Cardi B Joins The Beatles & Ashanti in Rare Billboard Hot 100 Feat

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B is making Beatles-size history…

The 25-year-old half-Dominican American singer has become just the third act – and the first rapper – to place her first three Billboard Hot 100 entries in the chart’s top 10 simultaneously, joining only The Beatles and Ashanti in achieving the feat.

Cardi B earns the honor as G-Eazy‘s “No Limit,” featuring A$AP Rocky and Cardi B, lifts from No. 5 to a No. 4 high on the new January 6-dated Billboard Hot 100 chart; Migos, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B’s No. 6-peaking “MotorSport” holds at No. 7; and her former three-week No. 1 debut smash “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” returning to the top 10, rising 12-10.

As Cardi B places at Nos. 4, 7 and 10 on the Hot 100, she joins elite company in ranking in the top 10 with her first three charted titles in the same week.

The Beatles first tripled up at the heights of early Beatlemania, as, on the Hot 100s dated February 29, March 7 and March 14, 1964, their first three entries all charted in the top 10 together. In the last of those three frames, the band monopolized the top three, with their first three hits at Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively: “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You” and “Please Please Me.”

The feat remained unmatched for 38 years, until Ashanti reached the Hot 100’s top 10 with her first three charted titles simultaneously. On March 30 and April 6, 2002, she appeared in the tier with her own “Foolish” and as featured on Fat Joe‘s “What’s Luv?” and Ja Rule‘s “Always on Time.”

Cardi B is the first artist overall to chart three songs in the top 10 simultaneously since The Chainsmokers, who became the first duo to earn the distinction on the March 18, 2017-dated Hot 100. She’s the first woman to do so since both Iggy Azalea and Ariana Grande on August 30, 2014.

Cardi B, Azalea, Grande, Adele and Ashanti are the only women with such a top-10 triple.

The only other acts to chart three Hot 100 top 10s simultaneously (dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception): Bee Gees, 50 Cent, Usher, Akon, T-Pain, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Justin Bieber (thus, making Cardi B the 15th act to join the club).

The honor is the latest for Cardi B, who, when “MotorSport” zoomed 15-6 on the December 30-dated Hot 100, became the first female rapper to reach the top 10 with her first three Hot 100 entries.

Cardi B’s current trio of top 10s is driven most heavily by streaming, as “No Limit” leaps 7-4 on the Streaming Songs chart with 34.2 million U.S. streams, up 18 percent, in the week ending Deember. 28, according to Nielsen Music; “MotorSport” reverses 5-7 (30 million, down 4 percent); and “Bodak Yellow” holds at No. 9 (24.2 million, down 1 percent).

Not to be forgotten among Cardi B’s bounty this week: at No. 4 on the Hot 100, “No Limit” marks a new career high for both G-Eazy and A$AP Rocky, the latter of whom surpasses his prior No. 5 peak, as featured on Selena Gomez‘s “Good for You” in 2015.

Meanwhile, Cardi B adds to her haul this week, earning the Hot 100’s top two debuts with her fourth and fifth Hot 100 entries. “Bartier Cardi,” featuring 21 Savage, bows at No. 14 on the Hot 100, as it launches at No. 10 on the Digital Song Sales chart with 45,000 first-week downloads sold in the week ending December 28 and at No. 11 on Streaming Songs (21.1 million opening-week U.S. streams). The song’s No. 14 Hot 100 entrance matches Cardi B’s best, tying the arrival of “MotorSport” (Nov. 18).

Plus, Ozuna and Cardi B’s “La Modelo” debuts on the Hot 100 at No. 52, starting on Digital Song Sales at No. 40 (19,000) and Streaming Songs at No. 41 (11.7 million). It opens at No. 3 on Hot Latin Songs (where it marks Cardi B’s first appearance).

Camila Cabello‘s “Havana,” featuring Young Thug, keeps at No. 3 on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 2, while topping Radio Songs for a fourth week (130.4 million, down 3 percent).

Blacc to Participate in Netflix’s Animated Beatles-Themed Series “Beat Bugs”

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Aloe Blacc is getting animated…

The 37-year-old Panamanian American singer-songwriter has been added to the voice cast of Netflix’s animated musical series Beat Bugs.

There’s no word yet on Blacc’s role/participation on the kids show inspired by the songs of The Beatles.

The series follows five best friends who together discover life’s most important lessons in an overgrown suburban backyard. The Beat Bugs live out these childhood adventures to the words and music of The Beatles.

“Because I’m able to tell [the story] through streaming episodes, you’re able to engage in cinematic storytelling,” says creator Josh Wakely. “To do Pixar-level storytelling was really the intention from the beginning.”

