Music

08 Sep 2023

Ayron Jones Notches Second Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1

Ayron Jones is back atop Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with “Blood in the Water,” which reaches No. 1 on the Sept. 16-dated survey.

The song is Jones’ second No. 1, following the four-week leader “Mercy” beginning in June 2021.

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In between “Mercy” and “Blood in the Water,” Jones reached Mainstream Rock Airplay with three titles, paced by the No. 2-peaking “Supercharged” in November 2021.

Jones is the second soloist to top Mainstream Rock Airplay in 2023 following Jelly Roll, whose “Need a Favor” led in July. It’s the continuation of a slight uptick in songs by solo artists ruling Mainstream Rock Airplay in recent years; in 2022, Ozzy Osbourne, Jelly Roll and Nita Strauss topped the ranking, while Jones was the lone soloist in 2021, and both Corey Taylor and Chris Cornell led in 2020. 2019 saw Osbourne rule, but that followed a five-year respite back to 2014, when Slash’s “World on Fire,” featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, reigned.

Concurrently, “Blood in the Water” leaps 11-5 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay tally with 2.5 million audience impressions Sept. 1-7, according to Luminate. It becomes Jones’ top-charting song there, eclipsing the No. 8 peak of “Supercharged.”

“Blood in the Water” is the second single from Jones’ album Chronicles of the Kid, released in June. Lead track “Filthy” reached No. 18 on Mainstream Rock Airplay in November 2022. The LP has earned 7,000 equivalent album units to date. It’s Jones’ second set, following 2021’s Child of the State, with both released via Big Machine/John Varvatos.

All Billboard charts will update Tuesday, Sept. 12, on Billboard.com.

08 Sep 2023

Noah Kahan & Post Malone’s ‘Dial Drunk’ Tops Alternative Airplay Chart

For the first time for each, Noah Kahan and Post Malone lead Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart as “Dial Drunk” lifts to the top of the survey dated Sept. 16.

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The song has far surpassed Kahan’s previous best on Alternative Airplay, set by “Stick Season,” which reached No. 21 in February.

Malone previously peaked as high as No. 23 on Alternative Airplay with “Circles” in February 2020.

Kahan and Malone are the first solo artists to reign on Alternative Airplay in over a year. The last was BoyWithUke, who led for a week in July 2022 with “Toxic.” In between, 16 songs by groups reigned.

“Dial Drunk” concurrently rules Adult Alternative Airplay for a second week. It’s Kahan’s first No. 1 there; the version predominantly played on adult alternative radio is the original featuring only Kahan.

On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay tally, “Dial Drunk” remains at its No. 3 best with 3.6 million audience impressions, Sept. 1-7, according to Luminate.

On the most recently published multimetric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart (dated Sept. 9), “Dial Drunk” ranked at No. 18, following its No. 3 debut and peak in June. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 8.9 million official U.S. streams and 2,000 downloads in the Aug. 25-31 tracking week.

“Dial Drunk” is on the deluxe edition of Kahan’s album Stick Season, which arrived June 9 after the standard version was released in October 2022. It has earned 727,000 equivalent album units to date.

All Billboard charts dated Sept. 16 will update on Billboard.com Tuesday, Sept. 12.

08 Sep 2023

Karol G & Peso Pluma Get Flirty in ‘QLONA’: Here Are the Lyrics Translated Into English

Karol G and Peso Pluma get sexy and flirtatious in their first collaborative effort, “QLONA” (wordplay that loosely translates to “girl with a big butt”). 

The Ovy on the Drums-produced track is a sultry, slow-tempo reggaeton that finds both the Colombian singer and Mexican artist crooning about desiring each other and wanting to be together. 

“QLONA” is currently in its second week at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, and is part of Karol’s Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season).

Below, check out the full lyrics translated into English:

I saw you yesterday
Alone
That beautiful face
D–n, what a mamacita
You’re teasing me
Even though it’s not intentional
I already asked about you
And more than a month ago
You broke up with that fool

What crazy desire I have
To kiss you
I saw you in a photo and imagined you
Without clothes
I’d be lying if I’m not crazy
To see you
With those jeans,
You have a big booty (x2)

We’re going to party
Smoking in the club
Pure perreo
You wore a miniskirt
To see if I catch you
A kiss to feel
That drip
And turn on the camera
To film you a video

I’m not going to lie
I can’t stop imagining
Your butt in a thong
Turn around for me
Until the sun comes out
I’ll make you hot
And your whole body will burn 

