Billboard

16 Dec 2024

Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Fruitcake’ Hits Top 10 on Billboard 200 With Record-Breaking Vinyl Sales

Sabrina Carpenter collects her second top 10-charting effort on the Billboard 200, as her holiday set Fruitcake reenters the Dec. 21-dated tally at No. 10, prompted largely by its wide physical release on CD, vinyl and cassette on Dec. 6. It joins her chart-topping Short n’ Sweet in the top 10, as it holds at No. 5. Fruitcake had previously peaked at No. 121 in 2023.

Fruitcake cooks up a big reentry thanks to major sales – the biggest sales week for any holiday album in four years, and the largest sales week for a holiday album on vinyl in the modern era (since Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991). Fruitcake also got a big promotional boost from the debut of Carpenter’s Netflix holiday special, A Nonsense Christmas, on Dec. 6.

Fruitcake was initially released in November 2023 as a digital download album for purchase and through streaming services. The next month, it garnered a limited vinyl release, exclusively through Carpenter’s official webstore. On Dec. 6 of this year, the album became widely available on CD, cassette and three vinyl variants (including one exclusive to Target).

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In the tracking week ending Dec. 12, Fruitcake earned 54,000 equivalent album units (up 1,040%) in the U.S., according to Luminate, with album sales comprising 39,000 (up 27,326%; it debuts at No. 4 on Top Album Sales) and SEA units comprising 15,000 (up 210%, equaling 19.65 million on-demand official streams of set’s songs). Of the album’s 39,000 sales – vinyl sales comprise 31,000 copies.

The last holiday set with a bigger sales week overall (across all formats, physical and digital) was when Carrie Underwood’s My Gift debuted with 41,000 copies sold on the Oct. 10, 2020-dated chart.

Previously, the biggest sales week in the modern era for a holiday set on vinyl came just two weeks ago, when The Philly Specials’ A Philly Special Christmas Party bowed with 22,000 vinyl copies sold (Dec. 7 chart).

Back on the Billboard 200, with albums at Nos. 5 and 10, Carpenter is the sixth artist in 2024 to have at least two albums in the top 10 at the same time. Previously this year, Zach Bryan, Future, Metro Boomin, Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen all notched multiple projects in the top 10 concurrently.

Elsewhere on the charts, Fruitcake makes a sweet debut across multiple tallies: No. 1 on Indie Store Album Sales, No. 2 on Vinyl Albums, No. 2 on Top Catalog Albums and No. 4 on Top Album Sales. The set also zooms 47-3 (a new peak) on Top Holiday Albums.

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. All Dec. 21, 2024-dated charts will be posted in full on Billboard’s website on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums ranks the week’s top-selling albums and vinyl albums, respectively. Indie Store Album Sales ranks the top-selling albums of the week at independent music stores. Top Holiday Albums ranks the week’s most popular holiday albums by equivalent album units. Top Catalog Albums ranks the week’s most popular catalog (older) albums across all genres, by equivalent album units.

16 Dec 2024

Karrahbooo Clears the Air on Rumors About Her & More | Rolling Loud Miami 2024

Billboard caught up with Karrahbooo at Rolling Loud Miami 2024, and she dishes the tea on her life, rumors about her, her top female rappers and more!

Karrahbooo:

What’s up? It’s Karrahbooo, not the two. And we are at Rolling Loud with Billboard.

Meghan Mahar:

If you could live in any music video, what would you pick? 

Dang this hard as f—. If I could live in any music video, I’m gonna say an answer, but like, this is like, just, like, a random answer, because I couldn’t really think it through. But I’m just gonna say, like, “FRONT END” bro, I like that video, it’s like a vibe, some little cute outfit. So, yeah, f— it.

If your life was a movie, what would the title be?

It is a movie, let me tell you. It would be probably called ‘Not the Two’ … and it would be directed by me, and it would be starring Zendaya. F— it. 

What’s one rumor about you that you wish was actually true? 

I don’t know. I don’t like the rumors about me. I don’t think none of them, I don’t want any of them to be true, and they’re not. So I guess I won.

Are you trying to clarify anything right now? Let the people know.

Sh–, f— it. Who don’t write they music, because I write my music and I have all my chains still, and what else? I don’t own 900k, and what else? I don’t even care. F— it. That’s all the sh–. F— it. It’s more. Oh, and I’m black. Are you dumb? Are you kidding me, bro? But it’s cool, though, I love everybody. 

There’s a lot of trends in hip-hop, ins and outs. If you could erase one trend from hip-hop history forever, what would it be?

Keep watching for more!

16 Dec 2024

Dua Lipa, KUN & More Kick Off Billboard’s Inaugural Global No. 1s Series | Billboard News

Dua Lipa & more kicked off Billboard’s inaugural ‘Global No. 1s’ series, partnering with 10-plus global editions to showcase their No. 1s. Keep watching for all the details!

