at the summit seven weeks earlier.  Concurrently, three other songs from Harry’s House debut in the Hot 100’s top 10: “Late Night Talking” (No. 4), “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” (No. 8) and “Matilda” (No. 9).  Styles is the first British soloist to chart as many as four songs in the Hot 100’s top 10 simultaneously. Among all British acts, he joins only The Beatles, who achieved the feat for five weeks in 1964, including two frames in which they logged five each.

As Styles becomes the first British soloist with four concurrent Hot 100 top 10s, he’s the 12th act overall to land the honor, following Drake (a record nine on the Sept. 18, 2021, chart), Juice WRLD (five, July 25, 2020), The Beatles (five, April 4 and 11, 1964), Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Future, J. Cole, Post Malone, Lil Wayne, T-Pain and 50 Cent (highs of four each).

“TIME” FOR LIZZO

Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” reaches the Hot 100’s top five, leaping 9-5. All four of her top 10s have now reached the top five, as her latest follows “Truth Hurts” (seven weeks at No. 1, beginning in September 2019), “Good as Hell” (No. 3, November 2019) and “Rumors,” featuring Cardi B (No. 4, August 2021).

May 28, 2022

4 FOR LAMAR

Kendrick Lamar debuts four songs in the Hot 100’s top 10, led by “N95” at No. 3, as it opens from his new album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers: “Die Hard,” with Blxst and Amanda Reifer, at No. 5; “Silent Hill,” with Kodak Black, at No. 7; and “United in Grief,” at No. 8.

Lamar logs the eighth week in which an act has posted four or more concurrent top 10 Hot 100 debuts – and the third in a row, a week after Bad Bunny bowed with four and two weeks after Future arrived with a quartet. Before that, Drake bounded in with a record nine top 10 chart entrances (Sept. 18, 2021), after J. Cole (May 29, 2021), Juice WRLD (July 25, 2020), Lil Wayne (Oct. 13, 2018) and Drake (July 14, 2018) each debuted four tracks in the top 10 simultaneously.

Lamar ups his Hot 100 top 10 total to 12. Blxst and Reifer each appear in the chart’s top tier for the first time and Kodak Black adds his fourth top 10.

4 FOR WALLEN

Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof” roars in at No. 6 on the Hot 100. The song was released May 13 – Wallen’s birthday.  Wallen notches his fourth Hot 100 top 10, all of which have debuted in the bracket, and ties “7 Summers,” which bowed and peaked at No. 6 in August 2020, for his highest placement. He returned to the top 10 with “Wasted on You,” which started at its No. 9 best in January 2021, and “Don’t Think Jesus,” which began at its No. 7 peak on the April 30, 2022, chart.

2022’s NEW MUSIC CRAWL

After a slow start for new music this year – as only two of the 26 songs to appear in the Hot 100’s top 10 between January and the April 9 chart were released in 2022 – a robust 17 top 10s released this year have reached the region in the seven weeks since, by Harry Styles, Jack Harlow, Wallen, Future, Lizzo, Bad Bunny and Lamar.

May 21, 2022

BAD BUNNY DOES GOOD

Bad Bunny debuts four songs on the Hot 100 in the top 10 paced by “Moscow Mule” at No. 4. It’s followed in the bracket by “Tití Me Preguntó” at No. 5, “Después De La Playa” at No. 6 and “Me Porto Bonito,” with Chencho Corleone, at No. 10.  Bad Bunny’s four new Hot 100 top 10s are historic, as four all-Spanish-language songs rank in the region simultaneously for the first time in the chart’s 63-year history. 

The Puerto Rico native doubles his top 10 Hot 100 total to eight – all of which have debuted in the region – after he previously hit the top 10 with “I Like It,” with Cardi B and J Balvin (one week at No. 1, July 2018); “MIA,” featuring Drake (No. 5, October 2018); “Dákiti,” with Jhay Cortez (No. 5, December 2020); and “Yonaguni” (No. 10, June 2021). Corleone collects his first Hot 100 top 10.

Meanwhile, Bad Bunny logs the seventh week in which an act has posted four or more concurrent top 10 Hot 100 debuts, a week after Future arrived with four. Before that, Drake blasted in with a record nine top 10 chart entrances (Sept. 18, 2021), after J. Cole (May 29, 2021), Juice WRLD (July 25, 2020), Lil Wayne (Oct. 13, 2018) and Drake (July 14, 2018) each debuted four songs in the top 10 simultaneously.

“DAMN” LIZZO

Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” vaults 19-9.  She lands her fourth Hot 100 top 10, following “Truth Hurts” (seven weeks at No. 1 beginning in September 2019), “Good as Hell” (No. 3, November 2019) and “Rumors,” featuring Cardi B (No. 4, August 2021).

May 14, 2022

2:10:1

The #1 debut of “Wait for U” becomes the second chart topper for Future (his first as a lead), the tenth for Drake (more on him below), and the first for Nigerian born Tems.

Future was featured on Drake’s #1 debut from September 2021 when “Way 2 Sexy” led on the 9/18/21 chart – along with Young Thug.

FUTURE HITS

Along with debuting at #1, Future has a total of four songs in the Top 10.  The track joins three others from the set that debut in the Hot 100’s top 10: “Puffin on Zootiez,” at No. 4, and “712PM,” at No. 8, and “I’m Dat N***a,” at No. 10.

Future logs the sixth week in which an act has posted four or more concurrent top 10 Hot 100 debuts, and the first since Drake bounded in with a record nine top 10 chart entrances (Sept. 18, 2021). Before that, J. Cole (May 29, 2021), Juice WRLD (July 25, 2020), Lil Wayne (Oct. 13, 2018) and Drake (July 14, 2018) each debuted four songs in the top 10 simultaneously.

Future’s I Never Liked You blasts in atop the Billboard 200, with his eighth leader, concurrent with the Hot 100-topping entrance of “Wait for U.” He makes the seventh such double debut; Taylor Swift first achieved the feat in August 2020 and, with three such starts, is the only artist to earn the honor multiple times.

Simultaneous Artist Debuts Atop the Billboard 200 & Hot 100

Future: I Never Liked You & “Wait for U,” feat. Drake & Tems, May 14, 2022

Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor’s Version) & “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Nov. 27, 2021

Drake: Certified Lover Boy & “Way 2 Sexy,” feat. Future & Young Thug, Sept. 18, 2021

Justin Bieber: Justice & “Peaches,” feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon, April 3, 2021

Taylor Swift: Evermore & “Willow,” Dec. 26, 2020

BTS: BE & “Life Goes On,” Dec. 5, 2020

Taylor Swift: Folklore & “Cardigan,” Aug. 8, 2020

THE CHART ACCORDING TO DRAKE

This is Drake’s…

10^th Number 1

55^th Top 10

146^th Top 40

261^st Overall Chart Entry

The last three categories are record-extending totals.

Drake solely claims the record for the most No. 1 debuts on the Hot 100, as “Wait for U” is his sixth. He one-ups BTS and Ariana Grande, each with five.

First #1:  What’s My Name/Rihanna featuring Drake (1 week in November 2010)

First #1 as a lead:  One Dance/Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla (10 weeks beginning March 2016)

Drake becomes the 10th act in the Hot 100’s history with at least 10 No. 1s (an elite club that last inducted Rihanna, thanks to her 10th leader, of 14 to-date, “S&M,” featuring Britney Spears, on the chart dated April 30, 2011). Among solo males, Drake joins only Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder for the achievement.

Most Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s

20, The Beatles

19, Mariah Carey

14, Rihanna

13, Michael Jackson

12, Madonna

12, The Supremes

11, Whitney Houston

10, Drake

10, Janet Jackson

10, Stevie Wonder

WORTH THE “WAIT”

After a bit of a wait, Future, Drake and Tems bring the third song with “wait” in its title to No. 1 on the Hot 100. “Wait for U” follows “Right Here Waiting,” by Richard Marx (for three weeks in August 1989), and “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” by Aretha Franklin and George Michael (two weeks, April 1987).

Notably, 20 weeks into 2022, sparked by Future’s four arrivals joining Harry Styles and Jack Harlow’s hits (“As It Was” and “First Class,” respectively), the Hot 100 hosts six songs in the top 10 that were released in 2022, marking the first week that more than half the top 10 consists of songs released this year.

April 30, 2022

“IT WAS” AN EXTENDED STAY

Harry Styles‘ “As It Was” rebounds to No. 1 after dipping to No. 2 last week.  Styles claims his first multi-week Hot 100 No. 1, after his prior leader, “Watermelon Sugar,” reigned for a week in August 2020.  He’s the first soloist from One Direction with a No. 1 to dominate for multiple weeks; beyond Styles’ two toppers, former 1D member Zayn has also led solo, for a week with “Pillowtalk” upon its debut in February 2016.

“JESUS” CHARTS

Morgan Wallen’s “Don’t Think Jesus” debuts at No. 7 on the Hot 100. Wallen adds his third Hot 100 top 10, and third to debut in the bracket, after “7 Summers” bowed and peaked at No. 6 in August 2020 and “Wasted on You” started at its No. 9 high in January 2021.

April 23, 2022

“FIRST” THINGS FIRST

“First Class” – which interpolates Fergie’s 2007 two-week Hot 100 No. 1 “Glamorous,” featuring Ludacris – starts as Jack Harlow’s second Hot 100 leader and first on his own, as well as his first to debut at No. 1, after Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby,” with Harlow, ascended to the summit for a week in October 2021.

“First Class” interpolates Fergie’s “Glamorous,” which became her second of three Hot 100 No. 1s, for two weeks beginning on the March 24, 2007, chart. (She also made three trips to the summit as a member of The Black Eyed Peas in 2009-10.)

“First Class” is the first Hot 100 No. 1 to rework another former leader – since Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” which ruled the Sept. 18, 2021, chart in its debut week; the latter reimagines Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy,” which reigned for three weeks in February 1992.

“FIRST” SONGS FIRST

“First Class” is the fourth Hot 100 No. 1 with, aptly, the word “first” in its title. Here’s an updated rundown, with the … first … having led just over 50 years ago:

“First Class,” Jack Harlow, one week to-date at No. 1, beginning April 23, 2022

“The First Night,” Monica, five weeks, beginning Oct. 3, 1998

“The First Time,” Surface, two weeks, beginning Jan. 26, 1991

“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Roberta Flack, six weeks, beginning April 15, 1972

April 16, 2022

ONLY ONE DIRECTION

“As It Was” by Harry Styles is the first song to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100 by any act in 2022.

“As It Was” follows “Watermelon Sugar” as Styles’ second Hot 100 No. 1 – which completed a 20-week trip to the top on the Aug. 15, 2020, chart.  Styles adds his fourth Hot 100 top 10. “Sign of the Times” bounded in at No. 4 (his previous best starting point), its peak, in April 2017 and “Adore You” climbed to No. 6 in April 2020.

Thanks to “As It Was” and “Watermelon Sugar,” Styles is the first member of One Direction to tally multiple Hot 100 No. 1s. He one-ups Zayn, whose “Pillowtalk” ruled in its debut week (Feb. 20, 2016).  Styles and Zayn make One Direction the first group with two members that have debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 with solo songs.

One Direction, which Zayn departed in 2015 and is on an indefinite break, has charted six Hot 100 top 10s, reaching a No. 2 high with “Best Song Ever” in August 2013.

THE BRITISH ARE HERE!

Styles — born in Redditch, Worcestershire, England — and Glass Animals, who formed in Oxford, England, combine for the first set of back-to-back Hot 100 No. 1s by British acts in lead roles in over 30 years. They follow George Michael and Elton John, whose “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down Me” topped the Feb. 1, 1992, chart and was supplanted by Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy,” which began a three-week reign on the Feb. 8 survey.

Meanwhile, British acts hold the top two spots on the Hot 100 simultaneously for the first time in over five years, with the last such occurrence also invoking a One Direction member gone solo. On the March 4, 2017, chart, Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” notched its fourth of 12 weeks at No. 1 and Zayn’s “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker),” with Taylor Swift, rose to its No. 2 peak.

“STAY” WON’T GO

The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” slips 2-4 on the Hot 100, after seven weeks at No. 1. As the track has spent all 39 of its weeks on the Hot 100 in the top 10, dating to its entrance at No. 3 on the July 24, 2021, chart, it passes Post Malone’s “Circles” for the longest consecutive run in the top 10 from a debut; “Circles” logged its first 38 weeks on the list in the tier in 2019-20.