I make you hot
Like the sand
And that white booty is the sun
I’ll turn it maroon
He has it big
Because of him, I train

We begin to touch each other
Wet, a serene flow (x2)

What crazy desire I have
To kiss you
I saw you in a photo and imagined you
Without clothes
I’d be lying if I’m not crazy
To see you
With those jeans,
You have a big booty (x2)

I saw you yesterday
Alone
That beautiful face
D–n, what a mamacita
You’re teasing me
Even though it’s not intentional
I already asked about you
And more than a month ago
You broke up with that fool

08 Sep 2023

New Music Latin: Listen to Releases From Farruko, Natalia Jiménez, Carlos Rivera & More

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

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Caleb Calloway & Saiko, “Carnet” (The Wave Music Group)

Powered by a classic reggaetón drum pattern, “Carnet” sees Caleb Calloway and Saiko revving up the engine — and the vibe — on “Carnet.” A riveting farewell-to-summer track, the Puerto Rican producer and singer join forces to deliver passionate vocals backed by a powerful tropical-laden thump over moody keyboards. The single follows a girl on a motorcycle with no license, but that doesn’t stop her from crossing international borders to hit up the clubs for a night of debauchery. “She doesn’t have a carnet, but she brought her friend,” belts out Saiko. “For me, this song is the close of summer and opens the season of breaking all the clubs with a perreo that will be a classic,” said Caleb Calloway in a press release. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Farruko, Manolo Ramos & Ghetto, “Calor” (CFMB Records)

We feel the heat in Farruko’s “Calor,” a melodic reggae groove alongside tropical/pop newcomer Manolo Torres and longtime collaborator Ghetto. Pulling from Farruko’s many connections in Puerto Rico, the track open with actual broadcasts ruminating about the heat from the likes of radio personality Molusco, then goes into that catchy reggae beat Farruko does so well, lamenting the intense heat of the day (“Y la calor está de madre, Me he bañado cuatro vece’ y no son ni las 2”) but also celebrating. Though perhaps a tad late to be a summer anthem (if only), Torres’ strong vocals and touches like the opening guitars and the saxophone solo give this summer song lasting appeal. — LEILA COBO

Yahritza y Su Esencia, Obsessed Pt. 2 (Lumbre Music/Columbia Records)

A year after unleashing their debut EP, Obsessed, Yahritza y Su Esencia delivers part two, which includes three brand new tracks “Dos Extraños,” “Dubai” and “Rositas.” Like its predecessor, Obsessed Pt. 2 is packed with heart-wrenching, deep lyrics on love and heartbreak. An emotions first song, “Dos Extraños,” powered by a requinto and a subtle trumpet note, finds Yahritza belting lyrics about unrequited love. The opening track is followed by the corrido “Dubai,” with complex and melodic guitar notes serving as the perfect canvas for this more upbeat song. Rounding out the three new songs is “Rositas,” where Yahritza slows things down again to sing this ultimate declaration of love. The sibling trio — composed of Yahritza, Mando and Jairo — teamed up with renowned songwriter-producer Edgar Barrera for the new tracks. The EP also includes previously released songs such as “Frágil” with Grupo Frontera and “No Se Puede Decir Adiós.” — GRISELDA FLORES

Natalia Jiménez, “El Pobre” (Sony Music Latin)

Once again, Natalia Jiménez lends her powerful voice to regional Mexican music in this joyous ranchero-tinged huapango. “El Pobre,” the second single from her upcoming album Antología 20 Años, was written by Jiménez with Mario Domm and Cheché Alara, and features Alara’s Mariachi San Telmo. The song counters material wealth to the poverty of the soul: “Because you are poor, you only have money/ Bad luck, that’s not what I want/ You have everything, everything except me,” belts the Spaniard artist. In the music video, recorded at the iconic Lienzo Zermeño in Guadalajara, the singer appears surrounded by horses, the Alteñitas de Guadalajara skirmishes, the New Jalisco Folkloric Ballet, and multiple charros and Adelitas. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Juan Gabriel, “Méxxico es Todo” (Virgin Music US Latin)

Juan Gabriel sings to his homeland in “Méxxico es Todo,” the first single from the superstar’s second posthumous album after 2022’s Los Dúo 3, and the first with original, unpublished songs. Produced by Rodrigo Cárdenas, the song maintains the distinctive musical stamp of Juan Gabriel, with festive melodies to the rhythm of trumpets, and sounds that flirt with traditional Mexican music, this time with hints of pop. The music video, created by Juan Gabriel’s former collaborator David Tames, is a collage of images of iconic places and symbols of Mexican culture such as the Zócalo in Mexico City, the Basilica of Guadalupe, the Pyramids of Teotihuacán, the Aztec calendar and the tricolor flag with the shield of an eagle devouring a snake. — NATALIA CANO

