Trending Up

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. 

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This week: The Grammys make big winners on streaming out of both long-established legends and rising stars, while Fetty Wap scores his biggest hit in a decade with a song from a decade ago and Severance dips its toes into big rock synchs.

Biggest Grammys Gainers: ‘Cowboy Carter,’ ‘Von Dutch’ and All Things Doechii

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards ended with history being made: Beyoncé at long last won the album of the year award, as her country crossover Cowboy Carter finally earned the most Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning artist in history the top prize of the ceremony. The magnitude of that victory is still being put into context days later, but one thing was for certain: Cowboy Carter was going to see a major uptick in streaming activity immediately after the Grammys, with unfamiliar viewers perusing the album and longtime fans revisiting it nearly a year after its release.

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On Jan. 26, the Monday before the Grammys, Cowboy Carter earned 1.07 million U.S. on-demand audio streams, according to Luminate. On the Monday after the Grammys (Feb. 3), however, that daily total shot to 7.50 million — a 595% increase. As for the rest of the Big Four, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” was up 74% in daily streams (from 1.37 million on Jan. 26 to 2.4 million on Feb. 3) following its wins for record of the year and song of the year, while Chappell Roan’s catalog rose 50% (from 5.96 million streams on Jan. 26 to 8.99 million streams on Feb. 3) thanks in part to her best new artist victory.

Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” — which received a brightly colored, rodeo clown-filled performance showcase — naturally earned an even bigger bump, rising 109% (851,000 daily streams to 1.77 million) during that span. Other notable gainers thanks to performances included Charli XCX’s “Von Dutch,” which zoomed from 183,000 daily streams to 423,000 (up 130%) following her raucous performance to close out the ceremony; Raye’s “Oscar Winning Tears,” which jumped from 216,000 daily streams to 334,000 (up 54%) thanks to the British artist’s vocal pyrotechnics, and Doechii’s eye-popping medley, which constituted the best performance of the ceremony, helped “Catfish” leap from 210,000 daily streams to 658,000 (up 213%) and “Denial is a River” move from 1.08 million daily streams to 2.08 million (up 93%).

In addition to her performance, Doechii also delivered a moving acceptance speech following her win for best rap album with Alligator Bites Never Heal — a breakthrough moment, which helped her entire catalog soar from 2.84 million daily streams to 8.01 million (up 182%). – JASON LIPSHUTZ

Fetty Wap Is Hot ‘Again’ Thanks to Slightly Confusing Viral Trend 

10 years after the New Jersey rapper took the world by storm with hits like “Trap Queen,” “My Way” and “679,” Fetty Wap is hot again – and the conversation is all around his aptly titled 2015 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit “Again” (No. 33). 

Centered around the phrase “blasting Fetty Wap on the JBL speaker,” the joke of the meme is playing he rapper’s songs at particularly inappropriate moments via the JBL. At the top of the new year (Jan. 9), one user used “Again” in a video captioned “How do you think the pilgrims would react if I pulled up to the Mayflower with my JBL speaker and introduced them to Fetty Wap?”; that post currently has over 3.6 million views and a reply from the official History Channel TikTok account. More history–minded posts followed, and near the end of the month (Jan. 24), the trend evolved past historical settings. One user used the official “Again” sound to make a World War III quip, while another used it to make a joke about blasting the track at a friend’s funeral.  

According to Luminate, “Again” earned over 4.77 million official on-demand U.S. streams last week (Jan. 24-30). That’s a 265% increase in streaming activity from the 1.3 millin streams it pulled the week prior (Jan. 17-23). Last weekend (Jan. 24-27), the song posted a 387% jump to 6.69 million streams versus the 1.37 million it logged the weekend prior (Jan. 31-Feb. 3). Currently, the official “Again” sound boasts over 250,000 posts. Fetty Wap may unfortunately still be incarcerated, but clearly a comeback isn’t entirely out of the question. — KYLE DENIS

The Who and Stone Roses Jams Get ‘Severance’ Bump

The first season and a quarter of Apple TV’s sci-fi workplace drama Severance has been relatively light on high-profile synchs – but thank Kier, the show is starting to break out the big guns midway through its second season. The third episode of Season Two, “Who Is Alive?,” is bookended with a pair of songs used in big spots: The Stone Roses’ mid-’90s alt-rock hit “Love Spreads” soundtracks a road journey for the (maybe?) villainous Ms. Cobel (Patricia Arquette) to start the show, while the ep ends with The Who’s early-’80s AOR staple “Eminence Front” punctuating a breakthrough moment for protagonist Mark S (Adam Scott). 

