State Champ Radio Chart Beat
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Morgan Wallen was the most-played act on TouchTunes jukeboxes in the first quarter of 2025, headlining the first artist-specific chart from TouchTunes alongside the latest iterations of its songs-based Frontline and Catalog rankings.
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The TouchTunes charts for the first quarter of the year track the most played songs and artists on TouchTunes jukeboxes from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2025, with the Frontline ranking inclusive of music released in the last 18 months, followed by the Catalog tally for any music that was released more than 18 months ago. TouchTunes has jukeboxes in over 60,000 locations worldwide. TouchTunes data is not factored into other Billboard charts.
Wallen leads the inaugural TouchTunes Artists Chart, representing nearly double the quarterly plays of the second-most-played act, Shaboozey. Not that that’s a major surprise for anyone who’s been following the TouchTunes Frontline and Catalog lists since their inception, as Wallen, despite still searching for his first No. 1 song on either tally, is routinely the most-represented act on each.
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Sure enough, Wallen can be found on six of the 25 songs on the Frontline chart this quarter, plus two of the 25 on Catalog. His highest rank comes as a featured act on Post Malone‘s “I Had Some Help,” which falls one spot to No. 3 on the latest Frontline list, while “Love Somebody” is his top-performing tune as a lead act, leaping eight spots to No. 7 on Frontline. (Perhaps helping matters: all eight Wallen songs feature at least one lyric referencing drinking, and many of TouchTunes’ jukeboxes can be found in bars.)
He leads the artists-based ranking over Shaboozey, whose “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” concurrently leads Frontline yet again, a distinction it’s held since the charts were first presented in July 2024.
Then comes the top-performing hip-hop act in Kendrick Lamar, who ranks at No. 3. Lamar’s music dots the Frontline list; he had previously found success with “Not Like Us,” which leaps three spots to No. 4 on the latest survey, while “TV Off,” “Luther” and “Squabble Up” debut at Nos. 9, 10 and 25, respectively, in their first full quarter of tracking after being released in December 2024.
“Not Like Us” equals its mark from the third quarter of 2024, when it also appeared at No. 4. It remains the only song since the chart’s inception to appear in the top five.
Country TouchTunes staples Chris Stapleton and Toby Keith round out the top five of the Artists tally (while Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” retains its lead on the Catalog chart, a distinction it’s held since the ranking debuted), while AC/DC leads all rock acts at No. 6.
Chappell Roan may not be on the inaugural Artists chart, but she’s making significant inroads on TouchTunes regardless – thanks to “Pink Pony Club,” which reaches a new peak on Frontline of No. 2, up six spots from the fourth quarter of 2024. Its rise is concurrent with the song’s path on the Billboard Hot 100, on which it broke into the top 10 in February and reaches a new peak of No. 4 on the latest ranking (April 26).
The aforementioned “TV Off” sports the top Frontline debut of the quarter, leading a slew of entries that includes music from Lamar, Wallen, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, Lainey Wilson, Koe Wetzel and Sabrina Carpenter.
The Catalog list, meanwhile, includes a pair of debuts in Wallen’s “Cowgirls,” which graduates to the ranking at No. 15 after previously appearing on the Frontline survey, and Creed’s “One Last Breath” (No. 24).
Overall, the rock genre holds the lion’s share of TouchTunes plays for the first quarter of 2025, accounting for 38% of all plays, including 42% of Catalog-eligible titles. But while country music is a distant second overall at 23%, it accounts for 43% of all Frontline-eligible plays, followed by rap at 20%. The rock genre is a distant fourth at 10%.
See all rankings below.
TouchTunes Frontline Chart
“A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey (=)
“Pink Pony Club,” Chappell Roan (+6)
“I Had Some Help,” Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen (-1)
“Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar (+3)
“I Never Lie,” Zach Top (=)
“You Look Like You Love Me,” Ella Langley feat. Riley Green (-3)
“Love Somebody,” Morgan Wallen (+8)
“Beautiful Things,” Benson Boone (+1)
“TV Off,” Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay (debut)
“Luther,” Kendrick Lamar with SZA (debut)
“I’m the Problem,” Morgan Wallen (debut)
“Too Sweet,” Hozier (-2)
“Lies Lies Lies,” Morgan Wallen (-7)
“Smile,” Morgan Wallen (debut)
“Whatchu Kno About Me,” GloRilla feat. Sexyy Red (debut)
“Messy,” Lola Young (debut)
“Die With a Smile,” Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (debut)
“4x4xu,” Lainey Wilson (debut)
“I Am Not Okay,” Jelly Roll (-8)
“High Road,” Koe Wetzel with Jessie Murph (debut)
“Whiskey Whiskey,” Moneybagg Yo feat. Morgan Wallen (-5)
“The Door,” Teddy Swims (-5)
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” Luke Combs (-10)
“Espresso,” Sabrina Carpenter (debut)
“Squabble Up,” Kendrick Lamar (debut)
TouchTunes Catalog Chart
“Tennessee Whiskey,” Chris Stapleton (=)
“Lose Control, “Teddy Swims (=)
“I Love This Bar,” Toby Keith (=)
“Friends in Low Places,” Garth Brooks (=)
“Neon Moon,” Brooks & Dunn (=)
“Copperhead Road,” Steve Earle (+3)
“I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink,” Merle Haggard (=)
“Simple Man,” Lynyrd Skynyrd (+8)
“Fat Bottomed Girls,” Queen (-1)
“Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland (=)
“Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey (=)
“Brown Eyed Girl,” Van Morrison (+13)
“Rockstar,” Nickelback (=)
“Whiskey Glasses,” Morgan Wallen (=)
“Cowgirls,” Morgan Wallen feat. ERNEST (debut, previously No. 4 on Frontline)
“Family Tradition,” Hank Williams Jr. (-1)
“The Joker,” The Steve Miller Band (+4)
“Higher,” Creed (=)
“Thunderstruck,” AC/DC (+3)
“Sweet Child o’ Mine,” Guns N’ Roses (+3)
“Something in the Orange,” Zach Bryan (-4)
“In the Air Tonight,” Phil Collins (+2)
“Save Me,” Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson (-11)
“One Last Breath,” Creed (debut)
“Son of a Sinner,” Jelly Roll (-19)
TouchTunes Artists Chart
Morgan Wallen
Shaboozey
Kendrick Lamar
Chris Stapleton
Toby Keith
AC/DC
Zach Bryan
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Bon Iver’s SABLE, fABLE premieres atop a host of Billboard album charts dated April 26.
