Global News

For the first time in 35 years, the Billboard Top 40 has no hip-hop or rap songs. Here’s why

Starting in the late ’70s, hip-hop and rap ascended through popular culture, mostly in America but also in other countries. Then, in 1990, a breakthrough. Hip-hop and rap tracks began infiltrating the ...
Hypebeast

Megan Thee Stallion Ends the First Top 40 Rap Drought Since 1990

Megan Thee Stallion’s new single, “Lover Girl,” debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 This marks the first rap song in two weeks to enter the chart’s Top 40 The achievement ends the first drought ...
Complex

The Alchemist Says Rap’s Top 40 Absence Isn't Because of This One Thing

The Alchemist has weighed in on rap's historic absence from the Billboard Hot 100's Top 40. After 35 years straight of rap dominating the charts, hip-hop has officially hit a lull, with zero songs ...
Billboard

Here’s What The Alchemist Has to Say About No Rap Songs Being in Hot 100 Top 40 for First Time Since 1990

The legendary producer had an interesting take on mainstream rap's downward trend. By Angel Diaz The Alchemist has added his two cents on the topic that had Rap Twitter in a frenzy this week. On ...
AllHipHop

Billboard Update Pushes Kendrick Lamar’s “Luther” Out, Halting Rap’s Long Top 40 Run

“Luther” fell off the Billboard Hot 100 due to the chart’s new recurrent rule, ending Hip-Hop’s 35-year top 40 streak. Kendrick Lamar saw his chart-topping streak come to a halt as “Luther,” his ...
American Songwriter

There Are No Rap Songs in the Top 40 for the First Time in 40 Years, but Why—a Dip in Commercial Dominance, Rule Changes, Taylor Swift?

The latest Billboard Hot 100 chart is unlike any other one in recent memory. According to the outlet, for the first time in 35 years, there are no rap songs in the chart’s Top 40. The update comes as ...
Hosted on MSN

No Rap Songs in Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 for the First Time Since 1990

For the first time in more than 35 years, no rap songs appear in the Billboard Hot 100's top 40. The streak came to an end on the chart dated Oct. 25, 2025, following the fall of Kendrick Lamar and ...
Complex

No Rap Songs in Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 for the First Time Since 1990

For the first time in more than 35 years, no rap songs appear in the Billboard Hot 100's top 40. The last time the Hot 100 had zero rap songs in the top 40 was Feb. 2, 1990, when Biz Markie's "Just a ...
The Grio

Rap falls off the Billboard Top 40 for the first time in 35 years — here’s what’s behind the drop

Rap has officially dipped out of the top 40 songs on the Billboard charts for the first time in 35 years. Billboard reported today that there are currently no rap songs in the top 40 of the Billboard ...
CNN

Are we living through a rap drought? The Billboard charts suggest we are

It feels like the Billboard charts could use a good rap beef right about now. That’s because, according to the publication, for the first time since 1990, there is no hip hop in the Top 40 of the ...
Hypebeast

The Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 Has No Rap Songs for the First Time in 35 Years

For the first time since February 1990 — over 35 years — the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 contained zero rap songs on the chart dated October 25, 2025 The removal of Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “luther,” ...