Evanescence scores only its second leader on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart — a ranking some might assume the band dominates — as “Who Will You Follow” leads. Evanescence, singer Amy Lee (Photo by Annamaria DiSanto/WireImage)
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For more than 20 years now, Evanescence has ranked among the most successful hard rock bands in the world. The group scored an extremely rare top 10 rocking smash on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2003 with “Bring Me to Life,” a collaboration with Paul McCoy from the group 12 Stones. That tune set Evanescence up for decades of success and helped the musicians win the coveted Best New Artist Grammy.
Somewhat shockingly, Evanescence only recently conquered Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, which caters to hard rock acts pushing singles to the masses via the airwaves. It is perhaps the hardest-leaning radio format in America, and one might expect Evanescence to be one of the most successful names in the history of the rundown. That is not the case, though. The Amy Lee-led troupe earns another No. 1 on the rundown this week with what has turned out to be a very special hit.
Evanescence Rules With “Who Will You Follow”
As Evanescence’s sixth studio album Sanctuary arrives on multiple Billboard charts, the project’s second single, “Who Will You Follow,” which was released back in April, soars to No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay roster. Last time around, “Who Will You Follow” sat at No. 3. This period, it replaces “When I Wake Up” by The Pretty Reckless, which dips to No. 2.
Evanescence Scores a Second Career Leader
As “Who Will You Follow” climbs, Evanescence doubles its total number of leaders on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. The band finally collected its first winner just under a year ago, in July 2025. “Afterlife” pushed to the throne three months after launching on the ranking. “Afterlife” was originally shared in connection with Netflix’s Devil May Cry, though it was later certified as a single from Sanctuary as well.
Evanescence Claims Five Mainstream Rock Airplay Top 10s
Evanescence first reached the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart more than 23 years ago, when “Bring Me to Life” brought the group to the tally in March 2003. While that tune is regarded as the band’s signature smash, “Bring Me to Life” only ever rocked as high as No. 11, missing out on cracking the top 10.
Since the spring of 2003, Evanescence has scored a total of 14 hits on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. Five of those cuts have broken into the top 10, beginning with “Call Me When You’re Sober” in late 2006.
Here are all of Evanescence’s top 10 hits on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.
- “Afterlife”
- “Better Without You”
- “Call Me When You’re Sober”
- “What You Want”
- “Who Will You Follow”
“Who Will You Follow” Leads Three Billboard Lists
This week, “Who Will You Follow” lives on four rankings published by Billboard, and it leads all but one of them. In addition to the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, the second Sanctuary single returns to the top spot on both the Hot Hard Rock Songs tally – which lists the most-consumed tunes in that style – and the Rock & Alternative Airplay rundown. “Who Will You Follow” is steady at No. 23, its highest placement yet, on the Alternative Airplay register.
Evanescence Charts Three Sanctuary Songs in the U.S.
“Who Will You Follow” is one of three cuts featured on Sanctuary that live on any Billboard chart at the moment. As the single returns to the peak position on the Hot Hard Rock Songs tally, a pair of album cuts from Evanescence’s latest full-length debut on that consumption-based roster. “Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough” and “Beautiful Lie” enter the list at Nos. 4 and 17, respectively. The first of those two earns Evanescence its sixth top 10, and the band is now up to nine career appearances on the genre-specific chart.
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