Air power
 | Hello, I wanted to know if an artist could be No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 with the most airplay of all songs, but with sales that aren't as good. I'm asking this because of Mariah Carey's latest single "We Belong Together".
The single is doing well with airplay, better than Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" [which is No. 1 on the Hot 100]. But Stefani is doing better sales-wise. I want to know if airplay and sales are split 50/50 when tabulating the Hot 100, or are sales more important than airplay. And, do you think "We Belong Together" could get to No. 1? Joel Hi Joel. One can certainly be No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 with the majority of their chart points coming from sales or radio airplay. Or vice-versa. For example, when Fantasia's "I Believe" went to No. 1 last year, the "American Idol" winner's single was propelled to the top of the chart almost entirely by sales of the single. Radio had hardly played the tune when it reached No. 1.
This week's No. 1, Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl", is a solid hit with both sales (digitally) and radio airplay. The single is No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart and No. 4 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. Mariah Carey certainly has a very good shot at being No. 1 on the Hot 100 in the next few weeks. "We Belong Together" is her biggest airplay hit since "One Sweet Day" in 1995, and her digital sales are rising each week.
For what it's worth, Carey has often reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 in the past with a single that was powered by sales, but lacked radio airplay. For example, her last No. 1, 2000's "Thank God I Found You", peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, but was a No. 1 sales hit. Similarly, her 1998 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit "My All" peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, but No. 1 on the sales chart. (Ask Billboard)
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