Welcome back to another edition of Chart Check! Each Friday, Rated R&B provides a detailed insight into the weekly chart movements of your favorite R&B artists and R&B songs. In this updated format, we will discuss Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs (Urban AC) and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop National Airplay (Urban) charts extensively. Read below for more information on the week of September 2, 2017:
Slow and Steady
Over on the Urban AC chart, there have been many shifts and jumps in the latest tracking week. However, these chart changes have left Demetria McKinney and Tank unaffected with both songs making gains and maintaining their spots in the Top 10.
McKinney reached a new peak as her tell-all single “Easy” moves 9-7 on the Urban AC Chart. In its 24th week on the chart, the song is still getting increased spins on Urban AC radio with a 91 spin up-swing this week. If this trend continues, McKinney may be notching her first Top 5 very soon. “Easy” is the lead single from her forthcoming album Officially Yours, which is set for an October 6 release.
Meanwhile, Tank’s sensually stunning single “When We” lifts from 10-9 in the latest tracking week. The song is just shy of a 3.5 million audience on R&B radio formats, and could also be seeing a Top 5 finish within the next few weeks. Tank has been on a series of highs this week, as he is just days away from his headlining Savage Tour, which begins September 5. The R&B General has also just unveiled the cover art, track list and title track for his upcoming album, Savage, set to release on September 29.
Big Jumps
While “Wild Thoughts” continues to rule urban radio, it is also climbing Urban AC radio. The Bryson Tiller and Rihanna assisted DJ Khaled cut moved from No. 26 to No. 21 and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Elsewhere on urban radio, the Rihanna-featured Kendrick Lamar cut “LOYALTY.” and Bryson Tiller’s single “Run me Dry” also see new peaks at No. 9 and No. 33, respectively.
Daniel Caesar’s cult-turned-mainstream hit “Get You” also saw a big gain this week, as it leaps 28-22 on the Urban AC chart. The song’s rise is perfect timing with his debut album, Freudian, available now. The 10-track album trended on social media as soon as it was released, receiving rave reviews from fans and critics alike. Caesar also announced a North American tour, which begins in Anaheim, CA on September 10.
New Developments
Often times when we think of summer, we think about beaches, day parties and sunshine; but what about those jams for the summer nights? Look no further because Bryson Tiller, Jazmine Sullivan, The-Dream and Fabolous have you covered.
For those summer nights when you’ve gotten into an argument with your significant other, Bryson Tiller and Jazmine Sullivan’s “Insecure” is the perfect remedy. The smoldering back-and-forth track is headed for Urban radio, as it has been added to the rotation of fifteen new urban stations in the latest tracking week. But that’s not all: “Insecure” has also been added into rotation by nine Urban AC radio formats this week, making this the most added song across all R&B formats. If you haven’t heard the lead single from HBO’s series of the same name, you’ll be sure to hear it on your favorite station soon.
For those summer nights where you’ve met someone on the dancefloor of your favorite nightclub, The-Dream’s “Summer Body” is sure to set things off just right. The island-tinged, bass-thumping record, which features rapper Fabolous, is just one spot below the official urban chart and received two adds at urban radio this week. With the song’s accompanying music video exclusively premiering on Complex this week, expect for this jam to jump onto the chart next week.
Quick Notes
And in quick notes: Kenny Lattimore is back on our radio stations with his new single “Push.” The song received four radio station adds this week, including Sirius XM’s “Heart and Soul Station”; Jacquees enjoys his first Top 5 as his bass thumping banger “B.E.D.” lifts 6-5 on Urban radio. The song enjoyed a 241 spin increase and a 15.7 million R&B audience in the latest tracking week; Musiq Soulchild’s single “Start Over” is the little engine that could as it receives a 116 spin increase on Urban AC in its 15th week on the chart; Brian McKnight is stepping into his new season as his single “I Want U” is bubbling just under the Urban AC chart this week. It’s the lead single from his Genesis album, which dropped today, Aug. 25. You can also catch McKnight’s cameo appearance in the Marlon Wayans-lead Netflix original romantic comedy “Naked,” which was released on Aug 11.
Chart Extra: What’s the Next No. 1 Urban AC record?
Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like” and Childish Gambino’s “Redbone” have been on the decline in radio spins for the last few weeks, which has lead to the ultimate question: who will have the next No. 1 Urban AC record? According to the chart trends, it’s down to Sevyn Streeter’s “Before I Do,” Stokley’s “Level,” and Tamar Braxton’s “My Man.” For the last two weeks, “My Man” looked like it was headed, unprecedentedly, for the top spot with steady gains from week-to-week. That has all changed as “Before I Do” surges 5-2 in the latest tracking week. Sevyn Streeter’s warm ballad received a whopping 249 spin increase at Urban AC radio, putting her within 100 spins from “That’s What I Like” which still holds the No. 1 spot this week. “My Man” also gained this week with a 62 spin increase, in addition to her bubbling just under the Urban mainstream chart. And don’t count out Stokley’s summer jam “Level” as it only decreased fifteen spins. It’ll be interesting to see if any if one, two, or all three singles crown the Urban AC chart in the coming weeks.
