Hot 100 Longest Stay at #1

[Gary]

Billboard Hot 100's Longest-Leading No. 1 Songs of All Time

Longest-Leading Hot 100 No. 1s of All Time

Billboard's Hot 100 charts each week's most popular songs across all genres. Here are the No. 1s that have logged the longest runs atop the ranking.

19 weeks at number one

Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, "Old Town Road,"
Weeks at No. 1: 19
Peak Date: April 13, 2019

Shaboozey, "A Bar Song(Tipsy)"
Weeks at No. 1: 19
Peak Date: 7/13/2024



16 weeks at number one

Morgan Wallen, "Last Night"
Weeks at No. 1: 16
Peak Date: 3/18/2023

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, "Despacito"
Weeks at No. 1: 16
Peak Date: 5/27/2017

Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, "One Sweet Day"
Weeks at No. 1: 16
Peak Date: 12/2/1995


15 weeks at number one




Harry Styles, "As It Was"
Weeks at No. 1: 15
Peak Date: 4/16/2022



14 weeks at number one




Mariah Carey, "All I Want For Christmas Is You"
Weeks at No. 1: 14
Peak Date: 12/21/2019



Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars, "Uptown Funk!"
Weeks at No. 1: 14
Peak Date: 1/17/2015


The Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling"
Weeks at No. 1: 14
Peak Date: 7/11/2009


Mariah Carey, "We Belong Together"
Weeks at No. 1: 14
Peak Date: 6/4/2005


Elton John, "Candle In The Wind 1997"/"Something About The Way You Look Tonight"
Weeks at No. 1: 14
Peak Date: 10/11/1997

Los Del Rio, "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)"
Weeks at No. 1: 14
Peak Date: 8/3/1996


Boyz II Men, "I'll Make Love To You"
Weeks at No. 1: 14
Peak Date: 8/27/1994


Whitney Houston, "I Will Always Love You"
Weeks at No. 1: 14

Peak Date: 11/28/1992

13 weeks at number one





Brandy & Monica, "The Boy Is Mine"
Weeks at No. 1: 13
Peak Date: 6/6/1998


Boyz II Men, "End Of The Road"
Weeks at No. 1: 13
Peak Date: 8/15/1992



12 weeks at number one




Ed Sheeran, "Shape Of You"
Weeks at No. 1: 12
Peak Date: 1/28/2017

The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey, "Closer"
Weeks at No. 1: 12 (through chart dated 11/19/2016)
Peak Date: 9/3/2016


Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth, "See You Again"
Weeks at No. 1: 12
Peak Date: 4/25/2015

Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell, "Blurred Lines"
Weeks at No. 1: 12
Peak Date: 6/22/13

The Black Eyed Peas, "Boom Boom Pow"
Weeks at No. 1: 12
Peak Date: 4/18/2009

Usher ft. Lil Jon and Ludacris, "Yeah!"
Weeks at No. 1: 12
Peak Date: 2/28/2004


Eminem, "Lose Yourself"
Weeks at No. 1: 12
Peak Date: 11/9/2002


Santana ft. Rob Thomas, "Smooth"
Weeks at No. 1: 12

Peak Date: 10/23/1999

11 weeks at number one



Roddy Ricch, "The Box"
Weeks at No. 1: 11
Peak Date: 1/18/2020



Drake, "God's Plan"
Weeks at No. 1: 11
Peak Date: 2/3/2018


Destiny's Child, "Independent Women Part I"
Weeks at No. 1: 11
Peak Date: 11/18/2000


Puff Daddy & Faith Evans ft. 112, "I'll Be Missing You"
Weeks at No. 1: 11
Peak Date: 6/14/1997


Toni Braxton, "Un-Break My Heart"
Weeks at No. 1: 11
Peak Date: 12/7/1996


All-4-One, "I Swear"
Weeks at No. 1: 11

Peak Date: 5/21/1994

Elvis Presley, "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog"
Weeks at No. 1: 11
Peak Date: 8/18/1956


10 weeks at #1



Adele, "Easy On Me"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 10/30/2021

BTS, "Butter"
Weeks at No. 1: 10\
Peak Date: 6/5/2021


Drake, "In My Feelings"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 7/21/2018


