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Drop that tonearm on this week’s Executive Turntable, Billboard’s compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music.
Read on for personnel news but don’t forget to cast your vote for the Power 100 Players’ Choice Award, plus peruse our rundown of the richest music investors who made their bones outside the industry (hint: one rhymes with Lauren Tuffet), our weekly interview series spotlighting a single c-suiter and our calendar of notable goings-on.
Virgin Music Group named Mark Robinson to the newly created role of executive vice president of global business and legal affairs. In this role, Robinson will lead global business affairs and corporate strategy, supporting dealmakers worldwide to establish needle-moving partnerships. Robinson brings extensive experience, previously managing music business affairs for brands like MTV, CBS, BET, CMT and Paramount+ during a tenure Paramount Global. His career also includes serving as General Counsel at 300 Entertainment and BMG North America, as well as nearly a decade in Warner Music Group’s business affairs division. Based in New York City, Robinson will report to co-CEOs Ned Pastor and JT Myers, both of whom he worked with previously. “I am thrilled to re-unite with Nat and JT who I worked with previously and deeply respect,” he said. “Virgin is building a next generation music company, and I am looking forward to working with their world-class team on the wide variety of exciting global deals they have in the pipeline.”
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Former Warner Music Nashville co-chair and co-president Ben Kline joined Red Light Management’s executive leadership team in Nashville as a senior executive, reporting to Red Light founder Coran Capshaw. Kline will help oversee Red Light’s Nashville operations, in addition to focusing on new business opportunities for the company and its artists. Kline’s career has also included senior leadership roles at Ingrooves, Rostrum Records and UMG Nashville. “We are very happy to welcome Ben,” said Capshaw. “His experience and reputation within the Nashville music community make him a great addition to the Red Light team.” –Jessica Nicholson
SiriusXM Holdings named Wayne Thorsen as its new executive vp and chief operating officer, effective Dec. 16. Reporting to CEO Jennifer Witz, Thorsen will oversee product and technology functions, commercial activities, business development, consumer marketing and corporate strategy. His appointment — the company has never had a COO before — coincides with the departure of chief product and technology officer Joseph Inzerillo, who played a pivotal role in modernizing SiriusXM’s technology platform and launching its new streaming app before departing to pursue other opportunities. Thorsen brings extensive experience in product development, strategic partnerships, and business leadership. At ADT Inc., he led teams responsible for innovation and product engineering, spearheading the ADT+ platform and Trusted Neighbor product. His career also includes senior roles at Google, SoFi, Microsoft, Viacom, Telefónica Digital and BlueKai. CEO Jennifer Witz praised Thorsen’s expertise in business development and innovation. “Wayne is a seasoned leader who brings significant experience driving business development and innovation, and he is well-positioned to help guide the company through this next chapter as we sharpen our focus on delivering meaningful results alongside greater efficiency,” she said.
Crispin Hunt, a multi-platinum songwriter and producer, has been elected president of the PRS Members’ Council, starting Jan. 1. Known for his work with artists like Florence and The Machine, Lana Del Rey and Rod Stewart, Hunt has a strong background in advocacy — he’s been on the PRS Members’ Council since 2019, chaired the UK’s Ivors Academy and co-led the Featured Artists Coalition. As president, Hunt aims to champion the interests of PRS for Music’s songwriters, composers and publishers, and strengthen connections between music creators, the Members’ Council and PRS leadership. Hunt takes over from Michelle Escoffery, the council’s inaugural president, who launched initiatives on rights protection, education and career development.
Round Hill Music Royalty Partners appointed Katie Kowinski as chief of investor relations and business development. Reporting to CEO Josh Gruss, Kowinski will focus on expanding investor relationships and raising capital, supported by investor relations director Kellie Kirschner. Kowinski brings over 20 years of marketing and fundraising expertise in private equity and investment management, having previously led capital markets and music IP strategies at Raven Capital Management, plus roles at Kairos Ventures and Artisan Partners. Since its founding in 2010, Round Hill has raised and deployed over $1.1 billion, leveraging an integrated asset and music IP management platform with teams in London, Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York. The firm said its portfolio of music rights is currently valued at $900 million. Gruss emphasized music rights’ attractive investment opportunities and highlighted Kowinski’s experience as key to advancing Round Hill’s goals. “Round Hill prides itself as having been one of the first movers in the music rights investment space,” he added. “This has enabled us to build a trusted reputation throughout the music industry while achieving numerous successful exits for our investors over the years.”
