SZA becomes the sole owner of one of the biggest records in the history of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as her single “Kill Bill” achieves an unprecedented 21st week at the summit. The record-breaking week, on the chart dated June 3, breaks “Kill Bill” from a tie with Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus), which slides to second place with 20 weeks on top.
For its all-time coronation week, “Kill Bill” rebounds from No. 2 after a one-week reign for Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole. The latter track is only the third title that has evicted “Kill Bill” from the top spot since the juggernaut single debuted at No. 1 on the list dated Dec. 24, 2022. “All My Life” follows The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Die for You” and Drake’s “Search and Rescue,” each of which managed to stall the reign for only one week.
As “Kill Bill,” released on Top Dawg/RCA Records, shakes off the interruption and re-charts its course into chart history, here’s an updated look at the tracks with the most weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since the list became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958:
Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs:
- 21, “Kill Bill,” SZA, 2022-23
- 20, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
- 18, “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, 2021-22
- 18, “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla, 2016
- 16, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, 2013
- 15, “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige, 2006
In the latest tracking week of May 19-25, “Kill Bill” collected 17.3 million official streams in the United States (down 5% from the week prior), 1,000 downloads sold (a 4% drop) and 69.2 million in radio audience (a 5% slip). The totals translate to a 2-3 backtrack on R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs, an 11-21 drop on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (affected by the arrival of many Tina Turner songs following the icon’s death on May 24) and a No. 4 repeat on the all-genre Radio Songs chart.
The “Kill Bill” domination has aligned with the similar supremacy of its parent album, SOS. The set has spent 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, extending its mark for the most ever by any album by a woman. Earlier this month, it ended the 54-year record-holding reign of Aretha Franklin’s Aretha Now, which logged a then-record 17 weeks atop the list in 1968.
This story originally appeared on Billboard
