State Champ Radio Billboard Hot 100
HipHopWired Featured Video
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
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 […]
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.
Trending on Billboard
(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
HipHopWired Featured Video
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.
—
Photo: Getty
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.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The song, released Jan. 17 via Some Action, reaches […]
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 […]
On Monday (Dec. 4), Brenda Lee made history when her classic holiday chestnut, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time — 65 years after the song’s release.
Lee, whose indomitable spirit and powerful voice, even as a child, earned her the nickname “Little Miss Dynamite,” recorded “Rockin’” when she was just 13. Now, at age 78, she’s watching as the song, promoted by major label UMG Nashville, has reached the pinnacle of Billboard’s all-genre chart. In the process, the song has become only the third holiday song to reach No. 1 ever on the Hot 100.
“I like that God has given me that favor that I can stand aside and look and know that it wasn’t just me; that it’s a conglomerate of a lot of people that made the song what it is,” Lee tells Billboard, seated in the downtown offices of label UMG Nashville, just after UMG Nashville chair/CEO Cindy Mabe revealed the news of the song’s new peak.
“I’m happy for everybody here that’s worked so hard to make this happen because in today’s world, everything moves so fast and furious. But I’m telling you this: My label has come to bat,” Lee said.
Produced by Owen Bradley, “Rockin’” was initially released in 1958, though the song’s initial chart impact was modest. Lee earned her first two No. 1 Hot 100 hits in 1960, with “I’m Sorry” and “I Want to Be Wanted.” Bolstered by those successes, “Rockin’” reached an original peak of No. 14 in December 1960. Between December 2019 and last year, the song would spend nine weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100, behind only Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
Lee recorded “Rockin’” in the heart of Nashville’s Music Row, at Bradley’s Quonset Hut, her mature-beyond-her-years voice paired with the song’s rockabilly holiday feel, creating what would become her signature song.
“The producer cut the air way down in the studio,” Lee recalled. “He had a big Christmas tree and everyone was there — the Anita Kerr Singers and the A-team [of revered Nashville studio musicians], as we called them. It was like a little touch of magic kind of sprinkled in, and it turned out to be magic. It really did.”
Johnny Marks, the songwriter behind other holiday classics including “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” also wrote “Rockin’,” with Lee in mind for the song.
“He was such a gentle soul,” Lee recalls of the late songwriter, who died in 1985. “He was Jewish and didn’t even believe in Christmas, and all that would come out of him was Christmas music. He told me he was laying on the beach in New York and I guess he took a nap or something and when he woke up, he saw the pine trees were kind of swaying. I said, ‘You got pine trees on the beach in New York?’ He said, ‘Yeah and I thought the pine trees are rocking and he went home and came up with ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.’
“I talked to him almost every week, and he was so funny. His first line would be, ‘Brenda, just thought I’d call. There’s not a lot of us old-timers left,’ and I’d think, how old does he think I am?” she said with a giggle. “But he was so precious and so sweet, and just a good guy.”
In 1990, “Rockin’” became a favorite holiday song for a new generation when it was featured in the Macaulay Culkin film Home Alone.
“That’s the catalyst that pushed it over that hill, as we’ll call it. It’s just been a blessing,” says Lee, who noted she watched the holiday mainstay a few nights ago.
Lee marked the 65th anniversary of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by filming the song’s first official video, featuring cameos from Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood. The festive clip features Lee lip-synching to her teenage recording of the song, alongside footage of her and Yearwood baking holiday cookies and chatting with Tucker as everyone gathered around a table to enjoy a holiday feast.
“My buds are in there,” Lee says. “We had a ball making it. We filmed it at the producer’s house, and nothing was choreographed, really. We just had fun. They were just precious to do that for me, and I think folks will love it.”
Like Lee, Tucker was herself a star by her teens, and Lee met Yearwood when she was first getting started in the industry in the 1990s.
