www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6715526/the-weeknd-no-1-hot-100-shawn-mendes-first-top-10The Weeknd No. 1 on Hot 100 Again, Shawn Mendes Earns First Top 10By Gary Trust | October 05, 2015
The Weeknd's 'The Hills' leads for a third week, while Mendes sews up his first top 10 with 'Stitches.'
The Weeknd's "The Hills" keeps rolling, leading the Billboard Hot 100 for a third week. Meanwhile, Shawn Mendes scores his first Hot 100 top 10 with "Stitches."
And, as The Weeknd and Mendes join fellow Canadians Justin Bieber and Drake in the top tier, half the Hot 100's top 10 belongs to Canadian artists.
As we do each Monday, let's run down the top 10 and more (on the chart dated Oct. 17). Highlights of the airplay/sales/streaming-based Hot 100 post on Billboard.com each Monday, with all charts updated each Tuesday.
"Hills," released on XO/Republic Records, stays at the Hot 100's apex and becomes the first song in six months to top the chart's three main component tallies: Digital Songs, Radio Songs and Streaming Songs. On Digital Songs, the track reigns for a second week with 105,000 downloads sold (down 5 percent) in the week ending Oct. 1, according to Nielsen Music. It also leads Radio Songs for a second week (146 million in audience, up 12 percent) and returns for a second week in charge of Streaming Songs (2-1), with 18.5 million U.S. streams (down 4 percent).
"Hills" is the first song to blanket the Hot 100, Digital Songs, Radio Songs and Streaming Songs simultaneously in six months, since Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk!," featuring Bruno Mars, led all four at the same time on April 11 (marking its ninth week atop all four lists at once).
"Hills" also logs a third week at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Justin Bieber's "What Do You Mean?" remains at No. 2 on the Hot 100 after its No. 1 debut four weeks ago. The lead single from his Nov. 13 studio album holds at No. 3 on Digital Songs (85,000 downloads sold, down 17 percent); slips 3-5 on Streaming Songs (15.5 million, down 10 percent); and zips 8-5 on Radio Songs (106 million, up 23 percent).
Drake darts into the Hot 100's top three with "Hotline Bling" (4-3). The track keeps at No. 2 on Digital Songs (101,000, down 2 percent), while surging 5-4 on Streaming Songs (15.7 million, up 11 percent) and 17-9 on Radio Songs (76 million, up 35 percent), marking his 13th Radio Songs top 10. Drake notches his highest-charting Hot 100 hit in four years, since Lil Wayne's "She Will," featuring Drake, reached No. 3 in September 2011. "Bling" is Drake's highest-ranking Hot 100 entry as a lead artist since his debut smash, "Best I Ever Had," peaked at No. 2 for four weeks in summer 2009.
"Bling" also crowns Billboard's Hot Rap Songs for a second week, where it's Drake's record-extending 15th topper. (Diddy ranks second with 10 No. 1s in the chart's 26-year history.) The track additionally takes over atop the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs chart (3-1; 7.2 million, up 4 percent), becoming Drake's second leader on the list.
The Weeknd's former three-week No. 1 "Can't Feel My Face" drops 3-4 on the Hot 100, while Shawn Mendes earns his first Hot 100 top 10, as "Stitches" struts 11-9. The song lifts 7-6 on Digital Songs (74,000, down 2 percent); 13-10 on Streaming Songs (9.4 million, up 6 percent), likewise becoming his first top 10 on the ranking; and 15-11 on Radio Songs (74 million, up 22 percent).
While "Stitches" marks Mendes' first Hot 100 top 10, it's merely another milestone for the 17-year-old, who first drew a wide audience posting videos on Vine. He's since scored a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 in May with his first full-length album Handwritten, which houses "Stitches," and opened multiple dates on Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour.
And, the Canadian invasion intensifies. Thanks to The Weeknd's two hits and Bieber, Drake and Mendes joining him in the Hot 100's top 10, five of the top 10 are by Canadians. All are from Ontario: The Weeknd is from Scarborough; Bieber, London; and Drake and Mendes, Toronto. "Canadian artists are like the kids in the back of the classroom. Just because [the U.S. doesn't always] notice them doesn't mean they aren't talented," muses Kara Judge, music director and air talent at CKBT (91.5 The Beat) Kitchener, just outside Toronto. "Bieber's story is every unknown singer's dream; Mendes hit Vine, then hit the charts; and Drake's depth shines a light on other Canadian talent, including The Weeknd.
"It's not that there is a distinct Canadian sound, it's likely more an attitude. Quiet maybe, but strong."
Rounding out the Hot 100's top five, Fetty Wap nabs his second top five hit, as "679," featuring Remy Boyz, rises 6-5. The cut climbs 4-3 on Streaming Songs (16.4 million, up 10 percent); 11-7 on Digital Songs (69,000, up 4 percent); and 20-17 on Radio Songs (57 million, up 6 percent). The song's continued ascent adds to his already impressive week: his self-titled debut album, which includes the track, plus prior top 10s "Trap Queen" (which reached No. 2 on the Hot 100) and "My Way," featuring Monty (No. 7), launches at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Capping the Hot 100's top 10, R. City's "Locked Away," featuring Maroon 5's Adam Levine, returns to its No. 6 peak, from No. 7; Silento's No. 3-peaking "Watch Me" tumbles 5-7; Swift's "Wildest Dreams" pushes 10-8, climbing to a new high and adding top Airplay Gainer honors; and, above Mendes' "Stitches," Selena Gomez's "Good for You," featuring A$AP Rocky, drops 8-10 after reaching No. 5.
Among action outside the Hot 100's top 10, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Downtown," featuring Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz, rises 16-15, hitting another highpoint; X Ambassadors' "Renegades" roars 27-18, also taking over atop the Hot Rock Songs chart; and One Direction's "Drag Me Down" rebounds 25-20, returning to the top 20 after four weeks (and following its No. 3 debut on Aug. 22). Find out more noteworthy news throughout the chart in the weekly "Hot 100 Chart Moves" column to post later this week.
Visit Billboard.com tomorrow (Oct. 6), when all rankings, including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh, as they do each Tuesday. The Hot 100 and other charts will also appear in the next issue of Billboard magazine, on sale Friday (Oct. 9).
