Welcome back to another edition of Chart Check! Each Friday, Rated R&B provides detailed insight to 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 16, 2017:
On The Rise
HBO’s Insecure is one of the hottest shows this year and with the second season’s finale airing this Sunday, what better time for the show’s title track to start taking off on the charts? Jazmine Sullivan and Bryson Tiller’s “Insecure” duet received 4 adds at R&B radio this week, in addition to a 60 spin increase since last week. With today’s release of the second season soundtrack, which features work from SZA, Jorja Smith, and Kari Faux, the song will only get stronger as time goes on. Additionally, pictures from the video shoot for the song surfaced on Instagram this week, which you can view below.
Ne-Yo’s latest single “Another Love Song” has been a shining star in a week full of Urban AC chart declines. The upbeat jam saw an increase of 80 spins at Adult R&B, which is the most for the latest tracking week. The song is also tied for the most added song this week with six new additions at R&B radio. Ne-Yo is currently preparing for his Ne-Yo UK Tour, which kicks off in Manchester on Sept. 13.
New Developments
The haters aren’t the only thing he’s skywalking on; he’s also skywalking up the charts with his latest single featuring rapper Travis Scott. “Skywalker” was added to a whopping 13 urban radio station in the latest tracking week. But, the chart moves don’t stop there, as Miguel also received six adds at R&B radio, tying Ne-Yo for the most adds on the Urban AC chart. Will “Skywalker” be Miguel’s next runaway hit? Only time will tell.
Shaliek is ready to go with his new single “My Love.” The track is bubbling just beneath the official chart with 97 spins in the latest tracking week. The single is a follow-up to his song “All This Love,” which was released in March.
Leave (Get Out), but Come Back
Sometimes, an artist will release a song and it debuts on a chart, only to fall off the next week. When the single is officially sent to radio and starts to pick up steam, the song finds itself back on the chart, which is what is considered a re-entry. This isn’t necessarily the case on the Urban AC chart this week. Since there have been a host of declines and minimal spin increases in the latest tracking week, Le’Andria Johnson’s empowering “All I Got” and SZA’s “Love Galore” have found their way back on the chart this week at the No. 30 and No. 26 spots, respectively. Both songs debuted onto the chart the week of Aug. 26, with the former falling off the chart the next week and the latter leaving the chart the week of Sept. 3.
Quick Notes
And in quick notes: Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Makeup launch is definitely a cause for celebration, but she deserves an extra slice of cake as Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty,” which she is featured on, has reached the Top 5 on the Urban chart. Her other summer smash “Wild Thoughts” fell 1-3 in the latest tracking week; Brian McKnight’s “I Want U” is just one spot below the official chart this week, with 161 spins at R&B radio. The song is lifted from his newly-released album Genesis; Finally, Chanté Moore’s banging new single “Something to Remember” continues to heat up Urban AC with two adds and a 55-spin upswing at R&B radio. The song is lifted from her upcoming album The Rise of the Phoenix, which will be released next Friday, Sept. 15.
