Billboard Hot 100

31 Oct 2025

Hip-Hop Drops Out Of Top 40 On Billboard Hot 100 Chart

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The Billboard Hot 100 chart has long been seen as a measure of success for musicians across all genres, with placement on the list solidifying years of hard work. For the first time in 35 years, Hip-Hop, one of the most successful genres of modern times, has fallen out of the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 list, and it could signal a shift in consumer tastes.

Billboard reports that, surprisingly, not one Hip-Hop song occupies the top 40 slots of the Billboard Hot 100, with the highest ranking song being YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s “Shot Callin” at the No. 44 slot. Following are Cardi B’s “Safe” featuring Kehlani from Cardi’s latest album, Am I The Drama?, and BigXthaPlug’s “Hell at Night” featuring Ella Langley, sitting at No. 48 and 49 in that order.

The outlet adds that the last time this happened was on February 2, 1990, with Biz Markie’s classic “Just A Friend” at No. 41 on the charts, ahead of becoming a top 10 hit for the late rapper and DJ. The following week, the song leaped to the No. 29 slot.

More from Billboard explaining how this happened:

Recent rule changes to Billboard’s Hot 100 methodology did play a part in the streak coming to an end. For the chart dated Oct. 25, descending songs were deemed recurrent and removed from the chart if they had exceeded certain durations on the chart while also falling below certain updated chart thresholds — for instance, if they had fallen below No. 25 after spending over 26 weeks on the chart. That particular change resulted in the departure of “Luther,” which had fallen to No. 38 on the previous week’s Hot 100 in its 46th week on the listing.

The headline itself does sound alarming on the surface, but it seems that a technicality is the reason for this, not a dip in quality. As we try to highlight at Hip-Hop Wired via our CRT FRSH playlist, the music and culture are thriving well, and it should be expected that another artist or more will make their way to the top of the charts again. Given the chart dominance of acts like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and the aforementioned BigXThaPlug, we should see Hip-Hop near or back at the top soon.

—

Photo: Billboard

30 Oct 2025

How the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 Charts Work

For over two decades, Keith Caulfield has been an integral part of the Billboard charts team, tabulating which singles and albums are the most popular in the United States. To be more specific, Caulfield — managing director of charts and data operations — looks after the Billboard 200, the standard bearer for an album’s performance since it was first introduced in 1956.

In the years since the Billboard 200 — and the Hot 100, Billboard‘s premiere singles chart — debuted, a lot has changed in the music industry. Music fans went from buying vinyl records at physical stores, to buying 8tracks, cassettes and CDs, to downloading singles online, to streaming music for a flat monthly rate. To keep up with how people are listening, Caulfield and the charts team at Billboard have evolved the rules a number of times to balance the incorporation of new media while still staying true to the origins of the charts.

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In this wide-ranging conversation on Billboard’s new music business podcast, On the Record, Caulfield discusses how to compare chart performance in the past versus the present, why albums are often longer than ever and why artists are releasing so many album variants. He also offers some chart fun facts that might come as a surprise, discusses the power of algorithms to push songs to new audiences, and explains how the charts are keeping up with an increasingly fragmented cultural landscape.

The interview can be watched in full below or listened to at this link.

To catch up on past episodes of On the Record, including interviews with guests like Atlantic CEO Elliot Grainge, top investor Matt Pincus, hitmaker Amy Allen, Spotify exec Sam Duboff, head of Sphere booking Josephine Vaccarello and more, click here.

This podcast is a co-production of Billboard and Sickbird Productions.


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02 Feb 2025

The Biggest No. 2 Hot 100 Hits of All Time

In his autobiography Q, Quincy Jones wrote, “Numbers 2, 6, and 11 are my least-favorite chart positions.” It doesn’t take a Jones-like genius to determine why. Each song that peaks at those ranks, despite a clear vote of public favor, can come with a sliver of disappointment as a song’s creators and performers just miss out on forever claiming a No. 1, top five or top 10 hit.

Yet, particularly with No. 2-peaking hits, many of those narrow misses have evolved into iconic tracks with pop-culture legacies that rival or even eclipse their contemporary competition.

Some, including a case just a few years ago, sustain enough momentum to leapfrog No. 1 hits to become the year’s top Hot 100 single, others become the springboard for artists to eventually capture that chart-topping hit, and a select few dominate pop culture so strongly that you’d swear that they surely, definitely, unquestionably topped the chart — before the facts reveal otherwise.

While the No. 1s get plenty of shine, let’s take a moment to celebrate another slate of hit singles. For 2/2, here is Billboard’s official countdown of the top 50 songs to peak at No. 2 on the Hot 100.

