State Champ Radio Chart Beat
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On July 25, 2009, Lady A’s “I Run to You” sprinted to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, awarding the trio its first of six leaders. The act – Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood – penned the song with Tom Douglas, and Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley produced it.
“I Run to You” was released as the third single from Lady A’s debut self-titled album. Lead track “Love Don’t Live Here” hit No. 3 on Hot Country Songs, becoming the threesome’s first of 15 top 10s, and “Lookin’ for a Good Time” reached No. 11. The LP arrived at the Top Country Albums summit, giving the act its first of five leaders.
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Along with six No. 1s on Hot Country Songs, Lady A has sent 11 singles to the top of the Country Airplay chart, most recently “Champagne Night” in January 2021.
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The band’s hits include crossover smashes “Need You Now” and “Just a Kiss.” The former topped Hot Country Songs for a career-best five weeks beginning in November 2009, becoming the act’s second leader, and the latter led in 2011. Both reached the all-genre Billboard Hot 100’s top 10, climbing to Nos. 2 and 7, respectively.
In June, Lady A released its newest recording, a cover of “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” on Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, which topped the Compilation Albums chart. Next up, the group is set to perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Aug. 11.
Earlier this year, Lady A signaled that it is working on a new album. “We’re gettin’ our plans together,” Scott told Audacy’s Katie & Company. “We’ll just kind of see how it lays out, and then we’ll release the whole thing.”
“For us, we’re in such an appreciation spot in our career,” Kelley added. “We’re definitely going in a nostalgic direction. I think we tend to do that a lot. It’s a really warm record.”
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week, is a groundbreaking crossover hit that blends elements of pop, country, folk and hip-hop.
The widespread appeal of the song – the first ever to reach the top 10 on the combination of Billboard’s Country Airplay, Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts – stems from its seamless blend of genres and influences, which Shaboozey brings together with an engaging vocal performance. The track’s unique production and radio-friendly composition make it appealing to a diverse audience and help it stand out in the landscape of 2024’s other hits.
Here’s a look at the song’s many sonic characteristics.
Pop Influences
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is heavily influenced by pop, evident in its radio-friendly qualities. It features catchy “K.I.S.S. ME” (keep it simple, singable and memorable) melodies and the arrangement includes multiple “A.P.M.” (audience participation moment)-primed sing-along moments. In addition, this genre-bending track seals the deal with modern production qualities, relatable lyrics and infectious hooks, all ingredients highly appealing to a pop audience.
Country Influences
Country influences are also prominent throughout, predominantly showcased in the song’s vocals. Shaboozey’s vocal performance includes a Southern twinge, and the lyrics include references to “two-steppin’ on the table” and “a party downtown near 5th Street.” In addition, the use of acoustic and pedal steel guitars, banjo and fiddle in the song’s main “hook centers” (third chorus and post-choruses) heightens its country appeal.
Folk Influences
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” also draws on multiple folk sub-genres, including stomp ‘n’ holler and bluegrass. The acoustic instrumentation and background vocal textures evoke the communal, rustic atmosphere of an old-timey bar.
The use of a clap-along backbeat and a stomping four-on-the-floor kick drum pattern in such sections as the second post-chorus, third chorus and outro bring these genre influences up to date by filtering them through the lens of modern pop production.
Hip-Hop Influences
In addition to its pop, country and folk influences, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” incorporates subtle elements of hip-hop, due, in part, to its interpolation of J-Kwon’s 2004 hit “Tipsy.”
Vocally, Shaboozey’s delivery in the second verse takes on a rap cadence, and this style is also present to a lesser extent in the pre-choruses. Later in the song, the background vocals include the use of ad libs, a hallmark of the hip-hop genre.
Lyrically, alongside its theme of partying and living it up, the song also touches on lifestyle, a theme highly commonplace in hip-hop. It also features hip-hop-influenced lyricism including specific references to luxury items (“My baby want a Birkin”), slang (“Tell my ma, I ain’t forget”) and occasional profanity (“We gon’ do this s–t again”).
Overall, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has set a precedent on Billboard’s charts and stands out as a masterful blend of disparate genre influences. The song’s ability to seamlessly integrate these diverse elements makes it one-of-a-kind, and that uniqueness has helped drive it to the top of the Hot 100.
David and Yael Penn co-founded Hit Songs Deconstructed. In October 2023, Hit Songs Deconstructed and fellow song analysis platform MyPart publicly launched ChartCipher, an AI-powered platform analyzing a deeper scope of hit songs, as defined by Billboard’s charts.
