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SZA’s unsinkable SOS sails to a new milestone on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart, reaching its 100th week at No. 1 on the list, which began in 2012. The album – far and away the record holder for the longest run atop the chart – has more than double the weeks of any other title in the top slot and has spent only eight of its first 108 weeks on the chart outside the penthouse.
SOS crosses the triple-digit mark on the chart dated Jan. 11, with 130,000 equivalent album units in the corresponding Dec. 27, 2024 to Jan. 2, 2025, tracking week, according to Luminate. While its first 98 chart-topping weeks were exclusively from its standard issue, the last two frames received a boost from the SOS Deluxe: Lana edition, which arrived Dec. 20 and added 15 new cuts to the original 22-song tracklist. (All versions of the album are combined into one entry for data tracking and chart positions.)
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With SOS’ latest achievement on Top R&B Albums, here’s a review of the projects with the most weeks at No. 1 on the 12-year-old chart:
Weeks at No. 1, Album Title, Artist, First Week at No. 1
100, SOS, SZA, Dec. 24, 2022
40, After Hours, The Weeknd, April 4, 2020
33, 24K Magic, Bruno Mars, Dec. 10, 2016
27, Planet Her, Doja Cat, July 10, 2021
25, The Highlights, The Weeknd, Feb. 20, 2021
19, Lemonade, Beyoncé, May 14, 2016
18, American Teen, Khalid, Aug. 5, 2017
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Released in December 2022, SOS was the long-awaited follow-up to SZA’s well-received 2017 full-length debut, Ctrl. The five-year wait sparked immediate fan fervor, causing SOS’ No. 1 entrances on the all-genre Billboard 200 and Top R&B Albums charts. The album quickly established dominance in the R&B sphere, spending its first 48 weeks on Top R&B Albums at No. 1 as hit singles such as “Kill Bill” and “Snooze” clocked 30 weeks and 32 weeks, respectively, atop the Hot R&B Songs chart. Thanks to its strong reception and high consumption numbers, SOS was the year-end No. 1 title on the Top R&B Albums chart for both 2023 and 2024.
While its standard edition already generated record-breaking results, the Lana deluxe addition should only expand SOS’ chart legacy. With 130,000 units in the latest tracking week, SOS pulled more than seven times the unit total of this week’s runner-up (which, by the way, is SZA’s Ctrl.) The Lana chapter could further extend well into the spring and summer, when SZA and Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National tour reaches nearly two-dozen stadiums in the U.S. and Canada.
Plus, even more music may be on the way. On Jan. 5, Terrence “Punch” Henderson Jr. — the president of SZA’s record label, Top Dawg Entertainment — posted on X, “Waiting for some clearances to clear up for the additional joints on the SOS Deluxe: LANA. Soon as that’s done it’s up!”
Alt-folk duo The Lumineers have announced that the release date for their upcoming fifth studio album, Automatic, which is due out on February 14 on Dualtone. The Denver group comprised of singer/guitarist Wesley Schultz and drummer Jeremiah Fraites previewed their follow-up to 2022’s Brightside on Tuesday (Jan. 7) with the LP’s rollicking first single, “Same Old Song.”
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“Hey Mama would you pay my rent/ Would you let me crash in your basement/ ‘Cause anyone of us could make it big or could end up dead on the pavement/ And if i was to die/ If the plane went down and you survived,” Schultz sings over Fraites’ insistent, metronomic beat.
The track then soars to a yearning, aching peak on the chorus, on which Schultz keens, “Same old song/ We sing the same old song/ We sing the same old, same old song.” The song’s release was accompanied by a video directed by filmmaker Anaïs LaRocca (Hundred Waters), in which the pair perform it on a soundstage backed by evocative VHS-like videos echoing the lyrics.
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In a statement announcing the album, Schultz said it marks 20 years of his songwriting partnership with Fraites. “The album explores some of the absurdities of the modern world, like the increasingly blurry line between what’s real and what’s not, and the variety of ways we numb ourselves while trying to combat both boredom and overstimulation,” he said, noting that the LP was recorded in “less than a month.”
The statement adds that the album will find the duo “traveling new sonic and thematic terrain with their most raw and personal collection thus far.” It notes that it was recorded with Woodstock, NY-based producer/songwriter/ keyboardist David Baron, who “outfitted Woodstock’s Utopia studio like the legendary Abbey Road facility, installing both vintage and cutting-edge gear,” where the pair performed the song “as a unit, leaving fewer opportunities to fix mistakes, or refine the sound.”
To capture that live magic, they outfitted the studio with two sets of drums, three pianos and an array of amps, guitars and vocal mics, “allowing the musicians to pivot and capture as much as possible with minimal delay.”
