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[Lazarus]

As announced on Billboard on Monday (Apr. 30), the Billboard Hot 100 chart welcomes four new entries into its top 10 this week: Ariana Grande debuts at No. 3 with her new single "No Tears Left to Cry," while J. Cole notches an unprecedented trio of top-tier bows with "ATM" (No. 6), "Kevin's Heart" (No. 8) and "KOD" (No. 10).

The four debuts are particularly interesting, because while they add to the many chart accomplishments of their respective artists -- "No Tears" matches Grande's best Hot 100 debut to date ("Problem" also entered at No. 3 in 2014), while "ATM" one-betters Cole's previous high bow ("Deja Vu" came in at No. 7 in 2016) -- the songs still fall short, at least for the moment, of getting the artists their first No. 1 on the chart. Despite being two of the most commercially dependable stars in 2010s popular music, neither Grande or Cole has topped Billboard's marquee songs listing -- and they're not the only ones among 2018's best and brightest to have not yet done so.

With such artists as Post Malone, Camila Cabello and Migos taking themselves out of this discussion with their own chart-toppers since the beginning of 2017, below is a brief rundown of ten of the artists currently in the debate for the distinction of being 2018's biggest pop star still lacking a Hot 100 No. 1 on their resume.

Ariana Grande

Three albums into her career, Grande has now amassed an impressive nine top 10 hits on the Hot 100 -- including five top 5s -- but has yet to land that elusive No. 1. The Iggy Azalea-assisted "Problem" has gotten her the closest, falling just one spot short at No. 2, while the 2014 superteaming "Bang Bang" (with Nicki Minaj and Jessie J) got her to No. 3, which she reaches again this week with her "No Tears Left to Cry" debut.

Nicki Minaj

Ariana's frequent collaborator -- with whom she shares a pair of Hot 100 top five hits in "Side to Side" (No. 4, 2016) and the previously mentioned "Bang Bang" -- has also come within one spot of the chart's apex, with solo smash "Anaconda" in 2014. But despite hitting the top 10 a stunning 16 times (most recently with "Chun-Li," which jumped to No. 10 on the Hot 100 dated Apr. 28), and despite having more Hot 100 entries than any other female artist in history, she's still yet to reach the chart penthouse.

J. Cole

Cole is one of music's most reliable LP-sellers at this point, having now topped the Billboard 200 albums chart with all five of his studio albums to date, each with first-week numbers well into the multiple hundreds of thousands. But his success on the Hot 100 has been more tempered: Aside from aforementioned three top 10 debuts this week at Nos. 6, 8 and 10 the No. 7-peaking "Deja Vu" remains the North Carolina MC's only other visit to the chart's top 10, meaning he's yet to even scrape the Hot 100's top 5 -- though given Cole's lack of a consistent pop radio presence over most of the last half-decade, his presence on this list may be less surprising than some others.

Selena Gomez

Gomez is certainly no stranger to the Hot 100's highest tier, having scored seven top 10 hits on the chart, including last year's Kygo collab "It Ain't Me" (No. 10, 2017). But Gomez has yet to get higher on the chart than No. 5 -- Revival singles "Good for You" (feat. A$AP Rocky, 2015) and "Same Old Love" (2016) share the title for her highest-peaking entry to date -- and she hasn't necessarily been trending in the right direction; none of her critically acclaimed 2017 singles "Bad Liar," "Fetish" or "Wolves" has managed to peak above No. 20 on the listing. 

Future

Similar to Cole, the rapper born Nayvadius Wilburn has been a Billboard 200 conqueror (five No. 1 albums, most recently/most historically with his self-titled effort and Hendrix in consecutive weeks in March 2017) and Hot 100 fixture (68 entries total, most recently the top 25 hits "End Game," "King's Dead" and "Top Off," both with multiple star collaborators) without ever really threatening the top spot on the latter. The 2017 No. 5-peaking solo smash "Mask Off" has brought him closest, with only his featured appearance on Lil Wayne's 2013 hit "Love Me" taking him to the top 10 previously.

[🦚]

 

Poor nickel. It?s NEVER happening

[Zabi.]

Nicki, easily.

Has sold the most records out of all the artists mentioned. More Grammy nomintions. More award nominations and wins. Most impact/influence. Brought back female rap to the mainstream.

[Kurama]

Damns

[Zabi.]

I love all the artists mentioned (except Selena  ), but none of them are seeing Nicki. Not in sales and not in acclaim.

[🦚]

Cole has 5 consecutive number 1 albums and just debuted 3 songs in the top 10. Shattered Taylor?s streaming record.

If king made radio ready songs he would?ve had a number 1.

Anywho nickel is the most unsuccessful out of the 4. Especially as a lead. Homegirl hops every trend and every dick yet and still can?t reach the summit 

[Zabi.]

Not J. Cole being more successful than Nicki 

Love Jermaine, but no

[🦚]

Faggots lie. Numbers don?t.

Let?s pull up this weeks chart 

[Kaeli.]

I love all the artists mentioned (except Selena  ), but none of them are seeing Nicki. Not in sales and not in acclaim.

well hmm let?s look at their metacritic averages

Ariana - 74
Future - 73
J. Cole - 72
Nicki - 68
Selena Gomez - 64

Yea idk if she?s winning there. Ariana also lashes her as a lead act but that?s neither here nor there

Gonna vote Ariana for this

[Zabi.]

All of Cole's songs are out of the Top 100 on iTunes. None of his songs are on being played on radio.

J. Cole is a great artist but he's very frontloaded. Just look at his last album. Everyone forgot about it like 2 weeks after it was released.

And the same will happen with his current album.

[Kaeli.]

Can u post the link laz

[Zabi.]

I love all the artists mentioned (except Selena  ), but none of them are seeing Nicki. Not in sales and not in acclaim.

well hmm let?s look at their metacritic averages

Ariana - 74
Future - 73
J. Cole - 72
Nicki - 68
Selena Gomez - 64

Yea idk if she?s winning there. Ariana also lashes her as a lead act but that?s neither here nor there

Gonna vote Ariana for this

Hun the only reason why Ariana's score is decent is because she only gets like 10-15 reviews per album by pop critics. Nicki's album get over 25 reviews and are from pop and rap critics, and there's no way you can please both audiences when it comes to Nicki.

[CHOKE]

Wait didn?t Bang, Bang go #1?

[Lazarus]

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8412715/biggest-pop-star-right-now-without-hot-100-number-one

[Lazarus]

Wait didn?t Bang, Bang go #1?

No. 3