Carlos Rivera, “Para Ti” (Sony Music México)

Mexican singer-songwriter Carlos Rivera gives us a moving romantic ballad titled “Para Ti,” with a very special dedicatory. The emotional song expresses deep love and gratitude towards that unconditional person who accompanies us both in happy moments and in challenges and can even restore hope for life. In a live broadcast on Instagram, after the release of this single, Rivera shared with the public that the song could well be called “Para Cy”, in reference to his wife, Cynthia Rodríguez.

“You were hope, the one that saved me/ the one that restored the desire to live in me,” he intones in one of the verses. “And this is for you, all my emotions, my songs for you/ All my dreams, today I want to fulfill them with you/ I belong to you, without you I don’t want anything,” he states with devotion in the chorus. If the lyrics of the song have the power to bring a tear to more than one person, the video, which tells the love story of a couple facing the tough battle against cancer, will undoubtedly touch the hearts of many. — LUISA CALLE

Alejo & Yandel, “Trajecito XS” (Warner Music Latina/Y Entertainment/Square Houze)

Just months after Alejo paid tribute to Wisin y Yandel at the 2023 Premios Tu Música Urbano, the rising Puerto Rican act joined forces with Yandel on “Trajecito XS.” Loosely translated to “size XS,” the catchy reggaeton fused with deep house beats references a girl who everyone likes but she only has a good time with one particular person. The track was produced by Huertas & Baezmadeit and penned by Fantasma (Joan Manuel Ubiñas). “Yandel approached me [at the Premios Tu Música Urbano] and it was an incredible moment to have a reggaeton living legend want to collaborate with me. Together, we’ve created a track that seamlessly blends our styles,” said Alejo in a press statement. The vibrant collab also marks the inception of Yandel’s creative hub Square Houze, a new division of his label Y Entertainment. — JESSICA ROIZ

Mario Bautista & Ana Mena, “Antes de Novios“ (Warner Music México)

Mario Bautista dips his toes into the sweet sounds of bachata with “Antes de Novios,” a collaboration with Spanish singer Ana Mena. The song is a rich mixture of Bautista’s signature pop and bachata, backed by infectious percussions. Penned by Bautista, Yera and Keityn, the lyrics narrate a phase that comes after a breakup — one where you tend to reflect about the bond and positive aspects of the friendship, which was at the root of the relationship. Is there still a chance to repair it? “When you feel that life is not in your favor, please do not hesitate to look for me; I know we are nothing anymore, but I still have love for you — please do not forget that before I was your boyfriend, I was your friend and that will never change,” Bautista sings. — INGRID FAJARDO

Listen to the New Music Latin playlist below:

Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.

08 Sep 2023

Fall Out Boy, Peso Pluma, Metro Boomin Set to Perform at 2023 MTV Video Music Awards

Fall Out Boy will perform at the MTV Video Music Awards for the first time since 2007 on Tuesday (Sept. 12), while Peso Pluma and Metro Boomin will make their performance debuts on the show.

The show will air live from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Pluma is one of a record four Latin artists performing on this year’s VMAs. He joins Shakira, who is set to receive the Video Vanguard Award, Anitta and Karol G.

Likewise, Metro Boomin is one of four hip-hop stars set to perform on the show. He joins Nicki Minaj, is set to emcee the show; Diddy, who is set to receive the Global Icon Award, and Lil Wayne. In addition, the show will include a 50th anniversary salute to hip-hop, something that has been all but mandatory on awards shows this year. And it will include a performance by pop star Doja Cat, whose music incorporates hip-hop.

Fall Out Boy first performed on the VMAs in 2005, singing “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down.” They returned two years later to perform “Shut Up and Drive” featuring Rihanna and “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs.” The band has two nominations this year – best alternative for “Hold It Like a Grudge” and best visual effects for “Love From the Other Side.”

Fall Out Boy has won four VMAs, including three wins in a row in 2005 (an MTV 2 award for “Sugar, We’re Goin Down), 2006 (the viewers choice award for “Dance, Dance”) and 2007 (best group). The group won best rock video in 2015 for “Uma Thurman.”

Metro Boomin and Pluma are both first-time VMA nominees as well as first-time VMA performers.

