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The 2023 Grammy Awards (Feb. 5) helped push major sales and streaming gains for winners such as Brandi Carlile, Samara Joy and Bonnie Raitt, among others, in the wake of the 65th annual show.
It’s expected that the weekly Billboard charts dated Feb. 18, which reflect the sales and streaming tracking week ending Feb. 9, will feature a number of titles that post gains thanks to exposure earned from Grammys. News on such gains is scheduled to be reported as early as Feb. 12 on Billboard.com.
Generally speaking, those songs and albums that saw the most eye-catching gains immediately following the Grammy Awards are those that had a lower-profile than the more well-known hits that have been chart hits for months. Essentially, those songs and albums (and artists) that were unfamiliar to the audience watching at home and online had much more room to grown than a well-known hit.
The Grammy Awards aired live on CBS-TV, and was also streamed on Paramount+ and CBS.com. Earlier in the day on Feb. 5, previous to the Grammy Awards, the bulk of the 91 Grammy Awards were presented during the Premiere Ceremony, which streamed live on Grammy.com.
All data comparisons below are for Feb. 5-6 (the day of the show and the day after) versus the two days prior, Feb. 3-4, in the U.S., according to initial reports to data tracking firm Luminate.
Carlile’s “Broken Horses,” which she performed on the Grammy Awards, garnered a 379% gain in on-demand official U.S. streams on Feb. 5-6 as compared to Feb. 3-4. On Feb. 5-6, the track captured 130,000 streams – up from 27,000 in the two days prior. Further, “Broken” logged a 9,273% increase in track sales, rising to 1,500 sold on Feb. 5-6 (up from a negligible sum on Feb. 3-4).
“Broken Horses” won two Grammy Awards — for best rock performance and best rock song. Both trophies were presented during the Premiere Ceremony.
Samara Joy – who won best new artist (presented during the Grammy Awards on CBS) and best jazz vocal album (for Linger Awhile, presented during the Premiere Ceremony) – saw robust gains for Linger Awhile. The album earned nearly 4,000 equivalent album units on Feb. 5-6 in the U.S. (up 675% compared to about 500 in the two days prior).
Of the Feb. 5-6 unit sum for Linger Awhile, traditional album sales comprised a little over 3,000 (up 775% compared to the under 500 sales it generated on Feb. 3-4). The album’s collected songs generated 900,000 on-demand official streams on Feb. 5-6 (up 381% compared to the 187,000 they earned on Feb. 3-4).
Linger Awhile has so far peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s overall Jazz Albums chart and No. 2 on the Traditional Jazz Albums chart. The album has yet to reach the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.
Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That” – which won song of the year – snared a 3,387% increase in on-demand official streams on Feb. 5-6, rising to 777,000 (up from 23,000 in the two days prior). In terms of track sales, the song sold 6,000 on Feb. 5-6 (up 8,001% compared to the negligible sum it sold on Feb. 3-4). “Just Like That” also won the Grammy for American Roots Song, which was presented during the Premiere Ceremony.
Raitt additionally performed on the CBS broadcast, but didn’t sing her own song – she sang Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird,” as part of the In Memoriam segment, in tribute to the late Christine McVie (the writer and vocalist of the original version of “Songbird”).
It’s likely that most viewers watching the CBS broadcast of the show learned about “Just Like That” for the first time, as the song has yet to chart on any U.S. Billboard song chart. Its parent album of the same name spent one week on the Billboard 200, debuting and peaking at No. 44 on the May 2, 2022-dated chart.
The Just Like That album earned nearly 3,500 equivalent album units on Feb. 5-6 (up 1,283% compared to the negligible sum it earned on Feb. 3-4). Of that sum, traditional album sales comprised 2,000 (up 1,021% compared to the negligible sales it had on Feb. 3-4). Finally, the Just Like That album saw its collected songs garner 1.1 million on-demand official streams on Feb. 5-6 (up 1,504% compared to the 69,000 it collected on Feb. 3-4).
Others who saw notable gains include Lizzo’s record of the year-winning “About Damn Time,” DJ Khaled’s “God Did” (a nominee and performed song), Harry Styles’ “As It Was” and Harry’s House (the former was performed and nominated for multiple awards, while the latter won album of the year), Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (winner of best pop duo/group performance, and it was performed) and Beyoncé’s Renaissance (winner of best dance/electronic album).
