Trending Up

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, 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.  This week: Guests on Zach Bryan’s latest blockbuster LP see gains in their own streams, while a dance challenge resurrects one of the few “minor” Rihanna hits and a rising South African artist enjoys a breakout moment.

The War and Treaty See Biggest Gains From Zach Bryan Bump

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As you may have heard, Zach Bryan rules the Billboard charts this week (dated Sept. 9), with his self-titled album besting the Billboard 200 while the set’s lead single, “I Remember Everything,” debuts atop the Billboard Hot 100 — his first No. 1 on both charts. That song features Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves, one of four guest artists on the set, all of whom are up in official on-demand U.S. streams the week following the album’s well-received release.

Musgraves and fellow star guest the Lumineers both see modest streaming gains for their catalogues — respectively up 8% to 6.2 million and 5% to 18.4 million, according to Luminate — while Sierra Ferrell’s work is up just 2%. But the biggest beneficiary from Zach Bryan is easily Americana duo The War and Treaty, whose streaming numbers more than double from 138,000 to 278,000 following their appearance on the set’s “Hey Driver” (which is also the album’s second-highest debut on the Hot 100 this week, bowing at No. 14).

Combined with the good news they got this morning about The War and Treaty receiving its first nomination at the CMA awards (for vocal duo of the year), it’s been a very good week for the married couple Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

If It’s Streaming That You Want: Dance Trend Revives 18-Year-Old Rihanna Single 

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As fans continue to wait for Rihanna’s full-length follow-up to 2016’s Billboard 200-topping Anti, they’re turning to the very beginning of her discography to quench their thirst. Thanks to a viral TikTok dance trend created by professional dancer Brett Sewell, “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want” — the second and final single from Rihanna’s 2005 debut album — has posted sizable streaming gains. 

According to Luminate, “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want,” which peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, has earned over 251,000 official on-demand U.S. streams between September 1-5, a whopping 172% increase from just over 92,000 streams between August 25-29. Filled to the brim with hip rolls galore, Sewell’s choreography has quickly dominated TikTok. His original video has garnered over 8.2 million views and 1.1 million likes since it was first uploaded on Aug. 25. The accompanying TikTok sound currently boasts over 141,900 posts. 

After 18 years, “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want” seems to finally be getting its proper due after spending nearly two decades in the shadow of “Pon De Replay.” – KYLE DENIS

TikTok Spurs Tsunami of Streaming Gains for Tyla’s “Water” 

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2023 has seen its fair share of breakout artists across genres, and with the latest eye-popping streaming gains for “Water,” South African singer and dancer Tyla is looking to add her name to that list. 

According to Luminate, “Water,” the follow-up to her Ayra Starr-assisted amapiano summer hit “Girl Next Door,” has earned over 932,000 official on-demand U.S. streams between September 1-5, a staggering 198% increase from just over 312,000 streams between August 25-29. The boost is even more impressive considering “Water” posted 121,000 streams for the whole tracking week of Aug. 11-17.

A booty-centric dance trend spawned from the song’s official live performance choreography has quickly taken over TikTok, resulting in such explosive growth for the track. Tyla herself has actively encouraged and participated in the trend, reposting fans giving their best attempt at her hypnotic choreography — water bottle and all. The official TikTok sound for “Water” currently boasts over 49,300 posts. Tyla’s most viral video featuring the song and its choreography has earned 2 million likes and over 17.4 million views on the platform. 

With an official music video still on the horizon, “Water” is perfectly positioned to continue growing into what could become Tyla’s biggest worldwide hit yet. – 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.
This week: Zach Bryan puts up undeniable star numbers with his new album release, Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus square off with their simultaneous single releases, G-Eazy helps fans flash back to a different time in social media and more.

Zach Bryan Scores a Self-Titled Streaming Takeover

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It’s fitting that, on the Billboard charts, the summer will end with a male country artist once again reaching new commercial heights. Capping off a season of such success stories for Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Jason Aldean and Oliver Anthony, Zach Bryan is poised to debut big with his self-titled new album following its release last Friday (Aug. 25), if early streaming numbers — particularly those for the Kacey Musgraves duet “I Remember Everything” — are any indication.The 16-song Zach Bryan earned a whopping 54.4 million U.S. on-demand streams on its release date, according to Luminate – and while its daily streams dropped a bit over the next few days, the follow-up to last year’s American Heartbreak had cleared nine-digit total streams by the end of Sunday, and had earned nearly 147 million streams by the end of Monday. Meanwhile, “I Remember Everything,” in which Bryan and Musgraves narrate a romance that has slipped away long ago, has been the album’s breakout track on streaming services, earning 18.1 million on-demand plays over its first four days of release.How high can “I Remember Everything” climb? On the Hot 100, Bryan has made it to No. 10 with “Something in the Orange,” and Musgraves has peaked at No. 60 with “Follow Your Arrow,” so both artists could earn new career highs with the same song. And after American Heartbreak peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 last year, Bryan, who announced a slew of stadium and arena dates for 2024 earlier this week, has his sights set on a potential first No. 1 on that chart. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

Miley Leading Selena in Disney Star Single Showdown

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When pop heads noticed that pop stars Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus – once known for their respective starring roles on the ‘00s Disney teen shows Wizards of Waverly Place and Hannah Montana – were both releasing new singles on Friday (Aug. 25), it naturally brought out the spirit of competition between the longtime fans. The artists leaned into themselves on social media, with Cyrus reposting a video shared by one fan of her and Gomez trading barbs in an old episode of Hannah Montana where the latter guest starred, along with the message “@selenagomez and I are both dropping our new SINGLEs SOON…. I SAY WE #USEDTOBEYOUNG.” (“Single Soon” and “Used to Be Young” being the names of Gomez’s and Cyrus’ new releases, respectively.)Well, the early returns are in, and so far it appears that Cyrus’ “Young” has the lead on Gomez’s “Single” in both sales and streams. Through its first four days of release, “Young” has racked up over 10.4 million official on-demand U.S. streams and over 15,000 digital song sales, according to Luminate, while “Single” has amassed over 8.1 million streams and nearly 6,400 in sales – leads of 28% and 144%, respectively. (Both should be due for debuts in the top half of the Hot 100 next week, though they will probably be overshadowed somewhat by Bryan and Musgraves’ even more resounding bow.)And they’re not the only two kids-TV-to-adult-pop crossover stars with likely chart triumphs for next week. Ariana Grande, former Nickelodeon Victorious and Sam & Cat actress, has also seen huge spikes for her 2013 debut album Yours Truly upon its 10th anniversary, which she commemorated with a deluxe reissue and a series of commemorative festivities. The album skyrocketed to nearly 3.4 million official on-demand U.S. streams on Friday, up a resounding 946% from the previous Friday (323,000). – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

G-Eazy’s “Tumblr Girls” Rides the TikTok Nostalgia Wave

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“pov: it’s 2014, ur 8 years old and see all the teenage girls with their Starbucks, PINK and striped crop tops and u wish u were a teenager!” Two weeks ago, a TikTok user posted this caption to a clip of themselves grooving out in their bedroom and earned 770,000 likes and 5,000 comments; the soundtrack to that adolescent memory was G-Eazy’s 2014 track “Tumblr Girls,” featuring Christoph Andersson, which has become a sort of nostalgia anthem in recent weeks as TikTok users look back on their mid-2010s memories.

