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24 Oct 2022

Taylor Swift Could Scoop a ‘Midnights’ Trifecta on U.K. Singles Chart

Taylor Swift’s Midnights is already a record-setter. Now, Swift’s new studio album is set to crush the U.K. charts.

Based on sales and streaming data from the first 48 hours in the cycle, Swift could snag the top three spots on the Official U.K. Chart.

Swift’s “Anti-Hero” leads the chart blast and is on track to give the U.S. singing star her second U.K. leader, after 2017’s “Look What You Made Me Do.”

“Anti-Hero” got a push with its official music video, which dropped Friday (Oct. 21), following the release proper of Midnights. Swifties were already tuned-into the track, thanks to the singer previously declaring it “one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written,” adding “I really don’t think I’ve delved this far into my insecurities in this detail before.”

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According to the Official Charts Company, Midnights opener “Lavender Haze” is “not far behind” in second spot on the First Look chart, followed by her Lana Del Rey collaboration “Snow On The Beach,” at No. 3.

Those three songs would represent the limit Midnights and its tracks could impact the singles chart. Based on criteria introduced in 2017, acts can have only their three most popular tracks feature in the Official Singles Chart Top 100, a move intended to prevent mega-stars’ albums from flooding the survey.

“Snow On The Beach,” notes the OCC, could secure Del Rey a fifth U.K. top 10 appearance, and first since 2019 collaboration “Don’t Call Me Angel,” with Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus, which peaked at No. 2.

Midnights bolted out the gate. The set is officially the most-streamed album worldwide in a single day in Spotify history.

If Midnights is crowned on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, when it’s published Friday (Oct. 28), it would be Swift’s ninth leader. Arctic Monkeys, which has swept the U.K. chart with every studio album release, is expected to challenge Swift with their own latest album, The Car.

Meanwhile, two tracks from The Car are set to drive into the U.K. top 20. “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am” is poised to bow at No. 14, the OCC reports, with “Sculptures of Anything Goes” close behind at No. 15.

The midweek U.K. singles and albums surveys will be revealed late Monday (Oct. 24), local time.

24 Oct 2022

Stormzy Rushes U.K. Top 10 With ‘Hide & Seek’

Stormzy secures a 26th top 10 as “Hide & Seek” (via Def Jam) storms the U.K. singles chart, while Sam Smith and Kim Petras complete a full month atop the survey with their “Unholy” collaboration.

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“Hide & Seek,” lifted from Stormzy’s upcoming third album This Is What I Mean, is new at No. 7, giving the homegrown hip-hop star the week’s top debut. This Is What I Mean is due out Nov. 25.

Meanwhile, Anne-Marie and Aitch’s “Psycho” (Atlantic) collab is on the climb. After chasing a top 5 spot on the midweek survey, some five weeks after its release, “Psycho” finishes the chart week up 9-6.

No less than seven singles make a splash in the U.K. top 40 for the first time, including British rapper Central Cee, whose “One Up” (Central Cee) arrives at No. 17. “One Up” becomes the Londoner’s 14th U.K. top 40 hit.

The 1975 has the best-selling album in the U.K. this week with Being Funny In A Foreign Language (Dirty Hit). The British pop-rock outfit also bring up their 11th and 12th top 40 appearances, with album tracks “Oh Caroline,” new at No. 29 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, and “I’m In Love With You,” at No. 34.

Lil Baby also snags two top 40 debuts on the Official Chart, published Friday (Oct. 21), with “California Breeze” (No. 26) and “Real Spill” (No. 36). Both are lifted from the U.S. rapper’s new album It’s Only Me (via Motown/Quality Control), which bows this week at No. 3, a new career high.

Labelmate Lil Yachty floats into the top tier with “Poland,” new at No. 30, for the U.S. rapper’s third top 40 appearance.

Blink 182 makes an immediate impact with “Edging” (Columbia), the U.S. pop-punk trio’s first recording with Tom DeLonge in a decade. The track, lifted from the reunited band’s forthcoming studio album, debuts at No. 31, for Blink’s 11th top 40 hit.

At the pinnacle of the U.K. chart is Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (EMI), which locks-in four-straight weeks at No. 1. The latest crown comes as Smith unveils the tracklist and release date for their fourth studio album, Gloria, due out Jan. 27, 2023.

