U2 Retakes Sole Possession of Adult Alternative Airplay Top 10 Record

With its jump into the top 10 of Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart dated Oct. 21, U2’s “Atomic City” gives the band sole possession of the most top 10s in the ranking’s 27-year history.

“Atomic City” vaults 17-4 in its second week on the list, becoming U2’s 27th top 10.

That breaks the Bono-led band out of a tie with Dave Matthews, solo and with Dave Matthews Band, for the most top 10s since the chart began in January 1996.

Most Top 10s, Adult Alternative Airplay

27, U2
26, Dave Matthews (solo and with Dave Matthews Band)
24, Coldplay
19, Jack Johnson
19, John Mayer
15, Counting Crows
14, Beck
14, Sheryl Crow
13, R.E.M.
13, The Wallflowers
U2 first hit the Adult Alternative Airplay top 10 with “Discotheque,” which peaked at No. 7 in February 1997. It earned its first No. 1 one entry later with “Staring at the Sun,” a seven-week ruler beginning that March.

Before “Atomic City,” U2 last reached the top 10 with “Get Out of Your Own Way,” which peaked at No. 3 in February 2018. In between then and “Atomic City,” the band charted three times, led by “Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way” (No. 16, July 2018).

Concurrently, “Atomic City” places at No. 28, after debuting at No. 27, on Alternative Airplay. On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay tally, the song ranks at No. 11, after debuting at No. 5, with 2.5 million audience impressions Oct. 6-12, according to Luminate.

“Atomic City” is currently a standalone single from U2 to help promote the band’s run of Las Vegas concerts, which began in September.

Billboard