The Weeknd Joins Taylor Swift, Madonna And Drake With A New Hit

Forbes

24-03-2025

The Weeknd earns his twentieth Hot 100 top 10 with 'Rather Lie,' a Playboi Carti collab that debuts ... More at No. 4 and helps him join an exclusive club. INDIO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: The Weeknd performs with Metro Boomin at the Sahara tent during the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 21, 2023 in Indio, California. (Photo byfor Coachella)
Throughout the past decade-plus, The Weeknd has evolved from an underground R&B favorite to a true global pop icon. He's spent years racking up hit after hit and crossing genre lines. This week, the Canadian superstar is back in familiar territory — but this latest success isn't a solo effort.
He joins forces with Playboi Carti on a brand new track that launches high, earning both artists a major win. For one of them, it's the continuation of a stellar streak, while for the other, it's a milestone moment that places him into an elite group of superstars.
Playboi Carti will dominate the Hot 100 this coming week (once Billboard refreshes its charts tomorrow, March 25) with two brand new smashes debuting inside the top 10 – and he may fill as many as 30 spaces with new releases.
The bigger of the pair inside the top 10, 'Evil J0rdan,' narrowly misses out on ruling the tally, starting at No. 2. Just behind it, 'Rather Lie' opens at No. 4. That latter track credits both Carti and The Weeknd, who adds another hit to his already-packed discography.
With 'Rather Lie,' The Weeknd officially claims his twentieth top 10 hit on the Hot 100. That figure places him among a select group of musical acts who have reached the same tier of chart success. According to Billboard, he is now the twenty-seventh artist in history to reach that mark.
While The Weeknd's 20 top 10 hits are impressive, he still has a long way to go to match some of the all-time leaders. Fellow Canadian superstar Drake currently stands far ahead of the competition with 80 appearances inside the top 10 on the Hot 100.
Taylor Swift follows with 59, and Madonna isn't far behind with 38. The list of artists who've landed at least 20 top 10 hits also includes global legends like The Beatles, Rihanna, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Mariah Carey, to name just a few.
This new top 10 hit follows closely behind The Weeknd's recent album Hurry Up Tomorrow, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 earlier this year. That release produced a sole top 10 on the Hot 100, and — just like his latest success — it was also a team effort with Carti.
Their previous collaboration, 'Timeless,' soared to No. 3, becoming the biggest cut from Hurry Up Tomorrow. Another focus track, 'Cry For Me,' came close to hitting the top 10, but ultimately stopped just short, peaking at No. 12.
The Weeknd's 20 top 10 hits include seven that went all the way to No. 1. His roundup of wins span a variety of styles and collaborations, and he's earned his success through a mix of solo smashes, superstar pairings, and featured appearances. Throughout his career, The Weeknd has not only conquered the pop world, but has also earned wins in electronic, R&B, and hip-hop spaces.