Steve Lacy’s ‘Bad Habit’ Hits No. 1 on Radio Songs, Pop Airplay Charts
Written by djfrosty on November 16, 2022
Steve Lacy continues his good fortune with “Bad Habit,” as his breakout hit rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s all-format Radio Songs chart and the mainstream top 40-based Pop Airplay tally (dated Nov. 19).
The song crowns the former with 67.9 million audience impressions, up 18%, in the Nov. 4-10 tracking week, according to Luminate.
“Bad Habit” is the fifth Radio Songs No. 1 in 2022 by an artist in a first visit to the chart, joining Nicky Youre and dazy’s “Sunroof”; JID’s “Enemy” (with Imagine Dragons); Latto’s “Big Energy”; and Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves.” All five songs also drew buzz on TikTok, reflecting radio’s notable acceptance of key viral hits on the platform this year.
Just one rookie, Olivia Rodrigo, ruled Radio Songs in a first visit in 2021 (“Drivers License”), after three did, via two hits, in 2020: 24kGoldn and iann dior (“Mood”) and Gabby Barrett (“I Hope,” featuring Charlie Puth).
This year marks the most No. 1s by artists in initial appearances on Radio Songs since 2014, when five acts also led on their first tries: Tove Lo (“Habits [Stay High]”), Meghan Trainor (“All About That Bass”), MAGIC! (“Rude”), Nico & Vinz (“Am I Wrong”) and Iggy Azalea (“Fancy,” featuring Charli XCX).
“Bad Habit” topped the all-genre, multi-metric Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in October. It also led Rhythmic Airplay for a week earlier in November. It pushes to a new No. 4 high on Adult Alternative Airplay and has hit No. 11 on Adult Pop Airplay and No. 27 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.
The single has also led the multi-metric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, Hot Rock Songs and Hot Alternative Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs charts, having become the first to dominate all five rankings (dating to October 2012, when Billboard’s main genre-based song charts adopted the Hot 100’s methodology).
“Bad Habit” is from Lacy’s L-M/RCA Records LP Gemini Rights, which debuted as his first top 10, at its No. 7 peak, on the Billboard 200 albums chart in July. The song has drawn 607.8 million in radio audience and 353.6 million official streams and sold 25,000 downloads in the U.S. from its release through Nov. 10.
The Compton, Calif., native previously reached Billboard’s charts as a member of The Internet and then via collaborations as a soloist alongside acts including Frank Ocean, Tyler, The Creator and Vampire Weekend.
Lacy recently told Billboard of his greatest career success so far, “I’m just grateful. It still doesn’t feel real yet.”