2020 Billboard Number One Hits: Every Hot 100 Chart-Topper

The 2020 Billboard Number One Hits list captured one of the strangest years in modern music history. The chart moved through holiday carryovers, viral rap, pandemic-era streaming hits, superstar pop collaborations, K-pop milestones, and a Christmas song that kept showing up like it owned the building.

This page follows the Billboard Hot 100 issue dates for 2020, shown here as easy-to-read weekly date ranges. Because Billboard chart weeks can cross calendar years, this list begins with the late-2019 holiday carryover and continues into the first chart week of 2021 when needed.

The Billboard Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States using streaming activity, radio airplay, and sales. These are official Billboard No. 1 songs, not personal favorites, playlist rankings, or “the song everyone was actually humming in the grocery store” picks.

2020 Billboard Number One Hits by Week

December 29, 2019 – January 4, 2020: All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
January 5 – January 11, 2020: Circles – Post Malone
January 12 – March 28, 2020: The Box – Roddy Ricch
March 29 – April 11, 2020: Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
April 12 – April 18, 2020: Toosie Slide – Drake
April 19 – May 2, 2020: Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
May 3 – May 9, 2020: The Scotts – The Scotts, Travis Scott & Kid Cudi
May 10 – May 16, 2020: Say So – Doja Cat featuring Nicki Minaj
May 17 – May 23, 2020: Stuck with U – Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber
May 24 – May 30, 2020: Savage – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé
May 31 – June 6, 2020: Rain on Me – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
June 7 – June 20, 2020: Rockstar – DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
June 21 – June 27, 2020: Trollz – 6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj
June 28 – August 1, 2020: Rockstar – DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
August 2 – August 8, 2020: Cardigan – Taylor Swift
August 9 – August 15, 2020: Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles
August 16 – August 29, 2020: WAP – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
August 30 – September 12, 2020: Dynamite – BTS
September 13 – September 26, 2020: WAP – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
September 27 – October 3, 2020: Dynamite – BTS
October 4 – October 10, 2020: Franchise – Travis Scott featuring Young Thug & M.I.A.
October 11 – October 17, 2020: Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) – Jawsh 685, Jason Derulo & BTS
October 18 – October 31, 2020: Mood – 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior
November 1 – November 7, 2020: Positions – Ariana Grande
November 8 – November 28, 2020: Mood – 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior
November 29 – December 5, 2020: Life Goes On – BTS
December 6 – December 12, 2020: Mood – 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior
December 13 – December 19, 2020: All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
December 20 – December 26, 2020: Willow – Taylor Swift
December 27, 2020 – January 2, 2021: All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

Song-by-Song Notes on the 2020 Billboard No. 1 Hits

All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You opened the 2020 Hot 100 calendar at No. 1 after finally reaching the top during the 2019 holiday season. Originally released in 1994, the song had become one of the clearest examples of how streaming changed Christmas music’s chart power.

It returned again in December 2020 and continued into January 2021, making the year feel like it had Mariah bookends. Some songs chart; this one commutes annually.

Circles – Post Malone

Post Malone’s Circles returned to No. 1 for the January 11, 2020 Billboard chart. The song had already been a major 2019 hit, and its early-2020 week on top showed its strong radio and streaming durability.

With its melodic pop-rock feel, Circles helped Post Malone continue moving beyond strict rap categories. It sounded like a breakup song wearing a very comfortable hoodie.

The Box – Roddy Ricch

Roddy Ricch’s The Box became the first dominant No. 1 hit of 2020, spending 11 consecutive weeks at the top of the Hot 100. Its unusual squeaky-door-style vocal effect became one of the most recognizable sounds of the year.

The song’s long run showed how quickly a streaming-driven rap hit could become a mainstream chart monster. It also proved that sometimes the weirdest sound in the track becomes the thing everyone remembers.

Blinding Lights – The Weeknd

The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights spent four total weeks at No. 1 in 2020 and became Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song. Its 1980s-inspired synth-pop sound, huge chorus, and long radio life made it one of the defining songs of the early 2020s.

The song’s chart story was bigger than its No. 1 total. It became a marathon hit, staying visible long after many faster No. 1 debuts came and went.

Toosie Slide – Drake

Drake’s Toosie Slide debuted at No. 1 in April 2020. The song was built around a dance instruction hook, making it especially suited to the early-pandemic moment when short-form video and home-based dance clips were everywhere.