The set bows with 37,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending April 17, according to Luminate. That sum includes 25,000 in album sales, begetting a No. 1 debut on Top Album Sales. Its 19,000 vinyl copies sold also spark a No. 1 start on Vinyl Albums.
The Justin Vernon-led band rules the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart for the first time since 22, A Million led in 2016. Before that, Bon Iver hit No. 1 with its self-titled effort.
SABLE, fABLE also starts at No. 1 on Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums and Americana/Folk Albums, likewise marking Bon Iver’s third leader on each list.
Bon Iver adds its second Top Albums Sales No. 1, following 22, A Million, and its third on Vinyl Albums, after Bon Iver and I,I.
On the all-genre Billboard 200, SABLE, fABLE enters at No. 11, Bon Iver’s best rank since 22, A Million reached No. 2; Bon Iver also hit No. 2. The band first made the survey in 2008 with For Emma, Forever Ago, which peaked at No. 64 in 2009.
Concurrently, four tracks from the new album appear on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, led by “There’s a Rhythm” at No. 35 thanks to 1.9 million official U.S. streams. “Everything Is Peaceful Love,” the set’s current radio single, follows at No. 44, along with “S P E Y S I D E” (No. 46) and the Dijon– and Flock of Dimes-featuring “Day One” (No. 48).
“Everything Is Peaceful Love” ranks at No. 7 on the latest Adult Alternative Airplay chart, Bon Iver’s second-highest-charted song on the tally and best as a lead act, having passed the No. 13 peak of “S P E Y S I D E” last year. Its best remains its featured turn on The National’s “Weird Goodbyes,” which reached No. 6 in 2022.
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
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This week: A box office blockbuster starts to get its footing on streaming, while Charli XCX parlays Coachella attention into another viral moment and a big HBO twist lends new emotional heft to the song that soundtracks it.
‘Sinners’ Soundtrack Spins Southern Horror into Streaming Success
Academy Award-nominated multihyphenate Ryan Coogler has scored perhaps the first must-see film event of 2025 with Sinners, a remarkable Michael B. Jordan-led period horror flick that blends Southern Gothic elements with vampires and blues music. The picture opened to over $48 million at the box office, snagging the No. 1 spot from A Minecraft Movie – which spun out its own streaming hit last week.
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Sinners features an original score by Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson, as well as an original soundtrack produced by him and his wife, Serena Göransson. With a smattering of blues and gospel classics, Irish folk tunes and original cuts performed by the cast, Rod Wave, Don Toliver and Brittany Howard, the Sinners soundtrack captures the critical role music plays in the film’s plot.
According to Luminate, the Sinners soundtrack pulled over 570,000 official on-demand U.S. streams in its first day of release (April 18). Over the course of the film’s opening weekend (April 18-21), the soundtrack’s streams increased by at least 20% day-over-day, ultimately jumping 126% over the three-day period to over 1.3 million streams on April 21.
The Rod Wave-penned-and-performed titular song and lead single from the soundtrack arrived on April 4 and has steadily increased in streams now that the film is in theaters. By April 21, the song logged over 448,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, marking a near 30% increase from the number of streams it pulled at the top of the weekend (April 18). Don Toliver’s “Flames of Fortune,” the soundtrack’s other original song by a contemporary rap star, leapt 271% in streams across opening weekend, topping out at 51,000 official streams on April 21.
Three of the most notable streaming increases came from songs performed in the film by the Sinners cast. Miles Caton’s Raphael Saadiq-penned “I Lied to You,” a very pivotal song in the film, exploded over 600% in streams from April 18-21. By April 21, daily streams for “Lied” topped 175,000. Caton also sings alongside Grammy-nominated soul singer-songwriter Alice Smith for the end credits song, “Last Time (I Seen the Sun).” Streams for last time jumped over 500% across the film’s opening weekend, eventually reaching over 40,000 official streams by April 21. Finally, streams for “Rocky Road to Dublin,” a sinister take on a 19th-century Irish folk song performed by Irish singer Brian Dunphy, rose a whopping 700% across the film’s opening weekend. By April 21, the song logged over 109,000 official on-demand U.S. streams.
