Chart Beat
Page: 199
Luck Ra’s “La Morocha,” featuring BM, logs a seventh week atop the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart as the song leads the Nov. 11-dated list. With a new week in charge, “La Morocha” ties with Emilia, Big One and Callejero Fino’s “En La Intimidad” and LIT killah, Maria Becerra, FMK, Rusherking, Duki, Emilia, Tiago PZK […]
Grateful Dead meets Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra in the Billboard record books, as the band ties the latter two legends for the most career top 40-charting albums on the Billboard 200 in the 67-year history of the survey.
The band achieves its 58th top 40 album with its latest live archival release, Dave’s Picks, Volume 48: Pauley Pavilion, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 11/20/71, as the set debuts at No. 33 on the Billboard 200 dated Nov. 11. The three-CD album captures a previously unreleased show recorded at the university’s Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 20, 1971. The collection also includes bonus live material recorded at an Oct. 24, 1970, concert at the Kiel Opera House in St. Louis.
Dave’s Picks is Grateful Dead’s continuing live archival release series, named for the group’s archivist, David Lemieux, that has been going strong since its first release in 2012. Releases in the series are issued exclusively on CD and in limited quantities. Notably, 40 of Grateful Dead’s 58 top 40-charting albums are from the Dave’s Picks series.
Here’s a recap of the acts with the most top 40-charting albums on the Billboard 200 since the list began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March of 1956:
58, Grateful Dead58, Elvis Presley58, Frank Sinatra54, Barbra Streisand51, Bob Dylan48, The Rolling Stones
Dave’s Picks, Volume 48 debuts on the Billboard 200 with 19,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 2, according to data tracking firm Luminate. All of that sum was driven by traditional album sales.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Taylor Swift now boasts eight No. 1s on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart thanks to “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” which debuts atop the Nov. 11-dated ranking.
In the tracking week of Oct. 27-Nov. 2 (the song’s first week of release), “Is It Over Now?” earned 32 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate.
With eight rulers, Swift further distances herself from Justin Bieber, who has the third-most No. 1s in the chart’s 10-year history, and nears Drake, who leads all acts with 20.
Most No. 1s, Streaming Songs20, Drake8, Taylor Swift6, Justin Bieber5, Travis Scott4, Ariana Grande4, Cardi B4, Lil Baby4, Miley Cyrus
Notably, the last four weeks have featured songs by either Drake or Swift at No. 1, each time a new leader (and with Drake and Swift replacing themselves at No. 1 on two occasions). The streak began when Drake’s “First Person Shooter,” featuring J. Cole, debuted atop the Oct. 21 tally, followed by a rise to No. 1 by Drake’s “IDGAF,” featuring Yeat, Oct. 28. Swift’s “Cruel Summer” then spent its first week at No. 1 Nov. 4, with “Is It Over Now?” the latest ruler.
Swift first reigned on Streaming Songs with “Shake It Off,” a two-week leader in November 2014. “Is It Over Now?” becomes her second re-record to lead, following “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” in November 2021.
The entire Streaming Songs list’s top nine is made up of songs from Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version), with “Is It Over Now?” followed by “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault]” at No. 2 with 28.2 million streams. With nine new top 10s, Swift pads her standing as the act with the second-most top 10s in chart history, with 48. Drake leads with 96.
Most Top 10s, Streaming Songs96, Drake48, Taylor Swift34, Lil Baby30, The Weeknd28, 21 Savage28, Travis Scott25, Future24, J. Cole24, Kanye West
Swift first hit the top 10 with “I Knew You Were Trouble.,” which peaked at No. 7 in March 2013.
The top non-Swift song on Streaming Songs is Zach Bryan’s “I Remember Everything,” featuring Kacey Musgraves, at No. 10 with 21.3 million streams, down 8%.
As previously reported, “Is It Over Now?” reigns on the multi-metric Billboard Hot 100, while 1989 (Taylor’s Version) crowns the Billboard 200.
