Part of the reason why Furious 7 had such a huge debut on the Billboard Charts was the Wiz Khalifa’s sentimental record, “See You Again.” The heartfelt song not only acted as a tribute to the late Paul Walker and introduced Charlie Puth to the masses, the track is also very relatable to anyone who has ever lost a loved one.
And for those who have had their fill of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk,” go ahead and rejoice. “See You Again” just took control of the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
Reports Billboard:
Wiz Khalifa completes a fast and furious vault to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, as “See You Again,” featuring Charlie Puth, and from the box office smash Furious 7, zooms 10-1. The song stops the command of Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!,” featuring Bruno Mars, after 14 weeks. The latter remains tied for the second-longest rule in the Hot 100’s history.
Spurring its Hot 100 coronation, “Again” holds at No. 1 on the Digital Songs chart and roars to No. 1 on the Streaming Songs and On-Demand Songs charts.
With the track’s 10-1 leap, “Again” makes the biggest jump to the summit since … well, the No. 1 before “Funk.” Taylor Swift’s “Black Space” bounded 13-1 on the Nov. 29, 2014 Hot 100. (The all-time record: Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You” rocketed 97-1 on Feb. 7, 2009.)
How did “Again” ascend to No. 1 on the Hot 100? The track spends a second week at No. 1 on Digital Songs with a 176 percent surge to 464,000 downloads sold in the week ending April 12, according to Nielsen Music. The song boasts the largest weekly sales this year and the most since “Blank Space” sold 503,000 (Nov. 15); it’s the 19th-biggest week for a song since Nielsen began tracking digital sales in 2003. Flo Rida’s “Right Round” holds the record for most weekly downloads sold: 636,000 (Feb. 28, 2009).
“Again” tops the Hot 100 as Furious 7 continues to dominate at the box office, having taken in more than $803 million in worldwide receipts since its April 3 opening, according to Box Office Mojo. Also largely fueling the song’s rise to the Hot 100’s pinnacle: its video, released Monday, April 6 (first on the Facebook page of the film’s Vin Diesel), which pays tribute to Furious star Paul Walker, who died in a car crash in 2013. Powered by the arrival of the clip, “Again” blasts 26-1 on Streaming Songs with 25 million U.S. streams, a 510 percent increase. The track also debuts at No. 1 on the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs chart (7.7 million, up 1,087 percent). “Again” is the first song to enter atop On-Demand Songs in the chart’s three-year history. (It additionally wins the Hot 100’s top Digital and Streaming Gainer awards.)
Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” is currently available on iTunes now.
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Photo: VEVO
