SZA's Kill Bill Tops Its First Radio Chart With No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay

SZA's Kill Bill Tops Its First Radio Chart With No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay

SZA has recently reimagined several scenes from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill for her new video. Starring a katana-wielding SZA, it's a darkly comedic take on revenge that seems to mirror her own experience with being dumped by an abusive ex-boyfriend.

The song also vaults her into the third spot on Billboard's Rhythmic Airplay chart, surpassing Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage's "Creepin."

1. SZA Tops Rhythmic Airplay Chart

SZA has achieved her first radio chart topper with her song "Kill Bill," which topped Mediabase's Rhythmic Airplay chart this week. During the tracking period which ended February 19, the song received 6,182 spins.

The Rhythmic Airplay chart measures the airplay of songs played on radio stations that specialize in hit-driven R&B/hip-hop and pop music. It is published weekly by Billboard magazine and compiled by Luminate, an independent data provider to the chart.

Rhythmic Airplay differs from Billboard Hot 100 in that it ranks songs according to sales and streaming statistics, rather than radio plays. To complete each week's charts, Luminate reviews all data submitted for each week with Billboard helping remove any unverifiable or suspicious data so final results accurately reflect real radio activity.

SZA's single "No Exit" continues to lead Rhythmic Airplay for a third week, thanks to an 11% gain in weekly plays. This marks her first top three position as lead artist on the chart and she also climbs 4-4 atop Streaming Airplay and 2-5 on Digital Song Sales.

Her latest single, which reimagines scenes from the Kill Bill films, peaks at No. 3 on Billboard Hot 100 and tops the RIAA's R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart; it joins PinkPantheress' "Boy's a Liar, Pt. 2" and Ice Spice's "Last Night" as one of four top songs to reach that status, joining PinkPantheress' "Boy's a Liar" and Ice Spice's "Last Night".

In an interview, SZA revealed her dissatisfaction with "Kill Bill," her top single from Ctrl: The Album, as it proved too easy to create. She cited Lizzo's iconic track "About Damn Time" as inspiration for writing the track she co-wrote with Grammy-winning rapper.

On February 24, a video for the track premiered, reimagining several scenes from the movies. Starring Kill Bill franchise star Vivica A. Fox in a cameo appearance, it ends on an erotic note as SZA is seen suspended nude within bondage ropes.

2. SZA Tops Pop Airplay Chart

The honest R&B singer-songwriter has held the number one spot on the chart for four weeks with her "SOS" album, becoming only the seventh female artist to do so since Adele's "30" in late 2021 and early 2022.

The album has also become one of the most-streamed digital platforms in America, with its songs garnering more than 16 million streams during the last tracking week, according to Luminate's analysis of music streaming data.

SZA has achieved success on her first radio chart, as her "Kill Bill" single leads Rhythmic Airplay and becomes its first leader. This comes from Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems (BDS) audience impressions measured in real-time by radio stations using Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems to track playouts. It also advances 6-4 on Radio Songs survey with 71.5 million total audience impressions (up 11%) and becomes her third top five hit.

Rhythmic Airplay is a popular alternative to the Top 40 chart and encompasses various genres such as pop, rock, country and R&B. It is comprised of 66 stations that are electronically monitored 24 hours a day for seven days a week.

This chart ranks the most streamed songs on mainstream top 40 radio, according to data compiled by a panel of industry professionals who evaluate songs based on listening habits and consumption patterns. It serves as an invaluable resource for artists and labels alike as it allows them to gauge popularity, promote their brand, and gauge overall success in the charts.

SZA's "Kill Bill" has made a meteoric rise to the top of both Billboard's Rhythmic Airplay chart and Top 100 chart, rising 4-2 on both. This marks her first song to lead two different categories and second Hot 100 success in just over three months.

