five burning questions

It’s been a hell of a year for singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams, who’s made the jump from acclaimed cult favorite to pop hitmaker — and perhaps just straight-up pop star.

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Abrams, who undoubtedly received a boast from her opening slot on the biggest tour in modern pop history, scored a career-best ranking on the Billboard 200 this summer when her The Secret of Us debuted at No. 2, with tracks “Close to You,” “Risk” and the Taylor Swift-assisted “Us” all hitting the Billboard Hot 100. A few months after, the album’s “I Love You, I’m Sorry” went viral on TikTok, ultimately reaching the Hot 100’s top 20. And now “That’s So True,” a bonus track from the Secret deluxe edition, has bested them all, jumping from No. 13-6 this week to become Abrams’ first-ever Hot 100 top 10 hit.

What’s been responsible for Abrams’ recent surge of momentum? And what kind of chances does the song have of heading off Shaboozey’s historic “A Bar Song” run at No. 1?

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1. A few weeks after being released as a bonus track on the deluxe The Secret of Us “That’s So True” rides serious streaming momentum this week to become Gracie Abrams’ first top 10 hit. What do you think it is about this song that’s helped her reach new chart heights that not even the singles off Secret could reach?

Katie Atkinson: There are so many reasons I personally love this song. There’s the ’90s vibes (this could have had such a huge Pacey/Joey moment on a Dawson’s Creek mid-season finale). There’s the lyrics that are somehow both uber confident and self-conscious. There’s the under-three-minute runtime that never ceases to convince me to immediately run the song back as soon as it’s finished. There’s that great songwriter trick of writing about something so specific that it somehow ends up feeling universal. And there’s that epic bridge that must make Gracie’s Eras Tour-mate feel like a proud parent. Mostly, it’s just a great song that begs for repeat listens, and streaming is there to make that easier than ever.

Kyle Denis: In addition to being a song filled with accessible, relatable lyrics and a vocal affect that recalls the best of Taylor Swift and Lorde’s conversational approach to pop singing, “That’s So True” is a prime case study in momentum. Arriving as the fourth overall single from The Secret of Us, “That’s So True” automatically has the biggest potential audience out of all the album’s singles because it can build on their success. Each Secret of Us single has reached a higher Hot 100 peak than the last. When you couple that with the incomparable platform that is being an opener for the final leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, all the pieces were perfectly placed for “That’s So True” to become Abrams’ biggest chart hit yet.

Rylee Johnston: What really helped with the momentum of the song is the way she teased her fans with the song during live performances before it was ever released. She was able to drum up excitement and build an anticipation of “when is she going to drop the song?” Once she released the deluxe version of her album, it made sense that her fans would be eager to stream and listen to it repeatedly. 

Jason Lipshutz: “That’s So True” crystallizes Gracie Abrams’ songwriting appeal, and arrived at a time when her momentum allowed for a fast-moving top 10 hit. Abrams’ aesthetic took a massive leap between last year’s Good Riddance and this year’s The Secret of Us, and “That’s So True” features both her most immediate hooks and a more defined point of view than past singles — you get the sense that no one else could deliver it quite like Abrams. Combined with the upward trajectory of her live audiences and streaming numbers, “That’s So True” was primed to be a breakthrough hit.

Andrew Unterberger: It just feels like her strongest song yet. It helps that audiences are more familiar with Abrams now and the hallmarks of her singing and songwriting, so a new song feels like a natural fit in our lives, but there’s a reason this song took off more than any of the other newly released tracks off the deluxe Secret of Us — it’s classic enough to feel recognizable right away, regardless of our Abrams familiarity level.

2. Though this is her first top 10 hit, obviously Abrams has been rising for some time now, with “I Love You, I’m Sorry” even reaching the top 20 recently. What is the biggest reason for her surge in 2024 momentum, do you think?

Katie Atkinson: Of course her placement on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was incredibly impactful for building a fanbase, but then Abrams put out her best work yet with The Secret of Us and was able to immediately capitalize on all that newfound interest. Just like Sabrina Carpenter before her, the Eras Tour opening slot puts you in front of more eyeballs then ever before, but you have to have the excellent music to back it up

Kyle Denis: Most of Abrams’ 2024 momentum can be credited to moves she made the year prior. She spent most of 2023 playing stadiums on the Eras Tour, which granted her the chance to win over the tens of thousands of fans that packed out those venues each night. Given the similarity of her music to Swift’s, that wasn’t too difficult of a feat for her to pull off. The tail-end of 2023 also found Abrams linking with Noah Kahan – one of that year’s biggest breakout stars – for “Everywhere, Everything,” which helped her snag her very first Hot 100 entry, building off the early momentum she earned with her debut LP at the start of the year. All she needed was one undeniable single to reach the next level of pop stardom.

Rylee Johnston: The Eras tour has definitely helped Abrams in gathering a larger audience and I’m sure her time as an opener has come with some advice from Taylor Swift. At the scale that the Eras tour is at, she’s able to test things out and play her music to thousands of people across the globe, while picking up new fans along the way who may not have heard of her beforehand. 

Jason Lipshutz: Earning a best new artist Grammy nod, opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and headlining her own shows obviously helped increase Abrams’ profile — but simply put, these songs are stronger, more distinct and revealing of Abrams’ perspective than those on her debut. While “I Love You, I’m Sorry” became a viral hit and “That’s So True” a deluxe-edition smash, The Secret of Us tracks like “Risk,” “Close to You” and the Swift collaboration “Us” boast top-notch pop craft, and have each earned hundreds of millions of streams. After a promising debut that yielded a bigger platform, Abrams delivered a great sophomore LP, and is reaping the benefits now.

Andrew Unterberger: This is sorta facile to say, but I think artists like Abrams — who have a strong writing voice and an already devoted fanbase — reach a tipping point of mainstream popularity where the world just kinda opens to them. Maybe Eras got her through the door, maybe she woulda gotten there anyway, but she’s in the building now, and she’s just gonna keep elevating to higher floors from here.

3. Most of the talk about the breakout pop stars of 2024 has centered around Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan — is it time to start including Abrams in that conversation, do you think, or is she still to early in her development for that?

Katie Atkinson: It’s definitely time. Abrams has had a different trajectory than those two examples – most notably, she was nominated for best new artist at the Grammys earlier this year, whereas Roan and Carpenter are facing off in that category at the 2025 ceremony. She might be one hit away from truly reaching the spot Sabrina and Chappell now occupy, so maybe 2025 will be even bigger for Gracie.

Kyle Denis: I think it’s too early. I’m happy to have that conversation next year, but until Abrams is pulling festival crowds the size of the one Chappell pulled at Lollapalooza – or simultaneously three solo songs from the same album in the Hot 100’s top ten for multiple weeks à la Sabrina, for that matter – we can pump the brakes.

Rylee Johnston: I don’t think she’s far off, but she’s still new to this level of the industry and I think she’s still taking time to hone and perfect her craft. That’s not to say it isn’t coming anytime soon though: Give it a year or two and I bet we will see Abrams at their level. 

Jason Lipshutz: It’s absolutely time to include Abrams, because, like Carpenter and Roan, her rise has been defined by more than one song. If Abrams had simply scored a single modest hit from The Secret of Us, then I’d be a little more dubious about the reach of her stardom — but “That’s So True” is a top 10 hit, “I Love You, I’m Sorry” is a fan favorite turned viral smash, and her Taylor Swift team-up is nominated for a Grammy. Maybe Carpenter or Roan could command bigger audiences at this moment, but this isn’t a competition; all three artists deserve to be recognized for a breakout 2024 that has set up years-long runs for each of them.

Andrew Unterberger: If it’s not time yet, it will be by the end of the year, or next January / February at the latest. She’s done it a little slower and more quietly than Roan and Carpenter, but what she’s building is just as real and sustainable — and we’ll see the fruits of it on her next album, if not earlier.

4. How much bigger do you think “That’s So True” can still get from here? Will we see it unseat Shaboozey from No. 1 before the Christmas rush takes over?

Katie Atkinson: Between Shaboozey and Christmas, I don’t know if “That’s So True” will have the juice to get all the way to No. 1. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it climbs higher in the top five over the next few weeks, as curiosity (and airplay) grow. This is the kind of song that could kick around the top 10 for a very long time.

Kyle Denis: “That’s So True” is in a tough spot because while I believe it has a lot of room to grow, the song will almost certainly be kneecapped by the incoming surge of holiday songs and year-end hoopla. If it doesn’t unseat “A Bar Song” next week, I fear Mariah will enter the ring as her second major opponent the following week. 

Rylee Johnston: It’s tough, “A Bar Song” has lasted a historic run and has held strong even against major contenders like Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Swift and Carpenter. I’d personally love to see it happen, but I think Shaboozey may continue his reign on top until the holidays. I don’t think she’s stopped climbing though, I just don’t think it has enough power with this much time left of the year to reach No. 1. 

Jason Lipshutz: If we had another month before the holiday onslaught, then I’d say probably — but really, we’ve got a week or so before Mariah, Brenda and Burl come for us all. Unless “That’s So True” can blast to the top of the Hot 100 before the calendar flips to December, I’d say that its best chance at hitting No. 1 will be in mid-January, if its momentum can keep up for a few months.

Andrew Unterberger: I think if it gets to No. 1 it won’t be until comfortably into next year. It’s gonna need some major radio help, and radio is still too busy testing the waters with the couple Abrams singles before this (“Close” and “Sorry”) to give this song the attention it probably deserves. It’s just a question of if the song’s streaming and cultural power remains potent enough to force radio to shift attention to it — and if it can maintain that streaming hold for long enough to take advantage of it finally spreading across the airwaves.

5. Abrams has a major platform still at her disposal for another few weeks in her opening role on the Eras Tour. If you were on her team, what (if anything) would you advise Abrams to do in her final concerts to potentially drive additional interest in the song?