The Lumineers are slated to kick off the tour in support of the album on Saturday (Jan. 11) with a gig at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA at the iHeartRadio ALTer EGO show, followed by their own headlining gig at the Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, ON on February 16.
Watch the “Same Old Song” video and check out the Automatic track list below.
Automatic track list:
“Same Old Song”
“Asshole”
“Strings”
“Automatic”
“You’re All I’ve Got”
“Plasticine”
“Ativan”
“Keys on the Table”
“Better Day”
“Sunflowers”
“So Long”
Taylor Swift reigns as the No. 1 artist on Billboard’s recap of the first 25 years of the 21st century, leading Billboard’s Top Artists of the 21st Century chart, based on performance on the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart from the start of 2000 through the end of 2024.
Even with the country-turned-pop superstar not having made her Billboard chart debut until July 1, 2006, with the then-16-year-old’s co-written debut single “Tim McGraw,” Swift has rung up 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 – the most among women all-time – and 12 No. 1 songs on the Hot 100.
Among other achievements, on the Hot 100 dated Nov. 5, 2022, Swift became the first artist to claim each of the chart’s top 10 positions, thanks to songs from her album Midnights. She repeated the feat – and stretched her dominance to the top 14 spots – on the May 4, 2024, survey, via tracks from her LP The Tortured Poets Department.
Meanwhile, Swift led Billboard’s year-end Top Artists charts in 2009, 2015, 2023 and 2024, becoming the first act with four annual titles (dating to the category’s 1981 inception).
Reflecting the biggest names from Y2K to today, count down the top 10 acts below on Billboard’s Top Artists of the 21st Century retrospective, and check out the entire 100-position chart in Billboard’s Greatest of All Time charts menu.
Plus, check back Thursday (Jan. 9) for Billboard’s Top Billboard 200 Albums of the 21st Century chart and Friday (Jan. 10) for Billboard’s Top Hot 100 Songs of the 21st Century chart.
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.)
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On Thursday, Jan. 30, artist, songwriter and producer Kirk Franklin will be celebrated at the fourth annual Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Franklin will receive the Black Music Icon Award, which celebrates Black music creators whose “commitment to their craft has profoundly shaped […]
It’s T-minus 177 days until the kick-off of Oasis‘ eagerly anticipated reunion tour (but who’s counting?). And while we still don’t know if the formerly battling Gallagher brothers will release any new music to coincide with their first dates in over 16 years, guitarist, sometimes singer and songwriter Noel Gallagher will be back in our ears soon courtesy of his contribution to the latest track from the British supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos.
In the follow-up to their debut 2023 single, “Gorilla Guerilla,” the group featuring Happy Mondays/Black Grape members singer Shaun Ryder and dancer/maracas player Bez, Who/Oasis drummer Zak Starkey and Ride/Oasis guitarist Andy Bell, will drop “Domino Bones (Get Dangerous)” on January 19.
The song — which is credited as “featuring Noel Gallagher” — will debut on that date at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool, when the band’s members will perform it live for the first time. The single will be sold exclusively at their Cavern Club appearances in the form of a limited-edition 7″ red or blue vinyl single.
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“Just when you thought pop music had got a bit too sensible, a bit too clean and tidy, a bit too safe, then maverick spirits collide and create something as devilish and delicious as you would have hoped and prayed for… That something is Mantra of The Cosmos; the new supergroup comprising some of the most influential British artists of the last 30 years,” reads a statement from the club. “We are delighted to be hosting the band for two special shows to kick off the new year in style.”
The group is slated to perform afternoon and evening shows on the 19th, which will also feature DJ sets from Bez and Bell, though at press time it was unclear if Gallagher will join them for the gigs. According to NME, Gallagher described the group as “like Dylan, Dali and [Allen] Ginsberg on a rocket ship to the moon to have it with the Clangers.”
Starkey — son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr and a veteran drummer who has also played with the Lightning Seeds, Johnny Marr and the Healers and his dad’s All-Starr Band — said the new six-minute song that is named after Bez’s first band is like “‘Free Bird’ for Mods,” in reference to the iconic Lynyrd Skynyrd jam. The magazine said Gallagher provides vocals on the chorus, with Ryder taking on the verses, Starkey on drums, guitar, bass and keyboards and Bell ripping an extended guitar solo.
“It’s not every day that the greatest songwriter of my generation – not to mention Shaun, the greatest beat poet of our times – sends a tune to me, and I was in a daze for a bit cos it’s not something you want to f–k up! It came together great – everyone digs it!” said Starkey, who played on Oasis’ last two studio albums, 2005’s Don’t Believe the Truth and 2008’s Dig Your Own Soul. “Noel loves Shaun. He texted me to say: ‘Do you know what you’ve got? The British Bob Dylan’ – and he’s not f–king about because now I’ve witnessed what Shaun does. Noel calls him the ‘king of lyrics.’”