“About Damn Time” logged a 9% gain in on-demand official streams on Feb. 5-6 (rising to 1.56 million), and posted a 590% sales increase (selling 3,000; up from less than 500 in the two previous days). “About Damn Time” was performed in a medley on the CBS show by Lizzo, along with “Special.” The latter song collected 251,000 on-demand streams on Feb. 5-6 (up 36%) and sold 1,000 downloads (up 1,264%).
DJ Khaled’s “God Did,” which was the closing performance of the CBS show, scored 489,000 on-demand official streams on Feb. 5-6 (up 59%) and sold 1,000 downloads (up 2,000%).
“As It Was,” which was a nominee and a performed song on the CBS-TV broadcast, nabbed a 17% gain in on-demand official streams on Feb. 5-6 (rising to 3.21 million), and a 593% sales gain (climbing to 4,000 sold).
Harry’s House, which won album of the year and best pop vocal album (both of which were presented during the CBS show), collected a 55% increase in equivalent album units earned (12,000 on Feb. 5-6), of which 3,000 were in traditional album sales (up 115%). The album’s songs generated 11 million on-demand official streams on Feb. 5-6 (up 35%).
“Unholy,” which won the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance and was performed on the CBS show, posted a 493% gain in sales on Feb. 5-6 (rising to 5,000 sold; up from 1,000 in the two previous days). In terms of on-demand official streams, it notched a 4% gain, rising to 4.58 million (up from 4.39 million). “Unholy” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 last October – the first for both Smith and Petras – and has been a fixture in the top 10 of the chart each week since mid-November.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance, which won best dance/electronic album (presented during the CBS show), nabbed a 124% gain in traditional album sales (rising to 2,000 sold on Feb. 5-6) while its collected songs generated 8.6 million on-demand official streams (up 18%).
Back row, from left: Juanes, Elvis Costello, Myles Frost, Frankie Valli, Kevin Costner, Jennifer Hudson, Harvey Mason Jr., Rickey Minor, Lauren Daigle, Victoria De Angelis of Maneskin, Thomas Raggi of Måneskin, Ethan Torchio of Måneskin, Latto. Front row, from left: Sheryl Crow, Clive Davis, Damiano David of Måneskin photographed at the annual Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala on February 4, 2023 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
Austin Hargrave
Clio Music announced a collaboration with Billboard on Monday (Feb. 6) that will move the annual Clio Music Awards to Los Angeles during Grammy Week 2024. The Clios will additionally introduce a new specialty award offering music fans the opportunity to select the winner of the Favorite Music From a Commercial Award, to be presented by Billboard during the ceremony.
Clio Music will also develop an honorary Clio Music Executive Award, honoring an executive whose creative approach to advertising is shaping the future of the industry. This award will be presented at the 2024 Billboard Power 100 event the evening prior to the Clio Music Awards, at the same venue.
“As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Clio Music program, I am so proud of how much it has grown,” Clio CEO Nicole Purcell said in a statement. “What began as a dedicated act in our legacy Clio Awards show has grown into a powerful force for celebrating creativity in the music business. And now, we’re hosting a standalone show in Los Angeles and collaborating with Billboard, one of the industry’s most prominent outlets for recognizing the industry.
“It’s been incredibly fulfilling to see our competition evolve alongside the music industry, which has developed so many new avenues for brands and musicians to collaborate in the years since Clio Music launched,” she added.
Clio Music opens for entries today. The 2023/24 entry cycle will feature two new mediums: music supervision and fan engagement. The program, which recognizes creative excellence in music marketing and the use of music in advertising, also includes mediums for branded entertainment & content, creative effectiveness, design, digital/mobile, experience/activation, film & video, public relations, social good, social media, sonic branding and use of music in audio/film & video advertising and in teasers/trailers. For more information, go here.
On the evening prior to the awards, Billboard will host its annual Billboard Power 100 event, which celebrates the industry’s most influential executives and will feature the Executive of the Year, Label of the Year and the Clive Davis Award, in addition to the newly created honorary Clio music executive award.
