Chart Beat
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Eminem’s “Houdini” achieves a feat that no single from the rapper had in over 20 years: make Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart.
The song bows at No. 35 on the ranking dated July 13, marking Eminem’s fifth appearance on the survey and first since “Lose Yourself,” which peaked at No. 14 in December 2002.
“Lose Yourself” logged an 18-week run on the chart, through February 2003. As such, the break between Eminem’s Alternative Airplay hits numbered 21 years and five months. That’s the longest between appearances since Kate Bush went over 28 years between January 1994 (“Rubberband Girl”) and June 2022 (“Running Up That Hill [A Deal With God]”), the latter charting after the 1985 classic’s synch in Netflix’s Stranger Things.
Eminem’s respite is the third-longest in Alternative Airplay’s nearly 36-year history, behind only Bush’s and Debbie Harry’s; the latter waited almost 29 years between “Kiss It Better” in 1990 and her featured turn on Just Loud’s “Soul Train” in 2018.
Eminem’s Alternative Airplay history extends before “Lose Yourself,” though it’s his highest peaking entry on the tally. He first reached the list with “My Name Is” in 1999 (No. 37), followed by “The Real Slim Shady” (No. 19, 2000) and “Without Me” (No. 15, 2002).
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“Houdini” has been described as evocative of many of those earlier Eminem singles, which is not lost on Kevin Weatherly, Audacy senior vp of programming and program director of KROQ Los Angeles. “This Eminem song has an instant familiarity, and it resonates with a large segment of our audience that was there when he arrived 20-plus years ago,” he tells Billboard. “Much like when we played him in the past, the response is mostly positive, but there are also some negatives. That said, we recognized the pop-culture moment and wanted to reflect it and be a part of it.”
KROQ played “Houdini” 21 times in the latest tracking week (July 28-July 4), sixth-most among stations on the Alternative Airplay panel, according to Mediabase.
KTCL Denver spun the song 29 times in that span, the fourth-most on the panel in that stretch; KKDO Sacramento led all stations with 38 plays. “One of my Jocks, B-Large, brought it to our music meeting for discussion,” KTCL program director Jeb “Nerf” Freedman tells Billboard. “We play four Eminem songs in catalog, so it makes sense to take a listen to the new song – but not every artist has a comeback this late in their career. Lucky for us, we constantly engage our audience with online surveys. When we tested it and it went through the roof, we knew they didn’t think of Eminem as just a part of history. Slim Shady is alive and well!
“It sounds a little weird hearing that Steve Miller melody on our station, but it certainly jumps out of the speaker at you. So far, it’s a massive hit.”
The Miller melody Freedman references is that of “Abracadabra,” the 1982 hit from The Steve Miller Band that topped the Billboard Hot 100; “Houdini” interpolates the song’s melody in its chorus.
Concurrently, “Houdini” lifts to a new No. 29 high on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart via 1.2 million audience impressions, up 21%, according to Luminate. Upon its debut in late June, it became Eminem’s first song on the list, which began in 2009.
“Houdini” boasts multi-format approval; in addition to its Alternative Airplay rank, it has so far reached No. 8 on Rhythmic Airplay, No. 16 on Pop Airplay, No. 18 on hot-rap-tracks and No. 32 on Adult Pop Airplay.
The track launched at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts dated June 15, as well as No. 2 on the all-format Billboard Hot 100. It holds at No. 16 on the latter list’s latest edition via 20.9 million radio audience impressions, 15.7 million official U.S. streams and 6,000 downloads sold.
“Houdini” is the lead single from The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), Eminem’s 12th studio album, due Friday, July 12. One other song was released ahead of the album: “Tobey,” featuring Big Sean and BabyTron, which bows at No. 95 on the Hot 100.
LISA debuts at No. 1 on the July 13-dated Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart with “Rockstar,” notably making BLACKPINK the first group with three members that have led the list as soloists.
The song’s flashy debut also breaks a long streak of geographical monotony on the international ranking.
The Global Excl. U.S. chart ranks the 200 biggest songs of each week, based on streaming and data from more than 200 international territories, with U.S. consumption removed, as compiled by data tracker Luminate. So, even more than the Billboard Global 200, and in further contrast to the U.S.-based Billboard Hot 100, the Global Excl. U.S. chart has spotlighted artists from Africa, Asia, South America and elsewhere in its upper reaches since its 2020 launch.
But while 2024 has minted new smash hits and ascendant stars, those breakthroughs have generally been by American acts, and performed entirely in English. LISA stands out not only as the first Thai artist to top the list in 2024, but also as the first artist not from primarily English-speaking countries the U.S., Canada, or the U.K. to reach the summit all year. (“Still, “Rockstar” is sung almost entirely in English, with one line in Japanese repeated.)
