Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé dropped the “Perfect Duet” to dethrone Post Malone and 21 Savage’s “rockstar” on the Hot 100. Their collaboration tops the Billboard chart in its first full week of availability.
Streaming for both versions of the song — the “original” and the Beyoncé remix — account for the No. 1, with the “Duet” version making up 63 percent of the week’s total sales.
It’s Ed’s second Hot 100 No. 1 after ÷’s lead single “Shape of You,” which makes him the only artist to have two Hot 100 No. 1s as a lead artist this year. Justin Bieber has two as a featured act.
Meanwhile, it’s Queen Bey’s sixth No. 1 as a solo star and 10th overall, counting songs with Destiny’s Child. It’s also been nearly nine years since her last Hot 100 No. 1 (“Single Ladies”), making it the longest break between chart-toppers since Sean Paul, who went 10 years and four months between “Temperature” and his Sia collaboration, “Cheap Thrills.”
“Perfect Duet” is also a smash overseas, where it topped the U.K. charts nine months after it entered at No. 4. “Thanks to Beyoncé for featuring on this new version,” said Ed. “I’m very excited to be ending the year the way it started.”
The formula of a big name artist joining a successful single to create a chart-topper follows Justin Bieber’s “Despacito” collaboration with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. The original song peaked at No. 44 before Bieber’s remix catapulted it to No. 1 for a record-tying 16 weeks.
Malone and Savage’s “rockstar” spent eight weeks at No. 1 before falling to No. 2. Camila Cabello’s “Havana” also dips to No. 3 after five weeks in the second slot. Elsewhere, Lil Pump’s “Gucci Gang” slips 3-4, G-Eazy, Cardi B, and A$AP Rocky’s “No Limit” rises 8-7, Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow” slides to No. 9, and Maroon 5 and SZA’s “What Lovers Do” rounds out the top 10.
BILLBOARD HOT 100 TOP 10
- Ed Sheeran feat. Beyoncé – “Perfect Duet”
- Post Malone feat. 21 Savage – “rockstar”
- Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug – “Havana”
- Lil Pump – “Gucci Gang”
- Imagine Dragons – “Thunder”
- Sam Smith – “Too Good at Goodbyes”
- G-Eazy feat. Cardi B & A$AP Rocky – “No Limit”
- Halsey – “Bad at Love”
- Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
- Marroon 5 feat. SZA – “What Lovers Do”
Source: Rap-Up