Chart Beat
Beyoncé‘s “Diva” nears the No. 1 spot on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, but it’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Maps” that remains atop the Nov. 23-dated tally for a seventh week.
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The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity from Nov. 11-17. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
“Maps” again reigns over Alphaville’s “Forever Young”; the pair of tunes have been Nos. 1 and 2 for six weeks in a row, dating back to the Oct. 19 ranking.
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But while the top three had also been static for four straight weeks, with Akon’s “Akon’s Beautiful Day” at No. 3 during that span, the top three gets a shake-up in the form of Beyoncé’s “Diva,” which jumps 6-3 in its fourth week on the ranking (“Akon’s Beautiful Day,” meanwhile, drops to No. 8).
TikTok uploads showing off creators’ diva-esque behavior continues to drive the ascension of “Diva,” originally released on Beyoncé’s 2008 album I Am…Sasha Fierce.
In the week ending Nov. 14, “Diva” sported an 11% gain in official U.S. steams to 2.6 million earned, according to Luminate.
Aphex Twin’s “QKThr” rises back to its No. 4 peak (after initially attaining it on the Oct. 26 ranking), while Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” rounds out the top five, leaping 7-5. Carey returns to the top five at virtually the same time as she did last year, as the holiday standard first hit No. 5 on the Nov. 25, 2023, tally, the first holiday season of the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s existence.
Other holiday-related moves include Wham!’s “Last Christmas” (down 13-14) and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (up 22-21).
Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True” reaches a new peak within the top 10, rising 8-6 in the song’s third week on the list. Concurrently the multimetric Billboard Hot 100 chart’s greatest gainer in streaming (up 25% to 23.5 million streams, good for No. 1 on the Streaming Songs ranking), “That’s So True” remains driven by lip-synching content and other edits.
And one song hits the top 10 of the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for the first time: Grace McGuigan’s cover of “Amazing Grace,” which launches 21-10 in its second week. McGuigan’s cover of the religious standard, given a wide release earlier this month, has been used in a variety of ways on TikTok, from post-U.S.-election content to sports teams’ uploads and much more.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
Colombian rapper DFZM makes his Billboard charts debut with the all-star collaboration “+57,” co-billed with Karol G and Feid, and featuring Ovy On The Drums, J Balvin, Maluma, Ryan Castro and Blessd. It’s the highest debut on the latest Hot Latin Songs chart (dated Nov. 23), entering at No. 4. .
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“+57,” released Nov. 8 via Bichota/Interscope/ICLG, breaks into the top five largely based on streaming activity after its first full week of activity. The song — which drew attention for controversial lyrics — generated 8.3 million official streams in the U.S., according to Luminate, during its Nov. 8-14 tracking period. That figure sum prompts a No. 3 start on Latin Streaming Songs, where J Balvin collects his 32nd top 10 while Karol, her 29th, both trailing Bad Bunny’s robust 81 top 10s on his streaming account, the most overall since the tally launched in 2013.
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With “+57’s” high debut on Hot Latin Songs, which combines streaming data, digital sales and airplay into its formula, Ovy On The Drums, Ryan Castro and Blessd achieve career milestones as each secure their first top 10 on the multi-metric tally.
Colombian producer Ovy neared the top 10 through another Karol G collab, “Cairo,” which reached No. 11 high in December 2022. Castro and Blessd, each one reached No. 12 high prior: the former through his first collab with Karol G, “Una Noche En Medellín (remix)” (2023), while the latter through “Medallo,” with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavarez (2022).
“+57” also delivers new achievements for Karol G, Feid, Balvin and Maluma. Karol nabs her 28th Hot Latin Songs top 10, still the second-most among women (behind Shakira’s 27 top10s). Feid matches the No. 4 debut of his previous entry, “Sorry 4 That Much,” for his sixth top 10. Balvin ads his 36th career top 10, and Maluma, his 16th.
But “+57’s” biggest beneficiary is DFZM. The rapper earns his first Hot Latin Songs top 10 with his first title to make the chart. Further, DFZM makes his maiden appearance on three other main charts.
On the global front, “+57” opens at No. 20 on the Billboard Global 200 chart with 46 million clicks worldwide. Meanwhile, it debuts at No. 14 on the Global Excl. U.S. with 38 million streams outside the U.S. Plus, it bows at No. 62 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
Sales, too, assist in the song’s top five debut on Hot Latin Songs, where it opens at No. 1 on Latin Digital Song Sales with 1,000 digital downloads sold.
When it comes to pop music track records, Cirkut’s illustrious résumé in the genre speaks for itself.
As a sought after electro-pop producer and songwriter, the 38-year-old artist born Henry Walter has spent the last two decades churning out hits for artists like The Weeknd (“Starboy, “Die For You”), Rihanna (“Where Have You Been”), Katy Perry (“Roar,” “Dark Horse”), Miley Cyrus (“Wrecking Ball”), Charli XCX (“360”) and dozens of others. But as he explains to Billboard, he goes out of his way to not get too comfortable with his success.
“I never want to rest on my past accomplishments, and that vibe of ‘Oh, do you know all my work? Do you know all my hits?’” he explains. “That doesn’t mean anything to me. Whether I’m working with the biggest star in the world or the newest artist, you have to prove yourself over and over again.”
