“I Just Might” debuts at No. 1 on the Hot 100, earning Bruno Mars his milestone tenth leader. He’s just the twelfth act to hit that landmark sum in the chart’s history. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 24: Co-Owner of SelvaRey Rum Bruno Mars attends the SelvaRey Pina Colada Party Hosted by Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak at The Hollywood Roosevelt on July 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for SelvaRey)
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Whenever Bruno Mars begins a new chapter, millions of people all around the world take notice. The pop icon spaces his albums out by several years, and in just a few weeks, he’s slated to deliver his first solo collection in a decade. The Romantic is scheduled to arrive in February, and Mars introduces the full-length with lead single “I Just Might,” which becomes an immediate smash in America.
“I Just Might” opens at No. 1 on multiple Billboard charts, and as it debuts, the track helps Mars join one of the most exclusive clubs in music history as it becomes a milestone smash.
“I Just Might” Debuts At No 1
“I Just Might” launches at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Billboard’s most important and most competitive songs tally. The Hot 100 ranks the most consumed tunes in the United States, with sales, streaming activity, and radio airplay all factoring into where a title lands on the 100-space tally.
Bruno Mars Claims Tenth Hot 100 No. 1
Mars collects his landmark tenth No. 1 hit, as “I Just Might” starts in first place. The cut is his first to debut at the summit, though many of his most successful cuts came close to doing so. Here is a look at all of the 10 singles Mars has sent to the top spot on the Hot 100 throughout the past 15 years:
- “Die With a Smile” with Lady Gaga
- “Grenade”
- “I Just Might”
- “Just the Way You Are”
- “Leave the Door Open” with Silk Sonic (Mars & Anderson .Paak)
- “Locked Out of Heaven”
- “Nothin’ on You” with B.o.B
- “That’s What I Like”
- “Uptown Funk!” with Mark Ronson
- “When I Was Your Man”
Bruno Mars Ties Stevie Wonder In Hot 100 History
Among solo male artists, Mars ties for the third-most No. 1 hits in the Hot 100’s half-century-plus-long tenure with an even 10 leaders. Mars is now on the same level as Stevie Wonder. Only Drake and Michael Jackson have accrued more, as those two superstars are also matched with a lucky 13 apiece.
The Beatles And Mariah Carey Lead the Charge
Promotional portrait of the British rock band The Beatles, circa 1963. Paul McCartney holds a cigarette, others are (left to right) Ringo Starr, George Harrison (1943 – 2001) and John Lennon. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
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Looking at all acts, Mars shares tenth place. In addition to Wonder, Janet Jackson also stopped collecting rulers after 10.
Mars has a long way to go if he wants to catch up to the all-time record holders. The Beatles, the British pop rock outfit, nabbed an even 20 smashes, and for decades, the Fab Four have not faced any real competition. That changed several years ago when Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” finally surged to the top spot, and now she’s just one No. 1 away from matching the group.
Here is a look at all of the artists who have scored 10 or more No. 1s on the Hot 100:
- 20 – The Beatles
- 19 – Mariah Carey
- 14 – Rihanna
- 13 – Drake
- 13 – Michael Jackson
- 13 – Taylor Swift
- 12 – Madonna
- 12 – The Supremes
- 11 – Whitney Houston
- 10 – Janet Jackson
- 10 – Bruno Mars
- 10 – Stevie Wonder
“I Just Might” Also Leads the Streaming And Sales Charts
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 03: Bruno Mars of Silk Sonic performs onstage during the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
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In addition to the Hot 100, “I Just Might” also starts at No. 1 on two of the three rosters that help build the main singles chart. “I Just Might” opens atop both the Streaming Songs and Digital Song Sales rankings. Mars collects his fourth champion on the roster that looks only at the most-streamed tunes and his twelfth – one of the most impressive accumulations of all time – on the Digital Song Sales chart.
Bruno Mars Makes History on the Radio List
No tune opens at No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart, as it is built in a different manner than several other important lists. Quick adoption at radio stations across the country is impressive, but never enough to send a tune all the way to the penthouse in its first frame. The Streaming Songs and Digital Song Sales charts are entirely powered by fans and immediate attention can make a brand new release an instant winner.
“I Just Might” does open at No. 12 on the Radio Songs chart, which Billboard reports marks the highest launch by a lead male act in at least the past quarter century.
Bruno Mars Only Waited a Year In Between No. 1 Hits
It’s only been just over a year since Mars scored his latest No. 1 on the Hot 100. “Die With a Smile,” his Grammy-winning collaboration with Lady Gaga, jumped to the peak on the chart in January 2025, months after it launched within the top 10.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2026/01/20/bruno-mars-joins-michael-jackson-and-taylor-swift-as-his-song-debuts-at-no-1/