Elevation Worship’s “Praise,” featuring Brandon Lake, Chris Brown and Chandler Moore, reaches a 20th week at No. 1 on Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Christian Songs chart (dated July 27).
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“Praise,” which was co-authored by Elevation Worship frontman Brown with Lake and Moore, as well as Pat Barrett, Cody Carnes and Steven Furtick, becomes just the ninth title to have dominated Hot Christian Songs for 20 frames or longer over the survey’s 21-year history.
When the song first hit No. 1 in March, Brown told Billboard, “We’re blown away by what God has done with ‘Praise,’ and we’re thankful for everyone who has streamed, tuned in and shared the song. We hope it is a great reminder of all the reasons to praise God not just for what He’s done, but for who He is.”
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Hot Christian Songs, Most Weeks at No. 1:
132 weeks, “You Say,” Lauren Daigle, beginning in July 2018
61 weeks, “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” Hillsong United, beginning in June 2013
37 weeks, “What a Beautiful Name,” Hillsong Worship, beginning in February 2017
28 weeks, weeks, “Gratitude,” Brandon Lake, beginning in February 202
26 weeks, “Something in the Water,” Carrie Underwood, beginning in October 2014
24 weeks, “In Jesus’ Name (God of Possible),” Katy Nichole, beginning in March 2022
23 weeks, “Word of God Speak,” MercyMe, beginning in August 2003
20 weeks (to date), “Praise,” Elevation Worship, Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, Chandler Moore, beginning in July 2024
20 weeks, “Thank God I Do,” Lauren Daigle, beginning in May 2023
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Meanwhile, as Lake is featured on “Praise,” he earns his second Hot Christian Songs ruler of at least 20 weeks, following his solo single “Gratitude.” The only other artist with such a double is Lauren Daigle, via her crossover hits “You Say” and “Thank God I Do.”
“Praise” tops the latest Hot Christian Songs list with 7.4 million audience airplay impressions, 3.4 million official U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads sold July 12-18, according to Luminate.
Karol G wrapped the Mañana Será Bonito Tour on Tuesday night (July 23) to record-breaking results. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the trek grossed $307.1 million and sold 2.3 million tickets over 62 shows.
The Mañana Será Bonito Tour spanned almost a full year, kicking off Aug. 11, 2023, at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. Karol G played 15 stadium dates in the U.S., bringing in $138.4 million, landing at No. 1 on last year’s annual Latin recap.
Then, Karol G played 29 shows in Latin America, adding $125.4 million. Finally, she played 18 shows in Europe, topping off with another $43.4 million.
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The Mañana Será Bonito Tour is the highest-grossing Latin tour by a woman in Boxscore history, topping her own $trip Love Tour from 2022. On average, her per-show gross grew from $2.2 million on that trek, to $4.9 million on this trek. Her per-show attendance blossomed from 12,836 tickets to 36,371. And with almost double the workload – 62 shows on three continents, compared to 33 in the U.S. and Canada – her total tour gross multiplied more than four times, from $72.2 million to $307.1 million, with total attendance up 432%, from 424,000 to 2.3 million.
Karol G’s tour followed the release of its namesake album, Mañana Será Bonito. Released on Feb. 24, 2023, it became not only her first top 10 album on the Billboard 200, but her first No. 1. On a macro level, it was the first all-Spanish-language album by a woman to top the chart.
While Spanish-language music has blossomed in North America over the last decade, Karol G’s recent run of shows in Europe is particularly noteworthy. High-grossing tours by pan-generational Latin artists like Aventura, Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee, Peso Pluma and RBD have stuck to the U.S., Canada and Latin America. Luis Miguel is playing shows in Europe this summer, though he’s exclusively in Spain. Karol G played multiple arena dates in France, Germany, Italy and more, breaking ground for Latin acts abroad.
The Mañana Será Bonito Tour ended on a high note, with four shows at Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Those dates collectively earned $23.6 million and sold 220,000 tickets. Both figures set venue records, passing previous appearances by Luis Miguel, The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen. It’s the second highest-grossing engagement from the tour, just under the $25.4 million double-header at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Ultimately, the Mañana Será Bonito Tour is the 30th trek in the Boxscore archives (dating back to the mid-80s) to gross $300 million. Among women, it’s just the seventh, joining a group with stints by Beyoncé, Madonna, P!nk and Taylor Swift.