Drake ft. WizKid & Kyla, "One Dance"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 5/21/2016



Adele, "Hello"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 11/14/2015

Pharrell Williams, "Happy"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 3/8/2014


Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris, "We Found Love"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 11/12/11


Flo Rida ft. T-Pain, "Low"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 1/5/2008


Beyoncé, "Irreplaceable"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 12/16/2006


Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx, "Gold Digger"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 9/17/2005


Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland, "Dilemma"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 8/17/2002

Ashanti, "Foolish"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 4/20/2002

Santana ft. The Product G&B, "Maria Maria"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 4/8/2000

Olivia Newton-John, "Physical"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 11/21/1981


Debby Boone, "You Light Up My Life"
Weeks at No. 1: 10
Peak Date: 10/15/1977

[fhas]

God's Plan is the first 10-week+ #1 since Independent Women Part I (2000) to spent an odd number of weeks at the top. That's interesting how all the other songs have stopped at 12, 14 or 16 weeks.

[Gary]

In My Feelings - 10 weeks

[Gary]

The Longest-Leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s

9/17/2018 by Gary Trust

Just 3 percent of all Hot 100 No. 1s have led for 10 weeks or more.

From Debby Boone's 1977 smash "You Light Up My Life" to, now, 2018's "In My Feelings" by Drake, a relatively select few smashes have led the Billboard Hot 100 chart for at least 10 weeks. How few? A mere 3 percent of all Hot 100 No. 1s dating to the chart's launch on Aug. 4, 1958, have earned the achievement.

In honor of the singles to claim the Hot 100's top spot the longest, here's a look at the elite leaders to rule for double-digit weeks, an exclusive club led by two titles with a record 16 weeks at No. 1 each: Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito," featuring Justin Bieber, in 2017, and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day," in 1995-96.

[Gary]

"Road" is the 38th hit to lead the Hot 100 for at least 10 weeks. (Before Drake's "Feelings," he had the prior such No. 1, too: "God's Plan," for 11 weeks, beginning in February 2018.) As "Road" is Lil Nas X's debut Hot 100 hit, it's the first introductory No. 1 to reign for double-digit weeks since Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk!," featuring Bruno Mars (14 weeks, 2015). Before that among Hot 100 rookies, Flo Rida arrived with the 10-week No. 1 "Low," featuring T-Pain (10 weeks, 2008).


Notably, among the elite 38 Hot 100 No. 1s to rule for 10 weeks or more, 36 have led since 1992, after the chart (which began in 1958) adopted electronically tracked Nielsen Music data in late 1991, which has resulted in longer average commands since. The only such No. 1s before then: Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life," for 10 weeks in 1977, and Olivia Newton-John's "Physical," for 10 frames in 1981-82. (The first member of the club fueled by the methodology change? Another "road": Boyz II Men's "End of the Road," for 14 weeks beginning Aug. 15, 1992; that week, Cyrus ranked at No. 9 with his debut hit, "Achy Breaky Heart," which had reached No. 4 that July.)

[Linnethia Monique]

Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, "One Sweet Day"

Weeks at No. 1: 16
Peak Date: 12/2/1995

Mariah Carey, "We Belong Together"

Weeks at No. 1: 14
Peak Date: 6/4/2005

Hot 100 Song of the Decade...twice!

[Gary]

The 6th song to spend 11 weeks at #1

19 songs have spent 12 weeks or more at #1

[Gary]

12*, "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, April 13, 2019 (*as of the chart dated June 29)

[Gary]

12th song to hit 13 weeks

Next milestone 14 where currently only 9 songs have hit that mark

[Tea-why]

I still can’t believe no song has even peaked with 15 weeks at #1 without reaching 16 lol

I’m sure it will happen eventually though.

[rockgolf]

Jul 1, 2019 15:26:55 GMT -5 Tea-why said:

I still can’t believe no song has even peaked with 15 weeks at #1 without reaching 16 lol

I’m sure it will happen eventually though.

