five burning questions

It’s a career week for rising pop star Tate McRae on the Billboard charts, following the release of her much-anticipated third album So Close To What on Friday (Feb. 25).

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So Close bows at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (dated Mar. 8) with 177,000 units moved in its first frame, according to Luminate — her first set to top the chart. Meanwhile, the set lands 11 tracks on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, led by surging “Sports Car” (No. 16) and the brand-new “Revolving Door” (No. 22), both of which are boosted by eye-catching and elaborately choreographed music videos, now a McRae trademark.

Why has this album era marked such a level-up for McRae? And is her superstar status now secure? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.

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1. McRae’s So Close To What debuts atop the Billboard 200 with 177,000 units moved this week. On a scale from 1-10, how excited do you think McRae should be about that first-week number?

Hannah Dailey: Definitely a 10! As much momentum as she’s had these past few months, I don’t think a No. 1 album was necessarily guaranteed for her – so she should absolutely be celebrating those numbers. 

Kyle Denis: 10, no doubt. We’re talking about someone who hasn’t sniffed the top 15 of the Billboard Hot 100 since she hit No. 3 with “Greedy” early last year. I don’t think anyone was expecting such a strong six-figure bow – especially when her previous LP, which housed “Greedy,” opened with just 66,000 units. The pre-release singles for So Close To What may not have clicked in the way most of us expected – or would have liked – them to, but clearly, they served their purpose. 

Jason Lipshutz: A 10. This Billboard 200 debut encapsulates Tate McRae’s ascension to pop’s A-list, as not only her first No. 1 entry but with nearly triple the equivalent album units of her last album, which was released just 14 months earlier. Think Later contained the bigger hit single in “Greedy,” but So Close To What arrives on an undeniable wave of momentum for McRae, who is now able to flood the Hot 100 with double-digit new entries upon releasing a full-length. That type of achievement is typically reserved for superstars; the So Close To What debut confirms that McRae is on her way there.

Andrew Unterberger: It’s a 10! The projections kept growing by the week, and now there’s no doubt that Tate McRae is one of the breakout pop artists in an already-stacked era for such emergent talents. She’s put in the work, and now everyone is really seeing the fruits of her labor.

2. So Close To What outperforms the bow for McRae’s Think Later album, released just a year and change ago, by well over 100k units. What do you think is the biggest reason behind her wildly improved performance on this album? 

Hannah Dailey: I love how committed she and her team have been to achieving great visual moments. From scenes in her music videos – like the nude police walk in “It’s OK I’m OK” or the impossible back bend in “Revolving Door” — to the choreography in her live performances, she’s been catching people’s eyes first and then earning their ears, too. With Think Later, I think she was only just discovering how much this works for her; now, she’s locked in. 

Kyle Denis: I think the overall boost in Tate’s profile over the past year was instrumental to her improved performance with So Close To What. Although she didn’t churn out another smash on the level of “Greedy,” she remained an incredibly consistent musical and cultural presence. The “It’s OK, I’m OK” music video has a moment on socials, as did “Sports Car,” which smartly arrived one month out from the album’s full release. Most importantly, however, Tate spent most of 2024 touring Think Later, playing 65 shows North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. That kind of healthy word-of-mouth kept consumers interested in Tate, even if certain singles didn’t exactly set the charts ablaze. Tate kept showing up and believing in her work – and she also delivered an incredibly solid pop album worthy of that kind of push. 

Lyndsey Havens: I think one of the benefits of releasing her third album in such close proximity to her second is that she never really went away in between cycles. She embarked on an arena tour, including stops at Madison Square Garden and The Forum. She was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live (twice now). She starred in a Rhode campaign alongside Hailey Bieber. She was spotted vacationing with Kid Laroi and Olivia Rodrigo — and more. No matter what, McRae managed to stay in the public eye all while fans grew hungrier for more music.

Jason Lipshutz: A combination of higher interest in McRae’s music as a whole, and the songs leading up to So Close To What. Since scoring her first top 10 hit with “Greedy” in 2023, McRae has toured a mix of amphitheaters and arenas, performed on a slew of awards shows and Saturday Night Live, and most importantly, has kept accruing top 40 hits on the Hot 100: “Exes,” “It’s OK I’m OK,” “2 Hands,” “Sports Car,” and now “Revolving Door.” McRae has been consistent in her output and an increasing presence in pop culture, which has helped yield one of the biggest debuts of the year thus far.

Andrew Unterberger: I think it’s as much about the pop moment as it is about McRae herself. A few years ago — hell, maybe as recently as late 2023 when Think Later dropped — the top 40 world was in an uncharacteristically inhospitable place when it came to big, bubbly, performance-forward pop music. But now in early 2025, thanks to the breakouts of artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX and Chappell Roan — and, it should be said, of McRae herself — it feels much more dead-center to the mainstream again. Now this album is dropping at pretty much the exact right moment.

3. An impressive 11 tracks from the album rank on the Hot 100 this week, led by the previously released “Sports Car” (reaching a new peak of No. 16) and the brand-new “Revolving Door” (No. 22). Do you think either of the two will end up being a long-lasting hit from the album — or do you think something else from the tracklist has a better shot at that? 

Hannah Dailey: I could see either of the collaborations — “bloodonmyhands” with Flo Milli or “I Know Love” with The Kid LAROI – taking off. But we shall see where the tides of TikTok trends take us. 

Kyle Denis: I think both “Sports Car” and “Revolving Door” have solid chances at building into long-lasting hits, but I have my eyes on “Purple Lace Bra.” That one feels like the kind of post-Born to Die dream-pop track that randomly becomes a trending TikTok sound. 

Lyndsey Havens: I think “Sports Car” could grow into a top 10 hit, easily. 

