Chain of Fools
Chain of Fools - Live is a King Warz Charts top-5 hit song by Aretha Franklin featuring Mariah Carey, originally included on Franklin’s 2007 compilation album Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen. The recording is taken from their 1998 performance at VH1 Divas Live.
| "Chain of Fools" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Top 5 Hit Song by Aretha Franklin | |
| Main Artist | Aretha Franklin |
| Featured Artist(s) | Mariah Carey |
| First Charted | Week 22 |
| Last Charted | Week 44 |
| Rank | 258 (as of July 19, 2026) |
| Plays | 93 |
| Weeks | 9 |
| Peak | 2 |
| Certification | 2x Platinum ▲ |
| Song Rating | |
| Rating | Unrated |
The song debuted on the charts at #2 during Week 22 (September 29, 2022), peaking at number two, which marked Franklin’s highest chart position. It re-entered multiple times through 2023, maintaining steady popularity on recurrent charts. As of July 2026, the song is certified 2x Platinum.
Chart Summary
The Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey song 'Chain of Fools - Live' entered the King Warz Charts at #2 in Week 22, a position that still stands as its peak, and has spent 9 weeks on the chart overall. Along the way it became Aretha Franklin's first top-5 hit and Mariah Carey's 22nd.
The track earned its highest weekly points total, 334, in Week 22 at #2 in its debut week. Over its chart life, the track has re-entered the chart 4 times, with gaps of 1 to 6 weeks between appearances. The first re-entry came in Week 28, and the most recent in Week 42, where it came back at #15, its best re-entry showing.
Out of 963 charting songs, it stands 312th by weeks charted and 259th by total points accumulated. Over the course of its chart run, the song has earned 498 total units. The song's chart presence is driven 37% by raw streams and 63% by chart points.
Its biggest year came in 2022, with 3 weeks on the chart, peaking at #2, averaging #10, earning 542 points, anchored by its biggest week in Week 22, adding 242 units for an 82nd-place year-end finish. In 2023, the song charted 6 times, peaking at #15, averaging #35, earning 317 points, with the biggest points week in Week 42 (88 points), adding 218 units for a 72nd-place year-end finish. The song's average position shifted from #10 in 2022 to #35 in 2023.
Trivia
- Prior to the big chart update that occurred on October 17, 2025, Chain of Fools was classified as a #1 hit
Notable Achievements
- The song is Aretha Franklin's first top-5 hit on the King Warz Charts.
- The song has appeared on 2 year-end charts.
- The song has re-entered the chart 4 times, demonstrating lasting appeal.
- The song is certified 2x Platinum on the King Warz Charts.
Certifications
| Certification | Achieved | Units required | Time to reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | September 30, 2022 (Week 23) | 100 | 27 days |
| Platinum | November 18, 2022 (Week 25) | 200 | 76 days |
| 2× Platinum | August 4, 2023 (Week 44) | 400 | 335 days |
Listening Milestones
- First streamed on September 3, 2022 (Week 21).
- Biggest listening day: September 23, 2022 (5 plays).
- 93 total plays across 63 different days.
Chart Performance
Units growth and plays by month
Chart History
| Date | Week | MV | Song | Artist | TW | LW | WKS | PTS | PLS | PK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29, 2022 | Week 22 | NEW | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 2 | - | 1 | 334 | 33 | 2 |
| October 27, 2022 | Week 23 | ▼7 | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 9 | 2 | 2 | 130 | 6 | 2 |
| November 17, 2022 | Week 24 | ▼9 | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 18 | 9 | 3 | 78 | 0 | 2 |
| January 12, 2023 | Week 28 | RE | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 55 | - | 4 | 30 | 2 | 2 |
| February 9, 2023 | Week 30 | RE | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 39 | - | 5 | 46 | 4 | 2 |
| April 20, 2023 | Week 35 | RE | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 53 | - | 6 | 31 | 2 | 2 |
| July 20, 2023 | Week 42 | RE | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 15 | - | 7 | 88 | 8 | 2 |
| August 3, 2023 | Week 43 | ▼10 | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 25 | 15 | 8 | 50 | 3 | 2 |
| August 17, 2023 | Week 44 | ▲4 | Chain of Fools - Live (Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey) | Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey | 21 | 25 | 9 | 72 | 5 | 2 |
Year End Chart Appearances
The song has appeared on 2 year-end charts.
| Year | Position | Weeks | Units | Plays | Peak | Peak Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 72 | 6 | 218 | 30 | 15 | — |
| 2022 | 82 | 3 | 242 | 44 | 2 | — |
Month End Chart Appearances
The song has appeared on 5 month-end charts.
| Month | Year | Position | Weeks | Units | Plays | Peak | Peak Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August | 2023 | 30 | 2 | 88 | 6 | 21 | — |
| July | 2023 | 27 | |||||
| November | 2022 | 29 | 1 | 43 | 0 | 18 | — |
| October | 2022 | 15 | 1 | 58 | 3 | 9 | — |
| September | 2022 | 4 | 1 | 135 | 38 | 2 | — |