Jennifer Hudson has claimed a number one hit! Woot! Spotlight has moved one notch from #2 to #1 on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay, bumping Eric Benet’s You’re the Only One down to #2.

On the Billboard Hot R&B/HipHop Songs chart, Hudson’s Spotlight rebounds 4-3, matching its previous peak. The same chart trajectory for Spotlight follows on the Billboard Hot R&B/HipHop Airplay chart; Spotlight is the highest-placed female vocal on the chart, third only to T.I.’s Whatever You Like and T-Pain’s Can’t Believe It. T-Pain guests on Hudson’s self-titled debut album, now out in stores.

On the big chart, the Billboard Hot 100, Spotlight finally enters the Top 40, moving up five generous notches to #36 from #41. On the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, Spotlight falls to #22 from #19. Jennifer Hudson’s debut single peaked at #8 on this chart (still a Top 10 hit, not bad at all for a debut single!).

Fred Bronson also writes about Jennifer Hudson this week in Chart Beat. (He also ever so briefly mentions Mandisa!) He says:

‘SPOTLIGHT’ SHINES: Speaking of “American Idol” finalists, Jennifer Hudson gives the franchise its 203rd No. 1, counting all national, domestic charts compiled by Billboard. Hudson’s “Spotlight” (Arista) captures first place on the Adult R&B survey.

From the time the popular TV series had its first Billboard No. 1 (Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” topped the Hot 100 the week of Oct. 5, 2002), it took almost four years to amass 100 No. 1s. The 100th “Idol” No. 1 also belonged to Clarkson; her single “Walk Away” topped the Hot 100 Recurrents chart the week of Aug. 12, 2006. It has taken just over two additional years for those 100 “Idol” No. 1s to double and pass the 200 mark.

“Spotlight” is Hudson’s third chart entry on Adult R&B and her first No. 1. In March 2007, her version of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack peaked at No. 3. In July 2007, “Leaving Tonight,” credited to Ne-Yo featuring Jennifer Hudson, went to No. 26.

Here’s how the 203 No. 1s by “Idol” contestants are distributed among seven seasons worth of vocalists:

Kelly Clarkson 45
Carrie Underwood 33
Chris Daughtry (Daughtry) 24
Fantasia 21
Ruben Studdard 15
Clay Aiken 11
Kimberley Locke 8
Josh Gracin 7
Mandisa 6
Jordin Sparks 6
David Cook 4
Taylor Hicks 3
Jennifer Hudson 3
Elliott Yamin 3
American Idol Finalists 2
David Archuleta 2
Bo Bice 2
Kellie Pickler 2
Paris Bennett 1
Bucky Covington 1
Diana DeGarmo 1
Tamyra Gray 1
Chris Sligh 1
William Hung 1

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