April 9, 2022

HIGH 5 FOR GLASS ANIMALS

With its fifth week atop the Hot 100, “Heat Waves” becomes one of only nine No. 1s by British groups to reign for at least that long in the chart’s archives (with five involving Paul McCartney, via The Beatles or Wings). The song boasts the longest command by a British group since UB40’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which led for seven weeks in 1993.

9, “Hey Jude,” The Beatles, Sept. 28, 1968

8, “Every Breath You Take,” The Police, July 9, 1983

8, “Night Fever,” Bee Gees, March 18, 1978

7, “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” UB40, July 24, 1993

7, “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” The Beatles, Feb. 1, 1964

5, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, March 12, 2022

5, “Silly Love Songs,” Wings, May 22, 1976

5, “Get Back,” The Beatles (with Billy Preston), May 24, 1969

5, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” The Beatles, April 4, 1964

(The Bee Gees were born on the Isle of Man and moved to the U.K. proper, Australia and back to the U.K.; The Police and Wings featured British frontmen and British and American members.)

Among all British acts (duo/groups and soloists), Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!” (featuring American Bruno Mars) and Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight” share the longest Hot 100 domination: 14 weeks each, in 2015 and 1997-98, respectively.

“STAY” JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER

The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” holds at No. 2 on the Hot 100, after seven weeks at No. 1.  As the track has spent all 38 of its weeks on the Hot 100 in the top 10, dating to its entrance at No. 3 on the July 24, 2021, chart, it ties Post Malone’s “Circles” for the longest consecutive run in the top 10 from a debut; “Circles” logged its first 38 weeks on the list in the tier in 2019-20. 

This song also hold ever-increasing record for most weeks ever at Nos. 1 and 2 Combined on the Hot 100.  Here’s the current breakdown…

21, “Stay,” The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber (7 weeks at No. 1/14 weeks at No. 2), 2021-22 (through the April 9, 2022, chart)

19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus (19/0), 2019

18, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars (14/4), 2015

17, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber (16/1), 2017

16, “Shape of You,” Ed Sheeran (12/4), 2017

16, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas (14/2), 2009

16, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey (14/2), 2005

16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men (16/0), 1995-96

15, “Rockstar,” Post Malone feat. 21 Savage (8/7), 2017-18

15, “Closer,” The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey (12/3), 2016

15, “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor (8/7), 2014

15, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men (14/1), 1994

15, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston (14/1), 1992-93

(As all those songs reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, two titles share the mark for the most weeks at No. 2 without rising to the top spot: Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott’s “Work It” and Foreigner’s “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” each of which spent 10 weeks peaking at No. 2, in 2002-03 and 1981-82, respectively.)

“ENERGY” ABOUNDS

Latto leaps to her first Hot 100 top 10, as “Big Energy” vaults 11-3.  The song bounds following the March 28 arrival of the song’s remix with Mariah Carey and featuring DJ Khaled. (Carey and DJ Khaled are not listed on “Big Energy” on the Hot 100, as the remix did not account for the majority of the song’s overall consumption during the tracking week.) Carey sings a portion of her 1995 eight-week No. 1 “Fantasy” in the remix; both songs interpolate Tom Tom Club’s classic “Genius of Love,” which hit No. 31 on the Hot 100 in April 1982.

DRAGON THEIR WAY TO ANOTHER TOP 5

Imagine Dragons and JID’s “Enemy” advances 7-5. Imagine Dragons notch their fourth top five Hot 100 hit (among five top 10s), following “Radioactive” (No. 3, July 2013); “Believer” (No. 4, August 2017); and “Thunder” (No. 4, December 2017). Rapper/singer JID earns his first top five hit on the chart.

April 4, 2022

4 AND COUNTING

Notably, with its fourth week atop the Hot 100, “Heat Waves” ties for the ninth-longest reign among songs by British groups in the chart’s 63-year history. The song boasts the longest command by a British group (since its second week at No. 1) since Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” also led for four weeks just over 25 years ago.

Longest-Leading Hot 100 No. 1s by British Groups

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1

9, “Hey Jude,” The Beatles, Sept. 28, 1968

8, “Every Breath You Take,” The Police, July 9, 1983

8, “Night Fever,” Bee Gees, March 18, 1978

7, “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” UB40, July 24, 1993

7, “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” The Beatles, Feb. 1, 1964

5, “Silly Love Songs,” Wings, May 22, 1976

5, “Get Back,” The Beatles (with Billy Preston), May 24, 1969

5, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” The Beatles, April 4, 1964

4, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, March 12, 2022

4, “Wannabe,” Spice Girls, Feb. 22, 1997

4, “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II),” Pink Floyd, March 22, 1980

4, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” Queen, Feb. 23, 1980

4, “Stayin’ Alive,” Bee Gees, Feb. 4, 1978

4, “My Love,” Paul McCartney and Wings, June 2, 1973

4, “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?,” Bee Gees, Aug. 7, 1971

4, “Honky Tonk Women,” The Rolling Stones, Aug. 23, 1969

4, “Yesterday,” The Beatles, Oct. 9, 1965

4, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” The Rolling Stones, July 10, 1965

(The Bee Gees’ members were born on the Isle of Man and moved to the U.K. proper, Australia and back to the U.K.; The Police and Wings featured British frontmen and British and American members.)

Among all British acts (duo/groups and soloists), Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!” (featuring American Bruno Mars) and Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight” share the longest Hot 100 domination: 14 weeks each, in 2015 and 1997-98, respectively.

20 FOR THE BIEBS

Justin Bieber’s “Ghost” rises 6-5 for a new Hot 100 high, becoming his landmark 20th top five hit. He’s only the 10th act to reach the threshold.

Most Top Five Hot 100 Hits

29, The Beatles

28, Madonna

27, Mariah Carey

27, Drake

24, Janet Jackson

23, Rihanna

21, Elvis Presley (with the start of his career having predated the chart’s inception)

20, Justin Bieber

20, Michael Jackson

20, Stevie Wonder

19, Whitney Houston

19, Elton John

19, Taylor Swift

Meanwhile, with “Stay” and “Ghost,” Bieber is the first artist with two songs in the Hot 100’s top five simultaneously in over six months, since Drake, on the Sept. 18, 2021, chart, when he joined The Beatles as the only acts ever to infuse the entire top five in a single week.

5 FOR THE CAT

Doja Cat’s “Woman” hits the Hot 100’s top 10, climbing 12-9.  The song is Doja Cat’s fifth Hot 100 top 10 and third from her 2021 album Planet Her, following “Kiss Me More,” featuring SZA (No. 3, July 2021), and “Need to Know” (No. 8, November 2021). She previously reached the region with “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj (No. 1, one week, May 2020), and as featured, with Megan Thee Stallion, on Ariana Grande’s “34+35” (No. 2, January 2021).

March 26, 2022

A CONTINUING “HEAT WAVE”

As “Heat Waves” reigns in its 61st total week on the Hot 100, it ties as the fifth-longest-charting No. 1 in the list’s history (and is almost assured of moving into second place within two months).

Longest-Charting Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s

90 weeks on Hot 100 (an overall record), “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd (2019-21; four weeks at No. 1)

68 weeks, “Party Rock Anthem,” LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock (2011-12; six weeks at No. 1)

65 weeks, “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele (2010-12; seven weeks at No. 1)

63 weeks, “Save Your Tears,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande (2020-22; two weeks at No. 1; still on chart)

61 weeks, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals (2021-22; three weeks at No. 1 to-date; still on chart)

61 weeks, “Circles,” Post Malone (2019-20; three weeks at No. 1)

60 weeks, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio (1995-97; 14 weeks at No. 1)

“STAY” A LITTLE BIT LONGER

The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” rebounds 5-2 on the Hot 100, after seven weeks at No. 1.  The track has spent all 36 of its weeks on the Hot 100 in the top 10, dating to its entrance at No. 3 on the July 24, 2021, chart; only Post Malone’s “Circles” has linked a longer consecutive run in the top 10 from a debut: 38 weeks, in 2019-20.

IMAGINE YOUR “ENEMY” MOVING

Imagine Dragons and JID’s “Enemy” surges 12-8 on the Hot 100.  The song is showcased at the beginning of each episode of Netflix’s animated series Arcane: League of Legends, which premiered Nov. 6, 2021.

Imagine Dragons notch their fifth Hot 100 top 10, following “Radioactive” (No. 3, July 2013); “Demons” (No. 6, December 2013); “Believer” (No. 4, August 2017); and “Thunder” (No. 4, December 2017) – interestingly enough, all one word titles. Rapper/singer JID earns his first top 10.

March 19, 2022

60 AND COUNTING

In its second week at #1, “Heat Waves” becomes just the 20th title to have spent 60 or more weeks on the Hot 100 (among around 30,000 total entries since the chart originated in August 1958).

It’s the seventh No. 1 to chart for 60 or more weeks, joining…

The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” (an overall-record 90)

LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem,” featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock (68)

Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” (65)

The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Save Your Tears” (62; still charting)

Post Malone’s “Circles” (61)

Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” (60).

And while not hitting #1, this song became the #1 song of 2021.  “Levitating” by Dua Lipa peaked at #2 and is currently in its 70^th week on the chart.

BRITISH GROUPS AT #1

Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” is the first song by a British group to have topped the Hot 100 for multiple weeks in just over 25 years: since Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” led for four weeks beginning Feb. 22, 1997. (In between, the only other British group to reign – Coldplay – notched two No. 1s that led for a week each: “Viva La Vida,” in June 2008, and “My Universe,” with BTS, in October 2021.)

Among all British acts prior to Glass Animals, Adele most recently dominated for 10 weeks beginning in October with “Easy on Me.”

March 12, 2022

SHATTERED “GLASS”

Just a heads up that the bulk of this week’s trivia is going to be based on the British group, Glass Animals.  They formed in Oxford, England in 2010 and are currently up for Best New Artist at this year’s Grammys – which will be held on Sunday, April 3.

MARATHON RUN TO NUMBER ONE

“Heat Waves” tops the Hot 100 in its 59th week on the chart, soaring past the prior mark (almost by six months) for the lengthiest climb to No. 1.

59 weeks, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, hit No. 1 March 12, 2022

35 weeks, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey, Dec. 21, 2019

33 weeks, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996

31 weeks, “Amazed, Lonestar, March 4, 2000

30 weeks, “All of Me,” John Legend, May 17, 2014

27 weeks, “With Arms Wide Open,” Creed, Nov. 11, 2000

26 weeks, “Everything You Want,” Vertical Horizon, July 15, 2000

25 weeks, “Red Red Wine,” UB40, Oct. 25, 1988

All eight songs above except for “With Arms Wide Open” and “Everything You Want” logged their journeys to No. 1 over interrupted runs. “Heat Waves” debuted on the Jan. 16, 2021-dated Hot 100; after two weeks off the chart, the song returned on the Feb. 6 survey and has remained on since.

STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM, NOW WE HERE!

As “Heat Waves” debuted on the Jan. 16, 2021-dated Hot 100 at No. 100, the track completes a rare 100-to-1 odyssey on the Hot 100.

Here’s a recap of all 11 singles that have summited the chart after starting on the first step (an eclectic list whose previous two entries, coincidentally, belong to Wiz Khalifa).

“Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, hit No. 1 March 12, 2022

“See You Again,” Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, April 25, 2015

“Black and Yellow,” Wiz Khalifa, Feb. 19, 2011

“Kiss Kiss,” Chris Brown feat. T-Pain, Nov. 10, 2007

“Can’t Help Falling in Love,” UB40, July 24, 1993

“The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” Vicki Lawrence, April 7, 1973

“When a Man Loves a Woman,” Percy Sledge, May 28, 1966

“Go Away Little Girl,” Steve Lawrence, Jan. 12, 1963

“Michael,” The Highwaymen, Sept. 4, 1961

“Teen Angel,” Mark Dinning, Feb. 8, 1960

“Kansas City,” Wilbert Harrison, May 18, 1959

TAKING THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TO NUMBER ONE

Meanwhile, “Heat Waves” is just the 10th Hot 100 No. 1 to have topped Alternative Airplay, dating to the latter list’s launch in September 1988.  The song is the first to have topped both tallies since Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” which led the Alternative Airplay charts dated Aug. 10 and 17, 2019, and the Hot 100 dated that Aug. 24. Before Eilish, Lorde led both lists with “Royals” in 2013. 

