Chart Beat
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Doja Cat splashes into the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as “Paint the Town Red” opens at No. 6 on the list dated Aug. 19. The track gives the singer-rapper her eighth career top 10 on the chart — which combines streaming, radio airplay and sales data into its rankings — as it bursts onto streaming charts and has a strong premiere at various radio formats.
“Paint the Town Red,” released Aug. 4 through Kemosabe/RCA Records, launches with 14 million official U.S. streams in the week ending Aug. 10, according to Luminate. The eight-figure sum sparks the tune’s No. 4 start (and her ninth career top 10) on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart and a No. 11 arrival on the corresponding, all-genre Streaming Songs list. In the sales market, “Paint the Town Red” begins at No. 5 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales, with 3,000 downloads in the same tracking week.
Initial radio airplay shows “Paint the Town Red” landing at three radio formats — rhythmic, R&B/hip-hop, and pop — and giving Doja Cat the strongest debut radio week of her catalog. On Rhythmic Airplay, the new single enters at No. 22 to rewrite the mark for Doja Cat’s best debut among her 19 career entries, passing the No. 26 bows of “Like That,” featuring Gucci Mane, in 2020 and “Attention” last month.
Similarly, the superstar captures new career-best debuts on Pop Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay – at No. 23 on the former, improving upon the No. 26 opening achieved through her featured turn on Post Malone’s “I Like That (A Happier Song)” in June 2022, while a No. 27 breakthrough on the latter outdoes the No. 29 kickoff for the Doja-assisted “Pussy Talk” by City Girls.
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With “Paint the Town Red,” Doja Cat nabs her eighth top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Here’s a review of her collection:
Song Title, Artist (if other than Doja Cat), Peak Position, Peak Date
“Say So,” No. 1 (two weeks), May 16, 2020
“Streets,” No. 7, Feb. 13, 2021
“Best Friend,” Saweetie featuring Doja Cat, No. 6, June 12, 2021
“Ain’t Sh-t”, July 10, 2021
“You Right,” with The Weeknd, No. 2, Sept. 4, 2021
“Woman,” No. 2, March 26, 2022
“Get Into It (Yuh),” No. 7, June 25, 2022
“Paint the Town Red,” No. 6 (to date), Aug. 19, 2023
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Notably, “Paint the Town Red” samples elements of another No. 6 hit, the Dionne Warwick standard “Walk on By,” which reached that peak on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. Thanks to the inclusion, songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal Davis extend their storied writing careers on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, which includes penning other hits, including many recorded by Warwick, such as “Don’t Make Me Over” (No. 5) and “I Say a Little Prayer” (No. 8).
Elsewhere, “Paint the Town Red” begins at No. 15 on the Hot 100, the week’s highest debut, and No. 5 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
This week: Oliver Anthony Music’s new runaway smash also leads to gains for his older songs, the latest Taylor’s Version already has fans feeling nostalgic, hip-hop’s 50th anniversary gives a streaming bump to some of its greatest practitioners and more.
Oliver Anthony’s Viral Breakout Is More Than Just One Song
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Not many folks would’ve predicted Oliver Anthony would be likely to crash a Billboard Hot 100 race this week including superstars Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen. But that’s exactly what the Appalachian country singer/songwriter (who officially records as Oliver Anthony Music) is doing with his breakout hit “Rich Men North of Richmond,” which is riding waves of working-class frustration, social media virality and critical backlash to the top of the charts this week.
“Richmond,” an acoustic protest song featuring only Anthony’s voice and his guitar – and decrying the rich, the politicians, and (most controversially) the country’s welfare system – first caught national media attention on Friday (Aug. 11) when it zoomed to No. 1 on the iTunes chart. It’s stayed atop of the iTunes chart since – and has also taken off on streaming, with its daily official on-demand U.S. streams growing to over 3 million on Monday (Aug. 15), according to Luminate.
What really separates Anthony from other conservative-leaning chart successes of the past few years by Aaron Lewis, Bryson Gray and (most recently) Jason Aldean, though, is how interest has also already spread to the rest of his catalog. “Richmond” is just one of seven of his songs currently in the iTunes top 20 as of publishing – and even discounting the plays of his biggest hit, Anthony has racked up streams in the millions each day since its release, with “Ain’t Gotta Dollar” and “Ive Got to Get Sober” each notching hundreds of thousands of daily plays. (As recently as last Tuesday, Aug. 8, his total daily streams were still under 20,000.)
In other words, while many of those aforementioned hits burned bright and faded out quickly – even Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” fell out of the top 20 just a week after hitting No. 1 – Anthony is the kind of wide-reaching phenomenon who seems likely to continue generating streams, label interest and discussion (both positive and negative) for many weeks to come. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ Soars at Streaming Thanks to ‘Taylor’s Version’ Announcement
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One week ago, during her final performance in a six-night run at SoFi Stadium outside of Los Angeles, Taylor Swift proved widespread fan speculation correct on the dates of 8/9, by officially announcing 1989 (Taylor’s Version) onstage. The fourth album in Swift’s six-part re-recording project will be released on Oct. 27 – but following the announcement, fans simply couldn’t wait that long to hear their favorite songs from the superstar’s landmark 2014 album.
