Rihanna Breaks Pop Song Record

22 Apr, 2013

Rihanna becomes the first artist in the 20-year history of Billboard’s Nielsen BDS-based Pop Songs radio airplay chart to tally 10 No. 1s, as “Stay,” featuring Mikky Ekko, rises 2-1.

Rihanna breaks a tie with Katy Perry, who’s notched nine No. 1s since her 2008 arrival; also impressively, Rihanna has rung up her No. 1 sum since just 2006, when “SOS,” her first leader, reached the summit. She’d last led with “We Found Love,” featuring Calvin Harris, for eight weeks, marking her longest command, in late 2011/early 2012.

The record for most No. 1s is the latest for Rihanna on Pop Songs. She previously established the marks for most entries (35) and top 10s (23) dating to the ranking’s Oct. 3, 1992, launch.

“Stay” also charges 11-7 on Adult Pop Songs, becoming her third top 10 on the list, and debuts at No. 30 on Adult Contemporary. (It’s reached No. 3 on the all-format airplay/sales/streaming-fueled Billboard Hot 100.)

Also notably, “Stay” is only the second piano-and-vocal-only No. 1 of the 259 songs to have ruled Pop Songs. The first? The song that “Stay” dethrones after three weeks at the summit, Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man.”

Here’s a recap of Rihanna’s record 10 Pop Songs No. 1s:

2006, “SOS” (one week at No. 1)
2008, “Take a Bow” (three)
2008, “Disturbia” (three)
2008, “Live Your Life” (T.I. feat. Rihanna) (two)
2010, “Rude Boy” (two)
2010, “Love the Way You Lie” (Eminem feat. Rihanna) (two)
2010, “Only Girl (In the World)” (three)
2011, “S&M” (one)
2011, “We Found Love” (Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris) (eight)
2013, “Stay” (Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko) (one to date)

Billboard

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