Finally, two versions of the EDM tune “Miss You” are flying on the chart. Oliver Tree’s cut with Robin Schulz (via Atlantic) blasts 28-9, while German EDM producer Southstar’s “Miss You” (B1/Ministry Of Sound) rises 62-23. Both settle into peak positions.

24 Oct 2022

Dave, Stormzy, Little Simz Win Big at 2022 Rated Awards (Full List)

Dave was the big winner at the 2022 GRM Rated Awards, which focuses on the U.K. rap and grime scene. The rapper won four awards, including track of the year and video of the year for “Clash” (featuring Stormzy).

The Rated Awards were held on Saturday Oct. 22 at Magazine London and will be broadcast on E4 on Tuesday Oct. 25 at 10 p.m. BST. Big Zuu and Julie Adenuga hosted the show.

Dave’s second studio album, We’re All Alone in This Together, was named album of the year. It topped the Official U.K. Albums Chart for two weeks in August 2021. Dave also took home the award for male artist of the year.

While accepting the award for track of the year, Dave discussed the long journey that the song took to become a hit. The song reached No. 2 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart.

Joined by Stormzy on stage, Dave explained: “Back in 2019, I’d just finished my tour. My friend [Kyle Evans] who produced this song had just brought Jordan 1s and Jordan 4s so I freestyled ‘Clash.’ I played Stormzy the song in 2020 and then a year after that I got his verse! Four years of a journey to bring you guys this song.”

Breakthrough went to teenage British hip hop duo, A1 x J1. Little Simz added the female artist of the year award to her recent Mercury Prize win. Central Cee continued his global rise by taking home mixtape of the year. 

Jamal Edwards, a British music entrepreneur, DJ and founder of the online R&B/hip-hop platform SB.TV, was posthumously presented this year’s legacy award. Edward died on Feb. 20 at age 31 of a cardiac arrhythmia caused by recreational drugs. The award was presented by Post, founder & CEO of GRM Daily, and Rashid Kasirye, founder of Link Up TV. The award was accepted by Edwards’ mother Brenda and sister Tanisha. The presentation included a special video created by Jamal’s team at SBTV to celebrate his life and legacy.

The Rated Awards were founded by GRM Daily, which has chronicled the U.K. rap and grime scene for more than a decade. With 5 million subscribers and an online reach of more than 9 million, GRM claims to be the most viewed British music platform in the U.K.

The nominations recognize achievements between June 1, 2021, and June 1, 2022.

Here’s the full list of nominations, with winners marked.

Album of the year

Cleo Sol – Mother
WINNER: Dave – We’re All Alone in This Together
Fredo – Independence Day
Knucks – ALPHA PLACE
Kojey Radical – Reason to Smile
Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
M Huncho – Chasing Euphoria
Tion Wayne – Green With Envy

Track of the year

Aitch – “Baby” (feat. Ashanti)
ArrDee – “Flowers (Say My Name)”
Benzz – “Je M’appelle”
Central Cee – “Obsessed With You”
D-Block Europe – “Overseas” (feat. Central Cee)
Dave – “Starlight”
WINNER: Dave – “Clash” (feat. Stormzy)
Potter Payper – “Gangsteritus”
Russ Millions – “Reggae & Calypso” (feat. Buni & YV)
SwitchOTR – “Coming for You” (feat. A1 x J1)

Video of the year

Aitch – “1989”
Aitch – “Learning Curve”
CASisDEAD – “Boys Will Be Boys”
Dave – “Verdansk”
WINNER: Dave – “Clash” (feat. Stormzy)
Knucks – “Alpha House” / “Hide & Seek”
Little Simz – “Point and Kill” (feat. Obongjayar)
M Huncho – “Warzone” (feat. Headie One)
Pa Salieu – “Glidin’” (feat. slowthai)
Stefflon Don & Ms Banks – “Dip”

Female artist of the year

Cleo Sol
Darkoo
Dreya Mac
FLO
Ivorian Doll
WINNER: Little Simz
Mahalia
Miraa May
Ms Banks
Stefflon Don

Male artist of the year

ArrDee
Central Cee
D-Block Europe
WINNER: Dave
Digga D
K-Trap
M Huncho
Potter Payper
Russ Millions
Tion Wayne

