Chart Beat
How Super Bowl Halftime Shows Lead to Super Sales, From Michael Jackson to Dr. Dre
Ever since Michael Jackson ushered in the blockbuster era of the Super Bowl halftime show when he headlined in 1993, nearly every performer who has graced the stage on sports’ (and TV’s) biggest night has enjoyed sizable boosts in sales and streams. Looking to continue this tradition is Rihanna, who is set to hit the midfield stage early next year when she headlines Super Bowl LVII. With few exceptions, Super Bowl halftime headliners have seen a sizable commercial uptick over the last 30 years. In 2002, U2 saw sales for three of the band’s key albums (All That You Can’t Leave Behind, The Joshua Tree and Best of 1980-1990) more than double in the week following the performance. In 2004, Janet Jackson — in spite of, or perhaps because of, the singer’s infamous “Nipplegate” contro...
Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, Ex-Beautiful South Artists, Lead Midweek U.K. Chart With ‘N.K-Pop’
Former Beautiful South bandmates Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott are on track for a second U.K. chart crown with N.K-Pop (via EMI). The English duo’s latest release leads the midweek survey, and, if it holds its course, will deliver the pair a second consecutive No. 1, after 2020’s Manchester Calling hit the summit. Close behind is Maybe In Another Life…? (Island), the sophomore offering from Leicester alternative-pop act Easy Life. Maybe is at No. 2 on the Official Chart Update, and should give the outfit their third top ten, following 2020 mixtape Junk Food (peaking at No. 7) and 2021 debut studio set Life’s A Beach (No. 2). Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Pink Floyd’s classic 1977 album “Animals” (Rhino) flies into the midweek top tier, thanks...
Sam Smith and Kim Petras Extend ‘Unholy’ U.K. Chart Reign
Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (EMI) hit dominates the U.K.’s chart for a second week. The viral track racks up 6.6 million streams during the latest chart cycle, the Official Charts Company reports, to complete another victory lap. “Unholy” finishes “comfortably ahead” of David Guetta & Bebe Rexha’s former leader “I’m Good (Blue)” (via Parlophone), which had led the midweek chart before finishing in second place. The highest new debut on the Official U.K. Singles Chart belongs to Ed Sheeran with “Celestial” (Asylum), new at No. 6, for the Englishman’s 40th top 10 and 57th top 40 appearance. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Celestial,” which is synced to the forthcoming Pokémon games “Scarlet” and “Violet,” is “by far” the most-bought t...
Slipknot’s ‘The End So Far’ Crowned on U.K. Chart
Slipknot rocks a third U.K. No. 1 with The End So Far. The U.S. metal veterans overturned a midweek deficit to come home with a wet sail, as The End So Far (via Roadrunner) tops the chart by just 340 combined units, the Official Charts Company reports. The End So Far is the group’s sixth U.K. top 10 album, and third leader after Iowa (from 2001) and We Are Not Your Kind (2019). It’s the most downloaded album of the chart cycle, according to the OCC, and it’s the best-selling album of the week in Australia. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The LP to narrowly miss out on the U.K. crown is the posthumous reissue of George Michael’s Older (Sony Music CG). Following its original release in 1996, Michael’s classic record peaked at No. 1, one of his ni...
Coolio Catalog Surges 264% in Streams, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Returns to Charts After Rapper’s Death
Fans rallied to the late Coolio’s music catalog and sent it surging 264.3% in the wake after his death. The rapper, born Artis Ivey, Jr. died Sept. 28 at age 59 due to suspected cardiac arrest. His most popular hit – “Gangsta’s Paradise,” featuring L.V. – led the way in both streams and sales, and the former Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 returns to the charts this week. Coolio’s songs (on which he was the lead performer) registered 19.6 million U.S. on-demand streams in the week of Sept. 28 – Oct. 4, according to preliminary reports to Luminate, a 264.3% increase compared with the 5.4 million generated in prior seven days. (Note: the streaming totals here combine both official and non-official, user-generated content; the latter does not contribute to the Billboard charts). As mentioned above, “...
Ado’s ‘New Genesis’ Extends Record to Six Weeks at No. 1 on Japan Hot 100
Ado’s “New Genesis” holds at No. 1 for the sixth week on the latest Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Oct. 5, catching up with YOASOBI’s 2020 mega-hit “Yoru ni kakeru” (“Into the Night”) in terms of weeks at No. 1. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “New Genesis” is still at No. 1 for streaming (8 weeks), video views (6 weeks), and karaoke (5 weeks), and while the track is slowing down overall, the One Piece Film: Red theme still outperforms its rivals in the Japan Hot 100 top 10 with nearly 10,000 total points (9,352). Here’s a list of songs with most weeks at No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100 since its inception in 2008: “Koi” by Gen Hoshino, 11 weeks“Zankyosanka” by Aimer, 9 weeks“Homura” by LiSA, 8 weeks“I LOVE…” by Official HIGE DANdism, 7 week...
