Month: November 2022

Rihanna’s Catalog Gets ‘Lift’ed With Comeback

Just one week after Taylor Swift’s Midnights was released to historic impact, we got an even longer-anticipated return from a global pop icon: Rihanna, who released her first new single in six years with the Def Jam-released Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ballad “Lift Me Up.” The song debuted with nearly eight million official on-demand U.S. streams and 16,000 in sales on Oct. 28, and racked up another 6.9 million streams and 11,000 sales over the next two days, all according to Luminate. Those numbers should portend a major Billboard Hot 100 debut for the single, though how deep it can strike into the Swift stronghold atop the chart currently remains to be seen. (A strong radio showing should also help: “Lift Me Up” registered 26.3 million in radio audience on pop, adult, rhythmic and R&B/hip-hop stations combined in its first three days (Oct. 28-30), 10 million better than even Swift’s Hot 100-topping “Anti-Hero” over the same period the prior week.) 

In the meantime, “Lift” has also raised the rest of Rihanna’s catalog, with her non-”Lift” streams bubbling up from 5.8 million last Monday (Oct. 24) to 6.8 million that Thursday as anticipation for the new song grew – then spiking another 24% to 8.4 million on Friday, after the song’s release. Gains for those songs – along with a Halloween-themed hike for her spooky smash “Disturbia” – should result in an increased presence for the Bad Gal on next week’s Billboard 200 albums chart, including a likely gain for 2016’s ANTI (No. 122 this week) and a possible re-entry from 2007’s Good Girl Gone Bad. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

---

Meghan Trainor’s New ‘Look’ Is Beguiling Listeners

With all the big pop names making splashes the last couple weeks, you might have missed that Meghan Trainor has enjoyed solid returns as well. As her new album on Epic Takin’ It Back debuts at No. 16 on the Billboard 200, giving the pop singer-songwriter her best showing since 2016’s Thank You started at No. 3, recent single “Made You Look” also becomes her first solo Hot 100 entry in four years as it starts at No. 95. Trainor is no stranger to the Hot 100 — her debut single “All About That Bass” topped the chart in 2014 — but “Made You Look” could become her biggest hit in a half-decade, thanks in part to a body-positive trend that is gaining traction on TikTok.

Upon the album’s release on Oct. 21, Trainor launched a dance challenge for the call-and-response doo-wop hook that highlights natural beauty regardless of style. Yet some TikTok users have gone viral for cleverly deploying “Made You Look” to soundtrack a rejection of the male gaze and society’s sexualization of female bodies. No matter which trend they’re encountering, listeners are responding to “Made You Look,” with its daily U.S. on-demand streams crossing the 1 million mark for three straight days beginning last Friday (Oct. 28), according to Luminate. Keep an eye on how top 40 radio, which was key in breaking Trainor with “Bass” eight years ago, adopts her latest offering: “Made You Look” is currently bubbling under Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay, with 266,000 in audience in its first three days. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

---

Get Down “Ton1ght” With Exøtix, j4m and Luvdes

With the way TikTok trends have evolved toward addressing more serious issues, it almost feels like a refreshing throwback when a fun song unexpectedly gets popular on the back of a simple dance challenge. That’s basically what happened with rappers Exøtix and j4m’s haunting jam “Ton1ght,” with the song’s remix (featuring additional vocals from singer Luvdes) taking off on TikTok thanks to a series of videos of users doing a tricky and fast-paced footwork dance to it. The song, originally self-released via DistroKid on ExøtixWørld in October, racked up 615,000 on-demand U.S. streams on the week ending Oct. 27, a 664% gain, according to Luminate, topping Spotify’s Viral 50 – USA chart and making it feel like 2020 all over again – the more enjoyable parts, anyway. – AU

For an artist who says music is his passion and the music of others is his hobby, it’s no surprise why Puerto Rican salsa icon Gilberto Santa Rosa released a conceptual album called Debut y Segunda Tanda. Both the Vol. 1 and a deluxe version were produced by his label B2B Music and distributed by Believe.

The “Debut” part of its title, as he explains to Billboard, represents three of his original recordings, such as “Cartas Sobre La Mesaz” — while “Segunda Tanda” pays tribute to emblematic tracks recorded by his colleagues, such as Willie Chirino, Mucho Manolo and Carlos Vives’ “For Sale,” to name a few. 

“The first song that was created was ‘Cartas Sobre La Mesa,’ and that’s the one that sparked the concept of my album,” he says of his first set in two years. “This album came at the perfect timing.” 

