NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 02: SZA attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of … [+]
SZA’s rise to the top of the Hot 100 has been a long time coming, but now that she’s finally reached the summit on the most important songs tally in the U.S., she joins a small group of artists who have netted their debut win in 2023.
This week, SZA’s “Kill Bill” finally makes it to No. 1 on the Hot 100 after spending months weeks hovering just below the highest rung. The release of a Doja Cat remix spurred a surge in popularity, which helped it bolt to the peak position.
SZA is now the third artist this year to score a debut No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 chart, joining ranks with the likes of Morgan Wallen and Jimin.
Of the three, Wallen was the first to earn an initial Hot 100 No. 1 single. His song “Last Night” claimed the top spot on the Hot 100 in mid-March at the same time his new album One Thing at a Time dominated the Billboard 200 (which it still does currently). Since then, the song has vacated the throne more than once, but it’s always returned. This week, SZA replaces Wallen’s “Last Night” atop the tally, but he may reclaim the penthouse next week.
Just a short time after Wallen earned his first Hot 100 No. 1, the same happened to BTS singer Jimin. The South Korean superstar’s “Like Crazy” debuted as high as a cut can climb earlier this month, and it opened in first place thanks largely to the biggest sales sum thus far in 2023.
Unlike Wallen and SZA, Jimin has actually reached the top of the Hot 100 before, though not under his solo moniker. As a member of BTS, he’s accrued half a dozen leaders, and “Like Crazy” marked his seventh trip to the peak.
SZA’s journey to No. 1 has been a bit more arduous than that experienced by either “Last Night” or “Like Crazy”, with “Kill Bill” spending eight weeks at its one-time peak of No. 2 earlier this year. This achievement is seen by many as long overdue, as SZA has long been recognized as one of the top talents in R&B and also in pop, as she’s experienced great success in both fields.
In between these debut leaders, only Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” managed to earn some love atop the Hot 100. The single was one of the first champions of 2023, and it has already racked up eight weeks at No. 1. Lately, the chart has been owned by newcomers to the highest reaches, and it looks like that trend may continue for at least a little while longer.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/04/25/sza-joins-btss-jimin-and-morgan-wallen-with-her-first-hot-100-no-1-single/