Week of September 5

For the past decade, featured artists have been a dominant force on Billboard's Hot 100. The main contributor to the phenomenon is the rise of rap and hip-hop, which frequently exposed new artists to listeners through guest appearances on releases by more established artists. Today, that formula isn't quite so typical, as guest artists are just as likely to be as famous as the artists they're supporting. In addition, the practice has spread beyond rap and hip-hop to traditional R&B, pop/rock and even country.

This week on my charts, featured artists make up almost 25 percent, with seven of the nine songs that include featured artists placing in the Top 12. The songs span a wide range of styles: dance with rap (Pitbull featured on songs by Enrique Iglesias and Usher), R&B/rock (Velvet Revolver featured on Macy Gray's "Kissed It") and even country/rock (Kid Rock featured on Uncle Kracker's "Good to Be Me" and Alan Jackson featured on the Zac Brown Band's "As She's Walking Away").

A featured artist also appears among this week's three debuts. Cee-Lo, who previously has been part of the No. 1 act Gnarls Barkley ("Crazy," 2006) and a featured artist on Santana's "Do You Like the Way?" (No. 1, 2000), is back as a featured artist on Fantasia's "The Thrill Is Gone" at No. 38.

Of the other two new entries, Owl City avoids being a one-hit wonder, with "To the Sky" at No. 39; a year ago this week, debut hit "Fireflies" entered the Top 20. And the Goo Goo Dolls enter at No. 40 with "Not Broken," making the charts for the first time in four years. That's when "Stay With You" hit No. 19.