Music
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Creepy Nuts’ “Otonoke” hits No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, climbing 4-1 on the chart dated Oct. 23.
The opener for the anime series Dandadan dropped digitally on Oct. 4 and debuted at No. 32 on the chart dated Oct. 9. After shooting to No. 4 last week, the track becomes the hip-hop duo’s second No. 1 hit in its third week on the tally.
The accompanying music video for the track boosted its position on the chart. The distinctive visuals, which sees R-Shitei and DJ Matsunaga of Creepy Nuts appearing in countless numbers, made a splash after being released Oct. 18 and hit No. 2 for video views. Streaming for the track also increased by 109% compared to the week before.
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“Otonoke” also topped Billboard Japan’s Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan chart dated Oct. 17. The track is currently the song from Japan being listened to the most in Singapore, France, the U.K., South Africa, the U.S. and Brazil, and is quickly becoming Creepy Nuts’ next hit both domestically and globally, following the long-running mega-hit “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born.”
Snow Man’s “One” follows at No. 2. Featured as the ending theme song for the anime Blue Lock VS. U-20 JAPAN, the track was pre-released from the boy band’s fourth album RAYS, set to drop Oct. 30. The song rules downloads and hits No. 5 for video this week.
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” holds at No. 3. The former No. 1 hit is now in its 28th week on the Japan Hot 100 with only slight decreases in all the metrics of the chart’s methodology.
“Hatsukoi Cinderella” by ≒JOY (Nearly Equal Joy) debuts at No. 4. Produced by AKB48 alum Rino Sashihara, ≒JOY is a group formed in collaboration with Yoyogi Animation Academy. The six-member girl group’s second single sold 130,708 copies to rule physical sales this week.
MISAMO’s “NEW LOOK” jumps 21-8 to break into the top 10. MISAMO consists of TWICE’s MINA, SANA and MOMO, and the track is off the group’s upcoming mini album HAUTE COUTURE slated for release Nov. 6. Streaming for the Namie Amuro cover increased by 170% compared to the previous week, and radio increased by 325%.
AKASAKI’s “Bunny Girl” also rises 14-10, giving the 18-year-old singer-songwriter his first top 10 hit. “Bunny Girl” dropped Oct. 2 after a portion of the song went viral on TikTok. The track has steadily climbed up the Japan Hot 100 from No. 40 to No. 14 to No. 10.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Oct. 14 to 20, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
The late J Dilla is going to have a street named after him. The Detroit News is reporting that the legendary producer is one of five native sons to get the honor in the Motor City. Dilla; his mentor Joseph Anthony “Amp” Fiddler, who gave him his first drum machine; Vincent Chin, whose racially motivated […]
Nuestros Sonidos, Carnegie Hall‘s ambitious season-long celebration of Latin music and culture, got off to a spectacular start on Oct. 8 under the baton of the Venezuelan virtuosic conductor Gustavo Dudamel — Billboard‘s cover star this month — and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Kicking off during Hispanic Heritage Month, the festival boasts an impressive lineup, featuring talents such as Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade, Cuban funk artist Cimafunk, Colombian indie pop band Monsieur Perine, salsa legends Grupo Niche and Chilean jazz virtuoso Claudia Acuña.
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One of the most eagerly awaited highlights of the festival is the Carnegie Hall debut of Ivy Queen, the formidable reggaetón superstar known for her fierce advocacy for women’s empowerment within the male-dominated genre. “Being on this stage allows me to celebrate not only reggaetón but also the essence of what it means to be Latino, our roots, and our global musical influence,” Ivy Queen expresses to Billboard Español. “It is an honor to be part of this representation and to continue taking our music to every corner of the planet.”
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Carnegie Hall’s executive and artistic director Clive Gillinson and Adriaan Fuchs, director of festivals and special projects, articulate that Nuestros Sonidos aims to shine a spotlight on Latin music that has deeply influenced both American culture and the world at large.
“Latin music was something that has had such a huge effect [not just] on American culture, but on culture around the world,” Gillinson notes. “It was something really important to do. We look at who are the greatest experts in the field so that we make sure all the ideas that we’re considering and exploring come from people who are leaders in thinking, knowledge, experience and background.”
