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The Weeknd & Ariana Grande’s ‘Die for You’ Leaps to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
The song surges after Grande joined for its remix. Plus, Karol G & Shakira launch at No. 7 with “TQG.”
The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Die for You” bounds from No. 6 to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, after Grande joined for its remix. The song reigns after it was originally released on The Weeknd’s album Starboy in 2016, before it was revived in recent months thanks in part to interaction on TikTok, which helped spark new promotion to radio and streaming services.
The team-up marks each artist’s seventh Hot 100 No. 1 – and their second together, after “Save Your Tears” led in 2021, for two weeks, also after Grande was added on a remixed version.
Plus, Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” soars onto the Hot 100 at No. 7, marking the former’s first top 10 and the latter’s sixth – and second this year, following a nearly 16-year break from the region. The collaboration is from Karol G’s new album Mañana Será Bonito, which debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, becoming the first all-Spanish-language leader by a woman in the list’s history.
The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data. All charts (dated March 11, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (March 7). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Here’s a look at the coronation for “Die for You,” which becomes the 1,146th No. 1 since the Hot 100 began in August 1958.
Airplay, streams & sales: “Die for You,” released on XO/Republic Records, drew 81.1 million radio airplay audience impressions (up less than 1%) and 32.4 million streams (up 181%) and sold 14,000 (up 1,170%) Feb. 24-March 2, according to Luminate. It doubles up with the Hot 100’s top Streaming Gainer and Sales Gainer weekly awards.
The track blasts from No. 22 to No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart (where it becomes Grande’s fourth leader and The Weeknd’s third); debuts at No. 3 on Digital Song Sales; and holds at No. 3 on Radio Songs, after two weeks on top.
The song was originally released by The Weeknd solo in 2016 on his album Starboy, with its recent resurgence sparked by interaction on TikTok (which does not presently contribute directly to Billboard’s charts). That buzz helped lead to the song’s current promotion to radio and streaming services. On Feb. 24, the song’s remix with Grande was released, with that version and an instrumental mix, both billed as by the tandem, discounted to 69 cents through March 2. Late on March 1, an a cappella version by the pair arrived, also for 69 cents. Those versions joined The Weeknd’s original solo version and its sped-up and instrumental mixes, also priced at 69 cents during the tracking week. (The instrumental versions, one billed as by The Weeknd and the other by The Weeknd and Grande, share audio and differ only in digital artwork; they were available during the tracking week only in the acts’ webstores.)
“Die” wouldn’t: As Starboy opened atop the Billboard 200 dated Dec. 17, 2016, “Die for You” concurrently debuted at No. 43 on the Hot 100. The song spent three weeks on the chart that month (and, promoted as a single to R&B/hip-hop and rhythmic radio, reached the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Adult R&B Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts in 2017-18). It returned to the Hot 100 dated Sept. 3, 2022. In October, it reached the Hot 100’s top 40 and this January it hit the top 10. It also topped the Pop Airplay chart for two weeks and reached a new No. 2 best on Rhythmic Airplay in January-February.
The song completes the second-longest trip to No. 1 on the Hot 100 in terms of time from a debut to scaling the summit – and the longest among non-holiday songs. Notably, The Weeknd and Grande claim two of the six longest such journeys.
Most Time to No. 1 on Hot 100, from Chart Debut:
19 years, 11 months, 2 weeks, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (2000-19; originally released in 1994, the carol ultimately first led 25 years after its release)
6 years, 2 months, 3 weeks, “Die for You,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande (2016-23)
5 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, “When I’m With You,” Sheriff (1983-89)
4 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, “Red Red Wine,” UB40 (1984-88; the pop/reggae classic and Sheriff’s love song above were revived, in part, by adventurous radio exec Guy Zapoleon)
1 year, 2 months, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals (2021-22)
1 year, 1 month, “Save Your Tears,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande (2020-21)
(Additional research by Billboard senior charts and social manager Xander Zellner)
Meanwhile, “Die for You” tops the Hot 100 in its 31st total week on the tally, the fourth-longest such climb. “Heat Waves” reigned when it wrapped a record 59-week ascent.
The Weeknd & Grande’s No. 1s: The Weeknd and Grande earn a seventh Hot 100 No. 1 each. Here’s a recap of their leaders.
The Weeknd’s Hot 100 No. 1s:
“Can’t Feel My Face,” three weeks at No. 1, beginning Aug. 22, 2015
“The Hills,” six weeks, Oct. 3, 2015
“Starboy,” feat. Daft Punk, one week, Jan. 7, 2017
“Heartless,” one week, Dec. 14, 2019
“Blinding Lights,” four weeks, April 4, 2020
“Save Your Tears,” with Ariana Grande, two weeks, May 8, 2021
“Die for You,” with Grande, one week to-date, March 11, 2023
Notably, Starboy now boasts two Hot 100 leaders, as “Die for You” joins the set’s title cut after over six years – a record for the longest time between No. 1 songs both originally released on a single album.
