Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like,” which is already #1 on Billboard Pop Songs, has taken an early lead in the race for the top spot on this week’s Mediabase pop radio airplay chart.
Mars’ single received 5,265 spins during the first two days of the April 23-29 tracking period. Up 0.4% from the count at this point last week, the tally slots “That’s What I Like” at #1 on the building chart.
Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You,” which has spent the past ten weeks at #1, is #2 on the building listing. It received 5,102 spins during the week’s first two days (-5.3%).
As the two songs are separated by fewer than 200 spins, it is too early to guarantee a victory for “That’s What I Like.”
The scenario looks good, however. While “That’s What I Like” is narrowly up in week-over-week airplay, “Shape Of You” is down by over 5%. If those trajectories hold up across the rest of the week, “That’s What I Like” will be the clear #1 when the chart goes final.
He topped the chart as a featured artist on Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk,” but “That’s What I Like” would become Mars’ first pop radio #1 as a solo/lead artist since “When I Was Your Man” reached the summit in early 2013.
In ruling for the past ten weeks, “Shape Of You” tied “Blurred Lines” and “Closer” for the longest reign of the Mediabase era. A win this week – which, admittedly, appears unlikely – would make “Shape Of You” the outright record-holder.