Gustavo Dudamel & Natalia Lafourcade at Carnegie Hall
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Fuchs adds, “We work with curatorial councils and advisors who help put these festivals together. They include Latin music experts, ethnomusicologists, cultural and societal experts in terms of how culture in America has developed. In conjunction with them, we decided that we wanted to cover a range of different genres one would expect, such as salsa, reggaetón, Latin jazz, classical music, and so forth. We really wanted to focus on those genres that have played a key role in the American cultural landscape, and in America, particularly.”
As Nuestros Sonidos unfolds throughout the season, it promises a diverse array of Latin musical styles and expressions, inviting audiences to explore the powerful narratives that have shaped the past, present, and future of Latin music.
Read our Q&A with Ivy Queen and Carnegie Hall’s Clive Gillinson and Adriaan Fuchs below:
What inspired Carnegie Hall to launch Nuestros Sonidos, and what do you hope to achieve with this initiative?
Clive Gillinson: We try to look at things that are important issues and areas of culture. Last season, we looked at the Fall of the Weimar Republic: The Fragility of Democracy, because we felt that’s a very major issue in the world today. The year before, we looked at Women in Music, and before that, Afrofuturism. [In 2021], we looked at [Voices of Hope] Artists in Times of Oppression; artists who wrote despite the most horrific circumstances — be it in the Holocaust, slavery, the Soviet Union, and so on. They still wrote things that were about hope and aspiration.
Latin music was something that has had such a huge effect [not just] on American culture, but on culture around the world. 11 years ago, we did Voices from Latin America, which looked specifically at the music of three Latin American countries. The emphasis was to look at the influences of Latin music on American culture, particularly. We felt it was something really important to do, something that maybe hasn’t been looked at enough in terms of the way people look at culture in America.
Ivy, as a pioneering figure in reggaetón and an advocate for female empowerment in the music industry, what does it mean for you, on a personal and professional level, to debut at Carnegie Hall with the Nuestros Sonidos series?
Ivy Queen: For me, debuting at such an iconic place as Carnegie Hall represents both a personal and professional validation of the path I have traveled in my career. I have fought to open doors for women in a genre that has historically been dominated by men. Being on that stage not only represents recognition of my years of work and effort but also proves that reggaetón, a music born from the streets, has a legitimate place in the most prestigious spaces in the world. It is an achievement that celebrates the resilience, strength, and talent of all the women who have been part of this movement.
How does Nuestros Sonidos intend to impact the local New York community and the broader Latin music scene?
Gillinson: We want this to be meaningful for devotees, advocates and people who come from the Latin music background so that they feel represented. They feel that their culture is given center stage. To make sure that all of these areas of music also reach people who maybe it has not been their background, and where they trust Carnegie Hall as a curator to take them on a journey of exploration.
Fuchs: New York had such a huge role to play, in terms of Latin music flourishing this country throughout the decade. We wanted to make sure that we have programming that addresses all of that. In putting together the concerts at the Hall, we were very much aware of the Latin communities that exist in New York City: the Puerto Rican community, Colombian community, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, etc. We made sure that we had artists representing those different cultures, musical genres, and styles as part of the festival.
The range of partners that are involved are the Cuban Cultural Center of New York, the Colombian Film Festival of New York, the Association of Dominican Classical Artists. Then we also have iconic New York institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City Center, New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development all participating in this festival. It’s really an exciting citywide celebration of Latin culture.
Ivy, how do you see this opportunity in terms of promoting and celebrating the diversity of Latin music and its impact on the global music scene?
Ivy Queen: This opportunity at Carnegie Hall is an incredible platform to showcase the richness and diversity of Latin music in all its forms. Latin music is not a single genre; it is a universe full of rhythms, cultures, and stories that connect with audiences around the world. Being on this stage allows me to celebrate not only reggaetón but the essence of what it means to be Latino, our roots, and how we have influenced music on a global level. It is an honor to be part of this representation and to continue taking our music to every corner of the planet, demonstrating that Latin music is much more than a passing trend: it is a cultural and artistic force that continues to transform the global music industry.
Are there any particular performances or elements within the series that you’re especially excited about?
Fuchs: We’re really excited about Ivy Queen on November 20. It was important for us to find a big headlining artist like Ivy Queen to be part of the festival because of the fact that she’s such a trailblazing female artist within the industry. Really in terms of, obviously reggaetón and hip-hop, she stands out as someone who forged her own path and is someone really to be celebrated for her achievements in a very male-dominated field. We wanted to make sure that she appears at Carnegie and as part of Nuestros Sonidos.
