The Weeknd No. 1 on Hot 100, Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ Bounds to No. 2
The Weeknd rewrites his longest command of the Billboard Hot 100 as "The Hills" rules for a fourth week. The R&B/pop star had previously led for three weeks with his first No. 1, and prior single…
The Weeknd rewrites his longest command of the Billboard Hot 100 as “The Hills” rules for a fourth week. The R&B/pop star had previously led for three weeks with his first No. 1, and prior single, “Can’t Feel My Face.”
Meanwhile, Drake equals his best rank as a lead artist, as “Hotline Bling” lifts 3-2. The track also becomes the best-selling song in the U.S., putting it in position for a serious challenge for No. 1 on the Hot 100 next week.
It’s time for another Weeknd update (to borrow Saturday Night Live‘s line, as The Weeknd appeared on the Oct. 10 episode) and more. As we do each Monday, let’s run down the Hot 100’s top 10 and beyond (on the chart dated Oct. 24). Highlights of the airplay/sales/streaming-based Hot 100 post on Billboard.com each Monday, with all charts updated each Tuesday.
“Hills,” released on XO/Republic Records, stays at No. 1 on the Hot 100, powered by its third week atop Radio Songs (149 million in audience, up 2 percent, according to Nielsen Music). The track drops 1-2 on both Digital Songs (98,000 downloads sold, down 6 percent in the week ending Oct. 8) and Streaming Songs (17.6 million U.S. streams, down 5 percent), after leading each list for two weeks.
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“Hills” also notches a fourth week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Drake rises 3-2 on the Hot 100 with “Hotline Bling,” matching his highest rank as a lead artist. His debut smash, “Best I Ever Had,” peaked at No. 2 for four weeks in summer 2009. Overall, he’s charted one song higher: Rihanna’s “What’s My Name?,” featuring Drake, topped the Nov. 20, 2010, tally.
“Bling” becomes Drakes third No. 1, and first as a lead, on the Digital Songs chart, climbing 2-1 with a 19 percent gain to 121,000. He previously led for a week each as featured on “Name” and Lil Wayne’s “She Will” (2011). “Bling” bumps 4-3 on Streaming Songs (17.5 million, up 11 percent) and 9-7 on Radio Songs (93 million in audience, up 22 percent).
“Bling” also crowns Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs for a third week and holds atop the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs chart for a second frame (8 million, up 11 percent). It becomes Drake’s record-extending 17th No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and his 11th No. 1 on the Rhythmic Songs airplay chart, tying Rihanna for the second-best total; Usher leads with 13.
Looking ahead to next week, could “Bling” dethrone “Hills” on the Hot 100? Two signs point to a potential coronation for the former: this week, “Hills” is down by 3 percent in overall activity, while “Bling” surges closer, up by 15 percent. Drake is also rumored to drop the official video for “Bling” this week, which would help spike its streaming total to be reflected on next week’s charts. For now, Drake has to wait for his first Hot 100 No. 1 as a lead artist.
Then again, “Hills” could hold at No. 1, reignited by its two newly-released remixes, one featuring Nicki Minaj — who joined The Weeknd for his performance of the song on Saturday Night Live — and the other featuring Eminem. (All versions of the song will count for the song’s singular Hot 100 rank.)
Justin Bieber Scores First Pop Songs No. 1 With ‘What Do You Mean?’
Justin Bieber‘s “What Do You Mean?” slips 2-3 on the Hot 100; it became his first No. 1 upon its debut five weeks ago. The lead single from his Nov. 13 studio album pushes 5-4 on Radio Songs (117 million, up 10 percent); keeps at No. 5 on Streaming Songs (15.7 million, up 2 percent); and slides 3-5 on Digital Songs (80,000, down 6 percent). As previously reported, “Mean” becomes Bieber’s first No. 1 on Billboard’s top 40-based Pop Songs radio airplay chart.
Silento’s No. 3-peaking “Watch Me” returns to the Hot 100’s top five, 7-4. Leading the way: a hefty 27 percent increase in streaming to 22.4 million (good for top Streaming Gainer kudos), thanks in large part to an unlikely source: the Milford (Mass.) Mighty Mites Pee Wee football team, which danced to the track at halftime of a varsity game. The clip has gone viral, with non-Vevo YouTube clicks for “Watch Me” nearly doubling during the tracking week. Also sparking the song’s user-generated YouTube momentum: a video of an expectant mother showing off her dance moves to it (in between contractions).
“Watch Me” concurrently rebounds 2-1 for a 10th week atop Streaming Songs, becoming just the sixth hit to lead the chart for double-digit weeks (dating to the survey’s early 2013 inception). Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy,” featuring Charli XCX, and Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” share the record with 13 weeks at No. 1 apiece, followed by Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!,” featuring Bruno Mars) (12), Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” (11) and Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” (also 10).
Rounding out the Hot 100’s top five, Fetty Wap’s second top five hit, “679,” featuring Remy Boyz, holds at its No. 5 high. The track backtracks 3-4 on Streaming Songs, despite a 1 percent rise to 16.6 million, and 7-9 on Digital Songs (62,000, down 10 percent), but rises 17-14 on Radio Songs (60 million, up 5 percent). Fetty Wap first reached the Hot 100’s top five with the No. 2-peaking “Trap Queen.”
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The Weeknd’s “Face” falls 4-6 on the Hot 100; R. City’s “Locked Away,” featuring Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, dips to No. 7 from its No. 6 peak; and Shawn Mendes’ first Hot 100 top 10, “Stitches,” rises to a new peak (9-8). Once again, the Canadian invasion on the Hot 100 holds strong: thanks to The Weeknd’s two hits, and one each for Drake, Bieber and Mendes, five of the top 10 are by Canadians for a second week. All four artists are from Ontario: The Weeknd from Scarborough; Bieber, London; and Drake and Mendes each from Toronto. (Their success should add to today’s celebration of Thanksgiving Day in Canada.)
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Wrapping the Hot 100’s top 10, Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” retreats to No. 9 from its No. 8 highpoint, but claims top Airplay Gainer honors for a second week, and Selena Gomez‘s “Good for You,” featuring A$AP Rocky, remains at No. 10 after reaching No. 5. “Good” is the lead single from Gomez’s album Revival, released Friday (Oct. 9) and due on next week’s Billboard 200. (Click here to own a copy of the Oct. 17 Billboard issue with Gomez on the cover.)
Among action outside the Hot 100’s top 10, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Downtown,” featuring Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz, rises 15-14, hitting another new peak; “Hit the Quan” by iLoveMemphis (formerly iHeartMemphis) lifts 17-15; and Drake and Future’s “Jumpman” jumps 21-16. Find out more noteworthy news throughout the chart in the weekly “Hot 100 Chart Moves” column to post later this week.
Visit Billboard.com tomorrow (Oct. 13), when all rankings, including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh, as they do each Tuesday. The Hot 100 and other charts will also appear in the next issue of Billboard magazine, on sale Friday (Oct. 16).
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