Chart Beat
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Sam Smith and Madonna soar onto Billboard’s multi-metric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart (dated June 24) with “Vulgar,” at No. 11. The track earned 1.8 million official streams and sold 3,000 downloads in the U.S. in the week ending June 15, according to Luminate.
“Vulgar,” released near the beginning of Pride month on June 9, is Smith’s fifth chart showing. They have four top 10s, including one that reached the summit, Disclosure’s “Latch,” on which they’re featured (four weeks at No. 1, 2014). Smith’s other top 10s are “Omen” (Disclosure featuring Smith; No. 5, 2015), “Promises” (with Calvin Harris; No. 4, 2018) and “I Feel Love” (No. 8; 2019).
“Vulgar” is Madonna’s seventh entry on the chart, which began in January 2013. Among those, she has three top 10s: “Living for Love” (No. 9, 2015), “B**** I’m Madonna” (featuring Nicki Minaj; No. 5, 2015) and “Frozen” (Madonna vs. Sickick; No. 10, 2022).
Concurrently, “Vulgar” bows at No. 1 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart (which premiered in 2010), giving Smith their third leader and Madonna her first. Smith previously headed up the list with “Latch” (2014) and “I Feel Love” (2019).
Meanwhile, “Vulgar” starts on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart (No. 16).
Additionally on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Kylie Minogue climbs to a new career high with “Padam Padam” (11-7). Her first top 10, as it reached No. 10 two weeks earlier, among 15 charted titles, picked up 2.1 million streams (up 25%) and sold 3,000 downloads (up 104%, good for the chart’s top Sales Gainer honor). The increases follow the June 9 release of the song’s extended mix and June 11 surprise performance at Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium in the UK.
The song by Minogue, who also headlined iHeartMedia’s KTUphoria at New York’s Jones Beach Theater June 17, performing “Padam,” as well as fan favorites, additionally pushes 3-2 on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales and enters Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs (No. 21).
Further on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, DJ/producer Fisher earns his eighth chart hit, while singer/DJ Aatig collects her second, with “Take It Off” (No. 17). It’s the top rank yet for both acts. “Take” took in 1.4 million streams and sold 1,000 downloads, the latter figure also allowing for a No. 5 start on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales.
Shifting to the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, Rita Ora adds her second No. 1 and featured act Fatboy Slim scores his first with “Praising You” (4-1). The track, a reimagination of the latter’s 1999 classic “Praise You,” drew core-dance airplay on Music Choice’s Dance/EDM channel, KMVQ-HD2 San Francisco and KNHC (C89.5) Seattle, among other stations. (The Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart measures radio airplay on a select group of full-time dance stations, along with plays during mix shows on around 60 top 40-formatted reporters.)
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 July 1), a star rapper looks to continue his hot streak, while hard rock veterans and K-poppers also put the top spot in their sights.
Gunna, A Gift and a Curse (YSL/300): Though Gunna has been under attack on social media since last December for his supposed “snitching” in accepting an Alford plea — a formal admission of guilt while also maintaining innocence — for his part in the YSL RICO trial, it appears that he remains a prolific performer on streaming. (He denied any cooperation with the prosecution.) His new album A Gift and a Curse has littered the Spotify and Apple Music real-time charts since its release last Friday (June 16), with the shout-along “fukumean” already seeming like a breakout hit from the set.
The rapper born Sergio Giavanni Kitchens has been a regular visitor to the top spot of the Billboard 200 since his late-’10s rise to stardom. And he’s already been there three times this decade – with his own Wunna (2020) and DS4Ever (2022) albums, and as a co-lead on the YSL showcase compilation Slime Language 2 (2021). DS4Ever, Gunna’s most recent set, was also his most popular, moving 150,000 first-week units and topping even The Weeknd’s new Dawn FM to claim the top spot.
To unseat Morgan Wallen – who returns to No. 1 for a 13th frame with his One Thing at a Time blockbuster this chart week – he’ll need to do it almost entirely with streaming (with help from digital sales), as the album is not yet for sale in any physical format. Wallen posted 115,000 units in its most recent week, so if Gunna can approach his DS4ever debut performance with his new set, he should have a pretty good shot of becoming the latest act to interrupt the country star’s months-long reign.
