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Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) locks up a fifth nonconsecutive week atop the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Jan. 6, 2024), as the set earned 98,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 28 (down 28%), according to Luminate. With a fifth week at No. 1, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) equals the total combined weeks at No. 1 of Swift’s three previous re-recorded albums. The Taylor’s Version editions of Fearless, Red and Speak Now notched two weeks, one week and two weeks on top, respectively.
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In addition, Swift’s total weeks at No. 1 — across all 13 of her chart-topping releases — climbs to 68 weeks, surpassing Elvis Presley for the most weeks at No. 1 by a soloist. He logged 67 weeks at No. 1 across 10 chart-topping albums spanning 1956-2002. Only The Beatles have more weeks at No. 1, with an overall record 132 weeks on top, across 19 No. 1 albums in 1964-2001.
Swift’s first No. 1 album came with Fearless, which spent 11 weeks atop the list in late 2008 and early 2009. She followed it with the chart-toppers Speak Now (six weeks at No. 1, 2010-11); Red (seven, 2012-13); 1989 (2014-15); Reputation (four, 2017-18); Lover (one, 2019); Folklore (eight, 2020-21); Evermore (four, 2020-21); Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (two, 2021); Red (Taylor’s Version) (one, 2021); Midnights (six, 2022-23); Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (two, 2023); and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (five, 2023-24).
Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, half of the region consists of holiday albums for the first time since a year ago this week, led by Michael Bublé’s former No. 1 Christmas, which rises 4-2.
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 Jan. 6, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Jan. 3, one day later than normal due to the New Year’s Day holiday on Jan. 1. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of 1989 (Taylor’s Version)’s 98,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Dec. 28, album sales comprise 61,000 (down 36%), SEA units comprise 36,000 (down 10%, equaling 48.5 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs) and TEA units comprise 1,000 (up 31%).
Bublé’s chart-topping Christmas climbs 4-2 with 78,000 equivalent album units earned (up 11%). It’s the highest rank for the title in two years, since it spent two weeks in a row at No. 2 on the Jan. 1 and 8, 2022-dated charts. Christmas was released in 2011 and spent five consecutive weeks at No. 1 in 2011-12.
Christmas is the first of five holiday titles in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, the most seasonal sets in the region in a year. The top 10 last hosted five holiday albums on the Jan. 7, 2023 ranking.
Nicki Minaj’s former No. 1 Pink Friday 2 dips 2-3 with 66,000 equivalent album units earned (down 35%), while Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song hits a new peak, rising 8-4 with 64,000 units (up 15%). The album previously topped out at No. 5 a year ago, on the Jan. 7, 2023, chart. The set includes Cole’s classic title track, along with Billboard Holiday 100-charting favorites including “Deck the Halls,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Joy to the World” and “Caroling, Caroling.”
Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time is a non-mover at No. 5 with 60,000 equivalent album units earned (down 7%), while Drake’s former No. 1 For All the Dogs is stationary at No. 6 with 57,000 units (down 10%).
The classic multi-artist holiday album A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector jumps 14-7 — a new peak — with 56,000 equivalent album units earned (up 17%). The album, first released in 1963, previously peaked at No. 8 a year ago (on the Jan. 7, 2023, chart). It first reached the top 10 on the Jan. 8, 2022, chart, when it stepped 11-10. The album, produced by Spector, includes familiar favorites heard during the holiday season that were initially recorded for the project. Among them are Holiday 100-charting hits including The Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride” and Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and “Winter Wonderland.”
Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas jingles 10-8 with 56,000 equivalent album units (up 7%) and Swift’s Midnights falls 3-9 with 53,000 (down 29%).
Rounding out the top 10 of the new Billboard 200 is Pentatonix’s The Greatest Christmas Hits, which vaults 60-10, a new peak, with 51,000 equivalent album units earned (up 147%). The 31-song set is the vocal group’s latest release, and it includes 23 previously-released holiday favorites, along with eight new recordings.
The Greatest Christmas Hits marks Pentatonix’s 11th top 10-charting set, and its first since the group’s last compilation, 2019’s The Best of Pentatonix Christmas, peaked at No. 7 on the Dec. 28, 2019, chart.
