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20 Dec 2024

Giorgi Gigashvili: A Classical Movement Grows in 2024 | Billboard Global No. 1s

Giorgi Gigashvili is gifted when it comes to his music, and Billboard Georgia named him as No. 1 for Billboard’s ‘Global No. 1s’ series. Giorgi talks on his different personalities when it comes to creating his music on the piano, his Carnegie Hall debut and more!

Billboard is launching its inaugural ‘Global No. 1s’ series, an initiative to spotlight top-charting artists from around the world. Billboard has partnered with its ten-plus global editions to showcase distinct voices topping their local charts around the world in exclusive interviews. Stay tuned throughout the week to discover who’s No. 1 in the UK, Brazil, Korea, and more!

Giorgi Gigashvili:

Hi. This is Giorgi, and this is my Billboard global cover story. I feel like I have three different kinds of personalities, even my name sounds different within these different kinds of personalities. The first one is me as a classical pianist who has a name of Giorgi Gigashvili. To be honest, I have a full photo album in my head which comes to my mind now. First moment that comes into my mind is when I met my idol, Martha Argerich, who is like a god to me, and in 2019 At the Vigo piano competition where she was the chairman of jury, I received the first prize, and it was like my biggest dream came true. The second thing that comes to my mind is a debut at Carnegie Hall last October. I could express myself as a Georgian befriended to the US country, and it means so much to my country and to myself, being able to express my art through the greatest Hall in the world, I think.The last image is my first classical music album, which is called “Meeting my Shadow.” It won a decent classic award at the category of a newcomer, which means a lot to me because it’s my first professional recording. The first sound that comes into my mind as a classical pianist is Mozart’s “Symphony No. 40” because it was the first piece which was heard by me at the age of five or six because my mother used to play this all the time. I think it’s the reason why I am a classical pianist right now, and thanks to my mom.

Keep watching for more!

20 Dec 2024

Mariah Carey & Brenda Lee’s Battle for the Christmas Throne | Billboard Explains

This Billboard Explains episode dives into how Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee compete for No. 1 on the Hot 100 with their Christmas classics “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” respectively, during the holiday season.

Tetris Kelly:
It’s the battle between the Christmas queens Mariah versus Brenda. Every holiday season, Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee battle it out for the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, but how did these two Christmas classics become the top song? And what’s the story behind this holiday competition? This is Billboard Explains: Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee’s Battle for the Christmas Throne.

There are many holiday classics that are in rotation every December — Wham’s “Last Christmas,” Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” just to name a few. But two songs are always fighting for the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100: Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas Is You” and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” So how did we get here? Let’s go back to the beginning.

Nearly 14 year old, Brenda Lee released “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in 1958, and it debuted on the Hot 100 dated Dec. 12, 1960. The song originally peaked at No. 14 two weeks later, but it re-entered the Hot 100 decades later during the 2013-2014 holiday season. It first hit the top 10 during the 2018-2019 holiday, and spent nine weeks at No. 2 during the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 holidays, right behind Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

Speaking of Mariah, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” first appeared on the Billboard charts in 1994, and it hit the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in December 2017. It reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 for the first time in 2019, and has continued to dominate every holiday season since then, but that all changed in 2023 when Brenda’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” finally reached the No. 1 spot and spent three weeks at the top, while Mariah’s carol led for two weeks last holiday season.

But what is it about these two songs that keeps the battle going every Christmas? With the rise of streaming and curated holiday playlists, these two tracks are always staples on those lists, which helps bring them back to the chart every year. Plus, radio airplay and sales are always strong for both songs, among many other seasonal standards over the holidays.

But the stars play into the fun, too. Mariah has her viral “It’s Time” videos, while Brenda filmed a music video for her classic hit last year, and even joined the world of TikTok to promote the song.

Regardless of why these two songs are the songs of the holiday season, we can’t get enough of these two Christmas queens.

20 Dec 2024

Ranking & Rating the Best Rap & R&B Albums of 2024 | Billboard Unfiltered

In this episode Billboard Unfiltered, Billboard staffers Trevor Anderson, Kyle Denis, Damien Scott and Carl Lamarre rank the best rap and R&B albums of 2024, go through the biggest scandals of the year, share their predictions for 2025 and more!

Damien Scott:
You’re out here talking, you know, making the 2024 song about dating and getting into arguments and s–t. 

Kyle Denis:
In 2024 specifically. 

Damien Scott:
This is all Kat Williams’ fault. 

Trevor Anderson:
That’s really where it started. 

Carl Lamarre:
In case y’all missed last week’s episode, there were talks about y’all potentially being gone because Amber and Regina killed it. 

Trevor Anderson:
Oh, was that the conversations in the back?

