Music

17 May 2024

Ariana Grande’s ‘We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)’ Hits No. 1 on Pop Airplay Chart

Ariana Grande’s “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” lifts to No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart (dated May 25).

With the track, from Grande’s Republic Records album Eternal Sunshine, she notches her 10th Pop Airplay leader, becoming the sixth act to amass a double-digit total. Taylor Swift boasts a record 13 No. 1s, followed by Maroon 5, Katy Perry, Rihanna (11 each), Justin Bieber, Grande (10 each), Bruno Mars and P!nk (nine each).

(The Pop Airplay chart, which began in October 1992, ranks songs by weekly plays on over 150 mainstream top 40 radio stations monitored by Mediabase, with data provided to Billboard by Luminate.)

Grande co-wrote and co-produced “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” with Max Martin and ILYA.

Trending on Billboard

Here’s a recap of Grande’s 10 Pop Airplay No. 1s:

  • “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” one week to date, May 25, 2024
  • “Die for You” (The Weeknd & Ariana Grande), two weeks, beginning Feb. 11, 2023
  • “34+35,” three weeks, beginning Feb. 13, 2021
  • “Positions,” seven weeks, beginning Dec. 26, 2020
  • “7 Rings,” six weeks, beginning March 16, 2019
  • “Thank U, Next,” one week, Jan. 26, 2019
  • “God Is a Woman,” one week, Nov. 10, 2018
  • “No Tears Left to Cry,” one week, July 21, 2018
  • “Side to Side” (feat. Nicki Minaj), five weeks, beginning Dec. 24, 2016
  • “Problem” (feat. Iggy Azalea), two weeks, beginning July 12, 2014            

“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” launched at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated March 23, becoming Grande’s ninth leader. The same week, Eternal Sunshine soared in as her sixth No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

All Billboard charts dated May 25 will update Tuesday, May 21, on Billboard.com.

17 May 2024

Tyler Hubbard Is ‘Back’ at No. 1 on Country Airplay, Post Malone & Morgan Wallen, Bryan Martin Hit Top 10

Tyler Hubbard earns his second No. 1 as a soloist on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Back Then Right Now” ascends to the summit on the May 25-dated list. The single increased 6% to 29.5 million audience impressions May 10-16, according to Luminate.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Hubbard co-authored the song with Jessie Jo Dillon, David Garcia and Geoff Warburton, and co-produced it with Jordan Schmidt. It’s the lead single from Hubbard’s sophomore LP, Strong, which launched at its No. 35 high on Top Country Albums in April.

The track follows Hubbard’s “Dancin’ in the Country,” which hit No. 2 on Country Airplay in May 2023, becoming his second of three top 10s. “5 Foot 9” led for a week in November 2022.

Trending on Billboard

Hubbard, 37, from Monroe, Ga., made 16 previous trips to No. 1 on Country Airplay as half Florida Georgia Line with Brian Kelley, who is also working solo.

Post Malone, Wallen Soar to Top 10

In its second week on Country Airplay – after it debuted from just one day of play the week before – Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen, hits the top 10 (18-9; 15.8 million May 10-16; up from 10.4 million May 9). The song, a contender for No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated May 25, is Post Malone’s second Country Airplay entry, following his featured turn on the late Joe Diffie’s “Pickup Man” (No. 44, January). Wallen adds his 15th top 10.

“Help” is the first song to reach the Country Airplay top 10 in two or fewer weeks since Garth Brooks’ “More Than a Memory” launched at No. 1 in September 2007. It’s also the first to do so not by Garth Brooks, dating to the chart’s 1990 start.

Songs to Reach the Country Airplay Top 10 in Two or Fewer Weeks:

  • Garth Brooks, “More Than a Memory,” Sept. 15, 2007, one – the only song to debut at No. 1
  • Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help,” May 25, 2024, two
  • Garth Brooks, “It’s Your Song,” Nov. 21, 1998, two
  • Garth Brooks, “Longneck Bottle,” Nov. 29, 1997, two
  • Garth Brooks, “She’s Every Woman,” Sept. 16, 1995, two
  • Garth Brooks, “The Thunder Rolls,” May 25, 1991, two

Of the five songs above prior to “I Had Some Help,” four hit No. 1 on Country Airplay; “It’s Your Song” peaked at No. 9.

Martin’s ‘Ride’ Rolls On

Plus, Bryan Martin, who hails from Logansport, La., and worked on an oil rig before pivoting to music, hits the Country Airplay top 10 with his first entry, “We Ride” (11-10; 15.5 million, up 2%). It’s from his third LP, Poets & Old Souls, released in March 2023.

17 May 2024

Watch Billie Eilish Get Flirty in ’90s-Inspired ‘Lunch’ Music Video

Just 12 hours after dropping her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, at midnight Friday (May 17), Billie Eilish has unveiled the project’s first music video: a flirty, ’90s-inspired visual for the song “Lunch.”

Filmed with an overexposed, grainy filter, the ’90s-inspired video finds the 22-year-old pop star singing along as she models a variety of her signature oversized outfits, accessorized with baggy jerseys and snapbacks. As the song intensifies, Eilish’s backdrop changes from a blank white space to vivid primary colors, the singer dancing with clones of herself onscreen.

“I could eat that girl for lunch, she dances on my tongue,” Eilish sings on the upbeat dance track. “Tastes like she might be the one/ And I could never get enough/ I could buy her so much stuff/ It’s a craving, not a crush.”

Trending on Billboard

Produced by Eilish’s older brother and longtime collaborator Finneas, Hit Me Hard and Soft features a total of 10 tracks. (See them ranked here.) It follows the two-time Oscar winner’s debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and sophomore effort Happier Than Ever, both of which spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

“This whole process has felt like I’m coming back to the girl that I was,” she told Rolling Stone in April of Hit Me Hard and Soft. “I’ve been grieving her. I’ve been looking for her in everything, and it’s almost like she got drowned by the world and the media. I don’t remember when she went away.”

Watch Billie Eilish’s “Lunch” music video above.

17 May 2024

BTS’ RM Reveals Full Track List for ‘Right Place, Wrong Person’ Solo Album

With just a week to go before BTS‘ RM releases his second solo album, Right Place, Wrong Person, on Friday (May 17) the singer finally revealed the full track list for the 11-song LP.

The album (out May 24) described in a release as a collection of “alternative genre-based tracks… that reflect a raw and host presentation of RM’s distinctive sensibility, aesthetics and beliefs,” will feature collaborations with British rapper/singer Little Simz on “Domodachi,” and singer/guitarist Moses Sumney on “Around the world in a day.” In addition to dreamy first single “Come Back to Me,” the album contains the title track as well as “Nuts,” “Groin,” “Heaven” and “LOST!”

“Come Back to Me” features lyrics by RM, as well as guest musicians OHHYUK from South Korean band HYUKOH — who composed and arranged the song — and guitar and bass from Kuo of Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster and contributions from singer/songwriter JNKYRD and San yawn of Balming Tiger.

Trending on Billboard

Other contributions come from Kim Hanjoo of South Korean band Silica Gel, who produced “LOST!,” and alt jazz duo DOMi & JD Beck, who helped with production on “? (Interlude).”

RM recently released the trippy, seven-minute-long video for “Come Back to Me,” which was written and produced by Beef creator Lee Sung Jin. In it he croons, “Come back to me/ Like you used to/ Now, I could see/ What a life is about/ I told you I’m fine tonight/ Staying good/ Spring always been here/ I will sleep in her eyes,” over acoustic guitar and whistling in the clip in which he plays several different roles.

Check out the full Right Place, Wrong Person track list below.

17 May 2024

Chris Stapleton Reveals His Surprise Dua Lipa Duet at 2024 ACMs Came Together ‘in the Last 2 Days’

Chris Stapleton took home four awards at the 2024 ACM Awards Thursday night (May 16), but he may as well have won a fifth: best-kept secret, which he unofficially earned for his surprise duet with Dua Lipa during the ceremony.

Viewers were shocked to see the pop star take the stage with the country crooner at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas, with the pair teaming up for a reimagined version of his “Think I’m in Love With You” midway through the show. (Sources onsite told Billboard that the pair is planning to release a collaboration together in the future, but neither musician has publicly confirmed the news.)

