
Noah Kahan caps the quickest rise to No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart in a decade, topping the tally dated Feb. 28 with “The Great Divide.”
The song leads in its third week, up from No. 3 after debuting at No. 15, wrapping the fastest trip to No. 1 since Mumford & Sons’ “Believe” also needed just three frames in March-April 2015.
Kahan claims his fourth Adult Alternative Airplay No. 1, all earned consecutively, extending a streak that began with “Dial Drunk” in 2023 and continued with “Northern Attitude” and as a featured act alongside The Lumineers on James Bay’s “Up All Night,” both in 2024.
That four-in-a-row run isn’t the longest in the chart’s 30-year history (it’s not even the lengthiest active streak), but the feat is still fairly rare. Kahan becomes one of just five acts to score at least four uninterrupted No. 1s at the format; Counting Crows (2004-08) and Dave Matthews Band (2001-02) also earned four consecutively, while U2 (2001-05) and Hozier (2023-25, a streak still active) share the record with six straight. (Hozier’s streak includes a connection to Kahan, as he was featured on “Northern Attitude.”)
Kahan first appeared on Adult Alternative Airplay in 2018 with “False Confidence,” which rose to No. 8. He reached the ranking six times prior to his first ruler.
Concurrently, “The Great Divide” jumps 9-4 as the Greatest Gainer on Alternative Airplay, where it could become Kahan’s second No. 1, following “Dial Drunk.” On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, the song remains at its No. 2 best with 4.5 million audience impressions, up 11%, in the week ending Feb. 19, according to Luminate.
In addition to its rock radio prowess, “The Great Divide” is growing at pop radio. It rises 28-25 on Adult Pop Airplay and debuts at No. 37 on Pop Airplay.
“The Great Divide” launched at No. 1 on the multimetric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart dated Feb. 14, becoming Kahan’s first leader. It was No. 2 on the most recently published list, dated Feb. 21, reflecting data totaled Feb. 6-12. In addition to its radio airplay, it drew 12.8 million official U.S. streams and sold 2,000 in that span.
The Great Divide, Kahan’s fourth studio album, will be released April 24.
All Billboard charts dated Feb. 28 will update on Billboard.com Tuesday, Feb. 24.



