Yellowcard Snags First No. 1 on Billboard Alternative Chart After 22-Year Wait

Yellowcard's single "Better Days" climbed to No. 1 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart. The band broke a record, marking the longest stretch between first charting and reaching the top.

The song jumped from fifth to first place on August 30. This win caps a 22-year climb that started when they first hit the charts. They broke Fall Out Boy's old mark of 17 years and nine months.

Back in 2003, the band's first chart entry, "Way Away," stopped at No. 25. Years passed, and they came close with "Lights and Sounds" at No. 4 in 2006. But the top spot stayed out of reach, until now.

Radio stations played "Better Days" 2,148 times from August 17-23, based on Mediabase tracking. The track outplayed both Green Day's "One Eyed Bastard" and Foo Fighters' "Today's Song" to claim the crown.

Success spread beyond alternative radio. The song shot up to No. 14 on Rock & Alternative Airplay, with 2.5 million listeners tuning in. That's an 11% jump, according to Luminate's data.

Nine acts have claimed their first Alternative Airplay No. 1 in 2025. Not since 1997, when 11 artists reached the peak, has any year seen so many new names at the top.

The band signed with Better Noise Music for their next album, also called Better Days. It follows their 2016 self-titled work, which peaked at No. 5 on Top Alternative Albums.