Though it isn’t as publicized as it should be, Mary J.Blige remains R&B’s only consistent female ‘seller‘.

Unfortunately tarred with the same brush of perception that’s sullied her genres worth to the wider public, regular releases and well executed campaigns have ensured that her numbers remain favorable and at times miraculous even at their ‘worst’.

Her ‘worst’, being watching her latest LP ‘My Life II’ receive Gold certification after six months. A certification, many of today’s R&B releases are unlikely to ever see…ever.

However, by way of Rihanna‘s smash hit ‘Diamonds‘, Blige is on course to lose a record set in 2005 with Bryan Michael Cox penned ‘Be Without You’.

Chart details below…

Despite technically being a Pop number, Rihanna‘s ‘hue induced’ positioning as an urban act has seen ‘Diamonds’ soar on the R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart- now spending its 14th week at #1.

If it spends another week at the top next week, it will become the longest running R&B #1 of all time, snatching the record from ‘Be Without You‘ which once sat secure with a total of 15 weeks at the top.

A testament to her status as being one of the only R&B acts to break commercial records with R&B material, Mary’s currently undisputed record saw her best chart runs by even her strongest of competitors. These being Beyonce‘s ‘Single Ladies’, Usher‘s ‘Climax’ and Ciara‘s ‘Promise‘.

However, as a result of Rihanna’s dominance over Top 40 radio, sales of ‘Diamonds’ have seen it reign supreme on Urban tallies across the globe, despite little backing from the Urban outlets that will no doubt take ‘Pour It Up’ to similar heights.

Chart News @chartnews

Funny. I thought that's one of her worst singles.

As I've commented before it doesn't seem to take more these days than have some simple hook sung in an annoying way to have a hit. That seems to work a lot better than the song actually having a good, memorable melody.

Rihanna sings R&B?

Graycap23 said:

Rihanna sings R&B?

No wonder so many people don't take the genre seriously anymore. R&B has lost both it's rhythm and it's blues.

Actually these are the longest-running R&B singles on Billboard:

18 weeks each in 1945 and 1946 respectively. I see Billboard is neglecting its R&B history but no surprise, huh? Digital downloads are the reason why Rihanna has stayed at No. 1. That's it lol but oh well...

Graycap23 said:

Rihanna sings R&B?

Yes, Rihanna sings rhythmless bullshit.

"Diamonds in the sky" or whatever that sh1t is called isn't even R&B. It's Pop. Not sure why it's even charting on the R&B charts in the first place. If it was sung by Katy Perry it wouldnt even be there, but because Rihanna is black and may have made a few R&B sounding songs in the past, Billbaord decides to put it on the R&B charts. SMH.

mrjun18 said:

"Diamonds in the sky" or whatever that sh1t is called isn't even R&B. It's Pop. Not sure why it's even charting on the R&B charts in the first place. If it was sung by Katy Perry it wouldnt even be there, but because Rihanna is black and may have made a few R&B sounding songs in the past, Billbaord decides to put it on the R&B charts. SMH.

I agree. Just like I said months ago. That black artist are singing techno pop music(Ne-yo/Ursher)now.White artist(Robin Thicke/Justin Timbalake) are singing Rnb. It has reversed.

Timmy84 said:

18 weeks each in 1945 and 1946 respectively. I see Billboard is neglecting its R&B history but no surprise, huh? Digital downloads are the reason why Rihanna has stayed at No. 1. That's it lol but oh well...

Isn't that pre-billboard or something? I think there was a chart before billboard officially started

Written by Sia, formerly of Zero7.

I just thought of this song as pop.

aardvark15 said:

Timmy84 said:

18 weeks each in 1945 and 1946 respectively. I see Billboard is neglecting its R&B history but no surprise, huh? Digital downloads are the reason why Rihanna has stayed at No. 1. That's it lol but oh well...

Isn't that pre-billboard or something? I think there was a chart before billboard officially started

Billboard started their publication in 1895 and the charts (for modern popular music) started around the 1920s. The R&B charts started as the Harlem Hit Parade in 1942. By the time Joe Liggins and Louis Jordan came on the scene, it had changed its name to the Race Records chart. It didn't become "the R&B charts" until 1949.

I used to like this song, but it gets boring very quickly.

It's not as bad as her new single 'stay' - I actually have to change the station when it comes on.

Black artist = R&B whether they actually sing it or not.

Graycap23 said:

Rihanna sings R&B?

diamond went #1?

Lawd....

better tracks than the singles on the album in my opinion

paisleypark4 said:

diamond went #1?

Lawd....

better tracks than the singles on the album in my opinion

I think it was #1 on the Hot 100 for like five weeks before Bruno replaced her.

Her SNL performance of "Diamonds" was really cool I thought. I saw a re-run of it at Christmas time after knowing the song a lil mo betta, and I quite enjoyed it.

TonyVanDam said:

Graycap23 said:

Rihanna sings R&B?

Yes, Rihanna sings rhythmless bullshit.

I wouldn't use the word 'sings' - just sayin.....

By the way Mary still gets to keep her title for modern R&B chart-topping queen. That hip-hop song, "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore (or whatever his name is) dethroned it from the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The charts won't be updated until Friday.

Cinny said:

2020 said:

Cinny said:

Written by Sia, formerly of Zero7.

I just thought of this song as pop.

Really? Sia wrote this garbage? That's disappointing to hear. I quite like Sia and her voice with Zero7 and her solo stuff

Maybe we'll be less biased with our listening next time

Cinny said:

Her SNL performance of "Diamonds" was really cool I thought. I saw a re-run of it at Christmas time after knowing the song a lil mo betta, and I quite enjoyed it.

I saw that too. Was surprised by myself that I liked it. I liked especially the screens animations. 90s 3d graphics, very creative referrence. And she was singing well. The song's good. Sia's a good songwriter. I like a handful of hits by Rihanna (whats my name, only girl in the world, s&m, umbrella, rude boy, we found love) but she certainly isn't a talent worthy of all these sale records. Very far from chart rulers for so long like Michael, Beatles, Madonna, Elton or any of them. Times are changing.