Latest news with #AlexWarren
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Benson Boone Rockets Up iTunes Following His Losing Night At The AMAs
Benson Boone didn't take home any trophies at the 2025 American Music Awards, despite earning several nominations in some of the biggest categories. While he might not have snagged some hardware, he has emerged as one of the event's standout success stories in the day following the showing — at least in one respect. The pop singer sees multiple titles soar on iTunes following the program. Boone was in attendance and performed his current focus track 'Mystical Magical' on the main stage, and that appearance has paid off. Boone is now just one spot away from ruling the iTunes Top Songs chart in the U.S. His single "Mystical Magical" jumped to the runner-up position the day after the event. At the moment, it's blocked only my 'Ordinary' by Alex Warren – which was also showcased during the televised event – from hitting No. 1 Boone currently occupies two slots inside the top 10 on the list of the top-selling tracks on iTunes. His breakout smash "Beautiful Things," which has been selling well for more than a year now, lifts three spaces to No. 6. Although he didn't perform the tune during the ceremony, it was featured in host Jennifer Lopez's opening medley, alongside more than a dozen other tracks. Two other singles from Boone's upcoming album American Heart are also performing incredibly well on iTunes in the U.S. The third and most recent track shared from the project, "Momma Song," is present at No. 11 at the time of writing. Meanwhile, "Sorry I'm Here for Someone Else," which introduced his forthcoming second full-length, bolts several spaces and currently sits at No. 25. Boone has only released one project so far, and it's a bestseller once again on the iTunes Top Albums list following his major moment at the American Music Awards. Fireworks & Rollerblades returns to the top 10 and becomes a strong performer once more. At present, it appears at No. 9, lifting more than 10 spaces from where it sat just a short time ago, before fans began buying it in droves once more.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Friday Music Guide: New Music From Joe Jonas, Reneé Rapp, Alex Warren & Jelly Roll and More
Billboard's Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday's most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. This week, Joe Jonas gives us a long-awaited solo project, Reneé Rapp returns on her own terms and Alex Warren is far from 'Ordinary.' Check out all of this week's picks below: More from Billboard U2's Bono Calls for Hamas to 'Release the Hostages, Stop the War' During Ivor Novello Awards Speech Rob49 on Viral Stardom, 'Let Me Fly,' Collab Album With G Herbo & Making Music With Justin Bieber Preston Cooper on Offering Genuine Strength in 'Weak,' His First Radio Release Joe Jonas, Fourteen years after the last album released under his own name, Joe Jonas is a lifetime (and several new hits) removed from the rhythmic pop of 2011's Fastlife, and that personal and artistic growth is the foundation of Music For People Who Believe in Love, an earnest and surprisingly personal pop-rock project that includes both radio fodder ('Honey Blonde,' 'Work It Out') and a few unexpected collaborations, like the touching family reflection 'Hey Beautiful' with Louane and Tiny Habits. Reneé Rapp, 'Leave Me Alone' Even if you didn't know that Reneé Rapp's 'Leave Me Alone' is the first taste of an upcoming sophomore album titled Bite Me, you could probably deduce that the riotous new single represents a new beginning for a singer-actress who's found her artistic footing: 'Leave Me Alone' has made headlines for the tossed-off lyric about The Sex Lives of College Girls, but the real story here is Rapp's embrace of slightly heavy guitar-rock, with the feedback buzzing as she forgoes all pop norms. Alex Warren with Jelly Roll, 'Bloodline' A lot is riding on 'Bloodline' for Alex Warren, considering that the song is his first new music since 'Ordinary' conquered the charts around the world — so to ensure that his next step forward was a successful one, the singer-songwriter tapped Jelly Roll, one of the more reliable presences in popular music, for a stomp-clap anthem with the same reassuring tone as Warren's current smash. Burna Boy feat. Travis Scott, 'TaTaTa' As Burna Boy preps for the July release of new album No Sign of Weakness, fans have been given a thumping new Travis Scott collaboration to kick off their summer: 'TaTaTa' is all slick rhymes and layered drums, with both MCs exuding star power and playing off of the beat by using the chorus as a percussive tool rather than a catchy refrain. Jessie Murph feat. Sexyy Red, 'Blue Strips' remix 'Blue Strips' has been one of the surprise hits of the year, thanks in part to Jessie Murph's force of personality and a killer hook; now, Sexyy Red is jumping in on the fun, with a remix that actually shortens the song's length but makes room for the rapper to warble the chorus and drop vehicular ad-libs over the original track's still-simmering beat. Karol G, 'Latina Foreva' Karol G knows that summer is right around the corner, and 'Latina Foreva' functions as a warm-weather banger for the ladies: the superstar's first new single of 2025 celebrates femininity with a fierce reggaeton arrangement, as Karol sounds more than comfortable navigating the speed-ups and slowdowns of the production before letting the beat work its magic at the end of the track. Rob49, The viral hit 'WTHELLY' has earned New Orleans rapper Rob49 newfound attention in popular hip-hop after years of grinding on the edges, and Let Me Fly sounds like a well-time artistic triumph, brimming with unhinged energy from the ominous piano keys that open the 22-song project and stretched across various collaborations (Meek Mill, Fridayy, Sexyy Red and Quavo are among the guest list). Editor's Pick: mgk, 'Cliche' After dabbling in country-fried songwriting following his pop-punk pivot, The Artist Formerly Known as Machine Gun Kelly has located a sleek little intersection of the two sounds: 'Cliché,' along with its accompanying choreo-heavy music video, is an utterly charming new chapter in mgk's winding story, all Warped Tour-ready hooks and nervy energy aimed at those of us still blasting his Tickets to My Downfall hits on the regular. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Backstreet Boys Hit No. 1 With A Surprise New Song