We’re also really excited about Grupo Niche. They’re just an extraordinary ensemble that have pioneered and pushed the envelope in terms of salsa music for so long. It’s exciting to have them at Carnegie Hall for the first time. Monsieur Periné, who will be part of the festival on February 22, are such a funky and interesting group. I’m sure that people are going to be getting up and dancing when they start to play. It’s going to be such a joyful concert. Then the incredible Chilean jazz vocalist, Claudia Acuña, who is bringing a very interesting program. Songs in jazz that have stood the test of time through various decades. It’s a moment for us to celebrate the Latin songbook.
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
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This week: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars’ new collab looks to be another steady-growing success, a Beyoncé classic goes re-viral on its own and in mashup form, victory anthems for the two New York baseball teams prove postseason-ready and much more.
‘APT.’ Unlocked: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars Team-Up Starts Off Strong on Streaming
Watch out, Luka Doncic, James Harden and Tyrese Haliburton: as a new NBA season gets underway, Bruno Mars has already become the king of the assist this fall. After teaming up with Lady Gaga on “Die With a Smile,” which has spent its entire nine-week run on the Billboard Hot 100 within the top 10, Mars jumped on “APT.,” the lead single from ROSÉ’s forthcoming debut solo project — and has likely helped the BLACKPINK star score the biggest chart hit of her career so far.
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The catchy, clap-along pop collaboration has been one of the biggest streaming hits in both the U.S. and the world since its release last Friday (Oct. 18): in its first four days of release, “APT.” earned 13.32 million U.S. on-demand streams, according to Luminate, while also topping Spotify’s global and U.S. daily streaming charts. Its daily streaming numbers also represent a positive sign for its continued momentum, as “APT.” started with 3.57 million U.S. streams on Friday, and cracked 3 million daily streams for each of the next three days, while also selling 5,700 downloads over that opening four-day period.
We’ll see how high “APT.” can bow on next week’s Hot 100, but there’s a great chance that the Mars assist will help ROSÉ score the highest-charting solo track from a member of K-pop superstars BLACKPINK; “One of the Girls,” the song from The Idol by The Weeknd, JENNIE and Lily Rose Depp, peaked at No. 51 last year, and both ROSÉ and LISA made it to No. 70 with “On the Ground” and “Rockstar,” respectively. Meanwhile, BLACKPINK’s highest-charting Hot 100 hit is their Selena Gomez collaboration “Ice Cream,” which peaked at No. 13. – JASON LIPSHUTZ
Viral Dance Trend & Unofficial GloRilla Mashup Boost 16-Year-Old Beyoncé Hit
Despite being the target of a bizarre conspiracy campaign on TikTok, Beyoncé has bounced back with her latest viral hit on the platform. According to Luminate, “Diva” — a single from her Billboard 200-topping I Am… Sasha Fierce album that peaked at No. 19 on the Hot 100 in 2009 – earned over 737,000 official on-demand U.S. streams during the period of Oct. 11-17. That marks an eye-opening 108% increase from the 354,000 streams it collected during the period of Oct. 4-10.
Beyoncé has famously updated the original music video choreography for “Diva” with each successive tour and festival appearance. She’s also kept the song current by mixing it with trending hip-hop songs ranging from Future’s “F–k Up Some Commas” to Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock.” On TikTok, a dance trend blending choreography from Queen Bey’s “Diva” renditions at Coachella 2018 and the Renaissance World Tour has gone viral, helping the song increase in streams. Donte Colley, a dancer and choreographer who went viral this year for the trend he sparked with Nicki Minaj’s “FTCU,” perfected the choreography combination and posted his original clip on Sept. 17. That clip has amassed over six million views, and a more recent video of him performing the routine (Oct. 6) has collected over 26.4 million views. Colley soundtrack his video with an unofficial mashup of “Diva” and GloRilla’s “TGIF” courtesy of DJ Jacob Dior. That TikTok sound now boasts over 64,000 posts, while the official “Diva” sound plays in over 343,000 posts.
