Selena Gomez’s Rema-Collaboration “Calm Down” Earns U.S. Afrobeats Song of the Year Honors

Selena Gomez is this year’s Afrobeats queen…

The 31-year-old Mexican American actress/singer’s record-breaking hit collaboration with Rema, “Calm Down,” is the 2023 U.S. Afrobeats Song of the Year.

Selena Gomez, Rema, Calm DownFollowing Gomez’s addition to the buzzing track for a September 2022 remix release, it flew to No. 1 on the weekly U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and rang up a record 58 weeks in charge, nearly obtaining a perfect shutout of holding the No. 1 spot for each week of the chart year that fell short when Tyla’s “Water” broke the stranglehold in the final frame.

The dominant “Calm Down” year helped the track make massive inroads for Afrobeats across multiple Billboard charts, setting new marks for the genre’s highest-charting hit on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 3) and posting a 10-week command on the all-genre Radio Songs chart.

Strong performances reap rewards for the track on both year-end lists, with “Calm Down” at No. 6 on the 2023 Hot 100 review and No. 4 on Radio Songs’ recap.

Selena Gomez’s Rema-Collaboration “Calm Down” Surpasses One Billion Streams on Spotify

Selena Gomez is celebrating a music milestone…

The 31-year-old Mexican American actress/singer’s collaboration with Rema, “Calm Down,” has hit one billion streams on Spotify.

Selena Gomez, Rema, Calm Down“I’m so grateful,” declared Gomez via Instagram Stories and Twitter. “Love you @heisrema!”

The billion-stream milestone is particularly special for Rema, as it’s the first time an African artist-led track has reached the number, per a press release.

“It’s a blessing. It’s not just a big win for me, my team and family, it’s also a big one for the culture. I feel really happy and I’m really proud of the fans as well for going back to the song and putting people on the song. Shout out to the DJs and everyone who made this possible,” the singer said in a press statement.

Over on the Billboard charts, “Calm Down” fared particularly well.

The crossover hit topped Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay chart dated May 13, marking Rema’s first leader on the list. It also topped the all-format Radio Songs chart and Pop Airplay chart.

“Calm Down” also topped the Rhythmic Airplay chart for four weeks in May-June. On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, the song has hit No. 3, becoming Rema’s first entry and Gomez’s ninth top 10.

Rema, from Nigeria, released the original version of “Calm Down” in February 2022 as a single from his debut solo LP, Rave & Roses. Its remix with Gomez arrived last August, and that version’s official video premiered in September.

Selena Gomez’s Rema-Collab “Calm Down” Becomes Her First No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay Chart

Selena Gomez is celebrating the Calm

The 30-year-old Mexican American actress/singer’s collaboration with Rema, “Calm Down,” has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay chart dated July 13.

Selena Gomez, RemaThe song, released on Jonzing World/Mavin/SMG Music/Virgin/Interscope Records, marks Gomez’s first leader on the list, as well as Rema’s first No. 1.

Gomez rules Adult Pop Airplay for the first time, following five top 10s: “Lose You to Love Me” (No. 3, 2020); “Back to You” (No. 5, 2018); “It Ain’t Me” with Kygo (No. 6, 2017); as featured on Charlie Puth’s “We Don’t Talk Anymore” (No. 9, 2016); and “Same Old Love” (No. 7, 2016).

“Calm Down” concurrently claims a third week atop the all-format Radio Songs chart, with 92 million audience impressions, up 2%, June 30-July 6, according to Luminate.

It likewise became Rema and Gomez’s first No. 1 each on the survey.

Plus, the song rebounds for a fourth week atop Pop Airplay, having become Rema’s first No. 1 and Gomez’s fourth; it now stands as Gomez’s longest-leading No. 1 of her four chart-topping titles, after “Good for You” featuring A$AP Rocky and “Same Old Love” each ruled for two weeks, while “Hands to Myself” spent a week at the summit. (The three songs led in 2015-16.)

“Calm Down” also topped the Rhythmic Airplay chart for four weeks in May-June.

It’s the first song to have achieved enough crossover appeal to lead Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay since Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” which dominated Pop Airplay for seven weeks, Adult Pop Airplay (two) and Rhythmic Airplay (one) last July-August.

Before that, 24kGoldn’s “Mood” featuring Iann Dior paced all three charts in 2020-21, after Camila Cabello’s “Havana” featuring Young Thug tripled up in 2017-18.

Rema, from Nigeria, released the original version of “Calm Down” in February 2022 as a single from his debut solo LP, Rave & Roses. Its remix with Gomez arrived last August, and that version’s official video premiered in September.

“Calm Down” has topped the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for 45 weeks running, the longest command since the ranking began just over a year ago, in partnership with music festival and global brand Afro Nation.