Breakthrough of the year

WINNER: A1 x J1
Arz
Bru-C
Clavish
Dreya Mac
Knucks
Nemzzz
Rimzee
Sainté
SwitchOTR

Mixtape of the year

ArrDee – Pier Pressure
WINNER: Central Cee – 23
D-Block Europe – Home Alone 2
Digga D – Noughty by Nature
K-Trap – Trapo
K-Trap & Blade Brown – Joints
M1llionz – Provisional License
Potter Payper – Thanks for Waiting
Unknown T – Adolescence
Youngs Teflon – All Eyes on Me Against the World

Personality of the year

Big Zuu
Chunkz
Harry Pinero
WINNER: KSI
Mo Gilligan
Munya Chawawa
Nella Rose
Specs Gonzalez
Yung Filly
Zeze Millz

Producer of the year

Chucks
Inflo
WINNER: JAE5
LiTek & WhyJay
LUCID
P2J
Quincy Tellem
Venna
Nathaniel London
Young Chencs

Radio DJ of the year

Charlie Sloth
DJ Target
Henrie Kwushue
WINNER: Kenny Allstar
Manny Norte
Rob Bruce
Sir Spyro
Snoochie Shy
Tiffany Calver
Yinka & Shayna Marie

24 Oct 2022

The 1975 Extends U.K. Chart Streak With ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’

The 1975 lands at No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart with Being Funny In A Foreign Language, the British alternative rock outfit’s fifth consecutive leader.

Led by Matt Healy, the Cheshire, England band previously led the Official U.K. Chart their self-titled 2013 set, 2016’s I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it, 2018’s A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships, and 2020’s Notes On A Conditional Form.

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With their fast start, the 1975 enter the premium class of artists to have taken top spot with all five of their studio albums, drawing level with Ed Sheeran. The leader of that particular tally is Noel Gallagher, whose unbroken streak across Oasis and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds LPs stands at 10.

Being Funny In A Foreign Language also starts at No. 1 on Australia’s all-genres ARIA Chart.

Coming in at No. 2 on the latest U.K. chart, published Oct. 21, is Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Return To The Dream Canteen (Warner Records). It’s the veteran U.S. rock act’s 10th U.K. top 10, and the followup to Unlimited Love, which dropped in April of this year and went to No. 1.

One spot down the chart, Atlanta hip-hop artist Lil Baby bounces to his first solo top 5 appearance with It’s Only Me (Motown/Quality Control), new at No. 3. That effort beats the No. 5 best for his 2021 collaborative project with Lil Durk, The Voice Of The Heroes. It’s Only Me blasts to No. 1 on the latest Billboard 200.

U.S. rock veterans Alter Bridge bag a fifth U.K. top 10 record with Pawns & Kings (Napalm), starting at No. 6, while Big Moon enjoys a first top 10 appearance with Is Everything (Fiction), arriving at No. 9. The English indie-rock four-piece previously impacted the chart with 2020’s Walking Like We Do, peaking at No. 19.

Also debuting on the latest frame is London rapper Rimzee, with his third mixtape Cold Feet (Rimzee), new at No. 11; Britpop-era band the Lightning Seeds with their comeback effort, See You In The Stars (BMG), at No. 16; English folk group the Unthanks with Sorrows Away (Rabblerouser), at No. 26; the Vamps, with their career retrospective 10 Years Of The Vamps (UMR/Virgin), at No. 30; and production wizard Brian Eno with FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE (Universal Music Recording), new at No. 32.

24 Oct 2022

Fans Choose Taylor Swift‘s ’Midnights‘ as This Week’s Favorite New Music

Taylor Swift‘s new album Midnights has topped this week’s new music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Oct. 21) on Billboard, choosing Midnights as their favorite new music release of the past week.

Swift’s latest release brought in more than 66% of the vote, beating out new music by Carly Rae Jepsen, Shakira and Ozuna, Arctic Monkeys and more.

As of Saturday (Oct. 22), Midnights was off to a record-breaking start in sales in the U.S. after its first day of release. According to initial reports, the album has sold more than 800,000 copies in the U.S. through its first day across all available formats. It has already logged the largest sales week for any album since 2017, is the top-selling album of 2022 year-to-date, and has set a modern-era record for single-week vinyl album sales. (See the full update here.)

