Music

11 Sep 2023

BTS’ RM Reflects on His ‘Blessed’ Life, Talks New Music in 29th Birthday Message: See What He Said

Somebody light the candles, it’s RM’s birthday! The BTS member turns 29 on Tuesday, Sep. 12, with fans celebrating around the world on Monday (Sept. 11). In celebration of the big day, the rapper-songwriter posted a message to fans reflecting on his 28 years of life so far.

In his note — which was posted to Weverse on Monday (Sep. 11) — RM reflects on his emotional maturity journey, talks new music to come and muses on the relationship between fans and artists. “It’s my last birthday in my 20s,” he began. “I always feel a little embarrassed. I don’t think it’s a big day for me, but … I’m so happy and blessed that so many people congratulated me sincerely.”

“I want to be a person who can be as honest as possible, but what can the existence between the intangible and tangible of fans and singers be beyond that? Is everything acceptable under the kind ghost of love? I’m still going through the experience where revealing becomes a weakness and honesty hurts, but I’m not sure yet,” he wrote. “I said before that I was sad because it was getting harder to talk. I think that fact is still the same. But I’ve gotten a lot calmer. As I received the sincerity of thinking about receiving it once in my life like a heavy rain, I also realized that I was a temperamentally optimistic person who considered salt and emptiness as cool. Isn’t this a miracle? These days, I’m living with by ‘Why not?’ I’m living by sharing the optimism that was interpreted by the love I received.”

RM has already achieved several lifetime’s worth of success. As a member of BTS, RM has earned six No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including the Grammy-nominated singles “Dynamite” and “Butter.” On the Billboard 200, the group has scored six No. 1 titles in just five years, ranging from 2018’s Love Youself: Tear to 2022’s Proof.

The rapper also teased new music of his own in his message, though it sounds like it may not be coming anytime soon. “I’m living by sharing the optimism that was interpreted by the love I received,” he shared. “I’m also putting it in my next songs that will come out someday.” As a soloist, RM has charted one song on the Hot 100: 2022’s “Wild Flower” (with Youjeen, No. 83). He has also landed a pair of titles on the Billboard 200: 2018’s mono. (No. 26) and 2022’s Indigo (No. 3).

He continued his message by reflecting on his life and time in BTS. “Can I just be honest in a way that’s more beautiful than music?” RM wrote. “So I wonder if I became a BTS. I wanted to do it in various ways. Whether it’s a program, an interview, a dance, whatever.. What a blessed life. And these things always make me want to look at where I am and think about it with my eyes.”

He wrapped up his letter by sharing his appreciation for ARMY. “Each letter of my birthday is a different language of love, where I have now arrived. Thanks to you, I’m living really well. I want to live well. I just wanted to say that I love you with my latest and best version every time,” RM concluded. “I can’t hug each and every one of you, but my heart is more than that. I won’t ask you to love me no matter what I look like. But I’m going to try my best as much as I got it.”

11 Sep 2023

‘No Longer Would I Be Minimized to Support DJs’: Kah-Lo on the Challenges of Being a Nigerian, Female Dance Artist

Nigerian dance artist Kah-Lo released her debut album, Pain/Pleasure, on Sept. 8 via Epic Records. Here, she writes about the long journey that brought her to this achievement.

I always knew I would become a musician, before I even knew how to spell the word. I always wrote poetry and other bits, but didn’t start making music until I met a bunch of like-minded friends in secondary school in the mid-noughties. 

Prior to meeting these friends – most of them rappers and boys – a lot of my dreams of becoming a musician seemed so wildly far-fetched that at 13, my teachers and classmates once sat me down and, out of genuine concern, tried to talk me out of chasing these dreams.

Growing up in Nigeria at the time, telling most people you wanted to make music for a living was like telling them you wanted to toss your life in the trash. Telling them you wanted to make globally accepted music was even worse. To be a successful musician – one who made a lucrative living, was so beyond anyone’s imagination, you started to sound crazier the older you got.



It was a dream that was never validated until I met those friends. We wanted to make music Nigerians had never even thought to make, and we wanted it to be so good it would be heard, respected, and measured on the same plane as the musicians we idolized. 

We started to see what could be possible when a label called Storm Records launched with a slew of rappers, musicians and producers fusing Nigerian instruments and slang with Western patterns and flow in a way we had never heard before. They had Naeto C and Ikechukwu, who came onto the rap scene fresh from New York. They also had Sasha P – a standout female MC who started out with one of the first rap collectives known as the Trybesmen. She came back on the scene with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it lyrical maturity I’m still decoding to this day. 