Canadian icon Joni Mitchell turned 80 on Tuesday (Nov. 7). Six decades into her career, the nine-time Grammy winner is still making waves with her music, following a surprise return to live performance last year. In summer 2023, she played her first headlining show in two decades at the Seattle Gorge.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Since the beginning, the singer from Saskatchewan has always carved her own path. Mitchell got her start in Calgary coffeehouses and then Toronto’s Yorkville scene, where she frequented the same spots as other titans of Canadian music like Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot. Mitchell moved to the U.S. in the mid-60s, eventually bringing her dense lyricism, crystalline voice, and signature guitar tunings to her debut release, 1968’s Song to a Seagull.
Mitchell’s career is often thought of in terms of artistry and influence. Where other musicians with lengthy careers might re-tread the same territory, Mitchell has always displayed a deep curiosity and commitment to her craft, evolving through the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s into a jazz fusion artist. Meanwhile, she has influenced decades of artists across genres — her website cites 1641 known versions of “Both Sides Now” alone. While artists like Judy Collins and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young have had success performing her songs, Mitchell is perhaps less thought of as a hitmaker. But she has often charted throughout her career — as recently as 2022, when she made an emotional and unexpected comeback. Here’s the story of Mitchell’s Hot 100 history in 10 tracks.
July, 1970: “Big Yellow Taxi” cracks the charts
[embedded content]
Though Judy Collins had already taken “Both Sides Now” to the top 10, Joni Mitchell didn’t hit the Hot 100 as a performer until 1970, when “Big Yellow Taxi” peaked at No. 67. The conservationist classic and eminently quotable single first appeared on Ladies of the Canyon, but it would go on to peak even higher in 1975, at No. 24, following the release of a live version. Three covers of the song have also appeared on the Hot 100, most recently 2003’s Counting Crows rendition.
September, 1971: “Carey” spends one week on the Hot 100
[embedded content]
“Carey” might have peaked at 93 in the U.S., but in Canada it went to No. 27, and the album that launched it, Blue, reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200, all of which set Mitchell up for further charting in the ’70s. Since then, Blue has built up a reputation as one of Mitchell’s best-loved records and one of the best albums of all time.
February, 1973: “You Turn Me On, I’m A Radio” hits the top 25
[embedded content]
With its playful radio metaphor, this single from 1972’s For The Roses was primed for airplay. The infinitely singable “You Turn Me On” peaked at No. 25 in the U.S. and No. 10 in Canada, spending sixteen weeks on the charts between late ‘72 and early ‘73.
December, 1973: “Raised on Robbery” announces Court and Spark
[embedded content]
The first single off of Court and Spark would not be its highest charting hit, but “Raised on Robbery” peaked at No. 65 and introduced the jazz-inflections of Mitchell’s most successful album to date. Court and Spark went on to reach No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
June, 1974: “Help Me” becomes Mitchell’s first top 10 hit
[embedded content]
This smooth ode to the dangers of falling in love, with its saxophone trills and warbling harmonies, is Mitchell’s only top 10 hit, peaking at No. 7 in June 1973. The song’s balance of soft-rock and jazz propelled it to become Mitchell’s biggest commercial success, while also signaling her experimentations to come.
September, 1974: “Free Man In Paris” is Court and Spark’s second top 30 hit
[embedded content]
In “Free Man In Paris,” Mitchell sings from the perspective of a music industry man who would love to wander in French cafes but is instead married to the hit-making business in L.A. Perhaps ironically, “Free Man” was a modest hit itself, peaking at No. 23.
February, 1976: “In France They Kiss on Main Street” hisses onto the Hot 100
[embedded content]
Following “Big Yellow Taxi” and its 1975 peak on the Hot 100, “In France They Kiss on Main Street” comes from 1976’s The Hissing of Summer Lawns. The energetic love story peaked at No. 66 and features backing vocals from James Taylor along with David Crosby and Graham Nash, who took Mitchell’s “Woodstock” to No. 11 with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the U.S. and No. 3 in Canada.
November, 1982: “You’re So Square (Baby I Don’t Care)” is Mitchell’s first non-original hit
[embedded content]
In the late ‘70s, Mitchell veered further towards jazz and experimental compositions, leaving behind chart-friendly song structures and producing one of her most revered albums, Hejira. On Wild Things Run Fast, her eleventh studio album, she hit No. 47 with her cover of the Elvis Presley track “You’re So Square” — her only non-original on the Hot 100.
January, 1986: “Good Friends” marks Mitchell’s last Hot 100 entry
[embedded content]
The opening track on 1985’s Dog Eat Dog, “Good Friends” is an entirely different Joni Mitchell. Working with producer Thomas Dolby, Joni goes full ’80s on this track, complete with synths and drum machines. Dog Eat Dog is considered one of Mitchell’s weaker releases, but the artist famous for her adventurousness can’t be faulted for trying things out.
September, 1997: Janet Jackson brings Joni Mitchell back to the radio with “Got Til It’s Gone”
The Janet Jackson track off of her 1997 album The Velvet Rope samples Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi,” pitching up Mitchell’s voice and turning it into the hook for an R&B jam. Mitchell received a feature credit on the song, which peaked at No. 36 on the radio songs chart and finds Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip repeatedly telling listeners: “Joni Mitchell never lies.” On her 80th birthday, Q-Tip’s line rings true: Mitchell’s chart history is a reminder of her massive impact as a performer, songwriter and artist whose hits continue to reverberate at Newport Folk, the Seattle Gorge and beyond.
August, 2022: Joni Mitchell returns to the charts after surprise Newport performance
Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile and an all-star band brought the icon back to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival in 2022. After struggling through health issues, Mitchell’s return was as unexpected as it was moving. Mitchell and her collaborators stunned everyone, both those in the audience and watching later on YouTube. Her noticeably deeper voice and poignant delivery made it hard to watch with a dry eye, and the performance went viral. “Both Sides Now” didn’t chart when it was released in 1970, but it did in 2022. The song hit No. 4 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart, No. 20 on the Digital Song Sales chart and No. 1 on the LyricFind U.S. and LyricFind Global charts.
This article originally appeared on Billboard Canada.
Ado’s “Show” logs its sixth week atop the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Nov. 8, tallying the week ending Nov. 5.
The enigmatic singer has hit No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100 with two other songs in the past: first with her breakout smash “Usseewa” (one week) then with “New Genesis” as Uta from One Piece Film Red (six weeks). If “Show” extends its stay at the top of the tally for another week, the “Kura Kura” songstress will break her own personal record for total weeks at No. 1.
[embedded content]
The theme of USJ’s Halloween event currently rules streaming, downloads and video views, while also performing well in radio airplay (No. 3) and karaoke (No. 6). While figures for downloads and streams have increased, the song shows strong growth in radio and karaoke, with the former gaining 28 percent and the latter 24 percent more points than the week before. The spooky dance number holds at No. 1 for the third consecutive week on Billboard Japan’s TikTok Weekly Top 20 and for the fourth straight week on the Top User Generated Songs lists, meaning the song has become this year’s Halloween anthem for many users of social media.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
At No. 2 this week is YOASOBI’s “Idol.” The monster hit is now in its 30th week on the Japan Hot 100 and currently at No. 2 for streaming, No. 13 for downloads, No. 3 for video, No. 2 for karaoke, and No. 36 for radio. The number of downloads rose again from 3,895 units to 4,420 units this week, indicating the lasting popularity of the catchy Oshi no Ko opener and record-holder for most weeks at No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100 (21 weeks).
[embedded content]
YOASOBI also made headlines in September when the duo’s breakout mega-hit “Yoru ni kakeru” (“Into the Night”) became the first song in Japan to surpass one billion cumulative streams. “Idol” is quickly on its way to reach that milestone as well, sailing past 500 million cumulative streams in 30 weeks, the fastest to do so in the country’s history. It took “Yoru ni kakeru” 63 weeks to reach half a billion streams.
And following at No. 3 this week is YOASOBI’s “The Brave.” Weekly downloads for the Frieren opener increased slightly from 9,224 units to 9,964 units, while karaoke, video, and radio increased 30 percent, 1 percent, and 12 percent, respectively, to lift the pair’s latest hit 5-3 on the Japan Hot 100.
[embedded content]
Debuts in the top 10 this week are LE SSERAFIM’s “Perfect Night” at No. 7 and NiziU’s “HEARTRIS” at No. 10. The former is at No. 14 for downloads with 3,682 units and No. 7 for streaming with 5,888,887 streams. The latter, the South Korean debut track for the nine-member girl group, is at No. 6 for downloads (5,882 units) and No. 30 for streaming (2,955,278 streams).
