Chart Beat
Taylor Swift Ties Whitney Houston for Most Weeks at No. 1 Among Women in Billboard 200’s History
‘Folklore’ leads for a sixth week. Plus, Metallica and Katy Perry debut in top 10. Taylor Swift’s Folklore collects its sixth week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the album with the most weeks atop the list in nearly four years. The set earned 90,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 3 (down 8 percent), according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Folklore now has the most weeks at No. 1 since Drake’s Views ruled for 13 nonconsecutive weeks on the charts dated May 21-Oct. 8, 2016. Plus, Swift ties Whitney Houston for the most cumulative weeks at No. 1 among women — more on that in just a moment. 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 alb...
Brandy & Monica Combine for Over 20 Million U.S. Song Streams After Verzuz Battle
Brandy and Monica‘s record-setting Verzuz viewership translated into major gains for both singers’ streaming totals after the event. Combined, the pair registered 21.9 million U.S. on-demand streams for their song catalogs from Aug. 31 through Sept. 2, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, a period comprising the day of the competition and two days after of residual fan activity. That total compares to 6.3 million U.S. on-demand streams in the three days leading up to the broadcast (Aug. 28-30), a surge of 248%. Of the 21.9 million streaming total, Monica’s catalog accounted for 11.2 million plays, while Brandy’s songs clocked 10.9 million streams. The two R&B hitmakers participated in the latest Verzuz showdown on Monday (Aug. 31). At its peak, the web broadcast...
The Mavericks Debut at No. 1 on Latin Pop Albums Chart with ‘En Español’: ‘This is Beyond Us’
The set marks the country music band’s first full-length foray into its Hispanic roots. The Mavericks debut at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Latin Pop Albums chart (dated Sept. 5) with En Español. The band concurrently earns its first top 10 on the all-genre Top Latin Albums chart, where the set bows at No. 8. The new album marks the first visit to the Latin album charts by the group, which has notched five top 10 efforts on the Top Country Albums chart dating back to 1994. “This is an amazing feeling,” Raul Malo, The Mavericks’ lead singer, tells Billboard. “To wake up and receive a text from our manager that we have a No. 1 record. That’s not in the cards, this is beyond us. But you feel good about the work because you’ve put a lot of effort, a lot of love and time...
Metallica Eye Fourth No. 1 In U.K. With ‘S&M2’
The race is on for a U.K. albums chart title, with five new releases jostling for position. Just 3,000 combined sales separate the all-new top five, according to the Official Charts Company, with Bay Area metal veterans Metallica the best chance for the crown. Metallica’s live album S&M2 (Vertigo) leads the midweek chart and could go on to give the band their fourth U.K. No. 1 and first since 2008’s Death Magnetic. Some 2,000 chart sales behind in second place on the Official Chart Update is jazz artist Gregory Porter’s All Rise (Blue Note), the most downloaded album over the Bank Holiday weekend. London hip-hop artist Nines (real name Courtney Freckleton) arrives at No. 3 on the midweek chart with Crabs In A Bucket (Warner Records), the most streamed album in the firs...
24kGoldn’s ‘Mood’ Ascends to Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart Throne
The Iann Dior-featuring song jumps 3-1. 24kGoldn scores his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Alternative Songs charts as “Mood,” featuring Iann Dior, jumps 3-1 on the lists dated Sept. 5. “Mood” rises as the greatest gainer in all three chart metrics: streaming, airplay and sales. In the streaming and sales tracking week ending Aug. 27, the song scored 20.8 million U.S. streams (up 37%) and sold 7,000 downloads (up 63%), according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. In the radio tracking week ending Aug. 30, it earned 7.8 million all-format audience impressions (up 251%). 24kGoldn has charted one other entry so far on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Alternative Songs: “City of Angels” reached No. 7 on each list in...
Tainy & J Balvin Top Latin Airplay Chart With ‘Agua’: ‘We Have That Chemistry’
The SpongeBob-featured tune rises 2-1. Tainy and J Balvin’s “Agua” top s Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart, rising 2-1 on the Sept. 5 survey. Balvin accumulates 25 No. 1s, moving closer to Enrique Iglesias’ record 31. Tainy, meanwhile, ups his career count to two leaders. The tune is from the forthcoming soundtrack to The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run. The song arrived in July, while the film is set to premiere at a date to be announced. “It’s a career highlight,” Tainy tells Billboard. “This one is special because it was fun. Working with Balvin is always amazing. We have that chemistry, we are friends and it showed with the final product. We mostly had fun while creating. We’re both big SpongeBob fans who gre...
