Chart Beat
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Shakira’s dominance on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart strengthens this week as “El Jefe,” with Fuerza Regida, extends her record for the most No. 1s among women in the chart’s history. The cross-genre track pushes 5-1 on the chart dated Nov. 18 and sends Karol G’s “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” to No. 2 after two weeks in charge.
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“El Jefe” advances with an 18% gain in audience impressions, to 10.3 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 9, according to Luminate. It gives Fuerza Regida its second champ: “Bebe Dame,” with Grupo Frontera, took the Mexican American regional Mexican band to No. 1 for one week in March. In between, the group scored another top 10, “Mentira No Es,” with Banda MS (No. 6 high last July).
With the new ruler, Shakira improves her career total of Latin Airplay No. 1s to 21. She remains atop the leaderboard for the most No. 1s among women since the chart launched in 1994. Now she ties with Romeo Santos for eighth-most overall. Here’s a review of the artists with the most rulers on the all- Latin airplay tally, a record mostly male- dominated:
36, J Balvin33, Ozuna32, Enrique Iglesias28, Daddy Yankee23, Maluma22, Bad Bunny22, Wisin21, Romeo Santos21, Shakira18, Ricky Martin
Elsewhere, “El Jefe” enters the top 10 on Regional Mexican Airplay, at No. 9. Shakira picks up her first top 10 there, while Regida secures its seventh.
In addition to its radio growth, “El Jefe” has achieved multiple top 10s across Billboard charts: No. 1 on Latin Digital Song Sales, No. 4 on Hot Latin Songs, which blends airplay, digital sales, and streaming activity, and on Latin Streaming Songs, all on the Oct. 7-dated lists.
Marshmello scores his fourth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart as his new album, Sugar Papi, debuts atop the Nov. 18-dated ranking. The set, released Nov. 3 via Joytime Collective/Sony Music Latin, is his first Latin project, and concurrently earns the DJ/producer a first entry on any Latin albums chart, with a No. 9 launch on Top Latin Albums and a No. 5 bow on Latin Rhythm Albums. It also debuts at No. 97 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
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The 11-track set features such Latin stars as Anuel AA, Farruko, Fuerza Regida, Nicky Jam and Manuel Turizo. Ten of the 11 tunes are collaborations with artists who record in Spanish, while one track is a team-up with Brazilian artist Luisa Sonza, who records in Portuguese.
Sugar Papi debuts on all four lists with 11,000 equivalent units earned in the U.S. during the Nov. 3-9 tracking week, according to Luminate.
Most of Sugar Papi’s opening unit sum is driven by streaming activity, which equals to 15.4 million official streams of the set’s songs, while the remainder balance stems from album sales and track-equivalent album units. 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.
Marshmello previously hit No. 1 on Top Dance/Electronic Albums with Joytime III (one week, 2019), Marshmello: Fortnite Extended Set (20 weeks, 2019; currently tied with Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind for the most weeks at No. 1 among solo male artists), and Joytime II (one week, 2018).
With a fourth No. 1, Marshmello ties Aphex Twin for the second-most leaders among male solo artists, behind Louie DeVito’s seven champs.
The set was preceded by two songs: “El Merengue,” with Manuel Turizo, which spent 13 weeks atop the Tropical Airplay chart – the second-longest-leading No. 1 on Tropical Airplay in 2023 (Chayanne’s “Bailando Bachata” remains at the lead in its 14th week), while “Esta Vida,” with Farruko, reached a No. 2 high on Latin Pop Airplay. The tracks peaked at Nos. 24 and 42, respectively, on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, while topping out at Nos. 5 and 10 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.
Further, one other song makes its debut on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart: “Harley Quinn,” with Fuerza Regida, surges 13-2 as the Greatest Gainer/Sales & Streaming song of the week. The track logged 10.2 million streams in the U.S. during the same period, enough to also place it in the runner-up slot on Latin Streaming Songs.
Post Malone scores his first hit on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated Nov. 18), as his duet with the late Joe Diffie on the latter’s 1990s classic “Pickup Man” debuts at No. 54.
The song, billed as Joe Diffie featuring Post Malone, and released Nov. 9 via Mercury/Republic/Big Loud Records, arrives with 826,000 country format audience impressions in the Nov. 3-9 tracking week, according to Luminate. It debuts after just one day of tracking.
