Drakes 100th Top 40 Hit

It always felt like a matter of when this moment would happen than if, but Drake has now scored hits 100th UK Top 40 hit. In true Drake style he doesn't have just one 100th Top 40 hit but 3 of them taking his total to 102.

The last music act to reach that milestone was Cliff Richard and a lot has changed with the charts since then, most notably the fact the general public don't pay that much attention to the charts anymore.

Back in 1989 when Cliff Richard was about to release his 100th single "The Best Of Me" it was big news. It missed out on the top spot thanks to "Sealed With A Kiss" by Jason Donovan going straight in at number 1. It went straight in at number 2 though in an era where singles typically entered in the lower reaches and climbed up to their peak. Incidentally Drake also went straight in at number 2 with one of his 100th Top 40 hits.

One thing about Cliff Richards moment back in 1989 was that it wasn't actually his 100th Top 40 hit and in terms of singles that charted outside the Top 40 he'd already passed that landmark so quite what criteria made that his 100th single is a mystery. It was his 92nd Top 40 hit and he reached 100 in 1991. 

The only other music act to reach that milestone is Elvis Presley who reached it in 1980, 3 years after his death. He reached 102 Top 40 hits in 1983 but then a gap of 12 years followed until his 104th followed by a 7 year gap until his 105th.

The midweek chart update indicates Drake may reach 103 Top 40 hits on Friday which depends on any change to the Top 3 of his own songs because of the 3 song rule. Had that rule not existed he would of likely passed that landmark a long time ago and other artists may have joined him in reaching it.

Another notable change is the fact that the casual listener could name a handful of Elvis and Cliff hits but they'd struggle with Drake. I'd struggle myself, I can tell you the one he topped the charts for 15 weeks with is "One Dance" and whilst I have heard it I couldn't hum it to you.

The question is has Drake got enough in the tank to overtake Elvis and Cliff for most Top 40 hits?

He's not quite 40 yet so younger than Elvis was when he died and over a decade younger than Cliff was when he reached this milestone. He has youth on his side but there's still some way to go and I'm certain the hits will dry up one day.

UK Number 40s: Morgan Wallen - Love Somebody (2024)

 

Back in 1993 when Morgan Wallen was born if you were to ask the question of what's the biggest difference between the British and the Americans then many would say it's that Americans love country music and we hate it.

Fast forward to the modern era and country music appears to have gained in popularity in the UK. Nowhere near as popular as it is in America though, evident by the fact this record was a chart topper there but only made number 40 here.

The fact it made the Top 40 at all though is a sign country music is more popular here than it once was.

UK Number 40s: Dua Lipa - These Walls (2024)

 

Dua Lipa made her Top 40 debut in 2016 and has clocked up a Top 40 hit every year between then and 2024 but she's yet to have one in 2025.

I also note that 2025 was the year she turned 30 so maybe she's over the hill now. She's still very much a celebrity though and given nobody listens to chart music anymore it won't make a difference to the general public.

UK Number 40s: Meghan Trainor ft T-Pain - Been Like This (2024)

 

Meghan Trainor has had both a number 1 and a number 40 and these could be the positions of her first and last Top 40 hits. She debuted in 2014 with chart topper "All About That Bass" and by 2018 she'd clocked up 6 Top 40 hits. A 4 year gap then followed before another 3 Top 40 hits came.

T-Pain made his debut in 2006 with "I'm Sprung" which is his only Top 40 hit to date on his own. By 2011 he'd clocked up 9 Top 40 hits but didn't return until 2019 when he was a credited artist on a remake of "I'm Sprung" by Tory Lanez titled "Jerry Sprunger". Then came this, his final Top 40 hit to date. I'm expecting his next to come around 2030.

UK Number 40s: Nicki Minaj - FTCU (2024)

 

In early 2010 there was a Top 40 hit called "Bedrock" by Young Money, the only Top 40 hit to date for said group. What's significant was that 2 of it's members were yet to have a Top 40 hit of their own accord but would both make their respective Top 40 debuts later in the year. Furthermore both artists would clock up Top 40 hits every year between 2010 and 2024.