Until this week, no group had ruled Alternative Airplay and the Hot 100 with the same song since fun., with “We Are Young” in 2012. (That track topped the Hot 100 before Alternative Airplay; “Heat Waves” is the first song by a group to lead Alternative Airplay and, subsequently, the Hot 100 since Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me” in 2001.)

“Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, 2021-22

“Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish, 2019

“Royals,” Lorde, 2013

“We Are Young,” fun. feat. Janelle Monae, 2012

“Somebody That I Used to Know,” Gotye feat. Kimbra, 2012

“Viva La Vida,” Coldplay, 2008

“How You Remind Me,” Nickelback, 2001-02

“Butterfly,” Crazy Town, 2001

“One Week,” Barenaked Ladies, 1998

“Nothing Compares 2 U,” Sinead O’Connor, 1990

BRITISH NUMBER ONES

Glass Animals continue a recent trend of British artists leading the Hot 100. Half of the last six No. 1s, dating to October, include British acts, as “Heat Waves” follows Adele’s “Easy on Me,” which reigned for 10 weeks, and “My Universe,” by England’s Coldplay and South Korea’s BTS, a one-week No. 1.

SOMETHING ABOUT “GLASS” AND “HEAT” AND “WAVES”

Thanks to Glass Animals, the word “glass” shines atop the Hot 100 in an act’s name for the second time: Looking Glass led with “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” nearly 50 years ago, on the Aug. 26, 1972, chart.

Let’s also not gloss over the three songs with “glass” in their titles to top the Hot 100: “Judy in Disguise (With Glasses),” by John Fred and the Playboys, in 1968; “Heart of Glass,” by Blondie, in 1979; and “Raise Your Glass,” by P!nk, in 2010.

Meanwhile, another Glass-named animal act almost hit No. 1 on the Hot 100: Glass Tiger leapt to No. 2 with “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” in 1986. Also, Martha & the Vandellas’ “Heat Wave” hit No. 4 in 1963, while Linda Ronstadt’s cover rose to No. 5 in 1975. Plus, famed R&B group Heatwave notched three Hot 100 hits in 1977-78: “Boogie Nights” (No. 2), “Always and Forever” (No. 18) and “The Groove Line” (No. 7).

This week also marks the first in which a song with the word “heat” in its title is hottest on the Hot 100.

March 5, 2022

5 FOR “BRUNO”

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” from Disney’s hit animated film Encanto, rules the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a fifth week.

The song, by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast (all singing as the characters that they voice in the movie), extends its mark for the most weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 ever for a hit from a Disney movie – and now claims more weeks on top than the other two leaders from Disney movies combined…  Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s “A Whole New World,” from Aladdin, led for a week in 1993 plus the three weeks for “All For Love,” by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting, from the live action The Three Musketeers, led for three weeks in 1994.

SOLO SONGWRITERS

Notably, the top two songs on the Hot 100 were written by a single writer each: as noted above, Lin-Manuel Miranda penned “Bruno,” while Glass Animals’ frontman Dave Bayley wrote “Heat Waves.” A week earlier, the songs marked the first solo-authored titles in the top two simultaneously since Matchbox Twenty’s “Bent,” written by the band’s Rob Thomas, and Vertical Horizon’s “Everything You Want,” written by the group’s Matt Scannell, placed at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, on the chart dated July 29, 2000.

SPANNING THE “HEART”

Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” also revisits the region (12-10), after it hit No. 7. John expands his span of top 10s to 51 years, one month and one week, dating to his first appearance in the top 10 with “Your Song” (Jan. 23, 1971), the longest among all acts not involving holiday songs.

February 26, 2022

DISNEY SUPREMO

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” from Disney’s hit animated film Encanto, leads the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a fourth week.  The ensemble song – by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast (all singing as the characters that they voice in the movie) – claims outright the most weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 ever for a hit from a Disney movie, animated or live action, as it passes the three-week reign of “All for Love,” by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting, from The Three Musketeers, in 1994.

Peak position, Year Title, Artist, Disney production (* denotes live-action film) (Label)

No. 1 (four weeks to-date), 2022, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast, Encanto (Walt Disney)

No. 1 (three weeks), 1994, “All for Love,” Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting, The Three Musketeers* (A&M)

No. 1 (one), 1993, “A Whole New World,” Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle, Aladdin (Columbia)

No. 4, 2009, “The Climb,” Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana: The Movie* (Walt Disney/Hollywood)

No. 4, 2006, “Breaking Free,” Zac Efron, Andrew Seeley & Vanessa Anne Hudgens, High School Musical* (Walt Disney)

No. 4, 1995, “Colors of the Wind,” Vanessa Williams, Pocahontas (Hollywood)

No. 4, 1994, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” Elton John, The Lion King (Hollywood)

No. 5, 2014, “Let It Go,” Idina Menzel, Frozen (Walt Disney)

NUMBER ONE SOUNDTRACK/ALBUM AND SONG SIMULTANEOUSLY

As “Bruno” tops the Hot 100 for a fourth week, its parent album, the Encanto soundtrack, leads the Billboard 200 albums chart for a sixth week (and fifth in a row).

Encanto and “Bruno” mark the first soundtrack and corresponding song to have led the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously for at least four weeks in 29 years, since Whitney Houston’s soundtrack to The Bodyguard and “I Will Always Love You” lined up atop the respective rankings for 12 weeks (Dec. 12, 1992-Feb. 27, 1993; coincidentally, “Always” was dethroned by “A Whole New World”).

Beyond soundtracks, Encanto and “Bruno” are the first album and corresponding song overall to have topped the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously for as many as four weeks since Drake’s Scorpion and “In My Feelings” on the charts dated July 21-Aug. 11, 2018.

“HEAT” RISES

Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” ascends 4-2 for a new Hot 100 best (after it charted as high as No. 3). The song reaches the runner-up spot in its 57th week on the chart, shattering the mark for the longest climb to the top two, previously held by Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (35 weeks, over multiple seasonal runs until the 1994 classic hit No. 1 for the first time in December 2019).

HE “WANTS” A TOP 10

Lil Nas X’s “Thats What I Want” returns to the Hot 100’s top 10, advancing 12-9 for a new high. The song debuted at its previous No. 10 best on the Oct. 2, 2021, chart as parent album Montero opened at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The track has remained in the Hot 100’s top half each week since its debut.

February 19, 2022

THREE FOR “BRUNO”

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” from Disney’s hit animated film Encanto, tops the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a third week.

The ensemble song – by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast (all singing as the characters that they voice in the movie) – ties for the most weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 ever for a hit from a Disney movie, animated or live-action, matching the three-week reign of “All for Love,” by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting, from The Three Musketeers, in 1994.

Here’s a recap of the highest-charting Hot 100 hits from Disney movies, animated and live-action combined:

Peak position, Year Title, Artist, Disney production (* denotes live-action film) (Label)

No. 1 (three weeks to-date), 2022, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast, Encanto (Walt Disney)

No. 1 (three weeks), 1994, “All for Love,” Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting, The Three Musketeers* (A&M)

No. 1 (one), 1993, “A Whole New World,” Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle, Aladdin (Columbia)

No. 4, 2009, “The Climb,” Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana: The Movie* (Walt Disney/Hollywood)

No. 4, 2006, “Breaking Free,” Zac Efron, Andrew Seeley & Vanessa Anne Hudgens, High School Musical* (Walt Disney)

No. 4, 1995, “Colors of the Wind,” Vanessa Williams, Pocahontas (Hollywood)

No. 4, 1994, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” Elton John, The Lion King (Hollywood)

No. 5, 2014, “Let It Go,” Idina Menzel, Frozen (Walt Disney)

Encanto and “Bruno” mark the first soundtrack and corresponding song to have led the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously for at least three weeks in over 26 years, since Dangerous Minds and Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise,” featuring L.V., aligned atop the respective rankings dated Sept. 9, 16 and 23, 1995.

NICKI AND BABY’S “PROBLEM”

Nicki Minaj and Lil Baby’s “Do We Have a Problem?” bounds onto the Hot 100 at No. 2. 

Minaj adds her 20th Hot 100 top 10. She’s the 22nd artist to reach the milestone over the chart’s history (which dates to 1958), and the seventh woman, after Madonna (38), Rihanna (31), Taylor Swift (30), Mariah Carey (28), Janet Jackson (27) and Whitney Houston (23). Drake leads all acts with 54 top 10s.

In Minaj’s two most recent trips to the Hot 100’s top 10 before “Problem,” she earned her first two No. 1s: as featured on Doja Cat’s “Say So,” which topped the May 16, 2020-dated chart, and with 6ix9ine on “Trollz,” which bowed atop the June 27, 2020, chart.

Lil Baby notches his ninth Hot 100 top 10 and ties his best rank and debut: he previously began at No. 2 as featured on two Drake tracks: “Wants and Needs” (March 2021) and “Girls Want Girls” (September 2021).

THE “GHOST” OF JUSTIN BIEBER

Justin Bieber’s “Ghost” reaches the Hot 100’s top 10, rising 12-9.  As it enters the Hot 100’s top 10 in its 20th week on the chart, it completes his longest trek to the tier, surpassing the 18-week journey of Skrillex and Diplo’s No. 8-peaking “Where Are Ü Now,” featuring Bieber, in 2015. Bieber banks his 26th Hot 100 top 10, pushing him into a solo share of the 11th-most top 10s in the chart’s history. (Of Bieber’s 26 top 10s, 17 have debuted in the top 10.)

February 12, 2022

WE’RE STILL TALKING ABOUT “BRUNO”

2 and Counting

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” from Disney’s Encanto, casts its spell atop the chart for a second week.

The ensemble song – by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast (all singing as the characters that they voice in the movie) – becomes the first song from a Disney animated film to lead the Hot 100 for multiple weeks. It one-ups the only other such song to have reigned: Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s Aladdin theme “A Whole New World,” which spent a week at No. 1 in 1993.

Meanwhile, “Bruno” is now the first soundtrack song to top the Hot 100 for multiple weeks since Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again,” featuring Charlie Puth, from Furious 7, tallied 12 weeks at No. 1 in April-July 2015. In between, three soundtrack hits led for a week each: Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!,” from Trolls (May 28, 2016); Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower,” from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Jan. 19, 2019); and Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow,” from A Star Is Born (March 9, 2019).

BOTH Soundtrack AND Single at #1

As “Bruno” crowns the Hot 100 for a second week, its parent album, the Encanto soundtrack, tops the Billboard 200 albums chart for a fourth week. 

Encanto and “Bruno” mark the first soundtrack and corresponding song to have led the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously for multiple weeks in over 19 years, since 8 Mile and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” ruled the respective rankings dated Jan. 11 and 18, 2003. Before that, the last such multi-week double domination belonged to Titanic and Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” on the charts dated Feb. 28 and March 7, 1998.

An Encanto Sandwich

Encanto music bookends the latest Hot 100, as Carlos Vives’ “Colombia, Mi Encanto” debuts at No. 100. The song by the venerable star – like Gaitán and Castillo, from Colombia – is the eighth from the Encanto soundtrack to hit the Hot 100.

“STAY”ING IN THE TOP 10

The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” holds at No. 4 on the Hot 100, after seven weeks at No. 1. The collab has spent its first 30 weeks on the chart in the top 10, becoming just the fifth song to achieve the feat; Post Malone’s “Circles” set a record by logging its first 38 weeks on the Hot 100 in the top 10.

February 5, 2022

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BRUNO!!!

“World” Meet “Bruno”

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” becomes only the second Hot 100 No. 1 from a Disney animated film. It follows Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s Aladdin theme “A Whole New World,” which topped the March 6, 1993, chart.

Most Credited Artists on a #1

The billing of Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast outpaces the quintet of DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne, whose “I’m the One” topped the May 20, 2017, chart. Gaitán, Castillo, Adassa, Feliz, Guerrero and Beatriz each lead the Hot 100 for the first time. They voice Encanto characters, and Madrigal family members, Pepa, Félix, Dolores, Camilo, Isabela and Mirabel, respectively.

Notably, the superstar-infused “We Are the World,” which topped the Hot 100 for four weeks in 1985, was billed as by USA for Africa.

Single Writer on a #1 Single

“Bruno” was written by Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who achieves his first No. 1 writing credit on the Hot 100.  The song is the first Hot 100 No. 1 by only one writer in over four years, since Ed Sheeran’s self-penned “Perfect” wrapped its six-week reign in January 2018.  “Bruno,” is the first No. 1 of the 2020s by a single writer, follows four in the ’10s and nine in the ’00s.

