It took four weeks to get there, but Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” (Atlantic) is now the U.K.’s best-selling single.
The U.S. hip-hop artists’ hit lifts 2-1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, to become the first-ever female rap collaboration to go to the summit in that territory.
After two weeks at No. 2, the track snags 65,000 charts sales, including 8.5 million streams, to take the title, the Official Charts Company reports.
It’s a person best for both artists. Cardi’s previous peak on the U.K. chart was No. 5 for 2018’s “Finesse,” her collab with Bruno Mars. Megan’s previous high point was a No. 3 for “Savage” in May of this year.
“WAP” is just the second female-led single to hit the top this year, following Lady Gaga’s “Rain On Me” featuring Ariana Grande in May.
You’d have to go back to September 2014 for the last all-female collaboration to hit No. 1, Jessie J, Grande and Nicki Minaj’s “Bang Bang”.
The highest new entry on the current frame belongs to Calvin Harris and The Weeknd, as their team-up “Over Now” (Columbia/Republic Records/XO) starts at No. 33. It’s Harris’ 35th Top 40 entry as a named artist and The Weeknd’s 23rd.
Also, Blackpink and Selena Gomez impact the Top 40 with their collab “Ice Cream” (Interscope). It’s new at No. 39. Prior to their latest treat, the K-pop quartet tallied four Top 40s, and Gomez had 17.
Over on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, London rapper and songwriter Nines earns his first No. 1 as Crabs in a Bucket (Warner Records) wins a tight battle with Metallica’s S&M2 (Vertigo).
Crabs pulls away in the last 24 hours to finish nearly 2,000 chart sales ahead of Metallica’s live set, according to the OCC.
Just 5,000 chart sales separate the all-new Top 5, as jazz vocalist Gregory Porter’s sixth studio effort All Rise (Blue Note) opens at No. 3; electronic duo Disclosure bow at No. 4 with Energy (Island), their third effort; and Katy Perry starts at No. 5 with Smile (EMI), for her fourth consecutive Top 10 album. It’s Perry’s best chart position since 2013’s Prism hit No. 1.
