Music

Ariana Grande’s ‘Yes, And?’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” soars in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the pop superstar’s eighth career leader on the chart.

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

Grande wrote and produced “Yes, And?” with Max Martin and ILYA. With its Hot 100 triumph, Martin makes history, as he passes George Martin for the most No. 1s among producers – 24 – ever on the chart.

Max Martin also ties John Lennon for the second-most Hot 100 No. 1s among writers – 26 each – after only Paul McCartney’s 32.

Additionally in the Hot 100’s top 10, 21 Savage debuts two songs: “Redrum,” at No. 5, and “Née-nah,” with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin, at No. 10. The tracks are from 21 Savage’s LP American Dream, which bounds in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations. All charts (dated Jan. 27, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Jan. 23. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.



“Yes, And?,” on Republic Records, becomes the 1,162nd No. 1 in the Hot 100’s 65-year archives, and the 74th to debut at the summit.

Here’s a look at its coronation.

Streams, airplay & sales: Released Jan. 12, “Yes, And?” drew 27.2 million streams and 24.8 million radio airplay audience impressions and sold 53,000, including 41,000 digital downloads, in the Jan. 12-18 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The single launches at No. 1 on both the Streaming Songs and Digital Song Sales charts, where Grande ups her totals to five and nine leaders, respectively, and No. 28 on Radio Songs.

The track was available for purchase via 14 digital iterations, all for 69 cents by the end of the tracking week: its original version, an edit, an extended mix, an a cappella version and slowed and sped up mixes, each in clean and explicit options, as well instrumental and extended mix instrumental versions.

Grande’s eighth Hot 100 No. 1: Grande earns her eighth Hot 100 No. 1. It’s her first since “Die for You,” with The Weeknd, last March, and her first on her own since “Positions” in November 2020. (She notches her sixth No. 1  debut, following her first five leaders, as she ties Taylor Swift for the most among women; Drake leads all acts with nine chart-topping entrances.)

Ariana Grande’s Hot 100 No. 1s:

  • “Yes, And?,” one week at No. 1 to-date, Jan. 27, 2024
  • “Die for You,” with The Weeknd, one week, March 11, 2023
  • “Save Your Tears,” with The Weeknd, two weeks, beginning May 8, 2021
  • “Positions,” one week, Nov. 7, 2020
  • “Rain on Me,” with Lady Gaga, one week, June 6, 2020
  • “Stuck With U,” with Justin Bieber, one week, May 23, 2020
  • “7 Rings,” eight weeks, beginning Feb. 2, 2019
  • “Thank U Next,” seven weeks, beginning Nov. 17, 2018

Grande ties Beyoncé for the eighth-most Hot 100 No. 1s among solo women. Mariah Carey leads all women soloists with 19, followed by Rihanna (14), Madonna (12), Whitney Houston, Taylor Swift (11 each), Janet Jackson (10) and Katy Perry (nine).

Max Martin solely claims most Hot 100 No. 1s among producers: Grande co-wrote and co-produced “Yes, And?” with Max Martin and ILYA. She earns her eighth Hot 100 No. 1 as a writer and her first as a producer. ILYA adds his second leader as both a writer and producer, after Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy,” for a week in 2022.

Meanwhile, with its arrival atop the Hot 100, Martin makes history, passing the late George Martin – who produced 19 of The Beatles’ record 20 No. 1s – for the most leaders among producers ever on the chart: 24.

Most Hot 100 No. 1s Among Producers:

  • 24, Max Martin
  • 23, George Martin
  • 18, Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald
  • 16, James “Jimmy Jam” Harris III
  • 16, Terry Lewis

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.)

Most Hot 100 No. 1s Among Writers:

  • 32, Paul McCartney
  • 26, John Lennon
  • 26, Max Martin
  • 18, Mariah Carey
  • 18, Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald

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.

‘Yes,’ it’s No. 1, ‘And’ a first: “Yes, And?” is the first Hot 100 No. 1 with the word “yes” in its title. It one-ups Teri DeSario’s “Yes, I’m Ready” (with K.C.), which hit No. 2 in March 1980.

Honorable mention: 40 years ago, the band Yes ruled the Hot 100 with “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” for two weeks in January 1984.

(Not to sound negative … but 10 singles with “no” in their titles have topped the Hot 100, from The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” in 1965 through Alicia Keys’ “No One” in 2007.)

No. 1 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs: “Yes, And?” concurrently opens at No. 1 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, which uses the same methodology as the Hot 100.

