Here's a bit of totally unexpected news: as of yesterday, rapper Nicki Minaj has appeared on more Billboard Hot 100 singles than the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. Though Jackson's two posthumous singles "Slave to the Rhythm" and "Love Never Felt So Good" gave him his 49th and 50th charting singles earlier this year, he was beat out by Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda," which became her 51st charting single when it debuted at No. 19.
Minaj's feat is even more impressive when considering that her career spans just five years, while Jackson's spanned four decades. However, it is important to note that just 20 of Minaj's 51 charting singles feature her as the lead artist, with the remaining 31 being guest spots. On the other hand, all 50 of Michael Jackson's charting singles featured him as the lead artist.
Nicki Minaj is far and away the most successful female rapper in Billboard history (second place goes to Missy Elliot with 31 singles), but as impressive as 51 Hot 100 singles may seem, neither Minaj nor Jackson have even cracked the top 10 of all time. Here are the 10 artists with the most Billboard Hot 100 singles, as of October 2013:
01. "Glee" Cast (207)
02. Lil Wayne (120)
03. Elvis Presley (108)
04. James Brown (91)
05. Jay Z (80)
06. Ray Charles (74)
07. Aretha Franklin (73)
08. The Beatles (71)
09. Elton John (67)
10. Drake (65)
At the rate Nicki Minaj is making guest appearances, though, she could easily make the top 10 in just a few years, as long as Drake doesn't keep up with her. Minaj's next album, The Pinkprint, is set for release by the end of 2014, and has spawned two singles so far: "Pills n Potions" and "Anaconda."
You can check out Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" right here:
