Music

Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" debuts at #2 on the Hot 100

by Aaron Zorgel

Everyone was expecting a huge chart debut for Bieber’s “Boyfriend,” and today it was revealed that the singer had his best first-week performance ever, and the fourth best first-week digital sales performance of any song, ever.

“Boyfriend” debuted at #2 on the Hot 100, unable to usurp the throne from reigning chart champions fun., and their single “We Are Young.” Bieber’s personal best was a #5 debut (and peak) with “Baby” in 2010.

To give this result some context, this is the 4th best performance for a single in its first week of digital sales ever.

636,000 – “Right Round,” Flo Rida, Feb. 28, 2009
610,000 – “TiK ToK,” Ke$ha, Jan. 9, 2010
559,000 – “Grenade,” Bruno Mars, Jan. 8, 2011
521,000 – “Boyfriend,” Justin Bieber, April 14, 2012
509,000 – “Born This Way,” Lady Gaga, March 5, 2011

In further impressiveness, Bieber made history on the Pop Radio charts, launching with 3,961 plays in the first week. This is the best first-week performance by a male artist on pop radio in over 20 years.

Bieber has never had a #1 single on the Hot 100, with “Baby” peaking at #5 and “Never Say Never” at #8. If it keeps performing, “Boyfriend” could be this Canadian pop star’s first #1. Swaggie.

[via Billboard]