Evanescence Earns Its First Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 With ‘Afterlife’

For the first time after more than three decades as a band, Evanescence is No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

“Afterlife,” the Amy Lee-fronted group’s single from the Netflix series Devil May Cry, lifts a spot to the top of the tally dated July 5.

The ruler caps a 22-year wait for a No. 1 for the band, which first reached the list with “Bring Me to Life” (featuring Paul McCoy), a No. 11 hit in May 2003. The act’s origin dates to 1994 in Little Rock, Ark.

Prior to “Afterlife,” Evanescence’s top-charting song on Mainstream Rock Airplay was “Call Me When You’re Sober,” which reached No. 5 in 2006.

The band ends the longest wait between a first appearance on Mainstream Rock Airplay and a first No. 1 since Jeff Beck went a record 37 years between “People Get Ready” (No. 5) in 1985 and his featured turn on Ozzy Osbourne’s leader “Patient Number 9” in 2022. Osbourne holds the record for the longest wait for lead acts on bookending songs: 26 years between “Crazy Train” (No. 9, 1981) and the No. 1 “I Don’t Wanna Stop” (2007).

Evanescence’s 22-year anticipation for a first Mainstream Rock Airplay leader marks the longest among groups.

Concurrently, “Afterlife” lifts 25-23 on Alternative Airplay, Evanescence’s highest rank since “What You Want” peaked at No. 14 in 2011. The band boasts a previous No. 1 on the ranking via the two-week reign of “Bring Me to Life” in 2003.

On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, “Afterlife” reaches a new No. 3 best with 4.2 million audience impressions, up 9%, in the week ending June 26, according to Luminate.

“Afterlife” ranked at No. 10 on the most recently published, multimetric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart (dated June 28, reflecting data June 13-19). In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 892,000 official U.S. streams.

Devil May Cry, an anime adaptation of the classic video game franchise, was released on Netflix April 3. It’s since been renewed for a second season.

All charts dated July 5 will update Tuesday, July 1, on Billboard.com.