Chart Beat
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Billboard Women in Music 2025
The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard 200 dated April 12, we look at a number of albums looking to knock Playboi Carti’s two-week No. 1 from the top spot – led by a reissue from one of the 2024’s top pop stars.
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Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine (Republic): Ariana Grande’s sixth studio album is an already-certified hit: Eternal Sunshine debuted atop the Billboard 200 upon its release in March 2024, with over 200,000 first-week equivalent album units, according to Luminate, and spawned a pair of Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits with advance single “Yes, And?” and Sunshine focus track “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).” The album has stuck on the 200 for the last 55 weeks, still rating in the chart’s top half as of this frame.
Next week, however, it should make a large jump – possibly to the very top spot. On Friday (March 28), Grande released the album’s Brighter Days Ahead deluxe edition, which added six bonus songs to the streaming version of the 13-track release: one extended version of the album-opening “Intro (End of the World)” and five totally new songs. Those previously unreleased songs have been performing well on streaming, with “Twilight Zone” even topping Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart for the Friday of its release, and all six cuts still rating in the top half of the 200-position chart.
In addition, Grande has released a multitude of versions of the album for sale. Her webstore offers exclusive digital downloads of the 19-track Brighter Days Ahead reissue of the album, one with just that tracklist, one with the instrumentals of each track and one also with the a cappellas of each track (and all with alternate covers). Physical vinyl and CD variants are also available of the new edition, which include the three bonus tracks originally collected on the set’s (Slightly Deluxe) 2024 reissue. Grande has released a short film to promote the set, an emotional 26-minute mini-sci-fi flick also called Brighter Days Ahead.
Will it be enough to top Playboi Carti’s reigning No. 1, the streaming behemoth Music? It could come down to the wire, with Carti’s dominance on DSPs competing with Grande’s robust sales – and the race might not be over yet on either side.
Nav, OMW2 Rexdale (XO/Republic): Canadian rapper-singer Nav might not still be the regularly charting hitmaker he was at the turn of the 2020s, but his albums are still pretty well guaranteed to make an impact on the Billboard 200 – where he has two No. 1 sets to his name, and has charted in the top 10 with each of his last five sets. He’ll look to keep that streak alive with this week’s OMW2 Rexdale (or On My Way 2 Rexdale), which includes a number of big-name guests – including Metro Boomin, Don Toliver and the Billboard 200’s reigning champ Playboi Carti.
To do that, he’ll have the help of a number of physical variants, including standard and signed CDs, vinyl and four deluxe boxed sets containing the standard CD and branded clothing. In addition, Nav is offering a sextet of digital albums as exclusives through his webstore, each of with comes with the core 11-song set and a consistent trio of bonus tracks — and then three additional bonus tracks, which are different on each edition. (He’s also done in-store signings at brick-and-mortar retailers to help promote the new set.)
Without a major streaming hit to its credit, it all might not be enough for Rexdale to compete for No. 1 with Grande and Carti – but it should be enough for yet another Nav top 10, at the least.
Lil Durk, Deep Thoughts (Only the Family/Alamo/Sony): Deep Thoughts marks star rapper Lil Durk’s first full release since being arrested on murder-for-hire charges in late 2024. (He has pled not guilty and is currently awaiting trial.) While Durk is obviously not the dominant chart force he was earlier in the decade, Thoughts has unsurprisingly gotten off to a strong start on streaming, with its 17 tracks (including guest appearances from Future, Lil Baby and Jhené Aiko) all still ranking in the top 100 of Apple Music’s real-time chart. Streaming will have to make the great majority of Durk’s chart performance, however, since Deep Thoughts is currently only available to purchase as a digital download.
Mumford and Sons, Rushmere (Glassnote): Each of the three albums alt-folkers Mumford and Sons released in the 2010s went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 – most recently 2018’s Delta, the group’s most recent LP until last Friday. That was when the stomp-clappers released Rushmere, a 10-track set co-produced with country and Americana stalwart Dave Cobb, along with six vinyl variants, four CD editions and a cassette. The set’s title track has proven a top-five hit at rock radio, but the streaming response has thus far been muted – and though the band sells respectably, their blockbuster commercial peak is largely in the rearview at this point.
Gracie Abrams‘ “That’s So True” ascends a spot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay chart (dated April 5). The song is her first leader on the radio ranking. It previously became her first No. 1 on any airplay chart when it crowned Pop Airplay for two weeks in March. The song, on Interscope/ICLG, […]
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Submit questions about Billboard charts, as well as general music musings, to askbb@billboard.com. Please include your first and last name, as well as your city, state and country, if outside the United States.