The artists in question were Nicki Minaj and Drake. The only other artists who can claim to of done the same is Calvin Harris.

This record was released at the end of 2023 and initially charted outside the Top 40 but scraped in at the start of 2024. Whilst it along with 2 other singles released at the same time ensured Nicki Minaj would clock up another year of consecutive hits. However she's yet to have one in 2025 but both Drake and Calvin Harris have.

Still if this is the end of her UK Top 40 career then 14 years and 46 Top 40 hits is a pretty respectable chart record even if you might struggle to name any of the 46.

UK Number 40s: Headie One - 50s (2023)

 

We're in an era where pretty much every number 40 seems to come from a rapper. This one is no exception. Headie One made his Top 40 debut at the start of 2019 with fellow UK rapper Dave with "18Hunna".

The majority of his Top 40 hits to date have been collaborations. This was his 13th Top 40 hit but only his 2nd on his own. Generally speaking his chart positions have depended on the profile of who he's collaborated with.

UK Number 40s: Juice Wrld - In My Head (2022)

 

Juice Wrld was a rapper who's had a more successful chart career since he died than when he was alive. He died in December 2019 just after turning 21. At this point he had 3 Top 40 hits to his name that reached 10, 39 and 33 respectively. Then a month after his death he topped the charts in collaboration with Eminem with "Godzilla". 

This was his 10th posthumous Top 40 hit. He had finished recording it by August 2019 but didn't get released until 3 years later. 

Whether we'll see future hits from Juice Wrld remains to be seen. Given his young age when he died there's only going to be so much of his work that exists that the general public are yet to hear.

UK Number 40s: Lil Nas X - Star Walkin (2022)

 

Lil Nas X topped the charts with his Top 40 debut "Old Town Road" in 2019. Depending on what criteria you want to use it could be said that was the biggest Billy Ray Cyrus hit as he featured on it, though not credited. 

This was Top 40 hit number 7 for Lil Nas X and was the theme to the 2022 League of Legends World Championship. What's that? I hear you ask. It's an esports tournament, so basically a video game competition. Quite how popular esports are I don't know, but it didn't really seem to help this record for chart success.

UK Number 40s: Central Cee - LA Leakers Freestyle (2022)

 

By the time you read this Central Cee could either have clocked up over 50 Top 40 hits or he may not have added to his current total at all. It took him just 3 years and 11 months to clock up his first 30 Top 40 hits. The only other chart acts to reach that milestone quicker at the time of writing was Elvis Presley in 3 years and 9 months and Glee Cast in 1 year and 10 months. The former ended up with more Top 40 hits than anyone else whereas Glee Cast had no further hits.

This was the 14th Top 40 hit for Central Cee and is pretty much what it says on the tin. It was a freestyle that Central Cee did that was recorded and made the Top 40. Given the nature of this record it was unlikely to trouble the top of the charts. 

UK Number 40s: D-Block Europe - Man in the Mirror (2022)

 

For many years AC/DC held the record for most Top 40 hits without a Top 10. This ended in 2012 when they finally scored a Top 10 and the record went to Super Furry Animals and Thunder who both still hold that record at the time of writing with 18.

They did look like sitting ducks with D-Block Europe quickly clocking up lower charting Top 40 hits. Then when they reached their 18th Top 40 hit they finally made the Top 10.

This was Top 40 hit number 23 which sees them back in more familiar territory. Although credited to D-Block Europe it's actually a solo effort from D-Block Europe member Young Adz.

UK Number 40s: Post Malone - Lemon Tree (2022)

 

It would seem the reason we have so much rap in the Top 40 is the sheer quantity of rappers who clock up a lot of Top 40 hits in a short space of time. Drake plus a number of British rappers are the most obvious culprits, but there are others such as Post Malone. This was Top 40 hit number 19 which came 5 years after his Top 40 debut.

He topped the charts with his 2nd Top 40 hit "Rock Star" and has topped the charts since, so another artists to score a number 1 and a number 40.

