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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: Kehlani eyes a big chart move thanks to a new pack of remixes, a surreal viral trend helps put a rising singer-songwriter on the streaming map, basketball’s greatest soundtrack makes a comeback and more.
Star-Studded ‘Folded’ Remix Pack Lifts Kehlani’s Current Hit
On this week’s Billboard Hot 100 (dated Nov. 1), Kehlani’s “Folded” ranks at No. 14, marking the highest peak of her career on the all-genre singles chart. Next week, thanks to her new Folded Homage EP, the Grammy-nominated R&B singer’s ascendant hit could slide into the top 10.
Featuring Brandy, Toni Braxton, Jojo, Mario, Tank and Ne-Yo, the Folded Homage EP finds six ‘90s and ‘00s R&B heavyweights reimagining Kehlani’s hit, which recently topped Rhythmic Airplay. According to early data provided by Luminate, “Folded” earned 5.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams from Oct. 17-20. In the equivalent four-day period of the tracking week following the remix EP’s release (Oct. 24-27), that number leapt 20% to over 7.2 million official streams. Notably, the new set of remixes also spurred a boost in digital sales for “Folded.” Two weekends ago, the track sold just over 900 digital downloads, and that number jumped nearly 60% to nearly 1,500 digital downloads following the release of the remix EP.
A frontrunner for best R&B song and performance at next year’s Grammys, “Folded” continues to impress as its run unfolds. – KYLE DENIS
Lucky ‘Group 7’ for Viral New Sophia James Trend
To promote her new single “So Unfair” while simultaneously testing which content the TikTok algorithm favors, Sophia James devised a simple plan: post seven videos sorting viewers into different groups, based on which one they saw first. As it turned out, the ever-mysterious algorithm loves the number 7, with videos 1-6 getting a handful of viewers apiece, whereas the seventh one was shown to millions.
With seemingly everyone and their mother pledging allegiance to Group 7 – including NFL teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots, fast-food chains Wendy’s and Jimmy John’s, and other brands such as Fenty Beauty, Oreo and Hellman’s Mayonnaise — James’ artist profile got a major boost. From the tracking week ending Oct. 16 to the following week ending Oct. 23, the singer-songwriter’s catalog experienced a 265.9% increase, jumping from around 44,000 official on-demand U.S. streams to nearly 162,000 according to Luminate.
The growth on “So Unfair” itself was even more astonishing, with the track’s stream count jumping up 1,013% from just under on-demand U.S. streams to 97,576 in that same time frame. That’s an increase of about 13,939 groups of 7. – HANNAH DAILEY
4 Non Blondes TikTok Trend Boosts Nicki Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap”
Between a recent interpolation courtesy of Cardi B and Lizzo’s “What’s Goin On” and still-trending mashup with Nicki Minaj and 2 Chainz’s “Beez in the Trap,” 4 Non Blondes’ undying “What’s Up?” has experienced a huge resurgence on streaming. Now, Nicki’s track is getting in on the fun.
For the period of Oct. 17-20, “Beez” logged over 608,000 official on-demand U.S. streams and sold over 160 digital downloads. For the equivalent four-day period the following week (Oct. 24-27), “Beez” spiked 55% to over 943,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, according to early data provided by Luminate. Of course, “Beez in the Trap” is one of the most memorable singles from 2012’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The 2 Chainz-assisted joint reached No. 48 on the Hot 100.
The 4 Non Blondes/Minaj mashup trend dates back to an Aug. 11 post by user @dj.auxlord. TikTok users quickly latched onto the mashup’s bizarre dichotomy and used the accompanying sound, which now soundtracks over 726,000 creates, to showcase everything from Halloween costumes to seemingly oppositional vibes. Most clips using the remix feature two friends standing back-to-back with one person singing the “What’s Up” hook while the other raps Nicki’s “Beez” hook.
