As The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face” climbs to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, its co-producer and co-writer, pop juggernaut Max Martin, earns his 21st leader as a songwriter.
Martin co-wrote the track with Hot 100 Music Festival headliner The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye), Savan Kotecha, Ali Payami and Peter Svensson. Martin co-produced the song with Payami.
“Face” is Martin’s second No. 1 in 2015, following Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” (featuring Kendrick Lamar), which he also co-wrote and co-produced.
Martin (real name Martin Sandberg) remains in third place among songwriters with the most No. 1s in the Hot 100’s 57-year history. He trails only Paul McCartney, with 32 No. 1s, and John Lennon (26).
“Face” is Martin’s 19th No. 1 as a producer. He remains in second place among producers for the most No. 1s, behind only famed Beatles producer George Martin, who’s notched 23.
Here is an updated recap of Martin’s 21 Hot 100 No. 1s as a writer. His first, Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” is his only No. 1 that he solely wrote and produced. He wrote all his other No. 1s in collaboration with others. (Of his leaders, only ‘NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me” and Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” were not also produced by Martin.)
Notably, “Face” is the first No. 1 for Martin by a solo male artist. The rest of his chart-toppers have been recorded by either solo female artists or groups. And, after tallying his first two No. 1s as a writer in 1999-2000, he’s added his next 19 all since 2008, with at least one in each year in that span.
Max Martin’s Hot 100 No. 1s as a Songwriter
Britney Spears, “…Baby One More Time,” 1999
‘NSYNC, “It’s Gonna Be Me,” 2000
Katy Perry, “I Kissed a Girl,” 2008
Pink, “So What,” 2008
Kelly Clarkson, “My Life Would Suck Without You,” 2009
Britney Spears, “3,” 2009
Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, “California Gurls,” 2010
Katy Perry, “Teenage Dream,” 2010
Pink, “Raise Your Glass,”2010
Britney Spears, “Hold It Against Me,” 2011
Katy Perry featuring Kanye West, “E.T.,” 2011
Katy Perry, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” 2011
Katy Perry, “Part of Me,” 2012
Maroon 5, “One More Night,” 2012
Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” 2012
Katy Perry, “Roar,” 2013
Katy Perry featuring Juicy J, “Dark Horse,” 2014
Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off,” 2014
Taylor Swift, “Blank Space,” 2014
Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood,” 2015
The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel My Face,” 2015