“They both are just real,” Lee says of Tucker and Yearwood. “They’ve never lost their sense of joy, gratitude and of excitement for what they’re doing. And they help — you call ‘em and they’ll say, ‘Sure, when you want me there?’ Now, there’s probably some moments they’ve got on film that you’ll never see,” she laughs, “but we had a good time. It seemed like it just went like that. We were there for hours filming, but because we’re friends and all, it didn’t seem like a long time.”
As for her own favorite holiday hits — other than her own? “I love to hear ‘White Christmas’ and love to hear Bing Crosby sing. I also love Burl Ives’ ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas,’” Lee says.
[embedded content]
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” this week becomes one of only four singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to log 16 or more weeks at No. 1. So, does that mean it’s a lock for a Grammy nomination for record of the year? Its chances are good, but Grammy voters don’t always follow the lead of music fans.
The three previous singles to spend 16 or more weeks at No. 1 – Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus), Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee‘s “Despacito” (featuring Justin Bieber) and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” – were all nominated for record of the year, though none of them won.
And numerous long-running No. 1 hits weren’t nominated in any Grammy categories. The list includes Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock n’ Roll,” Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” Andy Gibb‘s “Shadow Dancing,” Chic‘s “Le Freak,” Bobby Lewis’ “Tossin’ and Turnin’” and Tommy Edwards‘ “It’s All in the Game.”
“Last Night” is a multi-format hit, which will work in its favor. And Wallen has been one of the most dominant record sellers of the past few years. But he has yet to even be nominated for a Grammy, so there’s still no evidence that Grammy voters are ready to move on from the 2021 incident where he was videotaped using a racial slur. Also, another country smash, Luke Combs’ “Fast Car,” is a formidable record of the year candidate. Both could be among the eight nominees in this category, but that would defy recent Grammy patterns. We haven’t had a year with two or more country hits nominated for record of the year since 1977.
Let’s look back at the five (more in the case of ties) longest-running No. 1 hits of each of the last eight decades (or partial decades) to see how they fared at the Grammys. Conveniently, the Hot 100 and the Grammys started in the same year – 1958. That first Grammy eligibility year began on Jan. 1 of that year. The Hot 100 launched seven months later (on Aug. 4).
We show the number of nominations each song received and list those categories. We also show the number of wins—and also list those categories. (We counted only nominations for that specific track or song, not for the album on which it appeared or the artist in general, or other tracks by that artist.)
The 2020s (2020-23 to date)
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night”: 16 weeks at No. 1 (so far) in 2023. Grammy status to be determined.
Harry Styles’ “As It Was”: 15 weeks at No. 1 in 2022. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop solo performance, best music video); no wins (though Styles won album of the year).
Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You“: 12 weeks at No. 1 from 2019-23. No nods. Note: Carey was nominated for best female pop vocal performance for “Hero” in 1994, when this was first released and thus eligible.
Roddy Ricch’s “The Box”: 11 weeks at No. 1 in 2020. 3 nods (song of the year, best melodic rap performance, best rap song); no wins.
BTS’ “Butter”: 10 weeks at No. 1 in 2021. 1 nod (best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Adele’s “Easy on Me”: 10 weeks at No. 1 in 2021-22. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop solo performance, best music video); one win (best pop solo performance).
The 2010s
Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): A record 19 weeks at No. 1 in 2019. 3 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance, best music video), 2 wins (best pop duo/group performance, best music video).
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” (featuring Justin Bieber): 16 weeks in 2017. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!” (featuring Bruno Mars): 14 weeks in 2015. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance); 2 wins (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance).
Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (featuring T.I. + Pharrell): 12 weeks in 2013. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” (featuring Charlie Puth): 12 weeks in 2015. 3 nods (song of the year, best pop duo/group performance, best song written for visual media); no wins.
The Chainsmokers’ “Closer” (featuring Halsey): 12 weeks in 2016. 1 nod (best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”: 12 weeks in 2017. 1 nod (best pop solo performance), 1 win (best pop solo performance).
