Drake’s ‘Nice For What’ Holds Atop Billboard Hot 100, Nicki Minaj’s ‘Chun-Li’ Vaults to Top 10

As on the Hot 100, “Nice,” released on Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records, spends a second week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart, down 2 percent to 59.3 million U.S. streams in the week ending April 19, according to Nielsen Music. It dips 1-2 on Digital Song Sales with 50,000 downloads sold, down 43 percent, in the week ending April 19, while surging 34-27 on the Radio Songschart with 40 million in all-format airplay audience, up 33 percent, in the week ending April 22, good for the Hot 100’s top Airplay Gainer award.Notably, as “Nice” has spent its first two weeks on the Hot 100 at No. 1, exactly half of the hits (15 of 30) that have debuted on top have remained at the summit in their second weeks.Plus, Drake has now spent 33 cumulative weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to his first week on top as featured on Rihanna’s “What’s My Name?” (Nov. 20, 2010), the first of his five No. 1s. With his latest frame in the lead, he passes Bruno Mars (32) for the most weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 among solo males this decade. Among all acts, only Rihanna has totaled more weeks at the top spot in the 2010s: 41.

“Nice” concurrently crowns Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songscharts for a second week each.

Meanwhile, Drake boasts the Nos. 1 and 2 songs on the Hot 100 for a second week, as “God’s Plan” logs a second frame at the runner-up spot after tallying its first 11 weeks at No. 1. Drake is the 16th act to rank at Nos. 1 and 2 simultaneously for multiple weeks, and the first since Justin Bieber, who did so for four frames in July 2017 as featured on Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” and DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One.”

“Plan” holds at No. 2 on Streaming Songs (44.2 million, down 7 percent) and No. 3 on Radio Songs (114 million, up 5 percent) and drops 3-5 on Digital Song Sales (31,000, down 13 percent).

Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant to Be” keeps at No. 3 on the Hot 100 after reaching No. 2. It leads the Radio Songs chart for a third week (142 million, up 4 percent), Hot Country Songs for a 21st frame and the Adult Pop Songs airplay chart for a second week, while rising 2-1 on Country Airplay, where FGL earns its 12th leader and Rexha collects her first.

Post Malone‘s “Psycho,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, is steady at No. 4 on the Hot 100, after debuting at its No. 2 high.

Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey‘s “The Middle” hits the Hot 100’s top five (6-5). Zedd notches his second top five hit and first as a lead act, following his featured turn on Ariana Grande’s “Break Free” (No. 4, 2014). Morris and Grey each make their first visit to the region. Airplay leads the way for “The Middle,” which holds at its No. 2 high on Radio Songs (117 million, up 2 percent).

With Florida Georgia Line at No. 3 and Morris at No. 5, two core country acts chart in the Hot 100’s top five simultaneously for the first time in over 18 years, since the chart dated April 15, 2000, when Faith Hill’s “Breathe” ranked at No. 3 and Lonestar’s “Amazed” placed at No. 5.

Of course, “The Middle” is not a country song; it tops the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart for a 12th week.

And, “Middle” ground: Zedd, Morris and Grey’s hit matches the peak of the other song titled “The Middle” that has charted on the Hot 100: Jimmy Eat World’s different composition reached No. 5 in June 2002.

BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive,” featuring Drake, drops to No. 6 from its No. 5 Hot 100 peak; Ed Sheeran‘s former six-week No. 1 “Perfect” repeats at No. 7; Lil Dicky‘s “Freaky Friday,” featuring Chris Brown, rebounds to its best rank (9-8), while ruling Hot R&B Songs for a second week; and Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin‘s “I Like It” descends to No. 9 after opening a week ago at No. 8.

Capping the Hot 100’s top 10, Nicki Minaj blasts 92-10 with “Chun-Li.” The song hurtles following its first full week of tracking; it debuted from a day of streaming and sales tracking and four days of radio airplay monitoring, after its April 12 release. It debuts at No. 14 on Streaming Songs (22.1 million in the April 13-19 tracking week, up from 3.5 million in its first day) and charges 16-4 on Digital Song Sales (38,000, up from 20,000), as it logs the Hot 100’s top streaming and sales increases.

Minaj tallies her 16th Hot 100 top 10, extending her record for the most among female rappers; Missy Elliott ranks second with nine.

(“Chun-Li” logs the greatest jump on the Hot 100, 82 positions, since Katy Perry’s “Roar” roared 83 spots, from No. 85 to No. 2, also following its first full tracking week, on Aug. 31, 2013.)

Minaj additionally rockets with her new song, also released April 12, “Barbie Tingz,” which jumps 83-25, as it debuts at No. 19 on Streaming Songs (18 million, up from 4.2 million in its first day) and climbs 13-7 on Digital Song Sales (29,000, up from 21,000).

Also just beyond the Hot 100’s top 10, Camila Cabello’s “Never Be the Same” hits a new high (15-13) and Imagine Dragons’ “Whatever It Takes” enters the top 20 (22-20), while Lil Pump logs the chart’s highest debut, “Esskeetit,” at No. 24.

Find out more Hot 100 news in the weekly “Hot 100 Chart Moves” column and by listening (and subscribing) to Billboard‘s Chart Beat Podcast and Pop Shop Podcast. And again, be sure to visit Billboard.com tomorrow (April 24), when all charts, including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh.

Source: billboard.com