The gigs will be a kind of homecoming for Starkey, as the Beatles famously got their start playing gigs at the Cavern Club, though, ironically, despite his years of gigging, he’s never been there. “There’s a great deal of family heritage at the Cavern aside from the Beatles my parents courted there… who knows I may have even been conceived there,” Starkey said.
In addition to “Gorilla Guerilla,” to date Mantra of the Cosmos has also released the single “X (Wot You Saying?),” performing both songs during their Glastonbury Festival debut in 2023. According to NME, there are more singles from the group due out this year.
The Oasis Live ’25 tour is scheduled to kick off on July 4 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales and is currently slated to wrap on November 23 in Estádio do Morumbi in São Paulo, Brazil.
Five years after the release of the first posthumous Mac Miller album, the rapper’s family has revealed the track listing for his Ballonerism LP. According to a graphic posted on Tuesday (Jan. 7), the 14-track album, due out on January 17, will include a feature from SZA on the song “DJ’s Chord Organ.” Explore Explore […]
Record Store Day U.K. has announced its return on Apr. 12, 2025, marking the 18th edition of the annual event.
Over 270 independent record stores across the country will participate, alongside thousands more worldwide. More details as to how to find your closest retailer will be available soon via the official Record Store Day website.
Record Store Day’ U.K.’s upcoming edition coincides with 18 years of growth in vinyl sales despite the ongoing dominance of streaming services. Based on Official Charts Company data, the BPI reported last month that U.K. sales of albums on physical formats increased year-on-year for the first time since 1994 in 2024, by 1.4%.
The first official Record Store Day event took place in April 2008, with the aim of bringing attention to the importance of independent record shop culture. The event has since evolved into a global celebration, while each year, artists release limited edition vinyl variants or perform in-store sets in honour of the occasion.
Last year, Record Store Day U.K. welcomed highly-sought releases and reissues from the likes of The 1975, David Bowie, Paramore, Daft Punk, Gorillaz, Lily Allen, Elton John, and Talking Heads, among others. A full list of new releases for Record Store Day U.K. is typically announced in February.
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According to analysis by digital entertainment and retail association ERA, the success of the last event accounted for an estimated 37.2% of the U.K. vinyl albums market in chart week 17 (Apr. 26). “By continuing to breathe new life into record retailers up and down the country, music fans’ long abiding love affair with the [vinyl] format is placing it back at the heart of release campaigns from world-leading superstars,” said Drew Hill, deputy CEO at Utopia Music, at the time.Record Store Day U.K 2024 also happened to take place one day after Taylor Swift shared her latest LP, The Tortured Poets Department. Thanks to both, data from the Official Charts Company showed that the week saw 269,134 vinyl albums and 37,656 vinyl singles sold in the U.K. – making for a total of 306,791 units. The figure remains the highest out of any week on record since week five in 1994, when the current statistics began.
Coca-Cola’s Sips & Sounds Music Festival is making its way back to Austin, Texas, for its third year on March 7-8, 2025, at Auditorium Shores.
This year’s headliners include Grammy-nominated stars Halsey and Benson Boone, with a lineup featuring Khalid, AJR, Suki Waterhouse, Chelsea Cutler & Jeremy Zucker (performing as brent), Ashe, Nessa Barrett, Gus Dapperton, Paul Russell, and Claire Rosinkranz.
Halsey has been a Billboard chart mainstay since her debut. Her 2015 album Badlands reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and her 2020 single “Without Me” became her first solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her 2021 album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power peaked at No. 2, and her most recent album, The Great Impersonator, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2, selling 93,000 equivalent album units in its first week.
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Benson Boone made his Billboard debut with “Ghost Town” (2021) on the Hot 100. His hit “In the Stars” (2022) reached No. 82 and charted globally, while his 2024 single “Beautiful Things” climbed to No. 2 on the Hot 100 and became the top song of 2024 on the Billboard Global 200.
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Since its launch in 2023, the Sips & Sounds Music Festival has become a highlight of Austin’s music calendar. Alongside an incredible lineup, festival-goers can explore immersive Coca-Cola activations, and sample food from local vendors on the lakefront setting at Auditorium Shores.
“We are thrilled to return to Austin, TX, in celebration of music and togetherness for the third iteration of our Sips & Sounds Music Festival,” said Derek Alexander, VP of Commercial & Digital at Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages. “Our exciting new lineup and on-site activations paired with a move to Auditorium Shores in the Spring will make for a memorable experience for fans of the brand and music lovers alike.”
Tickets are on sale now, with single-day and two-day general admission options available. Admission includes access to all performances, free water refill stations, and food concessions. Children under 2 are admitted free with a ticketed adult.