The news sent “Blank Space,” which previously spent seven weeks at No. 1 during its original chart run in 2014-15, back onto the Hot 100 at No. 49. Yet the biggest hit from 1989 wasn’t the only one to receive a streaming boost: “Style” was also way up in official on-demand U.S. streams, from 955,000 on Aug. 8 (the day before the announcement) to 1.65 million on Aug. 10 (the day after), according to Luminate. Meanwhile, “Welcome to New York” enjoyed an even bigger percentage bump, from 204,000 streams on Aug. 8 to 716,000 on Aug. 10 – a 249% spike.
Zooming out, the announcement of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) sent overall listenership of 1989 skyrocketing, to the point where its U.S. streams more than doubled between 8/9 and 8/10. Here’s a look at a full week of official on-demand U.S. streams of 1989, with the re-record announcement taking place on the night of Aug. 9:
Aug. 8: 5.81 million
Aug. 9: 6.63 million
Aug. 10: 13.68 million
Aug. 11: 10.15 million
Aug. 12: 8.14 million
Aug. 13: 6.97 million
Aug. 14: 6.97 million
Although fans have to wait more than two months to hear 1989 (Taylor’s Version), the excitement could send the original version of the album, which comes in at No. 13 on this week’s Billboard 200, climbing back even higher next week. Swift already has four albums – Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), Midnights, Lover and Folklore – occupying the top 10 of the Billboard 200; perhaps there’s still room for a fifth? – JASON LIPSHUTZ
Lancey Foux Logs Huge Streaming Gains for Self-Referential “Lancey or Lancey”
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From Beyoncé to Ariana Grande, musicians and their biggest fans clarifying the pronunciation of their names is nothing new. In the case of Lancey Foux, however, the British rapper (signed to Human Re Sources) took that confusion to the recording booth and crafted a streaming breakout in the process. According to Luminate, “Lancey Or Lancey,” logged 732,000 official on-demand U.S. streams total between this Friday and Monday (August 11-14), a whopping 1,395% increase from just under 50,000 combined streams during the four-day period a week earlier (Aug 4-7).
Bolstered by a viral trend based on the closing line of the song’s first verse, “Lancey or Lancey” has been used in over 730,000 videos on TikTok. In the trend, users pair two photos that showcase different sides of their persona with the lyrics, “Said she love me, which one, Lancey or Lancey?” The trend originated from a fan edit of a webtoon entitled Operation: True Love. On Tuesday (Aug. 15), Lancey himself hopped on the trend, posting a shirtless clip of himself bopping and lip-syncing along to the TikTok sound.
The success of “Lancey Or Lancey” comes nearly a full year after the song’s release in September of last year. The song served as the third single from Life in Hell, Lancey’s sixth solo studio album, and currently ranks as his most popular song on Spotify. The Stratford-bred rapper’s recent streaming gains come on the heels of “MMM HMM,” his collaboration with another TikTok-conquering 2023 breakout star, Sexyy Red. – KYLE DENIS
Zeddy Will’s “Freak You” Rides Jersey Club Wave to Streaming Surge
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After helping Coi Leray’s “Players” become the biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit of her career with his Jersey Club Remix of the single, DJ Smallz 732 looks set to have a similar impact with Zeddy Will’s “Freak You.” According to Luminate, “Freak You” has scored considerable streaming gains over the past few weeks: During the period of July 28 to August 3, “Freak You” earned 360,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, an 86.5% increase from the period of July 21-27. The song then earned over 531,000 streams between August 4-10, rising a further 47.4% in overall streaming activity.
Multiple parts of the song have gone viral on TikTok. In one section, which Zeddy himself has repeatedly used on the app, users film themselves dancing along to the song as they either generally anticipate imminent events or yearn to be freaked (or freak someone else). “I wanna freak you/ As soon as it can be/ I wanna know/ You leaving with your friends after this/ Or you coming with me?” Zeddy raps in the opening of the song’s first verse. The other section of the song that has gone viral is the opening of the second verse: “You told me that you wasn’t a freak/ And now I don’t believe you/ Cause the way you got me feeling right now/ Every day, girl I wanna see you.” Users generally use both sections of the song for the same thing, although some have adopted Zeddy’s “’memba that?” and “mmm mmm” ad-libs to respond to things that they suspect to be untrue. The three most popular “Freak You” sounds on TikTok boast a combined total of over 481,000 videos.
Zeddy Will, an unsigned Queens-bred TikTok star who previously had viral success with 2022’s “Confidence Is Key,” first teased “Freak You” on TikTok on May 6. Following a positive response to the snippet, the rapper and TikTok personality continued to promote the song with a series of videos highlighting the beat (along with a Jersey-inspired “Freak Walk” dance and a move called the “Zeddybounce”), the lyrics, and the all-around comedic vulgarity of the song. He officially uploaded the song to streaming and digital download platforms on July 11. – K.D.
Q&A: J1, Vice President Hip Hop Programming at SiriusXM, on What’s Trending Up in His World
As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, how do you think we will look back on the year in hip-hop?
