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Rising country/Americana star Zach Bryan spent most of 2022 gradually crossing over to the mainstream, as his viral success online began translating to massive streaming numbers — particularly for 34-track official debut LP American Heartbreak, which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 in June and is still in the chart’s top 10 seven months later.
This week, Bryan adds another big item to his chart resumé, as Heartbreak single “Something in the Orange” finishes its slow climb to the Billboard Hot 100‘s top 10 — 38 weeks, tied for the second-longest in chart history (behind only Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves”) — as it lands at No. 10 this week. It’s a particularly impressive rise for Bryan, who has found most of his success outside of the traditional Nashville path, with country radio in particular still appearing hesitant to fully embrace his breakout smash.
How did Zach Bryan get here? And which ascendant country artist might be next to follow in his chart footsteps? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. “Something in the Orange” reaches No. 10 in its 38th week on the chart. On a scale of 1-10, how surprised are you that this song is finally a top 10 hit?
Jason Lipshutz: A 6. As a Zach Bryan fan who has witnessed his surge in popularity and the groundswell of support around “Something in the Orange,” its slow ascent up into the top 10 doesn’t arrive as a shock. Yet sparse, heartbroken country ballads, from a relatively new artist with a muted presence at country radio, aren’t regular fixtures within the upper reaches of the Hot 100, either. Standing back from the situation, “Something in the Orange” has experienced a singular rise as a crossover smash — even if I’ve been waiting for this day to come for the past month or two.
Melinda Newman: 5. Though it’s still relatively rare for country songs to reach such heights on the Hot 100, it is becoming increasingly more common as country catches up with other genres in streaming (the Hot 100 combines sales, radio play and streaming). In the last year alone Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen (twice!) have also reached the top 10. What is surprising is that Bryan accomplished the feat after 38 weeks on the chart. On Country Airplay, such a long trek to the top 10 is commonplace, but Hot 100 drives are usually much quicker—so much so that Bryan’s climb is the second-longest trip to the top 10.
Jessica Nicholson: 3. The song has been a mainstay since debuting on the Billboard charts in May 2022, and has spent three weeks at the pinnacle of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
Andrew Unterberger: Probably an 8, and it might’ve been higher if you asked me back when I first heard the song in mid-2021. This sort of rawer, rockier, Americana-leaning country has been a major part of the musical landscape for most of the last decade — but it’s had virtually no Hot 100 presence whatsoever, as artists like Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson have notched their successes almost exclusively on the albums side of things. But streaming (and TikTok specifically) continue to rewrite the rule book on this stuff, and now you can notch a dusty heartbreak power ballad up there on the Hot 100 alongside Harry Styles and Drake/21 Savage. Not mad at it, but definitely surprised.
Christine Werthman: I am a 7. Bryan’s career has seen a rapid rise over the last year, thanks to his extensive touring and impressive streaming numbers, but I wasn’t sure if that would be enough to hoist this modest superstar into the top 10. Clearly, it was, and it’s nice to see him up there.
2. Bryan has been one of the past year’s biggest breakthrough artists — with his American Heartbreak album sticking in or around the Billboard 200’s top 10 for nearly its whole run since debuting last spring — despite being a country-rooted artist who didn’t go through the traditional Nashville machine. What’s the biggest factor you attribute his high level of success to?
Jason Lipshutz: Sometimes the songs, and the voice delivering them, simply transcend the context around them. Bryan is not your typical country star, American Heartbreak is far from an accessible project for country interlopers, and “Something in the Orange” doesn’t sound like a no-brainer breakout hit… but Bryan’s grizzled delivery is undeniable, Heartbreak has some of the most effective runs of any country album in recent memory, and “Something in the Orange” packs an emotional wallop on every listen. None of it should make sense as a commercial entity, but it doesn’t have to if the message resonates this clearly.
Melinda Newman: There is an authentic rawness and tough vulnerability to Bryan’s songs that is extremely appealing and that cuts through much of the overproduced clutter on radio — but part of American Heartbreak’s staying power in the top 10 is also a numbers game. The album has 34 tracks, and with streaming a major determining factor in chart positions, there are three times the number of tracks on many standard albums. There is still plenty there for people to discover, even seven months later.
