In his 2018 collaboration with Meek Mill, “Going Bad,” Drake proclaims “I got more slaps than The Beatles.” While making this sort of comparison to one of the most beloved rock bands of all time is a bold statement, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Months before that song’s release, Drake had broken the record for the most singles in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, occupying 7 spaces during the week of the release of his sixth studio album, Scorpion, breaking The Beatles’ previously held record of five spaces.
Nearly four years after Drake’s statement, he continues to break records. But it still poses a question.
Does Drake actually have “more slaps than The Beatles?”
Well, it depends on how you define what a “slap” is, however, his ability to craft hits is undeniable. In his career, spanning more than a decade, Drake has broken several chart records, according to Billboard. With his latest collaboration, “Staying Alive” with DJ Khaled and Lil Baby, Drake has earned the most top-five hits on the Hot 100 chart, with 30, breaking the record previously held by The Beatles.
Additionally, Drake also holds the record for the most top 20 hits on the Hot 100 with 100, and Top 40 hits, with 158.
Drake, however, only has 11 No. 1 hits to his credit, which practically pales in comparison to The Beatles’ 20. Also, Drake has held the top of the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 spots for eight cumulative weeks at various points in his career, which is four weeks short of The Beatles and Whitney Houston’s 12-week records.
But given how the chart rules and the way we consume music have evolved over time, we may see Drake catch up to all of The Beatles’ accomplishments. Or perhaps, we’ll see The Beatles make a comeback, considering how many songs have received a second life by way of TikTok and viral memes.