I think we will look back at this year in amazement, reverence and appreciation for how far hip-hop has come, its contributions to society, as well as the impact it’s had on us as individuals.
What hip-hop trends do you think will define the rest of 2023?
Bold fashion has always been synonymous with hip-hop, so as the weather hopefully cools down and we transition into fall and winter wardrobes, we’ll see new fashion styles that will be adopted by pop culture.
Which new artists have been particularly intriguing to you?
Ice Spice has been so intriguing to me, because of her movement and passionate fan base. She’s tapped into something which is undeniable and has gained a massive, diverse group of followers. I’m also intrigued by Domani, T.I’s son. Even though his father is one of the pioneers of trap music, Domani has found his own lane and style, very different from his pops.
Fill in the blank: this fall, hip-hop listeners will be obsessed with ________.
Nostalgic and classic rap music, due to all of the great 50th anniversary tributes and highlights we’ve seen throughout the year. – J.L.
Season’s Gainings: Legends Celebrated on Hip-Hop’s Milestone Birthday
The celebrations of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary were everywhere last Friday (Aug. 11), as countless institutions, publications (including this one) and longtime fans took time to pay tribute to the storied genre officially hitting the half-century mark. The impact of Hip-Hop 50 could be felt on streaming, as well. While most music listeners don’t need an extra reason to listen to contemporary superstars like Drake, Cardi B or Kendrick Lamar, daily official on-demand U.S. streams were noticeably up for many acts from the genre’s older legends on Friday – including extra respect paid to LL Cool J (up 13% to 43,000), Public Enemy (up 24% to 162,000) and Hip-Hop 50 Live headliners Run-D.M.C. (up 21% to 380,000). – AU
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” ties Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” for the second-most weeks spent atop Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart in the tally’s decade-long history, crowning the Aug. 19-dated survey. Meanwhile, the songs share the record for the most time on top, 18 weeks each, among hits billed to singular acts and no collaborators.
“Last Night” leads Streaming Songs for an 18th nonconsecutive week with 26.3 million official U.S. streams in the Aug. 4-10 tracking week, down 2%, according to Luminate.
The song first crowned the Streaming Songs list dated March 18, its sixth week on the ranking, boasting 47.5 million streams that week. It has not fallen below No. 3 since.
An 18th week at No. 1 ties Carey’s holiday anthem, which first led Streaming Songs upon the Jan. 5, 2019, chart and has returned each year since for anywhere between three and five weeks at No. 1 during the holiday season.
The overall record for most weeks at No. 1 belongs to Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus: 20 weeks in 2019.
Most Weeks at No. 1, Streaming Songs:
20 weeks, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)
18, “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen (2023)
18, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber (2017)
14, “Rockstar,” Post Malone feat. 21 Savage (2017-2018)
14, “Panda,” Desiigner (2016)
13, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast (2022)
13, “The Box,” Roddy Ricch (2020)
13, “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX (2014)
13, “Wrecking Ball,” Miley Cyrus (2013-2014)
“Last Night” remains Wallen’s only Streaming Songs-topping tune. He first appeared on the ranking with “Whiskey Glasses” in 2019 and rose as high as No. 3 twice, with “Wasted on You” in 2021 and “Don’t Think Jesus” in 2022, prior to the reign of “Last Night.”
“Last Night” concurrently spends its 27th week at No. 1 on Country Streaming Songs, which is nearly halfway to the overall record, kept by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant To Be,” which ruled for 55 weeks in 2017-19.
As previously reported, “Last Night” spends a 16th week at No. 1 on the multi-metric Billboard Hot 100, rewriting the mark for the most frames at the summit among non-collaborations.
Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts in its menu, 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 acts who appear on surveys for the first time on the Aug. 19-dated charts.
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Ez Mil
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The Filipino-American rapper (full name: Ezekiel Miller Sapiera) scores his first Billboard chart appearance with his new collaboration with Eminem, “Realest.” The track, released Aug. 4 on FFP/Shady Records/Aftermath Entertainment, debuts at No. 3 on both the Rap Digital Song Sales and R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales charts, and No. 10 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart with 4,000 downloads sold in its first week (Aug. 4-10), according to Luminate. Ez Mil also starts at No. 16 on Emerging Artists. Ez Mil has released four LPs: Act 1 and Resonances (both in 2020), DU4LI7Y (2022) and DU4LI7Y: REDUX (Aug. 11; it includes “Realest”). The rapper was born in Olongapo City, Philippines, and now lives in Las Vegas.
Malcolm Mays
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The actor-filmmaker-musician earns his first placement on Billboard’s charts thanks to “Not Lucky,” featuring Lil Baby. The song, released in June on Mays’ second EP, Street Journal Vol. 1, debuts at No. 39 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart (up 26% in plays). Mays self-released his debut EP, the five-track Red Flags, in June 2022. Before that, he released three songs: “Ruthless,” in 2016, “Who You Fuckin Wit” (2018) and “Dramatik” (2021). As an actor and filmmaker, Mays has landed roles in the films Southpaw, The Day Shall Come, and Covers (which he also wrote and directed).