Jessica Nicholson: His excels at translating his life’s journey into poetic, vulnerable lyrics with a sparse production, which is a change from the slick, homogenous productions and sometimes surface-level lyrics that have dominated many radio and streaming hits over the past decade or so. At the same time, he’s been fairly prolific in releasing new music, adding his Summertime Blues EP and December’s All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live From Red Rocks) album to his American Heartbreak album — something that hyper-consuming, streaming-oriented fans have appreciated.
Andrew Unterberger: I dunno if it’s the biggest factor, but I gotta say that since I’ve been catching up on Yellowstone — the most popular melodrama on TV right now, though you might not know it from critics’ lists or social media buzz — Zach Bryan’s mega-success is starting to make a lot more sense to me. His windswept lonely-traveler anthems have made the perfect soundtrack for the show’s Montana sunset vibe on multiple occasions, both adding to his exposure and giving his aesthetic a foothold at the center of pop culture. It’s raised the commercial ceiling for Bryan and likeminded artists, at the very least.
Christine Werthman: Bryan is a 26-year-old Navy veteran who writes from the heart and isn’t afraid to share his pain and loss in his music, elements that make him relatable to a wide swath of people. He also knows how to get a crowd going, as you can hear on the live album he put out at the end of 2022, and he gave fans upward of 60 chances to see him on the road last year. He also put out a 34-song album, which never hurts your streaming count if you’ve got the listeners to tune in. These might not be the surest options for some new artists trying to get off the ground, but all these factors combined to grow Bryan’s audience and help him map a viable detour around Nashville.
3. While “Something” continues to scale the Hot 100, Bryan has multiple other songs also currently climbing on streaming — including fellow Heartbreak tracks in “From Austin” and “Sun to Me,” as well as his original viral breakout hit, 2019’s “Heading South.” Do either of them feel to you like they could cross over like “Something” has, or will a potential next hit have to wait for his follow-up album?
Jason Lipshutz: “From Austin” sounds like the one that could potentially take off next: it sports the fragile production and well-worn lyricism of “Something in the Orange” in its verses, but then opens up into a swelling chorus, which eventually crests when horns come crashing in. A song that’s reminiscent of “Orange,” then takes a left turn towards more rousing territory, sounds like the perfect blueprint for a follow-up hit for Bryan — and although his path to fame has been far from traditional, “From Austin” remains unassailable in this context.
Melinda Newman: “Heading South” is the obviously successor here given its streaming numbers, which are far ahead of “From Austin” and “Sun To Me.” Plus, thematically, it’s different as can be from “Something,” whereas “From Austin’ and “Sun to Me” both similarly deal with relationships where Bryan is seeking some kind of salvation. The autobiographical “Heading South” is about redemption of another kind- the kind that comes from following your dreams. It packs a different kind of emotional wallop than the quietly devastating “Something.”
Jessica Nicholson: “Sun to Me” trades the anguish found in “Something in the Orange” for an aura of gratitude, but is still filled with detailed imagery and stirring lyrics, such as “Find someone who grows flowers in the darkest parts of you.” The song has gained traction on the Hot Country Songs chart and the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, meanwhile, his “Oklahoma Smoke Show,” currently in the top 30 on the Hot Country Songs chart, also shows potential for big chart success.
Andrew Unterberger: Feels weird to say about a song that’s already four years old — and probably the first song a lot of current folks heard of his — but it’s “Heading South.” It’s got an anthemic, almost fist-pumping quality that makes a proper contrast to the more mournful “Orange,” and to the thousands (millions?) of new fans who came around to Bryan because of that song and Heartbreak, it may as well be a brand-new single. Plus, if you hear the version found on Bryan’s excellent new live set All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster, you’ll know the power the song has in enrapturing large crowds.
Christine Werthman: I do love “Heading South,” but I think “From Austin” is the next potential hit. It’s nostalgic, sweet and finds Bryan facing his demons, or as he says, “repression is my heaven, but I’d rather go through hell.” With a driving rhythm, meaty guitars and a growling chorus, this could be a country banger.