This charted as a result of his album "Twelve Carat Toothache" being released with "Cooped Up" and "I Like You (A Happier Song)" being the higher charting tracks. 

Whether you'd call this a rap record or not is debatable. It was possible a stepping stone to him doing country music a couple of years later.

UK Number 40s: Fredo - Flowers And The Snow (2021)

 

Fredo is another artist who's had both a number 1 and a number 40. He's also one of several examples of British rappers who clocked up a large number of Top 40 hits in a short space of time. This was Top 40 hit number 16 which came 3 years after his Top 40 debut in 2018.

Of those 16 Top 40 hits only 3 of them made the Top 10, 2 of which were collaborations with Dave. He's also had a significant number of charting singles that never made the Top 40. This is therefore familiar chart territory for him.

UK Number 40s: KSI ft Jay1 & Deno - Gang Gang (2021)

 

Once upon a time if you liked a record enough to have in your collection so you can listen to it anytime you want, you'd go to the record shop and pay £3.99 for a CD. If it was popular enough to chart then thousands of people would do the same which in turn would give the artist thousands of pounds for their effort in theory.

Nowadays you just need to go onto YouTube to listen and not pay a penny. The solution KSI had to this problem is to first and foremost be a YouTube star and then make music on the side. One would therefore assume he made more money for YouTube streams of this video than several higher charting singles did.

He made his Top 40 debut in 2015 with "Lamborghini" and didn't return to the Top 40 again until the end of 2019. Between then and this single he clocked up 13 Top 40 hits.

He had 2 other hits out around the same time, "Holiday" that made number 2 and "No Time" that made 24. Had this been 20 years earlier it would have more likely been an album track than a CD single.

UK Number 40s: D-Block Europe & Lil Pino - Kevin McCallister (2021)

 

D-Block Europe are one of those chart acts who have many more Top 40 hits than you'd expect. At the time of writing at least they're not exactly a household name. They may have had further Top 40 hits between me writing this and you reading it. It was the end of 2018 when they made their Top 40 debut and this was Top 40 hit number 16 for them. The only acts to score more Top 40 hits during that time period were Drake and Dave.

Perhaps one of the reasons they hadn't become household name is that none of those hits made the Top 10. The lower reaches of the Top 40 was almost where you'd expect them to be. Or even outside the Top 40, at the time of writing there's not much difference between the number of charting singles that made the Top 40 vs those that didn't.

This won't be the last time we'll be featuring D-Block Europe in these posts, more on that when the time comes.

UK Number 40s: Roddy Ricch - Late At Night (2021)

 

Roddy Ricch is an American rapper who made his Top 40 debut in March 2019 with "How It Is". In April 2020 he topped the charts with his 4th Top 40 hit "Rockstar". Then came this, his 5th Top 40 hit which only made number 40.

It was the lead single from his second album "Live Life Fast" which was yet to be released at the time. The main difference between this and is chart topper was that his chart topper was a collaboration with Dababy whereas this was on his own. That said he managed to reach number 2 with his first record on his own, "The Box".

Once again it would seem this only made number 40 because the sheer quantity of rap in the Top 40 meant we'd inevitably get rap records in the lower reaches.

UK Number 40s: Lil Tjay & Polo G & Fivio Foreign - Headshot (2021)

 

The question I always have for a number 40 record is why did it only make number 40? Is it an artist of yesteryear clinging on to their chart career? Is it someone yet to reach the peak of their popularity? Is it something quite niche?

This is a record by 3 rappers. The week this entered the Top 40 at it's number 40 peak, Lil Tjay was at number 9 with his debut single "Calling My Phone" which had peaked at number 2. Polo G was at number 7 with his debut single "Patience" which had peaked at number 3. Fivio Foreign was making his Top 40 debut.

All new artists then, but given how recent this was we still don't know whether any of them are yet to reach the peak of their popularity. A logical reason for this number 40 placing is that the sheer quantity of rap in the Top 40 meant we would inevitably get rap records in the lower reaches.

