With his fourth straight career-opening No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, Pastor Mike Jr. achieves a first. As “Impossible” ascends to the summit of the April 22-dated list, he links the longest career-opening No. 1 streak in the history of the survey, which began in March 2005.
Pastor Mike Jr. (actual name: Mike McClure Jr.) previously ruled Gospel Airplay with “Amazing,” for two frames last May; “I Got It,” for four weeks beginning in March 2021; and his first entry, “Big Rock City,” for 10 weeks beginning in February 2020.
DOE is right behind Pastor Mike Jr., and could still match his career-launching run. The singer has banked three consecutive career-opening Gospel Airplay chart-toppers; her most recent, “When I Pray,” reigned for two weeks last September and October.
Jonathan McReynolds and Todd Dulaney share the record for the most consecutive Gospel Airplay No. 1s overall with five each.
Pastor Mike Jr. has an additional song on Gospel Airplay, as featured on Kierra Sheard’s “Miracles.” The track ranks at No. 14 after reaching No. 11 a week earlier.
Pastor Mike Jr.’s unprecedented chart start follows his haul at the 2022 Stellar Gospel Music Awards, where he was the top winner. At the event, held last July 16 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, he claimed six awards, including artist of the year and album of the year, the latter for I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol. 1. As he also captured artist of the year in 2021, he’s the first act to win in that top category for two years running since Donald Lawrence in 2006-07.