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Sam Smith and Kim Petras Return to No. 1 In Australia With ‘Unholy’
It’s a New Year, Christmas songs perform their disappearing act for another time, and “Unholy” is back on top in Australia. Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ global hit lifts 13-1 on the ARIA Chart, published Jan. 6, for its fifth non-consecutive week at No. 1. The 2023 rebirth of “Unholy” (Capitol/EMI) closely follows the announcement that Petras will headline Sydney WorldPride’s closing concert, Rainbow Republic, on March 5, and comes ahead of Smith’s intimate performance at McLaren Vale’s d’Arenberg Cube in Adelaide. “Unholy” leads a fresh top 10 on the ARIA Singles Chart, as Xmas tunes tumble out of sight. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news SZA‘s “Kill Bill” (RCA/Sony) vaults 12-2, while former leader “I’m Good (Blue)” (Warner) by David Gu...
Harry Styles’ ‘As It Was’ Named U.K.’s Biggest Single In 2022
In the year that saw King Charles ascend the throne, it was Harry Styles who was crowned on the U.K. charts. The pop superstar rules 2022’s year-end singles and albums charts, with “As It Was” and its parent, Harry’s House, respectively, according to new data published by the Official Charts Company. Released in April 2022, “As It Was” reigned over the Official U.K. Singles Chart for 10 weeks, and went on to shift 1.57 million combined units, the OCC reports. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “As It Was” also finished the year as the most-streamed song in the U.K., with more than 180.9 million audio and video streams, and it was the best-seller across combined physical and digital formats, raking-in 65,000 units. The former One Direction singer l...
Harry Styles Unlocks 2022 Best-Seller In U.K. With ‘Harry’s House’
Harry Styles really did own the keys to 2022. The British pop singer’s third studio album Harry’s House was the biggest LP of the year in the U.K., according to new data published by the Official Charts Company. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The ex-One Direction singer leads the year-end albums survey with Harry’s House, which shifted north of 460,000 U.K. chart units over the year, including 160,000 sales (150,000 physical and 10,000 downloads), the OCC reports. Harry’s House logged six non-consecutive weeks atop the Official U.K. Albums Chart in 2022, more than any other album, and the lead single from it, “As It Was,” tops the U.K.’s year-end singles survey. Compatriot Ed Sheeran comes in at No. 2 on the year-end albums list with = (Equals...
Theophilus London Found Safe, Family Says
Rapper Theophilus London has been found safe after disappearing for months, a relative announced Wednesday night. “We have found Theo. He is safe and well,” the rapper’s cousin, Mikhail Noel, posted on Instagram. “At this time the family would love prayers and privacy. Thank you all!!!” The post didn’t provide details of where London had been found, where he had been or why he hadn’t contacted his family, which filed a missing persons report with Los Angeles police last week and asked for the public’s help in finding him. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news London’s family and friends had said they believed someone last spoke to the musician in July in Los Angeles. London, 35, posted prolifically on Instagram, but his last posts a...
Raye Eyes First U.K. No. 1 With ‘Escapism’
With Christmas tunes marching down and out the charts, Raye is targeting her first U.K. No. 1 single. The U.K.-based singer and songwriter leads the midweek U.K. chart with “Escapism” (up 6-1), ahead of SZA’s “Kill Bill” (RCA/Top Dawg) and Central Cee‘s “Let Go” (Central Cee), respectively. A multiple BRIT Award nominee best known for tracks including “Bed” (U.K. No. 3); “Secrets” with Regard; (U.K. No. 6) and Jax Jones’ “You Don’t Know Me” (U.K. No. 3), Raye in flourishing in her new, independent phase. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Escapism” is released through Human Re Sources, J. Erving’s distribution and artist services company, which she signed to in 2022 after publicly splitting with Polydor a year earlier. “Imagine this pain,” s...
Taylor Swift Set to Take U.K. Chart Crown With ‘Midnights’
If 2022 was the year of Taylor Swift in the U.K., the New Year appears much the same as Swift’s Midnights (EMI) takes pole position on the midweek chart. Based on data published by the Official Charts Company, Midnights is on track for the first No. 1 of 2023, and land a fourth non-consecutive week at the summit. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news If it keeps its momentum, the OCC notes, Midnights will eclipse Swift’s 2020 LP Folklore to become her longest-reigning album in the U.K. Meanwhile, SZA’s sophomore album SOS (RCA/Top Dawg) is set to lift 8-2, and the Weeknd’s career retrospective The Highlights (Republic Records/XO) could bounce 15-4 following the release of “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength),” the Canadian R&B singer’s single ...
Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ Returns to No. 1 In U.K.
Wham’s “Last Christmas” (via RCA) is the gift that keeps giving, as the ‘80s classic returns to No. 1 in the U.K. The holiday standard lifts 2-1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Dec. 30, for its second stint at the summit in 2022. According to the Official Charts Company, “Last Christmas” scoops over 79,000 combined chart units, including a market-leading 18 million streams, to bag the last No. 1 of the year. Less than a year earlier, “Last Christmas” was finally crowned on the survey, setting a new mark for the longest journey to the top, at 36 years. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The latest survey is brimming with Christmas spirit. Indeed, holiday numbers swamp the Top 40, taking out 34 spots, including nine of the top 10. Mari...
Michael Buble Enters 2023 With ‘Christmas’ No. 1
Michael Buble’s Christmas (via Reprise) is back on familiar territory — at No. 1 in the U.K. The Canadian crooner’s holiday classic lifts 3-1, for its fifth non-consecutive week at the summit. Christmas first led the Official U.K. Albums Chart following its release in 2011, and last reached the top in December 2021. With Christmas in the rearview, holiday albums are enjoying mixed fortunes. On the way down are Cliff Richard’s Christmas With Cliff (2-12 via EastWest/Rhino), the Bocellis’ A Family Christmas (5-20 via Decca), and Andre Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra’s Silver Bells (7-36 via Decca), while the late Bing Crosby bucks the trend with Christmas Classics (UMC/Virgin), up 91-27. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the absence of any n...
Mariah Carey Extends ‘Christmas’ Streak In Australia
Mariah Carey already locked up the Christmas No. 1, now she’s certain to see in the New Year as queen of the Australian singles chart. Carey’s nine-times platinum hit from 1994, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia/Sony), enters a third week at No. 1 on the latest ARIA Singles Chart, as holiday numbers flood the survey. “All I Want” leads an “all-Christmas” top ten, published Dec. 30, and is one of 18 Christmas songs impacting the top 20, with SZA’s “Kill Bill” (down 2-12 via RCA/Sony) and Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ former leader “Unholy” (down 3-14 via Capitol/Universal) the only exceptions. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news A string of Xmas-themed tracks impact the upper tier of the chart for the first time, including the late Nat King ...
LadBaby Rings up Chart Record With U.K. Christmas No. 1
LadBaby lands the ultimate Christmas present with “Food Aid” (via BMG) earning the coveted Christmas No. 1 in the U.K. — and doing so in record-busting fashion. The charity single debuts at No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart with more than 65,000 chart sales, the Official Charts Company reports, for the fastest-selling week of any recording in 2022. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The husband-and-wife duo of Mark and Roxanne Hoyle become the first act to nab five Official U.K. Christmas No. 1 singles, beating the old mark held by the Beatles, who bagged four non-consecutive Christmas leaders in 1963, 1964, 1965 & 1967. Previously, LadBaby ruled the Christmas chart with “We Built This City” (in 2018), “I Love Sausage Rolls” (2019), “Don’t S...
Fitness Gear: The Best Exercise Equipment to Kickstart Your Home Workout Routine for 2023
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. What’s your New Year’s resolution? Exercise and weight loss top the list of resolutions for 2023, but you don’t have to wait until New Year’s Day to kickstart your workout routine. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The benefits of working out regularly extend beyond the physical body. For example, exercise helps relieve stress and can improve your overall mental health and help you feel more accomplished (it’s not easy sticking to a workout routine!). It also stimulates endorphins in the brain to boost your...
Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ Dominates Down Under
Mariah Carey isn’t called the queen of Christmas for nothing. The U.S. pop veteran lives up to her nickname as her enduring holiday classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” rings in Christmas as the No. 1 single in Australia. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Carey’s 1994 release bags a second consecutive week at the top Down Under, and a fifth year at No. 1 during the Christmas week, ARIA reports. Although it’s peak summer in Australia, a time when Aussies head to the beach en masse, those wintry yuletide classics dominate playlists in these parts, a fact that’s reflected by both main ARIA Charts. Four of the top 10 singles on the chart published Dec. 23 are Christmas numbers, including Wham’s “Last Christmas” (up 6-3), Michael Bublé’s “It’s Be...