G-Eazy actually isn’t featured in the trending part of the song; instead, it’s the song’s outro – crooned by the rapper’s frequent studio collaborator Andersson, with the lines “Never knew her name, they’re looking all the same to me/ They only chase the fame, there’s no one left to blame but me” – being highlighted in TikTok clips. As more videos of 2014 flashbacks accumulate, “Tumblr Girls” has shot up in overall listens, with weekly streams basically quadrupling from 552,000 the week ending Aug. 10 to 2.25 million two weeks later, according to Luminate. 

“Tumblr Girls” never charted upon its debut, but it’s become a fan favorite — so much so that two years ago, G-Eazy released a sequel, “Running Wild (Tumblr Girls 2),” although TikTok has yet to scoop that one up in the same way. – JL

Beyoncé’s “XO” Gets Streams ‘Turned’ Up by Teen TV Sensation

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We’ve written plenty on Billboard about the extensive artistic partnership Amazon Prime’s hit coming-of-age drama The Summer I Turned Pretty has developed with Taylor Swift, having featured over a dozen of Swift’s songs across its two seasons. But the show’s second season proved that it can also deploy the music of another pop icon currently on a globe-conquering world tour: Beyoncé, whose 2014 classic “XO” is featured in the finale’s climactic scene, resolving the long-building love triangle between the characters Belly (Lola Tung) and brothers Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) and and Conrad (Christopher Briney). 

The scene had an unsurprising impact on viewers, who then proceeded to stream the Beyoncé self-titled ballad en masse. The song jumped from 388,000 official on-demand streams for the tracking week ending Aug. 17 (the day before the finale was released to streaming) to nearly 990,000 streams for the following week – a jump of 155%, according to Luminate. With Summer  already having been renewed for a third season, you can bet that pop stars of all shapes and sizes will be angling to get a prime sync on the Prime smash. – AU

Q&A: Christine Rogerson, SVP of Business Operations at Vibee, on What’s Trending Up in Her World

A very hectic season in the live industry is coming to a close. What was Vibee’s focus over the summer?

Vibee spent the summer hosting and engaging with our fans at several festival integrations like Lollapalooza in Chicago, Day Trip in Long Beach, TidalWave in Atlantic City, and BeachIt! in Virginia Beach. We were also in the thick of our planning processes for the monumental U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere run of shows in Las Vegas, Lionel Richie’s Dancing on the Sand in the Bahamas, the inaugural EDSea cruise, and Tiesto’s Chasing Sunsets in Cabo San Lucas. 

Can you speak a little bit about the newly announced immersive U2 fan portal and what attendees can expect?

Fans are in for a real treat with the Zoo Station fan portal. The portal was developed by Vibee in collaboration with Gavin Friday, who is U2’s longtime creative director, and with insight and input from the band. Fans will move throughout 12,000 square feet of immersive exhibits over two floors. Key attractions include the incredible Anton Corbijn Gallery featuring photos and videos from the famed photographer as well as the Zoo Station Cinema which is curated by The Edge himself! For those fans who love memorabilia, the U2 Pop-Up Shop will be a must visit with a variety of collectibles, including a capsule collection of limited edition exclusive U2:UV items. It’s truly a special experience for newer or those dedicated fans of U2.

What industry-wide trends did you notice this summer in terms of the evolution of immersive fan experiences?

Right now, fans are still prioritizing entertainment and travel in their personal budgets but, as discretionary dollars become more precious, we have to ensure that we are presenting people with standout experiences that meet or exceed their needs and expectations on multiple levels. People are looking for memory-making opportunities and bucket list moments. As a destination experience company, Vibee is seeking out those ways that we can engage with fans, curate an experience, weave in a story, and connect great music with amazing destinations. The feedback that we received from fans is that they were searching out those unique experiences and shared moments at the events that they were able to attend. We aim to deliver on that. 

Fill in the blank: in the next few years, concertgoers will be surprised by ______.

…the ways in which immersive experiences continue to enhance live music events, which is exactly what Vibee is committed to accomplishing through our artist partnerships, thoughtful curation, destination selection, and bespoke inclusions. – JL

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, 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.  This week: Oliver Anthony is way up in streams — no, not *that* Oliver Anthony — while October London brings the spirit of Marvin back to the airwaves and an ’00s R&B hit spikes due to a highly unexpected TikTok trend.

The Other Oliver Anthony: Viral Country Sensation Gives Bump to Similarly Named Electronic Producer

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Folks who read about the chart-topping phenomenon that was Oliver Anthony last week and went on to buy or stream his 2021 EP Breaking Bread were likely a little disappointed – or at the very least, extremely confused. That’s because Breaking Bread was not released by the Oliver Anthony who connected with country fans (and right-wing signal-boosters) with his breakout hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” – the one whose artist name is officially Oliver Anthony Music, and who has only released singles thus far – but rather, by the producer Oliver Anthony, whose lone release on streaming services is a six-song, seven-minute, independently released set of unassuming lo-fi electronic instrumentals. 

Not much information seems to be publicly available about this other Oliver Anthony – there’s no biographical info on their Spotify page, their YouTube uploads are all automated and it’s not clear if they’re present on social media. But whoever they are, they’re enjoying a massive streaming bump from the Oliver Anthony Music confusion: The original Oliver Anthony netted over 36,000 official on-demand U.S. streams for the week ending Aug. 17, according to Luminate – up 523% from the under 6,000 the week before, and up 144,548% from the negligible amount of streams they posted the week before that. 

They also sold over 500 digital songs last week after a minimal amount the week before – and on iTunes, Breaking Bread has even reached the top 10 on their real-time albums chart. Hopefully those consumers looking for country-folk working-class anthems are also in the market for some low-intensity midtempo beats! – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Marvin Reborn: October London Brings Gaye’s Classic Sound to Streaming and Radio

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The soul singer October London is unburdened by the anxiety of influence: He titled his February album The Rebirth of Marvin (out on the famed Death Row Records), and it’s nearly heroic in its single-minded commitment to recreating the tone and texture of Marvin Gaye’s 1970s recordings (with one exception: album closer “You Look Better” leans more Barry White). R&B radio programmers have welcomed the homage to Gaye: The single “Back to Your Place” jumped from No. 3 to the top spot on Billboard’s Adult R&B airplay chart this week, dethroning Janelle Monae’s “Lipstick Lover.” 

“Back to Your Place” sounds like a nod to “Distant Lover,” a tower of yearning on the back half of Gaye’s Let’s Get It On album. It’s uncanny at times how closely London pitches his voice to replicate Gaye’s — the wails of “take me” during the chorus, the swelling harmonies that emphasize “your place.” Back in the second week of July, “Back to Your Place” was already piquing interest in core R&B markets, appearing high on the Shazam rankings in Washington D.C. and Atlanta. 

