“Asking for a Friend,” the newest Foo Fighters single, misses reaching No. 1 on a Billboard chart by one space. Will the smash soon add to the group’s list of champions? NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MAY 03: Dave Grohl performs with Foo Fighters on Day 6 of 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race Course on April 28, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images)
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The Foo Fighters are so popular and so respected in the rock world that whenever the band delivers new music, there is a good chance that it will hit No. 1 on a number of Billboard’s rock rankings. Sometimes a track opens in first place, while on other tallies — especially those focused on radio airplay — a single needs a little more time before becoming a champion.
Almost a month into its time on the most competitive of all the rock radio rankings in America, “Asking for a Friend,” the most recent single shared by Foo Fighters, nearly earns the group another leader. But for the moment, it will have to settle for second place.
“Asking for a Friend” Misses No. 1 by One Space
“Asking for a Friend” rises to a new peak of No. 2 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, Billboard’s most closely-watched tally that ranks the most-heard tunes on the airwaves specific to rock. “Asking for a Friend” has only lived on the roster for four weeks, and it is just one space shy of running the show after settling at No. 3 last frame.
Who Blocks Foo Fighters From a New No. 1 Single?
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 25: Jakob Nowell of Sublime performs during the 2025 Boston Calling Music Festival at Harvard Athletic Complex on May 25, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Boston Calling)
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The current edition of the Rock & Alternative Airplay list is ruled by Sublime. The group’s single “Ensenada” is steady at No. 1, as it has been running the show for quite some time, fending off competition like “Back to Friends” by Sombr and “As Alive As You Need Me to Be,” the latest Nine Inch Nails single.
Sublime’s “Ensenada” Has Now Spent 10 Weeks at No. 1
“Ensenada” earned Sublime just its second-ever hit on the Rock & Alternative Airplay roster when it debuted in July. The tune quickly became the band’s first leader. “Ensenada” has now led the charge for 10 out of the 18 weeks it has found space on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart.
Foo Fighters Push “Asking for a Friend” to New Peaks on Several Charts
“Asking for a Friend” is on the rise on a trio of radio charts in the U.S. The single hits a new all-time high on both the Mainstream Rock Airplay and Alternative Airplay lists, improving to Nos. 3 and 5, respectively.
“Asking for a Friend” Falls on Several Other Tallies in America
While “Asking for a Friend” may be gaining ground when it comes to radio, general consumption of the track appears to be down. The recent Foo Fighters release barely hangs on in last place on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs roster, while simultaneously slipping one spot to No. 8 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart.
Foo Fighters Return to No. 1 With “Everlong”
While “Asking for a Friend” will have to wait at least one more frame before it hits No. 1 on any of the Billboard rankings on which it appears — if not several at the same time — the Foo Fighters do manage to command one roster. The band is back in charge of the Hard Rock Streaming Songs list as “Everlong” bolts from fourth place to first as it ascends. “Everlong” replaces “In the End” by Linkin Park, which steps back a single space.
How Many Weeks Has “Everlong” Spent at No. 1?
“Everlong” is one of only three tracks by Foo Fighters that have appeared on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart, and it easily outpaces both “My Hero” and “The Pretender” in terms of length of time spent on the list and peak position. “Everlong” has spent a milestone 80 weeks running the lineup of the most successful hard rock cuts on streaming platforms across America. That makes it one of the longest-ruling smashes on any Billboard roster.
“Everlong” Also Returns to Another Billboard Chart
“Everlong” is not just holding on but growing in popularity, at least on streaming sites, as it reconquers the Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart. The same single, which is regarded as one of the best and most beloved within the Foo Fighters discography, rebounds onto the Alternative Streaming Songs ranking 113 weeks into its time on that list. The tune, which formerly peaked at No. 7, breaks back in at No. 21.
Foo Fighters Drop Several Songs and Plot a New Tour
The Foo Fighters have released two songs in 2025, and both became hugely successful at rock radio. In July, the band surprised fans with “Today’s Song,” while “Asking for a Friend” dropped in mid-October. For the moment, the group has not announced an album, though the musicians have unveiled a new concert trek for 2026, titled the Take Cover Tour.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/11/24/foo-fighters-blocked-from-a-new-no-1-hit—who-stops-the-rockers/