It started to dawn on me that our dreams were, indeed, valid. These rappers weren’t making Afropop or Afro- anything. They were making rap. But this was 2007, and Afropop itself was barely even scratching the surface, let alone Nigerian artists making Western-adjacent music in Nigerian accents. However, I left Lagos for New York in 2009 — knowing at the very least, it was possible.

I eventually started cultivating a sound and posting my original music to SoundCloud. I started getting messages from DJs asking to use the monotone deadpan talk-rap sections of my reverb heavy alt-R&B over dance music. In that era, dance music was dubstep and Baauer’s “Harlem Shake,” so these requests confused me. How would it even work?

I eventually connected with electronic producer Riton via Twitter, and used what was then my last $20 to head to the studio in Brooklyn to record with him. We made two tracks. One of them was a carefully written alt-R&B number, and the other was “Rinse and Repeat.” 

At his insistence, I used the talk-rap style over a minimalist dance beat he had made. I had never made dance music before – at least not intentionally. I couldn’t fathom how a genre I mostly associated with looped vocals and sample-heavy hits from the early-2000s by the likes of Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim and Groove Armada could possibly command significant attention. The climate of dance music I knew at the time didn’t accommodate such stylings. I cried on the way home and decided to move back home to Lagos since it was clear music wouldn’t work out for me. Who would listen to that?

I was wrong. The song became a global hit.

Over the next few years, I would perform in places I had yet to even dream of. All over Europe, North America opening for Sofi Tukker, touring in Australia and a brief gig in Russia. Albeit incredible, it was also a bit uncomfortable. The bulk of the shows would be lineups full of white male DJs where I’d end up being the only Black person/woman on the stage. Sometimes, it would be entire towns where I seemed to be the only Black person there at all. 

Once in a while, we’d do gigs where there would be other insanely talented Black artists in the green rooms – Raye, MNEK and Kelli-Leigh were frequent fixtures. However, I quickly started to notice, we weren’t on the lineups for our own merit. In most cases, we were there because we had collaborated on hit records with the white, male DJs who were booked for these gigs.

I dyed my wigs all sorts of bright colors to make sure I looked extra captivating on camera, because the recap videos and livestreams I asked my friends and family to watch almost always seemed to miss me. I figured perhaps I wasn’t dynamic enough on stage. 

I didn’t start attracting my own attention until I debuted an electric green wig in Ibiza in the summer of 2018. I visually became hard to ignore with such a bright color against my dark skin, and that bled into the music and my persona as well. Things started to change, and I started to get booked on my own accord – much to the chagrin of my collaborators.

We – the Black artists who made up the bulk of the vocal prowess that was in dance music – weren’t supposed to be in the limelight. We were supposed to live in the shrouded mystery of samples, topline vocalists or even session musicians. In dance music, the DJ was king. To draw attention to yourself in that way was to overstep, and to even be credited as a primary artist on a record was something you had to fight for, and viewed as a “favor” you were to be grateful for. 

Meanwhile, Nigerian pop music was just starting to be recognized by mainstream media outlets as its own thing. My first few tracks had been referred to as having “Afrobeat elements” – I imagine due to my blended Nigerian accent. I had to constantly reiterate I was making house music, and not Afrohouse.

Regardless, it seemed like the very space I was taking up as an artist was defying odds, and it was wonderful, because it’s all I really ever wanted to prove. Being nominated for the Grammy for best dance recording in 2017, for “Rinse & Repeat,” was one of the best milestones of my career. One of the most respected musical bodies had recognized my art as it was, and not based it off of my cultural background.

I started getting collaboration requests on a larger scale from some of the biggest DJs in the world. Chances to release my own records were few and far between – and when I eventually did, I hardly got much support on the scale my features would. 

It wasn’t until my dear friend and DJ/producer, Michael Brun, taught me how to DJ that I fully understood the power of my vocals. The delivery and global citizen feel of it made it a perfect fit for beat-matching, and it was malleable enough to go over any beat style. It started to make sense why – since my days on SoundCloud and even to this day – my a cappellas were always in high demand. It gave me a new perspective, and I began understanding the power of “no,” for instance, when the track wasn’t one I felt was a good fit for me and my brand.

Understanding that power, and going from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance, opened me up to new opportunities. No longer would I be minimized to support DJs when I bring just as much to the track as they do. Some collaborators were not happy about this, and it led to a lot of friction, naturally so.

I moved back to New York and signed to Epic Records in 2020 at the peak of the global pandemic, and I released my debut EP in the summer of 2021, aptly called The Arrival.

For the first time in my career, I released a body of work that I had creative control over and truly represented me in every facet. It spawned a solo single on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart – a feat that was deemed unrealistic for a Nigerian and a Black woman making dance music.

“Drag Me Out,” a one-off single, followed the year after to the same acclaim. It wasn’t a fluke, and I could stand on my own. Black female “vocalists” – who are usually talented singer/songwriters in their own right – can stand on their own. I’m insanely proud of proving people wrong.

