Camila Cabello Pulls a Rare Double as She Earns First No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Havana”

Posted on January 23, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a rare double for Camila Cabello…

The 20-year-old Cuban and Mexican singer and former Fifth Harmony Member has reached the summit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated January 27) for the first time, as “Havana,” featuring Young Thug, rises from No. 2 to No. 1.

The song was released on SYCO/Epic Records and is the 1,070th No. 1 in the Hot 100‘s history, which dates to the chart’s August 4, 1958, inception.

Cabello’s Hot 100 coronation accompanies her No. 1 entrance on the Billboard 200 albums chart with her debut solo set, Camila.

Additionally, “Havana” becomes Cabello’s first No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart, jumping from No. 5 with a 34 percent gain to 44.9 million U.S. streams in the week ending January 18, according to Nielsen Music.

The track charges 4-2 on Digital Song Sales (which it led for two weeks), up 57 percent to 80,000 downloads sold in the week ending Jan. 18, aided by a 69-cent iTunes Store sale price. It claims the Hot 100’s top gains in both streaming and sales.

On Radio Songs (which it topped for four frames), “Havana” holds at No. 2, with 131 million in all-format airplay audience (down 5 percent) in the week ending Jan. 21.

Cabello had previously peaked as high as No. 4 on the Hot 100 both as a soloist and a member of vocal group Fifth Harmony, which she departed in December 2016. Her own “Bad Things,” with Machine Gun Kelly, hit No. 4 on February 11, 2017, while 5H‘s “Work From Home,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, reached the same rank on June 11, 2016.

“Havana” spent seven (nonconsecutive) weeks at No. 2 before topping the Hot 100. That’s the most time for a song at the runner-up spot before hitting No. 1 since Justin Bieber‘s “Sorry” logged a record-tying eight weeks at No. 2 in 2015-16 prior to leading for three weeks beginning January 23, 2016.

“Havana” hits No. 1 in its 23rd week on the Hot 100, equaling the longest rise to the summit for a song by a female artist in the Hot 100’s history. It matches Sia‘s “Cheap Thrills,” featuring Sean Paul, in 2016, and Patti Austin‘s “Baby, Come to Me,” with James Ingram, in 1982-83.

Only six songs overall have taken more scenic routes to No. 1 than those three, led by Los Del Rio‘s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)“: 33 weeks in 1995-96.

Beyonce was the last artist to earn both firsts as a soloist simultaneously, with “Crazy in Love,” featuring JAY-Z, and Dangerously in Love, on July 12, 2003. The song began an eight-week Hot 100 reign the same week that her first solo album apart from Destiny’s Child (and including “Crazy”) launched at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Still, Beyoncé had previously topped both charts as a member of Destiny’s Child.

Counting purely first weeks at No. 1 on the tallies overall, Cabello is the first artist to earn both firsts in the same week since Britney Spears, whose “…Baby One More Time” ascended to No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated Jan. 30, 1999, the week that her debut album of the same name opened atop the Billboard 200.

Meanwhile, Cabello is the first artist to top both the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 concurrently at all since Kendrick Lamar, who did so “Humble.” and DAMN., respectively, on May 6, 2017.

The last woman to double up at No. 1 on the charts before Cabello this week? Rihanna, with “Work,” featuring Drake, and ANTI, nearly two years ago (April 2, 2016).

Camila Cabello’s Solo Album “Camila” Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Camila Cabello is a woman on top, as she joins an elite group of fellow musicians…

The 20-year-old Cuban and Mexican singer and former Fifth Harmony member debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with her first solo album, Camila.

The album — released through SYCO/Epic Records on January 12 — earned 119,000 equivalent album units in the week ending January 18, according to Nielsen Music.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).

With Cabello’s arrival at No. 1, she joins an exclusive club of female performers who initially reached the Billboard 200 as part of a group, and then later hit No. 1 with a solo album.

As a former member of the all-female vocal group Fifth Harmony, Cabello claimed three top 10s while in the group. Cabello departed Fifth Harmony in December of 2016.

Cabello now joins a list of the ladies who hit No. 1 after previously scoring chart success with a group, including Gwen Stefani, LeToya, Beyonce,, Lauryn Hill, Patti Labelle, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Diana Ross and Janis Joplin.

An honorary mention goes to Selena Gomez, who notched three albums first with Selena Gomez & the Scene, before going totally solo with the No. 1 album Stars Dance in 2013.

Cabello is also the first woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with her debut full-length album in three years – since Meghan Trainor’s Title (also on Epic) opened atop the list dated Jan. 31, 2015. (Trainor had a previous EP, also named Title, which reached No. 15.) If we count all initial chart appearances by women (including EPs), Cabello is the first woman to top the list with her first overall charting effort since Ariana Grande bowed at No. 1 with her first full-length album — and chart debut — Yours Truly on Sept. 21, 2013.