But not in the next three weeks. 😃

[Gary]

Yes it will be One Sweet Day here soon where we will be saying bye bye to the Despacito record

[Gary]

post 1 updated

[Gary]

Will 'Old Town Road' Break the All-Time Hot 100 Record? Everything You Need to Know About Lil Nas X's Historic No. 1 Run
7/10/2019 by Andrew Unterberger


Andrew Wendowski for imageSPACE/MediaPunch/IPX
Lil Nas X performs onstage during day 3 of the 2019 CMA Music Festival on June 8, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn.
This week, on the chart dated July 13, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" celebrates its 14th week atop the Billboard Hot 100, with 13 of those weeks also including featured remix guest Billy Ray Cyrus.

The number 14 is a special one in terms of Hot 100 longevity, as only 10 singles in the chart's 61-year existence have ever spent that many weeks at No. 1. But 16 is the number that marks absolute Billboard history, as only two songs have ever lasted that many weeks on top -- and none have ever stayed longer.

Will Lil Nas X be able to pull off the unprecedented with his first-ever hit single? What will his competition be? And who is he racing against historically? Below, Billboard lets you know everything you need to about "Old Town Road" and its pursuit of eternal charts glory.

Which songs is "Old Town Road" chasing for the all-time record?

As previously mentioned, only two songs have outlasted 14 weeks atop the Hot 100, and both reigned for exactly 16 weeks: the Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men mega-ballad collab "One Sweet Day" (1995-96), and Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's Justin Bieber-featuring crossover Latin pop jam "Despacito" (2017).

How do the numbers of "Old Town Road" compare to where those songs were at a similar point in their runs?

In its 14th week, "One Sweet Day" held a 1.3 to 1 points lead over No. 2, Mary J. Blige's "Not Gon Cry," while "Despacito" held a bigger margin over DJ Khaled's Rihanna- and Bryson Tiller-featuring "Wild Thoughts," leading by 1.5 to 1. However, "Old Town Road" has the biggest lead of the three in its 14th week, holding a 1.9 to 1 edge over the current No. 2 single, Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy." (The lead is even bigger than it was in its 13th week at No. 1, when it boasted a 1.8 to 1 advantage.)

All that said, it's worth noting that the points leads that "One Sweet Day" and "Despacito" held over the runner-up finishers in their 14th week ultimately proved largely irrelevant, as neither No. 2 hit was the song that ended up unseating them. "One Sweet Day" was ultimately overtaken by Celine Dion's soundtrack ballad "Because You Loved Me," which rose from the No. 5 spot the week before, while "Despacito" was trumped by Taylor Swift's Reputation lead single "Look What You Made Me Do," which catapulted up from No. 77 after its first full week of tracking.

This would suggest that even if "Old Town Road" is to be overtaken before tying or breaking the all-time Hot 100 record for weeks at No. 1, its primary challenge may come from outside the most obvious competitors at this point -- perhaps from a brand new song, or a song we haven't even heard yet.



Are there any songs already out that might pose a credible threat to "Old Town Road" at No. 1?

With its metrics not gaining with any particular velocity, it seems unlikely that "Bad Guy" would be able to close the gap between it and "Old Town Road" in its next few weeks, at least in its current incarnation -- more on that later. The same is true of Khalid's "Talk" and Ed Sheeran's Justin Bieber-featuring "I Don't Care," currently the Nos. 3 and 4 songs on the chart, respectively, neither of which are trending enough in the right direction to mount much of a campaign for No. 1.

Just below them on the Hot 100 are two songs that might have a chance, albeit highly outside ones. "Señorita," the sultry new Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello duet, debuted at No. 2 on the Hot 100 last week, falling to No. 5 in its second frame. But unlike the songs ahead of it, which have all more or less hit their peaks across all metrics, it still has considerable room to grow -- it debuted at No. 30 on Radio Songs this week, and should make more of a charge there in weeks to come, while also remaining in the top five of both Digital Song Sales and Streaming Songs.



Meanwhile, Lizzo's "Truth Hurts," which climbs 11-6 on the chart this week, continues to gain in all three metrics, jumping 7-3 on Digital Song Sales, 10-8 on Streaming Songs and 27-14 on Radio Songs. Both songs have a long way to go before catching up with "Old Town Road" -- and very likely won't get there in time to provide a considerable road block in its potential 16th or 17th week on top -- but both at least look to be moving in the right direction.

