State Champ Radio Music
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01/10/2025
From international superstars to that Oasis reunion, it’s set to be a busy year for music lovers.
01/10/2025
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
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This week, Teddy Swims is still delivering the soul, Lil Baby has even more WHAM and Wallows drop a new favorite. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Teddy Swims feat. Giveon, “Are You Even Real”
Following the smash success of “Lose Control,” which topped the Hot 100 chart last year and helped yield a best new artist Grammy nod, Teddy Swims is kicking off 2025 with some more snappy soul-pop: “Are You Even Real,” which previews the upcoming I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, Part 2, sways delicately between the singer-songwriter’s earnest croon and guest star Giveon’s booming flourishes, with some pinpoint harmonies in the back half.
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Lil Baby, WHAM (Extended Edition)
A week after making his return with the concise, rock-hard WHAM, Lil Baby has added four new tracks to the album by way of a deluxe edition, with the sizzling Future team-up “99” serving as both the highlight of the new collection and an instant follow-up to “Dum, Dumb, and Dumber,” the Baby-Future-Young Thug summit challenging for a strong Hot 100 debut next week.
Wallows, “Your New Favorite Song”
Wallows’ upward trajectory continues with “Your New Favorite Song,” a dreamy slice of pop-rock that could serve as a crossover hit for a Los Angeles trio that’s become a sizable touring act over the past few years. Following 2024’s Model, “Your New Favorite Song” nudges Wallows forward with subtle details in the arrangement, including horns that accentuate instead of trying to dominate the mix.
JADE, “IT Girl”
“Angel of My Dreams,” JADE’s 2024 debut solo single, established the Little Mix star as a bold, forward-looking pop auteur; that reputation remains intact with new single “IT Girl,” which immediately showcases the pop star’s expansive voice before slamming into thick drums and wobbly harmonies — creating a sonic juxtaposition that worked so well with her breakthrough track, and once again succeeds here.
Warren Zeiders, “Can a Heart Take”
With new album Relapse, Lies, & Betrayal due out in March, rising country star Warren Zeiders prepares for a potentially major year with “Can a Heart Take,” a wistful rumination on loss that demonstrates the singer-songwriter’s range in the span of its chorus — he starts off speak-singing the line “How much pain can a heart take?,” then brings the sentiment to life with a wounded roar.
Editor’s Pick: Blondshell, “T&A”
Sabrina Teitelbaum’s next album as Blondshell promises to be a major leap forward from a songwriting and production standpoint, and lead single “T&A” hints at the evolution to come: with glum recollections of a regretful hook-up, an anthemic chorus that asks unanswerable questions and electric guitar work that charges up the song’s energy, “T&A” is a home run of an opening statement, and the sound of Blondshell becoming an indie star.
What sonic characteristics led to The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” claiming the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Top Hot 100 Songs of the 21st Century chart?
In 2021, Hit Songs Deconstructed, which provides in-depth analysis of Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits, held its Max Martin Deconstructed Masterclass, led by Hit Songs Deconstructed co-founder Dave Penn. Martin co-wrote and co-produced “Blinding Lights” (with The Weeknd, among others), which contributed to his 27 No. 1s as a writer and record 25 leaders as a producer.
“Blinding Lights” led (LED?) the Hot 100 for four weeks in 2020, logged a record 57-week in the top 10 and charted for a dazzling 90 weeks total.
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Class is in session again (spit out your gum): Here’s a reprinted rundown, according to Penn’s insights as presented in 2021, of the songwriting and production elements and more that helped “Blinding Lights” beam brighter than any other song on the Hot 100 over the first 25 years of the century.
David Penn of Hit Songs Deconstructed: “Like most hits, ‘Blinding Lights’ features a meticulous combination of the typical and the atypical, which helps the song sound familiar to people while still standing out from the pack. But when it comes to this song, it’s really the writing and production team’s stellar arrangement techniques, along with Max Martin’s melodic genius, that make it such an interesting and captivating hit.
“For instance, its 28-second intro is almost unheard of currently; the average [intro on a] Hot 100 top 10 in 2020 was just 13 seconds. So, it really comes down to the way that the ‘Blinding Lights’ team arranged the intro to keep the listener engaged, all while establishing many key aspects of the song, including its atypical instrumental hook; most hooks in today’s hits are vocal.
“Another atypical quality is its, what I call, disappearing chorus. While many top 10 hits give the listener more chorus as a song progresses, the ‘Blinding Lights’ creators actually shorten the chorus as the song progresses. Like with everything else, there is purpose behind this. In this case, it makes the listener long to hear that full chorus again and return for another listen.
