Ask Billboard: After ‘Certified Lover Boy,’ Drake Has Now Peaked at This Many Positions on the Hot 100
At this point, it's easier to run down the positions on the Billboard Hot 100 at which Drake *hasn't* peaked.
Submit questions about Billboard charts, as well as general music musings, to askbb@billboard.com. Please include your first and last name, as well as your city, state and country, if outside the U.S.
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Let’s open the latest mailbag.
Hi Gary,
So many achievements have already been covered regarding Drake and the record-setting start for his album Certified Lover Boy, on Billboard charts dated Sept. 18. So, I’ll just add that he likely, for the first time, now has a No. 11-peaking Billboard Hot 100 hit, “No Friends in the Industry,” and a No. 22 entry, “IMY2,” featuring Kid Cudi, both from the new set. (The songs place at Nos. 22 and 72, respectively, in their second weeks on the chart, dated Sept 25.)
As a result, we might soon be done crossing off all the positions on the Hot 100 at which Drake hasn’t peaked …
Pablo Nelson
Oakland, Calif.
Thanks, Pablo.
As you likely recall (since you started this insightful topic!), after the chart arrival of Drake’s LP Scorpion, for a 2018 “Ask Billboard,” we analyzed Drake’s total number of peaks on the Hot 100, dating to his launch with the No. 2 hit “Best I Ever Had” in 2009. By July 2018, he had peaked at a record 84 of the 100 positions on the Hot 100. Over three years later, and thanks to (likely) adding Nos. 11 and 22 via Certified Lover Boy songs, Drake has, even more amazingly, now peaked at … 90 of the 100 positions on the Hot 100 over his career.
(Chart fan Walter Brockmann of Southampton, N.Y., also wrote in this week about Drake’s near-blanketing of Hot 100 peaks.)
Only 13 other acts have even notched at least 90 Hot 100 appearances total. Drake leads with 258 career entries, followed by the Glee Cast with 207 and Lil Wayne with 177. The acts also trail Drake with each having peaked at, also impressively, 80 of the Hot 100’s positions.
The only spots on the Hot 100 at which Drake hasn’t peaked so far? Nos. 31, 43, 46, 59, 66, 77, 93, 96, 98 and 99. Thus, he’s peaked at every rank between Nos. 1 and 30, and every rung in the top 40 except No. 31.
Best of all, Drake’s most common high point on the Hot 100 is No. 1, along with No. 14: he’s peaked at those ranks with nine songs each, with “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, having become his ninth No. 1.
Plus, Drake has ranked at every position on the Hot 100, even if he hasn’t peaked at each spot.
As Drake observed earlier this year, “There’s no need to dress up the numbers” (alongside more specific chart references). Clearly, they reflect record dominance.
DRAKE’S TOP SALES & STREAMS
Gary,
Would you be able to please give highlights of Drake’s album sales, as well as his most-streamed songs?
Thanks,
Raditya Gunardisurya
Jakarta, Indonesia
Hi Raditya,
Let’s certify some more Drake stats.
Here’s a look at his top-selling albums in the U.S., as well as his songs with the most on-demand U.S. streams, according to MRC Data through Sept. 16.
Drake’s Top-Selling Albums
2,514,000, Take Care
1,861,000, Nothing Was the Same
1,857,000, Thank Me Later
1,772,000, Views
1,345,000, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Drake’s Most-Streamed Songs (on-demand)
2.314 billion, “God’s Plan”
1.771 billion, “In My Feelings”
1.403 billion, “Work” (Rihanna feat. Drake)
1.393 billion, “Yes Indeed” (with Lil Baby)
1.323 billion, “Nice for What”
1.318 billion, “No Guidance” (Chris Brown feat. Drake)
1.312 billion, “Life Is Good” (Future feat. Drake)
1.212 billion, “One Dance” (feat. WizKid & Kyla)
1.173 billion, “Going Bad” (Meek Mill feat. Drake)
1.110 billion, “Look Alive” (BlocBoy JB feat. Drake)
1.079 billion, “Hotline Bling”
1.057 billion, “Nonstop”
As for Drake’s latest Hot 100 No. 1, “Way 2 Sexy” is the top Airplay Gainer on the Sept. 25 chart, as it debuts at No. 43 on Radio Songs with 17.5 million audience impressions, up 131%.
How does the song, early on, stack up against his biggest career U.S. radio singles? Let’s look at that metric, as well.
Drake’s Most-Heard Radio Hits
5.365 billion, “One Dance”
4.516 billion, “Hold On, We’re Going Home” (feat. Majid Jordan)
3.413 billion, “What’s My Name?” (Rihanna feat. Drake)
3.378 billion, “Best I Ever Had”
3.360 billion, “Hotline Bling”
3.231 billion, “God’s Plan”
3.164 billion, “No Guidance”
2.828 billion, “Work”
2.726 billion, “Take Care” (feat. Rihanna)
2.617 billion, “Nice for What”
2.615 billion, “Find Your Love”
2.574 billion, “The Motto” (feat. Lil Wayne)