On the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100, “Calm Down” has hit No. 3, becoming Rema’s first entry and Gomez’s ninth top 10, and second-highest-charting, after “Lose You to Love Me” led for a week in November 2019.

Miguel’s “Sure Thing” Rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay Chart 12+ Years After Initial Release

Miguel has a sure hit on his hands…

More than 12 years after its release and its original chart run, the 37-year-old half-Mexican American singer, songwriter and actor’s single “Sure Thing” has risen to No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart dated May 27.

MiguelThe song, on ByStorm/Black Ice/Jive/Legacy/RCA Records, completes the longest ascent to the Pop Airplay summit from a title’s release, having first hit Billboard’s charts in February 2011, following its November 2010 release on Miguel’s debut LP, All I Want Is You.

An R&B/hip-hop radio hit in its original run, “Sure Thing” crowned the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, as well as R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, for a week in May 2011.

On the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100, “Sure Thing” reached No. 36 over a 23-week stay in March-August 2011.

In 2022, the song resurged thanks to newfound attention on TikTok, where a sped-up version has soundtracked more than 4 million clips. It debuted on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart this January and ranked at No. 30 on the most recently published, May 20-dated chart with 10.6 million official streams in the United States May 5-11, according to Luminate.

On the May 20-dated all-format Radio Songs survey, “Sure Thing” rose 7-6, up 6% to 51.6 million in audience. On the Hot 100, it pushed 15-14, reaching a new best — as well as a new career high for Miguel, surpassing the No. 15 peak of Mariah Carey’s “#Beautiful,” on which he’s featured, in 2013.

Miguel previously tallied six Pop Airplay hits between 2012-22, rising as high as No. 12 as a featured artist on Kygo’s “Remind Me to Forget” in 2018, his best career rank prior to the revival of “Sure Thing.”

Meanwhile, the comeback to new heights for “Sure Thing” has been historic, as the single broke the record for the most weeks ever spent on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 78 (through the latest, May 20-dated survey, where it placed at No. 5, marking its first appearance in the chart’s top five since September 2011).

“We were keeping a close eye on the metrics,” says RCA head of promotion Keith Rothschild about the decision to promote the song to pop radio after TikTok sparked new interest in it. It debuted on the Pop Airplay chart dated Feb. 25, at No. 40, and hits No. 1 in its 14th week on the chart, up 7% in plays May 12-18.

While “Sure Thing” is far removed from its original release, “programmers were not hesitant at all,” Rothschild says, especially with other catalog songs recently finding new life on radio, whether from TikTok or synchs, including Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary” and The Weeknd’s “Die for You.”

“We knew the song was a hit, as it was a No. 1 R&B/hip-hop record when it was originally out,” says Rothschild of “Sure Thing.” “It was never worked at pop, so we asked programmers to put it into callout. The numbers came back massive, and we knew it was game on.”

Kali Uchis’ “Telepatia” Reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay Chart

Kali Uchis is celebrating the rhythm(ic)…

The 27-year-old Colombian American singer has scored her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart as “Telepatia” moves up from the runner-up spot to lead the list dated August 14.

Kali Uchis

The single’s rise makes it the most-played song on monitored rhythmic U.S. radio stations, according to MRC Data.

“Telepatia” rises to No. 1 as it essentially held steady in plays in the week ending August 8, as measured by MRC Data. The previous champ, Roddy Ricch’s “Late at Night,” vacated the top spot after it declined 2% in plays.

Uchis also wraps a slow-but-steady journey on the list: “Telepatia” reaches the summit in its 17th week on the chart, second only to the 18-week wait for Yung Bleu’s “You’re Mines Still,” featuring Drake, among 2021 No. 1s.

Uchis, who hails from Alexandria, Va., achieves her first Rhythmic Airplay No. 1 on her second chart appearance. Her only previous appearance on the chart came through a featured role on Tyler, The Creator’s “See You Again” in 2017, which cracked the chart in the anchor position — No. 40 — and lasted two weeks.

In line with its Rhythmic coronation, “Telepatia” has secured new benchmarks for Uchis’ career in multiple areas since its November 2020 release.

After the tune gained traction on TikTok in early 2021, a rush of streams powered it to No. 10 on the Streaming Songs chart in March. That activity sparked the track’s Billboard Hot 100 entrance that month and its official promotion as a single. Radio airplay, then, kicked up and helped “Telepatia” achieve a No. 25 best on the Hot 100 in July.

In addition to conquering rhythmic radio, “Telepatia” ruled the Latin Airplay chart for one week in July and earned a No. 11 high on Pop Airplay. Simultaneous success at the three formats pushes the song into the top 10 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, where it steps 11-10 through a 3% gain in audience to 40.7 million in listenership in the week ending August 6, according to MRC Data.