My debut album, Pain/Pleasure came out this past Friday, September 8th. The first half of it was written while I was going through a lot of these trials and tribulations, so I explore themes of anger on “fund$,” pain on the title track, and hurt on “Karma.”

The last half of it is a lot more triumphant, because through all of that and against all odds, I did it. I overcame, and there’s a lot to celebrate for it. 

11 Sep 2023

Selena Gomez Is ‘Grateful’ After Rema Collaboration Hits 1 Billion Spotify Streams

Selena Gomez could hardly “Calm Down” after her breezy Rema collaboration hit 1 billion Spotify streams.

The star took to her Instagram Stories and Twitter on Sunday (Sept. 10) to share the accomplishment, writing, “I’m so grateful. Love you @heisrema!”

The billion stream milestone is particularly special for Rema, as it’s the first time an African artist-led track has reached the number, per a press release. “It’s a blessing. It’s not just a big win for me, my team and family, it’s also a big one for the culture. I feel really happy and I’m really proud of the fans as well for going back to the song and putting people on the song. Shout out to the DJs and everyone who made this possible,” the singer said in a press statement.

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Over on the Billboard charts, “Calm Down” fared particularly well. The crossover hit topped Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay chart (dated May 13), marking Rema’s first leader on the list. It also topped the all-format Radio Songs chart and Pop Airplay chart. “Calm Down” also topped the Rhythmic Airplay chart for four weeks in May-June. On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, the song has hit No. 3, becoming Rema’s first entry and Gomez’s ninth top 10.

Rema, from Nigeria, released the original version of “Calm Down” in February 2022 as a single from his debut solo LP, Rave & Roses. Its remix with Gomez arrived last August, and that version’s official video premiered in September.

11 Sep 2023

How ‘NBA 2K’ Bridged the Gap Between Hip-Hop & Gaming

The bustling streets of New York City provided both the stage and audience for A Boogie wit Da Hoodie and Swae Lee on Thursday (Sept. 7), as they parked themselves across the newly-assembled TSX Stage to play NBA 2K24 on an 18,000-square-foot billboard.

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As Boogie and Swae sauntered into the plush designated gaming area inside the heart of Times Square, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, tennis star Frances Tiafoe and digital marketing director for 2K Games, Ronnie 2K, were awaiting them to test their gaming prowess. For an hour, the five men huddled around the XBOX console, playing a single-game elimination-style tournament in front of New York City pedestrians, hoping to win the coveted iced-out 2K chain and, most importantly, bragging rights for the night. (Cunningham ultiamtely took home the top prize.)

“I think it’s a symbiotic relationship,” says Ronnie 2K on rappers’ affinity for the storied sports gaming franchise. “[Hip-Hop] has shown us so much love, and we show it right back by trying to create opportunities with the way we release music. It makes sense about athletes wanting to be rappers and [how] rappers wanna be athletes. It never speaks truer than in 2K, because if they can’t physically play, they can play in the digital world.”

First developed in 1999 by Visual Concepts, NBA 2K was released in November 1999 with cover athlete Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson. Over the years, NBA2K became a favorable video game franchise because of its sleek gameplay and its scintillating soundtracks. The 2K franchise previously enlisted rap heavyweights such as Jay-Z, Pharrell and Travis Scott to executive-produce their playlists — later taking things further by inviting artists like Lil Durk, Lil Wayne, Jack Harlow and Quavo to become playable characters in the game. Last year, J. Cole became the first rapper to land on the series’ cover.

“NBA 2K has become an influential platform where basketball and hip-hop culture intersect, creating a place where fans can enjoy the best of both worlds,” says David Kelley, director of partnerships and licensing at 2K Games. Our goal has always been to be a global platform for music discovery for our players. We want to both honor the culture that came before but also push that musical culture towards what’s next and upcoming, just like how NBA basketball has always done the same for hip-hop.

The previous night, 2K set up a launch event for the game in Brooklyn, where they laid out the welcome mat for many hip-hop stars, such as Boogie and Swae Lee, to experience the game in advance. 2K enthusiasts got the best of both worlds, experiencing a collision course between watching NBA stars like Cade Cunningham and Tim Hardaway Jr. compete on the gaming console and watching rappers such as Lil Uzi Vert grace the stage to perform some of their biggest hits.

For Swae and A Boogie, 2K entered their lives pretty young. “When I first fell in love with NBA2K, I was a little kid, like 11, 12,” relays Lee after his first-round loss to Boogie. “We had all the early games. Me and brothers been on that. We had four controllers. So we all played and be on the same team versus the computer. 

