SZA’s ‘Snooze’ Breaks No. 1 Record on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart
Written by djfrosty on February 9, 2024
It has been more than a year since SZA’s SOS was released on Dec. 9, 2022, but the album continues to mine new records on the Billboard charts. Now, the album’s hit single “Snooze” earns an unprecedented 30th week at No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, the most by any song in the list’s 31-year history.
“Snooze” scores its record-breaking moment on the chart dated Feb. 17 through a 2% increase to 22 million in audience for the tracking week of Feb. 2 – 8, according to Luminate. With its 30th week atop R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, the song breaks from a tie with Chris Brown and Young Thug’s “Go Crazy” to solely claim first place in the archives. “Go Crazy” dominated for 29 weeks in 2020-21.
As “Snooze” shuffles the leaderboard, here’s a recap of the songs with the most weeks at No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, which launched in 1993.
Weeks at No. 1, Song Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1
30, “Snooze,” SZA, July 1, 2023
29, “Go Crazy,” Chris Brown & Young Thug, Aug. 22, 2020
27, “No Guidance,” Chris Brown featuring Drake, Aug. 24, 2019
27, “Essence,” Wizkid featuring Justin Bieber & Tems, Sept. 4, 2021
23, “Adorn,” Miguel, Sept. 22, 2012
22, “Free Mind,” Tems, Nov. 12, 2022
18, “Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic, April 24, 2021
16, “Boo’d Up,” Ella Mai, June 23, 2018
15, “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige, Jan. 7, 2006
15, “Hotline Bling,” Drake, Oct. 24, 2015
Notably, the top six tunes on the list above belong to RCA Records. The label has particularly shored up its ranks in recent years; “Snooze” marks the third time in the last four years that the record for most weeks at No. 1 has changed hands, though it has remained within the RCA family. After Miguel’s “Adorn” set a then-record 23 weeks atop the radio ranking in April 2013, it held until Brown’s “No Guidance,” featuring Drake, took the title in February 2020, before its own displacement, to “Go Crazy,” in April 2021.
As with most of the preceding titleholders, “Snooze” achieved the record through its cross-format strength at both mainstream R&B/hip-hop and adult R&B stations, whose combined audience totals are what makes up the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart . The single began a four-week, nonconsecutive run at No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay in July 2023 and has remained in the top five each week. At the same time, “Snooze” has been steadily climbing Adult R&B Airplay and is nearing the top slots, climbing 6-5 on the newest chart.
The R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay record furthers a major week for “Snooze,” following its Grammy Award win for best R&B song on Sunday (Feb. 4). The trophy was one of SZA’s three victories, with best pop duo/group performance for her “Ghost in the Machine,” collaboration with Phoebe Bridges and best progressive R&B album for SOS.