By his own definition, Cirkut has done just that: Over the last month, the producer has helped launch two artists into the upper echelons of the Billboard Hot 100. His work with veteran hitmaker Lady Gaga on her dark pop single “Disease” sent the song to a No. 27 debut on the chart. Meanwhile K-pop sensation ROSÉ earned her highest-charting solo single with “APT.,” featuring Bruno Mars, arriving at No. 8, thanks in no small part to Cirkut’s catchy production. He earned writing credits on both tracks as well.
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The producer attributes the successes of both Gaga and ROSÉ to their singular ideas of what they want in their music — a trait he looks for in all the artists he works with. “When an artist doesn’t really know what they want to say, or is like, ‘I don’t know, just make me a song,’ that doesn’t interest me,” he says. “The best artists always have some kind of vision, whether it’s how they see the visuals coming together, how they want the guitar to sound, or how hard the kick drums hit.”
Below, Cirkut breaks down the writing processes for both “Disease” and “APT.,” why Lady Gaga stands out in a crowded field of pop stars, how an ad-libbed drinking game inspired ROSÉ’s hit song, and what he envisions for the future of pop music.
Let’s go all the way back to the beginning — when and how did you first get involved with Gaga and her team for this project?
It happened sometime last year — I had been working with [“Disease” co-writer/co-producer] Andrew Watt for a while. We [had] worked on a few different things together, and one day he called me and said, “What do you think about working with Gaga?” He said that we would be a great fit to do this project together. So, I met Gaga for the first time in the studio, and it was amazing. I was really excited to work with her, we were off to the races as soon as we met.
What immediately appealed to you about the prospect of working with Gaga?
I’ve been a fan over the years, she is just a legendary artist. There’s only one Gaga, and she has influenced so many of the artists who are out now. I think her music paved the way for so many people. Selfishly, I did want to see what I could accomplish with her. Just the thought of wondering what a Gaga record would sound like if I produced it was really exciting from the get-go.
When you look back on the inception of “Disease,” was there a stated goal with that song? What were you aiming to accomplish?
It was just one song in a collection that we worked on together, but fairly early in the process, we all loved it and knew that it would be some kind of cornerstone of this body of work. “Disease” [is] a daring record to me. It’s very aggressive. I wouldn’t say it’s a safe, “nice” song to ease you into things. I was spending some time with my mom the other day and she asked what I’d been working on — I threw on the music video for “Disease,” and she was just stunned and saying “oh my God” a lot. It’s a very in-your-face kind of record.
I do all kinds of music, but I love aggressive electronic music. When Watt and I get together, something just kind of happens — with his rock background, we end up bringing in a lot of heavy guitars, and I wanted to make it this cool, industrial synth dance record. When you listen to the final result, I’m pretty happy with how we melded those two things.
What do you remember from the studio sessions with Gaga here — were there any particular moments where it felt like things really locked in for you?
We all huddled up at the beginning to see if we had any common ground when it came to taste in music and the places we wanted to go with the sound. She was very instrumental in leading that discussion. We all wanted to make something that still felt like it was decidedly Gaga, but always asking the question of “What does that sound like today?” That’s always a challenge, especially with artists who have established themselves so firmly in pop culture, to figure out that balance. Do you do something so different that you move away from the things that you are known for? But if you just do the same thing that you’ve been known for, does that end up feeling like a “more-of-the-same” type situation? I wanted to make sure that we brought the essence of Gaga into this song and all of the things that are so great about her — the drama, the theatrics, that in-your-face sound — but still putting a fresh spin on it. That said, you also cannot overthink things too much on something like this. Ultimately, you just have to get in there and have fun.
We definitely had a synergy in the studio. In the beginning, it is kind of a trial run [with a new collaborator]. It felt a little bit like she was feeling me out, trying to figure out where I was coming from when it came to production. But then there was kind of a breakthrough moment — I had been working through something over my headphones, and when I played it out loud, she was just like, “Oh my God, Cirkut, that’s crazy.” And as soon as that happened it was like, “Great, I got through to her.” It’s not like she was difficult to impress, but I wanted us to be on the same page. I treat every project I work on like that — you have to approach it from the mind of being a student always, rather than a know-it-all. I’m always learning from new people.
You’ve worked on massive hits from artists like The Weeknd, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Kesha and Charli XCX. As someone who has been in the room with so many of these major pop stars, how does Gaga stand out amongst that pack?
I think something all the great artists that I’ve worked with have in common is that they all have a vision. Whether it’s fully realized or not doesn’t matter — there is always intention and direction behind the art that they’re making. Even if that’s not fully fleshed out, I find that to be really important. There is always an opinion.
Gaga is very much like that — she is very interested in the sonics of everything. She would say, “Maybe try a different drum here,” or she would hop on the synths and start playing things. She’s a musician and a visionary, and she knew all about the attack, decay, sustain and release settings on a synth. She is all about the details, which definitely sets her apart from a lot of artists. Also, the passion that she puts into her work is amazing. She really lives and breathes and eats and sweats and bleeds this music.