Beat Bugs incorporates more than 50 songs from the John Lennon/Paul McCartney ‘Northern Songs’ catalog and features covers by P!nk, Eddie Vedder, James Corden, Regina Spektor, Of Monsters and Men, The Shins, Chris Cornell, Rod Stewart, Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams, Tori Kelly and Sia.

Beat Bugs will premiere its 13-episode first season globally on August 3 on Netflix, and Season 2 on November 18.

Carey Atop Time Magazine’s ‘Ultimate Pop Stardom’ List

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is the ultimate pop star…

The 44-year-old half-Venezuelan American singe ranks at the top of Time magazine’s The Ultimate Ranking of Pop Stardom list of artists/musicians when it comes to generating hit songs.

The artists were chosen for this list based on their all-time chart performance and their contemporary significance.

Time looked at every song that’s been in the Billboard Top 10 since 1960, the number of hits by each artist present on that list, and how long those musicians’ careers have lasted, and used that information to determine which artists are ultimately the most successful pop-hit generators.

Carey – who stormed onto the music scene with her self-titled debut album in 1990, which landed four No. 1 songs on Billboard Hot 100 and earned her Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance honors at the 1991 Grammy Awards, tops the list with 1,901 points. Her best years include 2005 (341 points), 1995 (300) and 1993 (222).

Carey – a five-time Grammy winner – ranks ahead of Rihanna (1,800), Usher (1,778), The Beatles (1,537) and Madonna (1,414).

But Carey isn’t the only Latin artist to make the list…

Bruno Mars, who broke onto the scene in 2010, ranks No. 17 on the list with 882 points.

The 28-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter earned 410 points in his first year on the charts after lending his vocals to the songs “Nothin’ on You” by B.o.B, and “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy, as well as releasing his first two singles “Just the Way You Are” and “Grenade.”

Meanwhile, Fergie comes in at No. 25 with her Grammy-winning group Black Eyed Peas, earning 733 points.

The 39-year-old part-Mexican singer and female vocalist for the hip hop group and her fellow BEP members registered their biggest point haul in 2009 with their singles “Boom Boom Pow,” “I Gotta Feeling” and “Meet Me Halfway” earning a combined 355 points that year.

The final product is a colorful infographic that proves Michael Jackson had a consistently successful career from 1971 to 1995, while Santana’s career, though long, hasn’t been witness to nearly as many hits.

The artists are awarded points for each song of theirs that made it into the Top 10—for example, Michael Jackson gets 10 points for “Beat It” topping the chart at No. 1 while Taylor Swift gets three points for “Speak Now” peaking at spot No. 8.

Usher had the best single year out of everyone when, in 2004, he racked up 639 points for having five songs in the Top 10 for a combined 88 weeks, while Barbra Streisand made just two points in 1997 for “I Finally Found Someone,” which peaked at No. 9 and only had a one-week stay in the Top 10.

Head over to Time.com to see how other musicians, ranging from Cher to T-Pain, stack up against one another.

Here’s a look at all the Latino artists on the list:

No. 1 Mariah Carey (1,901)
No. 17 Bruno Mars (882),
No. 25 Black Eyed Peas (Fergie)
No. 30 Jennifer Lopez (658)
No. 36 Christina Aguilera (603)
No. 48 Santana (457)

Lopez Performs “Come Together” with Mary J. Blige at Sound of Change Live Concert

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez is urging people to come together to support women’s empowerment…

During her set at the Chime for Change Presents: The Sound of Change Live charity concert on Saturday, June 1 at London’s Twickenham Stadium, the 43-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress brought out Mary J. Blige for a girl power cover of The Beatles‘ classic hit “Come Together.”

The cover was a fitting song for the global concert, which brought together some of the world’s biggest superstars to support the Chime for Change campaign, which was launched by Gucci earlier this year.

“Do you believe that one person can make a change?” yelled Lopez, who wore a black bodysuit with thigh-high boots and a flowing cape for her performance.

“If we all come together we can do amazing things” she added before kicking off the duet.

Other highlights of the show included performances by headliner Beyonce Knowles, Jessie J, Florence and the Machine, John Legend and Rita Ora.

Their combined efforts helped raise funds for the international campaign aimed at bringing awareness for both young and adult women’s empowerment.

X Factor’s Jauregui, Cabello & Hernandez’s Fifth Harmony Make a Case for The Win

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the last chance for Lauren Jauregui, Camila Cabello, Ally Brooke Hernandez and the other members of Fifth Harmony to prove they have The X Factor…

During Wednesday night’s performance episode of Fox’s singing competition, the top three acts gave it their all in an attempt to garner America’s votes and win a $5 million recording contract.