4. The numbers from Bryan’s rookie season certainly suggest a future superstar, but do you feel he’s gotten the national attention from the public or the media that his stats would usually merit? If not, why do you think that’s been lagging?
Jason Lipshutz: From his lack of media appearances to the decision to title a recent live album All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster, Bryan portrays himself as an outsider, and doesn’t jump through the traditional hoops that popular country music has constructed for a rising star. Of course, that approach has earned him a ton of fans — aside from his music, his image is easy to buy into and root for, particularly if you’re a country fan searching for someone with a fresh perspective. Maybe he’s been dinged within and outside of Nashville for shrugging off longstanding levels of country fame and fortune, but his stats and audience sizes suggest that any lag hasn’t really mattered — and that Bryan is going to stick with what’s worked for him thus far.
Melinda Newman: Bryan’s building an audience based on streaming and touring and it’s working. His songs have been streamed more than 2.5 million times and he’s already selling out venues like Denver’s Red Rocks. While he’s gotten some airplay, he eschews traditional promotional means including interviews — he’s talked only to the New York Times — or television. He’s performed on no late night or daytime shows. If he’s not getting the national attention he deserves, that’s simply because he’s taken himself out of that equation.
Jessica Nicholson: He certainly has a fervent fanbase — and one factor in the reason for the relative lack of national media looks is that he has chosen to connect directly to his fans first, rather than primarily through media outlets.
Andrew Unterberger: I think the national public and media are always a little slow to catch on when it comes to new country phenoms — a lot of the genre still gets silo’d from the larger musical mainstream, particularly in markets like New York and Los Angeles — and that’s particularly true with independent successes like Bryan, who don’t have a major presence at festivals or award shows or other potential crossover platforms yet. You hoped the Grammys might’ve provided that first true national look for Bryan, but given his snubbing among this year’s best new artist nominees (when he seemed like a lock for a nod), it might have to wait until next year.
Christine Werthman: Not quite, and maybe that’s lagging because he didn’t go the traditional Nashville route and is missing out on some of the levers that that machine would have been able to pull. But with a top 10 hit, it seems like the public and the media will catch up soon even without that intervention.
5. Now that Bryan has hit the top 10, what other country singer-songwriter on the rise do you think has the best shot at joining him in the Hot 100’s top tier before the end of 2023?
Jason Lipshutz: Ashley McBryde is one of the best singer-songwriters in country music with a ton of industry goodwill and even more hooks begging for massive audiences. She spent last year releasing and supporting Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville, a multi-artist concept album brimming with heart and ambition; if she releases a traditional project in 2023, I’d bet that she finally crosses over with it.
Melinda Newman: Bailey Zimmerman. He’s only 22, but Zimmerman made history on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in August when he landed three career-opening entries in the top 10 simultaneously. Leading the pack was “Rock and a Hard Place,” a gritty tune about a busted relationship that also hit the top 20 on Country Airplay. He’s off to an auspicious start.
Jessica Nicholson: Bailey Zimmerman’s “Rock and a Hard Place” is currently at No. 17 on the Hot 100. He’s seen two additional songs — “Where It Ends” and “Fall in Love” — reach the top 40 on the Hot 100 over the past year, and all three of those songs reached the top 10 on Hot Country Songs chart. “Fall in Love” also topped the Country Airplay chart. However, Lainey Wilson’s “Heart Like a Truck” is also in the top 40. With her recent CMA Awards wins and additional exposure from her recent role on Yellowstone, there is potential for this track reach the top 10 as well.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s gotta be either Zimmerman or Wilson — with the former probably getting a bit of an edge due to his early head-start on streaming.
Christine Werthman: I’ve got my eye on Megan Moroney, the Georgia singer-songwriter who signed with Sony Music Nashville and Columbia Records last year. She’s got a little rasp to her voice and a heart-on-her-sleeve style, and her song “Tennessee Orange” is currently at No. 58 on the Hot 100.
Taylor Swift extends her record run at No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated Jan. 21), as she tallies her 61st week as the top musical act in the United States.