Already having spun out a Billboard 200 No. 1 album in the 2018 Black Panther soundtrack and a Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 hit in Wakanda Forever’s “Lift Me Up,” it looks like Ryan Coogler has delivered yet another film that will significantly impact the music world. — KYLE DENIS
‘Party’ On, Charli: 2020 Deep Cut Goes Viral Again for Coachella’s Miss Should Be Headliner
Just when you might have thought Charli XCX’s reign over pop culture was over — with the star giving her hedonistic 10-month Brat Summer a proper send-off through a pair of special guest-filled Coachella sets April 12 and 19 – the resurgence of an older deep cut (for the second time already this year) has proven that the party will never really be over for her.
“Party 4 U,” an A.G. Cook-produced, Robyn-esque banger on 2020’s How I’m Feeling Now about dancing through the pain despite feeling your heart break in real time, is seeing another streaming spike the past week. That’s largely thanks to a melancholy new TikTok trend, where fans share their interpretations of the song’s emotional breakdown, which finds an emotionally wiped Charli repeating the phrase “Party on you” over stacks of artfully Auto-Tuned harmonies. Users unloaded anecdotes about everything from seeing an ex seven years post-breakup to searching for love on Roblox, before the song’s creator herself finally shared its real meaning in a video of her own: “This is actually the moment you realize that that one person isn’t ever coming to your party,” she wrote, “so you stand in the middle of the room, tears briefly fill your eyes but then you wipe them away, pretend you’re ok and proceed to get unbelievably f—ked up…”
Nonetheless, the track has given Charli plenty to celebrate with its recent performance on DSPs — pulling in nearly two million official on-demand U.S. streams between April 18 and 21, a 63.4% increase from the same period (April 11-14) the week prior, according to Luminate. It was also the biggest gainer on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart on Tuesday (April 22), moving up 37 spots to No. 39 — so even though Coachella has officially wrapped for 2025, Charli’s “Party” may not have even hit its peak yet. – HANNAH DAILEY
That Major Moment on ‘The Last of Us’ Boosts Streams For The Video-Game Voice of Ellie
No The Last of Us spoilers here, don’t worry — but if you’ve been on the Internet at all over the past few days, you’re probably aware that the most recent episode of the zombie-apocalypse HBO series contained a rather momentous ending. And before credits rolled on the second episode of season 2, the final few minutes were soundtracked by “Through the Valley,” the 2012 song by Shawn James, as covered by Ashley Johnson and guitarist Chris Rondinella.
Johnson has a special connection to The Last of Us: not only did the singer-actress, who was a child star on Growing Pains and later appeared in films like What Women Want and The Help, voice the character of Ellie in the best-selling video game franchise, but she also played Ellie’s mother when the HBO series premiered in 2023. In 2021, Johnson sang four songs, including a somber take on “Through the Valley,” on The Last of Us Part II: Covers and Rarities, an EP released following the second installment of the video game.
After her rendition of “Through the Valley” concluded the episode (also titled ‘Through the Valley’), daily streams of the cover shot up by a factor of 10: after earning 4,000 U.S. on-demand streams on the previous Monday (Apr. 14), the song scored 43,000 streams on the day after the episode aired (Apr. 21), according to Luminate. The Last of Us Part II: Covers and Rarities also includes Johnson and Rondinella covering a-ha’s “Take on Me” — maybe that one will appear in an episode of The Last of Us where the infected get really into synth-pop? – JASON LIPSHUTZ
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 Hot 100 dated May 3, we look at a number of songs threatening to end the now-nine-week reign of Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s “Luther” — led by two of pop’s biggest hitmakers looking to score their second smash together.
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Morgan Wallen feat. Post Malone, “I Ain’t Comin’ Back” (Big Loud/Republic/Mercury): Last year, Morgan Wallen helped officially introduce Post Malone to the country world with the duo’s teamup “I Had Some Help,” which topped the Hot 100 for six weeks and earned official Billboard Song of the Summer honors. That song, officially credited to Malone featuring Wallen, led the former’s full-length country pivot F-1 Trillion and helped turn that album into a chart-topper itself – so you know that now Wallen is returning with his own 37-track I’m the Problem set this May, Malone had to come return the favor.
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“I Ain’t Comin’ Back,” the duo’s credit-flipped new collaboration dropped on Friday (April 18) and also got off to a fast start on streaming and in sales. The song debuted atop the Spotify Daily Top Songs USA chart, and quickly rose on the Apple Music and iTunes real-time charts as well. However, unlike “Help” — which absolutely blew past the competition in its first week of release, even during a particularly packed time for popular music — “Back” has already started to recede a little, down to No. 4 on Spotify and out of the top five on iTunes.
