Ask Billboard: Where Does ‘Flowers’ (Already) Rank Among Miley Cyrus’ Biggest Hits?
Written by djfrosty on February 16, 2023
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Let’s open the latest mailbag.
Miley Cyrus’ Career Streaming, Airplay & Sales Totals
Hi @gthot20 to celebrate @MileyCyrus ‘Flowers,’ could you update Miley’s best-selling albums and most-streamed songs and most-heard hits on radio? Thank you so much!
Miley Cyrus Charts
@CyrusOnStats
As of the latest Billboard Hot 100, dated Feb. 18, “Flowers” is Miley Cyrus‘ newly crowned longest-leading No. 1, surpassing the three-week command of “Wrecking Ball” in 2013.
Just four weeks into its Hot 100 run, “Flowers” is also already surging up the ranks of her biggest career hits, in both streaming and radio airplay.
Let’s recap Cyrus’ top songs in those metrics. As for her best-selling albums, three have each passed 1 million in U.S. sales, according to Luminate (through Feb. 9): 2008’s Breakout (1.6 million), 2009’s EP Time of Our Lives (1.5 million) and 2013’s Bangerz (1.2 million).
Miley Cyrus’ Most-Streamed Songs (on-demand, official) in the U.S.:
970 million, “Party in the U.S.A.” / 898 million, “Wrecking Ball” / 759 million, “We Can’t Stop” / 468 million, “Malibu” / 463 million, “23” (Mike WiLL Made-It feat. Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J)
363 million, “The Climb” / 356 million, “Midnight Sky” / 316 million, “Adore You” / 233 million, “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” (Mark Ronson feat. Cyrus) / 220 million, “When I Look at You”
203 million, “Prisoner” (feat. Dua Lipa) / 196 million, “Slide Away” / 182 million, “Flowers” / 169 million, “Mother’s Daughter” / 167 million, “Don’t Call Me Angel (Charlie’s Angel)” (with Ariana Grande & Lana Del Rey)
Miley Cyrus’ Most-Heard Radio Songs in the U.S. (audience impressions):
3.6 billion, “Party in the U.S.A.” / 3 billion, “The Climb” / 2.5 billion, “Wrecking Ball” / 1.2 billion, “See You Again” / 943 million, “We Can’t Stop”
774 million, “Ready, Set, Don’t Go” (Billy Ray Cyrus with Miley Cyrus) / 422 million, “Malibu” / 365 million, “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” / 360 million, “23” / 297 million, “Midnight Sky”
233 million, “Flowers” / 221 million, “Prisoner” / 216 million, “Adore You” / 162 million, “Can’t Be Tamed” / 155 million, “7 Things”
Thus, just a month after its release, “Flowers” is already Cyrus’ 11th biggest hit in total radio airplay audience and her 13th biggest in on-demand streaming.
Could Valentine’s Day give the song an extra boost? Some stats from a source that we don’t regularly cite: the Society of American Florists, the U.S. floral industry trade association, reported last year that the day is the top holiday for buying flowers (ahead of Christmas/Chanukah and Mother’s Day, each in second place). “Flowers” could even impact the breakdown of who is given Valentine’s bouquets, as, per a 2022 poll, “spouse” was the top choice for recipients, followed by “mother” and “significant other.” Next up? “Self.” “Women even treat themselves on Valentine’s Day,” the report noted, previewing Cyrus’ own purchase this year.
Speaking of her collab “23” …
23 More No. 23 Hits for ’23
Thanks, Jake! Good memory: “Absence of Kid Rock’s radio hit in the digital space opens the door for knock-off version” by Hit Masters, Billboard pointed out when the latter debuted on the Hot 100. That cover hit No. 5 on the Digital Song Sales chart, while Rock’s original climbed to No. 3 on Radio Songs (with top five peaks at pop, country and adult formats). On the Hot 100, they reached Nos. 19 and 23, respectively, in 2008.
For New Year’s Day, we looked at 23 enduring No. 23-peaking Hot 100 hits for 2023, including Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run,” No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” and Taylor Swift’s “15.”
In addition to those and yours, how about 23 more? From The Beach Boys to The Beatles, and Rihanna to more Swift, here are another 23 No. 23-peaking Hot 100 hits that remain prominent in ’23.
“In My Room,” The Beach Boys, 1963
One of the iconic group’s 35 top 40 Hot 100 hits, a list extended by “Little Saint Nick” this past holiday season.
“Rain,” The Beatles, 1966
“Sun” broke through after “Rain”: “Here Comes the Sun,” written by the band’s George Harrison, was released in 1969 (and, despite its classic status, was not made a single from Abbey Road and has never hit the Hot 100).
“Mustang Sally,” Wilson Pickett, 1966
Not only was the song a hit in 1966, but that year’s Ford Mustang remains the best-selling of any year for the sleek car.
“Tell Mama,” Etta James, 1968
The beloved singer’s legend likely outshines her Hot 100 history: she tallied nine top 40 hits, with “Tell Mama” her highest-charting.
