News

10 Nov 2023

Green Day’s ‘The American Dream Is Killing Me’ Tops Rock & Alternative Airplay Chart

Green Day lands its seventh leader on Billboard’s Rock & Alternative Airplay chart thanks to “The American Dream Is Killing Me,” which rises from No. 2 to No. 1 on the Nov. 18-dated list.

The song reigns in just its third week on the tally via 9.5 million audience impressions, up 10%, Nov. 3-9, according to Luminate.

The song completes the quickest rise to No. 1 on Rock & Alternative Airplay since Linkin Park’s “Lost” debuted atop the Feb. 25-dated ranking. It’s Green Day’s fastest since “Oh Love” launched at No. 1 in August 2012.

With seven No. 1s, Green Day breaks out of a tie for the most rulers in the history of Rock & Alternative Airplay, which began in 2009 (with Green Day’s “Know Your Enemy” the inaugural leader). Foo Fighters lead all acts with 11 No. 1s.

Most No. 1s, Rock & Alternative Airplay:
11, Foo Fighters
7, Green Day
6, Cage the Elephant
6, twenty one pilots
5, The Black Keys
5, Imagine Dragons
4, Linkin Park
4, Red Hot Chili Peppers
3, Weezer

Green Day had last led Rock & Alternative Airplay with “Oh Yeah!,” a two-week No. 1 in April 2020.

Concurrently, “The American Dream Is Killing Me” rises 3-2 on Alternative Airplay and 5-3 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, the Greatest Gainer award winner on both charts. It also zooms 34-21 on Adult Alternative Airplay.

The song debuted at No. 22 on the most recently published multi-metric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs survey (dated Nov. 11); in addition to its radio airplay, it earned 1.1 million official U.S. streams and sold 1,000 downloads Oct. 27-Nov. 2, its first full week of tracking following its Oct. 24 release.

“The American Dream Is Killing Me” is the lead single from Saviors, Green Day’s 14th studio album, due Jan. 19, 2024. Another song from the set, “Look Ma, No Brains!,” arrived Nov. 2.

All Billboard charts dated Nov. 18 will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

10 Nov 2023

Dr. Lisa Willams & Rock The Bells Collaborate On ‘The Fresh Dolls’

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The Fresh Dolls

Source: Rock The Bells / Rock The Bells

Watch out Mattel because Barbie is about to got some competition in the toy arena courtesy of Dr. Lisa Williams and Rock The Bells.

Recently Rock The Bells announced that the brand is collaborating with Dr. Lisa Williams on a new line of Hip-Hop culture figures dolls dubbed The Fresh Dolls which represents the multicultural communities that Hip-Hoppers grew up in across the board. The dolls which come in an array of skin tones and one-of-a-kind faces were made to represent to give today’s kids from different ethnic backgrounds something that they can relate to as they play with their friends.

Rock The Bells reports:

“At the Dr. Lisa Company, we are committed to creating collections that are truly authentic, engaging and representative for all multicultural children,” says Dr.  Lisa Williams, chief executive officer and founder, The Dr. Lisa Company. “We are excited to collaborate with Rock The Bells to highlight hip-hop culture, which continues to influence and inspire. Through this new collection, we will help reinforce the love of Hip-Hop among so many as well as introduce it to brand-new audiences around the world.” 

Now venturing into the world of Hip-Hop, The Dr. Lisa Company has collaborated with Rock The Bells to unveil the Rock The Bells x Dr. Lisa Company Collection. The collection spotlights two dolls — Ebony, a B-Girl, and Anthony, a B-Boy. Both dolls are adorned with clothing that captures the essence of graffiti art, and with full articulation in all their joints, they genuinely embody the spirit of all four of Hip-Hop’s core elements – breaking, MCing, graffiti, and DJing. Notably, Ebony’s hair is also versatile enough to be styled and washed.