SZA's psychedelic-pop song 'Kill Bill' is an upbeat number with a detuned melody inspired by the iconic film franchise of the same name. SZA is an award-winning singer-songwriter renowned for her daring performances; she has received multiple awards and is nominated for multiple Grammys for her work.

3. SZA Tops R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart

SZA's chart-topping single, 'Kill Bill,' marked her first chart-topping single on the radio ranking and its impressive week-over-week gains earned it a weekly Greatest Gainer award. According to Luminate Data Solutions, the song experienced an unprecedented 19% jump in plays - more than any of this week's 40 songs combined!

Its first radio chart win also signals that R&B and hip-hop music is making a comeback on the charts. The Top 10 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart features artists like Sam Smith and Kim Petras with "Unholy," Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero," which spent eight weeks at No. 1 during November-December; Beyonce's "Cuff It," which stays at No. 9; David Guetta and Bebe Rexha's "I'm Good (Blue)," which continues its lead position leading multimetric chart for its 23rd week.

SZA's chart-topping hit, SOS, also reached No. 1 on Billboard 200 albums chart and her song "Love Galore" became the most streamed R&B track of 2017. She earned herself a GRAMMY win with "Kiss Me More" from her debut CTRL and has won multiple awards since its release in 2022.

SZA's hit single 'Kill Bill' has become her biggest success to date, topping the Rhythmic Airplay chart for a third week with 95.1 million audience impressions (up 20%) and climbing 7-3 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. With more than 60 million streams worldwide, Christian Breslauer directed its official video which includes an appearance from Kill Bill franchise star Vivica A. Fox.

'Kill Bill' has made a notable debut on the Rhythmic Airplay chart, quickly becoming one of the most played tracks in its genre - KNDA-FM in Corpus Christi leading with 4.3 million listener impressions. Additionally, its huge week-over-week rise on radio rankings saw it become the most played R&B/hip-hop song across U.S. monitored stations for the week ending February 9, an uncommon feat for genres typically less commercial than pop counterparts.

The song has been featured on numerous television shows and films, such as 'The Walking Dead.' It has also been covered by Khalid and Wale who both released versions of the track. Both music critics and fans have praised this cover; Vibe's Jessica McKinney calling it "expressive" while Stereogum's Chris DeVille calling it a "characteristically rich reading of the source material."

4. SZA Tops Digital Song Sales Chart

Chart-topper Ctrl is the artist's second chart-topper, following her debut album which achieved 5 million equivalent album sales. Her success can be attributed to her distinctive style and ability to tell stories that are both relatable and complex.

SZA's candor-laced R&B style exposes her most intimate thoughts, from intense violence and devastation to sheer joy. Her lyrics for "Kill Bill" capture both these extreme yet relatable murder fantasies.

SZA's latest release showcases her unique ability to craft music that connects with fans in an unmistakably personal way. Her distinctive voice and the stories she tells through it are both refreshing and motivating, giving her a unique edge among other artists.

Her latest album, SOS, has already topped the charts for four consecutive weeks - marking the first time an album by a woman has achieved number one on the albums chart since Janet Jackson's janet in 1993.

She has also achieved unprecedented success on the songwriting chart, with 15 of her compositions appearing on the most recent Songwriters Chart.

The sensual and soulful singer's ethereal vocals are reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar. Her storytelling abilities and talent have earned her numerous awards over the years.

SZA has successfully created a unique sound by fusing genres like rap, R&B and pop together. Her unique blend of genres has become an instant classic.

SZA has achieved great success throughout her career, earning awards such as GRAMMYs, BET Awards and NAACP Image Awards. Furthermore, she was honored with Billboard's Women in Music Rule Breaker award.

Last week, SZA reigned supreme on the Global 200 with her hit song "Kill Bill." Additionally, it made a comeback on the Hot 100, rising ten spots to No. 1, where it remained for another week.

SZA has made an incredible leap, having previously only achieved three top 10s on US radio charts. She expressed her gratitude for this honor in a tweet, thanking her fans for continuing to show their support.