SZA’s ‘Kill Bill’ Tops Its First Radio Chart With No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay

SZA collects her third No. 1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart in three years as “Kill Bill” jumps from No. 3 to lead the list dated March 4. The new champ ascends after a 12% boost in weekly plays that made it the most played song on U.S. monitored rhythmic radio stations in the week ending Feb. 23, according to Luminate.

As “Kill Bill” conquers Rhythmic Airplay, it evicts Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage’s “Creepin” after its three-week streak.

“Kill Bill” puts SZA atop Rhythmic Airplay for the third time in her career. She first led through a featured spot on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More,” a two-week champ in 2021, and returned to the summit with her track “I Hate U,” which reigned for one week in 2022. Of the three leaders, “Kill Bill” has enjoyed the fastest trip to the top, with seven weeks needed to achieve the coronation. “Kiss Me More” required 10 weeks to reach No. 1, while “I Hate U” arrived in its 12th frame.

“Kill Bill” appears on SZA’s SOS album, which was released in December 2022. The set has captured 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart – a feat only six other albums have achieved in the past 10 years. Alongside its parent album, “Kill Bill” is itself an across-the-board-hit, with seven weeks at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Elsewhere, “Kill Bill” scales the Pop Airplay chart with a 7-6 increase after an 11% gain in weekly plays, and, despite a 23-24 retreat on Adult Pop Airplay, improved 26% in weekly plays. In the R&B/hip-hop realm, the single dips 12-13 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (down 1% in plays), climbs 20-16 on Adult R&B Airplay (up 14% in plays) and holds at No. 12 on the overall R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for a third straight week.

The movement at rhythmic, pop and R&B/hip-hop radio helps “Kill Bill” maintain its steady progress on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. On the new ranking, the song rises 6-4 and added 11% in weekly audience to reach 71.5 million impressions for the week.

Trevor Anderson

Billboard