Aside from the dope dolls, The Dr. Lisa Company and Rock The Bells will also be collaborating to create four animated shorts to further educate the kids on the four main elements of Hip-Hop. We can’t wait to see that. LL Cool J for one is just as excited as everyone about this upcoming collaborative project.

Added Uncle L:

“Hip-Hop is timeless and transcends generations. This collaboration with The Dr. Lisa Company is all about celebrating the culture and our icons, while also educating our young fans,” says LL COOL J, Founder and CEO of Rock The Bells. “These dolls are more than just toys; we’re bringing the elements of Hip-Hop through fashion, coloring books, and animation so a new generation can learn about and take pride in their love for the culture.”

The Fresh Dolls are available now on Walmart.com and can be purchased for a cool $13.

Will you be copping some Fresh Dolls? Let us know in the comments section below.

10 Nov 2023

Victoria Monet’s ‘On My Mama’ Hits No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart

Victoria Monet achieves her first No. 1 on a Billboard songs chart as “On My Mama” rules the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay survey dated Nov. 18. The single advances from No. 3 after a 10% jump in plays made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored R&B/hip-hop radio stations in the week ending Nov. 9, according to Luminate.

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The song’s coronation adds to a special day for “On My Mama” news: On Friday (Nov. 10), “Mama” received 2024 Grammy Awards nominations for record of the year and best R&B song, two of Monet’s seven total nods.

Elsewhere, “On My Mama” nears the top 10 on Adult R&B Airplay with a 15-11 jump and 19% surge in weekly plays. Thanks to strong performance at both the mainstream and adult formats, the Grammy contender retains its No. 4 high on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay list, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from mainstream R&B/hip-hop and adult R&B stations. There, “On My Mama” improves 10% in weekly audience to reach 16.5 million impressions. Another top 10 status may be on the horizon, with “On My Mama” lifting 13-11 on Rhythmic Airplay through a 17% weekly play boost at the format.

With its radio success, “On My Mama” has improved on the chart fortunes of its origin song, Chalie Boy’s “I Look Good.” The Southern rap hit, which is sampled in Monae’s tune, reached No. 20 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and No. 40 on Rhythmic Airplay in 2009. Thanks to the sample, Charlie Boy earns a Grammy nomination in the best R&B song category, which is awarded to a track’s songwriters.

While “On My Mama” is Monet’s first No. 1 Billboard song as a performer, she’s become very familiar with the top spot as a songwriter, often through her work on tracks recorded by Ariana Grande. Among the highlights, Monet has co-writing credits on two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, Grande’s “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings,” which ruled the chart for seven and eight weeks, respectively, in 2018-19.

“On My Mama” appears on Victoria Monet’s 2022 studio album, Jaguar II. The set, released in August, has peaked at No. 6 on the Top R&B Albums chart.

10 Nov 2023

Here’s How Record Labels Stack Up in the Grammys’ Big Four Categories

The 2024 Grammy Awards nominations were released today (Nov. 10), with SZA, Victoria Monet and Phoebe Bridgers among the artists receiving the most nods for the Feb. 4 awards. For the fourth time in the past six years, Interscope Geffen A&M (IGA) artists racked up the most nominations among labels in the “Big Four” categories of record, album and song of the year and best new artist.

IGA artists accumulated 13 nominations among those top categories, more than doubling the next-highest label tally. They include Jon Batiste (Verve/Interscope), boygenius, Olivia Rodrigo (Geffen) and Lana Del Rey, all of whom landed multiple nominations. Billie Eilish also scored two, for record and song of the year for her track “What Was I Made For?” off the Barbie soundtrack album. (Eilish is a Darkroom/Interscope artist, though that soundtrack was released by Atlantic Records; in this case, those nominations are being counted for both Interscope and Atlantic. Warner Records artist Dua Lipa’s contribution to that soundtrack, “Dance The Night,” was also nominated for song of the year and is also counted for both labels.)

