Ariana Grande’s “Twilight Zone” debuts at No. 30 on the Adult Contemporary chart nearly a year after its release as a single from Brighter Days Ahead. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: Ariana Grande attends the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/FilmMagic)
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Ariana Grande spent 2024 promoting her latest album, Eternal Sunshine. The set produced several hit singles, including both “Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” which topped the Billboard Hot 100. As is common practice these days with major stars in the music industry, the Grammy winner and Oscar-nominated actress shared an updated take on the project in 2025, which she titled Brighter Days Ahead. For charting purposes, the deluxe edition of Eternal Sunshine and the original were grouped together, and the new songs added to the project’s tracklist ensured that the superstar added to her list of Billboard Hot 100 hits.
Lead Brighter Days Ahead single “Twilight Zone” did not end up becoming one of Grande’s most successful tunes, and it paled in comparison to the first two smashes from Eternal Sunshine. In less than a month and a half, “Twilight Zone” will turn one year old – and amazingly, the cut manages to debut on a Billboard chart this week.
“Twilight Zone” Debuts on a Billboard Radio Chart
As “Twilight Zone” nears its first anniversary, the song appears on the Adult Contemporary chart for the first time. Grande’s Brighter Days Ahead single opens at No. 30, in last place on Billboard‘s tally that looks only at the tunes that reach the largest audiences via adult contemporary radio stations.
Ariana Grande’s Total Hits on the Adult Contemporary Roster
Grande earns her nineteenth career placement on the Adult Contemporary chart as “Twilight Zone” arrives. She has only managed to crack the top 10 once, as “Santa Tell Me” peaked at No. 7 a little more than a decade ago.
Two other smashes by Grande – “Rain on Me” with Lady Gaga and “Santa Can’t You Hear Me,” a collaboration with Kelly Clarkson – missed out on entering the highest tier by just one space.
“Twilight Zone” Becomes Ariana Grande’s Lowest-Peaking Hit
As “Twilight Zone” debuts, it brings Grande to a new all-time low on the Adult Contemporary roster. Two tracks – “Break Free” with Zedd and “Last Christmas” – previously ranked as her lowest-peaking cuts, as both only ever climbed as high as No. 26. If “Twilight Zone” can continue to grow, it may soon pass those cuts… though it also seems entirely possible that the song will vanish soon, managing only one or two turns on the tally.
What Ariana Grande’s New Hit Says About the Adult Contemporary List
The late-in-life debut of “Twilight Zone” demonstrates how slowly Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart moves. One of three pop radio-focused rosters, alongside the Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay lists, the Adult Contemporary ranking is known as one of the slowest-moving tallies in America.
This time around, two tracks that appear inside the top five on the list have spent more than 100 weeks on the chart. Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things,” which next frame will celebrate two full years on the roster, returns to No. 2, 103 weeks into its tenure.
“Twilight Zone” Marks the Lowest of This Week’s Debuts
Only three songs debut on the Adult Contemporary chart this week, and Grande’s “Twilight Zone” is the lowest-peaking of the bunch. Ella Langley’s former Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Choosin’ Texas” appears on the roster for the first time, even as it begins to descend on several other competitive lists. Just ahead of Grande at No. 29 comes Liam Horne’s “Paradise.”
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 18: Ella Langley attends the 2025 BMI Country Awards at BMI on November 18, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)
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“Twilight Zone” Has Already Performed Well on Other Pop Charts
“Twilight Zone” may be new to the Adult Contemporary chart, but it has already enjoyed a full life on Billboard‘s two additional pop radio lists. The cut launched on the Pop Airplay roster in April 2025 and went on to peak at No. 5 that July. Over on the Adult Pop Airplay ranking, “Twilight Zone” only ever danced its way to No. 23, hitting that spot in June 2025.
“Twilight Zone” spent 20 weeks on both of those tallies and then slipped away. It would be more than half a year before the same track finally became a win on the Adult Contemporary roster.
Ariana Grande Fills Three Spaces on the Global CHarts
“Twilight Zone” is Grande’s only hit song in America this week, but she fills a trio of spaces on both of Billboard‘s worldwide rosters. “Save Your Tears” and “Die for You” – two collaborations with The Weeknd – as well as her own “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” rise on the pair of rankings. The latter single celebrates 100 weeks on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. as of this period.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2026/02/26/ariana-grandes-single-debuts-on-a-billboard-chart—nearly-a-year-after-its-release/