“Disease” is not the only track of yours currently on the Hot 100 — ROSÉ’s “APT.,” featuring Bruno Mars debuted at No. 8 debut earlier this month. Tell me a little bit about how you got involved on that song, and what ROSÉ and Bruno were like to work with?
I don’t try to say, “Oh, I knew this would be a hit,” because I simply do not have that kind of foresight. But I thought this one was a really great, fun, catchy song, and I really loved working with Rosie. I was so excited when she had played the song for Bruno and I heard that he was getting involved, because I genuinely feel like he took it to another level.
We worked together probably three days in a row in the studio, and I think [“APT.”] was one of the last ideas we started. It was the end of the night, we had just done a song or two, and we were like, “Might be time to go home.” And Rosie was sitting there and just sort of chanting to herself, “apateu, apateu.” I think it was [co-writer] Theron [Thomas] who stopped her and asked what it was. She said, “It’s just a Korean thing, it’s basically a drinking game.” All of us were immediately like, “Why is that not a song?” We took that and put together a very quick hook. It was kind of random — I love it when stuff like that happens! It’s not always planned. It’s not always, “We’re going to get in the studio and make a mega hit featuring Bruno Mars.” Sometimes it’s a spontaneous session based on a drinking game. Sometimes somebody is whispering something in the corner, and it becomes this incredible hook.
As someone who has been as vital as you are in creating these massive pop moments throughout your career, how do you view the direction pop music is headed today? What are you seeing in the pop space right now that feels like something that will continue on into the future?
More than ever, almost anything goes. Nowadays, because there’s so much music out there, listeners are so discerning. They like what they like, and it is up to us — creators, producers, songwriters, artists — to show people fresh, new things that they haven’t heard 1,000 times already. Sure, there are trends that go in and out of style, but sometimes, it can be about just changing one thing, and all of a sudden you’ve got a fresh new sound.
Honestly, I try not to think about all of this too much because it can be a little overwhelming. The “next sound” could literally be anything. I really try to just create and not think about the future because that can ultimately remove the spontaneity of it. Messing around and stumbling upon something you love is kind of the random magic that happens. In the age of [artificial intelligence], I think that’s a tool that is here to stay, whether people like it or not, and I do think it could help when it comes to creativity in the studio. But, at the end of the day, it’s the human element of production and songwriting that succeeds. People care about authenticity, they want something that’s real, and listeners are not stupid.
A version of this story appears in the Nov. 16, 2024, issue of Billboard.
Welcome to Billboard Pro‘s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
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This week: The original Wicked cast album gets a big bump in anticipation of the imminent film adaptation, Jake Paul uses a rock classic to (maybe) take a pre-fight musical swipe at Mike Tyson, a Grammy nominee enjoys a nice winning streak and more.
‘Wicked’ Week Boosts Original Broadway Cast Album & Select Ariana Grande Tracks
After decades of development, Wicked is finally hitting the silver screen! On Friday (Nov. 2), the film adaptation of the beloved Tony-winning Broadway musical will open in theaters across the U.S. In the lead up to the film, which will star Grammy winners Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Galinda), fans have been turning to the original Broadway cast album to hold them over.
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According to Luminate, the 2003 Wicked cast recording has risen 60% in streaming activity from between the first two weeks of November. During Nov. 1-7, the album earned 4.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams, with that figure jumping to 7.8 million during Nov. 8-14. Led by musical theatre icons Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the original Wicked cast recording features several songs that have earned significant streaming boosts as the film adaptation draws nearer.
“Defying Gravity,” which Erivo and Grande will perform to close the film, is up 47% streams from 909,000 official on-demand U.S. streams (Nov. 1-7) to 1.34 million (Nov. 8-14). Emmy nominee Jonathan Bailey will take on the role of Fiyero in the 2024 film, performing “Dancing Through Life,” which is up 62% in streams. The lengthy track, which was originally performed by Norbert Leo Butz, earned over 453,000 official on-demand U.S. streams during Nov. 8-14. “No One Mourns the Wicked,” the musical’s moving opening number, is also up 63% in streams, collecting over 417,000 official on-demand U.S. streams during Nov. 8-14.
The anticipation for Grande’s take on “Popular” has also spurred streaming gains for Chenoweth’s original. “Popular” is up 64% in streams from 562,000 official on-demand U.S. streams (Nov. 1-7) to 923,000 (Nov. 8-14). On her 2013 Billboard 200-topping debut album Yours Truly, Grande included a collaboration with MIKA titled “Popular Song” that interpolates elements of the Wicked classic. That duet is up 66% in streams from 113,000 official on-demand U.S. streams (Nov. 1-7) to 189,000 (Nov. 8-14).
Grande also covered “The Wizard and I” for 2019’s A Very Wicked Halloween 15-year anniversary special, and that version was tacked onto a commemorative re-release of the Wicked cast album. Grande’s rendition of the showstopper – which will be performed by Erivo in the film – pulled over 22,000 streams during Nov. 1-7. The following week (Nov. 8-14), that number jumped by a whipping 82% to over 40,000 streams. The original version of “The Wizard And I” is performed by Menzel and the late Carole Shelley, who originated the role of Madame Morrible that Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh will assume in the film. Their version jumped 64% in streaming activity from 294,000 official on-demand U.S. streams (Nov. 1-7) to 483,000 (Nov. 8-14).
