Bruno Mars sets 32-week record atop Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Bruno Mars's "I Just Might" is back at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart dated 24 October for a 32nd week on top, the longest run at the summit in the chart's history, according to Billboard. Billboard
The chart began in October 1958. The song now stands alone after passing the previous longest leader, Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "Luther", which spent 31 weeks at No. 1.
The new record came from a return, not an unbroken run. "I Just Might" reclaimed the top spot after Drake and Don Toliver's "Solar Eclipse" spent the chart week dated 17 October at No. 1.
For the tracking week of 9-15 October, "I Just Might" recorded 5.03 million official on-demand US streams, 51.9 million in radio airplay audience, a measure of listeners reached, and 1,000 song sales, according to Luminate, the company that supplies consumption data for Billboard's charts.
What makes this stand out is how often the song has left and retaken the lead. It is a 32-week total, not 32 weeks in a row.
"I Just Might" debuted at No. 1 on the ranking dated 24 January, Billboard said. That start gave Mars his first debut at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and his fifth No. 1 on the chart overall.
It was later displaced for seven weeks from May to June by Drake's "Janice STFU". It then rebuilt its total before the brief interruption by "Solar Eclipse" and this week's return.
The song has travelled well beyond one chart. Billboard credits "I Just Might" as Mars's 10th No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. It also topped Pop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay, the radio charts for mainstream pop and rhythmic stations, and reached No. 2 on Adult R&B Airplay.
On Pop Airplay, it reached No. 1 on the chart dated 21 March, rising two places that week.
The single introduced "The Romantic", Mars's fourth solo studio album. That link between single and album rollout is standard industry practice, with a lead song arriving ahead of the full record to set up release week.