Or, reach out on Bluesky.
Let’s open the latest mailbag.
Hi Gary,
Remember when you, myself and another Billboard reader went over music acts with the longest streaks of gaining a new Billboard Hot 100 top 10 year after year? We had come to the consensus that, with 12 years apiece, Mariah Carey (1990-2001) and Prince (1983-94) were the two front-runners in that club. Well, now we have a third.
Thanks to his “Rather Lie,” with Playboi Carti, which debuted on the March 29 chart, The Weeknd has now put a new song in the Hot 100’s top 10 for a 12th consecutive year.
Here’s a rundown of all of his top 10s, in chronological order of their peaks:
2014: “Love Me Harder,” with Ariana Grande (No. 7 peak)
2015: “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)” (No. 3); “Can’t Feel My Face” (No. 1, three weeks); “The Hills” (No. 1, six weeks)
2016: “Starboy,” feat. Daft Punk (entered the tier that October at No. 3, on its way toward topping the first Hot 100 of 2017)
2017: “I Feel It Coming,” feat. Daft Punk (No. 4)
2018: “Pray for Me,” with Kendrick Lamar (No. 7); “Call Out My Name” (No. 4)
2019: “Heartless” (No. 1, one week)
2020: “Blinding Lights” (No. 1, four weeks, eventually earing the honor of the Hot 100’s all-time biggest hit); “Smile,” with Juice WRLD (No. 8)
2021: “Save Your Tears,” with Ariana Grande (No. 1, two weeks); “Take My Breath” (No. 6); “One Right Now,” with Post Malone (No. 6)
2022: “Creepin’,” with Metro Boomin & 21 Savage (debuted at No. 5 that December and then hit a No. 3 high in 2023)
2023: “Die for You,” with Ariana Grande (No. 1, one week); “K-POP,” with Travis Scott & Bad Bunny (No. 7)
2024: “Young Metro,” with Future & Metro Boomin (No. 9); “Timeless,” with Playboi Carti (No. 3)
2025: “Rather Lie,” with Playboi Carti (No. 4, as this email is being typed)
Who else to tie such a historic streak than The Weeknd, right? Someone who happens to be: A, one of my favorite popular music acts of all time, and B, known for citing Prince as an influence.
Regards,
Jake RiveraMashpee, Mass.
Hi Jake,
Thanks for pointing out the update, and congrats to The Weeknd on his record-tying streak of Hot 100 top 10s in 12 consecutive years (or more than 600 weekends).
Notably, another act has joined the mix for potentially matching the mark: Drake is now up to an active streak of 11 years in a row with new Hot 100 top 10s, from 2015 (“Hotline Bling”) through 2025 (“Gimme a Hug” and “Nokia”). He could, thus, tie the record next year — or The Weeknd could claim the honor all to himself with at least one new top 10 in 2026.
Meanwhile, what about the same feat on the Billboard 200 albums chart? On first thought, a lengthy streak of annual new top 10s might seem less likely there, as, compared to singles, acts for the most part don’t release as many as albums, and somewhat rarely every year historically.
Let’s count down the artists, from The Beatles to Taylor Swift, Drake and more, with the most consecutive years of sending at least one new album to the Billboard 200’s top 10 (dating to Aug. 17, 1963, when the chart began combining mono and stereo releases into one ranking). The act atop the list might seem surprising, although perhaps less so once looking into why.
Seven consecutive years with new Billboard 200 top 10s:
Taylor Swift: 2019-25
Future: 2014-20
Pentatonix: 2013-19
Luke Bryan: 2011-17
Kenny Chesney: 2004-10
Dave Matthews/Dave Matthews Band: 2001-07
Earth, Wind & Fire: 1975-81
The Beatles: 1964-70
Andy Williams: 1963-69
Eight consecutive years:
Blake Shelton: 2010-17
Chicago: 1970-77
Nine consecutive years:
Drake — the record-holder among soloists (or groups with largely fixed lineups): 2015-23
And, the act with the longest such streak overall …
12 consecutive years (the same as the Hot 100 record):
The leading group – of rotating members – tallied all 24 of its Billboard 200 top 10s from Kidz Bop 7 through Kidz Bop 32. (In that run, only Kidz Bop 17 and Kidz Bop 30 missed the tier, both reaching No. 12; meanwhile, the collective has hit a No. 2 best with five releases.)
