The superstar combination of Lizzo and Cardi B stages an immediate takeover of Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, as their collaboration “Rumors” debuts at No. 1 on the list dated Aug. 28. The track also begins as the genre’s top-selling tune of the week.
With the leading entrance, Lizzo posts her third No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. “Rumors” follows “Truth Hurts,” which reigned for 11 nonconsecutive weeks in 2019 before it surrendered to her own “Good as Hell,” a four-week nonconsecutive champ.
Cardi B, meanwhile, obtains a lucky seventh leader thanks to the No. 1 debut. Here’s a look at her collection:
“Bodak Yellow (Money Moves),” six weeks at No. 1, beginning Sept. 16, 2017
“Finesse,” with Bruno Mars, one, Jan. 20, 2018
“I Like It,” with Bad Bunny & J Balvin, July 7, 2018
“Please Me,” with Bruno Mars, one, March 16, 2019
“WAP,” feat. Megan Thee Stallion, 10, Aug. 22, 2020
“Up,” four, Feb. 20, 2021
“Rumors,” with Lizzo, one (to date), Aug. 28, 2021
In addition to Cardi B claiming her own seventh champ, the team of Lizzo and Cardi B marks only the ninth instance of women solo acts combining forces for a No. 1 since Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs became an all-encompassing genre tally in 1958; notably, almost half have reigned since May 2020. The full list of such leaders:
Brandy & Monica, “The Boy Is Mine,” 13 weeks at No. 1 in 1998
Whitney Houston feat. Faith Evans & Kelly Price, “Heartbreak Hotel,” seven, 1999
Keyshia Cole feat. Missy Elliott & Lil Kim, “Let It Go,” three, 2007
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX, “Fancy,” 13, 2014
Iggy Azalea feat. Rita Ora, “Black Widow,” five, 2014
Doja Cat feat. Nicki Minaj, “Say So,” two, 2020
Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé, “Savage,” two, 2020
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP,” 10, 2020
Lizzo & Cardi B, “Rumors,” one (to-date), 2021
Thanks to “WAP” and “Rumors,” Cardi B is the third person to appear on the above list twice, after Iggy Azalea and Megan Thee Stallion.
Elsewhere, “Rumors” races to a No. 1 debut on the Hot Rap Songs chart and a No. 4 launch on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
“Rumors,” released Aug. 13, starts strong in both the sales and streaming realms. On the former, the collaboration kicks off at No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart through 17,900 downloads in the week ending Aug. 19, according to MRC Data. (Including physical products, the song sold 25,200 copies overall in its first frame.) In the streaming sector, “Rumors” debuts in the runner-up slot on R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs thanks to 20.9 million U.S. streams in the same period.
Initial radio airplay numbers for “Rumors” are highly encouraging, with action in multiple formats. The mainstream pop radio format leads the reception, with “Rumors” advancing 26-19 on the Pop Airplay chart after its first full week of tracking, which ended Aug. 22. The tune also closes in on the top 20 on Rhythmic Airplay, where it surges 32-21, again, after its first full week of availability to radio programmers. And while the aforementioned formats are its current biggest advocates, the single also registers on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart at No. 34, retaining its position from the prior week.
From its performance across all formats, “Rumors” debuts at No. 21 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. The entrance secures both Lizzo and Cardi B the highest starts of each’s career, surpassing the No. 40 bow of “Good as Hell” and the No. 33 arrival of “Please Me,” respectively.
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