Month: October 2022

Britney Spears shared a kiss with Justin Bieber on Friday (Oct. 7) — but it’s not what you’d expect.

The pop superstar took to Instagram to share a video commemorating “almost a year since I became a free woman” from her 13-year conservatorship that ended in November 2021. The clip then cut to Spears on vacation, holding a monkey named “Justin Bieber.”

“Hi, Justin Bieber!” Spears coos at the animal before giving him a kiss.

“F— yes !!! Wheee !!!” the star captioned the post celebrating her free life. “Psss the monkey’s name is Justin Bieber [rose, winking and laughing emojis] !!!”

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The “Hold Me Closer” singer has been showing her love for her 28-year-old fellow star on social media lately. Earlier this week, she shared a video of herself dancing to Bieber’s Don Toliver collaboration, “Honest.”

“TB to Maui – 2 weeks ago times flies [winking emojis] !!!” she captioned the self-recorded clip. “Different edit of me with Justin Bieber song … ‘Honest’ !!! Not sure what the animation is for [surprised emojis] … either way the song is hot … and different edit of SOS … me doing my thang !!!”

While vacationing in Hawaii recently, the “Piece of Me” singer soundtracked a number of her scenic, happy Instagram posts with various JB tracks, including “Holy” with Chance the Rapper and “Attention” with Omah Lay. She also shared another dancing clip while in Maui spinning around to her own song “Get Naked” before diving into some more “Honest” choreography.

How well do the winners at the Grammy Awards align with Billboard chart success? Perhaps not surprisingly, very closely — especially when it comes to trophy recipients reaching the top 10 of the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.

Billboard looks at the crossroads of Recording Academy and commercial success in two of the most prominent Grammy categories – album of the year and record of the year – over the last 64 years, from the first awards presented in 1959, a year after the Hot 100 launched and three years after the Billboard 200 began – through music’s latest biggest night in 2022.

Album of the Year Winners on the Billboard 200

Of the 64 album of the year winners, 61 – or 95% – have hit the Billboard 200’s top 10 (two of which did so for the first time following their Grammy victories). Jon Batiste‘s victory with We Are contrasts that sharp trend, and halted a run of 26 top 10s winning consecutively since 1996 – the longest streak all-time.

Still, We Are surged back onto the April 16, 2022-dated Billboard 200 at a new No. 25 high, up 2,746% to 18,000 equivalent album units in the April 1-7 tracking week, according to Luminate. It previously spent a week on the survey, at No. 86 (April 3, 2021).

The two previous winning sets not to have hit the top 10: Tony Bennett’s MTV Unplugged, which rose to No. 48 after its 1995 win (after it had reached No. 69 before that year’s ceremony), and Glen Campbell’s By the Time I Get to Phoenix, which reached its No. 15 peak ahead of its win in 1969.

Historically, 67% of all winners (43 of 64) have led the list.

Here’s a recap of how all album of the year Grammy Award winners have performed on the Billboard 200. (Album of the year is awarded to artist[s] and featured artist[s], songwriter[s] of new material, producer[s], recording engineer[s], mixer[s] and mastering engineer[s].)

Year, Artist, Title / Billboard 200 Peak

• 2022, Jon Batiste, We Are / No. 25 (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 86)
• 2021, Taylor Swift, Folklore / No. 1 – 8 weeks
• 2020, Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? / No. 1 – 3 weeks
• 2019, Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour / No. 4

• 2018, Bruno Mars, 24K Magic / No. 2
• 2017, Adele, 25 / No. 1 – 10 weeks
• 2016, Taylor Swift, 1989 / No. 1 – 11 weeks
• 2015, Beck, Morning Phase / No. 3
• 2014, Daft Punk, Random Access Memories / No. 1 – 2 weeks
• 2013, Mumford & Sons, Babel / No. 1 – 5 weeks
• 2012, Adele, 21 / No. 1 – 24 weeks
• 2011, Arcade Fire, The Suburbs / No. 1 – 1 week
• 2010, Taylor Swift, Fearless / No. 1 – 11 weeks

• 2009, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Raising Sand / No. 2
• 2008, Herbie Hancock, River: The Joni Letters / No. 5 (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 118)
• 2007, The Chicks, Taking the Long Way / No. 1 – 2 weeks
• 2006, U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb / No. 1 – 1 week
• 2005, Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company / No. 1 – 1 week (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 2)
• 2004, OutKast, Speakerboxx/The Love Below / No. 1 – 7 weeks