“Also, the song’s 1980s-influenced production qualities, a la ‘Take On Me’ by a-ha, come across as new and fresh to younger audiences while creating a sense of nostalgia for older audiences, which ultimately broadens the song’s reach across demographics.
“But perhaps the song’s most notable quality is the expert use of motifs and hook foreshadowing techniques that take its catchiness and memorability to the next level, whether the listener realizes it or not. This is a hallmark of Max Martin’s melody writing throughout his career. For example, the synth hook in the intro melodically foreshadows lines two and four of the chorus vocal melody. And the verse that follows rhythmically foreshadows lines one and three of the chorus.
“So, by the time listeners arrive at the first chorus, they’re already familiar with the entire melody, which makes it that much easier for them to sing along and remember it. And this goes on throughout the entire song; almost every line relates to some other line in the song, which gets it ingrained in the listener’s head without ever becoming monotonous.
“Along with promotional factors, these are just of a few of the many qualities that helped ‘Blinding Lights’ achieve its mass success.”
Browse Billboard’s Top Hot 100 Songs of the 21st Century chart, Top Artists of the 21st Century chart and Top Billboard 200 Albums of the 21st Century chart, as well as all coverage of Billboard’s 21st Century charts here.
Billboard’s Top Artists, Top Billboard 200 Albums and Top Hot 100 Songs of the 21st Century recaps reflect performance on weekly charts dated Jan. 1, 2000, through Dec. 28, 2024. The Top Artists category ranks the best-performing acts in that span based on activity on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100. (Titles released prior to mid-1999 are excluded, although such entries that appeared on the Billboard 200 or Hot 100 in that span contribute to the calculation of the Top Artists chart.)
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” shines brightly as the No. 1 hit on Billboard’s recap of the first 25 years of the 21st century, leading Billboard’s Top Hot 100 Songs of the 21st Century chart. The survey is based on performance on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart from the start of 2000 through the end […]
Maná has spoken out about the devastating ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, asking their fans and colleagues to make donations. “Los Angeles is like hell. There are devastating fires that are affecting the houses…it’s tremendous how the fire is raging,” frontman Fher Olvera said in a video message posted on Thursday (Jan. 9). He continued: […]
The worlds of hip-hop and reggaeton have been intertwined in both style and sound since the origins of both genres, particularly in their common affinity for opulent jewelry. Large, flashy bling has for years marked the elites of these two musically akin cultures, representing a display of wealth and a symbol of defiance, a bold claim to hard-won success and status.
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Parallel to this trend, the current Mexican music generation has also absorbed hip-hop’s aesthetics into its contemporary revival. Yet, some of the most successful artists in the scene have opted for more refined choices.
Van Cleef & Arpels — known for its sleek designs of metal and precious stones inspired by nature, like the four-leaf clover — has notably emerged as a favored brand among a bevy of corridos tumbados stars. The subtle luxury of these pieces has become a symbol within the genre — whether flaunted in outfits seen in music videos or lyrically celebrated in tracks.
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This was evident in 2023 when Peso Pluma was spotted donning a Van Cleef chain in the billion-stream music video for “La Bebé – Remix” alongside Yng Lvcas. The trend was underscored again in June when Natanael Cano sported the chic chain in the video for “Vino Tinto” with Peso Pluma and Gabito Ballesteros.
In a recent interview, Oscar Maydon, who arrived at the Billboard offices in New York wearing a Van Cleef bracelet, commented, “It’s something that became fashionable. They’re very pretty, they’re very practical, they go with everything. People like them, they are very youthful, all the kids adapted them very well.” The Mexicali artist — whose hit “Tu Boda” with Fuerza Regida has been at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart for 11 weeks — also talked to us about an unreleased corrido that mentions the French brand.
And there’s more. For example, last September, Interscope artist El Padrinito Toys released a romantic turned ominous sierreño directly titled “Van Cleef,” further articulating the brand’s appeal: “Si no te tengo no me palpita el corazón/ Eres como una pesadilla, la neta ya te compré una Van Cleef amarilla/ Te está esperando tu silla, voy bien jalado y atrás viene la policía” (If I don’t have you, my heart doesn’t beat/ You’re like a nightmare, I already bought you a yellow Van Cleef/ Your chair is waiting for you, I’m riding hard and the police are coming).
Others have expressed their spirit of camaraderie by gifting such jewelry. Darey Castro, the leader of Los Dareyes de la Sierra, for example, has given Van Cleef & Arpels products to colleagues, a source told Billboard Español.
When Billboard Español reached out to a Van Cleef & Arpels representative for comment, they stated, “Regarding the use of Van Cleef & Arpels pieces by Mexican artists, I would like to confirm that we do not currently lend to celebrities; therefore, this phenomenon is completely organic.”