Crypta
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The Brazilian death metal band, from São Paulo, notches its first chart appearance, thanks to its second studio album, Shades of Sorrow. Released Aug. 4 on the Austrian label Napalm Records, the set debuts at No. 71 on the Top Current Album Sales chart with 1,000 sold. The band released its first LP, Echoes of the Soul, in 2021. The group also enters at No. 41 on the Emerging Artists chart. Crypta comprises Tainá Bergamaschi (guitar), Luana Dametto (drums), Jéssica di Falchi (guitar) and Fernanda Lira (bass/vocals).
Designer Disguise
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The nu-metalcore band, from Seattle, reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time with its cover of Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz’s classic hit (featuring Ying Yang Twins), “Get Low.” The remake, released in February on InVogue Records, debuts at No. 25 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. The original “Get Low” reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 2003. The band has also released crunchy covers of other classic 2000s and ’10s hits, including Hilary Duff’s “Come Clean,” LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It,” Ludacris’ “Move Bitch” and Sia’s “Chandelier.” Outside of cover singles, Designer Disguise has released two LPs: Surface in 2017 and Elsewaer this January.
9lives
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The artist hits Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to his team-up with Odetari, “I Love You Hoe.” The song, released July 12, debuts at No. 20 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart with 1.6 million U.S. streams. The same day, 9lives and Odetari released two other collabs: “Ice Spice HMU” and “Reassure Me.” On Aug. 7, the pair released sped-up and slowed and reverbed mixes of the three tracks. Beyond his collaborations with Odetari, 9lives has released two solo LPs: #exclusive in 2022 and 33.1FM this February.
Tashi
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The actress and singer (full name: Tashiana Washington) makes her first Billboard chart appearance with her song with Samuel Mancini, “Soak.” Released Aug. 4 through Eric West Management Group, it starts at No. 7 on R&B Digital Song Sales and No. 19 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (1,000 downloads sold). The track was boosted by three additional versions: radio, a cappella and radio a cappella mixes. Tashi released three songs before “Soak”: “Shut Up,” in 2021, “1/2 Way” and “In My Head” (both in 2022). As an actress, she has landed roles in Amazon’s Harlem, HBO’s Betty, HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness and the films Ice Age: Continental Drift and Straight Outta Compton.
Humanity’s Last Breath
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The Swedish metal band debuts on Billboard’s charts for the first time with its new LP, Ashen. The set, released Aug. 4 on Unique Leader Records, debuts at No. 94 on Top Current Album Sales with 1,000 copies sold. The band dropped its first two EPs, Reanimated by Hate and Structures Collapse, in 2010 and 2011, respectively, and added the full-lengths Humanity’s Last Breath (2013), Abyssal (2019) and Välde (2021). Humanity’s Last Breath comprises Klas Blomgren, Fili Danielsson, Tuomas Kurikka, Buster Odeholm and Calle Thomer.
Robert Jon & The Wreck
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The five-piece from Southern California arrives on Billboard’s charts with its new LP, Ride Into the Light. Released Aug. 4 via Journeyman Records, the set debuts at No. 9 on the Blues Albums chart. The group comprises Robert Jon Burrison (lead vocals, guitar), Jake Abernathie (keyboards), Andrew Espantman (drums, background vocals), Warren Murrel (bass) and Henry James Schneekluth (lead guitar, background vocals). The band has a string of U.S. and European tour dates lined up through December.
Michael Daughtry
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The singer-songwriter scores his first chart appearance with his single “Nothing Special.” The song, which he self-released June 16, debuts at No. 28 on Adult Contemporary (up 10% in plays). Daughtry has released four other songs: “What If I,” in 2019, “Save Me Some” (this February), “Paid in Dogs,” with Gail Gallagher, and “Starting Line” (both in July).
Random Acts of Kindness
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The act reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time with “Free To Roam.” Released April 28 on Better World Records, the track debuts at No. 29 on Adult Contemporary (up 49% in plays). The act, led by Ken Freirich, describes the song as “about liberation, freedom, self-expression and empowerment. It’s about breaking free from the chains of a challenging life situation, overcoming adversity, following your dreams and passions and living life to its fullest on your own terms.” Random Acts of Kindness have released one additional song: “Healthcare Workers Rock!,” in 2020.
Sean Paul is back at No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart following a six-year break with the Feid team-up, “Niña Bonita,” which rises 4-1 to lead the Aug. 19-dated list.
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It’s the second Spanglish collab that takes Sean Paul to No. 1 on Latin Airplay. The dancehall singer-songwriter crowned the overall Latin radio ranking for one week through his featured turn on Enrique Iglesias’s “Súbeme La Radio” in 2017. Feid, meanwhile, picks-up his fourth champ, three which have arrived in 2023.
“Niña Bonita” trades places with Bad Bunny’s “Where She Goes,” which dips 1-4 after its one-week lead, boosted by a 10% gain in audience impressions, to 9.5 million, registered in the U.S. during the Aug. 4-10 tracking week, according to Luminate. “Goes” falls to No. 4 with 8.1 million impressions, a 12% cut from the week prior.
