Ask Billboard: At What Numbers *Hasn't* Drake Peaked on the Hot 100?
7/29/2018 by Gary Trust
Hint: very few.
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Hi Gary,
Six notes regarding the 6 God's latest chart domination.
1, With "In My Feelings" at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, for two weeks running, "Lollipop" is once again at No. 1, as sampled in "Feelings." The original, by Lil Wayne, featuring Static Major, spent five weeks at No. 1 in 2008.
Drake, of course, also brought the late Static Major back to the Hot 100 with "After Dark" (by Drake featuring Static Major and Ty Dolla $ign), which debuted at No. 41 on the July 14-dated chart, marking Static Major's second Hot 100 entry, after "Lollipop."
2, Drake's "Don't Matter to Me," featuring Michael Jackson, debuted at No. 9 on the Hot 100 (July 14). It's interesting that the song is one of the hits that pushed Drake past Janet Jackson in terms of total top 10s (31 vs. 27), not just because of the Jackson sibling connection, but also because one of her top 10s is similarly titled "Doesn't Really Matter," her summer 2000 No. 1.
3, Janet Jackson has notched four No. 2 Hot 100 hits: "Let's Wait Awhile" (1987); "Rhythm Nation, "Come Back to Me" (both in 1990); and "Any Time, Any Place"/"And On and On" (1994). "Nonstop" has become Drake's third No. 2 hit, following his debut 2009 smash "Best I Ever Had" and 2015's "Hotline Bling."
Drake has joined the club of artists with three or more No. 2 hits. Before Drake, Rihanna was the most recent artist to have scored a third runner-up hit, as she's peaked at No. 2 with "Pon De Replay" (2005); "Run This Town," with JAY-Z and Kanye West (2009); and "Wild Thoughts," by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller (2017).
Luckily, RiRi, Janet and Drake each have plenty of No. 1s as consolation prizes of sorts: 14, 10 and now six, respectively.
4, As with "Every Time I Close My Eyes" by Babyface (a No. 6 Hot 100 hit in 1997), Mariah Carey's voice is prominently featured but does not grant her official artist credit on a Hot 100 top 10, as "Emotionless," which samples her 1991 leader "Emotions" debuted at No. 8 (July 14). If she were credited on those two songs, it would bring her top 10 tally to 30.
5, Regarding Drake's Scorpion album title: Drake is a Scorpion (aka, Scorpio), born Oct. 24, 1986. Humans with the astrological sign of Scorpio are typically passionate (as are scorpions, the arachnids, too, I suppose). Fittingly, there's plenty of emotion in top 10 Hot 100 hits from the set, despite the "Emotionless" and apathetic ("Don't Matter") sides of Drake. Still, he does have more intense "Feelings," admitting "I'm Upset."
6, Regarding Drake's Hot 100 peaks, including the tune called "Peak," which debuted at its No. 38 peak (July 14), the topic … piqued … my interest enough to … peek … at the list of all his 186 Hot 100 entries. It's now easier to list the chart positions at which his releases haven't peaked.
Hey, at this point, he needs something else for which to strive: perhaps peaking at every position, from No. 1 to No. 100?
deleted Nelson
Oakland, California
Thanks deleted, fun insights, as always.
Let's get right to your sixth note about the 6 God, and the answer: Drake has peaked at a record 84 of the 100 positions on the Hot 100, having missed only 16 spots so far.
Put in further perspective, while he has peaked at 84 ranks (encompassing his 186 entries), only eight other acts have even totaled at least 84 Hot 100 appearances at all: the Glee Cast (207), Lil Wayne (138), Elvis Presley (108), JAY-Z (98), Kanye West, Nicki Minaj (92 each), James Brown (91) and Chris Brown (90).
After Drake's peaks at 84 of the Hot 100's positions, the Glee Cast peaked at 80 places and Lil Wayne has peaked at 72 spots. (Notably, the Glee Cast did not ever peak at Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9 or 10 and, of the 20 ranks at which it didn't peak, 14 were in the top 25. Meanwhile, the troupe did peak at every spot between Nos. 44 and 76.)
Peaking at 84 of the Hot 100's positions surely ranks among Drake's most notable achievements, given that it shows how frequent a Hot 100 visitor he's been, all in under a decade of charting, dating to his May 23, 2009, debut with "Best I Ever Had." Add that to such honors as the most Hot 100 entries among soloists (186), the most Hot 100 entries in a week (27) and, as of July 28-dated charts, the most U.S. streams in a week for a song: 116.2 million for "In My Feelings," according to Nielsen Music.
