Big Red Machine, the tandem of Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon, hits the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, as “Renegade,” featuring Taylor Swift, debuts at No. 73 on the July 17-dated list.
The song earned 4.1 million U.S. streams and 3.9 million radio airplay audience impressions and sold 9,000 downloads in its opening week, ending July 8, according to MRC Data, following its July 2 release.
Among other chart moves for the song, it launches at No. 1 on Alternative Digital Song Sales and No. 8 on the all-format Digital Song Sales chart, as well as No. 7 on Hot Alternative Songs and No. 9 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, both of which employ the same methodology as the Hot 100.
The track, which concurrently ranks at No. 24 on Adult Pop Airplay, marks the first charted single for Big Red Machine, which made radio inroads last year with “No Time for Love Like Now,” with Michael Stipe. That standalone single followed the act’s self-titled 2018 LP, which hit No. 8 on Americana/Folk Albums.
“Renegade” is from Big Red Machine’s second album, How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?, due Aug. 27. In addition to Swift, it features turns from Fleet Foxes, Ben Howard, Anaïs Mitchell, Sharon Van Etten and more.
Dessner and Vernon have both reached the Hot 100 before, although in different iterations, with Dessner having reigned as a writer and producer. The National, with Dessner as a member, hit No. 63 last December as featured on Swift’s “Coney Island.” Dessner wrote and produced multiple tracks on Swift’s 2020 albums Folklore and Evermore, including the Hot 100 No. 1s “Cardigan” and “Willow,” each of which he wrote with Swift and produced solo.
Vernon has tallied four Hot 100 hits as Bon Iver, first in 2010 as featured on Kanye West’s “Monster” (also featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj) and “Dark Fantasy” (also featuring Teyana Taylor and Minaj), and then two last year, as featured on Swift’s “Exile” and “Evermore.”
Bon Iver has also reached the chart via songwriting credits on Chance the Rapper’s “Do You Remember,” Eminem’s “Fall,” Kids See Ghosts’ self-titled track and West’s “Wouldn’t Leave.”
Swift, meanwhile, extends her record for the most career Hot 100 entries among women, as “Renegade” is her 137th. Among all acts, she ranks fourth, after Drake (235), the Glee Cast (207) and Lil Wayne (174). Drake likewise pads his mark, debuting at No. 49 as featured on Brent Faiyaz’s “Wasting Time.”