As crowds flock to Wicked expect to see more gains for the original Broadway cast recording – and a notable debut for the film soundtrack, which will arrive on Nov. 22 through Republic and Verve. — KYLE DENIS
Well If You Told Me You Were Boxing: Jake Paul Lends a Hand to a Phil Collins Classic
It was one of the most surreal (and most watched) sporting events of the year: the 27-year-old influencer-turned-pugilist Jake Paul taking on 58-year-old all-time boxing legend Mike Tyson in a Netflix-streamed Friday night fight (Nov. 15). Though many watching wanted to see the former undisputed heavyweight champion give the YouTube superstar a spanking, Paul ended up winning the much-hyped bout in a unanimous decision. Another less-likely winner from the evening, however, was another legend even more veteran than Tyson: U.K. pop and rock great Phil Collins.
Collins ended up soundtracking part of the evening, as Paul used the Genesis frontman’s eternal 1981 solo debut single “In the Air Tonight” as his entrance music – likely a winking pre-ring jab at the champ, who sang (and drummed) along to the song in a famous scene from the 2009 comedy The Hangover. Whatever Paul’s intent, the music did its job: Not only did he win the fight, but “Tonight” totaled 779,000 official on-demand U.S. streams over the following Saturday and Sunday, up 47% from the equivalent period the prior week, according to Luminate. (Tyson’s own walkout song, “Murdergram” (by Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule, recording collectively as Murder Inc.), was up 185% to 9,000 streams.)
Another non-entrance song seeing related gains this week? DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s 1989 hit “I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson,” which racked up nearly 15,000 streams combined over Friday and Saturday, up from under 1,000 over the same period the prior week. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
PartyNextDoor Eyes Eleventh Hour 2024 Hit with a Nine-Year-Old Leak
With PartyNextDoor 4, PartyNextDoor became one of the select few artists to reach the Billboard 200’s top 10 with a newly released R&B album – but his latest hit isn’t even on that project.
“Dreamin” originally leaked alongside a slew of other PND tracks back in 2015, but thanks to a viral unofficial remix from rising artist Zayskii, the Grammy-nominated star uploaded the original track to DSPs two weeks ago (Nov. 3). During the first week of the month (Nov. 1-7), “Dreamin” earned 2.42 million official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate. By the following week (Nov. 8-14), that figure ballooned 100% to 4.85 million streams.
Zayskii (@onlyzayskii) first uploaded a snippet of his remix on Oct. 18, with a post captioned “Partynextdoor remix?” To date, the snippet has earned 6.3 million views and over 1.1 million likes; there are now over 61,000 posts soundtracked by that snippet.
With the original version finally on DSPs, “Dreamin” will likely continue to grow. Time will tell if that buzzy remix also gets an official release. — KD
Doechii Experiences the ‘Heal’ing Powers of Grammy Nominations & Live Moments
It’s been a great couple of weeks for Florida rapper-singer Doechii, whose Alligator Bites Never Heal mixtape was released to strong reviews but little commercial fanfare back in August. She’s belatedly getting her due for the set this month, however – particularly with the nominations she landed for next February’s Grammys: best rap album for Bites and best rap performance for its lead single “Nissan Altima.”
Those nominations, announced Nov. 8, have proven well-timed for Doechii, who has since wrapped her accompanying tour for the album and performed at the Tyler, the Creator-curated Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival (Nov. 16) – all of which has driven extra ears to her recent set and its lead single, which has also enjoyed some extra TikTok attention lately. The album drew 5.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams this past tracking week (ending Nov. 14), according to Luminate – a 40% gain from the prior week – while “Nissan Altima” was up 29% to over 1.7 million streams on its own.
The good momentum should just keep growing for Doechii through this Friday’s Musicians on Musicians event at New York’s Apollo Theater, which will see her speaking and performing alongside Brittany Howard, Busta Rhymes and GloRilla. — AU
Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” hits No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, becoming the first song by a Western act to rule the Japan song chart in 11 and a half years.
“APT.” debuted at No. 96 on the chart released Oct. 23 after dropping digitally on Oct. 18 and has continued to perform increasingly well, especially in streaming. Streams for the track have earned a 107% increase this week compared to the week before, while downloads gained 113%, radio 102%, and video 110%. The pop-punk duet rises a notch to No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100 dated Nov. 20, becoming only the fifth song by Western artists to top this chart.
The previous song by a Western act that hit No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100 was The Wanted’s “Glad You Came,” more than a decade ago. Here’s a list of the Western numbers that have topped the tally so far:
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Artist/Title/Chart Release DateLeona Lewis, “Bleeding Love” (April 30, 2008)MIKA, “Blame It on the Girls” (Sept. 23, 2009)Lady Gaga, “Born This Way” (April 6, 2011)The Wanted, “Glad You Came” (May 15, 2013)Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.” (Nov. 20, 2024)
CUTIE STREET’s “Kawaii dakeja damedesuka?” rises 19-2. The debut single by the ASOBISYSTEM girl group dropped digitally on Sept. 8 and bowed at No. 84 on the chart dated Oct. 16. The track gained popularity in video and streaming, topping the TikTok Weekly Top 20 chart for five consecutive weeks. The CD version arrived Nov. 13 and launched with 61,384 copies. The track comes in at No. 5 for physical sales, No. 38 for downloads, No. 13 for streaming, and No. 9 for video views this week.
