Glass Animals’ ‘Heat Waves’ Is Now the Longest Charting Hot 100 Song of All Time

17 October, 2022

Glass Animals‘ former five-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Heat Waves” is now the longest charting song in the list’s 64-year history, as it tallies a record-breaking 91st week on the latest Oct. 22-dated survey.

Ranking at No. 21 on the newest Hot 100, “Heat Waves” surpasses The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” which logged 90 weeks on the chart in 2019-21.

Related

Glass Animals

Glass Animals' 'Heat Waves' Ties The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights' for Longest Run in Hot 100 History

Over the course of its run on the chart, “Heat Waves” also broke the record for the steadiest climb to No. 1 when it reached the summit in its 59th week in March.

“Wow, all I can say is wow, ” Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley marvels to Billboard about the band’s achievement. “Many of you know when I wrote this song I was writing about missing someone I loved very dearly. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that it would lead to so much love and connection across the globe. You all have done that. Thank you to everyone who has helped this song reach so many people. You know who you are. Thank you.”

Here’s an updated look at the songs with the most weeks spent on the Hot 100, from to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958 inception through the Oct. 22-dated ranking:

Most Weeks Spent on the Billboard Hot 100:

  • 91, “Heat Waves,” Glass Animals
  • 90, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd
  • 87, “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons
  • 79, “Sail,” AWOLNATION
  • 77, “Levitating,” Dua Lipa
  • 76, “I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz
  • 69, “Save Your Tears,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
  • 69, “How Do I Live,” LeAnn Rimes
  • 68, “Counting Stars,” OneRepublic
  • 68, “Party Rock Anthem” LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock

“Heat Waves” has also spent the second-most weeks in the Hot 100’s top 40 (76), trailing only the sum of “Blinding Lights” (86), and is tied with The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” for the fourth-most weeks spent in the top 20 (57), after “Blinding Lights” (80), Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” (62) and Post Malone’s “Circles” (60).

“Heat Waves” debuted at No. 100 on the Hot 100 dated Jan. 16, 2021. The No. 1 song that week was 24kGoldn’s “Mood.” Since then, an additional 27 songs (excluding “Heat Waves”) have reached the pinnacle. From the Jan. 16, 2021-dated Hot 100 to the current, Oct. 22, 2022, chart, “Heat Waves” has ranked alongside a whopping 1,266 other songs.

“Heat Waves” is Glass Animals’ first Hot 100 hit. Over its run, it has also spent 37 weeks at No. 1 on both Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Alternative Songs, six weeks at No. 1 on Radio Songs, three weeks at No. 1 on Alternative Airplay and two weeks at No. 1 on both Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay. It also reached No. 5 on Rock & Alternative Airplay, No. 7 on Adult Contemporary and No. 17 on Adult Alternative Airplay.

Of the 91 weeks that “Heat Waves” has spent on the Hot 100, 66 were shared with The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Save Your Tears,” the most of any song over the former’s run. “Levitating” follows with 64 shared weeks, then “Stay” (63).

As for “Blinding Lights,” the song logged four weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and set records for the most weeks spent in the top five (43), top 10 (57), top 20 (80) and top 40 (86). Its longevity helped it earn the distinction as the No. 1 title on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs ranking.

“Blinding Lights” had held the longevity record on the Hot 100 since August 2021, when it overtook Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive.” The latter track spent 87 weeks on the chart and had held the mark since 2014, when it surpassed Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” (76 weeks, 2008-09).

Xander Zellner

Billboard