Billboard: Airplay, 1984-present

Billboard’s Biggest Airplay Hits: 1984-present

Billboard magazine started its airplay chart on October 20, 1984 to track the biggest hits as played on radio. This list focuses on the biggest hits on that chart based on weeks at #1. All songs which spent seven weeks or more at #1 are included in this list. Ties are broken by songs’ overall Dave’s Music Database points. See other chart-based lists here and specific Billboard lists here. 26 weeks: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” (2019) 18 weeks: Goo Goo Dolls “Iris (1998) 16 weeks: Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” (2005) No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (1995) Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017) 14 weeks: Céline Dion “Because You Loved Me (1996) Alicia Keys “No One” (2007) Panic! At the Disco “High Hopes” (2018) 13 weeks: Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day” (1995) Boyz II Men “End of the Road” (1992) Ace of Base “The Sign” (1993) TLC “No Scrubs’ (1999) Donna Lewis “I Love You Always Forever” (1996) 12 weeks: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014) Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” (2017) Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” (2004) Rihanna with Calvin Harris “We Found Love” (2011) Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You” (1994) Nelly with Kelly Rowland “Dilemma” (2002) 11 weeks: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (1992) Eminem “Lose Yourself” (2002) Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines” (2013) Adele “Hello” (2015) The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer” (2016) Beyoncé “Irreplaceable” (2006) Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” (2015) Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” (1997) Mariah Carey “Dreamlover” (1993) Post Malone “Circles” (2019) Mario “Let Me Love You” (2004) Boyz II Men “On Bended Knee” (1994) 24K Goldn with Iann Dior “Mood” (2020) Khalid “Talk” (2019) 10 weeks: Céline Dion “My Heart Will Go On” (1997) Seal “Kiss from a Rose” (1995) Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes” (1993) Lil Wayne with Static Major “Lollipop” (2008) Mariah Carey “Hero” (1993) Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish” (2002) Mariah Carey “Someday” (1990) Usher “U Got It Bad” (2001) Bruno Mars & Anderson.Paak as Silk Sonic “Leave the Door Open” (2021) 9 weeks: OutKast “Hey Ya!” (2003) 50 Cent “In Da Club” (2002) Ed Sheeran with Beyoncé “Perfect” (2017) Jay-Z with Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind” (2009) All-4-One “I Swear” (1994) Destiny’s Child “Independent Women” (2000) Madonna “Take a Bow” (1994) Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like” (2016) Chumbawamba “Tubthumping” (1997) Jewel “You Were Meant for Me” (1995) Paula Abdul “Rush Rush” (1991) Mary J. Blige “Be Without You” (2005) Zedd with Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle” (2018) Beyoncé with Sean Paul “Baby Boy” (2003) Aaliyah “Try Again” (2000) Brandy “Have You Ever?” (1998) 8 weeks: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” (1991) Pharrell Williams “Happy” (2013) Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love” (2003) Eminem with Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie” (2010) Sia with Sean Paul “Cheap Thrills” (2016) Vanessa Williams “Save the Best for Last” (1992) T.I. with Rihanna “Live Your Life” (2008) Maroon 5 “One More Night” (2012) T.I. “Whatever You Like” (2008) The Rembrandts “I’ll Be There for You” (1995) Usher “Burn” (2004) Mariah Carey “I’ll Be There” (live, 1992) Maroon 5 “Don’t Wanna Know” (2016) T-Pain with Yung Joc “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” (2007) Chris Brown with Young Thug “Go Crazy” (2020) 7 weeks: Nelly “Hot in Herre” (2002) Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger” (2011) Ke$ha “Tik Tok” (2009) Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)” (2010) John Legend “All of Me” (2013) The Weeknd “Can’t Feel My Face” (2015) Fergie “Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal)” (2007) Mariah Carey “Fantasy” (1995) Bruno Mars “Locked Out of Heaven” (2012) 50 Cent with Olivia “Candy Shop” (2005) Usher with will.i.am “OMG” (2010) Justin Timberlake “Mirrors” (2013) Ciara with Petey Pablo “Goodies” (2004) Rihanna with Drake “What’s My Name?” (2010) Chris Brown with Juelz Santana “Run It!” (2005) Janet Jackson “Love Will Never Do without You” (1989) Sisqó “Thong Song” (2000) Dionne Farris “I Know” (1995) T.I. with Justin Timberlake “Dead and Gone” (2008) Destiny’s Child “Jumpin’ Jumpin’” (1999) Cassie “Me & U” (2006) Dua Lipa “Levitating” (2020) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database “Other Best-of Billboard lists” Dave’s Music Database: “Other Chart-Based Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “USA: #1 Pop Songs, 1890-present” First posted 9/7/2021.

U.S. Biggest #1 Pop Songs in Chart History

USA’s Biggest #1 Pop Songs

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Goo Goo Dolls spend first of 18 weeks atop airplay chart with “Iris”

Iris Goo Goo Dolls

Writer(s):John Rzeznik (see lyrics here) Released: April 7, 1998 First Charted: April 11, 1998 Peak: 9 US, 118 BA, 14RR, 22 AC, 117 A40, 2 AA, 8 AR, 15 MR, 3 UK, 18 CN, 15 AU, 6 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 7.0 US, 1.25 UK, 8.39 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.8 radio, 217.0 video, 1276.98 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The Goo Goo Dolls formed in 1986, but didn’t really gain traction until almost a decade into their career when “Name” became a top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. They were even more successful with “Iris” in 1998. The song, named after country-folk singer-songwriter Iris DeMent, WK was arguably the biggest pop song in the history of the Billboard charts, despite a #9 peak. Huh? In the mid-to-late-‘90s, record companies sometimes refrained from releasing radio hits as singles in an effort to drive sales of the album instead. Such songs weren’t eligible for the Hot 100, but would show up on the airplay chart. “Iris” proved a monster at radio, spending an astonishing 18 weeks atop the chart – a feat which, had it been on the Hot 100, would have made it the biggest #1 pop song in the history of the chart. Billboard changed its rules in December 1998, WK but the song had already peaked, accounting for the #9 chart position. The song also spent a whopping 17 weeks at the pinnacle on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 chart and hit #1 on the alternative rock chart. It was also a #1 on the United States’ Radio & Records chart and reached the top in Australia, Canada, and Italy. WK It was also one of the the best-selling singles of all time in Ireland. WK “Iris” also landed Grammy nominations for Song and Record of the Year. John Rzeznik, the lead singer of the Goo Goo Dolls, said he wrote the power ballad with the Nicolas Cage City of Angels character in mind. Cage is an angel helping humans transition to the afterlife, but he falls in love with a human (Meg Ryan). As Rzeznik, said, “This guy is completely willing to give up his own immortality just to be able to feel something very human. And I think, ‘Wow! What an amazing thing it must be like to love someone so much that you give up everything to be with them.” WK Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Goo Goo Dolls SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 1/22/2020; last updated 7/24/2023.