Half a century after his death, John Lennon remains one of the most successful songwriters in U.S. history. In the decades since his murder, few talents have come even close to matching his ability to send tracks to the summit on the Hot 100. This week, a non-Beatle has finally matched his performance with the latest No. 1 on the tally.
As Ariana Grande’s new song “Yes, And?” debuts at No. 1 on the Hot 100, one of the co-writers adds a very special new win to his discography. The track was co-penned by Max Martin, who already stands as one of the most successful hitmakers of all time—and now he’s sitting side-by-side with one of the best to ever do it.
“Yes, And?” gives Martin his twenty-sixth No. 1 on the Hot 100. It ties him with Lennon for the second-most champions on the most competitive songs chart in America, according to Billboard.
Both Martin and Lennon are still sitting behind only Paul McCartney. The other former Beatle has accrued 32 No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 throughout his lengthy and storied career. That sum includes both his work with the band that made him a superstar, as well as the music he released with Wings and on his own.
Lennon and McCartney scored most of their Hot 100 No. 1s together. The pair penned 20 tracks that reached the summit on the ranking. The Beatles still claim the most rulers of all time on the list as artists, with Mariah Carey coming in second place with 19 smashes–and she’s co-written all of her own wins as well.
Martin’s latest Hot 100 No. 1 arrives a quarter-century after his first. The Swedish powerhouse producer and songwriter claimed his inaugural champion back in 1999. That year, he introduced the world to Britney Spears with her debut smash “…Baby One More Time.” In a small bit of coincidence, that track reached the top spot in January as well.