Metro Boomin will perform two songs, both with big-name assists – “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” with Future and “Calling” with A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Swae Lee and NAV. According to MTV, they will appear “on stage together for the first time ever.”

“Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” is nominated for best hip-hop, one of four nominations for Metro Boomin. He is also up for album of the year for Heroes & Villains and two awards (best collaboration and best R&B) for the “Creepin’” remix which featured The Weeknd, 21 Savage and Diddy.

Pluma is contending in three categories — best new artist, best Latin for “Ella Baila Sola,” a collab with Eslabon Armado, and song of the summer for “La Bebe (Remix),” a collab with Yng Lvcas.

With the addition of social categories, Taylor Swift leads all nominees for the 2023 VMAs with 11 nods, followed by SZA (eight); BLACKPINK, Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj and Rodrigo (six each); Kim Petras and Sam Smith (five each); and Beyoncé, Diddy, Drake, Ice Spice, Karol G, Metro Boomin, Shakira and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (four each).

General fan voting is now closed; voting remains open for social categories and best new artist.

Bruce Gillmer and Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic are executive producers of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. Barb Bialkowski is co-executive producer. Alicia Portugal and Jackie Barba serve as executives in charge of production. Wendy Plaut is executive in charge of celebrity talent. Lisa Lauricella is music talent executive.

08 Sep 2023

Baby, Come Over: ‘Hairspray’ Actress Goes Into Labor During Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Birthday Show

Beyoncé‘s Renaissance World Tour birthday show was easily one of the biggest events of the year — from a surprise appearance from the legendary Diana Ross to Hairspray actress Sarah Francis Jones going into labor at the sold-out concert.

“Beyonce induced my baby,” read a video shared by Jones and her partner, The Neighborhood actor Marcel Spears. The clip, which they posted on Instagram, finds a very pregnant Jones having the time of her life at the Renaissance World Tour at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The montage then cuts to Jones delivering and breastfeeding her new baby.

“We thought it was just Braxton hicks or gas,” she wrote in the caption of another video. “Turns out we were having a whole baby at @beyonce bday show.” Not only does Jones’ bundle of joy share a birthday with Queen Bey, Jones also went into labor on Labor Day.

The Sep. 4 show was the last night of Beyoncé’s three-date mini-residency at SoFi Stadium. The “Cuff It” singer is gearing up for the final few shows of the North American leg of her blockbuster tour. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, Beyoncé earned $141.4 million on the first 12 Renaissance shows in the U.S. and Canada, selling 553,000 tickets. That puts the tour’s overall figures at $295.8 million and 1.6 million tickets (as of Aug. 1), making it Beyoncé’s highest-grossing tour yet, passing 2016’s The Formation World Tour ($256.1 million) and 2018’s On the Run II Tour alongside Jay-Z ($253.5 million).

In addition to a fashion movement based on silver and chrome designs, the Renaissance World Tour has also spawned the “Everybody On Mute Challenge” — a hilarious competition to see which stadium can actually remain completely quiet when she sings the line “Look around/ Everybody on mute” from Renaissance album cut “Energy” (with BEAM). It turns out that even Jones’ baby wanted to participate. “And it was at that moment that my contractions started,” Jones wrote in the caption of a video of the moment. “Baby wanted to be part of the mute challenge so bad!”

Sarah Francis Jones portrayed Janetta in the 2007 film adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical Hairspray. Her other credits include Honey (2003), Jump In! (2005), Camp Rock (2008), Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Descendants 3 (2019), Julie and the Phantoms (2020) and the Emmy-nominated HBO sci-fi drama The Last of Us (2023).

Check out Jones’ video below.

08 Sep 2023

Life’s a Candy-Colored Beach in Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s Eye-Popping ‘Bongos’ Video: Watch

The calendar says September, but Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B are clearly not ready to give up their Hot Girl Summer in the new video for their latest joint single, “Bongos.” The Technicolor extravaganza that dropped on Friday (Sept. 8) is filled to bursting with a rainbow of high-fashion looks, shoes so impossibly stacked that even Lady Gaga would have trouble balancing in them and, of course, lyrics that will keep censors working overtime.

For their first collab since 2020’s Billboard Hot 200 No. 1 smash “WAP,” the pair tapped Ukrainian director Tanu Muino (Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Harry Styles), who kicks things off with a shot from behind of dancers in brightly colored bathing suits bouncing along to the song’s hypnotic “bong, bong, bong” refrain as they balance on beachside chaise lounges on geometrically shaped high heels.