Peermusic appointed Harry Knyt as head of A&R for the U.K. Based in London, Knyt will oversee signing, development and creative strategies for Peermusic’s UK publishing roster, leading the A&R team and reporting directly to managing director Ralph W. Peer. Knyt brings over a decade of experience from roles at Insanity Group, Milk & Honey, Sony Music/RCA, and NQ/Sony Music Publishing. His career highlights include managing Grammy-winning songwriters and producers and contributing to UK chart-topping albums and singles. Ralph W. Peer praised Knyt’s industry relationships, creative vision and dedication to artist and writer development, aligning with Peermusic’s nearly 100-year legacy. “He is an exceptional A&R executive with incredible taste, focus, and the ability to take our creative strategy in exciting directions,” Peer said of Knyt. “The opportunity to bring Harry on board to continue our legacy of artist/writer development a perfect fit for our creative culture at Peermusic U.K.”
Condé Nast has hired Antonious Porch away from SoundCloud, where he’s been general counsel for the last six and a half years, as well as chief diversity officer for part of that time. He is set to join the publishing giant as general counsel in February — there he will manage all legal, business affairs, policy and compliance matters, and serve as corporate secretary. (Condé hired a new DEI chief in November.) Before joining Soundcloud in early 2018, he was general counsel at Shazam, aiding in its transformation and eventual sale to Apple. Porch also held leadership roles at Viacom and began his career at Latham & Watkins. Replacing Porch as SoundCloud’s top legal advisor will be Ama Walton, who joined the company in early 2021 after several years handling legal affairs at BMG and EMI.
BOARD SHORTS: A2IM appointed Steven Hill, head of North American & global marketing at Warp Records, as chair of the indie label trade org’s 2024-2025 board of directors. Hill joins treasurer Tony Alexander, co-founder of Made in Memphis Entertainment, and secretary Nabil Ayers, president of Beggars Group, on the rxecutive committee. Hill supports a diverse range of artists at Warp Records, including Aphex Twin and Brian Eno. The new board also features industry leaders like Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk Music Group, and Louis Posen, founder and president of Hopeless Records … The AIMP released its ’25-’26 election results. In Atlanta, Tony D. Alexander was re-elected as chapter president, with Crystal Morris and Tye Huntley as co-veeps. David Alexander will serve as treasurer, and Cheryl Potts remains secretary. In Los Angeles, Frank Handy will succeed Marc Caruso as chapter president, with Eric Polin as vp, Yvonne Drazan as secretary, and David Quan as treasurer. In Nashville, Ree Guyer steps down as president but remains on the board, while Duane Hobson and Dave Pacula join as new members. In New York, Debbie Rose takes over as chapter president, with Jeff Pachman as vp, Art Levy as secretary, and outgoing prez Michael Lau as treasurer. A national chair will be selected in January.
Sun Label Group, encompassing Sun Records, Gaither Music Group, Green Hill Productions, and emeraldwave by Green Hill, announced key promotions and hires to support its continued growth. Promotions include Chad Smith as senior creative director, overseeing all creative output, and Bryce Egan as marketing manager for Sun Records, Green Hill Productions and emeraldwave. Olivia DeMasters assumes the new role of senior manager of catalog development, focusing on expanding the group’s catalog. Hayley Tolley is now social media and marketing manager for Gaither Music Group, managing engagement with Gaither’s extensive social media following. New hires include Mary Clark Webb as social media and community coordinator and Jeremy Maier as digital streaming coordinator for Green Hill, along with Maggie Hairston as marketing coordinator for Gaither Music Group.
Amanda Samii and Sam Schulman
Ziggy Chareton
Good Play Music, a new Los Angeles-based firm specializing in career management, publishing and development for songwriters, producers, artists, and creative directors, has launched. Founded by Amanda Samii, a veteran A&R pro known for her work with artists like Rogét Chahayed, ASHE and Jon Bellion, the company’s mission is to “elevate our clients’ talents, break down barriers, and spark meaningful conversations that inspire change in the entertainment industry.” Samii brings experience from Capitol Records and Kobalt Music Publishing. Joining Samii is Sam Schulman, a notable talent in management and A&R who has worked with stars such as ASHE and FINNEAS. Good Play’s roster already features acclaimed songwriters and visionary photographers with over 1 billion streams collectively, including Annie Schindel, CASHÆ, Matt Hall, David OD, Renee Cox, Elizabeth Miranda, Bradley Rittmann and Hunter Moreno. You can contact Samii at amanda@goodplaymusic.com.