Notably, three of those Interscope artists — Eilish, Rodrigo and Bridgers, who is a member of boygenius — were nominees for best new artist within the past four years, with both Eilish (in 2020) and Rodrigo (in 2022) winning the honor. This year, Interscope has another artist, Gracie Abrams, nominated in the category.

Behind IGA, both Atlantic and RCA picked up five nominations among the Big Four categories, tying for second place among labels. Atlantic has three from the Barbie soundtrack, as well as an album of the year nomination for Janelle Monae’s The Age Of Pleasure and a best new artist nod for dance act Fred Again... SZA led the way for RCA, with her hit “Kill Bill” earning record and song of the year noms and album SOS picking up an album of the year nod, while Victoria Monet was recognized for record of the year for “On My Mama” as well as best new artist for the Sony-owned label.

Beyond those three labels, Taylor Swift’s three nominations in the Big Four — record and song for “Anti-Hero” and album for Midnights — led the way for Republic, which also saw Noah Kahan (Mercury/Republic) pick up a best new artist nomination to round out its total of four nods. Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus’ three Big Four nominations — record and song for “Flowers,” album for Endless Summer Vacation — accounted for all nods in the Big Four for Columbia, which led all labels in Big Four nominations last year. Other labels whose artists received Big Four nominations include Capitol (Ice Spice, best new artist, in collaboration with 10K Projects), BBR Music Group (Jelly Roll, best new artist), Def Jam (Coco Jones, best new artist), UMG Nashville (The War and Treaty, best new artist) and Warner Records (Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” song of the year).

Broken out by label group, Universal Music Group led the way with 20 nominations in the Big Four categories, while Sony Music Entertainment picked up eight, Warner Music Group accounted for five and BMG, which owns BBR Music Group, received one.

10 Nov 2023

Victoria Monét, Phoebe Bridgers & More LGBTQ Artists Lead the Way With 2024 Grammy Nominations

November means the start of classic end-of-year traditions: preparing for the holidays, seeing family… and finally seeing which artists did (or didn’t) get nominated for Grammys.

On Friday (Nov. 10), the Recording Academy unveiled the full list of nominees for the 2024 Grammy Awards, set to take place Sunday, Feb. 4. In the latest round of nominations, SZA emerged with more than any other artist, receiving nine nominations, including album, record and song of the year. Phoebe Bridgers, Victoria Monét and engineer Serban Ghenea followed SZA with seven nominations each, while superstars like Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus all earned six nods apiece.

As with every other year, the list of Grammy nominees contained a series of snubs and surprises — for the 2024 ranking specifically, critics were shocked to see that country and Latin artists lacked a major presence in the Big Four categories, despite both genres dominating cultural conversations for the bulk of 2023. Even Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. expressed his surprise at not seeing Latin and country represented in the major categories, telling Billboard that the organization is working with leaders in both genres to make sure “we have the right amount of membership and representation.”

But as with the past few years, fans noticed that this years’ Grammy nominations also featured plenty of LGBTQ artists. Below, Billboard takes a look at some of the biggest takeaways for the LGBTQ community from the 2024 Grammy nominations, including Monét’s first solo nominations, representation for queer country artists, and much more:

10 Nov 2023

The Beatles & Rolling Stones Together Again in the Top 10 of a Billboard Chart, 59 Years Later

On the Billboard Hot 100 dated Dec. 12, 1964, The Beatles’ “I Feel Fine” flew from No. 22 to No. 5 in its second week on the chart. It jumped over The Rolling Stones’ “Time Is on My Side,” which held at No. 6.

The same week, The Rolling Stones’ LP 12 x 5 bounded into the top 10 from No. 11 to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as The Beatles’ Something New remained in the region, at No. 10.

That week marked the first time that the bands shared space in the top 10 on Billboard’s charts.

Nearly 59 years later, their iconic imprints long stamped on pop culture, they’re together again in the top 10 of a Billboard ranking.

