For the past few weeks now, all eyes have been on Shaboozey and “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” to see if the track would beat the all-time record for the most weeks spent at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. As of last week, Shaboozey tied the high mark of 19 weeks set by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road.” One more week and Shaboozey owns the record outright, with the first song to hit 20 weeks at No. 1.
Well, that’s not happening this week.
On the new Hot 100 chart dated December 7, Kendrick Lamar’s new album GNX dominates. Lamar has 7 of this week’s top 10 songs, including “Squabble Up” at No. 1, which is Lamar’s fifth chart-topper and his third of just 2024. As for “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” it has been pushed all the way down to No. 6.
That said, this doesn’t mean “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is finished its No. 1 run. This is actually the third time the track has been replaced in the top spot: Lamar’s “Not Like Us” took over for a week in July, then Morgan Wallen’s “Love Somebody” had a week on top in November before Shaboozey reclaimed his spot. So, if listening activity on Lamar’s new album dies down after its opening week, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” could make yet another return to No. 1 and set a new all-time high.
In recent weeks, chart watchers have been intently keeping an eye on the Billboard Hot 100, to see if Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has what it takes to become the longest-running No. 1 single in chart history. Prior to the latest chart (dated November 30), the song had been on top for 18 weeks, one shy of the 19-week record set by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road.”
Well, the top 10 of the new chart is out now, and sure enough, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is No. 1 yet again, for a 19th total week, and has tied the all-time record. While the song is knotted for the overall record, it does extend its reign as the longest-running No. 1 song by a performer without an accompanied artist.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is excelling across the Billboard chart landscape: It’s also No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart for a 17th week and on the Hot Country Songs chart for a 23rd week.
Meanwhile, Teddy Swims just achieved a more under-the-radar accomplishment: “Lose Control,” at No. 4 this week, is in the top 10 for a 45th week, which is now the second-most of all time, behind only The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” with 57 top-10 weeks.
Back in July, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” became his first-ever No. 1 song. Now, it’s November, nearly December, and the song is still on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That remains true on the latest chart, dated November 23 and revealed today.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has now been No. 1 for 18 total weeks, which means it’s just one week shy of matching the all-time record for the most weeks spent on top: 19, previously achieved by Lil Nas X and Billie Ray Cyrus’ 2019 hit “Old Town Road.” The song is also No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart for the 22nd week, the longest run this year.
Meanwhile, this week also has good news for Gracie Abrams: Her surging single “That’s So True” rises from No. 13 to No. 6 on the latest chart, making it her first-ever top-10 song on the Hot 100. Her previous high was at No. 19 with “I Love You, I’m Sorry” in October. Both songs come from Abrams’ latest album, The Secret Of Us (“That’s So True” was released on the deluxe edition). Both tracks were co-written and co-produced with Aaron Dessner.
Shaboozey, meanwhile, is starting to look towards post-“A Bar Song” life, as he just released a new single, “Good News.”
Now, the top 10 of the latest Hot 100 chart (dated November 16) is out, and Shaboozey is No. 1 yet again. That’s 17 total weeks now, meaning “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” now has sole ownership of the No. 2 spot of all time, behind Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” at 19 weeks. This means that “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is currently the longest-running No. 1 song ever by an unaccompanied artist with no features.
Elsewhere on this week’s chart, Tyler The Creator’s “Sticky” (featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne) rises to No. 1, making it his third top-10 single. His first two came just last week, when “St. Chroma” debuted at No. 7 at “Noid” at No. 10. Neither of those songs are in this week’s top 10, though. “Sticky” is also the first top-10 single for Sexyy Red, the second for GloRilla, and the 26th (but the first in over four years) for Lil Wayne.
If Jeopardy contestants know who you are, you have (sort of) officially made it. Between that, his Beyoncé co-sign and sheer chart dominance, Shaboozey is an undeniable country music force.
Since its release, Shaboozey’s single “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” has been a consistent fixture on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart. Today (November 4), the outlet confirmed that the single set another record. As of the chart’s last update, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is now tied with three other smashes to hold the coveted No. 1 spot for at least 16 weeks, which includes Morgan Wallen’s 2023 hit “Last Night.”
The other two hits include 16, Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s 2017 banger “Despacito” featuring Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men’s 1995 collaboration “One Sweet Day.” However, Lil Nas X’s 2019 breakthrough track “Old Town Road” (the version that features Billy Ray Cyrus) still maintains the overall record.
Back then, Lil Nas X’s country hybrid record held tight to the No. 1 spot for 19 weeks. For now, Shaboozey can brag about “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” having “the longest reign of the 2020s” as the outlet pointed out.
Only time will tell if Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” cross the 19 weeks at No. 1 mark. But fans surely are rooting for his pursuit of the career milestone.
