Usher acquires his seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart as “GLU” advances from the runner-up spot to lead the list dated June 24. The sensual single checks into the penthouse after a 16% boost in plays that made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the week ending June 15, according to Luminate.
“GLU” unseats Alicia Keys’ “Come for Me (Unlocked),” featuring Khalid and Lucky Daye, after the latter’s two weeks in command. The prior champ slips to No. 3 due to a 13% decline in plays.
With his seventh champ, Usher becomes the seventh male artist with at least as many No. 1s on Adult R&B Airplay since the list began in 1993. Charlie Wilson and his nine No. 1s pace that race, with Bruno Mars, Kem, Maxwell and Tank each claiming eight leaders, while R. Kelly also owns seven.
As the R&B legend sticks “GLU” onto his roster, here’s a look at Usher’s seven Adult R&B Airplay No. 1s:
“Here I Stand,” seven weeks at No. 1, beginning Dec. 6, 2008
“Papers,” three, Jan. 2, 2010
“There Goes My Baby,” one, July 31, 2010
“Climax,” one, July 7, 2012
“Don’t Waste My Time,” featuring Ella Mai, two, June 13, 2020
“Bad Habits,” one, Dec. 5, 2020
“GLU,” one (to date), June 24, 2023
The new No. 1 also continues the successful partnership between Usher and two of his noteworthy collaborators – Sean Garrett and Lil Jon, who share co-writing and co-production credits on “GLU.” For the former, it brings the hitmaker his second Adult R&B Airplay No. 1 with Usher, after “Papers.” Both Garrett and Lil Jon are also part of the team behind one of Usher’s most iconic hits, the smash “Yeah!,” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, which ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks in 2004. In addition to that pair, The Avila Brothers also share co-writing and co-production credits, while Usher himself also nabs a co-write claim.
Elsewhere, “GLU” repeats at No. 6 on the plays-based Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, despite a 1% drop in plays in the latest tracking week. Thanks to top 10 showings at both Adult R&B Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, the song retains its No. 4 best, to date, on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. There, “GLU” rose to 14.6 million in audience in the latest tracking week, up 6% from the previous frame.
Anchored by its radio strength across the R&B/hip-hop sector, “GLU” climbs 40-38 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, where it registered 17.3 million in total audience. Airplay gains, in turn, spark the song’s 15-13 ascent on the Hot R&B Songs chart, which blends radio airplay data with streaming and sales for its rankings.