Grande posts her first Hot Dance/Electronic Songs leader on her own, and her third overall, following “Rain on Me,” with Lady Gaga (two weeks at No. 1, 2020), and “Break Free,” featuring Zedd (nine, 2014).

Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” dips to No. 2 after three weeks atop the Hot 100. Meanwhile, it ascends to No. 1 on Radio Songs (67 million, up 15%), becoming his second leader, after “First Class” (four weeks, 2022). “Lovin on Me” tops the multimetric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts for a 10th week each.

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” slips 2-3 on the Hot 100, following four nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning in October, and Tate McRae’s “Greedy” backtracks to No. 4 from its No. 3 best.



21 Savage debuts two songs in the Hot 100’s top 10: “Redrum,” at No. 5, and “Née-nah,” with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin, at No. 10. The tracks start with 21.4 and 18 million streams, respectively.

21 Savage tallies his 16th and 17th Hot 100 top 10s – with “Redrum” marking his first with no accompanying artists. Travis Scott scores his 15th top 10 and Metro Boomin, his fifth.



Zach Bryan’s “I Remember Everything,” featuring Kacey Musgraves, falls 4-6 on the Hot 100, after it led for a week upon its debut last September, as it rules the multimetric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs charts for a 21st week each and Hot Country Songs for a 17th frame.

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” descends 5-7 on the Hot 100, after it led for three nonconsecutive weeks beginning in September; Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” holds at its No. 8 high, a week after it became his first top 10; and SZA’s “Snooze” drifts 6-9, after reaching No. 2, as it leads the multimetric Hot R&B Songs chart for a 25th week.

Again, for all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on Billboard’s social accounts, and all charts (dated Jan. 27), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (Jan. 23).

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.

Megan Thee Stallion Announces New Single ‘Hiss’: Here’s When It Arrives

Pssssssssst. Megan Thee Stallion just announced her new single “Hiss” — and it’s arriving sooner than you think.

A fittingly titled follow-up to her most recent solo single “Cobra,” “Hiss” will arrive Friday (Jan. 26), as announced by Meg on Instagram Monday (Jan. 22). “HISS JANUARY 26 ??PRE-SAVE NOW,” she wrote.

The “WAP” rapper also shared artwork for the single — a graphic design with a retro feel that features Meg posing with a dangerous-looking white snake around her neck, its fangs and forked tongue on display. The song’s title is displayed in red gothic lettering at the top.

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The three-time Grammy winner also shared alternative artwork for the single on Twitter, this time sans snake. In the second version, Meg stares down the camera in a red bodysuit patterned with cutouts.

“Hiss” will mark Meg’s first solo release since her Nov. 3 single “Cobra,” which debuted at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. In between the two projects, she teamed up with Mean Girls star Reneé Rapp for “Not My Fault,” which the two women performed together over the weekend on Saturday Night Live.

The new track will also mark Meg’s second proper release under her own independent record label and entertainment company, Hot Girl Productions. She recently settled a yearslong legal battle with her former label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, with the two parties reaching a mutual settlement in October that allowed them to “amicably part ways.”

All of this comes in the lead-up to Meg’s upcoming third album, which will follow 2020’s Good News and 2022’s Traumazine — both of which charted in the top five of the Billboard 200. “This part of my album is very much so funded by Megan Thee Stallion because we’re trying to get off … Y’all know what’s the tea,” she teased in an October Instagram Live. “I have no label right now… The next s—t y’all about to see is all straight from Megan Thee Stallion’s brain and Megan Thee Stallion’s wallet. We are in my pockets, hotties, so let’s do our big one.”

See Meg’s announcement below:

All the Times Female Artists Have Dominated the Grammy Nominations for Album of the Year

Six female solo artists and an all-female group account for all but one of the 2024 Grammy nominations for album of the year. Only Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio kept male artists from being shut out in the top category this year.

This is the 12th time that female artists have dominated the album of the year nominations. This never happened between 1959 and 1991, but has happened frequently in recent years.

It happened for the first time in 1992, which is fittingly often referred to as the Year of the Woman, when four women were elected to the U.S. Senate for the first time, joining the two that were already there.

This year’s Grammy nominees for album of the year include boygenius, the acclaimed trio which consists of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, for their debut album The Record, as well as Miley CyrusEndless Summer Vacation, Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Janelle Monáe‘s The Age of Pleasure, Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts, Taylor Swift’s Midnights and SZA’s SOS.

It’s Swift’s sixth nomination in this category, which puts her in a tie with Barbra Streisand for the most nominations by a female artist. It’s the second nomination in the category for Del Rey, Monáe and Rodrigo, and the first for boygenius, Cyrus and SZA.