On the latest Adult Alternative Airplay chart, dated Nov. 18, 2023, The Beatles’ “Now and Then” debuts at No. 9. It joins The Rolling Stones’ “Angry,” up to No. 6 (time is still on their side), a new high in its ninth week on the list.

All Nov. 18-dated Billboard charts will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

“Now and Then” is billed as the final Beatles song, first recorded as a demo in 1977 by John Lennon and initially intended for the band’s three-edition Anthology series in the mid-‘90s before being shelved. Completed at last, it was released Nov. 2, followed by the premiere of its official video Nov. 3, after new technology helped extract Lennon’s vocals from the original demo, while George Harrison guitar parts from the initial attempt to finish the song were also incorporated into the song.

The Rolling Stones’ “Angry” is from their new LP Hackney Diamonds, which debuted two weeks ago as their record-extending 38th top 10 on the Billboard 200. Don Was and Andrew Watt produced the set, the band’s first of all-new material since 2005. (“It’s like going to college,” Watt, 32, told Billboard, “and learning from the literal masters.”)

Hot 100, 12-12-64

On that Hot 100 dated Dec. 12, 1964, the two bands placed in the top 10 alongside the likes of The Beach Boys and The Supremes (and, fittingly, Lorne Greene’s “Ringo”). On the Billboard 200, Elvis Presley was also in the top 10.

On the newest Adult Alternative Airplay chart, The Beatles’ and The Rolling Stones’ contemporaries in the top 10 include such rising acts as boygenius and Tyler Childers. Additionally in the bracket are fellow veterans including U2 – whose “Atomic City” hits No. 1 – Foo Fighters and Wilco, reflecting the format’s trademark mix of established and ascending artists.

Adult Alternative Airplay chart reporter KINK Portland, Ore., has both “Now and Then” and “Angry” in rotation. “The Beatles and Rolling Stones have been a part of KINK’s DNA since our inception in 1968, and their appeal continues to span multiple generations,” says program director Ken Benson. “We feel an obligation to share noteworthy new releases from iconic artists with our listeners and let them decide on their merits. We recently added ‘Atomic City’ for many of the same reasons.”

Adult Alternative Airplay panelist WTTS Indianapolis is also playing both “Now and Then” and “Angry.” Of The Beatles, says pd Lenny Diana, “No matter what genre of music you are into, direct lines can be drawn back to that band.

“The Rolling Stones,” Diana further muses, “do not need to work with a thirty-something-year-old producer. They can stay inside the Rolling Stones world, and no one will complain. To do what they did with Andrew Watt and do it at a high level is inspiring. I give the band a lot of credit for challenging themselves and embracing today’s sonics within the framework of their band.”

Music Choice’s Adult Alternative channel is likewise spinning both “Now and Then” and “Angry.” Echoes pd Mike Popadines, “The songs are there. They’re both getting major reactions and sounding great in the mix. This just goes to show, you never know what can happen when iconic artists release new music this late into their careers and strike gold. We’re here for this moment.”

10 Nov 2023

Gracie Abrams Was ‘Screaming’ With Taylor Swift & Noah Kahan Over First-Ever Grammy Nomination

Gracie Abrams was one of the buzziest names on the figurative list of contenders for best new artist at the 2024 Grammys — releasing an acclaimed debut album and touring with Taylor Swift will do that to you.

Still, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter insists that she truly wasn’t anticipating seeing her name pop up as a nominee on the Recording Academy’s annual broadcast, something she’s watched every year since they started livestreaming it. “I was very alone, in my bedroom with my heating pad on, expecting absolutely nothing at all except just to support my friends who might be in the running,” she tells Billboard, still in her PJs. “My name was the first that they listed, and it was like I couldn’t feel my body.”

