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Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs facts for kids

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Not to be confused with R&B Songs.

The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart lists the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States. This chart is created every week by Billboard magazine. It ranks songs based on how much they are played on the radio, how many copies are sold, and how many times they are streamed online. The chart used to have 100 spots. But in October 2012, it was changed to list only 50 songs.

This chart helps track how well popular songs do, especially in urban areas. These are places where many African American people live. Over the years, the chart has featured different music styles. These include jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, rock and roll, soul, and funk. Today, it mainly features contemporary R&B and hip hop music. The chart's name has changed many times since it started. This was to better show the music styles popular at the time.

History of the Chart's Name

The Billboard magazine started publishing a chart for bestselling African-American music in 1942. First, it was called the Harlem Hit Parade. Then, it became known as Race Records. In 1949, Billboard began publishing a Rhythm and Blues chart. This helped make the term "R&B" well-known. These first three charts were combined into one chart in October 1958. This new chart was called Hot R&B Singles.

From November 1963 to January 1965, Billboard stopped publishing R&B singles charts. They thought it wasn't needed because many R&B songs were also popular on the main pop charts. This was due to the rise of Motown music. The chart was brought back on January 30, 1965. It was then named Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles.

On August 23, 1969, the chart's name changed again. "Rhythm and blues" was replaced with "soul." The chart became Best Selling Soul Singles. Billboard felt that "soul" better described the wide range of music. This music came from the amazing talent of Black Americans. In June 1982, the chart changed its name once more. It became Hot Black Singles. This was because the music Black Americans were buying and listening to had more styles. It included pop, funk, and early rap music. These styles were popular in urban communities.

On October 27, 1990, the Hot Black Singles chart went back to its original name, Hot R&B Singles. This name was first used in 1958. Hip hop was added to the chart's name on December 11, 1999. Billboard changed the name to Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. This showed how much hip hop influenced R&B music. By October 2003, R&B songs were so popular on the pop charts. All of the top ten songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart were by Black artists. The long chart title was shortened to "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs" on April 30, 2005.

The way the chart was put together changed on October 20, 2012. It started to match the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It began including digital downloads and video streaming data. This data was combined with how much R&B and hip-hop songs were played on all radio stations. This new method helped decide a song's position. At this time, the chart was also shortened to 50 positions.

Date range Title
October 1942 – February 1945 The Harlem Hit Parade
February 1945 – June 1949 Race Records
June 1949 – October 1958 Rhythm & Blues Records (two or three separate charts—see above)
October 1958 – October 1962 Hot R&B Sides
November 1962 – November 1963 Hot R&B Singles
November 1963 – January 1965 No chart published (see above)
January 1965 – August 1969 Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles
August 1969 – July 1973 Best Selling Soul Singles
July 1973 – June 1982 Hot Soul Singles
June 1982 – October 1990 Hot Black Singles
October 1990 – January 1999 Hot R&B Singles
January – December 1999 Hot R&B Singles & Tracks
December 1999 – April 2005 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
April 2005 – present Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Amazing Song Achievements

Songs with Most Weeks at Number One

Here are the songs that stayed at the top of the chart for the longest time:

21 weeks

  • "Kill Bill" (2022–23) – SZA

20 weeks

18 weeks

  • "The Honeydripper (Parts 1 & 2)" (1945) – Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers
  • "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" (1946) – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
  • "One Dance" (2016) – Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla
  • "Industry Baby" (2021–22) - Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow

17 weeks

  • "Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens" (1947) – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five

16 weeks

15 weeks

14 weeks

  • "Don't Cry Baby" (1943) – Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra
  • "Boogie Woogie Blue Plate" (1947) – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
  • "The Huckle-Buck" (1949) – Paul Williams and His Hucklebucklers
  • "Black Night" (1951) – Charles Brown
  • "Sixty Minute Man" (1951) – The Dominoes
  • "The Things That I Used to Do" (1954) – Guitar Slim
  • "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" (1998–99) – Deborah Cox
  • "We Belong Together" (2005) – Mariah Carey
  • "Blame It" (2009) – Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain
  • "Pretty Wings" (2009) – Maxwell
  • "Diamonds" (2012–2013) – Rihanna
  • "Thrift Shop" (2013) – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz
  • "See You Again" (2015) – Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth
  • "Rockstar" (2017–18) – Post Malone featuring 21 Savage

13 weeks

12 weeks

  • "(Opportunity Knocks But Once) Snatch and Grab It" (1947) – Julia Lee and Her Boy Friends
  • "Saturday Night Fish Fry" (1949) – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
  • "Searchin'" (1957) – The Coasters
  • "Bump n' Grind" (1994) – R. Kelly
  • "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (2008–09) – Beyoncé
  • "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" (2010) – Alicia Keys
  • "Happy" (2014) – Pharrell Williams
  • "Blinding Lights" (2021) – The Weeknd

Songs with Most Weeks on the Chart

These songs stayed on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for the longest time:

  • 89 weeks – "Sure Thing" – Miguel (2011)
  • 75 weeks – "Be Without You" – Mary J. Blige (2005)
  • 74 weeks – "God In Me" – Mary Mary (2009)
  • 73 weeks – "On the Ocean" – K'Jon (2009)
  • 71 weeks –
    • "You Make Me Wanna..." – Usher (1997)
    • "There Goes My Baby" – Usher (2010)
  • 70 weeks – "Step in the Name of Love" – R. Kelly (2003)
  • 66 weeks –
  • 63 weeks –
    • "In My Bed" – Dru Hill (1997)
  • 60 weeks – "Too Close" – Next (1997)
  • 59 weeks –
    • "Pretty Wings" – Maxwell (2009)
    • "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" – Alicia Keys (2010)
  • 58 weeks –
  • 56 weeks –
  • 55 weeks –
  • 54 weeks –
    • "Stay" – Tyrese (2011)
    • "Thrift Shop" – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz (2012)
  • 52 weeks –

Longest Climbs to Number One

These songs took the longest time to reach the number one spot on the chart:

  • 43rd week – "Step in the Name of Love" by R. Kelly
  • 35th week – "All of Me" by John Legend
  • 32nd week – "Needed Me" by Rihanna

Amazing Artist Achievements

Artists with Most Number-One Singles

These artists have had the most songs reach number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart since October 1958.

Number of
singles		 Artist Source
27
 Drake
20 Aretha Franklin
Stevie Wonder
17
 James Brown
16
 Janet Jackson
15
 The Temptations
13 Marvin Gaye
Michael Jackson
Usher

Artists with Most Weeks at Number One

This table shows artists who spent the most weeks at number one on the chart.

Weeks Artist Source
113† Louis Jordan

† This includes charts from before October 1958.

Artists with Most Top 10 Singles

These artists have had the most songs reach the top 10 on the chart.

Number of
Singles		 Artist Source
117
 Drake
57
 James Brown
46
 Nicki Minaj
42
 Chris Brown

Artists with Most Chart Entries

These artists have had the most songs appear on the chart since October 1958.

Entries Artist Source
309 Drake
198 Lil Wayne
150 Jay-Z
146 Kanye West
140 Chris Brown
125 Nicki Minaj

When Artists Replace Themselves at Number One

Sometimes, an artist's song at number one is replaced by another song by the same artist. This is called "self-replacement."

  • Dinah Washington, July 25, 1960: "A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)" with Brook Benton was replaced by "This Bitter Earth".
  • Freddie Jackson, November 15, 1986: "A Little Bit More" with Melba Moore was replaced by "Tasty Love".
  • Nelly, August 24, 2002: "Hot in Herre" was replaced by "Dilemma" featuring Kelly Rowland.
  • Jay-Z, August 16, 2003: "Crazy in Love" (Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z) was replaced by "Frontin'" (Pharrell featuring Jay-Z).
  • 50 Cent, April 16, 2005: "Candy Shop" featuring Olivia was replaced by "Hate It or Love It" (The Game featuring 50 Cent).
  • Alicia Keys, January 5, 2008: "No One" was replaced by "Like You'll Never See Me Again".
  • Drake, February 26, 2011: "Fall for Your Type" (Jamie Foxx featuring Drake) was replaced by "Moment 4 Life" (Nicki Minaj featuring Drake).
  • Lil Wayne, July 26, 2011: "Motivation" (Kelly Rowland featuring Lil Wayne) was replaced by "I'm on One" (DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne).
  • Drake, February 25, 2012: "Make Me Proud" featuring Nicki Minaj was replaced by "The Motto" featuring Lil Wayne.
  • 2 Chainz, August 18, 2012: "Mercy" with Kanye West, Big Sean, and Pusha T was replaced by "No Lie" featuring Drake.
  • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, May 4, 2013: "Thrift Shop" featuring Wanz was replaced by "Can't Hold Us" featuring Ray Dalton.
  • The Weeknd, October 3, 2015: "Can't Feel My Face" was replaced by "The Hills".
  • Drake, Feb. 20, 2016: "Work" (Rihanna featuring Drake) was replaced by "Summer Sixteen".
  • DJ Khaled, July 29, 2017: "I'm the One" featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne was replaced by "Wild Thoughts" featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller.
  • Drake, April 21, 2018: "God's Plan" was replaced by "Nice for What".
  • Drake, July 21, 2018: "Nice for What" was replaced by "In My Feelings".
  • Travis Scott, November 3, 2018: "Zeze" (Kodak Black featuring Travis Scott and Offset) was replaced by "Sicko Mode".
  • Post Malone, April 6, 2019: "Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse)", with Swae Lee was replaced by "Wow".
  • Lizzo, November 23, 2019: "Truth Hurts" was replaced by "Good as Hell".

Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

The Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart had 25 spots. It listed songs that were close to getting on the main Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Often, songs would stop their climb here and never make it to the main chart. You could think of this chart as an extra list of the 25 songs. These were the songs just below position 50 that had not yet appeared on the main chart.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs para niños