[embedded content]
[embedded content]
The act with most songs on the Japan Hot 100 this week is Mrs. GREEN APPLE. The pop-rock band charts 10 songs on the list, led by “Que Sera Sera” at No. 16 and “Magic” at No. 19.
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 Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts, encompassing numerous genres and formats.
While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.
Here’s a look at 10 titles by artists who appear on surveys for the first time on the Nov. 11-dated charts.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Dylan Marlowe
[embedded content]
The singer-songwriter from Statesboro, Ga., is now a Billboard-charting artist thanks to his new single “Boys Back Home” featuring Dylan Scott. The collab, released Oct. 27 via Sony Music Nashville, debuts at No. 49 on Hot Country Songs with 2.4 million U.S. streams and 2,000 downloads sold in its opening week, according to Luminate. It also starts at No. 9 on Country Digital Song Sales, while Marlowe debuts at No. 37 on the Emerging Artists chart.
TikTok, where Marlowe boasts nearly 500,000 followers, has been a significant factor in the song’s growing profile. A portion of the track has been used in over 4,000 clips on the platform, where Marlowe had teased the song leading up to its release.
While Marlowe makes his first chart appearance as a recording artist, he logged one previous entry as a songwriter. He co-wrote (along with Jimi Bell and Joe Fox) Jon Pardi’s 2022 hit “Last Night Lonely,” which spent a week at No. 1 on Country Airplay, and reached No. 5 on Hot Country Songs and No. 27 on the Hot 100.
Marlowe, now based in Nashville, has been releasing his own music since 2018 and dropped his debut eight-track EP, Dirt Road When I Die, in July. He’s slated to open for Morgan Wallen on the Atlanta tour stop of his One Night at a Time World Tour on Nov. 10. He also has a supporting slot on HARDY’s The Mockingbird & The Crow Tour in December.
Bby
[embedded content]
The band scores its first appearance on Billboard’s charts with its breakthrough single, “Hotline.” The song, self-released Aug. 3 and now being promoted by Glassnote Entertainment Group, debuts at No. 38 on Alternative Airplay (up 3% in plays). Bby is comprised of Benjy Gibson (whose brother, Fred Again.., has maintained a steady presence on Billboard’s dance/electronic charts), Dragonking, Deon Graham, Tommaso Medica and Tom Parkin.
The group has released two other songs: “Money Body” on Sept. 12, and “Gold Teeth & Fenty” on Oct. 26.
Jaidyn Alexis
[embedded content]
The Los Angeles-based social media influencer and rapper is new to Billboard’s charts with her breakout song, “Barbie.” The track, released Oct. 2 on Milf Music, debuted on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart dated Oct. 21 and rose 13-8 on the Nov. 4 ranking. The song’s success now sparks her No. 30 debut on the Nov. 11-dated Emerging Artists chart.
TikTok has been instrumental in the song’s growing profile, as a portion of the track has been used in over 400,000 clips on the platform.
Outside of “Barbie,” Jaidyn Alexis has released three other songs on streaming services: “Stewie” in June, “Workout” in July and “Post Opp, in September. On Oct. 24, she announced on Instagram, alongside her boyfriend Blueface that she had signed with Columbia Records.
310babii
[embedded content]
The rapper scores his first Billboard chart hit with “Soak City (Do It).” The song, released in June on sa.vo sounds, rose 29-27 on the Nov. 4-dated TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, after debuting on the Oct. 7 list. This week, 310babii debuts at No. 31 on the latest Emerging Artists chart.
The song appears on the rapper’s debut full-length LP Lottery Pick, released in June. “Soak City (Do It)” has also been boosted by a remix featuring Mustard, OhGeesy, BlueBucksClan, Tyga and Blueface, released Sept. 8. The track has also soundtracked over 300,000 clips on TikTok.
N3WYRKLA
[embedded content]
The Philadelphia-based artist makes her first Billboard chart appearance thanks to her featured spot Brent Faiyaz’s “Outside All Night,” also featuring A$AP Rocky. The track, released Oct. 27 on Faiyaz’s new project Larger Than Life, debuts at No. 10 on Hot R&B Songs and No. 26 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with 5.2 million U.S. streams.