The synchs haven’t resulted in Stranger Things-sized gains yet for the songs in question, but both saw big bumps following their S2E03 appearance in the hit show. “Love Spreads” racked up a combined 33,000 U.S. on-demand audio streams over the first four days of this tracking week – with the episode premiering on the first day, Friday (Feb. 20) – a gain of 78% over the same period the week prior, according to Luminate. “Eminence Front” was also up 27% to 326,000 over the same time span, while the two songs combined to sell nearly 400 copies after selling under 100 the week before. If Severance keeps up with the inspired synch choices, maybe it’ll be producing legitimately viral hits by the time Mark completes the Cold Harbor project. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Yung Bredda Heats Up the Winter with Soca Smash 

Between Machel Monatano’s historic NPR Tiny desk set and Yung Bredda’s infectious new hit, soca is having a beautiful start to 2025. Trinidadian soca star Yung Bredda’s “The Greatest Bend Over” — a sweet ode to the woman with “di wickedest bend over” — arrived late last year on Full Blown’s “Big Links” riddim (Dec. 2). The song has quickly become one of the most dominant current hits across the Caribbean with carnival season still to come. Soca is a bit more of a nice genre in the U.S., but “The Greatest Bend Over” is still finding some traction. 

During the period of Dec. 13-19, Yung Bredda’s track earned just over 35,000 official on-demand U.S. streams. A little over a month later (Jan. 24-30), the song’s streaming exploded by a whopping 940% to over 367,000 streams. On TikTok, the song’s official sound plays in over 34,400 posts – a number that’s sure to grow as the song continues to enchant different parts of the globe. 

Vybz Kartel’s comeback may be giving dancehall all the airtime, but pay attention to the soca scene too! — KD

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. 

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See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

This week: Lola Young’s breakout hit keeps on breaking in the U.S., Timothée Chalamet’s turn pulling SNL double-duty helps shine a light on some lesser-streamed Bob Dylan cuts and a Lil Wayne and Drake favorite from a decade ago finds new TikTok virality.

Lola Young Gets “Messy” on Late Night, Breakthrough Single Surges in Streams & Sales

U.K. alt-pop/rock sensation Lola Young made her debut on stateside TV last week on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, with both a performance of her breakthrough hit “Messy” and an interview with Fallon. Young captivated viewers with her unpolished energy, cheeky humor and thick accent – and of course, with one of the best hits of the past few months, an anthem of frustrated individualism that had reaches a new No. 25 high on the Billboard Hot 100 this week (on the chart dated Feb. 1), following her performance last Tuesday (Jan. 21). 

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The song should climb even higher next week, as “Messy” has hit new peaks on streaming and sales following her high-profile Fallon appearance. The song has racked up 8.8 million official on-demand streams across the first four days of this tracking week – a gain of 30% from the same period the previous week, according to Luminate – while also moving 4,800 copies through digital sales, a 119% gain from the week before. “Messy” has been in the No. 1 spot on the real-time iTunes chart for most of the week, suggesting that a lot of folks in this country are connecting with its “I just want to be me/ Is that not allowed?” sentiment these days. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Timmy Plays Twice, It’s Alright: Chalamet Boosts Bob Songs on ‘SNL’

A few weeks ago, we wrote about how Bob Dylan’s streaming catalog, including some of the most iconic hits of his early discography, had skyrocketed thanks to A Complete Unknown, the new Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet. Since then, the James Mangold-directed film has scored eight Oscar nominations (including Chalamet’s second Best Actor nod), and Chalamet served as both the host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live on Jan. 25, where he covered some relatively lesser-known Dylan songs: “Outlaw Blues” and “Three Angels” as a medley, and “Tomorrow is a Long Time.”