Billboard’s Biggest No. 2 Hits recap ranking is based on weekly performance on the Hot 100 through Feb. 1, 2025, and includes only songs that peaked at No. 2 on the list. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower spots earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates during various periods.

29 Oct 2024

Songs That Topped Both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs

Morgan Wallen leads this week’s all-genre Billboard Hot 100, as his new song “Love Somebody,” released on Mercury/Big Loud/Republic, debuts at the chart’s pinnacle. The song also marks the first country song to debut atop the chart since Wallen’s own collaboration with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help,” which launched at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and the Hot Country Songs chart in May.

In topping the Hot 100 with “Love Somebody,” Knoxville, Tennessee-area native Wallen has earned the 29th hit to top both the Hot 100 and the Hot Country Songs charts, dating back to 1958, when the former chart originated and the latter became the country music genre’s singular Billboard chart.

“Love Somebody” marks the fourth song in 2024 to top both charts, following Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” and Wallen’s own collaboration with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help.”

With this quartet of chart-toppers, 2024 continues the prominence of country songs cresting atop both charts. Last year, four other songs reached the pinnacle of the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs, then-marking the most songs to top both charts since 1975-76, when six songs doubled up.

“Love Somebody” also marks Wallen’s record-breaking third shared Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs No. 1, following “Last Night” and “I Had Some Help,” as he surpasses Glen Campbell, John Denver, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Taylor Swift, who each have earned two songs to top both charts.

Below, we look at each mass-appeal hit that has topped both the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Country Songs chart.

14 May 2024

Kendrick Lamar Hits Top Of Billboard Hot 100 With “Not Like Us”

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Kendrick Lamar and his war of words with Drake was largely expected to be a war of words but has transformed into a huge cultural moment that transcends the battle. K-Dot’s blistering “Not Like Us” landed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and gave DJ Mustard his first No. 1 debut.

Kendrick Lamar, 36, threw the first of the most current shots in the direction of Drake (and J. Cole) on the relatively tame “Like That” track from Future and Metro Boomin’s WE DON’T TRUST YOU collaborative album. From there, the stakes were raised when J. Cole fired back but retracted his diss track “7 Minute Drill” in the name of friendship.

Drake then leaked the track “Push Ups” before officially releasing the song and egging on the beef by daring Lamar to respond. Upping the ante, the Canadian superstar then released the “Taylor Made Freestyle” using AI-generated 2Pac and Snoop Dogg voices aimed at Lamar, which the estate of the late Tupac Shakur later took down.

Lamar returned the volley with “euphoria” which is also in the top 10 of the Hot 100 and just days later with “6:16 in LA” which prompted Drake to drop “Family Matters,” a track that is currently charting in the Hot 100 top 10 along with “Not Like Us” and “Like That.”

It all went left with Lamar’s creepy “Meet The Grahams,” which sits at No. 12 on the Hot 100, and “Not Like Us” came immediately after. It was an effective one-two punch as “Meet The Grahams” is sonically darker than “Not Like Us” with the latter now becoming the song of the summer.

Drake’s final salvo, “The Heart Part 6,” was seen as him waving the white flag and moving on from the battle. And as far as fans go, Kendrick Lamar is decidedly the winner of this feud.

—

Photo: Getty

13 May 2024

Mustard Celebrates Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Topping the Hot 100: ‘Summer Started Last Week According to Me’

Mustard on the beat, ho! The hitmaker behind Kendrick Lamar‘s scorching Drake diss track “Not Like Us” is celebrating the song’s No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 Monday (May 13).

“Sometimes you really gotta pop out and show n—as!!!! To think . . . They really fronted on me and acted like I’m not who I am ! I’m thankful but not surprised; I never lost sight and stayed down,” he wrote on Instagram while sharing a graphic of this week’s Hot 100 top 10 (chart dated May 18). “With my back against the wall is where I thrive. Summer started last week according to me!! See ya sooner than you think! cc: @kendricklamar city back up !!!”

“Not Like Us” marks Lamar’s fourth Hot 100 chart-topping hit, following “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin — which spent its first three weeks at No. 1 following its debut atop the April 6-dated chart — “Humble.” and “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift. “Like That” is at No. 6 on this week’s Hot 100, while Lamar’s other diss track “Euphoria” jumps 11-3 in its second week.

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The contentious rap battle between him and Drake has led to the production of several diss tracks aimed at one another, and Drake’s “Family Matters” is another Hot 100 top hit to come out of it. The song debuted at No. 7 on the all-genre songs tally, becoming the rapper’s historic 78th Hot 100 top 10 hit. “Not Like Us” also earns Lamar his fifth No. 1 on Streaming Songs, with 70.9 million official streams. It surpasses the 67.3 million streams that Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, drew in its first week back in September 2021.