Beyoncé may still be in her country era, but she’ll always be one of TikTok’s favorite divas. – KYLE DENIS
Start Spreading the Streams: Two New York Baseball Anthems Up Following Postseason Runs
The New York Mets’ high-octane run through the first two rounds of the MLB playoffs came to an end on Sunday night, as the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated them in six games to move onto the World Series. It was still a highly memorable postseason for the Mets, who had previously won a thrilling back-and-forth three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers and a less-suspenseful four-game drubbing of division rivals the Philadelphia Phillies – as well as a new good-luck charm in the form of McDonald’s mascot Grimace, and a new theme song in the crowd-pleasing “OMG.”
The Latin pop banger – with a drawn-out “Oh! My! God!” chorus hook – became a Mets fan favorite (and a Billboard chart-topper) after being released in June by Candelita, artist identity of Mets shortstop José Iglesias. The defensive stalwart’s breakout hit became a clubhouse anthem for the team, as the team also brought an “OMG” sign to the clubhouse, which they would pose for photos with anytime someone on the roster hit a home run. The song went viral nationally over the course of the Mets’ postseason run, rising by 523% in official on-demand U.S. streams from 146,000 on the tracking week ending Oct. 3 to nearly 910,000 for the week ending Oct. 17, according to Luminate. (A new remix of the song featuring Pitbull and Silvestre Dangond, released Oct. 11, no doubt also helped in those rising totals.)
Those streams will likely die down in the weeks to come, following the Mets’ postseason elimination, but their Big Apple rivals in the Bronx will probably see their own longer-established singalong anthem continue to gain in the meantime. Frank Sinatra’s “Theme From ‘New York, New York,” which has served as the Yankees’ victory song for well over 40 years now, has risen 24% in streams to over 864,000 over the same two-week period. It saw an even bigger bump this past Sunday (Oct. 20), racking up 180,000 streams following the Yankees’ Cleveland Guardians-eliminating Game Five ALCS victory the night before – a 59% gain over the prior Sunday – as the Yanks head to face the Dodgers in the World Series, and more and more listeners want to be a part of it. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Goofy ‘Gilmore Girls’ Trend Lifts Decade-Old Years & Years Song
Although Years & Years has effectively morphed into a solo project for Olly Alexander, the British electropop outfit is still snagging hits. Streams for “Breathe” — a cover of the 2003 Blu Cantrell and Sean Paul hit that appears on the super deluxe edition of the band’s 2015 Communion LP – have risen by over 100% for the past three weeks. During the period of Oct. 11-17, the track earned nearly 1.4 million official on-demand U.S. streams, marking a whopping 1,603% increase from the 81,000 streams it earned during the period of Sept. 27-Oct. 3.
A Sept. 17 TikTok post laying a Gilmore Girls clip over the Years & Years track is responsible for the streaming boost. In the original clip, Kirk Gleason tells the father of his love interest, “I love your daughter.” The father then replies, “Who are you to love my daughter? What do you have to offer her?” “Nothing,” Kirk responds. “Only this.” He then breaks out into an improvised dance number soundtracked by “Breathe.” TikTok users have quickly put their own spin on the scene, with some opting to act as Kirk and show off goofy dance moves of their own. The audio from the original TikTok post, courtesy of user @clozvr, currently plays in over 145,000 clips, while another unofficial sound boasts over 39,000 posts. There are also over 210,000 posts currently attached to the official “Breathe” sound.
Years & Years have never had a Hot 100 entry, but if the streams for “Breathe” continue to increase, there’s a possibility that they will change that.
The celebrations continue for the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. On the heels of Mary J. Blige’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday (Oct. 19), the singer-songwriter banks the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart as “Breathing,” featuring Fabolous advances from No. 3 on the list dated Oct. 26.
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The track achieves its coronation by becoming the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the tracking week of Oct. 11 – 17, according to Luminate. With a 16% jump in play count for the tracking period, “Breathing” wins the weekly Greatest Gainer honor for the largest increase in plays among the chart’s 30 titles.
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“Breathing” gives Blige her ninth No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay. Here’s a review of her chart-topping collection on the radio ranking since it launched in 1993:
“Not Gon’ Cry,” four weeks at No. 1, beginning March 2, 1996“Be Without You,” 14, Feb. 4, 2006“Take Me As I Am,” one, Jan. 27, 2007“IfULeave,” Musiq Soulchild featuring Mary. J. Blige, eight, Jan. 10, 2009“Thick of It,” 16, Nov. 12, 2016“U + Me (Love Lesson),” three, May 6, 2017“Good Morning Gorgeous,” four, Feb. 26, 2022“Still Believe in Love,” featuring Vado, eight, Dec. 30, 2023“Breathing,” featuring Fabolous, one (to date), Oct. 26, 2024
Notably, it’s Blige’s third consecutive year with a new No. 1. In the last three years, only she, Chris Brown and Tank have posted annual champs.