Post Malone performed the song at the 57th annual CMA Awards on Nov. 8, alongside Morgan Wallen and HARDY. The latter two artists also covered Diffie’s “John Deere Green.” The trio performed in tribute to Diffie, who died in March 2020 after a battle with COVID-19. His original versions of “Pickup Man” and “John Deere Green” hit Nos. 1 and 5, respectively, on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1994.
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Both updates (with Diffie’s vocals recorded in 2006) are set to appear on the third iteration of HARDY’s Hixtape series, Hixtape Volume 3: Difftape, due March 29, 2024. The first, Hixtape, Vol. 1, reached No. 35 on the Top Country Albums chart in 2019 and features songs by 17 country acts, including Wallen, Trace Adkins, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell and Keith Urban.
As Post Malone debuts on Country Airplay for the first time, he has now charted on 15 different Billboard radio surveys in his career: Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay, Adult Contemporary, Rock & Alternative Airplay, Alternative Airplay, Adult Alternative Airplay, Mainstream Rock Airplay, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rhythmic Airplay, Rap Airplay, Latin Airplay, Dance/Mix Show Airplay, Country Airplay and the all-format Radio Songs chart.
Of those 15 rankings, he has hit No. 1 on 11: Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay, Adult Contemporary, Alternative Airplay, Adult Alternative Airplay, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rhythmic Airplay, Rap Airplay, Dance/Mix Show Airplay and Radio Songs.
Billboard has 25 total radio charts. The only ones on which Post Malone hasn’t yet charted are Adult R&B Airplay, Christian Airplay, Christian AC Airplay, Gospel Airplay, Latin Pop Airplay, Latin Rhythm Airplay, Regional Mexican Airplay, Tropical Airplay, Smooth Jazz Airplay and Holiday Airplay.
Dating to when Luminate began tracking airplay data in 1990, Pharrell holds the record for reaching the most radio charts, with 18. Adele and Mariah Carey are next (17 each), followed by Beyoncé, Wyclef Jean, John Legend, Bruno Mars, Santana and Timbaland (16 each). The artists to chart on 15 radio charts each: Christina Aguilera, Akon, Justin Bieber (with a notable country crossover of his own this decade), Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Shaggy and Snoop Dogg.
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Recorded back then, a top 10 hit now: The Beatles’ “Now and Then” has returned the music legends to the upper reaches of the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at No. 7 on this week’s chart. Billed as the final Beatles song, “Now and Then” was first recorded as a demo by John Lennon in 1977, and was completed decades later by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, with George Harrison’s guitar parts also incorporated into the final track.
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With the No. 7 debut, “Now and Then” becomes The Beatles’ 35th top 10 hit, and their first in 27 years. What does the future hold for “Now and Then” as viewed within the context of the band’s catalog? And will more classic artists try to revive older demos with newer technology? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
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1. On a scale of 1-10 – 1 being crushed, 10 being elated – how excited should Beatles fans be about a No. 7 Hot 100 debut for “Now and Then,” considering the fanfare surrounding the release of the “final Beatles song”?
Eric Renner Brown: A 7? A 3? I’m not sure. It’s like that Don Draper “I don’t think of you at all” meme from Mad Men – I doubt fans are as invested in The Beatles’ performance on the chart as pop stans are for their favorites, and for executives, the part of the equation where chart position indicates current popularity or aids future success isn’t relevant here. It’s The Beatles! I doubt Hot 100 position matters much to them or their fans.
Gil Kaufman: 5 – Have to give it a neutral rating because, on the one hand, true Beatlebums have to be gobsmacked that a “new” song from their beloved band didn’t come in at No. 1! How in this universe could this song not top EVERY chart across the universe after such a long wait?! Then again, in the streaming era of the here today/gone later today music machine, a dusty, mechanically manipulated, decades-old demo of a sleepy song they rejected at least once before charting at all is pretty sweet, all considering.
