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First, the album version, then the cut featuring Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers. Now, Taylor Swift’s acoustic cut of “Anti-Hero” is keeping the pop superstar’s Midnights hit on high rotation.
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Swift dropped “Anti-Hero (Acoustic Version)” last week, when Americans were tucking into their Thanksgiving turkey.
The impact can be felt across the Atlantic where, in the U.K., “Anti-Hero,” is on track for a sixth week at No. 1.
“Anti-Hero” completed a fifth week atop the Official Chart, published last Friday (Nov. 25), and it remains in pole position on the U.K.’s First Look chart, which ranks singles based on sales and streams from the first 48 hours.
“Anti-Hero” has led the chart every week since its release Oct. 21. A fresh version, featuring Bleachers, dropped on Nov. 7.
Meanwhile, Meghan Trainor’s “Made You Look” is showing strength and stamina in the U.K., where its challenging “Anti-Hero” for the chart crown.
Trainor’s doo-wop number is inching closer and lifts 3-2 on the chart blast, for what would be a chart peak.
If “Made You Look” unseats “Anti-Hero,” it would be Trainor’s third leader and first in seven years; her last was 2015’s Charlie Puth collaboration “Marvin Gaye.”
With England getting their World Cup campaign away to winning start, Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds’ “Three Lions” looks set to kick another goal. The former chart leader is rolling towards the top 10, up 20-12 on the chart blast, and should enjoy a lift in the leadup to England’s final Group B fixture against Wales on Tuesday (Nov. 29).
A holiday-themed version of the track, “Three Lions (It’s Coming Home For Christmas),” could keep the song in the chart for the weeks ahead.
“Three Lions” would have company, with several Christmas classics making their annual march up the chart. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (up 18-8 on the chart blast) and Wham’s “Last Christmas” (23-10) are set to return to the top 10. Not far behind is Ed Sheeran & Elton John’s “Merry Christmas,” which hit No. 1 last December and lifts 40-16 on the chart blast.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published Friday (Dec. 2).
Dermot Kennedy makes it two-from-two as Sonder (via Island) debuts at No. 1 on the U.K. albums survey.
The Irishman bows at the summit of the Official Albums Chart, published Nov. 25, and shifts a market-leading volume on vinyl.
Sonder equals the peak position of his 2019 debut, Without Fear, which saw the Dublin-born singer and songwriter became the first Irish act to top the U.K. chart with their debut album in over 20 years, the OCC reports.
The Christmas chimes are ringing in the top 5, as André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra enter at No. 4 with Silver Bells (Decca), a Christmas classics collection. It’s the Dutch classical crossover artist’s 13th U.K. top 10 album entry.
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Meanwhile, Queen enjoys a miracle return to the top 10. The legendary rock act’s 1989 LP The Miracle (Virgin) blasts to No. 6 on the latest list, thanks to an eight-disc reissue featuring previously-unreleased cuts, some with the late Freddie Mercury’s vocals. The Miracle led the U.K. chart following its original release in 1989.
Nickelback roll into the top 10 with Get Rollin’ (BMG), the Canadian rockers’ tenth studio album. It’s the band’s seventh top 10 appearance and first since 2017’s Feed The Machine went to No. 3.
Manchester rapper Meekz lands a career-best with his mixtape Respect The Come Up (Neighbourhood Recordings), new at No. 12, while U.S. heavy metal veterans Disturbed earn a fifth top 40 appearance with Divisive (Reprise), new at No. 17.
The late master David Bowie lands a 68th U.K. top 40 with the Moonage Dream OST, the companion to Brett Morgen’s feature length documentary film of the same name. The posthumous recording is new at No. 20.
Christmas is less that one month away, and that mean another burst of energy for Michael Bublé’s festive collection. The multi-platinum Christmas (Reprise) set soars 50-26, and will likely continue in that trajectory for the weeks ahead.
Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” (via EMI) continues to beat-up the opposition in the U.K., where it enters its fifth week at No. 1.
“Anti-Hero,” the first track from Swift’s chart-topping tenth studio album, Midnights, dominates the latest Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Nov. 25, with a market-leading 5.2 million streams, the OCC reports.
It becomes the longest-reigning song by a solo female artist since Olivia Rodrigo spent five weeks at No. 1 in 2021 with “Good 4 U,” and it’s among the biggest No. 1 hits of 2022.
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Just three songs have enjoyed longest stints at the U.K. summit this year: Encanto’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (seven weeks), LF SYSTEM’s “Afraid To Feel” (eight weeks) and Harry Styles’ “As It Was” (10 weeks).
