Ot Billboard SENSE OF BELONGING: For only the fifth time in the history of The Billboard Hot 100, the top two positions are held by the same lead artist. It is the first time that the lead artist is a woman, as Mariah Carey remains No. 1 for the 14th week with "We Belong Together" (Island) and rises 4-2 with the follow-up, "Shake It Off."

Carey is the first lead artist to occupy the top two slots since the first quarter of 2004, when OutKast held the top two spots with "Hey Ya!" and "The Way You Move." Prior to OutKast, Nelly was in first place with "Hot in Herre" and was also the runner-up with "Dilemma," which featured Kelly Rowland, in August 2002.

The only other lead artists to be No. 1 and No. 2 at the same time were the Beatles in 1964 and the Bee Gees in 1978. The Beatles held the top two positions for 10 consecutive weeks, starting the week of Feb. 22, 1964, when "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" were the top two songs in the nation. The week of April 4, 1964, they occupied the top five spots.

Carey's top-two feat is just part of her chart story this week. "We Belong Together" is on top for the 14th frame, putting it into a five-way tie for the second-longest running No. 1 of the rock era. The all-time champ is another Carey single, "One Sweet Day," recorded with Boyz II Men. That superstar collaboration was No. 1 for 16 weeks in 1995-96.

"We Belong Together" joins "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston, "I'll Make Love to You" by Boyz II Men, "Macarena" (Bayside Boys Mix) by Los Del Rio and "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John in second place. "We Belong Together" is the first song to remain No. 1 for 14 weeks since Elton's memorial single for Princess Diana in 1997-98.

The 4-2 move of "Shake It Off" makes Carey a likely candidate to replace herself at No. 1. That would give Carey her 17th No. 1, and tie her with Elvis Presley for second place on the list of artists with the most chart-toppers in the rock era. It would also make "Shake It Off" the song most likely to give Carey more total weeks at No. 1 than Presley, and thus the most weeks at No. 1 of any artist in the rock era. The current standing: Presley 79, Carey 75.

WOMEN HAVE THE POWER: The lengthy visit of Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" to the pole position on The Billboard Hot 100, added to the reigns of Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" and Carrie Underwood's "Inside Your Heaven," has resulted in the longest shut-out of men from the No. 1 position in the rock era.

It's been 20 weeks since a male artist has been No. 1. The 19-week streak by Stefani, Carey and Underwood beats the 16-week run of distaff No. 1s in 1999 that began with Brandy's "Have You Ever?" (two weeks) and continued with Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time" (two weeks), Monica's "Angel of Mine" (four weeks), Cher's "Believe" (four weeks) and TLC's "No Scrubs" (four weeks).

Women are faring far better on the Hot 100 in 2005 than they did in 2004. One year ago this week, Ciara moved into lead position with "Goodies," which was only the second female No. 1 of the year, following "I Believe" by Fantasia. When "Goodies" advanced to No. 1, it was only the second week that a woman had been on top in 2004. This year, females have held the top spot for 28 weeks and males for 18 weeks. The number is greater than the number of weeks that have elapsed because the total credits the nine-week reign of "Candy Shop" by 50 Cent featuring Olivia to both genders.

'TOGETHER AGAIN' FOR THE FIRST TIME: Two R&B artists who had strings of hits in the '80s and '90s are back on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. More accurately, they are "Back Together Again," per the name of their new duet, even though they've never charted as a duo before.

"Back Together Again" (Lu Ann/Orpheus) is credited to Meli'sa Morgan and Freddie Jackson. Morgan was last on the chart in 2000 with "How," a No. 82 entry recorded as a duet with JT Taylor. Jackson last appeared on the chart in 1999 with "Do You Wanna," which peaked at No.77