Music

29 Apr 2024

Taylor Swift Thanks Fans After ‘Unbelievable’ Hot 100 Chart Achievement

Taylor Swift made history once again as she claimed the top 14 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart dated May 4. All of the tracks, led by “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone at the summit, are from her freshly released album, The Tortured Poets Department.

“You’ve outdone yourselves, this is unbelievable,” the 34-year-old superstar wrote on social media on Monday (April 29), responding to the exciting news.

She also charts 32 songs – all 31 from the deluxe version of The Tortured Poets Department plus Lover stand-out hit “Cruel Summer” – on the latest list overall, the most ever in a single week by a woman. Swift was already the only artist ever to dominate the Hot 100’s entire top 10 — thanks to tracks from her last album of all-new material, Midnights, in 2022, led by the collection’s “Anti-Hero.”

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On streaming, Tortured Poets has also earned more than a billion listens across its 31 tracks on Spotify in just five days since its release, the fastest LP to ever do so. The milestone marks only the latest record Swift has set with the new album over the past few days, with Tortured Poets recently becoming Spotify’s most streamed album in a single day with more than 300 million streams accumulated in its first 24 hours of availability. Similarly, “Fortnight” set a new precedent for most single-day streams amongst individual songs on the platform.

“This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed and boarded up,” Swift wrote of her latest project on Instagram upon its release. “There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once wounds have healed. And upon further reflection, a good number of them turned out to be self-inflicted. This writer is of the firm belief that our tears become holy in the form of ink on a page. Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it.”

29 Apr 2024

Conductor Seiji Ozawa, Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron & More Among 2024 Asian Hall of Fame Inductees

The late, Grammy-winning conductor Seiji Ozawa; Matt Cameron, drummer for Pearl Jam; and Grammy-nominated concert violinist Anne Akiko Meyers are among the Asian Hall of Fame’s class of 2024 inductees. The class will be announced at a kick-off event, “Celebrate Asia Festival,” on May 1 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

The Celebrate Asia Festival is an annual benefit for the Women Founders Fund, which supports diversity among women in tech, entertainment and the arts. May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.

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Ozawa, who died Feb. 6 at age 88, was recognized internationally through his work as music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Vienna State Opera and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.  He won a Grammy in 2016 for best opera recording for Ravel: L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges; Shéhérazade.

Cameron first gained fame as the drummer for Soundgarden, which he joined in 1986. He appeared on each of the band’s studio albums until its breakup in 1997. In 1998, Cameron was invited to join Pearl Jam’s Yield Tour and then became a permanent member of the band. Cameron has won two Grammys for his work with Pearl Jam: best metal performance for “Spoonman” and best hard rock performance for “Black Hole Sun.”

Meyers received her first Grammy nod late last year for Fandango, a live recording with Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Philharmonic, which was nominated for best classical compendium. Her 2023-24 season includes performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic.

Here’s a quick look at this year’s three other music-connected honorees:

John Paris, drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire since 2001, played on Asian Hall of Fame’s Down by the Water charity album for human trafficking rescue.

Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, who performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” on American Idol at age seven (and was given a golden ticket by judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan to come back and compete in 2027) is the recipient of the Asian Innovation Award. The prize includes a grant check, invitation to record a song with pianist Ed Roth at the private studio of Robby Krieger, and opportunities to perform at the May Festival and October Ceremony.

Lydia Lee, choir director at John Muir Middle School in Burbank, Calif., is recipient of the Asian Women in the Arts Prize for her work in music education. Her choir will perform Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” in German with a professional adult choir and ensemble at the Oct. 19 induction ceremony.

29 Apr 2024

Taylor Swift Charts 32 Songs on Hot 100, Including Every Track From ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Taylor Swift is having a historic week on Billboard’s charts (dated May 4). On top of earning her 14th career No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with The Tortured Poets Department, she sets numerous new records across Billboard’s charts, including on the Billboard Hot 100.

As previously reported, the set launches at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 2.61 million equivalent album units earned in its opening week, according to Luminate. That’s the second-biggest week by that metric since Billboard began measuring the week’s most popular albums by equivalent album units in 2014, after Adele’s 25 (3.482 million, Dec. 12, 2015).

As Swift earns her 14th career Billboard 200 No. 1 album, she ties Jay-Z for the most among soloists. Overall, only The Beatles have more (19).

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Further, all 31 songs from the deluxe version of The Tortured Poets Department debut on the latest Hot 100, including the entire top 14 – the biggest takeover ever from No. 1 on down. Here’s a recap (all of which are debuts except where noted):

Rank, Title:
No. 1, “Fortnight,” feat. Post Malone
No. 2, “Down Bad”
No. 3, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
No. 4, “The Tortured Poets Department”
No. 5, “So Long, London”
No. 6, “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”
No. 7, “But Daddy I Love Him”
No. 8, “Florida!!!,” feat. Florence + The Machine
No. 9, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”
No. 10, “Guilty as Sin?”
No. 11, “Fresh Out the Slammer”
No. 12, “loml”
No. 13, “The Alchemy”
No. 14, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”
No. 20, “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”
No. 21, “Clara Bow”
No. 23, “thanK you aIMee”
No. 24, “So High School”
No. 25, “The Black Dog”
No. 26, “imgonnagetyouback”
No. 30, “The Albatross”
No. 32, “The Prophecy”
No. 34, “I Hate It Here”
No. 35, “How Did It End?”
No. 36, “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus”
No. 39, “I Look in People’s Windows”
No. 41, “Cruel Summer” (down from No. 13; spent four weeks at No. 1)
No. 44, “Cassandra”
No. 46, “Peter”
No. 47, “The Bolter”
No. 51, “The Manuscript”
No. 55, “Robin”

Thanks to her previously-charting No. 1 hit “Cruel Summer,” revived from her 2019 album Lover, Swift lands 32 total songs on the Hot 100. In the chart’s 65-year history, that’s the most among women in a single week. Overall, only Morgan Wallen has charted more songs – 36 – in one week, when his album One Thing at a Time opened atop the Billboard 200 dated March 18, 2023.

Most Entries on the Hot 100 Single Week
Hot 100 Entries, Artist, Chart Week
36, Morgan Wallen, 3/18/2023
32, Taylor Swift, 5/4/2024
28, Morgan Wallen, 3/25/2023
27, Drake, 7/14/2018
26, Taylor Swift, 11/27/2021
25, Taylor Swift, 7/22/2023
25, Lil Baby, 10/29/2022
24, Drake, 10/21/2023
24, Drake, 7/21/2018
24, Drake, 4/8/2017

Further, Swift charts 26 songs in the latest Hot 100’s top 40, a new one-week record. She surpasses the 22 that Drake logged on the Oct. 21, 2023, tally, when his most recent album, For All the Dogs, debuted atop the Billboard 200.

Plus, with 15 songs in the Hot 100’s top 20, Swift ties Drake for the most entries in the region in a single week. He charted 15 of the top 20 on the chart dated Nov. 19, 2022, as Her Loss, with 21 Savage, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Notably, Drake got in the way of Swift claiming 16 of the top 20 this week: his new single, “Push Ups,” enters at No. 19.

With 31 debuts, Swift ups her career total to 263 Hot 100 entries. That’s the most among women and the second-most overall, after Drake’s 330 (he adds a new entry this week, with “Push Ups”). Of those, 12 have hit No. 1 and 59 have hit the top 10 (the second-most, after Drake’s 77).

29 Apr 2024

Security Guard Shot Outside The Weeknd Co-Manager’s House in Possible Home Invasion Attempt

On early Monday morning (Apr. 29), a security guard was shot in Encino, Calif., at a home linked to music executive and The Weeknd co-manager, Amir “Cash” Esmailian. 

LAPD sent Billboard a statement regarding the 2:30 AM incident. “The victim (M/B/37 years) was inside a guard shack when he heard several gunshots and discovered he had been struck. The suspects (3 M/NFD) fled from the location. LAFD responded and transported the victim to a local hospital in unknown condition. Location: , 17500 block of Jayden Lane (RD 1067), April 29, 2024 at 0225 hours.”

A resident spoke to KTLA and explained that the affluent neighborhood is quiet and rarely experiences violent incidents like this. “I’m sure whatever happened here was captured on the security camera,” she said. Unfortunately, that can bring danger with it, too.”

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Police told KTLA that Esmailian was inside the home at the time of the incident, but it’s unclear whether the suspects ever entered the residence. A separate report from KTTV notes that the wounded guard placed the call to the police and identified the suspects as three men in hoodies and masks. Though the unnamed guard was in critical condition at the hospital, he will make a full recovery. Sources tell Billboard that this was an attempted home invasion.

According to KTLA, Esmailian’s house is reportedly on sale for $12 million. Aside from his work with The Weeknd as his manager and co-founder of the singer’s XO Records, Esmailian has worked with top hip-hop acts including Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert and Diddy. The executive is currently embroiled in the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud, which saw Drake take shots at The Weeknd and Esmalian himself on the track “Push Ups.”

Billboard reached out to Esmalian’s reps for comment. Watch a FOX 11 clip about the incident below.



29 Apr 2024

Luke Hemmings’ Heartfelt ‘Benny’ and 4 More Cool New Pop Songs This Week

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

These tracks from artists including Mabel, Lauv, Nilüfer Yanya and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist.

Coolest Pop Song of the Week: Luke Hemmings, “Benny”



Luke Hemmings has not had a ton of downtime over the past decade. The lead vocalist of 5 Seconds of Summer was a kid at the moment he became famous, about to turn 18 years old when the Australian quartet released their self-titled debut album in 2014; five albums and countless tour dates later, Hemmings is 27, squarely in adulthood, having seen the world and trying to push himself into unexplored corners of his artistry.

“Benny,” from Hemmings’ newly released solo EP Boy, takes a melancholy approach to a hectic lifestyle: “Will I be saying goodbye from a dark hotel room? / Living on the sidelines, what am I supposed to do?” Hemmings asks, his voice glumly reaching for alternatives. Yet the rhetorical questions and muted vocal take create an effective tension with the song’s dreamy synth beds. Hemmings never pushes the song toward the anthemic territory he’s covered well with 5SOS, but the quieter aspects of “Benny” come through amidst the soothing production, as if he’s tucking his confessions inside the prettiest package possible.

5 Seconds of Summer have impressively evolved their sound over the decade, becoming one of the more reliable pop-rock groups on the planet; now, Hemmings is doing the same with his solo work, following the 2021 debut When Facing the Things We Turn Away From. A song like “Benny” deserves to find a listenership beyond 5SOS completists, and hopefully will lead Hemmings to even more ambitious solo work.

Here are some more new pop songs worth checking out this week…

29 Apr 2024

Taylor Swift & Post Malone’s ‘Fortnight’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Global Charts

Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, arrives as the biggest song in the world, launching at No. 1 both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. The song is from her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, which rockets in at No. 1 on the U.S.-based Billboard 200.

On the Global 200, Swift scores her fifth No. 1, the most for a soloist in the survey’s history. On Global Excl. U.S., she lands her third leader, tying for the most among solo artists. Post Malone tops each tally for the first time.

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Meanwhile, Swift boasts the top nine songs on the Global 200, all from her new LP, a first in the chart’s archives. She previously claimed nine of the top 10, including the top five, in November 2022 with songs from Midnights, her last album of all-new material before The Tortured Poets Department.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.

Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.

“Fortnight” debuts atop the Global 200 with 176.8 million streams and 27,000 sold worldwide in its first week of release, April 19-25.

The streaming sum for the song marks the eighth-biggest in a single week since the Global 200 began.

Biggest Worldwide Streaming Weeks in Global 200 History:

  • 289.2 million, “Butter,” BTS, June 5, 2021
  • 217.1 million, “Seven,” Jung Kook feat. Latto, July 29, 2023
  • 217.1 million, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Feb. 4, 2023
  • 212.1 million, “Pink Venom,” BLACKPINK, Sept. 3, 2022
  • 185.6 million, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Feb. 11, 2023
  • 179.1 million, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Jan. 28, 2023
  • 178.2 million, “Easy on Me,” Adele, Oct. 30, 2021
  • 176.8 million, “Fortnight,” Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone, May 4, 2024
  • 170.8 million, “Permission To Dance,” BTS, July 24, 2021
  • 169.8 million, “Butter,” BTS, June 12, 2021

Swift scores her fifth Global 200 No. 1, as she breaks out of a tie with Bad Bunny for the most leaders among soloists; overall, only BTS has more, with seven. Here’s a rundown of her No. 1s:

  • “Fortnight,” feat. Post Malone, one week at No. 1 to-date, May 4, 2024
  • “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault],” one week, Nov. 11, 2023
  • “Cruel Summer,” four weeks, beginning Nov. 4, 2023
  • “Anti-Hero,” four weeks, beginning Nov. 5, 2022
  • “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” one week, Nov. 27, 2021

Meanwhile, here’s a recap of Swift’s nine songs in the top 10, from Nos. 1 through 9, on the May 4-dated Global 200:

  • No. 1, “Fortnight,” feat. Post Malone
  • No. 2, “Down Bad”
  • No. 3, “The Tortured Poets Department”
  • No. 4, “So Long, London”
  • No. 5, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
  • No. 6, “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”
  • No. 7, “But Daddy I Love Him”
  • No. 8, “Florida!!!,” feat. Florence + The Machine
  • No. 9, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”

With nine new Global 200 top 10s, Swift ups her total to 33 since the chart began, second only to Drake’s 35. As featured on “Florida!!!,” Florence + The Machine reaches the top 10 for the first time.

Breaking up Swift’s bid for the entire Global 200’s top 10, Artemas’ “I Like the Way You Kiss Me” drops to No. 10 from its No. 2 high. (Last week’s leader, “Too Sweet,” by Hozier, falls to No. 13.)

On the Global Excl. U.S. chart, “Fortnight” starts at No. 1 with 101.7 million streams and 8,000 sold outside the U.S. Swift previously led the chart with “Anti-Hero,” for two weeks, and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” for one week. With three leaders, she ties Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, Ariana Grande and Jung Kook for the most among soloists; among all acts, only BTS has banked more (seven).

Swift also enters the Global Excl. U.S. top 10 with “Down Bad” (No. 4), “The Tortured Poets Department” (No. 6), “So Long, London” (No. 7), “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” (No. 9) and “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” (No. 10). With six new top 10s, she swells her count to 20, surpassing Bad Bunny (18) for the most since the chart originated.

Elsewhere in the Global Excl. U.S. top 10, Artemas’ “I Like the Way You Kiss Me” dips to No. 2, after a week at No. 1; FloyyMenor and Cris Mj’s “Gata Only” rises 4-3 for a new high; Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” falls 2-5, after eight nonconsecutive weeks on top; and ILLIT’s “Magnetic” descends to No. 8 from its No. 3 best.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated May 4, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, April 30. For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

29 Apr 2024

Billboard Philippines Reveals Hip-Hop Class of 2024 With O Side Mafia, Felip, Illest Morena, Hev Abi & More

Hip-hop has always been one of the biggest and most vibrant genres in the Philippines. For decades, the Filipino hip-hop scene has been home to some of the country’s most riveting and innovative acts, unafraid to challenge norms and determined to tell their stories their own way. 

These days, hip-hop continues to evolve and expand faster than any other genre in Filipino music history. From rising to the top of music charts and gaining instant virality to molding youth culture, it’s time to bring Filipino hip-hop from the streets to the rest of the world.

This April, Billboard Philippines unveiled their first-ever Hip-Hop issue, featuring eight cover stars that have been changing and reinventing local hip-hop in their own distinct ways. Made up of O Side Mafia, Hev Abi, Tus Brothers, Zae, Felip, Illest Morena, Playertwo and Hellmerry, this is Billboard Philippines’ Hip-Hop Class of 2024.

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Billboard Philippines Reveals Their First-Ever Hip-Hop Class Of 2024

Zae performing “Edi Wag” in February 2024 at the Billboard Philippines studio in Pasig City, Philippines.

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Throughout this month, the Hip-Hop Class of 2024 recently took center stage as they delve deep into the struggles and successes of Filipino hip-hop.

In Billboard Philippines Volumes, the eight artists walk audiences through their start in the hip-hop scene and look ahead with their aspirations for the genre and themselves, as they look to take over the global stage. 

As Al Tus puts it: “Hindi mo mapipigilan. Maririnig talaga tayo ng buong mundo.” [You can’t stop it. Everyone in the world is going to hear us.]

Billboard Philippines Reveals Their First-Ever Hip-Hop Class Of 2024

Zae performing “Edi Wag” in February 2024 at the Billboard Philippines studio in Pasig City, Philippines.

Mayks Go

As a culmination of Billboard Philippines’ Hip-Hop issue, O Side Mafia, Hev Abi, Tus Brothers, Zae, Felip, Illest Morena, Playertwo and Hellmerry star in a special episode of Billboard Philippines Studios, during which they showcase the true power of Filipino hip-hop.

O Side Mafia — which includes Costa Cashman, Gee Exclsv and Madman Stan — opened the episode with their chart-topping single “GET LOW.” Following them are Al Tus and RudyRude, who make up the hard-core trap duo Tus Brothers, performing “RUN,” and then, Felip — also known as Ken of SB19 — with his commanding voice shined with his performance of “ROCKSTA.” Nearing the first half of the episode, the fierce Zae takes to the stage with “Edi Wag.”

Billboard Philippines Reveals Their First-Ever Hip-Hop Class Of 2024

RudyRude and Al Tus of Tus Brothers performing “RUN” in February 2024 at the Billboard Philippines studio in Pasig City, Philippines.

Mayks Go

Hellmerry then takes the floor with his booming performance of “Thai Freestyle,” followed by Ivo Impresso, Luke April and Wave P of Playertwo turning up the party with “Shower Music.” Closing out the show is versatile Illest Morena with “Faded (Raw)” and viral hip-hop star Hev Abi with “Alam Mo Ba Girl.”

Billboard Philippines Reveals Their First-Ever Hip-Hop Class Of 2024

Hev Abi performing “Alam Mo Ba Girl” in February 2024 at the Billboard Philippines studio in Pasig City, Philippines.

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Watch the Billboard Philippines Studios performances below:

29 Apr 2024

Noah Cyrus Has an NSFW Response to Instagram Troll Who Commented About Dominic Purcell Rumors

Noah Cyrus is clapping back at the haters.

Amid rumors that the 24-year-old singer dated Dominic Purcell before the Prison Break actor went on to marry her mother, Tish Cyrus, Noah took to Instagram to reply to a commenter who brought up the alleged love triangle.

“Dear lord, when I get i heaven please let me bring my man,” Noah captioned a series of photos from Coachella, in reference to lyrics from headliner Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful.” In the comment section, an Instagram user quipped, “Like that guy u and ur mom both have sexy time with?”

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Noah then replied, “Hey real grandma , I’m so sorry but will you pleeeeeass just choke on the fattest c—. just for a lil bit. great thanks.”

See the post here.

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Following Tish and Purcell’s 2023 wedding, attended by Cyrus kids Miley, Brandi and Trace, fans were quick to point out that Noah and Braison were not there. People then reported that 54-year-old Purcell had been casually dating Noah before moving on to Tish. Neither party has confirmed nor denied the rumors.

In April 2022, Tish filed for divorce from her longtime husband Billy Ray Cyrus. “It is after 30 years, five amazing children and a lifetime of memories, we have decided to go our separate ways — not with sadness, but with love in our hearts,” a joint statement shared to People at the time read. “We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths.”

 Just months after their divorce, Billy Ray got engaged to Australian singer Firerose in Nov. 2022.

29 Apr 2024

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Normani & Gunna, Tommy Richman, JT, Bairi & More

Although Taylor Swift‘s chart-busting Tortured Poets Department dominated the news cycle of the last weekend in April, the hip-hop and R&B worlds kept churning out hot new tracks and buzzy news stories to keep us occupied.

In yet another update to 2024’s Great Rap War, Drake complied with the Tuapc Shakur estate’s request to take down his new “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which featured verses spit by AI-generated versions of Snoop Dogg‘s and Pac’s voices. Kendrick Lamar has still not responded.

In other news, Ice Spice blessed Cash Cobain & Bay Swag’s “Fisherrr” remix, Ne-Yo smashed his NPR Tiny Desk set with a mixture of hits he’s penned for both himself and other artists, and Eminem announced a new album entitled The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) out this summer.

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With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Susan Carol’s soulful debut to Tommy Richman’s fast-rising smash. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

Freshest Find: Susan Carol, “Karma”

Fresh off her first career Grammy win (best traditional R&B performance for “Good Morning” with PJ Morton), Susan Carol is celebrating her recent signing to Def Jam with new single “Karma.” Produced by Harmony Samuels, “Karma” finds Carol delivering a biting vocal performance that plays well against the lush combination of swanky guitars, steady percussion and ornate strings. “Think you better than you is/ And I swear the d–k was mid/ It’s just like a boomerang/ Your’re throwing out bulls–t & it comes right back on you/ There’s nothing left for me to do,” she sings before the production opens up into a soulful symphony of lounge jazz influences. The concept of the song is simple, yet effective, why waste time plotting revenge when you can let karma fight your battles for you? Well said, Susan.

Tommy Richman, “Million Dollar Baby”

Tommy Richman has arrived. The Virginia native guested on Brent Faiyaz’s Larger Than Life album last year — but now, he’s capitalizing on his chance to fully introduce himself to the world. A TikTok snippet scorched the platform, and “Million Dollar Baby” hit the ground running on Friday (April 26). Released via Brent Faiyaz’s Iso Supremacy in partnership with Pulse Records, “Million Dollar Baby” sounds like a cousin of BROCKHAMPTON’s catalog, with Richman alternating roles and jumping octaves in his vocal range. For those that enjoy a grungier aesthetic, the unpolished DVD version of the track is also available featuring clipped drums and a fuzzy bassline. “Million Dollar Baby” could be making a splash on the Billboard Hot 100 with a lofty debut, as a bona fide song of the summer contender has arrived.

Normani feat. Gunna, “1:59″

For the first taste of her long-awaited debut studio album, Dopamine, Normani recruits Gunna for a sultry midtempo that combines the lush vocal stacks of Brandy, the effortless seductiveness of Aaliyah and the Fifth Harmony alum’s own trademark enigmatic allure. As he does on his own R&B-adjacent collaborations, Gunna slinks in and out of harmony with Normani, presenting welcome contrasts to the song’s overall languid feel and providing a bit of dynamism for the “Motivation” singer to play off of in the back half. Now that her debut LP finally has a release date (June 14), “1:59” is a solid introduction to the Normani of Dopamine.

Anycia & Cash Cobain, “That’s Hard”

Here’s an unexpected collaboration from the pair of rising rappers leaving their mark in 2024. Everything Cash Cobain lends his Midas Touch to is turning to gold these days. Cash freestyles another silky chorus and welcomes Anycia into his world with a Slizzy summer on the horizon. She matches his typically laid-back and raunchy vibes. “I’m getting top in the back of a brand-new car/ Nene the hardest/ He singing my s–t by the bar,” Anycia brags in her raspy flow. “That’s Hard” is a fun standout from Nene’s robust Princess Pop That debut, which arrived via UnitedMasters on Friday (April 26).

JT, “Okay”

JT is on the cusp. Between her smart moves in the fashion world, the fan base she’s solidifying through her current club tour and club-ready records like “Alter Ego” (with Doechii) and now “Okay,” 2024 is shaping up to be a career-defining year for the City Girls rapper. “I’m pretty than a motherf–ker, h–s be lookin’ okay/ She think that she f–kin’ with me, is this bitch okay?/ He said he ain’t f–kin’ ’round, I look at him like, ‘Okay’/ I used to be down bad, but now a b—h okay,” she splits in her typically unbothered tone of rattling production from Akachi and Shawn Ferrari. With a hook this sticky and a string of solo singles as strong as “Okay,” “No Bars” and “Sideways,” JT’s forthcoming City Cinderella mixtape could very well take her to the next level.

Babyface Ray, “Glory”

A rose bloomed from the concrete of Detroit. Babyface Ray has been as consistent as they come from the thriving Midwest rap scene. Ray basks in his glory as his smoky flow aerates the twinkly production. However, the 33-year-old can’t relate to his Gen Z peers in some ways like publicly broadcasting street violence. “I’m glad I was raised by bosses, these n—as lost in the sauce keep talkin’ ’bout killing/ All of the killers I know, they don’t even talk, so I’m sayin’ too much right now,” he contests. Ray switches gears and paints a picture of his baby boy waving bye-bye from the back of his Benz – it’s all about versatility. He claimed the Summer’s Mine with his 2023 project, we’ll see if he can find his way into the mix again this season. 

Camper feat. Tank & Syd, “I Need It”

Camper, the Grammy-winning producer behind chart-topping hits like Coco Jones‘ “ICU,” is stepping into the limelight. For his new single, the R&B craftsman recruited Syd and Tank, two voices that — while they evoke two separate eras of R&B — make for an absolutely gorgeous duet. Between Syd’s beguiling tone and the buttery seduction of Tank’s delivery, “I Need It” finds the two singers beautifully painting across Camper’s intimate, bedroom-ready production. “Find a better reason/ Why we shouldn’t lay up/ Get back to freakin’ right now/ All I know is/ I need it,” Syd declares.

Bairi, “Man Enough”

Bairi’s luscious vocals could melt a heart made of ice. Sampling British art-pop group Art of Noise, “Man Enough” finds The Siren radiating about a distant lover trying to decode where they went wrong along the way. “Trapped in your sea, stuck in your weeds, begging you please, come back to me/ But I ain’t tripping if you want to leave, then leave/ Just don’t leave me on an empty guarantee,” she softly sings. Word to Ariana Grande, Bairi’s got no tears left to cry and she’s ready to move on from her former flame who couldn’t perform up to standard. “Man Enough” is just a peek into Bairi’s talent exuded on her intoxicating debut album Fire Siren.

29 Apr 2024

Gracie Abrams Announces New Single ‘Risk’ & Album ‘The Secret of Us’: Here’s When They Arrive

Gracie Abrams‘ new album is a secret no more. That’s because the 24-year-old rising pop star announced Monday (April 29) that her sophomore record, The Secret of Us, is arriving this summer, led by the single “Risk,” which drops later this week.

The “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” singer broke the news with a post on social media, unveiling the project’s cover — an up-close headshot of Abrams with “The Secret of Us” scrawled in yellow font at the top. “the album that I made with some of my favorite people (!!!!!!!!!!) is yours JUNE 21 and the first single ?RISK? comes out on MAY 1!” she wrote in her caption.

“We had real, true fun writing this album,” Abrams continued, confirming that her frequent collaborator, The National’s Aaron Dessner, produced the LP. “There were also the occasional tears … The music is yours in basically five seconds and we cannot wait. I. Love. You.”

Trending on Billboard

The announcement comes a little over a year after the songwriter dropped her long-awaited debut album, Good Riddance, which debuted at No. 52 on the Billboard 200. Featuring singles “Block Me Out” and “I Know It Won’t Work,” the project was also produced by Dessner, and the duo later recorded live acoustic performances of tracks on the album together for a special edition vinyl.

The Secret of Us will also follow a successful run of Eras Tour shows supporting Taylor Swift, a gig Abrams will resume this fall when the “Anti-Hero” singer circles back for a brief second U.S. leg. In November, the “21” artist was nominated for her first Grammy in the best new artist category, which went to Victoria Monét. Shortly afterward, Abrams teamed up with fellow nominee Noah Kahan for a remix of his Stick Season track “Everywhere, Everything,” making her Billboard Hot 100 debut at No. 79.

See Abrams’ album announcement below.