With nine career leaders, Mary J. Blige moves into a tie with Maxwell, Tank and Usher for the fourth-most No. 1s among all artists in the Adult R&B Airplay chart’s 31-year history. The crew trails only Alicia Keys (14), Toni Braxton (11) and Charlie Wilson (10) on the overall leaderboard.
Elsewhere, “Breathing” rises 17-13 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. There, the single jumps to 5.3 million audience impressions, a 9% increase from the previous week. Radio gains help return the track to the airplay, streaming and sales-based Hot R&B Songs chart, where it re-enters at No. 24, after having reached No. 23 in September.
Beabadoobee is the latest artist to join the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, and in addition to singing “Beaches” from her This Is How Tomorrow Moves album, the 24-year-old singer also performed a cover of her fellow TIME100 Next honoree, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and […]
Procrastinators, take note — the deadline for all submissions for best original song and best original score for the 2025 Oscars is Nov. 1. This year, there will be some changes in the best original score category. The shortlist of best original score contenders will increase from 15 to 20 scores. The shortlist for best […]
A key part of CMA Award-winning Jelly Roll‘s story has been his rise from incarceration to becoming one of the most sought-after headlining artists out there today. Alongside his ascendant career, the Tennessee native has been dedicated to giving back to communities and encouraging those who are in jails and detention facilities.
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During Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken tour stop in Little Rock, Arkansas, Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO paid a visit to the local Pulaski County Detention Center, visiting the female inmates in the CSI Reentry program just prior to Jelly Roll’s concert at Simmons Bank Arena on Oct. 22. On Instagram, Bunnie XO posted a video from the trip, calling the visit “chicken soup for the soul.”
“I went to jail today, willingly,” Bunnie XO said over a video clip of moments from the couple’s visit to the jail, where they met with the women, offered encouragement and Jelly Roll even performed, leading the crowd in a version of his Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper “Save Me.”
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“I was so honored today to be able to tag along with my husband … look how sweet these babies are,” as the video showed Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO walking in to visit with the inmates, who greeted them with cheers and smiles. “Today was chicken soup for the soul, man. To be able to bring smiles to their faces in probably one of the lowest times of their lives means everything to me. They all had the best personalities.”
She also noted how Jelly Roll cracked jokes and kept the crowd laughing, as she said, “I have to say, man, the most attractive thing about my husband is his heart.”
As the video concluded with footage of Bunnie XO hugging the women, Bunnie XO said the visit inspired her as much as she hoped it had for the inmates. “I hope they know how much of an impact they had on me and how much they lifted my spirit also,” she said in the video clip. “I realize more and more lately that God has given us these platforms to give back, not to receive. And that’s what I plan on doing alongside my husband.”
According to the official Instagram page for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Jelly Roll also took the oath of office to be an honorary deputy.
Up next, Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken Tour will visit St. Louis on Oct. 23 and Knoxville, Tenn. on Oct. 25. Jelly Roll also just added a new hometown show to the tour, when it visits Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 26.
There are five categories devoted to R&B nestled in the R&B, rap and spoken poetry field at the 67th annual Grammy Awards. Here, we preview three of them — best R&B performance, best R&B song and best traditional R&B performance. We’ll preview the other two — best R&B album and best progressive R&B album — later this week.
Best R&B Performance
Though a version of the category has existed since the very first Grammy ceremony in 1959, best R&B performance boasts a particularly tumultuous history. The awarded was given out annually until 1968, when additional categories divided by gender were introduced. Women and men would compete in separate R&B performance categories until a major overhaul ahead of the 2012 ceremony that combined the existing categories of best female R&B vocal performance, best male R&B vocal performance, best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal and best urban/alternative performance.
Since the best R&B performance was streamlined and reintroduced in 2012, just three artists have won twice: Beyoncé (2015 and 2021), Bruno Mars (2018 and 2022) and Anderson .Paak (2020 and 2022). This year six artists have a chance to join that club, including defending champ Coco Jones, Muni Long, Usher, Corinne Bailey Rae, Lalah Hathway and H.E.R.