At 2024’s midyear point (reflecting charts dated Jan. 6-June 29), 47 songs reached the top 10 of Global Excl. U.S., up noticeably from 26 during the same period of 2023. But just 40% of 2024’s top 10s in that span were by artists from outside the mainland U.S., compared to 92% last year and 85% the year before. In terms of language, 34% of this year’s top 10s included non-English-language lyrics, down from 58% in 2023 and 64% in 2022.
Each of the last two years had major narratives, particularly in Latin music, driving representation in their first six months. In 2022, Bad Bunny released his culture-dominating album Un Verano Sin Ti, which spawned seven top 10s on Global Excl. U.S. Last year, Peso Pluma led a streaming explosion of regional Mexican music, expanding the pan-Latin footprint on the global stage. Plus, a growing wave of Nigerian artists including CKay, Rema and Tems have diversified the top of the chart.
More than that, those years featured Global Excl. U.S. top 10s from Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Sweden and beyond. Many of those territories have cracked the top 10 this year as well, but less frequently, and amid a much larger pool of hits.
Declining international representation on Global Excl. U.S. still stands in stark contrast to the Hot 100, where all 45 top 10s in the first half of 2024 are sung or rapped entirely in English, and all but five are by American acts. The handful of non-U.S. artists include enormous superstars such as Canadians Drake and The Weeknd, and western European acts including Hozier and, via a feature on Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, Florence + The Machine.
Two of those acts – Hozier and The Weeknd – also hit the top 10 of Global Excl. U.S., along with British divas Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Dua Lipa. Otherwise, a bevy of pan-Latin and Asian crossover acts – Creepy Nuts (Japan), Feid (Colombia), Zeynep Bastik (Turkey) and more – have mixed among chart-toppers by Americans Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande and Swift.
It’s encouraging that there has been so much turnover near the top of the Global Excl. U.S. chart in 2024, and that the hits have surged in streaming – by the end of June, 18 songs logged 50 million non-U.S. weekly streams, up from 14 to the same point in 2023 and 10 in 2022. But non-U.S. artists make up just 28% of that pie, down from 85% from just one year ago.
It’s good timing then, for LISA’s No. 1 debut this week. With 94.2 million non-U.S. streams in its first week, “Rockstar” boasts the most weekly streams for a Global Excl. U.S. hit this year by a non-American artist. Plus, Jimin and Loco (both from South Korea) debut at No. 7 with “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” and Karol G (Colombia) rises to the top 10, at No. 8, with “Si Antes Te Huibera Conocido.” Meanwhile, FloyyMenor and Cris Mj (Chile) spend their 15th consecutive week in the top 10 with “Gata Only.”
While Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” remains at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart for a ninth week, three songs reach the list’s top five for the first time after gaining on the July 13-dated survey.
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The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity July 1-7. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
Following “Million Dollar Baby” at No. 2 is BlackMayo’s “Jus’ Know,” which vaults from its No. 10 debut on the July 6 list. It remains driven by a dance trend, which was sent into overdrive after newly drafted NBA player Jared McCain posted multiple uploads dancing to the song, as well as Twitch star Kai Cenat.
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“Jus’ Know” concurrently sports a 192% jump in official U.S. streams to 584,000 in the week ending July 4, according to Luminate.
While Tinashe’s “Nasty” falls 2-3 on the chart, the rest of the top five is taken up by songs new to the region: Ian’s “Magic Johnson” and Prodbycpkshawn and Uglyandz’s “Yo Bunny” at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively.
Both songs debuted on the July 6 tally, with “Magic Johnson” having started at No. 48. Released May 31, the song (from the rapper’s debut album Valedictorian) has been driven by lip-synch videos featuring the song as well as uploads soundtracked by a mashup that adds a bit of Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go!” (specifically its countdown) to the sound.
“Magic Johnson” is up 5% to 5.1 million streams in the week ending July 4, holding at its No. 28 peak on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as a result.
“Yo Bunny,” meanwhile, mostly benefits from a photo trend showing off users’ summer 2023 vs. summer 2024 looks, as well as a dance trend and videos showing off how they walk downhill vs. uphill.
The song rockets 38% to 1.2 million streams in the June 28-July 4 tracking week.
Two other songs reach the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 for the first time, the first a debut in LeoStayTrill and Mr Reload It’s “Pink Lemonade (Str8 Reload),” which bows at No. 8 on the strength of lip-synch clips. Bbno$’s “It Boy” joins the song in the top 10 at No. 10, up from its No. 21 debut July 6, spurred by a variety of uploads, including recreations of its music video.