Audience impressions from airplay have more than doubled since then, according to Luminate, and interest in London has spread more widely, with “Back to Your Place” climbing into the Top 20 of the U.S. Shazam chart. Growth at streaming has been slow but steady: The single amassed 556,000 official on-demand U.S. streams in the tracking week ending August 17, up from just over 400,000 a week in early July. – ELIAS LEIGHT

Chrisette Michele’s “Epiphany” Twerks Its Way to Streaming Gains 

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One of the most beautiful things about TikTok is how random catalog songs can experience resurgences due to trends that have absolutely nothing to with the song. Chrisette Michele, the Grammy-winning R&B star who experienced some controversy when she performed at then-President Donald Trump’s Inaugural Ball back in 2017, is the latest artist to benefit from this phenomenon. According to Luminate, “Epiphany (I’m Leaving),” the lead single from her 2009 sophomore studio album of the same name, has earned 329,000 official on-demand U.S. streams between August 11-17, a whopping 215% increase from just over 104,000 streams during the period of August 4-10. 

The song’s sizable streaming gains are due to a TikTok trend where users flaunt how well they can twerk. The primary aim is to throw your backside in as perfect a circle as possible while Michele croons, “I think I’m just about over being your girlfriend.” On TikTok, the most popular “Epiphany” sound boasts over 60,000 videos. “Epiphany” is Michele’s first and only unaccompanied Billboard Hot 100 hit; in 2009, the song peaked at No. 89 on the chart, and also reached the top ten on Adult R&B Airplay (No. 9). – 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.
This week: Oliver Anthony Music’s new runaway smash also leads to gains for his older songs, the latest Taylor’s Version already has fans feeling nostalgic, hip-hop’s 50th anniversary gives a streaming bump to some of its greatest practitioners and more.

Oliver Anthony’s Viral Breakout Is More Than Just One Song 

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Not many folks would’ve predicted Oliver Anthony would be likely to crash a Billboard Hot 100 race this week including superstars Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen. But that’s exactly what the Appalachian country singer/songwriter (who officially records as Oliver Anthony Music) is doing with his breakout hit “Rich Men North of Richmond,” which is riding waves of working-class frustration, social media virality and critical backlash to the top of the charts this week. 

“Richmond,” an acoustic protest song featuring only Anthony’s voice and his guitar – and decrying the rich, the politicians, and (most controversially) the country’s welfare system – first caught national media attention on Friday (Aug. 11) when it zoomed to No. 1 on the iTunes chart. It’s stayed atop of the iTunes chart since – and has also taken off on streaming, with its daily official on-demand U.S. streams growing to over 3 million on Monday (Aug. 15), according to Luminate. 

What really separates Anthony from other conservative-leaning chart successes of the past few years by Aaron Lewis, Bryson Gray and (most recently) Jason Aldean, though, is how interest has also already spread to the rest of his catalog. “Richmond” is just one of seven of his songs currently in the iTunes top 20 as of publishing – and even discounting the plays of his biggest hit, Anthony has racked up streams in the millions each day since its release, with “Ain’t Gotta Dollar” and “Ive Got to Get Sober” each notching hundreds of thousands of daily plays. (As recently as last Tuesday, Aug. 8, his total daily streams were still under 20,000.) 

In other words, while many of those aforementioned hits burned bright and faded out quickly – even Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” fell out of the top 20 just a week after hitting No. 1 – Anthony is the kind of wide-reaching phenomenon who seems likely to continue generating streams, label interest and discussion (both positive and negative) for many weeks to come. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ Soars at Streaming Thanks to ‘Taylor’s Version’ Announcement 

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One week ago, during her final performance in a six-night run at SoFi Stadium outside of Los Angeles, Taylor Swift proved widespread fan speculation correct on the dates of 8/9, by officially announcing 1989 (Taylor’s Version) onstage. The fourth album in Swift’s six-part re-recording project will be released on Oct. 27 – but following the announcement, fans simply couldn’t wait that long to hear their favorite songs from the superstar’s landmark 2014 album. 

The news sent “Blank Space,” which previously spent seven weeks at No. 1 during its original chart run in 2014-15, back onto the Hot 100 at No. 49. Yet the biggest hit from 1989 wasn’t the only one to receive a streaming boost: “Style” was also way up in official on-demand U.S. streams, from 955,000 on Aug. 8 (the day before the announcement) to 1.65 million on Aug. 10 (the day after), according to Luminate. Meanwhile, “Welcome to New York” enjoyed an even bigger percentage bump, from 204,000 streams on Aug. 8 to 716,000 on Aug. 10 – a 249% spike. 

Zooming out, the announcement of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) sent overall listenership of 1989 skyrocketing, to the point where its U.S. streams more than doubled between 8/9 and 8/10. Here’s a look at a full week of official on-demand U.S. streams of 1989, with the re-record announcement taking place on the night of Aug. 9: 

Aug. 8: 5.81 million 

Aug. 9: 6.63 million 

Aug. 10: 13.68 million 

Aug. 11: 10.15 million 

Aug. 12: 8.14 million 

Aug. 13: 6.97 million 

Aug. 14: 6.97 million  

Although fans have to wait more than two months to hear 1989 (Taylor’s Version), the excitement could send the original version of the album, which comes in at No. 13 on this week’s Billboard 200, climbing back even higher next week. Swift already has four albums – Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), Midnights, Lover and Folklore – occupying the top 10 of the Billboard 200; perhaps there’s still room for a fifth? – JASON LIPSHUTZ 

Lancey Foux Logs Huge Streaming Gains for Self-Referential “Lancey or Lancey” 

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From Beyoncé to Ariana Grande, musicians and their biggest fans clarifying the pronunciation of their names is nothing new. In the case of Lancey Foux, however, the British rapper (signed to Human Re Sources) took that confusion to the recording booth and crafted a streaming breakout in the process. According to Luminate, “Lancey Or Lancey,” logged 732,000 official on-demand U.S. streams total between this Friday and Monday (August 11-14), a whopping 1,395% increase from just under 50,000 combined streams during the four-day period a week earlier (Aug 4-7). 

Bolstered by a viral trend based on the closing line of the song’s first verse, “Lancey or Lancey” has been used in over 730,000 videos on TikTok. In the trend, users pair two photos that showcase different sides of their persona with the lyrics, “Said she love me, which one, Lancey or Lancey?” The trend originated from a fan edit of a webtoon entitled Operation: True Love. On Tuesday (Aug. 15), Lancey himself hopped on the trend, posting a shirtless clip of himself bopping and lip-syncing along to the TikTok sound.  

The success of “Lancey Or Lancey” comes nearly a full year after the song’s release in September of last year. The song served as the third single from Life in Hell, Lancey’s sixth solo studio album, and currently ranks as his most popular song on Spotify. The Stratford-bred rapper’s recent streaming gains come on the heels of “MMM HMM,” his collaboration with another TikTok-conquering 2023 breakout star, Sexyy Red. – KYLE DENIS

Zeddy Will’s “Freak You” Rides Jersey Club Wave to Streaming Surge 

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After helping Coi Leray’s “Players” become the biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit of her career with his Jersey Club Remix of the single, DJ Smallz 732 looks set to have a similar impact with Zeddy Will’s “Freak You.” According to Luminate, “Freak You” has scored considerable streaming gains over the past few weeks: During the period of July 28 to August 3, “Freak You” earned 360,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, an 86.5% increase from the period of July 21-27. The song then earned over 531,000 streams between August 4-10, rising a further 47.4% in overall streaming activity. 

