Kem has achieved a significant milestone in his career with his latest single, “Rock With Me,” which has soared to the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. This marks his first time at the top of this chart since 2022, as the ranking dated November 1, 2023 reflects a remarkable leap from fourth to first place. The song, released under his own Kemistry label after a long tenure with Motown, was the most played track on contributing adult R&B radio stations during the tracking week of October 17-23, 2023, according to data from Luminate.
The single experienced a substantial increase in airplay, rising by 27% compared to the previous week. This surge earned “Rock With Me” the title of Greatest Gainer for the week, recognizing it as the song with the largest weekly increase in play count. Notably, several radio stations under the Connoisseur Media umbrella played a pivotal role, with WMJM-FM in Louisville, Kentucky, leading the way, followed closely by WMJM-FM in Columbia, South Carolina, WROU-FM in Dayton, Ohio, and KDKS-FM in Shreveport, Louisiana.
In a heartfelt statement to Billboard, Kem expressed gratitude to his fans and supporters, saying, “Thank you all for rocking with me for all of these years. It feels really good. God bless you, have a great day and keep love on the one.” With this latest achievement, Kem now boasts a total of nine No. 1 hits on the Adult R&B Airplay chart, placing him in a tie with Maxwell for the fourth-most leaders among male artists. They trail behind Charlie Wilson, who has eleven, and both Tank and Usher, each with ten. Notably, Alicia Keys holds the record for the most No. 1 hits, with fourteen since the chart’s inception in September 1993.
Chart Performance and Milestones
The success of “Rock With Me” is not limited to the Adult R&B Airplay chart. The track also moved from 18th to 14th place on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which combines audience totals from both adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. The song now reaches an audience of 6.2 million, reflecting a 26% increase from the previous week’s total of 4.9 million.
This radio success has propelled the single to debut at No. 21 on the multimetric Hot R&B Songs chart, which factors in radio airplay alongside streaming and sales data. This marks Kem’s sixth entry on this chart, which started in October 2012.
Kem’s Legacy in R&B
Kem’s journey in the music industry has been marked by a series of successful singles. A review of his No. 1 hits on the Adult R&B Airplay chart includes:
– “Love Calls,” two weeks at No. 1, reached on September 13, 2003
– “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” seven weeks at No. 1, reached on May 21, 2005
– “Why Would You Stay?,” two weeks at No. 1, reached on September 25, 2010
– “It’s You,” four weeks at No. 1, reached on September 6, 2014
– “Nobody,” nine weeks at No. 1, reached on February 21, 2015
– “Lie to Me,” seven weeks at No. 1, reached on June 27, 2020
– “Live Out Your Love” featuring Toni Braxton, two weeks at No. 1, reached on January 2, 2021
– “Stuck on You,” one week at No. 1, reached on April 16, 2022
– “Rock With Me,” one week at No. 1, reached on November 1, 2023
With each new hit, Kem continues to solidify his legacy in the R&B genre, demonstrating enduring popularity and the ability to connect with audiences worldwide. As he celebrates this latest achievement, fans eagerly anticipate what he will create next.