“Our Power 100 list recognizes the influential executives that move the music business forward each year and it’s always a delight to bring everyone together during Grammy week for an evening that celebrates the best in the biz,” said Billboard chief brand officer Dana Droppo. “We’re excited to get started on planning next year’s event and to be introducing a new award in collaboration with Clio Music that will honor a top executive with a demonstrated talent for music marketing and advertising.”
Nominations for the Billboard Power 100 list will open this summer. Lucian Grainge, chairman/CEO of Universal Music Group, topped this year’s list.
Clio Music celebrates the power of music to connect consumers and brands around the world. The program was introduced in 2014 to recognize the creative contributions of the marketers and communicators that propel the industry forward, inspire a competitive marketplace of ideas, and foster meaningful connections within the creative community.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER lands its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION debuts atop the tally (dated Feb. 11). The five-song set earned 161,500 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 2, according to Luminate, largely driven by CD album sales.
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The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION is the third top 10-charting effort for the South Korean vocal group, which reached the top 10 previously in 2022 with Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child (No. 4) and in 2021 with The Chaos Chapter: Freeze (No. 5).
The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION halts the chart-topping run for SZA’s SOS, which falls to No. 2 (100,000 equivalent album units; down 10%) after spending its first seven weeks at No. 1.
Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, Sam Smith achieves their fourth top 10-charting effort as Gloria debuts at No. 7, while Lil Yachty notches his third top 10 set with the No. 9 arrival of Let’s Start Here.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Feb. 11, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Feb. 7. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Of The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION’s 161,500 equivalent album units earned, album sales comprise 152,000, SEA units comprise 9,000 (equaling 13.24 on-demand official streams of the set’s five songs) and TEA units comprise 500.
The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION scores the largest sales week for any album since Taylor Swift’s Midnights debuted at No. 1 with 1.14 million copies sold on the Nov. 5, 2022-dated chart. Of The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION’s 152,000 sold, 98% were CD sales (148,500), while 2% were digital album sales (3,500). The set was not available to purchase in any other configuration (such as vinyl or cassette).
The CD configuration of The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION was issued in collectible packages (14 total, including exclusive editions for Barnes & Noble, Target and the Weverse webstore), each with a standard set of internal paper items and branded randomized mystery elements (photo cards, photo books, post cards). CD sales were also enhanced by autographed editions sold via the act’s webstore.
The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION is TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s seventh charting album on the all-genre Billboard 200, though the act has yet to reach the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. TOMORROW X TOGETHER is the second act to top the Billboard 200 in the last year without also having previously logged a hit on the Hot 100, following fellow K-pop group Stray Kids, which notched two No. 1 albums in 2022 (ODDINARY and MAXIDENT).
The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION is recorded mostly in the Korean language, with some English lyrics. It is the 17th mostly non-English language album to hit No. 1. In 2022, there were four non-English No. 1s from BTS’ mostly-Korean Proof, Bad Bunny’s all-Spanish Un Verano Sin Ti and Stray Kids’ mostly-Korean ODDINARY and MAXIDENT. Of the 17 mostly non-English No. 1 albums, 10 have been Korean-language projects (six from BTS, two from Stray Kids, one from SuperM and one from TOMORROW X TOGETHER).
Four former No. 1s are Nos. 3-6 on the new Billboard 200, as Swift’s Midnights falls 2-3 with 68,000 equivalent album units earned (though up 1%), Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains rises 5-4 with 47,000 (down 12%), Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss climbs 6-5 with 44,000 (down 4%) and Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album bumps 8-6 with 42,000 (up 5%).
Sam Smith collects their fourth top 10-charting effort on the Billboard 200 as Gloria debuts at No. 7 with 39,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 23,000 (equaling 30.75 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs), album sales comprise 14,000 and TEA units comprise 2,000. Gloria was preceded by its hit single “Unholy,” a co-billed collaboration with Kim Petras, which became both artists’ first No. 1 on the Hot 100 in October.
Bad Bunny’s former leader Un Verano Sin Ti falls 7-8 on the Billboard 200 with 39,000 equivalent album units earned (down 5%).
Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here begins at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 with 36,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 31,500 (equaling 41.34 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 4,500 and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. It’s the third top 10-charting effort for Lil Yachty on the Billboard 200.
Let’s Start Here is a sonic left turn for the artist, who previously charted six entries on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The new project has been described by the artist as “non-rap” and as “a psychedelic alternative project.”
