André 3000 has officially secured the record for the longest song to chart on the prestigious Billboard Hot 100. Billboard reports that the average length of a charting song stands at three minutes and 15 seconds, setting the stage for André’s extraordinary feat.
Titled “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time,” the epic 12-minute and 20-second track is a standout feature on André’s latest album, “New Blue Sun,” which marked his return to solo projects after a staggering 17 years. Much to the surprise of fans, the album takes an entirely instrumental approach, eschewing any verses from the renowned OutKast rapper and instead spotlighting his exceptional flute-playing skills.
Despite the unconventional nature of the project, “I Swear…” secured the 90th spot on the Hot 100, making history with its unprecedented length. Prior to André’s achievement, Tool’s 2019 single “Fear Inoculum” from the album of the same name held the record for the longest song to grace the Hot 100.
Notably, Taylor Swift‘s “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” now holds the third position among the longest songs to chart on the Hot 100, clocking in at an impressive 10 minutes and 13 seconds, having been surpassed by André’s groundbreaking composition. As the music landscape continues to evolve, André 3000’s record-breaking accomplishment adds a distinctive chapter to the annals of the Billboard Hot 100.