Already parodied by Sabrina Carpenter and Marcello Hernandez for SNL, recent celebrities who have joined the trend include PinkPantheress, Ice Spice, Quen Blackwell, Jimmy Fallon, Malala Yousafzai, Khloé Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez and 4 Non Blondes’ own Linda Perry. — KD
Long Live ‘Roundball Rock’: Basketball Classic Revived With ‘NBA on NBC’ Return
For the first time since 2002, the NBA returned to NBC last week. With NBCUniversal regaining NBA rights in 2024, starting with this current 2025-26 season, games aired both on the television broadcast network and on the Peacock streaming platform — giving longtime hoopheads a rush of nostalgia for the league’s ‘90s halcyon days airing on the channel. And of course, a large percentage of those good feelings were reserved for the iconic musical theme to the channel’s coverage: “Roundball Rock.”
The rousing instrumental, composed by new-age musician and longtime Entertainment Tonight co-host John Tesh, has long been beloved by basketball fans of all stripes — and was even sampled in the ‘00s on songs by star rappers Nelly and Joe Budden. With the return of both the league and its onetime home network, Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” saw an unsurprising surge on DSPs last week, racking up 37,000 official on-demand U.S. streams — a 417% gain from the prior week, according to Luminate. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Trending on Billboard Earlier today (Oct. 29), Billboard published the September Boxscore report, with Chris Brown repeating as the biggest touring act of the month. But while the biggest stars of rock, hip-hop and more packed stadiums, comedians were road warrior-ing their way to sold-out theaters and arenas. Here, we’re looking at the five biggest […]
Following the Oct. 18 death of longtime bassist Sam Rivers, Limp Bizkit’s catalog surged, as reflected on Billboard’s Nov. 1-dated charts, paced by its 1999 classic “Break Stuff,” which hits No. 1 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs survey.
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Over Oct. 18-24, “Break Stuff” earned 3.7 million official U.S. streams, a boost of 6%, according to Luminate. It’s part of a wider catalog-inclusive gain for the band’s music, which jumped 17% in official on-demand U.S. streams in that span.
Perennial streaming favorite “Break Stuff” was the most streamed song in the band’s catalog in the week following Rivers’ passing. From Limp Bizkit’s 1999 Billboard 200 No. 1 Significant Other, it reached No. 14 on the Alternative Airplay chart in April 2000.
The track also enters Hot Rock & Alternative Songs at No. 18. (Older songs are eligible to enter multimetric charts if ranking the top half and with a meaningful reason for their resurgences.)
“Break Stuff” is additionally No. 13 on Hard Rock Streaming Songs.
Below “Break Stuff,” Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin’” drew with 2.5 million streams Oct. 18-24, up 12%, while “My Way” earned 1.9 million, a boost of 15%. Both songs are from the group’s 2000 album Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, also a No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The set returns to Top Hard Rock Albums at No. 22 with 6,000 equivalent album units earned, up 10%.
Meanwhile, the band’s current single, “Making Love to Morgan Wallen,” lifts 12-11 on Hot Hard Rock Songs, following its No. 1 debut in September. It also holds at its No. 20 best on Mainstream Rock Airplay and rises 29-25 on Alternative Airplay.
Rivers died Oct. 18 at age 48 following reported cardiac arrest. “Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic,” the group shared in a statement following his death. “The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound. From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous.”
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Kem captures the No. 1 rank on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart for the first time since 2022 as “Rock With Me” leads the radio ranking dated Nov. 1. The single, released on the singer-songwriter’s own Kemistry label after a two-decade career with Motown, jumped 4-1 and was the most played song on panel-contributing adult R&B radio stations in the tracking week of Oct. 17-23, according to Luminate.
The new champ surged 27% in plays for the tracking period compared with the previous frame, securing it the Greatest Gainer honor, which is awarded to the song with the biggest weekly increase in play count. Four stations under Connoisseur Media’s umbrella contributed the most spins for the week, with WMJM-FM (Louisville, Ky.) in first place, followed by WMJM-FM (Columbia, S.C.); WROU-FM (Dayton, Ohio) and KDKS-FM (Shreveport, La.).
“Thank you all for rocking with me for all of these years,” Kem shared in part in an exclusive reaction with Billboard, acknowledging his team, “friends at radio fans.” “It feels really good. God bless you, have a great day and keep love on the one.”
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With “Rock With Me,” Kem improves to nine No. 1s on Adult R&B Airplay. He ties Maxwell for the fourth-most leaders among male artists; the pair trail Charlie Wilson (11), Tank and Usher (10 each) in that category. Alicia Keys leads all artists, with 14 champs, dating to the list’s launch in September 1993.