Creepy Nuts’ “Otonoke” is at No. 3. While the track holds its position from last week, points have increased: streaming has gained 105%, downloads 102%, radio airplay 159%, karaoke 104%, and video has also increased slightly as well. The “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” hip-hop duo consisting of R-shitei and DJ Matsunaga is set to perform at the prestigious year-end live music program, NHK’s 75th Kohaku Uta Gassen.
NEWS’s “Acchi muite hoi” debuts at No. 4. The title track of their 31st single is being featured as the theme song for the drama Takasugi-san-chi no Obento, starring member Keiichiro Koyama. Looking at the metrics of the chart’s measurement, the track rules sales with 137,887 first-week copies, which is more than the group’s previous single, and comes in at No. 71 for downloads and No. 12 for radio.
Elsewhere on the Japan Hot 100, Chanmina’s “FOREVER” debuts at No. 33 after hitting No. 1 for radio. The theme song for the drama Monster was produced by South Korean rapper/music producer GRAY, who also worked with the trilingual rapper on her fourth album Naked.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Nov. 11 to 17, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard Hot 100 dated Nov. 30, we look at whether the longest-running No. 1 of 2024 is about to tie the record the longest-running No. 1 of all-time.
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Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (American Dogwood/EMPIRE/Magnolia Music): It’s graduation week for “A Bar Song” on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, as its reign on top turns 18. The song is currently also trending toward a 17th week at No. 1 on Radio Songs – while this past week, it logged its 15th week atop the charts simultaneously, a new record for the longest such double-up since Radio Songs began in 1990, passing Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together.” It has also been top 10 on the Digital Song Sales chart continuously since late April and Streaming Songs since May; it has been top 10 on all three Hot 100 component charts, including Radio Songs, concurrently each week since late June.
Is there any reason to think it’s due for any big falls or rises before next week, where it goes for its all-time record-tying 19th week at No. 1 – potentially matching Lil Nas X’s Billy Ray Cyrus-featuring “Old Town Road” from five years earlier? Well, it slid more (though not a tremendous amount) this week in both streaming and radio airplay, though its sales were up 16%. The song’s overall momentum going into next week might depend on tonight’s (Nov. 20) CMA Awards, where Shaboozey is both a scheduled performer and a nominee in single of the year (for “Bar Song”) and best new artist.
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With a big, consumption-driving night at the CMAs tonight (and with next week’s charts reflecting consumption for the tracking week ending Thursday), the timing might be right next week for Shaboozey to etch his name in the Billboard history books.
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile” (Streamline/Interscope/Atlantic/ICLG): Despite being a full three months into its lifespan at this point, “Die With a Smile” is still gaining chart momentum, as it hits the Radio Songs top five and No. 1 on Pop Airplay — Gaga‘s first time reaching those heights since 2011. The song’s streaming looks to be relatively even with last week, and it’s currently discounted to 69 cents on iTunes – as is “A Bar Song” — so it should be a pretty close battle next week on the Hot 100 between the two. If Shaboozey does get a CMAs bump, can Gaga and Bruno and their respective teams find a way before Friday to get their song a little extra juice? These questions might determine the winner in what should be a very closely monitored Hot 100 race next week.
Gracie Abrams, “That’s So True” (Interscope/ICLG): After topping Streaming Songs and hitting the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time this week, “That’s So True” has become the first truly undeniable smash of Gracie Abrams’ career. The song’s streaming growth seems to be slowing this week — so it might not be challenging for No. 1 as soon as next week – but it’s gotten big enough that Abrams’ Interscope label has started to shift its radio promotional efforts (previously focused on “Close to You” and “I Love You, I’m Sorry”) to it. If radio starts to pick up on “True” the way streaming has, there’s probably no ceiling on how high the song can continue to climb for the rest of 2024 and into 2025.
Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (Columbia/Legacy): As the weather cools down, Mariah Carey just starts getting stronger. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is starting to get its usual seasonal airplay, and jumps from 34 to 21 on this week’s Streaming Songs chart — the highest-ranking holiday entry — and should continue climbing in leaps and bounds in the weeks to come. “All I Want” could rechart on the Hot 100 — maybe even in the top 10 — as soon as next week, and from then it’s only a matter of time before it becomes the frontrunner to reign again during the holiday season, for the sixth calendar year in a row. And if it does… it’s already racked up 14 weeks total at No. 1, so it might not be long until it gets in the all-time record conversation with Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus (and soon enough, possibly Shaboozey).
It’s been a hell of a year for singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams, who’s made the jump from acclaimed cult favorite to pop hitmaker — and perhaps just straight-up pop star.
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Abrams, who undoubtedly received a boast from her opening slot on the biggest tour in modern pop history, scored a career-best ranking on the Billboard 200 this summer when her The Secret of Us debuted at No. 2, with tracks “Close to You,” “Risk” and the Taylor Swift-assisted “Us” all hitting the Billboard Hot 100. A few months after, the album’s “I Love You, I’m Sorry” went viral on TikTok, ultimately reaching the Hot 100’s top 20. And now “That’s So True,” a bonus track from the Secret deluxe edition, has bested them all, jumping from No. 13-6 this week to become Abrams’ first-ever Hot 100 top 10 hit.