See Mustard’s celebratory post below.

07 May 2024

Hot 100 First-Timers: Tommy Richman Cashes In With ‘Million Dollar Baby’

Tommy Richman scores his first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated May 11), as his new single, “Million Dollar Baby,” soars in at No. 2.

Released April 26 on ISO Supremacy/PULSE Records, the song debuts with 38 million official U.S. streams, 302,000 in early radio airplay audience and 4,000 downloads sold in its first week of release (April 26-May 2), according to Luminate.

Since the Hot 100 began in 1958, only five other acts have debuted in the top two with no prior history on the chart. Lauryn Hill first achieved the feat on the Nov. 14, 1998 survey, when “Doo Wop (That Thing)” launched at No. 1; before that, though, Fugees charted three songs with her as a member. Fantasia was second, with a No. 1 start for “I Believe” after she won American Idol in 2004. In 2013, Baauer opened at No. 1 with his viral hit “Harlem Shake.” Zayn followed in 2016, when his debut solo single “Pillowtalk” arrived at No. 1; similar to Hill, One Direction had charted 29 songs with him as a member. Most recently prior to Richman, last August Oliver Anthony Music became the first act to premiere atop the Hot 100 with no prior chart history on any ranking when “Rich Men North of Richmond” debuted at No. 1.

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(Also notably, Artists for Haiti debuted at No. 2 in 2010 with its charity single “We Are the World 25: For Haiti.” The supergroup featured dozens of A-list artists and chart veterans, including Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Celine Dion, P!nk and Usher.)

Before this week, Richman had notched one chart appearance: Brent Faiyaz’s “Upset,” featuring Richman and Felix!, reached No. 12 on Hot R&B Songs and No. 33 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs last November.

“Million Dollar Baby” has benefitted from attention on TikTok, where it has soundtracked over 150,000 clips on the platform to date.

Richman hails from Woodbridge, Va., and was the first artist signed to Faiyaz’s ISO Supremacy imprint, in partnership with PULSE Records. Richman also opened for Faiyaz on his F*ck the World, It’s a Wasteland Tour. “I’m grateful and amazed at the support from Brent, ISO Supremacy and the team at PULSE Records, which motivates me,” Richman said at the time. “To have the opportunity to open for Brent on his sold-out tour is an absolute honor and to sign to PULSE Records, a creative community that really understands music and supports artists, I couldn’t ask for more.”

In a 2023 interview with the Miami New Times, Richman discussed the difficulties of breaking into the music industry as a Virginia-based artist. “There’s a lot of passion through the scene back home, and I feel like it’s because a lot of people don’t get a fair shake,” he said. “It’s really hard to have your voice heard there. That’s probably why a lot of people from Virginia left, like Pharrell and Timbaland. It’s kind of key for an artist to leave their nest. That way, you can appreciate where you come from.”

Richman released his debut album, Alligator, in 2022 on Boom.Records. In September, he dropped the five-track The Rush, via ISO Supremacy.

Richman Rules Streaming Songs

Richman lands his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart via the chart-topping entrance for “Million Dollar Baby.” He’s the second act to land a first Streaming Songs ruler with an initial entry in 2024, following Benson Boone, whose “Beautiful Things” led for a week in February.

Unlike “Million Dollar Baby,” “Beautiful Things” rose to No. 1 in its third week on the chart. The last act before Richman to debut atop the list with a first charting song? Kim Petras, whose “Unholy,” with Sam Smith, started at the summit in October 2022. Splitting the accomplishment one level further: Since Petras was a co-lead on “Unholy,” the last act, like Richman, to launch a first entry atop Streaming Songs with no billed collaborators before this week was Olivia Rodrigo, with “Drivers License” in January 2021.

Notably, “Million Dollar Baby” represents the sixth No. 1 debut on Streaming Songs in 2024. Comparatively, nine songs debuted atop the ranking in all of 2023.

Richman Banks First R&B/Hip-Hop No. 1

Richman also storms onto the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs charts at No. 1 with “Million Dollar Baby.”

Meanwhile, Faiyaz’s “Upset,” featuring Richman and Felix!, returns to Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at No. 40, spurred by 4.2 million streams, up 94% from the prior week.

Similarly, after “Upset” originally hit No. 12 in Richman’s sole prior visit to Hot R&B Songs in November, he simultaneously ups his top 10 count to two as, concurrent with “Million Dollar Baby” bowing at No. 1, “Upset” reenters at No. 7.

