Cardi B: Apple Music’s Most-Streamed Latina Artist of All Time

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

She hasn’t been in the music industry for long, but Cardi Bhas certainly made her mark…

In celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8), Apple Music has revealed its list of the most-streamed female artists of all time, with the 26-year-old half-Dominican American rap sensation earning a spot in the Top 10.

Cardi B, the highest-ranking Latina on the list, comes in at No. 6, behind Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Beyoncéand Nicki Minaj.

Other Latinas making the list include Demi Lovato(No. 13), Selena Gomez(No. 14), Camila Cabello(No. 17) and Mariah Carey(No. 20).

Meanwhile, the “I Like It” rapper tops the list of the Most Shazam’d Women of the Past Year, coming in ahead of Sia, Dua Lipa and Nicki Minaj.

Lovato comes in at No. 5 on the Shazam-related list, while Cabello comes in at No. 10. Gomez at No. 11 and Becky Gat No. 17.

“Apple Music will be highlighting visionary women in music around the world throughout the month of March with artist curated playlists and female-driven programming (100+ Apple Music playlists featuring 3000+ tracks spotlighting single and multiple female artists),” the company said in a press release.

Here are the complete lists:

Apple Music’s most-streamed female artists of all time:

1. Ariana Grande
2. Taylor Swift
3. Rihanna
4. Beyoncé
5. Nicki Minaj
6. Cardi B
7. Adele
8. Sia
9. Lady Gaga
10. Halsey
11. Lana Del Rey
12. SZA
13. Demi Lovato
14. Selena Gomez
15. Katy Perry
16. P!nk
17. Camila Cabello
18. Mariah Carey
19. Ella Mai
20. Billie Eilish

Most Shazam’d women of the past year:

1. Cardi B
2. Sia (including LSD)
3. Dua Lipa
4. Nicki Minaj
5. Demi Lovato
6. Halsey
7. Rihanna
8. Anne-Marie
9. Ariana Grande
10. Camila Cabello
11. Selena Gomez
12. Bebe Rexha
13. Beyoncé (including The Carters)
14. Lady Gaga
15. Jess Glynne
16. Rita Ora
17. Becky G
18. P!nk
19. Katy Perry
20. Taylor Swift

Marcelo D2 Releases Anti-Violence Album and Short Film

Posted on September 1, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Marcelo D2 is speaking out about the violence in Rio de Janeiro through new music…

The 50-year-old Brazilian rapper has released a new album accompanied by a short film. Amar é para os Fortes premiered Friday exclusively on Apple Music.

The album was produced by Mario Caldaro Jr. of Beastie Boys fame, while the film was produced, written and directed by Marcelo D2.

The project is described as “a musical chronicle of Rio de Janeiro’s reality: violence, drugs, friends and enemies, family, art, hope, love.”

The nearly-wordless half-hour movie features eight of the record’s ten tracks. Stephan Peixoto, Marcelo D2’s son, plays Sinistro, who discovers a world away from the gangs and guns in the favela when he finds work in an art gallery and is embraced by artists and musicians.

Described by the artist as “an album to watch,” the story, based on his own, is a stylish street opera that illustrates arts role in social change.

The film includes the information that there were 300,000 violent deaths in Brazil in the last ten years, and 71 percent of the victims were young and black.

Gilberto Gil and Seu Jorge are among the real-life Brazilian artists who make cameos in the film, which counted on Nike, Pernod Ricard and Casio as sponsors.

Click here for the video on Apple Music.

J Balvin’s New Album “Vibras” Makes History on Apple Music

Posted on June 7, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

J Balvin is making history…

The 33-year-old Colombian reggaeton singer’s new album Vibras has racked up the most first-week global streams for a Latin album ever on Apple Music, replacing week one of Romeo Santos‘ 2017 project Golden.

Vibras also claims the record for the most-streamed Latin album in 24 hours on Apple Music so far in 2018.

