Monica's 'Commitment' to 'True R&B' Rewarded With Fourth No. 1 On Adult R&B Songs

Monica earns her fourth No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs airplay chart as “Commitment” rises from the runner-up spot on the list dated July 27. The track ascends with a 21% surge in plays in the week ending July 21, according to Nielsen Music.

“It's surreal on a few levels to have a No. 1 record at all,” the singer tells Billboard on her accomplishment via email. “I'm elated that people are welcoming true R&B music again and enjoying artists that have been true to it for decades like myself!”

The R&B veteran first visited the Adult R&B Songs in 1995 as a 14-year-old newcomer, when single “Don’t Take It Personal (One of Dem Days),” entered the chart that May. She scored her first leader on her fourth try, with the Space Jam soundtrack cut “For You I Will” in 1997. Monica later returned to the summit with two singles from her Still Standing LP, “Everything to Me” and “Love All Over Me,” which each reigned for four weeks in 2010.

Notably, “Commitment” is Monica’s first of her 19 Adult R&B Songs chart hits released on her own independent label, MonDeenise Records (The name is a play on her first and middle names, Monica Denise.)

“Owning and operating MonDeenise while being the artist has not been easy,” Monica adds. “It's come with many sacrifices monetarily, physically and even emotionally at times. I don't regret a minute of it because I know there's no one who will believe in you like you! I am fortunate to have a small core group that help me make it happen on a daily basis, and we look forward to continuing.”

Beyond its Adult R&B Songs triumph, “Commitment” also improves on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart through a 25-22 hike. The single advances thanks to a strong 29 percent boost to 10.4 million in audience in the week ending July 21, its first time crossing the eight-digit audience mark.

“Commitment” also arrives on the Hot R&B Songs chart, which began in 2012 and factors airplay, track sales and streams into its ranking. There, the song starts at No. 25 and is Monica’s second title on the list, after “Just Right For Me,” featuring Lil Wayne, reached No. 21.

“Commitment” is the lead release from Monica’s forthcoming album, tentatively titled Chapter 38. The set will follow, 2015’s Code Red, which became the singer's seventh consecutive top 10 effort on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The streak encompasses her entire studio output, dating to 1995’s debut, Miss Thang, and includes two No. 1s: 2006’s The Makings of Me and 2010’s Still Standing.