Doja Cat’s latest single, “Paint the Town Red,” has stormed to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 songs chart, marking the artist’s second career leader. In an industry dominated by hip-hop, this latest leader is particularly significant, as it breaks a 54-week dry spell since Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” last claimed the top spot in August 2022.
“Paint the Town Red” marks Cat’s second trip to the summit on the Hot 100. She first reached the peak position back in 2020 with “Say So,” which features fellow rapper Nicki Minaj.
As of its fifth week on the Hot 100, “Paint the Town Red” climbs from No. 3 to No. 1, underlining Cat’s undeniable talent and the song’s broad appeal. Its ascent to the top was driven by a surge in radio airplay, with 32.1 million impressions, representing a substantial 14% increase from the week prior, according to Billboard.
Additionally, the track garnered 27.7 million streams, a 10% spike from last period. The tune also managed to sell 8,000 downloads, a sizable 32% uptick in the tracking week from September 1 to September 7.
The significance of “Paint the Town Red” reaching No. 1 on the Hot 100 extends beyond Cat’s individual success. It represents a resurgence of rap in a genre-saturated American music landscape. Hip-hop has been the dominant sound in the music industry for years now, with rap hits regularly dominating the charts. However, in the 54 weeks leading up to Cat’s achievement, no rap track had managed to secure the coveted top position on the Hot 100.
To put this odd gap into perspective, one must look back to the early 2000s when rap faced a similar drought on the Hot 100. The last time such a lengthy absence occurred was in the late 1990s and early 2000s. After Will Smith’s “Wild Wild West” briefly claimed the throne in July 1999, rap struggled to secure the No. 1 spot again until Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me,” featuring RikRok, finally reached the throne in February 2001. When it did, the catchy cut ended a 79-week-long drought.
“Paint the Town Red” is the second single from Cat’s forthcoming album Scarlet, which is due out on Friday, September 22. It follows “Attention” and was recently joined by new track “Demons,” which will likely reach the Hot 100 this week.
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