Rihanna Reaches A New Billboard Chart For The First Time In Her Career

Rihanna’s new single “Friend of Mine” is experiencing something of a lukewarm reception on the Billboard charts this week. The tune arrives on more than half a dozen tallies in the United States, thanks largely to its quick adoption by a number of radio formats.

While the latest from the Grammy winner underperforms in some respects, it also grants the singer her first success on a list she’s never appeared on before.

Rihanna’s First Chart Hit

Rihanna lands on the Hot Dance/Electronic Pop Songs chart for the first time this week. “Friend of Mine” opens at No. 3 on Billboard’s ranking of the most consumed tunes that straddle the line between pop and dance music. The cut is not just the highest-ranking debut of the frame, it’s the only new title on the tally this time around.

Billboard’s New Chart

Billboard only introduced the Hot Dance/Electronic Pop Songs chart a few months ago, and Rihanna hasn’t released any new music prior to “Friend of Mine” for several years, so it’s not shocking that this is her first placement – even though she’s scored multiple dance smashes in the past.

Her last single before “Friend of Mine,” “Lift Me Up,” which was written and recorded for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, dropped in 2022. That tune likely wouldn’t have been eligible for this roster anyway, based on its style. Rihanna has landed on this list with her first eligible brand new cut.

Lady Gaga and Tate McRae Beat Rihanna

This week, Rihanna is beaten to the summit by two of the very few No. 1s in the short history of the Hot Dance/Electronic Pop Songs chart. Lady Gaga leads for a fourteenth week with “Abracadebra.” That track, taken from Mayhem, has spent 16 frames somewhere on the list, and all but two of them in charge. “Revolving Door” by Tate McRae holds steady in the runner-up spot after briefly leading the charge.

“Friend of Mine” Opens Inside the Top 10

“Friend of Mine” performs well on a number of Billboard’s dance-specific rankings. It starts at No. 1 on the Dance Digital Song Sales chart and enters the Dance Streaming Songs list at No. 6. The cut, which was crafted specifically for the upcoming Smurfs movie, is also a quick top 40 success across a number of radio formats. Unfortunately, it misses out on reaching the Hot 100, but only by one space. Instead, it launches at No. 1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.