Multiple parts of the song have gone viral on TikTok. In one section, which Zeddy himself has repeatedly used on the app, users film themselves dancing along to the song as they either generally anticipate imminent events or yearn to be freaked (or freak someone else). “I wanna freak you/ As soon as it can be/ I wanna know/ You leaving with your friends after this/ Or you coming with me?” Zeddy raps in the opening of the song’s first verse. The other section of the song that has gone viral is the opening of the second verse: “You told me that you wasn’t a freak/ And now I don’t believe you/ Cause the way you got me feeling right now/ Every day, girl I wanna see you.” Users generally use both sections of the song for the same thing, although some have adopted Zeddy’s “’memba that?” and “mmm mmm” ad-libs to respond to things that they suspect to be untrue. The three most popular “Freak You” sounds on TikTok boast a combined total of over 481,000 videos. 

Zeddy Will, an unsigned Queens-bred TikTok star who previously had viral success with 2022’s “Confidence Is Key,” first teased “Freak You” on TikTok on May 6. Following a positive response to the snippet, the rapper and TikTok personality continued to promote the song with a series of videos highlighting the beat (along with a Jersey-inspired “Freak Walk” dance and a move called the “Zeddybounce”), the lyrics, and the all-around comedic vulgarity of the song. He officially uploaded the song to streaming and digital download platforms on July 11.  – K.D.

Q&A: J1, Vice President Hip Hop Programming at SiriusXM, on What’s Trending Up in His World 

As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, how do you think we will look back on the year in hip-hop?  

I think we will look back at this year in amazement, reverence and appreciation for how far hip-hop has come, its contributions to society, as well as the impact it’s had on us as individuals. 

What hip-hop trends do you think will define the rest of 2023?  

Bold fashion has always been synonymous with hip-hop, so as the weather hopefully cools down and we transition into fall and winter wardrobes, we’ll see new fashion styles that will be adopted by pop culture. 

Which new artists have been particularly intriguing to you?  

Ice Spice has been so intriguing to me, because of her movement and passionate fan base. She’s tapped into something which is undeniable and has gained a massive, diverse group of followers. I’m also intrigued by Domani, T.I’s son. Even though his father is one of the pioneers of trap music, Domani has found his own lane and style, very different from his pops.  

Fill in the blank: this fall, hip-hop listeners will be obsessed with ________. 

Nostalgic and classic rap music, due to all of the great 50th anniversary tributes and highlights we’ve seen throughout the year.  – J.L. 

Season’s Gainings: Legends Celebrated on Hip-Hop’s Milestone Birthday

The celebrations of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary were everywhere last Friday (Aug. 11), as countless institutions, publications (including this one) and longtime fans took time to pay tribute to the storied genre officially hitting the half-century mark. The impact of Hip-Hop 50 could be felt on streaming, as well. While most music listeners don’t need an extra reason to listen to contemporary superstars like Drake, Cardi B or Kendrick Lamar, daily official on-demand U.S. streams were noticeably up for many acts from the genre’s older legends on Friday – including extra respect paid to LL Cool J (up 13% to 43,000), Public Enemy (up 24% to 162,000) and Hip-Hop 50 Live headliners Run-D.M.C. (up 21% to 380,000). – AU

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, 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.  This week: The second song from Doja Cat’s new era appears off to a stronger start than her first, a new viral hit injects streaming with a particularly youthful energy, and a TV sync helps a music legend “Shine” even brighter than usual.

Doja Cat “Paints the Town Red” With Ample Streams 

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After launching her new musical era with the boom-bap-influenced “Attention” — which debuted and peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 — Doja Cat has returned with her newest single, “Paint the Town Red.” The Grammy-winner’s latest radio single features a prominent sample of Dionne Warwick’s classic 1964 Hot 100 top ten hit “Walk On By,” accented by subtle brass and finger snaps. 

According to Luminate, “Paint the Town Red” earned just over 8.12 million official on-demand U.S. streams between August 4-7, with its biggest daily total (2.47 million) coinciding with its official release date (Aug. 4). Since its debut, “Paint the Town Red” has remained in the top ten of Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart, maintaining stronger daily numbers than “Attention” did across its debut week.

Unlike some of her past hits such as the Hot 100-topping “Say So” (with Nicki Minaj), Doja’s latest hit is not riding on a wave of TikTok virality: While the official “Paint the Town Red” TikTok sound currently boasts over 11,500 posts, more of the song’s traction appears to be coming from its horror-themed music video. In the official clip for “Paint the Town Red,” Doja dances with both the devil and a Grim Reaper-esque Death figure. The music video has amassed just under 6 million global views on YouTube in under a week. 

Doja’s streaming success comes on the heels of her five nominations at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, including a video of the year nod for “Attention.” – KYLE DENIS

‘Wasted Summers’ Goes Viral Thanks to Little Sister Sing-Along

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Juju

The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week (for the upcoming charts dated August 5), the hottest new K-pop breakout of 2023 takes on the hottest new film soundtrack of 2023 for Billboard 200 supremacy.  
NewJeans, New Jeans’ 2nd EP (‘Get Up’) (ADOR/Geffen/Interscope): After breaking through earlier this year with the singles “OMG” and “Ditto,” Korean girl group NewJeans established itself as one of the most exciting new acts in global pop with a massive online following. The quintet looks to build on that rising success with a new EP released Friday (July 21) that’s officially titled New Jeans’ 2nd EP (’Get Up’) and features Powerpuff Girls-esque cover art representing the five members.  

As is often the case with major K-pop releases, the set is expected to sell very well, thanks largely to the wide variety of variants available for release. There are three main CD versions of the album, but with 14 total iterations, with different covers and packaging individualized to the different members, and all with a set of branded merchandise inside, including photo books, lyric books and photo cards.  

However, NewJeans are exceptional among most 2023 K-pop acts in that they also stream very well in the U.S. On the most recent Spotify Daily Top Songs USA chart, every track from the new EP is still on the top 200 ranking, led by the Billboard Hot 100 hit “Super Shy” (No. 64 for the chart dated July 29). Given that it’s an EP with only six tracks total, that puts it at something of a disadvantage on the Billboard 200. But its combination of sales and streams should still make for a formidable debut on next week’s charts. 

Various Artists, Barbie the Album (Atlantic): Hey, did you know there’s a new Barbie movie out? Most likely after years of promo and a $155 million opening weekend, you’ve heard tell of the pop culture phenomenon – which also includes a star-studded soundtrack, executive produced by Mark Ronson and featuring new songs by A-listers like Billie Eilish, Karol G, Sam Smith, Lizzo, Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice, and even film star Ryan Gosling, among many more.  

