Music

The singer-songwriter had logged no prior chart entries when his viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” roared in atop the Hot 100 in August, making him the first act with no previous chart history ever to open at No. 1.

“I mean, there’s no question that I don’t deserve any bit of any of this,” the Farmville, Va., native subsequently told Billboard. “There’s a gazillion, billion, trillion other people out there that are posting music that in my mind is better than mine. I’d had a decent online following before ‘Richmond’ was ever written. To just be … out in the woods with a laptop and a microphone and a guitar … that’s really saying something.”

The Fab Four first hit the Hot 100’s top 10 on the chart dated Jan. 25, 1964, with their iconic U.S. breakthrough single “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” which became the first of their record 20 No. 1s. With the No. 7 debut, and peak, in November of what’s billed as their final single, “Now and Then,” they now claim a span of top 10s of 59 years, nine months and three weeks – the longest excluding holiday music. They surpassed Elton John, whose span of top 10s (still the longest among soloists, excluding holiday fare) covers 51 years, seven months and three weeks, from 1971 to 2022.

As Bryan’s self-titled album debuted as his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in September, its lead single, “I Remember Everything” featuring Kacey Musgraves, became the first hit ever to combine to top the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts.

In June, BTS’ “Take Two” blasted in at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, becoming the superstars’ record-extending seventh leader on the list. BTS is also the only act to have sent a new song to No. 1 on the Global 200 each year since the chart originated in 2020.

When Luke Combs’ cover of Chapman’s “Fast Car” reached No. 1 on Country Airplay in July, it became the first song with a Black woman as its sole writer to top the chart. (It marked only the second time in the survey’s nearly 34-year history that a Black songwriter led as the only writer on a track, with the first also via a remake: In 1990, Dan Seals’ remake of Sam Cooke’s “Good Times,” penned solely by Cooke, reigned.)

“I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there,” Chapman told Billboard in an exclusive statement at the time. “I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’”

Cyrus’ “Flowers” ruled the all-format Radio Songs chart for 18 weeks, from February through June – the longest reign for a track by a woman in the list’s 33-year history. It has also topped Adult Contemporary for 34 weeks, the most for a song by a woman in the ranking’s 62-year archives.

Doja Cat ended a drought of 54 weeks for rap No. 1s on the Hot 100 with the coronation of “Paint the Town Red” in September. It became the first such leader since Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” in August 2022, ending the longest break for the genre at the summit since 2001.

With For All the Dogs in October, Drake logged his 15th No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, breaking out of a tie with Jay-Z for the most champs among solo artists since the chart began in 1965.

The genre cornerstone notched his 10th Gospel Airplay No. 1 in September with “All Things,” tying Tamela Mann for the most leaders since the list launched in 2005.

In March, he made history as he spent a 100th week at No. 1 on the Gospel Songwriters chart, becoming the first creative to reach the triple-digit milestone on a songwriters survey, since Billboard began such rankings in 2019. “As a songwriter, there are few things more gratifying than seeing your work connect with people on a deep level,” he told Billboard. “I am grateful beyond words to those that love my music for their support and to everyone who has played a part in bringing my music to life.”

In October, the South African-born, British-raised artist’s breakthrough hit “Strangers” became the first Hot Dance/Electronic Songs No. 1 solely written, produced and sung by a woman. Among all acts, it joined Calvin Harris’ “Summer,” in 2014, as the only songs written, produced and sung by a single talent.

Jung Kook became the first member of BTS to top the Global 200 as a soloist – reigning with three songs in 2023: “Seven,” featuring Latto, for seven weeks beginning in July; “3D,” with Jack Harlow, for a week in October; and “Standing Next to You,” for a frame in November.

Karol G made history in 2023 as the first, and to date only, woman to send an all-Spanish-language album to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with Mañana Será Bonito in March.

Lee landed a sleighful of historic chart feats with the December coronation of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” on the Hot 100 – including wrapping the longest wait for a song to reign: 65 years after its 1958 release, and three days shy of 63 years after its 1960 Hot 100 debut.

Lee, 79, reminisced to Billboard on Dec. 4 about recording the song, when she was 13, after learning of its ascent to the top of the Hot 100 at last, from Universal Music Group Nashville chair/CEO Cindy Mabe. “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 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.”

A TikTok revival sparked the return of Miguel’s early 2010s hit “Sure Thing” to the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, ultimately extending its run to a record-breaking 89 total weeks on the ranking through August.

Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” hit No. 4 on the Hot 100 in May, becoming the first regional Mexican top 10 in the chart’s 65-year history.

Plus, Peso Pluma’s Génesis earned 73,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending June 29, according to Luminate, the biggest week for a regional Mexican album since the all-genre Billboard 200 began ranking titles by units in December 2014.

The pair’s “Calm Down” dominated the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for a record 58 weeks through October. It also became the highest charting Afrobeats hit to date on the Hot 100, reaching No. 3 in July.

David Guetta and Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” held the No. 1 spot on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs for 55 weeks through October. With Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant to Be” having topped Hot Country Songs for a record 50 weeks in 2017-18, she stands as the only act with songs that have led both lists for 50 or more frames.

“I’ve been blessed to have hit songs in different genres throughout my career,” Rexha, who co-wrote both hits, told Billboard. “Finding this kind of success within both the dance/electronic and country charts is something I’m really proud of. To have my music resonate with so many people and top charts across multiple genres is amazing and means a lot to me, as I’ve never wanted to be put in a box.”

Rodrigo’s “Vampire” debuted atop the Hot 100 in July, marking her third leader, following “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U” in 2021, both of which also launched at No. 1. With “Vampire” serving as the lead single from Rodrigo’s sophomore album Guts — after “Drivers License” introduced her first LP, Sour — she became the first artist ever to debut the lead singles from two career-opening albums at No. 1 on the Hot 100.

Swift triumphs at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Artists chart for 2023. Among her most recent chart honors, with her total of No. 1s on the Billboard 200 having risen to 13 (her lucky number) with the debut of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) in November, she extended her record for the most among women in the chart’s history, which dates to 1956.

Plus, when Swift’s “Cruel Summer” hit No. 1 on Pop Airplay in August, she scored sole possession of the most leaders, 12, in that chart’s archives (which date to 1992), surpassing the 11 each for Maroon 5, Katy Perry and Rihanna.

SZA became the sole owner of one of the biggest records in the history of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, as her love song/criminal confession “Kill Bill” dominated for a 21st and final week in June. It broke from a tie with Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus), which led for 20 weeks in 2019.

In October, “Atomic City” became U2’s record-extending 43rd entry on the weekly Alternative Airplay ranking (which marked its 35th anniversary in September). It’s the group’s highest charting hit on the survey since 2009.

Wallen’s crossover smash “Last Night” leads the 2023 year-end Hot 100 Songs recap. The single, which hit the top 10 on Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay and commanded Country Airplay for eight weeks, dominated the Hot 100 for 16 weeks beginning in March – the most for a noncollaboration in the chart’s 65-year history.

Meanwhile, parent LP One Thing at a Time, rules the 2023 Billboard 200 Albums round-up.

“I’m expecting to see more [country] songs … at pop radio because I think people have seen that a singer with a very Southern voice by himself without a feature can still have a No. 1 Billboard hit,” “Last Night” co-writer Charlie Handsome told Billboard. “Morgan’s leading the way for what country music is now and what it’s becoming.”

The Weeknd’s “Die for You” spanned six years, two months and three weeks from its Hot 100 debut to its coronation in March, capped in large part by its remix with Grande – the longest such run to No. 1 ever among nonholiday songs.