Katie Atkinson: She still has the music video in her back pocket, and even if she doesn’t unveil the video during her Eras Tour set (it doesn’t seem likely she would do that on Taylor’s stage), the mere mention that a video exists onstage could go a very long way.

Kyle Denis: Right now, I encourage her to keep doing what she’s doing. Continue using different versions of the song’s sound on TikTok and letting it reach people organically. It’s still early in the song’s run, so pulling out the big guns is probably unwise. But once January rolls around, start fielding possible remix options. I’d love to hear Clairo or Maggie Rogers on this, but maybe we should go with a more unexpected pick like Rachel Chinouriri or Faye Webster? Something tells me that this isn’t the kind of song that needs an A-lister remix to reach its full potential. 

Rylee Johnston: The ultimate tactic would be another duet with Swift, but if that’s not as easy to execute, then coming up with another viral moment is key to keeping her song relevant. Whether she takes a page from the “Fortnight” singer and changes a lyric in the song or mashes it up with another song, those are just a few things that can drum up further excitement. 

Jason Lipshutz: Maybe the official music video premieres live during Abrams’ final opening set of the Eras tour? Yet if the goal is a shot at No. 1, I’d drop the visual on Jan. 1, 2025 — start off the new year but making an end-of-2024 smash even bigger, at a moment when the holiday music is being stored away for another year.

Andrew Unterberger: With the song’s “Smiling through it all, yeah, that’s my life” lyrics referencing one of LeBron James’ most iconic social media moments, how about getting the King to show up to one of the remaining Toronto dates to provide a guest verse or some backing harmonies on it or something? Are the Lakers playing the Raptors any time in the next week?

The benchmarks just keep falling: A week after tying Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” for the longest-running Billboard Hot 100 of the 2020s, Shaboozey‘s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” moves into sole possession of the mark this frame with its 17th week atop the chart.
What’s more, the song now stands along as the second-longest-running No. 1 in Hot 100 history — just two weeks behind the all-time mark set in 2019 by Lil Nas X’s Billy Ray Cyrus-featuring “Old Town Road.” And Shaboozey may have gotten another boost in momentum with Friday’s (Nov. 8) announcement of the 2025 Grammy nominations, with the country hybrid artist picking up four nods, including best new artist and song of the year for “Bar.”

How surprised are we that “A Bar Song” has gotten this far? And do we see it going all the way at this point? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

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1. “A Bar Song” spends its 17th week atop the Hot 100 this week, moving it into sole possession of the second-longest run atop the chart in its history. On a scale from 1-10, how surprised are you that it’s lasted on top now for this long? 

Rania Aniftos: 4, maybe? There haven’t been many chart-dominating releases that would dethrone “A Bar Song” since the summer. In quieter eras of music releases, it makes sense for the track to make its way back to the summit. It also plays at every bar, restaurant and on every radio station, so its popularity is clear.

Kyle Denis: 10, for sure. I was always extremely confident in this song’s ability to stay at No. 1, but I anticipated that it would begin to fall around the eight-week mark. I did not expect such a historic run at No. 1.

Jason Lipshutz: An 8. Sure, “A Bar Song” is a wildly catchy anthem from a charismatic new artist, with a sound that can cross over to different streaming playlists and radio formats… but chart circumstances are rarely conducive to a 17-week No. 1, and especially during a year that’s featured big hits from proven superstars (Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Morgan Wallen) and new A-listers (Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan). “A Bar Song” could have been a huge, multi-platform hit but been knocked off by one of those big names after a month or two on top; instead, Shaboozey can fending off all challengers, and stunningly, now owns the longest-leading solo hit in Hot 100 history. 

Andrew Unterberger: It’s a 10. I remember being thrilled that the song grabbed a single week at No. 1, because even that didn’t seem like a sure thing until well into its chart run. The fact that it’s held on for over four months in total since then would’ve been totally unforeseeable — even when we started having the “could it…?” conversations at around the 12-week mark, I thought it was absurd. Not anymore though!

Christine Werthman: 10, although I probably shouldn’t be that surprised. Country is the genre of 2024, with everyone and their mother (aka Beyoncé, our matriarch) getting in touch with their twangier roots. And as someone who remembers quite well the power of J-Kwon’s “Tipsy,” which Shaboozey interpolates, at parties in 2004, it’s no wonder that “A Bar Song” has appealed to the masses and held onto that top spot.  

2. Both of the songs to spend 16 weeks atop the Hot 100 this week have been country songs — why do you think a genre that rarely spun off Hot 100 No. 1s this century until a few years ago is now regularly spinning off such long-lasting chart-toppers? 

Rania Aniftos: I think it’s a mix of things. For the first time in what feels like a while, there are exciting young stars in the genre like Morgan Wallen and Kelsea Ballerini, plus some long overdue diversity with people like Shaboozey and Beyoncé. On top of that, you have established pop stars like Bey and Post Malone dipping their toes into country, introducing the genre to an audience who might not have given it a shot previously. It’s a recipe for success. 

Kyle Denis: With “A Bar Song,” Shaboozey was able to supplement his (and the song’s) crossover appeal with legitimate support on country radio, breaking Carrie Underwood’s record for longest-running No. 1 debut single on Country Airplay (seven weeks). Of course, it also helps that 1) country music is the sound of one of the year’s most dominant cultural aesthetics, and 2) the song mines early ‘00s nostalgia with its interpolation of J-Kwon’s “Tipsy.” 

Wallen’s “Last Night” also draws on contemporary hip-hop motifs with its use of 808s, smartly positioning it for crossover appeal (it reached the top five on both Pop and Adult Pop Airplay) and placing it conversation with where hip-hop’s mid-to-late ‘10s dominance pushed the mainstream’s overall sound.

While these are certainly country records, both songs make a concerted effort to bridge the gaps between country’s sound and hip-hop’s influence on top 40 in a way that the genre’s previous Hot 100 chart-toppers didn’t necessarily do. 

Jason Lipshutz: The shift we’ve seen in popular music over the past 10 years is the mega-hit that is able to combine country listeners and pop listeners, in order to form like Voltron and plop itself atop the Hot 100 for months on end. It’s happened with non-country artists making songs that appeal to Nashville listeners (like Lil Was X with “Old Town Road”) and country artists crossing over to pop fans (like Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night”). Both audiences have been sizable for decades on end, and while they’ve overlapped before to produce huge artists and albums, until recently, they did not combine at the top of the Hot 100. It’s a type of alchemy that has helped “A Bar Song” turn into a juggernaut, and one that we’ll surely be seeing more of in the near future.

Andrew Unterberger: Radio, radio, radio. Country has now fully made the crossover leap to pop radio — at least at the highest level of hits — and once you get both of those formats working for you, you can stay in the mix for the Hot 100’s top spot practically indefinitely. Consistent streaming and sales also have been part of the Shaboozey formula, of course, but without that continued radio support it would’ve been lucky to crack double-digit weeks on top, rather than pushing for the all-time Hot 100 record.

Christine Werthman: If I had a dollar for every time someone told me, “I love all kinds of music but not country,” or, “I like old-school country, like Johnny Cash, but not any of the new stuff,” I would be able to retire. But those responses have changed a lot over the past few years, and I think a lot of credit is due to Taylor Swift being a gateway to country (although she walked away from the genre), as well as Lil Nas X and “Old Town Road.” That song pushed country to a new audience and showed that “the new stuff” didn’t have to mean corny pop-country smashes. Other artists took note and are now reaping the benefits.  

3. There was such turnover on the Hot 100’s top spot this spring — why do you think “A Bar Song” has seen such a lower level of competition in its late-year run? 

Rania Aniftos: As I mentioned before, there weren’t really any summer releases that really dominated the charts the way we’ve seen in other years, besides Sabrina Carpenter’s new songs. I feel like the past few months on the Hot 100 have been a revolving door of the same few songs, because there haven’t been many album drops from big, established stars. So, unless a big release comes through this fall and shakes things up, the chart’s going to look the same for a while. 

Kyle Denis: Few songs can compete with the crossover appeal of “A Bar Song.” The song has hit seven different Billboard radio charts and it’s still in the top five of several of those rankings. “A Bar Song” even reached a new peak on Adult Contemporary Airplay this week (No. 12, chart dated Nov. 16). While other songs have been juggernauts within their home genres, “A Bar Song” was able to outlast them by having a wider audience to pull support from.

There’s also something to be said about some of the year’s biggest pop songs facing competition from other songs on the same album. Sabrina Carpenter is juggling four different hits, “Good Luck, Babe!” is fighting for attention against Chappell Roan’s entire debut LP, and Billie Eilish’s “Birds of A Feather” is soaring alongside the steady growth of “Wildflower.” Though he’s pushed other songs post-”A Bar Song” — namely “Highway” and his BigXThaPlug-assisted “Drink Don’t Need No Mix” — none of them have emerged as a viable follow-up smash. 

Jason Lipshutz: Coincidental timing, more than anything. In my opinion, a lot of the No. 1 singles from the first half of the year — “Like That,” “Fortnight,” “Lose Control,” “I Had Some Help,” “Not Like Us” — would have also hit No. 1 in the second half of the year, and cut into “A Bar Song’s” monster run, had their release dates and/or commercial rises been slightly shifted by a few months. The first six months of 2024 were stuffed with blockbuster singles, and a lot of them nestled in for extended runs in the top 10 of the Hot 100 throughout the summer and early fall, while “A Bar Song” kept outpacing them thanks to its own growth across formats.

Andrew Unterberger: I had hoped that the massive activity of this spring would be the new rule rather than just an exception to the overall early-year chart stasis we’ve seen in prior years this decade — but we just might not have enough songs and artists offering the excitement level to really shake up the top of the Hot 100 to spread out over a full year at this point, sadly. So we traded a boring spring for a boring autumn this year, and it’ll ultimately balance out for the full calendar. So it is.

Christine Werthman: The average time spent on the Hot 100 for songs currently in the top 10 is 25 weeks. Morgan Wallen and Tyler the Creator have newer songs at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively, but the top five average is even older at 32 weeks. Things are just moving slowly, and listeners like what they like and keep coming back to what they know. Play the hits, as they say! 