One song that was released last Friday (and thus hasn't yet impacted the Hot 100) that might at least get within striking distance of "Old Town Road" is "Goodbyes," from regular chart-topper Post Malone and featured rapper Young Thug. The new song has been No. 1 on Spotify and on iTunes since its debut last Friday (June 4) and figures to have a big debut on next week's Hot 100 -- although its numbers so far don't look to be overwhelming enough to make up for the edge "Road" will undoubtedly have in overall metrics on next week's chart.



Are there any songs that aren't out yet that might pose a credible threat to "Old Town Road" at No. 1?

Hard to definitively answer this one with any authority, of course -- we didn't know for sure that "Look What You Made Me Do" was coming to topple "Despacito" until a day before its release, while the latter was enjoying its 15th week at pole position. The biggest artist definitely releasing a new album in the next two weeks is Ed Sheeran, whose No. 6 Collaborations Project has already spawned one No. 2 hit, in the aforementioned Bieber-featuring "I Don't Care." Subsequent releases from the set haven't fared as well, but the album's guest list does contain such recent chart-toppers as Travis Scott, Camila Cabello and Cardi B -- the last two on the same track -- so a potential major Hot 100 debut from it can't be ruled out completely.

However, the biggest threat might come from a track that hasn't been officially announced yet. Not even a full new track, actually, but rather a new version: a remix of Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" has been rumored for much of the week, featuring Eilish's longtime idol Justin Bieber. Speculation started when Bieber tweeted a context-free "REMIX" on Monday -- a tweet liked and retweeted by Eilish's writer/producer brother FINNEAS -- and reached a fever pitch when talk of a Pandora leak of the remix started circulating throughout the Internet.

Certainly, a much-anticipated remix collab between the new superstar buds would have a major impact on the consumption numbers for "Bad Guy" -- which, of course, has the natural advantage of already being the No. 2 song on the chart. However, timing would likely be key: If the remix dropped in the middle of a charting week (the Hot 100's streaming and sales tracking week runs Friday through Thursday), it might split its impact too greatly between its first two tracking weeks to give the song the boost it needs to close the gap between it and "Old Town Road."

Does Lil Nas X have any cards left to play in keeping "Old Town Road" on top?

We can't know for sure, though Chance the Rapper has already taken to stumping on the song's behalf, which more artists might join in on in the days to come. It's also worth making note of one tease the rapper made a little over a week ago, when he tweeted a picture of a cowboy and snake emojis together, along with the caption "Is it too late!?" An upcoming collaboration was clearly being suggested, though which artist could mark the :snake: half of the equation has been a subject of Internet debate, with Young Thug, DJ Snake, and even Taylor Swift all serving as plausible theories.

Regardless, even with Billy Ray Cyrus and Diplo remixes already out in the world, a new version of "Old Town Road" with any one of those guests could give the Hot 100-topper a nice new bump. And given how massive the song has already been -- and for how long it's been that dominant for -- that might be all it needs to coast to a place in Billboard immortality.

[Gary]

Billboard Hot 100's Longest-Leading No. 1 Songs of All Time

Longest-Leading Hot 100 No. 1s of All Time

Billboard's Hot 100 charts each week's most popular songs across all genres. Here are the No. 1s that have logged the longest runs atop the ranking.

16 weeks at number one


Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, "Despacito"

Weeks at No. 1: 16
Peak Date: 5/27/2017


Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, "One Sweet Day"

Weeks at No. 1: 16
Peak Date: 12/2/1995


15 weeks at number one


Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, "Old Town Road,"

Weeks at No. 1: 15
Peak Date: April 13, 2019 (*as of the chart dated July 20)

[Gary]

Five Burning Questions: Billboard Staffers Discuss Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' Pursuit of Hot 100 History

7/16/2019 by Billboard Staff

This week, for just the third time in the 60-plus-year history of the Billboard Hot 100, a song spent its 15th week atop the chart. That song of course was Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" -- which has also included Billy Ray Cyrus for the 14 weeks since that remix debuted, and which now sits one week away from tying the all-time record for the longest reign atop the marquee chart.

But will a superstar addition to the song just below "Old Town Road" in the rankings get in the way before Lil Nas X can join the historic rankings of Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day" and Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's Justin Bieber-featuring "Despacito" remix? And what do those songs tell us about what it takes to make this level of Hot 100 history? Billboard staffers debate these questions and more below.