On the Billboard charts, the album notched the biggest week of 2018 for a Latin album so far with its No. 1 debut on the Top Latin Albums chart and No. 15 bow on the Billboard 200. The week of its release, Vibras was highlighted as one of the best albums of the week in Billboard’s Viva Friday article, which is a compilation of new songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors.

“I just want to make music for the world,” the Colombian singer told Beats 1’s Ebro Darden before he released the album.

Sabrina Claudio Appears on the Official Soundtrack for “Fifty Shades Freed”

Posted on January 9, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Prepare for fifty shades of Sabrina Claudio…

The 21-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American singer-songwriter appears on the official soundtrack for Fifty Shades Freed, singing in English and Spanish.

Claudio, who was named Apple Music’s Up Next artist in October, performs the single “Cross Your Mind” and its Spanish version.

But Claudio isn’t the only Latina appearing on the official soundtrack, a 22-song compilation.

Jessie Reyez joins voices with Black Atlass on the single “Sacrifice.”

Claudio and Reyez join an all-star roster that includes Sia, Ellie Goulding, Hailee Steinfeld and Miike Snow.

The soundtrack is kicked off by Liam Payne and Rita Ora’s lead number “For You,” which arrived last Friday.

The Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack will be released on February 9.

Its predecessor, the soundtrack to Fifty Shades Darker, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last February.

The forthcoming film, the final in the Fifty Shades trilogy, also hits theaters on February 9.

Here’s the full track list:

‘Fifty Shades Freed Official Soundtrack’ Tracklisting:

Capital Letters – Hailee Steinfeld x BloodPop®
For You (Fifty Shades Freed) – Liam Payne & Rita Ora
Sacrifice – Black Atlass featuring Jessie Reyez
High – Whethan & Dua Lipa
Heaven – Julia Michaels
Big Spender – Kiana Ledé featuring Prince Charlez
Never Tear Us Apart – Bishop Briggs
The Wolf – The Spencer Lee Band
Are You – Julia Michaels
Cross Your Mind – Sabrina Claudio
Change Your Mind – Miike Snow
Come On Back – Shungudzo
I Got You (I Feel Good) – Jessie J
Ta Meilleure Ennemie (Pearls) – Samantha Gongol (of Marian Hill) featuring Juliette Armanet
Deer in Headlights – Sia
Diddy Bop – Jacob Banks & Louis the Child
Love Me Like You Do (Fifty Shades Freed Version) – Ellie Goulding
Freed – Danny Elfman
Seeing Red – Danny Elfman
Maybe I’m Amazed – Jamie Dornan [Bonus Track]
Cross Your Mind (Spanish Version – Sabrina Claudio [Bonus Track]
Pearls – Samantha Gongol (of Marian Hill) [Bonus Track]

Bodega Bamz Returns with New Single “Poof”

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Bodega Bamz is back in a big way…

The 32-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American singer, whose real name is Nathaniel de la Rosa, has released his new single “Poof.”

It’s the lead single, produced by Da MVPz, from his forthcoming new album.

Earlier this month Bodega Bamz celebrated the five year anniversary of his debut mixtape Strictly 4 My P.A.P.I.Z., re-releasing the project across Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon and other streaming platforms for the first time.

He’s also making his acting debut on Showtime‘s comedy series SMILF, with fervent disciples of the Spanish Harlem rapper eager to hear new music, Bamz simultaneously readies a new album and premieres the lead single exclusively on Billboard.com.

SMILF premieres Sunday, November 5 on Showtime at 10:00 pm EST.

Sabrina Claudio Named Apple Music’s Newest Up Next Artist

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Sabrina Claudio is an Apple of the music world…

The 21-year-old half-Cuban and half-Puerto Rican singer is Apple Music‘s newest Up Next artist.

Claudio follows in the footsteps of her upcoming tour partner 6LACK, a previous selection.

Apple’s Up Next program showcases emerging artists in music like previous Up Next alum Sigrid, Khalid, Mr. Eazi and Daniel Caesar.

