“Heaven” becomes Mars’ fifth Pop Songs No. 1, tying him with Nelly and Justin Timberlake for the most leaders among solo males. (Timberlake also made two trips to the top as part of ‘N Sync, with “Bye Bye Bye” (10 weeks at No. 1) and “It’s Gonna Be Me” (five), both in 2000.) Here is a look at the male soloists with the most No. 1s, dating to the Pop Songs chart’s launch the week of Oct. 3, 1992:
5, Bruno Mars
5, Nelly
5, Justin Timberlake
4, Flo Rida
3, Chris Brown
3, Eminem
3, Ludacris
3, Timbaland
3, Kanye West
Katy Perry and Rihanna lead all artists with nine Pop Songs No. 1s apiece. Women, in fact, far outpace men when it’s come to topping the tally; five other women have totaled between eight and six leaders each: P!nk (eight), Lady Gaga, Britney Spears (seven each) Beyonce and Mariah Carey (six each). Christina Aguilera and Avril Lavigne, as well as Maroon 5, have also managed five No. 1s each.
Mars first ruled Pop Songs as a guest on B.o.B’s “Nothin’ on You,” which crowned the May 22, 2010, ranking. His debut album, “Doo-Wops & Hooligans,” which reached No. 3 in a 112-week (and counting) run on the Billboard 200, yielded Mars his first two Pop Songs No. 1s as a lead artist: “Just the Way You Are” (three weeks, beginning Oct. 30, 2010) and follow-up “Grenade” (five weeks, starting Feb. 5, 2011). He had last led with “It Will Rain,” from the soundtrack to “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1,” the week of Feb. 4.
Read more: Gary Trust, Billboard
