You'd be hard pressed to find two music stars that are more diametrically opposed than Cardi B and Taylor Swift. The trash-talking, hyperactive rapper from the Bronx is in the good graces of nearly everyone right now, while Taylor Swift's aw shucks persona has worn people down, and her new music hasn't exactly inspired a lot of love, either.
Swift continues to rule the Billboard charts anyway, but Cardi is coming for the throne. "Bodak Yellow" is all the way up to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, behind a dominant performance on streaming services. The song's 40.8 million streams last week put it No. 1 in the Streaming Songs category, offsetting a four-spot drop in Digital Song Sales. Swift's single, "Look What You Made Me Do," is still the top dog for the time being, mostly because she is up near the top in several different categories.
Streaming is taking over a lot of these charting numbers, however, and Swift's drop to No. 2 behind Cardi is significant as a result. There's a roughly 900,000 stream gap between Cardi and Swift at this point, and that could continue to grow based on current trends. Smelling a potential victory, Cardi fans are taking to social media in an attempt to power Cardi into the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100, in part because they want to see her take down Swift in the process.
Cardi B is tryna secure that No. 1 spot, & I don't blame her! "Bodak Yellow" is $0.69. #supportourblackartist #bodakyellow #songofthesummer pic.twitter.com/FYKXKXlxXJ
— tez +THECITY (@tezandthecity) September 17, 2017
Really hope Cardi B knocks Taylor Swift off the no. 1 spot this week #pettydreams
— Myah Ariel (@MyahAriel) September 17, 2017
🗣 REMINDER TO STREAM BODAK YELLOW TO GET QUEEN CARDI B TO NO. 1 🗣
— ♡ lauren ♡ (@laurendelbae_) September 18, 2017
if Cardi B replaces Taylor Swift on the hot 100 ... pic.twitter.com/MdFu89CnfS
— Audrey Lancaster (@audreyofnewyork) September 15, 2017
Anyway Bodak Yellow is still .69 cents, go buy it so Cardi B can knock Taylor swift out her mf way.
— 🚧 (@honeysucckle) September 18, 2017
Cardi B will be number 1 next week. Keep streaming & buying. https://t.co/AcrXOTLKMt
— 🤦🏾♀️ (@Thenameis_Tati) September 18, 2017
I'm so here for Cardi B (a female rapper) dethroning Taylor Swift on the Hot 100 with a ratchet bop.
— 🐤 (@chartflops) September 16, 2017
I don't think y'all realize how monumentous it would b 4 the culture if Cardi B replaced Taylor Swift on the Billboard Hot 100! #BodakYellow pic.twitter.com/LcfFTU8Kdt
— Jay Breeze (@DeLaBreezus) September 17, 2017
The fact it's Taylor Swift's horrible self
— Amanda Alcantara (@YoSoy_Amanda) September 16, 2017
victimizing song that's keeping Cardi b from that #1 spot is an insult. Let's get our girl there
Taylor Swift is a Trump supporter. Cardi B is for the children. She deserves the #1 spot
— TrapGod (@theyhatedare) September 16, 2017
Swift's fans are notoriously devout, so this is going to be an uphill battle if Cardi fans really want to make this happen. There's a six-slot gap between the two on the Radio Songs chart, and that will be hard for Cardi to close. The question will be whether Cardi can close that even a little bit while she continues running up the score in the Streaming Songs category.
![Cardi B at the MTV VMAs 2017](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 203 115"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
If there's any justice in the world, "Bodak Yellow" will surge to No. 1. We're about to find out who has the more passionate fans after this week of listening.