Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 Has No Rap Songs for First Time Since 1990

The baton that has passed from one hip-hop hit to another for more than three decades has been dropped. Kendrick Lamar and SZA‘s hit single “Luther” departed the Billboard Hot 100 following rule changes to the chart that removed the record after 46 weeks, of which the song spent 13 weeks at Number One. The record was still a Top 40 hit — landing at No. 38 in its final week — but didn’t maintain a placement at Number 25 or above after its 26th week on the chart, which per the recurrent rule change led to it being nixed.

For the first time since 1990, the Top 40 on the Hot 100 doesn’t contain a single rap song. The space is occupied, instead, by the entirety of Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl — now in its third week — as well as hits from Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Kehlani, and Alex Warren, whose single “Ordinary” has spent 37 weeks on the chart.

A significant portion of the records in the Top 40 have been slow-burn hits, like Ravyn Lenae’s “Love Me Not” or Leon Thomas’ “Mutt.” Others, like Justin Bieber’s “Daises” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” made high debuts and stuck around.

Still, there are a few rap records lingering just outside of the Top 40 that could break through. YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s “Shot Callin,” which debuted on the Hot 100 in late September, has inched its way up to No. 43. It doesn’t have much competition in the genre. Other songs on the chart that qualify as rap — determined by songs that are also eligible on the Hot Rap Songs chart, where “Luther” remains Number One — include BigXthaPlug and Ella Langley’s “Hell At Night” at Number 50 as well as Cardi B and Kehlani’s “Safe” at Number 57.

It is worth noting that there are rappers on the Hot 100 who are holding placements outside of rap music. Tyler, the Creator’s “Sugar on the Tongue,” which appears on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, has spent 14 weeks on the chart with a peak position of Number 41 and a current position of 51. A little further down, Doja Cat’s “Jealous Type” has slipped to Number 57 after peaking at Number 28 in September.