The late DMX returns to the top 10 of a Advertising sign airplay chart for the first time in over 20 years, and his first entry on a rock chart.
Five Finger Death Punch's “This Is the Way,” which features vocals from DMX in a featured role, climbs 11-10 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart dated May 4.
“This Is the Way” is a cross between DMX's “The Way It's Gonna Be,” released in 2009, and Five Finger Death Punch's “Judgment Day,” from their 2022 LP. AfterLife. The collaboration is on its deluxe reissue AfterLife, which was released in April. In its original form, the set debuted at No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart in September 2022 and has earned 266,000 equivalent album units to date.
The track is DMX's first top 10 on an airplay chart since 2001, when “Who We Be” peaked at No. 9 on Rap Airplay, ending a hiatus of more than 22 years. He scored six top 10s on Rap Airplay, including the six-week No. 1 “Party Up (Up in Here)” in 2000.
DMX died on April 9, 2021, of a heart attack.
As for Five Finger Death Punch, “This Is the Way” is five tracks' 30th top 10 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, the third most in the chart's four-decade history, behind only Foo Fighters and Shinedown. Of those 30 top 10s, 14 have reached No. 1 – all in the streak leading up to “This Is the Way,” an active streak that marks the longest consecutive leaderboard streak in chart history.
Most Top 10, Mainstream Rock Airplay:
32, Foo Fighters
31, Shinedown
30, Five Finger Death Fist
29, Godsmack
28, Metallica
28, Tom Petty (solo and with the Heartbreakers)
27, Disturbed
26, Papa Roach
26, Van Halen
“This Is the Way” concurrently jumps 28-23 on the audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 1.6 million plays, up 37%, April 19-25, according to Luminate.
Previously, “This Is the Way” ruled the Chard Rock Digital Song Sales chart dated April 20 – DMX's first leader in any rock chart and Five Finger Death Punch 17th in the survey. It rises 6-5 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs poll dated May 4. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 1 million official streams in the US and sold 1,000.