The act scored its record run of consistency in the Billboard 200’s top 10 thanks to its steady stream of all-ages covers of big pop hits. Kidz Bop Kids additionally earned 101 entries, including 42 top 10s, on the Kid Digital Song Sales chart, both bests in the list’s history. Four reached No. 1, led by their family-friendlier take on Meghan Trainor’s former Hot 100 No. 1 “All About That Bass,” which led for six weeks in 2015.
In 2014, Victor Zaraya, then an executive for the ensemble, mused about its win-win nature. “It’s favorable to have your song being sung,” he said. “Maybe a kid heard the Kidz Bop cover of an artist’s song before they heard the actual version. Will they remember it as a Kidz Bop song? Maybe. Will they remember it with the original artist? Maybe. But it’s only furthering that artist’s song.”
Beyond remakes of familiar songs, Zaraya noted that the act’s singers contributed to the enduring appeal of Kidz Bop, which in 2025 celebrates its 25th year, including with tour dates. To date, the troupe has sold 18.7 million albums and drawn 8.1 billion official streams for its songs in the U.S., according to Luminate.
“We want to let kids know that [the Kidz Bop Kids] are real — they sing, dance and perform,” Zaraya said. “They can be brand ambassadors for us. They have personalities. They are stars.”
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Selena Gomez and benny blanco’s first collaborative album, I Said I Love You First, debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated April 5). It’s the fourth leader for Gomez and first for blanco. The set sold 71,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending March 27, according to Luminate. It’s the best sales week for Gomez since 2015 and blanco’s best sales week ever.
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Of the 71,000 sold, vinyl purchases comprise 21,000 – the biggest week on vinyl for either artist. The title – the first album pairing from the real-life couple – also enters at No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums chart.
In total, I Said I Love You First is Gomez’s eighth top 10 on Top Album Sales, and the first for blanco.
Also debuting in the top 10 on the latest Top Album Sales chart: Japanese Breakfast’s For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) and My Morning Jacket’s is.
Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album (TEA) units and streaming equivalent album (SEA) units.
Of the 71,000 copies sold of I Said I Love You First, physical sales comprise 38,000 (21,000 on vinyl and 17,000 on CD) and digital download sales comprise 33,000.
The opening-week sales of I Said I Love You First were bolstered by its availability across seven vinyl variants (different color editions, some with alternate covers; including a signed version), three CD versions (a standard CD, a signed edition, and a zine/CD version with expanded packaging), a deluxe box set containing branded merch and a CD, and 10 different digital download iterations.
Of the download editions, firstly, there was a widely available standard set at digital retail. Then, through the album’s opening week, nine additional download variants were issued, all initially exclusively available through Gomez’s webstore, and each sold for $5. All of the variants included the standard album’s 14 songs, plus bonus material. Five of the variants each had one bonus track (“Stained,” “Talk,” “That’s What I’ll Care [Seven Heavens Version],” “Scared of Loving You [Live From Vevo]” and “How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten [Live From Vevo],” respectively) and one contained two bonus cuts (an acoustic version and extended version of the album single “Call Me When You Break Up”). There was also an Explained: Narrated by Selena Gomez edition (with 14 bonus tracks with Gomez providing commentary on each of the set’s 14 songs), a Slowed & Reverbed edition (with 14 bonus slowed and reverbed versions of the album’s songs) and an Instrumentals edition (with 14 bonus instrumental versions of the tracklist).
All nine of the variants became available in the iTunes Store on Wednesday (March 26). The variants were only sold in the iTunes Store through March 27, the final day they were also sold in Gomez’s store.
Lady Gaga’s chart-topping MAYHEM is a non-mover at No. 2 on Top Album Sales with a little over 13,000 sold (down 44%).
Japanese Breakfast lands its best sales week ever and highest charting title on Top Album Sales as For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) debuts at No. 3 with 13,000 sold. (It’s the second top 10 for the act.) The album’s sales were aided by its availability across eight vinyl variants (including a signed version), along with a standard download, CD and cassette edition. Vinyl sales tallied up to just over 10,000 – the act’s best week on vinyl, and it yields at No. 2 debut on the Vinyl Albums chart.
Kendrick Lamar’s former No. 1 GNX is steady at No. 4 on Top Album Sales (a little more than 11,000; down 9%) while The Weeknd’s chart-topping Hurry Up Tomorrow jumps 15-5 (11,000; up 92% following the release of a deluxe CD boxed set edition of the album sold in the artist’s webstore).