Disney Soundtrack & Song BOTH at #1

As “Bruno” crowns the Hot 100, its parent album, the Encanto soundtrack, tops the Billboard 200 albums chart for a third week.  Notably, the Aladdin soundtrack, from which “A Whole New World” was released, peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, in February 1993.  Thus, this week marks the first frame that a soundtrack to a Disney animated movie and one of its songs simultaneously lead the Billboard 200 and Hot 100, respectively.

Until this week, no soundtrack and corresponding song at all had led the charts simultaneously since A Star Is Born and Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow” ruled the respective rankings dated March 9, 2019.

Otras siete canciones de Encanto (or Seven other songs from Encanto)

John Leguizamo voices Encanto‘s Bruno Madrigal. While his character is the subject of the Hot 100’s new No. 1 and he’s not one of its singers, the acclaimed (and socially-conscious) veteran actor is scaling the chart with his first entry thanks to another Encanto song, “All of You.”

Seven Encanto tracks, all written solely by Miranda and produced by Miranda and Mike Elizondo, place on the Feb. 5 Hot 100, and all reach new highs:

No. 1, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast

No. 9, “Surface Pressure,” Jessica Darrow

No. 20, “The Family Madrigal,” Beatriz, Olga Merediz & Encanto Cast

No. 27, “What Else Can I Do?,” Guerrero & Beatriz

No. 36, “Dos Oruguitas,” Sebastián Yatra (up from No. 44, as the song, shortlisted for a best original song Oscar nomination, brings Yatra to the Hot 100’s top 40 in his first appearance on the chart)

No. 48, “Waiting On a Miracle,” Beatriz

No. 82, “All of You,” Beatriz, Merediz, John Leguizamo, Adassa, Maluma & Encanto Cast

Disney Giant Slayers

Just as “A Whole New World” dethroned a long-leading ballad (Whitney Houston’s 14-week No. 1 “I Will Always Love You”) atop the Hot 100, “Bruno” succeeds Adele’s “Easy on Me,” which ranks at No. 2 after 10 weeks on top.

“HEART” KEEPS ROLLING…

Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” (9-10) expands his span of top 10s to 51 years and two weeks, dating to his first appearance in the top 10 with “Your Song” (Jan. 23, 1971), the longest such stretch among all acts not involving holiday songs.

January 29, 2022

MAKING IT LOOK “EASY”

Adele’s “Easy on Me” claims its 10^th non-consecutive week at Number One.  She equals her longest reign, previously established by the 10-week command of her 2015-16 smash “Hello.”

“Easy on Me” becomes the 41st single in the Hot 100’s 63-year history to spend 10 or more weeks at No. 1. It’s the first since BTS’ “Butter” logged 10 weeks on top in June-September 2021.

She is the seventh artist with at least two No. 1s that have each ruled for double-digit weeks, joining…

Boyz II Men (3)

1992: End of the Road (from “Boomerang”) – 13 weeks

1994: I’ll Make Love to You – 14 weeks

1995: One Sweet Day (with Mariah Carey) – 16 weeks

Drake (3)

2016: One Dance (featuring WizKid & Kyla) – 10 weeks

2018: God’s Plan – 11 weeks

2018: In My Feelings – 10 weeks

The Black Eyed Peas (2)

2009: Boom Boom Pow – 12 weeks

2009: I Gotta Feeling – 14 weeks

Mariah Carey (2)

1995: One Sweet Day (with Boyz II Men) – 16 weeks

2005: We Belong Together – 14 weeks

Santana (2)

1999: Smooth (featuring Rob Thomas) – 12 weeks

2000: Maria Maria (featuring the Product G&B) – 10 weeks

Pharrell Williams (2)

2013: Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke featuring T.I.) – 12 weeks

2014: Happy – 10 weeks

Cumulative Weeks @ #1

Adele ties for the ninth-most cumulative weeks spent at No. 1 on the Hot 100, as she has totaled 34 frames on top among her five leaders; before “Easy on Me” and “Hello,” she reigned with “Rolling in the Deep” (seven weeks, 2011), “Someone Like You” (five, 2011) and “Set Fire to the Rain” (two, 2012).

1. Mariah Carey – 87 weeks
2. Rihanna – 60
3. The Beatles – 59
4. Drake – 52
5. Boyz II Men – 50
6. Usher – 47
7. Beyoncé – 41
8. Michael Jackson – 37
9. Adele – 34

tie. Elton John – 34
tie. Bruno Mars – 34

CONTINUING THE “TALK ABOUT BRUNO”

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast, ascends 4-2 for a new Hot 100 high.  “Bruno “solely boasts the second-highest rank for a song from a Disney animated film, dating to the chart’s August 1958 start. It trails only Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s “A Whole New World,” from Aladdin, a No. 1 for one week in March 1993.

“COLD” SPAN

Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” rebounds 10-9 on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 7. John expands his span of top 10s to 51 years and a week, dating to his first week in the top 10 with “Your Song” (Jan. 23, 1971), the longest such stretch among all acts not involving holiday songs.

“PRESSURE” TO BE THE FIRST

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Encanto track “Surface Pressure” by Jessica Darrow darts 14-10.  Darrow, who voices Encanto character Luisa Madrigal, scores a Hot 100 top 10 in her first visit to the chart. 

Meanwhile, thanks to “Bruno” and “Pressure” (both solo written by Lin-Manuel Miranda), Encanto becomes the first soundtrack from a Disney animated film to have yielded multiple Hot 100 top 10s. (The Lion King previously came closest to the achievement: Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” roared to No. 4 and follow-up “Circle of Life” reached No. 18 in 1994.)

January 22, 2022

“EASY” 9

“Easy on Me” moves to within a week of Adele’s longest Hot 100 domination: “Hello” reigned for 10 weeks in 2015-16.

LET’S “TALK ABOUT BRUNO”

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast, ascends 5-4 for a new Hot 100 highpoint.  It is now tied for the second-highest rank for a song from a Disney animated film, dating to the list’s August 1958 start. It trails only Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s “A Whole New World,” from Aladdin (No. 1, one week, March 1993), and matches the No. 4 highs for Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” from The Lion King (August 1994), and Vanessa Williams’ “Colors of the Wind,” from Pocahontas (August 1995). One other song from a Disney animated film has hit the top five: Idina Menzel’s “Let It Go,” from Frozen (No. 5, April 2014).

“PUSHIN” ON THE CHART @ #7

Gunna and Future’s “Pushin P,” featuring Young Thug, bounds onto the Hot 100 at No. 7.  Gunna earns his third Hot 100 top 10, and first to debut in the region, following “Drip Too Hard,” with Lil Baby (No. 4 peak, October 2018), and “Lemonade,” with Internet Money and featuring Don Toliver and NAV (No. 6, November 2020).

Future and Young Thug add their fifth and sixth Hot 100 top 10s, respectively; it’s their second shared top 10, after Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” on which they’re both featured, roared in atop the Sept. 18, 2021, chart.

January 15, 2022

With this week’s chart, we have packed away the tree, ornaments and the Christmas music.  We’ll begin to retrieve them from the attic sometime in late November.  And with the removal of 20 holiday songs, we’re flush with a combination of 20 re-entries and new songs into the 40.  And with this flurry of activity, some songs have achieved new peaks.  Let’s take a look, shall we…?

“EASY” RETURN

Adele’s “Easy on Me” returns to the top spot for her eighth non-consecutive week.  She breaks the seven week tie with “Rolling in the Deep” (2011) to become her second longest #1, just behind “Hello” (2015-16) which reigned for ten weeks.

“STAY” ISN’T LEAVING

The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber collab has spent their first 26 weeks (or, six months) on the chart in the Top 10.  “Stay,” which rebounds back to #2 (after spending seven non-consecutive weeks at #1), is just the sixth song to achieve the feat; Post Malone’s “Circles” set a record by logging its first 38 weeks on the Hot 100 in the top 10.

“HEAT WAVES” SIZZLES

Heat Waves/Glass Animals move to #3 passing their prior #7 peak.  By doing this, they complete a record 51-week ascent on the chart to the top five; the single (which debuted at No. 100 on the Jan. 16, 2021, tally) bests the 45-week trek for Gabby Barrett’s “I Hope,” featuring Charlie Puth, in 2020.

SHEERAN “SHIVERS”

“Shivers” by Ed Sheeran warm up to the #4 slot besting its former #5 peak – where it debuted.

LET’S “TALK ABOUT BRUNO”

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” from the Disney animated film, Encanto, is credited to Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast, blasts 50-5 in its second week on the Hot 100; all six soloists are among the Encanto voice cast and earn their first top 10 placements on the chart.  Notably, Encanto is just the sixth animated film soundtrack to top the Billboard 200 since the chart began publishing weekly in March 1956. Meanwhile, “Bruno” is only the fifth song from a Disney animated film to reach the Hot 100’s top five, dating to the list’s August 1958 inception. It follows Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s “A Whole New World,” from Aladdin (No. 1, one week, 1993); Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (No. 4, 1994), from The Lion King; Vanessa Williams’ “Colors of the Wind” (No. 4, 1995), from Pocahontas; and Idina Menzel’s “Let It Go” (No. 5, 2014), from Frozen.

WELCOME BACK, ELTON

Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” roars 20-7 on the Hot 100, reaching the top 10 for the first time (and surpassing its prior No. 11 high).  “Cold Heart” brings elements of four John songs to the Hot 100’s top 10, including one that previously ranked in the region: In the mash-up, John sings part of his No. 18 1990 hit “Sacrifice” and Lipa reprises his No. 6-peaking 1972 classic “Rocket Man” and his No. 25-reaching 1983 hit “Kiss the Bride,” while his 1976 track “Where’s the Shoorah?” serves as its coda. The new combination also credits trio Pnau’s co-writing and co-production.

John achieves his 28th Hot 100 top 10 and first since “Candle in the Wind”/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight” marked his ninth No. 1 in October 1997 through January 1998. As he had last appeared in the top 10 on the chart dated Jan. 31, 1998, he ends a break of 23 years, 11 months and two weeks between top 10s. While lengthy, it’s not a record: two weeks ago, The Ronettes’ wrapped a 58-year, two-month gap when “Sleigh Ride” dashed to No. 10, becoming the group’s first top 10 since “Be My Baby” in 1963. The seven longest breaks between top 10s all ended via holiday songs, and all since 2018; among nonseasonal hits (as with “Cold Heart”), Dobie Gray ranks first with a wait of 30 years, two months and a week between his original version of “Drift Away” in 1973 and Uncle Kracker’s remake, featuring Gray, in 2003.

John also ties Mariah Carey (atop last week’s Hot 100 with “All I Want for Christmas Is You”) and Stevie Wonder (his recent duet partner) for the seventh-most Hot 100 top 10s in the chart’s history:

Most Hot 100 Top 10s

1. Drake (54)

2. Madonna (38)

3. The Beatles (34)

4. Rihanna (31)

5. Michael Jackson (30)

5. Taylor Swift (30)

7. Mariah Carey (28)

7. Elton John (28)

7. Stevie Wonder (28)

10. Janet Jackson (27)

Plus, John now boasts Hot 100 top 10s in four distinct decades: the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s and 2020s. He’s the 10th act to have placed in the top 10 in at least four separate decades; Michael Jackson became the first artist to have ranked in the bracket in as many as five decades, from the ’70s through the ’10s (and that’s not including his tenure in the Jackson 5, who first hit the top 10 in the ’60s), and Andy Williams joined him, thanks to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

Hot 100 Top 10s in Four or More Decades

’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’10s, ’20s: Andy Williams

’70s, ’80s, ’90s, ’00s, 10s: Michael Jackson

’90s, ’00s, ’10s, ’20s: Mariah Carey

’90s, ’00s, ’10s, ’20s: Jay-Z

’70s, ’80s, ’90s, ’20s: Elton John

’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’20s: Andy Williams

’80s, ’90s, ’00s, ’10s: Whitney Houston

’80s, ’90s, ’00s, ’10s: Madonna

’70s, ’80s, ’90s, ’00s: Aerosmith

’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s: Cher

’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s: Barbra Streisand

As for his span of Hot 100 top 10s, John expands it to 51 years, 11 months and three weeks, dating to his first week in the top 10 with “Your Song” (Jan. 23, 1971). The stretch is the longest among all acts not involving holiday songs, surpassing Jackson’s (42 years, six months and a week); a week ago, thanks to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” Andy Williams’ record for the longest top 10 span overall was extended to 62 years and three months, dating to his first week in the top 10 with “Lonely Street,” on the chart dated Oct. 12, 1959.