While the incorporation of Van Cleef & Arpels into Mexican music culture has become notable, its influence has also been felt in other fields of Latin music. Myke Towers included the track “Van Cleef” with Pirlo on his latest album, and AMF recorded “Exoticón (Van Cleef)” with Victor Mendivil, illustrating the brand’s far-reaching cultural resonance.
In her 2023 book Fashion Killa: How Hip-Hop Revolutionized High Fashion, Sowmya Krishnamurthy delves into the intersection between hip-hop and fashion and how their relationship is deeply symbiotic. She highlights how the DIY ethos of hip-hop artists and their communities has progressively influenced luxury fashion houses.
Because of the way Latin music artists are wearing Van Cleef, their chains feel more like an integral aspect of their musical and cultural identity than a simple accessory.
The road to Super Bowl LIX kicks off this weekend with the NFL Playoffs and while Snoop Dogg’s Pittsburgh Steelers will look to punch their ticket to New Orleans, the West Coast rap legend will already be in the Big Easy Super Bowl weekend. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, […]
Billy Joel announced a one-off summer 2025 gig with fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Rod Stewart at New York’s Yankee Stadium. The one-night-only event will take place on July 18 at the iconic ballpark as part of the Piano Man’s ongoing string of stadium shows with A-list guests. Citi cardmembers will have access […]
Just three months after his discharge from mandatory South Korean military duty, BTS‘ J-Hope is gearing up to hit the road and drop new solo music. In a pair of posts on Thursday night (Jan. 9) the K-pop superstar announced the dates for his Hope On the Stage 2025 world tour, while teasing “new music […]
Public Enemy frontman Chuck D has sharply criticized the recent misuse of the group’s 1990 track “Burn Hollywood Burn” amid the devastating wildfires that have been ravaging Los Angeles.
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As the fires continue to wreak havoc, some social media users have co-opted the politically charged anthem as a way to celebrate the destruction, prompting Chuck D to urge the public to understand the song’s true meaning and historical context.
Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate amid the fires, and nearly 10,000 structures have been destroyed. The Palisades Fire is now considered the most destructive fire in Los Angeles County history, burning over 17,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire has also consumed more than 10,000 acres, causing severe damage to surrounding communities.
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In response to the wildfires, Chuck D took to Instagram to express his frustration over how some are using “Burn Hollywood Burn” in relation to the disaster.
The song, which critiques Hollywood’s exploitation of Black culture and the entertainment industry’s negative portrayals of Black people, has been appropriated by some social media users as a celebratory anthem for the destruction.
The hip-hop icon shared a photo on Instagram of a Los Angeles neighborhood engulfed in flames, writing, “PRAYERS UP. BE SAFE. EVACUATE,” along with a list of the ongoing fires in the area.
He clarified that “Burn Hollywood Burn” — featured on Public Enemy’s seminal Fear of a Black Planet — was never intended to reference or glorify natural disasters, but was instead a critique of racial inequality and media representation.
“‘Burn Hollywood Burn’ is a protest song extracted from the Watts rebellion, coined by the magnificent Montague in 1965 against inequality when he said ‘burn baby burn’ across the air,” Chuck D wrote. “We made mind-revolution songs aimed at a one-sided exploitation by an industry.” He stressed that the track was never meant to glorify destruction or loss, adding, “It has nothing to do with families losing everything they have in a natural disaster. Learn the history. Godspeed to those in loss.”
“Burn Hollywood Burn” was released during a crucial moment in hip-hop’s history. The song appeared on Fear of a Black Planet, released in 1990, during hip-hop’s golden age. The track features guest verses from Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane, and “Burn Hollywood Burn” became an anthem for Black empowerment, calling for greater and more authentic representation in the media.
Several figures in the entertainment industry have since shared harrowing images of the descrution to social media. Paris Hilton revealed she had lost her Malibu home in the wildfires, while Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker’s children, Landon and Alabama, shared on Instagram that they had to evacuate their home, with Landon writing, “Just evacuated praying for everyone the fires have [affected].”
Singer Jhené Aiko is one of the thousands of people who lost their homes amid the devastating fires blazing across Los Angeles this week.
The “Bed Peace” singer took to social media on Thursday (Jan. 9) to reveal that her home was “burned to the ground with all of our things inside,” but her two-year-old son Noah — whom she shares with Big Sean — and 16-year-old daughter Namiko are both safe with her. “Lord have mercy 🙏 Thankful we still have eachother 💙 starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy 💔,” she wrote.
“Lord have mercy 🙏 Thankful we still have eachother 💙 starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy 💔,” she wrote.
She continued on another slide, “praying for everyone this morning. those who lost their home, those who lost their life’s work, those who lost their life. praying for my city. praying for the wild life and lost pets. praying for the world 💙.”