After a quick glimpse of Cardi laying in the sand in a purple and pink bikini with a gigantic furry matching hat, the “Jealousy” rapper struts her stuff in Carnival-like blue, pink and yellow flamingo headdresses and matching bathing suits for a mansion full of men in bikinis as she busts out the song’s provocative first verse. “N—a eats this a– like a plum/ This p—y tight like a nun/ Better chew it up like it’s gum/ Then wipe your mouth when you’re done,” she raps over the song’s insistent beat.

“I’m hot like Nevada/ P—y get popped, piñata/ B–ch, I look like money/ You could print my face on a dollar,” Cardi adds before the “Beat it up (bong bong bong bong)” refrain comes around and Cardi twerks in front of an open fridge while rocking a burgundy string bikini and matching cascading braids.

Cardi warned fans in a preview DJ Whoo Kid interview that fans shouldn’t expect the “Bongos” video to serve up the same energy she and Meg brought in the eye-popping “WAP” clip, but the two definitely share a similar high-fashion, all-the-colors-of-the-rainbow aesthetic, minus the latter’s celeb (and big cat) cameos, of course.

Cardi kicks off the second “Bongos” verse modeling one of her wildest outfits ever, a body-hugging paisley bodysuit that matches the pattern on a couch she grinds her hips on while dissing unnamed “dusty-a– hoes.” After Cardi’s surfside hip-swiveling routine with a half dozen dancers, Megan gets her spot, entering the action in a provocative green monokini and matching headdress while posing on a diving board.

“This a– sit like the stallion/ All these wannabes my lil’ ponies/ These hoes camped out in the comments/ Always talkin’ like they know me/ Thick b—hes in the black truck, packed in,” Meg raps before busting out her own routine on a swim-up platform in front of a massive mansion while bragging about a purse so big “had to treat it like a person.”

And while Cardi promised Whoo Kid the video was “intricate [and] beautiful” and that it had a “different theme” than the “WAP” visual, don’t worry, there are still plenty of be-thonged butts shaking throughout, as well as a Bollywood-style section where Cardi, Megan and their dancers rock the sand in bright, gauzy outfits featuring billowing material on their hips fanned out like wings.

Along the way the pair pose provocatively on a strip-club-worthy oceanside jungle gym before Cardi steals the show with a final, over-the-top look that includes a flowing curly copper wig, enormous orange and purple earrings and foot-high chunky heels that would make an acrobat topple over.

Watch the “Bongos” video below.

08 Sep 2023

Recording Academy Says A.I.-Generated Drake & The Weeknd Song Isn’t Grammy Eligible After All

After The New York Times reported that controversial artist Ghostwriter submitted the A.I.-generated song “Heart on My Sleeve” for Grammy consideration, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. is refuting its eligibility in a short Instagram video shared Thursday (Sept. 7). 

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In the clip, Mason Jr. walks back on his original comments in the Times article, in which he had previously deemed “Heart on My Sleeve” — the song that mimics Drake and The Weeknd’s voices — as “absolutely eligible because it was written by a human.” 

“I’m sorry, but I have to clear up some of this bad and really inaccurate information that’s starting to float around,” he said in the video. “This version of ‘Heart on My Sleeve’ using the A.I. voice modeling that sounds like Drake and The Weeknd, it’s not eligible for Grammy consideration.”

“Let me be extra, extra clear, even though it was written by a human creator, the vocals were not legally obtained, the vocals were not cleared by the label or the artists and the song is not commercially available and because of that, it’s not eligible,” he continued.

He later added, “I take this [A.I.] stuff very seriously. It’s all complicated, and it’s moving, really, really quickly. I’m sure things are going to continue to have to evolve and change. But please, please, do not be confused. The Academy is here to support and advocate and protect and represent human artists, and human creators period.”

The Times reported that Ghostwriter submitted “Heart on My Sleeve” for song of the year and best rap song for the 2024 ceremony. The song was pulled from streaming services in April, and UMG slammed its usage of A.I. to generate vocals, and said that it demonstrated “why platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists.”

Watch Mason Jr.’s full explanation of the song’s non-eligibility below.

08 Sep 2023

Here’s Why Fans Think Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘The Grudge’ Is About Her Rumored Fallout With Taylor Swift

What happened between Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift? Did anything happen? The world may never know — but following the release of Rodrigo’s new song “The Grudge,” it sure wants answers.

