Hot 100 First-Timers: Mark Ambor Breaks Through With Viral Hit ‘Belong Together’
Mark Ambor scores his first career entry on the Billboard Hot 100, thanks to his breakthrough viral hit “Belong Together.”
The song, which he self-released Feb. 16 in partnership with Hundred Days Records and Virgin Music Group, debuts at No. 87 on the May 11-dated Hot 100 with 7 million official chart-eligible U.S. streams (up 15%) and 1,000 downloads sold (up 14%) in the April 26-May 2 tracking week, according to Luminate.
“It’s so surreal to see a song I made alone in my basement resonate with the world in the way it has,” Ambor tells Billboard. “I’ve always seen the Billboard Hot 100 as this almost unreachable thing, and to see my song now in it is just so fulfilling and unbelievable. I’m truly grateful for everyone who’s here and supportive of the things I make. This is just the beginning.”
Before releasing the song in full, Ambor had teased it for several weeks on TikTok, where two versions have gone viral. Its original audio has soundtracked over 80,000 clips, while a sped-up mix has been used in over 400,000 videos. Ambor himself boasts more than 1 million followers on the platform. He has already begun teasing a new song, “Our Way,” along with an album, but hasn’t yet announced release dates for either. (Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.)
“Belong Together” became Ambor’s first overall Billboard chart entry in April, when it debuted on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. It rises to a No. 24 high on the May 11-dated edition and jumps 55-37 for a new best on the Billboard Global 200.
Ambor released his debut seven-track album, Hello World, in 2022 and three singles in 2023, including the viral hit, “Good to Be” (150,000 clips on TikTok). He wrapped a run of European tour stops in April.
Xander Zellner
Billboard