Chart-Topping Titans: Taylor Swift, Drake, and Other Artists Dominating the Billboard Hot 100

When an artist achieves a No. 1 hit, it is considered a significant accomplishment. However, it becomes even more noteworthy if they manage to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 multiple times.

Since its inception in 1955, the Billboard Hot 100 has been responsible for tracking the most popular songs in the United States. Over the course of the six-plus decades that followed, numerous artists have managed to secure the top spot on the chart. Nevertheless, only a select few have succeeded in accomplishing this feat on more than a few occasions. In fact, the number of music artists with over ten No. 1 hits is relatively small.

This group includes Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. The club has recently welcomed Rihanna, Drake, and Taylor Swift, who achieved her tenth No. 1 hit on the week ending October 28, 2023, with "Cruel Summer." As Taylor releases 1989 (Taylor's Version), she has the potential to climb even higher on this list!

Furthermore, it is likely that this list will continue to grow in the future. As of October 2023, the Bee Gees, Elton John, Katy Perry, and Usher all have nine Hot 100 No. 1s, while Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, the late George Michael, and The Rolling Stones have eight. Keep an eye on these artists as they strive to reclaim the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Beatles, 20

As a band, The Beatles, consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, achieved a remarkable accomplishment by securing twenty No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. Their first endeavor in achieving this feat was in 1964 with the song "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Within the same year, the band further proved their popularity by topping the charts with the songs "She Loves You," "Can't Buy Me Love," "Love Me Do," "A Hard Day's Night," and "I Feel Fine."

Throughout the remaining years of the 1960s, the band achieved great success on the charts with a number of hit songs including "Eight Days a Week," "Ticket to Ride," "Help!," "Yesterday," "We Can Work It Out," "Paperback Writer," "Penny Lane," "All You Need Is Love," "Hello Goodbye," "Hey Jude," "Get Back," and "Come Together." In 1970, The Beatles wrapped up their remarkable run by reaching No. 1 with two more songs: "Let It Be" and "The Long and Winding Road"/"For You Blue."

Of all The Beatles' songs that topped the charts, "Hey Jude" holds the distinction of spending the most weeks at No. 1, with a total of nine weeks. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" comes in second place with seven weeks, while their other hits reached No. 1 for durations ranging from one to four weeks.

Mariah Carey, 19

Mariah Carey rose to fame in the 1990s, becoming an iconic figure of the decade. Her initial four hit singles - "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday," and "I Don't Wanna Cry" - all achieved top positions on the Hot 100 chart. She further showcased her success with the release of "Emotions" in 1991 and maintained her reign of dominance in the subsequent years.

Her rendition of "I'll Be There" reached the number one position on the charts, as did other iconic hits that defined her career such as "Dreamlover," "Hero," "Fantasy," "One Sweet Day" (featuring Boys II Men), "Always Be My Baby," "Honey," "My All," and "Heartbreaker" (featuring Jay-Z). Throughout the 2000s, Mariah continued to dominate the Hot 100 with chart-toppers like "Thank God I Found You" (featuring Joe and 98 Degrees), "We Belong Together," "Don't Forget About Us," and "Touch My Body."

Although Mariah initially released "All I Want For Christmas Is You" in 1994, it reached the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, shattering numerous records, one of which was the longest journey to the top spot. To this day, it remains the top-selling holiday song by a female artist.

Rihanna, 14

Rihanna achieved her first number one hit in May 2006 with "SOS," which remained at the top of the charts for three weeks. This success was followed by the seven-week reign of "Umbrella," featuring Jay-Z, in 2007. In 2008, she continued to accumulate hits with "Take A Bow," "Disturbia," and "Live Your Life" (with T.I.).

In the early 2010s, Rihanna made a remarkable comeback to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Her hit songs included "Rude Boy," "Love The Way You Lie" with Eminem, "What's My Name" featuring Drake, "Only Girl (In The World)," "S&M" featuring Britney Spears, "We Found Love" featuring Calvin Harris, "Diamonds," "The Monster" with Eminem, and "Work" featuring Drake. If Rihanna finally releases her highly anticipated ninth album, it is highly likely that she will continue to add to her already impressive record of chart-topping hits.

Michael Jackson, 13

Michael Jackson Kevin Mazur/WireImage

The King of Pop enjoyed tremendous success for more than two decades until his untimely death in 2009. Surprisingly, his very first solo No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 occurred when he was just 14 years old with the song "Ben," which was recorded for the 1972 horror film of the same name.

