A couple of years ago I looked at potential future chart heavyweights off the back of Drake and Ed Sheeran getting near to the top of the list for most Top 40 hits. I'll continue it this year, but one thing it does is ignore the new breed of artists who you can now consider chart heavyweights, aside from mentioning Drake and Ed Sheeran of course.
The question is how do you define a chart heavyweight? Well on last years future chart heavyweights we had The Weeknd at the top with 35 Top 40 hits so on that basis the artist should have over 35 Top 40 hits. To pick a number I looked and which of the artists I've always considered a chart heavyweight has the least number of Top 40 hits. That artist is Stevie Wonder with 41.
Now we've established a number we have to define whether an artist is new in that respect. The criteria I've gone with is an artist who has had a Top 40 hit in the last 10 years and had less than 41 Top 40 hits 10 years ago.
Now we have the criteria, lets get into it
Chris Brown (41)
Chris Brown made his Top 40 debut as a 16 year old in 2006. In 2009 after 8 Top 40 hits, he made the headlines for physically assaulting his then girlfriend Rihanna. Some were speculating that would be the end of his music career, but if anything his chart career went from strength to strength. He managed to score at least 1 Top 40 hit every year from 2006 to 2020 and was back in 2022 and 2023. He's yet to have a Top 40 hit in 2024, but the years not over yet. He also managed 2 number ones which came in 2012 and 2018.
Beyonce (42)
Beyonce previous had Top 40 hits as a member of Destiny's Child. She made her solo debut in 2002 with "Work It Out" which was from the Austin Powers album she was in. Destiny's Child went on hiatus and all 3 members released solo material before they reunited in 2004. The reunion didn't last long though and Beyonce returned to the Top 40 in 2006 and had a Top 40 hit every year except 2010 between 2006 and 2017. She was then absent from the Top 40 for 5 years and turned 40 during that time, so her Top 40 career was looking like it may be over. However she returned in 2022 and also topped the charts this year.
Calvin Harris (44)
When Calvin Harris first hit the Top 40 in 2007 it was unusual for a DJ to have a prolific chart career. It was also a time when dance music looked like it had its day chart wise. However Calvin Harris has managed a Top 40 hit every year since and has benefited in the rise in popularity of EDM music. 6 of his first 7 Top 40 hits were solo efforts, but since then he's only had 3 Top 40 hits on his own.
Nicki Minaj (46)
This is arguably the biggest surprise inclusion on the list. I wouldn't say she was an obscure name, but certainly not as high profile as some, if not all of the other artists on the list. Before she had her first Top 40 hit as an artist she had a Top 40 hit as part of Young Money whose other members included Drake. Now it's making more sense why she's on this list, she learned from the master of clocking up hit after hit that few people know. She's had at least one Top 40 hit a year every year since making her debut in 2010.
David Guetta (48)
Back in 2003 when David Guetta made his Top 40 debut few would have predicted he'd go on to have the career he's had. In fact I'd go as far to say few people probably noticed he was even making his Top 40 debut. He'd be back 3 years later with "Love Don't Let Me Go (Walking Away)" which was a mash up of one of his records and a record by The Egg. His chart career really took off in 2009 with his 4th hit "When Love Takes Over" topped the charts. The big name collaboration with Kelly Rowland no doubt helped and he's not had a Top 40 hit by himself since.
Rihanna (50)
There was a time when Rihanna looked the most likely artist to overtake most of the chart heavyweights of yesterday. She had a Top 40 hit every year from 2005 when she made her debut to 2017 and clocked up 48 hits in the process. Only Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard had clocked up their first 48 Top 40 hits more quickly. However as you can tell, she's only had 2 Top 40 hits since. That said, I get the feeling we haven't seen the last of her in the Top 40.
Eminem (50)
It's now been 25 years since Eminem made his Top 40 debut which makes his chart career just as old as Queen's chart career was when he made his debut. It's rare for a 20th century debutant to have much impact on the current charts, but Eminem bucks that trend. Over the years he's had a habit of going away and then coming back in a big way. This happened this year when he topped the charts with "Houdini" which gave him his first Top 40 hit in over 4 years. He hadn't gone away as such though, he did release a few singles in the interim that failed to make the Top 40 and it looked like he may be finished in that respect, but he wasn't.
Kanye West (53)
Kanye West is one of those people whose never really been out of the headlines since he made his Top 40 debut in 2004. However for the more recent years it's more likely to be to do with his controversial opinions or lifestyle rather than his music. His music hasn't gone away though, the only year he's not had a Top 40 hit since making his debut is 2017.
Taylor Swift (57)
This is perhaps a controversial inclusion and some may argue that Taylor Swift shouldn't be this high up the list. However, I go with the British Hit Singles definition of what counts as a single hit which is that remixes don't count, it has to be a different recording to the original hit to count as a separate one. Taylor Swift has been re-recording her older albums and as a result some of her older singles have found their way back into the charts. Over half of her Top 40 hits have come this decade and if anyone is going to overtake Ed Sheeran at least then I think Taylor Swift is most likely. I can't see her overtaking Drake, but you never know.
Justin Bieber (58)
3 years ago I had Justin Bieber down as an artist likely to overtake Madonna and Elton John in terms of most Top 40 hits because they seemed like sitting ducks in that respect. Instead both Madonna and Elton John have added to their totals and Justin Bieber hasn't. Now it looks like he's the sitting duck and it's only a matter of time before he's overtaken by Taylor Swift.
Ed Sheeran (62)
Ed Sheeran famously boosted his total number of Top 40 hits in 2017 when he had 16 singles in the Top 20 in the same week. If the chart rules hadn't changed off the back of that then he would no doubt have many more Top 40 hits to his name. It's been almost a year since we last saw him in the Top 40 he's not really that far ahead of Taylor Swift. It's almost inevitable that he'll be back though and I can see him overtaking Madonna and Elton John.
Drake (94)
When Cliff Richard has his 100th single in 1989 it was actually his 92nd Top 40 hit. It had taken him 31 years to reach that landmark. It's taken Drake just 14 years to get there. Even Elvis Presley took 20 years to get to his 94th Top 40 hit. Drake got off to a much slower start too, after 3 years Elvis Presley had 28 Top 40 hits to his name compared to Drakes 8. He's still someway off Elvis and Cliff, but you feel it's only a matter of time until he gets there.
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