Paul McCartney and John Lennon are two of the most successful songwriters in American history. Together as Lennon-McCartney–the name applied to their biggest hits in the credits–they’ve scored more wins on the Hot 100 than most songwriters can dream of, and many of their singles were not just quick hits, but smashes that have enjoyed meaningful legacies. In a few days, the two will likely return to Billboard’s ranking of the most-consumed songs in the U.S., though they don’t have a new track.
Lennon and McCartney are credited as songwriters on Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s new album. The superstar covered The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” and it’s well on its way to becoming at least a minor hit on the charts in a few days.
For her rendition of “Blackbird,” Beyoncé has played around with the tune. Instead of it being a solo affair, the composition is now a group effort. Beyoncé credited fellow singers Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell, and Tiera Kennedy on the cut, who will all score an important hit in short order. She also renamed it slightly, as now there are two “i”s in the title, which is in keeping with the formatting she’s chosen for this collection.
There’s a good chance that Beyoncé’s “Blackbird” will hit the Hot 100 after Cowboy Carter has enjoyed a full tracking week. Most, if not all, of the tunes featured on the full-length will likely reach the competitive tally, upping Bey’s career total number of placements significantly–perhaps by 20 or more.
The Beatles’ “Blackbird” never made it to the Hot 100, despite its immense popularity. The chart was formatted differently back in the late ‘60s, and only major singles reached the list. The song was featured on the band’s self-titled set, which is otherwise known simply as The White Album. It never earned its time to shine on the Hot 100 like so many other tracks from the group, but that may change soon.
Lennon and McCartney recently scored a new Hot 100 hit as songwriters just last year. The Beatles returned with their first single in decades, “Now and Then,” which unsurprisingly became a smash. That tune opened inside the top 10, bringing the Fab Four back to the highest tier on the tally.
“Blackbird” may become one of the top-performing cuts from Cowboy Carter, based solely on its position on the album. As fans stream the set in huge numbers, they’re more likely to play–and replay–the earlier cuts, while those later in the tracklist may not reach the same heights. There are some standouts on the project–based on how they ranked on platforms like iTunes and Spotify–but generally, with an album as massive as Beyoncé’s, the earlier the tune appears, the better its chances of finding its way to the Hot 100.