Meanwhile, Meghan Trainor continues to climb on the latest tally with “Made You Look” (Epic), which makes its peak position of No. 3, up one position.
The highest new entry this week belongs to London rapper Clavish with “Rocket Science” (Polydor) featuring D-Block Europe. “Rocket Science” lifts off for a No. 9 debut, Clavish’s first appearance on the U.K. top 40, and D-Block Europe’s 27th appearance (including two top 10s).
The Christmas tunes are coming. Just one week removed from its earliest-ever return to the top 40, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) is getting a move on, up 36-18. Good enough for the OCC’s “biggest gainer” honors.
Close behind are two holiday-themed chart-toppers in Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA), up 42-23, and Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic), which reennters at No. 40.
Christmas isn’t the only major event on British minds right now.
The World Cup of soccer is in full swing, with England and Wales both active in the early rounds. Following England’s first-up demolition job on Iran, 6-2, David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds’ “Three Lions” reenters the chart, at No. 20. The unofficial England football anthem and former leader gets a boost from a new cut, “Three Lions (It’s Coming Home For Christmas).”
Finally, British singer and songwriter Raye lands her 10th top 40 single with “Escapism” (Human Re Sources), a collaboration with U.S. electronic artist 070 Shake, new at No. 31; while another collaboration, Meekz and Dave’s “Fresh Out The Bank” (Neighbourhood Recordings), cracks the top 40 on debut, at No. 35.
Taylor Swift keeps her good times rolling on Australia’s charts, while Nickelback returns to national albums survey with Get Rollin’, the Canadian rockers’ first album in five years.
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Get Rollin’ starts at No. 3, for the Chad Kroeger-led band’s eighth top-five album, and the highest debut on the latest ARIA Chart, published Nov. 25.
Meanwhile, U.S. heavy metal band Disturbed returns to the national chart with Divisive, their new album. It’s new at No. 5.
There’s some good-natured jostling at the top of the albums survey, as Swift (Midnights) outplays bestie Ed Sheeran (equals) for the title.
Sheeran, who will return to Australia for a national stadium tour next February and March, enjoyed a boost from the release last Friday of Pokémon “Scarlet” and “Violet,” on which he features, and his Full Circle concert documentary, which premiered Thursday night (Nov. 24) on free-to-Channel 9, straight after the 2022 ARIA Awards.
The uptick in Sheeran’s streams and sales from the Full Circle premiere should be reflected on next week’s chart.
Michael Jackson’s 1982 juggernaut Thriller returns to the chart, following the release of a 40th anniversary edition. Thriller hit No. 1 following its original release, and returns to the chart this week at No. 18. The album has sold more than 1.1 million copies in Australia, and is certified 18-times platinum.
Also, Irish singer and songwriter Dermot Kennedy cracks the top 40 with Sonder, his new album. Sonder, the leader on the midweek U.K. chart, is new at No. 37 in Australia.
Swift grabs another chart double, as the U.S. pop superstar retains her ARIA Singles Chart crown with “Anti-Hero,” the first track lifted from Midnights. “Anti-Hero” completes a fifth consecutive week at No. 1. Indeed, the single has led the chart every week since its release.
Finally, Meghan Trainor’s return to doo-wop with “Made You Look” continues to gather steam on the ARIA Chart, lifting 7-4, for a new peak, while Sydney singer and songwriter Dean Lewis climbs 22-14 with “How Do I Say Goodbye,” a new peak position.
With five trophies, Baker Boy was the runaway leader Thursday night (Nov. 24) at the 36th annual ARIA Awards in Sydney, while Amyl and The Sniffers and the Wiggles were among the multiple winners.
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A proud Yolngu man, Baker Boy’s triumphant night included wins for album of the year (for his debut Gela), best hip-hop/rap release, and best solo artist.
Shortly after accepting album of the year with a prepared speech in his native Yolngu language, Baker Boy delivered a rendition “Meditjin” with his band and dancers, and a solo performance on Yidaki, the Aboriginal word for didgeridoo in eastern Arnhem Land.
The rapper, singer and dancer (real name Danzal Baker) has been in untouchable form at Australia’s awards ceremonies of late.
At the 2022 NIMAs in August, he took home artist of the year and album of the year (for Gela), which peaked at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart. In 2021, the year Gela was released, Baker Boy received an Order Of Australia (OAM) medal for “service to the performing arts as a singer and musician,” to go with his young Australian of the year honor, from 2019.
