Chart Beat
Adele Enters Fourth Week Atop Australia’s Albums Chart With ’30’
It’s a week before Christmas, though Adele, Elton John and Dua Lipa get their presents early. Adele starts a fourth straight week at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with 30 (Columbia/Sony), while fellow British pop superstars Elton and Dua snag a fourth non-consecutive cycle atop the Australian singles survey with “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” (via Warner/Universal). Also on the latest ARIA chart, an album of bird songs takes flight. After debuting at No. 5 last time, Australian Bird Calls set Songs Of Disappearance (MGM) lifts to No. 3, a new peak. Featuring the sounds of 53 of the most threatened species of Australian native birds, the project is a fundraiser for BirdLife Australia‘s conservation projects. The highest charting new release on the latest frame is Juice WRLD’s second posthumous ...
Ed Sheeran & Elton John Highlight International Holiday Hits on Global Charts
SZA scores the week’s highest debut on the Dec. 18-dated Billboard Global 200 as “I Hate U” arrives at No. 11. But Ed Sheeran and Elton John take top honors among new entries on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey, dashing in at No. 10 with “Merry Christmas.” The team-up, released Dec. 3, drew 29 million streams and sold 42,300 downloads worldwide in its first week (ending Dec. 9), according to MRC Data. The song’s streams break down to 69% (20.1 million) from audio platforms and 31% (8.9 million) from video services, largely thanks to its festive official video that also premiered Dec. 3. A 31% share might seem small for a song’s video streams, but it’s a rare high mark among holiday titles that mostly live on audio services, many of which predate the ’80s-era breakout of videos. Next ...
Ed Sheeran & Elton John Bring ‘Christmas’ Cheer to Hot 100, Holiday & Adult Contemporary Charts
Ed Sheeran and Elton John‘s “Merry Christmas” debuts on multiple Billboard charts dated Dec. 18. The carol, which the British stars co-wrote, drew 4.9 million all-format radio audience impressions and 4.6 million U.S. streams and sold 11,800 in the week ending Dec. 9, according to MRC Data, following its Dec. 3 release. The single launches at No. 2 on Holiday Digital Song Sales, No. 4 on Digital Song Sales, No. 10 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S., No. 20 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. John earns his 70th career Hot 100 hit, becoming the 23rd artist to reach the mark since the list originated in August 1958. It’s his third of 2021, after he hadn’t appeared on the chart since 2000 until this August. The song follows this year’s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” with ...
Adele’s Retains U.K. Chart Crown With ‘30’
Adele is still the queen of the U.K. albums chart, as 30 (Columbia) clocks up a third week at No. 1. According to the Official Charts Company, 30 shifts more than 73,000 chart sales over the seven-day cycle, with sales (physical and digital downloads) accounting for 81% of the tally. Adele’s fourth studio album holds off a pair of former leaders, Ed Sheeran’s = (equals, up 3-2 via Asylum) and ABBA’s Voyage (up 4-3, via Polar), while veteran boyband JLS bow at No. 4 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart with 2.0 (BMG), their first album of original material in eight years. It’s the week’s highest debut for The X Factor alum’s sixth consecutive U.K. Top 10 collection. Meanwhile, Michael Buble’s Christmas (Reprise) continues its annual climb up the chart, lifting 6-5; while Andre Rieu and his Joh...
Michael Nesmith & The Monkees Set a Billboard Chart Record in 1967 That Still Stands Today
Michael Nesmith, who died Friday (Dec. 10) at age 78, and his fellow Monkees – Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz – set a record in 1967 that no other act has equaled: They became the first and only act to have four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 in a calendar year. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news They were on top as the year began with their debut album, The Monkees, which had spent the last eight weeks of 1966 at No. 1. The Monkees spent the first five weeks of 1967 in the top spot, until it was replaced on Feb. 11 by the group’s sophomore set, More of the Monkees. That album logged 18 consecutive weeks on top. After a one-week interruption by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass – you’ll be reading more about them soon – The Monkees’ ...
Elton John and Dua Lipa’s ‘Cold Heart’ Returns to No. 1 In Australia
Elton John and Dua Lipa charge back to No. 1 in Australia with “Cold Heart” (Columbia/Sony), as Christmas tunes light up the singles chart. Remixed by Sydney trio Pnau, “Cold Heart” lifts 2-1 and has now logged 17 consecutive weeks in the ARIA Top 10. “Cold Heart” pumps up the tally ahead of former leaders from Adele (“Easy On Me” via Columbia/Sony), and The Kid Laroi with Justin Bieber (“Stay” via Columbia/Sony), while viral star Gayle holds at No. 4 with “ABCDEFU” (Atlantic/Warner). [embedded content] Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” (Polydor/Universal) is heating up once again. The electro-pop song, a slow burner in the U.S., led triple j Hottest 100 poll for 2020, announced in January of this year. “Heat Waves,” a former No. 1, rises 8-5 on the current frame. It’s summer in Australia, thoug...
