Kendrick Lamar and SZA's 'Luther' Breaks Billboard Record with 23 Weeks at No. 1
- Jun 6, 2025
- 2 min read
June 5 2025
Kendrick Lamar and SZA have achieved a historic milestone with their collaborative single "Luther," which has now spent 23 consecutive weeks atop Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, setting a new record for the longest-running No. 1 in the chart's 66-year history.
Released on November 29, 2024, as the third single from Lamar's sixth studio album GNX, "Luther" features a sample of Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn's 1982 rendition of "If This World Were Mine." The track blends R&B and hip-hop elements, showcasing the vocal chemistry between Lamar and SZA. Critics have lauded the song for its tender and heartfelt composition, distinguishing it from the more boastful tracks on GNX.
The song's 23-week reign surpasses Lamar's previous record of 22 weeks at No. 1 with "Not Like Us" and SZA's 21-week run with "Kill Bill." This achievement places both artists at the top three positions on the all-time leaderboard for the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart
In its record-breaking week, "Luther" garnered 16.5 million official U.S. streams and 57.5 million in airplay audience, maintaining its strong presence across digital and traditional platforms. The track also led the Hot Rap Songs chart and held the No. 5 position on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song's success contributed to the commercial performance of GNX, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 319,000 album-equivalent units, including 379.72 million official on-demand streams. All 12 songs from the album debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, with Lamar occupying the entire top five simultaneously, a feat achieved by only a few artists in history.
Lamar and SZA's joint "Grand National Tour," which commenced on April 19, 2025, in Minneapolis, has been a massive success. The tour, supporting Lamar's GNX and SZA's SOS Deluxe: Lana, includes 39 shows across Europe and North America. Notably, their performance in Seattle grossed $14.8 million, making it the highest-grossing show of the tour and setting a new record for a single concert by a rapper.
The tour's elaborate nine-act performances blend the artists' music, with duets like "All the Stars" and "gloria," and feature a symbolic Grand National car tying the performances together. Lamar's sets include segments of Anita Baker songs, while SZA's contain segments of other artists' songs.
Beyond commercial success, "Luther" has had a significant cultural impact. The song's themes of imagining a better future for loved ones resonate with audiences, and its blend of lyrical sharpness and melodic finesse showcases the synergy between Lamar and SZA
Their collaboration has not only broken records but also redefined the boundaries of hip-hop and R&B, demonstrating the power of artistic partnership in creating music that resonates across genres and audiences
As the "Grand National Tour" continues, fans eagerly anticipate future collaborations between Lamar and SZA. Their ability to blend genres, break records, and deliver powerful performances cements their status as leading figures in contemporary music.
With "Luther" setting a new benchmark on the charts and their tour achieving unprecedented success, Kendrick Lamar and SZA's partnership exemplifies the heights that can be reached through creative synergy and artistic excellence
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