Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, ''iarchive:cambridgecompani00frit, The Cambridge Companion to Pop ...

being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the

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. The rankings are based on radio airplay detections as measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems (Nielsen BDS), a subsidiary of the U.S.' leading marketing research company. Consumer researchers, Nielsen Audio (formerly ''Arbitron''), refers to the format as contemporary hit radio (CHR). The current number-one song on the chart is "

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" by Doechii.

History

The chart debuted in ''Billboard'' Magazine in its issued date October 3, 1992, with the introduction of two Top 40 airplay charts, Mainstream and Rhythm-Crossover. Both Top 40 charts measured "actual monitored airplay" from data compiled by Broadcast Data Systems (BDS). The Top 40/Mainstream chart was compiled from airplay on radio stations playing a wide variety of music, while the Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover chart was made up from airplay on stations playing more dance and R&B music. Both charts were "born of then-new BDS electronic monitoring technology" as a more objective and precise way of measuring airplay on radio stations. This data was also used as the airplay component for Hot 100 tabulations. American Top 40 with Shadoe Stevens used this chart for their show from January 1993 to January 1995. Top 40/Mainstream was published in the print edition of ''Billboard'' from its debut in October 1992 through May 1995, when both Top 40 charts were moved exclusively to

Airplay Monitor ''Billboard Radio Monitor'' was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes. The magazine was a spinoff of ''Billboard'' magazine and was mo ...

, a secondary chart publication by ''Billboard''. They returned to the print edition in the August 2, 2003, issue. The first number-one song on the chart was " End of the Road" by

Boyz II Men Boyz II Men ( ) is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. Formed in 1985, they have been a trio composed of baritone Nathan Morris, tenor Wanya Morris, Wanyá Mo ...

Chart criteria

There are forty positions on this chart. Songs are ranked based on its total number of spins per week. This is calculated by electronically monitoring Mainstream Top 40 radio stations across the U.S. 24 hours a day, seven days a week by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. Songs receiving the greatest growth receive a "bullet", although there are tracks that also get bullets if the loss in detections doesn't exceed the percentage of downtime from a monitored station. "Airpower" awards are issued to songs that appear on the top 20 of both the airplay and audience chart for the first time, while the "greatest gainer" award is given to song with the largest increase in detections. A song with six or more spins in its first week is awarded an "airplay add". If two songs are tied in spins in the same week, the one with the biggest increase that week ranks higher. Since the introduction of the chart until 2005, songs below No. 20 were moved to recurrent after 26 weeks on the chart. Beginning the chart week of December 3, 2005, songs below No. 20 were moved to recurrent after 20 weeks on the chart. Since the chart dated December 4, 2010, songs below No. 15 are moved to recurrent after 20 weeks on the chart. Whereas the Pop Airplay and Pop 100 Airplay charts both measured the airplay of songs played on Mainstream stations playing pop-oriented music, the Pop 100 Airplay (like the Hot 100 Airplay) measured airplay based on statistical impressions, while the Top 40 Mainstream chart used the number of total detections. Source:

All-time achievements

In 2012, for the 20th anniversary of the chart, Billboard compiled a ranking of the 100 best-performing songs on the chart over the 20 years, along with the best-performing artists. " Iris" by

Goo Goo Dolls The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band based in Buffalo, New York, composed of lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik, bassist and vocalist Robby Takac, as well as several rotating members since its formation in 1986. After starting ...

ranked as the #1 song on that list. In 2017, Billboard revised the rankings, including the methodologies for how they are calculated. " Another Night" by Real McCoy was the new #1 song, while the previous #1 song, "Iris", dropped to #8.

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...

ranked as the top artist on both all-time charts. Shown below are the top 10 songs and the top 10 artists from the most recent chart.

Top 10 Pop Songs of all time (1992–2017)

Source:

Top 10 Pop Songs artists of all time (1992–2017)

Source:

Song records

Most weeks at number one

Most weeks in the top 10

Most weeks on the chart

*Year when the songs ended their respective chart runs. Prior to 2018, the song with the most weeks on the chart was " I'll Be" by Edwin McCain, which spent 41 weeks on the chart in 1998. This record run held for almost two decades, but has been surpassed many times since then. Radio stations having more data points, such as streaming, to increase their accuracy at measuring what radio listeners want to hear, have made longer runs more commonplace.

Highest debut

Shortest climbs to number one

Longest climbs to number one

Shortest climbs to top 10

Longest climbs to the top 10

Artist records

Most number-one singles

Most cumulative weeks at number one

Most top 10 singles

Most chart entries

Simultaneously occupying the top two positions

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...

: December 9, 1995 # " One Sweet Day" ''(with

)'' # "

Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

" *

OutKast Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip-hop duo formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992, consisting of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin, formerly known as Dré). Widely regarded as one of the greatest an ...

: January 31 - February 7, 2004 # " Hey Ya!" # " The Way You Move" ''(featuring

Sleepy Brown Patrick Leroy "Sleepy" Brown (born January 24, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is one-third of the Atlanta-based production team of Organized Noize, which has created hits for acts such as Outkast, Goodie Mob an ...

)'' *

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...