Ariana Grande’s Hot 100 No. 1s:
“Thank U Next,” seven weeks at No. 1, beginning Nov. 17, 2018
“7 Rings,” eight weeks, Feb. 2, 2019
“Stuck With U,” with Justin Bieber, one week, May 23, 2020
“Rain on Me,” with Lady Gaga, one week, June 6, 2020
“Positions,” one week, Nov. 7, 2020
“Save Your Tears,” with The Weeknd, two weeks, May 8, 2021
“Die for You,” with The Weeknd, one week to-date, March 11, 2023
Grande simultaneously adds her milestone 20th Hot 100 top 10. “Die for You” became The Weeknd’s 16th top 10 – his first such hit was also with Grande, as their “Love Me Harder” reached No. 7 in November 2014.
Dominant duet partners: The Weeknd and Grande become the latest pair of solo acts that have teamed up for multiple Hot 100 No. 1s. Here’s a look at the acts that might want to consider making their collaborations more frequent, given their repeat success rates. (Drake and Rihanna have achieved the feat thanks to two pairings apiece.)
Acts That Have Teamed for Multiple Hot 100 No. 1s:
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande: “Save Your Tears,” 2021; “Die for You,” 2023
Drake & Future: “Way 2 Sexy” (Drake feat. Future & Young Thug), 2021; “Wait for U” (Future feat. Drake & Tems), 2022
Rihanna feat. Drake: “What’s My Name?,” 2010; “Work,” 2016
Eminem feat. Rihanna: “Love the Way You Lie,” 2010; “The Monster,” 2013-14
Nelly Furtado & Timbaland: “Promiscuous” (Furtado feat. Timbaland), 2006; “Give It to Me” (Timbaland feat. Furtado & Justin Timberlake), 2007
Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule: “I’m Real,” 2001; “Ain’t It Funny,” 2002
‘Die for You’ deconstructed: Hit Songs Deconstructed, which analyzes the compositional traits of Hot 100 top 10s, notes that despite the 2016 arrival of “Die for You,” the song “fits in with the recent uptick of synth-heavy top 10s, which doubled between 2020 and 2022 to nearly one-quarter of such songs, and the continued popularity of R&B, which has held steady in half of all top 10s over the past two years.”
Speaking of R&B …
No. 1 R&B/hip-hop: “Die for You” concurrently hits No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs charts, which use the same methodology as the Hot 100. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, The Weeknd adds his eighth leader and Grande achieves her first. On Hot R&B Songs, The Weeknd claims his record-extending 11th No. 1 (dating to the chart’s 2012 start) and Grande notches her first.
Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” descends to No. 2 after spending its first six weeks on the Hot 100 at No. 1. Still, it tops Radio Songs for a third week, up 7% to 102.1 million in audience. It’s the first song to draw over 100 million in reach since Adele’s “Easy on Me” (101.2 million; Jan. 22, 2022) and logs the highest sum since The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” posted six such weeks (reaching a high of 114.6 million) in April-May 2020.
SZA’s “Kill Bill” slips to No. 3 on the Hot 100 after seven weeks at its No. 2 high – although it takes top Airplay Gainer honors, up 13% to 81 million in audience.
PinkPantheress and Ice Spice’s “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” retreats to No. 4 on the Hot 100 from its No. 3 best; Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” holds at No. 5, after reaching No. 3, as it leads the multi-metric Hot Country Songs chart for a fourth week; and Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage’s “Creepin’” backtracks 4-6, after hitting No. 3.
Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” charges onto the Hot 100 at No. 7, with 29 million streams, 4.6 million in airplay audience and 7,000 sold. The song is from Karol G’s album Mañana Será Bonito, which debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making history as the first all-Spanish-language leader by a woman.
The track is Karol G’s first Hot 100 top 10 and Shakira’s sixth – and second this year, after her and Bizarrap’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” debuted at its No. 9 peak in January, following her nearly 16-year absence from the region, since “Beautiful Liar,” with Beyoncé, rose to No. 3 in April 2007.
While Shakira’s lengthy break from the Hot 100’s top 10 only to return with two such hits in relatively quick succession is rare, it’s not unprecedented: Elton John went over 24 years after 1998 before revisiting the tier with “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” with Dua Lipa (No. 7, 2021), and “Hold Me Closer,” with Britney Spears (No. 6, 2022). Plus, Billboard deputy editor Andrew Unterberger shouts out Santana’s wait of over 28 years after 1971 before bounding back with two No. 1s in 1999-2000 – “Smooth,” featuring Rob Thomas, and “Maria Maria,” featuring The Product G&B – along with two more top 10s in 2002-03. (All such examples reflect acts teaming with artists who followed in their footsteps, capitalizing on multi-generational appeal.)
“TQG” concurrently launches at No. 1 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, where it’s Karol G’s sixth leader, all since 2018, and fellow Colombian Shakira’s 13th, with her run having begun in 1998.
Elsewhere in the Hot 100’s top 10, Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” falls 7-8, after it ruled for a week in October; Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” dips 8-9, following a personal-best eight weeks at No. 1 in November-December; and Beyoncé’s “Cuff It” falls 9-10, after hitting No. 6.
Again, for all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram and all charts (dated March 11), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (March 7).
Source: billboard.com