Ateez, The World Ep.2: Outlaw (KQ/RCA/Legacy): It’s going to be a classic case of sales vs. streams in next week’s competition for top debut on the Billboard 200. Eight-piece Korean boy band Ateez has yet to establish a big stateside presence on streaming services, but like many popular K-pop acts, the act sells physical copies by the truckload – which has already helped their Spin Off: From the Witness set hit No. 7 earlier this year, and their The World Ep.1: Movement EP get all the way to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 last August.
The sequel to that latter EP, The World Ep. 2: Outlaw is also expected to make a pretty big chart splash next week, again thanks to robust physical sales. To maximize that opportunity, the octet has released 21 different collectible CD editions of Outlaw, including some signed variants, all containing branded merchandise and randomized items (action cards, partner cards, photo cards) — as well as a Target-exclusive edition.
Queens of the Stone Age, In Times New Roman… (Matador): Queens of the Stone Age albums are becoming increasingly infrequent – it’s been six years since the band’s Villains – but the veteran hard rock band has historically been a strong performer on the Billboard 200, and it even topped the chart two albums ago with 2013’s …Like Clockwork. This month’s In Times New Roman… will be helped by a series of different-colored vinyl variants, though thus far the album lacks a hit single to match Villains’ top 10-charting Rock Airplay hit “The Way You Used to Do.”
In the Mix
J. Cole, Born Sinner (ByStorm/Columbia/Dreamville/Roc Nation): As fans eagerly await a new album from Cole — and as he sticks around the top five on the BillboardHot 100 with his appearance on Lil Durk’s smash “All My Life” — fans also have new goodies to tide them over with the vinyl reissue of his 2013 chart-topper Born Sinner. The LP is available in a trio of color variants, including a translucent red exclusive to Target.
Asake, Work of Art (YNBL/Empire): Asake’s debut album Mr. Money With the Vibe was one of the most-acclaimed and best-received Afrobeats albums of 2022, reaching the top half of the Billboard 200. The Nigerian singer/songwriter looks to do even better than that set’s No. 66 bow with this month’s Work of Art, which has already scored a pair of top 10 hits on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart with advance tracks “Amapiano” (with Olamide) and “2:30.”
Nearly three years after it first appeared on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, Taylor Swift’s “August” is back on the June 24-dated survey. “August” experienced a boost in streams and sales amid the June 9-15 tracking week with it in the trailer for season two of Amazon Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned […]
“I find that people have kept [it] with them. I think it’s because the lyrics are simple, but you can fill in the blanks with your adult experience. I know that I can as a singer now.”
In 2013, Debbie Gibson recounted to Billboard her memories of “Foolish Beat,” which had then topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart 25 years earlier, on the ranking dated June 25, 1988. The song made history for Gibson: As she was 17 years old when the ballad reigned, she became the youngest woman to have written, produced and performed a Hot 100 No. 1, a mark that still stands.
“When I was writing it,” Gibson further recalled in 2013, “I was guessing what love would be like … and then also guessing what it would be like to lose love. Now that I’ve been through all that, I can sing the very simple lyrics and really fill it.”
The song was released as the fourth single from Gibson’s Atlantic Records debut album Out of the Blue, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Her breakthrough hit “Only in My Dreams” reached No. 4 on the Hot 100, as did follow-up “Shake Your Love,” while the title cut then hit No. 3. (Following “Foolish Beat,” fifth single “Staying Together” became the set’s fifth top 40 hit, rising to No. 22.)
Gibson has continued to expand her Billboard chart history, as she sent her first seasonal collection, Winterlicious, into the top 20 of the Top Holiday Albums in November 2022. It followed her first proper LP of all-new music, The Body Remembers, which hit the Top Current Albums and Top Album Sales charts in 2021.
Upon the 35th anniversary of “Foolish Beat” ruling the Hot 100, Gibson gives Billboard an exclusive countdown of the chart that week in 1988, musing about each song in the top 20 that frame. The song, which became Gibson’s first of two No. 1s, ahead of “Lost in Your Eyes” in March 1989, overcame impressive competition, including fellow classics from Michael Jackson, George Michael, Def Leppard, INXS and Hall and Oates. –Gary Trust
“Lost in You,” Rod Stewart
Image Credit: Robin Platzer/IMAGES/Getty Images
Though chart success is not exactly new to alt-folk singer-songwriter Noah Kahan — his Stick Season set debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in late 2022, while its title track has spent nearly 30 weeks on Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart — he certainly reaches a new level this week, as his Stick Season jumps to the top 5 of the Billboard 200.