Also at the 2022 ARIAs, Amyl and The Sniffers won a pair of pointy trophies, for best group and best rock album for Comfort to Me, their A2IM Libera Award-nominated sophomore set. The punk rockers and their power-packed singer Amy Taylor delivered one of the night’s fiercest moments with a performance of album track “Guided By Angels.” With their brace tonight, Amyl lifts their career ARIAs tally to three.
The Wiggles have been enjoying a year like no other, during which the legendary children’s entertainers scooped the triple j Hottest 100 poll for the first time with their cover of Tame Impala’s “Elephant,” and bagged a first No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with ReWiggled.
At the ARIAs, held at the Hordern Pavilion, the famous foursome won for best children’s album and best Australian live act — a fan-voted category — for The OG Wiggles Reunion/Fruit Salad TV Big Show Tour.
Yolngu surf-rock band King Stingray won the Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist trophy, named after the late, legendary Mushroom Group founder and presented by Gudinski’s son, Matt, now CEO of the independent music powerhouse.
Earlier, the Stingers earned song of the year for “Milkumana” at the NIMAs.
British pop star Harry Styles snagged most popular international artist, one of four fan-voted categories, beating out the likes of Taylor Swift, Adele, Billie Eilish and Drake. The former One Direction star now has three ARIAs in his collection.
Other winners on the night included electronic trio Rüfüs Du Sol (producer – best produced album); The Kid LAROI (best pop release for “Thousand Miles”); Casey Barnes (best country album for Light It Up); pub rock trio The Chats (best hard rock/heavy metal album for Get F***ed), and DJ/producer Luude (best dance/electronic release for “Down Under”).
Wearing a black Adidas tracksuit, Tones And I was on hand to collect the publicly-voted song of the year honor for “Cloudy Day,” her fifth ARIA.
Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese, a passionate music fan, gave a shout out to all the artists — winners and the losers. “Music can tell Australian stories, it can make a difference to our lives, it can be uplifting,” he said in a video message.
Free-to-air network Channel 9 and its digital channel 9Now beamed out the ARIAs live, and YouTube streamed the show for international audiences.
The ARIA Hall of Fame was absent from this year’s show. Instead, organizers used the platform of the ARIAs to salute three Hall of Famers who died in recent months, Olivia Newton-John, Archie Roach and the Seekers’ Judith Durham, with tributes from the likes of Imbruglia, Budjerah, Thelma Plum, Jess Mauboy, Dami Im, and Tones And I, who served as music director for the special spot.
2022 ARIA Awards Winners List:
Album of the Year presented by Neumann
Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort To Me (Virgin Music Australia)
Baker Boy – Gela (Island Records/Universal Music Australia) *WINNER
Gang Of Youths – Angel In Realtime. (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
King Stingray – King Stingray (Cooking Vinyl/The Orchard)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Surrender (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music)
Best Solo Artist
Baker Boy – Gela (Island Records/Universal Music Australia) *WINNER
Budjerah – Conversations (Warner Music Australia)
Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time (Milk! Records/Remote Control Records)
Daniel Johns – FutureNever (BMG/ADA)
Flume – Palaces (Future Classic)
Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Ruel – Growing Up Is____ (RCA/Sony Music)
The Kid LAROI – Thousand Miles (Columbia/Sony Music)
Thelma Plum – Meanjin (Warner Music Australia)
Vance Joy – In Our Own Sweet Time (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Best Group
Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort To Me (Virgin Music Australia) *WINNER
Gang Of Youths – Angel in Realtime. (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
King Stingray – King Stingray (Cooking Vinyl/The Orchard)
Midnight Oil – Resist (Sony Music)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Surrender (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music)
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist
Beddy Rays – Beddy Rays (Independent/Ditto Music)
Bella Taylor Smith – Look Me In The Eyes (EMI Music Australia)
Harvey Sutherland – Boy (Clarity Recordings/Virgin Music Australia)
King Stingray – King Stingray (Cooking Vinyl/The Orchard) *WINNER
Luude – Down Under (ft. Colin Hay) (Sweat It Out/Warner Music)
Best Pop Release
Flume – Say Nothing (feat. MAY-A) (Future Classic)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – On My Knees (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music)
The Kid LAROI – Thousand Miles (Columbia/Sony Music) *WINNER
Thelma Plum – Meanjin (Warner Music Australia)
Vance Joy – Clarity (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Best Dance/Electronic Release
Confidence Man – Tilt (I OH YOU/Mushroom)
Flume – Palaces (Future Classic)
Harvey Sutherland – Boy (Clarity Recordings/Virgin Music Australia)
Luude – Down Under (ft. Colin Hay) (Sweat It Out/Warner Music) *WINNER
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Surrender (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music)
Best Hip Hop/Rap Release
Baker Boy – Gela (Island Records/Universal Music Australia) *WINNER
Barkaa – Blak Matriarchy (Bad Apples Music/Island Records Australia)
Chillinit – Family Ties (420 Family/Virgin Music Australia)
Day1 – MBAPPÉ (feat. KAHUKX) (db Music/Warner Music Australia)
The Kid LAROI & Fivio Foreign – Tokyo to Paris (Columbia/Sony Music)
Best Soul/R&B Release
Budjerah – Conversations (Warner Music Australia) *WINNER
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Under These Streets (Cooking Vinyl Australia/The Orchard)
KIAN – SHINE (EMI Music Australia)
Vanessa Amorosi – City Of Angels (Scream Louder/MGM)
Best Independent Release presented by PPCA
Archie Roach – One Song (Bloodlines/Mushroom Group) *WINNER
Ball Park Music – Weirder & Weirder (Prawn Records/Inertia Music)
Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time (Milk! Records/Remote Control Records)
Genesis Owusu – GTFO (Ourness)
Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Best Rock Album
Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort To Me (Virgin Music Australia) *WINNER
Ball Park Music – Weirder & Weirder (Prawn Records/Inertia Music)
Gang Of Youths – Angel in Realtime. (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
King Stingray – King Stingray (Cooking Vinyl/The Orchard)
Spacey Jane – Here Comes Everybody (AWAL Recordings)
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Alex the Astronaut – How To Grow A Sunflower Underwater (Warner Music Australia)
Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group) *WINNER
Missy Higgins – Total Control (Eleven: A Music Company/Universal Music Australia)
Vance Joy – In Our Own Sweet Time (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Vika & Linda – The Wait (Bloodlines/Mushroom Group)
Best Country Album
Adam Brand – All Or Nothing (ABC Music)
Amber Lawrence – Living for the Highlights (ABC Music)
Andy Golledge – Strength of a Queen (I OH YOU/Mushroom)
Casey Barnes – Light It Up (Casey Barnes Entertainment/Chugg Music) *WINNER
Georgia State Line – In Colour (Cheatin Heart Records/Virgin Music Australia)
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
Dune Rats – Real Rare Whale (BMG/ADA)
Northlane – Obsidian (Believe/Rocket)
Shihad – Old Gods (Warner Music NZ)
The Chats – Get Fucked (Bargain Bin Records/The Chats via Ingrooves) *WINNER
Thornhill – Heroine (UNFD/The Orchard)
Best Blues & Roots Album
Charlie Collins – Undone (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
The Bamboos – Hard Up (BMG/ADA)
The Teskey Brothers with Orchestra Victoria – Live At Hamer Hall (Ivy League Records/Mushroom Group)
Thornbird – Thornbird (Thornbird/MGM)
William Crighton – Water and Dust (ABC Music) *WINNER
Best Children’s Album
Benny Time – Benny and Friends (Independent)
Teeny Tiny Stevies – How To Be Creative (ABC Music)
The Beanies – Let’s Go! (ABC Music)
The Wiggles – ReWiggled (ABC Music) *WINNER
Van-Anh Nguyen – The Princess And The Piano (Universal Music Australia)
PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS
Best Video presented by YouTube
Apple Crumble – Lime Cordiale, Joe Neathway (Chugg Music)
Blak Matriarchy – Barkaa, Selina Miles (Bad Apples Music/Island Records Australia)
Down Under (ft. Colin Hay) – Luude, Peter Hume (Sweat It Out / Warner)
Every Side Of You – Vance Joy, William Bleakley (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group) *WINNER
GTFO – Genesis Owusu, Uncle Friendly (Rhett Wade-Ferrell) (Ourness)
Hertz – Amyl and The Sniffers, John Angus Stewart (Virgin Music Australia)
I Don’t Wanna Leave – RÜFÜS DU SOL, Katzki (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music)
Lydia Wears A Cross – Julia Jacklin (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Say Nothing (feat. MAY-A) – Flume (Future Classic)
Wish You Well (feat. Bernard Fanning) – Baker Boy, Macario De Souza (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Best Australian Live Act presented by Heaps Normal
Amy Shark – See U Somewhere Australia Tour 2022 (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort To Me Tour 2022 (Virgin Music Australia)
Baker Boy – Gela Tour (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Budjerah – The Conversations Australian Tour (Warner Music Australia)
Gang Of Youths – Angel in Realtime. (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
Genesis Owusu – Genesis Owusu & The Black Dog Band (Ourness)
Midnight Oil – RESIST. THE FINAL TOUR. 2022 (Sony Music)
The Kid LAROI – End Of The World Tour (Columbia/Sony Music)
The Wiggles – The OG Wiggles Reunion/Fruit Salad TV Big Show Tour (ABC Music) *WINNER
Thelma Plum – The Meanjin Tour (Warner Music Australia)
Song of the Year presented by YouTube
Clinton Kane – I Guess I’m In Love (Columbia/Sony Music)
Dean Lewis – Hurtless (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Flume – Say Nothing (feat. MAY-A) (Future Classic)
Joji – Glimpse Of Us (88rising/Warner Records)
Jolyon Petch feat. Reigan – Dreams (TMRW)
Luude – Down Under (ft. Colin Hay) (Sweat It Out/Warner)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – On My Knees (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music)
The Kid LAROI – Thousand Miles (Columbia/Sony Music)
Tones And I – Cloudy Day (Bad Batch Records/Sony Music) *WINNER
Vance Joy – Clarity (Liberation Records/Mushroom Group)
Most Popular International Artist
ABBA – Voyage (Universal Music Group/Polar Music International)
Adele – 30 (Columbia/Sony Music)
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever (Darkroom/Interscope Records/Universal Music Group)
Drake – Certified Lover Boy (OVO/Republic/Universal Music Group)
Ed Sheeran – = (Atlantic Records/Warner Music)
Harry Styles – Harry’s House (Columbia/Sony Music) *WINNER
Jack Harlow – Come Home The Kids Miss You (Atlantic Records/Warner Music)
Lil Nas X – Montero (Columbia/Sony Music)
Post Malone – Twelve Carat Toothache (Mercury/Republic/Universal Music Group)
Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor’s Version) (Republic/Universal Music Group)
Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award
David Collins-White – Haberfield Public School, Haberfield, Eora Nation, NSW
Jane Nicholas – Willandra Primary School, Seville Grove, Noongar Land, WA
Kath Dunn – Wollondilly Public School, Goulburn, Gundungurra Land, NSW
Matt Orchard – Apollo Bay P-12 College, Apollo Bay, Gadubanud Territory, VIC *WINNER
ARTISAN AWARDS
Best Cover Art
Adnate for Baker Boy – Gela (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia) *WINNER
Giulia Giannini McGauran for Alex the Astronaut – How To Grow A Sunflower Underwater (Warner Music Australia)
Jonathan Zawada for Flume – Palaces (Future Classic)
Kayla Flett, Gabi Coulthurst & Dimathaya Burarrwanga for King Stingray – King Stingray (Cooking Vinyl Australia/The Orchard)
Seshanka Samarajiwa, Zain Ayub & Tasman Keith for Tasman Keith – A Colour Undone (AWAL Recordings Ltd)
Mix Engineer – Best Mixed Album
Cassian for RÜFÜS DU SOL – Surrender (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music)
Dann Hume & Eric J Dubowsky for Budjerah – Conversations (Warner Music Australia)
Eric J Dubowsky for Flume – Palaces (Future Classic)
Paul McKercher for Ball Park Music – Weirder & Weirder (Prawn Records/Inertia Music)
Pip Norman, Andrei Eremin & Dave Hammer for Baker Boy – Gela (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia) *WINNER
Producer – Best Produced Album presented by Neumann
Amyl and the Sniffers & Dan Luscombe for Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort To Me (Virgin Music Australia)
Courtney Barnett & Stella Mozgawa for Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time (Milk! Records/Remote Control Records)
Flume – Palaces (Future Classic)
Pip Norman, Rob Amoruso, Morgan Jones, Carl Dimataga, Willie Tafa & Jerome Farah for Baker Boy – Gela (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Surrender (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music) *WINNER
FINE ARTS AWARD
Best Classical Album
Amy Dickson, Colin Currie, Lothar Koenigs, Yvonne Kenny, David Zinman, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Markus Stenz & Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Ross Edwards: Frog and Star Cycle / Symphonies 2 & 3 (ABC Classic)
Lachlan Skipworth – Chamber Works, Vol. 2 (Cygnus Arioso)
Luke Howard – All of Us (Mercury KX/Universal Music Australia)
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra & Sir Andrew Davis – The Enchanted Loom: Orchestral works By Carl Vine (ABC Classic) *WINNER
Tamara-Anna Cislowska & Guests – Duet (ABC Classic)
Best Jazz Album
Barney McAll – Precious Energy (Extra Celestial Arts)
Mike Nock, Hamish Stuart, Julien Wilson & Jonathan Zwartz – Another Dance (Lionsharecords/The Planet Company)
Mildlife – Live From South Channel Island ([PIAS] Australia/Inertia Music) *WINNER
Sam Anning – Oaatchapai (Earshift Music/The Planet Company)
Springtime – Springtime (Virgin Music Australia)
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album
Australian Chamber Orchestra & Richard Tognetti – River (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (ABC Classic) *WINNER
Brett Aplin – No Mercy, No Remorse (Original Score) (Independent)
In Hearts Wake – Green Is The New Black (UNFD/The Orchard)
Maria Alfonsine with Itunu Pepper – Akoni (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (MADBS Composing Palace)
Matteo Zingales – A Fire Inside (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (ABC Music)
Best World Music Album
Australian Art Orchestra, Daniel Wilfred, Sunny Kim, Peter Knight & Aviva Endean – Hand to Earth (AAO Recordings/The Planet Company)
Joseph Tawadros with William Barton – History Has A Heartbeat (Independent/The Planet Company) *WINNER
Mista Savona – Havana Meets Kingston Part 2 (ABC Music)
Parvyn – Sa (Parvyn Music/Gaga Digi)
William Barton & Véronique Serret – Heartland (ABC Classic)
Burna Boy is cooking in the U.K., where he’s set to become the first African artist to headline a stadium concert.
The Nigeria-born Afrobeats star (real name Damini Ogulu) leads the lineup for the Love, Damini tour date at London Stadium, set for June 3, 2023.
“London Stadium is going to be my fairground,” he comments. “I’ve been told that I couldn’t achieve anything because of where I came from, I hope this can show people that when you have a dream it doesn’t matter where you’ve come from, your dream can come true.”
The history-making show at London Stadium (formerly the Olympic Stadiu) “is going to be legendary, it’s history and I can’t wait for you all to be a part of that.”
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Born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Burna Boy has a busy touring schedule for the year ahead, with a range of arena, stadium and festival dates locked-in on both sides of the Atlantic.
The massive London date will be bookended by shows next summer at Paris La Defense and Gelredome Arnhem, a soccer stadium in the Netherlands,
With a capacity north of 60,000, the London Stadium show will be Burna Boy’s largest-ever solo audience. “It will be a landmark first for him or any solo African artist here in the U.K.,” comments Graham Gilmore, CEO of London Stadium, “so it promises to be a special night at the Stadium next June”.
Burna Boy is no stranger to the big occasion. He’s landed nine top 40 hits in the U.K., including a No. 1 for 2019’s “Own It,” with Stormzy and Ed Sheeran. His sixth and latest studio album, Love, Damini, peaked at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Chart in July.
Career highlights include a Grammy Award for 2020’s Twice as Tall (best global music album), a headline show at New York’s Madison Square Garden in April, and sold-out dates at London’s Wembley Arena in November 2019 and at The O2 Arena in August 2021.
He’s appeared twice on the Billboard Hot 100, and with three titles on the Billboard 200 chart, including a best of No. 14 for Love, Damini.
Official HIGE DANdism‘s latest single “Subtitle,” released Oct. 12, has become a record-breaking hit in Japan.
On the Billboard Japan Hot 100 songs chart dated Nov. 9, 2022, “Subtitle” took the No. 1 position for a third consecutive week. In its streaming metrics, which serve as signposts of major hits, it came in at No. 2 on the chart dated Oct. 19 (with 9,905,294 streams), No. 1 on Oct. 26 (18,116,526 streams), No. 1 on Nov. 2 (20,781,069 streams), No. 1 on Nov. 9 (21,044,966 streams), and No. 1 on Nov. 16 (21,377,507 streams).
The number of streams just keeps going up and up and up. For the week tracking Nov. 7 to 13, the song had 29,935,364 streams — the second-highest number of streams for any song on the chart ever, surpassed only by BTS‘ “Butter,” which was released on June 2, 2021. It’s also the first time in Japan Hot 100 history that a song has had over 20 million plays for three weeks in a row. There’s no question that “Subtitle” is one of the leading hit songs of the Japanese music scene in the latter half of 2022.
