Deftones Achieve First Radio No. 1, Set Longevity Record on Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart
Deftones make a record-breaking rise to No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with “My Mind Is a Mountain,” the band’s first No. 1 on the list.
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The song, which lifts 3-1 on the Sept. 6-dated tally, is also Deftones’ first leader on any Billboard airplay chart. It surpasses three No. 3 peaks: “Change [In the House of Flies]” on Alternative Airplay in 2000 and “Tempest” (2013) and “Ohms” (2020) on Mainstream Rock Airplay.
Deftones first reached Mainstream Rock Airplay in May 1998, via “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away),” which peaked at No. 29. As such, the band’s 27-year, three-month, one-week wait between a first chart entry and first No. 1 is the lengthiest in two categories over the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart’s 44-year history: longest wait for a group’s first leader and the longest by any act in a lead role with a first No. 1.
In July, Evanescence rewrote the record for the longest wait by a group, at more than 22 years between “Bring Me to Life” and “Afterlife.” Not only does that record fall, Deftones wrap the longest wait for any act in a lead role thanks to “My Mind Is a Mountain,” exceeding the more than 26 years for Ozzy Osbourne between “Crazy Train” in 1981 and No. 1 “I Don’t Wanna Stop” in 2017.
Overall, Jeff Beck went a record 37-plus years between his debut, “People Get Ready,” in 1985 and his first No. 1, as featured on Osbourne’s “Patient Number 9” in 2022.
Longest Waits for First No. 1, Mainstream Rock Airplay:
- 37 years, one month, two weeks: Jeff Beck, as featured on Ozzy Osbourne’s “Patient Number 9” (1985-2022)
- 27 years, three months, one week: Deftones, “My Mind Is a Mountain” (1998-2025)
- 26 years, three months, Brian May, as featured on Five Finger Death Punch’s “Blue On Black” (1993-2019)
- 26 years, two months, two weeks: Ozzy Osbourne, “I Don’t Wanna Stop” (1981-2007)
- 22 years, three months, three weeks: Evanescence, “Afterlife” (2003-25)
Worth noting: Deftones’ feat comes a week after Yellowcard rewrote the all-time record for the same accomplishment on Alternative Airplay.
Deftones’ Mainstream Rock Airplay history includes 17 entries between 1998 and 2025, with nine top 10s, starting with “Change” (No. 9, 2000).
Concurrently, “My Mind Is a Mountain” bullets at No. 25 on Alternative Airplay, one spot below its best so far. That’s the highest the band has been since “Tempest” reached No. 20 in 2013. On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, “My Mind Is a Mountain” jumps 13-7 with 3.1 million audience impressions in the week ending Aug. 28, up 18%, according to Luminate. It’s the band’s first top 10 (exceeding “Tempest,” which hit No. 13).
“My Mind Is a Mountain” appeared at No. 5 on the most recently published multimetric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, after debuting atop the July 26 list. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 1.3 million official U.S. streams Aug. 15-21.
The song is the lead single from Private Music, Deftones’ 10th studio album. It was released Aug. 22, with its first-week impact to be reflected on the Sept. 6-dated album and song charts.
All charts dated Sept. 6 will update on Billboard.com Wednesday, Sept. 3, one day later than usual due to the Labor Day holiday Monday, Sept. 2.
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