Here’s a recap of Pentatonix’s 11 top 10-charting albums on the Billboard 200, six of which are holiday sets: PTXmas (No. 7, 2013); PTX: Vol. II (No. 10, 2013); PTX: Vol. III (No. 5, 2014); That’s Christmas to Me (No. 2, 2014); Pentatonix (No. 1, 2015); A Pentatonix Christmas (No. 1 for two weeks, 2017); PTX Vol. IV: Classics (No. 4); PTX Presents: Top Pop, Vol. 1 (No. 10, 2018); Christmas Is Here! (No. 7, 2018); The Best of Pentatonix Christmas (No. 7, 2019); and The Greatest Christmas Hits (No. 10, 2024).
As The Greatest Christmas Hits houses songs by Pentatonix that are on multiple albums by the act, SEA and TEA for those songs contribute to whichever Pentatonix album containing those songs sells the most in traditional album sales in a week. A song such as “Mary, Did You Know?” appears on three Pentatonix albums: the studio set That’s Christmas To Me, and the later-released compilations The Best of Pentatonix Christmas and The Greatest Christmas Hits. SEA and TEA for “Mary” is assigned on the chart to whichever of those three albums sells the most in a given week. In the tracking week ending Dec. 28, The Greatest Christmas Hits sold nearly 2,500 copies, more than any other Pentatonix album. Thus, Greatest is assigned all of the SEA and TEA on the chart for any songs it shares across other Pentatonix albums.
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.
Lewis Capaldi is giving fans an update on his mental health after taking a step back from the stage in June.
About six months after announcing that he was going on hiatus from touring, the 27-year-old Scottish musician revealed in a lengthy New Year’s Eve message that he’s noticed an improvement in his overall health but that he’s still not ready to step back into the spotlight.
“As most of you will know, I’m currently taking some time off to focus on my health and wellbeing and it’s been going great!” Capaldi wrote on Instagram Sunday (Dec. 31). “I’ve been working with some incredible professionals to help me learn about and cope better with my Tourette’s and anxiety issues. I’m really happy to say I’ve noticed a marked improvement in both since I decided to take some time off back in June.”
He continued, “I was completely overwhelmed by the reaction to the news that I was taking a break and genuinely want to thank each and every one of you who reached out, left a comment, tweet or dm wishing me well, the support was like nothing I’ve ever experienced and has made me more excited than ever to return to what I love at some point in the not too distant future.”
Earlier this summer, Capaldi struggled to finish his Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Someone You Loved” during his June 24 set at the Glastonbury Festival. Days later, he shared on Instagram that he would be “taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future” to “spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order.”
In his New Year’s Eve note, the singer also announced that he will be releasing an extended version of his second album, Broken By the Desire to Be Heavenly Sent, at midnight on Monday (Jan. 1). The expanded set will feature five additional songs.
“Prior to my decision to f— off for a bit, I’d always hoped to release an extended version at some point!” Capaldi wrote. “After some back-and-forth about whether or not it was the right thing to do, I’ve decided it would be a shame for these five extra songs, which are so incredibly special to me, to sit on my hard drive, never to see the light of day.”
The “Before You Go” singer-songwriter concluded his message by letting fans know that he plans to remain out of the public eye for the time being.
“For now I’m going to continue taking some time to carry on looking after myself, maybe writing some new music and taking a moment to reflect on some of the most incredible years of my life,” he wrote. “I want to make absolutely sure I’m 100% before getting back out there again properly for more shows and doing what I love more than anything!”
Read Capaldi’s full update below on Instagram.
Taylor Swift‘s brother Austin got a holiday stamp of approval from the Kelce family this week, thanks to his thoughtful Christmas gift for Taylor’s boyfriend Travis Kelce. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The Swifts spent Dec. 25 cheering on Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, where the […]
Selena Gomez is looking back on some of her favorite memories of 2023. On Friday (Dec. 29), the 31-year-old pop star and actress shared a gallery of fun photos on social media of her little sister, Gracie Elliot Teefey, along with friends including Nicola Peltz Beckham and Sofia Carson. “Moments in time,” Gomez captioned the […]
12/29/2023
TXT and aespa crafted career-best collections, (G)I-DLE, Suga and NCT DREAM discussed important topics and ATEEZ, ONEW and V created musical worlds.
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Ariana Grande has remained tight-lipped in the face of heightened gossip and public scrutiny surrounding her personal life this past year. But in a recent message shared to Instagram Stories before the new year, she seemed to address how she was affected by the 2023 rumor mill.
“One of the most transformative, most challenging, and yet happiest and most special years of my life,” Grande wrote in her Friday (Dec. 29) post, black text layered over a photo of a Glinda the Good Witch illustration. “There were so many beautiful and yet polarized feelings.”
