DJ Khaled, Drake & Lil Baby’s ‘Staying Alive’ Moves to No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay Chart

DJ Khaled captures his seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart with “Staying Alive,” featuring Drake and Lil Baby, which rises to the top on the list dated Oct. 29. The single climbs from No. 3 following a 7% gain in weekly plays to become the most-played song at U.S. monitored rhythmic radio in the week ending Oct. 23, according to Luminate.

The new champ secures DJ Khaled a seventh No. 1 and comes more than two years since his last. Notably, the incumbent also marks the third-such leading collaboration between DJ Khaled and Drake. Here’s a look at the hitmaking producer’s chart-topping collection on Rhythmic Airplay:

  • “For Free,” featuring Drake, three weeks at No. 1, beginning Aug. 27, 2016
  • “Shining,” featuring Beyoncé & Jay-Z, one, May 13, 2017
  • “I’m the One,” featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne, four, July 1, 2017
  • “Wild Thoughts,” featuring Rihanna & Bryson Tiller, eight, Aug. 5, 2017
  • “No Brainer,” featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo & Chance the Rapper, one, Oct. 6, 2018
  • “Popstar,” featuring Drake, one, Sept. 19, 2020
  • “Staying Alive,” featuring Drake & Lil Baby, one (to date), Oct. 29, 2022

Featured act Lil Baby earns his fourth Rhythmic Airplay No. 1 with “Alive.” His first visit to the summit occurred in 2019 with “Close Friends,” which ruled for one week that July. The last week of that year, he achieved his second champ, “Leave Em Alone,” alongside Layton Greene, City Girls and PnB Rock, which logged three weeks on top. In December 2020, he began a five-week reign as he and DaBaby featured on Pop Smoke’s “For the Night.”

Drake, meanwhile, continues to lap the competition as he adds a record-extending 36th Rhythmic Airplay No. 1 to his ledger. He last led just three weeks ago, with “Jimmy Cooks,” featuring 21 Savage, which slips 2-4 on the current chart. (More Drake and 21 Savage collaborations are just days away, with the duo announcing a new album, Her Loss, arriving Friday, Nov. 4 after a one-week delay).

Thanks to “Alive,” Drake ensures his fifth straight year with at least three No. 1s on the Rhythmic Airplay chart. Along with “Cooks” and “Alive,” he reached the top via he and Tems’ supporting turn on Future’s “Wait for U,” a one-week No. 1 in July.

As Drake once again resets the count, here’s a look at the leaderboard for most No. 1 s on Rhythmic Airplay since the chart began in 1992:

  • 36, Drake
  • 17, Rihanna
  • 13, Bruno Mars
  • 13, Usher
  • 12, Chris Brown
  • 12, Lil Wayne
  • 12, The Weeknd
  • 11, Beyoncé
  • 10, Post Malone

Trevor Anderson

Billboard