Like Swae Lee, Boogie’s love for 2K stemmed from competition, especially after winning a $20 bet against one of his friends. 

“I fell in love with 2K my first time winning money off the game. I won $20,” remembers Boogie, who lost to Cunningham in the tournament finals. “When it comes down to 2K, we was playing since like 2K14. “Now that we doing things [different in-game features] like MyPlayer, and go into the park, we get to see all the cool add-ons that make the game fun.”

Besides the gaming experience, it’s the music in 2K that once again reigns supreme. This year, the NBA 2K24 Soundtrack features over 50 artists, including A Boogie, Lil Wayne, Central Cee, Ice Spice, Burna Boy, and more. The music collection will grow weekly, as fans can expect new songs to be added to the soundtrack every Friday. Def Jam Recordings partnered with 2K this year to kick off season one of their soundtrack by adding past and present hits ranging from Rick Ross’ “Hustlin” to Armani White’s “Goated” to bolster the audio experience. 

“The soundtrack has always been such an important part of the NBA 2K series,” says Kelley. “We’ve built the union by continuing to innovate our soundtrack over the last 25 years of the series, including bringing in global talent – both established names and hot up-and-comers, partnering with global record labels to bring new artists to new audiences, in-game crossover series cards and so much more. Fans can now even experience exclusive drops of music in-game before it goes live on streaming services. 

Released last Friday (Sept. 8), the late Kobe Bryant graces this year’s cover, after previously being featured in NBA 2K21, NBA 2K17 and NBA 2K10. Three editions are available for fans: the Kobe Bryant Edition for $69.99, the Black Mamba Edition for $99.99, and the 25th Anniversary Edition for $149.99.

11 Sep 2023

BTS’ V Reflects on His ‘Severe’ Burnout in 2018: ‘It Was the Toughest Time of My Life’

BTS‘ V celebrated the release of his debut solo album, Layover — which arrived Sept. 8 — with a Monday (Sept. 11) appearance on Suga‘s Suchwita drinking show. While the pair listened to several tracks from the album, the conversation turned serious when V reflected on a rough time in the group that took place during 2018.

“When I think of Taehyung, the year 2018 comes to mind so much, during our ‘Fake love’ promotions,” Suga said, to which V replied, “It was the toughest time in my life.”

A clip from BTS’ award acceptance at the 2018 MAMA Awards speech played in an aside, which saw V telling the audience, “Even if I die and come back alive, what doesn’t change is that ARMY is such a precious gift to me.”

Suga explained that after the members saw how exhausted V was, it led the group to wonder about how tired they also were. V’s source of stress, however, came from feeling insecure about his performance abilities compared to his group members’.

“I started to compare myself to others. ‘Because my pace is slower than the members and my thoughts are a bit different … is that why I’m more burned out?’ I thought this a lot,” V explained. “Whenever I looked at our members when we perform, [I thought,] ‘The members are so perfect and they enjoy the stage. But why am I the only one like this?’ So relatively, my burnout was severe.”

Despite gaining international attention and getting invited to perform at the Billboard Music Awards and the American Music Awards for the first time in 2018, the accolades were not enough for the group to feel good about their lack of rest, and according to V, his exhaustion came to a head as BTS prepared for the release of “Fake Love.”

“I was so exhausted that I asked, ‘Since tomorrow we only have dance practice, would it be OK if we took a day off?’ But we were preparing for our comeback and it was an important dance practice, so we couldn’t rest. … All this negativity piled up inside me,” he recalled. “I didn’t think I could do anything in that state, so I kept thinking of ways I could rest, but I couldn’t think of anything, so I even thought I should get hurt [‘If I get hurt, would I be able to rest?’]. I thought I should get hurt, but now I want to change that me of the past.”

Though Suga noted that 2018 felt like a “life and death situation” for BTS, ARMY can rest easy knowing those days are behind the group. “They’re gone now!” V assured Suga.

Watch V’s episode of Suchwita above.

If you or someone you know are struggling with thoughts of self-harm, text CONNECT to 741741 for 24/7 help from the Crisis Text Line. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for help from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

11 Sep 2023

Doja Cat’s ‘Paint the Town Red’ Rises to No. 1 on Billboard Global 200 Chart

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” reaches No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart (dated Sept. 16). It’s her first leader on the list, since it began in September 2020, and the first rap No. 1 on the ranking this year.

Meanwhile, Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto, adds an eighth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, encompassing its entire run on the survey so far.

Elsewhere, Japanese band King Gnu notches its first Global Excl. U.S. top 10, as “Specialz” debuts at No. 8.

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.