Jason Lipshutz: “Revolving Door” has a radio-ready hook that makes good use of McRae’s range, but the answer here is “Sports Car,” which has a more memorable chorus (flipping the script on “Wait (The Whisper Song),” two decades later!) and effective siren-cry synths supporting McRae’s breathy melodies. When we look back on this era for Tate McRae, I’d guess that “Sports Car” serves as the defining song.

Andrew Unterberger: “Revolving Door” is the one to me. It just feels a little weightier than her other recent hits, just a little more musically layered and emotionally resonant — and the choreography in its video should inspire months’ worth of imitators to keep it alive on social media through the spring.

4. If you were on McRae’s team, what wide you be advising her to do to capitalize on the momentum of this impressive first-week bow for So Close To What? How would you best extend the album era — or would you encourage her to move on from it quickly? 

Hannah Dailey: I would say build on the momentum of her Saturday Night Live and Tonight Show appearances and keep getting Tate on people’s TV and phone screens as much as possible. Her songs really come together when she’s performing live, and her ability to deliver attitude and choreography on stage is the primary thing that makes her stand out from the rest of the pop crop – so capitalize on that by continuing to manufacture these visual moments.  

Kyle Denis: I would keep pushing singles! “Sports Car” clearly isn’t done, and “Revolving Door” is showing promising signs – those two tracks should at least carry the era into the summer. By that point, the Miss Possessive Tour should be wrapping its European leg, so to ring in the North American leg, I’d drop either a remix of one of the two aforementioned songs or a new single that previews a So Close To What deluxe edition, which should drop near the end of the tour, just in time for first-round Grammy voting. 

Lyndsey Havens: The members of her team are brilliant when it comes to keeping Tate top of mind — and on the road. The fact that she’s heading back out on a new headlining tour so soon will ensure that the album’s lifespan will be a long one.

Jason Lipshutz: She’s already planned precisely what I would advise her to do: look for more mainstream opportunities, then tour the heck out of this album. McRae will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight after stopping by SNL and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week, and her world tour kicks off in two weeks, with arena dates scheduled through the fall. There’s no need to move on from an album that’s clearly resonating with pop fans, so McRae should present that album to a global audience and raise her profile even more. 

Andrew Unterberger: Get Tate McRae some big festival slots! The early performance of So Close To What should prove she has the audience, and the music videos and live performances she’s had in the promo run up to its release should prove she’s got the talent and the presence. She could really use those big live moments in front of a festival audience to springboard to national phenom status, the way Roan and Carpenter did last year.

5. Much of the online pop discourse around McRae centers on whether or not she should be considered a “Main Pop Girl.” Does this debut establish her as one to you, or does she still have some remaining steps to take first? 

Hannah Dailey: She’s very much on her way to Main Pop Girl status, but I think I still need to see one of her singles have a little more dominance and longevity, both culturally and on the charts. I do think that this debut makes a strong statement, though, in that she really seems to have found her sound and her niche in the pop world. She’s standing on her own. 

Kyle Denis: I think she needs to visit the Hot 100’s top 10 a few more times, but these first-week numbers certainly make a compelling case. If she pulls some impressive numbers with the Miss Possessive tour, I’d be willing to seriously entertain that conversation. 

Lyndsey Havens: I don’t know why or how there’s anything left to debate here. I think McRae has been a main pop girl for a minute, and reaching the top of the Billboard 200 proves there are no steps left to take. The way in which she’s brought back the 2000s pop girl energy with her ability to sing and dance has been warmly received from the start, but with So Close it seems her impressive skillset is finally being entirely embraced.

Jason Lipshutz: Right now, McRae is a streaming-era pop star with a growing collection of rock-solid hits and tons of cache with young listeners. This debut solidifies her standing as a name that pop fans of all ages need to know, even if she is still lacking that cross-generation smash like “Espresso” or “Drivers License.” That may come in time, as she continues honing her sound and public persona; for now, though, she’s seeing the requisite boxes that an artist with Main Pop Girl aspirations in front of her and checking them all.

Andrew Unterberger: I think she’s at that Gracie Abrams level right now where if she’s not quite there yet, she’s at least close enough to be able to reach out and touch it. It’s a crowded field for Main Pop Girls right now, and many of them still have hits and accolades that McRae can’t boast just yet — but if she stays on the trajectory she’s currently on, it won’t be long until she’s on similar footing.

After being one of the most frequent visitors to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 around the turn of the 2020s, Travis Scott is back there for the first time in nearly half a decade this week with his new single “4×4.”

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The new single, whose net proceeds Scott announced will benefit Direct Relief’s California Wildfire Response Fund, debuts atop the Hot 100 this week, making for Scott’s fifth career No. 1 on the chart. It’s also the first rap single to top the chart in 2025, following four weeks of Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars’ ‘Die With a Smile” reigning.

How did “4×4” get over the top on the chart? And what does the song tell us about where he might go next as an artist? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

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1. Though Travis Scott topped the Hot 100 three times at the turn of the decade, this is his first time back to No. 1 since. On a scale from 1-10, how big a deal is “4×4” debuting at No. 1 for him?

Kyle Denis: Probably a 6? We’ve seen this film before with Travis seemingly coming out of nowhere to debut atop the Hot 100 with a boatload of pure sales. If anything, he’s probably a bit annoyed that his true smashes and signature songs – like “Goosebumps” or “Fein” — keep missing the top spot in favor of loosies like this one. 

Carl Lamarre: 8.5. Whenever an artist of Travis’ caliber lands a No. 1 song, it’s a noteworthy achievement, regardless of the circumstances. Travis, who’s evolved into a hip-hop supernova since 2018’s Astroworld, sees anything less than a chart-topping single or album as a flop. Despite his busy tour schedule, various business ventures, and preparation for his Coachella performance, it’s a relief for Team Travis to know that musically, he’s still in high demand, even after a two-year hiatus since Utopia.