Between his two chart-topping singles, “Contra La Pared,” with J Balvin, took Sean Paul to a No. 8 high in 2019, to become his third top 10 on Latin Airplay then. His first arrived in 2006 as the all English-language “Temperature” peaked at No. 10 in its sixth week.
Further, “Bonita” is the Jamaican’s second Spanglish partnership in 2023. He was recruited by Karol G for her single “Karmika,” also with Bad Gyal, which rose to No. 25 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs in March. The track is one of 17 songs on Karol G’s No. 1 album Mañana Será Bonito.
As mentioned, “Bonita” gives Feid his fourth No. 1 on Latin Airplay among 10 career entries and five top 10s. It follows the four-week ruler “Yandel 150,” with Yandel (April-May). Prior, he crowned for one week through his featured role on Ozuna’s “Hey Mor” in March. The Colombian earned his first ruler with “Porfa,” with the all-star team comprising J Balvin, Maluma, Nicky Jam, Sech, and Justin Quiles, in 2020.
Elsewhere, “Bonita” rises 3-1 to capture its first week atop Latin Rhythm Airplay as the Greatest Gainer. It’s concurrently Sean Paul’s first hit since 2017 for a total of three No. 1s, while Feid secures his fifth champ there.
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The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week (for the upcoming charts dated August 26), Wallen’s “Last Night” is just three more weeks at No. 1 from tying the Billboard Hot 100’s all-time record – but his position is growing more precarious, thanks to growing hits from Luke Combs and Taylor Swift, and a runaway viral hit from Oliver Anthony Music.
Morgan Wallen, “Last Night” (Big Loud/Mercury/Republic): Wallen secured his 16th week at No. 1 this week (chart dated Aug. 19) with “Last Night,” moving the song into a three-way tie with Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” and Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s Justin Bieber-featuring “Despacito” for the second-longest reign atop the Hot 100 in chart history, and the longest for any unaccompanied artist. From there, it’s just three weeks away from matching “Old Town Road” (by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus; 19 weeks in 2019) for the all-time mark.
However, “Last Night” continues to slip in its footing, as the song again falls in all three chart factors this week – down 11% to 59.6 million radio airplay audience impressions, down 2% to 26.3 million streams and down 22% to 5,000 downloads in the Aug. 4-10 tracking week, according to Luminate. Its numbers are still impressive – and it even rebounds to No. 1 on Streaming Songs this week, with Travis Scott’s Utopia song entries receding in their second frame – but it’s no longer totally out of reach for the songs beneath it.
Oliver Anthony Music, “Rich Men North of Richmond” (DistroKid): Two weeks ago, you might not have heard of West Virginia singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony, but chances are pretty good he’s made your radar since, as his “Rich Men North of Richmond” has taken off with a velocity rarely seen for new artists. After going viral on social media and earning endorsements from conservative-leaning public figures such as Matt Walsh, Laura Ingraham and John Rich – as well as backlash from prominent critics who view its pro-working class but anti-welfare message as hypocritical and problematic – the song has improbably launched itself into the crowded race for the Hot 100’s No. 1 spot.
“Rich Men,” which is officially credited to Oliver Anthony Music, jumped to the top of the iTunes chart on Friday, and since officially arriving on streaming services over the weekend, has risen to the top three on both Spotify and Apple Music’s daily tallies. Though its radio play is minimal, if its sales and streams totals stay that robust, Anthony’s breakout hit will certainly be a contender to topple “Last Night” at No. 1 – and as debate over the song and its creator continues rising to a fever pitch, it’s unlikely to fall off anytime too soon.
Taylor Swift, “Cruel Summer” (Republic): A rising tide lifts all boats, and the good ship “Cruel Summer” has benefited over and over again from spikes of interest in Taylor Swift the past few months. Most recently, it’s been the (temporary) end of her Eras Tour – which wrapped up the final U.S. dates of this current leg in Los Angeles last Wednesday (Aug. 9) — and the concurrent announcement of her upcoming 1989 (Taylor’s Version) that have once again sent Swifties scurrying to streaming services.
“Cruel Summer” doesn’t come from 1989 – rather, from Lover, two albums later, in 2019 – but it doesn’t seem to matter much: Swift’s streams are up across her whole catalog, and “Summer” in particular has been rising, topping Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart for the first time on Monday (Aug. 14). Fans also perhaps seem to sense that the song is within reach of No. 1, as sales of “Summer” rose 85% last week to 7,000.
With airplay also still growing – the song climbs 5-3 on Radio Songs this week – “Summer” is currently performing at its peak so far. Whether it will be enough to both pass a fading “Last Night” and fend off a surging “Rich Men North of Richmond” remains to be seen.
Luke Combs, “Fast Car” (River House/Columbia Nashville/Columbia): Prior to the debut of “Rich Men,” Combs’ Tracy Chapman cover seemed to have the inside track for the No. 1 spot, as the song right below “Last Night” on the Hot 100 since the beginning of July. Perhaps sensing that the top spot was now within its grasp, Combs’ team released the official live version of “Fast Car” — previously available only as a YouTube video – to all streaming services on Friday (Aug. 11).