Jason Lipshutz: An 8. “Now and Then” received a high-profile rollout and release, and obviously The Beatles remain culturally enormous, but still, this is a polished demo that was originally recorded over 40 years ago, so a top 10 debut is pretty remarkable. I only docked two points because landing at No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “Now and Then” would have not only been surreal for the Fab Four, but also extended their record of Hot 100 chart-toppers – the Beatles still have the most at 20 No. 1s, but every year, modern artists like Taylor Swift and Drake creep closer to that mark. Joe Lynch: A 9. As a lifelong Beatles devotee who liked but didn’t love “Now and Then,” I was still pretty excited to see this peak. It’s wild that 59 years after their first Hot 100 chart-topper they’re going top 10 with a new song. Hopes for it going No. 1 were a bit unreasonable: its Thursday release meant that first-week interest was split into two tracking periods (since the weekly charts begin a new tracking period each Friday); plus, it’s not exactly radio catnip, being a more melancholic tune than an earworm. (And really, does anyone think this deserves to be a new No. 1 in the Beatles catalog, which is regarded with almost Biblical reverence?) A top 10 entry – their record-extending 35th – is a perfect peak for this song.
Katie Atkinson: I’ll go with a 7 for No. 7! Yes, this was the “final Beatles song,” but there were also quite a few factors working against it, like its international premiere coming on Thursday morning, almost a full day before the U.S. chart tracking week begins. Plus, this is not an upbeat, poppy Beatles song. It’s emotional, yes, but not as melodically memorable as The Beatles’ biggest hits, or as their ’90s song releases. All things considered, I think a top 10 debut is a big win.
2. “Now and Then” debuts in the top 10 with 11 million streams, 2.1 million in radio reach and 73,000 physical and digital singles in its first full week. Do you think the song enjoyed a one-week burst in attention, or could you see it persisting as a new hit?
Eric Renner Brown: I’ve been wrong before, but this feels like a one-week burst in attention. I wouldn’t consider myself a Beatles obsessive, but I’m certainly a huge fan – the listen-to-all-the-demos-on-the-new-reissues tier fan – and “Now and Then” feels… completely inessential to me. The Beatles’ sound isn’t exactly in the zeitgeist either, currently. I don’t see it catching steam as a genuine hit, and I don’t see diehards listening to it enough to sustain a strong chart position.
Gil Kaufman: I think this track was lucky to come in with those numbers, which, honestly, feel tame-to-flop-ish considering the relentless hype around it. Keep in mind that a week before, a “From the Vault” song from Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version), “Is It Over Now (Taylor’s Version),” debuted with 32 million streams and 4.7 million radio airplay impressions. Yes, she is a modern star, but The Beatles are forever stars – so given the tepid reaction, this song feels like a novelty with short legs that will slowly fade after the initial hype.
Jason Lipshutz: Probably a one-week burst, but since I’m generally in favor of “Now and Then” as a pop artifact, I could see the song performing well on streaming and sales platforms, and scoring a few scattered radio plays, over the next few months. Unreleased Beatles songs don’t come around very often, and “Now and Then” could catch on – maybe not as a new hit, but as a totem of fan appreciation, that spends extended time near the top of their catalog’s streams and sales figures.
Joe Lynch: I don’t think it’s going to disappear into nothingness. Interest in the song, and its inclusion on the expanded edition of the so-called Beatles Blue Album, will linger as the curious and the fanatical revisit what’s been promised as the final Beatles song. Do I think it will persist as a “hit”? No. As Christmas music encroaches on the Hot 100 and excitement over this song wanes, its Hot 100 life will be akin to Jimmy Nicol’s time with the Fab Four. Katie Atkinson: I’m thinking a one-week burst, though I imagine radio could hang around on certain formats (that is, if all of the AC stations playing it haven’t already made the switch to holiday music). As an aside, I hope Beatles fans aren’t sleeping on the new Red and Blue Album greatest-hits revamps that came out last week too, because the updated audio on those classic songs makes it sound like hearing them for the first time. If “Now and Then” just has a one-week pop of interest, those collections deserve to be an in-demand holiday gift over the next month-plus and years to come.
3. What were your expectations for “Now and Then” – and now that you’ve had over a week to experience it, would you say that the song met them?
Eric Renner Brown: I had no expectations. We have so many brilliant Beatles songs that aren’t going anywhere, and getting more – beyond the expanded reissues, which have troves of fascinating, curio-level demos and outtakes – was never a possibility I considered seriously. I can’t say that I’m disappointed, because I didn’t have any hopes for the song. But my lack of anticipation hasn’t made this a pleasantly-surprised-by-default situation. There’s an uncanny valley aspect to the whole endeavor that just makes me feel weird. Maybe I’d feel differently if the song was good enough to make me look past that.