In addition, as Cabello is just 20 years and 10 months old, she is the youngest person to debut at No. 1 with their first full-length album since 2015, when a 16-year-old Shawn Mendes opened at No. 1 with Handwritten on the May 2, 2015-dated chart. Cabello is the youngest woman to bow at No. 1 with her first full-length set since 2013, when Ariana Grande (then 20 years and two months old) debuted at No. 1 with Yours Truly (Sept. 21, 2013).

Bruno Mars Becomes First Male Artist to Land Three Top Five Billboard Hot 100 Hits from First Three Proper Albums

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars has finessed his way into the music history books…

The 32-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer’s “Finesse (Remix),” featuring Cardi B, skyrockets from No. 35 debut to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated Jan. 20).

The song’s performance on the charts gains Mars entrance to an exclusive club: artists with at least three top five Hot 100 hits from each of their first three proper albums.

He’s the first male and third act overall to boast such career-opening consistency, following only Mariah Carey and Beyoncé.

Here’s a chronological look at the elite three superstars, now including Mars, to earn such triple-triples (or, in Carey’s case, more) over the Hot 100’s 59-year history.

Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
“Vision of Love,” No. 1 on the Hot 100 for four weeks, beginning Aug. 4, 1990
“Love Takes Time,” No. 1 (three weeks), Nov. 10, 1990
“Someday,” No. 1 (two weeks), March 9, 1991
“I Don’t Wanna Cry,” No. 1 (two weeks), May 25, 1991

Emotions
“Emotions,” No. 1 (three weeks), Oct. 12, 1991
“Can’t Let Go,” No. 2, Jan. 25, 1992
“Make It Happen,” No. 5, April 11, 1992

Music Box
“Dreamlover,” No. 1 (eight weeks), Sept. 11, 1993
“Hero,” No. 1 (four weeks), Dec. 25, 1993
“Without You”/”Never Forget You,” No. 3, March 19, 1994

Daydream
“Fantasy,” No. 1 (eight weeks), Sept. 30, 1995
“One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men, No. 1 (16 weeks), Dec. 2, 1995
“Always Be My Baby,” No. 1 (two weeks), May 4, 1996

Carey is the only artist with at least three top five Hot 100 hits from each of her first four proper albums … a feat that Mars could match with his next LP.

Beyoncé (as a soloist apart from Destiny’s Child)
Dangerously in Love
“Crazy in Love,” feat. JAY-Z, No. 1 on the Hot 100 for eight weeks, beginning July 12, 2003
“Baby Boy,” feat. Sean Paul, No. 1 (nine weeks), Oct. 4, 2003
“Me, Myself and I,” No. 4, Feb. 21, 2004
“Naughty Girl,” No. 3, June 5, 2004

B’Day
“Deja Vu,” feat. JAY-Z, No. 4, Aug. 12, 2006
“Irreplaceable,” No. 1 (10 weeks), Dec. 16, 2006
“Beautiful Liar,” with Shakira, No. 3, April 7, 2007 (from the set’s deluxe version)

I Am…Sasha Fierce
“If I Were a Boy,” No. 3, Nov. 8, 2008
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” No. 1 (four weeks), Dec. 13, 2008
“Halo,” No. 5, May 23, 2009

Bruno Mars
Doo-Wops & Hooligans
“Just the Way You Are,” No. 1 on the Hot 100 for four weeks, Oct. 2, 2010
“Grenade,” No. 1 (four weeks), Jan. 8, 2011
“The Lazy Song,” No. 4, June 18, 2011

Unorthodox Jukebox
“Locked Out of Heaven,” No. 1 (six weeks), Dec. 22, 2012
“When I Was Your Man,” No. 1 (one week), April 20, 2013
“Treasure,” No. 5, Aug. 3, 2013

24K Magic
“24K Magic,” No. 4, Dec, 10, 2016
“That’s What I Like,” No. 1 (one week), May 13, 2017
“Finesse,” with Cardi B, No. 3 (as of Jan. 20, 2018)

Mars first released the EP It’s Better If You Don’t Understand in 2010, prior to Doo-Wops & Hooligans later that year.

Cardi B Makes History with Five of the Top 10 Hits on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Move over, Beyonce… There’s a new R&B/Hip Hop charts queen…

Cardi B has become only the third act, and the first woman, with five of the top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in a single week since the list began in 1958 (when it was called the Hot R&B Sides chart).

The 25-year-old hald-Dominican American singer places five in the top 10 of the list dated January 20.

Among all acts, Cardi B ties Drake and Kendrick Lamar for the most concurrent top 10s. Drake has done it eight times (all in 2016) and Lamar has managed the achievement once, in 2017.