Slipstream Music named Jonathan Lane as vice president of sync and partnerships at the music licensing platform. With over 15 years in music licensing and supervision, Lane will spearhead sync and partnership strategies, collaborating with networks, streaming platforms, production companies and ad agencies to deliver music-related solutions for global content creators. Lane previously served as vp and head of TV and film at Audio Network, where he oversaw U.S. operations, and as senior director of sync and licensing at 5 Alarm Music, which was recently acquired by Slipstream alongside Jingle Punks and Cavendish Music. This appointment supports Slipstream’s mission to redefine music licensing through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, including collaborations with Kobalt, to provide creator-safe music for digital and traditional media clients. CEO Dan Demole lauded Lane’s expertise and “deep industry connections,” saying they’ll “help us unlock new opportunities and strengthen our position as the best possible partner for creators, brands, and studios.”
River House Artists promoted Kayla Adkins to senior director of creative/A&R, where she will continue developing and managing the publishing roster of new and established songwriters. Adkins joined River House in 2018 and has worked with artists and writers including Pillbox Patti, Austin Snell and Hudson Westbrook. Lauren Lieu has joined the publishing team as director of creative, helping to support River House’s roster. Lieu’s career has included time at ole Music (now Anthem Entertainment) and Play It Again Music. –J.N.
Integrity Music tapped Stone Meyer as vice president of music publishing. Meyer previously worked at Capitol Christian Music Group and The Bridge Church, where he was executive pastor of worship and creative. At Integrity, Meyer will lead the creative publishing team and expand the song catalog. In addition, Taylor Agan was promoted to creative director and will report to Meyer. Agan, a Dove- and Grammy-nominated songwriter, joined Integrity in 2022 as A&R manager. Finally, Taylor Brady, who also joined Integrity in 2022, transitioned from business development director to A&R director. Both Brady and Meyer will report to Blaine Barcus, president of Integrity Music. These appointments aim to provide artists and songwriters with the necessary resources and support to succeed in the evolving music industry.
Deborah Mannis-Gardner and Pär Almqvist launched AYO Music Group, a copyright administration company specializing in global management of publishing, neighboring rights and recordings. AYO focuses on organizing and protecting music copyrights while educating rightsholders on maximizing licensing opportunities. Mannis-Gardner, owner and president of DMG Clearances, and Almqvist, co-founder and ex-CEO of Tracklib, collaborated with SyncLodge chief legal officer Stacey Haber to launch AYO. Since its soft launch, AYO has built a catalog exceeding one billion streams, featuring tracks from A$AP Ant, MC Lyte, and numerous estates. The company also offers free webinars on music copyright and will collaborate with IAFAR on Jan. 21 for a session on neighboring rights and producer payments. AYO aims to empower rightsholders with knowledge and tools to optimize their revenue potential.
Stephen Stallings is the new senior director of creative sync and advertising at Silver Side Productions. Based in New York, Stallings will report to head of music licensing Craig O’Neill and oversee ad pitching for the company’s diverse catalog, featuring 1950s-1970s recordings and independent artists. This appointment aligns with Silver Side’s efforts to expand in advertising and diversify its roster. With over a decade of experience, Stallings previously served as an in-house music supervisor at Dentsu, managing music licensing and production for major brands like American Express, Verizon, and United Airlines. Stallings expressed enthusiasm for the role, highlighting the opportunity to reconnect audiences with classic tracks while exploring innovative sync opportunities for Silver Side’s catalog. Silver Side Productions owner and co-founder Mike Locke added, “His knack for pitching and deep knowledge of both the music and ad industries perfectly aligns with Silver Side’s sync-driven business ethos and is integral to our next phase of growth.”
ICYMI:
Tim Leiweke
CD Baby, one of the biggest do-it-yourself distribution services in the industry, laid off members of its creator services team last week … plus Oak View Group chairman and CEO Tim Leiweke sat down with our friends in Canada to talk up the company’s strategy there, his dream of a national stadium and being “dragged into” the DOJ’s lawsuit back in the U.S.