4. Shaboozey was nominated for best new artist, and “A Bar Song” song of the year, at this year’s upcoming Grammys. Which Big Four category do you think he has the better chance of winning? 

Rania Aniftos: The competition is tight in both categories, but I’m going to say best new artist. He’s up against some longtime Recording Academy favorites in the SOTY category, like Billie Eilish, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, so he might get luckier in the BNA category, highlighting his breakout year. Who knows though? The Grammys are always surprising. 

Kyle Denis: A country song hasn’t won song of the year since Lady A’s “Need You Now” (2011), and that’s one of two nominations for country songs in this category in the past 10 years. Conversely, eight country artists have earned best new artist nods in the past decade, with Zac Brown Band being the most recent winner (2010). 

Even though “A Bar Song” is easily the biggest chart hit nominated for song of the year, it’ll likely split votes with Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” (the other country song in this category) and lose some pop voters to Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, and Billie Eilish. What could work in Shaboozey’s favor, however, is his lack of a nomination in record of the year. Song of the year is the only place in the general field where the Academy can specifically honor the longest-running solo Hot 100 No. 1 single of all time.

On the other hand, as the sole country nominee in a best new artist field brimming with straightforward pop stars, Shaboozey could end up taking home that trophy. It’s still early in the race, but I think he’s got a better shot at winning best new artist. 

Jason Lipshutz: Song of the year. While there are some huge names in both categories, my early guess is that best new artist will go to either Chappell Roan or Sabrina Carpenter, considering that both artists have rattled off multiple major hits instead of one enormous smash. Because “A Bar Song” has become so year-defining, though, I think Shaboozey has a great shot in the song of the year race.

Andrew Unterberger: He’s not necessarily the favorite in either category, but I think best new artist is at least a possibility if the poppier nominees cancel each other out a little. That’s where I’d be exercising the most campaigning muscle if I was on his team, anyway.

Christine Werthman: I never guess these correctly, so let’s say, song of the year, knowing that it’ll probably be best new artist. Grammys: so mysterious! 

5. Will “A Bar Song” beat the “Old Town Road” all-time record of 19 weeks atop the Hot 100?

Rania Aniftos: Very likely, especially as the Grammys approach and, if the song gets some wins, it might get yet another boost on the charts.

Kyle Denis: Barring any surprise drops or an earlier-than-expected surge in holiday tunes, yes. 

Jason Lipshutz: I’ve been saying no for a while, and I will still say no. We’re two weeks away from a tie and three weeks from a new record, and with holiday music about to take over, it will be a photo finish either way. But 20 weeks (or more!) at No. 1 still boggles my mind to such a degree that I can’t count on multiple more weeks atop the chart. I’m rooting for Shaboozey at this point, but I were a betting man, I’d wager that “Old Town Road” remains on top.

Andrew Unterberger: I think it will? I never like betting against the unknown — which is why I’ve been betting on Shaboozey continuing on at No. 1 to this point — but we’re running out of time for surprises, and Christmas season probably isn’t going to get here quite quickly enough to block him. I can’t maintain my skepticism at this point; I think “A Bar Song” is gonna get to 20.

Christine Werthman: Holiday parties are coming up, and those playlists need to pop. I think “A Bar Song” will be a fixture and end up breaking that record. Everybody in the club gettin’ Shaboozey! [Whispers: Everybody in the club gettin’ Shaboozey]. 

The rise of Jelly Roll hits an important new peak this week, as the country singer-songwriter scores his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Oct. 26) with his new album Beautifully Broken.

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After a year of steady new music releases and countless public appearances, Jelly Roll has leveled up to the tune of 161,000 equivalent album units for its first week of his new set’s release. The 22-track version of the album on streaming services includes the singles “Liar” and “I Am Not Okay,” the latter of which currently sits at a new high of No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.

How was the album able to have such a big first week? And which country artist might be next to score their first Billboard 200 No. 1 album? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

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1. Jelly Roll scores his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this week, debuting with 161,000 equivalent album units and 114,000 in straight sales. What do you think is the biggest reason behind the career-best numbers for Jelly Roll’s latest?

Kyle Denis: Jelly has been inescapable this year. He sang for the In Memoriam segment at the Emmys, kicked off SNL’s landmark 50th season, appeared on Eminem’s own Billboard 200-topping album, made his television debut on the Sylvester Stallone-starring Tulsa King and even testified before Congress! Of course, it also helps that he’s been incredibly musically active this year. From his collaborations with MGK (“Lonely Road”) and Post Malone (“Losers”) to his Twisters: The Album contribution (“Dead End Road”) and the handful of Beautifully Broken pre-release singles he dropped throughout the year, it felt like Jelly Roll launched a new song (or three) every week. He’s never been more visible, and these career-best sales numbers prove that. 

Jason Lipshutz: His cultural ubiquity. Even if you aren’t a country music fan, you are aware of Jelly Roll — through his A-list guest features, TV appearances, awards-show speeches that tend to go viral, or all of the above — and might want to check out a full project by the man who you heard on a Post Malone song or watched on Saturday Night Live. Obviously Jelly Roll has accrued a dedicated fan base, but the casual listeners that have jumped aboard to check out Beautifully Broken undoubtedly helped the singer-songwriter top the Billboard 200 chart.

Melinda Newman: Beyond the music? Good old fashioned hard work. In between his now famous cold plunges, he has shown up for everything and appeared everywhere so that people knew the album was coming. He then priced the album very aggressively to bump sales and, as is the way now, came up with multiple variations, including seven vinyl variants alone, to encourage mega-fans to collect the full set. That’s one reason he saw such high sales figures, compared to downloads.

Jessica Nicholson: Beautifully Broken ultimately contained over two dozen songs, giving fans plenty of new material to dig into, stream and dissect. A large portion of these career-best numbers are due to pure album sales, and his plethora of vinyl and physical album offerings play a role in that. However, the biggest reason for these career-best numbers is Jelly Roll himself. His story, his songs and the message they embody are speaking to audiences and giving a voice to audiences that haven’t been spoken to in some time. Everyone can relate to struggle, vices, self-doubt and heartbreak on some level and his music aims at the heart of that. Also, Jelly Roll comes across as open-hearted, joyous, and unflinchingly honest in a time when so many “personalities” are curated.

Andrew Unterberger: People do love Jelly Roll! The reason he hasn’t worn out his welcome over his past year-plus of massive public exposure is that he seems like a guy you wanna spend time with, wanna root for. He’s got big songs and a big voice, but it seems like it’s the big personality that folks are really connecting with first and foremost.

2. Jelly Roll has taken a fairly strict more-is-more approach since his 2023 crossover breakthrough, being extremely prolific in both his new releases and his public appearances. Does the Beautifully Broken debut seem to validate this strategy to you — or is there still potential long-term downside in it? 

Kyle Denis: I think the Beautifully Broken debut does indeed validate his more-is-more strategy – it’s the biggest sales week for a 2024 country album not by Beyoncé or Post Malone. The long-term downside still lingers for sure, but he can ride this strategy until Jelly Roll fatigue truly starts to rear its head.

Jason Lipshutz: Jelly Roll has clearly been striking while the iron is hot, flooding streaming services with solo tunes and collaborations as his profile expands; over-saturation might come into play for some, but the strategy has clearly been working, considering how successful a handful of those tracks, and now his latest album, have become. Now that Beautifully Broken and its deluxe edition have been released, I’d expect Jelly Roll to slow down on the release rate a bit — but who knows? Nashville’s elite will likely be calling him up for guest spots, so maybe he just keeps releasing tracks and gathering momentum. 

Melinda Newman: There seems to be no burnout factor on Jelly yet, perhaps because he is still so enthusiastic about every appearance he’s making, each new adventure he undertakes and each new person he is duetting with. It’s infectious and seems genuine. This is someone who so many people had counted out from the time he first went to juvenile detention when he was 14, it’s clear he’s reveling in his near-daily pinch me moments and feels like he’s not just making music, but is on a mission.

Jessica Nicholson: Social media and streaming have made it expected for an artist always have something new to give their fans, whether that is music or content, lessening the danger of overexposure. The more songs you release, the more new music fans have a chance to stream. We’ve seen the release of sprawling albums become one factor (among many)  contributing to the success for artists such as Morgan Wallen, with his three-dozen song album One Thing at a Time and Post Malone’s 28-song F-1 Trillion (Long Bed) project, with seemingly no downside to releasing that much material.

Andrew Unterberger: I do wonder if he’ll eventually hit a tipping point with this strategy, because no one can be this omnipresent forever without starting to exhaust people at least a little bit. But evidence suggests that he’s not there yet, certainly. Assuming he continues at this level of productivity, it’ll be interesting to see on the next album if that growth remains consistent.

3. “I Am Not Okay” has been the most high-profile of Jelly Roll’s hits this year, making the Hot 100’s top 20 and getting performed during the In Memoriam montage at this year’s Emmys. Does it feel like a potential signature hit to you, or is it mostly benefitting from the singer-songwriter’s positive career momentum? 

Kyle Denis: To me, it feels more like a potential signature hit than anything else on Beautifully Broken. It’s one of the stronger songs on the record, and I think people are responding to the emotional punch that it packs. Yes, his positive career momentum is helping the song, but I’d imagine at least one of the album’s 27 other tracks would be pulling off a similar performance if positive momentum was all it took. 

Jason Lipshutz: Last week, I spent an entire day with “I Am Not Okay” stuck in my head — I caught myself singing it in line at Dunkin, warbling “I Am Not Okay” while waiting to order an iced coffee (so I was, in fact, very okay). Jelly Roll has more accomplished songs than his latest hit, including Whitsitt Chapel hits like “Need a Favor” and “Save Me,” but “I Am Not Okay” is the catchiest song he’s ever released, with a melody that simply won’t dislodge from your memory. I think it’s going to keep growing and become a smash.

