Jack black’s “Steve’s Lava Chicken” Enters Hot 100, Joining Ranks of Shortest Charting Songs
While Kendrick Lamar and SZA continue their reign on the Billboard charts,a new record has been set. Their collaboration, Luther,
holds the No. 1 spot for a 10th consecutive week, joining an elite group of only 46 songs to achieve this milestone. Simultaneously, SZA’s SOS and Lamar’s GNX dominate the albums chart at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.
The 34-Second Wonder
This week’s charts mark a notable achievement: a 34-second song has cracked the Hot 100. Jack Black’s Steve’s Lava Chicken,
a track from A Minecraft Movie,has entered the chart at No. 78, making it one of the shortest songs ever to do so.
the length of a song can substantially impact its chart performance. Shorter songs often gain traction through viral trends and streaming algorithms.
Top Albums: A Swift Turnover
Last week, Ken Carson debuted atop the Billboard 200 albums chart with More Chaos. atop the Billboard 200 albums chart with More Chaos, his first-ever chart-topper.
Even though it had the smallest accumulation of sales and streaming for any chart-topping album in three years,a No. 1 album is still a No. 1 album.
However, Carson’s reign was short-lived. more Chaos plunges from No. 1 to No. 38 this week. With no major debuts to shake things up, Wiz Khalifa‘s Kush + Orange Juice 2 debuts at No. 62, leaving the top spots to familiar faces.
SZA and Kendrick Lamar, frequent tour partners, have consistently held top positions on the Billboard 200. Now, SZA’s SOS and Kendrick Lamar’s GNX occupy Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, despite lower numbers than More Chaos.
The Shortest Songs to Hit the Charts
Here’s a look at the five shortest songs to ever grace Billboard‘s primary singles chart:
- Jack Black, “Steve’s Lava Chicken,” 0:34, No. 78 (2025)
- Kid Cudi, “Beautiful Trip,” 0:37, No. 100 (2020)
- Pikotaro, “PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen),” 0:45, No. 77 (2016)
- The Womenfolk, “Little Boxes,” 1:02, no. 83 (1964)
- Nat King Cole,”Deck the Halls,” 1:06,No. 16 (released in 1960, peaked in 2022)
Oscar Potential?
The success of Steve’s Lava Chicken
raises questions about its future. The song Peaches
spent five weeks on the Hot 100 and garnered Oscar buzz. While Peaches
didn’t make the Academy’s shortlist, there’s still hope for Black. there’s no rule that says a 34-second song can’t win an Oscar.
Consider the impact of viral trends on a song’s success. Short, catchy tunes frequently enough thrive on platforms like TikTok, boosting their chart potential.
