Miguel’s “Sure Thing” Rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay Chart 12+ Years After Initial Release

Miguel has a sure hit on his hands…

More than 12 years after its release and its original chart run, the 37-year-old half-Mexican American singer, songwriter and actor’s single “Sure Thing” has risen to No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart dated May 27.

MiguelThe song, on ByStorm/Black Ice/Jive/Legacy/RCA Records, completes the longest ascent to the Pop Airplay summit from a title’s release, having first hit Billboard’s charts in February 2011, following its November 2010 release on Miguel’s debut LP, All I Want Is You.

An R&B/hip-hop radio hit in its original run, “Sure Thing” crowned the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, as well as R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, for a week in May 2011.

On the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100, “Sure Thing” reached No. 36 over a 23-week stay in March-August 2011.

In 2022, the song resurged thanks to newfound attention on TikTok, where a sped-up version has soundtracked more than 4 million clips. It debuted on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart this January and ranked at No. 30 on the most recently published, May 20-dated chart with 10.6 million official streams in the United States May 5-11, according to Luminate.

On the May 20-dated all-format Radio Songs survey, “Sure Thing” rose 7-6, up 6% to 51.6 million in audience. On the Hot 100, it pushed 15-14, reaching a new best — as well as a new career high for Miguel, surpassing the No. 15 peak of Mariah Carey’s “#Beautiful,” on which he’s featured, in 2013.

Miguel previously tallied six Pop Airplay hits between 2012-22, rising as high as No. 12 as a featured artist on Kygo’s “Remind Me to Forget” in 2018, his best career rank prior to the revival of “Sure Thing.”

Meanwhile, the comeback to new heights for “Sure Thing” has been historic, as the single broke the record for the most weeks ever spent on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 78 (through the latest, May 20-dated survey, where it placed at No. 5, marking its first appearance in the chart’s top five since September 2011).

“We were keeping a close eye on the metrics,” says RCA head of promotion Keith Rothschild about the decision to promote the song to pop radio after TikTok sparked new interest in it. It debuted on the Pop Airplay chart dated Feb. 25, at No. 40, and hits No. 1 in its 14th week on the chart, up 7% in plays May 12-18.

While “Sure Thing” is far removed from its original release, “programmers were not hesitant at all,” Rothschild says, especially with other catalog songs recently finding new life on radio, whether from TikTok or synchs, including Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary” and The Weeknd’s “Die for You.”

“We knew the song was a hit, as it was a No. 1 R&B/hip-hop record when it was originally out,” says Rothschild of “Sure Thing.” “It was never worked at pop, so we asked programmers to put it into callout. The numbers came back massive, and we knew it was game on.”

Miguel Teams Up with TikTok to Help Launch #NewMusic Hub

Miguel is ready to shine a spotlight on must hear music…

The 37-year-old half-Mexican American singer, songwriter, and actor has teamed up with TikTok to launch #NewMusic, a global music discovery hub.

MiguelIn addition to Miguel, the initiative will also include the participation of the Jonas Brothers and Niall Horan.

#NewMusic is set up as a dedicated space for artists around the world to showcase their new songs, and where fans can discover their next favorite track.

The hub will showcase new music content from artists on TikTok in one place, including early previews and music that’s still in development. Jonas Brothers, Miguel and Horan are featured artists on the hub.

Jonas Brothers have been trending on TikTok recently with their new album The Album and single Waffle House. R&B superstar Miguel has been buzzing on TikTok with the revival of his 2011 hit “Sure Thing” and to celebrate the hub, the musician has created a TikTok trialing his new track “Give It To Me.” Horan, who soared to fame as part of boy band One Direction, has posted a video of his new track “Meltdown.”

Paul Hourican, global head of music content and partnerships at TikTok, said: “We are thrilled to launch the #NewMusic Hub, which celebrates and champions artists of all genres, from up-and-coming talent to international superstars. TikTok is already a destination for artists who want to preview their newest works, and for music fans looking to discover new music, and this new feature will give artists a new way to connect with our global community. It presents an exciting opportunity to inspire artist creativity, spark connections, and foster a diverse musical landscape that embraces the unique talents and passions of artists and fans worldwide.”

Miguel’s Former No. 1 Single “Sure Thing” Breaks Billboard Chart Record with Its Second Wind

One of Miguel’s iconic singles is a thing of history…

The 37-year-old half-Mexican American R&B singer has broken the record for the title with the most weeks on Billboard’Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart thanks to its second wind 11 years after its initial chart run.

MiguelThe track logs an unprecedented 76th week on the list dated May 6, surpassing the 75-week marathon of the previous record holder, Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You” in one continuous run in 2005-07.

“Sure Thing” achieves the record-breaking mark as it jumps 8-6 on the newest published chart.

