Nicki Minaj Tops Michael Jackson

Nicki Minaj Tops Michael Jackson

Nicki Minaj this week pulls ahead of Michael Jackson on Billboard’s official tally of artists with the most Hot 100 hits. Minaj logs her 51st Hot 100 hit as her new “Anaconda” debuts at #19. Jackson has amassed 50 chart hits, from 1971’s “Got To Be There” to two hits this year: “Slave to the Rhythm” and “Love Never Felt So Good,” a from-the-grave collabo with Justin Timberlake.

“Anaconda” is just Minaj’s 20th Hot 100 hit as a lead (or co-lead) artist. The rest of her hits have been featured credits. By contrast, Jackson was in the lead (or co-lead) spot on all 50 of his Hot 100 hits. Jackson could have padded his tally a little bit if he had elected to take a featured credit on Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” (#2 in 1984) or Diana Ross’s “Eaten Alive” (#77 in 1985), but he didn’t.

Minaj has a second song on this week’s Hot 100: “Bang Bang,” a co-equal collabo with Jessie J and Ariana Grande, which drops from #6 to #9 in its second week. Will Minaj have two songs in the top 10 before long? Stay tuned!!