Jason Lipshutz: Fittingly, a 4. Travis Scott carries the distinction of charting higher with his minor hits than with most of his signature songs — think of how “The Scotts” and “Franchise” brought him to the top of the Hot 100, for instance, while “Goosebumps” and “FE!N” did not. We’ll see how “4×4” continues to perform on the Hot 100, but considering that this is a standalone single from an artist with multiple No. 1 hits whose commercial power was never in doubt, this chart-topping debut represents another feather in Scott’s cap rather than a monumental shift in mainstream appeal.

Michael Saponara: 4. I don’t think he necessarily needed any validation, but it has been over four years since his last No. 1 hit and “4×4” is the first since the Astroworld Festival tragedy. We’ll see if it infiltrates radio and can last on the charts heading into his Coachella performance in April. 

Andrew Unterberger: Yeah it’s a 5 at most. Never a bad thing to have another No. 1 on the roster but what are the chances this song is actually better-remembered or more meaningful to Travis’ catalog than “FE!N” (Hot 100 peak: No. 5) five years from now? Not particularly high I’d say.

2. What do you see as being the biggest factor in “4×4” getting over the top where his other singles of recent years have generally fallen short?

Kyle Denis: Travis has been teasing this song for months, so there was fervent anticipation across his fanbase. Snippets have been circulating since last September, and another teaser dropped during the Oct. 18 episode of WWE SmackDown. Two weeks later (Oct. 30), Scott performed the song at the last show of his $209 million-grossing Circus Maximus tour, and then again during his headlining set at Rolling Loud Miami’s tenth anniversary (Dec. 14). At the top of the new year (Jan. 6), Scott appeared in-person at WWE Raw and confirmed that “4×4” would be the program’s official opening theme. Later that month (Jan. 20), he played the song at the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show, sharing a link to pre-save the song shortly after. 

We’re already well acquainted with the buying power of Scott’s fanbase (this is also his first solo post-Utopia release), but with the “4×4” release, he also explicitly courted fans across two sports that are having major moments in American culture right now. Football, of course, is always the talk of the town, but between last Christmas’ Beyoncé Bowl, Kendrick Lamar’s forthcoming halftime show, and the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce of it all, it’s smart to align yourself with American football in some way. Similarly, WWE Raw’s move to Netflix was a milestone moment for the evolution of live events and on-demand streaming services. Most importantly, sports fans put their money where their mouths are; they buy game tickets, jerseys, caps, etc. Selling pure copies of music feels like a Herculean task nowadays, but Travis Scott has cracked several codes. 

Carl Lamarre: Quite frankly, the record is just straight heat. Travis hasn’t had a bulletproof single since “Sicko Mode,” and that song itself is forever entrenched in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame when speaking of hits. So, understandably, it’s hard to topple that kind of success, knowing how much of an explosion “Sicko” made circa 2018. As for “4×4”, the buzz was created before the song’s release. He teased the initial record during his campaign with WWE months back, then performed the song at halftime for the College Football Playoff Championship game before ultimately unleashing the video. By creating a feverishly high demand for the song, Travis’ supporters came in droves when it was time to cheer on La Flame.

Jason Lipshutz: Fan excitement. Sure, it’s easy to point to the oversized sales numbers that helped “4×4” top the Hot 100 in the same way that Days Before Rodeo was able to top the Billboard 200 last year, but Scott boasts the rabid base to justify those numbers and push more minor projects to the top of the chart. And while “4×4” isn’t functioning like a durable hit on streaming services yet, it’s also Scott’s first solo single since 2023, and one that fans feverishly wanted to be officially released for months. This Hot 100 debut doesn’t happen without that type of widespread listenership.

Michael Saponara: Hype. He’s been teasing “4×4” for a while in multiple forums, whether that be his DJ sets or a performance debut atop Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium as part of the College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show. The Tay Keith-produced track also made noise in the wrestling world while serving as the official theme song of Raw when it made the jump to Netflix at the top of 2025. 

Andrew Unterberger: Gotta be the charity element. The hype helped, of course, but the sales number this song posted means fans really voted for this one with their wallets — and if they knew their funds were going to a cause as meaningful as L.A. fire relief, I’m sure that swayed a lot who were on the fence about whether or not they really needed to purchase the physical edition.

3. Of his three 2019-20 No. 1s, the only one that showed particular chart endurance was “Highest in the Room.” Do you see “4×4” as being that type of hit, or more of a quick-fader like “The Scotts” or “Franchise? 

Kyle Denis: I anticipate it ending up somewhere in between. With the WWE Raw assists, I see “4×4” having more staying power than “The Scotts,” but it’s also not Travis’ best effort as far as standalone singles go… so I wouldn’t expect it to truly give “Highest” a run for its money chart-wise. 

Carl Lamarre: Travis’ partnership with the WWE should help keep the song moving, as the track is now the theme song for Monday Night Raw. For my hip-hop and wrestling enthusiasts, that’s a big deal for Team Travis, as the latest Netflix deal between WWE and the streaming conglomerate means a bigger and newer audience for both parties. So, because of that, and seeing how he’s taken the record into different sectors, like the wrestling world and the college football arena, I’ll give it up the leg up over “Franchise” and “The Scotts” when speaking of staying power.

Jason Lipshutz: I’m guessing it will be somewhere in between — not a months-long hit, but not a forgotten piece of chart trivia, either. “4×4” sounds designed for live-show enormity, its orchestral thump and gargantuan drums slotting in nicely during the maximalist stretch on his set list. That will help “4×4” endure in fans’ minds, regardless of how many weeks the song logs on the Hot 100.

Michael Saponara: If this was a scale, I’d be leaning more toward the “Highest in the Room” side of things, but I don’t think it will match the longevity of “Highest” – that’s one of Trav’s signature tracks. However, “4×4” should have more legs than “The Scotts” or the gaudy “Franchise,” which burned bright and burned quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic when Scott’s rage was blanketed. 