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The album shoots all the way from No. 100 to No. 3 on the chart dated June 24, easily a new high for the set. That’s thanks to a combination of renewed interest in (and consumption of) the set following its We’ll All Be Here Forever deluxe reissue earlier this month — which includes seven new tracks, including the TikTok-teased “Dial Drunk,” a No. 43 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 this week — and robust sales numbers, spurred on by the set’s long-awaited vinyl release the same day.
Still, how has Kahan been able to build so much commercial momentum in a relatively short period of time? And how big might his new hit still get from here? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. We don’t see a lot of indie-folk-type singer-songwriters reaching the top five of the Billboard 200 in 2023, let alone doing so for the first time with a reissue. On a scale from 1-10, how surprised are you to see Noah Kahan’s Stick Season at No. 3 this week?
Eric Renner Brown: My surprise at seeing Kahan specifically would clock in around an 8, but my surprise at seeing A Guy Like Kahan is about a 3. Earnest, folky singer-songwriter fare perennially does well. The artists who break through can come as a surprise – and I’m not sure I or anyone else can always explain why one artist in this genre gets huge while others don’t – but indie-folk still has a huge audience, and where there’s an audience there will always be a desire for new blood.
Hannah Dailey: I’d say 5, and my surprise level is only that high because it was the deluxe version, not the actual album, to make it that far on the charts. But Noah in general has been long overdue for this kind of commercial recognition — he’s a talented songwriter with that rare but familiar gift for crafting hooks that resonate widely and deeply with the most versatile of audiences. As for his folksy acoustic sound, I’m not surprised he’s seeping into the mainstream — I think his style is one of the most timeless genres out there, and that there’s always been a market for it. But it’s one of those genres that’s often bigger than the individual artists who contribute to it. It’s only when someone like Noah, Mumford & Sons, the Lumineers, etc. is positioned at the right time to rise above the rest of the songwriting pool that numbers like this are able to happen.
Kyle Denis: I’m probably around a 7.5-8. I’m in a perpetual state of awe at how deep and dedicated music niches have become in the TikTok era. I would wager that the average person walking down the street doesn’t have a single clue who Noah Kahan is, but that doesn’t matter. He’s engaged his base in such a way that them simply showing up is enough to put him alongside global sensations like Taylor Swift and Stray Kids. I think that’s beautiful. I also think the fact that Stick Season hit No. 3 with a reissue is really important. It seems like artists are moving on from albums at an increasingly fast pace, but the success of Stick Season is a testament to the power of working a record to the fullest extent.
Josh Glicksman: Let’s go with an 8. Granted, it wasn’t a week filled with new releases from perennial chart-topping artists (the only June 9 album to rank ahead of Stick Season on the June 24-dated chart is Niall Horan’s The Show). Even so, Kahan’s monumental leap from No. 100 to No. 3 on the Billboard 200, with no prior history on the chart aside from this project, is nothing to gloss over — particularly during a year when it’s been difficult to break ground among the mainstays.
Andrew Unterberger: About an 8. It was obvious from Stick Season‘s debut last year that Kahan was an artist to watch, and that a true breakthrough moment was likely coming down the road — but I thought “down the road” would mean “at least one album cycle away” for Kahan. That it came with a well-timed, well-planned reissue of Stick Season itself eight months after its initial release is definitely not what I expected, but that’s music in 2023 for you: No album cycle is ever truly over anymore.
2. Kahan has obviously been able to harness a certain amount of momentum and virality from his presence on TikTok. What do you think about him or his music has allowed him to be so successful there?
Eric Renner Brown: Kahan’s songs are hooky earworms, have vivid and memorable lyrics, and exude a stylistic nostalgia that conjures indie-folk stalwarts of yesteryear like The Lumineers (who, it should be noted, sell out stadiums in the year 2023, even if lots of people reduce them to their 2012 smash “Ho Hey”). It all adds up to an immediate and organic simplicity that can stand out on the platform while appealing to the sensibilities of many of its younger users – who, now, have an indie-folk hero of their own.
Hannah Dailey: I don’t think the answer is much more complicated than that his music is objectively good and has built-in mass appeal. His lyrics are beautiful and widely relatable, his songs are intrinsically cathartic and beg to be sung by thousands of fans in arenas — a tried-and-true formula for commercial success. Does it hurt that he’s hilarious and clever, and has learned to communicate his hilariousness and cleverness to fans on social media while also fostering personal connections? Definitely not.
