Pearl Jam has made a splash on Billboard’s Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart this week with their classic track “Black,” from the 1991 album Ten. The song debuted at No. 24, marking the band’s second appearance on this chart and their highest position to date. “Black” has surpassed its previous best of No. 25, which was set less than three years ago, and that earlier entry only lasted one week on the list.
In addition to its streaming success, “Black” climbed to No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and broke into the top 20 on the Alternative Airplay chart. Interestingly, the song was never officially released as a single, despite pressure from the record label. Eddie Vedder expressed his thoughts on this, saying, “Fragile songs get crushed by the business. I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t think the band wants to be part of it.”
Currently, the band is in between projects after releasing their latest album, Dark Matter, in spring 2024. They promoted the album with several singles and a tour that wrapped up in mid-2025.
In related news, Ten has risen to No. 23 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart alongside the debut of “Black.” The album has spent an impressive 194 weeks in the top 25, more than any other Pearl Jam project. Ten is one of eight albums by the band that have reached No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, first hitting the top spot in April 2009, nearly 20 years after its original release. Other chart-toppers include Lightning Bolt, Dark Matter, Backspacer, Gigaton, and Rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991–2003.