The only numbers on the Hot 100 at which Drake hasn't peaked so far? 11, 19, 22, 31, 34, 39, 43, 46, 59, 66, 77, 85, 93, 96, 98 and 99. With each further song he charts, we can see if he can cross off any of those peak ranks.
And, Drake's most common peak positions? 1 and 14, where he's peaked with six songs each.
Meanwhile, it doesn't take too long to search the chart arcs of a handful of his hits to find that Drake has ranked at every position on the Hot 100, even if he hasn't peaked at each spot. Put another way, artists aspire to reach the Hot 100 at all; Drake has spent time at every single position on the chart.
Here's a look at Drake's Hot 100 history, ranked by "Peak" position, a list that includes such "Trophies" as "Grammys" (since he's clearly "Successful"), from "The One" to "100" (as he "Started From the Bottom").
A "Round of Applause" for the "6 Man" … oops, the "6 God":
1, "What's My Name?," Rihanna feat. Drake / "Work," Rihanna feat. Drake / "One Dance," Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla / "God's Plan" / "Nice for What" / "In My Feelings"
2, "Best I Ever Had" / "Hotline Bling" / "Nonstop"
3, "She Will," Lil Wayne feat. Drake
4, "Hold On, We're Going Home," Drake feat. Majid Jordan
5, "Find Your Love" / "Look Alive," BlocBoy JB feat. Drake
6, "Right Above It," Lil Wayne feat. Drake / "Started From the Bottom" / "Summer Sixteen" / "Yes Indeed," Lil Baby & Drake
7, "Take Care," Drake feat. Rihanna / "Diplomatic Immunity" / "I'm Upset"
8, "Forever," Drake feat. Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem / "F**kin Problems," A$AP Rocky feat. Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar / "Fake Love" / "Passionfruit" / "Emotionless"
9, "Make Me Proud," Drake feat. Nicki Minaj / "Love Me," Lil Wayne feat. Drake & Future / "Portland," Drake feat. Quavo & Travis Scott / "Don't Matter to Me," Drake feat. Michael Jackson
10, "I'm on One," DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne / "Walk It Talk It," Migos feat. Drake
11 – None
12, "Tuesday," I LOVE MAKONNEN feat. Drake / "Only," Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown / "Jumpman," Drake & Future
13, "Moment 4 Life," Nicki Minaj feat. Drake / "Headlines" / "For Free," DJ Khaled feat. Drake / "Mob Ties"
14, "Over" / "The Motto," Drake feat. Lil Wayne / "Truffle Butter," Nicki Minaj feat. Drake & Lil Wayne / "Too Good," Drake feat. Rihanna / "Used to This," Future feat. Drake / "No Frauds," Nicki Minaj, Drake & Lil Wayne / "Elevate"
15, "Miss Me," Drake feat. Lil Wayne
16, "Pop Style," Drake feat. The Throne / "Controlla"
17, "Successful," Drake feat. Trey Songz & Lil Wayne / "Gonorrhea," Lil Wayne feat. Drake / "Survival"
18, "Free Smoke" / "Can't Take a Joke"
19 – None
20, "All Me," Drake feat. 2 Chainz & Big Sean / "Talk Up," Drake feat. JAY-Z
21, "Marvins Room" / "Back to Back" / "8 Out Of 10"
22 – None
23, "Say Something," Timbaland feat. Drake
24, "No Lie," 2 Chainz feat. Drake
25, "Fancy," Drake feat. T.I. & Swizz Beatz
26, "Money to Blow," Birdman feat. Lil Wayne & Drake / "Poetic Justice," Kendrick Lamar feat. Drake / "Believe Me," Lil Wayne feat. Drake / "Energy"
27, "Sandra's Rose"
28, "Blessings," Big Sean feat. Drake / "Where Ya At," Future feat. Drake / "Sneakin'," Drake feat. 21 Savage / "Summer Games"
29, "Gyalchester"
30, "Aston Martin Music," Rick Ross feat. Drake & Chrisette Michele / "Blue Tint"
31 – None
32, "Jaded"
33, "Hype"
34 – None
35, "0 to 100"/"The Catch Up" / "Teenage Fever"
36, "Pop That," French Montana feat. Rick Ross, Drake, Lil Wayne / "No Shopping," French Montana feat. Drake / "Sacrifices," Drake feat. 2 Chainz & Young Thug / "Signs" / "Is There More"
37, "No New Friends (SFTB Remix)," DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne / "That's How You Feel"
38, "Grammys," Drake feat. Future / "Blem" / "Peak"
39 – None
40, "I'm Going In," Drake feat. Lil Wayne & Young Jeezy / "R.I.C.O.," Meek Mill feat. Drake / "Still Here" / "No Long Talk," Drake feat. Giggs
41, "Both," Gucci Mane feat. Drake / "After Dark," Drake feat. Static Major & Ty Dolla $ign
42, "I Invented Sex," Trey Songz feat. Drake / "Finesse"
43 – None
44, "U With Me?"
