Achieving a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 is one of the hardest things to do in the music industry. Some artists live for no. 1 hits, while others couldn’t care less about them. Regardless, it is a highly sought-after achievement that some artists will chase and chase for the entirety of their careers. Though again, it is incredibly difficult, and some never achieve that goal.
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A single’s life on the Billboard Hot 100 can be incredibly unpredictable. Now, sometimes, songs debut at no. 1 and never drop below the Top 10. On the other hand, some songs start toward the bottom and skyrocket to the top. Though on the rare occasion, there are songs that debut at no. 100 and climb all the way to no. 1, and the following tunes are three of them.
“Heat Waves” by Glass Animals
Despite being an indie rock band with a fairly niche sound, the Glass Animals have garnered massive popularity thanks to their 2020 hit “Heat Waves”. However, it was by no means a shoo-in no. 1 hit. Rather, it started at the bottom and climbed all the way to the top.
Following its release, “Heat Waves” debuted at no. 100 on the chart. About 59 weeks later, the single climbed all the way to no. 1 and stayed on the charts for a total of 91 weeks. The song’s existence on the chart broke several different records, but this one is by far the most impressive.
“Black And Yellow” by Wiz Khalifa
Wiz Khalifa‘s 2010 single dominated the 2010 music industry. That being so, it well-deservedly garnered the no. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 after debuting at no. 100 in October of 2010. Following its debut, the song slowly climbed to no. 1 after approximately five months.
In total, the single remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for a total of 25 weeks. It remained at no. 1 on the chart for only a week, but regardless, this monstrous climb proved that this song had legs. And well, evidently, it used those legs quite well.
“Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy
In addition to being one of the biggest songs on social media in 2022, Steve Lacy‘s smash hit also made the historic climb from no. 100 to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Following its release, the single debuted at no. 100 on the chart in July 2022. Months later, in October of the same year, the single finally reached the no. 1 spot.
The song remained at no. 1 for a total of three weeks. Also, the single didn’t just peak at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as it also peaked at the same position on five other notable Billboard Charts, including the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.
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