The Black Keys’ “The Night Before” hits No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart, giving the … More
The Black Keys are in charge of a Billboard chart again this week. The group’s latest single, “The Night Before,” soars to the summit of one major radio list in the United States as the duo returns to the peak position. The musicians match several other hugely popular bands for a new spot in the history books as they collect yet another airplay favorite.
The Black Keys Hit No. 1
“The Night Before” lifts from No. 2 to No. 1 on the current edition of the Alternative Airplay chart, a list that measures total audience impressions across American radio stations focused on alternative music — often referred to as alternative rock. The Black Keys replace Mumford & Sons at the top, as the English band’s single “Rushmere” dips one space, trading places with the Ohio superstars.
The Black Keys Tie U2 and Weezer
The Black Keys have now collected eight No. 1s on the Alternative Airplay chart throughout the years. That’s the seventh-most leaders in the tally’s tenure, according to Billboard.
With another ruler now included in the band’s discography, The Black Keys match both Weezer and U2, as each of those two acts has also accrued eight leaders on the list. Prior to this latest win, the duo was tied with Imagine Dragons on the all-time roster, but now the ranking has shifted, at least for the time being.
Green Day, Linkin Park and Foo Fighters
The Black Keys still have a way to go before matching the all-time record, which is held by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. That band has collected 15 champions on the Alternative Airplay chart.
Between the Los Angeles hometown heroes and The Black Keys come Cage the Elephant, Green Day, and Linkin Park with 13 No. 1s each, Foo Fighters with 12, and Twenty One Pilots with 11 chart-toppers.
The Black Keys’ 15 Years of No. 1s
The Black Keys have been on a winning streak lately. Before “The Night Before,” the group landed its most recent No. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart about a year ago, when “Beautiful People (Stay High)” spent two frames in charge in the spring of 2024. The outfit first reached the summit of the radio roster back in 2010, when “Tighten Up” ran the show. That single would go on to become one of The Black Keys’ most successful tracks, spending 48 weeks on the Alternative Airplay tally — the most among any of the band’s tunes.
