Drake and SZA have set their sights on a potential joint No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 chart with their first collaboration together. Early signs and online predictions suggest they may very well achieve this feat when Billboard refreshes its rankings in about a week.
The duo’s collaboration has the potential to claim the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 next week, primarily due to its impressive streaming numbers. “Slime You Out” entered at No. 1 on Spotify’s list of the most-streamed songs in the U.S. on its release day and has maintained that position since. When combined with streams on various other platforms, along with potentially solid radio airplay and sales, the song is well-positioned to open at the top of the Hot 100.
If “Slime You Out” secures the No. 1 position on the Hot 100, it will mark a significant milestone for SZA, as it would be her second chart-topper and her first to debut at No. 1. Her previous No. 1 hit, “Kill Bill,” dethroned Morgan Wallen’s reign earlier this year. For Drake, this achievement would represent his twelfth chart-topper, with eight of them having debuted at No. 1.
“Slime You Out” serves as the second official single from Drake’s forthcoming album, For All The Dogs. It follows the success of lead single “Search & Rescue,” which debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 earlier this year. For All The Dogs recently experienced a release date shift, moving from its original street date of September 22 to October 6.
The phenomenon of debuting a song at No. 1 on the Hot 100, which was once rare, has become increasingly common in the past decade. Changes in music consumption patterns, with streaming platforms becoming the primary means of accessing music, have led to a significant rise in No. 1 debuts on the chart.
Released on Friday, September 15, the two musicians took a different approach with “Slime You Out” compared to most new tracks and albums when it came to its drop time. Drake and SZA strategically delayed the release, opting for a midday launch. While this decision shortened their tracking week by half a day, it allowed them to dominate social media discussions and grab significant media attention, as they stood apart from other prominent artists releasing new music.
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