As the latest tracking week fell during the July 4 holiday in the U.S., Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” also pops onto the ranking at No. 11 thanks to creations surrounding the United States’ Independence Day, including from Keith’s account itself. 2024 marked the first July 4 without the country singer, who died Feb. 5 of cancer.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
Tim Bowman Jr. banks his third chart-topper on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, and backing choir Faith City Music adds its second leader, as “Nobody But God” ascends to No. 1 on the survey dated July 13. The song increased by 8% in plays during the June 28-July 4 tracking week, according to Luminate. Bowman Jr., […]
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, 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: The biggest 4th of July bump comes for a late country legend, while Zach Bryan’s Independence Day-dropped new LP produces a new hit and Bossman Dlow continues his 2024-long winning streak.
Toby Keith, Forever Made in America
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Last Thursday, America celebrated its Independence Day — and as always on the 4th of July, listeners flocked to familiar patriotic, inspirational and/or generally U.S.-themed pop, rock and country classics to soundtrack their holiday. Big gainers from July 3 to July 4 included many of the usual suspects: among them, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” (up 524% in official on-demand U.S. streams to 2.7 million and up 219% in sales to 1,100), Katy Perry’s “Firework” (up 249% to 1.8 million streams and 186% to 500 in sales) and Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.” (up 196% to 2.9 million streams and 113% to 800 in sales), according to Luminate. But the artist with the biggest of 4th of July gains might’ve been one folks were particularly sentimental about this year: Country Music Hall of Famer Toby Keith, who died at age 62 on Feb. 5.
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Of course, Keith has always seen some degree of a 4th of July boost — particularly for his most explicitly American-themed hits, which were all up again this year, including “American Soldier” (up 308% from July 3, to 685,000 streams), “Made in America” (up 380% to 914,000 streams) and of course, the controversial post-9/11 anthem “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” (up 356% to a whopping 3.6 million). But this year, it wasn’t just those songs that saw huge streaming gains on July 4: so did non-nationalist signature Keith smashes like 1993’s “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” (up 70% to 864,000), 2003’s Willie Nelson-featuring “Beer for My Horses” (up 124% to 644,000) and 2011’s “Red Solo Cup” (up 119% to 351,000), among many others.
All in all, Keith’s catalog racked up 10.7 million streams and 3,600 digital song sales on July 4 — gains of 165% and 251%, respectively, from his July 3 totals — making for a hell of a nationwide tribute to a performer who made his love of his country as fundamental a part of his artistic identity as any other major act of the past three decades. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
“28,” Days Later: Zach Bryan Has His ‘Bar Scene’ Breakout
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Over the past two years, Zach Bryan has become the type of stadium-occupying superstar who floods streaming charts whenever he puts out a new album; it happened in 2023 with his self-titled full-length, and it’s happening again with The Great American Bar Scene, which was released last Thursday (July 4). And while “Pink Skies,” the lead single from the album, debuted at No. 6 on the Hot 100 following its May release, the best-performing new track from the just-released 19-song project in the first few days of its release has been “28,” the album’s wistful, string-laden sway-along.
“28” bowed with 2.77 million official on-demand U.S. streams on Bar Scene’s release date, according to Luminate, and has stayed steady over the next four days — and actually seems to be growing, scoring a new daily streaming high of 2.90 million on Tuesday, in fact. While multiple songs from Bar Scene could register Hot 100 debuts next week, “28” — which is up to No. 9 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart, and No. 3 on Apple Music’s Top Songs — should notch the best start out of the new songs on Bryan’s latest. – JASON LIPSHUTZ
Bossman Dlow Scores Yet Another Hit Thanks to Viral TikTok Trend
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After making a splash on the Billboard Hot 100 — “Get In With Me” (No. 49) and “Mr Pot Scraper” (No. 93) — and earning a bevy of viral hits along the way (“Big One,” “Talk My Shit” and the Glorilla-assisted “Finesse”), Port Salerno, FL rapper Bossman Dlow stands as one of the year’s biggest breakout stars. With “Shake Dat Ass (Twerk Song)” gaining major traction on socials and streaming, Dlow is eyeing yet another hit.
According to Luminate, “Shake” earned just over 317,000 official on-demand U.S. streams during the period of June 7-13. That figure then jumped by 60% to 508,000 official streams the following week (June 14-20). On June 16, TikTok user @mrflawdaaa shared a 14-second clip of himself exaggeratedly dancing to the song. The clip quickly went viral – it has since collected over three million views on the app – with many users latching onto the part of the choreography that features a glitchy sexy walk. During the period of June 21-27, the first full week with the @mrflawdaaa’s dance trend in the zeitgeist, “Shake” pulled 1.54 million official streams, marking a massive 203% increase from the period prior. The following week (June 28-July 4), the runaway hit leapt a further 117% to a whopping 3.35 million official streams. Over the past three weeks, official on-demand U.S. streams for “Shake Dat Ass” have exploded by over 956%.