• 2003, Norah Jones, Come Away With Me / No. 1 – 4 weeks
• 2002, Soundtrack, O Brother, Where Art Thou? / No. 1 – 2 weeks (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 10)
• 2001, Steely Dan, Two Against Nature / No. 6
• 2000, Santana, Supernatural / No. 1 – 12 weeks
• 1999, Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill / No. 1 – 4 weeks
• 1998, Bob Dylan, Time Out of Mind / No. 10
• 1997, Celine Dion, Falling Into You / No. 1 – 3 weeks

• 1996, Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill / No. 1 – 12 weeks
• 1995, Tony Bennett, MTV Unplugged / No. 48 (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 69)
• 1994, Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard soundtrack / No. 1 – 20 weeks
• 1993, Eric Clapton, Unplugged / No. 1 – 3 weeks (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 2)
• 1992, Natalie Cole, Unforgettable: With Love / No. 1 – 5 weeks
• 1991, Quincy Jones, Back on the Block / No. 9
• 1990, Bonnie Raitt, Nick of Time / No. 1 – 3 weeks (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 22)
• 1989, George Michael, Faith / No. 1 – 12 weeks
• 1988, U2, The Joshua Tree / No. 1 – 9 weeks

• 1987, Paul Simon, Graceland / No. 3
• 1986, Phil Collins, No Jacket Required / No. 1 – 7 weeks
• 1985, Lionel Richie, Can’t Slow Down / No. 1 – 3 weeks
• 1984, Michael Jackson, Thriller / No. 1 – 37 weeks
• 1983, Toto, Toto IV / No. 4
• 1982, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy / No. 1 – 8 weeks
• 1981, Christopher Cross, Christopher Cross / No. 6
• 1980, Billy Joel, 52nd Street / No. 1 – 8 weeks

• 1979, Soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever / No. 1 – 24 weeks
• 1978, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours / No. 1 – 31 weeks
• 1977, Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life / No. 1 – 14 weeks
• 1976, Paul Simon, Still Crazy After All These Years / No. 1 – 1 week
• 1975, Stevie Wonder, Fulfillingness’ First Finale / No. 1 – 2 weeks
• 1974, Stevie Wonder, Innervisions / No. 4
• 1973, Various artists, The Concert for Bangladesh / No. 2
• 1972, Carole King, Tapestry / No. 1 – 15 weeks
• 1971, Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water / No. 1 – 10 weeks
• 1970, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Blood, Sweat & Tears / No. 1 – 7 weeks
• 1969, Glen Campbell, By the Time I Get to Phoenix / No. 15

• 1968, The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band / No. 1 – 15 weeks
• 1967, Frank Sinatra, A Man and His Music / No. 9
• 1966, Frank Sinatra, September of My Years / No. 5
• 1965, Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto / No. 2
• 1964, Barbra Streisand, The Barbra Streisand Album / No. 9
• 1963, Vaughn Meader, The First Family / No. 1 – 12 weeks
• 1962, Judy Garland, Judy at Carnegie Hall / No. 1 – 13 weeks
• 1961, Bob Newhart, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart / No. 1 – 14 weeks
• 1960, Frank Sinatra, Come Dance With Me / No. 2
• 1959, Henry Mancini, The Music From Peter Gunn / No. 1 – 10 weeks

Record of the Year Winners on the Hot 100

Of the 64 record of the year winners, 53 – or 83% – have hit the Hot 100’s top 10 (one of which did so for the first time following its Grammy coronation). Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” continues that trend, as 13 winners in a row since 2010 have reached the top 10, the second-longest streak, after a 23-year run in 1965-87.

Historically, 53% of all winners (34 of 64) have topped the tally, with “Leave the Door Open” likewise upping that share.

Here’s a rundown of how all record of the year Grammy Award winners have fared on the Hot 100. (Record of the year is awarded to artist/producer[s], recording engineer[s] and/or mixer[s] and mastering engineer[s], if other than artist.)

