Rap Isn’t Dying. It’s Evolving

Analyzing a change in musical paradigm

For the first time in more than 35 years, no rap song appeared in the Top 40 of the

Billboard Hot 100. Since 1990, over 2,000 consecutive weeks have featured at least one rap track in that range. The chart dated October 25, 2025 was dominated by pop, country, and K-pop artists such as Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish. As a high school student who listens to a substantial amount of rap music, I find this development surprising. Indeed, after examining the data and trends, I firmly believe rap is not dying. Instead, it is undergoing a necessary transformation that will strengthen its cultural impact in the long run.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s collaboration song “Luther” had been the last rap song in the Top 40, currently holding at No. 41. 26 weeks after its release, it fell below No. 25 and was removed under Billboard’s recurrent rule, which retires songs that remain on the chart for too long. This technical detail, not a sudden collapse in rap’s popularity, ended the streak. Social media reacted strongly as many users declared the end of hip-hop. Such claims, however, overlook broader patterns.

Rap’s presence on the charts has gradually decreased in recent years. In 2017, hip-hop accounted for 25.7 percent of music consumption in the United States. Today, that share is closer to 12–15 percent. Several factors explain this trend. Streaming platforms prioritize short, viral clips over complete albums, encouraging artists to release large volumes of music. This flood of content makes it harder for any single rap song to gain sustained traction. Additionally, genre boundaries have blurred. Rap originated with strong ties to street culture before becoming more mainstream and having pop/rock elements being incorporated. Artists like Doja Cat utilize rap elements, but their tracks are often classified as pop if the production leans in that direction. As Tom Breihan wrote in Stereogum, rap influences are “still all over the Top 40; it’s just not being made by rappers.”

A Billboard article titled “No Rap Songs in Hot 100’s Top 40 for First Time Since 1990” provides valuable context. It describes the event as “the latest sign of a recent dip in rap’s commercial dominance.” The piece highlights how hip-hop grew from underground origins to a multibillion-dollar industry, only to face saturation. Producer The Alchemist, quoted in a related discussion, argues that charts no longer reflect rap’s true vitality. He emphasizes that the genre thrives on streaming platforms, not corporate rankings. Supporting data show that rap songs continue to accumulate billions of streams, even if they do not appear in the Top 40. For example, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” generated 1.5 billion streams in 2025 alone.

In my view, rap’s absence from the Top 40 is not a sign of weakness, but rather an opportunity for renewal. The Billboard Hot 100 has always favored commercially safe music. Rap, at its core, challenges authority and gives voice to marginalized communities. As rap is becoming much more popular and main-stream, it spreads out into all different genres and provides the additional excitement and emotional kick that only it can best deliver.

 In addition, the genre is always evolving and changing, with many artists experimenting on different sounds. These developments ensure the genre remains dynamic. As a student, I experience this evolution daily. My playlists include established figures like Travis Scott alongside newer acts pushing creative boundaries. The current chart drought has encouraged me to explore beyond popular hits, discovering music that resonates more deeply. In conclusion, rap is far from dead. It is adapting to a changing industry and preparing for a resurgence on its own terms. In a few years, when the next groundbreaking track emerges, this moment will be remembered as a turning point, not an endpoint. Hip-hop’s future remains bright.

Lawrence Chen ‘29

image by: Statista