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Earlier this year, Jones triumphed with her Billboard chart-topping “ICU,” which spent four weeks atop Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (chart dated May 27, 2023). For the current Grammy cycle, she’s in contention with a pair of tracks: her featured turn on BJ the Chicago Kid‘s “Spend the Night” and her own “Here We Go (Uh Oh).” According to the 2025 Grammys rulebook, an artist can only receive one nomination in best R&B performance, so Jones won’t be able to pull double duty here. Either way, her chances are strong; BJ is a seven-time nominee, while “Here We Go” became her second song to reach the top 10 on Adult R&B Airplay (No. 8).
Usher is another artist who will suffer from the “one nomination per artist” rule. A previous winner for “Climax” back in 2013, he’s back in contention with three songs: his guest appearance on Victoria Monét‘s “SOS (Sex On Sight),” his Color Purple H.E.R. duet “Risk It All,” and his own Pheelz-assisted “Ruin.” Given Monét’s three-Grammy haul at the 2023 ceremony and the chart-topping airplay run of “Risk It All,” either of those two tracks are the A-Town icon’s strongest shots. Similarly, H.E.R. could pull off a nod with either “Risk It All” or Lila Iké’s “He Loves Us Both,” but the former is her best bet.
Corinne Bailey Rae (2012) and Lalah Hathaway (2014) were the first two women to win this category since the 2012 restructuring. Bailey Rae could reap a bid for “Fly Away” (with Eric Benét), while Hathaway could earn a nod for “So in Love.” And then there was Muni Long. The 2023 winner of this category — for her breakout hit “Hrs & Hrs” — is in contention with a live version of one of the year’s biggest R&B crossover hits, “Made for Me,” which reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Several artists could earn their first nods in this category this year, including Tems (“Burning”), Leon Thomas (“Mutt”), Tinashe (“Nasty”), Ravyn Lenae (“One Wish”), Blxst (“Dancing With the Devil”), October London (“She Keeps Calling”), Partynextdoor (“No Chill”) and Normani (“All Yours”).
Some previous Grammy winners and nominees to keep an eye on: SZA (“Saturn”), NxWorries and Thundercat (“Keep Her”), Mary J. Blige and Fabolous (“Breathing”), Childish Gambino (“In the Night”), Chris Brown (“Residuals”), Chlöe and Halle (“Want Me”), Ledisi (“Good Life”), Lucky Daye (“HERicane”), PJ Morton (“Please Be Good”), Terrace Martin, Alex Isley and Robert Glasper (“I Left My Heart In Ladera”), Bryson Tiller (“Persuasion”), Marsha Ambrosius (“One Night Stand”) and Jeymes Samuel, D’Angelo and Jay-Z (“I Want You Forever”).
Our Fearless Forecast
There’s a chance the entire 2024 lineup could repeat, but we’re predicting: “Residuals” (Chris Brown), “SOS (Sex On Sight)” (Victoria Monét & Usher), “Saturn” (SZA), “Made for Me — Live on BET” (Muni Long) and “Keep Her” (NxWorries & Thundercat).
Best R&B Song
For the last five Grammy ceremonies, the nominees for best R&B song and best R&B performance haven’t overlapped much. In fact, the 2022 ceremony is the only instance this decade where three or more songs earned nods in both categories. As a reminder, best R&B song is awarded to the songwriter, while best R&B performance goes to the recording artist.
In addition to the aforementioned tracks, here are a few more songs to look out for. Halle pulled off a surprise nod with “Angel” last year and she could do it again with “Because I Love You,” which was co-written by RAYE. SZA triumphed here with “Snooze” last year, and both she (“Saturn”) and co-writer Leon Thomas (“Mutt”) are in contention this year. Beyoncé is the most-awarded songwriter (five) in this category, and she could earn her 10th nod here with her Dolly Parton-assisted “Tyrant.” Notably, as Parton is not a credited songwriter on “Tyrant,” she would not receive a nomination should the song make the final five. Bruno Mars has won here twice before (2018 and 2022), and he could earn a third nomination in this category thanks to Lucky Daye’s chart-topping “That’s You,” which he co-wrote with Daye and six-time Grammy winner D’Mile.