Barbie the Album is in stores now via a half-dozen vinyl LPs (including retailer exclusives), three cassette editions and multiple CD iterations — as well as in a deluxe Best Weekend Ever Edition, which features a Gosling cover of Matchbox Twenty’s “Push” and married couple Brandi and Catherine Carlile’s version of Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine.” (Both originals are featured in the film, but not on the soundtrack.) The set has also been steadily growing on streaming since its Friday release – led by Minaj’s and Ice Spice’s “Barbie World,” featuring original “Barbie Girl” hitmakers Aqua, and Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” — as Barbie-mania continues to seep into the few remaining untouched corners of national consciousness.  

IN THE MIX 

Greta Van Fleet, Starcatcher (Republic): Classic rock revivalists Greta Van Fleet have gone top 10 with both of their first two albums, 2018’s Anthem of the Peaceful Army and 2021’s The Battle at Garden’s Gate, and look to make it three in a row next week with their new Starcatcher. The album is available in five different vinyl variants, and features the lead single “Meet the Master,” a top five hit on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart.  

Ice Spice, Like..? EP (10k Projects/Capitol/Dolo): For many older listeners, the phrase “deluxe EP” may feel slightly oxymoronic, but that’s what always-rising rap star Ice Spice released on Friday, with the expanded version of her breakthrough Like..? EP. The six-track January set — which was expanded to seven with the April addition of the Nicki Minaj-co-starring remix to “Princess Diana” — is now at a whopping 11 tracks, including the new “Deli,” which has made a strong debut on streaming.  

Nas, Magic 2 (Mass Appeal): The latest in a late-career explosion of productivity for legendary MC Nas – recently ranked as Billboard’s third-greatest rapper of all time – Magic 2 marks the sequel to his 2021 set, and his fifth album in three years. The 11-track album only includes two guests, but both big-name: fellow Queens native 50 Cent on “Office Hours” and Atlanta star 21 Savage on the previously released bonus cut “One Mic, One Gun.”  

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, 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.  This week: All things Barbie, as the blockbuster film sends several of its soundtrack hits into the streaming stratosphere, while also boosting some 20th century classics it features (and one it doesn’t — at least not in its original form). Also, some less-predictable gains for decade-old non-hits by a pop icon and a dream-rock cult favorite.

It’s A “Barbie World,” We’re All Just Living In It 

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The cinematic phenomenon of Barbenheimer has monopolized the cultural zeitgeist for the past few weeks/months/years now, resulting in eye-popping opening weekend box office numbers for both Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Not only did Gerwig’s acclaimed film earn a historic $155 million opening weekend and inspire tens of thousands of fans to dress up in their best Barbie and Ken-inspired outfits, the fantasy-comedy also showcased a soundtrack stacked with A-list star power, in addition to several other memorable music moments. 

Helmed by Grammy and Oscar winner Mark Ronson, the Barbie soundtrack features a collection of today’s most prominent pop artists, including Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa and Lizzo. Three of the album’s pre-release singles — Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice & AQUA’s “Barbie World,” and Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” — have seen sizable streaming gains before and after the movie’s July 21 release. 

“Dance the Night,” the lead single from the Barbie soundtrack, earned just over 960,000 official on-demand U.S. streams on July 17, the Monday preceding Barbie’s theatrical release, according to Luminate. The following Monday (July 23), Dua Lipa’s nu-disco banger earned 1.82 million streams, a 90.1% increase. “Barbie World,” the second collaboration between New York rappers Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, earned 1.58 million official on-demand U.S. streams on July 17. By July 23, that number rose by a whopping 94.3% to 3.07 million streams. As for “What Was I Made For,” the gut-wrenching ballad pulled 1.47 million official on-demand U.S. streams on July 17. On July 24, Billie’s latest Oscar contender earned 2.45 million streams, a 66.3% increase. 

Outside of the soundtrack’s major singles, a slew of other songs also experienced post-release streaming gains. Charli XCX’s “Speed Drive,” another pre-release single, earned 177,000 official on-demand U.S. streams on July 17, a tally that grew by 379% by July 24 for a total of 852,000. Indigo Girls’ 1989 alt-folk perennial “Closer to Fine,” which appears three times in the film, pulled 32,000 official on-demand U.S. streams on July 17. By July 24, the duo’s biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit collected just under 100,000 streams, marking a 203.5% increase. Matchbox Twenty’s 1997 pop/rock smash “Push,” which earned the band their first Grammy nomination, also has a prominent placement in Barbie. On July 17, the song earned 235,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, and by July 24, the track experienced a 43.3% increase to 337,000. There’s also Lizzo’s “Pink,” — another song that plays in the film — a funky pop track that had a strong streaming debut on July 21 (566,000 streams) and rose another 7% by July 24 (606,000). 

Of course, there is no discussing Barbie without mentioning AQUA’s “Barbie Girl.” The seminal pop song, which is sampled on Minaj & Ice’s “Barbie World,” received 307,000 official on-demand U.S. streams. On July 24, the unofficial Barbie anthem earned 619,000 streams, a 101.7% increase. But, what about Ken? Ryan Gosling’s hilarious “I’m Just Ken” pulled 812,000 official on-demand U.S. streams on July 24, a 103.2% increase from the 400,000 it collected on July 21. Barbiemania is clearly taking over both the box office and music streaming platforms. — KYLE DENIS

Superheaven’s on Fire

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Doylestown, PA grunge-gaze quartet Superheaven had been broken up for most of the past half-decade, before reuniting in 2023 for a tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their acclaimed 2013 Run for Cover debut album Jar. That album has proven to be the gift that keeps on giving for Superheaven, as highlight “Youngest Daughter” has gone viral, with 19,000 TikTok videos using the sound of its crunching guitars and dreamy vocals — the most popular of which places it as the soundtrack to a user’s first-row Oppenheimer-watching experience.

The song has taken off on streaming as it’s gradually become a social media sensation, with its streams growing steadily over the past seven weeks — from 231,000 on the chart tracking week ending June 1 to over 1.9 million the week ending July 20, a 743% gain, according to Luminate. The song even debuts at No. 22 this week on Billboard‘s Hot Rock Songs chart, and No. 4 on this week’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart. If the song keeps up this pace, Superheaven might have pretty good reason not to let its upcoming run of Jar anniversary dates this October be the last time it lets fans through its pearly gates. — ANDREW UNTERBEGER

Bieber’s “Billie Jean” Moment Experiences Streaming Resurgence 

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11 years ago, Justin Bieber tucked away a little song titled “Maria” at the very end of the deluxe edition of Believe, his Billboard 200-topping sophomore non-holiday studio album. Co-written and produced by Darkchild, “Maria” functioned as Bieber’s very own “Billie Jean”: Just as Michael Jackson retaliated against what he said were outlandish claims from delusional groupies, Bieber used “Maria” to respond to Mariah Yeater’s allegations that he fathered her child. 

In typical TikTok fashion, the song has experienced a small resurgence on the app for reasons that have nothing do with the original controversy that birthed it. Bieber’s track has become the latest soundtrack for thirst traps on the social media app. While those make up a healthy chunk of the “Maria” videos — there are two unofficial “Maria” sounds with over 13,5000 TikToks each — there are also myriad clips explaining the song’s lore and reflecting on what it was like to be a Belieber ten years ago and live through the whole ordeal in real time. Between the tracking week ending July 6 and the week ending July 20, streams of “Maria” exploded from just over 73,000 to over 613,000 — a gain of 738.5%, according to Luminate. – 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.  This week: Jung Kook’s Latto-assisted new single looks on its way to being another BTS solo smash, a couple very different singer-songwriters go viral, Rylo Rodriguez takes the next step to hip-hop stardom and more.

