Billboard Hot 100 #1 songs that never charted on pop radio

[70jack90]

In the last couple of many years, there is an interesting thing that there were several number one songs on the Hot 100 that failed to chart or hit the top 40 on the pop radio charts. With the advent of streaming, this is very common, since some songs went to number one primarily by streaming or digital sales alone, and no radio airplay at all. I know that starting in the 90s, when Top 40 radio started to become more fragmented, some Hot 100 hits were hip-hop or hard rock songs, but some pop stations refused to play any of them which made some number one songs on the Hot 100 that did not chart at all on the Pop radio charts. During that same time, there was an opposite on the Hot 100 when songs that hit number one were ones that hit big on the radio, but there were no physical singles to purchase for that song, since the labels were wanting to boost up CD sales of albums rather than singles, which caused them to never chart on the Hot 100 at all until December of 1998.

Here's a couple of number one songs on the Hot 100 that failed to chart or hit the top 40 on the pop radio charts. Christmas songs are excluded.

1996:
"How Do U Want It" & "California Love" by 2Pac (Double A-side single)
Peak: #1 for 2 weeks from July 13 to 20
Pop radio: "How Do U Want It" failed to chart on pop radio, however, "California Love" did chart on pop radio a few months earlier, peaking at #35 (on R&R CHR/Top 40)

"You're Makin' Me High" & "Let It Flow" by Toni Braxton (Also a double A-side single)
Peak: #1 for a single week on July 27
Pop radio: "You're Makin' Me High" charted on pop radio, hitting #5, but the other song, "Let It Flow" was not selected by pop radio, only sent to AC stations

1997:
"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" by Puff Daddy featuring Mase
Peak: #1 for 6 weeks from March 22 to April 26
Pop radio: Did not chart

"Hypnotize" by The Notorious B.I.G.
Peak: #1 for 3 weeks
Pop radio: Did not chart

2003:
"This Is the Night" by Clay Aiken
Peak: #1 for 2 weeks
Pop radio: Peaked at #48

2004:
"I Believe" by Fantasia
Peak: #1 for a single week on July 10
Pop radio: Did not chart

2005:
"Inside Your Heaven" by Carrie Underwood
Peak: #1 for a single week on July 2
Pop radio: Peaked at #48

2006:
"Do I Make You Proud" by Taylor Hicks
Peak: #1 for a single week on July 1
Pop radio: Did not chart

2018:
"This Is America" by Childish Gambino
Peak: #1 for 2 weeks
Pop radio: Peaked at #46

"Sad!" by XXXTentation
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart

2020:
"Trollz" by 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart (thank god.)

"WAP" by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
Peak: #1 for 4 weeks
Pop radio: Peaked at #46 (probably cause the song was too dirty for pop)

"Life Goes On" by BTS
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Peaked at #48

2021:
"What's Next" by Drake
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: did not chart

"Permission to Dance" by BTS
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Peaked at #48

"All Too Well (Taylor's Version) (10-minute version)" by Taylor Swift
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart (maybe it's because it's too long.)

2023:
"Like Crazy" by Jimin
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart

"Try That In a Small Town" by Jason Aldean
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart

"Rich Men North of Richmond" by Oliver Anthony
Peak: #1 for 2 weeks
Pop radio: Did not chart

"Slime You Out" by Drake featuring SZA
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart

"First Person Shooter" by Drake featuring J. Cole
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart

2024:
"Hiss" by Megan Thee Stallion
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart

"Carnival" by Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign featuring Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart

"Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar
Peak: #1 for a single week
Pop radio: Did not chart

[neel]

The fact that many of these are hip hop/rap songs should say a lot.

[Mayman]

Love stuff like this. I also wonder which songs topped the Hot 100 without reaching the Radio Songs chart.

One thing - All Too Well (Taylor's Version) is the one credited officially, combining both the five and ten minute versions. So the five minute version did peak at #41 on pop radio on Mediabase. Still not top 40 just wanted to throw that out there.

[avamaxstan]

Thank you for that reminder of all the trash songs that got quick little #1 debuts last year 

[jred]

Did we really go 12 years without one of these between 06-18??

I think “Not Like Us” will hit the lower region of the top 50. It’s got at least 50 spins/week right now.

[Az Paynter]

May 18, 2024 22:52:18 GMT -5 70jack90 said:

2005:
"Inside Your Heaven" by Carrie Underwood
Peak: #1 for a single week on July 2
Pop radio: Did not chart

This actually did chart for a single week at #48, as per Radio & Records.

[70jack90]

May 24, 2024 12:35:07 GMT -5 Az Paynter said:

May 18, 2024 22:52:18 GMT -5 70jack90 said:

2005:
"Inside Your Heaven" by Carrie Underwood
Peak: #1 for a single week on July 2
Pop radio: Did not chart

This actually did chart for a single week at #48, as per Radio & Records.

Fixed it. Thanks for the feedback!

[johnm1120]

"This is the Night" peaked at #48 on pop.