Here’s a review of Kem’s No. 1 collection on Adult R&B Airplay:
Song Title, Artist (if other than Kem), Weeks at No. 1, Date Reached No. 1
“Love Calls,” two, Sept. 13, 2003
“I Can’t Stop Loving You,” seven, May 21, 2005
“Why Would You Stay?,” two, Sept. 25, 2010
“It’s You,” four, Sept. 6, 2014
“Nobody,” nine, Feb. 21, 2015
“Lie to Me,” seven, June 27, 2020
“Live Out Your Love,” feat. Toni Braxton; two, Jan. 2, 2021
“Stuck on You,” one, April 16, 2022
“Rock With Me,” one, Nov. 1, 2025
Elsewhere, “Rock With Me” advances 18-14 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. There, the track soars to 6.2 million in audience, up 26% from the prior week’s total of 4.9 million.
Radio gains spark the single’s No. 21 debut on the multimetric Hot R&B Songs chart, which combines radio airplay figures with streaming and sales data for its calculations. It becomes Kem’s sixth entry to reach the ranking, which began in October 2012.
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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. 8, we look at the chances HUNTR/X has of recapturing the crown that Taylor Swift has held for the last three weeks.
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Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia” (Republic): Taylor Swift’s dominance atop the Hot 100 since the release of her The Life of a Showgirl album has been typically staggering: Not only did she dominate the entire top 10 (and the two spots just outside) with its 12 tracks in the album’s debut chart week (dated Oct. 18), she also held eight of the top 10 in its second week (Oct. 25) and four this week (Nov. 1). And in all three of those weeks, the same Showgirl song has reigned atop the Hot 100: lead single and album opener “The Fate of Ophelia.”
“Ophelia” opened with historic streaming numbers and a gigantic radio debut, posting one of the best all-around single-week performances of any song in 2025, even without being available for single-song purchase in its debut frame. It has slipped heavily in streaming each week since — probably somewhat inevitably given the gaudy numbers it posted initially — but has still remained the most-streamed song in the country by a fairly comfortable margin.
That may change next week. According to early data provided by Luminate, “Ophelia” has slipped another 19% in official on-demand U.S. streams through the first four days of this tracking week (Oct. 24-27) compared to the same period last tracking week, to 15.7 million streams. For the first time since its debut week, it is on track to fall out of the top spot on Streaming Songs. (Notably, programmed streams, not just on-demand, also contribute to the Hot 100.)
It still has the slight edge in song sales over the other hits competing for the Hot 100’s top spot — and it should also net some extra sales from the solo commercial release of its “Alone in My Tower” acoustic version on Tuesday (Oct. 28), which was previously only available as part of one of the album’s deluxe editions.
But the real X factor here will be radio. While “Ophelia” slipped 19% in streams, it also gained 20% in all-format airplay audience Oct. 24-27, according to Luminate, as it continues climbing in the top five on Radio Songs, Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay. If it can continue to grow there in the final days of the tracking week while stabilizing on streaming, it might be able to hold onto the Hot 100 crown for a fourth frame. (Perhaps with a ghostly remix featuring an apparition of Hamlet’s Ophelia, right in time for Halloween?)
HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & Rei Ami, “Golden” (Visva/Republic): The biggest threat to Swift’s Hot 100 rule is from the song she deposed in the first place: “Golden,” from KPop Demon Hunters. The HUNTR/X anthem has remained a strong performer in the three weeks it’s had to cede the crown, and returns to No. 2 on this week’s chart, rebounding all the way from No. 13 two weeks earlier, when it got buried under the Showgirl avalanche.
“Golden” is currently on track to pass “Ophelia” on streaming next week, having amassed nearly 16.3 million official on-demand streams through the first four days of the tracking week — a 3% dip from its numbers during the equivalent period the previous week, but still a 3% lead over the numbers for Swift’s single. (The impending Halloween weekend could also help it remain strong through the tracking week’s final days, as KPop Demon Hunters-themed costumes are expected to dominate the season.)