Kyle Denis: I think there are two key things happening with Noah Kahan: 1) he satisfies Gen Z’s penchant for relatability from their music stars and 2) his folky analog sound is a far cry from the dominant dance-centric sonics of current mainstream pop. Kahan has been very open about his struggles with anxiety, and that kind of transparency resonates very deeply with a generation that is more open about mental health conversations than their elders were. Musically, he’s a smart lyricist and offers a different sound. It also helps that he engages with fans on a level beyond “here’s this song and tour ticket, buy it.” He’s complimenting and reacting to fans’ covers of his songs and throwing his support behind fans rewriting “Dial Drunk” from the other point of view. He feels accessible even though he isn’t actually just a phone call away for most listeners.
Josh Glicksman: Though there are trends, it can be difficult to point to definitive rationale for virality on TikTok — though it’s notable that he’s been able to build momentum on the platform over the course of a full 21-song re-release, as opposed to a singular hit. That said, Kahan seems to have built a strong following thanks to frequent interaction with his fans, whether it be showcasing duets of those singing his songs, thanking concertgoers from tour stops or previewing new music.
Andrew Unterberger: If we’ve learned nothing else from the absurd level of success Zach Bryan has reached in the last 18 months, it should be that a relatable small-town artist with a strong voice (both in the technical and artistic sense), big choruses and a good understanding of internet promotion should never be underestimated. Kahan really seems like he’s following the Bryan playbook to the last X & O — most importantly, in terms of having huge-sounding songs that connect with listeners in a really personal way — and it’s certainly paying off for him right now.
3. Though he’s had breakout hits before – particularly with Stick Season’s title track – his new “Dial Drunk” seems to be a new level of breakthrough for Kahan, bowing at No. 43 on the Hot 100 this week. Do you think it will continue growing from here, or is its chart success more of a one-week wonder based on anticipation for its full debut?
Eric Renner Brown: With its plucky banjo, “Dial Drunk” has a slightly different flavor than some of Kahan’s other most-streamed tracks, while still excelling in the ways those other songs do. I could see it being his next hit – but at this point, Stick Season‘s high chart placement seems the most likely explanation for the song’s Hot 100 appearance.
Hannah Dailey: I’m not sure. If I had to guess, I’d say that Noah’s magic really lies in his albums as full bodies of work, not his songs on their own. So while “Dial Drunk” may not continue its upward trajectory, I’m hopeful Stick Season will.
Kyle Denis: I think the song might tumble a bit and then remain steady in the weeks to come. It may or may not re-peak, but I think, at this moment, the song’s longevity is of utmost importance for Kahan. People seem to really be latching onto the bridge and the storytelling aspect of the song. It also helps that songs with a similar sound, like Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange,” have stuck around on the Hot 100 for 60 weeks, so clearly there’s a sizable market for songs like “Dial Drunk.”
Josh Glicksman: While I don’t expect the song to climb into the highest reaches of the Hot 100, I’d expect for it to stick around in the weeks to come. Even if the viral momentum that spurred it to the chart begins to fade, “Dial Drunk” seems like a bankable hit on the radio throughout the summer. It debuts at No. 3 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs — one of an eye-popping 18 entries that he holds on the chart this week.
Andrew Unterberger: I gotta say, I am really rooting for this song. I don’t know how big “Dial Drunk” can get on the charts without a major place on radio — it doesn’t quite fit on pop or country, and rock and alternative radio only takes you so far in 2023 — but it’s certainly rousing and replayable enough to remain a fixture on streaming and stick around on the Hot 100 for some time still. It might need a big synch or music video or remix to push it past its current placement, though.
4. Kahan is still in the midst of a U.S. tour that will take him through most of the summer. If you were on his team, would you be advising him to do anything else right now to capitalize on the momentum of this moment, or is he better off focusing on the tour and letting his newfound success essentially promote itself?
Eric Renner Brown: The guy has a No. 3 album on the Billboard 200 and headlined Radio City Music Hall two weeks ago! I don’t think he or his team needs to mess with his current trajectory.
Hannah Dailey: He’s clearly doing something right on his own, so I wouldn’t want to risk adding any pressure to inorganically capitalize on something that came together so naturally and beautifully. I also like to think that he’s proof of that if your music is really good and you just keep at it, people will eventually start to notice — as naive and over-simplified as that notion may be.
