The new number 1 song of all time, as determined by Billboard's revised rankings in 2021, is Blinding Lights by The Weeknd.
The Ascension of Blinding Lights
In 2021, Billboard revised its "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs" list, leading to the unprecedented ascension of Blinding Lights to the top spot. This marked a significant shift in music history, as The Weeknd's global hit surpassed The Twist by Chubby Checker, a song that had held the prestigious all-time No. 1 position for decades.
How a Song Becomes "Greatest of All Time"
Billboard's "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs" chart is a cumulative ranking that measures a song's performance on the weekly Hot 100 chart since its inception in 1958. This includes factors such as:
- Weeks at No. 1: The total number of weeks a song spent at the top of the chart.
- Weeks in the Top 10: The longevity within the highest echelons of the chart.
- Overall Chart Presence: The total number of weeks a song spent on the Hot 100.
These metrics are weighted to provide an accurate historical representation of a song's impact and enduring popularity. The chart is periodically updated to incorporate new successes and shifts in chart history.
Key Achievements of Blinding Lights
Blinding Lights achieved its all-time No. 1 status through a remarkable display of chart longevity and consistent performance, setting multiple new records on the Billboard Hot 100.
| Achievement Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| All-Time Ranking | Officially named the #1 song on Billboard's "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs" list. |
| Chart Longevity | Set a record for the most weeks spent on the Hot 100 chart, charting for an unprecedented 90 weeks. It also holds records for the most weeks spent in the Top 10 (43 weeks) and Top 5 (28 weeks). |
| Historical Impact | Overtook The Twist by Chubby Checker, which had previously been the all-time No. 1 song since 2008 (and before that, Smooth by Santana feat. Rob Thomas). This milestone highlights the evolving landscape of popular music and chart dominance. |
| Global Reach | Beyond its Hot 100 success, Blinding Lights also achieved immense global popularity, reaching the top of charts in numerous countries and becoming the first song in history to spend a full year in the top 10 of the Billboard Global 200 chart. |
This extraordinary chart run cemented Blinding Lights' place in music history, making it the most successful song on the Billboard Hot 100 to date.