The 2000s
Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together”: 14 weeks in 2005. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best female R&B vocal performance, best R&B song); 2 wins (best female R&B vocal performance, best R&B song).
The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling”: 14 weeks in 2009. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals); 1 win (best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals).
Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”: 12 weeks in 2002-03. 5 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best male rap solo performance, best rap song, best song written for a motion picture, television or other visual media); 2 wins (best male rap solo performance, best rap song).
Usher’s “Yeah!” (featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris): 12 weeks in 2004. 2 nods (record of the year, best rap/sung collaboration); 1 win (best rap/sung collaboration).
The Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow”: 12 weeks in 2009. 2 nods (best dance recording, best short form music video); 1 win (best short form music video).
The 1990s
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day”: 16 weeks in 1995-96. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop collaboration with vocals), no wins.
Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”: 14 weeks in 1992-93. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 2 wins (record of the year, best pop vocal performance, female).
Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You”: 14 weeks in 1994. 3 nods (record of the year, best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal, best rhythm and blues song); 2 wins (best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal, best rhythm and blues song).
Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)”: 14 weeks in 1996. No nods.
Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997”/“Something About the Way You Look Tonight”: 14 weeks in 1997-98. 1 nod (best male pop vocal performance); 1 win (best male pop vocal performance).
The 1980s
Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical”: 10 weeks in 1981-82. 1 nod (best pop video performance, female); no wins.
Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes”: 9 weeks in 1981. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 2 wins (record of the year, song of the year).
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love”: 9 weeks in 1981. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); no wins.
The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”: 8 weeks in 1983. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); 2 wins (song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal).
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock n’ Roll”: 7 weeks in 1982. No nods.
Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder’s “Ebony and Ivory”: 7 weeks in 1982. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); no wins.
Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”: 7 weeks in 1983. 3 nods (song of the year, best R&B vocal performance, male, best rhythm & blues song); 2 wins (best R&B vocal performance, male, best rhythm & blues song). Note: Another of Jackson’s 1983 hits, “Beat It,” won for record of the year.
The 1970s
Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life”: 10 weeks in 1977. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 1 win (song of the year).
Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)”: 8 weeks in 1976-77. No nods.
Bee Gees’ “Night Fever”: 8 weeks in 1978.No nods. (“Stayin’ Alive,” which had half as many weeks at No. 1, brought the group Grammy glory that year, with nods for record and song of the year.)
Andy Gibb’s “Shadow Dancing”: 7 weeks in 1978. No nods.
Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”: 6 weeks in 1970. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary song, best arrangement accompanying vocalist(s)); 4 wins (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary song, best arrangement accompanying vocalist(s)).
Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World”: 6 weeks at No. 1 in 1971. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop vocal performance by a duo, group or chorus); no wins.
Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”: 6 weeks in 1972. 2 nods (record of the year, song of the year); 2 wins (record of the year, song of the year).
Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)”: 6 weeks in 1972. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, male); no wins.
Chic’s “Le Freak”: 6 weeks in 1978-79. No nods.
The Knack’s “My Sharona”: 6 weeks at No. 1 in 1979. 1 nod (best rock vocal performance by a duo or group); no wins.
The 1960s
Percy Faith & His Orchestra’s “The Theme from A Summer Place”: 9 weeks in 1960. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best arrangement, best performance by an orchestra); 1 win (record of the year).
The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”: 9 weeks in 1968. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary-pop performance by a vocal duo or group); no wins.
Bobby Lewis’ “Tossin’ and Turnin’”: 7 weeks in 1961. No nods.
The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand”: 7 weeks in 1964. 1 nod (record of the year); no wins.
The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer”: 7 weeks in 1966-67. 2 nods (best performance by a vocal group, best contemporary group performance (vocal or instrumental); no wins.
Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”: 7 weeks in 1968-69. 1 nod (best rhythm & blues vocal performance, male); no wins.
