I wouldn't quite say it's vulnerable to real challenges, but 'Starboy' by The Weeknd and Daft Punk is making a case for it, rising to #2 on surging airplay, heavy streaming and YouTube, and sales that while not incredible still are pretty solid - will it be enough to get higher and snag that spot? It was enough to outstrip 'Heathens' by twenty one pilots down to #3 - and that's saying something, as that song has stronger airplay and decent sales. Halsey at #1 - it's still mostly dominant across the board, although airplay gains and sales were not what they once were.
but all you need to do is look at our top ten for a prime example of this. Now some of you might be thinking this isn't that big of a deal.
Release the song early enough and it's no issue, but unless you've got a guaranteed smash hit heading for an inevitable #1, it might actually serve you better to release your songs a little later - keep in mind that most tracks will only ever stick around for twenty weeks on the charts, and the last thing you want is to release a track where midway through its lifespan the year shifts and you're only left with a portion of that time to rack up the accumulated sales, streaming, and airplay to get on the next year's list. So here's the other thing about the last weeks of a Billboard year - more than ever, it becomes a game of timing if you're looking to land a song on the year end list.