It was one of the clearest examples of a song designed for streaming-era movement, memes, and social media participation. Basically, Drake gave the internet choreography and a beat.

The Scotts – The Scotts, Travis Scott & Kid Cudi

The Scotts debuted at No. 1 as a collaboration between Travis Scott and Kid Cudi, credited under the group name The Scotts. Its release followed major online attention around Travis Scott’s virtual Fortnite event, making it one of the most internet-native chart moments of the year.

The song’s one-week run showed how superstar branding, gaming culture, and streaming could combine into an immediate Hot 100 debut.

Say So – Doja Cat featuring Nicki Minaj

Doja Cat’s Say So, boosted by a remix featuring Nicki Minaj, reached No. 1 in May 2020. The song had already grown through TikTok dance popularity, radio play, and its disco-pop groove before the remix helped push it over the top.

The No. 1 gave both Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj their first Hot 100 chart-topper. For a song with such a smooth retro feel, it was very much a modern internet-era success story.

Stuck with U – Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber

Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s Stuck with U debuted at No. 1 as a charity single during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ballad captured the lockdown-era theme of being together at home, which gave it a very specific 2020 emotional setting.

The song’s debut was powered by two massive pop fan bases and a moment when listeners were looking for comfort, connection, and maybe a slightly less depressing living room soundtrack.

Savage – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé

Megan Thee Stallion’s Savage, boosted by a remix featuring Beyoncé, reached No. 1 after becoming a major social-media and dance challenge hit. The remix connected Megan’s rising star power with Beyoncé’s cultural heavyweight status.

The song gave Megan Thee Stallion her first Hot 100 No. 1 and became one of the year’s defining pop-rap moments.

Rain on Me – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande

Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s Rain on Me debuted at No. 1 as a dance-pop collaboration from Gaga’s album Chromatica. The song brought big vocals, club energy, and emotional release into a year when actual clubs were mostly not an option.

Its No. 1 debut made the song feel like a glitter cannon fired directly into a gloomy spring. Sometimes pop music’s job is to bring the weather machine.

Rockstar – DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch

DaBaby and Roddy Ricch’s Rockstar spent seven total weeks at No. 1 in 2020. The song mixed melodic rap with a darker mood and benefited from strong streaming performance during the summer.

Roddy Ricch had already dominated the year with The Box, and Rockstar made his 2020 chart presence even bigger. Not a bad year for someone who kept showing up at No. 1 like he had a spare key.

Trollz – 6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj

Trollz by 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj debuted at No. 1 for one week in June 2020. The song was heavily driven by online attention, fan activity, and controversy around its release.

Its brief run showed how fast a high-attention streaming-era single could reach the top, even when its stay there was short.

Cardigan – Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s Cardigan debuted at No. 1 after the surprise release of her album Folklore. The song marked a major stylistic turn into indie-folk and softer storytelling after years of big pop production.

Its debut showed Swift’s ability to turn a surprise album into an immediate chart event, even with a song that sounded more like a candlelit cabin than a stadium single.

Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles

Harry Styles reached No. 1 with Watermelon Sugar, giving him his first Hot 100 chart-topper as a solo artist. The song’s sunny pop-rock sound, summer-ready chorus, and playful imagery made it one of 2020’s most durable radio hits.

It also helped establish Styles as a solo artist with broad pop appeal beyond his One Direction past. Fruit-based pop symbolism had a good day.

WAP – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s WAP debuted at No. 1 and became one of 2020’s most discussed songs. The track’s bold lyrics, high-profile video, and nonstop public reaction turned it into a major pop-culture event.

It topped the Hot 100 for multiple weeks and gave both artists another major chart moment. The song was not subtle, and neither was its impact.

Dynamite – BTS

BTS reached No. 1 with Dynamite, their first Hot 100 chart-topper and their first full English-language single. The song brought bright disco-pop energy and became a major international pop milestone.

Dynamite helped move BTS even further into the U.S. mainstream and opened the door for more Hot 100 No. 1 success in 2020 and 2021. It was cheerful, polished, and extremely efficient at making history.

Franchise – Travis Scott featuring Young Thug & M.I.A.

Travis Scott’s Franchise, featuring Young Thug and M.I.A., debuted at No. 1 in October 2020. The song continued Scott’s run of event-style single releases built around strong branding, visuals, and fan attention.

Its one-week stay at No. 1 reflected a common 2020 pattern: huge debut, fast impact, quick turnover.

Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) – Jawsh 685, Jason Derulo & BTS

Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) reached No. 1 after a remix featuring BTS helped push the song to the top. The track began with New Zealand producer Jawsh 685’s instrumental Laxed (Siren Beat) before becoming a global pop hit with Jason Derulo.

Its path to No. 1 showed how TikTok sounds, international production, remixes, and global fan bases could reshape the Hot 100.

Mood – 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior

Mood by 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior reached No. 1 in October and returned several times through the end of 2020. The song blended pop-rap, emo-pop, and alternative influence into one of the year’s catchiest crossover hits.

Its repeated returns made it one of the late-year chart’s most persistent songs. It sounded light, but it had chart legs.

Positions – Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande’s Positions debuted at No. 1 in November 2020. The song introduced her album of the same name with a smooth pop-R&B sound and a confident, intimate vocal style.

Its debut gave Grande another immediate chart-topper and confirmed her status as one of the era’s most reliable No. 1 debut artists.

Life Goes On – BTS

BTS debuted at No. 1 with Life Goes On, a softer and more reflective single from their album Be. Unlike Dynamite, the song was primarily performed in Korean, making its Hot 100 debut especially significant.

The song’s success showed the strength of BTS’s U.S. fan base and the growing reach of non-English-language pop on the Hot 100.

Willow – Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s Willow debuted at No. 1 after the surprise release of Evermore, the companion album to Folklore. The song continued Swift’s folk-pop storytelling era with a warmer, winding sound.

Its No. 1 debut made Swift one of the year’s rare artists with multiple Hot 100 chart-toppers. Apparently, surprise albums had become a Swift scheduling strategy and a chart weapon.

Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Stories of 2020

Blinding Lights Was the Year’s Biggest Overall Hit

Blinding Lights by The Weeknd spent four weeks at No. 1, but its full-year performance was much larger than that number suggests. It became Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 2020 and later became one of the most statistically successful Hot 100 songs ever.

The Box Dominated the Start of the Year

Roddy Ricch’s The Box spent 11 consecutive weeks at No. 1, giving 2020 its first long-running chart leader. Its viral sound effect and streaming strength made it one of the year’s most instantly recognizable songs.

One-Week No. 1 Debuts Were Everywhere

2020 had many songs that debuted at No. 1 and stayed there briefly, including Toosie Slide, The Scotts, Stuck with U, Rain on Me, Trollz, Cardigan, Franchise, Positions, Life Goes On, and Willow. The streaming era made release week a major battlefield.

BTS Made Hot 100 History

BTS reached No. 1 three times in 2020 with Dynamite, Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat), and Life Goes On. Dynamite was their first Hot 100 No. 1, while Life Goes On became a major milestone for a primarily Korean-language song.

Women Ruled Several Major Pop Moments

Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Taylor Swift, and Mariah Carey all appeared on 2020 No. 1 hits. From remixes to surprise albums to holiday classics, women shaped a large part of the year’s Hot 100 story.

2020 Billboard Number One Hits Trivia

Blinding Lights by The Weeknd was Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 2020.
The Box by Roddy Ricch spent 11 consecutive weeks at No. 1, the longest uninterrupted No. 1 run of the year.
Rockstar by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch spent seven total weeks at No. 1.
Dynamite gave BTS their first Hot 100 No. 1.
Watermelon Sugar gave Harry Styles his first solo Hot 100 No. 1.
Say So gave both Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj their first Hot 100 No. 1.
Savage gave Megan Thee Stallion her first Hot 100 No. 1.
Life Goes On became one of the most notable non-English-language No. 1 debuts in Hot 100 history.
Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You appeared at both ends of the 2020 chart range.

Why the 2020 Billboard Number One Hits Matter

The 2020 Billboard Number One Hits reflected a year when music consumption changed under unusual circumstances. With touring paused, listeners leaned heavily on streaming, social media, video platforms, and online fan communities. That helped create a chart full of massive debuts, viral moments, and quick turnovers.

The year also showed how broad the Hot 100 had become. Rap, pop, K-pop, holiday music, dance-pop, folk-pop, and TikTok-driven hits all reached No. 1. Some songs were slow-building smashes, while others arrived like fireworks and disappeared from the top almost as quickly.

For chart fans, 2020 was chaotic but revealing. The Hot 100 became a mirror of streaming culture, online fandom, lockdown listening, and old holiday favorites that had learned new tricks.