—Kevin Rutherford and Trevor Anderson contributed to this report

12 Mar 2024

Ye FKA Kanye West Celebrates “Carnival” Going No. 1 By Dissing Drake & Adidas

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Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is currently celebrating hitting the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts with the track “Carnival” from his joint album Vultures with Ty Dolla $ign. In a now-deleted post, Ye unloaded on Drake and adidas while also shouting out his collaborators.

Ye, FKA Kanye West, took to Instagram on Monday (March 11) and thanked Ty Dolla $ign, Playboi Carti, and Rich The Kid, who all feature on the “Carnival” track. According to Billboard, this is the first time Rich The Kid and Playboi Carti have hit the top of the Hot 100 chart.

However, despite this achievement, Ye had some choice words for several people in his deleted Instagram rant.

“Rich Ty Carti and the supporters that stood by us through everything This number #1 is for you. It’s for the people who won’t be manipulated by the system,” began the rant. “And f*ck adidas and everybody who works there or with them. Anyone who goes to school with anyone who’s parents work at adidas. Just know they tried to destroy me and here we are with the number 1 song in the world.”

The post ended with the shot at Drizzy.

“That’s how I feel And it’s f*ck Drake for taking Durk right at the beginning of the Vuktures [Vultures] role out I’ll come back to yall if I think of more f*ck you’s,” the post ends.

Drake, known for taking subtle and direct jabs at the Chicago superstar in times past, has not responded.

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Photo: Getty

07 Feb 2024

Hot 100 First-Timers: Good Neighbours Arrive With Viral Debut Single ‘Home’

London-based duo Good Neighbours debuted on Billboard’s charts for the first time a week earlier, and now, the pair is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting act, thanks to its debut single “Home.”

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The song, released Jan. 17 via Some Action, reaches the Feb. 10-dated Hot 100 at No. 77 led by 5.8 million official U.S. streams (up 114%) Jan. 26-Feb. 1, according to Luminate. It also jumps 18-7 on Hot Alternative Songs, 23-7 on Hot Rock Songs and 28-10 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (all of which use the same multimetric methodology as the Hot 100).

Good Neighbours is the new project by Oli Fox and Scott Verrill. Before releasing the song’s official audio, a portion of the track’s demo went viral on TikTok, where the band boasts over 50,000 followers. Due to the current standoff between Universal Music Group and TikTok, the sound is no longer available on the platform.

“We wanted to write a song about the moment you hold a loved one after some time apart,” the pair said in a recent interview with Zane Lowe. “It’s such a small moment that has always sparked a visceral feeling for me.”

“Home” is Good Neighbours’ first and only release so far. Outside the band, Fox has been releasing solo music since 2018. He has released two EPs: Sunburnt in 2021 and The Season in 2022. Verrill also records solo music, under the name Good Scott (previously as kwassa). He has been releasing music for nearly a decade, including three EPs: 2015’s Animals, 2017’s Wildlife and 2019’s fka kyko.

06 Feb 2024

Hot 100 First-Timers: Ben Shapiro Debuts With Tom MacDonald Team-Up ‘Facts’

Ben Shapiro, the conservative political commentator and editor for The Daily Wire, makes his debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated Feb. 10), thanks to “Facts,” his new collaboration with Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald.

Released Jan. 26, the song enters at No. 16 with 5.6 million U.S. streams and 96,000 downloads sold in its opening week (Jan. 26-Feb. 1), according to Luminate. Its sales sum is the second-biggest in a single week this year, after Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hiss,” which concurrently arrives with 104,000 sold. “Hiss” and “Facts” launch at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, on the Digital Song Sales chart.

Notably, Shapiro directed his audience to engage with the song on his verse, rapping, “All my people download this, let’s get a Billboard No. 1.” He also taunts Nicki Minaj, saying, “Nicki take some notes, I just did this for fun” – presumably alluding to recent beef between Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion.

Shapiro had not appeared on any Billboard chart before this week, with “Facts” marking his first and only musical release to date.

The song earns MacDonald his fourth and highest-charting Hot 100 entry, after “Snowflakes” (No. 71 peak), “Brainwashed” (No. 89) and “Fake Woke” (No. 96), all in 2021.

Elsewhere, “Facts” debuts at No. 6 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 8 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, both of which use the same multimetric methodology as the Hot 100. As MacDonald reaches each genre list for the first time, MacDonald achieves his first top 10 on the tallies. He had previously peaked as high as No. 22 on Hot Rap Songs with “Brainwashed” and No. 31 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with both “Snowflakes” and “Brainwashed.”