Ariana Grande’s “Break Free (featuring Zedd)” had three tasks to achieve at pop radio this week: overtake Nico and Vinz’ declining “Am I Wrong,” overtake MAGIC!’s declining “Rude” and hold off Taylor Swift’s surging “Shake it Off.”
“Break Free” completed all three tasks. As a result, it scores a spot in the Top 5 of Mediabase’s official, weekly pop radio airplay chart.
The follow-up to “Problem” claims the #5 position on the strength of 11,537 spins during the August 31-September 6 tracking period.
Facilitating that impressive spin count was a week-over-week gain of 1,351 spins. That registers “Break Free” as pop’s fifth-greatest gainer this week. Only Meghan Trainor’s #4 “All About That Bass” (+2,676), Taylor Swift’s #6 “Shake it Off” (+1,738), Jeremih’s #16 “Don’t Tell ‘Em (featuring YG)” (+1,458) and Clean Bandit’s #7 “Rather Be (featuring Jess Glynne)” (+1,417) enjoyed bigger weekly airplay gainers.
Trainor’s song, which claims greatest gainer honors by a considerable margin, also enters the top five this week. It rises two places to #4 on the official chart and will surge past Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” for the #3 slot on Monday’s rolling listing.
Other news within the top ten this week:
— Charli XCX’s “Boom Clap” scores a second week at #1.
— Maroon 5’s “Maps” rises two spots to a new peak of #2. Still on the rapid rise, it nonetheless looks like it will be overtaken by Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” before reaching #1.
— Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” and Clean Bandit’s “Rather Be (featuring Jess Glynne)” reach new peaks of #6 and #7, respectively.
— Iggy Azalea’s “Black Widow (featuring Rita Ora)” elevates into the Top 10 at #9.