Here are all the times that female artists have outperformed male artists in the album of the year nominations. The years shown are the years of the Grammy ceremonies.

(Some may wonder why I don’t include 1997, when the album of the year nominees consisted of one album by a female artist (Celine Dion’s Falling Into You, which won), one album by a male artist (Beck’s Odelay), the all-female Waiting to Exhale soundtrack and two albums by mixed-gender groups (Fugees’ The Score and The Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness). Wouldn’t the Exhale soundtrack make this a female-dominated roster? You’d think so, but no: The only person who was nominated for that soundtrack in this category was Babyface, who wrote and produced the album.)

Common & Jennifer Hudson Cutely Tease They’re Dating on Her Talk Show

Common and Jennifer Hudson have seemingly confirmed that they are indeed a couple after dating rumors began to heat up last year.

The Chicago native appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Monday (Jan. 22) and the two teasedone another about their dating life. After Common surprised Hudson with a bouquet of flowers, she quizzed him on whether he was seeing anyone at the moment.

“Yes. I am in a relationship with one of the most beautiful people that I ever met in life,” he replied with a laugh. “She’s smart, she loves God, she has something real down to earth about her.

“She’s talented but I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT, she had to win an Oscar on her first movie, she had to get her own talk show,” he continued.

The Be rapper then flipped the script and began asking Hudson about her own relationship status. “How’s your love life?” he queried.

Hudson confirmed she was dating, but didn’t go as far as to say it was the person in front of her. “I’m dating as well and I am very happy,” she added. “Are you happy in your relationship?”

Common called the relationship “a happy place” for him at this point in life.

He continued: “For me, it’s one of them things where I found seeing her happy actually makes me really happy. I’m just thankful and I thank God every day. We keep it private, but I wanna acknowledge how wonderful she is, how great she is.”

Reports emerged of Common and the EGOT winner dating go as far back as July 2022. Rumors heated up in January 2023 when they were on set as co-stars filming Breathe, in which they played husband and wife.

In the time since, they’ve showered each other with praise, withg Hudson called Common a “beautiful man” in an August interview with TMZ.

More recently, the couple was even spotted courtside in Los Angeles earlier this month at Crypto.com Arena when the Lakers defeated the Dallas Mavericks.

Watch Common on The Jennifer Hudson Show above and below:





Lightning In a Bottle Drops 2024 Lineup Featuring Skrillex, Labrinth, James Blake, M.I.A. & More

Before festival season is festival lineup release season, with Lightning In a Bottle joining the pack Monday (Jan. 22) with its 2024 artist roster.

Leading the lineup are Skrillex — who will be making his debut at the longstanding SoCal event — along with Labrinth, James Blake, M.I.A., Fatboy Slim, CloZee and Lane 8.

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Artists are spread across multiple stages at the fest, with Lightning In a Bottle — which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year — reserving its Woogie Stage for house and techno acts. Artists likely to play that stage this May include Damian Lazarus, Honey Dijon, Nora En Pure, Floating Points and Nia Archives.

The lineup also features a strong contingent of bass artists including Machinedrum, Barclay Crenshaw, ISOxo and Skream doing an all-dubstep set.

The 2024 lineup also features Aluna, a club set from Bob Moses, Overmono, ANNA b2b Sama’ Abdulhadi, Justin Martin, Mura Masa, Tipper, a sunset set from Tycho and a large collection of emerging acts.

Lightning In a Bottle takes place at Buena Vista Lake near Bakersfield, Calif., over Memorial Day weekend, May 22-27. Produced by The Do Lab, the camping festival also hosts a wide range of experiences including interactive yoga and movement classes, talks and workshops, games, races and other special events. Tickets for the festival go on sale Wednesday (Jan. 24.)

Ahead of Lightning In a Bottle, The Do Lab will return to Coachella to host its annual stage at the fest. The lineup for this stage will be released in the coming months.

See the Lightning In a Bottle lineup below:

5 Must-Hear New Country Songs: Megan Moroney, Kelsey Hart, Sierra Ferrell & More

This week, we highlight a batch of country new tunes that range from poppy and sleek to bluegrass and Western-inflected. “Tennessee Orange” hitmaker Megan Moroney is surging on the streaming charts with her new release “No Caller ID,” while Kelsey Hart has earned a viral hit with his tender love song “Life With You.”

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Meanwhile, Madeline Merlo gets confessional on her new single, while Sierra Ferrell and Colby T. Helms bring their unique brands of hard-edged country to the forefront on new releases.