It seems unlikely the duo will make it two straight No. 1 debuts with “Back” — but they should be primed for another long Hot 100 run with the song, helped by a quick embrace by radio, where the song has already earned 2.2 million in all-format airplay audience in its first four days, according to Luminate, and could be looking at a top 40 debut on the Country Airplay chart, despite no official promotion to the format. It will join a listing already packed with Wallen hits, including fellow I’m the Problem advance tracks like the title track (No. 10 this week), “Just in Case” (Wallen’s latest country radio single, No. 11) and “Love Somebody” (No. 20), and still – now in its 49th week on the chart — “I Had Some Help” (No. 17).
Alex Warren, “Ordinary” (Atlantic): During a largely static time on the Hot 100, one of the few songs providing consistent week-to-week movement has been Warren’s “Ordinary,” which first gained momentum on TikTok, and then exploded after he performed it on a reunion episode for season eight of Netflix’s hit reality show Love Is Blind. Last week, the song became Warren’s first career top 10 hit; this week, it becomes his first career top five hit, jumping 7-5 on the chart dated Apr. 26.
Could a No. 1 ranking be in the song’s future? Probably not in the next week or two, as the gap between it and Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s reigning “Luther” (nine weeks and counting) remains pretty large, but the song doesn’t seem to be slowing down, as it’s climbed all the way to No. 3 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA and No. 7 on the Apple Music real-time chart. More crucially, it’s only really getting started at radio – debuting at No. 49 on Radio Songs this week and likely moving into the top 20 next week on Pop Airplay, still with plenty of room to grow there – making Warren a pretty solid candidate to be the first artist to score his first career No. 1 on the Hot 100 this year.
BigXthaPlug feat. Bailey Zimmerman, “All the Way” (BigXthaPlug/Atlantic/ UnitedMasters): BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman have been enjoying the biggest breakout hit of their respective careers the past two weeks with “All the Way,” which launched an impressive No. 4 debut on the Hot 100 two weeks ago and slipped just to No. 8 in its second week, and remains a strong presence on streaming. Despite debuting atop Billboard’s Hot Country Songs ranking, the single has not yet been promoted to country radio – but it has picked up a bit of top 40 airplay, with SiriusXM stations across pop and hip-hop formats also supporting the song.
Drake, “Nokia” (Santa Anna/OVO/Republic): Drake’s much-needed bounceback hit made it all the way to No. 2 on the Hot 100, but has since stalled, dropping back to No. 3 on the chart. “Nokia” isn’t done yet, though – it’s still only really finding its footing on radio, where it reaches the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay top 10 this week and is up 15% in all-format radio audience April 18-21. The song might still need one more big boost to get it over the top on the Hot 100 – an official remix, perhaps? — but it likely will remain in range of getting there for some weeks still to come.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “KUSUSHIKI” holds at No. 1 for the second week on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated April 23.
The The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Part 2 opener debuted at No. 6 on the tally revealed April 9 and hit No. 1 last week. Compared to the week before, downloads for the track are down to 61%, streams to 90%, and video views to 63%, while karaoke points are up to 142% and radio airplay to 292%. The latest hit by the three-man band rules streaming and radio while coming in at No. 3 for downloads, No. 2 for video, and No. 59 for karaoke.
ME:I’s “MUSE” jumps 73-2. The track began streaming March 17 and debuted at No. 59 on the chart released March 26. After falling off the list, it re-entered at No. 85 on April 9, rose to No. 73 the following week, and hits No. 2 this week after selling 234,404 CDs during the chart week.
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HANA’s “ROSE” slips a notch to No. 3. The track continues to rule video for the third consecutive week, while coming in at No. 13 for downloads, No. 2 for streaming, and No. 7 for radio.
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Following at No. 4, also down a spot from last week, is Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac.” The song has been particularly popular in karaoke, topping the metric for 15 consecutive weeks since its release on Jan. 15.
Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” stays at No. 5. Points for the track are down in downloads, streaming, radio, and video, while gaining slightly in karaoke (101%) compared to the previous week.
King Gnu’s “TWILIGHT!!!” debuts at No. 7. The track was released on April 18 as the theme song for the animated movie Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback. Despite only being counted for three days, the song racked up 14,679 downloads to top the metric, and comes in at No. 25 for streaming, No. 8 for video, and No. 12 for radio. King Gnu surprised fans with a free live performance in Kabukicho, Tokyo on the song’s release day, drawing an estimated 6,000 people to the plaza in Shinjuku, the largest crowd ever for the location.
Outside the top 10, “GBAD (Number_i Remix),” the collaboration between Jackson Wang and Number_i, bows at No. 13. The track comes in at No. 2 for downloads, No. 56 for streaming, and No. 37 for videos.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from April 14 to 20, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
The Weeknd grabs sole possession of the third most No. 1s on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart as his current single, “Cry for Me,” reigns on the list dated April 26. As the new champ climbs from No. 3, The Weeknd claims his 15th Rhythmic Airplay leader, breaking from his tie with Chris Brown. He now […]
Nearly a decade after indie R&B tastemakers and college students across the country first swooned over her self-released EPs and early collaborations with Monte Booker and Smino, Ravyn Lenae has earned her first Billboard Hot 100 hit with “Love Me Not” (chart dated April 12).