Jung Kook & Latto’s ‘Seven’ Sprints Out to Seven-Figure Daily Streams

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After Jung Kook made a solo pop splash last year alongside Charlie Puth with “Left & Right,” which peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, early indications are that “Seven,” the BTS member’s new collaboration with Latto, will climb even higher. The rhythmic pop single got off to a scorching streaming start upon its release last Friday (July 14), with 5.11 million U.S. on-demand streams that day, according to Luminate.

That number dipped over the weekend, but was still comfortably clocking over 2.5 million daily streams through Monday, accruing 13.7 million total streams in its first four days of release. Meanwhile, “Seven” earned over 34,000 in digital sales on Friday, and added another 32,000 digital copies from Saturday to Monday – with more sales expected from the set’s CD single, which is currently listed as “sold out” on the official BTS webstore. 

Produced by Watt and Cirkut, “Seven” sports a shuffling beat, surprisingly explicit hook (“You know night aftеr night / I’ll be f–kin’ you right / Seven days a week,” Jung Kook sings) and combination of pop and rap that could work well at top 40 radio (with the song’s clean edit, of course). We’ll know early next week just how high “Seven” can debut, but after his BTS group mate Jimin scored a solo No. 1 single earlier this year with “Like Crazy,” Jung Kook is probably just a few days away from having his highest-charting single as a lead artist. – JASON LISPHUTZ

Faye Webster Once Again the Definition of Indie Virality 

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Faye Webster has gone viral once again. Last summer, Billboard reported that two versions of the singer-songwriter’s “Kingston” were trending among TikTok viewers, giving her a 92% gain in streams over about a seven week period, according to Luminate.

Now, “I Know You,” a previously little-known song from Webster’s back catalog, is spiking on TikTok. Released on her self-titled 2017 album, “I Know You” is being used to accompany a myriad of different types of videos, but it has been particularly popular for creators to share photos juxtaposing themselves as children versus now, while typing out the lyrics on screen: “I’ll quiet down if it’s what you want / I understand I’m not the only one / for you.”    

“I Know You” began picking up on TikTok slowly starting in late Spring and reached a boiling point at the top of July. Since June 30th, the track has seen a 279.1% gain in streams – while on top of the “I Know You” gains, Webster’s new single “But Not Kiss” is also faring well on the app. All of this has led to the Secretly Group signee re-entering and No. 26 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart. Plus, her Spotify monthly listeners are now outpacing other indie heavy-hitters like boygenius, Wet Leg and Remi Wolf. – KRISTIN ROBINSON

Laufey’s ‘From the Start’ Speeds Up Into an Unlikely Hit

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“From the Start,” the delicate, bossa nova-inspired new single from Laufey, is a modern take on a classic love triangle, as the Icelandic-Chinese jazz singer-songwriter waxes poetic about being in love with her best friend — who is, of course, in love with someone else. “Don’t you notice how/ I get quiet when there’s no one else around?/ Me and you and awkward silence,” she laments to open the song — and since the May release of “From The Start,” TikTok users have gradually picked up on Laufey’s yearning, with the song has starting to go viral.

The TikTok clips generally focus on those opening lines, and almost always use a sped-up version of “From the Start” — which Laufey herself has embraced, posting various clips of herself reacting to, and dancing along with, the new tempo of the track. Meanwhile, streams of the original “From the Start” are rapidly growing: the song earned 2.1 million U.S. on-demand streams in the week ending July 14, up 50% from the previous week’s total, and its daily streaming total this Monday (644,000) was up a whopping 146% from the previous Monday (261,000).

Laufey has spent plenty of time on jazz streaming playlists since her 2021 debut EP Typical of Me, but as of Wednesday, “From The Start” has brought her to Spotify’s Top 50 U.S. chart. In September, Laufey will perform a special showcase with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra — perhaps she’ll play “From The Start” in both its standard and sped-up versions, and be able to tout her first career Hot 100 hit by then. – JL

Rylo Rodriguez Rides Sophomore Album Success to Strong Streaming Gains

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Last month (June 30), Rylo Rodriguez, a protégé of hip-hop superstar Lil Baby, released Been One, his sophomore studio album. The set debuted at No. 10, earning Rylo his first top ten album on the Billboard 200, and remained in the chart’s top fifteen in its second week. The album’s impressive stability has been bolstered by the breakout streaming success of two of its tracks: social media phenomenon “Equal Dirt” and the NoCap-featuring “Thang for You.”“Equal Dirt” has quickly become a meme across social media with Rylo’s “B—h, who dis fah?” ad-lib soundtracking thousands of hilarious TikToks. On the social media app, the official “Equal Dirt” sound has collected nearly 60,000 videos in a little over two weeks. The most common use of the sound is to set the scene for a staged scenario in which one partner in a relationship is demanding clarity from their significant other regarding a found item, which sparks suspicions of infidelity. The line has even proven itself irresistible to Rylo’s peers — like Grammy-nominated rapper Latto, who recently tweeted the phrase. According to Luminate, “Equal Dirt” has earned 3.15 million official on-demand U.S. streams during the period of July 7-14, a nearly 40% increase from the period of June 30-July 6.“Thang for You,” one of Been One’s pre-release singles, has also posted sizable streaming gains. While the song has gained relatively less fervent traction on TikTok — its official sound only boasts a little over 16,000 videos — it is still earning some of the album’s strongest streaming tallies. During the period of July 7-14, “Thang for You” collected just over 6 million official on-demand U.S. streams, a 4% increase from the week prior. Rylo’s collaboration with NoCap pulled a 33% increase streams following the release of the full album. Much of the song’s success can be attributed to its somber sample of Snoh Aalegra’s “Do 4 Love,” her rendition of the late Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love.” – KYLE DENIS

Warren Zeiders Gets Into the Bloodstream of DSPs With “Pretty Little Poison”

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As Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, and Jelly Roll continue to flourish on both the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Hot 100, they are lifting an entire class of country stars with them. Warren Zeiders, a rising country star who has previously used TikTok snippets to secure single success, is already cementing himself as a standout of that rising class.Released back in March, “Pretty Little Poison” has been gaining traction for months now, but the song has recently become a trending sound for country-adjacent TikTokers to flaunt their significant others. The official “Pretty Little Poison” sound currently boasts over 41,000 videos on TikTok. Zeiders himself has two TikToks of him performing the song that have amassed over one million views each. Buoyed by the song’s relatable lyrics and Zeiders’ sultry online persona, both his profile and “Pretty Little Poison” have been on the rise. “Pretty Little Poison” collected 3.5 million official on-demand U.S. steams during the period of July 7-14, a 26% increase from the period of June 30-July 6. As Zeiders preps the release of his sophomore album of the same name, slated for an Aug. 18 release, “Pretty Little Poison” should continue its ascent on streaming. – KD

Wham! Documentary Makes Duo Big Again on Streaming

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The documentary Wham!, telling the story of the ‘80s U.K. chart-topping pop duo of the same name (largely via rare archive footage), debuted on July 5 on Netflix to mostly rave reviews. Fans seem to have responded to it as well, as consumption for the duo has increased greatly in the two weeks since its release: Their weekly U.S. on-demand audio streams rose from just over 4.6 million for the tracking week ending June 29 to nearly 6.6 million for the week ending July 14, according to Luminate (a 41% increase), while their digital sales have rocketed from around 1,100 to over 7,000 over that same timespan (a 537% boom). The doc has also boosted George Michael’s solo numbers, as his streams over that period have climbed from 3.4 million to 4.4 million (up 30%), while his sales hiking from 1,500 to 4,300 (up 187%). – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, 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.  This week: Sexyy Red follows her breakout hit with two more viral singles, Taylor Swift’s new-old smash sends listeners to an even older warm-weather perennial and Myke Towers launches a mid-summer bid for global ubiquity.

