(l-r) Mariah Carey, Lil Nas X, Harry Styles, Shaboozey and Whitney Houston
Illustrated by Mark Harris; Photos: Rick Maiman/Sygma via Getty Images; Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images for iHeartMedia; Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images; Prince Williams/WireImage; Chris Grieve/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
Beginning with Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life” in 1977, a relatively select few smashes have led the Billboard Hot 100 for at least 10 weeks. How few? Just a mere 4% of all Hot 100 No. 1s dating to the chart’s launch on Aug. 4, 1958, have earned the achievement.
Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” flexed 10 weeks at No. 1 in 1981-82, and that smash and Boone’s shared the mark for the longest Hot 100 reign for more than a decade, until Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” dominated for 13 weeks in 1992. That best lasted briefly, as Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” led for 14 weeks in late 1992/early 1993. In 1995-96, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” ran up 16 weeks at No. 1, a milestone that held for more than 23 years. (Songs began logging longer No. 1 stays after the Hot 100 adopted electronically tracked data, according to Luminate, in late 1991.)
In 2017, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, tied the No. 1 run of “One Sweet Day.” By 2019, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, collected a record-breaking 19 weeks atop the Hot 100. The mark that still stands was matched by Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” beginning in July 2024. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” follows with 18 weeks, having jingled to No. 1 in each holiday season since December 2019.
In honor of the singles that have claimed the Hot 100’s top spot the longest, here’s a look at the elite leaders to rule for double-digit weeks, an exclusive club newly joined — on the chart dated May 3, 2025 — by Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther.”
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19 weeks, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: July 13, 2024
“I spent so much of my life working and just trying to get here, and because of you guys, my life is forever changed,” Shaboozey said in a thank you to his fans in November 2024, when the song hit its 19th week at No. 1. “Love y’all. Cowboys are forever.”
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19 weeks, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: April 13, 2019
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18 weeks, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Dec. 21, 2019
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16 weeks, “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: March 18, 2023
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16 weeks, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: May 27, 2017
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16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Dec. 2, 1995
Carey, Boyz II Men — thanks in part to their touching ballad together — and Drake share the record for the most Hot 100 No. 1s to rule for 10 or more weeks: three each.
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15 weeks, “As It Was,” Harry Styles
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: April 16, 2022
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14 weeks, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Jan. 17, 2015
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14 weeks, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: July 11, 2009
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14 weeks, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: June 4, 2005
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14 weeks, “Candle in the Wind 1997”/“Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Oct. 11, 1997
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14 weeks, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio
Image Credit: Evan Agostini/Liaison/Getty Images First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Aug. 3, 1996
“We have no words to thank everyone,” the pair’s Antonio Romeo Monge told Billboard in 2016 of the endurance of the song, which became a mid-‘90s pop-culture craze. “We’re just two guys from a small town, doing things very humbly because we come from very humble families.”
Added Rafael Ruiz, “That girl Macarena really was something.”
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14 weeks, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Aug. 27, 1994
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14 weeks, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Nov. 28, 1992
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13 weeks, “The Boy Is Mine,” Brandy & Monica
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: June 6, 1998
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13 weeks, “End of the Road,” Boyz II Men
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Aug. 15, 1992
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12 weeks, “Shape of You,” Ed Sheeran
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Jan. 28, 2017
“It’s the effective blend of the familiar and the unique that helps a song connect with a wide audience,” Dave Penn, Hit Songs Deconstructed co-founder, told Billboard in 2017 of the success of “Shape of You,” and that of many mass-appeal hits. “That truly is the key.”
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12 weeks, “Closer,” The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Sept. 3, 2016
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12 weeks, “See You Again,” Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: April 25, 2015
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12 weeks, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: June 22, 2013
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12 weeks, “Boom Boom Pow,” The Black Eyed Peas
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: April 18, 2009
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12 weeks, “Yeah!,” Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Feb. 28, 2004
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12 weeks, “Lose Yourself,” Eminem
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Nov. 9, 2002
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12 weeks, “Smooth,” Santana feat. Rob Thomas
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Oct. 23, 1999
Following the 12-week No. 1 run of “Smooth,” Santana’s follow-up “Maria Maria” ran up 10 weeks on top. The band became the first act to release back-to-back singles that have both led the Hot 100 for double-digit weeks.