The 13-track album arrived with a “chaotic” bonus at 3 a,m.: The 3am Edition of the album gave fans seven additional new songs.

“Surprise!” Swift wrote. “I think of Midnights as a complete concept album, with those 13 songs forming a full picture of the intensities of that mystifying, mad hour. However! There were other songs we wrote on our journey to find that magic 13.”

Trailing behind Swift’s Midnights treasure trove on the fan-voted poll is Carly Rae Jepsen’s The Loneliest Time album, with 16% of the vote, and Shakira & Ozuna’s track “Monotonía,” with 8% of the vote.

See the final results of this week’s poll below.

23 Oct 2022

Tina Knowles-Lawson and Richard Lawson’s Wearable Art Gala Celebrates Black Excellence and the Harlem Renaissance

The feathers were swaying and sequins were glittering at last night’s star-studded Wearable Art Gala, a benefit celebrating the 5th anniversary of WACO Theater Center, founded by co-artistic directors Tina Knowles-Lawson and Richard Lawson. Inspired by the aesthetics and Black excellence of the Harlem Renaissance era, the benefit is designed to support the company’s artistic and youth mentorship programs through a fine art auction.

“Each year we find a theme that connects us historically with our past,” Richard Lawson told THR. “[We explore] the evolution of African culture in the western world.” Previous themes have included The Lion King and Black Panther‘s Wakanda. But this year, 50,000 square feet of the Barker Hanger at Santa Monica Air Center were transformed into a full-blown Harlem experience. Guests arrived in vintage automobiles and 40-foot-tall backlit backdrops were designed to look like a set in Harlem featuring notable arts institutions like the Savoy Ballroom, Apollo Theater and the Cotton Club.

“As Black people, we do things differently … everything is with flair,” Tina Knowles-Lawson said. “We are fashion. That’s such a big part of the gala and we wanted to create something where art can occur. We want everything to be art.”

Last night’s gala was hosted by Keke Palmer and was a musical affair with a live band on the red carpet, a traditional New Orleans “second line” parade and performances from people including Daytime Emmy Award winner Obba Babatundé. Other notable guests included Tyler Perry, singers Chloe and Halle Bailey, Vivica A. Fox, Lela Rochon, Marsai Martin (who donned an intricate, styrofoam floral headpiece), Lori Harvey, and Magic and Cookie Johnson.

Every member of Destiny’s Child was in attendance — Kelly Rowland stunned in a statement-making red gown, Beyoncé arrived in support of her mother with husband Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy — and Michelle Williams spoke to THR about the importance of arts mentorship for the youth. “Ms. Tina has been mentoring since I met her in the year 2000. This is what she does,” Williams shared. “Also, this is her favorite era, so when I saw this was the [theme], I knew this was going to be exciting.”

The genesis of WACO began as two separate efforts Knowles-Lawson and Lawson were pursuing individually, but ultimately married themselves to each other when the two came together as a couple in real life.

“I grew up with a mentor that I met when I was 14 and she changed the trajectory of my life by exposing me to the arts and to life in general, so I always wanted to have a community center where kids could come and meet with visual artists and performing artists and just have a place to hang out,” Knowles-Lawson said. “Also, when my kids were little there were two community centers in Houston that I used to take them to, where they really honed their skills and their performing confidence. So I know that it really changes kids’ lives when they have a place like that.”

Simultaneously, Lawson had built an acting school and theater, so “we just decided to join forces and open WACO,” Knowles-Lawson said.

“We both had the same intention in slightly different ways so it was just a natural thing for us to put this together because we were both operating in the space of being of service and developing and supporting and mentoring people,” Lawson said. “WACO is a theater where we have performing arts and have a mentorship program of 100 kids which is growing every year.”

Last night, guests understood the thematic assignment. ESPN correspondent Angela Rye channeled Dominique La Rue (played by Jasmine Guy) in Eddie Murphy’s Harlem Nights, wearing a red, floor-length dress. Rye, who is also the CEO of IMPACT Strategies — a political advocacy, social impact and racial equity firm based in Washington, D.C. — said that the arts can magnify political advocacy efforts in “remarkable ways.”

“Sometimes the only [mediums] that we have to really be able to tell our stories and to advocate in ways that people don’t see as violent is through art and through media,” she told THR. “We can confront issues that sometimes folks are too uncomfortable to touch through those forms.”