Tetris Kelly: 

It doesn’t get more global than Dua Lipa. Billboard is launching its inaugural ‘Global No. 1s’ series, an initiative to spotlight top-charting artists from around the world. Billboard partnered with its 10-plus global editions to showcase distinct voices topping their local charts. Three of those covers launched today including this stunning UK cover from Dua Lipa. Billboard Japan is highlighting Creepy Nuts. Billboard China introduces you to KUN. Stay tuned throughout the week to discover who else is No. 1!

16 Dec 2024

KUN’s Glowing 2024: The Inspiration Behind ‘Afterglow,’ Upcoming Performances & More | Global No. 1s 

KUN claims China with “Afterglow” for the ‘Global No. 1s’ series. He duo shares how “Afterglow” came to life, shares his view on performances, 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!

KUN:

Hi everyone, I’m KUN. First of all, I want to thank everyone who loves this song. For me, it’s more of an encouragement. It makes me want to work harder to create a better next piece. To produce better work to give back to everyone. Actually, at the beginning, I wanted to connect time and space and relate it to art and fashion. So I thought for a long time about what kind of word could represent this kind of imagery, this kind of artistic conception. In the end, the word “Afterglow” appeared in my mind. Also because during different flights, in the process of traveling, including during drives, we often see such scenery. It also represents a momentary feeling. So in the end, I used this theme, and it combined it with imaged in my mind of models walking the runway, with lights flashing continuously, time changing, people changing. This general feeling of my own imagined sensation, so I created this song. The process was actually quite fun and quite fast. We first decided on this theme. Then we played around freestyle, and the concept came together quickly. Actually, with “Afterglow,” I have started incorporating some soul elements and rock elements. For the production, we used a blend of modern and classic elements. So basically, this song marks the beginning of a creative approach I really resonate with.

Keep watching for more!

16 Dec 2024

Sexyy Red Talks Through Her New Lip Gloss Line | Rolling Loud Miami 2024

We caught up with Sexyy Red at Rolling Loud Miami 2024 and she talks us through her passion for lip gloss, her new line of gloss and more!

Meghan Mahar:

Hey, Billboard, it’s Megan Mahar, and I’m here with Big Sexyy at Rolling Loud. Sexyy Red, how are you doing? 

Sexyy Red: I’m doing awesome. How you doing? 

I’m doing even better now because I’m about to put on some gloss with you. Sexyy’s selling NORTHSIDE PRINCESS makeup and this Sexyy gloss. So we’re gonna talk through all these. Sexyy, what was the inspiration behind the gloss?

I love lip gloss, and it makes me feel like a baddie when I put it on. So I’m like, I want to make everybody else feel cute. And then I started it way before this rap sh*t, I been had the lip gloss going, you know what I’m saying, been doing this s—, St. Louis. 

And it’s a great gloss, honestly, do you want to talk us through what some of the names are here?

Yes, I can. It’s eight flavors, as you can see. So the clear flavor is CoochieJuice. I have a brown flavor that’s like, like, it’s like, gold glitter, not gold glitter, but like, brown gold glitter. It’s cute, like a bronze that’s what it is. It’s called Bootyh0leBrown. I got a white kind that look like nut on your lips. Um, I got a pink kind called P—yholePink. I got a yellow kind with yellow glitter and gold glitter called YellowDischarge. I got a green one for Gonorrhea. It’s called Gonorrhea. It’s green and it’s cute. Shine real good on the lips. BlueBallz is one of my favorites, and SexOnMyPeriod is another one of my favorites.

Keep watching for more!

16 Dec 2024

2024 BBMAs: Relive the Best Performances, Winners & More | Billboard News

Relive the best performances, biggest winners and more highlights from the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, presented by Marriott Bonvoy.

Tetris Kelly:

Tyla, Shaboozey and more highlights from the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, presented by Marriott Bonvoy. Superstars from all genres up the ante with performances from around the world. And the big night was hosted by comedian and actress Michelle Buteau. “We’re hosting this awards show. Bang. Bang. A little differently.” Shabozeey celebrated the success of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” with an exclusive performance from W Hollywood, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of hotel brands. Meanwhile, Tyla strutted her stuff across the pond when she performed “PUSH 2 START”and “SHAKE AH” with a cameo from Pete & Bas from London. And STRAY KIDS showed us their showmanship with a medley of “CHK CHK BOOM”  and “JJAM” from South Korea. As for the night’s big winners, Taylor Swift took home a total of 10 awards, while Zach Bryan followed with five awards, and Morgan Wallen with four. The 2024 Billboard Music Awards are presented by Marriott Bonvoy, over 30 hotel brands and 10,000 global destinations. For a full list of BBMA winners, head over to Billboard.com.