The set starts at No. 2 on Top R&B Albums and No. 11 on the Billboard 200 with 42,000 equivalent album units in its first week.
N3WYRKLA (“New York LA”; real name Nyla Nasir) has released one project on streaming services so far: her debut six-track EP SELFishly enTITLED, which arrived Aug. 25.
Lil Gray
[embedded content]
The rapper, from Landover, Md., in the Prince George’s County suburb of Washington, D.C., arrives on Billboard’s charts thanks to his featured appearance on Brent Faiyaz’s “Last One Left,” also featuring Missy Elliott. The cut, released Oct. 27 on Faiyaz’s new mixtape Larger Than Life, debuts at No. 11 on Hot R&B Songs and No. 31 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with 4.8 million U.S. streams. (The set starts at No. 2 on Top R&B Albums and No. 11 on the Billboard 200 with 42,000 equivalent album units in its first week.)
Lil Gray has released seven solo studio albums, dating to 2018’s Tag Program/Talented and Gifted. He released his most recent project, Swipe Renaissance, in February. He has also collaborated with Goonew, Joony and Sparkheem, among others.
Tommy Richman & FELIX!
[embedded content]
Both artists earn their first Billboard chart placements thanks to their featured appearances on Brent Faiyaz’s “Upset.” The song, released Oct. 27 on Faiyaz’s new project Larger Than Life, debuts at No. 12 on Hot R&B Songs and No. 33 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with 4.6 million U.S. streams. (The set starts at No. 2 on Top R&B Albums and No. 11 on the Billboard 200 with 42,000 equivalent album units in its first week.)
Richman, from Virginia, released his debut solo seven-track set Alligator in October 2022. FELIX! is a member of the Brockton, Mass.-based hip-hop collective Van Buren Records, which has dropped two full-length LPs: Bad for Press in 2021 and DSM in 2022. He released his debut LP, In Bloom, Forever in 2019 (under the moniker Lord Felix).
A$AP Ant & CruddyMurda
[embedded content]
Both artists land on Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to their featured appearances on Brent Faiyaz’s “On This Side.” The song, released Oct. 27 on Faiyaz’s new mixtape Larger Than Life, debuts at No. 24 on the Hot R&B Songs chart with 2.9 million U.S. streams. (The set starts at No. 2 on Top R&B Albums and No. 11 on the Billboard 200 with 42,000 equivalent album units in its first week.)
A$AP Ant (real name Adam Kirkman), from Baltimore, has been a member of the hip-hop collective A$AP Mob for over a decade. He contributed to both of the act’s full-length studio LPs, Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends in 2016, and Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy in 2017. He has also released nearly a dozen of his own albums, dating to his debut solo project The Prelude in 2018. His most recent album, The Postlude, dropped in March. CruddyMurda has released four solo LPs, most recently #FreeTheCruddy in September.
VaporGod
[embedded content]
VaporGod reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to “Diamondz n Roses.” The viral hit, released in March, debuts at No. 33 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 1.1 million official U.S. streams (up 96%) in the latest tracking week. The song has been bolstered by sped-up, slowed-down and looped versions and a Mr Rizz mix. An EP with all versions of the song was released Oct. 26.
TikTok has been key to the song’s growing profile, as a portion of the original track has been used in over 130,000 clips on the platform.
Quannnic
[embedded content]
The Florida-based artist makes his first appearance on Billboard‘s charts thanks to his viral breakout song “Life Imitates Art.” The song, released in 2022 on his debut LP Kenopsia (released via deadAir Management), debuts at No. 23 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart with 525,000 official U.S. streams earned. TikTok has been a major factor in the song’s growing profile, as a portion of the track has been used in over 16,000 clips on the platform to date.
At the height of the pandemic, singer-songwriter Laufey spent her free time outside of classes at the Berklee College of Music taking hours-long meetings with industry executives. With only two self-released singles out at the time, the modern jazz artist was already fielding emails from managers, labels and publishers interested in signing her — but for Laufey (pronounced Lay-vay), the conversations were about understanding the inner workings of the music business.