Carl Lamarre:
Yeah, but the OG squad is here! 

Trevor Anderson:
I see those conversations got squashed quickly. 

Carl Lamarre:
We got Charles and Kenny back, you know what I’m saying? 

Damien Scott:
We’re what’s best for the show. 

Trevor Anderson:
Shout-out to Kenny, man.

Carl Lamarre:
No, I was happy to have the gang back especially for this last episode of 2024. We unveiled two fire lists this week, which include the Best Rap Albums of 2024 and the Best R&B Albums of 2024, so what we’ll do, I’m going to give a quick breakdown of the top 10. The full list is on billboard.com, so here’s the top 10.

For the Best Rap Album of 2024: No. 10 Freddie Gibbs’ You Only Die 1nce; nine: Future, Mixtape Pluto; eight: Latto, Sugar Honey Iced Tea; seven: Megan Thee Stallion, Megan: Act I and Megan: Act II; six: Schoolboy Q, Blue Lips; five: GloRilla, Glorious; four: Tyler, the Creator, Chromakopia; three: Doechii, Alligator Bites Never Heal; three: Future and Metro, We Don’t Trust You …

Keep watching for more!

20 Dec 2024

Valentino Merlo & The La Planta: The Unexpected Success of ‘Hoy’ | Billboard Global No. 1s

Valentino Merlo & The La Planta paired up for Billboard Argentina as the 2024 No. 1 for Billboard’s ‘Global No. 1s’ series. The artists teamed up to create chart breaking “Hoy,” and they share how the song was created, how they knew it would be a hit and more!

Billboard is launching its inaugural ‘Global No. 1s’ series, an initiative to spotlight top-charting artists from around the world. Billboard has partnered with its ten-plus global editions to showcase distinct voices topping their local charts around the world in exclusive interviews. Stay tuned throughout the week to discover who’s No. 1 in the UK, Brazil, Korea, and more!

The La Planta:

What’s up, friends from Billboard? This is Nico, The La Planta. 

Valentino Merlo:

And this is Valentino Merlo. We are the Global No. 1s cover.

The La Planta:

Well, thank you. Thanks for the warm welcome and the congratulations. It’s truly a pleasure. Honestly, we felt it. When we recorded it, there was something extra, an extra energy with the song. But personally, I didn’t expect to be, as I said, five months at No. 1 on Billboard Argentina. It was completely surprising. 

Valentino Merlo:

For me, it was actually the opposite. I mean, really the opposite, right? I enjoyed it a lote, and it was a pleasure to work with Nico and his whole team. I’m also really happy to have been No. 1 on Billboard Argentina for such a long time. That song was incredible. 

The La Planta:

The video is still no. 1 on YouTube, “Hoy.” It’s unbelievable, and it’s nearing 300 million views. It’s crazy, and it’s not stopping, so… it was amazing. 

Valentino Merlo:

Honestly, I didn’t expect it to go so far, but he did. He did say, “When I wear this hat, it’s going to blow up.” And it did! It blew up because of the hat – the white hat he wore.

The La Planta:

You could feel it. The song was going to hit. I felt it. Like I said, it’s about sensations. They were overwhelming. It’s rare because that doesn’t happen with many songs I record. From the moment I recorded it, when I sent it over, I said, “If it works for you, let’s release it.”

19 Dec 2024

TWICE Scores Sixth Top 10 in a Row on Album Sales Chart With ‘STRATEGY’

TWICE scores its sixth top 10 in a row on the Top Album Sales chart as STRATEGY debuts at No. 2 on the Dec. 21-dated list. The set sold 81,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 18, according to Luminate. Also shaking up the top 10: ROSÉ’s solo debut rosie enters at No. 3, Sabrina Carpenter’s year-old Fruitcake debt at No. 4, J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive reenters at No. 5 following a 10th anniversary reissue and Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack jumps 17-10.

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See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

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.

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Of STRATEGY’s first-week sales of 81,000, CD sales comprise 72,000, with the remaining sales comprising vinyl and digital download albums. The album’s first-week sales were aided by its availability across more than 15 CD and vinyl editions, all inclusive of collectible paper ephemera (some randomized).

At No. 1 on Top Album Sales, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department nets a 10th nonconsecutive week on top, with 201,000 copies sold (down 45%), as it continues to profit from the Target-exclusive release of the CD and vinyl editions of the Anthology version of the album.

ROSÉ’s solo debut set rosie arrives at No. 3 on Top Album Sales with 70,000 copies sold. Pop group BLACKPINK, of which she is a member, has logged three top 10s, including two No. 1s: THE ALBUM in 2020 and BORN PINK in 2022. Of rosie’s first-week sales of 70,000, CD sales comprise 30,000, vinyl sales comprise 29,000 and the remaining sales are comprised of digital download album purchases and cassettes. The set’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across more than 15 physical variants of the album across CD and vinyl editions, many including collectible ephemera (some randomized).

