Pop Airplay (formerly known as Pop Songs, Mainstream Top 40 and Top 40/Mainstream) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the United States. The rankings are based on radio airplay detections as measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems (Nielsen BDS), a subsidiary of the United States' leading marketing research company. Consumer researchers, Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron), refers to the format as contemporary hit radio (CHR). The current number-one song on the chart is "Dracula" by Tame Impala and Jennie.
History The chart debuted in Billboard magazine in its issued date October 3, 1992, with the introduction of two Top 40 airplay charts, Mainstream and Rhythm-Crossover. Both Top 40 charts measured "actual monitored airplay" from data compiled by Broadcast Data Systems (BDS). The Top 40/Mainstream chart was compiled from airplay on radio stations playing a wide variety of music, while the Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover chart was made up from airplay on stations playing more dance and R&B music. Both charts were "born of then-new BDS electronic monitoring technology" as a more objective and precise way of measuring airplay on radio stations. This data was also used as the airplay component for Hot 100 tabulations. American Top 40 with Shadoe Stevens used this chart for their show from January 1993 to January 1995.
Top 40/Mainstream was published in the print edition of Billboard from its debut in October 1992 through May 1995, when both Top 40 charts were moved exclusively to Airplay Monitor, a secondary chart publication by Billboard. They returned to the print edition in the August 2, 2003, issue. The first number-one song on the chart was "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men.
Chart criteria There are forty positions on this chart. Songs are ranked based on its total number of spins per week. This is calculated by electronically monitoring Mainstream Top 40 radio stations across the U.S. 24 hours a day, seven days a week by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.
Songs receiving the greatest growth receive a "bullet", although there are tracks that also get bullets if the loss in detections doesn't exceed the percentage of downtime from a monitored station. "Airpower" awards are issued to songs that appear on the top 20 of both the airplay and audience chart for the first time, while the "greatest gainer" award is given to song with the largest increase in detections. A song with six or more spins in its first week is awarded an "airplay add". If two songs are tied in spins in the same week, the one with the biggest increase that week ranks higher.
Recurrent rules Issue DateCriteriaOctober 3, 1992 – November 26, 2005Songs below the top 20 are removed from the chart after 26 weeks.December 3, 2005 – November 27, 2010Songs below the top 20 are removed from the chart after 20 weeks.December 4, 2010 – PresentSongs below the top 15 are removed from the chart after 20 weeks.
All-time achievements In 2012, for the 20th anniversary of the chart, Billboard compiled a ranking of the 100 best-performing songs on the chart over the 20 years, along with the best-performing artists. "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls ranked as the #1 song on that list. In 2017, Billboard revised the rankings, including the methodologies for how they are calculated. "Another Night" by Real McCoy was the new #1 song, while the previous #1 song, "Iris", dropped to #8. Rihanna ranked as the top artist on both all-time charts. Shown below are the top 10 songs and the top 10 artists from the most recent chart.
Top 10 Pop Songs of all time (1992–2017) RankSingleYear releasedArtist(s)Peak and duration"Another Night"Real McCoy#1 for 6 weeks"Smooth"Santana featuring Rob Thomas#1 for 8 weeks"Hanging by a Moment"Lifehouse#2 for 12 weeks"Apologize"Timbaland featuring OneRepublic#1 for 8 weeks"How You Remind Me"Nickelback#1 for 10 weeks"Here Without You"3 Doors Down#1 for 6 weeks"Don't Speak"No Doubt#1 for 10 weeks"Iris"Goo Goo Dolls#1 for 4 weeks"Closer"The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey#1 for 11 weeks"I Love You Always Forever"Donna Lewis
