There hasn't been one hip-hop album or song atop the Billboard 200 or Hot 100 chart this year.
Billboard reports that the genre's absence from the No. 1 spots represents the longest such stretch in a calendar year since 1993.
Six hip-hop artists—Tyler, the Creator, Pusha-T, Future, Kendrick Lamar, Gunna, and Lil Durk—had already seen albums earn top honors by this time in 2022, while Jack Harlow (“First Class”) and Future and Drake (“Wait for U”) had bagged No. 1 singles.
Billboard speculates that this year's hip-hop void may have to do with the "most popular and reliable artists" not releasing new projects, in addition to the inability of others—like Durk and YoungBoy Never Broke Again—to secure new wins on the Billboard 200.
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The Billboard Hot 100 has turned into something of an exclusive club in 2023, with Miley Cyrus' "Flowers" and Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" seizing control of the top spot for eight and nine weeks, respectively.
Despite hip-hop's individual struggles to hit No. 1 on either chart, the genre's overall dominance from a sales perspective remains steadfast, with an increase of 6.3 percent in units moved, compared to 2022. Meanwhile, hip-hop and R&B's piece of the market share has experienced a slight decline over the past year, from 27.8 percent to 26 percent, while country and Latin music have risen.