Gil Kaufman: Knowing what I knew about the song, and then learned about its creation pre-release, it’s pretty much what I expected. It’s no revelation or holy grail, but it is a nice, sweet coda to the greatest rock story of all time. It didn’t change any perceptions or reveal anything monumental, but it sure was nice to hear Lennon’s vocals one last time. I wasn’t expecting that much and it lived up to those expectations. Won’t turn it off if it comes on, but won’t go looking for it, either.
Jason Lipshutz: My expectations were pretty low for “Now and Then” – they usually are for excavated demos – so to have the song join my regular rotation and bask in its pensive beauty has been quite the pleasant surprise. “Now and Then” is not a Beatles classic, but it was never going to be; instead, we have a collection of lovely melodies and luxurious production, packaged as a coda in 2023 but likely going to last as a charming deep cut in the years to come. Joe Lynch: As someone who greets the inevitable onslaught of AI-assisted resurrections with a grim resolution, I was relieved. AI was only used to clean up imperfections on shoddy tape, not to recreate or mimic anyone’s voice or guitar. (Incidentally, AI was used in precisely the same way on Peter Jackson’s justly celebrated Get Back documentary in 2021.) The song itself lacks the immediate melodicism that one associates with the Beatles, even on their filler tracks, but it’s likable in a swan song-y way. Given that my expectations existed in the space between dread and anxiety, I’m happy the song is well-intentioned, well-executed and solid. And for anyone claiming this is a stain on their legacy, well, you’re clearly not familiar with the 1982 abomination “The Beatles’ Movie Medley,” a Capitol-sanctioned single that somehow hit No. 12 on the Hot 100.
Katie Atkinson: I didn’t have any expectations about what it would sound like, but I was surprised that it’s such a quiet song. I now understand why “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” got the nod as the ’90s song releases, because they’re more in line with some of The Beatles’ poppier songs, but I was mostly impressed by the emotional wallop of “Now and Then.” The way it was set up with the mini-documentary and the backstory about how all four Beatles contributed to the song over the decades was so poignant. It feels like an unexpectedly sweet gift from a band that truly owes fans nothing more than they’ve already brought to the world.
4. Considering that “Now and Then” scored a top 10 debut after it was first recorded as a demo in 1977, and completed decades later thanks to new technology, do you think we’re about to see an influx of classic artists using AI and modern software to perfect and release older material?
Eric Renner Brown: I fully expect there to be an influx, especially considering the swell in repurposing old hits for new ones. Audiences are more nostalgic now than ever. So many classic artists are gone, and the ones who are still around aren’t getting any younger. But ultimately, I don’t see this method being any more successful long-term on the charts than the outtakes dumps we see on reissues – that is to say, I don’t expect them to be successful, really. Many truly great artists achieved that distinction in part through outstanding quality control, and I think that when listeners dig beyond what artists released, they quickly discover previously unreleased material was shelved for a reason. Put another way: The Beatles could only debut at No. 7, and with a solid song. What “new” song from a classic artist would have a bigger draw than a “new,” respectable Beatles song?
Gil Kaufman: Probably, but this feels like such a unique, one-off kind of thing I hope we don’t start digging into the crates for unfinished songs from beloved artists that won’t significantly add to their legacies, if not outright despoil them. A good friend who is a major rock band manager once told me, “If they didn’t release it as a single or even include it 11 tracks deep, you probably don’t need/want to hear it.”
Jason Lipshutz: Probably, although most of those attempts won’t likely achieve the chart impact of “Now and Then,” simply because no other artists possess The Beatles’ timeless stature. If technology allows artists to revisit garbled or incomplete material and freshen it up, though, they should do it, by all means. Why leave something on the cutting room floor if you feel like you now have the tools and desire to make it presentable to the world? Joe Lynch: Absolutely. Anyone pretending AI isn’t going to change the reissue/remaster/catalog game has their head in the sand. I fear – well, let’s be honest, know – that ethical questions about dead artists and AI will be secondary to profitability, but I’m heartened to see that in this case, everyone’s priorities seemed straight. AI was used to improve a worn-out tape, not to create anything new. Fingers crossed that those in charge of the estates of our late icons take the same care when using AI for potential future releases.
