H to the Izzo.
By 
Elijah Watson, Danielle Pascual
It’s certainly a feat when you’re one of the most successful hip-hop artists of all time. Since 1996, Jay-Z continues to leave his mark on the world, from hip-hop and beyond, by releasing material favored by the masses both as a soloist and collaborator to music’s biggest stars — not limited to Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Coldplay, Kanye West and, of course, his wife Beyoncé.
In addition to his 13 studio albums, 24 Grammy awards and over 100 tracks that have landed on Billboard’s Hot 100, he launched Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 and talent management company Roc Nation in 2008, and bought and rebranded streaming service Tidal in 2015. As the first hip-hop artist to join Forbes’ billionaires club, he also has a strong investment portfolio with stakes in Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Uber, milk-alternative company Oatly and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty, among several others. It would seem that Jay wouldn’t have as much time to commit to music considering his many entrepreneurial endeavors — but rapper continues making waves in the industry, and likely isn’t stopping any time soon.
To celebrate his well-earned success, Billboard has put together a list of Mr. Carter’s 30 biggest hits on the Hot 100. Check out the ranking below.
Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower spots earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates during various periods. Songs are ranked based on a formula blending performance, as outlined above.
Jay-Z, "Girls, Girls, Girls"
Chart Peak: 17, Peak Date: Dec. 12, 2001
With “Girls, Girls, Girls,” Hova introduces the world to his female encounters “across the globe.” The second single off his sixth studio album The Blueprint sat on the Hot 100 for 17 weeks, peaking at 17. Listen here.
Usher feat. Jay-Z, "Hot Tottie"
Chart Peak: 21, Peak Date: Oct. 30, 2010
Usher taps King Hov for “Hot Tottie,” whose title is a variation of the cold-weather-favorite alcoholic beverage hot toddy. The track from the deluxe edition of Usher’s fourth studio album, Raymond v. Raymond, is the duo’s only collaboration to chart on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Jay-Z and Kanye West feat. Otis Redding, "Otis"
Chart Peak: 12, Peak Date: Aug. 13, 2011
Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” is sampled throughout Jay and Ye’s track named after the legendary blues singer. Though not the duo’s first collaboration, “Otis” does hail from their first collaborative album Watch the Throne — and peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Jay-Z, "Show Me What You Got"
Jay-Z reminds us of what he’s got in the first single off Kingdom Come, which dropped three years after his previous solo studio album. “Show Me What You Got” charted on the Hot 100 for 15 weeks, peaking at No. 8. Listen here.
Jay-Z and Linkin Park, "Numb / Encore"
Chart Peak: 20, Peak Date: Feb. 12, 2005
Rock and hip-hop intertwine for a mash-up of Jay-Z’s “Encore” and Linkin Park’s “Numb,” off their wholly mash-up collaboration EP Collision Course. Originally created for the new concert show “MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups,” the song became a crowd favorite, peaking at No. 20 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Jay-Z, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"
Chart Peak: 15, Peak Date: Mar. 27, 1999
The hit Broadway musical Annie is to thank for the title and chorus of Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” — which became Jay-Z’s first Hot 100 top 20 as a soloist. Listen here.
Jay-Z and T.I. feat. Lil Wayne & Kanye West, "Swagga Like Us"
Chart Peak: 5, Peak Date: Sept. 27, 2008
“Swagga Like Us” is the first and only time to bring together four hip-hop hitmakers: Jay-Z, T.I., Lil Wayne and Kanye West. With an addictive chorus by M.I.A., the quadruplet earned a Grammy for their performance, as well as a top 10 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Jay-Z feat. UGK, "Big Pimpin'"
Chart Peak: 18, Peak Date: Jul. 8, 2000
With production from Timbaland, Jay-Z taps Southern duo UGK for his final single from Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter. Though “Big Pimpin'” never reached the Hot 100’s Top 10, it is a crowd favorite — and earned 20 total weeks on the chart. Listen here.
(Video) Drake Passes JAY-Z for Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s Among Rappers | Billboard NewsJay-Z, "Change Clothes"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 10, Peak Date: Dec. 27, 2003
As the first single from Jay-Z’s The Black Album, “Change Clothes” became popular not only for Jay’s rhymes, but for The Neptunes’ production (and, of course, Pharrell’s distinguishable falsetto). “Change Clothes” became one of Jay’s more popular songs in the U.S. peaking at No. 10 on the Hot 100 and proved that Mr. Carter was back. Listen here.
Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z, "Deja Vu"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 4, Peak Date: Aug. 12, 2006
“I just make the hits, like a factory,” claimed Jay alongside Ms. B. It was a song, as like their first collaboration, “’03 Bonnie & Clyde,” that foreshadowed their power couple takeover of just about everything, including our Hot 100 chart. Although it debuted at No. 44, “Deja Vu” peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Big Sean, Jay-Z and Kanye West, "Clique"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 12, Peak Date: 12, Peak Date: Sept. 29, 2012
Jay disappeared as quickly as he appeared on this track with Kanye West and Big Sean. The rhymes were fast: a combination of boasts and shout-outs accompanied by menacing production. “We top of the totem pole,” Jay confidently claimed. It’s true: “Clique” peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Jay-Z, "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 11, Peak Date: Dec. 30, 2000
From its memorable hook (on point as always, Skateboard P) to Jay’s party-friendly rhymes, “I Just Wanna Love U” would eventually become a summertime jam (regardless of its October release). The first single from Jay’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Jay-Z feat. Mr. Hudson, "Young Forever"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 10, Peak Date: May 15, 2010
A reworking of Alphaville’s “Forever Young,” Jay-Z’s “Young Forever” was well-received when it dropped. Heavy radio coverage and strong digital downloads weren’t the only accomplishments the song would attain. The song peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100, and became Jay’s 17th top ten single. Listen here.
Jay-Z feat. Amil & Ja Rule, "Can I Get A…"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 19, Peak Date: Jan. 16, 1999
Although “Can I Get A…” appeared on Jay’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life album, this song is commonly associated with the first Rush Hour movie and its respective soundtrack. The beat for “Can I Get A…” was great, and Amil and Ja’s guest appearances were the icing to Jay’s cake. The 1998 classic single peaked at No. 19 on the Hot 100, becoming one of Jay’s most commercially successful singles at the time. Listen here.
Jay-Z, "Excuse Me Miss"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 4, Peak Date: Apr. 12, 2003
Another Jay and Neptunes hit, “Excuse Me Miss” contrasted significantly from the rapper’s previous work. The R&B-tinged production and Jay’s mature lyrical content, was much different than other women-based songs such as “Girls, Girls, Girls” and “I Just Wanna Love U.” Jay-Z’s growth worked in his favor: “Excuse Me Miss” peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Foxy Brown feat. Jay-Z, "I'll Be"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 7, Peak Date: Apr. 12, 1997
(Video) J a y Z Greatest Hits ~ Best Songs Music Hits Collection Top 10 Pop Artists of All TimeIt was a great pairing: Foxy Brown, one of the best female rappers at the time, and Jay-Z, the man who would eventually become a hip-hop mogul. “I’ll Be” became a huge hit, peaking at No. 7 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Jay-Z, "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 8, Peak Date: Oct. 20, 2001
“That’s the anthem, get your damn hands up!” “Izzo” was Jay’s song of triumph — its powerful production and memorable hook celebrating Jay and his accomplishments. The song has become one of Jay’s most popular singles, as well as a success on the Hot 100 charts, peaking at No. 8. Listen here.
R. Kelly feat. Jay-Z, "Fiesta (Remix)"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 6, Peak Date: Jun. 23, 2001
Jay-Z joins for a remix of R. Kelly’s track “Fiesta” — adding a slow-dance-esque production and his trademark bars. The song spent five weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart, and peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100.
Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z, "Drunk In Love"
Hot 100 Peak: No. 2, Peak Date: Feb. 15, 2014
In 2015, Bey and Jay earned Grammys for best R&B song and best R&B performance for their sensual and empowering collaboration “Drunk in Love.” The song, which some interpret as the husband/wife duo’s follow-up to their 2003 smash “Crazy in Love,” spent nearly half a year on theHot 100.Listen here.
