One might think of pop, hip-hop and R&B as the dominant forces on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, but Imagine Dragons has put in a good word for rock music as its song "Radioactive" broke the record for the longest time on the chart. Last week was the track's 77th in the Hot 100.
"It's unbelievable," vocalist Dan Reynolds told Billboard. "There are few things more satisfying as an artist than seeing your music have longevity. But, we could never have expected to see one of our songs have legs like this."
The track first entered the Hot 100 at no. 93 on August 18, 2012, and peaked at no. 3 nearly a year later.
The track has had a few factors on its side. First of all, it began as a strictly rock-radio track but successfully crossed over to pop and adult stations. The track's ongoing success has gotten a recent boost from the new version of the track featuring Kendrick Lamar, released following the performers' mutual Grammys showing. The track has sold 6.6 million downloads thus far. The group hasn't needed Lamar's help however. Even with 77 weeks under its belt, it doesn't seem like Imagine Dragons is close to falling of the Hot 100. "Radioactive" placed at no. 26 last week.
It may need to stay on the list as long as possible to keep the record however. Although the previous mark was held by "I'm Yours," a 2008 track by Jason Mraz, competition is lurking literally right behind them.
AWOLNATION and its track "Sail" have been enjoying a 76 week run on the Hot 100 of their own. The track will almost assuredly gain sole control of second place all-time next week, and it looks to stick around a while. It came in at no. 40.