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Swift continues her dominance as her hit “Anti-Hero” logs an eighth week atop the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing the seven-week reign of “Blank Space” in 2014-15 to become her longest-leading No. 1 on the chart. “What on Earth,” Swift marveled on Instagram, sharing a post from Billboard about the feat. “I love you guys.”
Follow-up single “Lavender Haze” places at No. 30 on the Hot 100, with “Bejeweled” at No. 91. Both tracks are from Swift’s album Midnights, which ranks at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 81,000 equivalent album units earned, according to Luminate, after spending five weeks at No. 1. Swift places nine sets on the latest Billboard 200, the most among all acts: Midnights, Lover (No. 28), Folklore (No. 30), 1989 (No. 41), Red (Taylor’s Version) (No. 43), Evermore (No. 60), reputation (No. 64), Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (No. 136) and Speak Now (No. 143).
Rounding out the top five of the Artist 100, SZA holds at No. 2, as her album SOS spends a fifth week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200; Morgan Wallen repeats at No. 3; The Weeknd keeps at No. 4; and Drake rises 7-5.
Elsewhere on the Artist 100, BTS vaults 77-8, returning to the top 10 on the strength of its 2017 album Love Yourself: Her. Following the set’s release on vinyl, it re-enters the Billboard 200 at No. 13 (21,000 units, up 1,817%; it hit No. 7 in October 2017) and launches at No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums chart (18,000 copies sold on vinyl), where it’s the group’s first leader (and entry).
The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.
South Korean K-pop group NewJeans hits the Billboard Hot 100 (dated Jan. 21) for the first time, as “Ditto” debuts at No. 96.
The song, released Dec. 19 via ADOR/Geffen/Interscope Records, enters on the strength of 5.1 million U.S. streams (up 62%) in the Jan. 6-12 tracking week, according to Luminate. It concurrently ranks at No. 5 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart (after hitting No. 4 a week earlier) and No. 9 on the Billboard Global 200 (after reaching No. 8). The song became the act’s first of two top 10s on the tallies – “OMG” becomes its second on each chart this week. “Ditto” also ranks at No. 7 on World Digital Song Sales (after rising to No. 4 two weeks earlier).
TikTok has been a big factor in the song’s growing popularity, as the track has been used in nearly 300,000 clips on the platform to date. (TikTok does not currently contribute directly to Billboard’s charts.)
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NewJeans are not just newcomers to Billboard’s charts, but to the music scene entirely. The group was founded by Min Hee-jin, CEO of ADOR (a newly created subsidiary under the HYBE labels umbrella), through BigHit Entertainment. The act released its first single, “Attention,” on July 22. The track debuted on Global Excl. U.S. (Aug. 13) at No. 174 and surged to a No. 34 high two weeks later. Concurrent with the song’s chart arrival, the group’s debut four-track EP NWJNS arrived at No. 22 on Heatseekers Albums, before hitting No. 9 two weeks later. The EP also reaches a new No. 10 best on this week’s World Albums chart.
After “Attention,” the group has charted four more songs on Global Excl. U.S., with “Cookie” (No. 198 peak in August) and “Hype Boy” (No. 32, September) preceding its two top 10s.
The five-piece group comprises Danielle, Haerin, Hanni, Hyein and Minji. Minji co-wrote “Ditto” with Hongchul Cho, Yiva Dimberg, Oohyo and 250. 250 (real name Hohyung Lee) also produced the track solo. He’s previously produced songs for BTS, E SENS, iTZY and NCT 127.
NewJeans additionally climb 7-4 on the latest Emerging Artists chart, reaching the top five in its ninth week on the survey.
Bizarrap forges ahead with a new music session in 2023. The latest release is a collaboration with Shakira, “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” which debuts at No. 8 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart (dated Jan. 21). It’s the Argentinian producer’s first entry there. Shakira, meanwhile, extends her top 10 record among women, with 39 top 10s.
“Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” released Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. ET via Dale Play Records, debuts across multiple Billboard charts with one full day, and 5 hours from the day before, of activity in all metrics. The track also arrives at No. 16 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart (which blends streams, sales, and airplay) from less than two days of activity. It’s Bizarrap’s highest debut on the list.