While “Telepatia” represents Kali Uchis’ solo breakthrough, the singer-songwriter made her first Billboard chart splashes in featured roles on songs across multiple genres, among them, the Gorillaz’s “She’s My Collar,” a No. 36 hit on Hot Rock Songs, Juanes’ “El Ratico,” a No. 10 success on Latin Pop Airplay and the Adult R&B Airplay chart-topper “Get You” in tandem with Daniel Caesar. The lattermost title led for one week and earned Uchis her first Grammy nomination, for best R&B performance.

Cardi B’s “Up” Rises to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, A Historic Fifth Chart-Topper on the Chart

Things are still up for Cardi B

The 28-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar’s latest single “Up” rises from No. 6 to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 to spend its first week at the top of the chart.

Cardi B

The song, which becomes Cardi B’s fifth Hot 100 No. 1, debuted at No. 2 five weeks earlier and tallied three weeks at the runner-up spot before reaching the summit.

Cardi B performed “Up” as part of a medley, with Megan Thee Stallion, of their four-week 2020 Hot 100 No. 1 “WAP” on the 63rd annual Grammy Awards, broadcast on CBS, on March 14, which helped power the song’s ascent.

“Up” drew 22.7 million U.S. streams (down 5%) and 18,000 downloads sold (up 96%, good for the Hot 100’s top Sales Gainer award) in the week ending March 18, according to MRC Data. It also attracted 34.9 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 7%) in the week ending March 21.

The track rises 5-3 on the Streaming Songs chart, which it led for two weeks; 7-3 on Digital Song Sales, where it spent a week in the lead; and 17-14 on Radio Songs.

Here’s an updated look at Cardi B’s Hot 100 No. 1s:

Title, Weeks at No. 1, Date Reached No. 1
“Bodak Yellow (Money Moves),” three, Oct. 7, 2017
“I Like It,” with Bad Bunny & J Balvin, one, April 21, 2018
“Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B, seven, Sept. 29, 2018
“WAP,” feat. Megan Thee Stallion, four, Aug. 22, 2020
“Up,” one (to date) March 27, 2021

Cardi B extends her record for the most Hot 100 No. 1s among female rappers. (Of her five leaders, four have also topped the multi-metric Hot Rap Songs chart, all except Maroon 5‘s “Girls Like You,” on which she’s featured.)

Meanwhile, “Up” is Cardi B’s first Hot 100 No. 1 with no accompanying acts since “Bodak Yellow.” Thanks to the two leaders, Cardi B is the first female rapper with two Hot 100 No. 1s with no accompanying artists.

Dating to her first week atop the Hot 100 with “Bodak Yellow” (Oct. 7, 2017), Cardi B ties for the most No. 1s among all acts in the span since, matching the five each earned in that stretch by Drake and Ariana Grande.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data.

“Up” concurrently rebounds 5-1 and 4-1, respectively, for a fourth week each atop the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts, which use the same methodology as the Hot 100.

“Up” is the first song by a solo female and no accompanying artists to top the Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs since Lizzo‘s “Truth Hurts” in 2019. Before that, Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow” last earned the honor.

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” Becomes the Hot 100’s Longest-Leading Holiday No. 1

Mariah Carey has officially chipped away at the holiday history books…

The 51-year-old half-Venezuelan American’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” returns to No. 1, from No. 2, on the Billboard Hot 100 for a fifth total week atop the chart.

Mariah Carey

The song, originally released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in 1994, first reigned for three weeks last holiday season and added its fourth frame at No. 1 two weeks ago.

Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” on Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings, drew 54.9 million U.S. streams (up 35%) and sold 12,000 downloads (up 24%) in the week ending December 24, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. It also tallied 33.7 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 11%) in the week ending December 27.

As it logs its fifth total week atop the Hot 100, Carey’s insta-classic solely claims the mark for the most time at No. 1 among holiday hits in the chart’s 62-year, five-month history. One other Yuletide track had led the list: “The Chipmunk Song,” by The Chipmunks with David Seville, for four weeks beginning in December 1958.

Carey’s holiday track also becomes the first song to rank at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in three distinct years: 2019, 2020 and, now, 2021. It has led the lists dated December 21 and 28, 2019; January 4, 2020; December 19, 2020; and January 2, 2021.

The carol spends a ninth total week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart and rises 6-2 on Digital Song Sales and 17-13 on Radio Songs. It also rules the multi-metric Holiday 100 chart for a 45th week, of the chart’s 50 total weeks since the list launched in 2011; it has topped the tally for 30 consecutive weeks, dating to the start of the 2015-16 holiday season.