Andrew Unterberger: The song is already out of the top 50 on both Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA and Apple Music’s real-time chart, so I’m guessing it’s gonna be more of a quick fader.

4. Do you think “4×4” points to any particular new evolution within Travis Scott’s sound or style for where he may go next, post-Utopia? Or is it more likely just a one-off not meant to signal much about his future direction? 

Kyle Denis: I get one-off vibes from this. It’s a bit weak lyrically, but I don’t mind how the production feels like an offshoot of his Astroworld soundscape. He made some really nice choices with the background vocals too. 

Carl Lamarre: This is a one-off situation for Travis. The guy is always working and experimenting. He’s still savoring Utopia’s wins and the impact it created over the last two years after its release. Consider this his victory lap, especially since he’s now a stadium-level artist, courtesy of his fans.

Jason Lipshutz: The latter. There’s no indication that “4×4” precedes a new Travis Scott project, and sonically, the song fits neatly into what he was accomplishing with Utopia. Considering the five-year gap between Astroworld and Utopia, we may be a ways away from a proper new Scott album and the stylistic shift that it may signify, so “4×4” likely represents a placeholder until that new era comes.

Michael Saponara: This feels like more of a one-off to set the tone for the year, although I wish it was a jetsetter into La Flame’s next era. I’d expect that to come around Coachella. The marching band horns aspect is experimental for Trav’s sound – I don’t think we’ve heard him utilize that mixed in with his trap drums on a track before.

Andrew Unterberger: I could see it leading to a more lush, string-based sound on his next album — the success of Bryson Tiller’s “Whatever She Wants” and 21 Savage’s “Redrum” set the table for that already a little bit last year. I hope so, it’s a good sound for Travis.

5. Travis Scott is the first rapper to top the Hot 100 in 2025 — who do you predict will be the second? 

Kyle Denis: Probably Kendrick with whatever song gets the biggest boost from his Super Bowl halftime show. If not him… it could very well be Drake, ironically; it’s not implausible that one of the songs from his forthcoming Valentine’s Day joint album with Partynextdoor sneaks a week atop the Hot 100 when the full set drops on Feb. 14.

Carl Lamarre: Dare I say: Drizzy Drake Rogers. Think about it. New album with PND next week? All eyes are on him after Kendrick’s Grammy sweep and upcoming Super Bowl appearance. This is a lay-up for him.

Jason Lipshutz: Kendrick Lamar, particularly if “Luther” receives a prime slot in the Super Bowl halftime show. Due to the Christmas music onslaught beginning in November, “Squabble Up” remains the only GNX song to top the Hot 100. That feels wrong! And I believe it won’t be the case for much longer.

Michael Saponara: PUT THAT GELO ON!

Andrew Unterberger: How fun is it that the answer here is almost certainly either Drake or Kendrick Lamar? (Or maybe not that fun, depending.)

Though it pulled up just short of the top spot on the Billboard 200 last week, on this week’s chart (dated Jan. 25), Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos claims pole position.

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Fotos moves 203,500 units in its second frame — its first full week of release, after having been released on Sunday, Jan. 5, already two days into the prior tracking week. The set, which features Bad Bunny dipping into genres like salsa and plena that reflect his Puerto Rican roots, becomes the superstar’s fourth consecutive No. 1 on the chart, following 2020’s El Último Tour del Mundo, 2022’s Un Verano Sin Ti and 2023’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.

How did the album manage such a successful second week? And what does its success mean for the industry in general? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

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1. Debí Tirar Más Fotos climbs from No. 2 to No. 1 this week on the Billboard 200, in its first full week on the chart, to become his fourth consecutive No. 1 album on the chart. On a scale from 1-10, how significant an achievement is this for Bad Bunny?

Jason Lipshutz: An 8. After Debí Tirar Más Fotos started at No. 2 behind Lil Baby’s WHAM (albeit with a truncated first week), it was worth wondering whether the prospect of a new Bad Bunny album still commanded the same level of enthusiasm as it did four years ago, when he first began debuting in the top spot of the Billboard 200 without much issue. With the new album demonstrating its staying power on streaming and pushing to No. 1 in its second week, though, those minor concerns are put to rest. Regardless of where this album peaked, Bad Bunny remained an A-list superstar — but scoring another No. 1 album, which seems to be growing ever more mighty on streaming platforms, reiterates that he’s an A-list albums artist, too.

Sigal Ratner-Arias: A 10. Having four consecutive albums in Spanish reaching the No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 is quite remarkable, if not historic, and I don’t think Bad Bunny takes it for granted either. Benito works hard, knows his audience, reinvents himself once and again while staying true to himself — and, in this case, he also did the extra work, with a huge promotional campaign after releasing the album on a Sunday.

Isabela Raygoza: 9. This accomplishment further highlights Bad Bunny’s exceptional star prowess. It’s important to note that he released the album on a Sunday, deviating from the standard new music release day of Friday. This timing meant that potential sales from a full cycle (seven days) were not captured in the album’s first week on the charts. It’s also important to consider that Lil Baby’s Wham! debuted at No. 1 with 140,000 first-week equivalent album units, while Bad Bunny initially landed at No. 2 with 122,000 units. However, what’s particularly remarkable is Bad Bunny’s streaming success; despite the non-traditional release day, Debí Tirar debuted at No. 1 on the Top Streaming Albums chart. This achievement exemplifies how his solid fan base and increasing streaming strength can significantly impact his chart performance.