Year, Title, Artist / Hot 100 Peak

• 2022, “Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak) / No. 1 – 2 weeks
• 2021, “Everything I Wanted,” Billie Eilish / No. 8
• 2020, “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish / No. 1 – 1 week
• 2019, “This Is America,” Childish Gambino / No. 1 – 2 weeks
• 2018, “24K Magic,” Bruno Mars / No. 4

• 2017, “Hello,” Adele / No. 1 – 10 weeks
• 2016, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars / No. 1 – 14 weeks
• 2015, “Stay With Me,” Sam Smith / No. 2
• 2014, “Get Lucky,” Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams / No. 2
• 2013, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” Gotye feat. Kimbra / No. 1 – 8 weeks
• 2012, “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele / No. 1 – 7 weeks
• 2011, “Need You Now,” Lady A / No. 2
• 2010, “Use Somebody,” Kings of Leon / No. 4
• 2009, “Please Read the Letter,” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss / did not chart
• 2008, “Rehab,” Amy Winehouse / No. 9

• 2007, “Not Ready To Make Nice,” Dixie Chicks / No. 4 (post-Grammys; previously reached No. 23)
• 2006, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” Green Day / No. 2
• 2005, “Here We Go Again,” Ray Charles & Norah Jones / did not chart
• 2004, “Clocks,” Coldplay / No. 29
• 2003, “Don’t Know Why,” Norah Jones / No. 30
• 2002, “Walk On,” U2 / did not chart
• 2001, “Beautiful Day,” U2 / No. 21
• 2000, “Smooth,” Santana feat. Rob Thomas / No. 1 – 12 weeks
• 1999, “My Heart Will Go On,” Celine Dion / No. 1 – 2 weeks
• 1998, “Sunny Came Home,” Shawn Colvin / No. 7
• 1997, “Change the World,” Eric Clapton / No. 5
• 1996, “Kiss From a Rose,” Seal / No. 1 – 1 week
• 1995, “All I Wanna Do,” Sheryl Crow / No. 2

• 1994, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston / No. 1 – 14 weeks
• 1993, “Tears in Heaven,” Eric Clapton / No. 2
• 1992, “Unforgettable,” Natalie Cole / No. 14
• 1991, “Another Day in Paradise,” Phil Collins / No. 1 – 4 weeks
• 1990, “Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler / No. 1 – 1 week
• 1989, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” Bobby McFerrin / No. 1 – 2 weeks
• 1988, “Graceland,” Paul Simon / No. 81
• 1987, “Higher Love,” Steve Winwood / No. 1 – 1 week

• 1986, “We Are the World,” USA for Africa / No. 1 – 4 weeks
• 1985, “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” Tina Turner / No. 1 – 3 weeks
• 1984, “Beat It,” Michael Jackson / No. 1 – 3 weeks
• 1983, “Rosanna,” Toto / No. 2
• 1982, “Bette Davis Eyes,” Kim Carnes / No. 1 – 9 weeks
• 1981, “Sailing,” Christopher Cross / No. 1 – 1 week
• 1980, “What a Fool Believes,” The Doobie Brothers / No. 1 – 1 week
• 1979, “Just the Way You Are,” Billy Joel / No. 3
• 1978, “Hotel California,” Eagles / No. 1 – 1 week
• 1977, “This Masquerade,” George Benson / No. 10
• 1976, “Love Will Keep Us Together,” Captain & Tennille / No. 1 – 4 weeks

• 1975, “I Honestly Love You,” Olivia Newton-John / No. 1 – 2 weeks
• 1974, “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” Roberta Flack / No. 1 – 5 weeks
• 1973, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Roberta Flack / No. 1 – 6 weeks
• 1972, “It’s Too Late,” Carole King / No. 1 – 5 weeks
• 1971, “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Simon & Garfunkel / No. 1 – 6 weeks
• 1970, “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” The 5th Dimension / No. 1 – 6 weeks
• 1969, “Mrs. Robinson,” Simon & Garfunkel / No. 1 – 3 weeks
• 1968, “Up, Up and Away,” The 5th Dimension / No. 7
• 1967, “Strangers in the Night,” Frank Sinatra / No. 1 – 1 week
• 1966, “A Taste of Honey,” Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass / No. 7
• 1965, “The Girl From Ipanema,” Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz / No. 5
• 1964, “Days of Wine and Roses,” Henry Mancini / No. 33

• 1963, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” Tony Bennett / No. 19
• 1962, “Moon River,” Henry Mancini / No. 11
• 1961, “Theme From A Summer Place,” Percy Faith / No. 1 – 9 weeks
• 1960, “Mack the Knife,” Bobby Darin / No. 1 – 9 weeks
• 1959, “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare),” Domenico Modugno / No. 1 – 5 weeks

Snoop Dogg and Master P are teaming up to help a seven-year-old boy who is permanently blind due to gun violence publish his children’s book.