Carey adds her record-extending 84th career week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s August 4, 1958, inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100
84, Mariah Carey
60, Rihanna
59, The Beatles
50, Boyz II Men
50, Drake

“Christmas” last year became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and lifting her to within one of The Beatles‘ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades.

Cardi B Rewrites Her Own History as “WAP” Notches Fourth Week at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

Cardi B is rewriting her own history…

The 27-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar’s smash collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP,” is spending a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, dated September 26.

Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion

With its fourth week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Cardi B rewrites her longest career domination as a lead artist, as “WAP” surpasses the three-week reign of her debut No. 1 “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” in October 2017. She has also led with “I Like It,” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin (one week, July 2018), and as featured on Maroon 5‘s “Girls Like You” (seven weeks, September-November 2018).

“WAP,” released on Atlantic Records, notches a fifth week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart with 41.5 million U.S. streams (down 14%) in the week ending September 17, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

On Digital Song Sales, which it led for two weeks, “WAP” drops 2-3 with 12,000 downloads sold (down 25%) in the same span. The collab climbs 27-21 on Radio Songs with 32.6 million airplay audience impressions (up 21%) in the week ending September 20.

“WAP” logs a sixth week at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts, which use the same multi-metric methodology as the Hot 100.

Cardi B’s “WAP,” Featuring Megan Thee Stallion Reclaims No. 1 Spot on Billboard Hot 100

Grab a bucket and a mop… Cardi B‘s back at the top of the charts.

The 27-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar’s smash single “WAP,” featuring Megan Thee Stallion, has rebounded for a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.

Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, WAP

“WAP” has dethroned BTS‘ “Dynamite,” which spent its first two weeks on the Hot 100 at No. 1, at the top of the chart.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming, radio airplay and sales data.

“WAP,” released on Atlantic Records, notches a fourth week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart with 48.2 million U.S. streams (down 18%) in the week ending September 10, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

On the Digital Song Sales chart, which it led for two weeks, “WAP” rises 3-2 with 16,000 downloads sold (down 20%) in the same span. The collab ascends 32-27 on the Radio Songs chart with 27.3 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 11%) in the week ending September 13.

With its third week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Cardi B matches her longest career domination as a lead artist, as “WAP” ties the three-week reign of her debut No. 1 “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” in October 2017. She has also led with “I Like It,” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin (one week, July 2018), and as feature artist on Maroon 5‘s “Girls Like You” (seven weeks, September-November 2018).

“WAP” logs a fifth week at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts, which use the same multi-metric methodology as the Hot 100.

Selena Gomez Scores First-Ever No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Lose You to Love Me”

It’s a massive first forSelena Gomez

The 27-year-old Mexican American singer/actress has earned her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her new single “Lose You to Love Me.”

Selena Gomez

Gomez earns her first chart-topper more than 10 years after first appearing on the chart, as her ballad vaults from No. 15 to No. 1 following its first full week of data tracking.

“Lose You to Love Me” blasts 20-1 on the Streaming Songs chart, with 38.8 million U.S. streams in the week ending Octpber 31, according to Nielsen Music, good for the Hot 100’s top Streaming Gainertrophy. It holds atop Digital Song Saleswith 39,000 sold in the same span

On the Radio Songschart, it debuts at No. 41 with 24.2 million audience impressions in the week ending November 3.

The song was released Wednesday, October 23and is expected to be the first tasteof Gomez’s upcoming album, her first since Revivalin 2015.

“Thank you guys for streaming and committing to this song! It means the world to me! This song has my whole heart.” Gomez said on social media, while sharing a heartfelt post to her Instagram feed.

Gomez achieves her first Hot 100 No. 1 after previously peaking as high as No. 5 with both “Good For You,” featuring A$AP Rocky, in 2015 and “Same Old Love” in 2016. It’s her eighth top 10 and first since “It Ain’t Me,” with Kygo, reached No. 10 in May 2017.

With Gomez having first appeared on the Hot 100 dated January 10, 2009 (at No. 99 with the eventual No. 58-peaking “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know“), she reaches No. 1 at last, 10 years and 10 months after her first entry. She completes the longest wait from a first visit to a first No. 1 (as a lead artist) since Daddy Yankee, who took 12 years and nine months from his first charted title to his first leader, “Despacito,” with Luis Fonsi and featuring Justin Bieber, in May 2017.

Among women, Gomez ends the longest wait for a first Hot 100 No. 1 in over 30 years, since pop icon Bette Midlerneeded 16 years, six months and two weeks from her first appearance in 1972 to her first No. 1, “Wind Beneath My Wings,” in June 1989.