Rounding out the new Billboard 200’s top 10 is Zach Bryan’s American Heartbreak, falling 9-10 with 31,000 equivalent album units earned (down 4%).
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
HARDY nabs his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated Feb. 4), as his latest effort The Mockingbird & The Crow flies in atop the tally. The set, a half-rock and half-country project, bows with 20,000 copies sold in the U.S. in the week ending Jan. 26, according to Luminate. HARDY previously notched one entry on the list, with the No. 8-peaking A Rock in 2020.
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Also in the top 10, Maneskin’s new studio effort Rush! debuts at No. 3; Wilco’s 2022 album Cruel Country re-enters at No. 4 – hitting the top 10 for the first time – after its wide release on CD and vinyl; the soundtrack to Halloween Ends scares up a No. 7 entry following its vinyl release; and Trippie Redd’s new Mansion Musik opens at No. 9.
Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Of The Mockingbird & The Crow’s 20,000 sold, physical sales comprise 5,000 (4,000 CDs and 1,000 vinyl LPs) and digital album sales comprise 15,000. The album’s start also marks HARDY’s best sales week, surpassing the 5,000 sold in the debut frame of A Rock in 2020 (Sept. 19, 2020-dated chart).
As The Mockingbird & The Crow launches at No. 1 on Top Album Sales, it halts the chart-topping run of Taylor Swift’s Midnights, which spend its first 13 chart weeks at No. 1. On the new chart, it falls to No. 2 with 17,000 sold (down 21%). The set continues to be a hot-seller on vinyl, with 9,000 of its sales for the week on vinyl. In the latest tracking week, Midnights’ total U.S. vinyl sales crept past 1 million copies. Swift’s popularity on vinyl is well noted, and in 2022, one out of every 25 vinyl albums sold in the U.S. were by Swift.
Rock band Maneskin sees its new album Rush! bow at No. 3 on Top Album Sales with 11,000 copies sold. It’s the first charting entry for the act and its best sales week.
Wilco’s Cruel Country, which was released last May via digital retailers and streaming services, re-enters the chart at a new high of No. 4 after its release on CD and vinyl (7,000 sold across all formats; up from a negligible sales total the previous week). Cruel Country had previously topped out at No. 31 on July 2, 2022-dated list, following its limited CD release timed to Record Store Day 2022’s drop on June 18 last year. All told, Cruel Country is the eighth top 10-charting effort on Top Album Sales for Wilco, and it ties for the act’s highest-charting effort on the list. (A whopping five of the band’s eight top 10s all peaked at No. 4.)
Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours falls 2-5 on Top Album Sales with 6,000 sold (down 20%) and Michael Jackson’s Thriller dips 5-6 with 5,000 sold (down 13%).
The soundtrack to the film Halloween Ends debuts at No. 7 on Top Album Sales following its vinyl release on Jan. 20. The set, across all formats, sold nearly 5,000 copies for the week. Halloween Ends is the highest charting soundtrack from the Halloween franchise on the 31-year-old chart, surpassing the No. 9 peak of Halloween Kills in 2021.
SZA’s Ctrl vaults 57-8 on Top Album Sales with nearly 5,000 sold – mostly from vinyl sales – after a replenishment of stock. Trippie Redd’s new Mansion Musik bows at No. 9 with nearly 5,000 sold (the rapper’s fourth top 10 effort), while Harry Styles’ former leader Harry’s House rises 11-10 with a little over 4,000 sold (down 7%).
In the week ending Jan. 26, there were 1.653 million albums sold in the U.S. (down 6.3% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.312 million (down 9.3%) and digital albums comprised 341,000 (down 7.6%).
There were 523,000 CD albums sold in the week ending Jan. 26 (down 2.8% week-over-week) and 782,000 vinyl albums sold (down 13.1%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 2.330 (down 3% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 3.478 million (up 27.4%).
Overall year-to-date album sales total 7.377 million (up 6.2% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 6.044 million (up 13.5%) and digital album sales total 1.333 (down 17.9%).
Elton John has made Billboard Boxscore history. His Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour is the highest-grossing concert tour of all time.
As Eric Frankenberg reported on Monday: “According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour has grossed $817.9 million across 278 shows so far — more than any tour in Boxscore history. Bypassing Ed Sheeran’s The Divide Tour ($776.4 million), it is the first tour in Billboard’s archives to cross the $800 million benchmark.”