Most new songs and albums are released on Fridays, because that’s when the tracking week for Billboard chart eligibility starts. So, dropping a new release on any other day presents a chart disadvantage, since the song/album misses out on days of listening activity. That said, all of this didn’t stop Tyler The Creator from being successful with his latest project, Chromakopia, which he released on a Monday.
Since the album was released on a Monday, it missed out on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from its debut week, meaning the project’s debut numbers all came from four days. Despite that disadvantage, Chromakopia debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The project had an impact on the Hot 100 chart revealed today (November 4), too. On the chart dated November 9, Tyler’s “St. Chroma” featuring Daniel Caesar debuts at No. 7, while Noid also cracked the top 10 in the final spot. These are Tyler’s first-ever top-10 songs. His previous high was at No. 13 with Igor standout “Earfquake” in 2019.
The other most noteworthy song in this week’s Hot 100 top-10 is Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which returns to No. 1 for a 16th total week. It is now tied for the second-most weeks spent at No. 1, alongside Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night”; Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito”; and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day.” It’s now behind only Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road.”
Back in July, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time. Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” then claimed the top spot the next week, but after that, it was all Shaboozey for a long time. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” went on to spend 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1, since the chart dated July 27. Now, after 15 total weeks, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is no longer No. 1.
Ultimately, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has spent more time at No. 1 than any other song in 2024; The next closest is Post Malone and Wallen’s “I Had Some Help,” which enjoyed six weeks on top this year. On the all-time list for most weeks at No. 1, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is behind only Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” (19 weeks); Wallen’s “Last Night”; Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito”; and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” (16 weeks each). It’s also tied with Harry Styles’ “As It Was” at 15 weeks.
Elsewhere on the chart, Bruno Mars and Rosé’s “APT.” has the week’s biggest debut at No. 8. Mars and Lady Gaga’s “Die With A Smile” is also at No. 4, making this the first week Mars has had two top-10 singles since 2013, with “When I Was Your Man” and “Locked Out Of Heaven.”
Every week, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated August 31, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.
10. Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”
After leading for a week in March, Swims is starting to lose control of his top-10 status as “Lose Control” rounds out this week’s rank.
9. Sabrina Carpenter — “Please Please Please”
June was major for former No. 1 single “Please Please Please,” and Carpenter’s hit still doing fine in August as it hangs around the top 10.
8. Tommy Richman — “Million Dollar Baby”
In addition to sticking around in the top 10, “Million Dollar Baby” is No. 1 on the Hot R&B Songs chart for a 17th week.
7. Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”
“Espresso” experienced a bit of a caffeine crash this week, dipping from No. 4 to No. 7.
6. Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
Roan’s hit previously hit a high of No. 1, and after falling down to No. 7, it’s back at its personal best rank.
5. Billie Eilish — “Birds Of A Feather”
“Birds Of A Feather” previously topped out at No. 5, a spot it hangs onto this week.
4. Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
Lamar’s hit Drake diss is No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart for a 15th week and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for a 13th week.
Last week, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” tied “I Had Some Help” for the longest chart-topping reign of 2024 so far. Well, Shaboozey is No. 1 again this week, so it’s now the longest-running No. 1 single of 2024 as of this week.
Every week, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated August 24, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.
10. Hozier — “Too Sweet”
“Too Sweet” enjoyed a week at No. 1 back in April, but it’s still dominating the Hot Rock Songs chart, which it leads for a 20th week.
9. Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”
You might think a week at No. 9 isn’t that special for a former No. 1 single, but this is the song’s 31st week in the top 10, which puts it tied with the eighth-most top-10 weeks this decade. (It has a way to go to catch up to The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” at No. 1 with 57 weeks.)
8. Sabrina Carpenter — “Please Please Please”
It was announced last week that Carpenter will perform at this year’s MTV VMAs, where she’ll perhaps bust out this former chart-topper.
7. Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
Speaking of 2024 VMAs performers: “Good Luck, Babe!” was at its all-time high of No. 6 last week, and it’s taken a slight slide this time around.
6. Tommy Richman — “Million Dollar Baby”
“Million Dollar Baby” may end up topping out at No. 2, but the viral hit is still chugging along respectfully in the top 10.
5. Billie Eilish — “Birds Of A Feather”
Here’s a new milestone for Eilish: “Birds Of A Feather” is now her fifth top-5 song, following “Bad Buy,” “Therefore I Am,” and “Lunch.” This makes Hit Me Hard And Soft her first album to generate multiple top-5 hits.
“Not Like Us” is still crushing it, as it’s atop the Hot Rap Songs chart for a 14th week and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for a 12th total week.