Jay-Z, "Dirt Off Your Shoulder"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 5, Peak Date: April 10, 2004
“Dirt Off Your Shoulder” became an anthem in 2004. It was the answer to any “negative” situation: failed a test? Brush your shoulders off. Spent too much money at the club? Brush your shoulders off. Being attacked by a rival candidate for the U.S. presidency? Brush your shoulders off (Kudos, President Obama). “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” became one of Jay’s biggest singles to date, peaking at No. 5 on the Hot 100. Listen here.
Pharrell Williams feat. Jay-Z, "Frontin'"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 5, Peak Date: Sept. 20, 2003
Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z’s professional bromance dates back to 2006, from when working together on Hov’s The Dynasty: ROC La Familia lead single, “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me).” As like “I Just Wanna Love U,” “Frontin'” is yet another hit the duo pocketed. “Frontin'” was the 34th biggest selling single of 2003 in the U.S. Listen here.
Mariah Carey feat. Jay-Z, "Heartbreaker"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (two weeks), Peak Date: Oct. 9, 1999
Jay-Z’s playful guest verse is the cherry on top of Mariah Carey’s addictive Rainbow lead single. The duo’s hit, which was built around a sample from Stacy Lattisaw’s “Attack of the Name Game,” claimed the No. 1 spot for two consecutive weeks. Listen here.
Kanye West and Jay-Z, "Ni**as in Paris"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 5, Peak Date: Jan. 7, 2012
“Ni**as in Paris” is the most hard-hitting song on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s collaborative album, Watch the Throne. Therefore it’s no surprise the Hit-Boy-produced song, which The Throne performed consecutively during their tour, more times with each stop, peaked in the top 5 tier on the Hot 100 chart. Listen here.
Jay-Z feat. Beyoncé, "03' Bonnie & Clyde"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 4, Peak Date: Dec. 28, 2002
“You ready B? Let’s go get ’em,” Jay-Z kicks off his first collaborative hit with his now wife, Beyoncé. “03 Bonnie & Clyde” is proof that the couple has been unstoppable from jump. Coincidentally, The Blueprint 2 hit was the first song that Kanye West produced for his close friend. Ye delivered a hit, built around Tupac’s “Me & My Girlfriend,” after Hov called him up and asked for the “best beat you ever made.” Listen here.
(Video) What Happened To Lisa Stansfield? | Why She Hated Being Referred To As a Blue-Eyed Soul SingerJustin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z, "Suit & Tie"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 3, Peak Date: Oct. 3, 2009
Who better to step back into the music scene with after a six-year hiatus than with Jay-Z? The rapper spits his signature luxury rhymes on Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience comeback hit. Listen here.
Jay-Z feat. Rihanna & Kanye West, "Run This Town"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 2, Peak Date: Oct. 3, 2009
The star power on the second single off The Blueprint 3, turned the song into one of two of Jay-z’s top five hits as a lead artist. Listen here.
Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake, "Holy Grail"
Chart Peak: 4, Peak Date: Sept. 21, 2013
Post Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience, this time Jay taps Justin for “Holy Grail” off the rapper’s his twelfth studio album Magna Carta Holy Grail. The duo’s second collaboration in less than a year peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100, and earned a whopping 27 total weeks on the chart. Listen here.
Rihanna feat. Jay-Z, "Umbrella"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (seven weeks), Peak Date: June 9, 2007
Rihanna introduced her bad ass side with her boss man, Jay-Z, by her side. The Good Girl Gone Bad lead single, produced by The-Dream, earned both Jay-Z and Rihanna another No. 1 hit. “Umbrella” was Rihanna’s 2nd No. 1, following “SOS” (2006), and Jay-Z’s third, following “Heartbreaker” (1999) and “Crazy In Love” (2003). Listen here.
Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys, "Empire State of Mind"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (five weeks), Peak Date: Nov. 28, 2009
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys turned an ode to their city into a national anthem. Their duet not only topped the top spot for five consecutive weeks but earned Jay-Z his only No. 1 as a lead artist. Listen here.
Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z, "Crazy In Love"
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1 (eight weeks), Peak Date: July 12, 2003
We dare you to not “aw” at the fact that Jay-Z’s top Hot 100 No. 1 is a collaborative song with Beyoncé. The power couple has been taking over the charts since “03′ Bonnie & Clyde,” their first collaborative hit. “Crazy In Love” topped the Hot 100 chart for eight consecutive weeks. Listen here.