My Morning Jacket’s latest studio album, titled is, debuts at No. 6 on Top Album Sales with nearly 10,000 sold – with 7,000 of that sum on vinyl. It’s the fifth top 10-charting effort for the act. It also launches at No. 4 on the Vinyl Albums chart. The set was available across five vinyl variants, along with a standard CD and download edition.
Rounding out the rest of the top 10 on Top Album Sales: Sabrina Carpenter’s former leader Short n’ Sweet slips 6-7 (nearly 10,000; down 5%), LE SSERAFIM’s HOT falls 1-8 in its second week (8,000; down 80%), Playboi Carti’s MUSIC drops 3-9 (just over 7,000; down 51%) and Chappell Roan’s chart-topping The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess dips 9-10 (7,000; down 13%).
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Selena Gomez is back in the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart (dated April 5) as “Ojos Tristes,” with Benny Blanco and The Marias, debuts at No. 4. Thanks to the reimagination of Jeanette’s 1981 classic ballad “El Muchacho De Los Ojos Tristes,” Blanco and The Marias secure their first top 10 on their second visit to the chart.
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“Ojos Tristes” opens at No. 4 on Hot Latin Songs –which blends airplay, digital sales and streaming data into its formula– thanks to gains mainly through streaming activity. The song registered 8.2 million official streams in the U.S. in the tracking week ending March 27, according to Luminate. The sum yields a No. 3 start on Latin Streaming Songs, the fifth top 10 for Gomez and an equal first top 10 for Blanco and The Marias.
Gomez’s “Ojos Tristes” samples “El Muchacho De Los Ojos Tristes” by Spanish-British Jeanette, who rose to the spotlight in the 1970s. While the song, composed by Manuel Alejandro, did not enter the charts, the singer-songwriter’s global hit, “Porque Te Vas,” reached No. 25 high on Latin Pop Airplay in 2008.
The bilingual “Ojos Tristes” intertwines nostalgic melodies with a modern sound, where Gomez sings in English and Maria Zardoya, of The Marias, lends her soft vocals to mirror Jeanette’s style for a modern audience.
The collaboration has propelled Blanco and The Marias to secure their first top 10 on Hot Latin Songs, after each scored an entry. Blanco reached No. 22 high last December as a featured artist on Myke Towers’ “Degenere.” The Marias, meanwhile, scored a No. 17 peak through their Bad Bunny collab “Otro Atardecer” in 2022.
For Gomez, “Ojos Tristes” gives her a fifth top 10 and first since “Selfish Love,” with DJ Snake, debuted and peaked at No. 6 in 2021.
“Ojos Tristes” also makes inroads across other Billboard charts. It debuts at No. 59 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Plus, it starts at No. 63 on the Billboard Global 200 with 19.5 million streams, and at No. 118 on Global Excl. U.S. with 11.3 million clicks outside the U.S.
Sales too assist on the song’s top 10 debut on Hot Latin Songs, as “Ojos Tristes” registers 1,000 downloads in the U.S. which translates into a No. 1 debut on Latin Digital Song Sales.
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera achieve their second collaborative No. 1 as “Me Jalo” tops both Billboard’s Latin Airplay and Regional Mexican Airplay charts (dated April 5). The groups previously scored a No. 1 together when they teamed-up with “Bebe Dame” (one week on top of both lists in March 2023).
“Me Jalo” flies 9-1 on the overall Latin Airplay chart after a 62% improvement in audience impressions, to 10 million, earned in the U.S. during the 21-27 tracking week, according to Luminate. Thanks to the swell, the song leads with the Greatest Gainer honors, awarded weekly to the track with the biggest airplay gain.
“Creating this song was an incredible experience,” Alberto ‘Beto,’ Frontera’s guitarist tells Billboard. “Being in the studio with our friends from Fuerza Regida is the best—they’re part of our family! Now, to see us at No. 1 on the charts with them is such an honor. We keep hitting milestones and raising the flag of Mexico high.”
“Me Jalo” is one of five songs from Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera’s collaborative EP, Mala Mía, which added to the acts’ career top 10s on Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums charts, where it debuted and peaked at Nos. 10 and No. 6, respectively.
“Me Jalo” marks the fourth time both Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera have claimed the top spot on the overall Latin Airplay chart. Remarkably, the two groups have achieved an identical number of chart-topping hits since their debut in 2023: two No. 1 singles in 2023, one in 2024, and now their first in 2025. While Fuerza Regida’s No. 1 hits each held the top spot for a single week, Grupo Frontera enjoyed a longer reign with “Un X100to,” with Bad Bunny, which commanded the chart for six weeks in 2023.