Issa Rae, whose multi-faceted Hoorae Media company develops content across the film, television, music and management industries, says that “building our institutions is what separates the now from what was.”

“When I think about previous renaissances, there were specific outlets we [participated in] that weren’t ours. So it was easy for them to wipe us out or say ‘that’s enough of that,’ but I think the more we own our institutions and platforms, the more we can own our voices and the more longevity we’ll have.”

Due to the proliferation of Black images and ownership in entertainment and media today, the Black community in Hollywood and Los Angeles, more broadly, is arguably in the midst of an artistic renaissance. One that echoes Harlem’s a century ago. “I think at that time it was so especially revolutionary because it was a conscious effort to celebrate our art,” Rae says. “We’re constantly looking toward the past to inform the present. It’s just important for us to champion ourselves.”

To that end, Angela Bassett was honored with last night’s Film & TV Icon Award. “I am completely and utterly humbled,” the award-winning actress told THR. “Because what you endeavor to do is to work hard … so to be able to do that and then to be appreciated and supported at this moment for your body of work is very exciting.”

This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.

23 Oct 2022

Hayley Williams Pens Emotional Letter Ahead of When We Were Young Fest Headlining Set

Las Vegas’ When We Were Young Festival has Hayley Williams reflecting on the music scene that she grew up in with Paramore.

Paramore is set to take the stage at Las Vegas Festival Grounds on Sunday night (Oct. 23) after Saturday, the opening day of the festival, saw the fest’s lineup canceled due to high winds. On the bill alongside Paramore this weekend are My Chemical Romance, Bring Me the Horizon, Bright Eyes, Avril Lavigne, Taking Back Sunday, Jimmy Eat World and more.

“To grow up in this scene was not a simple thing,” Williams wrote in a lengthy letter posted on Instagram Stories Sunday. “To be celebrating it (and to be celebrated by it) is not a simple thing. Nothing about this life — for you, me, or anyone — is simple. We fell in love with this subset of post-punk and hardcore likely because nothing else moved us. We didn’t fit in other places.”

“To be a young girl in love with this scene was to have the hope that I might find my own way to belong. It took years to find that belonging. It’s taken a lot of unlearning. A lot of untangling knots I didn’t even know were there. What I did know was that for every ‘Take off your top!’ or snarky punkzine review … For every dramatic headline pinned on my name, or any season of self-doubt … No one was going to define Paramore but Paramore,” she said.

“Nearly 20 years later, we find ourselves a pillar of the very scene that threatened to reject us. And me,” said Williams.

She wrote, “I do my best to stay humble. What good is a bloated ego? But beyond the intense devotion of Paramore fans around the world, the reason we made it this far is us. What I really mean to say is — we never banked on trends. Or nostalgia. Or even me, alone. We only did exactly what we knew was real for us. (And sure, I leaned into spite as needed.)”

“Tonight, while we’re running through the lengths of our discography and I’m refraining from singing the word “whore,” know that, inside, I’m celebrating the fact that, as a scene, we’ve come a long way,” Williams noted. “With much further to go. F— the ones who doubted! Hugs to the ones who watched on and even sort of believed. Young girls, queer kids, and anybody of any color … We have shifted this scene together, messily, angrily, heartbroken, and determined. Tonight, for me at least, is about celebrating all the facets of what punk music actually represents. All the things it wasn’t allowed to be when we were young. Can’t wait to see everyone tonight.”

Following Paramore’s headlining slots at When We Were Young Festival, the group will continue on its fall tour. See their currently scheduled dates here.

23 Oct 2022

Soccer Mommy on Playing the Pavement Museum in New York: Behind the Setlist Podcast

Through three albums of guitar-driven, melodic ear candy, Soccer Mommy has reveled in the sounds of ‘90s indie rock. So it was no surprise the band was chosen to perform at Pavements 1933 to 2022, the indie rock legend Pavement‘s pop-up museum in New York City that ran from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 and will be displayed permanently in the band’s hometown of Stockton, California. 

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“It was really fun,” Sophie Allison, a.k.a. Soccer Mommy, tells Billboard’s Behind the Setlist podcast. “I mean, it was it was something that we were dying to do, honestly, because me and all the people in my live band love Pavement.” Allison and her band covered three songs at the Oct. 1 performance: “Here,” “Gold Soundz” and “Spit on a Stranger.”  