16 Dec 2024

Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa & More Surprise in ‘A Carpool Karaoke Christmas’ | Billboard News

AppleTV + dropped the holiday special ‘A Carpool Karaoke Christmas’ with Lady Gaga, Chappell Roan and Dua Lipa karaokeing on the road. Keep watching for more!

Tetris Kelly:

Gaga singing “Christmas Tree”?! Zane Lowe grabbed the keys from James Corden as Apple TV+ just surprise-dropped ‘A Carpool Karaoke Christmas’ and it’s got all your favs. Our queen Chappell Roan. The hour-long special takes viewers on a whirlwind global caroling adventure from Tokyo to Missouri to Los Angeles. Hey Dua Lipa. And of course we go gaga for Gaga. ‘A Carpool Karaoke Christmas’ is now streaming on Apple TV+.

16 Dec 2024

Creepy Nuts on ‘Bling-Bang-Bang-Born’ 2024 Success on the Charts & More | Billboard Global No. 1s

Up next for the Global No. 1s series, Creepy Nuts joins Japan as their No. 1. The duo shares how “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” took over the charts, what 2025 has in store 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 10-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 U.K., Brazil, Korea, and more!

DJ Matsunaga:
Hello!

Creepy Nuts: 
We’re Creepy Nuts!

DJ Matsunaga:
“Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” has been crowd … crowned No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s 2024 Year-End Japan Hot 100 and Global Japan Songs charts … Thank you! And I hear we’re received other awards as well. Thank you! If people are interested in what we’re up to, well, we’ve received this, and we’re making an album.

R-Shitei:
Yeah!

DJ Matsunaga:
We’re working on an album and we’ll be playing Tokyo Dome in February, so we hope to see you all there. 

Creepy Nuts: 
See you there!

16 Dec 2024

Chiquis on Paying Tribute to Mom Jenni Rivera | Behind the Photo

Chiquis goes Behind the Photo and opens up about mom Jenni Rivera, creating the music video for her single “No Te Quiero Quemar,” and more. 

Chiquis:
Hello, how are you? I’m Chiquis and we’re going to be Behind the Photo with Billboard.

Photo No. 1: This special day, so beautiful, was one day after my birthday, June 27, and that’s when my mom received her star in The Hollywood Walk of Fame. So, it’s well deserved. I loved my outfit that day. My socks I kind of like them a little bit, I don’t know, it does look nice, doesn’t it? Congratulations to my mother, she deserves it and to the whole family.

Photo No. 2: This photo was taken in New York, we were there doing some promotions. And I also took advantage of the trip and with this outfit I recorded a music video called “No Te Quiero Quemar” from my new album, Diamantes.

Photo No. 3: I’m here with my friends Calibre 50 and my friends Los Sebastianes that I love them very much, too. We were singing a tribute to my mother. My world. In this dress I could not move very well, I was only worried about singing because it was completely live. It was a beautiful night.

Photo No. 4: My husband of, I don’t know, five months now. We were here at a Dodger game, the first one this year and the Dodgers’ only baseball game. See? I look like I’m in love with him. Hopefully I’ll look like this forever. 

16 Dec 2024

Sexyy Red, Future, Travis Scott & More Light Up the Stage at 2024 Rolling Loud | Billboard News

Sexyy Red, Future, Travis Scott, Shaboozey, JT help celebrate 10 years of Rolling Loud by lighting up the stage in Miami for this year’s festival.

Tetris Kelly:
Here are some of the best moments from this year’s Rolling Loud in Miami! Rolling Loud celebrated 10 year with a jam-packed lineup! This year’s festival featured everyone from Sexyy Red to Shaboozey to Future to Owen Wilson. Yep, actor Owen Wilson … more on that to come.

Sexyy Red had that crowd turnt with her bevy of hits from “Pound Town” to her ballad “U My Everything,” but the crowd went crazy when she closed out her set to “Get It Sexxy.” Bringing a little country to the proceeding, Shaboozey hit the stage and had the whole fest “Tipsy.” He performed his hit while also treating the crowd to a special set of his, song from his markedly more hip-hop inflected sophomore LP. Florida native JT made her solo Rolling Loud debut this weekend. The crowd embraced the Miami rapper as she danced choreo to “Uncle Al,” rapped “No Bars” and cheered her on as she performed her chart topping track “Okay.”

Future literally lit the stage on fire. Before the Atlanta rapper even began his set, a decoy Future walked across the stage while engulfed in flames. Pluto then tore through some of his biggest hits, including 2012’s “Same Damn Time,” 2015’s “March Madness” and 2022’s “Wait for U.”

Arriving in a helicopter, Travis Scott not only had the crowd going nuts with a melody of songs including his smash hit “Fe!n,” which he played five times in a row. On top of that, Travis brought out actor Owen Wilson to kick off “Fe!n,” which doubled as a scene from Owen’s upcoming film entitled Rolling Loud.

Watch the full video above!