Can Benson Boone, Hozier or J. Cole overtake 'Like That' on the Hot 100 next week?

The contenders is a midweek column that examines artists aiming for the top Advertising sign charts and the strategies behind their efforts. This week (for the upcoming Billboard Hot 100 dated April 20), things tighten up at the top for Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar, with lingering threats from Benson Boone and Hozier and a new direct response from J. Cole.

Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar, “Like That” (Boominati/Freebandz/Republic/Epic) After spending the first two weeks at No. 1, excitement has finally started to die down a bit with Future, Metro Boomin and the fiery hip-hop half of Kendrick Lamar. The song is still a top performer, however, remaining in the top two spots on both Spotify's Daily Top Songs USA charts and Apple Music's real-time listings. And the song revived interest over the weekend in the headlines, at least, as rap superstar J. Cole memorably responded to the song's apparent message as part of his It may be deleted later mixtape, before expressing his regret for doing so during his headlining set at his Dreamville festival that Sunday.

“Like That” is also beginning to be embraced by radio, as the song jumps 34-21 as the top earner on this week's R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart (up 77% in audience), according to Luminate, and has trending toward a debut on the all-format Radio Songs chart. The big question for “Like That” may be how it can sustain its performance beyond next week, however, as its sequel We Don't Trust You parent set — aptly titled We Still Don't Trust You — is set to drop this Friday from Future and Metro Boomin, with who knows what kind of extra surprises in store. Will “Like That” stay in the spotlight of streamers and radio programmers through this release or an even newer, more exciting single swipe of it?

Benson Boone, “Beautiful Things” (Night Street/Warner) Will Benson Boone's streak ever come to a head? “Beautiful Things” has been atop the Hot 100 for nearly a couple of months now, but has yet to break past the No. 2 spot, lingering at No. 3 this week behind Beyoncé's “Like That” and “Like That.” Cowboy Carter-Revived “Texas Hold 'Em”. However, next week could provide another real opportunity for the singer-songwriter, as “Things” is expected to see a boost from Boone's full-length debut, Fireworks & Rollerbladeswhich naturally includes the hit in its 15-song list.

Meanwhile, “Beautiful Things” continues to grow at radio as the song jumps 9-4 on Radio Songs, adding another 15% to the all-format airplay audience this week. It is currently the only song to rank in the top five of radio songs, digital song sales and streaming songs, so with the expected increase in consumption from Fireworks (and the start of his accompanying headlining tour), it may be now or never for Boone's breakthrough to finally claim the top spot on the Hot 100.

Hozier, “Too Sweet” (Rubyworks/Columbia) Few would have gone into 2024 expecting to thrust Hozier into any discussions to top the Hot 100 — before last year's comeback, he hadn't even appeared on the chart since “Take Me to Church”'s No. 2 in 2015. But with 2023 to be welcomed Unreal Unearth and subsequent tour and ever-growing TikTok presence, the Irish singer-songwriter is once again proving to be a real chart-topper: Three songs from his new Unheard The EP debuted last week, led by the No. 5 entry “Too Sweet.”

“Sweet” climbs one spot to No. 4 this week, even surpassing every new debut from Beyoncé's blockbuster set Cowboy Carter. And there's every indication that the song isn't going to stop there: It's climbed past “Like That” to the top of the Spotify Daily Top Songs USA chart, while also starting to find its footing at radio, trending toward debut in Adult Alternative Airplay, Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay Charts. If his trajectory continues, he may not be more than a week or two away from matching Hozier's previous “Church” peak at No. 2 — if he doesn't even get past that lasting crush.

J. Cole, “7 Minute Drill” (Interscope/ICLG) While “Like That” has plenty of challengers for next week's Hot 100 supremacy, only one of them can claim to be a direct response to it: J. Cole's “7 Minute Drill” was written in response to the hard-hitting verse of Lamar in No. 1 strike, with Cole taking aim at Lamar's paltry roster and general lack of recent productivity. It didn't quite spark the impact that “Like That” did, with many pundits questioning its more measured, perhaps less committed tone, but it still neared the top of the digital service providers' daily charts and remained the most talked about song on social media all weekend.

Complicating the chances of “7 Minute Drill” achieving maximum chart impact is Cole himself bringing the song back a few days later, apologizing during his Dreamville headlining set for letting himself get dragged into the beef mud and announcing his intention to remove the song from streaming services. As of Wednesday morning (April 10), “Drill” was still available to listen to on DSP, but Cole's repudiation of a song that many fans were already somewhat conflicted about may have cost him any chance of being a real threat to the “Like That”. on the chart next week anyway.