Source:
Top 10 Pop Songs artists of all time (1992–2017) RankArtistRihannaPinkMaroon 5Katy PerryJustin TimberlakeBritney SpearsTaylor SwiftKelly ClarksonMariah CareyBruno Mars Source:
Song records
Most weeks at number one
Number of weeksArtistSongYear(s)Source16Alex Warren"Ordinary"202514Ace of Base"The Sign"199413The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber"Stay"202111Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men"One Sweet Day"1995–96Donna Lewis"I Love You Always Forever"1996Natalie Imbruglia"Torn"1998Nelly featuring Tim McGraw"Over and Over"2004–05The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey"Closer"201610Dionne Farris"I Know"1995No Doubt"Don't Speak"1996–97Céline Dion"My Heart Will Go On"1998'N Sync"Bye Bye Bye"2000Nickelback"How You Remind Me"2001–02Mariah Carey"We Belong Together"2005Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell"Blurred Lines"2013Post Malone"Circles"2019–20Miley Cyrus"Flowers"2023Taylor Swift"Cruel Summer"
Most weeks in the top 10
Number of weeksArtistSongYear(s)Source Rema and Selena Gomez"Calm Down"2023–24Alex Warren"Ordinary"2025–26 Harry Styles"As It Was"2022–23Benson Boone"Beautiful Things"2024–25 The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber"Stay"2021–22Hozier"Too Sweet"2024–25Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars"Die with a Smile"The Weeknd"Blinding Lights"2020 Sabrina Carpenter"Espresso"2024–25Shaboozey"A Bar Song (Tipsy)"Billie Eilish"Birds of a Feather"
Most weeks on the chart
Number of weeksArtistSongYear*Source71Rema and Selena Gomez"Calm Down"202463Harry Styles"As It Was"202360The Weeknd"Blinding Lights"2021Benson Boone"Beautiful Things"202558Alex Warren"Ordinary"202654Glass Animals"Heat Waves"202251Hozier"Too Sweet"202550The Weeknd"Die for You"2023Billie Eilish"Birds of a Feather"2025Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars"Die with a Smile"Chappell Roan"Pink Pony Club"
*Year when the songs ended their respective chart runs.
Prior to 2018, the song with the most weeks on the chart was "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain, which spent 41 weeks on the chart in 1998. This record run held for almost two decades, but has been surpassed many times since then. Radio stations having more data points, such as streaming, to increase their accuracy at measuring what radio listeners want to hear, have made longer runs more commonplace.
Highest debut
Debut PositionArtistSongDebut DateSourceNo. 8Taylor Swift"The Fate of Ophelia"October 18, 2025No. 12Mariah Carey"Dreamlover"August 14, 1993Taylor Swift"Shake It Off"September 6, 2014No. 13Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar"Bad Blood"June 6, 2015Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone"Fortnight"May 4, 2024No. 14Lady Gaga"Born This Way"February 26, 2011Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z"Suit & Tie"February 2, 2013No. 16Madonna"Frozen"March 7, 1998Britney Spears"Hold It Against Me"January 29, 2011Miley Cyrus"Flowers"January 28, 2023NSYNC"Better Place"October 14, 2023Dua Lipa"Houdini"November 25, 2023Bruno Mars"I Just Might"January 24, 2026Harry Styles"Aperture"February 7, 2026BTS"Swim"April 4, 2026Taylor Swift"Patient Zero"October 10, 2026
Shortest climbs to number one
Week reached number oneArtist(s)SongDate reached number oneSource4th weekWhitney Houston"I Will Always Love You"December 12, 1992 Mariah Carey"Dreamlover"September 4, 1993The Rembrandts"I'll Be There for You"June 17, 1995Nelly featuring Tim McGraw"Over and Over"November 6, 20045th weekJanet Jackson"That's the Way Love Goes"May 29, 1993Ace of Base"All That She Wants"October 30, 1993All-4-One"I Swear"May 28, 1994Boyz II Men"I'll Make Love to You"September 10, 1994Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men"One Sweet Day"December 9, 1995Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar"Bad Blood"July 4, 2015Adele"Hello"December 5, 2015Justin Timberlake"Can't Stop the Feeling!"June 18, 2016Miley Cyrus"Flowers"March 4, 2023