1. When Lil Nas X first hit the Hot 100's top 40, most of us thought we were being optimistic to say that the song might one day make the top 10. Now at 15 weeks at No. 1 and on the doorstep of Billboard history, what's the biggest thing you think we all underestimated when it comes to Lil Nas X and "Old Town Road"?

Trevor Anderson: I underestimated nothing! But I think there’s two factors at play here: One, the streaming landscape has slowed a bit in 2019 compared with last year. In 2018, 69 (nice) songs debuted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart. A little over halfway through 2019, we’re still only at 25 top 10 debuts, so fewer songs are crash landing like a meteor to shake up the top of the charts out of nowhere.

Second, with the controversial dust surrounding the song mostly settled, a lot of people discovered “Old Town Road” is…a good song! It has clever lyrics, great production and is a step removed from the rest of the crowd, so though most may have expected the song to plummet when the headlines vanished, the fact that the song isn’t just a viral, gossip phenomenon has played into its favor.

Gab Ginsberg: Its longevity, certainly. We can’t forget the other select few songs that come from viral trends or memes, and proved to be more than mere flashes in the musical pan -- the dance challenge-driven “Harlem Shake" enjoyed five weeks at No. 1, and the "Macarena," also popularized by a dance craze, spent 14 weeks at the summit. So this has happened before... but for this length of time? Guess we’re really in the new frontier with OTR. The lesson is that in 2019 especially, it doesn’t pay to underestimate the power of meme songs, and the kids who obsess over them for months on end.

Carl Lamarre: To be completely frank with you: The power of Billy Ray Cyrus. Now, that's not to diminish Lil Nas X's hitmaking prowess, but Billy Ray polished an already strong record into a superior gem. We all knew he was a country savant, but to see him attack "Old Town Road" to the point he's doing hip-hop shows, it's honestly just dope and mindboggling to me all at the same time. He's a bad man on that guitar.

Jason Lipshutz: We all overlooked how damn catchy that hook is. I certainly dismissed the original version of “Old Town Road” as a novelty that could gain some Hot 100 traction thanks to its utilization as a meme, but the reality is that the song’s refrain is a perfect sing-along — simple and immediately memorable, familiar yet unique enough to separate itself in your brain. The Billy Ray Cyrus remix re-contextualized that hook into a proper chorus and unlocked its full power, but the foundation for a monster hit had been there all along.

Andrew Unterberger: I think we underestimated LNX's ingenuity, and just how many cards he had to play to keep the song at the forefront of the conversation. He timed the whole thing beautifully -- from the initial Billy Ray Cyrus remix that propelled the already-massive song into the stratosphere, to the song's star-studded video, to the release of debut EP 7, to this newest trot around the track with Young Thug and Mason Ramsey in tow. He spaced them out well enough from one another that it always seemed like there was something new to talk about with "Road," and that's why 15 weeks into its run atop the Hot 100, it still doesn't feel like it's all that tired.

2. We've lived with Justin Bieber's new Billie Eilish remix for the better part of a week now. What chance do you think it has of giving "Bad Guy" enough of a boost to launch it from No. 2 to No. 1 on next week's chart?

Trevor Anderson: One thing’s guaranteed: It can’t hurt. “Old Town Road” has certainly departed the chart heavens and returned to the atmosphere, so other songs finally have a shot at taking it down. Even if “Bad Guy” isn’t dominating the competition – it sits at No. 10 on the U.S. Spotify Top 50 today (Tuesday) – the combo platter of the original and remix make it a serious threat to Lil Nas X. “Bad Guy” is now above “Old Town Road” on radio (No. 5 vs. No. 8 on the latest chart) and remixes tend to drive a good sales boost. And I suspect savvy Bieber fans will be keen on returning their king to No. 1 and preserving his current record-tying mark, so they’ll likely consume the song in several ways to boost his chances.

Gab Ginsberg: The good news is that streaming, sales and any airplay of The Biebs’ remix of “Bad Guy” will contribute to Billie’s solo version, certainly giving it a boost. However, Lil Nas X pulled the same trick on Friday, so his remix with Young Thug and Mason Ramsey will also count towards his No. 1 with Billy Ray. Hard to say whether Bieber’s helping hand will be enough.