Frankenberg adds that Elton owns another Billboard Boxscore record. “Dating back to reports for John’s Ice on Fire Tour (1986), and including his share of co-headline runs with Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Tina Turner and, many times over, Billy Joel, John has grossed $1.863 billion and sold 19.9 million tickets over 1,573 reported shows. That’s the highest career gross and attendance for a solo artist in Boxscore history, having passed Bruce Springsteen and Madonna while on this tour.”
These are remarkable achievements, but then most Billboard readers know that Elton John has been setting Billboard records for decades. He has amassed seven No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and nine No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 (counting his contribution to Dionne & Friends’ 1986 smash “That’s What Friends Are For”). He has topped or climbed high on many other charts as well. In 1974, his funky “Bennie and the Jets” reached No. 15 on Hot Soul Singles, the forerunner of today’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, a rarity for a white pop artist at that time.
Here are 10 times Elton made Billboard history:
Madonna kicked off 2023 by announcing an incredible global tour to honor her four decades of hits.
The Celebration Tour will kick off Saturday, July 15, at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver and will make additional stops in Phoenix, Detroit, Atlanta, Toronto, Montreal and more before concluding at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Oct. 8. The tour’s European leg will pick up with a pair of dates at The O2 arena on Oct. 14-15 and will make stops in Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Berlin and more before concluding in Amsterdam on Dec. 1 at the Ziggo Dome. Bob the Drag Queen will be a special guest on the tour.
As of Jan. 20, only a handful of tickets are still available — the tour is 98% sold out — after fans bought up 600,000 tickets in a matter of hours to see Madonna’s retrospective run in North America and Europe.
To celebrate the upcoming string of shows, we at Billboard have compiled photos from all of Madonna’s beloved tours, spanning from all the way back to 1985, when Madge hit the road for The Virgin Tour in support of her first two album, to the 2019 Madame X tour.
See below.
Elvis Presley and Britney Spears debut on Billboard‘s multi-metric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart (dated Jan. 21) with “Toxic Las Vegas (Jamieson Shaw Remix)” at No. 26. The track earned 493,000 U.S. streams and sold 500 downloads in the Jan. 6-12 tracking week, according to Luminate.
Heard in the 2022 Presley biopic Elvis, and released Jan. 6, the track is a mash-up of two classics from different eras: Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas” and Spears’ “Toxic.” “Viva,” credited to Presley with the Jordanaires, reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964; “Toxic” rose to No. 9 in 2004.
Elvis director Baz Luhrmann compared the King of Rock and Roll to the Princess of Pop in an interview with entertainment.ie last June. “Just like Britney, who creates the quintessential ’90s pop music, you’re richer than God and you’re in the Hollywood bubble,” he said. “That’s what happens to Elvis. He’s gone from being this rebel, this punk, deeply steeped with his Black music friends doing radical music, to suddenly being isolated in Hollywood doing pop.”
The star pairing gives Presley his inaugural appearance on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, which premiered 10 years ago this month. It’s the eighth placement for Spears, who earned her second No. 1 last September, alongside Elton John on “Hold Me Closer.” (Spears first led with “Scream & Shout,” with will.i.am, on that inaugural survey, dated Jan. 26, 2013, beginning a five-week reign.)
Concurrently, “Toxic Las Vegas” opens at No. 12 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart, eclipsing the peak of Spears’ original “Toxic”; although its release predated the chart’s 2010 inception, “Toxic” hit No. 31 on that chart’s first edition in 2010.
On Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales, Spears has three No. 1s and nine top 10s among 23 appearances. “Toxic Las Vegas” is Presley’s second hit there, following “Don’t Fly Away (PNAU Remix),” billed as by Presley and PNAU (No. 18, last July).
Meanwhile, “Toxic” marks the latest revival as a mash-up for the enduring song: In early 2022, “Toxic Pony,” a blend with Ginuwine’s No. 1 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs smash, and a No. 6 Hot 100 hit, from 1996, reached No. 7 on R&B Digital Song Sales and No. 40 on Pop Airplay, among other showings.