Among women, Cardi B was previously tied with Beyoncé, with four — a feat Cardi B matched in the previous two weeks (January 13 and January 6).

Further, Cardi B is the only artist to achieve the feat with her first five chart entries.

The Cardi B collection starts at the top of the new chart, as her collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Finesse,” roars 16-1 in its first full tracking week. The song debuted on the January 13 list, as its January 4 release date allotted for one day of sales and streams’ contributions in the prior tracking week.

The ascent gives Cardi B her second No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, after “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” amassed a six-week stint in September-October 2017.

With the burst, “Finesse” seizes the triple crown of the chart’s Digital, Streaming and Airplay Gainer prizes. The tune powers 5-1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart and clocks a 189 percent burst to 87,000 downloads in the week ending January 11, according to Nielsen Music. “Finesse” also debuts atop R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs, pulling 38.3 million U.S. plays, and darts 31-20 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay with 11 million in radio audience, a 62 percent spike for the week ending January 14.

In addition to “Finesse,” Cardi B ranks in the top 10 of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with a featured role on G-Eazy’s “No Limit,” which slides from its No. 2 high to No. 3, “Motorsport,” a collaboration with Migos and Nicki Minaj, which retreats 3-4, “Bartier Cardi,” up 9-7 and “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”, a non-mover at No. 10.

Cardi B Lands Four Singles in Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs Chart

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B is the company of music royalty on the Billboard charts…

The 25-year-old half-Dominican American rap, who was 2017’s breakout star, joins Beyonce, aka Queen B, as the only two female artists to have four songs land in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart at the same time.

Cardi B

G-Eazy’s “No Limit,” featuring Cardi B, sits at number 2, Migos’ “Motorsport,” with Cardi B, follows at No. 4. “Bodak Yellow” sits at number 5, while her latest single “Bartier Cardi” is currently at No. 9.

Beyonce accomplished the feat in 2016 with songs from her Lemonade album. This included “Sorry,” “Formation,” “Hold Up,” and “6 inch,” featuring The Weekend.

The news of Cardi B’s recent Bey-sized accomplishment comes only a few months after rumors of a possible Cardi B-Beyonce collaboration.

Previously, Cardi B became the first female artist since Lauryn Hill, to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart, without a feature. She scored three songs in the top 10 simultaneously. To start the New Year, she was featured on the In Living Color themed, Bruno Mars’ “Finesse Remix,” which she’ll perform at the Grammys.

The two-time Grammy nominated artist, joins a list of other accomplished rappers to achieve the same feat in the past. This list includes Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent and 2 Chainz.

Tanya Saracho Partnering with Big Beach for New Latinx Series, “Brujas”

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the witching hour for Tanya Saracho…

The Mexican playwright and television writer will serve as the showrunner for a new series titled Brujas, a show in development via Big Beach.

The series will follow four Afro-Caribbean/Latinx women in Chicago and series explore the relationships and community born out of the growing identification with the Bruja movement.

Brujas marks the continuing collaboration between Saracho and Big Beach. The new show will use the brujería counter-culture as a foundation. The brujería culture is a means for Latinx feminists to reconnect with their heritage through music, style, nightlife, and art. It’s a powerful return to indigenous practices and a reclamation of feminine strength. It’s also a headline-grabbing movement reflected from coast to coast by artists from Princess Nokia with her single “Brujas” to Beyonce’s opus of female empowerment, “Lemonade.”

Saracho is writing the series and will serve as executive producer alongside Big Beach’s Robin Schwartz, Peter Saraf, and Marc Turtletaub.

Saracho has written for Lifetime’s Devious Maids, HBO’s Girls and Looking, and ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder.

She was previously named Best New Playwright by Chicago Magazine, one of the 9 national “Luminarios” by Café Magazine and given the first “Revolucionario” award in theater by the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Camila Cabello’s “Havana” Reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Songs Chart

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

She may have left her heart in Havana, but Camila Cabello is also leaving her mark on the Billboard music charts.

The 20-year-old Cuban and Mexican singer has earned her second No. 1 as a solo artist on Billboard‘s Pop Songs radio airplay chart, as “Havana,” featuring Young Thug, rises 3-1 on the tally dated December 9. Young Thug reigns in his first visit to the chart.

The Pop Songs chart, which began in 1992 measures total weekly plays, as tabulated by Nielsen Music, among its reporting panel of 162 mainstream top 40 stations.

Cabello previously crowned Pop Songs for two weeks beginning February 18 with “Bad Things,” alongside Machine Gun Kelly.

As a member of Fifth Harmony, Cabello led Pop Songs when the group’s “Work From Home,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, began a two-week rule that June 4.

Cabello is additionally just the fifth artist to post multiple Pop Songs No. 1s as a soloist while also having ruled the ranking with a group. She joins an illustrious group that includes Beyoncé, Adam Levine, Gwen Stefani and Justin Timberlake.