“Ophelia” maintains a slight lead on “Golden” in sales, but again, radio may ultimately be a deciding factor. While it’s not growing there as quickly this week as “Ophelia,” it has a head start of several months — and it is still building on the airwaves, aiming to take over Pop Airplay for the first time. It could be a photo finish between arguably the two biggest pop culture phenomena of all of 2025 on next week’s chart.
IN THE MIX
Olivia Dean, “Man I Need” (Polydor/Island/Republic): The artist showing the most consistent growth on the Hot 100 this week is again Olivia Dean, whose “Man I Need” hits the top 10 for the first time (moving 17-8), while her other two Hot 100 hits (“So Easy [To Fall in Love]” and “Nice to Each Other”) also hit new peaks of No. 44 and No. 88, respectively. “Man I Need” continues to gain across the board — particularly on radio, where it’s up 25% in all-format audience through the first four days of the tracking week — though it still has some additional distance to make up to really get in the fight for No. 1 with Swift and HUNTR/X.
On August’s Boxscore recap, Chris Brown became the fourth artist to lead the monthly Top Tours chart in 2025, coming close to the nine-figure mark with $96.8 million. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, he comes even closer on September’s report, logging a second consecutive month at No. 1 with $98.1 million and 580,000 tickets sold.
When Brown topped the charts last month, he became the 10th artist to report monthly earnings of more than $90 million since the lists launched in 2019. By immediately hitting that mark again, he becomes just the third act to do so twice. Beyoncé grossed more than $90 million in six different months, split evenly between 2023’s Renaissance World Tour and this year’s Cowboy Carter Tour. Bad Bunny did it twice, both during 2022’s World’s Hottest Tour.
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Brown’s 13 shows during September were spread across 10 U.S. cities, three of which boasted double-headers. Those – Arlington, Texas (Globe Life Park on Sept. 2-3), Inglewood, Calif. (SoFi Stadium on Sept. 13-14), and Las Vegas (Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 19-20) – broke $10 million each, grossing $14 million, $16.3 million, and $15.8 million, respectively. They all appear in the top 10 of Top Boxscores.
Brown launched Breezy Bowl XX in June and wrapped two weeks ago (Oct. 16). The entire trek earned $295.5 million and sold just under two million tickets (1.983 million) over 49 shows. Of those totals, $47.8 million and 490,000 tickets are from the tour’s European leg, and the remaining $247.8 million and 1.5 million tickets are from North American shows.
On Brown’s first stadium tour, he’s up by 39% from his previous European trek (Under the Influence Tour 2023). In the U.S. and Canada, the leap is more pronounced, up 201% from last year’s The 11:11 Tour.
Brown’s final Breezy Bowl shows push his career earnings over the half-billion mark. Across 322 reported shows, the R&B phenom has grossed $511.4 million and sold 4.9 million tickets. That includes all of his solo headline revenue, plus 50% of co-headline tours like a pair of 2007 tours with Ne-Yo and Bow Wow, 2015’s Between The Sheets Tour (with Trey Songz) and 2022’s One of Them Ones Tour (Lil Baby).
It’s not just Brown who repeats atop the monthly charts: Coldplay is No. 1 for a second straight month on Top Boxscores, with the final four of its 10 shows at London’s Wembley Stadium. The first six topped the August ranking with $78.9 million, and this month’s shows add $52.5 million. Altogether, the three-week run brought in $131.4 million and sold 791,000 tickets.
Both in terms of earnings and attendance, Coldplay’s Wembley Stadium run is the biggest single-venue engagement by a headline artist ever. That record applies to artists on tour, and does not include extended residencies, like Celine Dion at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace or Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden.
The Wembley shows were the only dates on Coldplay’s calendar in September, but they are enough to earn the band the runner-up spot on Top Tours. In addition to a record-tying seven months at No. 1, this is its sixth appearance at No. 2. Brown and Coldplay are the third duo to go back-to-back at Nos. 1-2 this year, following Shakira and Tyler, The Creator in February and March, and Beyoncé and The Weeknd in May and June.
As previously reported, Coldplay is planning more shows on the record-breaking Music of the Spheres World Tour for 2027. It’s already sold more tickets than any tour ever, and by the end of its teased 360-show run, it will likely be the biggest grosser as well.
