The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights' Breaks Billboard Record Over One Year Since Release

The Weeknd just notched another impressive record thanks to his hit 2019 single "Blinding Lights," which officially became the longest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, notching 88 weeks on the chart. The song passed Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive," which spent 87 weeks on the chart in 2012-14.

"Blinding Lights" debuted at No. 11 on the Hot 100 dated Dec. 14, 2019, and first hit No. 1 on the chart dated April 4, 2020. It stayed in the top spot for four weeks and has set records for the most time spent in the Hot 100's Top Five with 43 weeks, the Top 10 with 57 weeks, the Top 20 at 79 weeks and the Top 40 at 84 weeks. The song is currently at No. 18 on this week's chart, which means that it's likely The Weeknd will continue to extend his own record.

"Blinding Lights" was one of three No. 1 singles from The Weeknd's fourth studio album, 2020's After Hours. Earlier this month, the Canadian star released his new song "Take My Breath," the first single from his upcoming album. The song entered the Hot 100 chart at No. 6 this week.

The Weeknd told GQ in a new profile that this upcoming project is "the album I've always wanted to make." The album "wasn't quite finished yet," according to the author of the piece, but is "packed with party records" and is "the album [fans] have always wanted him to make."

"What makes any of my albums a successful album, especially this one, is me putting it out and getting excited to make the next one," The Weeknd said. "So the excitement to make the next project means that this one was successful to me. I want to do this forever. And even if I start getting into different mediums and different types of expressions, music will be right there. I'm not going to step away from it."

However well his next album does, the 31-year-old won't be submitting it for Grammy consideration, a decision he made after After Hours was totally snubbed despite its incredible success. "I have no interest," he explained. "Everyone's like, 'No, just do better next time.' I will do better, but not for you. I'm going to do better for me."

"I just don't care," he added. "Because that will never be the reason why I do what I do. It never really was before. And I'm glad that I can make music and not have to think about that. I'll never be in that conversation ever again."