Long considered long-shots to make the finals, Simon Cowell’s manufactured all-girl group, returned to the stage after knocking out Emblem3 in the semi-finals to prove they belonged on the stage this week.

For their first performance, Jauregui, Cabello, Hernandez and the other members of Fifth Harmony performed Ellie Goulding‘s “Anything Could Happen,” which they sang last week. As before, they’re at the Mad Hatter’s tea party, but this time they amped their performance with some extra mad over the top production values, including a giant back-screen projection of Pegasus.

“Now I’m looking at it and it’s magical,” says L.A. Reid, while Britney Spears gushes that the magic happened when the girls sang the song.

“I really hope that America pulls through and votes for you guys,” said Demi Lovato; and Simon commented, “You’ve made me so proud tonight, girls.”

For their second performance, the all-girl group performed The Beatles‘ classic “Let It Be“.

Reid syas the girls did “a lot of justice” for the song. Lovato liked that the group has evolved.

In addition, Fifth Harmony performed Demi Lovato‘s “Give Your Heart a Break” with the 20-year-old half-Mexican American singer joining in midway through the song. Cowell called it “pop perfection.”

“I love you guys,” said Lovato about performing with the girls. “It was so much!”

The winner of “X Factor” season two will be revealed on Thursday, December 20. Pitbull and One Direction are all set to perform at highly-anticipated the final result show.

Santana to Pen His Memoir

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

He ranks as one of the greatest guitarists of all time… And Santana could soon find his name on the New York Times bestseller list.

The 65-year-old Mexican-born rock guitarist has signed an agreement with Little, Brown and Co. to write a tell-all memoir, according to The Associated Press.

Santana, who has won 10 Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards, learned to play the violin at age five and the guitar at age eight while living Mexico. Following his family’s move to San Francisco, he was also introduced to a variety of new musical influences, including jazz and folk music, and he witnessed the growing hippie movement centered in San Francisco in the 1960s.

“The ’60s were a leap in human consciousness. Mahatma Gandhi, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Che Guevara, Mother Teresa, they led a revolution of conscience,” once said Santana. “The Beatles, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix created revolution and evolution themes. The music was like Dalí, with many colors and revolutionary ways. The youth of today must go there to find themselves.”

Santana, currently locked into a two-year headlining gig at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, is expected to dish on the likes of Eric Clapton and Herbie Hancock as he recounts his mammoth career.

Santana’s book is expected to be released in 2014.

Sanz to Launch His Next Tour in Mexico

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro Sanz is preparing to take his show on the calle, beginning in Mexico Lindo.

The 43-year-old Spanish singer/songwriter and former La Voz… de Mexico coach is putting the finishing touches on his upcoming tour, which he’ll premiere next month in Mexico.

Sanz’s monumental show is set to coincide with the release of his latest album “La Musica No Se Toca,” which resulted from his urge to compose an album “of monumental symphonic pop rock.”

“There’s a song that I think of as a tribute to The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper and also a part like Queen‘s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ but it’s not something I would have planned,” Sanz told reporters.

“It’s a disc dedicated to prowling, to roaming around. I’ve been through so many things, good and bad, and I’ve learned that the journey is in the traveling, not in the destination,” said Sanz, who in the past year had his third child, lost his mother and married Raquel Perera.

Sanz and the 10 musicians joining him for his upcoming tour will take the stage on a set featuring the eye-catching designs of Luis Pastor, who has previously with Sanz, Miguel Bose and Maná.

The result, he believes, is the “most spectacular tour” he’s done to date.

And Sanz will be premiering his new show to the people of Mexico, who supported him during his stint on La Voz.

“Mexico made me so happy last year and I felt really at home there,” said Sanz..

Sanz has plans to bring the tour to Spain sometime in May or June 2013.

Vázquez Sounds Releases Cover of The Beatles’ “Let It Be”

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Following successful covers of music by Adele, Mariah Carey and more, Vázquez Sounds is back with the band-of-siblings’ fifth cover…

This time 10-year-old lead singer Angie Vázquez and her teenage brothers Abelardo and Gustavo—who play the keyboard, guitar and drums—have just released the video of the band’s version of The Beatles’ “Let It Be.”

In the black and white video, the Mexican siblings—who became instant internet sensations with their cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”—offer a simple-but-impactful take on the popular Beatles tune.

In addition, the Mexicali siblings have been invited by John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono to join former RBD singer Anahi as ambassadors of peace her The Non Violence Project. As part of their responsibilities, the trio will promote the message of peace at its concerts and presentations.

Meanwhile, Vázquez Sounds’ cover of “Let It Be” will be available on iTunes on Tuesday, June 19.

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