UK Number 40s: Keith Urban & Pink - One Too Many (2020)

 

With a name like Keith Urban you may expect him to be a rapper or an R&B singer. He's neither though, he's a country singer from Australia who's lived in America for the last 30 years.

There have been several big name country singers who have enjoyed great success in America but haven't had much of a chart career over here and Keith Urban fits that category. At the time of writing he's had 20 US Country Chart number ones with his first one coming in 2000. This record is his one and only UK Top 40 hit at the time of writing which came 29 years after he released his first album.

We've never really been fans of country music here in the UK although it would appear in more recent years it has been gaining in popularity and this is probably why this record made the Top 40.

Pink made her Top 40 debut in 2000 and this was her 34th Top 40 hit. She is another artist who has had both a number 1 and a number 40.

UK Number 40s: Blackpink - Lovesick Girls (2020)

 

At the end of 2019 The X Factor had a short lived spin off show called "The X Factor: The Band". A boy band and a girl group was formed on the show and they collectively had zero Top 40 hits between them.

The youth were no longer watching the TV to find the next big thing in pop, they were looking further afield on the internet. Most notably they were looking at Korea whose brand of pop music had become the biggest in the world. The biggest girl group from Korea were Blackpink.

However, when you look at their Top 40 record it doesn't suggest biggest girl group in the world. At the time of writing they've never got higher than 17 in the charts. When you're big on the internet though, why would the charts of one country matter.

Amongst the songwriters on this record is David Guetta. In theory this should have helped it up the charts, but he was having a lull in Top 40 hits himself at the time.

Future Top 40 Heavyweights: 3 Years Later

3 Years ago I made this post about who could be the next Drake or Ed Sheeran i.e. clock up a ridiculous amount of Top 40 hits that nobody knows. To keep it simple I looked at all acts to debut after Ed Sheeran to have 15 or more Top 40 hits to their name. A year later I looked at how things were progressing and added another 6 acts who now fitted the criteria. Then last year I did another update.

It seems the methodology from last year has done little to cut down the list but I'll stick with it for now. 

Here's how it's looking then:

The Weeknd (41) (LY 38)

I said last year he looks the most likely of these acts to reach 50 Top 40 hits first. He's already the first to make 40. It seems like he's on his way.

Ariana Grande (41) (LY 35)

6 Top 40 hits in the past year which essentially came in 2 batches of 3. The first was due to being in a film and the second was having Max Martin as songwriter. As long as this continues to be the case I suspect the hits will keep coming.

Central Cee (35) (LY 30)

We're now in an era where UK rappers presence in the Top 40 has plummeted. Bucking this trend is Central Cee who has added 5 to his total in the last year. He's clocked up his first 35 Top 40 hits in the same amount of time Elvis Presley did it and nobody has done it quicker.

Dave (34) (LY 30)

Another UK rapper bucking the trend of UK rappers not getting the hits. One of those 4 Top 40 hits in the last year was a collaboration with Central Cee. If they can buck the trend then maybe there's more to come from them.

Little Mix (32) (LY 32)

They're still on hiatus so no further Top 40 hits.

Stormzy (32) (LY 32)

No longer leading the way for British rappers and with no Top 40 hits in the last year have we seen the last of Stormzy in the Top 40?

D-Block Europe (30) (LY 30)

Now 27 Top 40 hits in their first 4 years but just 3 in the last 3 years and none in the last year. They might be back but for now it looks like they're finished

Kendrick Lamar (30) (LY 26)

Kendrick Lamar continued his batches of Top 40 hits in November last year and then added another to his total as a featured artist in February. No doubt another 3 will come all at once in the future, or maybe they won't now I've said that.

Dua Lipa (26) (LY 26)

She seems to be in the news all the time but no Top 40 hits in the last year. Maybe she's enough of a celebrity now that she doesn't bother with music. We can only hope.

Post Malone (25) (LY 25)

Nothing in the last year for Post Malone. Maybe he's just waiting for the new trend before jumping on the bandwagon.

