Tate McRae Debuts At No. 1 On Charts She Likely Never Expected To Reach

Forbes

2 days ago

Tate McRae scores her first Hot 100 No. 1 with 'What I Want,' a duet with Morgan Wallen that also ... More debuts atop several country charts. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 11: Tate McRae performs at The Greek Theatre on July 11, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by)
Tate McRae has spent nearly a decade working toward becoming one of the biggest pop stars in the world. With a string of hit singles and her first No. 1 album in 2025 alone, it's clear she's made her mark. Now she's managed to check another important box in her mission to rise to the top: her first champion on the Hot 100.
McRae earns her inaugural leader on the most important songs list in America thanks to an unlikely collaboration with Morgan Wallen. Their joint country-pop effort not only debuts at No. 1 on the Hot 100, but also brings McRae to several Billboard rankings she likely never expected to reach.
"What I Want" pairs McRae with Wallen and serves as the latest single from his brand new album, I'm the Problem. The full-length debuts at No. 1 across various tallies, including the Billboard 200, where it earns the biggest debut of the year. "What I Want" conquers the Hot 100, giving McRae her first-ever chart-topper in the U.S. That alone is reason to celebrate, but it's not the only tally where the duet leads the charge.
"What I Want" also opens at No. 1 on two of the four weekly Billboard charts focused on country music. The collaboration easily leads both the Hot Country Songs and Country Streaming Songs lists. Simultaneously, the cut also launches atop the all-genre Streaming Songs ranking.
McRae and Wallen's "What I Want" also starts inside the top 10 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart, establishing itself not just as a top streamer, but also one of the bestselling cuts in America this frame.
The tune is being pushed to a variety of radio formats and appears on both the Pop Airplay and Country Airplay tallies. The track earns McRae her first placement on the Country Airplay list, debuting at No. 55, but several of her own tunes have performed well at pop radio in the past.
McRae has previously reached charts like the Hot 100 and Streaming Songs list, but "What I Want" marks her first win in the country space. Impressively, she hits No. 1 on most of the country lists, and reaches the top 10 on her first try on all but one ranking in that style. It takes many musicians years to soar to those spaces – but teaming up with Wallen certainly helps.
McRae is also back on two of Billboard's three pop radio lists, as "What I Want" opens on both the Adult Pop Airplay and Pop Airplay tallies. The collaboration starts at No. 32 and No. 38, respectively. It has yet to appear on the Adult Contemporary roster, though that list typically moves at a slower pace, so it could debut there in the coming weeks.