It was only a few days ago that the Backstreet Boys soared toward the top of the iTunes chart in the United States alongside Rascal Flatts. The beloved boy band joined the country group on a reworking of "What Hurts the Most," which later arrived on several Billboard tallies. This Friday (May 23), the Grammy-nominated vocal troupe scores big once again – on their own, this time – with a new tune and proves that, even after decades together, the group can still land a bestseller. The Backstreet Boys surprised die-hard fans by dropping a previously-unknown cut titled "The Perfect Fan (Demo)." The track, which was only hinted at by the musical act on social media, but not outright announced – quickly shot to No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs ranking, standing out as the top seller on the important platform. Fridays are always busy with new releases, both songs and albums, as they mark the beginning of a new tracking week in the music industry. This time around, the Backstreet Boys beat out several other well-known figures who also collected major wins with just-shared pieces of music. "Momma Song," a new single by Benson Boone, sits just one spot behind the Backstreet Boys at No. 2. Rising star Alex Warren teamed up with Jelly Roll for the new single "Bloodline," which is the third new entry inside the top 10 on the American iTunes Top Songs list. The Backstreet Boys also score big on the iTunes Top Albums list — but not with something brand new. The group's album Millennium soars to No. 2, hot off the heels of the release of "The Perfect Fan (Demo)." The boy band is planning to re-release a special edition of Millennium later this summer, which will come with a new single titled "Hey." "The Perfect Fan (Demo)" appears to be building anticipation for that upcoming launch. On the albums tally, there aren't as many exciting new arrivals. Joe Jonas — one-third of the Jonas Brothers — collects the only other new entry inside the top 10 this Friday with his sophomore solo album Music For People Who Believe In Love, while Morgan Wallen's I'm the Problem leads the way, just as it has for the past week.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alex Warren's ‘Ordinary' Tops Both Billboard Global Charts
Alex Warren's 'Ordinary' is the biggest song in the world, as it adds a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, while topping the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey for the first time. The Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States. More from Billboard Kendrick Lamar & SZA's 'Luther' Rules Billboard Hot 100 for 13th Week Saweetie Locks in Debut Australian Tour Dates French Police Recover Bust From Jim Morrison's Grave, 37 Years After It Was Stolen Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts' calculations. 'Ordinary' leads the Global 200 with 69.5 million streams (up 5% week-over-week) and 12,000 sold (up 6%) worldwide May 9-15. The entire Global 200's top five holds in place from a week earlier: 'Die With a Smile' at No. 2, after 18 weeks at No. 1 starting last September (second only to the 19 weeks at No. 1 for Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' since the chart began); ROSÉ and Bruno Mars' 'APT.' at No. 3, after 12 weeks at No. 1 starting in November; Billie Eilish's 'Birds of a Feather' at No. 4, following three weeks at No. 1 last August; and Benson Boone's 'Beautiful Things' at No. 5, after it logged seven weeks on top beginning in February 2024. Elsewhere in the Global 200's top 10, The Weeknd and Playboi Carti's 'Timeless' soars 28-10, thanks to a 35% surge to 37.9 million streams worldwide after a remix adding Doechii was released May 9. The song peaked at No. 3 upon its debut last October. 'Ordinary' ascends 2-1 on Global Excl. U.S. with 49.1 million streams (up 7%) and 5,000 sold (up 2%) outside the U.S. As on the Global 200, Warren earns his first leader on Global Excl. U.S. 'Die With a Smile' drops to No. 2 after 17 weeks atop Global Excl. U.S. starting last September. Only 'APT.' by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars, which holds at No. 3, has led longer: 19 weeks, beginning in November. 'Birds of a Feather' rises 5-4 on Global Excl. U.S., following three weeks at No. 1 last August, and JENNIE's 'like JENNIE' slips 4-5, after hitting No. 3. The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated May 24, 2025) will update on tomorrow, May 20. For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard's subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram. Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Four Decades of 'Madonna': A Look Back at the Queen of Pop's Debut Album on the Charts Chart Rewind: In 1990, Madonna Was in 'Vogue' Atop the Hot 100
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Where have all the great pop hits gone?
