INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 03: Rapper Drake performs at ESPN The Magazine’s “NEXT” Event on … [+]
Drake claims the No. 1 spot on both of Billboard’s two most important charts, the Billboard 200 albums ranking and the Hot 100 songs tally, debuting new titles in first place simultaneously. The rapper’s new album Certified Lover Boy launches atop the Billboard 200, while album cut “Way 2 Sexy” with Future and Young Thug begins its time on the Hot 100 in front of every other tune. By launching a song atop the Hot 100, Drake makes history and ties one of the biggest pop stars on the planet in one specific regard.
“Way 2 Sexy” is Drake’s ninth No. 1 on the Hot 100 and his fifth No. 1 debut, which is enough for him to match Ariana Grande for the most immediate rulers. It’s still somewhat uncommon for tracks to begin their time on the all-genre ranking in first place, and it is a feat that only the biggest and most successful artists can manage. A single chart-topping start is a major win for any act, but several is a surefire sign they have hit historic highs in terms of popularity.
Drake first debuted a song at No. 1 on the Hot 100 back in 2018 when he launched his single “God’s Plan” atop the tally. He repeated the success later that year with “Nice For What.” In 2020 he landed a third chart-topping start with “Toosie Slide,” and the rapper collected his fourth earlier in 2021 with “What’s Next.”
Grande also started her historic winning streak of landing No. 1 debuts on the Hot 100 in 2018 with “Thank U, Next,” the title track from her album of the same name. The following year, she managed the showing again with “7 Rings.” In 2020, Grande more than doubled her total number of chart-topping starts with “Stuck With U” with Justin Bieber and “Rain On Me” with Lady Gaga, as well as her own “Positions,” which also shared a name with her then-upcoming full-length.
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With a fifth No. 1 opening on the Hot 100, Drake breaks out of a tie with both Justin Bieber and BTS for the second-most debuts of all time, as those two major stars have collected four such smashes apiece. Of the two, Bieber kicked off his run first, landing his initial No. 1 start back in 2015 with “What Do You Mean?” Since then, he’s launched three more cuts atop the tally, including DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One,” which also featured Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne, “Stuck With U” with Grande and his own “Peaches” with Daniel Caesar and Giveon earlier this year.
All four of BTS’s immediate champions are solo endeavors, and they have thus far debuted the following smashes at No. 1 on the Hot 100: “Dynamite,” “Life Goes On,” “Butter” and most recently “Permission to Dance” which replaced “Butter” in first place, only for the earlier winner to regain control over the tally the following frame.
