Avatar Scores First Billboard Chart No. 1 With ‘The Dirt I’m Buried In’

Avatar reaches No. 1 on a Billboard chart for the first time with “The Dirt I’m Buried In,” which tops the Mainstream Rock Airplay ranking dated Sept. 2.

The song rises from the runner-up spot in its 31st week on the survey, completing the longest journey to No. 1 in over 20 years. It ties for the second-longest trip to the top in the chart’s 42-year history, alongside Young Guns’ “Bones.” Trapt’s “Headstrong” boasts the steadiest such ascent.

Longest Rise to No. 1, Mainstream Rock Airplay:

40 weeks, “Headstrong, “Trapt” (reached No. 1 on chart dated July 26, 2003)
31, “The Dirt I’m Buried In,” Avatar (Sept. 2, 2023)
31, “Bones,” Young Guns (March 23, 2013)
28, “Paralyzer,” Finger Eleven (Aug. 11, 2007)
27, “Just Pretend,” Bad Omens (March 11, 2023)
26, “Masterpiece,” Motionless in White (Oct. 22, 2022)
25, “S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun),” The Glorious Sons (Jan. 19, 2019)
25, “Tired,” Stone Sour (Jan. 25, 2014)

“The Dirt I’m Buried In” marks, by far, the Swedish band’s best rank on Mainstream Rock Airplay. The group logged a previous best by reaching No. 16 twice, with “The Eagle Has Landed” in July 2016 and “Colossus” in December 2020.

Avatar first appeared on Mainstream Rock Airplay with “Smells Like a Freak Show,” which hit No. 32 in April 2013.

Concurrently, “The Dirt I’m Buried In” climbs 12-10 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 2.9 million audience impressions, up 17%, Aug. 18-24, according to Luminate. It’s Avatar’s first top 10 on the list; its only other entry, “The Eagle Has Landed,” peaked at No. 48.

“The Dirt I’m Buried In” is the lead single from Dance Devil Dance, Avatar’s ninth studio set. It debuted at No. 18 on the Top Hard Rock Albums tally in March and has earned 19,000 equivalent album units to date.