Longest climbs to number one
Week reached number oneArtist(s)SongDate reached number oneSource37th weekLewis Capaldi"Before You Go"September 26, 2020 33rd weekTame Impala and Jennie"Dracula"July 11, 202632nd weekGlass Animals"Heat Waves"January 29, 202231st weekBenny Blanco, Halsey and Khalid "Eastside"March 2, 2019 28th weekTrevor Daniel"Falling"July 25, 2020Rema and Selena Gomez"Calm Down"May 13, 202327th weekDua Lipa featuring DaBaby"Levitating"June 19, 2021 26th weekAlessia Cara"Here"February 6, 2016 Sombr"Back to Friends"February 7, 2026 25th weekCeeLo Green"Forget You"April 16, 2011 Demi Lovato"Give Your Heart a Break"September 15, 2012
Biggest jump to number one
Chart movementArtist(s)SongDate reached number oneSource7–1Nelly featuring Tim McGraw"Over and Over"November 6, 20046–1All-4-One"I Swear"May 28, 1994The Rembrandts"I'll Be There for You"June 17, 19955–1Nicki French"Total Eclipse of the Heart"June 10, 1995Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men"One Sweet Day"December 9, 1995Mariah Carey"Shake It Off"September 24, 2005Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg"California Gurls"July 3, 2010Katy Perry"Roar"September 28, 2013Tove Lo"Habits (Stay High)"November 15, 2014Demi Lovato"Sorry Not Sorry"November 4, 2017Shaboozey"A Bar Song (Tipsy)"August 17, 2024
Biggest drop from number one
Chart movementArtist(s)SongDateSource1–7Taylor Swift"Look What You Made Me Do"November 4, 20171–6Shaggy featuring Rayvon"Angel"May 5, 20011–5Whitney Houston"I Will Always Love You"February 13, 1993Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton"Can't Hold Us"July 20, 2013Selena Gomez"Hands to Myself"April 23, 2016Trevor Daniel"Falling"August 1, 2020Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen"I Had Some Help"August 17, 2024
Shortest climbs to the top 10
Week reached top 10Artist(s)SongDate reached top 10Source1st weekTaylor Swift"The Fate of Ophelia"October 18, 20252nd weekJanet Jackson"That's the Way Love Goes"May 8, 1993Mariah Carey"Dreamlover"August 21, 1993The Rembrandts"I'll Be There for You"June 3, 1995Madonna"Frozen"March 14, 1998NSYNC"Pop"June 9, 2001Eminem"Just Lose It"October 16, 2004Britney Spears"Hold It Against Me"February 5, 2011Lady Gaga"Born This Way"March 5, 2011Taylor Swift"Shake It Off"September 13, 2014Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar"Bad Blood"June 13, 2015Justin Timberlake"Can't Stop the Feeling!"May 28, 2016Taylor Swift"Look What You Made Me Do"September 16, 2017Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie"Me!"May 11, 2019Ed Sheeran"Bad Habits"July 10, 2021
Longest climbs to the top 10
Week reached top 10Artist(s)SongDate reached top 10SourceLauv"I Like Me Better"June 23, 2018Edwin McCain"I'll Be"October 17, 1998Tame Impala and Jennie"Dracula"June 6, 202627th weekMax featuring Gnash"Lights Down Low"February 3, 2018Lewis Capaldi"Before You Go"July 18, 2020AJR"Bang!"December 12, 2020Ella Langley"Choosin' Texas"August 15, 202625th weekMKTO"Classic"July 12, 2014Daya"Sit Still, Look Pretty"October 15, 2016Jon Bellion"All Time Low"March 11, 2017Madison Beer"Make You Mine"September 7, 2024
Artist records
Most number-one singles Number of singles Artist Source16 Taylor Swift 13 Bruno Mars 11 Ariana Grande Justin Bieber Katy Perry Maroon 5 Rihanna 9 Pink 8 Doja Cat Justin Timberlake Lady Gaga
Most cumulative weeks at number one Number of weeks Artist Source Taylor Swift Katy Perry Mariah Carey Bruno Mars Justin Bieber Maroon 5 32 Ariana Grande Pink Rihanna Ace of Base
Most top 10 singles Number of singles Artist Source Rihanna 29 Taylor Swift 24 Ariana Grande 22 Justin Bieber Maroon 5 21 Bruno Mars 19 Justin Timberlake Pink 18 The Weeknd 17 Katy Perry Mariah Carey
Most chart entries
Number of entries Artist Source 52 Rihanna Taylor Swift Nicki Minaj Justin Bieber Chris Brown Drake Pitbull Ariana Grande Britney Spears Justin Timberlake
Simultaneously occupying the top two positions Mariah Carey: December 9, 1995 "One Sweet Day" (with Boyz II Men) "Fantasy"
OutKast: January 31–February 7, 2004 "Hey Ya!" "The Way You Move" (featuring Sleepy Brown)
Pharrell Williams: July 27–August 3, 2013