Katie Atkinson: It is exciting to think that this technology could salvage spotty archival audio from late legends, especially with the blessing of living collaborators and family members like in this case. I think hearing those two letters – “AI” – from Paul McCartney in an interview months ago scared a lot of music purists, but seeing this materialize feels like the best-case scenario for how the technology can be used.
5. Fill in the blank: the long-dormant artist who I’d be most excited to get a “final” new song from would be _______. Eric Renner Brown: Robert Johnson… there have to be more 78s out there somewhere.
Gil Kaufman: Kurt Cobain. Duh. Despite my previous answer.
Jason Lipshutz: Daft Punk. If our favorite French robots unveiled one final dance single before officially hanging up their helmets, I would expect a full-on, five-alarm banger. Let’s hope that they have even more than that for us someday, though.
Joe Lynch: Led Zeppelin. The reissues have shown us that plenty of material was left on the floor, and there’s gotta be some bonkers Bonzo drumming out there that the remaining three-fourths of the band could finish off.
Katie Atkinson: Freddie Mercury with Queen. Knowing how active the band has remained, just wrapping up a new tour with Adam Lambert, the idea of getting to hear Freddie’s restored vocals on one more bombastic Queen hit is very tempting.
For King & Country, the duo of siblings Joel and Luke Smallbone, notches its 14th leader on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart (dated Nov. 18) with “What Are We Waiting For?” The song increased by 7% to 6 million audience impressions Nov. 3-9, according to Luminate.
The twosome extends its record streak to 11 consecutive Christian Airplay No. 1 singles (encompassing songs in lead roles promoted as proper, non-holiday radio singles, unless seasonal songs contribute to that run).
The siblings co-authored their latest leader.
“Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve loved music,” Luke Smallbone tells Billboard. “I never thought I’d be a songwriter, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the true power of music – it can impact someone’s eternal destination. For us to be a part of that journey in someone’s life is an immense privilege and honor.”
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For King & Country’s 14 Christian Airplay No. 1s mark the second-most among all acts since the chart began in 2003, after MercyMe’s 18. Jeremy Camp, Matthew West and TobyMac rank third with 12 each.
“What Are We Waiting For?” follows for King & Country’s “Love Me Like I Am” (with Jordin Sparks), which ruled for two frames starting in February. Before that, the pair led with “Joy to the World” for a week in December 2022 and “For God Is With Us” for three weeks that July.
The other No. 1s in the duo’s active streak: “Relate,” which ruled for three weeks starting in December 2021; “Amen” (one week, July 2021); “O Come O Come Emmanuel” featuring NEEDTOBREATHE (two weeks, starting in December 2020); “Together” with Kirk Franklin and Tori Kelly (five, beginning in August 2020); “Burn the Ships” (five, starting in January 2020); “God Only Knows” (10, beginning in April 2019); and “joy.” (four, starting in August 2018).
Amid that stretch, the tandem’s holiday track “Heavenly Hosts” reached No. 2 in January 2022. Plus, the duo featured on older sister Rebecca St. James’ “Kingdom Come,” which hit No. 26 that May.
For King & Country scored its first Christian Airplay No. 1 with its seventh entry, “Fix My Eyes,” for a week in September 2014.
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Grear & Co. Get First Gospel No. 1
James Grear & Company’s “I Wanna Say Thank You” featuring Maurette Brown Clark hits the Gospel Airplay summit. In the Nov. 3-9 tracking week, the song gained by 14% in plays.
James Grear & Company earns its first No. 1 in its second appearance on the chart, after “It’s My Season” peaked at No. 29 in 2015.
Brown Clark leads Gospel Airplay for a second time, after “It Ain’t Over (Until God Says It’s Over)” dominated for five frames in 2009. Her first of eight entries, “One God,” hit No. 2 in 2007, her first of four top 10s.
Brown Clark has an additional song on the Nov. 18 tally: “I See Good” ranks at No. 18, after reaching No. 14.
The Beatles are, well, the Beatles. Perhaps the biggest and most successful act in music history, and, of course, on Billboard’s charts, as confirmed by their standing at No. 1 on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Artists recap.
The Fab Four were only active for a brief period in the 1960s, but that short span left an indelible mark on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums list. The group charted 64 total songs on the Hot 100 between 1964 and 1970, of which 20 hit No. 1 — a record for the most leaders that still stands.
