Prince earns his first hit on four Billboard charts nearly a decade after his death after “Purple Rain” was featured in the final season of Stranger Things. DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 3: Prince Rogers Nelson (d. 4-21-16) was a singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor and director. He is shown performing in his “Lovesexy World Tour” at McNichols Sports Arena on November 3, 1988 in Denver, Colorado. Among his many honors, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. (Photo by Mark Junge/Getty Images)
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Later this year, fans of the musical superstar Prince will honor the tenth anniversary of his passing, as he died unexpectedly in April 2016. At the time, the world was shocked, and Prince charted many new hits, while a number of his biggest songs and most successful albums climbed to never-before-seen peaks as millions mourned.
Recently, Prince’s music has returned to the spotlight and to many Billboard tallies after both “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry” were used in the final season of Stranger Things. Those two cuts appear on multiple rankings published by the company this week, and Prince manages to reach a quartet of tallies for the first time with what may be regarded as his most memorable tune.
“Purple Rain” Debuts on Four Billboard Charts
“Purple Rain,” which is credited to Prince and the Revolution, debuts on four charts in America this week. The smash earns the powerhouse talent his first win on the Streaming Songs and R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs charts, as well as both of Billboard’s worldwide tallies, the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl U.S.
“Purple Rain” Launches Inside the Top 10 on One Roster
Prince manages to launch inside the top 10 on just one of those four rosters. “Purple Rain” opens at No. 4 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart, which ranks the most successful cuts on sites like Spotify and Apple Music in the U.S. that Billboard classifies as R&B, hip-hop, or rap.
Prince and the Revolution Land the Top Debut This Week
Prince and the Revolution score one of only two debuts on the current edition of the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart, and “Purple Rain” is the more impressive arrival between the pair. Hip-hop and R&B superstars Doechii and SZA launch “Girl, Get Up.” at No. 11, while popular tunes by Post Malone, Swae Lee, and Waka Flocka Flame also return to the same roster.
“Purple Rain” Finally Appears on the Main Streaming Chart
In addition to the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart, Prince also appears on the non-genre-specific Streaming Songs list for the very first time, nearly a decade after his passing. “Purple Rain” starts off at No. 21.
Prince Beats Katseye, Fleetwood Mac and The Police
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 20: (L-R) Yoonchae, Manon, Daniela, Lara Raj, Megan and Sophia of KATSEYE attend the 2025 Teen Vogue Summit at NYA WEST on September 20, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Teen Vogue)
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Just as is the case on the style-specific streaming ranking, “Purple Rain” stands out as the most impressive debut, while multiple other cuts, both new and old, also make their mark for the first time. “Internet Girl” by Katseye, a current nominee for the Best New Artist Grammy, opens at No. 23, landing just two spaces behind Prince and his band. Classics from Fleetwood Mac, The Police, and Tears for Fears, as well as country newcomer Gavin Adcock’s latest single, also debut during an exciting frame on the Streaming Songs chart.
“Purple Rain” Brings Prince to Billboard’s Global Charts
“Purple Rain” is new to both of the worldwide lists of the biggest songs published by Billboard. Prince debuts at No. 30 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 53 on the Billboard Global Excl U.S., finally earning a space on two tallies that wouldn’t be introduced by Billboard until several years after his death.
“Purple Rain” Misses Out on Rising to No. 1 by One Space
As “Purple Rain” debuts on multiple rankings, the single also reaches a new peak on one more streaming roster. “Purple Rain” reappears on the R&B Streaming Songs chart, a slightly more specific version of the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs list, at No. 2. Prince and the Revolution miss out on a No. 1 hit, as “Folded” by Kehlani holds at the summit.
“Purple Rain” Returns to Five Billboard Rankings
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 13: RITZ CLUB Photo of PRINCE, Prince performing on stage – Purple Rain Tour (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)
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As “Purple Rain” launches on four Billboard charts, the song returns to five additional rosters. The cut opens highest on the R&B Streaming Songs tally, while also cracking the top 10 on the Hot R&B Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, breaking back in at Nos. 4 and 7, respectively.
The same tune is also present once more on a pair of rankings that don’t focus on one style or another. “Purple Rain” lands at No. 13 on the Digital Song Sales chart and No. 27 on the Hot 100, the most competitive of all of Billboard’s songs lists.
“Purple Rain” Narrowly Fails to Lead on Two Billboard Charts
Finally, “Purple Rain” misses out on leading another two rankings by just one space, although Prince fans can be happy knowing that the ’80s classic has already ruled both of them. “Purple Rain” lifts from No. 6 to second place on both the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales and R&B Digital Song Sales rosters at the same time.