This generation’s most profilic hitmaker returns to #1 on the Hot 100 after a four-year gap with credits on The Weeknd‘s “Blinding Lights.”
Max Martin, the songwriter-producer behind this century’s defining hits like “…Baby One More Time,” “Teenage Dream” and “Blank Space,” among others, has been missing from the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 for a relatively long period. The hitmaker’s last #1 was back in 2016 with Justin Timberlake‘s “Can’t Stop The Feeling!,” which marked the end of a legendary hot streak atop the chart beginning in 2008.
Martin‘s return to the top marks his biggest gap between his #1 singles since NSYNC‘s “It’s Gonna Be Me” (2000) and Katy Perry‘s “I Kissed a Girl” (2008). From 2008-2016, Martin scored a #1 every year with a total of 20 songs.
The producer came very close to reaching the summit with a number of tracks since “CSTF!” in 2016. Most recently, Martin was shut out from the #1 spot with “I Don’t Care” by Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber due to the historic run of Lil Nas X‘s “Old Town Road.” The interim period also saw Martin working on a trio of Top 10 hits for Ariana Grande (“no tears left to cry,” “God is a woman” and “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored”) as well as Lady Gaga‘s “Stupid Love” and Katy Perry‘s “Chained to the Rhythm.”
“Blinding Lights” marks Martin‘s 23rd #1 on the Hot 100 as a producer-songwriter. Martin ranks only behind Paul McCartney (32) and John Lennon (26) in #1s as a songwriter.
All 23 of Martin’s #1 songs on the Hot 100:
- “…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears (1999)
- “It’s Gonna Be Me” by NSYNC (2000)
- “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry (2008)
- “So What” by P!nk (2008)
- “My Life Would Suck Without You” by Kelly Clarkson (2009)
- “3” by Britney Spears (2009)
- “California Gurls” by Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg (2010)
- “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry (2010)
- “Raise Your Glass” by P!nk (2010)
- “Hold It Against Me” by Britney Spears (2011)
- “E.T.” by Katy Perry feat. Kanye West (2011)
- “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” by Katy Perry (2011)
- “Part of Me” by Katy Perry (2012)
- “One More Night” by Maroon 5 (2012)
- “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift (2012)
- “Roar” by Katy Perry (2013)
- “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry (2014)
- “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift (2014)
- “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift (2014)
- “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar (2015)
- “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weekend (2015)
- “Can’t Stop The Feeling” by Justin Timberlake (2016)
- “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd (2020)
What’s your favorite #1 by Max Martin? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter at @PopCrave!