Billie Eilish (23) (LY 23)

Last year I said her number of Top 40 hits exceeds her age just. With no Top 40 hits in the last year she has a month until her age overtakes her number of Top 40 hits.

Rita Ora (22) (LY 22)

If I come up with a new methodology it should be one to take Rita Ora off this list. That said she'll probably have a big comeback if I do.

Sam Smith (22) (LY 22)

13 artists in and 8 of them have had no Top 40 hits in the last year, it's starting to sound more like past Top 40 flash in the pans. With Sam Smith though I get the feeling he's not finished yet.

Charli XCX (21) (LY 20)

In the last year somebody told me about Charli XCX and how she loves her old skool rave music and makes tunes to reflect that. I was however warned she also sings on them in autotune. She's added 1 to her total in the last year with something I've fortunately never heard.

KSI (20) (LY 19)

He's a YouTube person and it seems he was most prolific during Covid when that's all we had to amuse ourselves with. Now he's more occasional, but as long as YouTube is around he'll probably keep going.

Travis Scott (20) (LY 19)

He was a new addition 2 years ago but has had just one further Top 40 hit in the past year. 

Doja Cat (20) (LY 17)

One of the newer Top 40 debutants on this list so more potential to go further. 

Aitch (20) (LY 18)

It only took him 3 years 4 months to clock up 18 Top 40 hits, then over 2 years of nothing before adding 2 to his total in the last year.

Raye (20) (LY 16)

Her average has now gone above 2 a year but again the question is will she have the longevity?

Fredo (19) (LY 19)

Last year I said it's unlikely he's going to add much to his total in the future and that's accurate so far.

One Direction (18) (LY 18)

If they don't reunite and get back in the Top 40 in the next year they'll drop off this list.

Anne-Marie (18) (LY 18)

Nothing in the last year though you feel that David Guetta and co may keep her Top 40 career going in the future.

Becky Hill (18) (LY 18)

Nothing in the last year though you feel that David Guetta and co may keep her Top 40 career going in the future.

AJ Tracey (18) (LY 17)

After more than 3 years away he's added 1 to his total.

Headie One (17) (LY 17)

Nothing in the last year, perhaps one of the victims in the decline of UK rap in the Top 40.

Tion Wayne (16) (LY 16)

Another British rapper who appears to have run out of steam for clocking up Top 40 hits.

J Hus (16) (LY 16)

Another British rapper who appears to have run out of steam for clocking up Top 40 hits.

Jax Jones (16) (LY 16)

I'm sure he'll drop off the list in the future.

Camila Cabello (15) (LY 15)

Ditto.

Cardi B (15) (LY 15)

Ditto.

J Cole (15) (LY 15)

A new addition last year but nothing to add this year.

We have some new additions to the list this year:

SZA (17)

Just outside the criteria last year and helped onto the list this year by her collaborations with Kendrick Lamar.

21 Savage (15)

Just outside the criteria last year and helped onto the list by a collaboration with Central Cee this year.

Sabrina Carpenter (15)

After making her Top 40 debut in Jan 2021 she had her 2nd in Jan 2023 and 3rd in Jan 2024. Then from Apr 24 she clocked up 12 in 18 months.

UK Number 40s: Machine Gun Kelly - Forget Me Too (2020)

 

At the start of 2017 it had been some time since I'd last knowingly heard a new Top 40 hit. Out of interest I decided to give the new entries a listen. One of those was by a rapper called Machine Gun Kelly with "Bad Things". I saw him as being like a modern day Eminem and Google told me I wasn't the only one who thought that.

It turned out he was already an established rapper on Bad Boy records but this was his first Top 40 hit. The next time we'd see him in the Top 40 again was the following year with "Rap Devil" which was an Eminem diss track. There were also Machine Gun Kelly diss tracks from Eminem.

When Machine Gun Kelly returned to the Top 40 in 2020 he'd transformed into the modern day Blink 182. This was helped by the fact Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker was drummer and producer of said records.

This record charted on release of his "Tickets To My Downfall" album with an another track "My Ex's Best Friend" charting at number 30 the same week. He's since stuck to making punk with Travis Barker.