Well, it finally happened. After inching his way up the ranks, Drake tied Madonna for most top 10 Billboard Hot 100 songs last week, when “Pain 1993” featuring Playboi Carti debuted at number 7. No matter your feelings on Drake (or Madonna), this is quite the accomplishment. To clinch that one spot, Drake had to beat out artists from across the musical landscape, from the Beatles to Rihanna to Elton John. Though this is undeniably impressive from a sales standpoint, there’s a more important question: does it really matter?
Before I get into it, here’s a quick overview of what the Billboard Hot 100 measures. The Billboard Hot 100 takes into account radio play, sales numbers, and streams to calculate the “hottest” songs of a given week. As the ways consumers listen to music have changed, so has the calculation, so Drake’s path to number one looked different than Madonna’s.
Right off the bat, there’s an easy argument for why Drake’s record doesn’t really matter. Comparing sales numbers is like comparing Jordan to LeBron: it’s a different game now. Music has never been more accessible, so the numbers are going to look different across eras. And yes, the Billboard Hot 100 measures a song’s success relative to others that come out at the same time, but the streaming era has favored large artists with deep pockets. Especially Drake.
Even if you could compare sales throughout history on a 1:1 basis, there’s still the question of whether sales numbers matter at all. I’ve expressed my skepticism of numerical ratings before, and I’m equally hesitant to base conversations around sales numbers. They’re important to the artists, because sales equal revenue, but they’re a poor measurement of quality. Popular things CAN be great, but they certainly do not HAVE TO be great to be popular. They just need to appeal to a lot of people. Or be attached to a TikTok dance.
Another Billboard story was in the news this week. Doja Cat’s “Say So” remix featuring Nicki Minaj hit number one on the Hot 100 chart, with Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” remix featuring Beyoncé coming in at number two. This is big news: aside from being a major accomplishment for the individual artists, it’s the first time two female rappers have taken the top spot. It’s ALSO the first time four black women have held the top two spots. This matters. It’s not just significant because of the numbers, it’s significant for what the numbers mean in a genre that has favored men, and an industry that has favored white artists.
Do Billboard rankings matter? Brace yourself for the most satisfying answer you can get from an opinion piece: it depends! Billboard and other sales charts do a great job of capturing trends and getting a feel of the general musical climate, but they don’t really serve as evidence for how quality an artist is. Before you quote that Billboard article, apply some context and decide if it helps to make your case. Or just ask me! Chances are I have a pretty strong opinion.
Now back to trying to figure out the “Savage” TikTok dance.
Lyle B.