Naturally, streams for those three Dylan songs exploded following the SNL performances, growing an even greater percentage than the legendary tracks receiving upticks from the film. “Tomorrow is a Long Time” leapt from 4,000 official U.S. on-demand streams over the previous Sunday and Monday (Jan. 19-20) to 52,000 streams from Jan. 26-27 — a 1100% bump, according to Luminate. Meanwhile, “Outlaw Blues” and “Three Angels” were up to 45,000 streams and 30,000 streams over the more recent two-day period, respectively. All told, the three songs grew from a little over 9,000 streams from Jan. 19-20 to a whopping 128,000 streams one week later. Maybe Chalamet can help out some more Dylan deep cuts with an Oscars performance? – JASON LIPSHUTZ

Lil Wayne and Drake Strip Club Anthem Becomes TikTok Wall Dance Trend

TikTok certainly loves a wall-dance trend. One of the latest songs that has countless users backing it up against the wall is “She Will,” the Drake-featuring smash from Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV album that reached the Hot 100’s top five back in 2011. The clip from the song used for these videos is triggered by Wayne’s “Ladies and gentlemen, Drizzy” welcoming of his co-star, followed by Drake’s own introductory “Unh” grunt – but then the vocals cut out for a Jersey clubbier remix of the song’s strip club-ready beat to soundtrack users’ wall-bound gyrations. 

The challenge has become a big-enough TikTok trend to help drive consumption of the song back to some of its highest levels since its original release. “She Will” was up to 3.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams the past tracking week (ending Jan. 23), according to Luminate, part of a steady climb that’s seen the song rise 65% from 2.3 million streams it posted five weeks earlier. Lil Wayne might not have gotten the career-capping hometown gig he might have really wanted for this early year – though we’re still holding out hope he makes some kind of appearance at the Superdome on Feb. 9 – but his back catalog remains forever present in the culture regardless. – AU

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. 

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

This week: Fan support for a 2000s TV icon has resulted in her 15-year-old album likely recharting next week, while a soundtrack synch sets off a revival of a late-’80s pop classic and TikTok embraces a Rihanna hit that never was.

Heidi Montag’s ‘Superficial’ Goes Viral to Aid Recovery From Palisades Fire

Reality star Heidi Montag can now add pop star to her resume. Montag and husband Spencer Pratt, best known for their roles on hit reality TV show The Hills, lost their home in the Palisades wildfire last week. Pratt took to TikTok to share the devastating news, and to direct viewers to stream and purchase Montag’s 15-year-old album Superficial to help the family generate income in the wake of the disaster.

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Followers certainly showed up for the couple, pushing Superficial to No. 1 on the iTunes chart over the weekend and into this week with over 6,000 in album sales for the weekend of Jan. 10-12 (up from a negligible number of sales the weekend prior). It also picked up massively on streaming services, growing 740.6% in U.S. on-demand streams to over 800,000 from the first weekend of January to the second. If it maintains its performance, it could make a bow on the Billboard 200 next week — which would be Superficial‘s first appearance on the chart. — KRISTIN ROBINSON

‘Babygirl’ Milk Drinkers are Lapping Up George Michael’s ‘Father Figure,’ Too

Babygirl, Halina Reijn’s new erotic thriller/dark comedy starring Nicole Kidman as a powerful CEO who indulges in her sexual fantasies with her intern (played by Harris Dickinson), has not only served as Kidman’s latest bravura turn with Oscar buzz, but is also being meme’d ad nauseam by cinephiles who are sick of talking about the turtle in Conclave. One particular sequence that has been hoisted up by the Internet involves Dickinson dancing shirtless to “Father Figure,” the iconic No. 1 smash by George Michael, in a hotel room, while Kidman watches from afar.

Following the film’s wide release on Christmas Day, “Father Figure” has not only picked up steam on streaming services thanks to the Babygirl scene, but also with Michael’s 1987 smash soundtracking various TikTok mash-ups, from those trying to recreate Dickinson’s dance moves to others who want to anoint Pedro Pascal as the ultimate “father figure” (read: zaddy). In any event, “Father Figure” earned 358,000 U.S. on-demand streams during the week ending Dec. 26, according to Luminate, and that weekly streaming total had more than doubled two weeks later, to 984,000 streams in the week ending Jan. 9. Who knows? With the film’s pivotal scene of Kidman’s character drinking a glass of milk, maybe U.S. dairy sales are on the rise, too. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

