Olivia Dean Is the First Woman Since Adele to Top Pop and R&B Radio Charts

Olivia Dean crowns Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart as “Man I Need” jumps from No. 5 to lead the list dated April 11. The achievement reflects the breakthrough single’s status as the most-played song on panel-contributing adult R&B radio stations in the United States for the tracking week of March 27-April 2, according to Luminate.

“Man I Need,” released and promoted through Polydor/Island/REPUBLIC, knocks Tank’s “Control” from the summit. The former champ slips to No. 3 after a two-week reign.

With its new triumph, “Man I Need” adds a third Billboard chart radio crown, following a six-week run atop the Pop Airplay chart in January – February and three weeks at No. 1 on Adult Pop Airplay in February. It’s the first song to lead all three lists since Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” captured three weeks atop Adult R&B Airplay, two terms on Pop Airplay and four weeks on Adult Pop Airplay in 2024. Among songs by women, “Man I Need” is the first track to complete this particular triple play since Adele’s “Hello” achieved one, four and seven weeks, respectively, on the radio rankings in 2015-16.

The song’s cross-format appeal echoes the wide popularity for “Man I Need,” which rode a wave of airplay and streaming support to a No. 2 peak on the Billboard Hot 100 and a 20-week (and counting!) stretch in the chart’s top 10. Led by the momentum, Dean won the Grammy Award for best new artist at this year’s ceremony on Feb. 1.

Elsewhere, “Man I Need” continues to scale two other radio charts. Its coronation on Adult R&B Airplay boosts its fortunes on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. There, it climbs 20-19 with 5 million in audience, up 6% from last week. Additionally, it holds at No. 8 on Adult Contemporary.

Through its strength across formats, “Man I Need” repeats at No. 2 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart for a seventh consecutive week and ninth total time in the runner-up spot. The single is a former champ there, with three weeks at No. 1 in February.