In January 2021, pop artist vaultboy teased his single, “everything sucks,” on TikTok as part of a challenge titled “writing a song everyday and posting it.” On day 12 of the challenge, the video hit three million views and the rest is history. vaultboy’s debut single has now reached over 140 million streams on Spotify and he’s been steadily growing ever since. The Jacksonville, FL native chose his moniker after being inspired by a character in his favorite video game series, Fallout.
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This month, vaultboy is featured on Sound Mind’s latest episode of Unmasked, a video series that features artists opening up about their personal mental health journeys. In the new episode, he speaks out about his own struggle with anxiety and depression.
“The amount of people silently struggling with mental health issues is immeasurable. We’re all going through this similar thing, to different degrees, and sometimes we need to be reminded that this fight isn’t our own,” he told Billboard.
In early 2022, vaultboy was experiencing massive success in music, but was also feeling very depressed and struggling to appreciate where he was at in life. He channeled those feelings into songwriting and wrote more honest, vulnerable tracks. The latest episode of Unmasked includes never-before-seen footage of vaultboy recording some of his most personal lyrics to-date.
vaultboy strives to be a mental health advocate for his fanbase and believes in the importance of destigmatizing the difficult conversations that mental health discussions can bring.
“The most important thing for me is keeping the conversation around mental health in the light and normalizing checking in with each other and ourselves,” he continued. By keeping this conversation in the forefront of our culture, we can make it easier for people to be aware of when and how to get care.”
Unmasked is focused on promoting mental health resources, as well as fostering an open dialogue about mental health for artists and audiences alike. Check out vaultboy on the latest episode of Unmasked above and stay tuned for more from Sound Mind.
This content was created in partnership with Sound Mind.
SZA’s SOS spends a fifth consecutive, and total, week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Jan. 21). It earned 125,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Jan. 12 (down less than 1%), according to Luminate.
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Only four albums have spent at least five weeks at No. 1 since the start of 2022: in order from most recent, SOS, Taylor Swift’s Midnights (five), Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti (13) and the Encanto soundtrack (nine).
SOS is the first album to spend its first five weeks at No. 1 since Adele’s 30 ruled the list for its first six weeks (its total run at No. 1) from Dec. 4, 2021-Jan. 8, 2022.
The last R&B album by a solo woman with five weeks at No. 1 was Mariah Carey’s Daydream, which notched six nonconsecutive weeks from Oct. 21, 1995, to Jan. 13, 1996 (although, the last R&B album by an all-female act to have five weeks at No. 1 was FanMail by the trio TLC, with five nonconsecutive weeks in charge in 1999 [March 13-May 8]).
And, the last R&B album by a woman to spend its first five weeks at No. 1 was Janet Jackson’s janet., which topped the list for its first six frames (June 5-July 10, 1993). (R&B albums are defined as those that have hit or are eligible for Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart.)
Also in the new Billboard 200’s top 10, YoungBoy Never Broke Again collects his 13th top 10-charting effort, as his first release for Motown, I Rest My Case, debuts at No. 9.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Jan. 21, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Jan. 18 – one day later than usual, due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday in the U.S. on Jan. 16. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Five former No. 1s rank at Nos. 2-6 on the new Billboard 200 – and all are non-movers as compared to a week ago. Taylor Swift’s Midnights is No. 2 (81,000 equivalent album units earned; down 31%), followed by Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains (57,000; up 1%), Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss (51,000; down 3%), Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti (45,000; down 10%) and Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album (43,000; up 2%).
Zach Bryan’s American Heartbreak climbs 8-7 with 33,000 equivalent album units earned (down less than 1%), and Lil Baby’s chart-topping It’s Only Me rises 9-8 with 31,000 (down 1%).
YoungBoy Never Broke Again notches his 13th top 10-charting album on the Billboard 200, as I Rest My Case starts at No. 9 with 29,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 27,000 (equaling 39.59 million on-demand official streams of the set’s 19 tracks) and album sales and TEA units comprise 1,000 each.
I Rest My Case is the rapper’s first release for Motown after a prolific run with Atlantic, including a dozen top 10 efforts (five of which were in 2022). In total, I Rest My Case is the artist’s 28th charting title on the Billboard 200 since his debut on the list in August of 2017.
Rounding out the new top 10 is Harry Styles’ former No. 1 Harry’s House, which is stationary at No. 10 with 26,000 equivalent album units earned (down 10%).
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.