LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 26: Ariana Grande attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples … [+]
Ariana Grande is back in charge of the Hot 100 this week—and with another No. 1 debut, no less. “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” launches atop the ranking of the most-consumed tracks in the U.S. with ease, giving the star her second champion from her brand new album Eternal Sunshine. With one more No. 1 start to her credit, Grande makes history on the competitive tally and breaks out of a tie with the biggest musical superstar in the world.
“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” is Grande’s seventh song to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100. As the tune starts its time on the chart in first place, the singer moves up on the ranking of the artists with the most immediate rulers in U.S. history.
Grande now sits alone in second place on the ranking of the musicians who have debuted the most songs at No. 1 on the Hot 100. She also claims the most such champions among women. Before this week, she and Taylor Swift were tied, with six apiece, but that’s no longer the case–at least for the time being.
Drake owns the record for the most No. 1 debuts on the Hot 100. He has seen nine of his hits launch as high as a tune can climb on the chart, and he regularly adds to his total, so he could increase that sum at any point.
Grande scored her first No. 1 debut on the Hot 100 in late 2018 when her single “Thank U, Next” became her first leader on the tally. She doubled that sum the following year with “7 Rings,” which also comes from the same album–Thank U, Next.
The singer then made history in 2020 when she collected three No. 1 debuts on the Hot 100. Two collaborations–”Stuck with U” with Justin Bieber and “Rain On Me” with Lady Gaga–both launched atop the ranking. She then ended the year with her own “Positions” leading the charge without having to wait.
“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” is Grande’s second No. 1 debut of 2024 alone. She kicked off this latest era of her career with the single “Yes, And?,” which also started its time on the roster ahead of every other cut. That song opened in first place back in late January–less than two months ago.