To coincide with the announcement, Apple Music will release an exclusive interview with the “Belong To You” singer and Beats 1 host Ebro Darden as well as a short documentary on the singer’s humble beginnings.

The announcement comes on the heels of Claudio’s newest project About Time and ahead of her upcoming 28-city jaunt with 6LACK. On Monday (October 23), the singer will also make her television debut with a live performance on The Late Late Show with James Cordon.

“What am I afraid of as an artist? I guess I was scared before of just not being heard,” Claudio says in the trailer of her doc. “But I’m too loud now.”

Shakira to Appear on Apple Music’s “Carpool Karaoke: The Series”

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Shakira is hitting the carpool lane in Spain…

The 40-year-old Colombian superstar serves as Trevor Noah’s tour guide in her adopted hometown of Barcelona in a new episode of Apple Music‘s Carpool Karaoke: The Series premiering Tuesday (September 12).

Remarking on Barcelona’s beauty, Noah sports a red and yellow scarf, boasting the colors of the Catalan flag.

The car cruises to Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia cathedral, the city’s biggest tourist attraction, where Shakira immediately causes selfie madness, while Noah makes jokes about the fact that no one seems to recognize him in the least.

A teaser for the episode promises a joyful, and well-timed, homage to Barcelona and its street life.

The episode airs almost a month after the August 17 terrorist attack in the city center that killed 14 people.

Watch Noah and the Shakira tour Barcelona as they sing “Wherever, Whenever,” “Waka Waka” and “Hips Don’t Lie.”

J Balvin Releases “Safari” Music Video on YouTube

Posted on September 3, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a wild, wild world for J Balvin…

The 31-year-old Colombian reggaeton singer has released the highly anticipated music video for his single “Safari” on YouTube.

Balvin had previously premiered the clip on on Apple Music in August.

Surrounded by female dancers in an intimate setting, Balvin, Pharrell and rapper BIA sing the reggae infused track featured on his latest album, Energía.

“Safari” is currently No. 21 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart (dated September 10).

The steamy video was filmed during Memorial Day weekend in Los Angeles and directed by Grant Singer.

Lovato Releases New Single “Body Say”

Posted on July 4, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Demi Lovato is sharing her Body (Say)…

The 23-year-old part-Mexican American singer/actress has dropped her new single “Body Say” on Apple Music, Spotify and Google Play.

The release of the steamy song comes soon after Lovato revealed it as her latest single.

Lovato recorded the sexy track — with lyrics that say “You can touch me with slow hands/Speed it up, baby, make me sweat/Dreamland, take me there ‘cause I want your sex/If my body had a say, I wouldn’t turn away” — only a couple weeks ago before releasing it Friday (July 1).

She tweeted to fans that she “wanted you guys to hear it right away…whats the point in waiting anymore.”

The singer first teased “Body Say” earlier in the week with a set of nude, black-and-white images taken for the single’s artwork.

https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0i7bg5CcqyaceKjXaPXywN

J Balvin’s “Bobo” Reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s another chart topper for J Balvin…

The 31-year-old Colombian reggaeton singer’s latest single “Bobo,” which broke Spotify and Vevo records after its release, rises 3-1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart (dated July 2), earning him his third chart-topping hit.

“Bobo” reaches No. 1 in only its sixth charting week.

A 31 percent rise in streams helped push the song to the summit, earning the Streaming Gainer tag and increasing to 2.4 million U.S. on-demand plays in the week ending June 16, according to Nielsen Music.

YouTube claims the most clicks, with 69 percent of the overall streams. Over on the Latin Streaming Songs chart, “Bobo” reaches a new peak — rising 4-2.

“Bobo” is the second single from Balvin’s Energia album, which will be released June 24. Most recently, he spent 22 weeks atop Hot Latin Songs with the set’s lead track, “Ginza.”

Two additional preview songs from the album were released exclusively on Apple Music on June 17; “Safari,” featuring Pharrell, BIA and Sky, and “Malvada,” which could impact the charts dated July 9.

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