Last Week’s Turntable: A Goldenvoice Legend Retires
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In honor of the singer’s 35th birthday, Billboard is looking back on the tour that changed everything.
12/13/2024
A behind-the-scenes look at Shaboozey’s BBMAs performance for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards. Shaboozey:I’ve never done anything like this, but I’m excited for it. When I heard “Bar Song” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, you know, it’s indescribable. Ben Mor:We are here at the beautiful W in Hollywood, and we are going […]
Luxury and glamour met cutting-edge style at Keys in West Hollywood for Billboard’s No. 1’s Party celebrating the road to the 2024 Billboard Music Awards. The club was an emerald oasis with gold accents and plenty of Tres Generaciones cocktails to level up the vibe of the exclusive soiree. Explore See latest videos, charts and […]
For the second straight year, Taylor Swift finishes atop the year-end Billboard Global 200 Artists and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Artists charts. With 67 entries in the 2024 tracking period (Oct. 28, 2023, through Oct. 19, 2024-dated charts) on the former chart and 66 on the latter, she doubles the nearest totals for both.
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In just the third week of the chart year, songs from 1989 (Taylor’s Version) impacted the global lists, amassing 19 debuts on both tallies. About six months later, the release of The Tortured Poets Department spurred 31 more new entries, including “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, which arrived atop each weekly chart.
But Swift’s biggest global hit of 2024 was from neither album. “Cruel Summer,” from 2019’s Lover, hit No. 1 on the Global 200 in November 2023 and ends the year at No. 4 on both annual recaps. The song’s years-late success blossomed out of buzz from its opening-slot performance at Swift’s record-busting The Eras Tour, which launched in March 2023.
While it’s perhaps an anomaly for a four-year-old song to hit No. 1, it also speaks to Swift’s extremely wide-ranging success and reach over the last two years, amid several other album releases. In addition to the three albums already named, Swift’s 2024 global hit roster includes tracks from Folklore, Midnights, Red (Taylor’s Version), and more.
Billboard’s year-end music recaps represent aggregated metrics for each artist, title, label and music contributor on the weekly charts dated Oct. 28, 2023, through Oct. 19, 2024. The rankings for Luminate-based recaps reflect equivalent album units, airplay, sales or streaming during the weeks that the titles appeared on a respective chart during the tracking year. Any activity registered before or after a title’s chart run isn’t considered in these rankings. That methodology details, and the October-October time period, account for some of the difference between these lists and the calendar-year recaps that are independently compiled by Luminate.
The rest of the top five for both global charts’ artist rankings include the same line-up of artists, in slightly different order. Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish are next up, with Carpenter at No. 2 for the Global 200 and Eilish in the runner-up spot for Global Excl. U.S. On both lists, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd follow at Nos. 4-5, respectively.
Carpenter, Eilish and Grande all scored No. 1 global hits in 2024 from new albums, led by the former’s “Espresso,” which topped the Global 200 for eight weeks. Eilish got there with “Birds of a Feather” and Grande logged two leaders with “Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love).”
The Weeknd’s top five placement is largely fueled by older hits like “Blinding Lights” and “Starboy.” His more recent releases include “One of the Girls,” featuring Jennie and Lily Rose Depp, and “Popular,” with Playboi Carti and Madonna, both from his first major TV vehicle, 2023’s The Idol. He also debuted with “Dancing in the Flames” and “Timeless” in the final weeks of the chart year, both from his upcoming album Hurry Up Tomorrow.
The Weeknd is the only artist to appear in the top five – or top 10 – of both lists for all four year-end global recaps (the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts launched in late 2020).
Carpenter and Swift land “Espresso” and “Cruel Summer” in the top five of both tallies’ songs year-end charts, but a different newcomer leads both lists. Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” is No. 1 on the year-end Global 200 chart and the year-end Global Excl. U.S. ranking.
“Beautiful Things” debuted on the Feb. 3-dated edition of each chart, rising 13-6-1 on the Global 200 and 37-14-2-1 on Global Excl. U.S. chart. Ultimately, it spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the former list and eight on the latter. It’s the longest-running chart-topper on both lists for the 2024 tracking period, tied only by “Espresso” on Global Excl. U.S.
