Chris Brown Banks Top Two Spots on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart As ‘It Depends’ Hits No. 1
Chris Brown doubles up on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart by occupying the top two spots of the radio ranking dated Nov. 8. The singer’s “It Depends,” featuring Bryson Tiller, rises 2-1, while former champ “Residuals” rebounds 3-2. With the pair, Brown pulls the double play for the third time in his career, and first instance since 2014.
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“It Depends,” released on Brown’s CBE imprint and RCA Records, becomes Brown’s 12th No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, tying Lil Wayne’s count for the third-most among all acts. Tiller, meanwhile, nabs his third champ after his two-week No. 1 “Don’t” in 2016 and via he and Rihanna’s featured spots on DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts,” a five-week leader the following year.
“It Depends” ascends from the runner-up spot to rule R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from panel-contributing adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations. There, the single jumped to 22.4 million audience impressions in the United States for the week of Oct. 24-30, according to Luminate, up 15% from the prior week’s total of 19.4 million. The nearly 3 million audience upsurge secures “It Depends” the Greatest Gainer award, given weekly to the song with the largest increase in audience.
Plus, Brown’s nine-week leader “Residuals,” which ruled at various times between February and August, rallies 3-2. In its 65th week on the chart, the single improved 6% to 20 million in audience for the tracking week.
With “It Depends” and “Residuals,” Brown links a fifth occasion of appearing on the Nos. 1 and 2 songs on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. It’s the first time, however, he is the lead act on both tracks. He previously was on the top two titles simultaneously:
- On the Nov. 25, 2006, chart with his own No. 1 “Say Goodbye,” and he and Johnta Austin’s features on the runner-up, Bow Wow’s “Shortie Like Mine.”
- For three weeks of Nov. 15 – Nov. 29, 2014 charts via he, August Alsina, Future and Jeremih’s featured appearances on DJ Khaled’s No. 1 “Hold You Down” and his own No. 2, “New Flame,” featuring Usher and Rick Ross
Moreover, “It Depends” is Brown’s 12th No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, tying Lil Wayne for the third-most among all artists since the chart began in April 1992. The pair trail only Drake (29) and Usher (16) on the leaderboard. As Brown makes it to a dozen leaders, here’s a review of the chart-topping collection:
- “Say Goodbye,” six weeks at No. 1, beginning Oct. 14, 2006
- “Deuces,” feat. Tyga and Kevin McCall; nine, Sept. 11, 2010
- “Look at Me Now,” feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes; eight, April 2, 2011
- “Loyal,” feat. Lil Wayne and French Montana or Too $hort or Tyga; eight, June 7, 2014
- “New Flame,” feat. Usher and Rick Ross; four, Oct. 25, 2014
- “Hold You Down,” DJ Khaled feat. Chris Brown, August Alsina, Future and Jeremih; five, Nov. 15, 2014
- “All Eyes on You,” Meek Mill feat. Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj; one, Sept. 26, 2015
- “No Guidance,” feat. Drake; 27, Aug. 24, 2019
- “Go Crazy,” with Young Thug; 29, Aug. 22, 2020
- “Under the Influence,” two, March 25, 2023
- “Residuals,” nine, Feb. 15, 2025
- “It Depends,” feat. Bryson Tiller; one (to date), Nov. 8, 2025
Elsewhere, “It Depends” lands a fifth week at No. 1 on the plays-based Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, where it improved 5% in plays for the week and repeats, at its No. 8 high, on Adult R&B Airplay (up 14% in plays). After three weeks atop the Rhythmic Airplay chart, the song surrenders the summit to Cardi B’s “Safe,” feat. Kehlani, and slides to No. 2 with a 5% decrease in plays.
Combined strength across formats is enough to advance “It Depends” 8-7 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, where it added 10% in audience to reach 35.9 million in listenership for the tracking week.
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