Carl Lamarre: No chance. Again, you know I think the power of Billy Ray and Lil Nas X is too strong of a duo to oust of the top spot. While Justin's appeal will certainly help "Bad Guy" remain a top-three lock, I do think Post Malone and Young Thug's "Goodbyes" has a chance to stifle their run. Hate it or love it, Posty has a thing for ending streaks. If you remember, he stopped "Bodak Yellow's" mini-run at No. 1 and dethroned the single with "Rockstar". Because of his die-hard fanbase, I think Posty is the dark horse that can still storm his way through "OTR."

Jason Lipshutz: A pretty good one! We’re talking about a pretty enormous hit on its own merit receiving a well-timed boost from one of the most in-demand pop artists on the planet. We’ll see how the showdown between the “Bad Guy” remix and the new “Old Town Road” with Cyrus, Young Thug and Mason Ramsey plays out, but Bieber’s star power should not be discounted here.

Andrew Unterberger: I would've guessed that Bieber's additions to "Bad Guy" would have been novel enough to at least give the song a fighting chance at taking down "Old Town Road" next week. But I'm not sure that it's captured enough of the public imagination to really make that much of a difference -- Bieber's slightly ill-fitting verse might ultimately have been too much of a wasted opportunity. Just goes to show that as much as these high-profile remixes might impact a song's chart math, it's still more about art than simple addition.

3. Of course, Lil Nas X returned fire with his own new OTR remix this week, and has been (jokingly?) teasing still more remixes to come on his Twitter. Is there any potential "Old Town Road" remix guest at this point who you'd still be interested by, or has that well officially run dry?

Trevor Anderson: Have to say we’re kind of maxed out – I’ll save a mention for Post Malone if he weren’t juggling three singles right now already. Let’s move on to what the people really want to hear, and an automatic 17-week No. 1 in my book, that Gordon Ramsay remix of “Panini.”

Gab Ginsberg: I honestly think the Billy Ray Cyrus version is where the whole thing peaked, and wouldn’t see myself getting too excited about any additional guests. Except for maybe Cardi B, who already appears on Lil Nas X’s EP elsewhere, but I’d still love to see her hop on OTR.

Carl Lamarre: I still think Da Baby would sound great on it. His delivery can fit any track, and he already has a penchant for anything country (See "Walker Texas Ranger"). I do believe Rihanna would inject an extra dose of life to the record if she chose to jump on the track. Think about it. Her fans are dying for some fresh vocals, why not easily notch another No. 1, while still appeasing to her fanbase with new material?

Jason Lipshutz: We’ve had the Cyrus patriarch on “Old Town Road” for months — it’s time for his superstar daughter to ride through. Miley Cyrus makes a ton of sense for one final remix: she’s been active with new music in recent weeks, has been supportive of Lil Nas X and has certainly moseyed around pop, hip-hop and country over the course of her career. If she can’t hop on a remix, however, Ashley O would be a great backup option.

Andrew Unterberger: C'mon, let's put a cap on the Reznorssaince by getting the man himself caterwauling over some extra buzzsawing guitars on the song's chorus. As every Revisionist Western of the past half-century has taken great pains to point out, there's a dark side to the Old Town Road, and Trent's the man to show us where it leads.

4. "Old Town Road," "Despacito" (Remix), "One Sweet Day" -- are there any common threads you see to those three songs? What lessons, if any, can we take away from them being the only three songs in over 60 years of Hot 100 history to spend 15 weeks at No. 1?

Trevor Anderson: Everyone wins with collaborations! But truly, that seems to be a key thing in these four-month stays. Funny enough, they’re all different types: “One Sweet Day” united two proven powerhouse talents, “Despacito” catalyzed a global superstar to an already-on-its-way hit that reached into an underserved audience in U.S. popular music and “Old Town Road” was the Internet willing on an underdog with help from a sentimental favorite. That's about all I can come up with, but the fact there isn’t a Guaranteed Formula works for me -- it’s more fun when it comes out of the blue.

Gab Ginsberg: All three songs are obviously collaborative efforts. OTR was a solo track at first, but truly took off once Billy Ray Cyrus got involved, and we don’t have to rehash what Justin Bieber did for “Despacito.” Then there’s "One Sweet Day," which was a duet from the start. This isn’t to say that dual or even triple star power is a sure bet for a long-reigning No. 1, but man, does it seem like it’s at least required.

