The state of high-profile stars' song creation processes is such that we often don't know how credited songwriters and/or guests factor into the equation until long after the song is released. Time and time again this year, we've seen "original versions" by people other than the lead artists surface, basically proving that they're the main crative forces behind the song in question. Take Rihanna and Drake's "Work," the majority of which PartyNextDoor seems to have written, or Beyoncé and The Weeknd's "6-Inch," which seemed to be the latter's song before it was used for Lemonade, or at least two songs on Travi$ Scott's Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight that seemed to have been fully-formed originals before Scott got hold of them. This week, another "original version" of a curious collab tops our chart, and it doesn't have anything to do with the artist whose album it first appeared on. 2016, y'all.
For the first time in quite a while, only one artist appears twice in our top ten, and that's Rick Ross, who notches a solo and guest appearance this week. New releases barely missing on a spot this time include Lil Uzi Vert's "Grow Up" (#12), Belly, Young Thug, and Zack's "Consuela" (#14), Uzi's "Woke Up Thankful (Calm Skate Vids)" (#15), and Fat Joe, Remy Ma, and Ty Dolla $ign's "Money Showers" (#18).
10. Post Malone Feat. Quavo - Congratulations
We're now less than four weeks away from Post Malone's hotly-anticipated debut album, Stoney, which is set to arrive on December 9th. Along with Justin Bieber, Kehlani, Pharrell, and possibly Kanye West, Quavo is one of the album's guests, and his featured appearance, "Congratulations," serves as the first single. In its second week out, the track falls two places from #8 to #10.
9. French Montana Feat. Jeezy - Everytime
After a totally botched rollout that included a leak, sample clearance issues, a delay, and a last-minute switch from album to mixtape, French Montana's MC4 finally arrived earlier this month. Though most of us have heard the entirety of the star-studded project, the Jeezy collab "Everytime" still makes its presence felt on the charts this week. The track debuts at #9.
8. Rick Ross - Kyrie (Prod. By DP Beats)
On both of his projects last year, Black Dollar and Black Market, Rick Ross went for a more grown-ass, mature sound, but he's still got the ability to craft bangers. He reminds us on the sports-themed "Kyrie," produced by frequent Chief Keef collaborator DP Beats. The track debuts at #8.
7. Lil Uzi Vert - Miss Cleo
Lil Uzi Vert dropped three new tracks last week, and although all wound up in our top fifteen this week, only "Miss Cleo" cracked the top ten. Inspired by the TV psychic who passed away earlier this year, this one's produced by Bugz Ronin and Uzi's right-hand man, Maaly Raw. "Miss Cleo" debuts at #7.
6. Mac Miller Feat. Anderson .Paak - Dang!
It may have not appeared in the top ten for the past two weeks, but it looks like you can't count Mac Miller's first Divine Feminine single out yet. The Anderson .Paak-assisted "Dang!" first dropped back on July 28th, and now more than three months later, it's still hanging on. In its 16th week out, the track rises five spots from #11 to #6.
5. DJ Khaled Feat. Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Future, August Alsina, Jeremih & Rick Ross - Do You Mind
The one song that dropped the very same day as Miller and .Paak's "Dang!" and hasn't once fallen out of the top ten is DJ Khaled and Co.'s "Do You Mind," which may have not been as successful as lead single "For Free" on the real charts, but on ours, it's not even close. Not only does it keep appearing, but it's also failed to stay on any downward trajectories for too long. In its 16th week out, "Do You Mind" rises two places from #7 to #5.
4. YFN Lucci Feat. 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne - Key To The Streets (Remix)
Coming in at just about half of the length of "Do You Mind"'s streak is the ColleGrove remix to YFN Lucci's "Key To The Streets," which has now appeared in nine consecutive top tens. Lucci's stock has been rising in Atlanta for a couple of years now, and now it's prime time for the rest of the country to start taking notice. In its ninth week out, the "Key To The Streets" remix goes up two places from #6 to #4.
3. Childish Gambino - Me And Your Mama
As a showrunner, Donald Glover saw to it that his new FX series "Atlanta" had a fantastic, well-curated-but-eclectic soundtrack, and now that it's (very strategically) time to pivot back to making his own music, he's bringing that very same mentality with him. "Me And Your Mama" is a multi-part epic that makes us very curious to hear the rest of Awaken, My Love!, which is rumored to be dropping December 2nd. The new track debuts at #3.
2. Future Feat. Drake - Used To This (Prod. By Zaytoven)
Considering the industry heft of Drake and Future, both of whom have topped our chart multiple times this year (though Drake is obviously in the lead), it's a little surprising that their new collab has ceded the top spot. Then again, people are clearly hungry for new J. Cole after the considerable success of 2014 Forest Hills Drive. In its second week out, "Used To This" falls one place from #1 to #2.
1. J. Cole, Bas, EarthGang & J.I.D - Can't Call It
Originally appearing in shorter form as "Jermaine's Interlude" on DJ Khaled's Major Key this summer, this track originally listed Atlanta duo EarthGang as featured artists, but they don't appear in the title or songwriting credits on the actual album. Hollywood JB, a member of the same Spillage Village posse as EarthGang and J.I.D, produced it, and last week, the whole gang (minus Khaled and plus Cole's Dreamville signee Bas) linked up for a much long version. "Can't Call It" debuts at #1.