Sublime Has Its First Alternative Airplay No. 1 in Almost 30 Years

Sublime has its first No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart in close to 30 years, crowning the Sept. 20-dated tally with “Ensenada.”

The song is the act’s second ruler and first sung by Jakob Nowell, son of late frontman Bradley Nowell.

The band previously led in 1996 with “What I Got,” which crowned the ranking five months after Bradley Nowell’s overdose death that May.

Sublime’s wait of 28 years and 10 months between No. 1s is the lengthiest in the Alternative Airplay chart’s 37-year history, surpassing Sum 41’s 22 years, six months and three weeks between “Fat Lip” in 2001 and “Landmines” in 2024.

In between “What I Got” and “Ensenada,” Sublime reached Alternative Airplay with four tracks, paced by a pair of No. 3 peaks in “Santeria” and “Wrong Way,” both in 1997. Additionally, the band Sublime With Rome, which at first featured the surviving Sublime members plus frontman Rome Ramirez, hit the chart with four songs in 2011-19.

“Ensenada” concurrently reaches No. 1 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, marking Sublime’s first leader since the ranking began in 2009. In the week ending Sept. 11, it surged 51% to 4.1 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.

“Ensenada” became Sublime’s first entry on Mainstream Rock Airplay in almost 29 years when it debuted at No. 38 on the Aug. 23 tally; it places at No. 40 on the latest survey.

“Ensenada” previews Sublime’s next album, for which a release date has not been announced. It’s the band’s first LP since 1996’s self-titled release, which has accumulated 10.9 million equivalent album units to date.

All Billboard charts dated Sept. 20 will update Tuesday, Sept. 16, on Billboard.com.

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