Grouped by genre, the Mañana Será Bonito Tour is only the second tour by a Latin artist to clear the $300 million threshold, barely missing the 2022 high mark set by Bad Bunny’s World’s Hottest Tour ($314.1 million). Luis Miguel will likely join them with one more update, as his current tour sits at $298.7 million through July 13. Further, Karol G is the first Latin woman to join the $300 million club.
Dating back to reports from January 2018, Karol G has grossed $400.9 million and sold 2.96 million tickets over 128 reported shows, extending her margin as the highest-grossing woman in Latin music.
Karol G attains a new milestone across the Billboard charts as her latest single, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” lands at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay charts, while ruling the Tropical Airplay chart for a second week, on the rankings dated July 29.
The new chart achievements land as Karol G wrapped up her Mañana Será Bonito Tour, with four sold-out shows at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid on July 23.
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On the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” ascends 2-1 with streaming and radio gains. In the tracking week of June 12-18, the song collected 12 million official U.S. streams, up 15%, according to Luminate. The sum yields a 47-44 rise on the overall Streaming Songs chart, plus her ninth No. 1 on Latin Streaming Songs with the Greatest Gainer award of the week.
Despite a 1% slip in digital sales, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” remains at No. 1 on Latin Digital Song Sales, with 1,000 downloads sold during the same tracking frame.
In the radio world, the song reinforces its position as a summer hit, lifting 2-1 on the overall Latin Airplay tally with an 8% gain in audience impressions, to 8.2 million logged in the tracking window. There, Karol collects an 18th champ, placing her closer to her only female contender among acts with the most No. 1s: Shakira, who continues to rule among women, with 23 No. 1 songs since the overall radio ranking launched in 1994.
Diving further into the new champ, the merengue-based track wins a new term atop Tropical Airplay –and its fourth week in the upper region– after the song jumped 3-1 and Karol became the second solo woman to rule Tropical Airplay on her own this decade.
First Artist to Rule Hot Latin Songs, Latin Airplay & Tropical Airplay Since 2014:As if the new No. 1s weren’t enough, as “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” makes a splash across Billboard charts, Karol becomes the first artist to be No. 1 simultaneously on Hot Latin Songs, Latin Airplay and Tropical Airplay charts in over a decade. The last artist to pull the trick was Romeo Santos when “Odio,” featuring Drake, took over the three charts on the May 10, 2014-dated recap.
Notably, just seven months prior, Santos also seized the No. 1 slot across the three surveys with the ubiquitous “Propuesta Indecente,” on the chart dated Oct. 5, 2013.
Preceding Santos, four other artists accomplished the multilateral ruling in 2013 through three songs: Prince Royce with “Darte Un Beso” (Sept. 7, 2013), Marc Anthony through “Vivir Mi Vida” (11 weeks at No. 1, June 1-Aug. 10, 2023-dated lists), and Tito El Bambino and El Patron by “Por Qué Les Mientes,” where Marc is also featured (Jan. 19, 2013).
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Fourth Solo Woman to Lead Hot Latin Songs Since 2010:With “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” hitting No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs, Karol G racks up another chart-topper unaccompanied by another artist – a rarity for a female act. On the airplay-, streaming data- and digital sales-blended list, only three women have ruled the 50-deep tally on her own since 2010.
Here’s a review of the four female solo occupants of the summit since 2010:
Artist, Title, Peak Date, Weeks at No. 1Gloria Estefan, “Hotel Nacional,” Jan. 14, 2012, onePaulina Rubio, “Me Gustas Tanto,” Feb. 11, 2012, oneKali Uchis, “Telepatía,” May 22, 2021, eightKarol G, Provenza,” May 14, 2022, oneKarol G, “Mi Ex Tenía Razón,” Aug. 26, 2023, oneKarol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” July 27
Beyond its Latin charts’ coronation, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” makes worldwide improvements, moving from No. 7 to its new No. 5 peak on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. tally, with 53.8 million non-U.S. weekly streams, up 10%.
On the Billboard Global 200, the song boasts 65 million worldwide streams, but slips 12-13 despite a 10% gain.
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, we take stock of the current Song of the Summer race, which is tighter this year than the past few, thanks to sparring smashes between Post Malone & Morgan Wallen, Shaboozey, Kendrick Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter.