Although he peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 earlier this year with his third mixtape, Mr Beat the Road, “Shake Dat Ass” is featured on the rapper’s self-released debut project, Too Slippery, which dropped on Jan. 1, 2023. With everyone from Kehlani to Taye Diggs to Coi Leray hopping on the dance trend, “Shake” looks poised to continue its growth. – KYLE DENIS
The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. Next week (for the upcoming Billboard 200 dated July 20), Taylor Swift aims to secure her longest run at No. 1 to date, but may be interrupted by another star’s new set.
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Zach Bryan, The Great American Bar Scene (Belting Bronco/Warner): The 2020s have marked one long rise to superstardom for singer-songwriter Zach Bryan. The country and Americana artist’s presence on streaming and as a live draw grew from project to project, with his mainstream breakthrough coming in 2022 with his American Heartbreak album and its hit single “Something in the Orange,” and then hitting a new peak in 2023 with his Billboard 200-topping self-titled set and its accompanying Billboard Hot 100-topping Kacey Musgraves collab “I Remember Everything.” Now, in the midst of an arenas-and-stadiums U.S. tour, Bryan releases his first album as a no-doubt A-lister: The Great American Bar Scene.
The 18-track new set already boasts one major hit in lead single “Pink Skies,” which debuted at No. 6 on the Hot 100 in June and is still hanging around the chart’s top 15 this week, and a second Hot 100 entry in “Purple Gas,” which features Noeline Hofmann (and is a redo of a song she originally wrote and recorded). The record also features first-time collaborations with a pair of artists who have extensive chart histories of their own — John Mayer on “Better Days” and Bruce Springsteen on “Sandpaper” — and already has something of a new breakout hit of its own in shuffling ballad “28,” which is still in the top 10 on both Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart and Apple Music’s realtime listing. (If the Springsteen track debuts on the Hot 100, it will mark his first entry since 2009, and if it goes any higher than No. 95, it will be his highest-charting hit in nearly 20 years (since 2005’s “Devils & Dust” reached No. 72).)
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The set should stream in highly robust numbers – but it does have a couple factors working against its chances of a No. 1 debut. For one, Bryan pushed to have the album released on July 4 – last Thursday – rather than the usual Friday drop, meaning that its first day of stats count towards this week’s chart, not next week’s. (Its opening-day numbers were still big enough on their own for the album to debut at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 dated July 13.) More pressingly, the LP is currently only available for sale in digital form, with its release on CD and vinyl not due until Oct. 11. And while “28” is off to a good start, it’s not a real threat to debut atop the Hot 100 like “I Remember Everything” did.
The album is still expected to follow Zach Bryan – which launched with 200,000 units in its debut week last year – with another six-digit first week, which should make it a real contender for the top spot next week. But since the album’s first-full-week performance was hobbled a little by its off-cycle debut, whether Bar Scene can get to No. 1 may depend on whether it can stay a consistent performer on streaming through the end of the week.
Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department (Republic): The Tortured Poets Department has ruled atop the Billboard 200 since debuting there back in early April, fending off debuts from Dua Lipa (Radical Optimism), Gunna (One of Wun), Billie Eilish (Hit Me Hard and Soft), ATEEZ (Golden Hour: Part 1) and Gracie Abrams (The Secret of Us), all of which debuted at No. 2 behind Taylor Swift’s blockbuster. Even in its 11th week of release, Poets remains a very strong performer – posting 114,000 equivalent album units this week, as the 31-track set (in its full Anthology edition) continues to put up robust streaming numbers, and also sell well in its various editions.
More of those new variants may be on their way to fans this week. On July 7, Swift restocked seven previously available CD editions of Poets on her webstore, each featuring a different exclusive bonus track — which were only available to purchase that day, and (according to the webstore) were due to ship on or before July 10, and could impact the tracking week. On Monday, Swift also released two new versions of the album’s lead single, the Post Malone-featuring “Fortnight,” to DSPs and digital retailers: a new Cults remix of the song, and an acoustic version of it. (The latter had previously been available via a limited edition CD version of Poets, and is currently in the top 10 on the iTunes chart.)
Taylor Swift has fought hard to maintain the chart’s pole position for over two months now, and will certainly make Zach Bryan earn the spot if he is to take it from her with his new album. What’s more, Swift has particular reason to be motivated to go for the 12th frame at No. 1 for her new set: With one more week on top, Poets would break a three-way tie with 2008’s Fearless and 2014’s 1989 to become the longest-ruling album on the Billboard 200 of the pop superstar’s entire storied career.