Nearly 18 Years Later, Rihanna’s ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ Is Still Churning Out Hits 

Even though she’s popped up for a Black Panther song or two, it’s still been nearly nine years since Anti – Rihanna‘s last studio album. Like most Rihanna album’s, Anti produced a plethora of hits, and that’s a trend Riri began with 2007’s Good Girl Gone Bad. That album housed “Umbrella” (No. 1, seven weeks); “Shut Up And Drive” (No. 15); “Hate That I Love You” (No. 7); “Don’t Stop the Music” (No. 3); “Rehab” (No. 18); “Take A Bow” (No. 1) and “Disturbia” (No. 1). Now, nearly 18 years later, another Good Girl track is looking to join those ranks: the Christopher “Tricky” Stewart-produced, The-Dream-penned “Breakin’ Dishes.” 

According to Luminate, “Breakin’ Dishes” has steadily risen in streams over the past month. In the week preceding Christmas (Dec. 13-19, 2024), the track pulled over 2.37 million official on-demand U.S. streams. Though streaming activity dipped during the holiday week (Dec. 20-26) — earning 2.25 million streams, down 5.2% — the following week produced its biggest week-over-week streaming increase of the month. During the week of Dec. 27-Jan. 2, streams for “Dishes” soared 22% to over 2.7 million streams. By the following week (Jan. 3-9), streams rose by a furter 5.7% to just over 2.9 million streams. 

Although “Breakin’ Dishes” — like the bulk of RiRi’s catalog – isn’t available on TikTok as an official sound, fan uploads have kept the song in near-constant circulation on the platform. Across three different sounds ranging from 40,000 to 280,000 posts each, users have hopped on three distinct trends attached to “Dishes.” First, some users use the song’s “A man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an” refrain to show off their boyfriends’ strength by having them lift them up on one shoulder. Another set of users have used the song to make edits of their favorite characters from media like Squid Game and various Disney films; other users have used “Dishes” sounds to explain that the song is about “female rage” and not love.

Regardless of how they found their way to “Breakin’ Dishes,” fans are discovering Rihanna’s deep cuts and falling in love with them as if they’re new singles. — KYLE DENIS

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

This week: Timothée Chalamet helps get Bob Dylan rolling on streaming, one of basketball’s Ball brothers goes supernova on social media, a late dance great sees streaming gains from a new documentary and more.

The Streams, They Are a-Boomin’: Bob Dylan’s Catalog Soars Thanks to ‘A Complete Unknown’

A Complete Unknown, James Mangold’s new Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, has spent the past few weeks scoring raves from critics, posting top 10 box office receipts and earning Oscar buzz, with Chalamet zooming into the Best Actor race  thanks to his portrayal of the music icon during the first half of the 1960s. With the film going into wide release on Dec. 25, Unknown has helped Dylan’s storied catalog receive a huge spike on streaming services since Christmas Day, with listeners putting away their holiday playlists and picking up Highway 61 Revisited.

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During the week ending Dec. 26, Dylan’s catalog earned 11.6 million U.S. on-demand streams, according to Luminate; that number leapt to 20.2 million streams the following week (ending Jan. 2), in the first full tracking week since the film’s wide release. Compared to Dylan’s streaming numbers from one month earlier, in which his catalog earned 8.1 million streams in the week ending Dec. 5, A Complete Unknown has helped the legend’s weekly streaming numbers grow by roughly 150%.

Meanwhile, some of Dylan’s early classic songs (which Chalamet sings himself in the film) have gotten replayed since its release, with listeners wanting to either revisit or discover the original versions. “Like a Rolling Stone” earned 1.64 million streams in the week ending Jan. 2, a 232% increase from its streaming total five weeks ago (494,000 during the week ending Nov. 28). Meanwhile, “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are a-Changin’” posted streaming jumps of 215% and 174%, respectively, from their weekly totals during the last full tracking week of November. With the Academy Awards nominations being announced next Friday (Jan. 17) and the Oscars scheduled for Mar. 2, these streaming numbers may stay boosted — or keep climbing — for a few more months. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

G3 Gelo (aka LiAngelo Ball) Scores 2025’s First Viral Smash 

There’s hitting the ground running, and then there’s scoring the first viral track of the year just three days in. G3 Gelo, aka LiAngelo Ball, knows a thing or two about the latter. 