Sabrina Carpenter’s 2023 holiday effort Fruitcake debuts at No. 4 on Top Album Sales (39,000 sold) following its wide release on CD, vinyl (in three variants) and cassette on Dec. 6. The set scores the biggest sales week for a holiday album in four years, and the largest sales week in the modern era for a holiday album on vinyl.

J. Cole’s chart-topping 2014 Forest Hills Drive returns to the top 10, reentering at No. 5 (33,000; up 2,648%), following its 10th anniversary reissue on CD, vinyl and digital download – with some versions including bonus tracks. The Wicked film soundtrack, a former No. 1, falls 2-6 with 30,000 (down 41%); Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet slips 5-7 with 28,000 (though, up 25%); Chappell Roan’s former leader The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess falls 3-8 (nearly 21,000; down 16%) and Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft falls 4-9 (18,000; down 21%).

Closing out the top 10 is Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas TV soundtrack, jumping 17-10 with nearly 14,000 copies sold (up 13%). The set, which peaked at No. 2 in Dec. 2022, returns to the top 10 for the first time since the Jan. 7, 2023-dated list when it ranked at No. 8.

19 Dec 2024

Wham!’s Andrew Ridgeley on ‘Last Christmas’ Hitting New Hot 100 Peak: George Michael ‘Would Have Been Utterly Delighted’

Wham!’s 40-year-old hit “Last Christmas” continues to find new fans, and new chart accolades, as the evergreen tune reached a new peak recently on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, rising to No. 3 on the Dec. 14-dated tally.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast recently caught up with one-half of the English pop duo Wham! – Andrew Ridgeley – to chat about all things “Last Christmas,” and asked him what it’s been like to see the song scale to new heights on the Hot 100.

“Well, extremely satisfying. You know, Yog [a nickname for Wham!’s other half, the late George Michael, who died in 2016], we placed a great deal of importance on being a success in the States. It was, for any artist, of that era… you were nowhere unless you were a big deal in the States. You could be a big noise in the U.K., but the States was the golden prize, really. We were fortunate enough… and one or two of our contemporaries, we had great success in the States.

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“So, for the song to achieve its current chart placing … George would have been utterly delighted, as I am. And it would have meant a great deal to him.”

The Pop Shop’s full interview with Ridgeley will premiere on Dec. 23.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider.

19 Dec 2024

Madonna Makes Her Way Into Top 3 of Billboard TikTok Top 50 | Billboard News

Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” rises even higher in the top 10. Will she be No. 1? Keep watching to find out!

Narrator:

Christmas hits slip while classics climb up the chart. The choir version of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” rises to No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for the chart posting December 19th. The angelic anthem reached the top spot thanks to the Pepe Muppet trend. Our next throwback hit is “Paper Planes” by M.I.A. The 2008 hit made a massive jump from 21 to 2 thanks to a dance trend. Frank Ocean’s 2016 song “White Ferrari” is at No. 6 this week after sitting outside the top 10 last week. It’s attached to a trend where users explain a fantasy situation they wish was real. Mariah surprisingly slips to 8 as we approach Christmas, even though she’s matching her own record over on the Hot 100. Our only new hit of the week to break into the top 10 is “Wander On” by Jeddy Knox. Every Thursday, Billboard will bring you the verified list of the hottest songs on TikTok by monitoring music discovery and engagement on the platform in the United States. To find the TikTok Billboard Top 50 each week, users can simply go to any sound detail page and tap the top right button to access the charts page.

19 Dec 2024

Rob 49 Shares the Craziest Thing a Fan Has Ever Done to Get His Attention & More | Rolling Loud Miami 2024

Rob 49 plays this or that, shares the craziest thing a fan has ever done to get his attention and more at Rolling Loud Miami 2024.

Kyle Dennis
Billboard is here at a Rolling Loud’s 10th anniversary with the one and only Rob 49, how you doing man?

Rob 49
Good Brother, what’s you on?

Kyle Dennis
I’m chilling man, I gotta know what’s your pre-show ritual?

Rob 49
Nothing

Kyle Dennis
Nothing, just chilling

Rob 49
Chillin with the bros, Yeah feelin’ comfortable.

Kyle Dennis
What’s your favorite song to perform?

Rob 49
Probably like “What’s Happening” for real. I love that song. Crazy.

Kyle Dennis
Yes, sir.

Rob 49
I’m not gonna lie.

Kyle Dennis
I got a couple questions for you. Alright, what do you have to do as soon as you leave the stage?

