Kendrick Lamar’s Streaming Smashes Return — But Which One Is More Impressive?

Kendrick Lamar sends two singles — “30 for 30” with SZA and his own “Not Like Us” — back to different Billboard charts focused only on streaming. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 13: Kendrick Lamar performs in the Pepsi Halftime Show during the NFL Super Bowl LVI football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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Kendrick Lamar is one of the top-performing rap artists in America when it comes to sales, as his fans seem much more willing to purchase his music than many other stars in the field. While sales of both his albums and singles play a large role in his continued success, streaming activity may be even more responsible for his presence on the Billboard charts.

Several of Lamar’s recent smashes return to streaming-only rankings in the United States, and he climbs on multiple tallies dedicated to the consumption metric.

“30 for 30″ with SZA is Back

Two Lamar tracks find their way back to streaming-only tallies this frame. Technically, the higher-rising of the two is “30 for 30.” His tour partner SZA recruited him for the track, which reappears at No. 25 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs tally. 30 weeks into its life on the most competitive of all the streaming rankings that focus on R&B, hip-hop and rap, the cut barely makes it back as it lands in last place.

“Not Like Us” Returns to the Main Streaming Chart

“Not Like Us,” which may go down as Lamar’s most famous and celebrated tune, is back on the Streaming Songs chart this week. In its sixty-first frame, the Drake diss tune reappears in last place at No. 50.

While that is a much lower position than “30 for 30” manages on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs roster, it may be more impressive that “Not Like Us” can be found on the Streaming Songs tally. The chart isn’t focused on just one or several styles, which makes it that much more competitive.

Also, “Not Like Us” is much older than “30 for 30,” so the fact that it once again ranks as one of the 50-most-played tunes of any style or language throughout the United States is quite the feat.

Kendrick Lamar Owns 20% of the Streaming List

“Not Like Us” is one of two tracks by Lamar that appear on the general Streaming Songs roster, as “Luther,” another duet with SZA, rises two spaces to No. 31. When it comes to the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs tally, however, Lamar is far more successful this time around. He fills five spaces, occupying 20% of the list. His roundup includes “Luther” with SZA, “Not Like Us,” “TV Off” with Lefty Gunplay, “All the Stars,” yet another smash with SZA, and finally “30 for 30.” Those tracks appear at Nos. 3, 10, 17, 21 and 25, respectively.