Megan Moroney, “No Caller ID”



Moroney’s latest release is this superbly-crafted, fan-favorite track, which she wrote with other powerhouse writers, Jessie Jo Dillon, Connie Harrington and Jessi Alexander. The opening lyrics lay the scene as a woman whose ex always seems to re-enter her life just as she’s settled in to a better romantic situation, thanks to therapy and a newfound healthy relationship. The early verses and choruses seem to find her waffling between exhuming the past and moving on. In the bridge, she reaches the realization that answering her ex’s call equates to emotional self-harm, and refuses to replicate past mistakes, as she sings, “I’m tired of hurtin’ me/ So I let it ring.” Moroney’s debut album Lucky showcased her immense promise as both vocalist and songwriter; here, she proves her talents keep growing in depth and nuance.

Kelsey Hart, “Life With You”



Hart has earned a viral hit with this tender love song — a tuneful, tasteful track that makes for a powerful performance. Tender piano, guitar and percussion highlight Hart’s at once strong and soft-hearted voice.

Madeline Merlo, “Makeup”



Searing, courageous truths spill everywhere on Merlo’s latest, as she ponders how much of her innate mannerisms she can actually change. Gorgeously detailed lyrics of both doubt and self-acceptance abound, with Merlo asking, “Could I make love last forever if my parents never could/ Will I ever know the difference between good enough and good?” A scorcher of a performance.

Sierra Ferrell, “Dollar Bill Bar”



Ferrell sings of the longheld saloon tradition of writing names on dollar bills and stapling them to the walls of the bar. Her enchanting, lilting voice sounds effortless as she describes that she’s legendary on these bar scenes, and warns a potential suitor to not think he’s special — that her name is emblazoned on more than one dollar bill in that bar. Another sterling release from one of Americana, bluegrass and country’s most talented artists.

Colby T. Helms, “Mountain Brandy”



On his Jan. 19 album release Tales of Misfortune, Helms melds bluegrass with blues and country. Here, fiddle and mandolin wrap around an ode to homemade, mountain-spun brandy for both its medicinal properties and its connection to old-time mountain community, even as newcomers make their way into the area.

One Direction’s ‘Story of My Life’ Music Video Joins YouTube’s Billion Views Club

Just months after turning 10 years old, One Direction‘s iconic “Story of My Life” music video has surpassed one billion views on YouTube. 

Uploaded to the platform Nov. 3, 2013, the four-minute visual stars then bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne along with real members of their families as they recreate childhood photos. In one scene, for instance, a picture of a young Styles sitting on the couch next to his mom Anne morphs into a present-day version, the pair sitting in the same position — the “As It Was” singer now several inches taller, but still in the same blue bathrobe. 

In another childhood photo, a young Tomlinson sits with his parents and grandparents. When the scene shifts to present day, he and his mom and dad visibly age — however, his grandmother and grandfather fade away altogether. 

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“Written in these walls are the stories that I can’t explain/ I leave my heart open but it stays right here empty for days,” Styles sings at the beginning, the rest of the boys joining him later for the chorus. “The story of my life, I take her home/ I drive all night to keep her warm/ And time is frozen.” 

The track was released in 2013 ahead of the boy band’s third album, Midnight Memories, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 and was the group’s third of four straight No. 1 albums. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, one of six tracks to reach the top 10 in the band’s career before its 2016 hiatus. 

“Story of My Life” isn’t the first 1D video to join YouTube’s billion views club. The beachy visual for the band’s 2011 debut single “What Makes You Beautiful” also reached the milestone, as did 2015’s NASA-themed “Drag Me Down.” 

Watch “Story of My Life” below. 



Justin Timberlake Confirms New Single ‘Selfish’ & Release Date: Here’s When It Arrives

Justin Timberlake is back in the ring. After a five-year drought of any solo material from the pop star, he’s finally announced that his new single, “Selfish,” is coming in a matter of days.

The former boy bander broke the news by simply posting what appears to be the song’s cover art on social media Monday (Jan. 22). Shot by photographer Charlotte Rutherford, the artwork finds Timberlake facing away from the camera and staring at a lush canyon sunset.

“1.25,” he captioned the shot. That’s right, JT Nation — the “SexyBack” singer’s new song is arriving this Thursday (Jan. 25).

On Twitter, Timberlake confirmed that the new project is titled “Selfish,” an R&B-infused song he already debuted live at his concert in Memphis Jan. 19. The lyrics include, “So if I get jealous, I can’t help it/ I want every bit of you, I guess I’m selfish.”

