Beyoncé Tops Adult R&B Airplay Chart for First Time in 10 Years With ‘Break My Soul’

The superstar hits the peak for the first time since 2012, as her new Isley Brothers duet also ascends.

Beyoncé

Carlijn Jacobs*

For the first time in 10 years, Beyoncé crowns Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart as “Break My Soul” ascends from No. 2 to lead the list dated Aug. 27. “Soul” lifts after a 9% gain in plays to become the most played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the week ending Aug. 21, according to Luminate.

“Soul” shoots to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay in just its ninth week on the chart. It’s only the second song this year to reach the summit in less than 10 weeks, after Silk Sonic’s “Love Train” completed an eight-week journey. Among songs by women, “Soul” wraps the quickest travel to No. 1 since Nicole Bus’ “You” took eight weeks to reach the top in 2019.

The new achievement adds to the … renaissance of Beyoncé across several Billboard charts. “Soul” is the superstar’s first No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay since “Love on Top” led for seven weeks in 2012. In addition, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 – her first visit to that spot in a lead role since “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” vacated the top rank in 2009 – and secured her first leading champs on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay since, respectively, “7/11” in 2015 and “Drunk in Love,” featuring Jay-Z, the year prior.

As “Soul” completes a trifecta of having topped the Adult R&B Airplay, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts, it’s the first song to do so since Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” reigned on all three lists by May 2021. Among women, it’s the first hat track since Ella Mai’s “Trip” in 2019.

In addition to her new No. 1, Beyoncé also posts another improvement on Adult R&B Airplay, as “Make Me Say It Again Girl,” her collaboration with Ronald Isley and The Isley Brothers, ascends 22-16 on the list after its first full week of tracking. The new tune is a duet reimagining of The Isley Brothers’ 1975 release, “Make Me Say It Again Girl (Part 1 & 2),” and appeared on the R&B legends’ The Heat Is On album, which became the group’s first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart that year.

The duet also registers a big increase on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, moving 44-33 after its first full tracking week, with 3.6 million in audience in the week ending Aug. 21.

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