In between freaking out with her family and going out for celebratory french toast and mimosas with her best friend, Abrams says that one of the first people she heard from was one of her fellow nominees. “Noah [Kahan] FaceTimed me immediately, and he’s just the f–king best ever,” she gushes of the “Stick Season” artist, who rounds out the new artist category with Ice Spice, Fred Again, Jelly Roll, CoCo Jones, Victoria Monét and The War and Treaty. “We kind of were just screaming at each other on the phone like, ‘Let’s pregame and sit with our moms at the awards!’”

For the “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” singer, the nod is the “cherry on top” of her biggest year yet, which was set into motion in February with the release of Good Riddance. In addition to becoming a mainstay on Swift’s Eras Tour, Abrams embarked on her own sold-out trek through North America and topped Billboard‘s Emerging Artists chart in June. In September, she and Dessner played a string of intimate acoustic shows across the country, and on Tuesday (Nov. 14), she’ll perform on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Many of her heroes — some of whom are also her friends and tourmates — are nominated for Grammys in 2024 as well, with Swift up for song, album and record of the year, and Phoebe Bridgers tying for the second-most nominations with seven nods total.

“I talked to Taylor and we were just screaming at each other over text like, lots of all-caps: Holy f–king s–t,” Abrams says of Swift. “And obviously she just deserves all of it, all of it, all of it. In moments of career celebration or any personal crisis, I text her, so to be able to celebrate this one mutually felt so wild.”

The rising pop star’s nomination doubles as a punctuation mark on her breathtaking debut as well as an introduction into her next era, which is already underway. Without sharing details, Abrams says she’s back in the studio working on her next project with Dessner, who she says is “the only reason” she was in the running for a Grammy this year.

“This stage of my career is, I so deeply hope, just the very beginning. My head recently has been so deeply in the next album and finishing up songs,” she says, noting that she’s “never felt so connected to anything” she’s made previously. “The honor of being nominated at this stage is such a wild thing, and I just think I really do not believe it.”

10 Nov 2023

Slightly Stoopid Release First New Track in Six Years ‘Got Me on the Run’

Slightly Stoopid has released their first new song in six years, the rhythmic and lustrous new single “Got Me On The Run” featuring longtime collaborators and friends Stick Figure and Pepper.

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Both Stick Figure and Pepper will be performing with Slightly Stoopid at the band’s sold-out Closer To The Sun destination festival next month in Riviera Maya, Mexico. “Got Me On The Run” follows on the heels of the summer release of “Cool & Collected” – a collaboration with Summertime 2023 tourmates Sublime with Rome. 

“It was such a great experience making this song with Kaleo (Pepper) and Scott (Stick Figure), two great friends and musical brothers that we’ve been touring with for years,” Miles Doughty of Slightly Stoopid tells Billboard. “I feel blessed to be able to make music with those guys and I know we have more songs to work on together for years to come! We’re all heading down to Mexico next month for Closer To The Sun and can’t wait to play this one live!

Pepper toured with Slightly Stoopid on the Summer Traditions 2022 tour and the bands collaborated live during the shows, giving fans an early taste of “Got Me On The Run.”

“Playing a new track, live on tour, before it’s released doesn’t always translate to fans, it can be intimidating to attempt,” says Kaleo Wassman of Pepper. “This track, however, was instantly absorbed by everyone.  Now that it’s out, I’m excited for those who’ve seen us perform it live, to say to their friends… ‘this is the one song I told you about!’”

Check out “Got Me On The Run” below.

10 Nov 2023

Virtual K-Pop Artist APOKI on Her First Album ‘Earth Space Time’ & Growth of the Virtual Market

APOKI, the virtual Korean artist “like a rabbit that lives somewhere in space,” has released her first album, Earth Space Time.

Her debut song, “GET IT OUT,” which she released in February 2021, was created with first-class writers like songwriter Melanie Fontana. Along with its accompanying music video, which encapsulated her spacy, near-future aesthetic, it served as a powerful calling card for this unrivaled virtual artist. She followed this up by working with writers like Melanie and GG Ramirez and producers like A-Dee and Lindgren to create some of the world’s most cutting edge and cool tracks, with a K-pop spin.