Loretta Lynn’s 20 Biggest Billboard Hits
Country music legend Loretta Lynn passed away today, Oct. 4 at age 90. The beloved artist died in her sleep from natural causes at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Lynn, who was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983, followed by her induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008, was born April 14, 1932, in Butcher Holler, Ky., and blazed a trail for myriad successful female artists on Billboard‘s country charts and beyond. Her audience widened to the masses following the film that chronicled her story: 1980’s Coal Miner’s Daughter, starring Sissy Spacek, as Lynn, Tommy Lee Jones as her husband of 48 years, Doolittle, and Levon Helm as her father. Lynn rolled up 16 No. 1s on Billboar...
JUN & XIUMIN Debut on Hot Trending Songs Chart
Thai rapper-singer Lisa of BLACKPINK returns to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart (dated Oct. 8), powered by Twitter, as “Lalisa” logs a fourth week at the summit. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Lalisa,” released in September 2021, is the fourth-longest-leading No. 1 in the chart’s brief history, breaking out of a tie with BLACKPINK’s “Pink Venom” and BTS’ “Yet to Come.” BTS’ “Butter” has spent the most time at No. 1 (20 weeks), followed by Ha Sung Woon and Jimin’s “With You” and SB19’s “Bazinga” (seven weeks each). When “Lalisa” first led the Hot Trending Songs chart (dated Aug. 6), Lisa became the first woman to top the tally. The song is also the only title to appear on every Hot Trending Songs chart dating to the survey’s ince...
David Guetta and Bebe Rexha are ‘Good’ For a Return to U.K. Chart Summit
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha want their U.K. chart crown returned, with haste. Guetta & Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” (via Parlophone) had its chances for a second stint at No. 1 dashed last week when another collaboration, Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (EMI), completed a late sprint to the finish line. “I’m Good (Blue),” which interpolates Eiffel 65’s “I’m Blue,” returns to pole position on the latest Official Chart Update, published Oct. 3, with “Unholy” slotting back to No. 2. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Further down the chart blast, Beyoncé’s “Cuff It” (Columbia/Parkwood Ent) is surging due to a new viral trend, the Official Charts Company notes, and is on track for its first top 10 appearance. The Renaissance tune lifts 16-9 on t...
George Michael’s ‘Older’ Leads Midweek U.K. Albums Chart
George Michael is set for a posthumous return to the U.K. chart summit, with Older (via Sony Music CG). The former Wham star leads the midweek survey with his 1996 album, which enjoys the reissue treatment, including its first-ever release on vinyl. The third solo album from Michael, Older hit No. 1 on the Official U.K. Chart following its original release, and spawned two U.K. chart-topping singles, “Jesus To A Child” and “Fastlove.” Michael had a stellar recording career, both with ‘80s pop duo Wham and, later, as a solo artist, which yielded seven No. 1 singles and as many best-selling albums. He died on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2016, at the age of 53. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Coming in at No. 2 on the Official Chart Update is Slipknot...
Bad Bunny’s ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ Back at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart for 12th Week
Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti is back atop the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Oct. 8) for a 12th nonconsecutive week, as the set steps from No. 2 to No. 1 with 87,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 29 (down 6%), according to Luminate. The last album with more weeks at No. 1 was Drake’s Views, with 13 nonconsecutive weeks on top in 2016. See latest videos, charts and news Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, 5 Seconds of Summer’s new 5SOS5 bows at No. 2, while Alice in Chains’ Dirt re-enters the chart at No. 9 following its 30th anniversary reissue. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album ...
Coolio’s ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Remains Evergreen on Billboard Global Charts
The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts launched in September 2020, measuring the most popular songs in the world based on global streams and sales (the latter excluding United States-based consumption). For 72 of the 107 weeks since the lists premiered, Coolio‘s 1995 classic “Gangsta’s Paradise,” featuring L.V., has ranked among the biggest hits on Global Excl. U.S. – the most time tallied among songs released in the ’90s. “Paradise” ranks at No. 149 on the most recent, Oct. 1-dated, Global 200 (in its 62nd frame), as well as at No. 151 on Global Excl. U.S. In the week ending Sept. 22, the track drew 14.3 million official streams worldwide, according to Luminate. As previously reported, Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died Wednesday (Sept. 28) in Los Angeles at a...
