Barely three months after his song “Not Like Us” set the record for the longest run at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, Kendrick Lamar is back at the top again.
Lamar’s latest hit, “Luther,” a collaboration with frequent partner and Grand National co-headliner SZA, has tied the record by spending its 22nd week at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart dated May 31. This matches the record previously set by “Not Like Us.” Since the chart became a single, all-genre ranking in October 1958, no song has spent more weeks at No. 1.
“Not Like Us” reached 21 weeks at No. 1 in 2024 during Lamar’s well-known diss track battle with Drake. It later returned for a 22nd week after Lamar performed it at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show on February 9.
For SZA, “Luther” also marks a return to the top. Before “Not Like Us,” her song “Kill Bill” held the record for most weeks at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, with 21 weeks in 2022-23.
As “Luther” now shares the top spot, here is a list of the songs with the most weeks at No. 1 in the chart’s 66-year history:
Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs:
22 weeks: “Luther” – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (2024-25)
22 weeks: “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar (2024-25)
21 weeks: “Kill Bill” – SZA (2022-23)
20 weeks: “Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)
18 weeks: “Industry Baby” – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow (2021-22)
18 weeks: “One Dance” – Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla (2016)
16 weeks: “Blurred Lines” – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell (2013)
15 weeks: “Be Without You” – Mary J. Blige (2006)
For the week ending May 22, “Luther” earned 16.7 million official U.S. streams, 2,000 digital sales, and 60.5 million in airplay audience. These numbers represent small declines of 8%, 6%, and 4%, respectively, compared to the previous week, according to Luminate data.
In addition to leading the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, “Luther” also spent its 22nd week at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. This makes it the second-longest-running No. 1 in that chart’s 35-year history. Only Lamar’s “Not Like Us” holds a longer record with 26 weeks.
Despite “Luther”’s success on these genre-specific charts, it lost the No. 1 spot on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 to Morgan Wallen’s “What I Want,” featuring Tate McRae. “Luther” had held the top spot on the Hot 100 for 13 weeks, which remains the longest No. 1 run for both Lamar and SZA on the flagship chart.
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