Charts
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Metro Boomin’s superstar-filled album Heroes & Villains debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Dec. 17), giving the producer his third leader on the list. The 15-song set starts with his biggest week yet: 185,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 8, according to Luminate — largely driven by streaming activity.
Heroes & Villains boasts a cavalcade of heavy-hitters, including 21 Savage, A$AP Rocky, Chris Brown, Future, Gunna, John Legend, Travis Scott, the late Takeoff, Don Toliver, The Weeknd, Young Thung and unbilled spoken word cameos from Morgan Freeman.
Heroes & Villains is Metro Boomin’s seventh charting effort on the Billboard 200, and fifth to reach the top 10. He previously hit the region with Savage Mode II (a collaborative album with 21 Savage, No. 1 in 2020), Not All Heroes Wear Capes (No. 1, 2018), Double or Nothing (a collaborative set with Big Sean, No. 6 in 2017) and Without Warning (billed to 21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin, No. 4 in 2017).
On Sept. 16, Heroes & Villains was initially announced with a release date of Nov. 4. Then, on Oct. 26, the set was pushed to Dec. 2 due to sample clearance issues.
Also in the top 10 on the Billboard 200, Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas returns, rising 11-10. The album, released in 1994, peaked at No. 3 that year, and has returned to the top 10 in each of the last four holiday seasons.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 17, 2022-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Dec. 13. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Of Heroes & Villains’ 185,000 equivalent album units earned, SEA units comprise 179,000 (equaling 233.38 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 5,000 and TEA units comprise 1,000. The album’s sales were largely powered by its digital download album, though there was a CD available in limited quantities (including a signed version), which resulted in about 3,000 sales. In addition, on Dec. 5 the album was reissued in a deluxe edition on streamers and at digital retail with 15 bonus instrumental tracks of the album’s standard songs.
Following Heroes & Villains (released via Boominati/Republic) on the Billboard 200, a pair of former No. 1s is up next, as Taylor Swift’s Midnights (Republic) falls to No. 2 with 143,000 equivalent album units (down 5%) and Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss (OVO Sound/Republic) dips 2-3 with 78,000 (down 16%). Thus, Republic Records completes a sweep of the top three on the Billboard 200, the first time any label has held the top three since Republic itself did it on the Feb. 6, 2021-dated list. That week, the chart was led by Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album (Big Loud/Republic), Pop Smoke’s Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon (Victor Victor Worldwide/Republic) and Swift’s Evermore (Republic).
Bad Bunny’s chart-topping Un Verano Sin Ti falls 3-4 on the Billboard 200 with 55,000 equivalent album units earned (though up 5%). Michael Bublé’s former No. 1 Christmas is pushed down 4-5 despite a 16% gain to 54,000 units. Harry Styles’ No. 1 Harry’s House rises 9-6 with 49,000 units (up 42% — mostly owed to vinyl LP sales) and Wallen’s Dangerous descends 6-7, but with a gain of 16% to 47,000.
Wrapping up the top 10 are The Weeknd’s The Highlights (7-8 with 42,000 equivalent album units; up 5%), Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song (8-9 with just over 40,000; up 13%) and Carey’s Merry Christmas (11-10 with 40,000; up 23%).
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.
BRISBANE, Australia — Australian dance music fans have two new charts to add to their weekly diet.
The fresh surveys, the Australian Dance Singles Chart, a countdown of the top 20 dance singles, and the Australian Dance Albums Chart, a tally of the top 10 dance albums, will publish each Friday starting this week.
Both charts will sit alongside ARIA’s other Australia-focused albums and singles charts, which include Australian Hip- Hop/R&B, Country, and Top 20 Singles and Albums, and more.
“ARIA is determined to find ways to showcase Australian music from all who create it, this is another step in the right direction as we endeavor to provide a transparent scoreboard for our industry and music fans alike to understand how local music is being streamed, purchased and engaged with,” explains the trade body’s CEO Annabelle Herd.
ARIA’s suite of charts are calculated with a combination of streams, physical and digital sales, with the exception of the ARIA Club Chart, which is based on reports by working DJs across Australia. None of those “official” tallies collate radio airplay information.
“It makes total sense to have Australian Dance Charts in addition to our regular Dance Charts, you only have to look at this year’s ARIA Awards featuring Rüfüs Du Sol, Luude and Flume to see that dance music plays such an important role in Australian music culture,” comments Herd.
“It represents many of our most-loved acts across the globe and countless DJs filling clubs across the country on a nightly basis. We’re determined to work with the dance music community to find ways to ensure established and up-and-coming producers are recognized for their contribution to this culture, and provide a greater spotlight as nightlife across Australia continues to recover.”
In June, the labels body and charts compiler rolled out its first new survey in three years — the New Release Chart, a weekly examination of the most popular new local and international singles on a four-month cycle. Earlier in the year, ARIA’s main charts began incorporating data on music consumption from YouTube.
Next year, 2023, marks the 40th anniversary of the ARIA Singles and Albums Charts.
Billboard News stepped into Diddy’s home and sat down with the legendary artist to discuss his single “Gotta Move On” with Bryson Tiller reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. Plus, Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” tops the Hot 100 once again.
After a decade of tireless work in the music industry, Sam Smith is finally celebrating a long-awaited career milestone.
On Tuesday (Oct. 25), Smith posted a message on their Twitter reacting to “Unholy,” the viral collaboration with Kim Petras, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. “I can’t believe it. Number 1 in America,” they wrote. “I am honestly speechless, overwhelmed, nautious [sic], and extremely happy.”
The singer explained that “Unholy” is “so special to me for so many reasons,” and expressed gratitude to those who worked on the track for their “bravery and guts and spirit.” They also shared a special thank you for Petras: “And Kim … what magic you are. You are a treasure and an inspiration to so many. Thank you for jumping with me.”
Despite Smith’s popularity over the last decade, “Unholy” is their first song to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. “Stay With Me,” their breakthrough 2014 hit, peaked at No. 2 on the chart dated August 16, 2014, just underneath “Rude” by Magic. Throughout their career, Smith has scored seven other top 10 singles, including “Too Good at Goodbyes,” “I’m Not the Only One,” “Dancing With a Stranger” and more.
“Unholy” is just the first taste of new music to come from Smith. Following the song’s debut on the chart, Smith announced their fourth studio album, Gloria, which is set to be released Jan. 27, 2023. In their interview for Billboard‘s cover story earlier this year, Smith teased that the project is their “first non-heartbreak album,” and that the subject matter would focus primarily on queer joy. “I think joy for me, and for a lot of queer people, is quite a dangerous place,” Smith said. “We’re all masters of pain, and I think it’s actually a very courageous act to step into the queer joy of it all.”’
Closing out their statement on Twitter, Smith expressed gratitude most of all to their fans. “This is ours Sailors,” they wrote, using their fanbase’s affectionate nickname. “I do this for you and you only,” they wrote. “What a journey. What a 10 years. What a life.”
Check out Smith’s full statement on Twitter, as well as their music video for “Unholy,” below:
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