Kyle Denis: At the risk of looking too try-hard and accidentally stepping towards the hyper-glossy inaccessible pop stardom he exists in opposition to, I would advise Kahan and his team to just keep doing what they’re doing. Maybe book some more televised performances but continue to prioritize the tour and nurture that unique fan connection. Part of the buy-in for supporting any new artist is feeling as though you have discovered them, and a calculated promotional push mitigates that feeling. The momentum will carry itself, and if recent tours from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are anything to go by, touring — in any capacity — is still the most effective and authentic way to promote an artist’s music and brand.
Josh Glicksman: Be visible, but don’t feel the pressure to immediately follow-up with something else. I’d be advising him to continue interacting with fans on social media, as well as doing the radio circuit and applicable press, but let Stick Season and “Dial Drunk” have their respective moments to shine in the sun. Spend the next several months continuing to build your fan base, and allow them to become familiar with your discography before trying to add another release in there.
Andrew Unterberger: Just chill for the rest of the season. Keep playing to bigger and bigger crowds on the road, keep engaging with fans online, but otherwise just marinate in the moment and don’t mess with what’s gotten you this far. And perhaps most importantly, maybe take a few months off, and then get to work on that next album: You’ve set yourself up beautifully for whatever comes next, but folks won’t wait around forever — and as good a handle as you have on the current rules of the game, they’re probably just a year or two away from changing into something totally unrecognizable.
5. Who’s another still-somewhat-under-the-radar singer-songwriter from the folk and/or indie worlds right now who you think might be due for a breakout moment of their own soon?
Eric Renner Brown: Sure, this is partly wishful thinking on my part, but Alex G has an extremely passionate following in the indie world that only continues to grow, and it wouldn’t catch me totally off guard if one of his more folky tracks – and his 2022 album God Save the Animals has some of his folkiest material yet – broke through. Not that I think it’s particularly likely.
Hannah Dailey: Angel Olsen, Ethel Cain or Leith Ross!
Kyle Denis: I’d love to see P.J. Harding and Ruel have their proper breakout moments sometime soon.
Josh Glicksman: Samia. Go back and listen to her newest album, Honey — and while you’re there, check out 2020’s The Baby, too.
Andrew Unterberger: A little more country and grunge than folk and indie, but Koe Wetzel seems like another singer-songwriter in this did-it-himself mold who is really resonating with young fans right now and might not be long removed from his own mainstream breakout moment.
Usher acquires his seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart as “GLU” advances from the runner-up spot to lead the list dated June 24. The sensual single checks into the penthouse after a 16% boost in plays that made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the week ending June 15, according to Luminate.
“GLU” unseats Alicia Keys’ “Come for Me (Unlocked),” featuring Khalid and Lucky Daye, after the latter’s two weeks in command. The prior champ slips to No. 3 due to a 13% decline in plays.
With his seventh champ, Usher becomes the seventh male artist with at least as many No. 1s on Adult R&B Airplay since the list began in 1993. Charlie Wilson and his nine No. 1s pace that race, with Bruno Mars, Kem, Maxwell and Tank each claiming eight leaders, while R. Kelly also owns seven.
As the R&B legend sticks “GLU” onto his roster, here’s a look at Usher’s seven Adult R&B Airplay No. 1s:
“Here I Stand,” seven weeks at No. 1, beginning Dec. 6, 2008“Papers,” three, Jan. 2, 2010“There Goes My Baby,” one, July 31, 2010“Climax,” one, July 7, 2012“Don’t Waste My Time,” featuring Ella Mai, two, June 13, 2020“Bad Habits,” one, Dec. 5, 2020“GLU,” one (to date), June 24, 2023
The new No. 1 also continues the successful partnership between Usher and two of his noteworthy collaborators – Sean Garrett and Lil Jon, who share co-writing and co-production credits on “GLU.” For the former, it brings the hitmaker his second Adult R&B Airplay No. 1 with Usher, after “Papers.” Both Garrett and Lil Jon are also part of the team behind one of Usher’s most iconic hits, the smash “Yeah!,” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, which ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks in 2004. In addition to that pair, The Avila Brothers also share co-writing and co-production credits, while Usher himself also nabs a co-write claim.