Lenae, who signed to Atlantic Records in 2016, originally released the bouncy, soulful, rock-inflected song in early May 2024 as the lead single from her sophomore studio album, Bird’s Eye. Thanks to a wave of TikTok momentum — one that’s also benefitted Janet Jackson’s “Someone to Call My Lover,” a kind of foremother to “Love Me Not” — the single steadily grew throughout the late winter and early spring and now reaches a No. 70 on this week’s Hot 100 (dated April 26). The Dahi-produced track also became the landmark 25th production credit for the Grammy-winning hip-hop/R&B producer.
With “Love Me Not” securing Lenae her long-awaited breakout moment, the song’s success also previews what’s shaping up to be the biggest year of her career. In April, the Chicago-bred singer-songwriter bewitched both weekends of Coachella-goers, perfectly priming both in-person and virtual audiences for her forthcoming stint as an opener on Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet tour. She’ll also visit her hometown for Lollapallooza (July 31-Aug. 3), where she’ll continuing playing sets built around Bird’s Eye, which Billboard staff named the No. 3 Best R&B Album of 2024.
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“I’m just happy for all artists who have been in this 10-plus years and are feeling the love and the benefits of so much time and effort and hard work,” she gushes to Billboard the day before her Coachella debut. “It’s a lot of that happening right now at the 10-year mark. The 10-year thing is real!”
In a conversation with Billboard, Ravyn Lenae talks her slow-burning success, drawing inspiration from Janet Jackson, gracing the Hot 100 for the first time with “Love Me Not,” and witnessing the power of TikTok firsthand.
Where were you when you found out “Love Me Not” hit the Hot 100?
I was at home watching TV, and my manager called me and told me that it was a real thing. I had a great day that day. I had great tacos, I called my mom, everything was going right. The weather was beautiful. I had a really emotional talk with Dahi and thanked him for being such an important person in my life and doing this with me and believing in me and challenging me.
Was there a specific moment in which you decided that you wanted to pursue music professionally?
I would say when I was in high school and I started putting music out on SoundCloud and I saw how much of a response I got. That made me feel like, “Oh, this is something that not just resonates with me, but people actually like this and they’re looking forward to the next thing that I do.” I think that gave me an inkling. Once Noname took me on tour [in 2017], that’s when I realized it was a possibility to do something I love every single day and be able to pay my bills too.
What was the inspiration behind “Love Me Not?”
That song was one of the first ones that we landed on for Bird’s Eye. I remember when Dahi played me the beat, I was like, “This is something I feel like I haven’t heard in such a long time.” For some reason, it reminded me of when I heard “Hey Ya!” [by OutKast] for the first time. That mix of soulfulness with pop sensibility that anybody could sing and dance to and feels like it could have came out in any era — that’s my favorite type of song.
Lyrically, I like to play with relationships and the push and pull of knowing you love somebody even though you know it can’t work. That really elementary approach to writing is one of my favorite things. I love when the lyrics feel a little sad, but the music feels upbeat, or even the inverse. [“Love Me Not”] has all the qualities of a really timeless song to me, so I knew that one had to be on [the album] and be the first [single].
Why did you decide to release “Love Me Not” alongside “Love Is Blind”?
“Love Me Not” was something that I really, really loved and I was excited for my fans to hear. But I also knew that it was a branch-out from the type of colors I dabbled in on [2022 album] Hypnos. I thought to support that, I should have something that felt like the most “Ravyn Lenae” song ever. “Love Is Blind” was a good pairing for people to see where I was going with [Bird’s Eye while] still rooted in my R&B bag, my sensuality and my yearning lyrics. I wanted people to understand where I was going, but also where I am and where I’ve been at the same time.
How did the how did the Rex Orange County remix come together? When did you know that you wanted to do a remix?
I knew I wanted a remix for the song a few months after I dropped it. I remember us talking about a feature on the song originally, so it was always in my head that I thought I heard another perspective on the song, especially a male perspective, almost like a duet type of feel. But I couldn’t think of who it was going to be, and I don’t like to decide things quickly.
My manager [John Bogaard] sugested Rex [Orange County], and I thought he was the perfect voice and perspective to add to the song and introduce it to a whole other audience.
The success of “Love Me Not” has been a real slow burn, not unlike your career in general. Are there times you wish everything would just click or are you content with the journey of it all?
I am constantly on a journey of balancing both of those extremes because it feels like two sides of my brain. One that’s like, “Get on the train!,” and the other part of me — like when I talk to my mom and my manager — [understands] that timing is everything. I have to trust that. I have to believe that. I have to stay patient and diligent and focused, and things will start to turn over for me. We’ve seen it over and over again.
I just saw Doechii [with whom she collaborated for 2022’s “Xtasy” remix] a few days ago in San Antonio. I hadn’t seen her since this major shift [in her career], so it’s been a while since I’ve been able to catch up with her. I was like, “Girl, when you won your Grammy, I started bawling!” I didn’t expect that [emotional response] to happen, but whenever I see those glimpses of hard work paying off, it reassures me that I’m on the right path. That’s what I’m holding on to right now; I’m trying not to get ahead of myself and stay right where I’m at and be happy about that.