“When we make music, we always aim to spread joy and fun,” Payo, vocalist of Grupo Frontera, adds. “Our mission is to create pure vibes, and for those who listen to find something positive that helps brighten their day. Seeing people enjoy and make videos is our biggest achievement. Every time that happens, good news rolls in, and we feel even happier…”
In addition to its strong performance on radio, “Me Jalo” has seen significant traction on TikTok. The song has inspired over 756,000 user-generated videos, with fans dancing as if being pulled by an invisible rope—a playful nod to the word “jalo,” derived from the verb “jalar,” which means “to pull” in Spanish.
The song holds at its No. 3 high on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart for a third week, after generating 8.5 million official U.S. streams, up 3%, in the tracking week.
“We want everyone to have as much fun with our music as we do creating it,” Juan Cantú, accordionist of Grupo Frontera, adds. “When the trend started going viral on TikTok and celebrities joined in, we got super excited! That’s why we make music.”
Elsewhere, both Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera each add a new No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay where “Me Jalo” jumps 5-1 with 48% gain audience impressions, to 8 million.
While Selena Gomez is never out of the spotlight for too long, it had been a full half-decade since we last got an LP from her — 2020’s Rare — until the release of I Said I Love You First this March.
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The new project — released as a collaborative album with her longtime collaborator and fiancé, star producer Benny Blanco — debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 this week (dated Apr. 5), with 120,000 units moved in its first week, according to Luminate. Though the set is Gomez’s first LP since leaving backing band The Scene not to debut atop the chart, it also arrives with her best-ever debut numbers, and launches four hits on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 (though none in the top 40).
How should Gomez and Blanco feel about their opening performance? And what other producer-singer teamups might we like to see full albums from? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s I Said I Love You First album debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 120,000 units moved in its first week. On a scale from 1-10, how pleased should they be with that opening performance?
Rania Aniftos: 10, absolutely. Gomez hasn’t released an album in five years, and to come back with such success alongside the love of her life must be incredibly validating.
Stephen Daw: I’m giving this a 9. Sure, a No. 1 debut would have been nice here, especially considering that Selena’s last two solo albums topped the Billboard 200 in their first outings. But, take one look at the numbers and you’ll see that I Said I Love You First had a better first week than Stars Dance, Revival and Rare. The only album that managed to beat I Love You on this week’s chart was Playboi Carti’s immediate megahit MUSIC, which very few albums would have been able to beat in the first place — so this high of a debut is ultimately a huge deal for both Selena and Benny.
Kyle Denis: An 8. I think they should both be thrilled. Obviously, a No. 1 is nice, but this debut gives Benny his highest charting Billboard 200 entry as a lead artist, and Selena earns her largest week by units. They also landed several songs on the Hot 100, so this is unquestionably a win for them.
Jason Lipshutz: An 8. While Gomez and Blanco narrowly missed out on a No. 1 debut, the pair have to be pretty proud of posting a greater first-week equivalent albums unit total than Gomez’s Rare did five years ago — and that album had a No. 1 single in “Lose You to Love Me.” A collaborative project like this is never guaranteed a major commercial bow, and the half-decade gap between Gomez studio projects could have easily slowed momentum, so the fact that I Said I Love You First started so strong should be seen as a major win by all parties involved.
Andrew Unterberger: A 7. It’s an impressive first-week number, and the buzz around the album seems to be mostly positive, but the number of late-week variants released of I Love You would seem to suggest the artists and their teams were really hoping for a No. 1 debut, and they couldn’t quite get over the top there.
2. Though as a chronicling of their love story, obviously the album means a great deal to both Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco personally, which of the two do you think it means more career-wise?
Rania Aniftos: Selena. She’s been through a lot, both personally and medically, over the past few years and has even thought about saying goodbye to her music career. Thankfully, Blanco inspired her to use her musical talents again and it paid off. Again, this is probably so validating and exciting for her, and I’m looking forward to what she’s going to release in the future.
Stephen Daw: Benny Blanco, for sure. While Benny has a handful of Hot 100 hits as a featured artist on others’ tracks (and a few dozen No. 1s as a producer and songwriter), his sole credit on the Billboard 200 was his 2018 Friends Keep Secrets EP, which hit a No. 41 peak in 2019. To score a No. 2 debut with his fiancée is no doubt a huge personal milestone for the singer as well as being a massive coup for his professional career.
