Skip Marley and H.E.R.’s “Slow Down” moves up one spot to top Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs airplay chart dated May 23. The collaboration climbs through a 23 percent surge in plays in the week ending May 17, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, the largest jump among all 30 songs on the list.
“Down,” released on Tuffgong/Island/Republic, gives the 23-year-old Marley both his first leader on Adult R&B Songs and first No. 1 on any Billboard airplay chart. He previously came closest as a featured act on Katy Perry’s “Chained to the Rhythm,” which hit the top 10 on Adult Pop Songs (No. 7), Pop Songs (No. 8) and the all-genre Radio Songs chart (No. 9) in 2017.
“I never set my sights on a chart position when we recorded the song, but I give praise and thanks to the almighty that the music can reach these heights and connect to a wider audience,” Marley said in a press release issued by his label, Island Records. “Ever proud to represent Jamaica achieving new levels in any endeavor. We appreciate all the love all the DJs, programmers, and stations who supported. It takes an army of Jah soldiers to make this type of noise. Maximum respect to H.E.R. for lifting the track with her heavenly vocals.”
H.E.R., meanwhile, collects a third No. 1 on Adult R&B Songs. The singer-songwriter previously reigned with her first pair of chart entries in 2018. “Focus” led for one week that October, while she reclaimed the summit later that month collaborating with Daniel Caesar on the four-week champ “Best Part.”
“Skip is such a gifted artist and dope person!,” H.E.R. tells Billboard via email. “As soon as I heard ‘Slow Down,’ I was so excited to hop on it. We’ve already created so many memorable moments with this song, and now we’re No. 1!!! When the vibe is organic, the people feel it too!!!”
In addition to its Adult R&B coronation, “Down” strengthens its traction with mainstream audiences as it lifts 27-26 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart thanks to an 8 percent bump in plays across the format’s stations in the week ending May 17. Support from both the adult and mainstream divisions helps “Down” approach the top 10 of the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart with an 14-11 jump and 22 percent push to 16.3 million in audience.
The single also found a home at Rhythmic radio, reaching a No. 14 high thus far, but backtracks five spots on the latest list to No. 19 as plays slide 14 percent in the week’s tally.
Still, the combined Rhythmic and R&B/Hip-Hop sectors help the track ascend 45-43 in its third week on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. There, the duet registers 21.1 million in airplay audience, a 23 percent improvement from the prior week.
“Down” is likely to appear on a forthcoming Marley project, slated for a summer release.