Rob 49
Get some drink, get some food. My head be hurting. Yeah, I’d be having bad headache

Kyle Dennis
If you had to live in any if you had to live in any Hip-Hop music video from the past. Which one would you pick?

Rob 49
Um Tupac.

Kyle Dennis
If you could erase one trend from hip hop forever? Which one would it be?

Rob 49
Topping up other people?

Kyle Dennis
Alright, this or that? Freestyle or written?

Rob 49
Freestyle.

Kyle Dennis
East Coast or West Coast?

Rob 49
like Pac and Nine you hear me?

Kyle Dennis
Tupac or Biggie,

Rob 49
Biggie, I’m a real, Biggie fan.

Kyle Dennis
Come on, what’s your favorite Biggeie song, all of them, freestyle, everything, okay?

Sneakers or jewelry?

Rob 49
Shoes,

Kyle Dennis
Studio or stage?

Rob 49
Stage.

Kyle Dennis
Alright, if you could throw a private listening party for only three people in the world who’s on the invite list,

Rob 49
Three people in the world?

Kyle Dennis
Yeah.

Rob 49
My mama, probably Frank Ocean, probably like Tyler the Creator

Kyle Dennis
If you could have dinner with any three entertainers, living or dead, who would they be?

Rob 49
Any three entertainers? Halle Berry, Beyonce and, and, and,

Kyle Denis
Them two, no third? Yeah, just you two. Alright. Last question, what’s the craziest thing a fan has ever done to get your attention?

Rob 49
Pull they breast out.

Kyle Denis
True, were they good and nice?

Rob 49
There’s so many, I can’t keep track, I’m not Catholic.

Rob 49
Appreciate you Billboard.

Kyle Dennis
Appreciate you, man.

19 Dec 2024

4Batz Reveals His Favorite Song to Perform Live, His Top 5 Rappers & More | Rolling Loud Miami 2024

4Batz reveals his favorite song to perform live, how much he loves performing live, his top 5 rappers and a small cameo from Cash Cobain at Rolling Loud Miami 2024.

Kyle Denis  

Billboard is here at Rolling Loud’s 10th anniversary with our guy 4Batz. How you doing tonight? 

4Batz  

Man, I’m doing amazing, yeah, for sure. So I’m good. So, like, you know, you know, I feel like, right now, I feel like, you ever you seen that, uh, that chill guy emoji, yeah, little dog, yeah. I’m just, I’m just a chill guy. 

Kyle Denis 

That’s what’s up just a chill guy, yeah, what song are you most excited to perform tonight? 

4Batz  

Man I’m excited to perform f*cking we can cuss on here right? Yeah, I got a song called “Act Four F*cking You.” I can’t wait as soon as that song come on like I’m on that timing so.

Kyle Denis  

Yeah, you’ve been on tour this year. What do you think you’ve learned from that tour that you’re gonna bring to the stage tonight? 

4Batz  

That I got the energy, I got what it takes to perform so, and I love performing. I didn’t know I like performing that much, but I actually love it, you know, yeah. 

Kyle Denis 

What’s your favorite thing about being on stage?

4Batz  

Just, just like, every every second, it’s kind of like, I like the feeling of just like, I don’t know, like a buzzer beater feeling, yeah, I’m saying, like, Oh, we got to make sure this is this, like, I like that feeling. What’s up my boy, shout out. My boy, Cash Cobain. Say something to him real quick. 

Cash Cobain  

Shout out to Billboard, shot the Batz Man.

4Batz  

Yeah man I just love that tingly feeling, like that, that nervous feeling, yeah, but it just make you so, like, good. It makes you so right, keep you on point. 

19 Dec 2024

NMIXX Shares Their Favorite Song to Perform & More | Fishing for Answers | Billboard

NMIXX plays ‘Fishing for Answers’ and they share the wildest show they’ve performed, why they love “Run for Roses” and more!

NMIXX:

Hi, we are NMIXX, and we’re here with Billboard ‘Fishing for Answers.’ What is the wildest show you’ve ever performed? I would say when NMIXX went to Mexico to perform at CAREFEST, I think the crowd had such an amazing energy, and we did a cover of “Despacito,” and the crowd really liked that. So that was a good memory for me. What’s your biggest fear? Now. She says now because she’s so nervous to speak English, however she’s very happy. Yeah. When was the first time in your career you thought, “I’ve made it.” Our first concert. Zendaya. I agree.  What’s your favorite song to perform and your least favorite song to perform? “Run for Roses.” I agree. Yeah. You really suit that song. I really like this choreography. And I think “Run for Roses.” It’s long and it’s quite difficult. What has been your favorite destination? Here in Miami, it’s very beautiful. The beaches! This has been NMIXX.