Boone’s breakout hit remained in the top 10 on Global Excl. U.S. for the duration of the chart year, though it dipped out on two occasions on the Global 200 – once because of Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department clogging the top of the chart, and once knocked out by The Weeknd’s first new solo single in years.
Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” is No. 2 on the Global 200 recap, and No. 5 for Global Excl. U.S. The remaining top five year-end global hit is Tate McRae’s “Greedy,” at Nos. 5 and 3 on the lists, respectively. Both songs spent the entire chart year on each global chart, but arrive at their high year-end finishes with different trajectories.
“Greedy” topped both lists, spending five weeks at No. 1 on Global Excl. U.S. While it lasted throughout 2024, it ended the tracking period at No. 91. “Lose Control” never climbed higher than No. 3 on Global Excl. U.S. and No. 4 on the Global 200 but held remarkably steady throughout the year. By the final frame of the 2024 chart year, it was still No. 12 on both lists, never having left the top 20 once it got there in January and February.
Notably, FloyyMenor and Cris Mj’s “Gata Only” is No. 6 on the year-end Global Excl. U.S. and No. 9 on the year-end Global 200. It’s only the second non-English-language song to crack the year-end top 10 in the charts’ four annual recaps. In 2021, Bad Bunny landed “Dakiti” at No. 6 for both rankings. They are not only the first Chilean acts to make the year-end top 10, but the first from all of South America.
Chappell Roan finishes 2024 at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top New Artists chart, in the same year the 26-year-old saw breakout successes on both the weekly Billboard 200 albums chart and weekly Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. The singer-songwriter’s debut full-length album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in August, while she logged seven entries on the Billboard Hot 100, including her first top 10 with the No. 4-peaking “Good Luck, Babe!”
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Recent champs in the year-end Top New Artists category include Zach Bryan (2023), Latto (2022), Olivia Rodrigo (2021), Roddy Ricch (2020) and Billie Eilish (2019).
Roan made her Billboard chart debut in October of 2023, when she premiered on the Emerging Artists chart dated Oct. 7. By the following April, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess made its Billboard 200 chart debut, at No. 127. It took a relatively leisurely route to the top 10, reaching the region in its 12th chart week (June 22-dated chart). It’s atypical for an album to climb into the top 10 for the first time, as most albums that peak in the top 10 do so by debuting in the top 10. Rise had the slowest climb to the top 10 for a non-catalog album in a year. Once the album reached the top 10, it was a near-weekly fixture in the region for the rest of the year.
Meanwhile, as the album was doing big business on the Billboard 200, Roan’s songs were starting to dent the Hot 100. First came “Good Luck, Babe!” (a stand-alone single not on Rise), which debuted on the Hot 100 dated April 20, eventually peaking at No. 4 in September. Following “Babe,” she logged six more entries during the eligibility period: “Red Wine Supernova,” “Hot to Go!,” “Pink Pony Club,” “Casual,” “Femininomenon” and “My Kink Is Karma.” Of those, “Hot to Go!” and “Pink Pony Club” both reached the weekly top 40.
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess wraps 2024 at No. 18 on the year-end Billboard 200 Albums tally. On the year-end Hot 100 Songs recap, “Good Luck, Babe!” is No. 18 and “Hot to Go!” is No. 53.
On the year-end overall Top Artists ranking, Roan closes the year at No. 11, and on the Top Artists – Female roundup, she’s No. 5.
Billboard’s year-end music recaps represent aggregated metrics for each artist, title, label and music contributor on the weekly charts from Oct. 28, 2023, through Oct. 19, 2024. Rankings for Luminate-based recaps reflect equivalent album units, airplay, sales or streaming during the weeks that the titles appeared on a respective chart during the tracking year. Any activity registered before or after a title’s chart run isn’t considered in these rankings. That methodology detail, and the October-October time period, account for some of the difference between these lists and the calendar-year recaps that are independently compiled by Luminate. The Top New Artists category ranks the best-performing acts, and new acts, of the year based on activity on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100, as well as Billboard Boxscore (touring), for the 2024 tracking period.
Taylor Swift has done it again. The superstar rules Billboard’s year-end Top Artists chart for a second straight year, and the fourth time overall, after she loomed large on both the weekly Billboard 200 albums and Billboard Hot 100 songs chart during the 2024 chart year. Swift was previously the year-end top artist in 2023, 2015 and 2009. Swift is the only act to be the year-end top artist four times, since the category launched in 1981. Previously, only Swift and Adele were the year-end Top Artist three times.