“I had a second education talking to so many people,” she says. “I would take meetings on my own and say, ‘I’m not signing anything, but tell me everything you know about the music industry.’”
Three years later, Laufey has taken that information and built a team to help bring her pop-infused style of jazz to the top of her genre. In September, her second album, Bewitched, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums charts, fueled by the success of catchy bossa nova-inspired lead single “From The Start.” Her prior releases have subsequently soared up the rankings, prominently stamping the 24-year-old’s name across charts otherwise filled with legacy acts including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Miles Davis. Thanks to her confident and dreamy voice and social media savvy, she’s now crossing into the mainstream as one of the biggest jazz stars of the streaming era. And following a year in which fellow jazz artist Samara Joy won best new artist, appetite for the genre seems at its hungriest in decades.
Long before she dedicated herself to learning the industry, Laufey understood life as a musician. Her maternal grandparents were both professors of music in China, and her mother is a classical violinist. (She has appeared on a few of her daughter’s songs, such as the titular track from 2022 debut album, Everything I Know About Love). Born in Reykjavík, Laufey began playing piano at four years old, picked up cello at eight, and started singing jazz a few years after that, all while moving between Iceland and Washington, D.C., and spending her summers at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. “My mom could tell that I had a natural inclination for music,” Laufey says.
While studying as a cello student at Berklee, Laufey knew she wanted to mix her jazz and classical background with her own contemporary voice. As she grew into her own at school in Boston, she gained confidence and began writing her own songs. She recorded her first track, “Street By Street,” on the last day before campus shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions. A few weeks later, she uploaded it on DistroKid. “It got some attention,” she remembers. “I started growing a social media following online and it all snowballed from there.”
Laufey photographed October 29, 2023 at The Wilbur in Boston.
She continued to hone her songwriting skills amid her virtual college experience, challenging herself to pick up her guitar, create catchy hooks and pen “cheeky” lyrics every time a Zoom class ended (“Listening to you harp on ’bout some new soulmate/ ‘She’s so perfect,’ blah, blah, blah,” she sings on “From The Start”). She began posting videos of her singing jazz standards by Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and more on Instagram and TikTok. The clips quickly became a refuge for people seeking levity during the pandemic. “I was freaking out,” she acknowledges. “I was like, ‘OK. I have a duty to fulfill.’ It was such good practice for me.”
Later in 2020, her social media success led to inquiries from top music executives. Following months of meetings, she signed a global recording deal with AWAL and added a manager in Max Gredinger from Foundations Artist Management. “I saw her building this insane online audience on her own and thought, ‘We could build on that,’” says Gredinger. He acknowledges that there wasn’t much precedent for breaking jazz artists into the mainstream today — but if anything, he notes, they used it to their advantage.
“I hear a lot of artists talk about other artists like, ‘What’s the blueprint?’ Laufey doesn’t really do that. Of course, there are artists that are massively inspiring to her. Norah Jones, Adele, Chet Baker, all the jazz greats [and] a lot of classical composers. But she always knew that what she was doing was one of one and something that hadn’t been done before.”
Max Gredinger and Laufey photographed October 29, 2023 at The Wilbur in Boston.
Without a definitive outline to follow, Laufey primarily focused on further developing her social media presence, specifically on Instagram and TikTok. In addition to teasing music and responding to fans’ comments and DMs, she livestreamed weekly sessions of her performing lullabies. “If you gave me all the money in the world, I don’t think I could come up with a better social strategy than Laufey,” Gredinger says.
Following the August 2022 release Everything I Know About Love, she toured 250-to-500 capacity rooms in the U.S. — a crucial component to Laufey’s development, stresses Gredinger, and a way for her to build buzz amid her growing fan base. By the middle of 2023, she was ready to start the rollout of her follow-up album, beginning with her biggest hit to date, “From The Start.” After writing the entirety of the song in half an hour, she released the charmingly upbeat song last May, and it immediately took off on TikTok, though she initially brushed aside the numbers.
“Sometimes you put a song on TikTok and it does well because it’s visually stimulating or it has a hooky lyric, but it won’t go past that,” Laufey says. However, once it eclipsed a million streams in a 24-hour period and tripled her previous record, she knew that she had something special.
