Rihanna Tops Hot 100 for Eighth Week, Ties the Beatles for Second-Most Total Weeks at No. 1
Rihanna's "Work," featuring Drake, posts an eighth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated April 23). With her latest frame on top, Rihanna has now tied The Beatles for the second-most total…
Rihanna‘s “Work,” featuring Drake, posts an eighth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated April 23). With her latest frame on top, Rihanna has now tied The Beatles for the second-most total weeks spent at No. 1 (59) and trails only Mariah Carey, the leader with 79.
Plus, Desiigner earns his first Hot 100 top 10, as his debut hit “Panda” soars 14-5, and Justin Bieber matches a top 10 longevity mark (yet again).
As we do every Monday, let’s run down the Hot 100’s top 10 and more. Highlights of the airplay, sales and streaming-based Hot 100 post on Billboard.com each Monday, with all charts updated each Tuesday.
Just like on the Hot 100, “Work,” released on Westbury Road/Roc Nation, spends an eighth week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart with 27 million U.S. streams, down 6 percent, in the week ending April 7, according to Nielsen Music. “Work” also tops the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs chart (12.4 million, down 7 percent) for a ninth frame. It dips from its No. 2 high on Radio Songs to No. 3 (112 million in airplay audience, down 7 percent) and 5-12 on Digital Songs (63,000 downloads sold, down 29 percent), which it led for two weeks.
“Work” also tops Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for a 10th nonconsecutive week and Rhythmic Songs for a sixth week. It additionally rises 2-1 on Dance Club Songs, where it’s Rihanna’s 24th No. 1; only Madonna, with 46, has notched more Dance Club Songs leaders.
As reported when the song reached No. 1, “Work” is Rihanna’s 14th Hot 100 leader, lifting her into a solo share of the third-most No. 1s all-time, ahead of Michael Jackson (13). The Beatles lead with 20 No. 1s, followed by Mariah Carey (18). “Work” is also the record-breaking ninth Hot 100 No. 1 in a row by non-U.S.-born acts (Rihanna is from Barbados and Drake, from Canada), while this week marks the record-extending 40th straight week that non-American talent has led the Hot 100.
More about The Beatles and Carey: As Rihanna has now spent 59 total weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 via her 14 leaders, she has tied The Beatles for the second-most weeks at No. 1. Here is an updated look at the acts that have spent the most time atop the Hot 100 since the chart’s 1958 inception:
79 weeks, Mariah Carey
59 weeks, Rihanna
59 weeks, The Beatles
50 weeks, Boyz II Men
47 weeks, Usher
Meanwhile, “Work” is now Rihanna’s second-longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1 outright, breaking a tie with her seven-week No. 1s “Umbrella” (2007) and Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie,” on which she’s featured (2010). Only her “We Found Love,” featuring Calvin Harris, spent more time on top: 10 weeks in 2011-12.
Kanye West’s ‘The Life of Pablo’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart
“Work,” down 11 percent in overall chart points, stays atop the Hot 100 but with a narrower lead than last week over Lukas Graham’s “7 Years,” which holds at its No. 2 peak (up less than 1 percent). The single from the Danish pop band (fronted by Lukas Graham Forchhammer) slides 1-2 on Digital Songs (127,000, down 19 percent), which it led for three weeks; holds at No. 3 on Streaming Songs (17.8 million, up 7 percent); and climbs 9-7 on Radio Songs (90 million, up 14 percent).
Chris Stapleton Surges to No. 2 on Billboard 200, Lukas Graham, Weezer and Twenty88 Debut in Top 10
As previously reported, Lukas Graham debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with its self-titled set, earning 59,000 equivalent album units (and 34,000 in traditional album sales). (Chart fine print: the sales drop of “7 Years” is partly owed to iTunes customers who opted to “complete” purchases of the Lukas Graham set by upgrading earlier purchases of the song to a full album. Effectively, those who completed the album were returning the song, thus translating to a net sales total, contributing to its digital songs chart fall. For the purposes of the Hot 100, however, gross sales regardless of returned volume contribute to the song’s overall points total.)
