Image via Complex Original
It's not often that singles take the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 in their first week. Since the chart's inception on January 1, 1995, only 20 tracks have landed atop the Hot 100 while also making their debut. Only two artists have been lucky enough to accomplish this feat more than once—Mariah Carey and Britney Spears—while others have more or less fallen into obscurity following their break-out hit. You can thank American Idol for many of those.
But it's Carey who stands as the Queen of the Billboard Hot 100. She's had a total of three singles reach No. 1 in their first week and one of those, 1995's "Fantasy," hit that spot 17 years ago this coming Sunday, September 30. The track, which received a gully boost when Ol' Dirty Bastard hopped on the remix, was the second single to debut atop the Hot 100 and the first time it happened with a female artist. It also paved the way for Carey to do the same several months later with her moving Boyz II Men collaboration, "One Sweet Day," and two years down the line with the irresistible "Honey."
And as we approach the anniversary of "Fantasy" topping the charts, we've rounded up every song to ever debut at No. 1. Browse through the list by clicking below.
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Michael Jackson "You Are Not Alone"
Date: September 2, 1995
Mariah Carey "Fantasy"
Date: September 30, 1995
Whitney Houston "Exhale"
Date: November 25, 1995
Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men "One Sweet Day"
Date: December 2, 1995
Puff Daddy f/ Faith Evans & 112 "I'll Be Missing You"
Date: June 14, 1997
Mariah Carey "Honey"
Date: September 13, 1997
Elton John "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight"
Date: October 11, 1997
Céline Dion "My Heart Will Go On"
Date: February 28, 1998
Aerosmith "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"
Date: September 5, 1998
Lauryn Hill "Doo Wop (That Thing)"
Date: November 14, 1998
Clay Aiken "This Is the Night"
Date: June 28, 2003
Fantasia "I Believe"
Date: July 10, 2004
Carrie Underwood "Inside Your Heaven"
Date: July 2, 2005
Taylor Hicks "Do I Make You Proud"
Date: July 1, 2006
Britney Spears "3"
Date: October 24, 2009
Eminem "Not Afraid"
Date: May 22, 2010
Ke$ha "We R Who We R"
Date: November 13, 2010
Britney Spears "Hold It Against Me"
Date: January 29, 2011
Lady Gaga "Born This Way"
Date: February 26, 2011
Katy Perry "Part of Me"
Date: March 3, 2012
