Her new single “Lover Girl” reintroduces rap to the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 after a two-week absence.
Historic Billboard Achievement
Megan Thee Stallion’s single “Lover Girl” debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of November 8, marking the first rap entry into the chart’s Top 40 since Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” on October 18. This ends a two-week gap without any rap songs in the Top 40, a first since February 1990.
Strong Streaming and Airplay
According to Luminate, “Lover Girl” earned 8.5 million official U.S. streams, 1.5 million in radio airplay audience, and 5,000 sales in the tracking week ending October 30. This demonstrates Megan’s continued relevance and influence in the genre, highlighting her 21st song to reach the Hot 100’s Top 40.
Future Outlook for Rap
While “Lover Girl” temporarily restores rap to the upper echelon of the charts, analysts note that its success may be short-lived. Without other rap entries poised to enter the Top 40, the genre could see another decline in the coming weeks, following the common trend of chart positions dropping after a song’s second week.