“Subtitle” is a winter ballad written as the theme song to the dramatic TV series silent. The members of the band read the script treatment and actual script for the show, which are completely original. The story and the show’s message resonated with the band, which is why they decided to write the show’s theme song. silent is a love story focused on protagonist Tsumugi Aoba (played by Haruna Kawaguchi) and her former boyfriend, So Sakura (played by Snow Man’s Ren Meguro). The bittersweet and endearing tale of Sakura, who begins to gradually lose his hearing at the age of 18, Aoba, who works to accept the changes he is undergoing and rebuild her relationship with him, and Nana Momono (played by Kaho), who was born deaf, has attracted a diverse audience. The show itself has become one of 2022’s outstanding programs, with playback numbers that sweep away previous record-holders on TVer, the television broadcast service for over-the-air broadcasters. The synergy between the show and its opening theme is boosting the hit’s trajectory. It’s an ideal tie-up.
The choice of the name “Subtitle” for the theme song of this drama about meeting again in a soundless world shows the respect they have for the series.
“Subtitle” begins with the line “‘Pouring the sun into your frozen heart’ and ‘That’s what I’ll be for you,’” sung by Satoshi Fujihara (vocals and piano). The way the song launches straight into the vocals without an intro shows a modern sensibility, but the structure of the song itself is pure J-pop: verse, bridge, chorus, soft chorus, middle eight. HIGE DAN’s strengths, like chord progressions which make effective use of modulation and dramatic melody lines, are taken to a new height, producing a song that is pleasant yet never goes stale. Care was also taken with the arrangement, and the colorful guitar phrases and rhythm line, with its deep bass tone, make quite the impression. Another of the appeals of this song is the musical skill shown by Daisuke Ozasa (guitars and chorus), Makoto Narazaki (bass and saxophone), and Masaki Matsuura (drums and chorus).
Coming in at over five minutes, the song is unusually long for a modern song, but thanks to the quality of the melody and the intricacy of the song’s design, it never overstays its welcome. The reason the number of plays keeps rising is that the song has so much depth — every time you listen to it, you discover something new.
What enthralls listeners the most about “Subtitle,” though, are its lyrics. The core of the strong is the powerful love the singer feels toward “you,” and the frustration they feel about not being able to convey that love. The lyrics artfully express how words spoken to convey one’s feelings vanish the moment they are uttered, as epitomized in the phrase “words are like snowflakes.”
This emotion peaks in the line “Even more than saying I love you, I want to say wait, just a moment more, until you feel my love.” The struggles faced by the singer end, unresolved. They do not take any concrete action. But the love the singer feels for “you” is true and without question, and the singer wants to share their feelings, moving “your” heart. Listening to the song, you feel these emotions ring pure and clear.
Immediately after the song’s release, people started posting their interpretations of the lyrics on social media and in YouTube comments. “I love the lyrics. I’d rather feel the kind of love where two people support each other than love that’s a one-way street. If I have to experience the lowest of the lows in life, that’s the kind of life I’d rather lead.” “I feel like the lyrics to ‘Subtitle’ really affect the way I see love…but shift them a little, at the same time.” “No matter how you try to express yourself, if your emotions aren’t of the same intensity, your ability to communicate your feelings will suffer. But you can’t give up on sharing what you feel in your heart.” Comments like these are testament to how the words to “Subtitle” resonate with the experiences and memories of listeners, and how they feel like the song is their own song.
Official HIGE DANdism has produced countless hits, including “115man Kilo no Film,” “Pretender” and “I LOVE…” “Subtitle” will surely become one of their new standards, thanks to the quality of its music and the profundity of its lyrics. It will become a leading J-pop winter ballad of the 2020s, continuing to enthrall listeners for years to come.
—This article by Tomoyuki Mori first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Dermot Kennedy opens-up a sizeable lead in the U.K. chart race with Sonder (via Island), his second album.
The Irishman’s LP leads the midweek survey, with an advantage of 12,000 chart sales over Taylor Swift’s Midnights (EMI), the next closest title.
Sonder is the followup to Without Fear, which, in 2019, saw Kennedy became the first Irish act in over years to bow at No. 1 in the U.K. with his debut.
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Meanwhile, Queen is all set to make a miracle return to the chart. The legendary rock band returns to the Official Chart Update at No. 3 with The Miracle (Island), following an eight-disc reissue, including six unreleased tracks, four with the late Freddie Mercury on lead vocals.
The Miracle led the weekly chart following its original release in 1989.
Canadian rockers Nickelback are back, and ready to get rolling into the U.K. top 10. The band’s 10th studio album, Get Rollin’ (BMG) is heading for a No. 5 start. If it holds its position, that would mark Nickelback’s sixth U.K. top 5 appearance, the OCC reports.