Joe Bonsall, a member of The Oak Ridge Boys for 50 years, died on July 9 at age 73 from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Bonsall joined the act in 1973 after leaving gospel group The Keystones. He last toured with The Oak Ridge Boys last December, before announcing his retirement earlier this year.
The Oak Ridge Boys won two Country Music Association Awards: vocal group of the year in 1978 and single of the year in 1981 for “Elvira” – the track became their biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit, reaching No. 5. The Academy of Country Music likewise awarded the band top vocal group honors in 1978.
The Oak Ridge Boys were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015. “For 50 years, Joe Bonsall was the Oak Ridge Boys’ sparkplug,” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, shared in a statement upon Bonsall’s passing. “He was as exciting a performer as any who ever hit a gospel or country stage. His tenor voice was high and clear, and his jovial spirit always provided a jolt of energy, immediately rousing audiences to come on in and take a load off. He certainly lightened our cares every time he sang.”
On Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, The Oak Ridge Boys first appeared in 1976. They followed with 1977’s “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” which hit No. 3 that October, granting the act its first of 34 top 10s. “I’ll Be True to You” led in June 1978, becoming the band’s first of 17 chart-toppers, a haul that ran through “No Matter How High” in March 1990. The act last hit the top 10 in 1991 with “Lucky Moon.”
The Oak Ridge Boys’ collection of 17 No. 1s ranks third-best among duos/groups since Hot Country Songs became the genre’s all-encompassing singles survey in 1958. Alabama boasts 33 No. 1s and Brooks & Dunn, 20. (George Strait leads all acts with 44.)
On Top Country Albums, The Oak Ridge Boys have notched three No. 1s among 14 top 10s.
Below, in celebration of the band’s music and Bonsall’s key contributions, count down The Oak Ridge Boys’ biggest hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
The Oak Ridge Boys’ 10 Biggest Billboard Hits recap is based on actual performance on Billboard’s weekly Hot Country Songs chart. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower ranks earning less. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from each era, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference between turnover rates from those years.
“Love Song”
This week, country singer-songwriter Shaboozey clears the final “Bar” on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated July 13) with his breakout crossover hit.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which heavily interpolates Chingy’s No. 2-peaking 2004 pop-rap smash “Tipsy,” climbs 2-1 in its 12th week on the Hot 100. The single, from Shaboozey’s recently released Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going becomes the second song from a Black artist to top both the Hot 100 and the Hot Country Songs charts in the same week this year — following Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” from her Cowboy Carter album, which also features Shaboozey on two separate tracks.
What does the song hitting No. 1 mean for both Shaboozey and for country music? And who could be the next breakout start to reach the Hot 100’s apex for the first time in 2024? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
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1. Shaboozey scores his first Hot 100 No. 1 with “A Bar Song,” in its 12th week on the chart. What do you think was the biggest factor in it making the jump from viral hit to chart-topping crossover smash?
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Josh Glicksman: Not a sexy answer here, but it’s more of several factors compounding to push “A Bar Song” into the stratosphere. The song’s twang fits squarely within the ever-present mainstream moment for country music in 2024; Shaboozey’s savvy interpolation of J-Kwon’s “Tipsy” plays well with the nostalgia factor that thrives on TikTok (even when the core demographic is probably a touch too young to remember the original in its heyday); and a well-timed radio push has not only kept the hit afloat but helped it get over the hump to No. 1.
Lyndsey Havens: Timing, all around. Shaboozey has had mild success prior to “A Bar Song,” which more importantly points to the fact that he has been building his career prior to “A Bar Song.” He and his team were not only prepared for a viral hit, but also knew how to strategize around it, ensuring the song would sustain beyond a social media spike. Plus, the timing of its release – on the heels of Shaboozey’s features on Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter, and at a time when country music is prevalent in the mainstream, and at the height of summer – has helped boost this smash to the top of the charts.
Jason Lipshutz: “A Bar Song” eventually reached No. 1 because it performed well across platforms and formats. The single has racked up hundreds of millions of streams and has been a mainstay in the top 10 of Spotify’s U.S. top songs chart for weeks on end; meanwhile, “A Bar Song” has also topped charts overseas, reached No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, and hit the top 10 of radio charts like Pop Airplay, Country Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Rhythmic. Shaboozey has watched his breakthrough hit’s genre-straddling status unlock new audiences, and transcend its early viral-hit classification to become a multi-quadrant smash.
Melinda Newman: Without a doubt, the Beyoncé bounce. He was already making a nice name for himself as a developing artist, but in the six years since he had released his album debut, he had never charted. There was interest in the new album and music, but his association with Beyoncé poured gasoline on the fire and helped propel “A Bar Song” up many different charts covering several formats.