[embedded content]
Laufey continued to grow momentum with new singles throughout the summer — and expanded her team as well, signing a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music in August. The following month, Bewitched arrived through AWAL and has since spent eight weeks atop both Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums. Following its first tracking week, “From The Start” also hit No. 1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. Through Nov. 2, the song has 3.5 million official on-demand streams, according to Luminate.
Amid her current 30-date sold-out North American tour, Laufey earned her first chart entry on Hot Alternative Songs and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs with her seductive beabadoobee team-up, “A Night To Remember.” On Friday (Nov. 10), she’ll drop two holiday tracks: Her rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and an original titled “Better Than Snow,” both with jazz-pop icon Norah Jones. And as she continues to carve her own path and expand her audience across genres, Laufey is more confident in her future than ever before.
“When I started out, people were always asking me, ‘Who do you want to be like?’” Laufey reflects. “I had no idea what to say. I still have no clue what to say. The difference is, now I don’t need to. I’m just going to keep making the music I want and hope that it reaches as many ears as possible.”
Laufey photographed October 29, 2023 at The Wilbur in Boston.
A version of this story will appear in the Nov. 18, 2023, issue of Billboard.
Maná achieves a new milestone in its Billboard chart career as the band’s cover of its own 2011 hit “Amor Clandestino,” now with Eden Muñoz, soars 19-1 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart dated Nov. 11. It’s the first champ on the list for the Mexican group (which has notched 15 leaders on the Latin Pop Airplay chart), while Muñoz secures his third. “Amor,” in its original Maná-only version in 2011, spent two weeks atop the Latin Pop Airplay list.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“It’s the first time that we are at the top of a regional Mexican list, which is one of the most important formats today,” Fher Olvera, lead singer of Maná, tells Billboard. “We feel very proud of the achievement and knowing that our music can transcend times and formats.”
“Talking about Maná is going back to my childhood when I discovered their music,” Muñoz tells Billboard. “There are no words to describe the feeling of not only collaborating as an artist, as a fan of the band, but above all, as a friend. The band as an act has no comparison for all we know they have achieved, but as human beings they are on another level.”
[embedded content]
After three weeks in the top 20, “Amor Clandestino” rallies 19-1 with a 158% gain in audience impressions, to 7 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 2, according to Luminate. The 18-rank climb marks the biggest jump to No. 1 in over a decade, since Los Huracanes del Norte’s “Volé Muy Alto” flew 20 positions to the top in November 2007.
During the Oct. 27-Nov. 2 tracking week, “Amor Clandestino’s” biggest supports are comprised of Univision stations KSCA-FM (Los Angeles), KLNO-FM (Dallas), KSOL-FM (San Francisco) and WOJO-FM (Chicago).
“The legendary band Maná joined forces with superstar singer-songwriter Eden Muñoz to bring a unique and updated touch to the classic hit ‘Amor Clandestino’,” Ismar Santa Cruz, Senior VP, Radio Content at Univision, tells Billboard. “This sparked a renewed love affair with the song. As we’re seeing more songs resonate simultaneously across formats, the combination of these artists on such a familiar hit allowed it to impact coast to coast across all our Regional Mexican stations, including our flagship shows El Bueno La Mala y El Feo and El FreeGuey, as well as all our Amor stations, including KLove 107.5 in L.A. and Amor 107.5 in Miami.”
“Amor Clandestino” earns Maná its first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay upon its eighth appearance. Its previous single, “Te Lloré Un Río” with Christian Nodal, took the Mexicans to No. 3 in June 2022. Maná came up just short on its prior visit, as “Ojalá Pudiera Borrarte” achieved a No. 2 peak in October 2007.
“We currently have a duet project in which we have re-recorded our greatest hits with artists such as Christian Nodal, Alejandro Fernández and Sebastián Yatra, among others,” Olvera adds. “What we want is to reach as many audiences as possible with our music. We felt that this song lent itself to a new, very Mexican arrangement, and with Edén it was perfect.”
The original pop version of “Clandestino” dominated Latin Pop Airplay for two weeks in 2011. The song belongs to the Drama y Luz album, Mana’s longest leading set on Latin Pop Albums, with 12 weeks in charge.