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During the 2024 chart year, Swift placed 11 albums on the Billboard 200 – the most of any act. Among those were a pair that spent time at No. 1: 1989 (Taylor’s Version) and The Tortured Poets Department. The latter racked up 15 nonconsecutive weeks atop the list, becoming Swift’s album with the most weeks at No. 1, and tying Carole King’s 1971 release Tapestry for the third-most weeks at No. 1 among albums by women. Only Adele’s 21 (24 weeks in 2011-12) and the Whitney Houston-led soundtrack to The Bodyguard (20 weeks in 1992-93) have earned more weeks at No. 1 among women.
The Tortured Poets Department and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) finish as the Nos. 1 and 2 titles on the year-end Billboard 200 Albums recap. It’s the only time that the year’s top two albums are by the same act since 1967, when The Monkees’ More of the Monkees and its self-titled set were Nos. 1 and 2. (The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in 1956.) Swift goes even further on the year-end Billboard 200 Albums recap, with Lover and Midnights at Nos. 9 and 10, marking the first time that an act has finished with four of the year’s top 10 albums.
Swift is also the year’s top female artist for a third consecutive year (the most consecutive years an artist has been the year’s top female act), while Morgan Wallen and Fuerza Regida are the top male, and top duo/group artists of 2024 for a second year running.
Chappell Roan is 2024’s top new artist, following a breakthrough year that saw her debut studio album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess climb to No. 2 on the weekly Billboard 200 along with a trio of top 40-charting hits on the weekly Hot 100, including her first top 10, “Good Luck, Babe!” (peaking at No. 4 in September).
Billboard’s year-end music recaps represent aggregated metrics for each artist, title, label and music contributor on the weekly charts from Oct. 28, 2023, through Oct. 19, 2024. Rankings for Luminate-based recaps reflect equivalent album units, airplay, sales or streaming during the weeks that the titles appeared on a respective chart during the tracking year. Any activity registered before or after a title’s chart run isn’t considered in these rankings. That methodology detail, and the October-October time period, account for some of the difference between these lists and the calendar-year recaps that are independently compiled by Luminate. The Top Artists and Top New Artists categories rank the best-performing acts, and new acts, of the year based on activity on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100, as well as Billboard Boxscore (touring), for the 2024 tracking period.
Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) finish as the Nos. 1 and 2 titles on the 2024 year-end Billboard 200 Albums recap. It’s the only time that the year’s top two albums are by the same act since 1967, when The Monkees’ More of the Monkees and its self-titled set were Nos. 1 and 2. (The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in 1956.)
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Swift becomes the first act to have the year’s top album in four different years, following her year-end wins with reputation (2018), 1989 (2015) and Fearless (2009).
During the 2024 chart year (Oct. 28, 2023-Oct. 19, 2024-dated charts), The Tortured Poets Department racked up 15 nonconsecutive weeks atop the weekly Billboard 200 list. (It returned to No. 1 on the Dec. 14, 2024-dated chart for a 16th frame at the top.) When it claimed a 15th week at No. 1, it tied Carole King’s 1971 release Tapestry for the third-most weeks at No. 1 among albums by women. Only Adele’s 21 (24 weeks in 2011-12) and the Whitney Houston-led soundtrack to The Bodyguard (20 weeks in 1992-93) have earned more weeks at No. 1 among women.
1989 (Taylor’s Version), the fourth of Swift’s re-recorded studio albums, places at No. 2 on the year-end Billboard 200 albums chart. The set premiered at No. 1 on the weekly Billboard 200 chart dated Nov. 11, 2023, and spent a total of six nonconsecutive weeks in the lead on the list during the eligibility period. It remained in the weekly top 40 of the chart through the rest of the 2024 chart year, save for two weeks.
Swift goes even further in the top 10 on the the 2024 year-end Billboard 200 Albums recap, with Lover and Midnights at Nos. 9 and 10, marking the first time that an act has finished with four of the year’s top 10 albums. (Lover and Midnights were Nos. 9 and 2, respectively, on the 2023 year-end ranking.)