Melinda Newman: It feels like it could become a signature hit, but he’s already had 4 No. 1 on Country Airplay, so it’s competing with now Jelly standards, like “Need a Favor, “Son of a Sinner” and “Save Me.” But “I Am Not Okay,” with its mental health message, has reached a new audience for Jelly Roll that knows no boundaries and it has brought in fans that may have heard the name but hadn’t experienced the music yet. Given the new album’s themes, “I Am Not Okay” is an excellent introduction.  

Jessica Nicholson: This has the feel of a signature hit for Jelly Roll. The message in his music is hitting at the right time, in an era where people in general are more comfortable with being open about their struggles and weaknesses. People are also finding community in daring to be open about mental health—something the song itself dives right into the center of on the line “I know I can’t be the only one/ Who’s holding on for dear life.” As so many are battling mental health issues including anxiety and depression due to all kinds of factors, from health struggles, job losses and the general runup to the U.S. presidential election, this song seems to encapsulate what so many people are feeling at this moment, while also encouraging those listeners.

Andrew Unterberger: Yeah, this one feels like it could end up being next-level for him — the chorus is extremely sturdy and the message transcends genre in a way you certainly couldn’t say about every major country hit. I wouldn’t be surprised if it crept into the top 10 of the chart before the holiday rush hits at year’s end.

4. One conspicuous thing about Jelly Roll’s recent collaborator list is the diversity of artists and genres represented — including mgk, Jessie Murph, Eminem and Falling in Reverse. Who’s an artist who Jelly Roll hasn’t teamed up with yet that you think could end up being a particularly interesting and/or successful new artistic partner for him?

Kyle Denis: Shaboozey. He and Jelly Roll cross genres so frequently and so naturally that I’m interested to see what they come up with – especially on a four-track EP where they can expand on their respective takes on country, hip-hop and rock. And for a bit more of a left-field choice, Leon Bridges. 

Jason Lipshutz: I love the way Kacey Musgraves has both honed her aesthetic as well as figured out how to best complement that of others in recent years; look at how dynamic she is operating alongside Zach Bryan on “I Remember Everything” and Noah Kahan on “She Calls Me Back.” It’d be a blast to hear how her gentle delivery contrasts with Jelly Roll’s gruffer tone on a collaboration.

Melinda Newman: The great thing about his collaborations is so many of them seem out of left field and he seems genuinely open and able to blend with almost anyone from any genre.. I would love to hear him team up with a really strong woman with a powerhouse voice like P!nk and have them go toe-to-toe.

Jessica Nicholson: Jelly Roll and Teddy Swims would be interesting to hear together, given their vast influences and solid voices. Otherwise, it would be great to hear Jelly Roll and Kelly Clarkson team up on an original song, after they performed “I Am Not Okay” on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Andrew Unterberger: We know Jelly Roll can do power balladry with the best of them — but can that mighty voice command the dance floor? Let’s put him together with Fred again.. or Jamie xx — or if he wants go classic with it, maybe Nile Rodgers — and see what kind of results they can come up with.

5. Who’s another rising country artist besides Jelly Roll who you think could be in line for their own first No. 1 album in the not-too-distant future?

Kyle Denis: Lainey Wilson!

Jason Lipshutz: Lainey Wilson scored her first top 10 album in August with Whirlwind — so while it may be a little while until we get a follow-up, Wilson has ascended so rapidly that I think she’ll challenge for the top spot of the Billboard 200 whenever she returns. Until then? We’re blasting “Hang Tight Honey,” folks.

Melinda Newman: Megan Moroney’s star continues to rise and her most recent album debuted at No. 3 on Top Country Albums and No. 9 on the Billboard 200. If her trajectory stays its current course, it feels like she could snag the No. 1 spot next go-round. Also on the rise are Tucker Wetmore and Zach Top.

Jessica Nicholson: Not exactly country, but if we’re looking for a rising artist from the heartland, let’s say Chappell Roan. Chappell’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess debuted last year and has since risen to No. 2 on the Billboard 200. In that time, her career has continued to ascend, thanks to “Good Luck, Babe!,” Chappell’s Midwest Princess Tour and her recent record-breaking show at Lollapalooza Chicago. Chappell seems poised to soon ring the bell at No. 1.

Andrew Unterberger: Megan Moroney seems like she’s on her way there, combining classic and modern country elements in both her music and her promotion in ways that usually lead to major stardom. She feels like as sure a futures bet as anyone in country right now.

It’s been nearly 20 years since Coldplay first topped the Billboard 200 with their 2005 album X&Y — and while the music world (and the rock world in particular) has changed over dramatically countless times in the years since, it’s 2024 and the band is once again back on top.

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Moon Music, the band’s 10th studio album, debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this week, with 120,000 first-week units — their first LP to top the chart since Ghost Stories in 2014. Meanwhile, the album’s “We Pray” single, featuring Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna & TINI debuts at No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100, joining “feelslikeimfallinginlove” as the second Hot 100-charting hit from the set.

Why was this album able to become the band’s first Billboard 200 No. 1 in a decade? And how has Coldplay managed to stay relevant on the chart for over 20 years now? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.

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1. Coldplay’s Moon Music debuts at No. 1 this week — their first release in a decade to top the Billboard 200 — with 120,000 units moved. What do you think the biggest reason behind the album’s stellar chart performance is?

Katie Atkinson: I’m crediting the awareness campaign. Even the most casual TV viewer likely saw Coldplay at some point on their screens in the past two weeks, from SNL to the morning shows to (checks notes) QVC? Sure. Chris Martin was even popping up doing karaoke in costume in Las Vegas or joining his band for a surprise mini-set inside’s Brooklyn’s Rough Trade record store, so even if you don’t own a TV, you might have just seen him around. After scoring a No. 1 Hot 100 hit with the BTS collab “My Universe” but failing to top the Billboard 200 with its parent album Music of the Spheres back in 2021, it definitely felt surprising to see this one go straight to the top – but the full-force promo campaign had to be part of it.

Katie Bain: No shade, but I haven’t actively paid attention to Coldplay since Viva La Vida. That said, I feel like I was absorbing them and this new album through osmosis in this album cycle via their SNL appearance, general media presence and the cultural consciousness bump created by working with Little Simz, Burna Boy, TINI and Elyanna. If they’ve worked their way into my world and ears, I’m guessing they’ve worked their way into a lot of others as well. Plus “We Pray” is a pretty cool song. 

Kyle Denis: My mind immediately goes to their blockbuster tour and two-decade-strong relationship with their fans. At this point, Coldplay is effectively a legacy act that can still corral fans to buy new material. They don’t necessarily need a hit like “Hymn for the Weekend” or “Viva La Vida” to shift copies of a new album. Of course, it also helps that Moon Music serves as the sequel to 2021’s Music of the Spheres, which hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200, earned four Grammy nominations and spawned a Hot 100 chart-topper in “My Universe” (with BTS). Just as they tapped BTS and Selena Gomez for their last album – and megastars like Beyoncé and Rihanna for earlier LPs – Coldplay also used collaborations with some of the brightest stars across buzzy genres like UK hip-hop and Afrobeats (Burna Boy, Little Simz, Ayra Starr, etc.) to draw additional sets of eyes to Moon Music.

There was also the week-long string of pop-up listening parties held around the world to coincide with the album’s release on Oct. 4, as well as a Record Store Day collaboration in the States for indie retailers on Oct. 1. Given the focus on physical album sales, it’s no surprise that Moon Music sold 106,000 pure copies, including 29,000 in vinyl sales – their highest ever sales week on that format. 

Jason Lipshutz: The continued stature of Coldplay, who have been playing stadiums for years now and developing a loyal fanbase that bridges generations. Although Moon Music is their first No. 1 album since 2014, every full-length in between has reached the top 10, and 2021’s Music of the Spheres also returned the band to the top of the Hot 100 with their BTS team-up “My Universe.” Moon Music partially capitalized on a quiet release week to secure a No. 1 debut, but it’s not like Coldplay needed a big comeback — they’ve been active in popular rock throughout this century, and crossing into the mainstream when needed.

Andrew Unterberger: I’m not totally sure what happened on this album cycle to make Moon Music more of a sales hit than Music of the Spheres, so I wonder if they were just smarter with their variety of physical releases for the album — and maybe if fans were moved enough by the sustainable, eco-friendly design of their records and packaging to buy a couple copies where previously they might not have. But I dunno!

2. “We Pray” (No. 87) is the lone debut from the album on the Hot 100 this week, joining “feelslikeimfallinginlove” (No. 81), which debuted a few months ago. Do either of them seem like they have potential to grow into bigger hits now that the album is out?

Katie Atkinson: After seeing it performed on SNL alongside “We Pray,” I’m going to go with “All My Love” as the potential sleeper hit from Moon Music. I could see adult pop radio picking it up and following a path to a similarly earnest Coldplay ballad like “Fix You.”

Katie Bain: With the global nature of all the artists involved (Africa, Europe, the Middle East and South America) it seems like “We Pray” could gain traction in other territories, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one become a bigger, wider hit. Also I think this one might grow among listeners who might not initially give a new Coldplay song a chance but then give a second look at the artists involved and realize that this one kind of bangs. 

Kyle Denis: Not particularly. They might play well with AAA radio, but I don’t see either song growing into bigger hits. 

Jason Lipshutz: Like a lot of Coldplay anthems, “feelslikeimfallinginlove” snuck up on me as a durable hit with a chipper chorus — maybe not as enthralling as “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” or “Adventure of a Lifetime,” but agreeable enough to earn alt-radio spins and get added to streaming playlists full of new-school love songs. I could see the single continue to grow — especially if it gets scooped up for a TV or movie synch, with Chris Martin’s “Feels like! I’m falling in l-o-o-ove!” soundtracking a first kiss as the camera lifts into the sky.

Andrew Unterberger: Both are pretty strong songs, so maybe all they need is a spark to catch fire — but generally, they feel more like 2010s hits than 2020s hits to me.

3. Coldplay’s span of No. 1 albums now reaches nearly two decades, all the way back to 2005’s X&Y. What’s the biggest thing that has allowed the band to have the kind of commercial longevity that’s proven so rare for 21st century rock bands?

Katie Atkinson: 100 percent, it’s their live shows. I vividly remember when “Clocks” came out in 2002, from A Rush of Blood to the Head, and it felt like it turned Coldplay from an unplugged piano-forward band to a laser-light-show stadium act overnight (with the piano still very forward). While they’ve released a mixture of understated ballads and bombastic rockers since then, and added a lot more electronic sounds as well, they’ve leaned into their reputation as a must-see touring act, which has sustained their fanbase and the excitement around them in the decades since.

Katie Bain: Again, no shade, but Coldplay’s sound has been more or less sonically consistent (bright, hopeful, sophisticated and pop-adjacent without ever being overly saccharine or overtly challenging) and thus generally palatable for a very wide, very global audience. And while I haven’t always listened to every new Coldplay album, they’ve usually managed to clock one big monster hit from each of their LPs, which has helped them maintain relevance even among people who might not be actively following them. They’ve also been savvy in following genre trends and working with the biggest artists in those fields over the years. 

Kyle Denis: They’ve been willing to evolve with changes in the music landscape by incorporating new sounds and styles that keep them, at the very least, adjacent to the mainstream without completely compromising their brand and identity. It also helps that Chris Martin is a bonafide star and celebrity outside of Coldplay, so there’s always some level of attention on the band.  

Jason Lipshutz: Coldplay has always been highly aware of pop trends, and have worked hard to find common ground between their sweeping, stadium-ready rock and what is dominating top 40. Maybe longtime fans blanched at collaborations with artists like The Chainsmokers, BTS and Avicii — but those songs were effective, and produced three more top 10 hits for the band, at a time when most rock quartets were not coming close to the Hot 100’s upper reaches. And these team-ups have generally happened without Coldplay betraying their core sound or deserting their diehard listeners, making them a savvy group that can still keep their center intact.

Andrew Unterberger: They’ve never stopped trying, which is commendable — look at most other huge rock bands when they hit the 20-year mark, and they’ve usually already codified into the band they’re going to be the rest of their career. Coldplay keep shape-shifting and retinkering and finding new collaborators to take their sound and their audience to new places. You don’t know what you’re going to get with a new Coldplay album — or how much you’re necessarily gonna be into it — but you know it’s probably not gonna be the same as the last one, which makes it always worth checking out.

4. Where Coldplay has ended up musically a quarter-century into their career is obviously very different than where they started at the turn of the millennium. Are you impressed with the scope of their evolution, or do you think they’ve gotten a little too far away from what initially made them great?

Katie Atkinson: I recently revisited their 2000 debut album Parachutes and was struck by how stark it is. There’s so much silence and so little production. So yes, they’ve come a lifetime from that first album, 24 years later, but there are some core tenants that have never left – namely, the sincerity and the melodies. Their music has always been unabashedly earnest, and any day 1 fans who are still sticking with the band are hanging on to that heart-on-your-sleeve authenticity.

Katie Bain: I’ll always yearn for another “Clocks” or “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face” or “Talk” and the indie rock qualities that made those songs special and era-defining. Obviously the bulk of their stuff since then has drifted from that sound, but I guess you’ve got to give them credit for subsequently carving out a durable, broadly palatable sound while also trend-hopping among the hot genre of the moment with their EDM tracks “Sky Full of Stars” with Avicii and The Chainsmokers, the K-Pop juggernaut “My Universe” with BTS, etc. A lot of early Coldplay listeners would likely say that these songs aren’t totally our thing, but we can still sing along to every one of them. 

Kyle Denis: I think it’s a little bit of both. When I sit and think of the full breadth of their catalog and all the different spaces they’ve ventured into, it’s undoubtedly impressive. I think their last two records have found them moving a bit too far away from what initially drew me to them, but I think their almost chameleonic approach to pop and rock music are still on display – just not in my preferred iteration.

Jason Lipshutz: As a big Coldplay defender, I’ve appreciated watching them grow and experiment in ways that have prevented them from sounding stale or predictable, in a manner that most of their contemporaries haven’t been able to over the past decade. Some of those forays have not worked, and that’s fine; I’d rather Chris Martin and co. keep shape-shifting into different pop-rock modes than double down on the same formula endlessly. And when their change-ups have really taken off, they’ve complemented their early sound in satisfying ways — it’s why “Yellow,” “Paradise” and “Higher Power” can all be stacked next to each other in a stadium setlist and not feel too disjointed. 

Andrew Unterberger: I admire their consistent sonic evolution, but as one of the few-but-mighty devout Ghost Stories supporters, I do wish Chris Martin would try to be a little more personal in his songwriting rather than always trying to go for the universal. But when you do universal as well as Coldplay as historically, it’s an understandable default instinct.

5. There’s been a lot of great Moon Music in pop history — what’s your favorite “Moon” song or album?

Katie Atkinson: Have to go with “Harvest Moon” from Neil Young. And actually, I think Chris Martin & co. could do a really lovely cover of it.

Katie Bain: Nick Drake’s Pink Moon. Also Feist’s “My Moon, My Man” and the Boys Noize remix of that song.

Kyle Denis: Obviously, “Moon River” — and I prefer the Frank Ocean version. I’ll also give a shoutout to Teejay’s “Moon Light,” Brandy’s Full Moon LP, and the timeless “Blue Moon” — any a cappella rendition will do. 

Jason Lipshutz: Let’s go with a pair of early ‘00s indie masterpieces: Modest Mouse’s The Moon & Antarctica for album, The Microphones’ “The Moon” for song.

Andrew Unterberger: I probably gotta go with one of the great guitar epics in underground rock history, Television’s “Marquee Moon.” But honestly, goddamn, there have been so many great moon songs and albums! Shout out to the moon, a criminally underappreciated muse.

In its 20th week on the Billboard Hot 100, Billie Eilish‘s “Birds of a Feather” just continues to keep flying higher and higher. The Hit Me Hard and Soft single, which initially debuted at No. 13 on the Hot 100 back in early June, has since taken over the set’s initial focus track “Lunch” as the biggest hit of this Eilish era.

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This week, it jumps from No. 6 on the chart to a new peak of No. 2 — helped in large part by the debut of its official music video. The only song that remains in the way of the single becoming Eilish’s second No. 1 on the chart is Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which remains at No. 1 for a 13th week this frame, while still leading “Birds” on each of Streaming Songs, Digital Song Sales and Radio Songs.

How has the song remained so commercially potent 20 weeks into its lifespan? And will it be able to make that final jump to No. 1 on the Hot 100? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.

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1. Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” reaches a new peak of No. 2 on the Hot 100 this week, in its 20th week on the chart. Are you surprised at the legs (or wings) that the song has had as a pop hit?

Stephen Daw: I’m very pleasantly surprised. When Hit Me Hard and Soft came out in May, “Birds of a Feather” certainly stood out to me among the other tracks, but it didn’t strike me as the logical follow-up to a lead single like “Lunch.” It is an objectively good piece of pop music, I just did not foresee “Birds” having this kind of chart omnipresence five months later. 

Kyle Denis: I’m not surprised at all. Even though “Skinny” was my immediate favorite from Hit Me Hard and Soft, “Birds of a Feather” always struck me as a surefire hit. And Billie’s singles tend to stick around for weeks before peaking, so “Birds” taking 20 weeks to reach No. 2 isn’t all that strange.

Lyndsey Havens: Not totally. When the album first arrived, “Birds” was a favorite among many. And whether intentional or not, I think it was smart for team Eilish to hold off on promoting it as a single until recently. With an album like Hit Me, the songs so seamlessly flow into one another and as Eilish has said herself, she purposely held off on releasing any singles before its release so that the album could be consumed as a full project. And in doing so, she’s allowed her fans to tell her which songs they’re most connecting with, versus the other way around. A strategy like that takes time — and in this case, 20-ish weeks seems to be the magic number.

Jason Lipshutz: “Birds of a Feather” snuck up on me as a no-brainer, firing-on-all-cylinders pop smash, considering how the song features Eilish in a different vocal and structural mode than we’re used to hearing. Yet “Feather” is effervescent in sound and immediate in its appeal, with a mid-tempo approach that makes it an easy connector on streaming playlists and pop radio blocks; in this way, it reminds me of Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” another song that persisted for months near the top of the Hot 100 and crept towards that artist’s biggest-hit-yet status.

Andrew Unterberger: I am a little surprised, just because “Lunch” seemed like the big one for me off the bat — but “Birds of a Feather” is such a sweet moment and pretty song that once it founds its way to the center of the culture, it’s hardly shocking that it would nest there for a while.

2. Much of the reason for the song jumping from 6-2 on the listing this week is the debut of its new official music video. Does the new visual add to your appreciation / understanding of the song, detract from it, or have no major impact for you?

Stephen Daw: It certainly adds to my appreciation, though marginally. I really loved that Billie took a minimalist approach to the video while adding to the kind of off-kilter, occult vibe that defined so many of her previous visuals. The effects were amazing and I loved that she left it a little bit up to interpretation. That said, I don’t see this as the kind of music video that will move the needle for people who were on the fence about the song — if you were already into “Birds of a Feather” (or not into it, for that matter), then I doubt the video is going to change that.

Kyle Denis: It’s not my favorite music video from Billie, but I appreciate the decision to never actually show the person she’s “sticking together” with. Overall, the clip has no major impact on my enjoyment or understanding of the song, but it does help “Birds” retain a bit of the intimacy it sacrificed on its way to becoming a genuine hit single.

Lyndsey Havens: It’s been a minute since I’ve seen a music video create so much discourse — and not really in the most positive way. The reaction among many seemed to be confusion, not quite understanding the visual or expecting Eilish to go in a different, perhaps more floral-inspired, direction. Either way, the video accomplished what it likely set out to do: get people talking. And as a result, it reached new heights on the Hot 100. That’s a win any way you spin it. 

Jason Lipshutz: The music video adds to my appreciation, in the same way that most of Eilish’s visuals have deepened the meaning of her biggest hits. She remains one of the more visually striking pop superstars working today, an A-lister whose music videos really matter by often offering something unexpected in relation to the music. The “Feather” clip is simple enough but also breathtaking in terms of visual effects, with Eilish defying gravity in an empty room; the music video grabs your attention while also placing the emotion of the song front and center.

Andrew Unterberger: It adds a little. I don’t think it’s one anyone expected or even really wanted from the visual — the song seemed to call out for something more lush and sentimental — but that ability and willingness to curve expectations and follow her own muse has long been a hallmark of Eilish’s stardom and artistry, and the gravity-defying, wind-swept, still incredibly personal and striking images from this more minimal clip will I think still end up being iconic of this era.

3. Perhaps surprisingly for a pop star of her stature, “Birds” is only Billie’s third top two hit on the Hot 100 (after “Bad Guy” and “Therefore I Am”). Do you think it will be remembered as one of the defining songs of her career, or is it too difficult to judge the overall impact of Eilish’s songs by their chart placement?

Stephen Daw: I think it’s too hard to call based solely on chart performance. Just look at her other top two hits — while “Bad Guy” is such a clear, career-defining smash for Billie, “Therefore I Am” doesn’t feel like one of the five songs I would list when asked what Billie’s most definitive tracks are. Songs like “Happier Than Ever,” “When the Party’s Over,” “Bury a Friend” or “Ocean Eyes” would take those spots up for me, and they didn’t crack the chart’s top 10. Maybe “Birds” could take on that level of prominence as her career continues, but for the moment, it feels too early to tell. 

Kyle Denis: “Birds” will almost certainly be remembered as one of Billie’s defining songs; it takes the somber introspection of her best tracks and transposes it through the lens of grade-A pop songwriting. It’s also an endlessly applicable love song that can work for both platonic and romantic relationships. Billie’s most impactful songs — “Lovely” (with Khalid), “When the Party’s Over,” and “Happier Than Ever,” for example – often miss the Hot 100’s top 10, but “Birds of a Feather” seems to be following in the steps of “Bad Guy” with its combination of commercial success and cultural impact. 

Lyndsey Havens: The thing I love about Billie is when I think of her today or how she’ll be remembered in the future, it’s often for being Billie Eilish. Not for any one album or any one song or even any one hair color (though her debut lime green look is burned into memory). I don’t know if “Birds” will become a career-defining hit — and don’t necessarily think it will — but that’s fine. I think some artists’ legacies transcend their chart histories, and I believe Eilish to be one of them. 

Jason Lipshutz: At this point, “Birds of a Feather” is only second to “Bad Guy” as Eilish’s defining hit, surpassing songs like “Happier Than Ever,” “Everything I Wanted” and “Therefore I Am” in terms of cultural impact and chart longevity. It’s funny to think about how “Lunch” was positioned as the focus track from Hit Me Hard and Soft upon its release, and listeners simply selected “Feather” as the album’s true standout through their streaming selections. Now, I could see “Feather” as a go-to track for any casual Eilish fan — or as a set-closing moment on her future arena tours.

Andrew Unterberger: Certainly Eilish’s chart peaks do not always correlate to cultural relevance — despite its Hot 100 bow, I don’t know if anyone considers “Therefore I Am” one of her 20 best or most impactful songs — but it does feel like “Birds” will hold a special place in her catalog, unlikely to be supplanted or replaced. It’s just too powerful, too intoxicating, too meaningful for those who have most found meaning in it.

4. Meanwhille, “Wildflower” continues to climb on the Hot 100, moving 45-35 on the Hot 100 this week after having originally debuted at No. 17 in June. Does the song also feel like a major hit to you, or more like spillover from “Birds” and other recent successes of Eilish’s?

Stephen Daw: “Wildflower” is probably my second favorite song off of Hit Me Hard (“Chihiro” will always have my heart), so I’m delighted to see it blooming on the chart. I don’t know that I would call “Wildflower” a certified hit, since its rise does feel like a symptom of “Birds” flying so high. But given the right attention from fans (and maybe another video from Billie) it definitely could be the project’s next breakout hit. 

Kyle Denis: “Wildflower” is another one of my favorites from Hit Me Hard and Soft, and it definitely sounds like a hit to me – especially that back half. I think the song is getting a couple of new eyes and ears thanks to the success of “Birds” and “Guess,” but I also think people are rallying around “Wildflower” because it’s such an undeniably great song. It’s raw and painfully truthful in a way that calls back to Billie’s scar-baring 2019 debut LP while offering a darker alternative to the sweetness of “Birds” and the suggestive nature of “Guess.” 

Lyndsey Havens: With an album as tender as Hit Me, it’s hard to measure success in terms of hit potential. Eilish has certainly proved the power of a softly soaring ballad, and as a result I think songs like “Birds” and “Wildflower” have simply taken more time to catch on. They surely bring listeners back time and time again, but in a different way than a punchy pop hit does. So, while I don’t see “Wildflower” enjoying the same success as “Birds” has, the fact that it’s moving up at all after so many months is proof that Eilish was right in releasing the album all at once — and proof that only few can pull off what she has. 

Jason Lipshutz: “Wildflower” has been oscillating on the Hot 100 for months now, almost as a counterpoint for the more radio-friendly “Birds of a Feather” and as further proof of a general hunger for Eilish’s new music. I don’t foresee “Wildflower” challenging for the top 10 anytime soon, but I think it will live on as a fan favorite in playlists and set lists, and places the success of Hit Me Hard and Soft in bold font, beyond just the album’s biggest hit.

Andrew Unterberger: The endurance of “Wildflower” has been very impressive to me — honestly, the fact that Hit Me still has four separate songs on the Hot 100 20 weeks into its lifespan is pretty absurd during an era when even the biggest albums are able to get two hits that long-lasting. I dunno if “Wildflower” is ever gonna be a real top 10 contender given how un-radio-friendly the acoustic ballad is, but I could see it enduring as a fan favorite and live fixture for a long time.

5. Do you think “Birds of a Feather” will eventually become Eilish’s second Hot 100 No. 1 hit?  

Stephen Daw: “Birds,” to me, is the song with the best chance to end Shaboozey’s run at the top of the chart at this moment — with the right push from Billie (maybe a sync on a hit show or something similar), she could finally have her second No. 1.

Kyle Denis: Probably? From a smartly timed live performance to remixes and other versions, there are plenty of ways “Birds” could eventually reach the top of the Hot 100. After all, “Bad Guy” spent nine weeks at No. 2 before eventually peaking at No. 1, so who knows how much gas “Birds” has left in the tank! 

Lyndsey Havens: You know what, I do think it can get there. Given that Eilish is on a massive tour right now — and coming on the heels of the song’s music video — the extra attention could give the song the final boost it needs to hit the top spot.

Jason Lipshutz: I do. Although it’s difficult to bet against “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” logging more frames atop the Hot 100, “Birds of a Feather” has proven durable enough as a multi-platform hit that I think it will sneak up to No. 1 for at least a week over the next month, rightfully joining “Bad Guy” as the two chart-toppers in Eilish’s career thus far.

Andrew Unterberger: I don’t think so, just because it’s already pretty late in its lifespan, I can’t see its radio play getting that much more massive, and even with this video bump, it’s still being pretty handily outstreamed by “A Bar Song.” A No. 2 peak feels perfect to me for this song anyway; let it keep just a little bit of that outsider edge.

After a week in which the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 was the No. 21 bow of Linkin Park’s “The Emptiness Machine,” this week, three new entries on the chart grace the back half of the top 20.

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The highest of the three comes from the most established pop star: The Weeknd, whose new Hurry Up Tomorrow gets underway with the No. 14 debut of its lead single “Dancing in the Flames.” Then comes rap star Playboi Carti, whose much-anticipated new song “All Red” lands at No. 15. And finally, Tate McRae’s well-received new single “It’s OK, I’m OK” enters at No. 20.

Which of the three songs will have the longest legs? And why have we had so few top 10 debuts on the Hot 100 of late? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.

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1. “Dancing in the Flames,” the first taste from The Weeknd’s alleged final chapter Hurry Up Tomorrow, bows at No. 14 this week. Is that higher, lower or about where you would have expected for the song?

Rania Aniftos: Definitely lower, but I can’t figure out why. Was it because there wasn’t enough build-up between the announcement and release, perhaps? I was expecting the lead single of the project to at least debut in the top 10, especially given how record-breaking After Hours was. Maybe the rest of Hurry Up Tomorrow’s rollout will boost the track.

Katie Bain: I’m not surprised to see The Weeknd’s first solo track of the year debut higher than his recent The Idol-bred group efforts, and 14 feels like a good starting point for the song, which I think is one that grows on the ears with each listen. And in that sense, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one keep climbing from here, especially that  given his history, we know he’s the king of keeping songs on the Hot 100 for the long run. 

Jason Lipshutz: Maybe a little lower, considering The Weeknd’s track record of top 10 debuts on the Hot 100 and the relative radio silence preceding this much-hyped new single. To me, the No. 14 debut speaks less to the long-term chart potential of “Dancing in the Flames,” and more about how static the top of the Hot 100 is currently — as Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” spends an 11th week at No. 1 and radio-boosted hits by Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Kendrick Lamar and Morgan Wallen have logged months in the upper frame, new tracks like “Flames” have a tougher time trying to break through in their first weeks of release. If I’m Team Weeknd, I’m cool with a No. 14 debut, with an impetus on trying to push upward this fall.

Michael Saponara: First off, solid lead single from Abel. Although, I did think it would debut higher than No. 14 on the Hot 100 with the anticipation heading into the final chapter feeling palpable combined with the fact he released an EP version of the single featuring nine different versions had me believing XO was looking for even more commercial dominance out of the gate. 

Andrew Unterberger: It’s low for a new Weeknd single… but about right for this new Weeknd single, in my opinion. It’s a fine song, it’s just not exciting or new-sounding enough to me for it to force its way into the top 10, especially not at a time when nothing in the top 10 seems to want to budge for anyone new.

2. “All Red” is already Playboi Carti’s top-charting song as a lead artist on the Hot 100, debuting at No. 15. Does the song mark a big step forward for him artistically or commercially, do you think, or is its high debut mostly the climax of the few years’ worth of momentum he’s built up through high-profile guest appearances and general cult-building?

Rania Aniftos: Huge step forward! Rap fans already knew Playboi Carti is a force to be reckoned with. While mainstream music fans knew his talents as a collaborator, it’s about time he’s getting appreciated as a solo star. I feel like this is just the beginning for Carti on the Hot 100.

Katie Bain: To my ears, this is one of the catchiest and most accessible songs of the Carti catalog thus far, so I have to believe this debut is a synergistic function of the song working for and across more listener bases, along with general cult-building. 

Jason Lipshutz: The latter. “All Red” doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to Playboi Carti’s signature approach, but after months of anticipation for his next solo era, the single arrived on a mountain of hype and scored enough immediate streams to notch his career-best solo debut. Whenever Carti does drop the follow-up to Whole Lotta Red, I’d expect more of the experimental streak that made his last album so compelling; for now, “All Red” is a warning shot aimed at the mainstream, and it accomplished its job.

Michael Saponara: King Vamp is back. It’s a major statement for him commercially, but this is also due to the build-up surrounding the fact Carti hasn’t released any music officially on streaming services since 2020. Whether you like it or not, he’s the king sitting atop the throne for rap’s Gen-Z fans. Just take a look around the industry and you’ll see plenty of artists attempting to dress like him, mimic his cryptic persona and match the chaotic production he amplified on 2020’s Whole Lotta Red. Cash Carti is the guy right now.

Andrew Unterberger: I think it’s more about Carti and the cult he’s amassed than about this song in particular — though this song does do its job fairly well. It’s always more about the albums than the individual songs with him anyway, so I think we’ll see the true impact of his ballooning stardom if and when the Whole Lotta Red follow-up drops.

3. Tate McRae’s “It’s OK, I’m OK” bows at No. 20 on the Hot 100 — the highest-debuting song of her career. Has she proven to you yet that she belongs on pop’s A-list, or does she still have some distance to go there?

Rania Aniftos: She’s right there, but I think she needs one more “Greedy” level hit to push her over into the A-list pop category. She certainly has all the traits of a main pop girl, and I would love to see her have a Sabrina Carpenter-level breakthrough year. 

Kaite Bain: She’s obviously hustling towards the A-list and I’m not surprised to see her gaining traction given how hard she’s working. This song certainly gets her closer, if not all the way there yet. More so it makes me curious about/excited for what she might do next.

Jason Lipshutz: The idea of “Tate McRae, A-lister” would have seemed far-fetched a year ago… but since then, she’s scored a legitimate pop smash in “Greedy,” a top 10 album with Think Later, performed on SNL, headlined Madison Square Garden, and now earned the first top 20 Hot 100 debut of her career. “It’s OK, I’m OK” isn’t quite as immediate as “Greedy,” but McRae’s trajectory has continued pointing upward as she’s sunk deeper into her choreo-ready rhythmic pop identity. If she’s not on the A-list yet, she’s striding towards it with confidence.

Michael Saponara: Tate McRae’s next album will vault her firmly into pop’s A-list. Coming off her first tour performing in arenas, the Canadian singer’s arrow is clearly pointing up as she soars into further stardom at just 21 years old. By the time her next LP rolls around, we can probably point to “It’s OK, I’m OK” and her summer as the start of her journey making the quantum leap into pop lore. 

Andrew Unterberger: It feels like only a matter of time, doesn’t it? The bar for breakout pop stars assuming the A-list has obviously been raised this year with the ascents of Roan and Carpenter (and the comeback of Charli XCX), so I don’t think she’s quite there yet — but damn if she isn’t starting to check those boxes left and right at this point. Why wasn’t she performing on the VMAs, again?

4. Of the three songs, which do you see having the most endurance on the chart? Will any of them still be on the Hot 100 ten weeks from now?

Rania Aniftos: I feel like I’m being cynical, but none of them have longterm potential for me. Maybe “All Red” depending on what he releases in the next few months, but I feel like all three of these artists have something better on the way.

Katie Bain: The Weeknd to me has the strongest chance here, given his massive global star power, the fact that this is a buzzy moment in terms of the song marking the start of a new chapter and the fact that “Dancing In th Flames ” is just catchy and kind of broadly palatable.

Jason Lipshutz: I refuse to underestimate a big, mainstream-ready single by The Weeknd — a man who, by his own admission, comes alive in the fall time. “Dancing in the Flames” won’t reach “Blinding Lights” levels of commercial success, but The Weeknd has the cross-platform pedigree to power a lead single into hit status, and I think “Flames” contains the hook necessary to endure on the Hot 100 for a while. When we start switching our playlists over to Christmas music, I’d bet that “Flames” is among the non-holiday singles populating the chart.

Michael Saponara: The Weeknd and Tate McRae will still be holding strong on the Hot 100 with “Dancing in the Flames” leading the pack. There’s a chance Carti is hanging around too, but let’s see if he actually ends up delivering on his long-awaited WLR follow-up, which has been rumored to finally arrive in the coming weeks.

Andrew Unterberger: I think it’s “It’s OK, I’m OK” — that seems to be the song that’s getting the best fan response, and it seems like it’s hitting at the right time in the right post-Short N’ Sweet spot to get picked up on radio. I don’t know if it’ll have “Greedy”-like legs but I think it’ll be around for a bit.

5. While all three songs make strong bows, none of them reach the top 10 — and indeed, the only new top 10 hit we’ve gotten this month has been Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste.” After such a competitive period on the Hot 100 this spring and early summer, why do you think activity at the top has really slowed to a crawl in the late summer and early autumn?

Rania Aniftos: Not to bring TikTok into this, but the same few songs have been circulating the platform for the past few months, and it’s the songs that are currently in the Hot 100 top 10. I fear it’s going to take a new round of viral hits on TikTok for us to see some shake-ups on the Hot 100, which typically happens toward the end of the year anyway.

Katie Bain: There’s been so much hype and kismet around the Sabrina, Shaboozy and Chapell juggernauts, not to mention the barrage of hits by mainstays like Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen, Kendrick, etc. that just seems hard to match, despite the caliber of the names involved in this week’s chart.

Jason Lipshutz: We were gifted a generally excellent slate of summertime singles in 2024, with songs like “Espresso,” “Good Luck, Babe!,” “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and “Not Like Us” all ranking among the most memorable hits of the year. And once they landed in the top 10, they kept going within the upper tier of the chart — and many weeks later, pop listeners still aren’t sick of them. That will change in due time, as we receive a new crop of fall hits, but the static top 10 speaks to the quality of the current biggest hits, songs designed to entertain for multiple months instead of a couple weeks. 

Michael Saponara: With a flurry of superstars dropping throughout the first half of the year, they took up a lot of oxygen on the Hot 100 to the point I think we just reached a point of saturation with some of these anthems being such dominant forces that just refuse to give up chart real estate. I believe it will eventually cycle through and there will be newcomers in quarter four. 

Andrew Unterberger: Carpenter’s album has been the only really splashy album debut this month (not counting Travis Scott’s reissued mixtape), and too many big songs right now have maintained their streaming numbers while amassing major radio support — making it tough for anything new without major, major momentum behind it to break through. We could really use a left-field viral smash or two this autumn, but it appears we may have run dry on those for the time being.

Two weeks ago, Linkin Park fans had no clue if they would ever hear totally new music from the band again. This week, not only is the band back playing arena shows, but they also have a brand-new single — and it’s their highest-peaking Billboard Hot 100 hit in 15 years.
“The Emptiness Machine” is the first release from the legendary nu-metal band with their new lineup — including new lead singer Emily Armstrong, who replaces the late great Chester Bennington, and new drummer Colin Brittain, who takes the sticks from Rob Bourdon after two decades as the band’s timekeeper. The new song debuts at No. 21 on this week’s Hot 100 (dated Sept. 21), LP’s highest placement on the chart since Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen soundtrack single “New Divide” reached No. 6 in 2009.

Why has the song achieved such quick success? And how much does it feel like classic Linkin Park? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

Trending on Billboard

1. “The Emptiness Machine” debuts at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. Is that higher, lower, or about where you would’ve expected it to land in its first week?

Anna Chan: No. 21 feels about right. Curiosity about new singer Emily Armstrong was bound to generate a bunch of streams anyway, whether from longtime fans of the band, or younger listeners who have grown up with the more recent batch of strong female hard rock vocalists.

Kyle Denis: Honestly, higher. It’s not like hard rock songs are proving to be first-week Hot 100 smashes in this era and there’s always going to be some skepticism when a band announces a new lead singer, especially one who has to fill the massive shoes of the late Chester Bennington. I’d say that a No. 21 is a massive win for Linkin Park. 

Josh Glicksman: It’s generally in line with what I expected. Had “Lost” not debuted at No. 38 last year, I may have guessed Linkin Park coming in a bit lower with “The Emptiness Machine,” but given the precedent — combined with the large amount of buzz surrounding the mysterious countdown clock on the band’s official website in the days leading to its release — a nice bump up from the former track makes sense. And with the new single arriving Thursday night, some of the initial plays fell into the prior tracking week, likely costing it a few slots higher on the chart.

Jason Lipshutz: Higher. Although “Lost” debuted in the top 40 of the Hot 100 last year, the excavated Meteora track came from one of their most commercially successful eras; the fact that “The Emptiness Machine” debuted even higher, with a new co-vocalist helping lead the way and at a time when hard rock songs seldom make the upper reaches of the chart, is a pretty startling development, and speaks to the fan enthusiasm around the return of Linkin Park. The band likely believed in the song’s potential as a rock and alternative chart mainstay, but scoring a No. 21 debut on the Hot 100 is a dream scenario for their comeback.

Andrew Unterberger: Unquestionably higher. It’s really, really hard for a legacy rock band to even crack the Hot 100 these days, let alone land in the top 25 the week’s top debut. It helps that Linkin Park is a little younger (and still sounds significantly more contemporary) than fellow veteran rock radio mainstays like Green Day, Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but even still, a No. 21 debut for a new song — with a new lead singer who a lot of LP fans probably didn’t even know existed two weeks ago, no less — is very, very impressive.

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2. Between “Machine” and 2023’s rediscovered Meteora-era cut “Lost,” it’s two top 40 hits now for Linkin Park this decade — already matching their total for the entire 2010s. Why do you think Linkin Park have managed to maintain such high levels of interest when most other popular rock bands who have been around for 20-plus years struggle to land such chart placements?

Anna Chan: “Lost” had the benefit of featuring the late, great Chester Bennington’s vocals, something that, as co-frontperson Mike Shinoda himself told our very own Jason Lipshutz, fans had been asking the band for “for years.” Give, and ye shall receive the streams. Then a mere year after the track’s arrival and seven after Bennington’s death, a woman steps in as co-lead singer for the rocker who was No. 34 on Billboard‘s Best Rock Singers list with a new song, and people were going to tune in, whether to rejoice at the return of the band, the aforementioned curiosity, or simply to find something to complain about, whether rightfully so or not. That’s a lot of drama — let’s not even get into the Scientology of it all — that can’t be duplicated. (And please don’t get any ideas, Soundgarden.)

Kyle Denis: Outside of them being one of the best popular rock bands on their era, I think Linkin Park has maintained such high levels of interest because they’ve sort of naturally let different pockets of music intersect with the band’s music without sacrificing or compromising their foundational sound. They have timeless crossover smashes (“In the End,” “Numb”) and projects that brought them further into the hip-hop space (their underrated 2004 Collision Course EP with Jay-Z), but it never felt like the ethos of the band had shifted in relentless pursuit of mainstream commercial wins. In that vein, their commitment to rock continues to feed audiences who may not satisfied by how pop-facing popular rock bands of the 2010s are/have become. 

Josh Glicksman: It’s not easily quantifiable, but Linkin Park has married its following of the deeply devoted fanbase it created in the first decade of the 2000s with Gen Z listeners curating their own tastes in music. Some of that may have to do with the band having larger-scale, longer-lasting hits than its counterparts; it could be helped by Mike Shinoda leaning into working with artists of the next generation; and it certainly could be fueled by fans wanting to preserve and honor the legacy of Chester Bennington. Whatever it is, clearly the appetite for Linkin Park is as strong as ever.

Jason Lipshutz: To me, the chart success of “Lost” last year and “The Emptiness Machine” this month can be chalked up to a combination of the quality of the songs, enduring interest from a huge fan base, and a historical re-assessment of Linkin Park. While “Lost” is classic Linkin Park, an electro-rock anthem buoyed by Chester Bennington’s singular voice, “The Emptiness Machine” kicks off a new era with passion and personality; they both speak to different factions of the same fan base, who have remained loyal to the band for the seven years between Bennington’s tragic death and the recent reformation. And the band’s sonic evolution across their discography has produced an enviable supply of hits and signature moments; I don’t doubt that a lot of listeners who weren’t paying attention during Linkin Park’s heyday (or were too young to do so) streamed “Lost” and “The Emptiness Machine,” and helped turn each into a top 40 hit.

Andrew Unterberger: Linkin Park just still make a little more sense in the streaming era than most of those bands, a virtue of its hybrid (yes, yes) sound and heavy production. That, combined with both the songs being very solid — and with the devastating and cruel way in which the band’s original run came to an abrupt end in 2017 — means that perhaps we were silly to underestimate the commercial potential for these tastes of new LP in the first place.

3. While “Lost” ended up being a majorly enduring rock radio hit, it only spent two weeks total on the Hot 100. Do you think the run for “Machine” on the chart will be similarly short-lived, or will it have greater legs?

Anna Chan: Let me shake my Magic 8 Ball, because I have no idea due to the confusing combo of nostalgia (yay!) and criticism (boo!). But since you asked, my guess is the chart run will be short-lived because the curiosity around Armstrong will fade. And while fans may have been elated about the band’s return after a lengthy hiatus, the quick backlash to having a singer with ties to convicted rapist Danny Masterson may hurt their overall momentum. (For the record, Armstrong has since addressed the issue, saying that she shouldn’t have supported Masterson at a court appearance — noting, “I misjudged him” — and that she hasn’t spoken to him since, and doesn’t condone any abuse or violence against women.)

Kyle Denis: I think off the basis of “Machine” being the lead single for a new album, it should have more juice behind it, and thus score a few more weeks on the Hot 100 than “Lost.”

Josh Glicksman: I don’t expect it to hang around too much longer than “Lost” on the Hot 100, though it may eke out another few weeks. That said, I fully expect the song to similarly dominate rock radio for many months to come, with the single soaring to No. 1 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart following its first full tracking week. “Lost” spent 20 weeks atop that chart; I’d guess that “The Emptiness Machine” will at least match that total.

Jason Lipshutz: “The Emptiness Machine” sounded like a straightforward rocker built around the dueling voices of Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong to me upon first listen, but the single has grown on me rapidly — I love how its momentum snowballs over the first two verses and choruses, pulls back during the harmonized bridge, then goes for the jugular on the final hook. Although I don’t think it will maintain its Hot 100 peak for long, I do believe its run on the chart will surpass that of “Lost,” as streaming audiences help bolster the early adoption from rock radio. The No. 21 debut defied the odds, and I think the breadth of its Hot 100 run will do the same.

Andrew Unterberger: Its greater debut and more interesting backstory might grant it another few weeks, but I don’t really see this being a much-longer-lasting Hot 100 hit, no. Its sales and streams already seem to be tapering off — though to be fair, not as quickly as with some other splashy-debuting new releases — and it’s unlikely pop radio is coming to swoop in with this song anytime soon.

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4. Do you think “Machine” captures the spirit of classic Linkin Park? Does Emily Armstrong seem like a logical fit as the band’s new frontwoman so far?

Anna Chan: It’s too early to judge based on just one song whether or not she’s a good fit. However, this rock-leaning music fan is eager to hear more from Armstrong. Her first verse in “The Emptiness Machine” didn’t grab me, but when she gets to the chorus and lets her raw, guttural vocals come out? Wooo! I’m letting Linkin Park cut me open just to jam more music into my ears.

Kyle Denis: For me, Chester’s voice is such a quintessential part of the band’s sound, that it still feels odd not hearing him. Nonetheless, I like hearing Emily on the record, it’s fun hearing her push her voice further than you’d expect before giving into a growl or a scream. She’s able to balance vulnerability and high-octane vocal thrills pretty effortlessly, which makes her an effective new frontwoman. 

Josh Glicksman: Yes! It feels refreshed and modern, but perfectly at home in the canon of everything that has endeared the band to fans for the past 25 years. Armstrong feels like a logical fit as the band’s new frontwoman — and, importantly, she’s both honoring its legacy while giving the music her own touch, as she discussed in her Billboard cover story: “Going into these [older] songs, by a singular voice that’s beloved by so many people — it’s like, ‘How do I be myself in this, but also carry on the emotion and what he brought in this band?’ … There is a passion to it that I’m hoping I can fill.”

Jason Lipshutz: What I love about this new iteration of Linkin Park is that songs like “The Emptiness Machine” exist in the same universe as the band’s biggest hits, but expand it into new terrain instead of trying recapture any past magic. That’s why Armstrong works so well as a new co-vocalist: she can sing the hits in a live setting, but instead of functioning as a Chester Bennington impersonator, she helps the band grow in a different direction and balance out Shinoda in striking, unexpected ways. As someone who has heard more of From Zero than just “The Emptiness Machine,” I can say that I was impressed with the balancing act that the band pulls off — honoring their past without re-creating it, harkening back to earlier eras while making something new.

Andrew Unterberger: Ironically, the least classic Linkin Park-seeming part of this song is Mike Shinoda singing (not rapping) on the first verse — when Armstrong comes in on the second verse (and especially when she kicks in with the chorus), it feels almost like a correction to the natural order of things. Maybe that was the plan all along; if so it seems to have worked!

5. With Linkin Park and Oasis reuniting in 2024, who’s another long-dormant rock band who you’d love to see get back together in the not too distant future?

Anna Chan: What’s your definition of “long-dormant”? Because for greedy ol’ me, Nine Inch Nails has been too busy with the movie scores as of late, and I need them to get back in the recording studio and on the road. (And no, that 2022 tour that hit only 10 U.S. cities doesn’t count in my book, while the Cold and Black and Infinite tour was six long years ago.)  I’d also appreciate if Rage Against the Machine would reunite and finish up the tour they cut short in 2022 (this political climate is begging for them) — or if The Cure (who might be teasing new music?) would do another trek so I can have a shot at tickets next time around.

Kyle Denis: Wishful thinking, but The White Stripes! 

Josh Glicksman: Talking Heads. Sure, they’ve notably rebuffed a reunion several times in recent months, but give the people what they want! Even just a small handful of new singles will suffice.

Jason Lipshutz: As of this July, Jack White has released exactly as many studio albums under his own name as he did alongside Meg White as The White Stripes. It is time to tip the scales once again — we simply need the duo back, and the first White Stripes album since 2007.

Andrew Unterberger: There have whispers about Radiohead reassembling of late — still pretty quiet ones, but loud enough to remind me how it’s been eight years since their last album and six since their last tour. (And how they’re, y’know, one of the best bands ever.)