September marks the first top 10 appearance on Top Tours for three artists. Benson Boone is No. 6 with $29 million and 238,000 tickets. He previously topped out at No. 19 in January with shows in Asia and Australia. Tate McRae is No. 9 with $21.9 million and 175,000 tickets, up from No. 14 last month.
In between, YoungBoy Never Broke Again makes his Top Tours debut, hitting No. 8 on his first chart appearance. The first 17 shows of the Make America Slime Again Tour pulled in $28.3 million from 231,000 tickets sold. He had a packed schedule, stretching from the 1st to the 29th, peaking with two shows each in Dallas ($3.9 million at American Airlines Center on Sept. 1-2) and Los Angeles ($3.8 million at Crypto.com Arena on Sept. 9-10).
Lady Gaga is no stranger to the Top Tours chart but hits a new career high on the September ranking. After bouncing in and out of the top 10 over the last five months, she is No. 3 on the current edition. Eleven shows from The MAYHEM Ball grossed $39.7 million and sold 159,000 tickets, including major-market, multi-national dates in Chicago, London, Miami, New York, and Toronto.
Just beneath her, former chart-topper Shakira is No. 4 with $33.9 million from eight shows in Mexico. Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour is already the highest-grossing Latin tour by a woman, and 17 yet-to-be-reported shows in South America could push its all-time status even further before its Dec. 11 Buenos Aires.
Rounding out the top five, Zach Bryan earned $29.4 million and sold 192,000 tickets from just two shows in September. First, he performed at Notre Dame Stadium, welcoming 79,300 fans to the South Bend, Ind. stadium. But his second date, a Sept. 27 show at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, upped the ante with 112,000 tickets sold. It is reported to be the largest ticketed concert in U.S. history.
Billboard‘s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, click here.
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Tame Impala’s first full-length studio album in five years, Deadbeat, makes a splashy start on Billboard’s charts, as the set launches at No. 1 on six different rankings (dated Nov. 1). It bows at No. 1 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums, Top Dance Albums (the act’s first entry on the list), Vinyl Albums and Indie Store Album Sales.
Deadbeat also lands in the top 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200 (No. 4, the act’s third top five-charting project), Top Album Sales (No. 2), Top Current Album Sales (No. 2) and Top Streaming Albums (No. 7).
Deadbeat is Tame Impala’s (Kevin Parker) first release for Columbia Records after signing with the label in July. According to a press statement announcing the album in September, the project was inspired by the Western Australia rave scene.
The album debuts with 70,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week ending Oct. 23, according to Luminate, with 38,000 of that sum in pure album sales — individual purchases of physical and digital copies of the album. Vinyl sales account for 28,000 of that total — the best week ever on vinyl for Tame Impala.
Tracks from Deadbeat also take over Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, with eight of the album’s cuts populating the 25-position ranking, including six of the top 10. “Dracula” debuts at No. 1 (the act’s first No. 1), followed by fellow new entries “My Old Ways” (No. 3), “No Reply” (No. 5), “Oblivion” (No. 7), “Not My World” (No. 8), “Afterthought” (No. 10), “End of Summer” (No. 11) and “Ethereal Connection” (No. 12).
Over on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, 11 of the 12 tracks from Deadbeat dot the 50-position tally: “Dracula” (rising 7-3, a new peak), “My Old Ways” (No. 8, debut), “Loser” (40-13, a new peak), “No Reply” (No. 17, debut), “Oblivion” (No. 21, debut), “Obsolete” (No. 22, debut), “Piece of Heaven” (No. 23, debut), “Not My World” (No. 24, debut), “Afterthought” (No. 27, debut), “End of Summer” (No. 31, reentry) and “See You On Monday (You’re Lost)” (No. 36, debut).
Deadbeat has also given Tame Impala its first entries on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, as “Dracula,” which debuted in October, vaults into the top 40 for the first time, rising 59-33. Meanwhile, “My Old Ways” and “Loser” debut at Nos. 56 and 91, respectively.
Trending on Billboard New chart moves at country show its range in full swing –– from Dan + Shay’s Taylor Swift revival to Ella Langley’s Texas grit and Morgan Wallen’s British rock spin –– proving the genre’s biggest moments can come from anywhere. Dan + Shay debut at No. 4 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song […]
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Since its 2010 debut, Tame Impala has been one of the biggest names in underground rock, garnering a cult fanbase and huge critical acclaim. But in the past decade, the Kevin Parker-led outfit has leveled up commercially to playing arenas, headlining festivals — and now even scoring crossover pop hits.