The song, released in 2010, is enjoying a TikTok-fueled renaissance, as a sped-up version, has soundtracked more than 4 million videos on the social media platform.

While activity TikTok does not directly contribute to the Billboard charts, many of the app’s most popular songs have seen corresponding gains on streaming services that factor into Billboard chart rankings.

“I’m glad that ‘Sure Thing’ still connects and resonates with a new audience, and that they feel what I’ve always felt with this song,” Miguel tells Billboard of his new honor. “More than anything, this achievement is a wild reminder of how things – all across the board – can cycle back into cultural relevance.”

A clear hit today, “Sure Thing” was a smash in its original era too. The second single from Miguel’s 2010 debut album, All I Want Is You, reached No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for one week among the 61 total frames it logged in its initial run. Starting with its No. 20 re-entry on the list on the chart dated Jan. 14, 2023, “Sure Thing” has since added 15 more weeks to its total to accumulate its historic run.

As “Sure Thing” resets the leaderboard, here is a look at the tracks with the most weeks at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart since it became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958:

Weeks on Chart, Song Title, Artist, Peak Position, Year(s) Charted
76, “Sure Thing,” Miguel, No. 1 (one week), 2011-12, 2023
75, “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige, No. 1 (15), 2005-07
74, “God in Me,” Mary Mary featuring Kierra “KiKi” Sheard, No. 5, 2008-10
73, “On the Ocean,” K’Jon, No. 12, 2008-10
71, “You Make Me Wanna…,” Usher, No. 1 (11), 1997-98
71, “There Goes My Baby,” Usher, No. 1 (four), 2010-11
70, “Step in the Name of Love,” R. Kelly, No. 1 (two), 2002-04
68, “Can’t Let Go,” Anthony Hamilton, No. 13, 2005-07
66, “Blinding Lights, The Weeknd, No. 1 (11), 2019-21
63, “In My Bed,” Dru Hill, No. 1 (three), 1997-98
63, “Just Fine,” Mary J. Blige, No. 3, 2007-08

Though “Sure Thing” has already secured its place in the record books, it’s primed to extend its stay on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, which blends streaming, radio airplay and sales data into its rankings. In the latest tracking week (March 21 – 27), the song improved in two of the three metrics: sales and radio airplay.

“Sure Thing” sold 2,000 downloads, up 21% from the previous frame and registered 46.6 million in total audience, a 10% increase from the prior week, according to Luminate.

While the former No. 1 R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart hit is receiving renewed play at that format, the majority of “Sure Thing” radio success comes from the pop and rhythmic format this time around. The single repeats at its No. 5 peak thus far on this week’s Pop Airplay chart – after never having made the list in its initial era – and advances 21-19 on Rhythmic Airplay, nearing its No. 14 peak from July 2011.

Radio gains help counter streaming slides in the past weeks, though the song maintains an overall high count. “Sure Thing” generated 11.1 million official U.S. streams in the most recent tracking week, essentially even with the prior week, and keeps it near its performance in prior weeks, with 11.1 million, 11.4 million and 11.7 million totals in the past three weeks, respectively.

Miguel: This Year’s Best New Artist at the Soul Train Awards

Miguel only released his debut single, “All I Want Is You,” last November… But that’s all the time the critically acclaimed crooner has needed to take the music world by storm and start reaping the rewards.

During the 40th anniversary taping of the Soul Train Awards at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theater this Thursday, the 25-year-old half-Mexican R&B singer/songwriter was named the 2011 Best New Artist. He beat out some of the industry’s biggest rising stars, including part-Latino doo wop singer Bruno Mars and soulstress Marsha Ambrosius, to take home the coveted award.

miguel

Miguel, who received three nominations for this year’s Soul Train Awards, lost the Best Male R&B/Soul Artist award to Cee Lo Green. But he’s still in the running for the Song of the Year award for his insta-classic “Sure Thing.” The song is facing off against Kelly Rowland & Lil’ Wayne’s “Motivation,” Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” Chris Brown’s  “She Ain’t You,” Kayne West’s “All of the Lights” and Jill Scott and Anthony Hamilton’s “So In Love.”

Along with picking up the Best New Artist award, Miguel performed his latest single “Girls Like U.”

Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre, the show included special tribute performances to Gladys Knight, Earth, Wind & Fire and the late Heavy D.

Here’s a look at the only four awards (from 11 categories) that were doled out during taping:

Best New Artist
Miguel

Best Male R&B/Soul Artist
Cee Lo Green

Best Female R&B/Soul Artist
Jill Scott

Record of the Year (The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award)
“Far Away” – Marsha Ambrosius

The 2011 Soul Train Awards will be broadcast on BET and CENTRIC on Sunday, November 27 at 9:00 pm Eastern.