New Coat of ‘Paint’ Atop Global 200

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” rises 2-1 on the Billboard Global 200, with 84 million streams (up 31%) and 12,000 sold (up 37%) worldwide Sept. 1-7. The viral hit is the rapper/singer’s first No. 1 since the list launched in September 2020, among six top 10s. It’s also the first rap leader this year; most recently for the genre before, Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex” topped the tally dated Nov. 19, 2022, upon its debut.

Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto, drops to No. 2 on the Global 200, after spending its first seven weeks on the chart at No. 1; Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” keeps at its No. 3 high; Myke Towers’ “LaLa” lifts 7-4, after reaching No. 3; and Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” holds at No. 5, after hitting No. 3.

Eight Weeks for ‘Seven’ at No. 1 on Global Excl. U.S.

Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto, leads the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for an eighth week, with 83.8 million streams (down 5%) and 3,000 sold (down 58%) outside the U.S. Sept. 1-7. Upon its debut, the song became the first No. 1 on the chart, as well as the Global 200, for a member of BTS as a soloist.

The entire Global Excl. U.S. top five holds in place, with “Seven” followed by Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red,” at its No. 2 high; Myke Towers’ “LaLa,” at No. 3 after it led for a week in July; Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” at its No. 4 best; and Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” at No. 5 after it hit No. 3.

Plus, King Gnu claims its first Global Excl. U.S. top 10, as “Specialz” debuts at No. 8 with 15.9 million streams and 30,000 sold outside the U.S. Sept. 1-7. The Japanese group logs its fourth top 40 entry on the chart, having previously peaked as high as No. 26 with “Chameleon” in March 2022.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Sept. 16, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Sept. 12). 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.

11 Sep 2023

Grimes & Elon Musk Confirm They Have a Third Child Together

It’s not every day that news of a new baby makes it out to the world before the parents are able to announce the bundle of joy on their own terms, but such is the life of Grimes and Elon Musk, whose baby news was revealed in a Saturday (Sept. 9) New York Times book review of a biography on Musk by Walter Isaacson. But the two parents have now spoken out separately to confirm that they share three children.

On Sunday (Sept. 10), Grimes took to X — formerly known as Twitter, which Musk owns — to address a family matter and subtly confirm that she and Musk have welcomed a third child. “Hey, I wud prefer to not breathe any more life into this current press cycle but I want to de-escalate the narrative atm,” she began, referencing a since-deleted post in which she accused the tech magnate of keeping her from one of their kids, and also took aim at Shivon Zilis, with whom Musk shares twins. “I spoke with Shivon at length finally, which was long overdue. This wasn’t her fault, plz don’t be angry at her! We respect each other a lot and we’re excited to become friends and have the kids grow up together.”

She ended her tweet by pointing out how women are often pitted against each other — and confirming she the name of her third child, which The New York Times reported is nicknamed “Tau.” “Speaking with Shivon, it’s very evident she’s an amazing human and we both just want what’s best for our kids,” she concluded. “I wish I could show u how cute little Techno is [alien emoji ] but my priority rn is keeping my babies out of the public eye.”

Musk also confirmed the news with a tweet on Saturday night (Sep. 9), writing, “Tau Techno Mechanicus. Circumference/Diameter” in a reply to a tweet listing the names of his and Grimes’ children.

Musk, 52, and Grimes, 35, co-parent two other children together: son X AE A-XII (“X”), who arrived in May 2020, and daughter Exa Dark Sideræl (“Y”), who was born via surrogate in December 2021, after the couple announced they were “semi-separated” in September that year. Neither has shared when their third child was born.

The Tesla CEO and Zilis — who is an exec at the Musk-owned Neuralink — welcomed twins named Strider and Azure in November 2021, according to a July 2022 Business Insider report. He is also dad to son Nevada (who died from sudden infant death syndrome), twins sons Griffin and Xavier, and triplet sons Kai, Saxon and Damian with first wife Justine Wilson. He and Wilson couple divorced in 2008.

Grimes has earned three entries on the Billboard 200: 2012’s Visions (No. 98), 2015’s Art Angels (No. 36) and 2020’s Miss Anthropocene (No. 32). Art Angels spent one week atop Top Alternative Albums.

Check out Grimes’ and Musk’s confirmations of their third child below:

11 Sep 2023

What’s Your Favorite Song on Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Guts’? Vote!

Olivia Rodrigo unveiled her long awaited follow-up to 2021’s Sour on Friday (Sept. 8) in the form of Guts, a rock-tinged project led by her Hot 100 chart topper, “Vampire.”

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The track became Rodrigo’s third to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100, and has since spent nearly every week post-release in the chart’s top 10. A promotional single titled “Bad Idea Right?” followed on Aug. 11. That song featured a markedly more frantic tempo to complement the ballad-rock opera fusion that was “Vampire.” “Bad Idea Right?” entered Hot Rock & Alternative Songs at No. 1, becoming her second overall entry and second No. 1 single on the chart.