After a snippet of “Tweaker” went viral in late December, Gelo – the second of basketball’s three Ball Brothers, along with guards Lonzo and LaMelo of the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets, respectively — uploaded the full thing to WorldStarHipHop’s YouTube channel, with DSP uploads following soon after. 

The early ’00s hip-hop-indebted track has increased in streams every day since its official release on Jan. 3. By its fourth day of release, streaming activity for “Tweaker” jumped a jaw-dropping 871% from where it was upon its debut. The song earned over 1.83 million official on-demand U.S. streams on Jan.  6 versus 188,000 streams on Jan. 3. 

Already given the stamp of approval by sports teams across the country, a few hip-hop heavyweights are also co-signing G3 Gelo’s breakout hit; both Boosie Badazz and Moneybagg Yo have asked Gelo to send them an open verse. What’s more? A newscaster has already referenced “Tweaker” live on the air! With so much momentum and little competition from 2025 hip-hop releases at the moment, the coast is clear for “Tweaker” to reign in the coming weeks. – KYLE DENIS

Avicii’s Catalog Surges in Streams After New Documentary

The Avicii catalog experienced a significant streaming surge following the release of a new documentary about the late artist.

In the wake of the Dec. 31 release of I’m Tim on Netflix, global on-demand streams of the Swedish producer’s catalog increased by 63.9%, according to Luminate. The artist’s catalog had a total of 26.4 streams in the four days preceding the film’s release, Dec. 27-30, with this number rising to 43.3 million from Dec. 31-Jan. 3. 

The streaming surge has been especially pronounced for three of Avicii’s biggest songs: 2013’s “Wake Me Up” (featuring Aloe Blacc) has experienced a 47.1% increase in global on-demand streams; 2015’s “The Nights” has seen a 27.6% increase; and 2011’s “Levels” has had a 68.2% increase. – KATIE BAIN

Read more about the I’m Tim documentary and Avicii’s related streaming gains here. 

‘Mufasa’ Soundtrack Roars Into the New Year with Multiple Streaming Hits 

After losing out to Sonic 3 in its debut week at the domestic box office, Mufasa – the Barry Jenkins-helmed prequel to 2019’s Oscar-nominated photorealistic remake of the 1994 classic – climbed to the summit, becoming America’s first No. 1 movie of 2025. Helping Mufasa sustain its box office pull: the stunning streaming success of its soundtrack, led by Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr., who are in the midst of a viral press tour. 

According to Luminate, the Mufasa soundtrack pulled 1.02 million official on-demand U.S. streams in its first week of release (ending Dec. 19). That figure jumped 224% the following week (Dec. 20-26) to over 3.33 million streams. By its third week of release – the same week the film topped the domestic box office – Mufasa’s streams jumped a further 137% to 7.92 million streams. 

The breakout hit of the Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned soundtrack is the adorably protective “I Always Wanted a Brother,” performed by Pierre, Harrison, Jr., Theo Somolu and Braelyn Rankins. The Mufasa-Scar duet has consistently been the most-streamed song from the album, logging over 3.17 million streams last week (Dec. 27-Jan. 2). From family-centric TikTok trends to NOLA bounce “trip out” remixes and Pierre’s viral Jennifer Hudson Show spirit tunnel walk, “Brother” is quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon. Pierre also duets with Tiffany Boone on “Tell Me It’s You,” another breakout song from the soundtrack. Streaming activity for their duet has exploded 1,301% over the past two weeks, crossing 1.09 million official on-demand U.S. streams last week (Dec. 27-Jan. 2). 

In addition to returning cast members from the 2019 film like Beyoncé and Donald Glover, Mufasa boasts some new additions, including Grammy winner Blue Ivy Carter and BAFTA-nominated actor Mads Mikkelsen. While Carter does not sing in Mufasa, Mikkelsen performs “Bye Bye,” yet another viral cut from the soundtrack, alongside Joanna Jones and Folake Olowofoyeku. “Bye Bye” has jumped over 120% in streaming activity for each of the past two weeks, earning over 1.25 million streams last week (Dec. 27-Jan. 2). – KD

Welcome to Billboard Pro‘s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.