Andrew Unterberger: Like very few new songs, it’s actually selling! Most contemporary hits have one strong week of sales — if that — and then gently recede from there, but “A Bar Song” has topped Digital Song Sales for eight weeks now, consistently roping in new listeners and new fans. That’s allowed it to stay in range of the Hot 100’s top spot as it’s continued to grow on radio and leveled off (without really dropping off) on streaming.
2. Do you think “A Bar Song” is the start of a long career in hitmaking for Shaboozey, or do you think he’s going to struggle a bit living up to the massive breakout success of first solo chart hit?
Josh Glicksman: There are many instances of artists achieving a breakout hit so massive that it creates a looming shadow, but I don’t think that’s the case here. He’s not coming out of nowhere: late May full-length Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going — which debuted and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 — is already his third album. And between his own tracks, plus features on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, he has had four other songs reach various Billboard charts this year. He’s not at the level of an automatic top 40 artist yet, but his 2024 achievements should give him some reliable status on the charts for the foreseeable future.
Lyndsey Havens: I’m not sure he will ever have another hit quite like “A Bar Song,” but considering the strength of his latest album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, I do think Shaboozey is already close to becoming a household name in this era of country music – and as such, think he should have a long career ahead.
Jason Lipshutz: Somewhere in the middle — “A Bar Song” is such a singular hit that it’ll be hard to replicate, but Shaboozey has established himself as a true, new-school star, able to turn a throwback rap hit into a forward-looking country sing-along and imbue that anthem with pop hooks and personality. Shaboozey possesses a unique perspective, and sounds comfortable blending sounds; “A Bar Song” may be his only No. 1 hit for a while, but he’s going to be around for a long time.
Melinda Newman: “A Bar Song” is turning into such a multi-format smash that it’s possible this will be his biggest career hit, but he has enough talent to keep building from here. Not every song will necessarily cross format lines, but it feels like this is just the commercial beginning for an artist who had been putting in the groundwork for years.
Andrew Unterberger: The size of “A Bar Song” maybe feels unrepeatable, but it’s hard to imagine a song this big and this good won’t be the start of a pretty meaningful career in country and pop music for Shaboozey. Hell, he even seemed right at home as a rare country performer among a majority of hip-hop and R&B artists at the BET Awards last week. Even if he never hits No. 1 again, I’d be very surprised if this was anywhere near his last time on the Hot 100.
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3. There’s been a lot of discussion about whether or not Black artists in country music would be getting more opportunities as a result of the early-year success of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album. Does the success of “A Bar Song” demonstrate to you that the Beyoncé Effect is real and demonstrable, or do you think it could still end up being more of a fluke?
Josh Glicksman: I wouldn’t call the song reaching No. 1 a fluke by any stretch whatsoever, but while the Beyoncé Effect is real — very real! — I’m not sure that I’d go so far as to say that it’s demonstrable yet, either. Or, at the very least, the music industry should be cognizant that there is still much work to be done before people should feel ready to pat themselves on the back with regard to giving Black artists in country music the opportunities they’ve long deserved and long been overlooked for within the genre.
Lyndsey Havens: I do think the Beyffect is real, and we are seeing its impact with an artist like Shaboozey — but that said, I also think Shaboozey would be having this moment even without the release of Cowboy Carter. Country music was gaining mainstream attention already, but Carter made sure that the foundational voices in the genre would not be left unheard. And for Shaboozey, I think it works both ways: some were introduced to him through Carter and stayed tuned in for his solo career, while others were attracted to his solo career, only to then discover Beyoncé was “early” on him. Either way, it’s not only a win for Shaboozey but for Black artists in country music as a whole — as he and Bey continue to make history on the charts and set the stage for more record breakers to come.
Jason Lipshutz: The connection between Cowboy Carter and the success of “A Bar Song” cannot be denied, considering how Beyoncé’s latest album introduced Shaboozey to a much wider audience thanks to a pair of features. However, I wouldn’t describe Cowboy Carter as a panacea for the lack of opportunities that Black artists have received in country music prior to this year, or proclaim “A Bar Song” hitting No. 1 as proof positive that those opportunities are finally being given. Artists of color with large and small footprints in the country music community have been gradually enacting change over the course of decades, and while a project like Cowboy Carter or a single like “A Bar Song” scan as important flash points, neither can solve this issue singlehandedly. There’s still a ton of work to do — let’s hope that both chart-toppers help speed up progress.
Melinda Newman: Unfortunately, it still feels more like a fluke. Cowboy Carter is a culturally significant album and one that highlighted the rich role that pioneering Black artists like Linda Martell, who appears on the album, played in country music’s history. But we’re not seeing a huge lift for current artists, and none of the other young Black artists on Cowboy Carter — Willie Jones, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts or Tiera Kennedy — have seen major radio results or ongoing upticks in streams after the initial burst.
