“Drivers License,” the massive debut single by Olivia Rodrigo, debuted at No. 1 on the new Billboard Hot 100, just like all the road signs pointed toward. It speeds to the top spot with 76.1 million American streams, 38,000 downloads, and 8.1 million radio impressions, according to Billboard, the best first-week streaming showing for a “proper” debut single by a woman. Rodrigo first cracked the Hot 100 with “Want” from High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, the Disney+ show she stars in, which Billboard didn’t count as a properly promoted single. (The song peaked at 90.) “Drivers License” rode a wave of drama from Rodrigo’s rumored breakup with fellow HSMTMTS star Joshua Bassett, who fans allege left her for co-star Sabrina Carpenter. (Bassett released his own single, “Lie Lie Lie,” on January 14; it’ll impact the charts next week.) That led the song to break a number of records before its No. 1 debut, most prominently shattering the single-day record for global streams for a non-holiday song last Monday, January 11, with 15.17 million streams. The next day, “Drivers License” broke its own record with 17 million streams.
Gen Z reigns strong on the charts, with 24kGoldn and Iann Dior’s former No. 1 “Mood” down to No. 2. At just 17 years old, Rodrigo joins 20-year-old 24kGoldn in a select group of artists born in the 2000s to top the Hot 100. (Aside from them, just two others have: Billie Eilish with “Bad Guy” and Jawsh 685 with “Savage Love Laxed — Siren Beat.”) Elsewhere, Morgan Wallen’s “Wasted on You” enters the chart at No. 9, making Wallen only the second country artist to debut multiple songs in the top ten after Carrie Underwood. Last year, Wallen’s streaming titan “7 Summers” debuted at No. 6. “Wasted on You” debuts off the strength of Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album, which broke the first-week streaming record for a country album and debuted atop the Billboard 200.
Update, 12:53 p.m.: Rodrigo has responded to her No. 1 debut on Twitter. “number one on the billboard charts😭😭😭 truly cannot believe this is real life. thank u thank u thank u.”