American Songwriter

There Are No Rap Songs in the Top 40 for the First Time in 40 Years, but Why—a Dip in Commercial Dominance, Rule Changes, Taylor Swift?

The latest Billboard Hot 100 chart is unlike any other one in recent memory. According to the outlet, for the first time in 35 years, there are no rap songs in the chart’s Top 40. The update comes as ...
Stereogum

There Are No Rap Songs In The Top 40 For The First Time In 35 Years

Yesterday, Billboard deputy editor and Stereogum buddy Andrew Unterberger published a piece with some confusing implications: On last week's Billboard Hot 100, there were no rap songs in the top 40.
Rolling Out

Billboard’s top 40 loses all rap songs for first time

Hip-hop has officially exited the upper echelon of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time in more than three decades. The top 40 of the iconic chart currently contains zero rap songs, marking ...

For the first time in 35 years, the Billboard Top 40 has no hip-hop or rap songs. Here’s why

Hip-hop and rap have been driving culture in the U.S. for almost four decades now, especially in America. So why are these songs missing from the Top 40? It's ...complicated.
Rolling Stone

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

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 ...
The Grio

Rap falls off the Billboard Top 40 for the first time in 35 years — here’s what’s behind the drop

Rap has officially dipped out of the top 40 songs on the Billboard charts for the first time in 35 years. Billboard reported today that there are currently no rap songs in the top 40 of the Billboard ...