I’m just happy for all artists who have been in this 10-plus years and are feeling the love and the benefits of so much time and effort and hard work. It’s a lot of that happening right now at the 10-year mark. The 10-year thing is real!
What else do you have planned for “Love Me Not?” You’ve been showing fellow Bird’s Eye track “Genius” a lot of love on TikTok recently.
I hope that I’m able to keep getting “Love Me Not” in new ears. I want that song to keep growing and reach as many people as possible. “Genius” is another one that I think has really strong potential to reach those super-large audiences. I’m just gonna keep pushing, working, performing, meeting people and being a good person. Beyond that, I’m working on new music that I’m so excited about.
What was your experience on the artist side watching TikTok help blow “Love Me Not” up?
Before it happened, I would have really negative thoughts like, “Maybe that type of viral moment isn’t in the cards for me.” You’re making TikToks and you feel like [they’re] not reaching anybody and you’re just putting stuff out into the void.
This was an exercise of me stepping outside of my comfort zone in a good way. Seeing people discover me and this song and then dive into my whole discography has really [shown that TikTok is] such a beautiful tool. Even beyond me, just seeing how accessible it is for people’s lives to change overnight.
I can’t help but draw similarities between “Love Me Not” popping off right now and also Janet Jackson’s “Someone to Call My Lover” having a revival. What do you think it is about these songs that are pulling in listeners right now?
I literally asked myself this the other day. I’m like, “This is too much of a coincidence!” First of all, “Someone to Call My Lover” is one of my favorite songs, so when I saw that happening it really felt like a shift. Janet is one of my biggest inspirations; she’s been able to blend R&B, alternative, rock and pop in the most beautiful, seamless way. I aspire my career to be like that too. I think people are just open to a mishmash of sounds and don’t care really who it’s coming from. Even the fact that [TikTok users] mixed “Love Me Not” with [Solange’s] “Losing You,” there’s definitely a shift happening. I think people want that soulful pop back.
What can you tell us about the new music right now?
Tricking my listeners into liking things that they probably wouldn’t have liked otherwise is something I’m really into. I’m always finding new ways to push and find new colors in my voice, get a little uncomfortable and get a little more raw. Pulling back those layers is something that I try to do with each song and each album.
A version of this story appears in the April 19, 2025, issue of Billboard.
Singer-songwriter Phil Wickham scores his first top 10 debut on Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Christian Songs chart as “What an Awesome God” flies in at No. 5 on the list dated April 26.
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The song marks the 14th top 10 for Wickham overall. He topped the chart with “House of the Lord” for two weeks in 2022.
“What an Awesome God,” which has become a popular worship anthem, was originally written and recorded by Rich Mullins. It’s from his album Winds of Heaven, Stuff on Earth, which peaked at No. 8 on Top Christian Albums in April 1989, becoming his first of seven top 10s. For Wickham’s update, released April 11, he and Jonathan Smith wrote new verses, combined with Mullins’ original chorus.
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Wickham’s single drew 2.1 million official U.S. streams in its opening week (April 11-17), according to Luminate. It also sold 4,000 downloads and opens atop Christian Digital Song Sales, giving Wickham his third No. 1 among 16 top 10s.
The track is set to be on Wickham’s upcoming LP.
‘Give’ Gets Pugh His Fifth No. 1
Earnest Pugh’s “Don’t Give Up,” which the Memphis, Tenn., native solely authored, crowns Gospel Airplay (4-1). It increased by 10% in plays during the tracking week.
Pugh adds his fifth leader. In March 2022, “Thank You So Much” reigned for two frames, preceded by “God Wants to Heal You,” which led for a week in July 2020; “I Need Your Glory” (13 weeks, starting in September 2011); and “Rain on Us” (two weeks, March 2010). He boasts one additional top 10, as “Survive” hit No. 9 in May 2018.
Prince Royce collects his 36th top 10 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart with the bilingual bachata, “How Deep Is Your Love,” as the song debuts at No. 6 on the chart dated April 26. It also opens in the top 10 on the new Hot Tropical Songs chart. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and […]
After reclaiming it for a third total week, Playboi Carti’s Music vacates the top spot of the Billboard 200 albums chart this week. But Carti likely won’t be too mad about the album replacing his at No. 1: More Chaos, the latest LP from his Opium imprint signee Ken Carson.
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The rising rapper’s 21-track new set becomes his first album to top the Billboard 200, following predecessor A Great Chaos peaking at No. 11 in 2023. The album takes advantage of a relatively slow week for new albums, as its 59,500 first-week units (according to Luminate) marks the lowest total for a No. 1 album since Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry bested the chart with just under 55,000 units in May 2022.
How meaningful is the bow for Ken Carson? And which rapper could be next to score their first No. 1 album? Billboard staffers answer those questions and more below.
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1. Ken Carson’s More Chaos debuts at No. 1 this week with 59,000 equivalent album units moved. On a scale from 1-10, how big a deal do you think this is for the young rapper’s career?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: Definitely a 9 or 10. A No. 1 album is a massive accomplishment in its own right, but Ken’s debut I think surprised a good amount of people. His supporters have been devout for years, but I don’t think the uninitiated expected those supporters to come through in such high numbers like they did. For someone who at the beginning of his career was written off as a Carti clone, moving 59,000 units I think officially puts that criticism to rest. To see a fanbase grow this big in just two years is a serious accomplishment. We know a lot of that was the music, but a lot of it was because of his last tour. Ken developed a similar reputation to Carti for putting on explosive live performances, and I think the atmosphere he cultivated at his shows last year really shifted his supporters to a more cult-like level.