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Tame Impala’s fifth album Deadbeat debuts at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 this week — one off the No. 3 peak for the project’s best-charting album, 2020 predecessor The Slow Rush — while landing three songs on the Billboard Hot 100, led by the pulsing “Dracula” at No. 33. But while the commercial returns have been impressive, the critics have been less impressed, and fans seem divided on the clubbier, less-guitar-driven set.
How did Tame Impala manage such first-time Hot 100 success so deep into its career? And do we think the criticism of the set is fair? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. Tame Impala’s Deadbeat debuts at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with 70,000 in first-week units. Are those numbers higher, lower or about what you would have expected for it?
Katie Bain: Speaking less to the number itself and more to what it cut through to land this No. 4 position, I think we’ve got to consider it a pretty big win that Deadbeat was able to hold its own among new-ish albums by Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Cardi B, along with the apparently indefatigable projects like the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack and Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem. If I’m Kevin Parker, I’m feeling good right now.
Eric Renner Brown: The No. 4 debut is about what I would have expected. Granted, Tame Impala’s last two albums – 2015’s Currents and 2020’s The Slow Rush – debuted at Nos. 4 and 3, respectively, and the band went from headlining theaters to headlining arenas and festivals in that intervening decade (not to mention receiving a Rihanna co-sign and working with Dua Lipa). But something about the phrase “Tame Impala Billboard 200 No. 1” just sounds weird. It’s tough to be too disappointed finishing behind Taylor Swift, Kpop Demon Hunters and Morgan Wallen.
Kyle Denis: This is around what I expected. Post-Currents, Tame Impala’s profile has grown significantly, so I expected Deadbeat to at least match that album’s first week. Nonetheless, the electronic bent of Deadbeat has proven relatively divisive among fans, which would account for a smaller first-week total than 2020’s The Slow Rush.
Josh Glicksman: It’s in the ballpark of what I would have expected. It’s largely in line with what has been the norm for the psych-pop project over the past decade — Currents reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in 2015; The Slow Rush hit a career best No. 3 in 2020. Predictably, it’s another success on wax, becoming Tame Impala’s third consecutive full-length to debut at No. 1 the Top Vinyl Albums chart. Given that Deadbeat contains some of his most popular hits (from a commercial standpoint, at least) I could have seen that first-week total creeping a touch higher, but it’s not anything shocking to me.
Andrew Unterberger: Around what I expected. Mostly, I’m kinda stunned to look back and see that The Slow Rush had a six-digit first week, since in my memory that album had a much more tepid initial reception back in early 2020. (Perhaps it just seems that way in retrospect because the whole world shut down almost immediately afterwards.)
2. Meanwhile, the album now has three Billboard Hot 100 hits — the first three of Tame Impala’s career — led by “Dracula” at No. 33 this week. What do you think is the biggest reason behind the outfit’s newfound Hot 100 success after 15 years of recording?
Katie Bain: I’m sure there are more reasons than this, but it’s not like Tame Impala has been totally absent over the past few years. He was a huge part of Justice’s “Neverender,” which also gave that duo some of the biggest chart successes of its career thus far. It’s plausible that that song and its ubiquity arguably created a groundswell of new and/or regenerated interest in Tame Impala, especially a dance-focused project from Tame Impala. I suspect that a lot of the Justice fans jumped on Deadbeat and helped delivered it to this level of success.
Eric Renner Brown: These three Hot 100 hits are among the poppiest, danciest tracks that Tame Impala has ever released. But moreso, this is the culmination of Kevin Parker’s decadelong drift to the center of the pop music universe. Since The Slow Rush, Tame Impala has continued to bring its music to the masses, and the project now represents a certain flavor of in-the-know cool that attracts ravers, stoners, popheads and everyone in between. Tame Impala’s tent is a big one, and it makes sense that this broad audience connected with some of the most accessible Tame music to date. Kyle Denis: I think it’s a combination of “Dracula” being a radio-friendly three-minute song that’s in line with top 40’s recent dance inclinations, the long-tail impact of Rihanna’s 2016 “Same Ol’ Mistakes” cover (the mainstream’s guardian angel of cool gave her seal of approval to the “indie” symbol of cool) and Tame Impala’s graduation to the kind of live act that can play three arena dates in the same city on its latest tour. Tame Impala never really lost its cool factor over the past 15 years, and now it’s reaping the benefits of remaining that signifier for a generation of consumers that values aesthetics above pretty much anything else.