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Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help” (Mercury/Big Loud/Republic): A couple months ago, it seemed like a pretty safe bet that Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help” would reign all season on Billboard’s Songs of the Summer chart. The song blasted to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 immediately upon its May release – zooming past an unusually stacked array of major hits in the top 10 at the time — with staggeringly big numbers across the board. As radio airplay picked up for it at a blinding pace and its sales and streaming numbers stayed strong, it looked like it might follow the path of Wallen’s 2023 smash, “Last Night,” which both started and ended the season atop the Songs of the Summer chart, while reigning for four total months on the Hot 100.
And in truth, it still very well might. “I Had Some Help” has ruled the Songs of the Summer chart for all eight weeks of the list’s 2024 existence thus far, and has topped the Hot 100 for six frames, as well. Its numbers remain strong in all areas: On this week’s charts (dated July 27), it remains in the top five on Radio Songs (No. 1, its fourth week atop the chart) Streaming Songs (No. 3) and Digital Song Sales (No. 4). It’s still gaining on the airwaves, and should get an extra late-summer boost when Posty releases his long-anticipated full country album, F-1 Trillion (due Aug. 16).
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But “I Had Some Help” has had some competition. After towering over the rest of the Hot 100 for its first five weeks of release, “Help” briefly ceded the crown to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please.” Then after recapturing it the next week, “Help” again let the title slip the following frame — and in the two weeks since, it’s yet to reclaim it, as Shaboozey and Kendrick Lamar have taken turns trading off the top spot.
Which is hardly to say that “Help” has fallen off dramatically or unexpectedly: It’s naturally experiencing a slow decrease in streams and sales, but it’s also still No. 2 on this week’s Hot 100, and very much still a threat to jump back up to No. 1 any time the competition sags for a week or two. However, its chances of matching or even nearing the 16 weeks (!!) “Last Night” spent atop the Hot 100 last year are growing slim — and while it remains the clear Song of the Summer frontrunner, it also remains vulnerable in the race if any of the songs beneath it experience another power surge.
Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (American Dogwood/EMPIRE/Magnolia Music): Though it initially seemed like it would be scrapping with Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” on the undercard for this summer’s title fight, Shaboozey‘s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has elbowed its way into the main event. With consistently impressive streaming numbers and downright stunning sales since its April release, radio was the final piece of the puzzle for “A Bar Song” — and it has delivered on that front, attracting airplay from a historic array of radio formats, and climbing all the way to No. 2 on Radio Songs so far, behind “Help.” Like that song, “Bar Song” ranks in the top five on each of the Hot 100’s three component charts this week — and actually tops “Help” with its No. 2 placement on both Streaming Songs and Digital Song Sales.
More crucially, “Bar Song” also tops “Help” on the Hot 100 this week — its second frame atop the chart. That’s still four behind Post and Morgan, of course, so “Bar Song” has plenty of catching up to do if it wants to really challenge “Help.” But it helps that “Bar Song” has also been in the fight since the very beginning of this SotS season — debuting at No. 4 on Songs of the Summer and working its way up to No. 2 by the end of June — so if it continues growing on radio as it has so far and “Help” starts to recede a little, or if it gets a momentum-boosting remix or new video, there’s certainly a chance that “Bar Song” could steal this race yet.
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us” (pgLang/Interscope/ICLG): Pre-”I Had Some Help,” it looked like “Not Like Us” was going to be the song to beat this summer. It debuted atop the (already very crowded) Hot 100 with an incomplete first week of tracking, thanks to otherworldly levels of excitement around it as the knockout punch in the increasingly fevered back-and-forth between Kendrick Lamar and rival-to-the-north Drake. “I Had Some Help” quite impressively managed to lap it the very next week, and as interest in the beef died down (and radio understandably was slower to pick up the virulent missive than the cartoonishly crossover-friendly “Help”), it seemed like “Not Like Us” would bow out of the Song of the Summer race before it even really began.
But as the hip-hop and pop worlds should’ve learned from his bout with Drake in the first place, you can never count out Kung Fu Kenny. Lamar’s new signature smash was doubly adrenalized by his much-publicized, nationally-streamed Juneteenth concert spectacular The Pop Out, and then by the song’s official music video, which dropped on July 4. Following the boost from the latter, “Not Like Us” even reclaimed the Hot 100’s top spot for the first time in two months. It’s back down to No. 3 on this week’s listing, and may have finally run out of extra lives, but we’re twice bitten, three times shy there — especially since it’s up 6% in airplay this week, according to Luminate, and at No. 9 on Radio Songs, and we still haven’t gotten any kind of official remix for the song.
Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso” & “Please Please Please” (Island/Republic): If you could somehow merge the popularity and momentum from Sabrina Carpenter’s two summer singles so far, you’d undoubtedly have yourself the song of the season: “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” both reached the Hot 100’s top five (the latter marking her first leader), and have been fixtures of the Songs of the Summer’s top 10, with Carpenter the only artist with multiple entries in the 20-position seasonal chart’s top half this week. With Carpenter’s new album due the week after Post Malone’s in August, her two four-quadrant smashes will undoubtedly receive a sizeable bump. But if she wants to challenge for the SotS No. 1 spot with either song, she won’t be able to wait around for that — neither is higher than No. 5 on the chart this week, and Billboard’s summer season officially ends following the chart dated Sept. 7.
Elevation Worship scores its eighth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart as its latest LP, When Wind Meets Fire, ignites atop the tally dated July 27. Released July 12, the set earned 8,000 equivalent album units in the United States through July 18, according to Luminate. It was recorded live over two nights, […]
Morgan Wallen claims his fourth No. 1 of 2024 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated July 27), as “Cowgirls,” featuring Ernest, rides to the top spot. Wallen becomes only the third artist to notch four leaders on the list in a single year, following Luke Combs in 2021 and Garth Brooks, who achieved the feat […]
Venesti celebrates a double win with “Es Normal,” as his latest single crowns Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay charts (dated July 27). The track is the fourth single from parent album De La Nada to enter a Billboard chart.
“It’s really important to lead the Latin Rhythm Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay charts, both for me and my team,” Venesti tells Billboard. “Actually, it’s the song we picked as (the) first single and the one I listen to the most.”
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On Latin Rhythm Airplay, “Es Normal” ascends from No. 3 to crown the 25-song ranking with a 21% gain in audience impressions, up 6.6 million, logged during the July 12-18 tracking week, according to Luminate. With the ascension, Colombian Venesti picks up his second No. 1, after the one-week takeover of “Umaye” last October.
Further, the new champ also takes indie label AP Global to its second coronation on Latin Rhythm Airplay –and third top 10 overall– after it secured its first top 10 through “Pura Maldad” in June 2023.
“When we were composing the song, I was going through a real-life situation about mistrust and chatter, so we decided to write it because so many people go through the same thing,” Venesti remembers. “When the person involved heard it, she started questioning whether I had changed. But nothing, it’s been proven that such is the case, and yes, that makes the song even more special for both, me and my team.”
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The Pop-Afrobeat “Es Normal” also stands steady at No. 1 for a second week on Latin Pop Airplay. There, it joins Venesti’s first champ, “No Es Normal,” with Nacho and Maffio, which held strong at the summit for 10 weeks, the longest-leading song in 2024 so far.
“Es Normal” joins three other songs stemming from Venesti’s debut studio album De La Nada, released Sept. 28 on AP Global. Those songs are the No. 11-peaking “Necesidad” (Latin Rhythm Airplay, Dec. 2022), and top 10s “Pura Maldad” (No. 10 high, June 2023) and as mentioned, “Umaye,” which granted Venesti his first ruler on any chart.
Beyond Latin Rhythm Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay, Venesti reaches for his third top 10 on the overall Latin Airplay, where “Es Normal,” produced by Milo Beat, jumps 8-4. The Colombian singer-songwriter and producer landed two champs previously on the overall radio ranking, both in less than a year: “Umaye” (Dec. 2023) and “No Es Normal,” with Nacho and Maffio, in March.
A whole lot has changed in the music industry of course of the 21st century, but one thing has remained entirely consistent: When Eminem releases a new album, that thing goes straight to No. 1.
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This week, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace) becomes Eminem’s latest new LP to top the Billboard 200 (on the chart dated July 27), now an 11-album streak that dates all the way back to 2000 sophomore set The Marshall Mathers LP. With its bow atop the chart, the finale for Em’s longtime alter ego deposes Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department — which had reigned for its first 12 weeks of release, but now slips to No. 4 on the listing.
How has Eminem remained so consistently successful for 25 years now? And what will he do next now that his signature persona has been laid to rest? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
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1. Eminem scores his 11th consecutive No. 1 new album this week with The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), moving 281,000 units in the album’s first week. On a scale of 1-10, how happy do you think he should be with that debut performance?
