Blurred Lines,’ featuring T.I. and Pharrell, leads the list for a seventh week, the most time spent atop the list this year. Robin Thicke notches a seventh week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Blurred Lines” (featuring T.I. and Pharrell), establishing the longest command for a Hot 100 topper this year.
As “Lines” spends a seventh week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, the song passes Macklemore & Ryan Lewis‘ “Thrift Shop” (featuring Wanz) for the longest run atop the chart this year. “Shop” led for six nonconsecutive weeks in February-April (wrapped around Baauer’s five-week domination with “Harlem Shake“). Maroon 5 boasts the last longer command on the Hot 100 with “One More Night,” which spent nine weeks at No. 1 in September-November last year. Among solo males, Gotye last spent more time at the summit than Thicke, having ruled for eight frames with “Somebody That I Used to Know” (featuring Kimbra) in April-June 2012. (“Somebody” eventually became the top Hot 100 song of 2012.)
“Lines” additionally sets one impressive airplay record, while approaching another. The song claims the Hot 100’s top Airplay Gainer award for an unprecedented eighth week (all consecutively). Seven songs had previously racked seven weeks (consecutive or not) claiming the honor dating to the prize’s 1985 origin: Bruno Mars‘ “When I Was Your Man” (2013); Rihanna’s “What’s My Name? (featuring Drake) (2010-11) and “Rude Boy” (2010); T-Pain’s “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin‘)” (featuring Yung Joc) (2007); Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” (2006-07) and “Baby Boy” (featuring Sean Paul) (2003); and Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” (2005-06).
“Lines” leads Radio Songs for a third week, gaining by 10% to 197.7 million all-format audience impressions, according to Nielsen BDS. Dating to the chart’s December 1990 launch, the song has now drawn the second-highest weekly audience (setting up a race to watch next week):
212.2 million, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey (July 9, 2005)
197.7 million, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke (featuring T.I. + Pharrell) (Aug. 3, 2013)
196.3 million, “Irreplaceable,” Beyonce (Jan. 20, 2007)
192.4 million, “No One,” Alicia Keys (Dec. 22, 2007)
189.6 million, “Let Me Love You,” Mario (Feb. 5, 2005)
“Lines” tops the Digital Songs chart for an eighth week, selling 340,000 downloads (down 11%) in the Nielsen SoundScan tracking week. It spends a third week atop the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs chart (2.6 million U.S. streams, up less than 1%, according to BDS) and holds at No. 2 on Streaming Songs (6.9 million, up 4%). It collects a seventh week at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and a 10th week atop R&B Songs.”Lines” maintains its lead on the Hot 100 despite a 2% loss in overall chart points. Meanwhile, a new runner-up moves up below it: