Music

22 Jan 2024

Ariana Grande Thanks Fans After ‘Yes, And?’ Tops Billboard Hot 100: ‘It Is Such a Gift to Feel So Seen’

Ariana Grande said that s— with her chest, and it paid off.

The pop superstar’s “Yes, And?” debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart dated Jan. 27, 2024, and she took to Instagram on Monday (Jan. 22) to celebrate the achievement and thank her fans for all their support. “i am so so so……. so emotional,” she wrote alongside a behind-the-scenes clip of the single’s music video. “thank you from the bottom of my heart to my fans, the most incredible angels in the world, for the love you have shown this song and me.”

Grande continued, “it is overwhelming and so sincerely moving to see how many of you this song has resonated with and it is such a gift to feel so seen and held by you! thank you for your positivity, for your support and for everything. you have no idea how much you mean to me! this is absolutely because of and entirely for you. thank you!”

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See the full post here.

“Yes, And?” marks the first taste of Grande’s upcoming seventh album, Eternal Sunshine, set to arrive on March 8. Grande hasn’t released an LP since 2020’s Positions, and the upcoming project got its name from the 2004 film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. Aside from a few collaborations and a 10th anniversary re-release of her debut record Yours Truly, the vocalist has spent the past few years focusing on her role in the upcoming Wicked films and her R.E.M. Beauty business.

22 Jan 2024

21 Savage Charts 14 Songs From ‘American Dream’ on Hot 100, Reaches Historic Milestone

21 Savage has a huge week on Billboard’s charts, thanks to his new album, American Dream.

The set debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (dated Jan. 27) with 133,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week (Jan. 12-18), according to Luminate, while all 14 chart-eligible songs from the LP enter the Billboard Hot 100, including two in the top 10.

The 14 debuts up 21 Savage’s total to 103 career Hot 100-charting hits. He becomes just the 16th artist to amass 100 entries or more over the chart’s 65-year history.

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Here’s a look at all of 21 Savage’s entries (includes two previously-charting songs) on the latest Hot 100.

21 Savage on the Jan. 27, 2024-dated Hot 100:
Rank, Title
No. 5, “Redrum”
No. 10, “Née-nah,” with Travis Scott & Metro Boomin
No. 18, “All of Me”
No. 19, “N.H.I.E.,” with Doja Cat
No. 31, “Pop Ur Sht,” with Young Thug & Metro Boomin
No. 33, “Sneaky”
No. 35, “Dangerous,” with Lil Durk & Metro Boomin
No. 40, “Should’ve Wore a Bonnet,” with Brent Faiyaz
No. 43, “Prove It,” with Summer Walker
No. 48, “Good Good,” with Usher & Summer Walker (down from No. 34, after hitting No. 25)
No. 50, “Surround Sound” (JID featuring 21 Savage & Baby Tate) (down from No. 40 peak)
No. 57, “Red Sky,” with Tommy Newport & Mikky Ekko
No. 59, “Letter to My Brudda”
No. 66, “See the Real”
No. 67, “Just Like Me,” with Burna Boy & Metro Boomin
No. 70, “Dark Days,” with Mariah The Scientist

Thanks to his appearance on “Red Sky,” Tommy Newport scores his first entry on not just the Hot 100, but any Billboard chart. Mikky Ekko, also on the song, returns to the Hot 100 for the first time as a recording artist since his featured appearance on Rihanna’s “Stay” in 2013., Ekko co-wrote “Stay” – as well as Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” which holds at its No. 8 high a week after reaching the top 10.

With 103 total Hot 100 entries, 21 Savage passes The Weeknd (98), Eminem (96), Bad Bunny (93), Young Thug (93) and James Brown (91) for the 16th-most career hits.

Here’s an updated look at every act that has charted 100 or more Hot 100 entries.

Most Career Billboard Hot 100 Hits (through Jan. 27, 2024):
328, Drake
232, Taylor Swift
207, Glee Cast
186, Lil Wayne
168, Future
147, Nicki Minaj
141, Kanye West
138, Lil Baby
116, Chris Brown
113, Travis Scott
109, Elvis Presley (whose career predates the Hot 100’s inception)
108, Lil Uzi Vert
105, Justin Bieber
105, Jay-Z
104, YoungBoy Never Broke Again
103, 21 Savage

Of 21 Savage’s 103 total songs to have made the Hot 100, 53 have reached the top 40; 17 have hit the top 10; and two, via featured roles, hit No. 1: Post Malone’s “Rockstar” (2017) and Drake’s “Jimmy Cooks” (2022).

Before 21 Savage, the last artist to join the 100 Hot 100 hits club was Travis Scott, last August after releasing his album Utopia. Two other acts achieved the feat in 2023: Lil Uzi Vert in July, and YoungBoy Never Broke Again in May.

While it’s rare for artists to chart triple-digit entries on the Hot 100, it has become a more regular occurrence since the ranking began including streaming figures in 2007. As such, some artists have been able to chart a high number of songs on the Hot 100 after releasing high-profile albums. The model contrasts with prior decades, when acts generally promoted one single at a time in the physical-only marketplace and on radio. That shift in consumption helps explain why artists have been able to chart many songs over short spans in recent years.

22 Jan 2024

Boy George Says Madonna Is ‘Too Full of Herself’ — But There’s ‘Still Time’ to Be Friends

Boy George isn’t holding back in his memoir, Karma: My Autobiography.

The Culture Club star reflected on his many not-so-positive run-ins with Madonna over the years, noting that “every gay man loves Madonna and there’s no one gayer than me.”

He recalled the first time he met the Queen of Pop. “This is where Madonna alleges she met me, and I was bitchy,” he wrote in an excerpt shared with People. “She describes me as head to toe in Westwood.” George added that, at the time, he was wearing Sue Clowes exclusively, so the person she met couldn’t have been him.

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Madge allegedly later snubbed him at the opening of an NYC club called Palladium. “Madonna arrived with Sean Penn and pretended she didn’t see me,” he wrote. “Madonna is everything it says on the tin but she adds new ingredients every day. I know for a fact she’s too full of herself to even mention me. She once said, ‘Boy George was mean to me in the eighties and he’s still mean.’ To be fair, I haven’t really been given the opportunity.”

However, George says he still loves some of her songs. “Not knowing anything about her I would assume she’d have issue with the word ‘some.’ … I have a sense of humour, I don’t think Madonna does, despite some of the clothes she wears (LOL),” he added.

“I love all the drama of, you know, the pop star behavior. I love to watch Madonna. I mean, the Madonna brand is genius,” George continued. “But outside of that, you know, it’s how you act. You know, because you want, as I say in the book, you want your artists to be weirdly beautiful and strange and all that, but you also want them to be kind of ordinary.”

However, he still has faith in their future. “Like Bette and Joan, we should have been friends,” he says. “There’s still time.”

22 Jan 2024

Savage Unlocked: Why 21 Savage Is Becoming Rap’s Newest Generational Superstar

On Sunday night (Jan. 21), 21 Savage clinched his fourth Billboard 200 No. 1 album with the release of his third solo LP, american dream. The long-awaited blockbuster set arrives over a half-decade after his sophomore effort, 2018’s i am > i was, and could be the masterwork that etches Savage’s name as a generational star for years to come. 

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While a glaring time lapse between solo albums would derail most artists’ footing, 21 remained consistent, darting out scene-stealing features and indelible full-length collaborative projects, including 2020’s Savage Mode II with Metro Boomin and 2022’s Her Loss with Drake. And even before debunking the mythical sophomore curse, 21 was a stringent rookie with unyielding charm, detonating the mixtape scene in 2016 when teaming with Metro on Savage Mode heaters such as “No Heart” and “X.” Granted, Savage’s whimsical wordplay was not quite yet top-tier, as he hurled lines that made backpackers grimace. Still, at the same time, his records were instant headbangers amongst the younger generation and ear candy for clubgoers. 

A prime example of Savage’s genius came in 2017 with “Bank Account.” With Metro Boomin helming the production, Savage scripted a minimal-yet-sticky hook that became a chant-along for money-hungry go-getters and led to his biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit at that time, the song peaking at No. 12. Savage’s playground wit and “less is more” mantra made his verses highly digestible and downright fun. Even if you look to his features, like one Post Malone’s Hot 100 chart-topper “rockstar,” Savage’s instantly unforgettable one-liners, “Your wifey say I’m lookin’ like a whole snack,” or “Sweeter than a Pop-Tart, you know you are not hard,” helped the poker-faced rapper become a peerlessly entertaining star. 

When paired with Offset on Without Warning or Drake on Her Loss, 21 is a chameleon who blends well regardless of his co-star and is uncomplicated in his approach. He can easily serve as a reliable wingman when carving out club bangers or the antagonizing heel when sparring with the opps. And while his quick-witted verses can be playful and in jest, 21 can easily juxtapose those efforts with his harrowing street tales, which made 2018’s i am > i was a step in the right direction. Songs like “letter 2 my momma,” “all my friends” and his Grammy award-winning collaboration “a lot” with J. Cole exemplified Savage’s introspectiveness and free-flowing ruminations as a deep thinker.

Along with 21 increasing his depth lyrically, his penchant for chopped-up soul samples and growth as a songwriter – both already apparent in i am > i was – reaches a new level on american dream. While 21’s lust for bedroom theatrics (“Sneaky”) and street raps (“Dangerous”) remains at an all-time high on his third album, he digs deeper and offers more on the cinematic set. After struggling through a years-long saga regarding his immigration status, Savage uses bits and pieces of his trials and tribulations to set the table for american dream, including getting his mother to speak on their journey to America in the album’s intro and outro. Rich samples, including Rose Royce’s “Wishing on a Star” for 21’s “All of Me,” are the backdrop for his tales of a turbulent upbringing and his conflicted fight between good and evil. “I seen plenty homicides and still kept my focus,” he spits. 

The album standout, “Letter to My Brudda,” is a passionate push by 21 that centers around deceit and disappointment for his comrades and shows a more sophisticated writer versus previous years. “They’ll stand on couches with you, but won’t stand on business,” he raps in dismay. The album’s outro is probably 21’s most gripping showing: “Dark Days” sees him encouraging the youth to stay in school and not risk their lives for short-term gain, rapping: “You say you love your switch, but it doesn’t love you back/ You can hug that block all night, it ain’t gon’ hug you back.”  

And when Savage reaches into the R&B world, it’s not that much of a stretch, as he fits seamlessly with whichever singer joins his escapades: The second half of american dream thrives off ’90s soul samples with Summer Walker (“Prove It”) and Brent Faiyaz (“Should’ve Wore a Bonnet”). And, of course, his murderous streak on the charts remains intact, courtesy of his No. 5-debuting Hot 100 single “Redrum,” which is already his highest-peaking unaccompanied hit on the chart.

Stat-wise, 21 already measures up well with his turn-of-the-’20s contemporaries, including Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, Lil Durk, and Playboi Carti, with his four Billboard 200 No. 1 albums and Grammy win for best rap song in 2020. He has the respect of rap luminaries such as Jay-Z and Nas, with the latter reeling him in for a feature in 2022 with “One Mic, One Gun,” disproving Savage’s inability to mesh with the older generation. His discography is pristine, boasting some of the best collaborative projects in the last decade, and his feature run is just as torrid as when he first entered the rap ecosystem, especially after last year’s showings with Travis Scott (“Topia Twins”) and Rod Wave (“Turks & Caicos”). 

Though Savage has unlocked many levels so far in his young career, he still has yet to reach the status of superstars like Drake, J. Cole, Future, or Young Thug for most rap fans. Part of the issue stems from Savage not having a consensus classic album. Though american dream puts Savage on the right path to reach the mountainous heights before him, he needs to buckle down, continue to ease up on the cartoonish punchlines and create more moments like “Brudda” and “Dark Days” to have that magnum opus. And though it’s great to have the star power and cosigns 21 has on his resume, whether it’s a Drake collab album or a Post Malone record, 21 will need to churn out more solo hits to prove that he doesn’t need help and can stand alone — like “Redrum,” whose strong debut and positive momentum proves he’s getting off to a good start there.

Before 21 can become the face of the new generation, though, he still must develop his willingness to become a formidable performer. After touring with Drake and J. Cole, the biggest question will be can he hold his own as a headliner and closer. While he has the anthems to deliver an electric showing, he needs the right energy and consistency to become an all-around threat for years. Also, while he has shown strides lyrically, it’ll be vital for 21 to continue to grow in that pocket, while maintaining that crossover ability. 

The greats have been able to keep their essence and edge, all while barreling through the doors of mainstream with their hits. If he can develop those skills, then he’ll be the Savage he always wanted to be.

22 Jan 2024

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Anycia & Latto, Rob49 & Lil Wayne, Andra Day & More

As we get closer to Usher‘s highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, the worlds of hip-hop and R&B are back in full swing with major albums, singles and pop culture moments driving tons of discourse across social media.

From Kendrick Lamar‘s tease of new music to Megan Thee Stallion‘s surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live alongside Reneé Rapp in support of their Mean Girls collaboration, some of hip-hop’s biggest heavyweights used stealth to their advantage. In contrast, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign‘s elusive Vultures joint album received yet another release date; this time, the record is slated to arrive on Feb. 9. — just two days before Usher is set to take the stage at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, NV. There was also a hilarious meme acknowledgment from Drake by way of the rapper’s recreation of TikTok creator Drew Wall’s viral day-in-the-life Target run videos — soundtracked by the Grammy-winner’s “Virginia Beach,” naturally.

Of course, the R&B OGs also had an eventful week — chief among them funk legend George Clinton, who received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday (Jan. 19).

With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Anycia and Latto’s new outside anthem to Naomi Sharon’s gorgeous, acoustic paean for love. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

Freshest Find: Anycia feat. Latto, “Back Outside”

For their first official collaboration, Anycia and Latto skate over a horn-laden JetsonMade production that perfectly complements the laid-back-yet-urgent feel of each of their respective verses. When Anycia begins her pre-chorus with the deliciously cavalier, “Huh? I’m back outside/ Yeah, huh? N—a done made me mad,” her delivery immediately sets the foundation for a woman on a mission: she’s back outside and ready to get her lick back, but you’ll never see her sweat. As a fellow Atlanta rapper, Latto sounds right at home on the track, delivering yet another strong verse complete with funny punchlines (“And they sayin’ that I rap my ass off/ Turn around like, ‘I can’t tell’) and a healthy dose of shade (“Walked in, young b–ch, I’m turnt/ Got auntie hatin’, she burnt”).

Fivio Foreign & Meek Mill, “Same 24”

Reuniting for the first time since 2020’s “Demons & Goblins,” Fivio Foreign and Meek Mill get introspective over a drum-heavy beat courtesy of Saint Cardona and Lala the DJ. Worlds away from the Brooklyn drill that dominated his debut studio album, 2022’s B.I.B.L.E., Fivi opens “Same 24” with a stream-of-consciousness verse in which he exalts his tenacity and his maturation journey. “We got the same twenty-four hours, n—a / Why what’s mine gotta be ours, n—a? / Talkin’ ’bout n—as need help, n—as, I was “n—as” / But I rose out of the dirt, give me my flowers, n—a,” he spits. Meek adds a characteristically loud guest verse that celebrates his own come-up by way of slick double entendres; “My granny house a mil’, she ain’t even know I could rap my ass off/ You s–ttin’ me? I was super broke, I took that cast off,” he raps.

Rob49 & Lil Wayne, “Wassam Baby”

NOLA, stand up! In a week of stellar rap collaborations, Rob49 and Lil Wayne climb into the ring with thei rown “Wassam Baby.” Built around a gritty piano-anchored Mac Fly beat, the two New Orleans rappers wax poetic about their wealth and sexual prowess while spitting game at women from across the city, as Rob emphasizes in the chorus. If that hook sounds familiar, that’s because “Wassam Baby” leaked months ago and made the rounds as a viral sound on TikTok. With the addition of a strong Wayne verse — his balance of alliteration, punch lines and rhyme scheme variations are top-notch — Rob didn’t just give “Wassam Baby” a second wind, he gave it a completely new life.

Andra Day, “Where Do We Go”

It’s been nearly a decade since Andra Day’s Grammy-nominated “Rise Up” first entered the world, and in the time since, the multihyphenate has earned a slew of major industry awards and honors, including an Academy Award nomination for best actress in a leading role for her starring turn as Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Now, she’s back with the lead single for her second non-soundtrack studio album. “Where Do We Go” is a rousing exercise in the pacing of show-stopping vocal performance. Day’s sense of dynamics is on full display as she parses through the complicated process of seeking closure from a relationship she’s not ready to leave. “I see love inside your brown eyes/ Listening to ‘New Sky’/ Is everything an absolute, babe?/ Like, do we absolutely have to say goodbye?” she croons.

1K Phew & Zaytoven, “Let Go Let God”

For the latest chapter in the ever-evolving relationship between gospel and hip-hop, 1K Phew has finally unleashed his collaborative project with iconic rap producer Zaytoven. Titled Pray for Atlanta, the genre-blending set — which features collaborations with Hunxho and Jekalyn Carr — is a heartfelt address to the city from a rapper who clearly adores his hometown, and a producer who has helped shape the city’s modern sound. Focus track “Let Go Let God,” blends familiar Atlanta rap cadences with a hearty gospel message, finding the common ground between the secular notion of “trusting the process” and the sanctified notion of leaving things in God’s hands. “I been down if that’s okay, had to learn from yesterday/ Took a lot of L’s in my life, baby, and I ain’t goin’ back there, no way/ I got an iced out cross on my neck right now, tryna show him that he already paid,” he spits over Zaytoven’s trap production.

Destin Conrad, “WAR!”

Last Friday (Jan. 19), Destin Conrad dropped off Submissive2, the sequel to last year’s Submissive. “War,” the fourth track on the set, is a perfect blend of the rising star’s penchant for idiosyncratic Gen Z humor and lustful-yet-subtle R&B melodies. Obviously, the song is about the lengths one will go to for the person they want — rather the person they want to bag — but the trick of “War” is the way Destin plays into the innate melodrama of the concept. “I would smash the windows out your ex’s car without a second thought, baby/ I would gladly take the f–kin’ charge and that’s a criminal offense,” he opens the song.

It’s the chorus, however, that really drives home Destin’s shtick. He plays with his pitch and intonation to embody different characters across a melody that plays on the bounce-rooted “I’ll do [insert outlandish thing] for the d–k” punchline set-up. “I’ll sing Adele for that d–k / Rolling in the deep for that d–k,” the voices joke. It’s all fun and games until one voice proclaims that they’ll “pay for the d–k,” to which Destin comes back down to earth and ends the song, quipping, “Alright, you’re buggin’ (Yeah, b–ch, you dragged it) / You did too much, b–ch, too much.”

Naomi Sharon, “Nothing Sweeter”

Just a few months removed from the launch of her acclaimed debut album, Obsidian, Naomi Sharon has unveiled another new addition to her growing discography. “Nothing Sweeter” arrives as the latest evolution of the most Sade-influenced edges of Sharon’s sonic profile. The First Lady of OVO lays her elegant vocals over a sparse, delicate guitar-forward instrumental that allows her ample space to showcase her sense of vocal control. Lyrically, she extols the healing power of love while calling back to iconic R&B ballads of yesteryear, singing, “Uncover my skin, undo this pain/ Unbreak my heart/
Until I remember the way.”

22 Jan 2024

Ariana Grande’s ‘Yes, And?’ Launches at No. 1 on Billboard Global Charts

Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” debuts at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. Grande earns her third leader on the former and her second on the latter.

The song is the lead single from Grande’s seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, due March 8 (as announced Jan. 17).

Elsewhere, 21 Savage debuts two songs in the Global 200’s top 10 – “Redrum,” at No. 5, and “Née-nah,” with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin, at No. 8 – Kali Uchis and Peso Pluma’s “Igual Que Un Ángel” opens at No. 9 and Xavi’s “La Victima” ascends 15-10. Plus, Bizarrap and Young Miko’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 58” begins at No. 5 on Global Excl. U.S. and “La Victima” darts 18-9.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts 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.

Grande Debuts Atop Global 200

Released Jan. 12, Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” starts atop the Billboard Global 200 with 94.4 million streams and 67,000 sold worldwide through Jan. 18. Grande earns her third leader on the list, after “Save Your Tears,” with The Weeknd, reigned for a week in May 2021 and “Positions” premiered atop the chart and led for two weeks in November 2020.

Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” drops to No. 2 after two weeks atop the Global 200; Tate McRae’s “Greedy” slides 2-3, after two weeks at No. 1 beginning in November; and Xavi’s “La Diabla” dips to No. 4 from its No. 3 high.

21 Savage debuts two songs in the Global 200’s top 10: “Redrum,” at No. 5, and “Née-nah,” with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin, at No. 8. The tracks start with 44.7 and 33.8 million streams, respectively, and 1,000 sold each, worldwide. 21 Savage scores his 15th and 16th top 10s – with “Redrum” marking his first with no accompanying artists. Travis Scott adds his ninth top 10 and Metro Boomin, his fifth. The songs are from 21 Savage’s LP American Dream, which bounds in at No. 1 on the U.S.-based Billboard 200 albums chart.

Kali Uchis and Peso Pluma’s “Igual Que Un Ángel” arrives at No. 9 on the Global 200 with 38.2 million streams and 1,000 sold worldwide. Kali Uchis notches her second, and top-charting, top 10 on the ranking, after “Telepatía” hit No. 10 in April 2021, while Peso Pluma banks his 10th. The collaboration is from Kali Uchis’ new album Orquídeas, released Jan. 12.

Plus, Xavi claims his second Global 200 top 10, as “La Victima” jumps 15-10 with 46.1 million streams (up 44%).

‘Yes, And’ Grande’s Also No. 1 on Global Excl. U.S.

Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” concurrently roars in atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, with 68 million streams and 26,000 sold outside the U.S. Jan. 12-18. Grande tops the tally for a second time, after “Positions” led in its debut week in November 2020.

Tate McRae’s “Greedy” retreats to No. 2 on Global Excl. U.S. after three weeks in charge; Xavi’s “La Diabla” descends to No. 3 from its No. 2 high; and Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” falls to No. 4 from its No. 3 best.

Bizarrap and Young Miko’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 58” debuts at No. 5 on Global Excl. U.S., with 36.8 million streams outside the U.S. in its first full tracking week (Jan. 12-18), following its Jan. 10 release. The track is Bizarrap’s fifth top 10 on the chart, following the series’ “Vol. 57,” with Milo J (No. 10, last October); “Vol. 55,” with Peso Pluma (one week at No. 1, June); “Vol. 53,” with Shakira (No. 2, January); and “Vol. 52,” with Quevedo (six weeks at No. 1, beginning in July 2022. Young Miko posts her second top 10, after “Fina,” with Bad Bunny, hit No. 10 in October.

Additionally, as on the Global 200, Xavi adds his second Global Excl. U.S. top 10, as “La Victima” leaps 18-9 with 35.4 million streams (up 51%).

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Jan. 27, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Jan. 23. 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.

22 Jan 2024

Sammy Hagar Discovers His Real Biological Surname – And It’s Not Hagar

Sammy Hagar found out some shocking news on the newest episode of PBS’ Finding Your Roots.

In a preview clip of the episode, the rocker finds out that his DNA does not match any men with the last name Hagar, meaning that genetically, that is not his last name. “Get out of here. This is nutty as anything I’ve ever imagined,” Hagar said, before confirming that he did want to find out what his real biological surname is.

After discovering that his DNA matches 27 men with the last name Belcher, Hagar was blown away. “What a trip,” he said, visibly shocked.

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PBS’ Finding Your Roots is hosted by educator Henry Louis Gates Jr., and features DNA diagnosticians analyzing genetic code, tracing bloodlines and occasionally debunking beliefs. The series also shows celebrities as they look through their ancestral histories, discover secrets and share their reactions with viewers. Over the course of 10 seasons, the show has featured everyone from Samuel L Jackson, LL Cool J, Questlove and Cyndi Lauper to Barbara Walters, Ben Affleck, Angela Bassett, Scarlett Johansson and more.

Hagar’s episode will also feature Ed O’Neill. The full episode will air on Tuesday (Jan. 23) at 8 p.m. ET on PBS. Watch the preview clip exclusively via Billboard below.

22 Jan 2024

Max Martin Breaks Record for Most Hot 100 No. 1s Among Producers As Ariana Grande’s ‘Yes, And?’ Debuts

Max Martin now solely has the most No. 1s among producers in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.

He tallies his 24th career leader as a producer on the latest, Jan. 27, 2024-dated Hot 100, as Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” blasts in at No. 1. He surpasses the late George Martin – who produced 19 of The Beatles’ record 20 No. 1s – for the most leaders among producers over the chart’s 65-year archives.

Grande, who earns her eighth Hot 100 No. 1 as a recording artist, Max Martin and ILYA co-wrote and co-produced “Yes, And?”

Max Martin first dominated the Hot 100 both as a producer and writer 25 years ago this month, when Britney Spears’ debut smash “…Baby One More Time” hit No. 1 on the Jan. 30, 1999-dated chart. He initially reached the ranking in both roles on the chart dated Oct. 28, 1995, when Backstreet Boys’ “We’ve Got It Goin’ On” debuted at No. 97. He notched his first two top 10s simultaneously on the July 12, 1997, chart, when Robyn’s “Do You Know (What It Takes)” and Backstreet Boys’ “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” rose to Nos. 9 and 10, respectively.

Among his triumphs, Max Martin co-wrote and co-produced the No. 1 hit on the Hot 100’s Greatest of All Time Songs retrospective: The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.”

For the star Swedish producer (born Karl Martin Sandberg), “What’s so impressive is that he’s always in tune with the times, which has enabled him to stay relevant all these years,” Dave Penn, co-founder of Hit Songs Deconstructed, which provides in-depth analysis of Hot 100 top 10 hits, told Billboard in 2021. “A decade ago, he was opting for more clubby dance beats and EDM-styled synths. But toward the end of the 2010s, he had embraced hip-hop and started including trap beats in songs.

“But while he has adjusted certain aspects of his writing and producing style over the years,” Penn mused, “what’s interesting is that many things have remained essentially the same. Melody reigns supreme when it comes to mainstream hits, and Max Martin is still the undisputed champion of pop melody. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Max Martin also ties the late John Lennon for the second-most Hot 100 No. 1s among writers, 26 each, after only Paul McCartney’s 32; McCartney and Lennon co-penned all 20 of The Beatles’ No. 1s. (Two of those leading singles were double-listed with George Harrison compositions: “Come Together” with “Something,” and “The Long and Winding Road” with “For You Blue.”)

Here’s a rundown of Max Martin’s unprecedented 24 Hot 100 No. 1s as a producer.

22 Jan 2024

Kendrick Lamar Teases Unreleased Song as Part of Fashion House Chanel’s Short Film ‘The Button’

Kendrick Lamar has scored a short film for Chanel that arrived courtesy of a collaboration between pgLang and the French fashion house.

The Button was released Saturday (Jan. 20) and serves as a precursor to the Chanel Spring-Summer 2024 Haute Couture show film, which is set to debut as part of Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday (Jan. 23) at 8 a.m. ET.

Lamar’s pgLang partner Dave Free directed the three-minute black-and-white clip that also stars Naomi Campbell and actress Margaret Qualley.

“At the invitation of Virginie Viard, Kendrick Lamar and creative partner Dave Free meet the world of CHANEL Haute Couture for the first time, bringing to life a story about time and transmission,” pgLang captioned its social media post revealing the teaser.

“Actress and House ambassador Margaret Qualley plunges us into the tale The Button alongside actress and House ambassador Anna Mouglalis, as well as friend of the House Naomi Campbell.”

K. Dot scores Qualley’s chaotic journey to the French capital, where she comes face to face with the house’s head designer, Anna Mouglalis, in search of the missing button.

The Compton rapper briefly interrupts the frenzy to lend vocals from an unreleased track. “I’m up and down/ I’m unenthused,” he flows in a daze. “To see there’s an exit is impossible.”

The never-before-heard vocals serve as Kendrick Lamar’s first offering of 2024. While the rapper hasn’t released any solo music since 2022’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, he’s guested on cousin Baby Keem’s “The Hillbillies” as well as a remix to Beyoncé’s “America Has a Problem.”

Watch The Button below.

22 Jan 2024

Nick Cannon Pays Loving Tribute to Late Son Zen’s ‘Light and Presence Shining’ in Beach Video With Daughter Halo

Nick Cannon paid tribute to his late son Zen on Sunday (Jan. 21) in a sweet Instagram post honoring the child who died in Dec. 2021 at five months old due to an aggressive form of brain cancer.

“Zen’s Light and presence shining over little miss Halo and Mommy and Daddy!,” Cannon wrote alongside a sunset beach video of the multi-hyphenate media star kissing daughter Halo Marie Cannon, alongside both children’s mother, model Alyssa Scott. “What a beautiful day to remind us all that there is a higher power and God’s Energy and frequency to keep us all going under his grace and mercy even in the midst of challenges,” Cannon added.

The Masked Singer host Cannon is father to 12 children, the eldest of which are his twins with ex, Mariah Carey, Moroccan and Monroe, who were born on April 30, 2011 during Cannon’s eight-year marriage to the pop icon.

Cannon’s seventh child, Zen Cannon, was born on June 23, 2021 and died five months later from brain cancer. The actor/musician said the couple had had an exciting summer with their newborn, but soon noticed that the little boy seemed to have a “sinus thing” as well as a “nice-sized head,” joking about his own “Cabbage Patch Kid head.”

The concerned father then revealed at the time on The Nick Cannon Show that things began to get more serious around Thanksgiving, with the tumor growing rapidly. “This weekend I made a valiant effort to spend the most quality time with Zen. … We woke up on Sunday and I was like, ‘I feel like I want to go to the water, be close to the ocean.’ … Holding my son for the last time, it was a beautiful setting,” he said.

“[God] puts the most and heaviest weight on the shoulders of his strongest soldiers, so I’m here to show that I can fight through this,” Cannon concluded. “I’m feeling it, I’m vulnerable, I’m open, but I’m going to make it through. This is a special show dedicated to my beautiful son Z.”

Check out Cannon’s post below.