Jessica Roiz: 10. This is the album that really hits home for him — lyrically and musically. Strikingly different from El Último Tour del Mundo — which became the first all-Spanish-language album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the chart’s 64-year history — as an album with alternative edge and chill melodies, DtMF embodies the culture and sentiment of an entire island: Puerto Rico. A proud Boricua is what Bad Bunny has been showcasing in each of his perreo and trap projects since the getgo, but to reach No. 1 with a primarily tropical-laced reggaetón album, which also includes salsa, bomba, plena and a lot of Puerto Rican slang, takes the Billboard 200 champ to a whole nother level.  

Andrew Unterberger: An 8.5. In a sense it’s business as usual for Benito — just another No. 1 album in what is now a long string of them — but to reach the apex in the album’s second week, and with such a massive number, really shows how excited listeners still are about Bad Bunny. His numbers were mostly still there on Nadie Sabe and its associated singles, but the excitement wasn’t, at least not to this degree.

2. While Bunny’s previous album Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana debuted at No. 1, it did so with a smaller first-week number (184,000) than Fotos posts in its second frame (203,500), and then fell to No. 4. What do you think is the biggest reason for the improved performance of this set?

Jason Lipshutz: It’s the same reason that Debí Tirar Más Fotos started off relatively slowly following its Sunday release, and has been growing by leaps and bounds since then — fans love this new album, although the non-Friday release following the holiday music season may have taken them a minute to embrace it as part of their listening diet. While Nadie Sabe offered a more diverse sonic palette than 2022’s crowd-pleasing Un Verano Sin Ti, the new album represents an anthemic homage to Bad Bunny’s native Puerto Rico, with “DtMF” as the type of standout single that its predecessor lacked. The high quality and accessibility of Fotos have positioned the project as potentially one of Bad Bunny’s biggest yet.

Sigal Ratner-Arias: A loyal fan base and word of mouth, as the album is more reminiscent of the eclectic and experimental vibe of Un Verano Sin Ti – this time infused with Puerto Rican rhythms like plena and salsa — than the more Latin trap-focused Nadie Sabe. An aggressive and fun campaign, with Benito giving more interviews and doing more promotion than with his last efforts; he’s been EVERYWHERE last week. And the announcement of his upcoming Puerto Rico live residency couldn’t be more timely.

Isabela Raygoza: The marked improvement in Bad Bunny’s latest album performance compared to its predecessor, Nadie Sabe, can be attributed to several factors. One is his emphasis on the revitalization of reggaetón — amid the rising popularity of regional Mexican music. In her article, “Regional Mexican Music Sounds & Feels Nothing Like Reggaetón — And That’s Partly Why It’s Dominating in 2023,” Leila Cobo discussed how listeners were beginning to experience genre fatigue with reggaetón (and its repetitive themes of overt sexualization), turning instead to the storytelling and acoustic resonance of regional Mexican music. This trend seemed to forecast a decline in reggaetón’s dominance within Latin music circles. However, Bad Bunny’s latest album challenges this prediction by recentering reggaetón (“Voy a Llevarte Pa PR,” “Veldá”). He has effectively sustained and bolstered the genre’s appeal (as widely evinced in my block in Bushwick, New York), proving its enduring relevance. 

Also noteworthy: Bad Bunny intersperses this album with rich, native Puerto Rican styles like salsa, plena, and jíbara. These traditional genre inclusions amplify a sense of Puerto Rican cultural pride and authenticity, significantly resonating with a broader Latino audience. Meanwhile, within the icy trap of Nadie Sabe, he seemed somewhat removed — highlighting the isolations of unattainable superstardom, reinforced by his lack of media interviews around that era. This time, Benito made discernible efforts to re-engage with his audience, becoming more accessible and relatable. Plus, his bare feet and stripped-down attire in his press shots add an authentic and approachable flair.

Jessica Roiz: The impressive marketing plan. Bad Bunny began to tease us with new music as early as one month before the album dropped with the set’s first single “El Clúb.” Though fans didn’t know it was part of an album, we just KNEW he had something up his sleeves. Similar to how he did with YHLQMDLG and Un Verano Sin Tí, the artist began to post clues across social media leading to the album’s release, including a very conceptual short film and hinting at a bomb track list on X. Fans were excited and on edge, waiting for this release — something he didn’t do with his 2023 Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, which dropped as a complete surprise. 

Andrew Unterberger: I think this set just has a little bit of a stronger identity than Nadie Sabe, which felt a little all over the place, and not in the fun and satisfying manner of Un Verano‘s eclecticism. It’s a new identity for Bad Bunny, which probably explains why it took the set a little longer to take off — and why none of the advance singles had a big debut outside of the set’s larger context — but taken as a whole, it’s unquestionably one of his most rewarding and exciting full-lengths to date.

3. The set’s quasi-title track, “DtMF,” is the clear breakout track so far — jumping to No. 2 on the Hot 100 this week — despite being buried near the end of the album. Why do you think listeners have latched onto the track as quickly and as enthusiastically as they have?

Jason Lipshutz: The combination of the plinking percussion, extended build-up to the chorus and the enormous call-and-response hook make “DtMF” irresistible upon first listen. Although it doesn’t fully unfurl until nearly halfway through the track, the “DtMF” chorus is a blockbuster, both subtly swaying in Benito’s delivery and ecstatic in the way his backing chorus echoes his words. Until then, the three-note, shape-shifting beat does the heavy lifting, giving him the space to wax poetic about missed connections and his beloved community. 

Sigal Ratner-Arias: A highly nostalgic song about appreciating the simple things in life and missing people and moments passed, “DtMF” – initials of the album’s title, which means “I should have taken more photos” – has connected deeply with the audience both for its lively combination of plena and reggaetón, and its profound lyrics. The fact that it is the second to last song on a 17-track album goes to show how much Bad Bunny’s followers are listening.