Anna Chan: 10 out of 10! Not only was he the artist who unseated Taylor Swift from her impressive 12-week reign of the Billboard 200, TDOSS also had the biggest week of any rap album so far this year – nothing to sneeze at.
Kyle Denis: Solid 8. It’s a handsome debut that’s relatively in line with his last few studio LPs, he has a concurrent Hot 100 top 10 hit in lead single “Houdini” this week, and he’ll go down in history as the artist who ended Swift’s historic run atop the Billboard 200. I’m sure he would have liked to clear the 300,000 mark, but this is nothing to scoff at.
Jason Lipshutz: A 9. One point deducted for getting close to the 300k mark without quite getting there, but this is a mainstream triumph for an artist who’s 25 years into his career, and who strode past Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department with ease, after months of other artists failing to knock the album out of the top spot. As a commercial entity, The Death of Slim Shady has been a home run for Eminem, considering the continued success of lead single “Houdini,” and now the splashy bow of the full-length.
Michael Saponara: 7. It’s more than 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By, which is a win, but when you’re the best-selling rapper of all-time, any first week sum that starts with a two probably isn’t going to produce too much serotonin for the body.
Andrew Unterberger: Maybe an 8. It’s a tremendous number for Eminem at this point in his career — really for just about any rapper in 2024 — and though it seems like he can pull those kinds of numbers in his sleep at this point, he certainly put his all into the rollout this time around. If this really is the end of an era for Eminem, it’s a thoroughly respectable performance to go out on.
2. Few, if any, rappers have managed the commercial consistency that Eminem has in his 25 years as a star — what do you think the biggest reason is he’s still able to produce such strong first-week performances this deep into his career?
Anna Chan: First and foremost, Em has been consistently talented throughout his entire career. But setting the talent aspect aside, he knows how to keep old fans around while building upon his base by bringing in new listeners. For example, on TDOSS, you’ve got Em staples such as hip-hop icon Dr. Dre as a producer again, the emotional track featuring strong female vocals (“Temporary” with frequent collaborator Skylar Grey), following up on fan favorites (“Guilty Conscience 2,” the sequel to Slim Shady LP’s “Guilty Conscience”), all while bringing on newer artists to drawn in fresh listeners not only from hip-hop, but other genres as well (most notably Jelly Roll on the stunning album closer “Somebody Save Me”).
Kyle Denis: He’s been steadfast in his brand for a quarter-century. Even as he’s matured, the musical characters of Marshall Mathers and Slim Shady are mainstays in his catalog – from lyrics to album titles. He’s built a world based around himself that fans have been able to deconstruct and buy into for almost three decades. It’s hard to say that anyone else in hip-hop has accomplished that on this level. Nonetheless, you do also have to acknowledge the built-in capital he gets from being both a mainstream white rapper and a crossover star, his fanbase doesn’t mirror that of quite a few of hip-hop’s top artists, which works in his favor.
Jason Lipshutz: The combination of an extremely dedicated fan base who’s ready to support Eminem at every twist and turn, and a new project that was primed to appeal to casual fans who haven’t kept up with every release. Em is always going to have the diehards that will press play, regardless of whether his albums veer toward pop or toward the more idiosyncratic or puerile — but a full-length like The Death of Slim Shady, complete with a radio-ready lead single that harkens back to his zeitgeist-capturing early smashes, speaks to a listenership beyond that core. That’s how Eminem has maintained a level of consistency, while also scoring above-average debut figures like the one for The Death of Slim Shady.
Michael Saponara: I’m still trying to find out the actual answer to this one myself. It’s been an incredible run spanning 25 years and he’s seen different generations of rap come and go. Em’s popularity has crossed over into music deity territory to the point whenever he drops, he’s going to be a commercial force. He’s done a pretty good job of balancing feeding his fans, but not oversaturating the market the last decade. Nostalgia helps and he still maintains an image and vigor for rapping that somewhat resembles his prime.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s helped that with all his strengths and flaws, Eminem has always been a pretty obvious one of one — I don’t know which rapper you’d even consider to be the closest to him in terms of personality, style and skill, but even if there was an obvious pick there, chances are they’d have never tasted a fraction of his crossover visibility. If you were an Eminem fan 25 years ago, chances are pretty good no one has ever really taken over his place in your heart. So if you were one of those early fans (and you still care about music at all), that means you probably still care about Eminem.