Kyle Denis: Absolutely a 10. You can be a fan (or not), you can say that this was a weak chart week, whatever. The fact of the matter is that Ken Carson has the No. 1 album in America with a style of rap that’s far more niche than other hip-hop chart-toppers. And he’s only 25. This is a massive deal for him.
Angel Diaz: I think I’ll go with a 6? Having an album go No. 1 is always an achievement to be proud of, but those numbers are a bit disappointing, especially when you consider the hype around Ken and his Opium labelmates Destroy Lonely and Playboi Carti. I was expecting a bigger debut.
Jason Lipshutz: A 7. While the equivalent album units total isn’t high enough to suggest a huge swell of popularity compared to Carson’s previous projects, a No. 1 album is a No. 1 album, and may be the type of headline-grabbing achievement that will turn more casual rap fans toward the Atlanta native. For most music fans, a chart-topping project does not come with an asterisk that denotes a quiet release week and relatively low units total; More Chaos was the biggest album of the past week, and for a rising artists like Carson, that statement is all that matters.
Andrew Unterberger: Maybe a 9? Obviously the number is low by No. 1 standards, but scoring a No. 1 album (or even a top five album really) as a young rapper without much crossover success is not something easily done in 2025. Lots of folks are talking about Ken Carson this week whose radar he might not have otherwise been on, and that’s always a big W.
2. Ken Carson has basically seen exponential growth with his album-to-album performance on the Billboard 200 – from a No. 115 peak on 2022’s X to No. 11 with A Great Chaos in 2023 now to No. 1. What do you think the biggest reason for that rapid growth is?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: The most important reason is the music has objectively gotten a lot better. Like, we can all admit X wasn’t a good introduction to who Ken was as a rapper or how he’d stand out amongst the other Carti clones popping up online. A Great Chaos was that introduction: The beats were interesting, and Ken’s voice and flow sounded unique. I think A Great Chaos satiated rage rap fans really well just on its face, but also had a lot of moments where you could tell this was a different kind of record compared to everything else coming out of Opium. Another equally-as-important reason I think is the live shows: We’re seeing that if you can bring the energy in interesting ways to your performances, it can draw in a ton of new, young fans. It’s been an instrumental factor in Carti’s and Travis Scott’s staying power, and I think Ken knows that and is tapping into that.
Kyle Denis: I think the dedication of the Opium fanbase and the continued glow of being one of Carti’s protégés have helped with his rapid growth. In addition to his own headlining tours, Carson has also been a regular on the festival circuit, playing lively sets at Coachella (2024), Rolling Loud (several times over) and Lollapalooza (2023) that frequently spin viral moments out of raucous mosh pits.
Angel Diaz: We have to thank Carti’s influential 2020 album Whole Lotta Red for laying down the foundation for Carson’s rage rap sound. Many young fans from diverse backgrounds listen to his music and have been at shows moshing to their music. Some feel like Opium’s sound is the next big thing in rap, so it’s no surprise that his stock is rising. His next album will be the one that could define his career.
Jason Lipshutz: Carson is the right artist at the right moment in hip-hop — a compelling, mainstream-friendly MC who trades in the blown-out rage rap that continues to dominate commercially. More Chaos takes over at the top of the Billboard 200 from Music, Playboi Carti’s long-awaited opus which spent three of the past four weeks at No. 1 (and is featured on Carson’s track “Off the Meter”); Carti is Carson’s label leader, and Music shares its sonic DNA with More Chaos, with both artists whipping through grinding production and shifting their flows across their respective sprawling projects. Hip-hop fans are unquestionably hungry for artists and projects like this, and Carson is the latest beneficiary of the trend.
Andrew Unterberger: Stronger craft and good timing.
3. While Carson is becoming a formidable force on the Billboard 200, his presence on the Billboard Hot 100 has been fairly muted – and none of the 21 songs on this album make the chart this week. Do you see hit songs in Carson’s future, or do you think it makes sense that his success be mostly album-focused?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: I think what we’re seeing with a lot of these rage rap guys, with the exception of Carti, is that album really is God. Yeat is a good example of this. His biggest Hot 100 hit was Drake’s “IDGAF,” but outside of that his single’s have never done insanely well compared to his albums. I think with Ken, we’re likely gonna see the same sort of trajectory. Fans of this kind of music also tend to enjoy full length albums more because they appreciate the enveloping sound of these kinds of rappers. It’s become a vital part of the experience, which is kinda cool because it goes against the algorithmic focus on quick, catchy singles that major labels have pushed for in recent years via TikTok and other apps.
Kyle Denis: I can see Carson getting a hit with a song that explicitly caters to a wider audience – kind of like how “Rather Lie” was the clear radio-ready cut from Carti’s sprawling Music album. I definitely wouldn’t put money on a solo rage rap Carson song making a splash on the Hot 100. I’m almost certain his success will continue to be focused on albums/full-length projects and live shows.
