Kendrick Lamar Dominates 2024 Music Charts with Hit Song “Not Like Us”
Kendrick Lamar’s monumental year continues as his track “Not Like Us” becomes the best-selling song in the United States for 2024. The song, widely regarded as a diss track aimed at Drake, has taken the charts by storm since its release in May.
While exact sales figures remain undisclosed, Chart Data reported on August 1 that the song has achieved unparalleled success. “Not Like Us” quickly hit one million equivalent units within two weeks of its release and surpassed two million sales by the following month.
The track has garnered immense popularity on streaming platforms, amassing over 800 million plays across Spotify and YouTube. It also topped the Billboard Hot 100 twice—first during its debut week and again two months later following the release of its highly anticipated music video.
The Mustard-produced track has shattered several records, previously held by Drake, further fueling the ongoing rivalry between the two artists. Upon release, “Not Like Us” set a new record for the highest single-day streams for a rap song in U.S. Spotify history, with 10.986 million streams, surpassing the previous record of 6.593 million held by Drake and Lil Baby’s “Girls Like Girls.”
Additionally, the track became the fastest rap song to reach 500 million streams on Spotify, dethroning Drake’s “God’s Plan.”
The success of “Not Like Us” has had a ripple effect beyond Kendrick’s catalog. Tam’s Burgers, a Compton-based eatery prominently featured in the music video, reported a 30 to 40 percent increase in business. The restaurant, known for its connection with Kendrick since his teenage years, collaborated with the artist by featuring their logo in the video, offering him a lifetime supply of free meals in gratitude.
As the year progresses, “Not Like Us” continues to attract attention. The Recording Academy’s CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., recently hinted at the song’s potential for Grammy recognition in 2025, despite its controversial content. He praised the track’s artistry, saying, “It’s a hot record with amazing artistry and great writing. The talent is incredible.”
If “Not Like Us” secures a Grammy nomination or win, it would mark a historic moment as the first diss track to achieve such an honor. The last notable nomination in this category was Drake’s “Back to Back,” which lost to Kendrick’s “Alright” in 2016.
