Mariah Carey returns to the top of Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart — or any radio-based ranking with a new non-holiday song — for the first time in nearly two decades as “Type Dangerous” glides a spot to No. 1 on the Aug. 16-dated ranking.
Carey earns her third ruler on the tally and first since “Fly Like a Bird” reigned for six frames in July-September 2006. She first led with “We Belong Together” for eight weeks in 2005.
Her 18-year and 11-month gap between Adult R&B Airplay toppers marks the longest stretch for a woman in the chart’s nearly 32-year history, surpassing Janet Jackson’s 17 years and two months between “I Get Lonely” (1998) and “No Sleeep” (2015).
Carey waited the third longest to revisit No. 1 on the chart. Kenny Lattimore holds the all-time mark (25 years, four months and two weeks between “For You” in 1997 and “Take a Dose” in 2023), followed by The Isley Brothers (21 years and one week from “Contagious” in 2001 to “Make Me Say It Again Girl” in 2022).
In between “Fly Like a Bird” and “Type Dangerous,” Carey reached Adult R&B Airplay 13 times, led by the No. 3-peaking “With You” in 2019.
While Carey last topped a Billboard airplay chart with a new single via “Fly Like a Bird,” in between she led Adult Contemporary for four weeks in 2010-11 with “Oh Santa!” Her 1994 chestnut “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has crowned the Holiday Airplay chart for a record 59 weeks through this past holiday season.
Carey first led a Billboard radio chart with her debut smash “Vision of Love,” which ruled Adult Contemporary for three weeks in August 1990.
The nine-week trip to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay for “Type Dangerous” is the chart’s quickest of 2025.
The single has also hit No. 7 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. Upon its debut on the Billboard Hot 100 in June, it became Carey’s milestone 50th career hit on the chart. She first reached the Hot 100 with “Vision of Love,” which became the first of her 19 No. 1s, the most among soloists.
“Type Dangerous” is the lead single from Here for It All, Carey’s 16th studio album, due Sept. 26. Second single “Sugar Sweet,” featuring Shenseea and Kehlani, is now being promoted to radio.
All Billboard charts dated Aug. 16 will update Tuesday, Aug. 12, on Billboard.com.
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