David Bowie could score another posthumous hit, this time with the original soundtrack to the Brett Morgan-helmed documentary film, Moonage Daydream (via Parlophone). It’s on track for a No. 7 debut, for what would be the Thin White Duke’s 36th U.K. top 10.
Close behind is U.S. metal band Disturbed, which could bag a fourth U.K. top 10 appearance with Divisive (Reprise). It’s new at No. 8 on the chart blast.
Mariah Carey made an early foray into the U.K. singles chart top 40 last Friday (Nov. 18) with her holiday classic, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia). It hasn’t quite triggered an avalanche, though a ripple of Christmas-themed recordings are making a move on the albums chart.
Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra are on track for a No. 4 start on the albums chart with Silver Bells (Decca); Andrea, Matteo and Virginia Bocelli’s A Family Christmas (Decca) is poised to lift 13-12; Kylie Minogue’s Kylie Christmas (Parlophone) is set to reenter at No. 27; and Michael Bublé’s multi-platinum gift that keeps-on giving, Christmas (Reprise), is poised to return at No. 35.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published Friday.
Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” (EMI) looks set to extend its reign in the U.K. for a fifth week.
The first track on Swift’s new album Midnights has dominated the Official U.K. Singles Chart since its release, Oct. 21, and is by some distance her longest-ruling No. 1 in that territory (her previous best was a two-week run in 2017 with “Look What You Made Me Do”).
Based on midweek sales and streaming data captured by the Official Charts Company, “Anti-Hero” should hold on for another week, making it five in a row.
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Just four other releases this year have notched more than a month at No. 1 in the U.K.: “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (7 weeks) by the cast of Encanto, “As It Was” (10 weeks) by Harry Styles and “Afraid To Feel” (8 weeks) by LF SYSTEM.
Meanwhile, Meghan Trainor appears to be moving on up with her doo-wop number, “Made You Look” (Epic), lifting 4-3 on the midweek survey, for what would be a peak position.
The highest new entry on the Official Chart Update belongs to London rapper Clavish, who’s on the verge of his first top 10 with “Rocket Science” (Polydor) featuring D-Block Europe. It’s set to debut at No. 9.
Irish singer and songwriter Dermot Kennedy is on track for his first albums chart crown with Sonder, which leads at the midweek point. He’s on the rise on the U.K. singles survey, as “Kiss Me” (Island) improves 19-12, for what would be a new peak in its 12th week on the survey.
Grime star Stormzy is on fire with his latest, the ballad “Firebabe” (0207/Merky). It lights up 21-19 in its second week on the survey.
Christmas has come early on the U.K. singles chart, with Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) making an earlier-than-usual annual return to top 40 on latest chart, published Nov. 18.
Carey’s evergreen number is only going in one direction — up. The record-breaking tune lifts 36-20 on the chart blast, and holds a slim lead over another holiday classic, Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA), up 45-22 on the chart blast.
It may be too early to confirm, but Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic) might be here to stay, at least in the annual lead-up to Dec. 25. After hitting No. 1 last December, the duet is poised to return to the survey, at No. 33.
All will be revealed when the Official Chart is published Friday (Nov. 25).
The Queen of Christmas is making her presence felt earlier than usual in the U.K.
Mariah Carey’s holiday classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (via Columbia) makes its annual merry-go-round into the U.K. top 40, leaping 56-36 on the latest chart, published Nov. 18.
According to the Official Charts Company, that’s the earliest top-flight appearance for the song since its original release back in 1994.
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“All I Want For Christmas Is You” reenters the top 40 in the 46th week of 2022, the charts compiler explains, having previously made its mark in the the 47th week in the years 2021, 2020 and 2017.
Carey and her evergreen hit have been in the news of late, first with the U.S. pop superstar dropping her “it’s time” meme the moment Halloween came to an end.
Then, last week, a federal tribunal rejected Carey’s attempts to trademark her holiday nickname, after another “Queen of Christmas” cried foul.
From now until year’s end, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” should march up the charts.
Brits love the song at this time of year. In December 2020, the single “All I Want for Christmas Is You” finally hit No. 1 in the U.K., a journey that set a new chart record.
In dawdling to the summit in its 70th week, no other song had spent more cycles in the top 40 before snaring the U.K. crown.
Meanwhile, several Christmas-themed numbers are on the way back into the top tier, including Wham’s “Last Christmas” (up 71-42 via RCA) and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” (No. 92 via MCA).
The Official U.K. Singles Chart is published late Friday.