On the radio front, “Vol. 53” debuts in the top 10 on Latin Pop Airplay with 1.8 million audience impressions earned in the U.S. in the Jan. 6-12 tracking week, according to Luminate. As mentioned, Bizarrap unlocks his first top 10 with first entry, while Shakira collects a 39th top 10, the third-most overall, trailing only Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin, with 45 and 42 top 10s, respectively. Among women, she extends her top 10 domination with 39. Here’s the scoreboard among female acts:
39, Shakira19, Ednita Nazario18, Laura Pausini16, Jennifer Lopez16, Paulina Rubio15, Thalia13, Gloria Estefan
In the digital realm, “Vol. 53” logged 4.2 million on-demand U.S. streams in the same tracking week, according to Luminate, which yields a No. 17 debut on Latin Streaming Songs — the highest for Bizarrap among his two entries (his previous session with Spaniard Quevedo, “Vol. 52,” debuted at No. 25 in July 2022).
In addition to its streaming total, the song registered 2,000 digital downloads in its first two tracking days, sparking a No. 1 start on Latin Digital Song Sales. The 24-year-old producer clocks his first champ there among six entries, five of those part of his flooding music sessions (he reached a No. 5 with the explosive “Bzrp Music Session, “Vol. 49” with Residente in March 2022 with almost 2,000 downloads in its first week).
Plus, Shakira crosses off a new milestone, securing 13 No. 1s on Latin Digital Song Sales, the most overall. Thanks to its No. 1 start on the latter, she breaks out of a tie with Bad Bunny and J Balvin, both with 12 champs on their account.
Further, the sum yields a No. 16 start on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart, which measures airplay, streaming data and digital sales. Bizarrap notches his highest debut there among five “Music Session” entries.
Elsewhere on the Billboard charts, “Vol. 53” bows at No. 7 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. The new achievement secures Shakira her third top 10. She claimed her first with the No. 5-peaking “Dare (La La La)” in June 2014. Bizarrap posts his second top 10, following “Vol. 52,” with Quevedo, No. 4 high in Aug. 2022.
“Vol. 53” also makes its global debut, arriving at No. 12 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 8 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.
“Vol. 53” will likely surge on next week’s, Jan. 28-dated charts – including a debut on the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100, following its first full week of activity.
All charts (dated Jan. 21) will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (Jan. 18).
SZA‘s “Kill Bill” spends a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and Rema and Selena Gomez‘s “Calm Down” likewise leads the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey for a second frame.
Plus, NewJeans‘ “OMG” bounds 30-10 on the Global 200 and 19-7 on Global Excl. U.S. and Bizarrap and Shakira‘s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” roars onto the latter list at No. 8.
The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the U.S.
Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.
SZA Has Top ‘Bill’-ing on Global 200, NewJeans Hit Top 10
SZA’s “Kill Bill” scores a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, with 75.2 million streams (up 17%) and 2,000 sold (up 35%) worldwide Jan. 6-12 – boosted by the Jan. 11 premiere of the song’s official video. The track is from her album SOS, which notches a fifth week at No. 1 on the U.S.-based Billboard 200.
Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” repeats at No. 2 on the Global 200, following four weeks at No. 1 beginning in October; Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” ascends to a new No. 3 high, from No. 4; David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” slips 3-4, after it reached No. 2 in September; and Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” holds at No. 5 following four weeks on top starting in November.
Elsewhere in the Global 200’s top 10, NewJeans’ “OMG” blasts 30-10, led by a 40% jump to 40.8 million streams worldwide. The South Korean quintet, comprising members Danielle, Haerin, Hanni, Hyein and Minji, earns its second top 10 on the chart – a spot below “Ditto,” at No. 9 a week after it entered the top 10 with a 26-8 surge to become the act’s first top 10.
Rema, Gomez Lead Global Excl. U.S., NewJeans, Bizarrap & Shakira Enter Top 10
Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” crowns the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for a second week, with 53.5 million streams (essentially even week-over-week) and 4,000 downloads sold (down 2%) in territories outside the U.S. Jan. 6-12.