What’s been responsible for Abrams’ recent surge of momentum? And what kind of chances does the song have of heading off Shaboozey’s historic “A Bar Song” run at No. 1?
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1. A few weeks after being released as a bonus track on the deluxe The Secret of Us “That’s So True” rides serious streaming momentum this week to become Gracie Abrams’ first top 10 hit. What do you think it is about this song that’s helped her reach new chart heights that not even the singles off Secret could reach?
Katie Atkinson: There are so many reasons I personally love this song. There’s the ’90s vibes (this could have had such a huge Pacey/Joey moment on a Dawson’s Creek mid-season finale). There’s the lyrics that are somehow both uber confident and self-conscious. There’s the under-three-minute runtime that never ceases to convince me to immediately run the song back as soon as it’s finished. There’s that great songwriter trick of writing about something so specific that it somehow ends up feeling universal. And there’s that epic bridge that must make Gracie’s Eras Tour-mate feel like a proud parent. Mostly, it’s just a great song that begs for repeat listens, and streaming is there to make that easier than ever.
Kyle Denis: In addition to being a song filled with accessible, relatable lyrics and a vocal affect that recalls the best of Taylor Swift and Lorde’s conversational approach to pop singing, “That’s So True” is a prime case study in momentum. Arriving as the fourth overall single from The Secret of Us, “That’s So True” automatically has the biggest potential audience out of all the album’s singles because it can build on their success. Each Secret of Us single has reached a higher Hot 100 peak than the last. When you couple that with the incomparable platform that is being an opener for the final leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, all the pieces were perfectly placed for “That’s So True” to become Abrams’ biggest chart hit yet.
Rylee Johnston: What really helped with the momentum of the song is the way she teased her fans with the song during live performances before it was ever released. She was able to drum up excitement and build an anticipation of “when is she going to drop the song?” Once she released the deluxe version of her album, it made sense that her fans would be eager to stream and listen to it repeatedly.
Jason Lipshutz: “That’s So True” crystallizes Gracie Abrams’ songwriting appeal, and arrived at a time when her momentum allowed for a fast-moving top 10 hit. Abrams’ aesthetic took a massive leap between last year’s Good Riddance and this year’s The Secret of Us, and “That’s So True” features both her most immediate hooks and a more defined point of view than past singles — you get the sense that no one else could deliver it quite like Abrams. Combined with the upward trajectory of her live audiences and streaming numbers, “That’s So True” was primed to be a breakthrough hit.
Andrew Unterberger: It just feels like her strongest song yet. It helps that audiences are more familiar with Abrams now and the hallmarks of her singing and songwriting, so a new song feels like a natural fit in our lives, but there’s a reason this song took off more than any of the other newly released tracks off the deluxe Secret of Us — it’s classic enough to feel recognizable right away, regardless of our Abrams familiarity level.
2. Though this is her first top 10 hit, obviously Abrams has been rising for some time now, with “I Love You, I’m Sorry” even reaching the top 20 recently. What is the biggest reason for her surge in 2024 momentum, do you think?
Katie Atkinson: Of course her placement on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was incredibly impactful for building a fanbase, but then Abrams put out her best work yet with The Secret of Us and was able to immediately capitalize on all that newfound interest. Just like Sabrina Carpenter before her, the Eras Tour opening slot puts you in front of more eyeballs then ever before, but you have to have the excellent music to back it up
Kyle Denis: Most of Abrams’ 2024 momentum can be credited to moves she made the year prior. She spent most of 2023 playing stadiums on the Eras Tour, which granted her the chance to win over the tens of thousands of fans that packed out those venues each night. Given the similarity of her music to Swift’s, that wasn’t too difficult of a feat for her to pull off. The tail-end of 2023 also found Abrams linking with Noah Kahan – one of that year’s biggest breakout stars – for “Everywhere, Everything,” which helped her snag her very first Hot 100 entry, building off the early momentum she earned with her debut LP at the start of the year. All she needed was one undeniable single to reach the next level of pop stardom.
Rylee Johnston: The Eras tour has definitely helped Abrams in gathering a larger audience and I’m sure her time as an opener has come with some advice from Taylor Swift. At the scale that the Eras tour is at, she’s able to test things out and play her music to thousands of people across the globe, while picking up new fans along the way who may not have heard of her beforehand.
Jason Lipshutz: Earning a best new artist Grammy nod, opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and headlining her own shows obviously helped increase Abrams’ profile — but simply put, these songs are stronger, more distinct and revealing of Abrams’ perspective than those on her debut. While “I Love You, I’m Sorry” became a viral hit and “That’s So True” a deluxe-edition smash, The Secret of Us tracks like “Risk,” “Close to You” and the Swift collaboration “Us” boast top-notch pop craft, and have each earned hundreds of millions of streams. After a promising debut that yielded a bigger platform, Abrams delivered a great sophomore LP, and is reaping the benefits now.