“Rocky Mountain Way,” Joe Walsh, 1973
The song brought Walsh to the Hot 100, where he went on to hit a No. 12 high as a soloist in 1978 with “Life’s Been Good.” Plus, The Eagles, with Walsh as a member, notched three No. 1s in 1977-79, including “Hotel California,” punctuated by Walsh and Don Felder’s famed dual-guitar outro.
“Follow You Follow Me,” Genesis, 1978
The single became the band’s first top 40 Hot 100 hit, and 16 more followed “Follow.” In 1981, frontman Phil Collins scored his first of 21 top 40 entries as a soloist.
“Come Together,” Aerosmith, 1978
The second John Lennon-Paul McCartney composition on this list, after “Rain.” “Come Together” was released from the soundtrack to the kitschy film Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, starring, among others, the Bee Gees, George Burns, Peter Frampton and Steve Martin.
“Stranger in My House,” Ronnie Milsap, 1983
One of Milsap’s 49 top 10 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart, it won the Grammy Award for best country song. It was written by Mike Reid, a former NFL Pro Bowler who went on to notch his own No. 1 on the survey as a recording artist with “Walk on Faith” in 1991. (Having also co-penned songs including Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” Reid received the NFL Alumni Career Achievement Award in 1996.)
“Moonlighting (Theme),” Al Jarreau, 1987
TV theme songs boast their own built-in promotion: Moonlighting, starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis, was the ninth-most watched show of 1987.
“When We Was Fab,” George Harrison, 1988
Following two Beatles songs above, this song, as evident in its title, recounts the Fab Four’s early days.
“Rock and a Hard Place,” The Rolling Stones, 1989
The second single from Steel Wheels marks the band’s most recent top 40 Hot 100 hit. (It followed the No. 5-peaking “Mixed Emotions.”)
“Moneytalks,” AC/DC, 1991
Among the group’s classic catalog, three songs have crossed over to the Hot 100’s top 40 – with this track the band’s highest charting. It followed two other essentials: “You Shook Me All Night Long” (No. 35, 1980) and “Back in Black” (No. 37, 1981).
“U.N.I.T.Y.,” Queen Latifah, 1994
The song, the entertainer’s highest reaching of seven Hot 100 hits, contributed to the Grammy Awards’ high-profile hip-hop celebration Feb. 5.
“Your Woman,” White Town, 1997
The song returned as the basis of Dua Lipa’s 2021 hit “Love Again,” while its history dates back (much) further: Its signature instrumental hook was widely popularized in Lew Stone and His Monseigneur Band’s “My Woman” in 1932.
“Smooth Criminal,” Alien Ant Farm, 2001
The track amped up Michael Jackson’s No. 7-peaking 1989 hit, the sixth and final top 10 from his album Bad. As Madonna then tallied three top 10s that year (“Like a Prayer,” “Express Yourself” and “Cherish”), the King and Queen of Pop wrapped the ’80s with a leading 17 top 10s each during the decade.
“Hands Clean,” Alanis Morissette, 2002
Following Morissette’s haul of hits from 1995’s Jagged Little Pill and 1998’s Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, this song stands as her biggest since, having also risen to No. 3 on both Adult Alternative Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay. By 2002, she told Billboard, she had learned “when to say ‘no’ and take a step back. It’s not a matter of wielding power; it’s a matter of understanding your limits and controlling the quality of your life.”
“Brave,” Sara Bareilles, 2014
The singer-songwriter and actress has scored three top 40 Hot 100 hits, with this empowerment anthem following “Love Song” (No. 4, 2008) and “King of Anything” (No. 32, 2010).
“Prayer in C,” Lillywood & Robin Schulz, 2015
The song by the respective French and German acts became a major global hit, reaching No. 1 on charts in (deep breath) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K.
“The Man,” Taylor Swift, 2019
Swift told Billboard in 2019 of the song’s inspiration, “When I go online and hear the stories of my fans talking about their experience in the working world, or even at school, the more we talk about it, the better off we’ll be. And I wanted to make it catchy for a reason – so that they would end up with a song about gender inequality stuck in their heads.”
“Believe It,” PARTYNEXTDOOR & Rihanna, 2020
Rihanna’s most recent Hot 100 hit until “Lift Me Up,” which reached No. 2 upon its debut this past November. What might be her next career move?
“ily,” Surf Mesa feat. Emilee, 2020
The song reinvented (the chorus of) Frankie Valli’s No. 2-peaking 1967 classic, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”
“The Next Episode,” Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg, 2000
“Still D.R.E.,” Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg, 2022
Two of Dr. Dre’s signature songs have reached No. 23 on the Hot 100. The latter soared past its prior No. 93 high in late 1999 following the all-star Super Bowl halftime show last year. “You’re talking about at least 3,000 people that you have to depend on to get this show right for 13 minutes,” he said (while offering advice to Rihanna ahead of this year’s concert). “So, it is an extreme amount of pressure, but it’s fun at the same time. When it’s done … I got goosebumps.”