After the performance, Stapleton revealed on the Winner’s Walk carpet that he was almost equally surprised to see the duet materialize, telling Billboard‘s Melinda Newman that it came together in as little as two days.

“[Lipa] contacted the ACMs, and the ACMs contacted us,” he said, noting the “Houdini” singer’s dedication to making the partnership happen. “She’s very busy promoting her own record [Radical Optimism] right now. We kind of created this thing together in the last two days.”

Lipa also opened up to Billboard about the performance after the show, which was produced by Dick Clark Productions. “Lots of zip-up hoodies and running in and out of the arena [were involved],” she told reporter Lyndsey Havens of how she kept her appearance under wraps. “We were all so in on making sure that this stays a surprise to make the moment even more special. I don’t know how we did it, I’m glad we did it because it’s really special when it happened tonight on stage.”

In addition to performing, Stapleton also won male artist of the year, artist-songwriter of the year and album of the year for his 2023 record Higher at the ACMs. When Billboard asked him and his wife/collaborator Morgane which pop artist the country star would like to work with next, he replied, “I’d always say someone like Paul McCartney.”

He then added, “Harry Styles. [Morgane has] mentioned [him] a few times.”

DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.

17 May 2024

Jelly Roll Says ACM Win With Lainey Wilson Was Meant to Be: ‘What a Great Year for Me to Have a Song With Her!’

The year just keeps getting better for Jelly Roll. The “Son of a Sinner” singer added another notch to his gilded belt on Thursday night (May 16) at the 2024 ACM Awards when he shared the music event of the year prize with Lainey Wilson at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

“First time nominated, first award and it couldn’t have happened for a more meaningful song,” Jelly Roll said of his win for “Save Me” with Wilson at the show produced by Dick Clark Productions. Speaking to Billboard after the event, Jelly said he decided to add Wilson to the song after he recorded it solo because he wanted to “hear it from a woman’s point of view.”

As an example of why that was definitely the right call, he said his stylist told him she listened to the track “1,000 times and loved it,” but when she heard the version with Wilson she cried because, as she told him, “it felt like it was one of us singing it. I was like, ‘WOW,’ it just covered me in chills. I knew then that it was going to be a special song.”

Jelly said he had a premonition that Wilson was going to be the biggest star on the planet, but after the breakout year she’s had, he thought, “What a great year for me to have a song with her!”

While Jelly Roll has been at the game for a while before his big blowup began taking hold over the last 24 months, he said he and pal Wilson talk all the time about the wild rocket ride of fame they’ve both been on lately and love to share notes and advice. “It’s been so awesome. We’ve been so paralleled and everything. We talk about it openly and honestly,” he said of the small group of fellow artists — which also includes Cody Johnson — that he huddles with to “lay it all on the table.”

In the midst of a red-hot streak that has had anyone and everyone knocking on his door for a collaboration, Jelly Roll had no problem naming the one call that wowed and delighted him the most. “Whenever I got the call to do the MusiCares with Jon Bon Jovi and then I met Sir Paul McCartney at the same time,” he said of the February gala honoring the Bon Jovi founder at which the country star performed a gritty cover of the Jersey rockers’ “Bad Medicine.”

“There’s a picture that exists on the Earth of me meeting Sir Paul McCartney and Jon Bon Jovi at the same time… that was the one that was like, ‘get out of here man!,’” he joked about the pic he keeps sending around to friends and swearing is not a PhotoShop job. Now that he’s been awarded for his Wilson collab, Jelly Roll said the next duet partner on his bucket list is definitely Jersey giant Bon Jovi. Or James Taylor, or Bob Seger.

Watch Jelly Roll talk about his big night and his pinch-me photo op above.

DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.

17 May 2024

Miley Cyrus’ ‘Psycho Killer’ & More Talking Heads Covers Unveiled on New A24 Tribute Album: Listen

A24’s full compilation album Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute To Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense has finally arrived, featuring new covers of the quintessential rock band’s music by Miley Cyrus and more artists. 

The “Flowers” singer contributed a rendition of Talking Heads’ 1977 hit “Psycho Killer” to the project, which dropped Friday (May 17). Singing over oscillating synths and intense percussion, Cyrus — who previously sang a live cover of the song during her November performance at the Chateau Marmont in L.A. — injects her own flair and pop-star energy into David Byrne’s sauntering original. 

“Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?” she sings with her signature rasp. “Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away.” 

Trending on Billboard

The 16-track LP also features The National’s version of “Heaven” and The Linda Lindas’ take on “Found a Job,” as well as covers by Blondshell, Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado, DJ Tunez, Jean Dawson, The Cavemen, BADBADNOTGOOD, Kevin Abstract and Chicano Batman. A few of the recordings were released prior to the full album, including Paramore’s rendition of “Burning Down the House,” Lorde’s performance of “Take Me to the River,” Girl in Red’s “Girlfriend Is Better” and Teezo Touchdown’s “Making Flippy Floppy.” 

Spearheaded by A24, the honorary project celebrates the 40th anniversary of Talking Heads’ innovative 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense, which was restored for special screenings in theater last fall.   

Listen to Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, featuring Cyrus’ cover of “Psycho Killer,” below. 

17 May 2024

Friday Music Guide: New Music From Billie Eilish, Zayn, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie and More

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

This week, Billie Eilish hits new sweet spots, Zayn enters a fresh phase and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie keeps climbing. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft



Forget the standout tracks (although there are several of them) and the general atmosphere (which is richly developed and immediately engrossing); the miracle of Billie Eilish’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, is the fact that one of the most celebrated young superstars in the history of popular music — who’s coming off of her second Oscar win, at the age of 22! — can continue to sound so freed from expectations, and unconstrained from modern pop trends. Eilish has always made unflinching choices in the face of ever-expanding fame, and from the crackling pop-rock of “Lunch” to the labyrinthine saga of “Bittersuite” to the heartfelt jangle of “Birds of a Feather,” she remains impossible to predict, and a master of her craft, on her latest full-length.

Zayn, Room Under the Stairs



Room Under the Stairs is Zayn’s first album since he entered his thirties last year — and while the rustic, country-rock sound denotes a change in approach, the songwriting and vocal performances also capture a maturation, as the former One Direction star sounds fully removed from the trappings of pop stardom and ready to tell his story his way. Lead single “What I Am” quickly sets the tone, but “Stardust” immerses the listener in the promise of Zayn’s new era, marrying his knack for melody with deep, hard-earned soulfulness.

Trending on Billboard

A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Better Off Alone



In a few weeks, Bronx rapper A Boogie Wit da Hoodie will perform a headlining show at Madison Square Garden, a full-circle moment for an MC who has always operated left-of-center when it comes to hip-hop’s elite but has steadily built a dedicated following and racked up hundreds of millions of streams. New album Better Off Alone includes guest spots from Future, Lil Durk and Young Thug, among others, but the percolating “Body,” featuring rising star Cash Cobain, best distills A Boogie’s new-school take on NYC hip-hop by way of Jersey club, and sounds like a surefire hit.

Luke Combs, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”



Luke Combs’ burly new rocker comes from the soundtrack to the upcoming Twister sequel Twisters, which helps explain lines like “You’ll know when it’s coming for ya / Riding in on the wind and rain.” Removed from the context of the film, however, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” allows Combs to playfully roar over meaty guitar riffs, showcasing a side of the superstar that might be unfamiliar to non-country fans who only know his delicate “Fast Car” cover.

Editor’s Pick: Saweetie, “NANi”



Saweetie climbed the charts and crossed over to mainstream listeners thanks in part to pop-rap confections like “My Type” and the Doja Cat collaboration “Best Friend,” and new summer single “NANi,” with its plinking keyboard riff and sing-song melody, has a great shot at following in the footsteps of those hits. As always, Saweetie’s rock-solid flow holds her sound together, as she concludes, “Another day, another f–kin’ bag,” with the braggadocio of a superstar.

17 May 2024

Falling in Reverse, Tech N9ne & Alex Terrible’s ‘Ronald’ Rules Hot Hard Rock Songs

Falling in Reverse, Tech N9ne and Alex Terrible’s collaboration “Ronald” bows big on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, debuting at No. 1 on the May 18-dated survey.

“Ronald” starts with 2.4 million official U.S. streams and 3,000 downloads sold in the week ending May 9, according to Luminate. It reigns from only three days of data, since it was released May 7.

The tune is Falling in Reverse’s fifth to top Hot Hard Rock Songs dating to the tally’s June 2020 inception; the Ronnie Radke-led band notched the chart’s inaugural No. 1, “Popular Monster.”

Of those five leaders, the band has logged its four most recent consecutively: “Zombified,” “Voices In My Head” (both in 2022), “Watch the World Burn” (2023) and “Ronald.” The streak is the longest in the chart’s history.

Falling in Reverse ties Bring Me the Horizon for the most No. 1s earned on the list.

Most No. 1s, Hot Hard Rock Songs:

  • 5, Bring Me the Horizon
  • 5, Falling in Reverse
  • 3, Foo Fighters
  • 2, HARDY
  • 2, Linkin Park
  • 2, Metallica
  • 2, Pearl Jam
  • 2, State of Mine

“Ronald” is the first Hot Hard Rock Songs No. 1 for both Tech N9ne and Alex Terrible. Rapper Tech N9ne previously appeared on the chart twice in 2020 as a featured artist on Hollywood Undead’s “Idol” (No. 7 peak) and Corey Taylor’s “CMFT Must Be Stopped” (No. 11). “Ronald” is Alex Terrible’s first appearance on the ranking as a solo act; his band Slaughter to Prevail has made two visits with “Baba Yaga” (No. 11, 2021) and “Viking” (No. 5, 2023).

Concurrently, “Ronald” bows at No. 24 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and No. 1 on Hard Rock Digital Song Sales, marking Falling in Reverse’s seventh leader and first since “Watch the World Burn” in 2023. The group first led with “Alone” in 2013.

“Ronald” is featured on Popular Monster, Falling in Reverse’s fifth studio album, due July 26. It’s the band’s first full-length since 2017’s Coming Home, which started at No. 2 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart and has earned 203,000 equivalent album units to date.

17 May 2024

Dua Lipa Reveals How She Kept Chris Stapleton ACM Awards Performance a Secret: ‘Lots of Hoodies Were Involved’

Dua Lipa‘s surprise performance with Chris Stapleton at Thursday night’s (May 16) 2024 ACM Awards required some seriously stealth maneuvers. The “Training Season” singer took the stage to debut a new duet with Stapleton at the awards show at Ford Theater at the Star in Frisco, Texas and afterwards she talked to Billboard about how they pulled off the high-profile musical sneak attack.

“Lots of zip-up hoodies and running in and out of the arena,” she said of the lengths the two singer’s teams went to in keeping the secret under wraps. “We were all so in on making sure that this stays a surprise to make the moment even more special. I don’t know how we did it, I’m glad we did it because it’s really special when it happened tonight on stage.”

Stapleton won the artist of the year and album award at the 59th annual ACMs, but it was when he performed his song “Thing I’m in Love With You” with Dua — and his wife Morgane — that the audience at the Ford Theater sat up in their seats watching the two singers from different musical words meld their universes.

Dua said she was inspired to attend the ACMs and perform with Stapleton because she’s a “massive fan” of the singer she called a “master of his craft.” She also enjoyed sitting down with Stapleton to brainstorm how they could reimagine the song from his Higher album. “To even just spend a few days with him working with him, and his band and with his wife Morgane as well, it’s just been absolutely incredible. It’s just one of those moments in my life where i’m so happy to be a musician and to be creating something and doing something that feels so exciting,” she said.

At press time, reps for both singers had not responded to Billboard‘s request for comment about news that they plan to release the collaboration soon.

Lipa was also excited to see fellow pop-to-country crossover star Post Malone performing at Thursday’s event, but the thing that she was most psyched about was her new album, Radical Optimism, debuting at the peak of the Top Album Sales chart.

Dua said she celebrated the long-gestating album’s release at home with friends and family with food, drinks and music. And, because she was in Texas, she had to try some local bbq as well, of course. “That and going on a hunt for the best cowboy hat,” she said of her Lone Star state adventures.

Watch Dua Lipa talk about the surprise performance and her album’s chart debut in the video above.