SZA’s “Kill Bill” climbs 6-2 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, becoming her highest-charting hit, and second top five entry on the tally, following her featured turn on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” (No. 5 peak, 2021); David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” keeps at No. 3, after it reached No. 2 in September; Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” drops 2-4 following eight weeks at No. 1 beginning in October; and NewJeans’ first top 10, “Ditto,” dips to No. 5 from its No. 4.
As on the Global 200, NewJeans’ “OMG” becomes the group’s second the Global Excl. U.S. top 10, as it vaults 19-7 with 35.7 million streams (up 37%) outside the U.S.
Plus, Bizarrap and Shakira’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” charges onto the Global Excl. U.S. chart at No. 8 with 56.2 million streams and 2,000 sold outside the U.S. from its Jan. 10 release through Jan. 12. The buzzworthy latest edition of the Argentine DJ/producer’s series arrives as his second top 10 on the list, after “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52,” with Quevedo, ruled for six weeks (after it debuted at No. 3) beginning last July.
Superstar Shakira, from Colombia, also scores her second Global Excl. U.S. top 10 since the chart began, after “Te Felicito,” with Rauw Alejandro, hit No. 6 last June.
The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Jan. 21, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Jan. 18, a day later than usual due to the Jan. 16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday). For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard‘s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
It’s a monster on the hill, in a good way: Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” holds at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, logging an eighth total week on top. With its latest frame at No. 1, Swift rewrites her longest Hot 100 reign, surpassing the seven weeks at the summit for “Blank Space” in 2014-15.
Plus, SZA’s “Kill Bill” bumps to No. 2 on the Hot 100, a new career-high rank for the singer-songwriter, and Zach Bryan achieves his first top 10 with “Something in the Orange” at No. 10.
The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data. All charts (dated Jan. 21, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Jan. 18, a day later than usual due to the Jan. 16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
“Anti-Hero,” released on Republic Records, tallied 88.5 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 6%), 16.8 million streams (down 3%) and 7,000 sold (up 15%) Jan. 6-12, according to Luminate.
The single adds a fifth week at No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales chart (helped by 10 previously-released versions made available and discounted to 69 cents in her webstore from midday Jan. 9 through the end of Jan. 12); rules Radio Songs for a fourth week; and dips 4-5 after two weeks atop Streaming Songs.
As “Anti-Hero” tops the Hot 100 for an eighth week, Swift eclipses her previous longest command: “Blank Space” dominated for seven frames in 2014-15. Here’s a look at the weeks at No. 1 for each of her nine leaders:
Weeks at No. 1, Title, Date Reached No. 1:8, “Anti-Hero,” Nov. 5, 20227, “Blank Space,” Nov. 29, 20144, “Shake It Off,” Sept. 6, 20143, “Look What You Made Me Do,” Sept. 16, 20173, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Sept. 1, 20121, “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Nov. 27, 20211, “Willow,” Dec. 26, 20201, “Cardigan,” Aug. 8, 20201, “Bad Blood,” feat. Kendrick Lamar, June 6, 2015
“Anti-Hero” debuted atop the Hot 100 as Swift made history as the first artist to infuse the chart’s entire top 10 in a single week, with all tracks all from her album Midnights.
SZA’s “Kill Bill” rises 3-2 for its highest Hot 100 rank yet, with 31.1 million streams (up 11%) – boosted by the Jan. 10 premiere of its official video – 14.2 million in radio reach (soaring 742%, as it’s now being promoted to and supported by pop radio, among other formats) and 1,000 sold (up 37%). It tops Streaming Songs for a third week and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs, which use the same methodology as the Hot 100, for a fifth week each. The track is from her album SOS, which notches a fifth week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
SZA earns a new career-best Hot 100 placement, among seven top 10s; prior to “Kill Bill,” she reached a No. 3 high as featured on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” in July 2021.
Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” slips 2-3 on the Hot 100, after it topped the Oct. 29-dated chart.
David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” keeps at its No. 4 Hot 100 highpoint, as it rules the multi-metric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart for a 17th week; Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage’s “Creepin’ ” pushes 6-5 on the Hot 100, matching its debut and peak to-date first earned in December; and The Weeknd’s “Die for You” climbs 8-6 for a new best.
Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex” retreats 5-7 on the Hot 100, after spending its first three weeks on the chart at its No. 2 plateau beginning in November, as it tops the multi-metric Hot Rap Songs chart for a ninth week; Harry Styles’ “As It Was” descends 7-8 on the Hot 100, following 15 weeks at No. 1 beginning last April, the fourth-longest reign in the chart’s history; and Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” holds at No. 9, after it posted three weeks at No. 1 in October. It concurrently tops the multi-metric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, Hot Rock Songs and Hot Alternative Songs charts for a 21st week each.
Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange” rises 11-10, with 17.4 million streams (up 2%), 3.9 million in radio reach (up 8%) and 4,000 sold (down 6%).
The track, which Bryan wrote solo and is from his major-label debut album American Heartbreak, is his first Hot 100 top 10, after it became his first entry on the chart in May. It ties for the second-longest trip to the top 10 – 38 chart weeks – matching the journeys of Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” in 2006-07 and Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You),” the latter over a whopping 11 on-and-off runs from its 1960 debut to the latest holiday season). Just one song has taken longer to reach the top 10, by total time on the tally: Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves”: 42 weeks in 2021.
“Orange” tops the multi-metric Hot Country Songs chart for a third week. Notably, it’s the 15th No. 1 on the survey that has hit the Hot 100’s top 10 since Hot Country Songs adopted the Hot 100’s methodology in October 2012:
“Something in the Orange,” Zach Bryan, No. 10 Hot 100 peak (to-date), 2023“You Proof,” Morgan Wallen, No. 5, 2022“The Kind of Love We Make,” Luke Combs, No. 8, 2022“Don’t Think Jesus,” Morgan Wallen, No. 7, 2022“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, No. 1 (one week), 2021“Fancy Like,” Walker Hayes, No. 3, 2021“Wasted on You,” Morgan Wallen, No. 9, 2021“I Hope,” Gabby Barrett feat. Charlie Puth, No. 3, 2020“Forever After All,” Luke Combs, No. 2, 2020“7 Summers,” Morgan Wallen, No. 6, 2020“10,000 Hours,” Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber, No. 4, 2019“Meant To Be,” Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, No. 2, 2018“Body Like a Back Road,” Sam Hunt, No. 6, 2017“Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly, No. 4, 2013“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, No. 1 (three weeks), 2012
Just 21% of all Hot Country Songs No. 1s (15 of 76) since October 2012 have hit the Hot 100’s top 10 – although 10 of 22 Hot Country Songs leaders have peaked in the Hot 100’s top 10 since 2020 – a more-than-doubled 45% success rate in that more recent span. Plus, of the songs listed above, all four since the start of 2022 have hit the Hot 100’s top 10 largely from strong streaming and varied degrees of country radio airplay – but not crossover formats, having not appeared on any of Billboard’s pop or adult airplay charts; of the previous 11, all except one (“Forever After All”) scaled pop/adult airplay rankings.
A little more color: “Orange” brings that hue to the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time. The previous best? Lemon Pipers’ “Jelly Jungle (Of Orange Marmalade)” hit No. 51 in 1968. In third place is another song on the current chart: Megan Moroney’s “Tennessee Orange” holds at its No. 58 high. (And to squeeze in an honorable mention, Oran ‘Juice’ Jones’ “The Rain” reached No. 9 in 1986.)
Again, for all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram and all charts (dated Jan. 21), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (Jan. 18).
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
Fifteen years after its release, Courteeners’ St Jude (via Polydor/UMR) is on track for its first U.K. chart crown.
Originally released in 2008, St Jude peaked at No. 4 on the Official Albums Chart, with three of its tracks going on to impact the U.K. top 40.
The British indie rock band has made seven top 10 appearances, including all six of their studio LPs.
Until now, Courteeners’ career U.K. chart peak is No. 2 for 2020’s More. Again. Forever. Thanks to a reissue of St Jude, Courteeners could go one better. It’s the top title on the Official Chart Update, published Jan. 16.
