For the most part, save for a few exceptions, the Billboard Hot 100 chart has had a new No. 1 song every week or two; Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” and DaBaby’s Ricch-featuring “Rockstar” are the only songs to spend more than two consecutive weeks on top of the chart this year. So, for much of 2020, what song would be on top from week to week as been a surprise. Well, that is not the case at all this week.
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” has dominated the world since the second it came out, and as has been expected, “WAP” has officially debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart dated August 22. This is Cardi’s fourth No. 1 song and Megan’s second. “WAP” is also both artists’ first song to debut at No. 1, the seventh song to do so this year, and the 42nd to ever open on top.
.@iamcardib‘s “WAP,” featuring @theestallion, officially debuts at No. 1 on this week’s #Hot100 chart.
It earns Cardi B her fourth No. 1 hit and Megan Thee Stallion her second.
— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) August 17, 2020
It got to the top thanks to a record-breaking amount of streams: “WAP” was streamed 93 million times in the US, which is the all-time record for opening-week streams. That figure is the second most for a song by a woman overall, as Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” racked up 93.8 million streams in its fifth week on the chart following the debut of its video.
.@iamcardib & @theestallion‘s “WAP” debuts with 93 million U.S. streams, the most ever for a song in its opening week.
— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) August 17, 2020
“WAP” also earns the second-biggest streaming week among songs by women overall, just below the 93.8 million that @ArianaGrande‘s “Thank U, Next” logged in its fifth week (Dec. 15, 2018), after the premiere of its official video.
— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) August 17, 2020
It’s a big day for Cardi B: On top of this chart news, her interview with Joe Biden was shared this morning.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.