Meghan Trainor’s “No” holds at its No. 3 Hot 100 peak to date. “No” descends 2-3 on Digital Songs, which it topped two weeks ago (114,000, down 23 percent); becomes her fourth top 10 on Radio Songs (12-9; 85 million, up 13 percent); and holds at No. 14 on Streaming Songs (11.1 million, up 8 percent). The song is the lead single from her album Thank You, due May 13.
Zayn’s former No. 1-debuting “Pillowtalk” is stationary at No. 4 on the Hot 100, while newcomer Desiigner surges into the top 10 with his debut entry “Panda” (14-5). With roughly two-thirds of its Hot 100 points from streaming, the track blasts 4-2 on Streaming Songs (22.3 million, up 48 percent), good for the Hot 100’s top Streaming Gainer award, while also reaching the Digital Songs top 10 (70,000, up 43 percent). It’s nearing the Radio Songs chart, up by 42 percent to 25 million in audience. The track also takes over at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart (2-1).
As for the song’s title, the new signee to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint compares a white BMW X6 to a panda in his new top 10. “The way my mind works is crazy, man,” he told Billboard. “I don’t mean crazy in a psycho way. I mean crazy in, like, a great artist way. I have my own way of seeing things. When I looked at the X6, I just said, ‘That’s a panda.’ I like the animal.”
Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” slips 5-6 on the Hot 100 after topping the chart for two (nonconsecutive) weeks. Still, it spends a ninth week at No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart (143 million, down less than 1 percent). The song also grants Bieber a piece of history: it has spent its first 21 weeks on the Hot 100 in the top 10, dating to its debut at No. 4 on the Dec. 5 chart. With its latest week in the region, “Love Yourself” ties the record for the most consecutive weeks logged in the top 10 from a song’s debut. Five songs hold the mark, with, impressively, three by Bieber, including the prior two singles from his album Purpose: “Sorry” and “What Do You Mean?” (both in 2015-16). The other two titles to rank in the Hot 100’s top 10 for their first 21 weeks each: Maroon 5’s “Sugar” (2015) and Nicki Minaj’s “Starships” (2012).
Fifth Harmony ‘Humbled’ by First Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 Hit: Exclusive
Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Flo Rida’s “My House” falls 6-7 after reaching No. 4; Mike Posner’s “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” reaches a new peak on the Hot 100, rising 9-8 and adding the Hot 100’s top Airplay Gainer honor (89 million, up 12 percent); Fifth Harmony’s first top 10, “Work From Home,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, likewise lifts a notch to a new peak (10-9); and G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha’s “Me, Myself & I” retreats 8-10 after hitting No. 7 but, as previously reported, crowns Billboard’s Pop Songs radio airplay chart.
Beyond the Hot 100’s top tier, two rap superstars debut in the top 40 with two titles apiece. As he leads the Hot 100 via his featured role on “Work,” Drake bows at No. 16 with “Pop Style,” featuring The Throne, and at No. 21 with “One Dance,” featuring WizKid & Kyla. The former enters atop Digital Songs (128,000 first-week downloads sold), becoming Drake’s sixth leader on the list, while the latter begins at No. 4 (104,000).
Plus, Kanye West enters the Hot 100’s top 40 at Nos. 34 and 37 with “Famous” and “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1,” respectively, with both songs from his new Billboard 200 No. 1, The Life of Pablo. The songs start almost exclusively from streaming (with some radio airplay), as the set’s tracks are not available for purchase. “Famous” and “Father” are two of eight cuts total (of the album’s 19 overall tracks) that debut on the Hot 100 this week.
Find out more noteworthy news in the weekly “Hot 100 Chart Moves” column to post later this week. And, visit Billboard.com tomorrow (April 12), when all rankings, including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh, as they do each Tuesday.
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