Future’s ‘Wait for U’ Breaks Top 10 Record on Rap Airplay Chart
Written by djfrosty on February 14, 2023
Future’s “Wait” pays off as the rapper’s hit single “Wait for U,” featuring Drake and Tems, breaks the record for the most weeks in the top 10 on Billboard’s Rap Airplay chart.
The single, which won a Grammy Award for best melodic rap performance on Feb. 5, captures an unprecedented 40th week in the top 10 despite a 4-5 decline and 7% drop in weekly audience, according to Luminate.
With a 40th week in the top 10, “Wait” surpasses Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love” as the track with the most weeks in the Rap Airplay top 10. The late Pop Smoke set the mark on the chart dated Oct. 2, 2021, as “Know” ranked at No. 10 for its 39th week in the upper tier.
As the leaderboard shuffles, here’s a look at the tracks with the most weeks in the top 10 of Rap Airplay since the list began in 1999.
Weeks in Top 10, Song Title, Artist, Year(s) in Top 10
40, “Wait for U,” Future featuring Drake & Tems, 2022-23
39, “What You Know Bout Love,” Pop Smoke, 2021
38, “Back That Thang Up,” Juvenile featuring Mannie Fresh & Lil Wayne, 1999-2000
38, “Suge,” DaBaby, 2019-20
38, “Baddest,” Yung Bleu, 2 Chainz & Chris Brown, 2021-22
37, “Power Trip,” J. Cole featuring Miguel, 2013-14
36, “For the Night,” Pop Smoke featuring Lil Baby & DaBaby, 2020-21
34, “Girls Want Girls,” Drake featuring Lil Baby, 2021-22
34, “Big Energy,” Latto, 2021-22
34, “Super Gremlin,” Kodak Black, 2022
During its recordbreaking stay, “Wait” captured 18 weeks at No. 1 on the Rap Airplay chart to claim the second-longest run in the chart’s history. It trails only the 19-week reign for Kid Ink’s “Show Me,” featuring Chris Brown, in 2014.
The combination of three radio favorite artists has proven an irresistible teamup for radio programmers and listeners alike. Since its release in April 2022 on Future’s I Never Liked You album, “Wait” has dominated the artists’ home radio R&B/hip-hop format and led to breakthroughs in other arenas. “Wait” racked up a record 16 weeks at No. 1 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and is nearing the all-time top 10 mark there, too. Plus, it led to Future’s biggest Pop Airplay success as a lead act with its No. 20 peak, as all three of his higher-peaking songs featured him alongside core pop acts: Maroon 5’s “Cold” (No. 8), Taylor Swift’s “End Game,” also featuring Ed Sheeran (No. 10) and Ariana Grande’s “Everyday” (No. 18).
The radio juggernaut has also boosted Tems’ appeal in the radio world. Between featured turns on “Wait” and Wizkid’s 2021 smash “Essence,” which ruled R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for 27 weeks, the Nigerian singer-songwriter quickly became a favorite at the radio format. The two titans helped generate interest in her own work, with “Free Mind” the top beneficiary. The song, first released on her 2020 EP, For Broken Ears, improved in streams and led to a radio campaign of its own. It clearly worked – this week, “Free Mind” sits at No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for a sixth week.