In a historic shift for the music industry, Billboard’s Hot 100 chart has reached a significant milestone: for the first time since 1990, there are no rap songs in the top 40. This unprecedented occurrence follows the exit of Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s hit “luther,” which had spent an impressive 13 weeks at No. 1 and a total of 46 weeks on the chart. It recently dropped out of the top 40 altogether after logging in at No. 38 the previous week.
The removal of “luther” is attributed to new eligibility rules for the Hot 100, which categorize songs as “recurrent” if they have been on the chart for an extended period and fall below certain positions. Specifically, songs that have spent over 26 weeks on the chart and drop below No. 25 face removal. Despite “luther’s” enduring popularity, it fell victim to this rule change.
The last time the Hot 100 chart was devoid of rap songs in its top 40 was February 2, 1990, when Biz Markie’s “Just A Friend” was at No. 41 before climbing to No. 29 the following week. This significant dip in rap’s presence on the charts reflects a broader trend, with rap’s market share dropping from 30% in 2020 to 24% so far in 2025.
Industry experts are interpreting this rap-less top 40 as indicative of a shift in commercial dominance within the music landscape. As listeners and fans adapt to changing musical trends, the absence of rap in the top tier of the Billboard charts marks a pivotal moment for the genre.
Stay tuned for further updates and insights into the evolving music charts at hiphopraisedmetheblog.com!