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Jay-Z’s Top 30 Songs on the Billboard Hot 100? ›
The Beatles, unsurprisingly, lead the way with a record 20 No. 1s, all earned between 1964 and 1970. The Fab Four also scored 34 top 10s (second only to Madonna's 38), hitting No.
How many top 100 hits does Jay Z have? ›- 4 No.
- 22 Top 10 Hits.
- 105 Songs.
The Beatles, unsurprisingly, lead the way with a record 20 No. 1s, all earned between 1964 and 1970. The Fab Four also scored 34 top 10s (second only to Madonna's 38), hitting No.
What is the longest #1 song on Billboard Hot 100? ›"Old Town Road" holds the record for the longest stretch at No. 1 with 19 weeks. It also became the fastest song in history to be certified diamond. "The Box" charted at No.
How many top 10 does Jay Z have? ›10 on the Hot 100, and became Jay's 17th top ten single.
What is Jay-Z's best selling song? ›Jay's biggest song that's ALL him and nobody else is the iconic 99 Problems. Originally a double A-side with Dirt Off Your Shoulder, this track from The Black Album was so popular it charted twice!
Who has more top 10 hits Lil Wayne or Jay-Z? ›With that said, their numbers are comparable ... Wayne has 3 #1 hits (Billboard Hot 100) and Jay has 4 #1s of his own. However, Wayne has 25 of his songs in the top 10 historically, whereas Jay only has 22 in the same category. So, on a song-for-song basis ... they're close.
Who has the most #1 hits in history? ›The Beatles have tallied the most No. 1 hits in the 61-year history of the Hot 100, with 20. Their closest competitor is Mariah Carey, with 18.
Who has the most #1 hits ever? ›The Beatles have the most No. 1 hits of all time: 20. Though unclear for how long, the Beatles still reign supreme as the artist with the most No. 1 songs of all time.
Who has the #1 song of all time? ›What song broke the record for number one? ›
"Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. "Old Town Road" holds the record for the longest stretch at No. 1 with 19 weeks. It also became the fastest song in history to be certified diamond.
What is the most streamed song of all time? ›Top-selling artists worldwide as of 2022
Perhaps unsurprisingly, British rock band The Beatles are top of the list for best-selling artists worldwide, with 183 million units certified sales. Second is Garth Brooks with over 157 million units sales, followed by Elvis Presley with 139 million units.
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life was released in September 1998 and became his first number-one album in the United States. The album featured the international hits "Can I Get A..." and "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", which both reached top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100.
What is Jay-Z highest selling album? ›Jay-Z's best-selling album:
2… Hard Knock Life is Jay-Z's best-selling album n the US, delivering a whopping 5.4 million record sales, going Platinum five times. There's never much doubt about the best albums of Jay's canon but it's not very often that the best album translates into the highest-selling albums.
So far, only seven hip hop records have reached the Diamond status that signifies 10 million certified album units sold in the US. Such artists as Jay Z, Kanye West, Drake, and Dr. Dre, while having many other accolades imaginable, are yet to reach this milestone in their careers.
How many hits has Jay-Z had? ›...
| Jay-Z singles discography | |
|---|---|
| Singles | 119 |
| Promotional singles | 14 |
- 1999 – Best Rap Album for Vol. ...
- 2004 – Best R&B Song for “Crazy in Love” (with Beyoncé) ...
- 2004 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Crazy in Love” (with Beyoncé)
- 2005 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “99 Problems”
- 2006 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Numb/Encore” (with Linkin Park)
In addition to his 13 solo albums, Jay-Z collaborated with some famous artists to create another four platinum albums. This takes Jay-Z's total number of platinum albums to 17! An amazing accomplishment for any artist, not least for a Hip-Hop artist who started off on an independent record label back in 1996.
Who has more hits Drake or Jay Z? ›1s Record. The Young Money MC now has 10 R&B/Hip-Hop Songs No. 1s - the most among rappers.
Who is the number 1 rapper? ›
#1 Jay-Z. Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, is an American rapper who hails from NYC—a fact he raps about consistently over the course of his nearly three-decade career. He quickly rose to fame in the mid-1990s when he released his debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt, from his own record label Roc-A-Fella Records.