Angel Diaz: That was surprising, but there also isn’t a song that sticks out for me on More Chaos. The album kinda moves like a side-scrolling video game soundtrack and each track represents a different level in the game. The production is moving faster than his raps, which sounds a bit jarring at first. I think he’s going to need a hit record eventually if he wants to be considered a major player in mainstream rap moving forward.
Jason Lipshutz: “Blakk Rokkstar” is a standout from More Chaos, as the type of operatic trap headbanger that Travis Scott has ridden to multiple hits over the years. But considering how scorching-hot Playboi Carti is at the moment, their album-closing collaboration “Off the Meter” (also featuring Destroy Lonely) is probably the safest bet for the song that uses this No. 1 album debut as a springboard for Carson to receive more streams and radio play. With its loping synth melody and a particularly feisty Carti feature, “Off the Meter” definitely has crossover potential.
Andrew Unterberger: You can never rule out the possibility of anyone catching a hit these days off some unexpected viral heat, but in terms of whether he’s ever going to be a reliable hitmaker from a singles perspective… it seems unlikely. The songs aren’t written with pop structure or pop goals in mind, and his fans don’t seem to want that from him anyway.
4. The album Chaos replaces at No. 1, Music, comes from his label boss and partner-in-rage Playboi Carti. Do you think it says something about hip-hop in 2025 that the albums should top the chart in back-to-back weeks, or is it mostly just a timing fluke?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: I think it’s too early to say for certain whether this is a definitive moment or not for hip-hop in 2025. Truthfully, it could be just great timing for Opium. I could be wrong, but I think Chaos going number one came as a pleasant surprise for a lot of people, including maybe Ken himself? I certainly didn’t expect it to move 59,000 units.
Kyle Denis: I think it’s mostly a timing fluke, but I also think it further cements that Playboi Carti is one of the biggest pop stars of 2025. Not only is Carti enjoying multiple visits to the top of the Billboard 200 and scoring radio hits (thanks to The Weeknd’s “Timeless”) and concurrent Hot 100 top 10 debuts, but he’s also minting tomorrow’s biggest rap stars through Opium. Now, both Carson’s and Destroy Lonely’s most recent LPs have reached the Billboard 200’s top 10 in back-to-back years. As things currently stand, Carti and Kendrick are two indisputable pillars of 2025 hip-hop’s Big Three.
Angel Diaz: Hip-hop is the most important pop culture phenomenon to come along in the last 50 years and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Even the pop girlies like Billie Eilish and Camila Cabello either dress like rappers or try to incorporate their sound in some way or another. I think it’s a pretty safe bet that other rap albums will top the album charts in 2025. Now, if you ask me if that’s a good thing is another conversation. Whenever something that was once counterculture becomes a mainstream staple, it gets watered down. However, Ken did benefit from a quiet week, and he probably wouldn’t have gone No. 1 if he went up against a heavyweight rapper, pop star, or country singer.
Jason Lipshutz: Partially a timing fluke, but while Kendrick Lamar and Drake duke it out in the headlines and at the top of the Hot 100, rage has not-so-quietly swerved to the front of popular rap, the sound du jour of young listeners searching for sound to match their teenage intensity. We’re going to see more months like this in the future, where both A-list rappers and rising genre stars share space at the top of the Billboard 200 to reflect bigger-than-expected fan bases. Playboi Carti’s appeal and influence are undeniable at this point, but more Ken Carsons are coming soon, too.
Andrew Unterberger: The timing is definitely more coincidental than anything, but you’d be pretty silly not to at least take note that this strain of rap is connecting with audiences in a way many other styles — some of which would be thought to be much more conventionally commercial — really aren’t right now.
5. Which other rising rapper who’s yet to score a Billboard 200 No. 1 album do you think is likely to top the chart sooner than later?
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: I think things are looking promising for BigXThaPlug. His pivot into country is being super well received so far, which historically has been a hard pivot to make. His debut in the top five last week I think is a promising sign for him if he keeps up this momentum. Lil Tecca could also pull it off if he rolls out his album the right way. He’s got a serious record on his hand with “Dark Thoughts,” and I think he has the potential to chart very high if he keeps dropping heat.
Kyle Denis: I’ll keep an eye on Lil Tecca and BigXthaPlug. Neither Megan Thee Stallion nor Doja Cat are rising stars, but I’d be surprised if they both didn’t eventually snag a Billboard 200 No. 1 album.
Angel Diaz: Megan and GloRilla haven’t had a No. 1 album yet. I can see either of them reaching the top of the album charts in the future. As far as rising, though? Cash Cobain is the first name that comes to mind based on the type of music he makes. I know he can be a little too horny at times, but his production is so good the vulgarity can be tolerated.
Jason Lipshutz: BigXThaPlug. After scoring his first top 10 album in October with Take Care, the Dallas rapper cruised into the top 5 of the Hot 100 earlier this month with the Bailey Zimmerman team-up “All the Way.” If that smash leads a new project in the near future, get ready for that project to top the Billboard 200.
Andrew Unterberger: Almost too obvious, but Doechii for sure.