Andrew Unterberger: This is sorta facile to say, but I think artists like Abrams — who have a strong writing voice and an already devoted fanbase — reach a tipping point of mainstream popularity where the world just kinda opens to them. Maybe Eras got her through the door, maybe she woulda gotten there anyway, but she’s in the building now, and she’s just gonna keep elevating to higher floors from here.
3. Most of the talk about the breakout pop stars of 2024 has centered around Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan — is it time to start including Abrams in that conversation, do you think, or is she still to early in her development for that?
Katie Atkinson: It’s definitely time. Abrams has had a different trajectory than those two examples – most notably, she was nominated for best new artist at the Grammys earlier this year, whereas Roan and Carpenter are facing off in that category at the 2025 ceremony. She might be one hit away from truly reaching the spot Sabrina and Chappell now occupy, so maybe 2025 will be even bigger for Gracie.
Kyle Denis: I think it’s too early. I’m happy to have that conversation next year, but until Abrams is pulling festival crowds the size of the one Chappell pulled at Lollapalooza – or simultaneously three solo songs from the same album in the Hot 100’s top ten for multiple weeks à la Sabrina, for that matter – we can pump the brakes.
Rylee Johnston: I don’t think she’s far off, but she’s still new to this level of the industry and I think she’s still taking time to hone and perfect her craft. That’s not to say it isn’t coming anytime soon though: Give it a year or two and I bet we will see Abrams at their level.
Jason Lipshutz: It’s absolutely time to include Abrams, because, like Carpenter and Roan, her rise has been defined by more than one song. If Abrams had simply scored a single modest hit from The Secret of Us, then I’d be a little more dubious about the reach of her stardom — but “That’s So True” is a top 10 hit, “I Love You, I’m Sorry” is a fan favorite turned viral smash, and her Taylor Swift team-up is nominated for a Grammy. Maybe Carpenter or Roan could command bigger audiences at this moment, but this isn’t a competition; all three artists deserve to be recognized for a breakout 2024 that has set up years-long runs for each of them.
Andrew Unterberger: If it’s not time yet, it will be by the end of the year, or next January / February at the latest. She’s done it a little slower and more quietly than Roan and Carpenter, but what she’s building is just as real and sustainable — and we’ll see the fruits of it on her next album, if not earlier.
4. How much bigger do you think “That’s So True” can still get from here? Will we see it unseat Shaboozey from No. 1 before the Christmas rush takes over?
Katie Atkinson: Between Shaboozey and Christmas, I don’t know if “That’s So True” will have the juice to get all the way to No. 1. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it climbs higher in the top five over the next few weeks, as curiosity (and airplay) grow. This is the kind of song that could kick around the top 10 for a very long time.
Kyle Denis: “That’s So True” is in a tough spot because while I believe it has a lot of room to grow, the song will almost certainly be kneecapped by the incoming surge of holiday songs and year-end hoopla. If it doesn’t unseat “A Bar Song” next week, I fear Mariah will enter the ring as her second major opponent the following week.
Rylee Johnston: It’s tough, “A Bar Song” has lasted a historic run and has held strong even against major contenders like Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Swift and Carpenter. I’d personally love to see it happen, but I think Shaboozey may continue his reign on top until the holidays. I don’t think she’s stopped climbing though, I just don’t think it has enough power with this much time left of the year to reach No. 1.
Jason Lipshutz: If we had another month before the holiday onslaught, then I’d say probably — but really, we’ve got a week or so before Mariah, Brenda and Burl come for us all. Unless “That’s So True” can blast to the top of the Hot 100 before the calendar flips to December, I’d say that its best chance at hitting No. 1 will be in mid-January, if its momentum can keep up for a few months.
Andrew Unterberger: I think if it gets to No. 1 it won’t be until comfortably into next year. It’s gonna need some major radio help, and radio is still too busy testing the waters with the couple Abrams singles before this (“Close” and “Sorry”) to give this song the attention it probably deserves. It’s just a question of if the song’s streaming and cultural power remains potent enough to force radio to shift attention to it — and if it can maintain that streaming hold for long enough to take advantage of it finally spreading across the airwaves.
5. Abrams has a major platform still at her disposal for another few weeks in her opening role on the Eras Tour. If you were on her team, what (if anything) would you advise Abrams to do in her final concerts to potentially drive additional interest in the song?
Katie Atkinson: She still has the music video in her back pocket, and even if she doesn’t unveil the video during her Eras Tour set (it doesn’t seem likely she would do that on Taylor’s stage), the mere mention that a video exists onstage could go a very long way.
Kyle Denis: Right now, I encourage her to keep doing what she’s doing. Continue using different versions of the song’s sound on TikTok and letting it reach people organically. It’s still early in the song’s run, so pulling out the big guns is probably unwise. But once January rolls around, start fielding possible remix options. I’d love to hear Clairo or Maggie Rogers on this, but maybe we should go with a more unexpected pick like Rachel Chinouriri or Faye Webster? Something tells me that this isn’t the kind of song that needs an A-lister remix to reach its full potential.
Rylee Johnston: The ultimate tactic would be another duet with Swift, but if that’s not as easy to execute, then coming up with another viral moment is key to keeping her song relevant. Whether she takes a page from the “Fortnight” singer and changes a lyric in the song or mashes it up with another song, those are just a few things that can drum up further excitement.