Will it still have a chance to reach No. 1 next week? Potentially, but its numbers have also been trending in the wrong direction, with both its streams and sales declining last week – though its airplay continues to rise, with the song hitting the Pop Airplay top 10 for the first time. It will need another big jump in airplay, as well as a rebound in streams and possibly sales, to have a real chance of becoming Combs’ first No. 1 next week.
IN THE MIX
Olivia Rodrigo, “Bad Idea Right?” (Geffen/Interscope): In a less-packed week, we might be talking about the second single from Olivia Rodrigo’s upcoming album Guts – which debuted on Friday — as more of a contender for the top spot, as the song ranked No. 1 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart for most of the week. But “Bad Idea Right?” has already started to fade a little on streaming, hasn’t yet been officially promoted to radio and isn’t selling as well as predecessor (and radio focus track) “Vampire” — without the CD release that single had – so it will likely have to settle for being the Hot 100’s second-highest debut this week.
Barbie: The Album (Mattel/Water Tower/Atlantic): As the phenomenon that is Barbie continues to envelop the globe, it has also swept through the Hot 100, with three of its singles occupying spots in this week’s top 15: Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” (No. 7), Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s Aqua-featuring “Barbie World” (No. 8) and Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” (No. 14). None of them are necessarily on pace to mount a true charge for the top, as the set’s streaming growth has finally stalled in its fourth week, but airplay may still give the songs an extra boost – particularly “Barbie World,” which zooms 33-21 on this week’s Radio Songs chart.
“The chart will significantly elevate the profile of dance music at radio.”
With the survey dated Aug. 16, 2003, Billboard began the Dance/Mix Show Airplay ranking, with then-dance radio chart manager Ricardo Companioni touting its value to the genre. Billboard also described dance as “an emerging radio format in major U.S. markets” at the time.
Twenty years later, the chart continues to reflect the biggest dance hits on radio each week.
When the list premiered (in Billboard’s pages for the first time in the Oct. 25, 2003, issue), it tracked airplay on eight stations: WKTU New York, KDLD Los Angeles, KPTI San Francisco, KKDL Dallas, WQSX Boston, WPYM Miami, KNRJ Phoenix and KCJZ San Antonio, Texas. (Today, only WKTU remains a reporter.)
In November 2011, the chart was made over from its original Hot Dance Radio Airplay name to Dance/Mix Show Airplay, with its panel of core 24/7 dance stations augmented with mix show hours on pop stations, which now comprise around 80 reporters. Three years later, the chart expanded from 25 spots to its current 40-position depth. (Stations’ airplay is tracked by Mediabase and provided to Billboard by Luminate.)
Over its 20-year archives, the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart has built up a history of achievements by some of the most key names in the genre.
Below is a look at 20 impressive feats achieved on Dance/Mix Show Airplay, from the acts with the most No. 1s to the longest-leading hit and more, from the inaugural chart, dated Aug. 16, 2003, through the latest, Aug. 19, 2023-dated tally.
(Notably, Aug. 16 doubles as the birthday of one of the chart’s most successful performers: Madonna.)
First No. 1
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
Despite a nearly five-year gap between albums, Janelle Monae resumes her chart-topping ways as her song “Lipstick Lover” reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart (dated Aug. 19). The single advances from No. 3 to crown the list as the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B stations in the week ending Aug. […]
Doja Cat officially became one of the biggest and most exciting pop stars in the world with third album Planet Her, an inspired set that took over radio and streaming for a good year and a half. It proved that the singer-rapper’s “Say So” breakout from 2020 was far more than a viral fluke, and ensured that her upcoming fourth album would be one of the early decade’s most anticipated releases.
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But Doja — whether sincere, trolling or some combination — has since derided her prior two albums and expressed a desire to move away from their top 40-friendly sound, instead making music that allows her “to express the way I feel about the world around me.” To that end, she’s released two new singles: The more hip-hop-forward “Attention,” which debuted at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June, and the Dionne Warwick-sampling “Paint the Town Red,” which bows at No. 15 this week.
What do the new songs tell us about where Doja is really at right now as an artist? And what kind of commercial potential does “Red” have? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. “Paint the Town Red” debuts at No. 15 on the Hot 100 this week. Is that higher than, lower than, or about where you would have expected?
Rania Aniftos: Definitely where I thought it’d land. If she didn’t alienate her fans so much and debut a pretty controversial, horror-inspired image recently, the song would have made the top 10 because it really is classic Doja circa Hot Pink era.
Katie Atkinson: About where I would expect. In all her impressive chart history over the last three years, Doja has yet to be the artist who makes a particularly splashy week-one showing; she’s the artist who has Little Songs That Could – tracks that improbably claw their way up the Hot 100 for a full year. Prime example: “Woman,” which peaked at No. 7 last year and spent exactly 52 weeks on the chart. “Red” is an out-of-the-gate fantastic, re-listenable song, so while it’s not a No. 1 or top 10 debut, it is the highest unaccompanied debut of her career so far.
Kyle Denis: Considering the lukewarm reception to “Attention” and the fact that Doja doesn’t have many splashy fist-week showings for solo singles, No. 15 is a bit higher than I expected. Part of me isn’t all that surprised because, unlike “Attention,” “Paint the Town Red” is much closer in sound to the singles that made Doja one contemporary pop’s biggest stars. Nonetheless, snatching a top 15 debut amid her various controversies is certainly nothing to scoff at.