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See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

This week: A surprise Kendrick Lamar album is good news for (almost) everyone, the original Wicked cast album keeps rising as the new movie soundtrack also becomes a huge hit and OMB Peezy scores a new-old viral hit.

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘GNX’ Sends Sampled Songs By Luther Vandross, SWV & More Streaming

In the least shocking news of the week, GNX, the surprise new album by Kendrick Lamar, has gotten off to a scorching start on streaming services after dropping out of the sky last Friday (Nov. 22). Through its first four days, GNX earned an eye-popping 242.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate — never falling below 50 million daily streams through Monday. And the new album is also boosting Lamar’s back catalog aside from GNX, which earned 44.6 million streams from Nov. 22-25, a 10% increase from the same four-day period during the previous week.

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Meanwhile, some of the songs sampled across GNX have also enjoyed streaming gains, as listeners peruse the older material that was revived on Lamar’s new LP. With “Squabble Up” eyeing a major debut on the Hot 100 next week, for instance, “When I Hear Music,” the iconic 1984 electro single from Debbie Deb that’s prominently featured in the production, scored a huge boost: 225,000 streams from Nov. 22-25, up 76% from its total from Nov. 15-18 (127,000 streams).

Elsewhere, Luther Vandross’ version of “If This World Were Mine,” which serves as the connective tissue of Lamar’s new SZA collaboration “Luther,” more than doubled its streams from the weekend before GNX arrived (79,000 streams from Nov. 15-18) to last weekend (164,000 streams from Nov. 22-25). And SWV’s 1996 hit “Use Your Heart,” which gets flipped on “Heart Pt. 6,” was also up 25% in streams during those same periods, from 379,000 to 476,000 streams. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

After Bewitching the Global Box Office, Ariana Grande & Cyntha Erivo’s Wicked Soundtrack Soars on Streaming 

Wicked – the Jon M. Chu-helmed film adaptation of the 2003 hit Broadway musical – debuted atop the domestic box office with the biggest opening weekend for a Broadway musical adaptation in history ($114 million). The film grossed $164.2 million globally in its first weekend (Nov. 22-25), with strong word of mouth and rave reviews going into Thanksgiving weekend. 

Starring Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Galinda), Wicked was already spurring streaming increases for the Broadway cast recording before it even hit theaters. In the weekend preceding the film’s release (Nov. 15-18) the original Wicked Broadway cast recording pulled 6.6 million official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate. That number rose by 109% to 13.8 million streams during the film’s opening weekend (Nov. 22-25). 

Of course, a new adaptation of Wicked means new interpretations of Stephen Schwartz’s timeless music. Alongside Erivo and Grande, fellow cast members Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Peter Dinklage and Michelle Yeoh all lend their voices to the soundtrack. “Defying Gravity,” the song that closes the first act of the musical, is easily the most widely known Wicked song, hence the impressive early performance of Erivo and Grande’s version. Streams for their “Gravity” take remained above one million, increasing with each passing day of the film’s opening weekend. On Monday (Nov. 25), the rousing duet collected 1.8 million official on-demand U.S. streams, marking a 30% increase in streaming activity from the day prior. 

The entire new Wicked soundtrack has performed similarly; the set has remained above 7.7 million official on-demand U.S. streams each day since its Nov. 22 release. Monday (Nov. 25) marked the soundtrack’s biggest streaming day so far with over 10.43 million streams earned – a 34% boost from its Sunday streaming total (7.77 million). 

As Wicked continues to enrapture audiences, expect the soundtrack to perform strongly as the film barrels towards the Oscars stage next March. 

Dance Trend Spurs Revival OMB Peezy’s Seven-Year-Old OG Breakout Song 

Back in 2017, Alabama-born, Cali-based rapper OMB Peezy started making major waves as his “Lay Down” single gained traction across the country. Seven years later, a TikTok dance trend has given the song a new life. 

On Nov. 7, TikTok user @rahdboss posted a clip of himself living his best video vixen life and dancing to “Lay Down.” In the following weeks, the clip amassed over 4.8 million views and over half a million likes; the user’s moves quickly captured the attention of other TikTokers, and hundreds of similar videos began to populate the official “Lay Down” TikTok sound, which now boasts nearly 56,000 posts. 