4 for DUA

“Cold Heart” marks Lipa’s fourth Hot 100 top 10, after “New Rules” (No. 6, February 2018); “Don’t Start Now” (No. 2, March 2020); and “Levitating” (No. 2, May 2021).

3 on BLACK

Kodak Black’s “Super Gremlin” surges 16-10 for its first week in the tier.  He earns his third Hot 100 top 10, following “Tunnel Vision” (No. 6, March 2017) and “ZEZE,” featuring Travis Scott and Offset (No. 2, October 2018).

January 8, 2022

MARIAH CAREY: THE EXTENDED “CHRISTMAS” REMIXES

This week, Mariah Carey extends her already robust trivia count in the following ways – courtesy of “All I Want for Christmas Is You”…

Most weeks at #1 for a Holiday hit: 8

Career weeks @ #1: 87

Longest span atop the Hot 100: From this song’s first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to its latest: two years and 18 days (Dec. 21, 2019-Jan. 8, 2022).

Longest span @ #1 from the very first week: 31 years, five months and a week, dating to her first week at No. 1 on the chart dated Aug. 4, 1990, with her debut single “Vision of Love.”

Fifth for eighth: Carey claims her fifth Hot 100 No. 1 to rule for eight weeks or more, tying her with Drake for the most such leaders. She matches the mark thanks to “One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men (16 weeks, 1995-96); “We Belong Together” (14, 2005); “Christmas” (eight, 2019-22); “Fantasy” (eight, 1995); and “Dreamlover” (eight, 1993).

STILL “WONDERFUL”

Andy Williams’ 1963 classic “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” extends his record for the longest span of appearing in the Top 10 to 62 years and three months, dating to his first week in the top 10 with “Lonely Street,” on the chart dated Oct. 12, 1959.

January 1, 2022

MORE MARIAH TRIVIA…

5×7

Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” holds at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The carol, released in 1994, adds its seventh total week on top, after notching three weeks at No. 1 beginning in December 2019 and two more starting in December 2020, before it returned to the summit a week ago.  “Christmas” is Carey’s fifth Hot 100 No. 1 to rule for seven weeks or more, tying her with Drake for the most such leaders. Adele, Beyoncé, Boyz II Men and Rihanna follow with three each.

#1 @ 50

As it spends its 50th week on the Hot 100, Carey’s “Christmas” is the first song to lead in as late as its 50th frame on the survey. A week earlier, when it reigned in its 49th week, it passed Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” which led through its 46th week on the chart in November 1996. (The latter also logged multiple runs on the Hot 100, first running up 20 weeks in September 1995-January 1996 before it resurged and returned in May 1996 and lasted on the list through February 1997.)

EXTENDING SEVERAL SPANS

Carey’s “Christmas” extends its mark for the longest span from a song’s first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to its latest: two years and 11 days (Dec. 21, 2019-Jan. 1, 2022).

Plus, the latest week atop the Hot 100 for “Christmas” extends Carey’s record for the longest span of an artist ranking at No. 1 on the chart: 31 years and five months, dating to her first week at No. 1 on the chart dated Aug. 4, 1990, with her debut single “Vision of Love.”

When “Christmas” first hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated Dec. 21, 2019, Carey passed Cher, whose solo No. 1s span 27 years and five months, from “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves,” from its first week at No. 1 in 1971, through “Believe,” through its last week on top in 1999. (If Cher’s career as half of duo Sonny & Cher were combined with her solo output, her No. 1 span would cover 33 years, seven months and two weeks, from Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe,” which reached the top in 1965, through “Believe.”)

ANOTHER YEAR IN THE BOOKS

Carey has now placed at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in a record-extending 18 distinct years (per Hot 100 chart dates): 1990-2000, 2005-06, 2008 and, thanks to “Christmas,” 2019-22.

Next up are three acts that have each spent time atop the Hot 100 in 10 individual years: Paul McCartney/Wings (1971, 1973-76, 1978, 1980, 1982-84; additionally, The Beatles, with him as a member, led in eight years: 1964-70); Michael Jackson (1972, 1979-80, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1995); and Madonna (1984-87, 1989-92, 1995, 2000).

MOST WEEKS @ #1 FOR A HOLIDAY HIT

With its seventh week atop the Hot 100, Carey’s “Christmas” extends its record for the most time at No. 1 among holiday songs. The only other seasonal single to reign, “The Chipmunk Song,” by David Seville & the Chipmunks, spent four weeks on top beginning in December 1958.

OTHER NON-MARIAH CHRISTMAS-RELATED STOCKING STUFFERS

SLEIGH RIDING

The Ronettes‘ “Sleigh Ride,” moves up from No. 13 to No. 10 to make its first Top 10 appearance. The track was originally released in 1963, just after the group posted its lone top 10: its classic “Be My Baby,” which hit No. 2. The act’s return to the top 10 is record-breaking, as it ranks in the region after a break of 58 years and two months.  The act (whose original three members reportedly did not record together after the ’60s) rewrites the record for the longest gap between top 10s, previously held by Burl Ives, who went 56 years, seven months and two weeks from “Funny Way of Laughin’ ” in 1962 to “Holly Jolly Christmas,” which hit the top 10 for the first time during the 2018-19 holiday season.

In between top 10s, and despite the original lineup’s dissolution, The Ronettes maintained a notable pop culture presence, particularly via “Be My Baby.” The song was interpolated, spotlighting lead singer Ronnie Spector’s “oh-oh-oh-oh … be my little baby” signature lines, in Eddie Money’s “Take Me Home Tonight,” which hit No. 4 on the Hot 100 in November 1986. The next year, “Be My Baby” received prominent placement in the blockbuster film Dirty Dancing, and on its soundtrack which topped the Billboard 200 for 18 weeks in 1987-88.

IT’S WONDERFUL

The late Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” rises 7-6 on the Hot 100. Originally released in 1963, it hit a No. 5 high last holiday season. With the song’s latest week in the top 10, Williams’ record for the longest span of appearing in the tier is extended to 62 years, two months and three weeks, dating to his first week in the top 10 with “Lonely Street,” on the chart dated Oct. 12, 1959.

7 WHAMS A WHAMMING

Wham!’s “Last Christmas” jingles 9-7 for a new Hot 100 high. A year ago this week, the song, released in 1984, hit the top 10 for the first time, becoming the seventh top 10 for the duo of George Michael (who died Dec. 25, 2016) and Andrew Ridgeley. The pair charted its first six top 10s, including three No. 1s, in 1984-86; Michael subsequently notched 14 solo top 10s, including seven No. 1s, through 1996.

FELIZ FELICIANO

José Feliciano’s 1970 holiday chestnut “Feliz Navidad” returns to the Hot 100’s top 10, dashing 11-8. It hit a No. 6 high last holiday season, two weeks after becoming his second top 10.

December 25, 2021

A CHRISTMAS “CAREY” a/k/a “MARIAH” CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY!

So, if you haven’t guessed, this installment of weekly trivia tips is centered around Mariah Carey.  So, here we go…

TOP 10 CHRISTMAS RECORDS

It’s not what you think.  In the rock era, along with this week, there have been nine other occasions where the week ending chart actually was dated December 25.  Here’s a list of those who had a Number One record in their stockings…

1960: Are You Lonesome Tonight?/Elvis Presley

1965: Over and Over/Dave Clark Five

1971: Brand New Key/Melanie

1976: Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)/Rod Stewart

1982: Maneater/Daryl Hall & John Oates

1993: Hero/Mariah Carey

1999: Smooth/Santana featuring Rob Thomas

2004: Drop It Like It’s Hot/Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell

2010: Firework/Katy Perry

2021: All I Want for Christmas Is You/Mariah Carey

If you notice, Mariah is the only one to have done this twice.

BOOKENDING 2021

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the only song in the rock era to be Number One the first (week ending January 2, 2021) and last (December 25, 2021) weeks of any calendar year.

#1 IN THREE SEPARATE CHART RUNS

Carey’s “Christmas” first topped the Hot 100 dated Dec. 21, 2019, and led again on the next two lists, dated Dec. 28, 2019, and Jan. 4, 2020.

The following holiday season, it returned to No. 1 on the chart dated Dec. 19, 2020, and, after a week at No. 2 (below Taylor Swift’s “Willow”), topped the Jan. 2, 2021, dated tally.

As “Christmas” rules the latest, Dec. 25, 2021-dated chart, it claims its sixth total week at No. 1 in its third seasonal run at the summit, becoming the first song in the Hot 100’s 63-year history to lead in three distinct chart runs. The track has re-entered the survey each November or December dating to 2012.

BOOMERANG VISITS TO #1

As “Christmas” has made four interrupted climbs to the top of the Hot 100, on charts dated Dec. 21, 2019, Dec. 19, 2020, Jan. 2, 2021, and now Dec. 25, 2021, it ties 24kGoldn’s “Mood,” featuring iann dior, beginning in October 2020, and Drake’s “Nice for What,” in 2018, as the only songs with four separate ascents to No. 1; unlike “Christmas,” the latter two tracks logged their four distinct rises to No. 1 over unbroken chart stays.

LONGEST SPAN ATOP THE HOT 100

Carey’s “Christmas” now boasts the longest span from a song’s first week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to its latest: two years and four days (Dec. 21, 2019-Dec. 25, 2021).

It passes the only other song to lead the Hot 100 over multiple runs: Chubby Checker’s “The Twist,” which topped the tally dated Sept. 19, 1960, before, thanks to new popularity among adult audiences, leading the lists dated Jan. 13 and 20, 1962, ruling again after a gap of a year, three months and three weeks. (Still, that break remains the longest between Hot 100 reigns.)

MOST WEEKS AT #1 FOR A HOLIDAY HIT

With its sixth week atop the Hot 100, Carey’s “Christmas” extends its record for the most time at No. 1 among holiday songs. The only other seasonal single to jingle to the apex, “The Chipmunk Song,” by David Seville & the Chipmunks, spent four weeks on top beginning in December 1958.

MOST CAREER WEEKS AT #1

With “Christmas,” Carey claims her record-extending 85th week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.  The others in the Top 10 are:

1. Mariah Carey (85)

2. Rihanna (60)

3. The Beatles (59)

4. Drake (52)

5. Boyz II Men (50)

6. Usher (47)

7. Beyoncé (41)

8. Michael Jackson (37)

9. Elton John (34)

10. Bruno Mars (34)

“Christmas” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades, dating to her first week on top with her debut single, “Vision of Love,” in 1990.

Further, “Christmas” is Carey’s record fifth Hot 100 No. 1 to rule for six weeks or more. She one-ups Boyz II Men, Drake and Usher, each with four such leaders.

“STAY”…LITERALLY

The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” slides 4-6 on the Hot 100, after seven weeks at No. 1. Notably, over its first 23 weeks on the chart, dating to its July debut at No. 3, the song has yet to rank below No. 6. It’s one of only three titles ever to have spent its first 23 weeks or more in the top six spots, after Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” (27, in 2017) and Post Malone’s “Rockstar,” featuring 21 Savage (also 23, in 2017-18).

7 GEORGE AND ANDREWS

Wham!’s “Last Christmas” dashes back to the Hot 100’s top 10, and its No. 9 high, first reached last holiday season. The song became the seventh Hot 100 top 10 for the duo of George Michael (who died Dec. 25, 2016) and Andrew Ridgeley, after the pair charted its first six in 1984-86, including the No. 1s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Careless Whisper” and “Everything She Wants.” Michael subsequently notched 14 solo top 10s, including seven No. 1s, through 1996.

December 18, 2021

Adele’s fifth Number One, “Easy on Me,” is her third to rule for at least seven weeks – following “Rolling in the Deep” (7 in 2011) and “Hello” (10 in 2015-2016). She is the sixth artist to have reached this rarified air with three or more such Number Ones. Adele joins Drake (5), Mariah Carey and Rihanna (4 each), Beyonce and Boyz II Men (3 each).

Also, Adele is the only act in this elite group that has had their lead singles from three consecutive albums: “Rolling in the Deep” from 21; “Hello” from 25; and “Easy on Me” from 30.