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11 weeks, “The Box,” Roddy Ricch
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Jan. 18, 2020
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11 weeks, “God’s Plan,” Drake
Image Credit: Prince Williams/Wireimage First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Feb. 3, 2018
Thanks to the reigns of “God’s Plan” (11 weeks), “In My Feelings” (10) and “Nice for What” (eight), Drake broke the record for the most weeks spent atop the Hot 100 in a single year: 29, in 2018. He surpassed Usher’s mark of 28 set in 2004.
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11 weeks, “Independent Women Part I,” Destiny’s Child
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Nov. 18, 2000
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11 weeks, “I’ll Be Missing You,” Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: June 14, 1997
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11 weeks, “Un-Break My Heart,” Toni Braxton
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Dec. 7, 1996
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11 weeks, “I Swear,” All-4-One
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: May 21, 1994
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10 weeks, “Luther,” Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Image Credit: pgLang First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: March 1, 2025
The song’s journey to double-digit weeks at No. 1 began with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “If This World Were Mine,” which hit No. 27 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (then named Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles) in 1968. Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s cover reached No. 4 on the chart (then Hot Black Singles) in 1982, and is sampled on “Luther.”
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10 weeks, “Easy on Me,” Adele
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Oct. 30, 2021
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10 weeks, “Butter,” BTS
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: June 5, 2021
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10 weeks, “In My Feelings,” Drake
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: July 21, 2018
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10 weeks, “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: April 23, 2016
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10 weeks, “Hello,” Adele
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Nov. 14, 2015
Adele notched 10-week No. 1s from her 2021 album, 30 (“Easy on Me”), and 2015’s 25 (“Hello”). Meanwhile, her LP before 25 holds the record for the longest command on the Billboard 200 chart for an album by a woman: 21 ruled for 24 weeks in 2011-12.
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10 weeks, “Happy,” Pharrell Williams
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: March 8, 2014
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10 weeks, “We Found Love,” Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Nov. 12, 2011
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10 weeks, “Low,” Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Jan. 5, 2008
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10 weeks, “Irreplaceable,” Beyoncé
Image Credit: Ian West – PA Images First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Dec. 16, 2006
Beyoncé is the only artist to claim double-digit weeks atop the Hot 100 both as a soloist and a group member. Prior to “Irreplaceable,” Destiny’s Child’s “Independent Women Part I” dominated for 11 weeks in 2000-01.
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10 weeks, “Gold Digger,” Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Sept. 17, 2005
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10 weeks, “Dilemma,” Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Aug. 17, 2002
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10 weeks, “Foolish,” Ashanti
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: April 20, 2002
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10 weeks, “Maria Maria,” Santana feat. The Product G&B
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: April 8, 2000
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10 weeks, “Physical,” Olivia Newton-John
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Nov. 21, 1981
“Livvy Works Up a Sweat,” Paul Grein headlined the Jan. 23, 1982, Chart Beat column, as “Physical” muscled its way to a 10th week at No. 1. The flipside of long-leading hits? Tracks below can log lengthy runs at No. 2. Blocked in part by “Physical,” Foreigner’s “Waiting for a Girl Like You” spent 10 weeks peaking at No. 2. In 2002-03, Missy Elliott’s “Work It” reached a runner-up best for 10 weeks, tying the mark that still stands for the most time lodged at a No. 2 high. Ultimately, everybody won: Foreigner hit No. 1 in 1985 with “I Want to Know What Love Is” and “Work It” topped Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for five weeks.
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10 weeks, “You Light Up My Life,” Debby Boone
First week at No. 1 on Hot 100: Oct. 15, 1977
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