: July 27 - August 3, 2013 # " Blurred Lines" ''( Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell)'' # " Get Lucky" ''(

Daft Punk Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. They achieved popularity in the late 1990s as part of the French house movement, combining house music, funk, disco, tech ...

featuring Pharrell Williams)'' * Iggy Azalea: June 28 - July 12, 2014 # "

Fancy Fancy may refer to: Music Albums * ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970 * ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997 * ''Fancy'' (video), a 2007 video album by Les Claypool Songs * "Fancy" (Bobbie Gentry song), 1969, covered by Reba McEntire in 19 ...

" ''(featuring

Charli XCX Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is a British singer and songwriter. She began posting songs on Myspace in 2008 before entering the London rave scene. Signing a recording contract with Asylum Re ...

)'' # "

Problem Problem solving is the process of achieving a goal by overcoming obstacles, a frequent part of most activities. Problems in need of solutions range from simple personal tasks (e.g. how to turn on an appliance) to complex issues in business an ...

" ''(

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon and an influential figure in popular music, Grande is known for her four-octave vocal range, which extends into the whistle re ...

featuring Iggy Azalea)'' * Halsey: February 23 - March 9, 2019 # " Without Me" # " Eastside" ''(with

Benny Blanco Benjamin Joseph Levin (born March 8, 1988), known professionally as Benny Blanco (stylized in all lowercase), is an American record producer and songwriter. He is the recipient of the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall ...

and Khalid)'' *

: February 20, 2021 # " 34+35" # " Positions" * Olivia Rodrigo: August 7–28, 2021 # " Good 4 U" # " Deja Vu" *

Doja Cat Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini (born October 21, 1995), known professionally as Doja Cat (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began making and releasing music on SoundCl ...

: October 15–22, 2022 # " I Like You (A Happier Song)" ''(

Post Malone Austin Richard Post (born July 4, 1995), known professionally as Post Malone, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His music blends various genres including hip-hop, Pop music, pop, Contemporary R&B, R&B, Tra ...

featuring Doja Cat)'' # " Vegas" * Bruno Mars: February 8 - March 8, 2025 # " Apt." ''(

Rosé A rosé () is a type of wine that incorporates some of the wine color, color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine. It may be the oldest known type of wine, as it is the most straightforward to make with the Macerati ...

and Bruno Mars)'' # " Die with a Smile" ''(

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

and Bruno Mars)'' Source:

Simultaneously three or more songs in the top 10

: May 15–22, 2021 ** " Positions" ** " 34+35" ** " POV" *

: October 23–30, 2021 ** " Kiss Me More" ''(featuring

SZA Solána Imani Rowe (born November 8, 1989), known professionally as SZA ( ), is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her diaristic lyrics and genre explorations, she has been credited as a prominent figure in influencing contemporary R& ...

)'' ** " You Right" ''(with

The Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (; born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is best known for adding Pop music, pop, electronic music, electronic and hip-hop stylings ...

)'' ** " Need to Know" *

Harry Styles Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. His showmanship, artistry, and flamboyant fashion have had a Cultural impact of Harry Styles, significant impact on popular culture. Styles's musical ca ...

: October 15–29, 2022 ** " As It Was" ** " Late Night Talking" ** " Music for a Sushi Restaurant" * Sabrina Carpenter: November 2–9, 2024 ** "

Espresso Espresso (, ) is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is cha ...

" ** " Please Please Please" ** "

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" Source:

Self-replacement at number one

— "

" → " One Sweet Day" (Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men) (December 9, 1995) *

— " Hey Ya!" → " The Way You Move" (OutKast featuring Sleepy Brown) (February 14, 2004) * Iggy Azalea — "

" (Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX) → "

" (Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea) (July 12, 2014) † * Halsey — " Without Me" → " Eastside" (Benny Blanco, Halsey and Khalid) (March 2, 2019) *

— " Positions" → " 34+35" (February 13, 2021) †† *

— " I Like You (A Happier Song)" (Post Malone featuring Doja Cat) → " Vegas" (October 22, 2022) * Bruno Mars — " APT." (Rosé and Bruno Mars) → " Die with a Smile" (Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars) (March 8, 2025) † Iggy Azalea is the only act in Mainstream Top 40 history to replace herself at number one with her first two chart entries. †† Ariana Grande became the first artist to succeed herself at number one as the only act credited on both tracks. Source:

Additional artist achievements

is the only artist to have her first six singles reach No. 1. * JoJo became the youngest (13) solo artist to have a number-one single on the chart with " Leave (Get Out)". *

is the youngest (22) artist to attain at least seven No. 1 singles on the chart. *

Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Regarded as a pop icon, he is recognized for his multi-genre musical performances. He was discovered by record executive Scooter Braun in 2008 and subsequently brought to the U ...

became the youngest (26) male artist to attain at least seven No. 1 singles on the chart with " Intentions" (featuring Quavo). *

Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer. Bush began writing songs at age 11. She was signed to EMI Records after David Gilmour of Pink Floyd helped produce a demo tape. In 1978, at the ...

broke the record for the oldest song to have ever charted on the Mainstream Top 40 chart with " Running Up That Hill", originally released in 1985. It charted in 2022 after its use in the fourth season of ''

Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American television series created by the Duffer brothers, Duffer Brothers for Netflix. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment, the Stranger Things season 1, first season was released on N ...

''. The previous record holder was Empire of the Sun, whose song " Walking on a Dream", originally released in 2008, charted in 2016 after its use in a

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...