For more information and tickets, visit www.sipssoundsfest.com.
Close to two years on from their debut EP, BSS – one of the sub-units of South Korean outfit SEVENTEEN – have returned with their latest musical offering, sharing the three-track Teleparty.
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When SEVENTEEN first launched in 2015, the collective divided its 17-strong membership into the Hip-Hop Unit, Vocal Unit and Performance Unit. Three years later, in 2018, the first sub-unit was announced, with Seungkwan, DK and Hoshi coming together to form BSS.
Launching that same year with debut single “Just Do It”, the trio unveiled their debut EP in 2022, with Second Wind topping Korea’s Circle Album Chart upon its release. With lead single “Fighting” seeing BSS joining forces with breakout Korean hip-hop star Lee Youngji, it was a testament to the power of three as SEVENTEEN’s members divided and continued to conquer.
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While SEVENTEEN have been busy in the interim with more chart-topping singles, EPs, compilations, and reissues, so too have BSS, who announced their long-awaited return in December.
That comeback arrives by way of Teleparty, which releases Wednesday (Jan. 8). Taking its title from a portmanteau of “telepathy” and “party”, the EP is said to represent BSS’ “heart-to-heart party of connection through their telepathic empathy”, while also reminding listeners to slow down and take note of the ordinary – though precious – moments in everyday life.
In a trailer promoting the EP, the trio act as apparent “ambassadors of youth”, providing everyone from students, office workers, and elders the chance to reclaim their youthful behavior as they live in the moment. “Youth is, in fact, knowing how to enjoy life in the present,” they claim. “If you can’t do that, you’re not youthful, even if you’re young.”
The three-track release finds itself fronted by the swing and country-influenced lead single “CBZ (Prime Time)”, and accompanied by the new jack swing throwback “Happy Alone” and ’00s-era R&B cut “Love Song”, further showcasing the musical diversity of the trio.
The arrival of Teleparty is also being accompanied by a “special fan party” being held at Seoul’s CG Art Hall on Sunday (Jan. 12).
Listen to Teleparty in full below.
A decade into her music career, Sabrina Carpenter has seen a meteoric rise over the past year, culminating in her sixth album, Short n’ Sweet, her record-breaking success on the Billboard charts, and six Grammy nominations.
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Speaking to PEOPLE, the 25-year-old reflected on her path, saying, “I’ve always been true to myself and believed in my work since I was young. I’ve realized that it’s always been about the small baby steps that you take over time to get you to this point.”
Carpenter’s career began with her Disney Channel days, but her evolution into a pop music powerhouse was firmly established in 2024 with the release of Short n’ Sweet, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and became her first chart-topping album.
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The record, driven by infectious hits like “Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and “Taste,” not only dominated the charts but solidified Carpenter’s place in pop music history.
In 2024, Carpenter became the first solo artist since The Beatles to place two simultaneous Top 3 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with “Please Please Please” peaking at No. 1 and “Espresso” at No. 3.
She also made history as the first woman to have three songs simultaneously in the Hot 100 Top 10 for five consecutive weeks, surpassing Cardi B’s previous record. “Taste,” another standout single, debuted at No. 2, giving her an unprecedented streak of hits that propelled her into a new level of superstardom.
The success of Short n’ Sweet wasn’t just limited to the U.S. Both “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” topped the Billboard Global 200 chart, showcasing Carpenter’s global appeal. Reflecting on her whirlwind year, she told PEOPLE, “I don’t think I have fully reflected yet, as I’m also trying to be present in the moment. But I’m just happy to see my songs connect with so many people from all walks of life. That’s why I love to write songs.”
Following the release of Short n’ Sweet, Carpenter embarked on her first arena tour, which included unique fan experiences like T-Mobile’s “Sweet Spot” pop-ups. “These collaborations have felt super authentic to this album and tour and fan-friendly, which I’m grateful for,” she said. Carpenter praised her fans’ creativity during the tour, from their outfits to the hilarious signs they brought to shows. “Connecting with my fans each night has been the most memorable part,” she added.
The tour, which ran from September through November 2024, saw Carpenter performing to sold-out arenas across North America. She’s set to continue her global trek with a European leg starting in March, saying, “I can’t wait to see all of my fans in Europe. There are a couple of cities I haven’t been to in a really long time, so I’m excited to see which crowd is the loudest.”
Carpenter’s Best New Artist nod at the 2025 Grammys might seem unusual for someone with six albums and a decade-long career, but for the artist, it’s simply the recognition of a long-held dream.
“It’s such an honor,” she said, noting that being nominated had been a goal of hers since childhood. She is also up for major categories like Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Pop Solo Performance.