Now, she’s finally completed her long-awaited first album. With a total of 11 songs, including both previous releases and new songs, it speaks volumes about why the virtual artist APOKI has drawn the attention she has around the world. Billboard Japan spoke with APOKI about the album.

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What kind of album were you setting out to make with this, your first album?

The key concepts of this album are “reminiscing” and “beginning.” There are brand new songs, but there are also songs I previously released. It’s a record of my travels as an artist, and a present to my fans.

What’s the story behind the album’s title, Earth Space Time?

These three words express my aesthetic, both in the past and spreading out into the future. If you look at my past activities, I think it’s be clear what it means.

The songs were written by a team of hit-makers from around the world, like Melanie Fontana and Andreas Carlsson.

Over the past few years, in the K-pop scene, it’s become standard for songs to be created by overseas teams, including co-writing efforts. I think there’s a synergy between the tracks they create and the Korean lyrics. It feels like the divisions between genres have been disappearing lately, so I’ve been able to show off various aspects of my world. I’m inspired by the varied songs being put out by K-pop artists.

Tell us about what went into creating “Space,” the lead song on the album.

“Space” is filled with my feelings about my birthplace — space. In writing it, I was thinking about how there are all of these aspects of space that have yet to be discovered by earthlings…but what exactly those are is still a secret (laughs). But I’m very happy and grateful to see listeners interpreting it from all kinds of different perspectives. I’ve released various versions, so make sure to check those out, too.

The sound of the album is really cool and polished, but the melodies are very accessible.

There’s such a thing as a language barrier, but there’s no such thing as a melody barrier. That’s why I’m sure people around the world will listen to the album. I want to keep making melodies that all listeners can identify with.

The album contains your August release, “Hold On.” This is your first original Japanese song. What’s the response been like?

This April I collaborated with Girls² on “Countdown feat. APOKI,” which reached a whole new group of fans. Since releasing “Hold On,” I can tell that the number of Japanese APOKI fans is on the rise. I heard that it hit fifth place on Japan‘s USEN Weekly Request J-pop Chart (on November 11), which is wonderful. 

Your new ballad, “Fuyu No Sakura (Winter Blossom),” features guitarist Kotaro Oshio. What about Oshio’s guitar playing do you find so appealing?

Actually, in the early stages of the song there was no guitar part, but I asked Kotaro Oshio, who I have a ton of respect for, to play guitar on the song. I love his delicate guitar playing and the slightly wistful sound of his guitar. In his playing, I feel a sense of warmth within that wistfulness. It was an honor to be able to work with him.

I’m sure it’s a hard choice for you, but what songs do you particularly like on the album?

I love them all (laughs). But if I had to pick one, it would be my newest song, “Hashtaggg.” It’s a mid-tempo song with a very stylish atmosphere and a unique sound. The lyrics are a bold emotional declaration, shouting at someone you love “Hashtag me! Look at me!” I think this is a feeling that every girl that’s ever been in love has experienced at some time or other. When I recorded the song, I imagined the relationship between myself and my fans, who give me so much support.

Your music videos, which are made using state-of-the-art computer graphics, always generate a lot of buzz. What creators and artworks have you been particularly inspired by?  And how did you develop your own truly unique sensibilities?

My visuals are just everyday life up in space, where I was born, but if earthlings find them novel, that’s great. I’m still studying earth aesthetics, so everything here on this planet is new and inspiring to me. Some of my artwork is inspired by Japanese sci-fi comics like AKIRA. You should check them out.

The Korean music scene is seeing a rise in the number of virtual artists. What do you think is the biggest difference between you and these other artists?

The number of virtual artists and virtual idols in Korea has been really climbing lately. I feel like this year, in particular, the number of fans has really swelled. My goal is to further expand the virtual market along with my fellow artists and to work and grow together. I think artwork is very important for a virtual artist, but musical sensibilities are also critical. I’d like to set myself apart through my musical sensibilities and to stay focused on originality.