Isabela Raygoza: I believe the song’s impressive ascent can largely be attributed to its role as the crux of the album. Functioning almost like a thesis statement, it distills the album’s overarching themes into a compelling, catchy track. “We’re here for the things that are worth doing/ For the perreo, the salsa, the bomba and the plena/ I should have taken more pictures of when I had you” he sings, reinforcing the theme against a stripped-down, laid-back rhythm. It’s an invitation to focus on meaningful activities and cultural expressions. This connectivity aspect, paired with the emotional resonance, captures the essence of what fans love about Bad Bunny’s music: It’s vibrant, thoughtful and deeply rooted in cultural tradition. 

Jessica Roiz: Simply put, it’s the deep sense of nostalgia the lyrics carry. “DtMF” is about living in the moment and capturing those moments in photos so they can last a lifetime. Furthermore, Bunny reflects on his own lack of taking photos (hence the title “I should’ve taken more photos) and how quickly life has passed by, mainly overshadowed by fame and his luxurious lifestyle: “We are no longer for the movie and the gold chains/ We look for things that are worth it,” he poignantly articulates. 

Andrew Unterberger: I mean, wow, what a chorus. “DtMF” doesn’t sound like an obvious top 40 hit — at least not in this country — but you only need to hear that anthemic refrain one time to understand the song’s commercial potential. (Helps, of course, that the song also features a run through the chorus that just sounds like a crowd singalong, allowing fans to imagine how much fun belting it out as part of a crowd of many thousands of fans will undoubtedly be this summer.)

4. “DtMF” is still blocked from No. 1 on the Hot 100 by “Die With a Smile,” Bruno Mars’ and Lady Gaga’s radio-friendlier duet. Do you think it will be able to get over the top on the chart, or will No. 2 ultimately be its best showing?

Jason Lipshutz: I’d expect “DtMF” to hit No. 1 sooner than later, as the biggest new hit of the first month of 2025, and what looks like one of the signature smashes of Bad Bunny’s prime in the spotlight. For this song to stall at No. 2 would underscore what it, and Bad Bunny, accomplished here; he more than deserves a solo No. 1 song on the Hot 100, and “DtMF” will likely burst through that ceiling.

Sigal Ratner-Arias: Yes, I do. I think it will likely climb to No. 1 in the next week or two. “DTMF” has taken on a life of its own on social media, with people using the song to soundtrack special moments in their life. It’s definitely become a trend on IG and TikTok and that could ultimately give it a big push.

Isabela Raygoza: Predicting its potential to reach No. 1 can be complex, especially considering the historical challenges Spanish-language tracks face in securing the top spot on the Hot 100 chart. Notably, Bad Bunny’s only No. 1 on this all-genre prestigious chart came in 2018 as a feature on Cardi B’s bilingual hit “I Like It,” which also included J Balvin. The only other No. 1 Latin songs are these three: Los Lobos’ “La Bamba” (1987), Los del Río’s “Macarena” (1995), and Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” feat. Justin Bieber (2017). While the odds are challenging, the growing popularity of “DtMF” and Bad Bunny’s solid fan base give it a fighting chance to climb to the top. Achieving that milestone would be a huge moment for Spanish-language music.

Jessica Roiz: I think it can potentially and eventually reach No. 1. The song is having a strong resonance on social media, where people across Instagram and TikTok, to name a few, are interacting with its heartfelt lyrics and soft plena melodies and sharing some of their best memories with loved ones. 

Andrew Unterberger: I’ll be rooting for it, but it’s gonna be tough for it to get past “Die With a Smile.” That song is still a strong performer in both streaming and sales, and it has the inside track on radio, where “DtMF” will be unlikely to catch up to it. As we saw in 2024 with Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song,” when you’re a consistent performer in all three of those components, you can stay at No. 1 for a long, long time — and “Smile” might only be getting started there.

5. The runaway success of Fotos is hardly shocking coming from an artist of Bunny’s size and caliber, but the arc of its first couple weeks is still unusual enough to make people take notice. What lessons, if any, do you think the rest of the industry can take from its early triumphs?

Jason Lipshutz: We’ve learned time and again that, in the modern music industry, patience is a virtue. If there’s a great artist who has yet to cross over with real hits, give them a few years — they might be Sabrina Carpenter. If there’s a great album that went relatively unnoticed in its release week, maybe a grassroots following turns it into the next The Rise & Fall of a Midwest Princess. If a former hitmaker hasn’t connected recently, their Brat Summer might be lurking around the corner. Debí Tirar Más Fotos may not have debuted at No. 1 and missed commercial expectations in its first week of release, but by that second week, Bad Bunny had demonstrated his superstar might; the world just needed a little extra time to plug in to his vision.

Sigal Ratner-Arias: Bad Bunny told Billboard something pretty significant this week: the purpose of releasing his album on a Sunday, on the eve of Three Kings Day, was bringing together generations in Puerto Rico and honor his country and its culture — even if that meant that his performance on the charts would suffer. At a time where we see artists release the same album in multiple formats and colors over the months in order to stay on top, it is refreshing to see that a superstar like Bad Bunny is more focused on making art with a clear message and purpose.

Isabela Raygoza: The early success of the album offers valuable insights, particularly in the power of integrating cultural authenticity that resonates with a diverse audience. It highlights the importance of artists maintaining a genuine connection with their fan base and evolving their music to align with changing tastes. 

Jessica Roiz: I go back to the remarkable promo plan this album has had, including taking the role of a news anchor at a local Puerto Rican TV station, co-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and giving a free concert in Rio Piedras, Bunny was not afraid to double down on promotion. Add in his just-announced ambitious 30-date residency at El Coliseo, and Bad Bunny really didn’t hold back in building buzz around his new set, something other artists could learn from.