The romantic ballad Ordinary by Californian singer-songwriter Alex Warren is – at the time of writing – enjoying its 10th week at number one in the UK singles chart. Released in February, the song is proving so popular that a special 'wedding version', stripped of its drums and thus tailor-made for that smoochy first dance, has had over 30 million plays on Spotify, twice as many as Ed Sheeran's most recent single Old Phone. But Ordinary is notable for another reason. Of the six songs that have topped the chart so far in 2025, it's the only one to have actually been released this calendar year. Compared to Ordinary, the rest of this year's chart-toppers are positively vintage. Beckenham-born Lola Young's Messy and US rapper Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us both came out in May 2024 while Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club, which was number one for two weeks in March, was, astonishingly, released in the second week of lockdown in 2020. Only Gracie Adams' That's So True, number one in January, can vaguely be described as current, having been released last October. A year ago the picture was so different as to be unrecognisable. By mid-May 2024, pop fans had been treated to fresh new hits galore. Sabrina Carpenter 's Espresso, Beyoncé's Texas Hold 'Em, Taylor Swift and Post Malone's Fortnight, Benson Boone's Beautiful Things, Tommy Richman's Million Dollar Baby and Roan's Good Luck, Babe! – to name just six of 2024's chart smashes – had all been released since the turn of the year. In the Official Charts Company's (OCC) list of the 20 biggest songs of 2024, 12 were released between January and mid-May last year. Yet in the OCC's interim list of 2025's 20 biggest songs so far, released in April, only one track is from 2025 – the ubiquitous, and increasingly extra ordinary, Ordinary. Mega-hits always come out in the early months, goes record industry thinking. The biggest songs of 2022 and 2023 – Harry Styles' As It Was and Miley Cyrus's Flowers, both of which bagged Brits and Grammys – were released in the April and January of those years respectively. All of which begs a pressing question: with the summer solstice just five weeks away, where are 2025's pop hits? 'Kids don't listen to the radio so something has to pop up on TikTok or YouTube in order to be a hit, and nothing really has,' is the glum take of one veteran record label boss. Even Private Eye, a magazine more used to dealing with corrupt MPs than corrupt MP3s, declares in its current issue that 'British pop has dried up'. There is, charitably, one mitigating factor behind this year's hits slump: 2024 was a blockbuster year. Superstars Billie Eilish, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX and Carpenter all released new music last year and are now, bar Swift, on the 'touring' part of their album-tour-rest cycle (coming to the UK soon). But a gangbusters 2024 doesn't explain the fact that numerous much-vaunted 2025 comebacks have failed to light the cultural touchpaper as expected. New albums by Lady Gaga and The Weeknd have so far failed to capture the cultural zeitgeist, while Lorde's comeback single failed to reach the top 10. Ed Sheeran's commercial comeback Azizam, described by this newspaper as 'featherweight musical Esperanto', peaked at number three – relatively low for the Suffolk hit-machine – while his aforementioned Old Phone recently entered the charts at a lowly number 17. People are simply listening to less new music, a fact that has starkly come to the fore this year. Figures from music data company Chartmetric, crunched for the Telegraph, compared the number of Spotify streams received by two of last year's biggest hits with streams received by two of this year's biggest hits some 61 days after their respective releases. Espresso and Texas Hold 'Em, massive smashes in 2024, had been listened to 548 million and 305 million times at the 61-day mark. For Ordinary and Messy, chart-toppers this year, those figures were 198 million and 5.7 million. Chaz Jenkins, chief commercial officer at Chartmetric, offers one theory. He says the music industry has been 'gradually focusing on Q2' – the months of April, May and June – 'for releasing 'hero' tracks in recent years', meaning that hits might be just around the corner. We'll see. The bigger truth is that young people's listening habits have permanently changed. Generation Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 – simply don't consume music in the same way that they used to, and this should be of grave concern to the music industry. James Masterton runs the Chart Watch UK website and has been writing about the charts for over three decades. His take is sobering. 