How Hip-Hop Changed the Billboard Charts: From ‘Rapper’s Delight’ to Today | Billboard News
This is partner content. From Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” breaking into the Hot 100 to chart milestones from Ms. Lauryn Hill, Eminem, Outkast, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, look back at the moments that helped hip-hop reshape music and culture. Tetris Kelly: From block parties in the Bronx to the top of the Billboard charts, hip-hop […]
Hip-hop has had a profound impact on the Billboard charts, with its influence dating back to the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" breaking into the top 40 of the Hot 100 in 1980. Run-D.M.C.'s 1986 hit "Walk This Way" further bridged the gap between hip-hop and rock, while the launch of Billboard's dedicated rap chart in 1989 provided the genre with a platform to showcase its success.
The 1990s saw the genre's dominance, with Lauryn Hill's debut album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" setting a record for female artists in 1998. Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" followed suit, achieving one of the largest debut weeks in hip-hop history. Outkast's "Hey Ya!" dominated the charts for nine weeks in 2003, solidifying hip-hop's place as a powerhouse in popular music.
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