On September 12, Rodrigo will perform at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. This year, the “Traitor” singer boasts six nominations, including video of the year, song of the year and best pop (all for “Vampire”). 

In celebration of Guts, we want to know which track from the album is your favorite. Let us know by voting below.

11 Sep 2023

Doja Cat’s ‘Paint the Town Red’ Becomes Her Second Hot 100 No. 1, First Rap Leader in Over a Year

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” rises from No. 3 to No. 1 in its fifth week on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. It becomes the rapper/singer’s second career leader, following “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj, in 2020.

Meanwhile, “Paint the Town Red” marks the first rap Hot 100 No. 1 in over a year, ending the longest break for the genre atop the chart since 2001.

The Hot 100’s new No. 1 also brings late legendary songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David back to the summit for the first time since 2004, thanks to its sample of Dionne Warwick’s classic “Walk on By.”

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 Sept. 16, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Sept. 12). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Here’s a look at the Hot 100 coronation of “Paint the Town  Red” (released on Kemosabe/RCA Records), the 1,155th No. 1 in the chart’s 65-year history.

Streams, sales & airplay: “Paint the Town Red” drew 32.1 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 14%) and 27.7 million streams (up 10%) and sold 8,000 downloads (up 32%) in the Sept. 1-7 tracking week, according to Luminate, as it wins the Hot 100’s top Streaming and Sales Gainer awards.

The single holds at its No. 2 high on the Streaming Songs chart and pushes 6-5 on Digital Song Sales and 17-15 on Radio Songs, hitting new bests on the latter two rankings.

Doja Cat’s second Hot 100 No. 1: Doja Cat claims her second Hot 100 leader, following  “Say So,” featuring Nicki Minaj, for a week in May 2020. Two weeks ago, “Paint the Town Red,” which has ridden a wave of virality on TikTok, became her seventh top 10.

The song is from Doja Cat’s fourth studio album, Scarlet, due Sept. 22.

First rap No. 1 in over a year: “Paint the Town Red” marks the first rap track (defined as songs that have hit or are eligible to appear on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart) to lead the Hot 100 since Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl,” which ruled upon its debut atop the chart dated Aug. 27, 2022. Doja Cat ends a 54-week break between rap No. 1s (during which three rap titles peaked at No. 2: Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole; Drake’s “Search & Rescue”; and Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex”).

Before the 2022-23 break, the last time the Hot 100 went without a rap champ longer was pre- and post-Y2K: after Will Smith’s “Wild Wild West,” featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee, reigned for a week in July 1999, rap was absent from the top spot until Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me,” featuring Ricardo “RikRok” Ducent, began a two-week command in February 2001 – ending a drought of 79 weeks, or just over 18 months, and 22 No. 1s without a rap leader.

In the 54 frames between the dominations of “Super Freaky Girl” and “Paint the Town Red,” 15 songs topped the Hot 100, ranging from pop to R&B, country and rock/alternative. Click here for a deeper dive into key factors that contributed to rap’s shutout from No. 1 over the past year-plus until this week.

Country’s command halted: Meanwhile, with the return of rap atop the Hot 100, a streak for country ends, as “Paint the Town Red” stops a record run of four consecutive country No. 1s, over the past six weeks. On the Sept. 9-dated chart, Zach Bryan’s “I Remember Everything,” featuring Kacey Musgraves, debuted at No. 1, supplanting Anthony Oliver Music’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” after two weeks on top (Aug. 26 and Sept. 2). Before that, Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” rebounded for its last two of 16 total weeks at No. 1 (Aug. 12 and 19), directly following Jason Aldean’s one-week reign with “Try That in a Small Town” (Aug. 5).

Five-week climb to No. 1: “Paint the Town Red” reaches No. 1 in its fifth week on the Hot 100, competing what’s become a rare multiple-week ascent to the top in 2023; it debuted at No. 15 on the Aug. 19 chart. The previous five new No. 1s (discounting “Last Night,” which logged a record-tying five distinct stays at No. 1 beginning in March) all debuted at the apex: “I Remember Everything”; “Rich Men North of Richmond”; “Try That in a Small Town”; Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto (July 29); and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” (July 15).

Before the launch of “Vampire” (and 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for “Last Night” in May-July), SZA’s “Kill Bill” hit No. 1 in its 19th week on the chart (April 29) – helped in part by a remix released in that survey’s tracking week with Doja Cat (who did not receive billing on SZA’s song, as the remix did not account for a majority of its consumption that week).

Bacharach, David, back at No. 1: “Paint the Town Red” samples Dionne Warwick’s standard “Walk on By,” which hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 1964. Thanks to its inclusion, legendary late songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David crown the Hot 100 for the first time since Twista’s “Slow Jamz,” featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, ruled for a week in 2004; that song samples Luther Vandross’ cover of Warwick’s fellow 1964 release “A House Is Not a Home.”

