Has rap's reign ended? The roiling debate ahead of the Grammys

Rap music made headlines for losing its Billboard chart dominance, but it's being celebrated more than ever at the 2026 Grammys. So what's going on?
Yahoo

No Rap Songs Are in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 for the First Time Since 1990

With Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s 13-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Luther” falling off the Hot 100 dated Oct. 25, 2025, there were officially no rap songs in the chart’s top 40 last week. The highest-ranking rap song — defined as a song deemed ...
Hosted on MSN

Rap falls off the Billboard Top 40 for the first time in 35 years — here’s what’s behind the drop

The news may indicate a dip in rap’s dominance in mainstream music, but the music publication has also changed its top 100 rules. Rap has officially dipped out of the top 40 songs on the Billboard charts for the first time in 35 years. Billboard reported ...
CNN

Are we living through a rap drought? The Billboard charts suggest we are

It feels like the Billboard charts could use a good rap beef right about now. That’s because, according to the publication, for the first time since 1990, there is no hip hop in the Top 40 of the Billboard 100 chart. “With Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s 13 ...
American Songwriter

4 Legendary Old-School Rap Acts That Hit the Pop Charts With a Top 40 Banger

They're all highly respected in the world of old-school rap. And they all hit the Top 40 just once in their careers.