Carl Lamarre: I think each record demonstrated how star power could fuel a record if done correctly. Boyz II Men and Mariah were upper-echelon stars in the R&B world in the '90s. Justin Bieber is a star magnet who helped accelerate Latin music on the mainstream circuit with his appearance on "Despacito (Remix)." For "OTR," it was the killer combination of old school meets new blood from two genres coming from the opposite side of the spectrum. When you pair up together, especially on the right track, great things can happen.

Jason Lipshutz: There’s a unique braiding of sonic DNA and timing going on with all three. “Old Town Road,” “Despacito” and “One Sweet Day” are all special singles that made sense for the world to latch onto, but they also blew up at their different respective moments for a reason. “One Sweet Day” rode the wave of light-R&B balladry on pop radio in the mid-90s; “Despacito” captured a moment in which Latin trap was spilling over into mainstream pop; and “Old Town Road” harnessed meme culture and genre-smashing into the annals of history.

Andrew Unterberger: I think it shows that a song can't just be an undeniable radio favorite or club-killer to reign for 16 weeks -- it sorta has to be an event. That's certainly what it was when the two preeminent Hot 100 forces of the first half of the '90s teamed up for "One Sweet Day," and that's what it was when one of the biggest North American pop stars of the '10s cosigned a blossoming Latin pop crossover by singing in Spanish for the first time. "Old Town Road" certainly didn't feel like that at first -- a sub-two minute genre hybrid by a relatively unknown rapper -- but countless memes, videos, remixes and controversies later, it's absolutely turned out to be one. All of these songs eventually felt strange to discuss as songs, not phenomenons; even though at the end of their chart runs, they were all just great songs, too.


5. Final predictions time: What total number of weeks does "Old Town Road" notch at No. 1 before finally falling off for good?

Trevor Anderson: 17.

Gab Ginsberg: 17.

Carl Lamarre: 21.

Jason Lipshutz: 16.

Andrew Unterberger: 18.

[Gary]

Bruno Mars Congratulates Lil Nas X After 'Old Town Road' Beats 'Uptown Funk' No. 1 Streak
7/16/2019 by Rania Aniftos

Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, is officially atop the Billboard Hot 100 for a 15th week, beating, among other songs, "Uptown Funk!" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, which ruled for 14 weeks back in 2015.

Mars isn't salty, though. He took to Twitter on Tuesday (July 16) to congratulate the rapper. "Congrats @lilnasx ! That’s awesome," he wrote alongside a champagne glass emoji.

"bruno we can tell them about your remix now bro," Lil Nas X responded, hinting at a collab between the two, possibly as a joke, though nothing is confirmed yet.
“Old Town Road” has also passed The Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling," Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together," Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight," Los Del Rio's "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)," Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love to You" and Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You," all of which also dominated the Hot 100 for 14 weeks each.

The infectious tune is one week away from potentially tying Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito" featuring Justin Bieber and Carey and Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day” for the longest run atop the Hot 100 all-time.

[tanooki]

yo gary you removed the 14 weeks header

[Gary]

Oops sorry

[Gary]

Nothing in the 15 week at #1 category again, but looks like we may be adding a 17 week category soon

[rockgolf]

I suspect you'll be dropping the 17 week category in two weeks time, too .

[cassiuscasanova]

Jul 22, 2019 12:17:43 GMT -5 rockgolf said:

I suspect you'll be dropping the 17 week category in two weeks time, too .

I can’t wait

[Gary]

updated

[Gary]

Week 18 for Old Town Road

[Gary]

Jul 22, 2019 20:52:53 GMT -5 cassiuscasanova said:

Jul 22, 2019 12:17:43 GMT -5 rockgolf said:

I suspect you'll be dropping the 17 week category in two weeks time, too .

I can’t wait

done

[Gary]

19 weeks

[Gary]

updated for The Box

[jessutation]

Can't wait for the next future US hit to peak with 15 Weeks at No. 1 so it can finally continue that streak from 1-16.

[tuna]

^excited for the songs that peak at 17 and 18 weeks as well.

[Gary]

11 weeks for The Box