The 1950s (1958-59)
Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife”: 9 weeks in 1959. 2 nods (record of the year, best vocal performance, male); 1 win (record of the year).
Sheb Wooley’s “The Purple People Eater”: 6 weeks on the Best Sellers and Top 100 charts in 1958 (prior to the inception of the Hot 100). No nods.
Tommy Edwards’ “It’s All in the Game”: 6 weeks in 1958. No nods.
Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans”: 6 weeks in 1959. 2 nods song of the year, best country & western performance); 2 wins (song of the year, best country & western performance).
Note: Danny & the Juniors‘ “At the Hop,” the longest-running No. 1 hit of 1958 (7 weeks at No. 1 on the Top 100 chart), was released in 1957 and thus was ineligible for the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1958.
05/22/2023
Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” and SZA’s “Kill Bill” will probably go head-to-head again on Music’s Biggest Night.
05/22/2023
Gordon Lightfoot scored success on multiple Billboard charts during his lifetime, imprinting such classic songs as “Sundown,” “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “If You Could Read My Mind” and more on pop culture.
As previously reported, Lightfoot died at age 84 on Monday.
Born in Ontario, Canada, the folk-rock legend first hit the Billboard Hot 100 dated Dec. 26, 1970, with “If You Could Read Mind,” which rose to No. 5 the following February. He led the list for a week in June 1974 with “Sundown,” while follow-up “Carefree Highway” reached No. 10 that November. He returned to the top 10 with his opus “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which hit No. 2 in November 1976.
In addition to his Hot 100 history, Lightfoot charted 17 albums on the Billboard 200 during his lifetime, starting in 1969. He led with Sundown for two weeks in June 1974 – the latter concurrent with the rule of its title cut on the Hot 100 – and also hit the top 10 with Cold on the Shoulder (No. 10, 1975).
Lightfoot also scored four No. 1s, among six top 10s, on the Adult Contemporary chart: “If You Could Read My Mind” (for one week in 1971), “Sundown” (two weeks, 1974), “Carefree Highway” (one week, 1974) and “Rainy Day People” (one, 1975).
Additionally, on Hot Country Songs, Lightfoot hit the top 10 with “Sundown” (No. 13, 1974).
Dating to the inception of Luminate data in 1991, Lightfoot sold 3.6 million albums in the United States (through April 27), while his songs drew 914.1 million official on-demand audio and video streams and 2.2 billion in radio airplay audience.
“We have lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters,” Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on social media, among others who have paid tribute. “Gordon Lightfoot captured our country’s spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada’s soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever.”
Here’s a recap of Lightfoot’s biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits.
Gordon Lightfoot’s Biggest Billboard Hits recap is based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from each era, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference between turnover rates from those years.
“Race Among the Ruins”
“Race Among the Ruins” peaked at No. 65 on the Hot 100 dated March 5, 1977.
“Talking in Your Sleep”
“Talking in Your Sleep” peaked at No. 63 on the Hot 100 dated July 24, 1971.
“Baby Step Back”
“Baby Step Back” peaked at No. 50 on the Hot 100 dated May 8, 1982.
“Beautiful”
“Beautiful” peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100 dated July 29, 1972.
“The Circle Is Small (I Can See It in Your Eyes)”
“The Circle Is Small (I Can See It in Your Eyes)” peaked at No. 33 on the Hot 100 dated April 8, 1978.
“Rainy Day People”
“Rainy Day People” peaked at No. 26 on the Hot 100 dated May 24, 1975.
“Carefree Highway”
“Carefree Highway” peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100 dated Nov. 9, 1974.
“If You Could Read My Mind”
“If You Could Read My Mind” peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 dated Feb. 20, 1971.
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 dated Nov. 20, 1976.
“Sundown”
Image Credit: Photo courtesy Gordon Lightfoot
“Sundown” spent one week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated June 29, 1974.