Elsewhere, “GLU” repeats at No. 6 on the plays-based Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, despite a 1% drop in plays in the latest tracking week. Thanks to top 10 showings at both Adult R&B Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, the song retains its No. 4 best, to date, on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. There, “GLU” rose to 14.6 million in audience in the latest tracking week, up 6% from the previous frame.
Anchored by its radio strength across the R&B/hip-hop sector, “GLU” climbs 40-38 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, where it registered 17.3 million in total audience. Airplay gains, in turn, spark the song’s 15-13 ascent on the Hot R&B Songs chart, which blends radio airplay data with streaming and sales for its rankings.
EXO’s “Let Me In” lands the boy band its first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart debuting atop the June 24-dated tally.
Billboard’s Hot Trending charts, powered by Twitter, track global music-related trends and conversations in real-time across Twitter, 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 June 9-15.
“Let Me In” is the first song released from Exist, EXO’s to-be-released seventh studio album. The track was released June 12.
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Concurrently, the song begins at No. 5 on the World Digital Song Sales chart with 1,000 downloads, according to Luminate.
“Let Me In” isn’t the only EXO song to reach the latest Hot Trending Songs survey, as “Hear Me Out” appears at No. 4. The song was announced as part of Exist, but will not be released until June 30.
Exist is scheduled for release July 10.
“Let Me In” reigns over Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire,” which bows at No. 2. “Vampire,” which was announced June 13, will be released on June 30 as the first taste of new music from the singer since her breakthrough debut album Sour, a five-week No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2021.
Doja Cat’s “Attention,” teased during the June 9-15 tracking period but released June 16, starts at No. 3, while MISAMO’s “Marshmallow,” which came out June 15, debuts at No. 5.
Keep visiting Billboard.com for the constantly evolving Hot Trending Songs rankings, and check in each Tuesday for the latest weekly chart.
Yng Lvcas and Peso Pluma achieve their first No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay chart as “La Bebe” advances from No. 2 to lead the list dated June 24. It’s the first team-up where both artists secure their first champ in 2023, and the first since Bizarrap and Quevedo led with “Bzrp Music Sessions, […]
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 titles by acts who appear on surveys for the first time on the June 24-dated charts.
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Rob Grant
Rob Grant and his superstar daughter Lana Del Rey can now both say they’ve hit No. 1 on a Billboard chart. Grant, 70, lands his first-ever chart appearance this week thanks to his debut album, Lost at Sea. Released June 9 via Decca/Interscope Records/IGA, the album debuts at No. 1 on Classical Crossover Albums, No. 2 on Classical Albums, No. 2 on New Age Albums, and No. 75 on the Top Current Album Sales chart with 1,000 equivalent album units earned in the June 9-15 tracking week, according to Luminate. The set, almost entirely instrumental, features two collaborations between Grant and his daughter: the title track and the set’s final track, “Hollywood Bowl” — Dey Rey sings on both songs, while Grant plays piano.
Also contributing to the piano-driven album is the Budapest Art Orchestra and Jack Antonoff, who produced multiple tracks. Antonoff, notably, produced Lana’s Normal Fucking Rockwell! (2019), Chemtrails Over the Country Club (2021) and Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (2023), which all reached the top five of the Billboard 200.
Grant spent the beginning of his career as a domain-name investor, real estate agent and copywriter (and boating enthusiast). “An accidental recording artist, Grant has never had a lesson on any instrument in his life. No kind of formal musical training at all. He can’t read sheet music,” reads a press release from Decca. “But when he sits down at a piano, something magical happens.”
&ME
Berlin-based producer and house/techno DJ &ME (real name André Boadu) notches his first career chart entry under an artist billing thanks to his new collaboration with Black Coffee, “The Rapture, Pt. III.” The song, released June 9 via Keinemusik, debuts at No. 41 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. While &ME has been releasing music and remixes for more than a decade, he scored a big break last year when Drake recruited him to produce two tracks on his LP Honestly, Nevermind. The songs, “Falling Back” and “A Keeper,” reached Nos. 7 and 21 on the Hot 100, respectively, while the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. “Falling Back” also hit No. 1 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. &ME has released two solo studio albums: You Are Safe in 2017 and Send Return in 2021.