Josh Glicksman: I don’t know that there’s always a cut-and-dried answer to these sorts of things. Sometimes an act just finds the right pocket of momentum on streaming services. That said, I would point to how prevalent Kevin Parker has been in working with A-listers in recent years, and particularly to his intensive behind-the-scenes efforts on Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism. Of course, collaborating with star-studded artists is nothing new for him, but it’s totally plausible to me that the exposure he got from producing such a large chunk of that album unlocked a totally new group of fans — and one that knows how to launch hits up the charts.
Andrew Unterberger: A less-competitive streaming market in recent weeks certainly helps, but clearly Tame Impala has been majorly embraced by streaming audiences — basically, younger audiences — in a way folks probably never would’ve guessed when the band was best known for its psychedelic guitar-rock mini-epics. Kevin Parker & Co. have been close to making this leap for a long while now, and the catchy, lightly spooky “Dracula” is the right song at the right time to put them over the top. 3. Does “Dracula” seem like a long-lasting breakout hit to you, or do you think its performance will recede along with the momentum from the new album release?
Katie Bain: “Dracula” is a groovy little butt-shaker, but I don’t think it’s the best song on the album or even the best Tame Impala song on the Hot 100 right now. For me that’s “My Old Ways,” which enters this week at No. 56 and is probably my favorite song on Deadbeat. I’ll be curious to see how the chart success of these two ultimately compare. “Dracula” has the catchier melody, but I don’t necessarily see it becoming part of the Tame Impala canon.
Eric Renner Brown: Along with “Loser,” “Dracula” is the catchiest song on Deadbeat. It’s also the most Tame Impala song on Deadbeat – something that would be legible to a Currents-obsessed time traveler from 2015. Will those factors make for an enduring chart hit? Time will tell, though radio promotion and the just-begun Tame Impala tour will likely continue to give this song juice. So will its savvy timing: props to Parker and his team for releasing an earworm of a single named after the most famous vampire just as spooky season ramped up.
Eric Renner Brown: As someone who has been a Tame fan dating back to its 2010 debut, Innerspeaker, I feel comfortable saying that Deadbeat is the weakest entry in its catalog to date. But, in a sterling catalog that ranks with the best of the last 15 years, “weakest” shouldn’t be conflated with “bad.” Deadbeat is a fine album where Parker tries out some new things – always commendable for an artist of his prominence.
I think critics have been cold toward Deadbeat for a few reasons. For one, many rock critics have long yearned for the band to return to its days as a true psych-rock group; over the weekend, Parker posted screenshots of a review of Currents, Tame’s first true foray into dance-adjacent music that’s now widely considered a classic, that’s strikingly similar in tone to the critiques of Deadbeat. Another driver: Tame Impala is far from the first critical darling to have the music press turn against it once it cultivates a bigger audience and more widespread popularity. It’s also possible that Parker’s amalgam of psych-rock and dance music has deterred each genre’s most intense fans – it’s not psych-rock enough for the psych-rockers and it’s not dance-fluent enough for the dance purists. Kyle Denis: I think it’s a lasting hit. The song was already steadily gaining traction across socials prior to the album’s release, and between the full project’s availability and the ongoing Deadbeat Tour, “Dracula” should stick around on the Hot 100 for at least a few more weeks until the holiday songs start creeping in.
Josh Glicksman: Really depends how you define long-lasting! I do see it sticking around on the Hot 100 at least until the usual surge of holiday hits take over the chart. It’s a fun song and one that can very easily plant firm roots at alternative radio — and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it cross over to a top 40 format, either. Do I think it’s a breakout hit in the sense that it’s ever going to be a top two or three song during his live set? Perhaps not. But commercially, I think this will have its fangs sunk into the charts for a lengthy bite of time.
