Many contemporary music artists have discovered that there is still appeal in songs that were hits years before. This is partly because of Super Bowl appearances, a return to touring, or the impact of viral circulation and social media. For one artist, his death renewed interest in his biggest hit.
Barbadian superstar Rihanna has three songs on our list that returned to the Billboard Hot 100 (two of them collaborations with Calvin Harris and Jay-Z) that were No. 1 hits originally. Interest in those singles rose after she performed at halftime of the 2023 Super Bowl, her first live performance since the 2019 Grammy Awards. These songs were three of her 14 chart-toppers on the Hot 100. (These are the songs with the longest stays on the Hot 100 in 2023.)
Lil Baby’s “Low Down” found viral success in 2020 and the song was used to amp up Kansas State University’s basketball team during its March Madness run. “Low Down” got renewed life when the Atlanta rapper went on tour this past summer. A viral surge on TikTok vaulted crooner Miguel’s “Sure Thing” back into the Hot 100 in 2023 after the song first charted in 2011.
The Fourth of July holiday helped bring “Party in the U.S.A.” back to the Hot 100 for Miley Cyrus. The song reached No. 2 in 2009.
Taylor Swift’s precedent-setting Eras tour this year was a factor in the return of two of her earlier No. 1s — “Blank Space” and “Cruel Summer” — to the top of the Hot 100 chart this year.
The oldest song to revisit the Billboard Hot 100 was Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville,” an ode to the carefree lifestyle at the beach. The song rose to No. 38 for one week in 2023, lifted by Buffett’s passing in September 2023. In 1977, the song climbed to No. 8, and was Buffett’s only top-10 hit.
To determine the old songs that came back in 2023, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on chart performance from Billboard magazine. Songs were ranked based on an inverse scoring system wherein a week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point. Only songs that charted on the Hot 100 in 2020 or earlier, exited the charts, and returned to the charts in 2023 were considered. Chart data is current through December 2, 2023.
9. Miley Cyrus, “Party In The U.S.A.”
- First entered Hot 100: August 29, 2009
- Re-entered Hot 100: July 15, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 50 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 1 week
8. Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris, “We Found Love”
- First entered Hot 100: October 8, 2011
- Re-entered Hot 100: February 25, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 48 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 1 week
7. Rihanna, “Diamonds”
- First entered Hot 100: October 13, 2012
- Re-entered Hot 100: February 25, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 44 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 1 week
6. Jimmy Buffett, “Margaritaville”
- First entered Hot 100: April 2, 1977
- Re-entered Hot 100: September 16, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 38 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 1 week
5. Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z, “Umbrella”
- First entered Hot 100: April 28, 2007
- Re-entered Hot 100: February 25, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 37 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 1 week
4. Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”
- First entered Hot 100: November 15, 2014
- Re-entered Hot 100: August 19, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 46 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 2 weeks
3. Lil Baby, “Low Down”
- First entered Hot 100: May 16, 2020
- Re-entered Hot 100: April 8, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 50 (for 1 week)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 12 weeks
2. Miguel, “Sure Thing”
- First entered Hot 100: March 26, 2011
- Re-entered Hot 100: January 21, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 11 (for 2 weeks)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 29 weeks
1. Taylor Swift, “Cruel Summer”
- First entered Hot 100: September 7, 2019
- Re-entered Hot 100: June 3, 2023
- Peak position on Hot 100 in 2023: No. 1 (for 4 weeks)
- Total time on Hot 100 in 2023: 27 weeks