Bacharach, who passed away Feb. 8, has now co-written eight Hot 100 No. 1s, which have reigned in five distinct decades – the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s, 2000s and ‘20s – and spanned over 55 years.

Burt Bacharach’s No. 1 Hot 100 Songwriting Credits:

Artist billing, Title (Weeks at No. 1, Peak date)

  • Doja Cat, “Paint the Town Red” (one to date, Sept. 16, 2023)
  • Twista feat. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx, “Slow Jamz” (one, Feb. 21, 2004)
  • Dionne & Friends (Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder), “That’s What Friends Are For” (four, beginning Jan. 18, 1986)
  • Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald, “On My Own” (three, beginning June 14, 1986)
  • Christopher Cross, “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (three, beginning Oct. 17, 1981)
  • Carpenters, “(They Long To Be) Close to You” (four, beginning July 25, 1970)
  • B.J. Thomas, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (four, beginning Jan. 3, 1970)
  • Herb Alpert, “This Guy’s in Love With You” (No. 1 for four weeks, beginning June 22, 1968)

David, who died in 2012, has now co-penned five Hot 100 No. 1s (over the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘00s and ‘20s), all with Bacharach. Notably, the Songwriters Hall of Fame annually presents – this year to Post Malone – the Hal David Starlight Award, which, according to the organization, is given to “gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs.”

Hal David’s No. 1 Hot 100 Songwriting Credits:

Artist billing, Title (Weeks at No. 1, Peak date)

  • Doja Cat, “Paint the Town Red” (one to date, Sept. 16, 2023)
  • Twista feat. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx, “Slow Jamz” (one, Feb. 21, 2004)
  • Carpenters, “(They Long To Be) Close to You” (four, beginning July 25, 1970)
  • B.J. Thomas, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (four, beginning Jan. 3, 1970)
  • Herb Alpert, “This Guy’s in Love With You” (No. 1 for four weeks, beginning June 22, 1968)

Adding to the new Hot 100’s No. 1 star power, Warwick’s voice appears atop the chart for the first time since “That’s What Friends Are For,” as noted above, in 1986. The ballad became her second leader, following her Spinners team-up “Then Came You” for a week in 1974.

‘Paint,’ ‘town’ & ‘red’ reigns: “Paint the Town Red” is the 11th Hot 100 No. 1 with either “paint,” “town” or “red” in its title. Here’s an eclectic recap of the others (with half the No. 1s with “town” in their titles having led since 2015).

  • “Paint It, Black,” The Rolling Stones, 1966
  • “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean, 2023
  • “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
  • “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, 2015
  • “Funkytown,” Lipps, Inc., 1980
  • “New Kid in Town,” Eagles, 1977
  • “Poor Side of Town,” Johnny Rivers, 1966
  • “Downtown,” Petula Clark, 1965
  • “Red Red Wine,” UB40, 1988
  • “Roses Are Red (My Love),” Bobby Vinton, 1962

No. 1 on R&B/hip-hop charts: “Paint the Town Red” concurrently tops the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts for a third week each. It became Doja Cat’s second No. 1 on the former, following “Say So,” and her first on the latter list.

Zach Bryan’s “I Remember Everything,” featuring Kacey Musgraves, drops to No. 2 on the Hot 100, a week after its premiere. Still, it leads Streaming Songs (31.7 million streams, down 6%) and the multi-metric Hot Country Songs, Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs charts for a second week each. Plus, parent LP Zach Bryan tops the Billboard 200 albums chart for a second week.

Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s No. 6-peaking 1988 Hot 100 hit “Fast Car” dips to No. 3 after eight weeks at its No. 2 high. It leads Radio Songs for a second week (77.8 million, down 1%).

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” rebounds 5-4 on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 3; Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” descends 4-5, following 16 weeks at No. 1, the most ever for a non-collaboration; Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” shimmies 9-6 for a new high; and SZA’s “Snooze” repeats at its No. 7 best, as it leads the multi-metric Hot R&B Songs chart for an eighth week.

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Gunna’s “Fukumean” lifts 10-8, after hitting No. 4; Olivia Rodrigo’s former leader “Vampire” climbs 12-9; and Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” rises 11-10, after reaching No. 3, as it rules the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for a record-extending 54th week.

Again, for all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram and all charts (dated Sept. 16), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (Sept. 12).

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.

11 Sep 2023

10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: Leigh-Anne and Ayra Starr, Romy, Blondshell & More

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 10 tracks from artists including Leigh-Anne and Ayra Starr, Romy, Blondshell, Tirzah 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 of all 10.

