Pearl Jam‘s new single “Dark Matter” matters a great deal on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.
The title track off the grunge titans’ upcoming album has hit #1 on the tally, and, in doing so, has set a new Billboard record.
Prior to “Dark Matter,” Pearl Jam hadn’t led Mainstream Rock Airplay since 1998, or 26 years and two weeks ago, with “Given to Fly.” No other act has gone that long in between number ones in the 43-year history of Mainstream Rock Airplay. The next closest is Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who ended his 20-year, 11-month drought at the top of the chart in 2019 as a featured artist on Five Finger Death Punch‘s cover of his song “Blue on Black.”
The album Dark Matter drops April 19. Pearl Jam will launch a U.S. tour in May.