Summer 2023 Is Sexyy Red Season 

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Sexyy Red is officially one of the biggest breakout artists of summer 2023. The St. Louis rapper has been a social media fixture for years thanks to her vulgar raps and round-the-way personality, but she has now reached a new level of mainstream prominence and commercial success thanks to the virality of several tracks from her latest mixtape, Hood Hottest Princess. 

Back in January, Sexyy Red released “Pound Town,” a delightfully ratchet ode to the crudest edges of the sexual experience, which eventually received an equally ratchet remix from rap icon Nicki Minaj, titled “Pound Town 2” in May – helping the song debut at No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100. Minaj’s remix also kickstarted a new phase of the song’s multi-platform appeal: According to Luminate, “Pound Town” collected 5.4 million official on-demand U.S. streams in the week ending July 6 – up 4% from the previous week – while on radio, “Pound Town” currently ranks at No. 14 on Rap Airplay and No. 21 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for the charts dated July 15. After driving the culture for so many months — the love for her breakout song is so strong that Sexyy Red gave an impromptu performance of the track from her seat in the audience at the 2023 BET Awards — “Pound Town” now has legitimate commercial success to add to its accolades. 

“Pound Town” functioned as the de facto lead single for Hood Hottest Princess. Released on June 9, the mixtape did not debut on the Billboard 200 until this week’s chart (dated July 15), entering at No. 193 — a testament to the consistent growth of the tape’s streams. Two songs from the 11-track tape have emerged as the follow-ups to “Pound Town:” “Skee Yee,” a burgeoning summer anthem that garnered love on TikTok pre-release, collected 2.5 million official on-demand U.S. streams in the week ending July 6, a 22% increase from the week prior. Aided by a trend in which users aggressively whip their hair as Sexyy Red yells out her “skee yee” ad-lib, the most popular “Skee Yee” sound has over 237,000 clips on TikTok. Recently, Grammy-nominated rap star Travis Scott invited Sexyy Red to perform the song (along with “Pound Town”) during his headlining set at Wireless Festival in London — further proof that the rapper’s TikTok virality is translating into streams and support.  

Another song from her mixtape, “Looking for the H–s (Ain’t My Fault),” is currently going viral on TikTok. Users put their own voice over Sexyy Red’s as she raps, “You like my voice? It turn you on? / This ain’t nothin’, wait ’til you see it in a thong.” “H–s” earned 1.6 million official on-demand U.S. streams in the week ending July 6, a whopping 292% increase from the period prior. The official TikTok sound for the song soundtracks over 305,000 clips on the app. 

All in all, from the period of June 30-July 6, Sexyy Red’s catalog has received 11.1 million official on-demand U.S. streams, a 24.5% increase from the week prior. Between her audacious one-liners and knack for natural hooks, Sexyy Red has become one of the defining artists of the summer, one outrageously obscene song at a time. – KYLE DENIS

A Summer Twice as Cruel: Taylor Swift’s Smash Boosts Bananarama Streams  

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On this week’s Hot 100 chart, Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” completes its long-overdue climb into the top 10, as the former deep cut from her 2019 album Lover jumps from No. 13 to No. 7 after recently becoming promoted as an official single. “Summer” has benefited from prime placement in Swift’s Eras tour set list, renewed fan support on TikTok and social media as the summer heats up, and prime placement on playlists like Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits and top 40 radio blocks (it’s up to No. 20 on this week’s Radio Songs chart).  

Benefiting, in turn, from Swift’s “Cruel Summer”: Bananarama’s classic hit of the same name. The British trio’s “Cruel Summer” became a new wave crossover hit upon its 1983 release, climbing as high as No. 9 on the U.S. Hot 100. And while Swift’s song becomes the highest-peaking “Cruel Summer” in Hot 100 history this week, Bananarama’s track is riding the “Summer” wave to increased plays, four decades after its release. 

Weekly streams for Bananarama’s hit have increased for seven straight weeks: after earning 519,000 U.S. on-demand streams during the week ending May 25, according to Luminate, the original “Cruel Summer” is up to nearly 724,000 streams for the most recent tracking week (ending July 6), making for a 39% cumulative spike in weekly listens. Of course, streams for Swift’s “Cruel Summer” dwarf those numbers – the song enters the Streaming Songs top 10 with 14.4 million weekly streams for this week. But who knows? Maybe if there’s another hit “Cruel Summer” in the year 2063, Swift’s version will see an uptick then, too. – JASON LIPSHUTZ 

Myke Towers Turns TikTok Into ‘Lala’ Land

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Puerto Rican rapper-singer Myke Towers has been a fixture on Billboard’s Latin charts for most of the past half-decade, but he’s yet to score a major crossover onto the Billboard Hot 100. That may be coming soon with the sweet reggaetón jam “Lala,” which is the penultimate cut on his 23-track March album La Vida Es Una. The song has taken over TikTok in the past month with its addictive title hook, a super-sticky backing vocal that plays throughout most of the song. 

The song has come to soundtrack both a dance challenge and a series of CapCut videos, with over 1.4 million videos being made to the official sound. Consequently, the song has absolutely exploded on streaming, jumping from 206,000 U.S. official on-demand audio streams for the chart week ending June 22 to over 2.6 million for the week ending July 6 – a gain of 1,172% over the two-week span, according to Luminate.

With the song’s upward trajectory continuing this week – debuting at No. 26 on this week’s Billboard Global 200, and even rising to No. 1 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global chart – “Lala” may be on pace to announce itself as a very late song of the summer contender. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

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.  This week: Olivia Rodrigo’s much-anticipated new single also spurs gains for her older songs (and for another singer-songwriter’s song on a similar subject), the second season of The Bear goes big with its classic alt soundtrack, TikTok produces a couple (near-literal) runaway hits and more.

Olivia Rodrigo’s Return Yields ‘Sour’ Bump – And Sweet Gains for Madison Beer 

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All eyes will be at the top of the Hot 100 chart next week, as Olivia Rodrigo’s massive new single “Vampire” will presumably try to dethrone Morgan Wallen’s country-pop juggernaut “Last Night” for the No. 1 spot. “Vampire,” the lead single from Rodrigo’s upcoming sophomore album GUTS, zoomed to a fast start at streaming, with 8.43 million U.S. on-demand streams on its opening day last Friday (June 30), according to Luminate. The long-awaited single got off to such a hot start that it buoyed the rest of Rodrigo’s studio output – as well as the older single from another pop star. 

