Tamela Mann Breaks Record for Most Gospel Airplay No. 1s With ‘He Did It for Me’
Written by on May 19, 2022
Tamela Mann‘s “He Did It for Me” ascends to No. 1 on Billboard‘s Gospel Airplay chart dated May 21. In the tracking week ending May 15, the single, which Mann co-wrote, gained by 2% in plays, according to Luminate.
Now with nine No. 1s, Mann claims the most leaders on Gospel Airplay, which began in March 2005, all to herself, as she breaks out of a tie with Kirk Franklin. James Fortune & FIYA follow with seven No. 1s, while Jekalyn Carr, Todd Dulaney, Travis Greene, Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago, Donald Lawrence, Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Marvin Sapp each have five.
“He Did It for Me” also marks Mann’s third straight Gospel Airplay leader, following “Help Me,” which dominated for four weeks starting last September, and “Touch Me,” which ruled for five frames beginning in December 2020.
Mann boasts two other streaks of three Gospel Airplay No. 1s in a row. She earned her first three leaders – “Take Me to the King” (25 weeks on top), “I Can Only Imagine” (13) and “This Place” (six) – in 2012-15 and achieved her next three – “God Provides” (13), “My World Needs You,” by Franklin, featuring Sarah Reeves, Cobbs Leonard and Mann (two), and “Change Me” (14) – in 2016-17.
Mann also extends her record for the most career weeks atop Gospel Airplay to 83. She outpaces Fortune & FIYA (79) and Sapp (77).
Mann, who hails from Fort Worth, Texas, has posted 17 total Gospel Airplay entries, including 13 top 10s. She first reached the top tier in her second appearance, as “Speak Lord” climbed to No. 4 in March 2006.
“He Did It for Me” is from Mann’s album Overcomer, which opened at its No. 3 peak on Top Gospel Albums last August, becoming her sixth top 10. A digital deluxe edition of the LP is due July 22 with a live version of her new Gospel Airplay leader, along with “Superheroes Prayer,” a new duet with Yolanda Adams.