For Muñoz, the new song follows two other champs: three-week champ “Chale!” and his featured role in Banda MS’ “Hay Que Hacer Dinero,” for two weeks atop, both in 2022.
Elsewhere, “Clandestino” flies 30-6 on the overall Latin Airplay, the biggest single-week jump to the top 10 since J Balvin and Ed Sheeran’s “Forever My Love” soared 35 rankings in April 2022.
“Eden is genius,” Olvera continues. “A very good friend of the band. He is an all-around guy. Working with him was a pleasure. Together we gave new life to ‘Amor Clandestino’ and we are very happy.”
On Nov. 8, 2008, Carrie Underwood’s “Just a Dream” began a two-week reign on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. The song — written by Hillary Lindsey, Steve McEwan and Gordie Sampson — was released from Underwood’s sophomore album Carnival Ride, which arrived at No. 1 on Top Country Albums, her second of a record-setting nine straight career-opening leaders […]
Chayanne dances his way back into the top 10 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Albums chart as Bailemos Otra Vez debuts at No. 3 on the Nov. 11-dated list. The set becomes his 15th top 10 and his first since 2014.
“It’s the greatest joy!” Chayanne tells Billboard. “I put heart, soul and all my energy into this project and it has rewarded me in the best way, which is the response from the public.”
Bailemos Otra Vez was released Oct. 27 via Sony Music Latin and launches on Latin Pop Albums with 4,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 2, according to Luminate.
Of the 4,000-unit sum, 3,000 derive from album sales. Streaming activity contributes to 1,000 units, which equals to 1.43 million official on-demand audio and video streams for the album’s songs in its first week, while a negligible amount of activity comes from track-equivalent units. On Latin Pop Albums, one unit equals to one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.
With Bailemos Otra Vez, Chayanne logs his 15th top 10 — and 12th consecutive — dating back to his self-titled 1989 album, the No. 3-peaking Chayanne. In fact, the Puerto Rican tracks a multi-decade streak of albums that reached the top 10 since the ’80s, a feat achieved by only one other artist, Rocio Durcal, who has placed top 10s in the ‘80s, ‘90s, ’00, ‘10s and ‘20s.
Here’s a review of Chayanne’s collection of top 10s on Latin Pop Albums spanning five decades:
Peak Date, Title, Peak Position, Weeks At No. 1Aug. 12, 1989, Chayanne, No. 3June 1, 1991, Tiempo De Vals, No. 2April 17, 1993, Provócame, No. 3March 4, 1995, Influencias, No. 12Nov. 9, 1996, Volver A Nacer, No. 15Jan. 9, 1999, Atado A Tu Amor, No. 3Dec. 16, 2000, Simplemente, No. 3April 13, 2002, Grandes Éxitos, No. 1, 10Sept. 13, 2003, Sincero, No. 1, oneApril 16, 2005, Desde Siempre, No. 2Oct. 15, 2005, Cautivo, No. 1, oneApril 28, 2007, Mi Tiempo, No. 2Nov. 15, 2008, Vivo, No. 5March 13, 2010, No Hay Imposible, No. 1, sevenFeb. 25, 2012, Solas Con Chayanne, No. 2Sept. 13, 2014, En Todo Estaré, No. 1, oneNov. 11, 2023, Bailemos Otra Vez, No. 3
Beyond his Latin Pop Albums top 10 debut, Bailemos opens at No. 35 on Top Latin Albums, his first chart appearance since the No. 1-peaking En Todo Estaré en 2014.
Bailemos was preceded by two songs: “Te Amo y Punto,” which reached No. 6 high on Latin Pop Airplay in 2022, and “Bailando Bachata” which holds strong at No. 1 on Tropical Airplay for a 13th week. The latter ties with Marshmello and Manuel Turizo’s “El Merengue” for the most weeks at the lead there in 2023.
“I’ve always liked to have music and rhythms for all tastes,” Chayanne adds. “From this one, I love bachata. I have the tropical in my DNA, and with this album I wanted to wink at Mexico, a country that has always given me so much love and support, so I have a lot of faith in “Necesito Un Segundo.”