45, "Odio," Romeo Santos feat. Drake / "9" / "Get It Together," Drake feat. Jorja Smith & Black Coffee
46 – None
47, "With You," Drake feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR
48, "KMT," Drake feat. Giggs
49, "Up All Night," Drake feat. Nicki Minaj / "Childs Play" / "Jorja Interlude"
50, "Fall for Your Type," Jamie Foxx feat. Drake / "Trophies," Young Money feat. Drake / "4422," Drake feat. Sampha
51, "The Language" / "Madiba Riddim" / "Ratchet Happy Birthday"
52, "Wu-Tang Forever" / "Legend" / "Big Rings," Drake & Future
53, "Know Yourself" / "Diamonds Dancing," Drake & Future / "Feel No Ways" / "To the Max," DJ Khaled feat. Drake
54, "Who Do You Love?," YG feat. Drake / "Weston Road Flows" / "Glow," Drake feat. Kanye West
55, "Come and See Me," PARTYNEXTDOOR feat. Drake
56, "Furthest Thing" / "Final Fantasy"
57, "9 AM in Dallas" / "Amen," Meek Mill feat. Drake / "March 14"
58, "Stay Schemin," Rick Ross feat. Drake & French Montana / "10 Bands" / "Right Hand"
59 – None
60, "Do Not Disturb"
61, "Redemption" / "Nothings Into Somethings"
62, "HYFR (Hell Ya F*****g Right)," Drake feat. Lil Wayne / "Digital Dash," Drake & Future / "Why You Always Hatin?," YG feat. Drake & Kamaiyah / "Ice Melts," Drake feat. Young Thug
63, "The One," Mary J. Blige feat. Drake
64, "Too Much" / "Lose You"
65, "Pound Cake"/"Paris Morton Music 2," Drake feat. JAY-Z
66 – None
67, "Hate Sleeping Alone" / "From Time," Drake feat. Jhene Aiko
68, "Unusual," Trey Songz feat. Drake / "Keep the Family Close"
69, "Scholarships," Drake & Future
70, "Since Way Back," Drake feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR
71, "Fireworks," Drake feat. Alicia Keys / "Diced Pineapples," Rick Ross feat. Wale & Drake / "No Complaints," Metro Boomin feat. Offset & Drake
72, "Faithful," Drake feat. Pimp C & dvsn
73, "Two Birds, One Stone"
74, "Live From the Gutter," Drake & Future
75, "Fire & Desire"
76, "I'm the Plug," Drake & Future / "Skepta Interlude"
77 – None
78, "Own It" / "Charged Up" / "Plastic Bag," Drake & Future
79, "It's Good," Lil Wayne feat. Drake & Jadakiss
80, "Crew Love," Drake feat. The Weeknd
81, "Tuscan Leather" / "No Tellin' " / "Back on Road," Gucci Mane & Drake
82, "Mine," Beyonce feat. Drake / "Preach," Drake feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR / "100," The Game feat. Drake / "Change Locations," Drake & Future / "Can't Have Everything"
83, "6 God"
84, "Used To," Drake feat. Lil Wayne
85 – None
86, "Round of Applause," Waka Flocka Flame feat. Drake / "Views"
87, "Mr. Wrong," Mary J. Blige feat. Drake / "Come Thru"
88, "30 for 30 Freestyle"
89, "Still Got It," Tyga feat. Drake / "We'll Be Fine," Drake feat. Birdman / "Worst Behavior"
90, "4 My Town (Play Ball)," Birdman feat. Drake & Lil Wayne
91, "Loving You No More," Diddy - Dirty Money feat. Drake
92, "Digital Girl," Jamie Foxx feat. Drake, Kanye West + The-Dream
93 – None
94, "I Do It," 2 Chainz feat. Drake & Lil Wayne
95, "Right Here," Justin Bieber feat. Drake / "Now & Forever"
96 – None
97, "6 Man"
98 – None
99 – None
100, "Shot for Me"