With its Latin vibe (fueled by its new Spanglish mix with Daddy Yankee, the track debuted on the Deember. 2 Latin Pop Songs chart at No. 18), “Havana” “stands out in a big way and it raises its hand among all the noise of straight-ahead pop-sounding singles,” Brian Kelly, program director of Pop Songs reporter WXSS Milwaukee (and Entercom top 40 format captain), recently told Billboard, adding that Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee‘s smash “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, “knocked down the door [for] this type of sound.

“What once seemed like an impossible fit all of a sudden makes sense.”

On the all-genre airplay, streaming and sales-based Billboard Hot 100, “Havana” has reached a No. 2 high, for the past three weeks.

Selena Gomez Named Billboard’s 2017 Woman of the Year

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Selena Gomez is the belle of the Billboard ball…

The 25-year-old Mexican American singer has been named Billboard’s 2017 Woman of the Year.

Gomez, a two-time Billboard 200 chart-leader will be presented with the award on November 30 at the annual Women in Music dinner and awards gala, held at Los Angeles’ Ray Dolby Ballroom.

Gomez, an award-winning singer, producer and actress, will join an all-star cast of previous Woman of the Year honorees including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Pink, Katy Perry, Fergie, Beyoncé and last year’s winner, Madonna, who delivered a moving speech that touched on feminism, sexism and much more.

“Not only is Selena soaring on the charts, but she continuously inspires young women everywhere to be authentic, give back and to not be afraid to use their voice,” said John Amato, president of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group. “She is never afraid to speak her mind and has used her platform to advocate for the needs of others. We are thrilled to be able to honor her as our Woman of the Year.”

Gomez’ career has never been in better shape. In 2015 and 2016, she enjoyed top 10 Billboard Hot 100 smashes with “Same Old Love” and “Hands to Myself” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore.” The trend continues, with hits “Bad Liar,” “Fetish” (featuring Gucci Mane) and “It Ain’t Me” (with Kygo) in the past year.

Five of her albums have cracked the top 10 of the Billboard 200, with the studio albums Revival (2015) and Stars Dance (2013) leading the chart.

Not confined to music, Gomez also executive-produced the Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why, launched partnerships with Coach and Puma, and worked tirelessly across various philanthropic endeavors, from the Step Up Foundation to coaching for World Kindness Day, and raising more than $500,000 for the Lupus Research Alliance. Also, Gomez has been an active ambassador for UNICEF since 2009.

The event, held in conjunction with the publication of Billboard’s Women in Music issue, also recognizes the most powerful female executives in the industry. Additional Women in Music honorees will be revealed at a later date.

For the first time, the Women in Music event and a red-carpet pre-show will be broadcast live for on Twitter from 9:00 pm-midnight EST on November 30.

Cardi B & Beyonce May Be Collaborating on a New Song

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B may be heading to the beyhive…

While the 25-year-old half-Dominican American singer’s debut album has seen some setbacks, it could include a major accomplishment: a Beyonce feature.

According to a snapshot of Michael Ashby‘s – Cardi B’s engineer — Instagram story, the two artists may have a collaboration in the works.

Ashby, the engineer behind Cardi’s smash hit “Bodak Yellow,” shared a photo of a mix titled “Cardi B & Beyonce” and wrote ‘Wow this feature is big” over the image. Ashby didn’t reveal whether the track would possibly land on the Bronx rapper’s forthcoming album.

Cardi B and Beyonce previously met at Made in America festival earlier in September. After meeting Beyonce, Cardi said that she was surprised the “Formation” singer liked her music, and was speechless when they officially met. Miss Tina Lawson, Beyonce’s mother, also greeted Cardi B backstage at the festival.

J Balvin & Willy William’s “Mi Gente” Gets a Major Assist from Beyonce

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

J Balvin’s hit single just got BEY-gger…

The 32-year-old Colombian reggaeton singer’s single with Willy William, “Mi Gente,” has been remixed with none other than Beyoncé.

“I am donating my proceeds from this song to hurricane relief charities for Puerto Rico, Mexico and the other affected Caribbean islands,” she announced on Instagram Thursday night (September 28).

Beyoncé revealed her feature on “Mi Gente” with one of her funky instavids, this time with photos of the singer wearing a colorful striped dress with a bright yellow Off White belt, moving to the beat of the track.

J Balvin shared her post on his own Instagram page and dropped a dance-heavy lyric video for the new release on YouTube.

Get more information on how you can help with hurricane relief efforts here.

I am donating my proceeds from this song to hurricane relief charities for Puerto Rico, Mexico and the other affected Caribbean islands. To help go to Beyonce.com/reliefefforts.

“Mi Gente” is a remix of William’s “Voodoo Song,” which came out two months prior to “Mi Gente”’s release in June.

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