Tems Makes History on the Billboard Hot 100

Nigerian singer Tems has set a new milestone for African music on the US Billboard Hot 100, as her solo single What You Need reached 30 weeks on the chart, surpassing the previous 29-week runs recorded by South African singer Tyla’s Water and Nigerian singer CKay’s Love Nwantiti.

The milestone was reported on October 20 and 21, 2026, with What You Need occupying No. 33 on the latest chart referenced in reports. The song had previously peaked at No. 29, adding another achievement to Tems’ growing international career.

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The achievement places Tems ahead of two African songs that had previously shared the longevity benchmark for solo African releases on the Billboard Hot 100. It also highlights the continued international performance of a Nigerian artist whose catalogue includes both solo releases and major collaborations.

Released as part of Tems‘ Love Is a Kingdom EP in November 2025, What You Need entered the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2026. The song’s performance developed over several months. Rather than disappearing after its initial chart appearance, it continued to register on the ranking, eventually reaching 30 charting weeks by October 2026.

Its highest reported position was No. 29. By the week reported on October 21, it stood at No. 33, demonstrating that the song remained competitive on the chart well after its release.

The Billboard Hot 100 ranks songs in the United States using a combination of streaming, radio airplay and sales data. A song’s chart longevity therefore reflects its continuing performance across the measurements used in the ranking.

What You Need also reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Adult R&B Airplay charts, giving the song additional recognition beyond its performance on the main Hot 100.

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Before Tems’ latest achievement, Tyla and CKay held the reported benchmark for the longest-charting solo African songs on the US Billboard Hot 100, with 29 weeks each.

Tyla’s Water became a global breakthrough for the South African singer. The song peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching a higher position than What You Need has achieved. Its 29-week run nevertheless became a major part of its international chart success.

CKay’s Love Nwantiti also recorded 29 weeks on the Hot 100, building on the song’s remarkable international popularity and helping establish the Nigerian singer’s presence in the US market.

Tems’ What You Need has now moved beyond that benchmark, reaching 30 weeks on the chart.

ArtistSongReported Billboard Hot 100 runPeak position
TemsWhat You Need30 weeksNo. 29
TylaWater29 weeksNo. 7
CKayLove Nwantiti29 weeksNo. 26

The figures distinguish two different measures of success. Tyla’s Water achieved the highest peak among the three songs, while Tems’ What You Need recorded the longest run based on the reported totals. CKay’s Love Nwantiti reached the same 29-week longevity benchmark previously associated with Tyla’s hit.

Tems Also Has a 41-Week Billboard Hot 100 Hit. The achievement with What You Need is not Tems’ only notable Billboard Hot 100 milestone. She also featured on Wait for U, a song led by American rapper Future and featuring Drake and Tems. Released in 2022, the track debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it another major moment in Tems’ international career.

Chart-history records list Wait for U as having spent 41 weeks on the US chart. Its peak position was No. 1, a distinction that separates its performance from the No. 29 peak achieved by What You Need.