From the underground buzz of Section.80 to consistently topping charts, Kendrick Lamar has cemented his place as a leading voice in modern music. Over the past two decades, his blend of lyrical complexity, potent storytelling, and musical innovation has garnered both critical acclaim and widespread commercial success. Many critics and fans alike consider him not just a defining rapper of his generation, but already among the greatest hip-hop artists of all time.
Born and raised in Compton, California, Lamar began his journey with regional mixtapes in the early 2000s. His Overly Dedicated mixtape marked his first entry onto the Billboard charts, reaching No. 72 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in October 2010. The following year, his debut album Section.80 broke into the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 113 in June 2011, signaling the arrival of a significant new voice in hip-hop.
The real breakthrough into mainstream hitmaking began with 2012’s good kid, m.A.A.d city. This album, his major label debut under Aftermath/Interscope Records, debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It spawned three top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: the introspective “Swimming Pools (Drank)” (No. 17), the iconic “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe” (No. 32), and the Drake-assisted narrative “Poetic Justice” (No. 26). good kid, m.A.A.d city‘s impact resonated throughout the industry, earning seven Grammy Award nominations, including the prestigious Album of the Year.
Since good kid, m.A.A.d city, every Kendrick Lamar album release has become a cultural event. His subsequent studio albums – the groundbreaking To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), the raw and introspective DAMN. (2017), the double album Mr. Morale & The Good Steppers (2022), and the recent GNX (2024) – have all debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Even his more experimental projects, like the demo collection Untitled Unmastered (2016) and the soundtrack he curated for the film Black Panther (2018), also reached the summit of the chart.
While album success was immediate, singles chart dominance took a bit longer to fully materialize. Lamar first reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 as a featured artist on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” in 2015. He then claimed his first solo No. 1 with the assertive anthem “Humble.” in 2017. Following “Humble.”, he consistently landed in the top 10 with solo tracks like the powerful “DNA.” and the introspective “N95,” as well as collaborations with major artists such as Maroon 5 (“Don’t Wanna Know”), The Weeknd (“Pray for Me”), and SZA (“All the Stars”). These songs showcase his versatility and broad appeal across different genres.
However, it was a high-profile feud in 2024 with Drake that propelled his chart performance to unprecedented heights. Kendrick’s verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” ignited the feud and the track debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100. This sparked a series of diss tracks between the two rap giants, capturing the attention of the entire pop culture landscape. From this intense exchange, Lamar scored his second solo No. 1 with “Not Like Us,” which became the defining song of the entire rivalry, showcasing his lyrical prowess and cultural impact.
Riding this wave of public attention and critical acclaim, Lamar released GNX in November 2024. The album’s track “Squabble Up” became his third Hot 100 No. 1 in 2024 alone, making him the artist with the most No. 1 hits in that year. In an extraordinary display of chart dominance, tracks from GNX occupied the entire top five of the Hot 100 in its debut week. This feat placed Lamar in an elite group, joining The Beatles, Drake, and Taylor Swift as the only artists to ever monopolize the top five spots.
Kendrick Lamar’s triumphant year culminated in five Grammy Awards wins at the 2025 ceremony, including the coveted Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Not Like Us.” Looking ahead, he is set to headline the halftime show at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025, solidifying his status as a global superstar.
As Kendrick Lamar prepares for one of the world’s largest stages, it’s time to look back at his impressive trajectory of hit songs. Below is a recap of 20 of Kendrick Lamar’s biggest songs on the Hot 100, reflecting his journey from early underground favorites to chart-topping anthems.
Kendrick Lamar’s Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits ranking is based on weekly performance on the Hot 100 from its Aug. 4, 1958 inception through Feb. 8, 2025. Songs are ranked using an inverse point system, awarding more points for weeks at No. 1 and fewer points for weeks in lower positions. Chart methodology changes over the years are accounted for by weighting different eras to reflect varying chart turnover rates.
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“Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 32 Hot 100 Peak Date: June 1, 2023 -
“King’s Dead” (with Jay Rock, Future and James Blake)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 21 Hot 100 Peak Date: March 24, 2018 -
“Poetic Justice” (featuring Drake)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 26 Hot 100 Peak Date: March 16, 2013 -
“Euphoria”
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 3 Hot 100 Peak Date: May 18, 2024 -
“Loyalty.” (featuring Rihanna)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 14 Hot 100 Peak Date: May 6, 2017 -
“Squabble Up”
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 1 (one week) Hot 100 Peak Date: Dec. 7, 2024 -
“TV Off”
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 2 Hot 100 Peak Date: Dec. 7, 2024 -
“The Greatest” (Sia featuring Kendrick Lamar)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 18 Hot 100 Peak Date: Dec. 10, 2016 -
“DNA.”
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 4 Hot 100 Peak Date: May 6, 2017 -
“Swimming Pools (Drank)”
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 17 Hot 100 Peak Date: Dec. 15, 2012 -
“All the Stars” (with SZA)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 7 Hot 100 Peak Date: March 3, 2018 -
“Love.” (featuring Zacari)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 11 Hot 100 Peak Date: Jan. 6, 2018 -
“Luther” (with SZA)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 3 Hot 100 Peak Date: Dec. 7, 2024 -
“F**kin Problems” (A$AP Rocky featuring Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 8 Hot 100 Peak Date: Feb. 16, 2013 -
“Pray for Me” (with The Weeknd)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 7 Hot 100 Peak Date: Feb. 17, 2018 -
“Like That” (with Future & Metro Boomin)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 1 (three weeks) Hot 100 Peak Date: April 6, 2024 -
“Don’t Wanna Know” (Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 6 Hot 100 Peak Date: Feb. 18, 2017 -
“Bad Blood” (Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar)
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 1 (one week) Hot 100 Peak Date: June 6, 2015 -
“Humble.”
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 1 (one week) Hot 100 Peak Date: May 6, 2017 -
“Not Like Us”
Hot 100 Peak Position: No. 1 (two weeks) Hot 100 Peak Date: May 18, 2024