Andrew Unterberger: I think there’s a bunch of lessons to be had here, but one I might zero in on is that single performance isn’t necessarily a barometer for parent-album success in 2025. Neither “El Clúb” or “Pitorro de Coco” debuted within the top 50 of the Hot 100, which could have been taken as a sign that Fotos was bound to underperform commercially. But Bad Bunny is an albums artist first and foremost — most of the biggest global pop stars are at this point — and those songs hit much harder in full-LP context. Now, not only are both songs top 50 hits, but the album has landed three other songs in the chart’s top 10, with room still to grow. Trust in the strength of the your album, and the hits will come.

For the fourth time in four tries this decade, Lil Baby has the No. 1 album in the country.
The rap star’s latest, WHAM (which stands for Who Hard as Me), bows atop the Billboard 200 this week (dated Jan. 18) with 140,000 first-week units. It follows the No. 1 debuts of 2020’s My Turn, 2021’s The Voice of the Heroes (with Lil Durk) and 2022’s It’s Only Me — albeit with the lowest first-week number of the four sets, and only one track debuting in the Billboard Hot 100‘s top 40: the Future and Young Thug collab “Dum, Dumb and Dumber” (No. 16).

What does the album bow mean for Lil Baby’s stardom? And what should he be focusing more on with his future album releases? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

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1. WHAM debuts at No. 1 with 140,000 equivalent album units moved. On a scale from 1-10, how happy do you think Lil Baby should be with that first-week performance? 

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Kyle Denis: A strong 8. Pulling a six-figure opening week is nothing to scoff at, and Lil Baby has done it with his last three studio albums. WHAM’s numbers are even more impressive when you consider that the album doesn’t include any of the three solo standalone singles (“5AM,” “Insecurities” and “Touchdown”) he dropped leading up to the record’s full release. Given the lukewarm reception to WHAM online from casual and devoted fans alike, WHAM’s first-week performance is a triumph for Baby. 

Carl Lamarre: 10. I’m beyond elated if I’m Baby, because the internet wasn’t thinking too fondly of my release. Plus, I escaped Bad Bunny by a millisecond after he dropped his album two days after mine. For Baby, he’s no longer the indomitable force he was after his volcanic opus My Turn blitzed the industry in 2020. There’s no reason why LiAngelo Ball, an overnight success, should generate more traction than an established superstar like Baby to start the calendar year. Despite those glaring concerns, Baby ended up on top, and that’s what matters most.

Jason Lipshutz: A 7. Releasing an album in the opening week of the year can be a little dicey, as listeners divert their attentions away from Christmas music and refocus following their holiday breaks. Lil Baby placed a bet on being the biggest game in town once the calendar flipped over to 2025, and sure enough, he snagged another No. 1 debut — with a lower equivalent album units total than 2022’s It’s Only Me, but with a track list roughly half as long as its predecessor hampering streams a bit, so a six-figure bow is pretty impressive.

Michael Saponara: I think he’s gotta be at a 9. To outsell Bad Bunny and debut at No. 1 after Baby’s 2024 singles weren’t generating a ton of buzz is a major W. 

Andrew Unterberger: At least an 8. Yes, things might’ve tilted differently if Bad Bunny had a full first week to work with, but the fact that Benito made such a late charge and Baby still ended up on top — while also eclipsing SZA’s revitalized SOS blockbuster — is no small feat, and speaks to the rapper’s continued resonance.

2. The star-studded “Dum, Dumb and Dumber” with Future and Young Thug is the set’s top debut on the Billboard Hot 100, entering in the top 20. Does it feel like a long-lasting hit, or is it mostly bowing so high on the strength of its guest list? 

Kyle Denis: This doesn’t feel like a long-lasting hit to me, and it feels particularly tepid for Thugger’s first post-prison verse. I’d be surprised if any of the WHAM songs stick around and become hits on the level of “We Paid” or “Sum 2 Prove.” Maybe the Dominique album will fare better in that arena. 

Carl Lamarre: The more I listen to it, the more I like it, but I don’t see it having the endurance of being a long-lasting hit. A torrid Future coming off three No. 1 albums in ’24 alongside Thug’s first post-jail verse should be enough to blow the top off any record, but I don’t think these guys really brought their A-game this time. It felt more like a scrimmage versus a full-throttled performance.

Jason Lipshutz: Although it might never climb higher on the Hot 100 than its current peak, I think it’s going to endure. “Dum, Dumb and Dumber” was obviously newsworthy as Young Thug’s return to the microphone, but Lil Baby and Future match his level of urgency on the track; the beat, co-produced by Wheezy, wails and pummels, letting all three stars rise toward its intensity without relenting for a chorus. That lack of a hook might limit its crossover potential, but I’d bet on “Dum, Dumb and Dumber” continuing to accrue millions of streams and dominate hip-hop playlists in the coming months.

Michael Saponara: Young Thug’s first spotlighted verse since being released from jail combined with a Future reunion is a formula for commercial success. Baby capitalized on the moment and it’s a solid three-man weave between the Atlanta trio, but I don’t see it having a ton of staying power in the Hot 100’s top 25.

Andrew Unterberger: It’s a strong song, and I don’t think it’s going to disappear from the culture completely, but I dunno if it really has enough of a hook — either in terms of a chorus or just an overall narrative coherence — to really keep listeners coming back. It’s great to hear those three voices together on a track again, though, no doubt.

3. Bad Bunny debuts just underneath Baby with his new set Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which notches 122,000 in an incomplete first week. Given that the album was released on a Sunday, already a full two days into the tracking week, do you think it’ll have a good shot at climbing to No. 1 on next week’s chart? 

Kyle Denis: Absolutely. Bad Bunny dropped a compelling project, and it’s resonating with people as several songs on the album morph into breakout streaming hits around the world. Between viral quotes from a Rolling Stone interview, an NYC subway takeover, a short film, and co-hosting The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Bad Bunny has been extremely present throughout the past week, which will only help the second-week performance of Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Of course, Benito is also getting a lot of good press for his innovative approach to ticketing for his upcoming Puerto Rico residency. 

