The Weeknd creates Billboard History with “Blinding Lights”.
The Weeknd’s hit “Blinding Lights” is the new number 1 song on Billboard’s Greatest Songs of All Time on Hot 100 Charts. Abel has dethroned Chubby Checker’s 1960’s chart-topping hit “The Twist”, which was named #1 song of all-time on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2008. The designation that factors in total weeks on the chart as well as exact chart positions, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least.
“I feel like I’ve been making that record for a decade,” The Weeknd told Billboard in a latest interview. “Blinding Lights” first topped the Hot 100 in March 2020, the same week his “After Hours” album earned number 1 spot on Billboard 200. The song spends four weeks at top of Hot 100, followed by record for most weeks spent in the top five (43 weeks), top 10 (57), top 40 (86) and on the Hot 100 (90).
“I’ve always been tinkering with the [sounds of the] ’80s. It was much more subtle before, but I’ve always wanted to completely dive into it. And 10 years in, I think I’ve earned it,” says The Weeknd. ” I toyed with the idea with Starboy and Beauty Behind the Madness — in the videos, I was telling a throughline story. So I feel like After Hours is me executing it at full potential, and me going full Method on it.”
The Weeknd continues, “[There were] songs that transcended into pop culture, like “The Hills.” But by the time “Blinding Lights” happened, I was 10 years into my career and established as a music figure in the industry already. So I’m glad “Blinding Lights” happened when it happened as opposed to it being the first single I’ve ever dropped. That’d be scary for me.”
“I don’t think [the success of “Blinding Lights”] has hit me yet. I try not to dwell on it too much. I just count my blessings, and I’m just grateful,” The Weeknd concludes.
“From the first time I met Abel, it was clear that he was destined for global stardom,” says Republic Records co-founder/CEO Monte Lipman. “And it’s just one of those cases where the stars aligned. ‘Blinding Lights’ went into the zeitgeist and became one of those songs that just had this emotional impact on so many people around the world.”
Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs, Top 10:
01. “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
02. “The Twist” – Chubby Checker
03. “Smooth” – Santana feat. Rob Thomas
04. “Mack the Knife” – Bobby Darin
05. “Uptown Funk!” – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
06. “How Do I Live” – LeAnn Rimes
07. “Party Rock Anthem” – LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
08. “I Gotta Feeling” – The Black Eyed Peas
09. “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” – Los Del Rio
10. “Shape of You” – Ed Sheeran
Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists, Top 10:
01. The Beatles
02. Madonna
03. Elton John
04. Elvis Presley
05. Mariah Carey
06. Stevie Wonder
07. Janet Jackson
08. Michael Jackson
09. Whitney Houston
10. Rihanna
Check out the full interview of The Weeknd & “Blinding Lights” collaborators here on Billboard.
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