During the first week of the month (Nov. 1-7), “Lay Down” earned over 95,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate. That number exploded by 329% to over 408,000 streams earned during the following week (Nov. 8-14). Last week (Nov. 15-21), that figure once again rose, this time by 142% to over 987,000 official on-demand U.S. streams. Over the past two weeks, “Lay Down” has jumped nearly 940% of streaming activity a whopping seven years post-release. A fire track will always find its audience! 

Q&A: Chris Jordan, Music Agent at UTA, on What’s Trending Up in His World

As we approach the end of 2024, what has been your main takeaway from the hip-hop live space this year?

The days of mediocrity are over — fans are paying closer attention to where they spend their money, raising their expectations for high-quality live events.

How would you describe the evolution of hip-hop festivals (and the presence of hip-hop at all-genre festivals) this year?

Hip-hop festivals were once limited, with few options available. However, in recent years, they have grown significantly in both number of festivals and size. They even compete with mainstream festivals in terms of acts, talent bookings, and ticket grosses. As a result, mainstream festivals have started paying more attention, curating a certain percentage of their bookings of hip-hop artists.

Which artist that you work with do you expect to have a breakthrough 2025 as a live performer?

Fortunately, I have an eclectic roster of amazing artists. I feel that all of my artists are going to put forth great material to then be able to create a great tour. With that said, I feel that Jordan Ward is set to have a tremendous 2025.

Fill in the blank: the hip-hop touring industry needs to think more about _________.

Mental health in relation to the conditions of being on the road can be a strenuous and tenuous challenge. Artists, touring teams, and production staff are often away from their loved ones for long periods, which can lead to unhealthy mental states for everyone involved. This is an issue we cannot afford to ignore. – J.L.

Welcome to Billboard Pro‘s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

This week: The original Wicked cast album gets a big bump in anticipation of the imminent film adaptation, Jake Paul uses a rock classic to (maybe) take a pre-fight musical swipe at Mike Tyson, a Grammy nominee enjoys a nice winning streak and more.

‘Wicked’ Week Boosts Original Broadway Cast Album & Select Ariana Grande Tracks 

After decades of development, Wicked is finally hitting the silver screen! On Friday (Nov. 2), the film adaptation of the beloved Tony-winning Broadway musical will open in theaters across the U.S. In the lead up to the film, which will star Grammy winners Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Galinda), fans have been turning to the original Broadway cast album to hold them over. 

Trending on Billboard

According to Luminate, the 2003 Wicked cast recording has risen 60% in streaming activity from between the first two weeks of November. During Nov. 1-7, the album earned 4.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams, with that figure jumping to 7.8 million during Nov. 8-14. Led by musical theatre icons Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the original Wicked cast recording features several songs that have earned significant streaming boosts as the film adaptation draws nearer. 

“Defying Gravity,” which Erivo and Grande will perform to close the film, is up 47% streams from 909,000 official on-demand U.S. streams (Nov. 1-7) to 1.34 million (Nov. 8-14). Emmy nominee Jonathan Bailey will take on the role of Fiyero in the 2024 film, performing “Dancing Through Life,” which is up 62% in streams. The lengthy track, which was originally performed by Norbert Leo Butz, earned over 453,000 official on-demand U.S. streams during Nov. 8-14. “No One Mourns the Wicked,” the musical’s moving opening number, is also up 63% in streams, collecting over 417,000 official on-demand U.S. streams during Nov. 8-14. 

The anticipation for Grande’s take on “Popular” has also spurred streaming gains for Chenoweth’s original. “Popular” is up 64% in streams from 562,000 official on-demand U.S. streams (Nov. 1-7) to 923,000 (Nov. 8-14). On her 2013 Billboard 200-topping debut album Yours Truly, Grande included a collaboration with MIKA titled “Popular Song” that interpolates elements of the Wicked classic. That duet is up 66% in streams from 113,000 official on-demand U.S. streams (Nov. 1-7) to 189,000 (Nov. 8-14). 

