Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Luther’ Departs Hot 100, Leaving No Rap Songs in the Top 40 for First Time in 35 Years

Rolling Stone ^ | 10/31/2025 | Larisha Paul

[Drew68]

The baton that has passed from one hip-hop hit to another for more than three decades has been dropped. Kendrick Lamar and SZA‘s hit single “Luther” departed the Billboard Hot 100 following rule changes to the chart that removed the record after 46 weeks, of which the song spent 13 weeks at Number One. The record was still a Top 40 hit — landing at No. 38 in its final week — but didn’t maintain a placement at Number 25 or above after its 26th week on the chart, which per the recurrent rule change led to it being nixed.

For the first time since 1990, the Top 40 on the Hot 100 doesn’t contain a single rap song. The space is occupied, instead, by the entirety of Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl — now in its third week — as well as hits from Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Kehlani, and Alex Warren, whose single “Ordinary” has spent 37 weeks on the chart.

A significant portion of the records in the Top 40 have been slow-burn hits, like Ravyn Lenae’s “Love Me Not” and Leon Thomas’ “Mutt.” Others, like Justin Bieber’s “Daises” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” made high debuts and stuck around.

Still, there are a few rap records lingering just outside of the Top 40 that could break through. YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s “Shot Callin,” which debuted on the Hot 100 in late September, has inched its way up to Number 43. It doesn’t have much competition in the genre. Other songs on the chart that qualify as rap — determined by songs that are also eligible on the Hot Rap Songs chart, where “Luther” remains Number One — include BigXthaPlug and Ella Langley’s “Hell at Night” at Number 50 as well as Cardi B and Kehlani’s “Safe” at Number 57.

It is worth noting that there are rappers on the Hot 100 who are holding placements outside of rap music. Tyler, the Creator’s “Sugar on the Tongue,” which appears on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, has spent 14 weeks on the chart with a peak position of Number 41 and a current position of 51. A little further down, Doja Cat’s “Jealous Type” has slipped to Number 57 after peaking at Number 28 in September.

[Drew68]

Yes I posted about this yesterday as a fan of old school hip hop

I don't dislike the old school stuff. I had a roommate in college who was a huge fan of Public Enemy and A Tribe Called Quest and I thought they were quite good.

But at some point rap just totally devolved into profane mumblings about bitches, hoes, and muhdik over a monophonic keyboard melody or over a complete theft of another hit song as a backing track.

Zero effort. Zero talent. Music for 80 IQ people.

[Drew68]

The red dirt Oklahoma and Austin country is good but mostly made by lefties

Kinda scratching my head at how it is that all of these Red Dirt guys are total libtards to nearly the last man.

Drive-By Truckers, one of my favorite bands, wrote the brutally depressing song, "Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife" about friend and fellow musician Brian Harvey who was murdered along with his entire family by a pair of black home invaders (2006 Richmond spree murders).

And yet today, they tour in front of almost entirely white crowds with "Black Lives Matter" flags draped over their guitar amplifiers.

Freakin' retards.

[wardaddy]

I hear ya

Righteous Path great song

White guys from Mississippi Alabama and Georgia and a girl too

Angels and Fuselage

Boy if that don’t mist your eyes then u ain’t human