Travis Scott & Kid Cudi’s ‘The Scotts’ Debuts at No. 1 on Hot 100, Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Savage’ Soars to Top Five

Scott follows his virtual Fortnite concert last week.

Travis Scott and Kid Cudi‘s new collaborative single “The Scotts” blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The song marks Scott’s third Hot 100 leader and Cudi’s first.

Plus, Megan Thee Stallion achieves her first top 10 Hot 100 hit, as “Savage” surges from No. 14 to No. 4 following the arrival of its remix with Beyoncé.

Let’s run down the top 10 of the newest Hot 100, which blends all-genre U.S. streaming, radio airplay and sales data. All charts (dated May 9) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (May 5).

“The Scotts,” billed as by The Scotts, Travis Scott & Kid Cudi (both artists have Scott in their names, as Kid Cudi’s real name is Scott Mescudi), was released to digital service providers for streaming and purchase on Wicked Awesome/Cactus Jack/Epic Records at midnight ET Friday, April 24.

The song arrives as the 1,099th No. 1 in the Hot 100’s 61-year history, and the 37th to debut at the summit.

No. 1 in streaming & sales: “The Scotts” likewise launches at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart, with 42.2 million U.S. streams in the week ending April 30, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

It also bows at No. 1 on Digital Song Sales, with 67,000 downloads sold in the same span (helped by 15 physical configurations available during the tracking week in Scott’s official webstore, where consumers could purchase it on CD, cassette or vinyl along with a digital download; the download would be sent to consumers upon purchase, with physical versions due to arrive in six or more weeks).

The sales sum marks the third-highest for any song so far in 2020, following the debut weeks of BTS’ “On” (86,000; March 7) and Justin Bieber’s “Yummy” (71,000; Jan. 18) (with both songs also having included digital/physical offers in those frames).

“The Scotts” additionally drew 5.5 million in all-format radio airplay audience in the week ending May 3.

Scott tallies his third No. 1 on Streaming Songs and first on Digital Song Sales, while Cudi collects his first leader on each list.

Fueled by Fortnite: Boosting its profile, “The Scotts” served as one of the highlights of Scott’s three-day Astronomical event during Fortnite‘s largest in-game gathering to-date, which began last Thursday night (April 23). Scott teamed with Epic Games for the in-game experience, which featured a virtual version of the rapper and a performance of the track, among other hits of his.

Scott’s third No. 1, Cudi’s first: Scott earns his third Hot 100 No. 1, and second to arrive at the apex, following “Sicko Mode,” which led the list dated Dec. 8, 2018, and “Highest in the Room,” which reigned upon its Oct. 19, 2019, debut.

Kid Cudi achieves his long-awaited first Hot 100 No. 1, after hitting a prior No. 3 high with his first entry, “Day ‘N’ Nite,” in 2009. He most recently reached the chart as a soloist in 2013 and subsequently charted seven titles in June 2018 from his collaborative album with Kanye West, Kids See Ghosts. (All seven tracks were likewise billed as by Kids See Ghosts.)

As Cudi first appeared on the Hot 100 dated May 9, 2009, he ends a wait of exactly 11 years for his first leader, the longest such span since Daddy Yankee took 12 years and nine months from his first charted title in August 2004 to his first leader, “Despacito,” with Luis Fonsi and featuring Bieber, in May 2017.

Start of a new streak: Scott and Kid Cudi end a 35-week stretch of Hot 100 No. 1s by only singularly-billed acts, the longest such streak in over two decades (and one that encompasses Scott’s “Highest in the Room”). The run began after Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s “Señorita” led the Aug. 31, 2019-dated survey.

What’s in a name (in a title)? As “The Scotts,” credited to, again, The Scotts, Travis Scott & Kid Cudi, tops the Hot 100, the song is the latest in a select group of leaders whose titles share the names of acts that recorded them. The club now comprises:

“The Scotts,” The Scotts, Travis Scott & Kid Cudi, 2020
“Crank That (Soulja Boy),” Soulja Boy Tell’em, 2007
“Ice Ice Baby,” Vanilla Ice, 1990
“Human,” Human League, 1986
“Love’s Theme,” Love Unlimited Orchestra, 1974
“Hey Paula,” Paul and Paula, 1963
“The Chipmunk Song,” The Chipmunks with David Seville, 1958-59

No. 1 hip-hop, rap: “The Scotts” currently begins at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. (Both rankings employ the same multi-metric formula as the Hot 100.) Scott adds his fourth No. 1 on each chart and Kid Cudi earns his first.

The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” descends to No. 2 on the Hot 100 after four nonconsecutive weeks on top. Still, it rules the Radio Songs chart for a fourth frame, with 109.7 million audience impressions, down 1%. The track spends a 10th week at No. 1 on Hot R&B Songs.

Drake’s “Toosie Slide” slips 2-3 on the Hot 100 following its debut at No. 1 three weeks ago, while reaching the Radio Songs top 10 (12-10; 67.9 million, up 16%). Drake notches his 23rd Radio Songs top 10, tying Mariah Carey for the second-most since the chart began in December 1990. Rihanna leads with 29 top 10s (four of which she shares with Drake: “What’s My Name?,” “Take Care,” “Work” and “Too Good”).

Megan Thee Stallion achieves her first Hot 100 top 10, as “Savage” surges 14-4 following the midday, April 29 release of its remix with Beyoncé (a day before the streaming and sales chart tracking week ended). It roars 8-2 on Digital Song Sales (26,000, up 160%), 8-3 on Streaming Songs (26.9 million, up 48%) and 36-18 on Radio Songs (40.5 million, up 52%), sweeping the Hot 100’s top Sales, Streaming and Airplay Gainer awards.

Megan Thee Stallion previously hit a No. 11 Hot 100 high with “Hot Girl Summer,” featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign, last August.

(Beyoncé is not credited on the Hot 100 as a featured artist on “Savage” as the total chart points for its remix did not outweigh those of the original in the tracking week; artist credit will be reevaluated next week following a first full tracking week for the remix.)

Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” drops 3-5 on the Hot 100, after it reigned for 11 weeks.

Doja Cat’s “Say So” descends to No. 6 from its No. 5 Hot 100 high, although, like “Savage,” it should show gains on next week’s charts following the Friday, May 1, arrival of its remix featuring Minaj.

Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” falls 4-7 on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 2, and Post Malone’s “Circles” slides 6-8, after notching three weeks at No. 1, as it logs a record-extending 35th week in the top 10.

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Bieber’s “Intentions,” featuring Quavo, dips to No. 9 from its No. 8 high and Harry Styles’ “Adore You” retreats to No. 10 from its No. 7 peak.

Find out more Hot 100 news on Billboard.com this week, and, for all chart news, you can listen (and subscribe) to Billboard‘s Pop Shop Podcast and This Week in Billboard News podcast and follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram. And again, be sure to visit Billboard.com tomorrow (May 5), when all charts, including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh.

Source: billboard.com