Kyle Denis: This is tough because I don’t really think it means that much for either of them in the grand scheme of things. Similar to PND with the Drake joint album last month, I Said I Love You First smartly leverages Selena’s star power to lift Benny to commercial heights that he’s never seen before – and likely wouldn’t ever see – as a billed lead artist. The album is also a reminder of what a solid pop craftsman Benny is, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it leads to his phone ringing a bit more in the coming months.
As for Selena, between starring in an Oscar-winning film (Emilia Pérez) and picking up her first SAG Award (Only Murders in the Building) earlier this year, she didn’t really need to put out another album. She seems more fulfilled on the acting side and the projects have been acclaimed and successful – and we haven’t even gotten into her Rare Beauty empire and other business endeavors. If anything, this new album is probably a cathartic moment for Selena; it’s proof that there’s still an audience interested in her music and a reminder that she can still have fun and be present while making music. I don’t think this album revitalizes her as a major player in the 2025 pop game, but it does show us that the musical avenue is still open for Selena Gomez – whether she’s prioritizing it or not.
Jason Lipshutz: Blanco. As Gomez has nimbly balanced the different parts of her career — recently co-starring in the Oscar winner Emilia Pérez, prepping a new season of Only Murders in the Building, in addition to her various brand and sponsorship deals — music can become part of a whole, her creativity diversified after years of studio output that resulted in several chart hits. While Blanco has enjoyed phenomenal success as a producer and songwriter, this is the first week in which he’s credited as an artist on a top 10 album! That accomplishment has to be meaningful, especially with a project as personally important as this one.
Andrew Unterberger: I think it’s Blanco, as despite multiple career’s worth of hits and an ever-rising Q rating, he’s still mostly felt like The Guy Behind The Guy for most of his career. On those grounds, I’m sure that getting to play The Guy Alongside His Superstar Fiancée on a full big-selling pop album is pretty rewarding and meaningful.
3. Gomez and Blanco have a quartet of songs scattered around the Hot 100 this week, led by the Gracie Abrams-featuring “Call Me When You Break Up” at No. 46 and the Marias-assisted “Ojos Tristes” at No. 59. Do you see any of those songs as being the lasting breakout hit from the project, or do you think it’ll be something else from the album — or will it not generate such a hit at all?
Rania Aniftos: It’s going to be “Bluest Flame,” especially as we head into the summer. The Charli XCX-written song is already generating buzz on TikTok, and leaning into the dance/electronic world has previously worked well for Gomez, as we’ve seen with her past Kygo, Zedd and Marshmello collaborations. I can see it becoming the breakaway hit from the album.
Stephen Daw: While I do think that “Ojos Tristes” is one of the best tracks off the album, I think it’s either going to be “Call Me When You Break Up” or nothing here. Gracie Abrams is still riding high with “That’s So True” rising through the Top 40 of the Hot 100, and “Call Me” is the most immediately memorable tracks off the album. The songwriting, the performances and the production all lend themselves well to becoming a modest hit here.
Kyle Denis: I think “Ojos Tristes” is the album’s best bet for a lasting hit, though there’s an outside chance that “Bluest Flame” could do a little something. Generally, I’m not expecting a major hit from the album at all.
Jason Lipshutz: I am waiting for “Bluest Flame” to start getting some club pickup, particularly as the weather heats up and pop fans are salivating for Brat Summer II. The album highlight, co-written by Charli XCX herself, leaps off the speaker with movement and moxie; Gomez has been part of dance hits in the past, but she’s never operated at this Boiler Room-ready frequency before, and the surprise is part of the appeal. Maybe “Bluest Flame” never cracks the top 40, but I could certainly see this one becoming a cult favorite and minor hit.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s very telling about where pop music is in 2025 that the dreamy, downtempo bilingual collaboration with The Marias feels like it has a higher commercial ceiling than the hooky, uptempo teamup with Gracie Abrams — but “Ojos Tristes” certainly seems to have captured the moment and the momentum. Which is objectively pretty cool, even though I think “Call Me When You Break Up” is probably the better song.
4. While Selena Gomez was one of the biggest pop stars of the 2010s, she hasn’t put out a full album since Rare at the very beginning of the (pre-pandemic) 2020s. Do you think I Said I Love You First and its rollout re-establishes her as a major pop star of this decade as well?
Rania Aniftos: Sure, especially because Gomez is unique in her pop style. She’s always balanced vulnerability and ethereal sexiness well — and in an era of fun, flashy pop, it’s nice to see the return of a softer pop artist.