2. Post Malone — “I Had Some Help” Feat. Morgan Wallen
Country has been dominating the charts in recent weeks as Malone’s Wallen collab is once again in the top 2 after a six-week run at No. 1.
1. Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is not only an undeniable hit, but it’s one of the biggest of the year so far. This is the song’s sixth week at No. 1, which ties with with “I Had Some Help” for the most weeks on top in 2024.
In the 1994 movie Airheads, Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, and Adam Sandler play members of a rock band with big dreams. The story of the film is that the three decide to hijack a radio station in an effort to get their demo played on the air.
The idea was that fame and riches would follow, presumably. To be frank, I haven’t seen the film (sorry not sorry, my movie backlog is packed and Airheads is not above Air). I’m just aware of the general premise. Regardless, it sets up the point I’m about to get to: That movie synopsis reads as very ’90s and alien in relation to the music industry in 2024. Things are different now, both in terms of music itself and the ecosystem that surrounds it.
In times of change, it’s important to self-reflect and reconsider the things we value, what’s working and what isn’t. As I’ve aged, I’ve come to realize that one serving of vegetables per week isn’t part of a successful plan to remain alive, for example. I’ve also reached this question: Is landing a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart today going the way of getting a demo on the radio in 1994?
My answer, to an extent, is yes: Getting a No. 1 single doesn’t matter like it used to. That’s a big-sounding claim and I don’t want to present it without nuance, so let’s look at some information.
In 2023, 19 songs were No. 1 on the Hot 100. In 2013, that number was only 12. The figures are shaping up similarly for this year, too: We already have 15 chart-toppers so far in 2024 with so much time left, versus just 10 in 2014.
A simple lesson in supply and demand: The more there is of something, the less valuable it is. Please indulge me briefly as we go back to 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first two people to summit Mount Everest. It was a big deal! Since then, over 6,000 other people have done it, too. Climbing Everest is still a noteworthy challenge, especially when you consider the 200 or so people who didn’t make it and whose bodies are still frozen on the mountain right now. But, the gravity of the feat is definitely diminished. That chilling detour was to illustrate that as the distinction of having a No. 1 single becomes less rare, it becomes less impressive.
There are some external factors that impact the perceived value of a Hot 100 No. 1, too, that have nothing to do with the Billboard charts themselves (or Mount Everest).
For one, more ways of measuring a song’s success are available to us now, and these metrics can have different significance to different audiences. For example, perhaps fans who live their musical lives on Spotify care less about chart placement and more about streaming numbers, which have increasingly come to indicate the music many people most spend their time with.
Well, according to data from Luminate (as shared by Billboard), the most-streamed song in the US of the first half of 2024 was Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things,” with 448.7 million plays. Yet, despite being early 2024’s most popular song by a widely valued and impactful metric, “Beautiful Things” never wore the Hot 100 crown. It spent many weeks in the top 10 and even some time at No. 2, but never in the captain’s seat.
More anecdotally speaking, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” is a contender for the 2024 song of the summer. But, it never hit No. 1, despite consistently out-performing, for example, Taylor Swift and Post Malone’s No. 1 hit “Fortnight” on the weekly US Spotify charts after the collaboration’s first week (half-fortnight, if you will). It could be the year’s biggest song so far, but it’s not a No. 1 single in the US.
Then there’s TikTok. That’s a world that’s beyond me (aside from seeing viral TikToks on Instagram three weeks after they’ve already blown up), but I won’t diminish the impact it has on music culture and the value of musical success on the platform. Songs like Tinashe’s “Nasty,” Artemas’ “I Like The Way You Kiss Me,” and, somehow, Pharrell’s Despicable Me 4 song “Double Life” have all gotten major attention on one of the internet’s most-trafficked spaces. None of them have hit even the top 10 on the Hot 100.
To music fans who are mostly on TikTok and aren’t paying attention to the big Spotify favorites (a valid type of person that I’m guessing isn’t uncommon among the app’s users), those are the biggest songs, not some Hot 100 hit they stopped listening a hundred trends ago.
To be clear, this isn’t Billboard‘s fault. They haven’t passively rotted away as the world blooms around them. They regularly tweak the Hot 100 rules as they deem necessary, like they did with major changes in 2013 and 2018. But, it’s seemingly just impossible to keep up, to perfectly quantify and represent how consumers interact with the always-changing music industry.
I don’t mean to diminish the value of a No. 1 single. It’s still a tremendous achievement: Of the thousands and thousands of songs that have been released this year, only 15 of them have gone No. 1. 15! My point is more so that with how diverse and splintered the infrastructure around music consumption has become, the Hot 100 is no longer the singular, be-all-end-all authority on what the biggest songs are. It’s not the metric anymore.
Like getting a demo on the radio, it doesn’t mean what it used to.