Grande also covered “The Wizard and I” for 2019’s A Very Wicked Halloween 15-year anniversary special, and that version was tacked onto a commemorative re-release of the Wicked cast album. Grande’s rendition of the showstopper – which will be performed by Erivo in the film – pulled over 22,000 streams during Nov. 1-7. The following week (Nov. 8-14), that number jumped by a whipping 82% to over 40,000 streams. The original version of “The Wizard And I” is performed by Menzel and the late Carole Shelley, who originated the role of Madame Morrible that Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh will assume in the film. Their version jumped 64% in streaming activity from 294,000 official on-demand U.S. streams (Nov. 1-7) to 483,000 (Nov. 8-14). 

As crowds flock to Wicked expect to see more gains for the original Broadway cast recording – and a notable debut for the film soundtrack, which will arrive on Nov. 22 through Republic and Verve. — KYLE DENIS

Well If You Told Me You Were Boxing: Jake Paul Lends a Hand to a Phil Collins Classic

It was one of the most surreal (and most watched) sporting events of the year: the 27-year-old influencer-turned-pugilist Jake Paul taking on 58-year-old all-time boxing legend Mike Tyson in a Netflix-streamed Friday night fight (Nov. 15). Though many watching wanted to see the former undisputed heavyweight champion give the YouTube superstar a spanking, Paul ended up winning the much-hyped bout in a unanimous decision. Another less-likely winner from the evening, however, was another legend even more veteran than Tyson: U.K. pop and rock great Phil Collins.

Collins ended up soundtracking part of the evening, as Paul used the Genesis frontman’s eternal 1981 solo debut single “In the Air Tonight” as his entrance music – likely a winking pre-ring jab at the champ, who sang (and drummed) along to the song in a famous scene from the 2009 comedy The Hangover. Whatever Paul’s intent, the music did its job: Not only did he win the fight, but “Tonight” totaled 779,000 official on-demand U.S. streams over the following Saturday and Sunday, up 47% from the equivalent period the prior week, according to Luminate. (Tyson’s own walkout song, “Murdergram” (by Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule, recording collectively as Murder Inc.), was up 185% to 9,000 streams.)

Another non-entrance song seeing related gains this week? DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s 1989 hit “I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson,” which racked up nearly 15,000 streams combined over Friday and Saturday, up from under 1,000 over the same period the prior week. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

PartyNextDoor Eyes Eleventh Hour 2024 Hit with a Nine-Year-Old Leak 

With PartyNextDoor 4, PartyNextDoor became one of the select few artists to reach the Billboard 200’s top 10 with a newly released R&B album – but his latest hit isn’t even on that project. 

“Dreamin” originally leaked alongside a slew of other PND tracks back in 2015, but thanks to a viral unofficial remix from rising artist Zayskii, the Grammy-nominated star uploaded the original track to DSPs two weeks ago (Nov. 3). During the first week of the month (Nov. 1-7), “Dreamin” earned 2.42 million official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate. By the following week (Nov. 8-14), that figure ballooned 100% to 4.85 million streams. 

Zayskii (@onlyzayskii) first uploaded a snippet of his remix on Oct. 18, with a post captioned “Partynextdoor remix?” To date, the snippet has earned 6.3 million views and over 1.1 million likes; there are now over 61,000 posts soundtracked by that snippet.  

With the original version finally on DSPs, “Dreamin” will likely continue to grow. Time will tell if that buzzy remix also gets an official release. — KD

Doechii Experiences the ‘Heal’ing Powers of Grammy Nominations & Live Moments

It’s been a great couple of weeks for Florida rapper-singer Doechii, whose Alligator Bites Never Heal mixtape was released to strong reviews but little commercial fanfare back in August. She’s belatedly getting her due for the set this month, however – particularly with the nominations she landed for next February’s Grammys: best rap album for Bites and best rap performance for its lead single “Nissan Altima.”  

Those nominations, announced Nov. 8, have proven well-timed for Doechii, who has since wrapped her accompanying tour for the album and performed at the Tyler, the Creator-curated Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival (Nov. 16) – all of which has driven extra ears to her recent set and its lead single, which has also enjoyed some extra TikTok attention lately. The album drew 5.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams this past tracking week (ending Nov. 14), according to Luminate – a 40% gain from the prior week – while “Nissan Altima” was up 29% to over 1.7 million streams on its own. 

The good momentum should just keep growing for Doechii through this Friday’s Musicians on Musicians event at New York’s Apollo Theater, which will see her speaking and performing alongside Brittany Howard, Busta Rhymes and GloRilla. — AU