LUCKY NUMBER: Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” (Island) hits the 13-week mark as the No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s the first song to rule for 13 weeks in seven years. In fact, it was exactly seven years ago this week that Aerosmith debuted at the summit, ending the 13-week reign of Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine.”
“We Belong Together” is in elite territory, as only eight songs in the rock era have been No. 1 for 13 weeks or longer. Carey is also just the second artist to have two songs or more on this short list. Her collaboration with Boyz II Men on “One Sweet Day” is the longest-running No. 1 of the rock era with 16 weeks on top.
Four songs were in lead position for 14 weeks: “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston, “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men, “Macarena” (Bayside Boys Mix)” by Los Del Rio and “Candle in the Wind 1997” / “Something About the Way You Look Tonight” by Elton John.
Completing the list of eight are the songs with 13-week reigns: “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men, “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy and Monica and “We Belong Together” by Carey.
The long visit of “We Belong Together” at No. 1 brings Carey even closer to matching Elvis Presley’s total weeks on top. Carey has now been No. 1 for 74 weeks, just five weeks shy of Presley’s record 79 weeks. With the follow-up to “We Belong Together” rising 6-4, “Shake It Off” could be the song that ties or surpasses Presley’s record.
The Hot 100 isn’t the only chart where Carey generates news this week. “We Belong Together” remains No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for the 14th week, equalling the record for most weeks on top since the chart was re-instated in January 1965 after a 14-month hiatus. “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” by Deborah Cox was also No. 1 for 14 weeks, from November 1998 to February 1999.
Carey is unlikely to best Cox, as she will probably be replaced with Bow Wow and Ciara (5-2 with “Like You”) or herself (10-3 with “Shake It Off”).
DUPRI’S PRIZE: The songs have aligned in the right positions to give Jermaine Dupri a unique achievement on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. With Carey’s “We Belong Together” at No. 1, followed by Bow Wow and Ciara’s “Like You” and Carey’s “Shake It Off,” Dupri is the first artist in modern chart history to produce the top three songs on the chart.
Bow Wow and Omarion’s “Let Me Hold You” dips 2-6, giving Dupri four songs in the top 10. He is the first producer to place a quartet’s worth of songs in the top 10 since Irv Gotti did it the week of March 23, 2002 with “Foolish” by Ashanti, “What’s Luv?” by Fat Joe featuring Ashanti, “Ain’t It Funny” by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule and “Always on Time” by Ja Rule featuring Ashanti.
Dupri also has four songs in the top 10 of the Hot 100. Gotti last pulled off the same feat the week of April 6, 2002.
THE RIGHT DUFF STUFF: Hilary Duff’s third chart entry on the Hot 100 is her highest-debuting and highest-charting single. “Wake Up” (Hollywood) is new at No. 29. Her first two singles, “So Yesterday” and “Come Clean,” both opened at No. 53. The former peaked at No. 42 the week of Oct. 25, 2003 and the latter went to No. 35 the week of March 27, 2004.
On The Billboard 200, “Most Wanted” is Duff’s second No. 1 album, but the first to debut in pole position. “Metamorphosis” spent one week in the lead spot the week of Sept. 20, 2003.
BISHOP ON BOARD: Elvin Bishop, best known for having a No. 3 hit on the Hot 100 in 1976 with “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” returns to the Billboard charts with his first entry in 28 years.
“Gettin’ My Groove Back” (Blind Pig) debuts at No. 9 on Top Blues Albums, giving the lead guitarist with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band his first entry on this chart.
SECOND LOOK: This isn’t the first time that Jody Watley has been looking for a new love on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. After a stint in the trio Shalamar, Watley launched her solo career with “Looking for a New Love,” a single that debuted on the club chart the week of Feb. 21, 1987 and went on to become a No. 1 hit.
Now, 18 years later, remixes of “Looking for a New Love” (Peace Bisquit/Curvve) are sitting on top of the club chart. It is the sixth solo No. 1 for Watley on this tally, and her first since “Off the Hook” topped the chart the week of March 7, 1998.
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