The Weeknd has earned a historic chart placement with his 2019 chart-topper “Blinding Lights.” The song was named the new No. 1 on Billboard’s Greatest Songs of All Time Hot 100 Chart on Wednesday (Nov. 23.) With the accomplishment, the Canadian singer passed Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” which now sits at No. 2.
“The Twist” earned the distinction in 2008 with Billboard accounting for separate chart runs in 1960 and again in 1962. The decision factors in total weeks on the chart as well as exact chart positions, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. Because of changes in chart methodology over the years, songs are now weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates.
Featured on the cover of Billboard this month, The Weeknd spoke more about “Blinding Lights.”
“I feel like I’ve been making that record for a decade,” he said. “I don’t think [the success of “Blinding Lights”] has hit me yet. I try not to dwell on it too much. I just count my blessings, and I’m just grateful.”
To celebrate, Billboard has partnered with trading card veteran Karvin Cheung on a special collection of trading card packs with five different designs.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to create trading cards for the music industry, especially cards celebrating some of the world’s most renowned artists,” said Cheung in a press statement. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Billboard to highlight The Weeknd’s milestone, which will undoubtedly play a role in defining the future of music.”
“This collaboration highlights a momentous achievement and a very special moment in time for one of the most influential artists today,” added Julian Holguin, President of Billboard. “We’re thrilled to celebrate that moment and translate the most quoted rankings in music to innovative, new formats. The digital trading cards and NFTs launched in partnership with Autograph will truly capture the excitement that ‘Blinding Lights’ inspires and allow fans to own a defining moment in music history.”
Check out the video for “Blinding Lights’ by The Weeknd below: