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As springtime settles into its groove, Chicago-bred R&B darling Ravyn Lenae is on the precipice of a moment thousands of fans have dreamed of for nearly ten years. At press time, “Love Me Not,” the jaunty lead single from 2024’s acclaimed Bird’s Eye LP, sits at No. 5 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 — just a heartbeat away from becoming her first Billboard Hot 100 entry.
For most Lenae fans, 2017 was when she first captivated their attention. After signing to Atlantic Records the year prior, Lenae churned out a beloved feature on Smino‘s “Glass Flows,” opened for SZA‘s Ctrl Tour, and released “Sticky” — a single from her 2018 Crush EP, which helped streamline the aesthetics of her first two EPs into a swirling mixture of funky, Steve Lacy-blessed guitar, Dilla-esque beats, and a devastatingly vast vocal range whose uppermost parts echo Solange‘s fluttery falsetto. Eight years later, Lenae gave “Sticky” its crowning moment midway through her fourth and final sold-out show at New York’s legendary Blue Note Jazz Club on Wednesday night (April 2).
Built around her majestic sophomore album, Bird’s Eye, which Billboard‘s editorial staff named the No. 3 best R&B album of 2024, Lenae’s Blue Note set focused on her most recent album, weaving in selected older tracks to underscore her message of maturation and coming home to yourself while navigating your twenty-somethings.
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Beginning with “Sattelites” — a cut from Hypnos, her 2022 debut album — Lenae quickly constructed the live world of Bird’s Eye with “1 of 1” and vinyl-exclusive bonus track “Goodbye 2 You.” Backed by just a drummer and a six-string bassist (who deftly transferred his skills to acoustic guitar when necessary), Lenae slinked around the stage like a forest nymph; her fiery deep-red tresses flowed behind her like a carefully contained flame, adding a striking flourish to the pose she hit at the end of each song.
Although she didn’t hit high-octane combinations — after all, the Blue Note is a dinner club! — she refused to remain stationed behind the microphone stand. Whether she was accentuating each snare hit with a funky shoulder pop, recalling early Motown-era Diana Ross with her animated facial expressions and neck movements, or ethereally painting the space with her oft-outstretched arms — Lenae left no doubt that not only does she know how to work a stage, but she also is more comfortable than ever both in the booth and onstage.
Lenae got so comfortable that she choked herself up — and moved several audience members to silent tears — with her heartbreaking true-to-life anecdotes. In one particularly beautiful moment in which time seemed to stop, Lenae recounted the incredibly painful memory that inspired her Childish Gambino-assisted “One Wish.” Before she dove into a breathtaking rendition of the Bird’s Eye single — her vocals were virtually flawless the entire night, and she frequently hit new (and even more impressive) riffs and harmonies — Lenae explained, as she has in previous shows, that “One Wish” was born out of her father ghosting her after promising to show up to her 10th birthday party. She sucked all the air of the club with that story, and breathed it right back into the space with her stunning performance.
A similar moment happened before she launched into “Pilot,” the reflective, penultimate track on Bird’s Eye. Through recounting her own 20s journey, Lenae, 26, urged the audience to “talk to their moms and grandmas” to help remember “what made [them] excited to wake up in the morning when they were 15.” Near the end of the song, she switched the “I just know I’m twenty-four/ Small to the world I’m in” to different ages, underscoring the song’s universality.
By the time the show came to a close, Lenae played every song on the standard version of Bird’s Eye (barring “Bad Idea”), as well as fan-favorites like “Xtasy,” “Venom” and “The Night Song.” To send her final Blue Note crowd back to the streets of Greenwich Village, Lenae blazed through “Love Me Not,” leading the crowd a sing-along that truly underscored the weight of the moment. Surrounded by a crop of listeners clearly comprised of mostly longtime fans, Lenae got to bask in the chords of her current breakthrough hit just before midnight struck in one of NYC’s most iconic venues.
Ahead of her stint as an opener for the final leg of Sabrina Carpenter‘s sprawling Short n’ Sweet tour later this year, Ravyn Lenae delivered an outstanding show that somehow improved on an already-terrific sophomore LP.
Jon Batiste will receive the inaugural Ray Charles “Architect of Sound” Award at the annual Grammy Hall of Fame Gala, which is set for May 16 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. The award is to be presented annually at this event, which is presented jointly by the Grammy Museum and the Recording Academy.
The “Architect of Sound” Award recognizes an artist whose impact on music echoes Charles’ pioneering spirit. A 17-time Grammy winner, Charles is widely-regarded one of the most influential artists of all time. He was in the inaugural class of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recipients in 1986 and also received the Kennedy Center Honors that year. He received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987 and has 10 recordings in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for portraying Charles in the 2004 biopic Ray. The film remains one of the top 10 top-grossing musical biopics.
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“Ray Charles is a beacon for me, a blueprint,” Batiste said in a statement. “He is a singular example of musical genius, artistic freedom and craft of the highest level that will continue to inspire humanity for generations and stand the test of time. I am honored to receive this award. It is vitally important to me to carry on our cultural legacy of true artistic greatness and lead the way for generations to come.”
Michael Sticka, Grammy Museum president/CEO, said, “Ray Charles was a trailblazing artist whose influence knows no bounds, and Jon Batiste is a true reflection of that legacy. Beyond his immense talent, Jon has been a dedicated partner in advancing the Grammy Museum’s mission to make music education more accessible. Honoring him with the inaugural Ray Charles ‘Architect of Sound’ Award is not just fitting — it’s a celebration of two artists who have shaped the sound of generations.”
Valerie Ervin, president of The Ray Charles Foundation, added, “Ray Charles was always pushing music forward — blending genres, breaking barriers, and inspiring generations. He would be deeply honored to have his name attached to an award that celebrates artists who share his fearless creativity and dedication to their craft. Jon Batiste embodies that spirit.”
Batiste has won seven Grammys, including album of the year for We Are, and an Oscar for best original score for Soul (in tandem with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross). His latest album, Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1), is the first in his solo piano series, reimagining classical works through a fresh lens.
Batiste will take the stage for two performances at the Gala, which will also feature musical moments from a lineup of artists to be announced soon. The event will additionally honor this year’s label honoree, Republic Records.
The show will be produced by former Grammy Awards executive producer Ken Ehrlich, alongside Ron Basile, Lindsay Saunders Carl and Lynne Sheridan, with musical direction by Cheche Alara, a Grammy- and Latin Grammy Award-winning composer, producer and conductor. CBS News journalist Anthony Mason returns as host.
The Gala will celebrate the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame inducted recordings, which include iconic recordings such as JAY-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, Cat Stevens’ Tea for the Tillerman, Santana’s Supernatural, and recordings from Big Star, Clara Ward, Eddie Floyd, Emmylou Harris, Fela Kuti & Afrika 70, Geeshie Wiley, Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine, J.D. Crowe & The New South, Linda Martell, and Luther Vandross.
The Grammy Hall of Fame was established by the Recording Academy’s National Trustees in 1973. The inducted recordings are selected annually by a committee, with final ratification by the Recording Academy’s National Board of Trustees. With 13 new titles, the Grammy Hall of Fame currently totals 1,165 inducted recordings. Eligible recipients will receive an official certificate from the Recording Academy.
Tickets for the Grammy Hall of Fame Gala are on sale now. For more information, visit the Grammy Museum website.
In today’s episode of Billboard Unfiltered, Billboard staffers Carl Lamarre, Trevor Anderson, and Kyle Denis are joined by Peter Rosenberg dive into Drake’s “Nokia” music video where he references Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” music video, Ye’s interview with DJ Akademiks where he makes statements surrounding Kim Kardashian, Playboi Carti, Beyonce & Jay-Z and others, and the current state of Summer Jam.
What do you want to hear more of? Drop your suggestion in the chat!
Carl Lamarre:
I’m curious to get your thoughts as far as, like, what were your thoughts on the video? Did Drake deliver, underperform? We’ll start with Mr. Rosenberg on his thoughts.
Peter Rosenberg:
Listen, I appreciate you guys very much. So I’m not gonna hold back here. I only watched highlights of the video. That’s not disrespect. Music videos for me these days. Like I probably watched, “Not Like Us” one time when it came out, was like, cool, right? I just don’t live currently in the space where, like, breaking down music videos is part of my thing. But I saw, like, the little connections people were drawing, yeah, and I it felt like a reach. Like, I’m not saying that it wasn’t little stuff, but it wasn’t enough to, like, honestly, warrant major conversation to me. But again, I’m not like, captain break it down to that degree. I’m like, is it on the surface, then to me, it’s something worth talking about? Like the 50 other- when people broke down the Super Bowl, like, by day two, I was like, All right, no, no, I get it. I don’t need, like, 50 different versions. Yeah, if it takes that long to figure out what we’re talking about, while it’s neat for like, the hardcore nerds,I’m too busy. I’m sorry I got no time. But, yeah, no, it was cool. I’m just, if I’m Drake, I’m just happy I have that big a hit. Like, what’s what’s happened? That’s more interesting to me than whether or not he took subtleties at Kendrick in the video.
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Billboard Women in Music 2025
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Let’s open the latest mailbag.
Hi Gary,
Remember when you, myself and another Billboard reader went over music acts with the longest streaks of gaining a new Billboard Hot 100 top 10 year after year? We had come to the consensus that, with 12 years apiece, Mariah Carey (1990-2001) and Prince (1983-94) were the two front-runners in that club. Well, now we have a third.
Thanks to his “Rather Lie,” with Playboi Carti, which debuted on the March 29 chart, The Weeknd has now put a new song in the Hot 100’s top 10 for a 12th consecutive year.