December 11, 2021

With “Easy on Me” spending its sixth non-consecutive week at Number One, Adele is spending her career 30th week in the top slot. It’s only fitting that the lead-off single from her album, 30, helps her achieve this feat.

Adele is the 17th artist – and 8th woman – to reach the 30 cumulative week summit. Here’s how the other ladies shake out…

1. Mariah Carey (84)
2. Rihanna (60)
3. Beyonce (41)
4. Janet Jackson (33)
5. Katy Perry (33)
6. Madonna (32)
7. Whitney Houston (31)
8. Adele (30)

And as you can see, Adele is poised to ride up this list as long as she spends a minimum of four more weeks (and counting) at the top.

December 4, 2021

SIX CAROLS CAROLLING

It’s the first week of December 2021 and there are six Christmas songs within the Top 40.

• 12. All I Want for Christmas Is You/Mariah Carey (peaked at #1)
• 14. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree/Brenda Lee (#2)
• 20. Jingle Bell Rock/Bobby Helms (#3)
• 27. A Holly Jolly Christmas/Burl Ives (#4)
• 30. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year/Andy Williams (#5)
• 40. Last Christmas/Wham! (#9)

It’s almost positive that by Santa’s visit, these will be back in the Top 10 – possibly with higher peaks.  Also, expect half of the Top 40 to celebrating the holiday season.

ADELE’S TOP FIVE

With its fifth week atop the Hot 100, the ballad ties for Adele’s third-longest Hot 100 reign among her five No. 1s:

• “Hello,” No. 1 for 10 weeks, beginning Nov. 14, 2015
• “Rolling in the Deep,” seven, May 21, 2011
• “Easy on Me,” five (non-consecutive), to-date, Oct. 30, 2021
• “Someone Like You,” five (non-consecutive), Sept. 17, 2011
• “Set Fire to the Rain,” two, Feb. 4, 2012

ADELE THE VIII

Adele adds her eighth Hot 100 top 10. In addition to her five No. 1s and “Oh My God,” she reached No. 8 with both “Skyfall” (October 2012) and “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” (September 2016).

Plus, thanks to “Easy on Me” at No. 1 and “Oh My God” at No. 5, Adele boasts simultaneous top five Hot 100 hits for a second time; “Set Fire to the Rain” and “Rolling in the Deep” placed at Nos. 2 and 5, respectively, on the March 3, 2012, chart, after Adele performed the latter at that year’s Grammy Awards, while the song won for record and song of the year and parent LP 21 took the trophy for album of the year.

November 27, 2021

In the last qualifying week of the calendar year of 2021, a woman who is a superstar by all accounts wants to tell you her “version” of her story.  And it’s our turn to listen to…

TAYLOR’S VERSION

Taylor Swift blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version).” The song, long considered a classic among her catalog, is from her new re-recorded LP, Red (Taylor’s Version), which concurrently launches at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

A SPOT SHE KNOWS “WELL”

Swift scores her eighth Hot 100 leader.

Here’s a recap:

• “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” three weeks at No. 1, beginning Sept. 1, 2012
• “Shake It Off,” four weeks, beginning Sept. 6, 2014
• “Blank Space,” seven weeks, beginning Nov. 29, 2014
• “Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, one week, June 6, 2015
• “Look What You Made Me Do,” three weeks, beginning Sept. 16, 2017
• “Cardigan,” one week, Aug. 8, 2020
• “Willow,” one week, Dec. 26, 2020
• “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” one week to-date, Nov. 27, 2021

Swift is the 20th artist and seventh solo woman in the Hot 100’s history with at least eight No. 1s. The Beatles lead all acts with 20 No. 1s, followed by Mariah Carey with 19.

TAYLOR’S TOP 10s

“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” is also Swift’s 30th Hot 100 top 10, as she becomes just the sixth artist to reach the milestone.

Most Hot 100 Top 10s:

• 54, Drake
• 38, Madonna
• 34, The Beatles
• 31, Rihanna
• 30, Michael Jackson
• 30, Taylor Swift

2 X 3

Swift is the first artist to debut atop the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously as many as three times. (The Billboard 200 began on March 24, 1956, and the Hot 100, on Aug. 4, 1958.)

Swift became the first act to swoop in with such a double when Folklore and “Cardigan” bowed atop the Billboard 200 and Hot 100, respectively, on Aug. 8, 2020. She repeated the feat with “Willow” and Evermore on Dec. 26, 2020.

BTS, Justin Bieber and Drake have scored one such simultaneous start each.

“ALL TOO” LONGEST #1

Given the (dominant) 10-minute, 13-second version of “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” the song can now be considered the longest No. 1 by run time in the Hot 100’s history. Don McLean’s “American Pie (Parts I & II),” at 8 minutes, 37 seconds, held the mark for nearly a half-century, dating to its first of four weeks at No. 1 in January 1972.

“ALL TOO” LONG BETWEEN REMAKE #1s

With the original “All Too Well” having charted on the Hot 100, at No. 80, for a week in November 2012, Swift notches the first No. 1 cover of a previously-charted Hot 100 hit (not counting samples or interpolations) in over 20 years, since Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya and P!nk’s “Lady Marmalade” started its five-week rule on the June 2, 2001, survey. The original by Labelle led for a week in March 1975.

“ALL TOO” FAMILIAR #1 REMAKES

Meanwhile, Swift is the first artist to update an own act prior Hot 100 hit to No. 1 since Elton John, whose “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight” dominated for 14 weeks in October 1997-January 1998. His live version of “Candle” rose to No. 6 in January 1988, after he’d first released its studio recording in 1973.

John also logged the prior such Hot 100 leader, when his live take of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” with George Michael, reigned for a week in February 1992. John’s solo original studio version hit No. 2 in July 1974.

WEEKLY TOP 40 YEAR-END MADNESS!

As stated earlier, this is the last qualifying week for 2021.  Our year spans from weeks ending December 5, 2020 to November 27, 2021.  So any song that charted in that time frame and has amassed enough overall points will end up in our Top 100 songs of the year.  Also, points are given to the individual artists and will be tallied to come up with the Top 50 artists of 2021.  Lists are created to be compared and contrasted so we can’t wait to see what you have to say about this year’s lot.  We should have these posted before Christmas.  Meanwhile, let’s start to slowly turn our eyes to the upcoming future nostalgic hits of 2022. 

From all of us here at Top 40 Weekly, have a wondrous Thanksgiving!

November 20, 2021

DYNAMIC DUOS

There are four male duos in this week’s Top 10 who, usually record as solo artists.

They are listed below with each of their Top 10s:

• Stay/the KID Laroi (2) & Justin Bieber (25)
• Industry Baby/Lil Nas X (5) & Jack Harlow (2)
• One Right Now/Post Malone (10) & the Weeknd (14)
• Smokin Out the Window/Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars [18] & Anderson.Paak [2])

“SUMMER” DAZE

Summer Walker claims a share of Billboard Hot 100 history, as she floods the chart with 18 songs from her new album, Still Over It.

Walker joins Taylor Swift as female artists in the chart’s 63-year history to simultaneously place as many as 18 songs on the survey.

Swift sent 18 songs onto the chart last Sept. 9, 2019, as her album Lover debuted atop the Billboard 200.

November 13, 2021

“WAVES” IN THE TOP 10

Glass Animals wrap an unprecedented climb to the Hot 100’s top 10, as “Heat Waves” ascends from No. 13 to No. 10. The song, the group’s first Hot 100 top 10, reaches the region in its 42nd week on the chart, completing the longest trip to the tier in the list’s 63-year history.  Here’s a list other songs that took at least 30 weeks to hit the Top 10 – along with where they eventually peaked.

42, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals, reached top 10 on chart dated Nov. 13, 2021 (#10, so far…)
38, “Before He Cheats,” Carrie Underwood, June 2, 2007 (#8)
36, “Higher,” Creed, July 8, 2000 (#7)
34, “I Hope,” Gabby Barrett feat. Charlie Puth, Aug. 29, 2020 (#3)
31, “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons, April 13, 2013 (#3)
30, “Better,” Khalid, April 20, 2019 (#8)
30, “Rockstar,” Nickelback, Sept. 15, 2007 (#6)
30, “Amazed,” Lonestar, Feb. 26, 2000 (#1)
30, “This Kiss,” Faith Hill, Oct. 10, 1998 (#7)

November 6, 2021

6 MONTHS OF ADELE

All five of Adele’s Hot 100 No. 1s have led for multiple weeks, as “Easy on Me” follows “Rolling in the Deep” (seven, 2011), “Someone Like You” (five, 2011), “Set Fire to the Rain” (two, 2012) and “Hello” (10, 2015-16). Adele spends her 26th cumulative week atop the chart (thus, the equivalent of six total months at the summit). Dating to her first week at No. 1 (May 21, 2011), Adele ties Rihanna for the most weeks atop the chart among women in that span; overall, they trail only Drake (52) and Justin Bieber (32).

October 30, 2021

HELLO, ADELE.  IT’S BEEN A WHILE…

“Easy on Me” becomes Adele’s fifth Hot 100 leader. Here’s a rundown:

“Rolling in the Deep,” for seven weeks beginning May 21, 2011
“Someone Like You,” five, beginning Sept. 17, 2011
“Set Fire to the Rain,” two, beginning Feb. 4, 2012
“Hello,” 10, beginning Nov. 14, 2015
“Easy on Me,” one, to-date, beginning Oct. 30, 2021

“Easy on Me” is also Adele’s seventh Hot 100 top 10. In addition to her five No. 1s, “Skyfall” and “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” each reached No. 8, in October 2012 and September 2016, respectively.

Adele adds her 11th top 40 Hot 100 hit, dating to her debut entry “Chasing Pavements,” which rose to No. 21 in February 2009.

“EASY” JUMP TO #1

“Easy on Me” makes the eighth-greatest vault to No. 1 in the Hot 100’s history. It logs the biggest jump since Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” surged 77-1 in September 2017, also after its first full tracking week.

SOLO BRITS AT THE TOP

The London-born Adele becomes one of six British-born soloists with at least five Hot 100 No. 1s (with Liverpool-formed The Beatles pacing all acts with 20 leaders).

Adele also ties Olivia Newton-John for the most Hot 100 No. 1s among women born in the U.K. (Newton-John was born in Cambridge and moved to Australia during childhood.)

Here’s an updated leaderboard of the most Hot 100 No. 1s by British-born solo acts:

9, Elton John
9, Paul McCartney
8, George Michael
7, Phil Collins
5, Adele
5, Olivia Newton-John

3 FOR 3

Adele has sent the first single from each of her three most recent albums to No. 1 on the Hot 100, with “Easy on Me” following “Hello” and “Rolling in the Deep.”

“Easy” is the lead single from 30, Adele’s fourth studio album, and first in six years, due Nov. 19. It follows 25, which houses “Hello” and topped the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks beginning in December 2015. 21, which includes her first three Hot 100 No. 1s, led the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks starting in March 2011 and reigns as the top title in the chart’s entire history. (Her debut LP, 19, entered the Billboard 200 in June 2008 and reached a No. 4 high in March 2012.)

AS “EASY” AS 1-2-3 FOR COLUMBIA

With “Easy on Me” at No. 1, The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” at No. 2 and Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow’s “Industry Baby” at No. 3 on the Hot 100, Columbia Records ranks in the top three spots via three acts that the label promotes: Adele, The Kid LAROI and Lil Nas X.

NOT AS “EASY” AS IT LOOKS

Meanwhile, “Easy on Me” is the first song with “easy” in its title to top the Hot 100. Its hard-fought victory passes the prior No. 2 such best for Philip Bailey’s “Easy Lover,” with Phil Collins, in 1985.

Here’s a look at the highest-charting hits with “easy” in their titles:

“Easy on Me,” Adele, No. 1 (one week to-date), 2021
“Easy Lover,” Philip Bailey with Phil Collins, No. 2, 1985
“Easy,” Commodores, No. 4, 1977
“It Don’t Come Easy,” Ringo Starr, No. 4, 1971
“Easy to Be Hard,” Three Dog Night, No. 4, 1969
“It’s So Easy,” Linda Ronstadt, No. 5, 1977

Sidebar: There’s a connection between Adele’s “Easy on Me” and the Commodores’ “Easy,” after she and the group’s former lead singer, Lionel Richie, each topped the Hot 100 with songs titled “Hello.” Not to look too far ahead, but could Adele’s follow-up album to 30 include a song about dancing on a ceiling all night long (all night)?

