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Just two weeks after Usher tied Charlie Wilson for the most No. 1s by a male artist on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart, the latter legend reclaims the title for himself as “Superman” tops the list dated May 11.
“Superman” jumps from No. 3 after an 8% increase in plays that made it the most-played song as U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the week of April 26-May 2, according to Luminate. The new leader ousts Usher’s record-tying “Risk It All,” a collaboration with H.E.R., from the top spot after the latter’s two-week command.
With “Superman,” Wilson achieves his 10th No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay. In addition to resetting the benchmark for the most champs among male artists, the R&B legend becomes only the third artist to reach double-digit No. 1s on the list. Here’s a recap of the artists with the most No. 1s on the Adult R&B Airplay chart since its launch in 1993:
14, Alicia Keys
11, Toni Braxton
10, Charlie Wilson
9, Usher
8, Mary J. Blige
8, H.E.R.
8, Kem
8, Bruno Mars
8, Maxwell
8, Tank
“I am incredibly grateful and humbled by the overwhelming support for ‘Superman’,” Wilson said in a press release highlighting his achievement. “To have another [No.] 1 hit on the Billboard Adult R&B chart is truly an important achievement to me, especially with a song so personal highlighting my wife’s endless love and support of me. She truly put the cape back on my back after very rough times. I want to thank my fans for their unwavering loyalty and love throughout my career. This song is also for all women, their strength, love and support is appreciated more than they know.”
Elsewhere, “Superman” dips 26-27 from its peak 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 radio stations. There, the song registered 4.4 million in audience for the tracking week, a 1% drop from the prior period.
In addition to Wilson’s successful run as a solo artist, listeners may also know the man known as “Uncle Charlie” as the lead singer of his former group, The Gap Band. The trio – comprised of brothers Charlie, Robert and Ronnie – achieved 15 top 10s on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart between 1979 and 1990, including classics such as “Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me),” “Outstanding” and “You Dropped a Bomb on Me.”