Here’s a rundown of all of his top 10s, in chronological order of their peaks:
2014: “Love Me Harder,” with Ariana Grande (No. 7 peak)
2015: “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)” (No. 3); “Can’t Feel My Face” (No. 1, three weeks); “The Hills” (No. 1, six weeks)
2016: “Starboy,” feat. Daft Punk (entered the tier that October at No. 3, on its way toward topping the first Hot 100 of 2017)
2017: “I Feel It Coming,” feat. Daft Punk (No. 4)
2018: “Pray for Me,” with Kendrick Lamar (No. 7); “Call Out My Name” (No. 4)
2019: “Heartless” (No. 1, one week)
2020: “Blinding Lights” (No. 1, four weeks, eventually earing the honor of the Hot 100’s all-time biggest hit); “Smile,” with Juice WRLD (No. 8)
2021: “Save Your Tears,” with Ariana Grande (No. 1, two weeks); “Take My Breath” (No. 6); “One Right Now,” with Post Malone (No. 6)
2022: “Creepin’,” with Metro Boomin & 21 Savage (debuted at No. 5 that December and then hit a No. 3 high in 2023)
2023: “Die for You,” with Ariana Grande (No. 1, one week); “K-POP,” with Travis Scott & Bad Bunny (No. 7)
2024: “Young Metro,” with Future & Metro Boomin (No. 9); “Timeless,” with Playboi Carti (No. 3)
2025: “Rather Lie,” with Playboi Carti (No. 4, as this email is being typed)
Who else to tie such a historic streak than The Weeknd, right? Someone who happens to be: A, one of my favorite popular music acts of all time, and B, known for citing Prince as an influence.
Regards,
Jake RiveraMashpee, Mass.
Hi Jake,
Thanks for pointing out the update, and congrats to The Weeknd on his record-tying streak of Hot 100 top 10s in 12 consecutive years (or more than 600 weekends).
Notably, another act has joined the mix for potentially matching the mark: Drake is now up to an active streak of 11 years in a row with new Hot 100 top 10s, from 2015 (“Hotline Bling”) through 2025 (“Gimme a Hug” and “Nokia”). He could, thus, tie the record next year — or The Weeknd could claim the honor all to himself with at least one new top 10 in 2026.
Meanwhile, what about the same feat on the Billboard 200 albums chart? On first thought, a lengthy streak of annual new top 10s might seem less likely there, as, compared to singles, acts for the most part don’t release as many as albums, and somewhat rarely every year historically.
Let’s count down the artists, from The Beatles to Taylor Swift, Drake and more, with the most consecutive years of sending at least one new album to the Billboard 200’s top 10 (dating to Aug. 17, 1963, when the chart began combining mono and stereo releases into one ranking). The act atop the list might seem surprising, although perhaps less so once looking into why.
Seven consecutive years with new Billboard 200 top 10s:
Taylor Swift: 2019-25
Future: 2014-20
Pentatonix: 2013-19
Luke Bryan: 2011-17
Kenny Chesney: 2004-10
Dave Matthews/Dave Matthews Band: 2001-07
Earth, Wind & Fire: 1975-81
The Beatles: 1964-70
Andy Williams: 1963-69
Eight consecutive years:
Blake Shelton: 2010-17
Chicago: 1970-77
Nine consecutive years:
Drake — the record-holder among soloists (or groups with largely fixed lineups): 2015-23
And, the act with the longest such streak overall …
12 consecutive years (the same as the Hot 100 record):
The leading group – of rotating members – tallied all 24 of its Billboard 200 top 10s from Kidz Bop 7 through Kidz Bop 32. (In that run, only Kidz Bop 17 and Kidz Bop 30 missed the tier, both reaching No. 12; meanwhile, the collective has hit a No. 2 best with five releases.)
The act scored its record run of consistency in the Billboard 200’s top 10 thanks to its steady stream of all-ages covers of big pop hits. Kidz Bop Kids additionally earned 101 entries, including 42 top 10s, on the Kid Digital Song Sales chart, both bests in the list’s history. Four reached No. 1, led by their family-friendlier take on Meghan Trainor’s former Hot 100 No. 1 “All About That Bass,” which led for six weeks in 2015.
In 2014, Victor Zaraya, then an executive for the ensemble, mused about its win-win nature. “It’s favorable to have your song being sung,” he said. “Maybe a kid heard the Kidz Bop cover of an artist’s song before they heard the actual version. Will they remember it as a Kidz Bop song? Maybe. Will they remember it with the original artist? Maybe. But it’s only furthering that artist’s song.”
Beyond remakes of familiar songs, Zaraya noted that the act’s singers contributed to the enduring appeal of Kidz Bop, which in 2025 celebrates its 25th year, including with tour dates. To date, the troupe has sold 18.7 million albums and drawn 8.1 billion official streams for its songs in the U.S., according to Luminate.
“We want to let kids know that [the Kidz Bop Kids] are real — they sing, dance and perform,” Zaraya said. “They can be brand ambassadors for us. They have personalities. They are stars.”
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