Bruno Mars Breaks Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s Chart Record After Drake Detour

Bruno Mars no longer has to share the top spot in the record book with Kendrick Lamar and SZA.

“I Just Might” returned to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart dated October 24, reaching 32 total weeks there. That moved it past the 31-week mark set by “Luther,” according to Billboard Brasil.

Drake and Don Toliver’s “Solar Eclipse” interrupted Mars’ run for one week before the record-breaking return.

Mars had matched Kendrick and SZA’s record earlier this month. The tie put a solo single from “The Romantic” alongside a duet from Kendrick’s “GNX” that drew on Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s “If This World Were Mine.”

The single also anchored Mars’ return to solo albums. He released “I Just Might” on January 9 as the first single from “The Romantic.” The nine-song album followed through Atlantic Records on February 27, seven weeks after the single’s release.

It was his fourth solo album and his first since “24K Magic”, a gap of about a decade. In between, he had continued to record with other artists. The run into this project included “Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga and “APT.” with ROSÉ.

Mars also helped shape videos for the album campaign. He and Daniel Ramos directed the “I Just Might” video, then teamed up again on “Risk It All,” which accompanied the album. The February launch included an iHeartRadio album premiere while Mars went live on TikTok.

The milestone also extended Mars’ history on a chart he had led both alone and with collaborators. His earlier No. 1s included “That’s What I Like,” “Finesse” and “Please Me” with Cardi B, and Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open” with Anderson .Paak.

His Silk Sonic partner was part of the stage plans, too. Before the single arrived, Mars announced The Romantic Tour, his first global headlining tour in nearly a decade and his first full stadium tour. Anderson .Paak was listed for all dates as DJ Pee .Wee, with Leon Thomas, RAYE and Victoria Monét on select shows.

The new record applies to the ranking’s comprehensive history, which began in October 1958.