Who is the best rapper of all time? ›- JAY-Z. With a career spanning over three decades, JAY-Z's hustle and bustle is evergreen. ...
- Kendrick Lamar. ...
- Nas. ...
- Tupac Shakur. ...
- Eminem. ...
- The Notorious B.I.G. ...
- Lil Wayne.
- As a musician, Paul McCartney has the most No. 1 albums, with 27. This includes 19 albums from his work with The Beatles, three solo albums and five albums as a part of his 1970s group Wings. ...
- Barbra Streisand is the only artist to have No. 1 albums in six different decades.
1 Hits. Drake has tallied 11 No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 in his career, the most among rappers. Among all artists, though, he's tied with Whitney Houston for the seventh-most, after The Beatles (20), Mariah Carey (19), Rihanna (14), Michael Jackson (13), The Supremes and Madonna (12 each).
Which rapper has the most number 1 song? ›| Number | Artist |
|---|---|
| 28 | Drake |
| 11 | Lil Wayne |
| 10 | Puff Daddy |
| Kanye West |
1's. With the release of her single "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" in early '88, Whitney Houston set the record as the only artist ever to reach the milestone of seven consecutive No. 1 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100.
How many #1 hits does Beyonce have? ›American singer-songwriter and producer Beyoncé has achieved 22 number-one songs on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, and ranks 4th among the top 100 Dance Club Songs artists.
What is #1 song right now? ›iTunes Top Pop Songs
The chart of today's current hit top pop songs 2023 on iTunes is several times daily and was last updated: Pacific Time. The current number one pop song on iTunes right now is Monsters by James Blunt.
According to Guinness World Records, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (1942) as performed by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.
What is considered the greatest song ever written? ›| Rank | Artist | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aretha Franklin | "Respect" |
| 2 | Public Enemy | "Fight the Power" |
| 3 | Sam Cooke | "A Change Is Gonna Come" |
| 4 | Bob Dylan | "Like a Rolling Stone" |
Has anyone ever had all top 10 songs? ›
Taylor Swift has once again made music history by claiming every single top 10 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart at once. No other artist has ever held all 10 spots at the same time, according to Billboard.
Who has the most top 100 hits? ›Artists with most songs in the Billboard Top 100 in the U.S. 2012-2021. During the time period from 2012 to 2021, Drake was the top performer in the charts, with 46 songs in the Billboard Top 100. Ranking in joint second place were Ariana Grande with 22 and Nicki Minaj with 21 songs each.
Which rapper has the most Hot 100 hits? ›1 Hits. Drake has tallied 11 No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 in his career, the most among rappers.
Who has more top 100 hits? ›Songwriters with most songs in the Billboard Top 100 in the U.S. 2021. During the time period from 2012 to 2021,Aubrey Graham (better known as Drake) was the top songwriter in the charts, with 47 songs in the Billboard Top 100. In second place was Martin Sandberg (Max Martin) with 46 songs.
What's the #1 song of all time? ›The Greatest Hit: The New No. 1 Song of All Time. "Blinding Lights" is now the top Billboard Hot 100 song of all time. The Weeknd and his collaborators reveal just how they made history.
How many hits does Jay-Z have? ›The singles discography of American rapper Jay-Z consists of 68 singles as a lead artist, and 51 singles as a featured artist, as well as 14 promotional singles.
How many Billboard Hot 100 entries does Jay-Z have? ›90 on the most recent Hot 100. Beyoncé and Oumou Sangare are also featured on the track. Of JAY-Z's 100 top 100 finishes, the rapper hit no. 1 four times.
Who has 7 consecutive Billboard Top 100? ›April 1988: Whitney Houston Becomes the First Artist To Score Seven Consecutive No. 1's. With the release of her single "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" in early '88, Whitney Houston set the record as the only artist ever to reach the milestone of seven consecutive No. 1 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Has any artist had all top 10 songs? ›Taylor Swift has once again made music history by claiming every single top 10 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart at once. No other artist has ever held all 10 spots at the same time, according to Billboard.
Who is the number one solo artist of all time? ›
Michael Jackson, "King of Pop"
His total record sales are estimated to be 400 million records, whereas his certified sales units are about 258.9 million.