3. While Eminem albums have almost always come strong out of the gate, in recent years they’ve struggled more to produce the extended impact of his early albums. Do you think Death will buck the trend, or will it also be a mostly one-week blast?
Anna Chan: There’s so much nostalgia (guess who’s back? It’s not just Slim Shady – but Ken Kaniff too!) to go with the classic Shady and grown-up Eminem that I give TDOSS at least two to three weeks at No. 1, possibly more – though perhaps not consecutive weeks. After all, there doesn’t appear to be a super-strong, likely long-lasting new challenger until Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion in mid-August.
Kyle Denis: Probably a one-week blast unless one of the songs clicks. My money is on the JID and Jelly Roll tracks.
Jason Lipshutz: It will buck the trend thanks to “Houdini.” The continued strength of the single will ensure that the album maintains a streaming presence and keep The Death of Slim Shady from falling out of the cultural consciousness too quickly. I’m not sure it will be able to spend a ton of time atop the Billboard 200 in the coming months, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see it lingering in the top 10 of the chart as the weather cools off and we start thinking about holiday plans.
Michael Saponara: I think he bucks the trend. This project seems to be cutting through more than Music to Be Murdered By and I believe the “Houdini” rapper has a few more tricks up his sleeve to boost sales and interest. Does he pull a deluxe out of his hat?
Andrew Unterberger: I think it’s ultimately gonna be a pretty short commemorative service for Slim — but it’s worth pointing out that the album hasn’t seen physical release yet, so when those CD and vinyl versions of it ship (in September and October, respectively), it wouldn’t be shocking to see the album surge back up the Billboard 200.
4. Now that Eminem has pronounced the death of his signature rap alter ego, what would you like to see him do for his next act?
Anna Chan: We already know he’s a funny man from some of his lyrics and music videos, and that he can put butts in theater seats (remember when 8 Mile opened at No. 1?), so why not combine the two and put him in some comedy films? (I’m still cackling at his Crank Yankers episode!)
Kyle Denis: Continue uplifting the next generation of Detroit rappers and make a project that doesn’t feel like torture to sit through.
Jason Lipshutz: I’d love to see him try something totally different, with new collaborators and an unexpected aesthetic. Eminem’s technical skill is undeniable, and he has nothing left to prove within the hip-hop space that he’s carved out for himself. And while projects like The Death of Slim Shady are wide-ranging and crowd-pleasing, they also riff on a lot of the beats he’s previously played. Why not stray into the unknown and push the limits of his artistry, with the knowledge that he could always return to his preferred mode? Fingers crossed that he spends the next few years taking the chances he has thoroughly earned.
Michael Saponara: I enjoyed the conceptuality of TDOSS and I can’t quit Slim Shady. Maybe it’s because that’s the Em I grew up on, but I’d like to see a resurrection of Slim Shady down the line at some point.
Andrew Unterberger: Maybe a Bad Meets Evil-style teamup with a Detroit up-and-comer? Em’s shown interest in helping to cultivate the next generation of Motown talent, and his sometimes-overbearing personality can seem a lot fresher as one half of a pass-the-mic duo. Could be cool.
5. Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department falls to No. 4 in its 13th week on the ranking — the first time since its debut it hasn’t been No. 1. Do you think it gets back to the top spot in the next few weeks, or has its reign mostly come to an end?
Anna Chan: My Magic 8-Ball predicts Swift will reach back into her bag, bruh, and possibly drop some new version(s) of TTPD to reinvigorate the album’s numbers and get back into the No. 1 spot.
Kyle Denis: Knowing Taylor, she has 500 other versions of the album to put up for sale, so she’ll be back in the top spot soon enough. Not to mention she’s officially announced the album’s second radio single (“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’) and the Eras Tour will be back in the States by October.
Jason Lipshutz: It will get back to No. 1. “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” might turn into a real smash in the coming weeks, and there are always more consumers to find, especially as the holiday season draws near. The lesson remains the same: underestimate Taylor at your own risk.
Michael Saponara: Is this bait to get in the Swifty crosshairs? I don’t want that smoke. Taylor Swift will find her way back to the apex one way or another. The TTPD train isn’t coming to a halt just yet.
Andrew Unterberger: Yeah, it might take Swift a few weeks, but she’ll be back. There’s still new CD editions to be shipped, new singles and videos to be unveiled — maybe she’ll even get in the mix with the presidential election at some point? We haven’t heard the last of Poets to be sure.