“I’ve never felt more at the mercy of and in acceptance of what life was screaming to teach me,” she continued. “I have never felt more pride or joy or love while simultaneously feeling so deeply misunderstood by people who don’t know me, who piece whispers together and make what they want out of me and their assumptions of my life.”
The “Positions” singer didn’t specify what instances she was referring to, but there was objectively no greater peak in gossip surrounding Grande this year than when reports of her romance with Wicked costar Ethan Slater surfaced. This was partially due to how closely the news followed the vocalist’s reported split from ex-husband Dalton Gomez, as well as Slater’s own separation from wife Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a young son.
Both TMZ and People, however, reported at the time that the Broadway actor and Grande had started dating after both of their prior relationships were over. The seven-time Billboard Hot 100 topper has since been spotted with Slater only a handful of times, most recently in New York City on a Dec. 23 dinner date with Grande’s father.
“i am reacting to things that deserve my energy only and removing and protecting myself from things that do not,” the “POV” hitmaker continued in her post. “i feel more human than ever. i feel more deeply than ever. i feel softer and stronger, all at once.”
“if you ever feel misunderstood of alone, just remember that it will pass and you are not,” she continued. “take a deep breath and know that you are so incredibly loved.”
This year saw Ariana Grande feature on a remix of The Weeknd’s “Die for You,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100. She has confirmed her highly anticipated seventh album is set for a 2024 release. In 2023, she primarily focused on filming the upcoming live adaptations of Wicked — in which she costars as Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba — as well as her R.E.M. Beauty business.
See Grande’s Story before it disappears here.
The members of BLACKPINK are closing out the year with some bombshell news — Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa have split with YG Entertainment for all solo endeavors.
On Friday (Dec. 29), YG issued a statement announcing the decision. “YG recently signed an extension contract for BLACKPINK’s group activities and agreed not to proceed with a separate additional contract for individual activities,” read a translated statement provided to Billboard by representatives for YG Entertainment. “We will do our best to support BLACKPINK’s activities and will cheer for the individual activities of the members with a warm heart.”
Earlier this month (Dec. 6), via a regulatory filing, YG Entertainment confirmed that BLACKPINK had renewed its contract with the company for all group activities. Details regarding the new contracts were not immediately available upon filing.
Just this week (Dec. 24), Jennie shared that she will be launching a new record label and company called OA. A caption of a photoset posted to the official OA Instagram page reads: “OA, which stands for ODD ATELIER, is a space that aims to create new things that attract attention in a different way from what is usual or expected. It is a label founded by artist JENNIE in November 2023.”
To date, all four members of BLACKPINK have begun their respective solo journeys. In 2021, both Rosé and Lisa unleashed their debut solo albums. Rosé’s -R- contained the single “On the Ground,” which debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts — the first song by a Korean solo artist to do so. With her LaLisa album — which housed a pair of Billboard Hot 100 hits in the title track (No. 84) and “Money” (No. 90) — Lisa became the first soloist to win the MTV Video Music Award for best K-pop.
This spring (Mar. 31), Jisoo released Me, her debut single album. The two-track project was led by “Flower,” which reached No. 2 on the Global 200. Although Jennie was the first BLACKPINK member to go solo back in 2018 (her aptly titled “Solo” peaked atop US World Digital Song Sales), she finally made her Hot 100 debut on the chart dated Dec. 30, 2023, with her Idol hit “One of the Girls” alongside The Weeknd & Lily-Rose Depp. In June, Jennie starred in the controversial Weeknd-produced HBO drama The Idol.
BLACKPINK is, to date, the most successful K-pop girl group in U.S. history. In 2023, the group headlined Coachella and wrapped their blockbuster Born Pink World Tour (which helped them take home top K-pop touring artist at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards) in support of their Billboard 200-topping Born Pink album.
Representatives for BLACKPINK did not immediately respond to Billboard’s request for comment.
Cher has filed for temporary legal conservatorship of her 47-year-old son Elijah Blue Allman, according to a petition filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by Billboard.
In the petition, the “Believe” singer cites her son’s ongoing substance abuse battle, which he’s spoken about in the past. She seeks to be the sole conservator of Allman’s estate, arguing that he “is currently unable to manage his assets due to severe mental health and substance abuse issues.”
“Elijah is entitled to regular distributions from the Trust, but given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues, petitioner [Cher] is concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” according to the documents. “Elijah is currently unable to manage his finances and the distribution of funds directly to Elijah would not be in his best interests.”