That same night, Timberlake also posted a trailer for his upcoming sixth album, revealing the project’s official title: Everything I Thought It Was. Similar to the new single artwork, Timberlake faces away in the trailer as a narrator — Benicio Del Toro — muses, “Oh, there’s Justin! Why won’t he turn around? What the f— is he staring at?”

The album’s lead single will mark Timberlake’s first solo release since 2018’s Man of the Woods, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The 10-time Grammy winner is also set to serve as musical guest on Saturday Night Live the day after “Selfish” arrives, with Dakota Johnson hosting the episode.

See Timberlake’s announcement below:

Brooks & Dunn to Launch Reboot Tour 2024

Joining the duo will be David Lee Murphy and ERNEST.

Brooks & Dunn are set to launch their Reboot 2024 Tour on May 3 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Joining these stalwarts of ’90s country gems such as “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Neon Moon” and “That Ain’t No Way to Go” are country singer-songwriter David Lee Murphy (known for his own hits including “Party Crowd” as well as writing hits for artists including Jason Aldean and Kenny Chesney) and “Flower Shops” hitmaker ERNEST.

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The duo’s Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019. The Reboot Tour takes its name from the duo’s 2019 album Reboot, which features Brooks & Dunn in collaboration with artists including Luke Combs and Kacey Musgraves.

Tickets will be available starting Friday, Jan. 26, at 10 a.m. local time at brooks-dunn.com.

See below for a full list of tour dates:

  • May 3: West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
  • May 4: Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
  • May 10: Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP                                                
  • May 11: Thackerville, OK — Lucas Oil Live at WinStar World Casino and Resort*                                       
  • May 16: New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
  • May 17: Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Presented by Huntsman
  • May 30: Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
  • May 31: Denver, CO – Ball Arena
  • June 1: Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
  • June 6: Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center at Fresno State
  • June 7: Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
  • June 8: Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre*
  • June 13: Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post
  • June 14: Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
  • June 15: Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium
  • June 20: Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
  • June 21: Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
  • June 22: London, ON – Budweiser Gardens
  • June 27: Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC                                                               
  • June 28: Allentown, PA – PPL Center
  • June 29: Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion                                              
  • Aug. 10: Welch, MN — Treasure Island Amphitheater*

*Lineup varies

Billy Joel to Release First Pop Single in Years

More than 30 years since Billy Joel released his last pop album, 1993’s River of Dreams, he’s putting out a new pop single, “Turn the Lights Back On.” 

Columbia Records, Joel’s longtime label home, will release the song on Feb. 1 to all digital service providers and on limited edition 7” vinyl. It will be accompanied by a lyric video on Joel’s YouTube channel. 

Joel, who has scored 33 Top 40 hits, hinted about the new song at his Dec. 19 show as part of his Madison Square Garden residency, telling the audience, “I have good news. I have bad news. I’ll give you the bad news first. We don’t have anything new to play for you. The good news is you don’t have to sit through something you have no idea what it is. Although we’ve got a little something we’ve been working on you might hear sometime.” 

The pop song — which Joel wrote with Freddy Wexler, Arthur Bacon and Wayne Hector and was produced by Wexler — includes the lyrics, “Did I wait too long … to turn the lights back on?” It’s Joel’s first song released with words since 2007’s  “All My Life,” a lush, Sinatra-like ballad Joel wrote for his then wife, Katie Lee, that reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart.  

No word on if “Turn the Lights Back On” is a one-off or a precursor to more material, but Joel has been open about his hesitation to return to his pop heyday, making the new song all the more welcome. “I’m not ruling out the possibility of writing songs again,” Joel told Billboard in 2007, a few months after “All My Life’s” release. “I suppose if I had the motivation to write a song, I’m not gonna stop myself from doing it. I just haven’t felt the compulsion to write songs in pop form. I guess these days I just think of myself as a composer.”

More recently, Joel told the New Yorker of his decision to stop recording, “Some people think it’s because I’m lazy or I’m just being contrary … But, no, I think it’s just — I’ve had my say … I’m not crazy about going into a recording studio and doing that kind of life again, or taking on another project where there’s other people involved, arrangers and orchestrators and conductors and producers. I don’t want to deal with it.” 

The six-time Grammy winner’s last studio album was a collection of his classical anthems, Fantasies & Delusions, released on Sony Classical, in 2001.  

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee is on the tail end of his record-breaking 10-year residency at Madison Square Garden. Joel has played the historic New York City arena once a month since January 2014, and will wrap with his 150th show in July. He continues to tour outside of the residency, including a sold-out stadium show in Tokyo on Thursday (Jan. 25).