Sour, Rodrigo’s 2021 debut full-length, benefited from the release of “Vampire” on streaming services: the album scored a 47% jump in daily streams last Friday to 4.66 million, then sustained its uptick over the weekend and hovering above 3.5 million daily streams. Meanwhile, the release of “Vampire” – an anthem about romantic betrayal, that has been rumored to be inspired by Rodrigo’s relationship with DJ/producer Zack Bia – coincided with streaming gains for “Selfish,” a 2020 song from Madison Beer, also believed to be about Bia. 

“Selfish” scored an 18.7% gain in daily streams to 43,000 from June 26 (the Monday before “Vampire”) to July 3 (the Monday after) – and Beer, who released the single “Home to Another One” last month, even acknowledged the spike on social media. In response to a fan account pointing out the “Selfish” resurgence, Beer posted in a since-deleted tweet, “thank u miss olivia.” – JASON LIPSHUTZ 

Listeners ‘Bear’ Down on New TV Season’s Rock Synchs

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The Bear has been one of the most acclaimed new TV shows of the decade, and now its second season – which debuted on Hulu in June – has made good on the promise of the first. Everything about the second season of the restaurant-set Chicago dramedy is bigger and more ambitious, and that includes the soundtrack, which features recurring themes, song callbacks to the first season, and artists as big as Trent Reznor, Eddie Vedder and even Taylor Swift making up the show’s musical universe. 

Several of those songs, of course, have seen big gains since the season’s June 22 premiere. Vedder & Neil Finn’s cover of Hunters & Collectors’ “Throw Your Arms Around Me,” which soundtracks the closing montage to the season’s emotional eighth episode, was up from under 5,000 official on-demand U.S. streams for the chart week ending June 22 to over 89,000 the week after – a gain of 1,806%, according to Luminate. Refused’s  “New Noise,” used multiple times in the season as now it’s on pump-up music, rose 123% to nearly 147,000 streams over that same period. 

The biggest gains, however, came for R.E.M.’s “Strange Currencies,” the shimmering mid-’90s ballad that serves as a sort of love theme for show protagonist Carmy and his now-grown childhood crush Claire. The song rose from 27,000 to nearly 283,000 streams over that period, a gain of 945% – showing that food isn’t the only thing The Bear is whetting appetites for this season. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Flyana Boss Sprints Towards Sizable Streaming Gains 

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In just under two weeks, Flyana Boss has gone from a virtual unknown to an inescapable social media phenomenon. Aided by videos in which they sprint through crowds of unsuspecting onlookers while they lip-sync to their latest single “You Wish,” the half-Detroit half-Dallas hip-hop duo have sneakily infiltrated the zeitgeist across social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter. 

According to Luminate, “You Wish” collected 1.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams during the period of June 16-22. The following week (June 23-29), that figure ballooned to 2.1 million streams, a 61.4% increase in streaming activity. As the duo’s profile continues to rise, expect these numbers to keep growing. During this year’s Essence Festival, Megan Thee Stallion invited them onstage to twerk alongside her during her headlining set. At the festival, Flyana Boss also performed at the Girls United kickback. The viral duo has seen a wave of recent industry support, including messages of affirmation from the likes of Missy Elliott, Keke Palmer, and Timbaland. 

On TikTok, “You Wish” has already been used in over 73,000 videos, most of which are users imitating the sprint-and-rap template of Flyana Boss’ original clip. More importantly, perhaps, “You Wish” appears to be connecting with audiences outside of the viral trend. The lyrics “I’m made of sugar, spice, Kanekalon, and cinnamon,” have launched scores of debates around race, hair politics, and what happens when lyrics steeped in Black cultural experiences crossover to the mainstream. “You Wish” is just getting started, and Flyana Boss could potentially run all the way to a surprise summer hit with the fast-growing track.  – KYLE DENIS

‘Titan’ Tragedy Results in ‘My Heart Will Go On’ Streams

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Last month, the implosion of the Titan submersible made global headlines, as an expedition to view the famed wreck of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean caused an international search and rescue operation, and ultimately claimed the lives of the five passengers aboard. As the news unfolded over multiple days beginning on June 18, when the submersible first lost communication, streams of “My Heart Will Go On,” Céline Dion’s smash single that doubled as the theme song to James Cameron’s world-conquering 1997 film Titanic, saw an uptick, as social media users posted both memes and tributes in kind. 

“Heart” rose 12.9% in weekly streams during the ending June 22 (the day that debris believed to be from the submersible was discovered), to 743,000 U.S. official on-demand streams, according to Luminate. The song topped 1 million streams the following week, spiking nearly 40 percent in streams for the week ending June 30. “Heart,” of course, became a Hot 100 chart-topper for Dion upon its release, and the Titanic soundtrack spent 16 straight weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart in 1998 on its way to becoming one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. – JL

DeJ Loaf Deep Cuts Are Running Through TikTok’s Mind 

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Although DeJ Loaf last hit the Billboard Hot 100 in 2018 with “At the Club,” a duet with R&B star Jacquees that reached No. 86, the Detroit rapper could make a grand return to the chart if this deep cut continues to make steady gains. “Running Through My Mind,” a track from her 2020 No Saint EP, is the soundtrack to one of the latest viral TikTok trends. Users film themselves running while flashing an indiscernible picture on their phone as a sped-up version of DeJ Loaf’s voice croons the song’s hook, “You been running through my mind all day.” The idea is that the user is cheekily revealing the person who they have a crush on without confirming their specific identity. 

The “Running Through My Mind” TikTok sound has been used in 128,000 videos and counting, and according to Luminate, “Running Through My Mind” has posted double-digit streaming gains for the past three weeks. During the tracking week ending June 8, the song collected 44,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, but as the TikTok trend continued to gain steam, that number rose to over 254,000 official on-demand U.S. streams for the week ending June 29, a 470% hike. With “Running Through My Mind” continuing to grow, DeJ Loaf may be looking at her biggest unaccompanied solo song since “No Fear” reached the Hot 100 back in 2017. – KD

Season’s Gainings: It’s Definitely a Fourth of July Party

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Our country’s 247th birthday was celebrated nationwide on July 4, and despite the holiday falling on a Tuesday in the middle of the workweek, it doesn’t seem to have stopped folks from cranking the patriotic (and/or bitterly ironic) tunes to commemorate the occasion. Zac Brown Band’s cookout-ready “Chicken Fried” rose from 796,000 to 1.6 million daily official on-demand U.S. streams from July 3 to July 4, according to Luminate, while Bruce Springsteen’s not-what-your-drunk-uncle-thinks-it’s-about anthem “Born in the U.S.A.” rose 333% to 2.1 million streams, and the entire catalog of American greats Creedence Clearwater Revival was up 33% to 4.8 million streams. And of course, the Fourth of July crown went to Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.,” up 137% to nearly 2.3 million, our country’s unofficial second national anthem for yet another year. – AU