Stephen Daw: Does I Said I Love You First show that Selena is a great performer who deserves to be considered in the 2020s canon of pop stars? Sure. Do I think it signals the return of Pop Star Selena Gomez? No, and that is fine! Selena has made it clear in plenty of interviews that pop stardom is not something she’s aspiring for in this decade — in fact, it’s very likely that we won’t hear another solo Selena Gomez album, based on what she’s told us. I Said I Love You First, to me, is proof of concept that if Selena wanted to continue with her pop career, she very easily could; but that doesn’t mean that she will.
Kyle Denis: I think it reinforces her overall brand strength and general celebrity, but none of these songs have really caught on in a meaningful way, she and Benny couldn’t overcome Carti’s second week despite a breadth of variants, and the music of the record seems to have taken a backseat to the sappy theatrics of the press run – whether it’s a radio interview or that t-shirt. The album’s gotta at least spin out one top 40 hit before we talk about the reinvigoration of her pop star pull.
Jason Lipshutz: No — but that’s not the story that Gomez is trying to tell, or what she wants the album to represent. If Gomez wanted to seize the modern pop crown, she would have released a solo album full of radio-friendly gestures, instead of a swirling, slightly muted collaborative album with her fiancé designed as a peek through the keyhole into their relationship. Gomez has built her career in such a way that she doesn’t require hit singles to attract attention when she decides to return to music, and I Said I Love You First marks an idiosyncratic (and satisfying) check-in rather than any type of commercial bid.
Andrew Unterberger: I think it demonstrates what a big star she is in general, and how much people like her and want to see her do well. I don’t think she has the hitmaking clout she did a decade ago, and she probably won’t again, but she doesn’t seem to particularly care about that, nor should she. Regardless, any time she releases a new album for the remainder of her career — assuming that’s a thing she continues doing — it will absolutely be a major event for pop fans.
5. What’s another big-name artist-producer pop combo who you would like to see do a full album together?
Rania Aniftos: Addison Rae as the artist with Charli XCX as the producer. Give us the full Y2K fantasy!
Stephen Daw: Give me an entire album of Sam Smith and Disclosure songs ASAP. “Latch” and “Omen” are two of my favorite songs in Smith’s discography, simply because their voice blends perfectly with Disclosure’s dance flourishes. A whole album of recession pop bops from these two would be a dream come true.
Kyle Denis: I’ve needed this since 2019, and there’s still a chance it could happen with the final season of Euphoria, but I desperately need to hear a collaborative project between Zendaya and Labrinth. We’re also owed a joint EP from Ariana Grande and Cashmere Cat; “Be My Baby,” “Quit” and “Adore” have all held up beautifully. And because good things come in threes, I’ll also put in my bed for a Lorde-Disclosure project. “Magnets” is still a banger!
Jason Lipshutz: To think outside the box and stretch the definition of “producer” a bit: why haven’t we gotten any sort of collaboration between Adele and Rich Paul yet? Let’s get Adele at the NBA All-Star Halftime Show! Let’s have LeBron James deliver some spoken-word interludes on Adele’s next album! For fans of polished pop and professional basketball, the opportunities could be endless.
Andrew Unterberger: Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa have both fallen on somewhat hard times hit-wise — could a full-length team-up album be all it takes to have the pop world fall in love with them once more?
Billboard’s Dance Moves roundup serves as a guide to the biggest movers and shakers across Billboard’s many dance charts — new No. 1s, new top 10s, first-timers and more.
This week (on charts dated April 5, 2025), Loud Luxury, Selena Gomez, Yng Lvcas, Anabel Englund and others achieve new feats. Check out key movers below.
Loud Luxury
The duo spends a second consecutive week at No. 1 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart with “Crash.” The song is the act’s second leader, after 2023’s “If Only I,” with Two Friends and Bebe Rexha, spent three weeks at No. 1. Loud Luxury first hit the chart in January 2018 with “Body,” featuring Brando. The pair has logged 13 total entries, eight of which have reached the top 10.
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco
Gomez and Blanco grace Billboard’s recently-launched Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart for the first time with “Bluest Flame.” Released March 21 on the pair’s new joint album, I Said I Love You First, the song opens at No. 4 with 4.8 million official U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads sold in its first week, according to Luminate. Notably, Charli XCX provides uncredited background vocals on the song.
“Bluest Flame” was produced by Blanco, Cashmere Cat and Dylan Brady, who is half of electronic hyperpop duo 100 gecs. All three artists, plus Gomez and Charli XCX, are credited as co-writers.