That Mexican OT & DRODi
Both artists reach Billboard’s charts for the first time with their new collaboration with Paul Wall, “Johnny Dang.” The song, released May 26 through Manifest Music, debuts at No. 44 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and No. 14 on the Hot 100’s Bubbling Under ranking. The title is an ode to the Texas jeweler of the same name, who also appears in the song’s official video. That Mexican OT (real name Virgil Rene Gazca), from Bay City, Texas, has been active in the Houston hip-hop scene lately. He’s released five LPs so far: South Texas Project (2020), Southside Steppin (2021), 1 Double 0 (2021), Nonsense and Mexican Shit (2022) and The Show Must Go On, with Saxkboy KD (2023). Freeport, Texas-based rapper DRODi is a frequent collaborator of That Mexican OT’s. Before “Johnny Gang,” they teamed up on “PADRE,” “SIDEWALK,” “SLAP,” “DRO-T” and “24z” in 2022, and “BOW DOWN” in February.
Dudu Tassa
The Israeli singer-songwriter-producer earns his first chart appearance thanks to his new collaborative album with Jonny Greenwood, Jarak Qaribak. The set, released June 9 via World Circuit/BMG, debuts at No. 68 on the Top Current Album Sales chart with 1,000 downloads sold in its opening week. Tassa is a veteran musician, and a highly regarded figure in Israel’s rock scene. He has released 19 studio albums, dating to his first, יותר ברור, (pronounced Yoter Barur, which means “Clearer” in Hebrew), in 2000. He’s also the leader of the group Dudu Tassa & The Kuwaitis, who opened for Radiohead (where Greenwood plays lead guitar), on their 2017 tour.
Point North
The Los Angeles-based rock band tallies its first chart appearance, thanks to “Safe and Sound” with The Ghost Inside. The song, released Feb. 24 via Hopeless Records, debuts at No. 34 on Mainstream Rock Airplay (up 18% in plays). The group — which is comprised of Jon Lundin (vocals), Andy Hershey (guitar) and Sage Weeber (drums) — is slated to hit the road later this summer, supporting Escape the Fate on its Out of the Shadows Tour. Point North’s new third LP Prepare for Despair is due Aug. 18.
Danae Hays
The comedian and country singer lands on Billboard’s charts with her first-ever release, “Rode Hard.” The song, which she self-released June 14, debuts at No. 8 on Country Digital Song Sales and No. 22 on Digital Song Sales with 2,000 downloads sold. The track also helps the Alabama native debut at No. 34 on the Emerging Artists chart. TikTok has been a significant factor in Hays’ growing profile, as she boasts over 2.5 million followers on the platform.
Joel de La P & Tito Double P
Both artists achieve their first chart entry thanks to their new collaboration with Luis R Conriquez, “Dembow Belico.” The song, released June 3 on Double P Records, debuts at No. 36 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart. Joel de La P and Tito Double P are both music newcomers. They’re affiliated with Peso Pluma’s newly launched label Double P Records, which he started in April (“La Doble P” is Peso Pluma’s alter ego). Tito Double P has two featured credits on Peso Pluma’s upcoming third studio album Genesis, due June 22: “Gavilán II” and “La People.”
Amarion
The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter arrives with his new collaboration with Ozuna, “Tucu.” The song, released May 25 through Aura/Sony Music Latin, debuts at No. 23 on Latin Rhythm Airplay (up 113% in radio audience). Amarion has been releasing music for almost a decade. He dropped his debut studio album, Mood, in 2021, via AARM LLC. He’s also collaborated with Bryant Myers, Lyanno, Dimelo Flow and Green Cookie, among others.
Lim Young Woong
The South Korean singer and YouTuber lands his first Billboard chart entry thanks to “Grain of Sand.” The song, released June 5 via Dreamus, debuts at No. 102 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. Prior to his latest track, he had released one studio album: the 12-track set Im Hero in May 2022. He broke through in South Korea after competing in – and winning – the reality talent show Mr. Trot in 2020.
DJ Yus
The Cuban artist scores his first Billboard chart appearance thanks to his breakthrough club hit “Hoy No Se Duerme.” The song, released May 5 via LAUM MUSIC, debuts at No. 25 on Tropical Airplay. DJ Yus has released three additional songs: “Rompe La Bocina” with El Micha and El Chacal in 2018, “Siguete Moviendo” (2019) and “Pa Que Lo Goce” (2020).
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” adds a 19th week atop Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart (dated June 24), matching his longest command among seven career No. 1s. “Last Night” retains the Hot Country Songs penthouse as it concurrently dominates Country Airplay for a seventh week (33 million impressions, down 2%). It also […]