Andrew Unterberger: Yeah, this song is gonna be around for a while — not “Lose Control” a while, certainly, but it’s not gonna just drop off in the next few weeks. And just wait till it gets the Halloween weekend bump in a couple chart weeks!
4. While Tame Impala has never had more of a chart presence, its mainstream popularity seems almost inversely related to its critical acclaim, which is possibly at its lowest point on this new album. Does the music feel lesser or compromised to you, or are the critics being unfair or just misunderstanding the new album?
Katie Bain: Quite a few critics really hate this album and have offered a plethora of well-reasoned arguments as to why. I’m reticent to say that anyone is misunderstanding, and I agree that if this album was attempting to reflect a facet of the underground dance scene, the results are fairly middle-of-the-road. But I often like middle-of-the-road, and I’m not offended by this album as an electronic music effort or otherwise. Would I like to see it go harder? For sure. Maybe there will be a remix album edition.
Kyle Denis: I think critics are being unfair and a bit grumpy. Yes, Deadbeat is a notable sonic shift from Tame Impala’s core sound, and, yes, the album is imperfect. But it’s still a mostly enjoyable listen that demands new things from Tame Impala listeners, which is something I’m never upset at an album for doing.
Josh Glicksman: I think there’s some unfair groupthink at play here from critics: the highest highs of Deadbeat may not reach the same ceilings as his past work, but by and large, the album is really solid and plenty in line with what fans have come to love about Tame Impala. Again, working so intensively on a project like Radical Optimism may have tilted this album in a more pop-leaning direction than prior work, but I certainly don’t think Parker made any compromises here worthy of hanging his head. Rising popularity can often initiate a footrace for who can be first to snub their nose; sometimes, it’s okay if the mainstream thing is also good!
Andrew Unterberger: Album rules, calm down everyone. 5. The release schedule has been conspicuously quiet in the past three weeks, as seemingly no one has been interested in trying to make an impression in a pop landscape still so thoroughly dominated by the new Taylor Swift album. Does this Tame Impala first-week performance show to you that some artists might actually benefit from dropping new stuff at this point? Or would it have done even better without being in Showgirl’s shadow?
Katie Bain: I mean, anything released in the same timeframe as a Swift album must innately be an exercise in managed expectations. But releasing around Life of a Showgirl is also an opportunity, given that other artists are just entirely avoiding dropping albums. Tame Impala was never going to win this matchup, but it follows logic that Deadbeat is doing as well as it is — given that, besides one giant competitor, the playing field is fairly empty. And I don’t think there’s necessarily a ton of crossover between Swift fans and Tame Impala fans, so Parker can corner his own sector of the market, as we’re seeing.
Eric Renner Brown: Tame Impala could’ve posted a career-best No. 3 debut if Swift wasn’t in the equation. Then again, in this alternate reality, another higher-profile artist might have released the same week as Tame, taking that top slot. Generally, I don’t think an artist like Tame Impala should worry too much about this type of gamesmanship. Tame Impala is huge, but still a fraction as popular as the world’s biggest pop acts, something I’d expect Parker understands and has come to terms with. Kyle Denis: I’m not sure that there’s enough overlap between the T-Swift and Tame Impala fan bases for that to even matter. I think Deadbeat would have probably performed the same a few more weeks removed from Showgirl. I think records like Demi Lovato’s It’s Not That Deep would likely have performed a bit better outside of Showgirl’s shadow, since those two artists are fighting for a more similar sect of listeners than Swift and Tame Impala.
Josh Glicksman: Sure, steer clear of the same release date, but otherwise, I’d say there’s no reason to be shoving new releases back weeks and months. After all, new plans could easily be derailed by an unexpected surprise release, deluxe component, etc. It loosely reminds me of the success that “drivers license” had several years ago: What was long thought to be a no-fly zone at the very start of year following the holidays became an enormous opening for Olivia Rodrigo, and one that changed the thinking behind January releases. Less competition, more opportunity!
Andrew Unterberger: Personally, I think this is a very good time for rising pop artists to get in the mix — less pressure to deliver a top debut, and plenty of opportunity to grab attention from fans who are ready to move on (or at least temporarily be distracted) from all the Taylormania. Just ask Olivia Dean.
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