Based on sales and streaming data collated by the Official Charts Company, this week’s highest new entry could belong to Supergrass guitarist Gaz Coombes, whose fourth solo album Turn The Car Around (Hot Fruit) is chasing a No. 2 debut. If it continues to accelerate, Turn The Car Around would give Coombes his first solo top 10; Supergrass has six top 10 albums, including a No. 1 for their 1995 debut I Should Coco.
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Meanwhile, London rapper Clavish is eyeing his first top 10 appearance with his 28-track debut mixtape Rap Game Awful (Polydor). It’s new at No. 4 on the latest chart update.
Also pushing for top 10 debuts are indie rock Circa Waves with Never Going Under (Lower Third), on track for a No. 9 start; and veteran Scottish indie-pop band Belle & Sebastian with Late Developers (Matador), new at No. 10 on the U.K. chart update.
Finally, George Ezra enjoys an immediate bump after the singer and songwriter last week landed multiple nominations for the 2023 BRIT Awards. Ezra, who is up for song of the year and artist of the year at the annual ceremony, set for Feb. 11, sees his third successive chart-topping album Gold Rush Kid (Columbia) makes a rush for the top 40; it’s at No. 31 on the chart blast.
All will be revealed when the Official Charts are published late Friday.
On the Billboard Hot 100 dated Jan. 16, 1988, George Harrison notched his third solo No. 1, as “Got My Mind Set on You,” from his album Cloud Nine, rose from the runner-up spot.
Harrison had previously topped the Hot 100 outside The Beatles with “Give Me Love – (Give Me Peace on Earth),” for a week in June 1973, and the double-sided single “My Sweet Lord”/”Isn’t It a Pity,” for four frames starting in December 1970.
The Beatles, with Harrison as a member, ran up a record 20 Hot 100 No. 1s, in 1964-70 – while their members went on to notch a combined 16 as soloists. Harrison became the first to lead on his own and, thanks to “Got My Mind Set on You,” remains the most recent. Ringo Starr (who guests on drums on the song) reigned with two titles in 1973-74; John Lennon, with two in 1974-81; and Paul McCartney, including his work with Wings, with nine in 1971-84.
Harrison would go on to further chart success in 1988, as follow-up single “When We Was Fab” hit No. 23 on the Hot 100. Cloud Nine peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart the same week that “Got My Mind Set on You” crowned the Hot 100, and Harrison fared even better on the former ranking with an album released later that year: Traveling Wilburys’ first collection, which reached No. 3 in January 1989. The supergroup comprised Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, formed when the legends worked up “Handle With Care” as a potential Cloud Nine B-side; deemed too good to remain that obscure, it was released as the band’s introductory single and hit No. 2 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.
How did the Hot 100’s top 10 stack up the week that Harrison hit No. 1 on the Jan. 16, 1988, chart? Count down the tally’s top tier that week below.
Raye had the feel-good chart story of 2023 with “Escapism,” a slow burner that finally climbed to No. 1 earlier in the month for the British singer’s first leader.
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With Lewis Capaldi’s “Pointless” pushing “Escapism” to No. 2 on the latest chart, published last Friday (Jan. 13), Raye is making another push for the summit.
“Escapism,” featuring U.S. rapper 070 Shake, leads the U.K.’s First Look survey, which ranks the most popular singles after the first 48 hours in the chart cycle.
It’s not a done deal. Miley Cyrus is hot on her heels with “Flowers,” the Official Charts Company reports. It’s new at No. 2 on the chart blast.
The lead off to Cyrus’ eighth studio set Endless Summer Vacation, due out March 10, “Flowers” features production work from Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon.
Wherever it lands on the U.K. chart, “Flowers” should become her eighth U.K. Top 10 single, a list that she most recently added to in 2020 with Plastic Hearts tracks “Midnight Sky” (No. 5) and the Dua Lipa-assisted “Prisoner” (No. 8).
As Raye and Cyrus duke it out, Capaldi’s “Pointless” is out of the picture, certainly at this early stage. “Pointless, lifted from Capaldi’s forthcoming sophomore LP, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, is set to drop 1-11 on the weekly tally. Finally, “Creepin’” by producer Metro Boomin’ featuring The Weeknd and 21 Savage is creeping up the chart, and could finally crack the top 10. It’s at No. 10 on the First Look tally.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published Friday.