Allman is the son of Cher and former husband, the late Gregg Allman, one of the founding members of the Grammy-winning Allman Brothers Band. Allman and Cher were married from 1975 to 1979, and Elijah Blue is their only child together. Allman died in 2017 after a battle with liver cancer.
Like his parents, Elijah Blue Allman also made a career for himself in the music industry. He was the lead singer of the industrial metal band Deadsy. The rockers charted a pair of LPs on the Billboard 200: 2002’s Commencement (No. 100) and 2006’s Phantasmagore (No. 176).
In October, Cher addressed claims made last year by Elijah Blue’s estranged wife, Marieangela King, in divorce documents, which alleged that the pop icon had sent four men to kidnap Allman from a New York City hotel room, telling People magazine, “That rumor is not true.”
Cher’s legal moves come just two years after she took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the end of Britney Spears‘ high-profile conservatorship. “Thank God, I’ve talked [and prayed] about this [for] years,” she wrote. “I’m more than thrilled [for] her!! Bless our [superstar]. #FreeBritney.” Spears’ 13-year conservatorship came to an end on Nov. 12, 2021, after a passionate grassroots movement gained steam online to end the arrangement that gave her dad, James Spears, control of her personal and professional lives.
According to the court documents, a hearing has been scheduled for March 6, 2024. Billboard has reached out to representatives for Cher and legal representation for Elijah Blue Allman for further comment.
Last week, Cher returned to the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in nearly 22 years. “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” the breakout hit from her first Christmas album, entered the tally at No. 94, marking her first appearance on the ranking since “Song for the Lonely” topped out at No. 85 in 2002. A few weeks prior, “DJ Play a Christmas Song” helped Cher become the first soloist in history to earn a new No. 1 on a Billboard songs chart in each of the seven decades from the 1960s through the 2020s (excluding the Bubbling Under Hot 100). “DJ” topped Dance/Electronic Song Sales on the chart dated Dec. 2, 2023.
It’s been six years since the #MeToo movement exploded into the mainstream consciousness, and Ellie Goulding believes that the reckoning has changed the music industry for the better. In a new interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today show, the “Love Me Like You Do” singer recounted the evolution of her experiences in the music industry post-#MeToo.
“I definitely think the landscape has changed a bit, especially since the [#MeToo] movement,” Goulding said. “I think that was really, really important for people to keep speaking out about their individual stories, because I know a lot was happening and just wasn’t being talked about.”
Activist Tarana Burke first coined the phrase “Me Too” in the context of raising awareness against sexual violence and rape culture in 2006. The phrase grew into a culture-shifting social movement by 2017 when several sexual abuse allegations were levied against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein.
Those Weinstein allegations became a catalyst for more people to feel comfortable coming forward and sharing their stories. In the interview, Goulding recounted an experience that she had “sort of normalized.”
“You know, when you go into a studio and afterwards the producer asks if you want to go for a drink. And I’m quite a polite person, I don’t like letting people down. I don’t like disappointing people. So I was like, ‘Yeah, sure, absolutely, go for a drink,’” she explained. “And then it sort of somehow becomes like a romantic thing when it shouldn’t. You don’t want it to be a romantic thing, but it’s like there was always a slight feeling of discomfort when you walked into a studio and it was just one or two men writing or producing.”
For Goulding, “hearing so many other, similar stories from other female musicians and singers” helped her realize that those experiences — which she described as a “kind of currency” — were not to be normalized. “I [realized] that I wasn’t alone in it at all. It wasn’t just me, being particularly friendly.”
“It was like a sort of unspoken thing where if you’re working with male producers, that was almost like an expectation, which sounds mad for me to say out loud, and it definitely wouldn’t happen now. I mean, very rarely, because things have just really changed,” she said. “Younger artists at Polydor, my record label, will now have chaperones when they go to the studio. And they also have a chance to speak to a [counselor] or speak to someone about their experience as an up-and-coming musician.”
The “Lights” singer’s recent sentiments echo a 2020 Independent interview where she said, “I feel really stupid for saying I wasn’t affected by the #MeToo movement… I [normalized] too much and I am sad about that.”
Goulding is entering the new year with her second career Grammy nomination — best pop dance recording for “Miracle” (with Calvin Harris). In 2023, she earned her sixth career entry on the Billboard 200 with Higher Than Heaven (No. 125), which also hit No. 1 on the U.K. Albums chart.
12/28/2023
From charged anthems by Stray Kids and IVE to NewJeans’ inescapable earworms, there was a delicious balance from the industry this year.
12/28/2023