'Theoretically we should be in the middle of a golden age of pop music based on the available demographics. The really odd thing is that this hasn't emerged, which suggests that something deep-rooted has actually changed,' he says. Masterton's theory is this. Pop music goes in cycles and always reaches a peak in popularity some 13 or 14 years after the end of an economic slump. This is because birth-rates historically surge just as economic conditions improve, thereby yielding a large cohort of pop-crazy teenagers 13 or 14 years later. So people born in the good times of the mid-1960s became teenagers in the late 1970s, when – guess what? – sales of singles reached an all-time high. And children born in the Thatcher boom of the mid-to-late 1980s became teenagers in the late-1990s, when – again – sales of CD singles went through the roof. In theory, then, we should be seeing the same thing now. It was 14 years ago that we came out of the credit crunch and 13 years since the 2012 Olympics baby boom. Birth-rates rocketed, according to the ONS. The music industry in 2025 should therefore be making hay from music-mad teens. 'But where are they? Where is the pop music they're all engaging with?' says Masterton. Teenagers' circumstances have changed, he says. Yes, they're online lots (nearly four hours a day for 13-14 year-olds). But their time is split between YouTube, gaming, social media, TV and music. The music industry used to be driven by new releases, forcing teenagers to go to record shops (remember them?) to buy the latest tunes. Teens no longer have to do this due to streaming's 'all you can eat for a monthly fee' model, so they're less bothered by new releases. An old song by Queen, for example, is just as likely to pique a teen's interest as a new Lady Gaga single. 'Everything that has gone on in the past has now got this mass appeal and so music consumption today is not so confined to up-to-date new music made by new artists. It's actually the long legacy of popular music that accounts for the vast majority of consumption,' says Masterton. Great if you're Kate Bush, less so if you're just starting out. Add to this Gen Z's reputation as the 'abstention generation', some of whom embrace digital minimalism along with a rejection of rabid consumption, and you can see why the music industry has a problem. Familiarity has replaced newness in an industry that relies on newness to bring the money in. It's why songs can take years to reach number one (Pink Pony Club) rather than days, as in the past. It also explains the relatively slow burn of Messy and Ordinary. Chartmetric's Jenkins says the singles chart is no longer the summit of one mountain. Rather, it is 'the highest peak among a range of slightly smaller mountains'. Only once artists have climbed these smaller mountains – by, say, being number one in a specific subgenre or really getting into people's heads – do they 'qualify' to climb the central peak. 'If they perform well climbing that central peak, they can stay at or near the summit for a very long time. If not, they move back onto their original mountain pretty quickly,' Jenkins says. It's therefore entirely possible, if not likely, that Gaga or Sheeran's recent releases will rise back up the charts in future months once they've become part of people's sonic furniture. The corollary of all this is that record labels can no longer predict with any certainty what will be a hit, or when. Still, many labels chiefs remain chipper. Simon Robson, EMEA president for recorded music at Warner Music Group, foresees a 'great summer of music'. Last year the label increased its A&R (artist development) spend and the results are showing: Warners artists currently account for half of the UK top 10 and half of the top ten tracks in the Spotify Global Top 200 chart (Warner's Atlantic label is behind Warren's Ordinary). Robson concedes, though, that 'in today's diverse and dynamic music industry, hits can come from almost anywhere and travel everywhere'. Record companies like his, he says, 'can help artists navigate this new landscape'. Masterton, however, believes there's simply too much music out there. 'If people suddenly stopped making music tomorrow, we wouldn't necessarily feel the impact. It wouldn't be an emergency because you could go the rest of your life listening to music that has already been recorded and not run out of things to discover and enjoy,' he says. But music won't stop tomorrow. And 2025 still desperately needs hits. As Lola Young says, it's messy.