Gomez has previously appeared on Billboard’s dance charts. Before the launch of Hot Dance/Pop Songs, Gomez charted five tracks on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, two of which hit No. 1: Zedd’s “I Want You To Know,” featuring Gomez, spent six weeks on top in 2015, and Gomez and Marshmello’s “Wolves” spent 11 weeks at the head of the pack in 2017-18.
Blanco has charted one other song on Billboard’s dance rankings as a billed artist: “I Found You,” with Calvin Harris, reached No. 9 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs in 2019. He’s credited as a producer on nine tracks that have hit Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, including three top 10s: Major Lazer’s “Cold Water,” featuring Justin Bieber and MØ (No. 1 for two weeks in 2016); Cashmere Cat, Major Lazer and Tory Lanez’s “Miss You” (No. 10, 2018); and “I Found You.”
RØZ & Yng Lvcas
Both artists earn their first entry on Billboard’s dance charts, as “Flashes” debuts at No. 10 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs on the strength of its streaming sum: 1.4 million, according to Luminate.
Yng Lvcas, from Guadalajara, Mexico, broke through in 2023 with his song “La Bebé” and its subsequent remix with Peso Pluma. The song reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on Hot Latin Songs, the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.
“Flashes” earns RØZ his first appearance on Billboard’s charts overall.
Anabel Englund X Punctual
The pair’s “Falling Up” starts at No. 36 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay (up 51% in plays). The song earns Englund her 15th entry on the chart and Punctual its fifth. Englund boasts 13 top 10s, including seven No. 1s. She most recently led with “Get Busy” and “Cutting Loose,” the latter with Disco Lines and J. Worra, both in 2024.
Punctual, which comprises Will Lansley and John Morgan, is also currently on the chart with its collab with KASKADE, “Heaven Knows,” featuring Poppy Baskcomb. The track reached No. 4 last month, marking the duo’s first top 10.
Gryffin, KASKADE & Nu-La
All three artists debut at No. 40 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay with their collaboration “In My Head.” It’s Gryffin’s 18th entry and first since “Where Are You Tonight,” with Zohara, became his seventh top 10 (No. 8 peak, December).
KASKADE claims his 35th title on the survey, the fourth-most in the chart’s 22-year history, after David Guetta (67), Tiësto (39) and Rihanna (36). Of those 35 cuts, 19 reached the top 10 and five hit No. 1, most recently “Tears Don’t Fall,” with Enisa, in December.
“In My Head” lands Nu-La her first entry on Dance/Mix Show Airplay. The song became her first overall chart hit when it debuted and peaked on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs at No. 15 in February.
Chris Brown crowns Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart for a sixth time, as “Residuals” climbs from the runner-up spot to lead the list dated April 5. The single was the most-played song on U.S. panel-contributing adult R&B radio stations in the tracking week of March 21-27, according to Luminate, and rose 12% in week-over-week plays. […]
On April 1, 1995, Trisha Yearwood’s “Thinkin’ About You” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, beginning a two-week reign. It became the third of her five career leaders, among 19 top 10s.
The hit was the title song from Yearwood’s 1995 album. It was authored by Bob Regan and Tom Shapiro, with production by Garth Fundis. Thinkin’ About You arrived at its No. 3 peak on Top Country Albums, giving Yearwood her third of 15 top 10s, a haul that includes four No. 1s.
The set’s “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)” topped Hot Country Songs for two weeks in September 1994. After the title track’s chart run, “You Can Sleep While I Drive” (written by Melissa Etheridge) hit No. 23 and “I Wanna Go Too Far” returned Yearwood to the top 10 (No. 9). Last single “On a Bus to St. Cloud” also dented the survey.
Yearwood was born on Sept. 19, 1964, in Monticello, Ga. In 1984, she graduated from Young Harris College with an associate degree in business. Prior to signing with MCA Records in 1990, she worked various jobs in Nashville, including a stint as a receptionist at MTM Records.
Yearwood’s rookie single, “She’s in Love With the Boy,” crowned Hot Country Songs for two weeks in August 1991. Its 30th anniversary was marked in 2021 with a surprise celebration at the Grand Ole Opry (to which she was inducted in 1999).
Now 60, and married to fellow country cornerstone Garth Brooks since December 2005, Yearwood is active in music and as a TV personality and an author, having published multiple cookbooks.
2025 has already proven to be a busy year for Yearwood. On March 24, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with dedications by Reba McEntire and Carly Pearce, and with Brooks by her side. With a new album due this year, Yearwood will kick-off a seven-city theater tour beginning on April 30 in Austin, Texas.