Jason Lipshutz: It’s where I expected. Doja Cat is no stranger to the top 10 of the Hot 100, but “Attention,” the single that preceded “Paint the Town Red,” debuted and peaked at No. 31 upon its June release. “Red” is a more immediate single, though, with a stronger hook and a smart flip of Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By”; plus, a lot of her past singles have grown into top 10 smashes after lower debuts on the chart. A No. 15 start for “Red” sounds about right, then.
Andrew Unterberger: A little higher than I would’ve predicted on first listen, but about right after a couple days. Initially the song sounded kinda messy to me — I’m still not totally sure about that chorus or title — but after hearing it a couple times and especially after seeing the music video, it sounds more like another Doja crossover smash to me. And No. 15 is a pretty decent start for it.
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2. Previous single “Attention” debuted at No. 31 and fell off the chart entirely just a few weeks later — do you think the chart run of “Red” will closer to that or to one of Doja Cat’s enduring Planet Her smashes?
Rania Aniftos: “Red” has a catchier, more TikTok-friendly hook, and as we’ve seen in the past, that’s one of the main driving forces in Doja’s career. If it picks up more on the app, I could see it sticking around on the Hot 100 for a while longer.
Katie Atkinson: I do think it’ll be like those big hits. I love “Attention,” but I also think it was a purposely unconventional single tied to Doja making an explicit “rap album” after owning pop radio with Planet Her. “Paint the Town Red” still showcases Doja’s obvious rap skills (was there really ever any doubt?) but also has a memorable hook that gets lodged in your head, like all the best earworm pop hits (“Yes, bi—, I said what I said…”). I predict this will have staying power.
Kyle Denis: Based on its first week, I think that “Red” is well on its way to a run that mirrors the Planet Her singles. Now, I don’t think “Red” will end up matching that album’s biggest songs like “Kiss Me More” (with SZA) or “Woman,” but it should still have a successful run. Not only is “Pain the Town Red” closer to the Planet Her sound than “Attention,” “Red” is also more upbeat and has a much stronger hook, which should bolster its chances at radio.
Jason Lipshutz: I’d expect “Red” to grow from here. Doja Cat has been adamant about adopting a more rap-leaning aesthetic for her Planet Her follow-up, and while she sounds as nimble as ever on the verses here, “Red” also contains a sneakily huge pop chorus – that “Mmm, she the devil” bit will get stuck in your head for hours. A top 20 debut is nothing to sneeze at, but I’d look for a top 10 push in the coming weeks.
Andrew Unterberger: I think it’ll stick. It’s still performing consistently on streaming nearly two weeks after its release, and its radio play is already starting to explode. It seems well on its way to getting a good deal more attention than, well, “Attention.”
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3. Doja has talked a lot about putting her past work behind her and doing something completely different for her next work — do you see “Red” and previous single “Attention” as signs of a major career reinvention, or do they more feel in line with her past hits?
Rania Aniftos: Sorry Doja, but neither of those songs offer anything notably different to me — especially given her comments lately. They have the same sing-rap vocal pattern she’s known for, the radio-ready hook and a wide-appealing melody. If you’re gonna talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk!
Katie Atkinson: I don’t think they’re major departures, but there does seem to be less singing in general on both. Aside from the trip-hoppy chorus of “Attention,” in general, she seems to be more focused on rap this time around, as promised. But sonically, I think both of these productions would fit right in on Doja’s past projects.
Kyle Denis: Although she drew on boom-bap for “Attention” and increased the amount of rapping she normally does on both songs, I don’t think either track is a sign of a major career reinvention. “Attention” was pointing in an interesting, and genuinely different, direction, but “Paint the Town Red” wouldn’t sound out of place on either of her last two studio albums. Sonically and structurally, everything still feels very familiar. To Doja’s credit, her lyrics have shifted to reflect her thoughts and feelings on her recent controversies and perception by the public — and that’s a significant shift from most of her past rap verses.
Jason Lipshutz: They both denote a pivot away from the vibrant pop textures of songs like “Say So” and “Kiss Me More,” but some of the best parts of Planet Her showcased her ability to rap circles around her competition, including the most ecstatic bars of “Woman,” “Need to Know” and “Get Into It (Yuh).” “Attention” and “Paint the Town Red” feel less like transitions into a new aesthetic and more like accentuations of the approach that Doja has previously explored, as if she’s stepping inside a room that she’s gestured toward previously.
Andrew Unterberger: “Attention” was a little more of a detour, but both still feel quintessentially like Doja Cat. Which is not a bad thing! Whether you consider her more of a pop star or a rapper — and there’s no actual need to choose there — she’s been one of the most creative, compelling and all-around electric new artists from any genre of the past decade. I don’t really believe she’s that ashamed of her past work, either; she’s just a a true child of the internet, forever saying unpredictable stuff to see what kind of reaction it gets.
