For the first time in 35 years, the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 is entirely devoid of rap songs, marking the end of a decades-long streak for the genre. The milestone comes following the exit of Kendrick Lamar’s hit track “Luther”, featuring SZA, after a recent Billboard rule change altered charting criteria.

Billboard Rule Change Leads to Genre Gap

On October 29, 2025, Billboard announced that Lamar and SZA’s track had been removed from the chart tracker due to updated rules regarding song longevity and placement. Previously, songs were removed if they fell below No. 25 after 25 weeks or No. 50 after 20 weeks. Under the new guidelines:

• Below No. 5 after 78 weeks
• Below No. 10 after 52 weeks
• Below No. 25 after 26 weeks
• Below No. 50 after 20 weeks

“Luther” finished at No. 38 in its final week but did not meet the new threshold of reaching No. 25 within 26 weeks, prompting its removal.

Kendrick Lamar’s Record-Breaking 2025

Despite the chart absence, Lamar has had a landmark year. The GNX album, featuring “Luther,” became the longest-running No. 1 album on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart. He also headlined the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show and won Grammys in all five categories for which he was nominated, solidifying his status as one of hip-hop’s most influential artists.

Pop Dominance on the Charts

Meanwhile, pop music continues to dominate the Billboard Hot 100. Every track from Taylor Swift’s album “The Life of a Showgirl” appeared on the chart, along with singles from artists like Justin Bieber, Olivia Dean, and Alex Warren, whose song “Ordinary” spent 37 weeks on the chart.

Although rap has temporarily vanished from the top 40, several lower-ranking songs suggest potential comebacks. On the October 25 Hot 100, tracks like YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s “Shot Callin” at No. 44, Cardi B’s “Safe” featuring Kehlani at No. 48, and BigXthaPlug’s “Hell at Night” featuring Ella Langley at No. 49 hint at rap’s enduring presence just below the top tier.

Hip-Hop’s Commercial Shifts

Billboard attributes this absence to a gradual decline in rap’s commercial dominance since its peak in 2020. For context:

• On October 24, 2020, there were 16 rap songs in the Top 40.
• By 2023, that number had decreased by roughly half.

This marks a significant shift in the genre’s mainstream influence, highlighting how pop and other music styles have regained traction in the Hot 100.

Historical Context

The last time the Billboard Top 40 had no rap songs was in February 1990, when Biz Markie’s classic “Just a Friend” sat at No. 41 before climbing back to No. 29 the following week. Lamar and SZA’s exit thus closes a remarkable 35-year streak of continuous rap representation on the Hot 100.