Luke Combs Extends Career-Opening Record Atop Country Airplay Chart With ‘Lovin’ on You’
Combs has led with each of his nine singles. Luke Combs banks his ninth consecutive career-opening No. 1 single on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, as “Lovin’ On You” rises 3-1 on the list dated Sept. 5. The song increased by 13% to 31 million audience impressions in the week ending Aug. 30, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. “Lovin’,” which Combs wrote with Thomas Archer, Ray Fulcher and James McNair, is the fourth single from Combs’ second full-length, What You See Is What You Get, which debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums and the all-genre Billboard 200 in November 2019, with 172,000 first-week equivalent album units. The set has logged 26 weeks atop the former, where it holds at No. 3 (21,000 units, up 1%). [embedded content] ...
Tim McGraw’s ‘Here on Earth’ Debuts at No. 1 on Top Country Albums Chart
McGraw passes Merle Haggard to tie for the second-most No. 1s since Top Country Albums began in 1964. Tim McGraw notches his 17th No. 1, and 16th No. 1 debut, on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart with the arrival of Here on Earth on the survey dated Sept. 5. The LP earned 24,000 equivalent album units, with 17,000 in album sales, in the week ending Aug. 27. On the all-genre Billboard 200, the set starts at No. 14. It was released Aug. 21 and produced by McGraw and Byron Gallimore. [embedded content] McGraw passes Merle Haggard to tie for the second-most No. 1s since Top Country Albums began in 1964. George Strait leads with 27 No. 1s, ahead of Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, McGraw and Willie Nelson with 17 each. Plus, as McGraw earns his first Top Country Albums No. 1 of 2020, he ha...
The Killers Rule Australia’s Albums Chart With ‘Imploding The Mirage’
The Killers are kings of the Australian albums chart as Imploding The Mirage (Island/Universal) debuts at No. 1, while Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and BTS flex up on the national singles chart. With Mirage, the Las Vegas alternative rock outfit earn a third No. 1 on the ARIA chart and an eighth Top 10 album in Australia. It’s the followup to their 2017, chart-topping set Wonderful Wonderful. Mirage also blasts to No. 1 in the U.K. with 50,000 first-week chart sales. Aussie pop artist Troye Sivan returns with his In A Dream EP (via EMI), new at No. 3. The six-track set is Sivan’s first title to hit the ARIA Albums Chart since his sophomore album Bloom, which peaked at No. 3 in September 2018. Also new to the Top 10 this week is Cannot Buy My Soul: The Songs Of Kev Carmody (EMI),...
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘WAP’ Takes Slim Lead In U.K. Chart Race
It’s early days, but the U.K. chart race is shaping as a classic. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” (Atlantic) is fast out the gate. The hip-hop track takes top spot on the Official Chart: First Look, which gauges the hottest hits following the weekend’s sales and streaming activity. Cardi and Megan won’t be popping the champagne corks just yet. Their tune is just 80 chart sales ahead of Joel Corry and MNEK’s “Head & Heart” (Asylum/Perfect Havoc), which has ruled the weekly chart for six cycles. “WAP” bowed at No. 4 earlier this month, logged two weeks at No. 2 but has never hit the summit. In other chart news, U.S. rapper and singer 24kGoldn is poised for his first U.K. Top 10 single with “Mood” (Black Butter) featuring Iann Dior. Powered by viral videos on TikTok, it’s up...
Ricky Dillard Returns to No. 1 On Gospel Airplay Chart With Tiff Joy Collab ‘Release’
Plus, Marvin Sapp hits the Hot Gospel Songs top 10. Ricky Dillard’s “Release,” featuring Tiff Joy, ascends 2-1 on Billboard‘s Gospel Airplay chart dated Aug. 29, up 22% in plays in the week ending Aug. 23, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Dillard earns his second No. 1, among four top 10s, on Gospel Airplay. He first led with “Amazing,” with choir New G, for 30 weeks starting in July 2014. (“Release” is his first Gospel Airplay entry, among nine total, without a New G billing.) [embedded content] “Amazing” is the second-longest-leading No. 1 in the 15-year history of Gospel Airplay, behind only Marvin Sapp’s “Never Would Have Made It,” which controlled the list for 46 frames beginning in August 2007. Joy achi...
Drake Extends Streaming Songs Record With ‘Laugh Now Cry Later’
The song marks his ninth No. 1, five more than his closest competitors. Drake extends his record for the most No. 1s in the history of Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart with “Laugh Now Cry Later” featuring Lil Durk, which debuts atop the survey dated Aug. 29. In the tracking week ending Aug. 20, “Laugh Now Cry Later” earned 69.8 million U.S. streams, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. The song is Drake’s ninth No. 1 on Streaming Songs, which began in 2013. He now has more than double his next-closest competition; Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Travis Scott boast four leaders each. Most No. 1s, Streaming Songs9, Drake4, Justin Bieber4, Taylor Swift4, Travis Scott3, Beyonce3, Cardi B3, Juice WRLD3, Lil Baby3, Miley Cyrus It also extends Drake’s record of the most top 10s on the char...