4. She’s also taken some heat in recent months for her somewhat contentious ongoing dialogue with fans over social media — which has reportedly cost her hundreds of thousands of followers. Do you think this backlash will end up actually being consequential for Doja’s career, or is it just one of many small hiccups for the artist on her an otherwise upwards pop star trajectory?
Rania Aniftos: Depends on where she goes from here. If she continues to double down on her anti-fan dialogue, it’s going to affect her career greatly and alienate not only her current fans, but others who might be interested in her music in the future. If she grows into a more mature headspace, I can see us as a society putting that little hiccup behind us.
Katie Atkinson: I think it’s a hiccup. Her online persona has always been testy, whether she’s interacting with fans or haters. Doja’s supporters can’t possibly expect this woman to fawn over them like some artists do with their fans. That is simply not her way. If anything, this latest dust-up adds to her cryptic image.
Kyle Denis: Given that she just snagged her highest solo Hot 100 debut with a song in which she directly addresses said contentious dialogue, I think Doja will be fine. I don’t think any of the recent controversy will be consequential for her career. For what it’s worth, she’s weathered bigger storms than this when she was a comparatively less established artist. Now, if ticket sales for her tour start to significantly slow down the closer we get to the album release and opening night, then I think there should be cause for concern.
Jason Lipshutz: “Yeah, bitch, I said what I said / I’d rather be famous instead.” That’s how Doja Cat starts “Paint the Town Red,” a callback to her claim that she’d rather be famous than a false idol to be worshipped – and while that point of view clashes with modern stan culture, it’s a refreshingly honest perspective that differentiates Doja from other artists. Maybe Doja has lost a few followers on social media, but remaining her authentic self won’t slow her down one bit.
Andrew Unterberger: Eh. If the music was bad (and got a poor response) then that would make for a tough combination with a partial fan backlash. But if the music is good and people like it — usually a smart bet with Doja — she’ll probably be just fine. She’s weathered worse.
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5. The Dionne Warwick “Walk on By” sample: Fair or foul usage of one of the greatest pop songs ever?
Rania Aniftos: I don’t know if everyone would agree, but I like it! I appreciate when an artist takes a sample and makes it completely fresh and different, so it doesn’t feel like a rip-off. We’ve been seeing it a lot with various pop artists lately, and I for one thing it’s fun.
Katie Atkinson: Fair! I especially love the way the horns are used. And guess who else loves it? Dionne Warwick.
Kyle Denis: Eh, it’s not foul, but it’s not a particularly interesting or innovative flip of the sample, which is something of a disappointment considering how strong Doja’s musical ear is.
Jason Lipshutz: Very fair! I love the way Doja re-contextualizes a classic single for a new generation, something we’ve seen across the now 50-year life span of hip-hop. Plus, the manner in which Doja flips the meaning of Warwick’s refrain – instead of a sense of loss, “walk on by” becomes a suggestion to naysayers – is incredibly smart. Great sample, great use of sample.
Andrew Unterberger: Not totally sure yet, to be honest. “Walk on By” is pretty sacred to me, and while it’s been covered, sampled and reinvented pretty consistently for 60 years now, I’m still not sure I see it really fitting into the bigger picture of what Doja is doing here musically or thematically. Still, the song is growing on me, so perhaps the sample’s part in that will too. (And love to see “Walk” still having a central place in pop music, particularly so soon after Burt Bacharach’s death.)
Two new solo songs from BTS’ V top Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart, powered by X, dated Aug. 19.
Billboard’s Hot Trending charts, powered by X, track global music-related trends and conversations in real-time across X, viewable over either the last 24 hours or past seven days. A weekly, 20-position version of the chart, covering activity from Friday through Thursday of each week, posts alongside Billboard’s other weekly charts on Billboard.com each Tuesday, with the latest tracking period running Aug. 4-10.
V’s “Love Me Again” crowns the list. Officially released to most streaming providers on Aug. 11, the song’s music video preceded the debut by premiering on YouTube on Aug. 9.
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It’s V’s first No. 1 on the ranking, which began in 2021; he previously rose as high as No. 4 with “Christmas Tree” in 2022.
V’s “Rainy Days” bows at No. 2; it was released Aug. 11 but was teased during the Aug. 4-10 tracking period, boosting its position on Hot Trending Songs.
A third song from V, “Slow Dancing,” debuts at No. 7 thanks to buzz from the tracklist of Layover, V’s upcoming six-song release, which was announced Aug. 7. Two versions of “Slow Dancing” will be featured on Layover, a standard edition and a piano version. Layover is scheduled for release Sept. 8.
“Siren,” newcomer K-pop group RIIZE’s introduction song, debuts at No. 3 after being released Aug. 6. The seven-piece’s debut album, Get a Guitar, is out Sept. 4.
“Mi Ex Tenia Razon,” from Karol G’s newly released deluxe edition of her album Manana Sera Bonito, debuts at No. 4, while Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” premieres at No. 5 after going viral upon its upload on the YouTube channel radiowv on Aug. 8, followed by a full release for downloads and streaming Aug. 11.
Keep visiting Billboard.com for the constantly evolving Hot Trending Songs rankings, and check in each Tuesday for the latest weekly chart.