Malakai Roberts will be releasing his book about overcoming adversity, Adventures With Malakai, next year. Roberts hopes to inspire other children to do the same. The child was only five years old when his home was shot at in December 2020, and a bullet hit him in the head while he was sleeping next to his mother and brother. The bullet missed his brain by a hair, leaving him permanently blind and without a sense of smell or taste.

“This book is going to be special because Malakai is special,” Master P told WLKY News. “I mean, this kid has never given up with all the adversity he went through so this book is gonna be special. And it’s all about kids, so we’re gonna be able to teach kids and help Malakai keep his adventures going.”

“It’s going to be incredible for the kids,” Master P added. “I mean, cause we want kids to know how to overcome adversity and by him losing his eyesight with the tragedies he’s been through, this has been incredible to be able to write a book with Malakai.”

Snoop and Master P debuted Adventures with Malakai at a Kentucky YMCA on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 5). The book will be available for purchase by next year.

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First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos & albums that dropped this week.

Justin Moore and Priscilla Block, “You, Me & Whiskey”

Some strong shots of whiskey do what wine and beer can’t: prime this couple of a night of long-overdue romance. Written by Jessi Alexander, Brock Berryhill and Cole Taylor, this track pairs Moore’s solidly country voice with Block’s smooth, penetrating soprano, backed by Aldean-esque, hard-charging guitars and production.

Kenny Chesney and Old Dominion, “Beer With My Friends” (Video)

The video for this collaboration between longtime friends and kin creative spirits Chesney and Old Dominion puts a spotlight on the mutual passion they hold for music and good times. Filmed during an Old Dominion pop-up show, the vid offers footage of Chesney and Old Dominion both onstage and off. Given the years-long break in touring due to the COVID-19 pandemic (as well as the current surge in cancellations of concert dates in general), the clip is a nice reminder of the joy these musicians take in returning to the road.

Mickey Guyton, “How You Love Someone”

This tender ballad counts the minute ways someone shows their affections, led by Guyton’s masterful vocals. The song follows her recent, dreamy release “Somethin’ ‘Bout You,” with both songs finding Guyton in a musical moment centered in love and happiness.

Everette, “Wild Woman”

Everette’s Brent Rupard and Anthony Olympia are at their bluesy best on this laid-back, yet ferocious rocker, as praising a woman for unabashedly doing things her own way. “Keep your wings in the wind no matter how hard it blows,” they sing. The track is included on the duo’s Luke Laird and Ben Phillips-produced Kings of the Dairy Queen Parking Lot: Side B, out today.

Morgan Evans, “Over for You”

Evans initially offered an achingly raw performance of this heartbreaking song during one of his sets at CMC Rocks in Australia, not long after news broke that Evans and wife Kelsea Ballerini are going through a divorce. He later played it during a concert in Melbourne, Australia, and has now released the performance to DSPs. This piano/vocal rendition sears with vulnerable heartache on every line, especially telling lyrics such as, “How long have you been waiting to take our pictures down/ How long have you been breaking, why am I just finding out?” Many of the best songs come from heartbreak, and this is absolutely one of Evans’ best releases to date.

Madeline Edwards, “Too Much of a Good Thing”

“What if the sweet don’t have to turn to sting?” Edwards sings on “Too Much of a Good Thing,” musing that when life is going well, it doesn’t always mean the other shoe is about to drop. This gorgeous, piano-based song showcases both her warm, powerful voice, and her knack for insightful songwriting. Edwards wrote the song with Ian Christian and Trannie Anderson, not long after learning she would be opening concerts for Chris Stapleton.

Edwards just announced not only her signing to Warner Music Nashville, and “Too Much of a Good Thing” will be included on her upcoming major label debut, Crashlanded, out Nov. 4.

Zach Williams and Walker Hayes, “Jesus’ Fault”

CCM artist Zach Williams previously earned a hit with his collaboration with country artist Dolly Parton, and this time he teams with “Fancy Like” hitmaker Walker Hayes, in the just-released video for the track “Jesus Fault,” from Williams’ album A Hundred Highways. The video for this track features plenty of studio footage of Williams and Hayes, as they recorded this country jam band tribute to a life improved by faith. Their vocals blend with an easygoing energy, while the video captures the camaraderie between these two musicians.

Emily Ann Roberts, “Whole Lotta Little”

A delightful, throwback sound packed with warp-speed fiddle, steel and banjo. Roberts’ rapid-fire vocals ring with personality and conviction as she revels in a life that’s short on money but rich in love. Produced by Trent Willmon (known for his work with Cody Johnson), this winning track brings out the best in her traditionalist sensibilities and her bluegrass roots.