Black Friday & Holiday Shopping Send Vinyl Album Sales Soaring, Led by Adele’s ’30’
2021 Black Friday sales and general holiday shopping promotions helped yield an eye-popping week for vinyl album sales in the U.S. In the week ending Dec. 2, vinyl album sales totaled 1.46 million (up 39%) – marking the second-biggest week for the format since MRC Data began tracking sales in 1991. The only larger week in the MRC Data era for vinyl album sales was registered in the week ending Dec. 24, 2020, when 1.84 million albums were sold. Overall, in the week ending Dec. 2, vinyl LP sales accounted for 46% of all albums sold in the U.S. (1.46 million of 3.17 million). Further, of just physical album sales (vinyl LP, CDs, cassettes, etc.), vinyl LP sales represented 54% of all albums sold for the week (1.46 million of 2.7 million). Explore Explore Adele See latest videos, charts and ne...
for King & Country Scores Record-Extending Seventh Straight Christian Airplay No. 1 With ‘Relate’
for King & Country, the duo of siblings Joel and Luke Smallbone, notches its 10th leader on Billboard‘s Christian Airplay chart, as “Relate” ascends to the top of the list dated Dec. 11. The twosome also continues its record streak to seven No. 1s in succession (encompassing songs promoted as proper radio singles). Explore See latest videos, charts and news In the tracking week ending Dec. 5, “Relate” drew 4.7 million audience impressions, according to MRC Data (down 19%, with many non-seasonal songs declining in reach as Christian stations fill playlists with holiday music). The brother tandem wrote “Relate” with Josh Kerr and Tayla Parx. “There’s something beautiful about the fact that, in a time such as this, a song speaking to the idea of relating to one another and showing compass...
Adele Holds Atop Hot 100, Mariah Carey Leads Sleigh Ride of Holiday Hits Back to Top 10
Adele‘s “Easy on Me” tops the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a sixth total week. Plus, four holiday chestnuts jingle back to the Hot 100’s top 10: Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” up from No. 12 to No. 3; Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (14-4); Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (20-5); and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (27-7). The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data. All charts (dated Dec. 11) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Dec. 7). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news [embedded content] “Easy on Me,” released Oct. 14 on Columbia Recor...
Adele’s ‘30’ Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart
Adele’s 30 spends a second week atop the Billboard 200 albums chart, as the set earned 288,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 2, according to MRC Data. That’s down 66% compared to its chart-topping debut sum of 839,000 units a week earlier. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news However, 30 logs the largest second week for an album in over three years, since Drake’s Scorpion earned 335,000 units its sophomore frame (chart dated July 21, 2018), following its No. 1 debut with 732,000 units a week prior. Elsewhere in the top 10, Michael Bublé’s former No. 1 Christmas surges 9-3, while Vince Guaraldi Trio’s soundtrack to the TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas returns to the top 10, bounding 21-10. The Billboard 200 chart rank...
‘Peaches’ by EXO’s KAI Hits No. 1 on 24-Hour Real-Time Hot Trending Songs Chart
EXO member KAI topped the 24-hour version of Billboard‘s Hot Trending Songs chart, powered by Twitter, Friday, Dec. 3, with his solo single “Peaches.” The track hit No. 1 due to continued conversation around the song following its release Nov. 30 on KAI’s new EP of the same name. Explore Explore Kai See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news KAI has tallied two solo entries on Billboard‘s World Albums chart: Champion reached No. 3 in 2017 and KAI: M_01 hit No. 11 in 2020. His “Mmmh” also peaked at No. 15 on World Digital Song Sales in 2020. EXO, with him as a member, has logged five No. 1s on World Albums and four leaders on World Digital Song Sales. Billboard‘s Hot Trending Songs charts, powered by Twitter, track global music-related trends and conversations in ...
Young Dolph’s Streams Skyrocket 573% After His Death
Fans’ flurry of activity around the late Young Dolph‘s catalog yields noticeable results on the latest Billboard charts (dated Dec. 4). The surge prompts two tracks to return to the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart, while an LP of his rebounds to the top 20 of Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. His overall U.S. song streams, meanwhile, vaulted 573% in the two weeks since his death, according to MRC Data. Young Dolph, born Adolph Thornton, Jr., was shot and killed Nov. 17 in his native Memphis. He was 36. [embedded content] On the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart, remembrance of the rapper’s music manifests in two debuts. “100 Shots” arrives at No. 9 and “Play Wit Yo Bitch” enters at No. 24. The former, notably, marks Young Dolph’s highest rank to-date on the chart. He logged his p...
