A week after Kendrick Lamar joined a select club of artists upon replacing himself at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, the rapper stands in a class of his own by becoming the first artist to achieve three successive No. 1s without interruption on the 66-year-old list.
Lamar makes history with “Luther,” a collaboration with SZA, which climbs from No. 2 to lead the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart dated Dec. 21. It swaps positions with the rapper’s “TV Off,” featuring Lefty Gunplay, which took over the top slot from Lamar’s “Squabble Up” a week prior. (“Squabble Up” is No. 3 on this week’s chart.)
All three tracks appear on Lamar’s GNX album, which was released without warning on Nov. 22. The set, on pgLang/Interscope Records, rules the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for a third consecutive week with 125,000 equivalent album units in the tracking week of Dec. 6 – 12, according to Luminate.
“Luther” tallies a combination of 28.7 million official U.S. streams (down 11% compared with the previous week), 2,000 song downloads (up 53%) and 9.8 million in airplay audience (up 63%) in the tracking week. These totals push the track 2-1 for its first week atop the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart and a 5-3 gain on R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs. Although “Luther” remains below the threshold for the all-genre Radio Songs chart (all airplay for a song, regardless of format, contributes to a title’s rank on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs), it drives 18-15 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.
As “Luther” unlocks an unprecedented achievement for Lamar, let’s review more of the historic feats from the chart’s newest champ:
With “Luther,” Lamar notches his seventh No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Here’s a review of his chart-topping collection:
“HUMBLE.,” two weeks at No. 1, beginning May 22, 2017
“Mona Lisa,” Lil Wayne featuring Kendrick Lamar, one, Oct. 13, 2018
“Like That,” with Future and Metro Boomin, five, April 6, 2024
“Not Like Us,” 21, May 1, 2024
“Squabble Up,” one, Dec. 7, 2024
“TV Off,” featuring Lefty Gunplay, one, Dec. 14, 2024
“Luther,” with SZA, one (to date), Dec. 21, 2024
For SZA, “Luther” gives the singer-songwriter her fourth champ. Her roster is now:
“I Hate U,” one week, Dec. 18, 2021
“Kill Bill,” 21, beginning Dec. 24, 2022
“Slime You Out,” Drake featuring SZA, Sept. 30, 2023
“Luther,” with Kendrick Lamar, one (to date), Dec. 21, 2024
Notably, the “Luther” performers share custody of one of the most impressive distinctions on the chart. Both “Kill Bill” and “Not Like Us” reigned for 21 weeks, the most of any title in the chart’s history, dating to its consolidation into an all-encompassing genre chart in 1958.
The new No. 1 also gives Lamar and SZA, former labelmates on Top Dawg Entertainment before Lamar exited the organization, their first Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs leader together. The pair previously reached No. 5 with the Black Panther soundtrack single “All the Stars” in 2018, while another current hit, “Gloria,” debuted at No. 13 two weeks ago and sits at No. 17 this week.
Fans of their collaborations can almost certainly expect to hear several of them live. The two superstars recently announced the Grand National tour, which will play 23 stadium dates in the U.S. and Canada beginning in March 2025.
As “Luther” arrives at the summit, Lamar achieves his fifth No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 2024, the most by any artist in a calendar year.
He was previously tied with The Temptations (1966), The Jackson 5 (1970), Janet Jackson (1987), Usher (2004) and Drake (2016) as the only acts to spin off a quartet of leaders in such a time frame.
With “Luther,” a cast of music icons play a role in the newest No. 1. The song’s title namechecks Luther Vandross and is built upon a sample of his 1982 duet with Cheryl Lynn, “If This World Were Mine,” which reached No. 4 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
The Lynn-Vandross version is a cover of the original, written by Marvin Gaye, who performed it with his most common duet partner, Tammi Tarrell. The Motown hitmakers’ rendition peaked at No. 27 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 1968.
Lamar’s three latest leaders – “Squabble Up,” “TV Off” and “Luther” – all appear on the rapper’s most recent album, GNX, which was released on Nov. 22.
With the trio, GNX is the first album with three No. 1s on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since Drake’s Scorpion did the same in 2018, with 11-week leaders “God’s Plan” and “In My Feelings” and the eight-week champ “Nice for What.”
As the six-year gap demonstrates, albums are having a harder time generating multiple No. 1s, which used to be a regular occurrence. The shift to streaming-dominated consumption patterns allows listeners to consume an album all at once, so while a lead single can ride that initial momentum to a strong debut and high chart peaks, listeners may have already moved on from a project by the time a second or third single launches at radio and other promotion avenues, shackling its ultimate chart placement.
The more common way to earn multiple No. 1s now is for artists to issue one or two lead singles that become hits and then follow with the full album’s release, which may generate another chart-topper among the previously unheard material as listeners flock to the album en masse.
Elsewhere, “Luther” ascends 2-1 to crown the Hot Rap Songs chart and secures Lamar’s seventh career leader.
SZA, meanwhile, picks up her first No. 1 on the rap ranking. Pre-“Luther,” her prior best showing happened when she and Sexyy Red featured on Drake’s “Rich Baby Daddy,” which peaked at No. 3 in November 2023.
“Luther” remains in the top 10 (6-7) on the Billboard Hot 100, having posted a No. 3 high upon debut. An avalanche of holiday titles continues to provide growing competition, as five of the six titles above “Luther” seasonal fare, with the sole exception of Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile.” The former No. 2 hit pushes 9-6 in its 17th week on the list. S: Billboard
