Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow's 'Industry Baby' Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
By Gary Trust
10/18/2021
Lil Nas X lands his third Hot 100 leader and Harlow notches his first. Plus, Ed Sheeran's 'Shivers' reaches the top 10.
Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow's "Industry Baby" ascends to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, from No. 2. The collaboration is Lil Nas X's third leader on the list and Harlow's first.
Also notably, the coronation of "Baby" marks the fifth on the Hot 100 for Kanye West as a co-writer and co-producer.
Plus, Ed Sheeran's "Shivers" rises 11-10 on the Hot 100, becoming his ninth top 10.
The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay, and sales data. All charts (dated Oct. 23) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Oct. 19). For all chart news, you can follow
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"Industry Baby," released July 23 on Columbia Records, is the 1,130th No. 1 in the Hot 100's 63-year history. It drew 64 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 10%) and 23.2 million U.S. streams (down 1%) and sold 34,300 downloads (soaring 564%) in the week ending Oct. 14, according to MRC Data.
The track rebounds 2-1 for a second week atop the Streaming Songs chart, vaults 12-1 for its first week atop Digital Song Sales, as it wins top Sales Gainer honors on the Hot 100, and pushes 5-4 on Radio Songs.
Sparking its sales surge, along with the original single, two new versions of "Baby" (one with an "alternative digital single cover" and an "extended" mix) were made available for purchase Oct. 9, with all discounted to 69 cents in the tracking week.
Lil Nas X achieves his third Hot 100 No. 1. His debut smash "Old Town Road," featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, spent a record 19 weeks at No. 1 in April-August 2019, and "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" led for a week upon its debut this April.
Both "Montero" and "Baby" are from Lil Nas X's first LP, Montero, which launched at No. 2 on the Oct. 2-dated Billboard 200. (Missions accomplished: "Need to get this album done/ Need a couple No. 1s," he raps on "Baby.")
Harlow crowns the Hot 100 for the first time after he hit a prior No. 2 best in July 2020 with his breakthrough hit "Whats Poppin," featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne.
Meanwhile, Kanye West, one of the writers and producers of "Baby," scores his fifth Hot 100 No. 1 in those roles. His new leader follows Ludacris' "Stand Up," featuring Shawnna (one week, December 2003); Twista's "Slow Jamz," featuring West and Jamie Foxx (one week, February 2004); and West's "Gold Digger," featuring Foxx (10 weeks, beginning September 2005), and "Stronger" (one week, September 2007).
"Baby" debuted at No. 2 on the Hot 100 dated Aug. 7 and reaches No. 1 in its 12th week on the chart. It's the 15th song to log its first week at the summit in 2021, although just the fifth not to have opened at No. 1, and only The Weeknd and Ariana Grande's "Save Your Tears" has taken a longer trip to the top this year (21 weeks).
"Baby," one more time: Lil Nas X and Harlow add the 20th Hot 100 leader with "baby" in its title. Here's a recap of all such songs that have bounced to No. 1:
"Take Good Care of My Baby," Bobby Vee, 1961
"Hey! Baby," Bruce Channel, 1962
"Baby Love," The Supremes, 1964
"Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me," Mac Davis, 1972
"Rock Your Baby," George McCrae, 1974
"(You're) Having My Baby," Paul Anka, 1974
"Angie Baby," Helen Reddy, 1974
"Baby Come Back," Player, 1978
"Baby, Come to Me," Patti Austin with James Ingram, 1983
"Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley," Will to Power, 1988
"Baby Don't Forget My Number," Milli Vanilli, 1989
"Ice Ice Baby," Vanilla Ice, 1990
"I'm Your Baby Tonight," Whitney Houston, 1990
"Baby Baby," Amy Grant, 1991
"Baby Got Back," Sir Mix-A-Lot, 1992
"Always Be My Baby," Mariah Carey, 1996
"...Baby One More Time," Britney Spears, 1999
"Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)," Christina Aguilera, 2000
"Baby Boy," BeyoncΓ© feat. Sean Paul, 2003
"Industry Baby," Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, 2021
(Honorable mentions to Sonny & Cher's "I Got You, Babe" in 1965; Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe," in 1974; and Styx's "Babe," in 1979.)
One more "Baby" announcement: "Industry Baby" tallies an eighth week atop both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts, which use the same multi-metric methodology as the Hot 100.
The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber's "Stay" slips to No. 2 on the Hot 100 after seven weeks on top, with 89.2 million in airplay audience (up 3%), as it leads Radio Songs for a fifth week; 21.6 million U.S. streams (down 7%); and 12,400 sold (up 67%, helped by its placement in the iTunes Store's "69Β’ Pop Hits" promotion during the tracking week).
Walker Hayes' "Fancy Like" holds at its No. 3 Hot 100 high, as it rules the multi-metric Hot Country Songs chart for the 14th week; Ed Sheeran's "Bad Habits" rises 5-4 on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 2; and Drake's "Way 2 Sexy," featuring Future and Young Thug, dips 4-5, following its No. 1 premiere five weeks earlier.
Olivia Rodrigo's "Good 4 U" keeps at No. 6 on the Hot 100, after it debuted at No. 1 in May, and Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More," featuring SZA, repeats at No. 7, after reaching No. 3.
Dua Lipa's "Levitating" remains at No. 8 on the Hot 100, after hitting No. 2. It spends a 39th week in the top 10, tying Post Malone's "Circles" (2019-20) for the second-longest such run in the chart's archives. The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" leads with 57 top 10 weeks (February 2020-April 2021).
Wizkid's "Essence," featuring Justin Bieber and Tems, pushes 10-9 for a new Hot 100 best, as it tops the multi-metric Hot R&B Songs chart for a sixth week.
Rounding out the Hot 100's top 10, Ed Sheeran's "Shivers" rises 11-10 with 37.3 million in radio audience (up 5%), 12.1 million streams (essentially even week-over-week), and 9,100 sold (down 3%).
Sheeran claims his ninth Hot 100 top 10, and second, joining "Bad Habits," from his album =, due Oct. 29.
Again, for all chart news, you can follow
billboard and
billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram and all charts (dated Oct. 23), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (Oct. 19).