Below, read 20 questions with El Caballero de la Salsa, where he opens up about his new album, being from Santurce, Puerto Rico, the movie that makes him cry and more.

1. This is your first album in two years — what’s the concept behind Debut y Segunda Tanda?

It’s simple. My new songs are the ones debuting and the second part is the covers. Half of the songs were originally recorded by me and the other half are songs that other artists lent me for the album.

2. On this album, you pay homage to your colleagues Willie Chirino, Mucho Manolo, Septeto Acarey, Grupo Bahia, Carlos Vives and Alejandro Sanz. Which of these covers was most challenging for you to interpret? 

Truthfully, I identify with all of them, even if they’re not my songs. But I would have to say “Cartas Sobre La Mesa” because it was originally recorded as an urban song. I’ve done tropical and romantic covers, but it’s the first time I did something urban. Even though salsa and urban have a lot of things in common, starting with their origin, this song was the most peculiar for me.

3. Of your original tracks on the album, which is your personal favorite? 

Without a doubt “En Defensa Propia.” It’s a very well-written song, very Santa Rosa. It’s a song made for expression and it gives the album a special touch.

4. Which song from Debut y Segunda Tanda are you most excited to perform live?

I like all of them! Since I select the songs for my shows, I would like to perform them all, because it’s an album I really want my fans to discover.

5. Why did you decide to release this album in two parts? 

The album was divided because I went into the studio and got excited. I realized I had a lot of songs, and we decided to work on the first eight. Besides, time passes by very fast, and a lot of music gets lost in the way. That’s when we had the idea of releasing it in two parts.

6. What’s at the top of your professional bucket list?

I don’t really have a bucket list. Who knows if in a couple of years I’ll focus on that list? But for the time being, I don’t have anything.

7. Who made you realize you could be an artist full-time?

I was six years old. There was a teacher in my school who unfortunately passed away very young, her name was Yenny Diaz. She was a science teacher, but she also led the music classes. She taught us to play the guitar. She encouraged me and taught me a lot. I remember her with great affection. She was the only person, of all the people who gave me a lending hand, who did not see me develop my career.

8. Which would you say is the most emblematic song of your career?

“Conciencia” and “Perdóname.” They are two songs that I have definitely had to sing in all the places since I recorded them.

9. What was the first concert you ever saw?

I started singing very young, so I had access to see almost all the artists for free. But, the first concert I went to which my uncle paid for the ticket was Las Estrellas de Fania — and the first concert that I paid for, where I worked and saved, was to see a great Cuban singer named Roberto Ledesma, a spectacular romantic singer.

10. What artist, dead or alive, would you like to see in concert?

Well, it’s going to surprise you, because I’ve seen almost every artist. But I would like to see John Legend, Alicia Keys, or Justin Timberlake, if possible.

11. How did being from Santurce, Puerto Rico shape your art?

Totally. A large number of musicians and singers who excelled in salsa music came from Santurce. At one time, the heart of entertainment was there including radio and television stations. The atmosphere in general is a very happy sector with a lot of music. I always remember my grandmother’s house, when you went out to the balcony and there was music everywhere, and you were nourished by all that. Being from there helped me with my training, of course.

12. What was the last song you listened to?

When I prepare for my concerts, I like to listen to music by other artists. Last night I was listening to a song called “Adolorido” by a Cuban singer named Tito Gomez who has already passed away.

13. What song or movie always makes you cry?

There is a movie that has it all! It has tears, it has suspense, and even quite a lot of violence but very well used. The first Godfather movie, I’ve seen it like 900 times. I always find something that I didn’t see the previous time. That movie talks about family, and loyalty, it goes beyond being a mobster movie. There are many interesting and deep messages.

14. Do you recall your first job ever?

I’ve always worked in music. I thank music for sustaining me all my life. But, the very first job I had was delivering newspapers for two weeks. The other time, I was a model for a car show. I had to drive one, but I’m usually not a good driver, so it didn’t go very well for me. Those were the last times I worked on something other than music.

15. Besides music, what’s another passion of yours?

I can be a bit boring because I’m passionate about music and nothing else. My work is music and my hobby is the music of others. In the last few years, however, I wasn’t much into going to the studio. For me, the recordings were very tedious, but about five years ago, I began getting involved and visiting the studio every once in a while to record things. That’s why I have many songs for this album.