Jason Lipshutz: Maybe the official music video premieres live during Abrams’ final opening set of the Eras tour? Yet if the goal is a shot at No. 1, I’d drop the visual on Jan. 1, 2025 — start off the new year but making an end-of-2024 smash even bigger, at a moment when the holiday music is being stored away for another year.
Andrew Unterberger: With the song’s “Smiling through it all, yeah, that’s my life” lyrics referencing one of LeBron James’ most iconic social media moments, how about getting the King to show up to one of the remaining Toronto dates to provide a guest verse or some backing harmonies on it or something? Are the Lakers playing the Raptors any time in the next week?
Perhaps making the wait for a parking spot at the mall during the holidays not seem so long by comparison, Dean Martin’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” enters Billboard’s Adult Contemporary survey — nearly 72 years after the legendary entertainer recorded it.
The carol debuts on the ranking (dated Nov. 23) at No. 30.
The song was released at last on Oct. 14. Per a press release, it is Martin’s earliest known holiday recording, and his only recorded version of the classic carol, which Meredith Willson wrote in 1951. The performance is from a radio broadcast on Dec. 16, 1952, as part of NBC’s The Martin and Lewis Show that starred Martin and Jerry Lewis. (Their guest that week: Ginger Rogers.)
A new animated video for Martin’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” premiered Nov. 14.
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Martin, who died on Christmas Day in 1995 at age 78, extends his span of hits on the Adult Contemporary chart (which began in the July 17, 1961, Billboard issue) to 60 years, four months and three weeks, dating to his iconic “Everybody Loves Somebody” in 1964. The song became his first of five No. 1s on the chart that he notched through 1968.
Only Nat King Cole narrowly boasts a longer span of Adult Contemporary entries: 60 years, five months and two weeks, from 1961 through 2022, when a new version of the revered late singer’s signature holiday hit “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” with John Legend, reached No. 29.
Last holiday season, Martin also added to his chart history when “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow” rose to a new No. 7 high on the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100. The song, from 1959, first hit the top 10 over the 2020-21 holidays, becoming his fourth song to reach the tier. “The King of Cool” posted his first three top 10s in 1964-65: “Everybody Loves Somebody” (No. 1, one week), “The Door Is Still Open to My Heart” (No. 6) and “I Will” (No. 10).
To date, two versions of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” have hit the Hot 100, by Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra (No. 12, 2020) and Michael Bublé (No. 19, 2023). The recordings have also both reached No. 8 on Billboard’s Holiday 100 chart, where, additionally, Johnny Mathis’ version has jingled to No. 15 and Bing Crosby’s, with Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, has dashed to No. 18.
Jekalyn Carr’s “You Carried Me,” featuring Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Blanca, ascends a spot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart dated Nov. 30. During the Nov. 8-14 tracking week, the single increased by 10% in plays, according to Luminate. For Carr, the song, which she solely authored, marks her eighth leader on the […]
The combined might of Eric Benét and Tamar Braxton helps both artists reclaim the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart after a considerable absence. Their duet, “Something We Can Make Love To,” climbs from the runner-up spot to lead the list dated Nov. 23 and was the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the Nov. 8 – 14 tracking week, according to Luminate.
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With its ascent, “Something,” released on Benét’s JBR label, bumps Tyrese’s “Wildflower” from the summit after the latter’s two-week command.
“Something” gives Benét his fourth No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay and first leader in 14 years. He first ruled in 1999 with “Spend My Life With You,” featuring Tamia, a five-week champ, and followed with “You’re The Only One” (five weeks, 2008) and “Sometimes I Cry” (five, 2010).
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The decade-plus wait for a new No. 1 puts Benét among peers who recently completed spells between leaders: Wildflower” was Tyrese’s first Adult R&B Airplay No. 1 in nine years, while Kenny Lattimore’s “Take a Dose” topped the chart in February 2023, the performer’s first coronation since “For You” in April 1997 – just two months shy of 26 years.
Braxton, meanwhile, achieves her second No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay, after “Love and War” conquered the radio ranking for nine weeks in 2013.
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Between their last leaders, both Benét and Braxton have been within one spot of adding a new No. 1 to their counts. Benét’s “Sunshine” reached a No. 2 peak in 2016, having been held back from the top spot by Ro James’ “Permission.”
In Braxton’s case, both of the singer’s two most recent entries on the chart, 2020’s “Crazy Kind of Love” and 2023’s “Changed,” both peaked at No. 2. The former parked in the runner-up rank for two weeks, unable to overcome Charlie Wilson’s “What I Got,” while the latter’s five-week stretch with the silver medal fell behind Janelle Monae’s “Lipstick Lover” for one frame and October London’s “Back to Your Place” for a month.
Elsewhere, “Something” drives 19-15 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from the panel-monitored adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations. There, the single jumps to 5.9 million in format audience, up 9% from the prior week.
Airplay gains, in turn, power the track’s No. 24 debut on the multi-metric Hot R&B Songs chart, which blends streaming, radio airplay and song sales for its calculations. The entrance marks Benét’s second visit to the 12-year-old list, after “News for You” in 2013, and Braxton’s ninth appearance.