“Not all people has that to their credit score — it’s troublesome to get,” as soon as mentioned by Mariah Carey to her American Idol co-judge Nicki Minaj. The remark was principally made in shade — what a feud that was! — but in addition in reference to a standard objective of all musicians: reaching a primary tune on the Billboard Scorching 100. Fortunately each of these hit-making divas have made it to the highest of the chart since then, even breaking data with their respective bangers. Extra on that later.
With Girls’s Historical past Month on the thoughts, we felt a must shoutout one other Black girl with a historic number one tune on the Scorching 100: none apart from the late nice Aaliyah! On March 21, 2000, the artist lovingly referred to as Child Woman launched her first and solely primary tune with the Romeo Should Die soundtrack single, “Strive Once more.” When the Timbaland-produced tune finally topped the chart throughout the week of June 17, it additionally gained the title as Billboard’s first tune in historical past to achieve number one solely primarily based on airplay with none gross sales factored in. It could go on to win two trophies later that 12 months on the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, together with the highest honor for “Finest Feminine Video.”
25 years later to the day, “Strive Once more” nonetheless sounds recent and stands as simply considered one of many examples of why Aaliyah will at all times be thought-about the Queen of City Pop.
RELATED: Sistas Of The Century! Black Girls Who’ve Dominated Each 12 months In The New Millennium
Although Aaliyah’s star was prematurely dimmed again in 2001 along with her tragic loss of life on the age of twenty-two, replay energy of songs like “Strive Once more” has stored her legacy prospering for nicely over 20 years. Regardless of being alive for lower than a 12 months because it started on January 1, 2001, the Queen Of The Damned actress landed inside the prime 50 on Billboard.com’s latest record of prime feminine artists of the twenty first century. It was a fantastic reminder of how impactful Black ladies have been for many years relating to creating the sound of our tradition. Hip-hop and R&B have at all times been rooted in Black identification, and we’ll at all times have an appreciation for the melanated girls who’ve shared their soulful voices and lyrical prowess for our leisure.
In honor of Girls’s Historical past Month, we put collectively a listing to spotlight some standout moments in music historical past the place Black ladies not solely achieved a number one hit but in addition broke data within the course of. From the childhood of Motown throughout the reign of Diana Ross to the present domination of genre-bending celebrity Beyoncé, you’ll discover that a few of the biggest chart-topping hits over time have been made by a Black feminine artist. Shoutout to the sistas!
Maintain scrolling for a Girls’s Historical past Month tribute to the various Black feminine musicians, very like Aaliyah did 25 years in the past with “Strive Once more,” who topped the Billboard Scorching 100 and made historical past within the course of:
The Shirelles – “Will You Nonetheless Love Me Tomorrow” (1960)
First Black woman group to go #1 on the Scorching 100.
The Supremes – “I Hear a Symphony” (1965)
The Supremes obtain most #1 songs (4) launched in a calendar 12 months (1965) by a feminine group.
Aretha Franklin – “Respect” (1967)
Solely Black girl within the Prime 25 “Songs of the Century.”
Roberta Flack – “Killing Me Softly with His Music” (1973)
Longest-running #1 file of 1973.
Diana Ross – “Love Hangover” (1976)
Held the title of most #1 data by a feminine artist for 12 years.
Tina Turner – “What’s Love Acquired To Do With It” (1984)
Finest-selling single of 1984 launched by a lady.
Dionne Warwick & Mates – “That’s What Mates Are For” (1985)
Greatest-selling single of 1986.
Janet Jackson – “Love Will By no means Do (With out You)” (1990)
Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 turned the primary album in historical past to provide Scorching 100 #1 hits inside three separate calendar years (1989; 1990; 1991).
Vanessa Williams – “Save the Finest for Final” (1992)
Greatest tune of 1992 launched by a lady and the ASCAP 1992 Music Of The 12 months.
Whitney Houston – “I Will All the time Love You” (1992)
Finest-selling single by a feminine artist of all time.
Mariah Carey – “Fantasy” (1995)
First tune by a feminine artist to debut at #1.
Toni Braxton – “Un-Break My Coronary heart” (1996)
Finest-selling general single of the Nineties launched by a Black ladies.
Lauryn Hill – “Doo Wop (That Factor)” (1998)
First hip-hop tune by a solo rapper (male or feminine) to debut at #1 and first debut single (male or feminine) to debut at #1.
Brandy & Monica – “The Boy Is Mine” (1998)
Finest-selling single of 1998.
TLC – “No Scrubs” (1999)
Most weeks (15) at #1 on the Rhythmic Prime 40 and second largest Scorching 100 single of 1999.
Future’s Baby – “Unbiased Girls Half 1” (2000)
Longest-running #1 by a feminine group and 18th most profitable tune of the 2000s.
TIE: Labelle – “Girl Marmalade” (1974) & Lil’ Kim & Mýa for “Girl Marmalade” (2001)
One in every of solely 9 songs in Billboard historical past to go #1 for various artists.
Mary J. Blige – “Household Affair” (2001)
twelfth largest single of the 2000s and one of many prime 100 songs of all-time (99) in Billboard historical past.
Alicia Keys – “Fallin’” (2001)
Greatest single of 2001 launched by a feminine artist.
Ashanti – “Silly” (2002)
Greatest single of 2002 launched by a feminine artist.
Fantasia – “I Consider” (2004)
Prime-selling single of 2004.
Rihanna – “We Discovered Love” (2011)
Longest-running #1 Scorching 100 single of 2011.
Lizzo – “Fact Hurts” (2017)
Most weeks at #1 on Billboard for a rap single by a feminine artist.
Doja Cat & Nicki Minaj – “Say So (Remix)” (2020)
First feminine rap duo to prime the Scorching 100.
Beyoncé – “Texas Maintain ‘Em” (2024)
First nation tune by a Black girl to hit #1 on Scorching 100.