Since live versions are only eligible in performance categories, Muni Long is contention here with “Ruined Me,” the latest single from her Revenge album. That song has already become her fifth consecutive top 10 hit on Adult R&B Airplay and is gaining traction across social media. Like Long, Tinashe had a crossover R&B hit this year with “Nasty,” which could earn her the first Grammy nod of her career.
Some other names to look out for: Mavis Staples (“Worthy”), Brittany Howard (“I Don’t), Meshell Ndegeocello (“Love”), Sampha (“Only”) and Gary Clark Jr. & Stevie Wonder (“What About The Children”).
Our Fearless Forecast
We’re predicting: “Saturn” (SZA), “Because I Love You” (Halle), “That’s You” (Lucky Daye), “Nasty” (Tinashe) and “Tyrant” (Beyoncé & Dolly Parton).
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Since best traditional R&B performance — a category honoring recordings that adhere to classic R&B/soul sonic signifiers as opposed to more contemporary approaches to the genre — was first awarded in 1999, two artists have emerged as the all-time winners.
Beyoncé and Lalah Hathaway each have three wins to their name in this category. While Queen Bey does not have a song contending here this year, Hathaway could snag her fourth win if her Michael McDonald-assisted “No Lie” scores a nod. There are a number of high-profile duets to keep an eye on here, including Eric Benét and Tamar Braxton (“Something We Can Make Love To”), Chlöe and Ty Dolla $ign (“Might As Well”), Clark Jr. & Wonder (“What About the Children”), Keyon Harrold and PJ Morton (“Beautiful Day”), Kamasi Washington and BJ The Chicago Kid (“Together”) and Louis York and Tamia (“Three Little Words”). The Benét-Braxton team-up received a lot of love in R&B circles, and the Chlöe-Ty link-up highlights the perseverance of traditional R&B amongst the newest generation of crooners.
Muni Long’s name is sure to pop up across the R&B field this cycle, and “Make Me Forget,” which became her first Adult R&B Airplay chart-topper in August, is her entry in this category. Last year’s winners — PJ Morton and Susan Carol (“Good Morning”) — could return with solo songs of their own. Morton is contending with “I Found You,” while Carol entered “Karma.”
Some other names to look out for: Brittany Howard (“I Don’t”), Marsha Ambrosius (“Wet”), Jacob Collier, John Legend and Tori Kelly (“Bridge Over Troubled Water”), Kenyon Dixon (“Can I Have This Groove”), Meshell Ndegeocello (“Love”), Lucky Daye (“That’s You”), NxWorries, Snoop Dogg & October London (“FromHere”) and Usher (“Please U”).
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Here goes nothing: “That’s You” (Lucky Daye), “FromHere” (NxWorries, Snoop Dogg & October London), “Make Me Forget” (Muni Long), “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (Jacob Collier, John Legend & Tori Kelly) and “No Lie” (Lalah Hathaway & Michael McDonald)
Massive Attack, Tyler, the Creator, Charli XCX, Natanael Cano, Nathy Peluso, Parcels, Gesaffelstein, Fka Twigs, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Meme del Real (Café Tacvba’s keyboard player) are set to headline the 2025 edition of the Axe Ceremonia festival, which will take place April 5-6 at Parque Bicentenario in Mexico City, Mexico.
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The Marías, Hanumankind, A.G. Cook, NSQK, The Dare, Simpson Ahuevo and Brutalism 300 are other acts announced as part of the lineup for this festival, which has established itself as a cultural celebration featuring the best and most representative bands and soloists of the local and international scene.
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Tickets will be available on Ticketmaster in a presale for CITIBANAMEX cardholders Wednesday (Oct. 23), with the general sale beginning a day later, announced promoter Eco Live, which produces the event in collaboration with the Mexican promoter Ocesa.
The Axe Ceremonia, which will be celebrating its 12th edition, has become an interesting option within the circuit of major music festivals in Mexico, providing a space for diverse voices and multi-generational sounds, offering the freshest from the global scene on its lineup.
In the words of its promoters: “AXE Ceremonia is a platform that drives creative communities, cutting-edge talent and social activists so that their projects and ideas can reach a broader audience.”
Past editions have included global music stars such as Björk, Rosalía, Kendrick Lamar, LCD Soundsystem, Travis Scott, James Blake, Wu-Tang Clan, A$AP Rocky, Aphex Twin, Snoop Dogg, Animal Collective, Underworld, Nicolas Jaar and Fuerza Regida.