You’ve becoming quite a center of attention, with over five million social media followers around the world. I think you play an important role as an influencer because you connect the virtual and real worlds. How do you see your relationship with fans in the social media era?

I’ve yet to meet my fans face-to-face, but I try to actively communicate with them through things like my Instagram live performances. I’m always struggling with how to look cool while staying approachable. I’m very appreciative of the comments and input I get from everyone, and I try to reflect them in my own activities.

So you have ambitions and hopes for a live show?

One of my big goals is to have fun communicating with my fans at a live show. I’d love to play in public, and, in fact, preparations are already underway. Just hold on a little longer!

—This interview by Hisakatsu Tanaka first appeared on Billboard Japan

10 Nov 2023

Here’s Why Ryan Gosling Isn’t Actually Nominated at the 2024 Grammys

Although Ryan Gosling was the central piece of Barbie‘s big musical number, he will not have the chance to compete for Grammy gold. Contrary to some online reports, the actor is not among the nominees for the show-stopping “I’m Just Ken.”

On Friday morning (Nov. 10), the Recording Academy revealed the official nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards. SZA reigns atop the leaderboard with nine nods; R&B star Victoria Monét, alt-rock singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers and engineer/mixer Serban Ghenea follow with seven each.

Barbie was widely expected to clinch a number of Grammy nominations thanks to its star-studded compilation soundtrack album and separate score album, composed by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. As Barbie broke records at the box office — eventually strutting its way to a worldwide gross of over $1 billion — the soundtrack reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, collecting several Billboard Hot 100 smash hits in the process, including Dua Lipa‘s “Dance the Night” (No. 6), Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice‘s “Barbie World” (No. 7, with AQUA) and Billie Eilish‘s “What Was I Made For?” (No. 14).

All three of those tracks received nominations in the best song written for visual media category alongside “I’m Just Ken” and Rihanna‘s Oscar-nominated “Lift Me Up” (No. 2) from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. The Grammy guidelines for best song written for visual media state that the award is a “songwriter(s) award.” A description of the category on the official Grammy website reads: “For a song (melody & lyrics) written specifically for a motion picture, television, video games or other visual media, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.”

Although Gosling is the sole vocalist for “I’m Just Ken,” he is not a credited writer on the song. Those honors go to Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt — a powerhouse duo that picked up both an Oscar and a Grammy for their contributions to Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper‘s Hot 100-topping “Shallow” from 2018’s A Star Is Born.

Gosling’s performance of the track was entered into the best pop solo performance race, but it failed to make the cut in what was a very crowded category this year (281 entries). This year’s best pop solo performance nominees are Miley Cyrus (“Flowers”), Taylor Swift (“Anti-Hero”), Olivia Rodrigo (“Vampire”), Doja Cat (“Paint the Town Red”), and “What Was I Made For?”

Furthermore, the Barbie actor likely won’t have a shot at taking home a gilded gramophone should Barbie The Album take home best compilation soundtrack for visual media. The rules for that category state: “Award to the principal artist(s) and/or ‘in studio’ producer(s) of a majority of the tracks on the album. In the absence of both, Award to the one or two individuals proactively responsible for the concept and musical direction of the album and for the selection of artists, songs and producers, as applicable. Award also goes to appropriately credited music supervisor(s).”

Currently, Barbie: The Album is credited to Various Artists — but it’s probably safe to bet that Ronson and Wyatt would take home the trophies in the case of a Barbie victory. At the very least, Gosling will be able to find solace in the fact that “I’m Just Ken” gifted him his very first Hot 100 entry, peaking at No. 87.

A Grammy may remain out of reach, but Gosling could very well add a third Oscar nomination to his collection. A nod for his supporting performance in Barbie would follow his best actor citations from 2007 (Half Nelson) and 2017 (La La Land).