16. What’s your all-time favorite vacation spot? 

Las Vegas. I love going there for the entertainment lifestyle. It’s a city where there is always something new going on. I’ve seen almost every artist in the residences. I have a good time even if it’s on a bench drinking coffee. It is an interesting desert.

17. Describe 2022 in one word? 

Spectacular!

18. With a more-than-40-year career, what’s one piece of advice you would give to younger salsa artists?

A genuine vocation and the stamina to move forward are important. It is not an easy road — life, in general — is not, but today, there is a contrast between all the advances that exist. And that seems to be an advantage, but sometimes it is not, because the competition is even stronger. It is more difficult for people to focus on an artist. So, you have to have the stamina and character to be able to fulfill a dream. There is always a door that opens, there will always be an opportunity, and there is always a person who helps you — but we cannot give up on the first failure or the first “no.” It is hard to start a project and defend it.

19. What’s the one word you always use? 

Everyone knows me because I use the phrase “Caminalo!” At first, it started out as a strictly rhythmic phrase, but today for me it’s almost a philosophy. It suggests going forward, not stopping, the future, and movement.

20. What do you hope to accomplish or experience in 2023?

We are going to start promoting both volumes of Debut y Segunda Tanda, and in 2023, we will begin planning the new tour that we hope will take us to Europe again.

Macklemore is allowing himself to be completely transparent in his music. The rapper released his new song “Faithful” featuring NLE Choppa on Friday (Oct. 28), which sees him grappling with his sobriety journey. The 39-year-old sat down with Billboard News to discuss the track and shed light on the series of events that led up to him penning the song.

“Recovery has been a huge part of my life the last 14 years. I first went to treatment in 2008. I’ve always had the allergy, the disease of addiction was present from my first drink of alcohol,” Macklemore explained. “Going into ‘Faithful,’ the pandemic happens. I was removed from my recovery community, everything’s on Zoom — I’m used to going to meetings and being a part of a community — all a sudden that’s stripped away from us and I relapsed. I relapsed in 2020.”

He continued, “I think I wrote ‘Faithful’ shortly after that and it came from a dark spot, and I think that there is such a void of music that talks about real issues, whether it be mental health, whether it be recovery or fighting the disease of addiction, I’m trying to go there. I don’t want to avoid it.”

The “Thrift Shop” rapper also revealed that his wife was an integral part in choosing the single, so much so that she offered to be a part of the video for “Faithful.”

“My wife, she heard the whole album and was like, ‘Yo, I want to do it. I want to direct the music video. ‘Faithful’ she felt passionate about and I love the record. I think the record is great. She saw a vision so I said, ‘I gotta go with wifey on this one.’”

Watch Macklemore’s interview with Billboard News above.

Shakira and Ozuna’s “Monotonía” rallies 25-3 on Billboard’ Hot Latin Songs chart (dated Nov. 5) after its first full tracking week. The track was released Oct. 19 via Sony Music Latin, and debuted in the top 30 a week ago with five days of airplay (during the Oct. 17-23 tracking week).

“Monotonía” pushes to No. 3 with gains in all metrics. It earned 9.4 million U.S. streams, up 205%, in the week ending Oct. 27, according to Luminate. That yields a No. 3 debut on Latin Streaming Songs. Sales, too, assist its position increase, with 2,000 downloads sold — up 38% — during the same period. (The song holds strong at No. 1 on Latin Digital Song Sales.)

Meanwhile, on the radio front, “Monotonía” generated 6 million in audience impressions, up 106%, earned in the week ending Oct. 30, which prompts a 36-13 surge on the all-genre Latin Airplay. On Tropical Airplay, the song lifts 8-4.

Further, “Monotonía” breaks up a Bad Bunny monopoly of the top three on Hot Latin Songs — the entire top three has been occupied by nothing but Benito’s songs since the May 21-dated chart, where he has ruled with songs from his Un Verano Sin Ti album.

“Monotonía’s” move earns Shakira her 32nd top 10. She continues to hold the record for the most top 10s among women since the tally launched in 1986. Ozuna adds a 28th top 10 to his career count.

Elsewhere, “Monotonía” also enters the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 65. It becomes Shakira’s highest debut since “Empire’s” No. 58 arrival in 2014.

On Global territory, Shakira secures her third top 20 title on the Billboard Global 200 ranking as “Monotonía” debuts at No. 18. Ozuna, meanwhile, captures his third top 20 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey, as the song soars 174-4 in its second week.