October 23, 2021

HIT ME, “BABY”

Lil Nas X and Harlow add the 20th Hot 100 leader with “baby” in its title. Here’s a recap of all such songs that have bounced to No. 1:

“Take Good Care of My Baby,” Bobby Vee, 1961
“Hey! Baby,” Bruce Channel, 1962
“Baby Love,” The Supremes, 1964
“Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me,” Mac Davis, 1972
“Rock Your Baby,” George McCrae, 1974
“(You’re) Having My Baby,” Paul Anka, 1974
“Angie Baby,” Helen Reddy, 1974
“Baby Come Back,” Player, 1978
“Baby, Come to Me,” Patti Austin with James Ingram, 1983
“Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley,” Will to Power, 1988
“Baby Don’t Forget My Number,” Milli Vanilli, 1989
“Ice Ice Baby,” Vanilla Ice, 1990
“I’m Your Baby Tonight,” Whitney Houston, 1990
“Baby Baby,” Amy Grant, 1991
“Baby Got Back,” Sir Mix-A-Lot, 1992
“Always Be My Baby,” Mariah Carey, 1996
“…Baby One More Time,” Britney Spears, 1999
“Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You),” Christina Aguilera, 2000
“Baby Boy,” Beyoncé feat. Sean Paul, 2003
“Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, 2021

(Honorable mentions to Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe,” in 1965; Barry White‘s “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” in 1974; and Styx‘s “Babe,” in 1979.)

October 16, 2021

“STAY” FOR THE MEN’S CLUB

For seven non-consecutive weeks, the Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber have been at #1 with “Stay.”  This ties for the second-longest No. 1 run for a song by two or more co-billed solo male leads over the chart’s 63-year history. Here’s an updated look at such songs that have reigned for at least three weeks (and which excludes duos or groups known for regularly recording together).

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artists, Peak date:
16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee (featuring Justin Bieber), beginning May 27, 2017
7, “Stay,” The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, beginning Aug. 14, 2021
7, “Ebony and Ivory,” Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder, beginning May 15, 1982
6, “Say Say Say,” Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson, beginning Dec. 10, 1983
4, “Shake Ya Tailfeather,” Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee, beginning Sept. 6, 2003
3, “All for Love,” Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, Sting, beginning Jan. 22, 1994

THE “ESSENCE” OF BIEBER

Bieber tallies his milestone 25th Hot 100 top 10, having joined Wizkid and Tems on the “Essence” remix released Aug. 13. Here’s an updated recap of the acts with the most top 10s, as Bieber matches the totals of Lil Wayne and Elvis Presley (with the chart having begun two years after Presley’s commercial breakthrough).

Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s:

54, Drake
38, Madonna
34, The Beatles
31, Rihanna
30, Michael Jackson
29, Taylor Swift
28, Mariah Carey
28, Stevie Wonder
27, Janet Jackson
27, Elton John
25, Justin Bieber
25, Elvis Presley
25, Lil Wayne

October 9, 2021

IT TOOK 13 YEARS

Coldplay get their second #1 13 years, three months and two weeks after they first hit with “Viva La Vida” on the chart dated June 28, 2008.  This ends the longest gap between chart toppers since Cher hit with “Believe” on the chart dated March 13, 1999, a record 10 days shy of 25 years when she last hit with “Dark Lady” in 1974.

However, among groups, Coldplay ends the longest #1 drought since the Beach Boys went to “Kokomo” the week ending November 5, 1988, just a month short of 22 years since they took “Good Vibrations” to the top in 1966.

IT TAKES TWO

“My Universe” is the first #1 by two groups each given lead billing on a song.  (For clarification, it’s not labeled with a “featuring” or “with” credit.)  Prior to them, the closest was the #2 smash “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” by Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations in 1969.

October 2, 2021

IT TAKES TWO (OR MORE…)

As “Stay” tops the Hot 100 for a sixth week, it ties for the third-longest command for a song by two or more co-billed solo male leads over the chart’s 63-year history. Here’s an updated leaderboard of such No. 1s to reign for at least three weeks (and which excludes duos or groups known for regularly recording together, such as Daryl Hall & John Oates or Macklemore & Ryan Lewis; notably, Bieber and Paul McCartney each factor into two of the top four titles):

• 16 weeks at No. 1, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee (feat. Justin Bieber), beginning May 27, 2017
• 7 weeks at No. 1, “Ebony and Ivory,” Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder, beginning May 15, 1982
• 6 weeks at No. 1, “Stay,” The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, beginning Aug. 14, 2021
• 6 weeks at No. 1, “Say Say Say,” Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson, beginning Dec. 10, 1983
• 4 weeks at No. 1, “Shake Ya Tailfeather,” Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee, beginning Sept. 6, 2003
• 3 weeks at No. 1, “All for Love,” Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting, beginning Jan. 22, 1994

Interestingly enough, of the titles listed, “Stay” is the only one that has spent non-consecutive weeks at #1.

September 25, 2021

DRAKE LOTTO

In case you need more Drake trivia, here we go.  As of last week’s chart (9/18/21), Drake has amassed an ever-increasing total of 258 entries (either as a lead or featured artist) on the Hot 100.  He has had a song peak in 90 of the 100 positions!  If you want to play PowerBall or Mega Millions, maybe these numbers will help: 31, 43, 59, 66, 77, 93, 96, 98, and 99 are the positions he has yet to peak. Thusly, he’s peaked at every rank in the Top 30 and all but #31 in the Top 40.  It is fair to say that all of his songs – on either their ascent or descent – have hit every rung.  Of those songs’ peaks, he’s hit #1 and #14 the most with nine songs each.

September 18, 2021

“21” SAVAGE SONGS

Not only did all 21 tracks from Drake’s new album, Certified Lover Boy, debut on the Hot 100, they ALL debuted within the Top 40!  This means that he has 52.5% of this week’s Top 40!

“WAY 2” MANY TOP 10s

These nine new Top 10s have increased Drake’s count 54.  Here’s the Top 10 of the Most Top 10s:

1. Drake (54)
2. Madonna (38)
3. The Beatles (34)
4. Rihanna (31)
5. Michael Jackson (30)
6. Taylor Swift (29)
7. Mariah Carey (28)
8. Stevie Wonder (28)
9. Janet Jackson (27)
10. Elton John (27)

KEEPING IN THE THEME OF “9”

With “Way 2 Sexy” debuting at #1, this becomes his ninth #1 – his fifth debut.  This ties him with Ariana Grande for the most #1 debuts.  In case you forgot, here’s a recap of his chart toppers:

1. “What’s My Name?,” Rihanna feat. Drake (one week at No. 1, beginning Nov. 20, 2010)
2. “Work,” Rihanna feat. Drake (nine weeks, beginning March 5, 2016)
3. “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla (10 weeks, beginning May 21, 2016)
4. “God’s Plan,” Drake (11 weeks, beginning Feb. 3, 2018)
5. “Nice for What,” Drake (eight weeks, beginning April 21, 2018)
6. “In My Feelings,” Drake (10 weeks, beginning July 21, 2018)
7. “Toosie Slide,” Drake (one week, April 18, 2020)
8. “What’s Next,” Drake (one week, March 20, 2021)
9. “Way 2 Sexy,” Drake feat. Future and Young Thug (one week to-date, Sept. 18, 2021)

For those keeping tabs, that’s a career total of 52 weeks and counting.  Again, this man has spent a year at Number One!

September 11, 2021

LOOKING OVER “DONDA”

As you peruse the album credits of Kanye West’s 10th #1 album, “Donda,” you’ll notice that 23 titles have debuted on the Hot 100 – twelve of which debuted within the Top 40.  He’s only second to rap nemesis, Drake, who landed at 23 titles in a single week three other times, with his 2018 release “Scorpion” filling out a record 27 songs on the Hot 100!  In other words, on the July 14, 2018 chart, Drake had 27% of the Hot 100 real estate!

TOP 40 “BUTTER”

“Butter” by BTS becomes the 40th single to log at least 10 weeks at #1.  The last to do it was “the Box” by Roddy Ricch when it ran for 11 weeks from January-March 2020.

“LIGHTS” OUT

After a record-setting 90 weeks on the Hot 100, “Blinding Lights” by the Weeknd has fallen off the chart.  

September 4, 2021

LEVITATUS CONTINUOSO

With 34 weeks in the Top 10 (and counting), Dua Lipa continues to be the female (either as a soloist or in a lead role) with the longest run within the Top 10.  Let’s see if the “Levitating” continues…

August 28, 2021

PSSSST

According to the “Rumors,” this is Lizzo’s third Top 10 and Cardi B’s 10th.  Pass it on…

Also, “Rumors” tops the R&B/Hip Hop Chart.  This is the second song with the exact title to hit #1.  The first was in 1986 by Timex Social Club, which also peaked at #8 on the Hot 100.  But you didn’t hear that from me…

THE LEVITATION CONTINUES

“Levitation” by Dua Lipa is spending its 33rd week in the Top 10.  This puts her in a three-way tie for third place for most weeks.  Among women in a lead role, Dua Lipa holds this record surpassing LeAnn Rimes and “How Do I Live” which spent 32 weeks.  Funnily enough, both songs peaked at #2.  Dua has a long way to go to catchup to and pass the 57 weeks spent just scored by the Weeknd and “Blinding Lights.”

August 21, 2021

LONGEST WEEKS AT #2…WITH AN ASTERISK

“Good 4 U” logs its record-tying 11th week at No. 2 on the Hot 100, encompassing the chart’s 63-year history. It matches Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” which also debuted at No. 1 before settling in at No. 2. “Good 4 U” has ranked directly below BTS’ “Butter” (for eight weeks) and “Permission to Dance” (one week) and now The Kid LAROI and Bieber’s “Stay” (two weeks). “Exhale” spent all 11 of its weeks at No. 2 a spot below Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” in 1995-96.

Songs to Spend the Most Weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100:
11, “Good 4 U,” Olivia Rodrigo, first week at No. 2: June 5, 2021
11, “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” Whitney Houston, Dec. 2, 1995
10, “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish, June 8, 2019
10, “That’s What I Like,” Bruno Mars, April 1, 2017
10, “Work It,” Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, Nov. 16, 2002*
10, “Freak Me,” Silk, March 27, 1993
10, “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” Foreigner, Nov. 28, 1981*

(*Five of the seven songs above hit No. 1 on the Hot 100; only “Work It” and “Waiting for a Girl Like You” peaked at No. 2.)

As a purist, Missy Elliott and Foreigner are the true record holders as they have peaked AND spent their 10 weeks solely at #2.

“LIGHT”ING UP THE 88s

“Blinding Lights” by the Weeknd now holds the record for the most weeks on the Hot 100.  It is currently spending its 88th week (and counting).  Let’s see how far it goes before the lights go out.

August 14, 2021

“STAY”…AGAIN

“Stay” by the Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber is the second song with the exact title to hit #1.  The first was way back in November 1960 when Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs spent a week at the top.  If you noticed, I said the exact title.  This does not include the Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories hit because of the parenthetical in the title – “Stay (I Missed You)”.

8:1 ODDS

“Stay” becomes the Kid LAROI’s first number one while this is Bieber’s eighth trip to the summit.

HE COMES FROM A LAND DOWN UNDER

the Kid LAROI is only the second solo Australian male to hit #1.  The first? Rick Springfield back in August 1981 with a little song called “Jessie’s Girl.”  The last Australian soloist to hit number one was Sia in August 2016 with “Cheap Thrills,” a song she did with Sean Paul.  What is this with Aussies and August #1s?!

WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT 17?

The Kid LAROI was born Aug. 17, 2003, making him the most recently born artist to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. Thus, his age as of the Aug. 14, 2021-dated chart: three days shy of his 18th birthday. He’s the youngest artist to lead the survey since Jawsh 685 was 17 years, 11 months, and two weeks old when “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat),” with Jason Derulo and BTS, topped the Oct. 17, 2020, chart.

“KIDS” WHO PLAY

The Kid LAROI is the fourth “Kid”-named act to top the Hot 100, after New Kids on the Block (three No. 1s), WizKid, and Kid Cudi (one each). No kidding.

NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH

As stated earlier, Justin Bieber scores his eighth number one; thus, tying him with Drake as the most chart-toppers by Canadians.  The Weeknd is a close third with six.  And since they are all actively charting, watch these numbers.

