Five Finger Death Punch’s ‘This Is the Way’ Scores DMX His First Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1

Five Finger Death Punch extends its record streak of No. 1s on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, while featured artist DMX achieves a posthumous leader, as “This Is the Way” tops the June 15-dated survey.

The song is Five Finger Death Punch’s 11th straight Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1, lengthening the longest streak of leaders in the chart’s 43-year history. The Ivan Moody-fronted band’s run began in 2018 with “Sham Pain.”

In all, Five Finger Death Punch boasts 15 No. 1s. That gives the band sole possession of the third-most in the chart’s history, breaking out of a tie with Foo Fighters and Metallica. Five Finger Death Punch first led in 2012 with “Coming Down.”

Most No. 1s, Mainstream Rock Airplay:

As for DMX, “This Is the Way” is the late rapper’s first No. 1 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, logged in his first appearance on the tally. The track is a mashup of two songs, mixing vocals from his “The Way It’s Gonna Be,” released in 2009, and Five Finger Death Punch’s “Judgement Day,” from the band’s 2022 LP AfterLife.

DMX now sports two No. 1s on Billboard airplay charts. His previously ruled Rap Airplay for six weeks in 2000 with “Party Up (Up in Here).” He died of a heart attack on April 9, 2021.

Concurrently, “This Is the Way” holds at its No. 9 high on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 3.3 million audience impressions, up 24%, in the week ending June 6, according to Luminate. On the most recent multimetric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart (dated June 8, reflecting data over May 24-30), the single ranked at No. 14, after reaching No. 4 in April; in addition to its airplay, it earned 576,000 official U.S. streams and sold 1,000 downloads.

“This Is the Way” is on the deluxe reissue of AfterLife, released April 5.

“The idea of collaborating with DMX had been in discussion for years, and it was a long and winding road to turn this particular item on our wish list into reality,” Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory said in a press release announcing the song. “He was a lyrical warrior, a true original who spoke his mind incorruptibly. We have always viewed DMX as the metalhead of hip-hop because of his aggressive, raw and untamed style. He growled and snarled, aiming to rattle some cages – an attitude we share, as Five Finger Death Punch has always been drawn to the fearless and the real. It made all the sense in the world, but today this is more than just a song; it’s a salute to a legend, a way to honor DMX’s memory.”

AfterLife debuted at No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart in September 2022 and has earned 276,000 equivalent album units to date.

Five Finger Death Punch is on tour in Europe through July, ahead of a return to the U.S. beginning in August.

All Billboard charts dated June 15 will update on Billboard.com Tuesday, June 11.