The band also charted 26 albums on the Billboard 200 from 1964 to 1970 (14 of which topped the chart in that time frame), but have charted an additional 18, thanks to compilations, live recordings, special releases/anthologies and more. To date, The Beatles have earned 19 No. 1 albums, also the most in the chart’s history.
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The group returns to the Hot 100 on the Nov. 18, 2023-dated chart thanks to its new single, “Now and Then.” The track, billed as the final Beatles song, was first recorded as a demo in 1977 by John Lennon and initially meant for the band’s three-edition Anthology series in the mid-‘90s before being shelved by the surviving members of the band. It was completed, and released Nov. 2 after new technology helped extract Lennon’s vocals from the original demo while also using guitar recordings from George Harrison from the initial attempt to finish the song.
The song debuts at No. 7 on the Hot 100, becoming the band’s 72nd career entry, and first since “Real Love” reached No. 11 in 1996. It’s The Beatles’ 35th top 10, extending their record for the most among groups. Plus, the band has now charted on the Hot 100 in five distinct decades: the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and now, the 2020s.
As the iconic group returns to Billboard’s charts, here’s a look at 10 records the band still holds on the Hot 100 or Billboard 200 (as of the charts dated Nov. 18, 2023).
Most No. 1 Songs on the Hot 100
Taylor Swift spends a record-extending 85th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated Nov. 18), thanks to the continued success of her latest rerecorded LP, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), as well as nine additional albums on the Billboard 200 and 16 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
1989 (Taylor’s Version) spends a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with 245,000 equivalent album units earned in its second frame, according to Luminate. A week earlier, it debuted with 1.653 million equivalent album units — the largest one-week total since the debut of Adele’s 25 (3.482 million; Nov. 15, 2015).
Here’s a recap of Swift’s current Billboard 200-charting albums.
Rank, Title:
No. 1, 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
No. 9, Midnights
No. 11, Lover
No. 15, Folklore
No. 20, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
No. 24, Reputation
No. 25, Red (Taylor’s Version)
No. 27, Evermore
No. 51, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
No. 53, 1989
On the Hot 100, Swift charts 16 total songs, including 15 from 1989 (Taylor’s Version). Her other charting song, “Cruel Summer” (from from 2019’s Lover), rebounds for a third week at No. 1.
Jung Kook jumps from No. 100 to No. 2 on the Artist 100, the 98-position vault marking the greatest leap in the chart’s nearly decade-long history. He reaches a new high thanks to the opening week of his first solo LP, Golden, which arrives at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 210,000 units. The set’s “Standing Next to You” concurrently debuts at No. 5 on the Hot 100, becoming his sixth solo entry outside BTS, and third top 10, after “Seven,” featuring Latto (No. 1), and “3D,” with Jack Harlow (No. 5).
Plus, the late Jimmy Buffett re-enters the Artist 100 at No. 7, sparked by his new album, Equal Strain on All Parts. The set opens at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with 53,000 units, marking his 14th top 10.
The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.
It’s official: Beatlemania is back in the U.K.
After the Beatles landed their first No. 1 in 60 years with “Now And Then” (via Apple Corps), the Fab Four is on the brink of converting a rare chart double.
Based on sales and streaming data published by the Official Charts Company, reissues of the Beatles’ greatest hits compilations, 1967-1970 (also known as The Blue Album) and 1962-1966 (or The Red Album), are respectively leading the midweek albums chart.
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The Blue Album, which is on track to eclipse its No. 2 peak, following its initial release back in May 1973, gathers remastered tracks and rarities, and includes the iconic band’s final single, “Now And Then,” which leads the current U.K. singles chart and is heading for a second week at No. 1.
According to the OCC, just 1,000 chart units separate the two Beatles albums (The Red Album peaked at No. 3 back in 1973). If either of those titles are crowned when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published this Friday, Nov. 17, it would give the Beatles a 16th leader, extending their leadership in the all-time list of acts with No. 1 LPs (Robbie Williams is in second place with 14).
Despite calling it a day in 1970, the Beatles could dominate the top 10 with a third title. To coincide with the release of “Now And Then,” a composite boxed set of the two LPs is predicted to crack the top 10 for the first time, at No. 9.