Seven years later, he made the transition from a teen sensation to a global superstar with the release of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." As the 1980s unfolded, Jackson continued to dominate the charts, claiming the top spot with songs like "Rock With You," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Say Say Say" (a duet with Paul McCartney), "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" featuring Siedah Garrett, "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana." Jackson's last two No. 1 hits arrived in 1991 with "Black or White" and in 1995 with "You Are Not Alone."

Drake, 13

Drake, the breakout star of the 2010s, has consistently dominated the Billboard Hot 100. With over a dozen chart-topping singles, the beloved artist from Toronto has found immense success. Collaborating with Rihanna kickstarted his career with hits like "What's My Name?" in 2010 and "Work" in 2016. Following the success of "One Dance" featuring Wizkid and Kyla, Drake continued his solo journey with a string of hits, including "God's Plan," "Nice For What," and "In My Feelings" in 2018, "Toosie Slide" in 2020, and "What's Next" in 2021.

Drake's winning streak persisted throughout the 2020s as he released a string of hit songs. Some notable tracks include "Way 2 Sexy," featuring Future and Young Thug, "Wait for U," a collaboration with Future and featuring Tems, "Jimmy Cooks," which features 21 Savage, "Slime You Out," featuring SZA, and "First Person Shooter," which showcases J. Cole's talents.

Madonna, 12

Madonna Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Madonna embarked on her journey to become The Queen of Pop and a living legend in 1984 when her hit song "Like A Virgin" reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100. It stayed at the number one spot for six weeks, a feat she wouldn't surpass until 1995 with "Take A Bow," which held the position for seven weeks.

Following the success of "Like A Virgin," Madonna went on to dominate the charts with hits like "Crazy for You," "Live to Tell," "Papa Don't Preach," "Open Your Heart," "Who's That Girl," and "Like a Prayer." In the 1990s, she started off with a bang with "Vogue" and continued her streak of success with "Justify My Love," "This Used to be My Playground," and the aforementioned "Take A Bow." Madonna achieved her 12th Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 in 2000 with "Music."

The Supremes, 12

Motown's greatest group, The Supremes, were a force to be reckoned with in the 1960s. Consisting of talented members such as Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Barbara Martin, and Cindy Birdsong, they dominated the charts with a remarkable twelve Billboard Hot 100 hits. These iconic songs include timeless classics like "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," "Come See About Me," "Stop! In The Name Of Love," "Back in My Arms Again," "I Hear A Symphony," "You Can't Hurry Love," "You Keep Me Hangin' On," "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone," "The Happening," "Love Child," and "Someday We'll Be Together" (performed under the name Diana Ross & The Supremes).

Whitney Houston, 11

Whitney Houston achieved an impressive feat in her career, with eleven No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 over the span of a decade. Starting in 1985 with her first chart-topper, "Saving All My Love for You," she continued to dominate the charts with hits like "How Will I Know," "Greatest Love of All," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "So Emotional," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," "I'm Your Baby Tonight," "All The Man That I Need," her cover of "I Will Always Love You," and her final No.1, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)."

Janet Jackson, 10

Janet Jackson, the sister of Michael Jackson, also holds an impressive record of ten Hot 100 No.1s. Her first achievement came in 1986 with the hit single "When I Think of You." She continued to climb the charts with popular tracks such as "Miss You Much," "Escapade," "Black Cat," "Love Will Never Do (Without You)," "That's the Way Love Goes," "Again," "Together Again," "Doesn't Really Matter," and "All for You."

Stevie Wonder, 10

Stevie Wonder, photographed by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis via Getty Images, achieved his first chart-topping hit in 1963 with "Fingertips Pt. 2." Throughout the next twenty years, he went on to achieve an impressive nine more number one songs. These include "Superstition," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "You Haven't Done Nothin," "I Wish," "Sir Duke," "Ebony and Ivory" with Paul McCartney, "I Just Called to Say I Love You," "Part Time Lover," and "That's What Friends Are For" (as Dionne & Friends).

Taylor Swift, 10

Taylor Swift, known for her successful career in music, achieved another milestone by earning her eleventh Hot 100 No. 1 hit with her song "Cruel Summer" from her album "Lover." This accomplishment comes a decade after her first No. 1 hit, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." Since then, Swift has consistently topped the charts with hits like "Shake It Off," "Blank Space," "Bad Blood" featuring Kendrick Lamar, "Look What You Made Me Do," "Cardigan," "Willow," "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)," and "Anti-Hero."