As it reaches the pinnacle of this week's Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated Oct. 28), Post Malone's "Rockstar," featuring 21 Savage, becomes the fifth rap song to hit No. 1 on the chart in 2017, tying the record for the most rap No. 1s on the Hot 100 in a calendar year.
"Rockstar" follows Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)," which ruled the chart for three weeks (until this week), making for five such leaders in all in 2017.
Here are all the rap hits to rule the Hot 100 so far this year:
Rap Songs to Hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2017
Title, Artist, Weeks at No. 1, Peak Date
"Rockstar," Post Malone feat. 21 Savage, one week (to date), beginning Oct. 28
"Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)," Cardi B, three weeks, Oct. 7
"I'm the One," DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne, one week, May 20
"Humble.," Kendrick Lamar, one week, May 6
"Bad and Boujee," Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, three weeks, Jan. 21
Only two rap songs hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2016 (Desiigner's "Panda" and Rae Sremmurd's "Black Beatles," featuring Gucci Mane), and that was up from one in 2015 (Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again," featuring Charlie Puth). Two led in 2014 and three in 2013.
2017 matches the record output of three prior years, as 2006, 2004 and 2003 also brought five rap No. 1s each.
In 2006, D4L's "Laffy Taffy"; Nelly's "Grillz," featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp; Sean Paul's "Temperature"; Chamillionaire's "Ridin'," featuring Krayzie Bone; and Ludacris' "Money Maker," featuring Pharrell, all topped the Hot 100.
In 2004, five rap songs likewise reigned: OutKast's "The Way You Move," featuring Sleepy Brown; Twista's "Slow Jamz," featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx; Juvenile's "Slow Motion," featuring Soulja Slim; Terror Squad's "Lean Back"; and Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot," featuring Pharrell.
And, the five in 2003: 50 Cent's "In Da Club," Sean Paul's "Get Busy"; 50 Cent's "21 Questions," featuring Nate Dogg; Nelly, P. Diddy and Murphy Lee's "Shake Ya Tailfeather"; and Lucadris' "Stand Up," featuring Shawnna.
In a further sign of rap's resurgence, all five of the genre's No. 1s in 2017 mark the first chart-toppers for each lead act (Post Malone, Cardi B, DJ Khaled, Kendrick Lamar, Migos).
With the end of the year looming, it's possible for another rap song to reach the Hot 100's summit and for 2017 to break the record for the most rap No. 1s in a year. In fact, below "Rockstar" and "Bodak Yellow," a third song makes for an all-rap top three on the Hot 100: Logic's "1-800-273-8255" (featuring Alessia Cara), which rebounds to its No. 3 high. The Hot 100 finds three rap songs at Nos. 1, 2 and 3 simultaneously for the first time since March 7, 2009. In order from the top that week: Flo Rida's "Right Round," T.I.'s "Dead and Gone," featuring Justin Timberlake, and Kanye West "Heartless."
Meanwhile, the coronation of "Rockstar" is the latest sign of rap's chart revival in 2017. On the May 6-dated Hot 100, rap titles accounted for half the top 10 for the first time in four years.