Rumors have been swirling for months that the two stars had a falling out over a copyright issue with Rodrigo’s hit single “Deja Vu,” which she once said was partly inspired by Swift’s “Cruel Summer” before quietly retroactively crediting Swift as a co-writer. (A similar scenario went down with Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U,” on which she retroactively credited and split royalties with Paramore’s Hayley Williams and Josh Farro after listeners pointed out similarities between the song and “Misery Business.”)

At the beginning of her music career, Rodrigo passionately identified as a super fan of the “Anti-Hero” singer and even interpolated Swift’s “New Years Day” on another Sour song, “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back.” But since the “Deja Vu” situation, she’s gone radio silent about her Swiftiehood, and even seems to evade questions about Swift in interviews.

In a recent New York Times profile, for instance, Rodrigo said she’d been too busy to catch a show on Swift’s Eras Tour. She also chose not to confirm or deny whether or not her song “Vampire” was about her onetime idol, though she did confess to feeling “very surprised when people thought” the scathing track was about Swift.

Enter: “The Grudge,” which dropped Friday (Sept. 8) along with nine other new songs and two previously released singles, “Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?” on Rodrigo’s sophomore album Guts. The piano ballad finds the 20-year-old pop star reflecting on a soured relationship with someone whom she once admired, admitting at the end that “even after all this, you’re still everything to me.”

“I have nightmares each week ’bout that Friday in May/ One phone call from you and my entire world was changed,” she sings. “Ooh, your flowers filled with vitriol/ You built me up to watch me fall/ You have everything and you still want more.”

The lyrics stood out to many listeners as being reminiscent of Rodrigo’s rumored feud with the elder star, who previously seemed fond of Rodrigo and championed her early success with “Drivers License” prior to the “Deja Vu” debacle. “Olivia Rodrigo’s new song ‘The Grudge’ is absolutely about Taylor Swift, right?” tweeted one fan, sharing screenshots of the song’s most pointed lines.

“The drama. The anger,” wrote another. “I wasn’t on board with vampire being about Taylor swift. But convinced by the lyrics of the grudge.”

Rodrigo isn’t new to having folks speculate over the subjects of her songs. As mentioned, many people were convinced that “Vampire” called out Swift upon its release in June, while others debated which of the former Disney star’s rumored ex-boyfriends (Zack Bia? Adam Faze) inspired the track. Even the very first song Rodrigo released, “Drivers License,” started a full-blown fan war online after listeners connected its story of betrayal to her alleged breakup from Joshua Bassett.

The “Good 4 U” singer will be the first to remind you that this kind of speculation can lead to a dead-end, though. “Songs are just songs at the end of the day,” she said in a recent interview with Sirius XM Hits 1. “Lots of the time I write something that’s kind of like an amalgamation of lots of different people, or I write a lot of songs out of fantasy sometimes too.”

See fan theories about Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and “The Grudge” below.

08 Sep 2023

Country Duets That Reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100

Perhaps more than any other genre, duets have a deep, storied history within the canon of country music, with several men and women artist pairings crafting entire albums’ worth of duets.

But a select few have made strong showings on both the Billboard country charts and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. Most recently, Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves teamed up for “I Remember Everything,” included on Bryan’s new self-titled album. The song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving both artists their first Hot 100 chart-cresting hit (the song also reached the pinnacle of the Hot Country Songs chart).

Here, we look at other men and women duets that have risen to the upper echelons of the Billboard Country charts, as well as making it to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Artists including Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Eddie Rabbitt, Gabby Barrett and Florida Georgia Line make the list, but the late singer-entertainer Kenny Rogers towers when it comes to crossover duets.

Rogers was inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013, and earned 21 No. 1 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart, ranging from 1977’s “Lucille” to his Alison Krauss and Billy Dean collaboration “Buy Me a Rose” in 2000. But early in his career, Rogers was earning pop music success as part of the group First Edition, including the 1968 Hot 100 top five hit “Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was In).” So, it is no surprise that in the early 1980s, Rogers’ natural country-pop sensibilities stood out on a trio of hit duets that rose into the top 10 on the Hot 100, including one chart-topping track. These followed his 1980 smash hit “Lady,” written by Lionel Richie, which spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was also a No. 1 hit on what was then the Hot Country Singles chart.

By the 1980s, however, the Hot 100 chart was already well-primed for such dual-chart successes, thanks to several (non-duet) Hot 100 chart No. 1s that also peaked on the Hot Country Songs chart in the 1960s and 1970s, including songs from Jeannie C. Riley, Freddy Fender, Glen Campbell, John Denver and Charlie Rich.

Here, we look at several collaborations by men and women artists that rose into the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, listed in ascending order of chart peak.