Despacito Dominates the Hot 100 for a Ninth Week; Notable Moves Across the Chart

Today’s roundup is led by two notable numbers: 9 and 61. Nine marks the number of consecutive weeks that Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” featuring Justin Bieber remains at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Sixty-one denotes the consecutive weeks The Chainsmokers had spent in the top 10 before finally falling out this week.

“Despacito” shows no sign of slowing down. It retains the Hot 100’s No. 1 spot for a ninth straight week while making history as the first primarily Latin song to reach No. 1 on the radio airplay chart. The track leads across the key consumption pillars — sales, streaming and airplay — illustrating its broad appeal across platforms and audiences.

Other notable chart movements include Sam Hunt re-entering the top 10 and French Montana debuting in the upper tier with “Unforgettable” featuring Swae Lee. Meanwhile, The Chainsmokers’ long top-10 streak ends at 61 weeks, a run that came within eight weeks of Katy Perry’s record.

Top 10 Hot 100 (Selected Metrics)

1. Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee “Despacito” featuring Justin Bieber
   
   129K [#1] (-6%), 61.2M streams [#1] (-2%), 149M [#1] (+5%)
2. DJ Khaled “I’m the One” featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne
3. Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like”
4. DJ Khaled “Wild Thoughts” featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
   
   39.8M streams (-5%); 78M AI (+28%)
5. Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
6. Kendrick Lamar “Humble”
7. Imagine Dragons “Believer”
8. Sam Hunt “Body Like a Back Road”
   
   50K (+1%), 17.8M streams (+6%), 84M AI (+7%)
9. Post Malone “Congratulations” featuring Quavo
10. French Montana “Unforgettable” featuring Swae Lee
    
    22K (-5%), 25.9M streams (+4%), 57M AI (+12%)

What This Week’s Chart Tells Us

The continued success of “Despacito” highlights several ongoing trends in music consumption. First, streaming remains a dominant driver of chart performance, and the song’s strong streaming figures help sustain its leadership. Second, crossover collaborations — in this case, the inclusion of Justin Bieber on a primarily Latin song — are effective at expanding reach and introducing music to wider, multilingual audiences. That crossover appeal, combined with persistent radio play and solid sales, explains the track’s uncommon strength across all principal chart metrics.

Sam Hunt’s climb back into the top 10 underscores the staying power of country-leaning crossover hits on mainstream charts. Meanwhile, French Montana’s debut in the top 10 with “Unforgettable” featuring Swae Lee signals strong audience interest in the new single and its streaming performance. Both entries reflect how targeted streaming audiences and radio support can lift songs into prominent positions.

The Chainsmokers’ departure from the top 10 after 61 consecutive weeks marks a clear turning point. Long runs like that are rare, and the end of such a streak often signals a shift in momentum as listeners and programmers cycle toward newer releases. The mention that this run was eight weeks shy of Katy Perry’s record highlights how exceptional extended top-10 presences are in the streaming era.

Looking Ahead

As the chart continues to evolve week by week, key indicators to watch include streaming growth rates, radio airplay movement, and sales trends for the leading songs. Tracks that can sustain strength across multiple channels — streaming, sales and radio — are most likely to secure and hold top positions. For now, “Despacito” remains the force to beat, while a mix of established stars and rising singles jockey for position beneath it.

This summary captures the most notable shifts and the top 10 as reported this week. Expect more movement in the coming weeks as new releases and continued listener activity reshape the Hot 100.