Half of 2024’s top 10 albums are holdovers from 2023’s year-end top 10, including one that’s been among the year-end top 10 for four years straight: Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album, which was released in 2021. It’s No. 8, after being No. 5 in 2023, No. 3 in 2022 and No. 1 in 2021. It’s the first title to spend four years, consecutively or otherwise, in the year-end Billboard 200 Albums top 10 since the original Broadway cast recording of My Fair Lady (1956-59). In recent years, albums tend to stay longer on the weekly chart, and appear on the year-end ranking repeatedly, thanks to sustained streaming activity.
Three songs from The Tortured Poets Department dot the year-end Hot 100 Songs ranking: “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone (No. 22); “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” (No. 35); and “Down Bad” (No. 99). “Fortnight” debuted atop the weekly Billboard Hot 100 in May and spent two weeks in the lead. The same week it opened at No. 1, “Down Bad” and “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” debuted and peaked at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively.
As for the non-Swift albums in the year-end Billboard 200 albums roundup: No. 3 is Wallen’s One Thing at a Time (it was tops in 2023), Noah Kahan’s Stick Season is No. 4 (his first appearance in the year-end top 10), Drake’s For All the Dogs is No. 5, SZA’s SOS is No. 6 (it was No. 3 a year ago), Zach Bryan’s self-titled album is No. 7 and Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album is No. 8.
Billboard’s year-end music recaps represent aggregated metrics for each artist, title, label and music contributor on the weekly charts from Oct. 28, 2023, through Oct. 19, 2024. Rankings for Luminate-based recaps reflect equivalent album units, airplay, sales or streaming during the weeks that the titles appears on a respective chart during the tracking year. Any activity registered before or after a title’s chart run isn’t considered in these rankings. That methodology detail, and the October-October time period, account for some of the different between these lists and the calendar-year recaps that are independently compiled by Luminate.
Teddy Swims’ soulful smash “Lose Control” is the No. 1 hit on Billboard’s year-end 2024 Hot 100 Songs chart. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift reigns atop the year’s Hot 100 Artists recap, marking her first career No. 1 finish in the category. Plus, three titles claim crowns on Billboard’s year-end charts reflecting the three metrics that contribute […]
This article is presented by Marriott Bonvoy.
Shaboozey celebrated his year of success with high energy performances at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs), presented by Marriott Bonvoy, and we have your behind the scenes pass to the spectacle.
“I’ve never done anything like this, but I’m excited for it,” the chart-topper told Billboard ahead of his performances at W Hollywood, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio. “I’m usually a rugged environment sort of guy but this elevated look is just taking me out of my comfort zone and I’m just excited to see how it all comes together.”
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For the show’s opening number of “Tipsy (A Bar Song),” viewers caught a glimpse of the exterior rooftop at W Hollywood, which featured a massive billboard with the breakout star inside of the venue and eventually brought them into the hotel. From there, the star walked down a grand staircase as a spectacle of back-up dancers and even some crowd participation filled the number. Later on, he followed up the performance with an intimate offering of his single, “Highway,” which is featured on his album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going.
As explained by Carly Van Sickle, Sr. Director of Global Brand Marketing for W Hotels, W Hollywood was the perfect destination for Shaboozey’s performances. “It really sits at the intersection of where the energy of Hollywood and the music scene meet and collide,” she said. Meanwhile, Ben Mor, the director of the star’s performance, explained why he enjoyed collaborating with the star on his performances, saying, “Working with an artist like Shaboozey is great because he knows how he wants to be presented and has a really strong sense of style.”
Benjamin Askinas for Dick Clark Productions
Benjamin Askinas
Benjamin Askinas for Dick Clark Productions
Benjamin Askinas
During the ceremony, he nabbed three honors for his breakout hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” including Top Country Song, Top Selling Song and Top Song Sales Artist.
Unique among music award shows, the Billboard Music Awards winners were selected by year-end performance metrics on the Billboard charts, the music industry’s ultimate authority and data-driven measure of success. Eligibility dates for this year’s awards were aligned with Billboard’s Year-End Charts tracking period, which measured music consumption from the charts dated October 28, 2023 through October 19, 2024.
The “2024 Billboard Music Awards” is presented by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program and portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands and 10,000 destinations. Marriott Bonvoy members had exclusive access to attend six different BBMAs performances through Marriott Bonvoy Moments.
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