803Fresh’s “Boots on the Ground” is flying high on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart as it rises from the runner-up spot to top the list dated June 7. The viral, line-dance track ascends by becoming the most played song on panel-contributing adult R&B radio stations in the United States in the tracking week of May 23-29, according to Luminate. “Boots” boosted 1% in plays for the week, compared to the previous tracking frame.
With “Boots on the Ground,” 803Fresh, born Douglas Furtick, earns his first No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay with his maiden entry. The new champ knocks out Summer Walker’s “Heart of a Woman” after its two-week turn in the penthouse.
Released and promoted by Snake Eyez/KG Music Group, the Southern soul “Boots on the Ground” sprouted across social media through a viral line dance created by Tre Little, often performed with a fan in hand. On TikTok, the song’s audio has been synced to more than 94,000 videos, and celebrities including Beyoncé, Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama have performed the routine.
Beyond its Adult R&B coronation, “Boots on the Ground” exhibits its first signs of crossover appeal with a No. 34 debut on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. There, the track improved 7% in week-over-week plays. Thanks to its strength at the adult format and rising traction in the mainstream sector, the single pushes 8-6 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from both formats. Despite the position gain to a new peak, the song remained essentially even in audience impressions.
Airplay gains, in turn, have helped the song’s standing on the multimetric Hot R&B Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, which also add streaming and sales data into their ranks. On the former, “Boots” climbs 9-8 to a new high and slides one spot (21-20) from its best position on the latter ranking.