Although many Soccer Mommy fans weren’t born when Pavement broke up in 1999, the song “Here,” from Pavement’s 1992 album Slanted and Enchanted, got a good reaction at the Glasgow, Scotland, concert that concluded the European tour in support of Soccer Mommy’s latest album, the critically acclaimed Sometimes, Forever. “I said I was gonna play a Pavement song and everyone was really excited,” says Allison of the audience’s reaction. The band reunited in 2010 and again in 2022 for U.S. and European tours. “I think that people from my audience do really like [Pavement]. I think they’re specifically really a band that has had this huge renaissance like 20 years after [breaking up]. Even when I was in high school, everybody loved Pavement.” 

Earlier this year, Allison branched out into podcasts when Soccer Mommy scored the music for We Were Three, a podcast series by the New York Times and Serial Productions. “I’ve always been really interested in in the idea of getting to score something but I’m usually so focused either with touring or, you know, writing new songs for a record and recording,” says Allison. Finding herself with free time this summer, Allison says she enjoyed the process of writing music intended for background accompaniment – featuring guitar, bass, drums and synthesizer – to the spoken word rather than her own lyrics. “It was really fun getting to write music that I didn’t then have to write a chorus for and lyrics and a hook.”  

Now home in Nashville after performing more than 50 concerts in 2022, Allison is working on material for the follow-up to Sometimes, Forever. “I don’t have anything done. But I just want to keep keep working on new songs. If anything else comes up that’s exciting, I’ll definitely try to do it. But in the meantime, [I’m focused on] just touring and working on writing new songs.” 

You can listen to the entire interview with Soccer Mommy at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, Audible or Stitcher. 

23 Oct 2022

Lil Baby Lands Third No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With ‘It’s Only Me’

Lil Baby lands his third No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Oct. 29) as It’s Only Me debuts atop the tally. The set earned 216,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 20, according to Luminate. It also claims the third-largest streaming week for an album in 2022.

Lil Baby previously topped the list with The Voice of the Heroes (a collaborative set with Lil Durk in 2021) and My Turn (2020). The latter finished 2020 as Luminate’s most popular album of that year.

It’s Only Me was announced in early September and marks the rapper’s sixth top 10, all consecutive, on the Billboard 200.

Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ second album of 2022, Return of the Dream Canteen, enters at No. 3; The 1975’s Being Funny in a Foreign Language starts at No. 7 and Bailey Zimmerman’s debut effort Leave the Light On bows at No. 9.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Oct. 29, 2022-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Oct. 25. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of It’s Only Me’s 216,000 equivalent album units earned, SEA units comprise 209,000 (equaling 288.97 million on-demand officials streams of the set’s 23 tracks — the third-largest streaming week of 2022 for an album), album sales comprise 6,500 and TEA units comprise 500.

Bad Bunny’s former No. 1 Un Verano Sin Ti is a non-mover at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 72,000 equivalent album units earned (down 5%).

Red Hot Chili Peppers’ second album of 2022, Return of the Dream Canteen, debuts at No. 3 with 63,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 56,000 (it’s the top-selling album of the week, debuting at No. 1 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 7,000 and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. Return of the Dream Canteen follows the band’s chart-topping Unlimited Love, which debuted atop the list dated April 16.

Notably, on the Top Album Sales chart, the Peppers have scored a pair of No. 1s in 2022 (Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen) – making it the first group with two No. 1 rock albums on the chart in less than 12 months since 2005. That year, System of a Down doubled-up at No. 1 with Mezmerize and Hypnotize. (The Peppers have logged their two 2022 No. 1s six months and two weeks apart; System of a Down notched theirs in 2005 six months and a week apart.)

Return of the Dream Canteen marks the ninth top 10-charting album for Red Hot Chili Peppers on the Billboard 200. The album was led by the single “Tippa My Tongue,” which hit No. 1 on both the Rock & Alternative Airplay and Alternative Airplay charts. On the latter, it’s the 15th No. 1 for the group, extending its record for the most No. 1s in the chart’s history.

Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping Dangerous: The Double Album is stationary at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 (45,000 equivalent album units; down 2%), The Weeknd’s The Highlights is steady at No. 5 (40,000; down less than 1%) and Beyoncé’s former No. 1 Renaissance falls 3-6 (33,000; down 56%).

The 1975 collects its fourth top 10-charting effort on the Billboard 200 as the band’s new Being Funny in a Foreign Language bows at No. 7 with 32,500 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 19,500, SEA units comprise 13,000 (equaling 16.24 million on-demand official streams of the set’s 11 tracks) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. The album was preceded by a pair of top 20-charting singles on the Alternative Airplay chart (“Part of the Band” and “I’m in Love With You”).

Harry Styles’ chart-topping Harry’s House falls 6-8 with 32,000 equivalent album units earned (down 5%).

Bailey Zimmerman’s debut effort Leave the Light On starts at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 with 32,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 27,000 (equaling 36.19 million on-demand official streams of the set’s nine tracks), album sales comprise 4,000 and TEA units comprise 1,000.

The singer-songwriter initially broke through on TikTok in 2020 and has already notched a trio of top 10-charting hits on the Hot Country Songs chart, all of which are included on Leave the Light On (“Fall in Love,” “Rock and a Hard Place” and “Where It Ends”). All three tracks have additionally reached the top 25 on the all-genre Streaming Songs chart, and the top five of the Country Streaming Songs chart (with “Rock and a Hard Place” hitting No. 1 in June).

Zach Bryan rounds out the top 10 of the new Billboard 200 as American Heartbreak falls 8-10 with 28,000 equivalent album units earned (up 1%).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

23 Oct 2022

Cardi B and Madonna Make Amends After Rapper Calls Out Queen of Pop for ‘Disrespect’

Cardi B and Madonna have patched things up following comments the Queen of Pop made while reflecting on the 30-year anniversary of her Sex coffee table book.

On Sunday morning (Oct. 23), the superstar rapper fired off a series of now-deleted tweets expressing that she felt disrespected by comments Madge made on her Instagram Story the previous evening about how the iconic singer helped pave the way for other female artists expressing their sexuality.

“30 years ago I published a book called S.E.X. In addition to photos of me naked there were photos of Men kissing Men, Woman kissing Woman and Me kissing everyone,” Madonna wrote on Saturday, noting that she faced a great deal of criticism at the time. “Now Cardi B can sing about her WAP. Kim Kardashian can grace the cover of any magazine with her naked ass and Miley Cyrus can come in like a wrecking ball.”

Cardi took particular offense to the final line of Madonna’s post, which read, “You’re welcome b—-es,” followed by a clown emoji.

“I literally [paid] this woman homage so many times cause I grew up listening to her …she can make her point without putting clown emojis and getting slick out the mouth,” the rapper wrote in a now-deleted tweet alongside a screenshot of a 2018 Billboard article in which she praises Madonna. “These icons really become disappointments once u make it in the industry that’s why I keep to myself.”

Later Sunday morning, Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee tweeted that he was “on the phone with Madonna and Cardi” and listening to the stars “share their perspective on the communication going on has broadened their love for each other.”

Shortly after, both Cardi and Madonna took to Twitter to share that they had patched things up. “I talked to Madonna …It was beautiful …Have a great day and drive safely yallll,” the rapper wrote. Madonna added, “I love you @iamcardib!! Always have and always will.”

In a video posted to Hollywood Unlocked’s Instagram account, Cardi shared a few more words about her telephone conversation with Madonna.

“I’m glad I had a conversation with Madonna, because I am sensitive. You already know I’m a sensitive gangsta,” the rapper said. “My feelings was a little hurt because to me Madonna is not no regular artist; she’s actually somebody that I really look up to.”

In 2018, Cardi gushed after meeting her “idol” Madonna at an Oscars afterparty, where she posed for pictures alongside the singer and Kardashian.

“I met my real life IDOL Madonna. I can’t even believe I performed at her event and it was the most meaningful performance ever,” Cardi wrote on Instagram at the time. “I grew up with my mom listening to Madonna for hours. I performed ‘Material Girl’ freshman year in High school, listen to her on all my photo shoots to have super confidence and always mentioned her in my interviews. The best part about it is she was everything i thought she would be a Liberal Kick ass feminist bitch. I’m soo happy.”

See Cardi and Madonna’s tweets below.