…SPEAKING OF THE WEEKND…

His massive “Blinding Lights” is spending its record-tying 87th week on the Hot 100 at #16.  After debuting on the December 14, 2019 chart AND spending four non-consecutive weeks at number one AND becoming the #1 song of 2020, how is it still hanging on while other #1s have come and gone?  Is it still receiving massive airplay?  Strong sales?  That cool reminiscent 1980s “Take on Me”/A-Ha vibe?  I dunno.  But here’s the song it’s tied with: Radioactive/Imagine Dragons which peaked at #3 in July 2013.

August 8, 2021

#9 DREAM

By sliding into their 9th non-consecutive week at #1, BTS’ “Butter” joins the ranks of these other almost double-digit #1s.  Here they are broken up by decade in chronological order.

Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin (1959)

Theme from “A Summer Place” by Percy Faith (1960)

Hey Jude by The Beatles (1968)

None in the 1970s

Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes (1981) – #1 song of 1981

Endless Love by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (1981)

None in the 1990s

In da Club by 50 Cent (2003)

Baby Boy by Beyonce featuring Sean Paul (2003)

Hey Ya! by OutKast (2003-2004)

Let Me Love You by Mario (2005)

Candy Shop by 50 Cent featuring Olivia (2005)

TiK ToK by Ke$ha (2010)

Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen (2012)

One More Night by Maroon 5 (2012)

Royals by Lorde (2013)

Work by Rihanna featuring Drake (2016)

Butter by BTS (2021)

July 31, 2021

8 x 2-ISH

By rebounding 7-1, “Butter” by BTS now ties Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” for spending eight weeks at #1 – the most of 2021, so far.

“PERMISSION” TO RETURN

As “Butter” replaces “Permission to Dance” at No. 1 on the Hot 100, a week after “Permission to Dance” took over for “Butter,” BTS is the first act to displace itself at No. 1 with a new leader and then send the previous No. 1 back to the summit with no other acts holding the top spot in between. 

July 24, 2021

“PERMISSION” TO ENTER”

BTS replaces themselves at #1 as “Permission to Dance” moshes their way onto the chart at the top!  

TIED FOR SECOND

Of the 55 songs that have debuted at #1, four of them belong to BTS.  This puts them in a three-way tie with Drake and Justin Bieber for second place for most #1 debuts.  The leader is Ariana Grande with five.  Since all are still active on the chart, expect these numbers to rise.

FAST 5

It took BTS 10 months and two weeks to score five Number Ones!  That’s the fastest any act has done this trick since Michael Jackson racked up five in a row from September 1987 – June 1988 – or nine months and two weeks.  His list was…

I Just Can’t Stop Loving You (with Siedah Garrett) – September 19, 1987 – one week

Bad – October 24, 1987 – two weeks

The Way You Make Me Feel – January 23, 1988 – one week

Man in the Mirror – March 26, 1988 – two weeks

Dirty Diana – July 2, 1988 – one week

But even THIS is not the fastest.  That record belongs to the Beatles who hit five times from February 1964 – August 1964 – which equates to exactly six months!  Their legendary playlist consists of…

I Want to Hold Your Hand – February 1, 1964 – seven weeks

She Loves You – March 21, 1964 – two weeks

Can’t Buy Me Love – April 4, 1964 – five weeks

Love Me Do – May 30, 1964 – one week

A Hard Day’s Night – August 1, 1964 – two weeks

Fun fact: The first three were back-to-back-to-back totalling 14 consecutive weeks at #1.

THE REPLACEMENTS

With “Permission to Dance” replacing “Butter” atop the Hot 100, BTS is the first artist to dethrone itself since Drake, whose “In My Feelings” ended the eight-week reign of “Nice for What” on the July 21, 2018 chart. (Before that, on the April 21, 2018-dated survey, “Nice” soared in at No. 1, wrapping the rule of his “God’s Plan.”)

“DANCE” WITH US

BTS sends the ninth song with the word “dance” in its title to the top of the Hot 100. Here’s the full “dance” card:

“Save the Last Dance for Me,” The Drifters, three weeks at No. 1, beginning Oct. 17, 1960
“Let’s Dance,” David Bowie, one, May 21, 1983
“Flashdance…What a Feeling,” Irene Cara, six, May 28, 1983
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” Whitney Houston, two, June 27, 1987
“Batdance,” Prince, one, Aug. 5, 1989
“Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now),” C+C Music Factory, two, Feb. 9, 1991
“Just Dance,” Lady Gaga feat. Colby O’Donis, three, Jan. 17, 2009
“One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla, 10, May 21, 2016
“Permission to Dance,” BTS, one week to-date, July 24, 2021

SIDE NOTE: Four songs with “dancing” in their titles have topped the Hot 100, all, unsurprisingly, at the height of the disco era: “You Should Be Dancing,” Bee Gees, 1976; “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing,” Leo Sayer, 1977; “Dancing Queen,” ABBA, 1977; and “Shadow Dancing, Andy Gibb, 1978.

A YOUNG 100

With his duet “Stay” with the Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber becomes the youngest male artist to score 100 Hot 100 chart appearances at the ripe old age of 27 years, four months and three weeks, spanning from his March 1, 1994 birthday.  He beats out Drake, who was 28 years, 11 months and two weeks in 2015 (now #2) and Lil Wayne who was 29 years, five months and three weeks in 2012 (now #3).

July 17, 2021

7 Weeks for 7 Members

The seven-man K-pop group, BTS, spreads their “Butter” for a seventh week at #1.  Basically, each guy gets a week.Attachments area

July 10, 2021

CHURNING “BUTTER”

BTS churns their 6th week at #1.  “Butter” is one of nine titles to spend their first six weeks on the chart at #1 – with Mariah Carey doing it twice (Fantasy (8 weeks) and One Sweet Day (16 weeks with Boyz II Men)) in 1995-1996.  For those loving my percentiles, they are in that 17% quotient of songs to spend their first six weeks at #1.

EDWARD THE VIII

Ed Sheeran gains his eighth Top 10 as “Bad Habits” crashes onto the chart at #5.

July 3, 2021

1/5 OF”BUTTER”

Of the 54 songs to have debuted at #1, Butter/BTS is one of eleven to have spent their first five weeks at the top.  This equates to 20% overall.

THERE CAN BE ONLY “ONE”

While it’s not a record (I don’t think), there are five other former Number One songs just hanging out in the Top 10..

June 26, 2021

“BUTTER” SPREADS ANOTHER WEEK

BTS’ 4th #1 spends its 4th consecutive week at the top.  It is now the 13th song to do this or 24% of the 54 songs to debut and spend its first four weeks at #1.  Let’s see if they make it 5.

June 19, 2021

“BUTTER” SEE YOUR MATH

As stated in last week’s piece that 45% of songs that debuted at #1 spent their second week at #1.  Now, BTS’ “Butter” is part of that 28% (or 15 songs) that have scored with their first three consecutive weeks at the top.

BUNNY HOPS

Bad Bunny scores his fourth Top 10 as “Yonaguni” enters that chart at #10.  This is the first bilingual Top 10 where English is not featured.  This song is predominately sung in Spanish with additional lyrics in Japanese. 

This is his first time hitting the Top 10 with no accompanying acts.  His other appearances were “I Like It,” with Cardi B and J Balvin, began at No. 8 in April 2018 and spent a week at No. 1 that July; “MIA,” featuring Drake, debuted at its No. 5 peak in October 2018; and “Dákiti,” with Jhay Cortez, opened at No. 9 in November 2020 and hit No. 5 in December.

ASIAN GEOGRAPHY 101

Continuing on about “Yonaguni,” it is the westernmost island of Japan and is home to the endangered, yet protected Yonaguni pony.  Lo siento, Senor Bunny.

June 12, 2021

“BUTTER” ON A ROLL

Of the 54 songs that have debuted at #1, Butter is the 23^rd title to have its first two consecutive weeks at the top.  For those really into stats, that’s a 43% second-week success rate.  Two others have done it this year: drivers license by Olivia Rodrigo and Rapstar by Polo G.  Will they make it three?

June 5, 2021

BTS (BETWEEN THE SONGS)

This is BTS’ 4^th #1 in 9 months and their 3^rd to debut at #1

“Dynamite” beginning September 5, 2020 for three non-consecutive weeks

“Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” with Jawsh 685 & Jason Derulo for a week in October 17, 2020

“Life Goes On” for another week in December 5, 2020

“Butter” for one week (and counting) beginning June 5, 2021.

BTS is the first group to have three #1 debuts.  Ariana Grande leads all acts with five.

BTS earned their first four #1s in exactly nine months (September 5, 2020 – June 5, 2021).  They are one of an elite seven acts to have their first four #1s in under a year.  Here are the others…

1. The Beatles, four months (February 1 – May 30, 1964)
2. The Supremes, seven months and one week (August 22, 1964 – March 27, 1965)
3. Justin Timberlake, seven months and two weeks (September 9, 2006 – April 21, 2007)
4. The Jackson 5, eight months and two weeks (January 31 – October 17, 1970)
5. BTS, nine months (September 5, 2020 – June 5, 2021)
6. Mariah Carey, nine months and three weeks (August 4, 1990 – May 25, 1991)
7. Paula Abdul, one year (February 11, 1989 – February 10, 1990)

If you include all artists regardless of when it happened, Rihanna did it twice: Four in eight months all in 2010, then started another four-pack spanning nine months from 2010-2011.

RODRIGO’S RECORDS

With “good 4 u,” “deja vu,” and “traitor” all in the Top 10 simultaneously, Olivia Rodrigo is the first artist in Hot 100 history to have three concurrent songs in the Top 10 from a debut album (SOUR).

May 29, 2021

GOOD 4 U

“Good 4 U” by Olivia Rodrigo is the 53rd song to debut at #1.  The first?  “You Are Not Alone” by Michael Jackson in September 1995.  The longest? “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men for 16 consecutive weeks!

Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album Sour Is the first debut album since Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy to have two #1 songs.  “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” and “I Like It” (with Bad Bunny and J Balvin) hit the top in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album Sour makes history as the first album to have two songs that have debuted at #1.  “Drivers License” revved in in January 2021.

Previous albums to have two #1 debuts are:

1. Mariah Carey’s Daydream: Fantasy and One Sweet Day (with Boyz II Men) in 1995-1996.
2. Drake’s Scorpion: God’s Plan and Nice for What in 2018
3. Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next: Thank U, Next and 7 Rings in 2018-2019

Fun fact: For each of these artists, it was their fifth album.

THE OFF SEASON

J. Cole storms onto the chart with songs from his #1 album, the Off-Season, with four of them landing in the Top Ten.

• “my.life,” with 21 Savage and Morray, vaults in at No. 2
• “amari” at No. 5
• “pride.is.the.devil,” with Lil Baby, at No. 7
• “95.south” at No. 8

J. Cole is the fourth artist to score four simultaneous Top 10 debuts.  He follows Drake (July 14, 2018), Lil Wayne (October 13, 2018) and Juice WRLD (July 25, 2020).

Rodrigo’s #1 debut + J.Cole’s quartet = 5 songs that have begun their chart lives in the Top Ten (or a newly minted chart record).

May 22, 2021

LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN

This week spends its second non-consecutive week at #1.  There was a four week gap between weeks at the top.  Last time that happened was with Circles/Post Malone.  He spent his first two weeks in December 2019 and his third week in January 2020.

This is Bruno Mars’ 8^th #1 following…

1. Nothin’ on You (B.o.B featuring Mars) beginning May 2010 for two weeks
2. Just the Way You Are beginning October 2010 for four weeks
3. Grenade beginning January 2011 for four non-consecutive weeks
4. Locked Out of Heaven beginning December 2012 for six weeks
5. When I Was Your Man in April 2013 for one week
6. Uptown Funk! (Mark Ronson featuring Mars) beginning January 2015 for 14 weeks
7. That’s What I Like in May 2017 for one week
8. Leave the Door Open (Silk Sonic [Mars & Anderson.Paak]) beginning in April 2021 for two non-consecutive weeks and counting

He has a career total of 34+ weeks at #1.

“DOOR” TO THE TOP 10

“Leave the Door Open” is the only title that has entered the #1 spot.  There have been only four others since 1955 to have gained entry into the Top 10.

Next Door to an Angel/Neil Sedaka (#5, 1962)

The Door Is Still Open to My Heart/Dean Martin (#6, 1964)

Lookin’ Out My Back Door/Creedence Clearwater Revival (#2, 1970)

Let My Love Open the Door/Peter Townsend (#9, 1980)