Andrew Unterberger: Yeah, it’s not exactly a dam-bursting moment for Black artists in country music, but I do still think it’s a meaningful one. Even for as much chart success as Bey had with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” she didn’t quite reach escape velocity on country radio — the song peaked at No. 33 there, and nothing else from the album has even gotten near that much airplay. But “A Bar Song” is now a certified country radio smash, flying 12-6 on the chart this week and bursting through the door Beyoncé helped open. Hopefully the next Black country artist with a song as undeniable as “Texas” or “Bar” will have an even easier time being accepted into the Nashville fold, thanks in part to both of them.
4. Between Sabrina Carpenter and Shaboozey, it’s been a pretty good stretch lately for 2024 breakout artists scoring their first No. 1 on the Hot 100. Who’s an artist that’s been rising lately who you could see joining them in that club before year’s end?
Josh Glicksman: It’s hard to bet on anyone other than Chappell Roan, right? Listeners cannot get enough of her right now, sending four tracks from her 2023 debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, to the Hot 100 in addition to her April 2024 single, “Good Luck, Babe!,” which enters the chart’s top 10 for the first time this week. Her star trajectory makes a No. 1 hit seem much more like a “when” than an “if” at this point.
Lyndsey Havens: I’m rooting for Role Model. The alternative artist is gearing up to release his second album Kansas Anymore, and while he has had a taste of the spotlight with prior releases and a past (and public) relationship with Emma Chamberlain, the music on his forthcoming effort marks a new direction. While the songs may not be as fun-filled as “Espresso” or “A Bar Song,” they fall more into the singer-songwriter lane that’s also resonating right now.
Jason Lipshutz: The logical answer would be Chappell Roan, based on her across-the-board momentum, and one could make the case that Tommy Richman could push his way up to No. 1 with “Million Dollar Baby” after spending weeks in the top 10, similar to what Shaboozey just achieved. But I’ll still go with Noah Kahan, who has turned into an arena-level A-lister, and is still earning tons of plays with “Stick Season” years after its release. If he drops a new single before year’s end, I could see that single reaching the top of the Hot 100, based on how much his profile has expanded over the past 12 months.
Melinda Newman: Chappell Roan. “Good Luck, Babe!” has just entered the Top 10 and it feels like she is going to be the next pop superstar. Like Shaboozey and Sabrina Carpenter, she has been at this game for years (including a previous record deal with Atlantic), so she’s been honing her craft and now her time has come.
Andrew Unterberger: Chappell Roan and Tommy Richman are probably the leaders in the clubhouse here given their current presence in the top 10, but I’m gonna go with a bit of a longer shot and say Central Cee. He’s been a chart-topping superstar in his home country of the U.K. for some time, and he’s inching ever-closer to being one here too — thanks largely to co-signs from (and collabs with) stateside A-listers like Drake, J. Cole and Lil Baby. Feels like only a matter of time to me until he gets one over the top on the Hot 100.
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5. J-Kwon’s “Tipsy”: certified classic, fun throwback, or best left in 2004?
Josh Glicksman: It’s a classic (that also doubles as a throwback). From the moment the crunchy, clapping production kicks in, it’s on. Few people have made simple counting more fun than J-Kwon in the past two decades, and even fewer have made the radio mix of their hits superior to the explicit version. Kudos to you, J-Kwon.
Lyndsey Havens: Certified classic – and very deserving of the revival.
Jason Lipshutz: Certified classic! Two decades after its release, that beat still makes my head knock when it stomps into view. Mid-00s hip-hop will always have a special spot in my heart, but “Tipsy” still sounds fresh today, even as some of the contemporary hits around it come across as dated. Perhaps that’s why Shaboozey scooped it up and held it high for the world to revisit and appreciate.
Melinda Newman: Total fun throwback. If you’re not old enough to know the original song from 2004, you still can enjoy Shaboozey’s song and if you do, it’s a nostalgic reminder to a time when your double shot of whiskey days were still in full effect
Andrew Unterberger: It’s funny: At the time, I would have been happy to leave it in 2004, since I thought it just sounded like a knock-off Nelly hook laid over a watered-down version of the “Grindin’” beat. But it’s aged much better than I expected — or maybe I’m just less snide about it after a couple of decades (what’s wrong with a knock-off Nelly hook or a watered-down “Grindin’” beat, anyway?) In any event, now I’d say it’s a very fun throwback, and in the right circumstances you could probably talk me into it being a certified classic.