But this record also already has much more positive word of mouth than his last LP, 2023’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, and that’s probably the clearest sign that DTMF momentum is just getting started. 

Carl Lamarre: I don’t see Baby’s album securing another week at No. 1 for this cycle. The fact that Bunny was only 18,000 units shy of sealing another No. 1 album after an incomplete week is telling, and worrisome for Camp Baby. There’s more chatter surrounding Bunny’s album because of the storytelling, the chances he took sonically, and the ingenious rollout. Bunny’s Rolling Stone interview and recent subway performance with Jimmy Fallon resonated more with people than Baby’s conversation with Charlamagne and his late-night outings.

Jason Lipshutz: Definitely. If you take a peek at daily streaming charts, Bad Bunny’s new album is not just performing strongly but seems to be gaining momentum, with the crackling “DtMF” leading a slew of tracks that will likely fly up the Hot 100 chart next week. The Sunday release helped prevent Bad Bunny from scoring another No. 1 album himself, but he’s got a great shot at getting there next week, especially considering that there are no new Lil Baby-sized debuts to for Debí Tirar Más Fotos to compete with.

Michael Saponara: Yeah, Bad Bunny should do another solid number next week as the tracks are still streaming well across DSPs. However, Mac Miller’s posthumous Balloonerism arrives on Friday (Jan. 17) which could interrupt Benito’s run at No. 1 pretty quickly should he claim the top spot next week.

Andrew Unterberger: Yeah it certainly should be considered a frontrunner to claim the top spot in the next couple weeks. Really cool to see Bad Bunny on track to another enduring full-length, in the wintertime no less.

4. Lil Baby’s career momentum has been trending somewhat in the wrong direction since the 2020 breakthrough of My Turn made him one of the biggest stars in hip-hop. Does WHAM and the early reception to it give you confidence that he can turn that around? 

Kyle Denis: My biggest gripe with WHAM is how Baby is seemingly unwilling to deviate from the formula established with his mixtapes and first three albums. The record lacks standout moments, but it’s not a poor collection of songs – he’s just not pushing himself in meaningful or interesting ways. As it stands, Wham tells me that Baby is okay not fulfilling the role of “generation leader” that many tried to cast him in back in 2020. I think Baby has the talent to turn his momentum around, but it’s probably more of a matter of how happy he is with where he’s currently at. 

Carl Lamarre: For Baby to land back-to-back No. 1 albums despite falling flat musically speaks a lot to his fanbase. They still believe in him because of his Herculean effort on My Turn. In 2020, he accomplished what few fail to do in the modern-day rap era: conquer the charts and, more importantly, the hearts of listeners. That’s why fans of artists like Roddy Ricch still have hope, as he achieved that same feat with his 2019 debut album. But, like Roddy, Baby is possibly down to his last strike after failing to connect on his previous two projects.

Jason Lipshutz: Lil Baby is an interesting case study in 2020s hip-hop, where an artist can score multiple No. 1 albums and top 10 Hot 100 hits, remain a constant presence on New Music Friday through solo tracks and collaborations, command a sizable touring audience, and yet simultaneously feel like momentum is flagging because the genre is so focused on new voices and achievements. Over the past half-decade, Lil Baby has hunkered down on a winning formula, but also hasn’t taken the artistic chances that can help superstars grow into icons. The chart-topping success of WHAM is in line with what he’s done in the past, and there’s nothing wrong with those commercial wins — but taking the next step as a leader in hip-hop may require an evolution.

Michael Saponara: Turn it around to the level of 2019-2021 Lil Baby? No, but WHAM is a step in the right direction. The test will come next month as Baby already said his Dominique album is slated to arrive in February. Is the appetite for another solo body of work there just a month out? As the great Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friend!”

Andrew Unterberger: It shows me that he still has the fan support that if he ever does release the right project to turn things around, it won’t be too late for him to actually do so. I don’t think this is necessarily the project for that though — it’s solid, but doesn’t really advance his artistry or sound in any meaningful way, so it seems unlikely to have an extensive impact outside of that core fanbase.

5. If you could advise Lil Baby on his next release, is there any particular direction or area of focus you’d recommend he zero in on? Anything to really recapture the excitement of his turn-of-the-‘20s run? 

Kyle Denis: Lock in with one executive producer – either Section 8, Twysted Genius, or someone brand new – and try to get back to the headspace that made you sound so voracious on your biggest and best records. And keep making sure those tracklists are tight and concise, WHAM was a good step in that direction.

Carl Lamarre: I would ease down on the Autotune and tap more into his heartfelt bag like he did the intro and outro of WHAM. I thought “Listen Up” and “Streets Colder” showed flashes of the old Baby regarding candor and vulnerability. That’s what made songs like “Emotionally Scarred” and “The Bigger Picture” instant classics upon first listen. Ultimately, he could be back in everyone’s good graces if he can connect the dots and inject that same pathos into his bars on the next album.

Jason Lipshutz: I find it interesting that “The Bigger Picture” — a smart, incisive single that captured the energy around the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests — has yet to receive a proper follow-up, or anything too overtly political, from Lil Baby. Maybe he’s not interested in that lane, but his level of thoughtfulness, refined flow and broad appeal would help him dominate it, if he so chooses. 

Michael Saponara: Instead of coming back next month with another solo project, I’d say to finish the joint album he teased with Future and mix in some Young Thug. I think that would really galvanize his fan base and put the rest of the rap game on notice while holding his own with a pair of his heavyweight ATL peers.

Andrew Unterberger: The answer is almost always “focus” — make an album that feels a little more purposeful in its songs, track ordering, guest list and overall messaging. I might also encourage Baby to do a team-up album with a younger, ascending rap star, someone who can maybe challenge him a little and get him a little more motivated to prove himself and his continued supremacy.