Drake’s long-anticipated return single, “What Did I Miss?,” is getting a reality check just two weeks after its chart-topping arrival. The song, which was released on July 5 as the lead single from his upcoming album, “Iceman,” dropped six spots to No. 8 on the latest Billboard Hot 100 chart update. Now that it has settled into the No. 8 spot, the track is now crowded out by new releases from the likes of Alex Warren, Justin Bieber, Morgan Wallen, and Tate McRae.
For a rapper who’s made a habit of eating up sales charts with every new release, this moment has prompted discussions about Drake’s momentum and the shelf life of “What Did I Miss?” With its direct allusions to Drake’s feud-in-progress with Kendrick Lamar, the song was both a status check and a warm-up exercise for “Iceman.” With its odes to Lamar and a few nods to erstwhile N.B.A. friends like LeBron James and DeMar DeRozan, the record was clearly meant to stoke intrigue around Drake and build excitement for an album rollout.
Check out this article: Jay-Z And Beyonce Take A Bold Move By Securing A $57 Million Loan On Bel Air Mansion
However, despite the buzz and debate, the song’s crash on the Hot 100 highlights the unreliability of virality’s relationship to longevity. Though fans have hailed the track for its stinging one-liners and Drake’s introspection, the song’s steep chart decline raises the question: Does it have the musical fortitude to sustain the album’s momentum? At No. 8, Drake looms large, outdoing songs by Teddy Swims as well as the surprise team-up between Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. Few artists are left who can genuinely still demand the nation’s attention with a simple drop, and the Toronto rapper is one of them. With “Iceman” due out later this year, there’s still time for redemption and, for all we know, more chart-compelling singles.
