Drake Dethrones Drake On Hot 100 As “In My Feelings” Gives Him Most Career #1 Singles By A Rapper
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Drake replaces himself atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated July 21), as the viral challenge-fueled “In My Feelings” blasts from #6 to #1, supplanting his own “Nice For What.” Both songs, which also surge to the top of the Streaming Songs and Digital Song Sales charts, are from his LP Scorpion, which spends a second week at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
The Hot 100 blends all-genre streaming, radio airplay and digital sales data. All charts will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (July 17).
Challenge met: “Feelings,” released on Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records and the 1,077th #1 in the Hot 100’s history (which dates to Aug. 4, 1958), soars to #1 on the Hot 100 as it likewise leaps to the top of Streaming Songs, rising 2-1 with 71.7 million US streams, up 58%, in the week ending July 12, according to Nielsen Music. It also blasts 9-1 on Digital Song Sales with 89,000 downloads sold, up 337%, in the same tracking week. On Radio Songs, the track is the highest debut, at #29, with 36.5 million audience impressions, up 239%, in the week ending July 15.
“Feelings” is the Hot 100’s top gainer in streaming, sales and airplay, marking the first song to sweep all three honors at #1 since Drake’s own “God’s Plan,” which tripled up on March 3 following the arrival of its official video.
Helping power the advances of “Feelings” is the “In My Feelings” challenge. Last Wednesday (July 10), Instagram comedian Shiggy, the creator of the Shiggy dance craze, which syncs to Drake lyrics, posted a video of Drake deftly performing the routine onstage. Since the dance’s inception, such stars as Will Smith, Ciara and her husband Russell Wilson, Kevin Hart, and Odell Beckham Jr. have all taken on the challenge.
When you and Bae #DoTheShiggy On Top of Cape Town on ur #Honeymoon. @DangeRussWilson #InMyFeelingsChallenge pic.twitter.com/wjjdIm7YEg
— Ciara (@ciara) July 8, 2018
Drake dethrones Drake: As “Feelings” replaces “Nice” atop the Hot 100, Drake is the first artist to dethrone himself at the summit since…Drake. On the April 21-dated chart, “Nice” debuted at #1, ending the reign of his “Plan.” Drake joins only Justin Bieber, Usher, and the Beatles in having swapped titles atop the tally twice.
The 6 God’s record-breaking 6th Hot 100 #1, the most among rappers: Drake tallies his sixth Hot 100 leader with “Feelings,” which follows “Nice” (eight total weeks at #1), “Plan” (11 weeks), “One Dance,” featuring WizKid and Kyla (10 weeks, 2016), and his first two toppers as featured on Rihanna hits: “Work” (nine weeks, 2016) and “What’s My Name?” (one week, 2010).
Now with six Hot 100 #1s, Drake passes Diddy, Eminem, and Ludacris, each with five, for the most among rappers.
Third #1 from Scorpion: “Feelings” follows “Nice” and “Plan” as the third Hot 100 #1 from Scorpion. The set is the first album to generate three leaders on the list since Bieber’s Purpose, which yielded “What Do You Mean?,” “Sorry,” and “Love Yourself” in 2015-16.
Third #1 of 2018: With “Feelings” joining “Nice” and “Plan” in topping the Hot 100 in 2018, Drake is the first artist with three leaders in the same year since Katy Perry, whose “California Gurls” (featuring Snoop Dogg), “Teenage Dream,” and “Firework” (all from Perry’s album Teenage Dream) all reigned in 2010. Drake is the first male to earn the honor since Usher rolled up four #1s in 2004 (all from his Confessions LP): “Yeah!” (featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris), “Burn,” “Confessions Part II,” and “My Boo” (with Alicia Keys).
40th total week at #1: Drake posts his 40th career week at #1 on the Hot 100. He’s the seventh act to reach the milestone, following Mariah Carey (79 weeks), Rihanna (60), the Beatles (59), Boyz II Men (50), Usher (47), and Beyoncé (42).
Rap’s record reign: Rap songs have now led the Hot 100 for a record-extending 25 consecutive weeks. The streak has comprised Drake’s “Plan” (for 11 weeks) and “Nice” (eight); Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” (two); Post Malone’s “Psycho,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign (one); XXXTentacion’s “Sad!” (one); Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin’s “I Like It” (one); and now Drake’s “Feelings.”
Streaming and sales champ: “Feelings” is Drake’s record-extending seventh Streaming Songs #1; Bieber ranks second with four. Drake adds his 10th Digital Song Sales #1, pushing him past Eminem for the most among male acts; overall, Drake ranks fourth on the sales tally, after Taylor Swift (15 #1s), Rihanna (14) and Perry (11).
#1 in R&B/hip-hop: “Feelings” concurrently climbs to #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. Drake collects his 19th #1 on the former survey, moving to within one of Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder’s record 20 each, and his record-extending 20th #1 on the latter list.
A version of this article was originally published on Billboard.