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See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Leigh-Anne feat. Ayra Starr, “My Love”

Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock has found an intriguing new lane for her solo career: “My Love,” co-starring rising Nigerian artist Ayra Starr and produced by Afropop connoisseur Magicsticks, values movement above all over the course of nearly three minutes, with both artists singing about relentlessly vibrating rhythms as the percussion follows their cue. “My Love” is designed to be bellowed among groups of friends on the dance floor, and succeeds in pushing Leigh-Anne’s sound into the future. Jason Lipshutz

Romy, “She’s On My Mind”

“She’s On My Mind” is a joy, as both the album closer to Romy’s recently released Mid Air and what the song represents in that spot: after Romy Madley Croft murmured her subtle magic with The xx, her debut solo album lets her spread out into sensual, often smile-inducing dance music. With its euphoric key plinks and whooping vocal hooks, “She’s On My Mind” ends the full-length triumphantly — but of course, the track works just as well on its own, the softness of Romy’s voice highlighting any dance break. – J. Lipshutz

Baby Queen, “Quarter Life Crisis”

Before the final five seconds of Baby Queen’s new single “Quarter Life Crisis” speeds up into a chaotic swirl and then crashes down, 25-year-old Bella Latham sings about living within that hurricane of post-teen uncertainty, asserting in the chorus, “I look at my face and I don’t recognize it.” A shakier writer might have trouble provoking empathy for mid-20’s ennui, but Latham understands how to make each line both biting and relatable — as well as deliver a hummable waltz of a hook. – J. Lipshutz

Morgan Saint, “It Hurts To Be Human”

The title of Morgan Saint’s sparkling new dance-pop track refers to post-breakup agony: as the bass hits a groove and the cymbals get tapped, Saint bemoans putting an untrustworthy partner’s needs before her own and ignoring clear-cut warning signs during a doomed romance. The tension between Saint’s sorrow and her self-produced, happily chattering track helps “It Hurts To Be Human” levitate above other dance floor cuts of its ilk, particularly when the song arrives at its elastic breakdown. – J. Lipshutz

Jolie Laide, “Pacific Coast Highway”

Jolie Laide is the new collaborative duo of Nina Nastasia and Jeff MacLeod, and after Nastasia unveiled Riderless Horse, her first album in 12 years, last year, “Pacific Coast Highway” suggests that we’ll be getting more moving songwriting from the beloved cult figure soon enough. “Pacific Coast Highway” possesses a stormy foundation, with a cracked guitar-and-drums arrangement that threatens to explode, although Nastasia also communicates a calmness while extolling the peace and freedom of her subject. – J. Lipshutz

iann dior, “You Don’t Even” 

iann dior topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks as the featured guest on 24kGoldn’s “mood,” and the Texas singer-rapper brings the same irresistibly melodic melancholy to his latest solo track, “You Don’t Even.” Dior melds sweetness and pain so breezily that it’s easy to overlook his knack for pop songcraft. – Joe Lynch  

Tirzah, “Promises” 

An album title like trip9love…??? doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but Tirzah isn’t the type of singer-songwriter to meet the audience halfway. Once again paired with producer Mica Levi, the English artist creates a strangely compelling mixture of minimalist piano, skittering 808s and gently haunted vocals on gems such as “Promises.” – J. Lynch  

George Riley, Elixir

The meaty beat and jangling metal that introduces “Elixir” are immediately grabbing. And once London singer-songwriter George Riley adds her vocals into the mix, it’s game over. Her syrupy sweet delivery paints the thumping dancefloor production with colors of R&B and pop, resulting in a track just as enticing as the elixir she sings of. – Lyndsey Havens

Blondshell, Street Rat

After teasing the fondly titled “Street Rat” online and in her live show, alternative artist Blondshell finally unleashed the track as part of the forthcoming deluxe edition of her self titled album (out Oct. 6). “Wouldn’t feed that / To a street rat,” begins the artist, doubling down on her knack for scorching one-liners delivered as softly as possible — which, somehow, makes them all the more painful. And when the chorus hits, during which she confesses certain circumstances to be “awful … and needed,” Blondshell reminds listeners that her greatest strength of all is her unrelenting honesty. – L.H.

Slothrust, “Pony”

Ginuwine’s “Pony,” a R&B classic and staple for the ’90s, is seen through a brand new lens in Slothrust’s latest cover of the track. The song goes grunge, trading the original winding bass instrumental for fuzzier and notably heavier guitar and drum work from duo Leah Wellbaum and Will Gorin. Wellbaum shines on the song, delivering the lyrics — which boasts of sexual prowess amid searching for a partner that can truly satisfy —  with a knowing wink and the perfect hint of seduction. – Starr Bowenbank