It’s Lucky Daye’s winning week on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart as the singer achieves his first No. 1 in a lead role with “That’s You.” The song, released on Keep Cool/RCA Records and co-written by Bruno Mars, advances from the runner-up spot to rule the list dated July 13, although it declined 4% in plays for the tracking week of June 28 – July 4, according to Luminate.
Despite the drop, “That’s You” becomes the most-played song on U.S.-monitored adult R&B stations as last week’s champ, Keith Sweat’s “Lay You Down,” sank 18% in plays for the tracking week.
While “That’s You” gives Lucky Daye (born David Brown) his first champ in a lead role, the singer-songwriter previously topped the list thanks to his and Khalid’s featured spots on Alicia Keys’ “Come for Me (Unlocked).” The single ruled Adult R&B Airplay for two weeks in June 2023.
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Beyond the pair of chart-toppers, Lucky Daye claims two more top 10s on Adult R&B Airplay, from six total career appearances. His debut entry, “Roll Some Mo,” climbed to No. 8 in April 2019, while his supporting turn on Earth, Wind & Fire’s “You Want My Love,” resulted in a No. 2 peak in November 2021.
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In addition to Lucky Daye, the “That’s You” triumph also boosts the Adult R&B Airplay achievements for two of its co-creators, Bruno Mars and D’Mile. The two produced the track and co-wrote it alongside Lucky Daye, Mike “Hunnid” McGregor and Austin Brown. As an artist, Mars has become an Adult R&B Airplay staple in the last few years, with eight No. 1s from 2015 – 2022 thanks to his solo output and as one-half of Silk Sonic, his duo with Anderson .Paak. Producer and songwriter D’Mile, meanwhile, continues his standing as one of R&B’s steady hitmakers, composing 10 top two Adult R&B Airplay hits since 2019.
Elsewhere, “That’s You” advances 19-17 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 radio stations. There, the song enjoys its two-spot gain despite a 5% slide to 5 million in total audience, from 5.3 million in the previous week.
“That’s You” appears on Lucky Daye’s latest album, Algorithm, which was released on June 28.
Yuki Chiba, Loco and BabyTron all notch their first career entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated July 13) thanks to a series of A-list collaborations.
Yuki Chiba is already established in the Japanese hip-hop scene, but he earns his first crossover hit in the United States thanks to his featured appearance on Megan Thee Stallion’s “Mamushi.” Released June 28 on her third studio album Megan, the song debuts at No. 68 on the Hot 100 with 7.3 million official U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads sold in its opening week, according to Luminate. It also starts at No. 18 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 21 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The bilingual track features Megan dishing a few bars in Japanese. (Megan debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.)
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The Japanese-Korean artist, who primarily releases music under the name KOHH (his father’s surname), hails from Oji, Kita, Tokyo, and has been releasing music for over a decade. He has released six studio LPs (all as KOHH), most recently The Lost Tapes in 2022. Before “Mamushi,” Yuki Chiba had appeared on Billboard’s charts with Dirt II (Side A), which reached No. 14 on World Albums in July 2016.
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Loco (real name: Kwon Hyuk-woo) makes his Hot 100 arrival thanks to his new track with Jimin, “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band.” The song, released June 28 via BigHit Music/Geffen/ICLG, debuts at No. 88 with 6.8 million U.S. streams and 11,000 sold. It also launches at No. 3 on Digital Song Sales, as well as No. 1 on World Digital Song Sales, earning Loco his first leader and Jimin his fifth (apart from BTS).
Loco, from South Korea, has been releasing solo music for over a decade, including two studio albums — Bleached in 2017 and Weak in 2023, with the former reaching No. 7 on World Albums. The rapper has additionally charted four tracks on World Digital Song Sales, including three top 10s: “Can’t Help Myself” (by Eric Nam featuring Loco; No. 4 peak), “Young” (with Baekhyun; No. 4) and “All I Wanna Do” (by Jay Park featuring Hoody and Loco; No. 9).
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BabyTron (aka, James Johnson IV) likewise reaches the Hot 100 for the first time, thanks to his co-billed turn on Eminem’s “Tobey,” also with Big Sean. Released July 2 on Shady/Aftermath/Interscope/ICLG, the song debuts at No. 95 after just three days of tracking. It earned 5 million streams and sold 3,000 units. The song concurrently opens at No. 23 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 26 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
BabyTron, from Ypsilanti, Mich., is a member of hip-hop trio ShittyBoyz. He has also released five solo albums and multiple mixtapes, three of which have charted on the Billboard 200: Bin Reaper 3: Old Testament (No. 69 peak in 2022), Bin Reaper 3: New Testament (No. 100; 2023) and MegaTron II (No. 43; 2023).
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