For the ‘Win’: Tamela Mann Scores Record 12th No. 1 on Gospel Airplay Chart

Tamela Mann earns her 12th No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, breaking out of a tie with fellow gospel music icon Kirk Franklin for the most leaders in the list’s 20-year history. Mann achieves the honor as “Deserve To Win” ascends a spot to the top of the chart dated March 29.

Mann co-authored the song with Phillip Bryant and Tameka Mintze, and Jevon Hill produced it. The track is from Mann’s LP Live Breathe Fight, which was released last October.

“I never dreamed of achieving 12 No. 1 singles … I am so thankful for them all. Wow,” Mann tells Billboard. “I’m also thankful to be a blessing and an encouragement to others that we all can make it through. Know that you deserve all that’s coming to you. We are all overcomers.”

After Mann’s 12 Gospel Airplay No. 1s and Franklin’s 11 (through “Try Love” in December), James Fortune & FIYA follow with 10 leaders. Jekalyn Carr and Tasha Cobbs Leonard are next with eight each.

Mann has now rattled off six successive Gospel Airplay chart-toppers, as “Deserve To Win” follows “Working for Me,” which dominated for three weeks beginning last September; “Finished” (three, starting in March 2023); “He Did It for Me” (two, May 2022); “Help Me” (four, beginning in September 2021); and “Touch From You” (five, starting in December 2020).

Mann matches three acts who are also on active runs of six Gospel Airplay No. 1s in a row: Cobbs Leonard, Jonathan McReynolds and Pastor Mike Jr., the lattermost of whom has achieved the feat with his first six entries on the chart.