In non-Beatles activity, drum ‘n’ bass act Chase & Status could snag a fifth UK top 10 with 2 RUFF, Vol. 1 (EMI), new at No. 3 on the Official Albums Chart Update, while a 10th anniversary edition of Passenger’s All the Little Lights (Cooking Vinyl) is set to arrive at No. 5. The British singer and songwriter’s fourth studio album originally peaked at No. 3 back in 2013 and is one of his six U.K. top 10s, including a No. 1 for 2016’s Young As The Morning Old As The Sea.
New Order’s Substance (Rhino) compilation from 1987 is targeting a No. 6 reentry, following a multi-format reissue, while South Africa-born, London-based alt-pop artist Baby Queen (Quarter Life Crisis at No. 7 via Polydor), and U.S. country star Chris Stapleton (Higher at No. 10 via EMI) are eyeing their first top 10 slots.
The Beatles are set to prove once again why they’re the champions of the U.K., as “Now And Then” (via Apple Corps) takes pole position in the current chart race.
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Based on sales and streaming data published by the Official Charts Company, “Now And Then” is the leader at the halfway point, and is forecast to snag a second week at No. 1.
The Fab Four has some work to do. “Now And Then” has the edge over new releases from Jack Harlow (“Lovin’ On Me” at No. 2 via Atlantic) and Dua Lipa (“Kinetic Houdini” at No. 3 via Warner Records) on the Official Chart Update, with roughly 2,000 chart units splitting the top three.
The Fab Four’s “last” song,” “Now And Then” took the elevator to No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Friday, Nov. 10, having opened the previous week at No. 42 based on just 10 hours of sales and streams.
On its way to the top, the Beatles busted a string of records. Among them, the track leads the chart some 60 years and six months after the Beatles’ first No. 1, “From Me To You,” marking the longest span between an act’s first and last chart-topping hit, the OCC reports.
Also, “Now and Then” is the Beatles’ 18th U.K. No. 1, extending their record as the British act with the most leaders, and it’s the longest-ever gap between No. 1 singles for any act (54 years).
From tape to the top of the charts, “Now And Then” is the stuff of legend. Originally a demo recorded by the late John Lennon in the 1970s, the project was brought to the studio by the surviving Beatles, then shelved in the mid-1990s due to technical limitations. Led by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the surviving members of the Beatles, the project was recently revived and completed with the help of computer learning software created by Peter Jackson’s team at WingNut Films.
Beatlemania doesn’t end at the singles survey. The legendary band is on track for a U.K. chart double, as the Red and Blue collections dominate the top two spots on the midweek albums tally.
All will be revealed when the Official Charts are published late Friday, Nov. 17.
Though he missed out on top spot, thanks to the juggernauts that are Taylor Swift and Oasis, Jung Kook stakes a claim to U.K. chart history with Golden (via BigHit Entertainment).
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The BTS star’s solo debut album bowed at No. 3 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart last Friday, Nov. 10, behind Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via EMI) and Oasis’ The Masterplan (Big Brother), respectively.
With that solid start, Golden becomes the highest-charting album by a Korean solo artist, including the cuts by his BTS bandmates, the Official Charts Company confirms.
Golden shines with four U.K. top 10 singles – “Seven” featuring Latto (No. 3 peak), “3D” with Jack Harlow (No. 5), “Too Much” with The Kid Laroi and Central Cee (No. 10) and the latest release, “Standing Next to You,” which opens its account at No. 6 on the national singles chart, also published Friday.
That’s four U.K. top tier tracks in just four months, extending Jung Kook’s record as the Korean solo artist with the most U.K. top 10 singles.
As a member of the all-conquering BTS, Jung Kook has five U.K. top 10 albums, including two leaders (2019’s Map of the Soul: Persona and 2020’s Map of the Soul: 7), and four top 10 singles (2020’s “Dynamite” and “Life Goes On”; and 2021’s “Butter” and Coldplay collaboration “My Universe”).
Jung Kook goes one better on Australia’s albums chart, where Golden (via ING/Universal) drops in at No. 2, behind Swift’s latest release. That result matches the record for the highest solo debut LP from a Korean artist in the land Down Under, matching the effort from his BTS bandmate Suga (aka Agust D), who entered at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart with his 2000 D-2 mixtape.
As previously reported, “Standing Next to You” flies in at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. songs charts.