Taylor Swift “Fortnight” debuted at #1

Fortnight Taylor Swift with Post Malone

Writer(s): Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Austin Post (see lyrics here) Released: April 19, 2024 First Charted: May 5, 2024 Peak: 12 BB, 11 DG, 11 ST, 16 AC, 11 A40, 11 UK, 11 CN, 12 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.6 UK, 1.05 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 151.40 video, 782.44 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Taylor Swift was born in 1989 in West Reading, Pennsylvania. She released her first album in 2006 while still a teenager. While she started as a country singer, she quickly crossed over to pop. She reached a commercial zenith with her 1989 album in 2014 and then seemed to be dropping off slightly with her next few albums, which included two indie-folk style albums in 2020. In 2022, she roared back with the hugely successful Midnights, propelled by “Anti-Hero,” her biggest #1 hit to date, and locking down the entire top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 the week the album was released. Her Eras Tour launched in 2023 and over a year-and-a-half became the highest-grossing tour of all time, grossing more than $1 billion. In the middle of the tour, she released her eleventh album, The Tortured Poets Department. The lead single, “Fortnight,” is “an ‘80s-inspired downtempo electropop tune” SF reminiscent of power ballads by Roxette, Cutting Crew, and Phil Collins. WK The narrator is in an unhappy marriage and happens to live next door to her also-married ex-lover. “Fortnight” is a British term meaning two weeks, which references the doomed couple’s “fleeting romantic relationship that lasted only two weeks.” SF The song paired her with Post Malone (who assumes the voice of the ex-lover/neighbor). When it debuted at #1 it became her twelfth chart-topper and his fifth. It set the record for the highest single-day streams on Spotify WK and garnered Grammy nominations for Song and Record of the Year. It also won MTV’s Video of the Year award. Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 1/3/1014.

 

Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves debut at #1 with “I Remember Everything”

I Remember Everything Zach Bryan with Kacey Musgraves

Writer(s): Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves (see lyrics here) Released: September 8, 2023 First Charted: September 9, 2023 Peak: 11 BB, 14 ST, 22 A40, 18 AA, 117 CW, 19 UK, 2 CN, 19 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.6 UK, 3.13 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 86.04 video, 838.58 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Country singer/songwriter Zach Bryan was born in 1996 in Okinawa, Japan while his family was with the Navy overseas and then he grew up in Oologah, Oklahoma. He started writing songs at 14 years old and began uploading his music to YouTube in 2017. He released his first album, DeAnn, in 2019 and followed up the next year with Elisabeth. After signing a deal with Warner Records, he released his first major label debut, American Heartbreak, in 2022. It reached #5 on the Billboard album chart, #1 on the country album chart, and was certified platinum. The album was supported by six singles, including the #1 country song “Something in the Orange.” In 2023, Bryan released a self-titled follow-up album. It debuted atop the Billboard album chart, preceded by the single “I Remember Everything,” which had debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song understandably topped the country charts as well but, strangely, also managed to reach #1 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. The song paired him with country singer Kacey Musgraves, best known for winning the Grammy for Album of the Year for her 2018 Golden Hour album. The song is a stripped-bare ballad which jumps back and forth between the perspective of a man and a woman who used to be in a relationship. Songfacts.com described it as a “love story unfolded beneath the intoxicating haze of spirits, a dreamy tangle of emotions.” SF The male leans toward positive reminiscing while the female remembers some of the pain, including his problems with alcohol. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Zach Bryan DMDB encyclopedia entry for Kacey Musgraves SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 1/4/2024; last updated 10/16/2024.

Olivia Rodrigo “Vampire” debuted at #1

Vampire Olivia Rodrigo

Writer(s): Olivia Rodrigo, Dan Nigro (see lyrics here) Released: June 30, 2023 First Charted: July 15, 2023 Peak: 12 BB, 11 ST, 14 A40, 2 AA, 11 UK, 11 CN, 11 AU, 17 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 1.2 UK, 3.51 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 209.97 video, 1143.61 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Olivia Rodrigo, born 2003, got her start as a teen star via Disney television shows Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Series. She signed a record deal with Geffen Records in 2020 and released her debut album, Sour, the next year. It produced the #1 hits “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U” as well as top-10 hits “Déjà Vu” and “Traitor.” It was also nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year. She landed Grammy nominations for the Big Four: Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “Drivers License,” and Best New Artist, winning the latter. Despite the huge expectations established with such a successful debut, Rodrigo didn’t disappoint with her next outing. 2023 saw the release of her sophomore album, Guts. Once again she landed Grammy nominations for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year – the latter two for “Vampire.” “Vampire” was the first single from Guts, leaping out of the gates with a debut atop the Billboard Hot 100. Songfacts.com described it as “a haunting piano-backed lament that delves into the depths of a toxic relationship.” SF Rodrigo used vampire imagery to describe an ex-lover who “thrives on sucking the life force out of others.” SF Laura Snapes of The Guardian said it “bears Rodrigo’s wounds in a reminder of what’s at stake for young women.” WK The song was based on two relationships she had with men in their mid-20s while she was in her late teens. They “manipulated her, fed her lies, and leeched off her fame.” SF Rodrigo told Billboard magazine she felt like it was her “version of a rock opera.” WK She said, “it’s kind of an angry song, and I think I have a lot of trouble expressing feelings like anger and regret…I go to songwriting to get those feelings out that aren’t super comfortable to express in everyday life. So it was a very therapeutic experience, writing this song.” SF Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 1/3/2024; last updated 10/15/2024.

Jonas Brothers’ “Sucker” debuted at #1

Sucker Jonas Brothers

Writer(s): Ryan Tedder, Louis Bell, Mustafa Ahmed, Adam Feeney, Homer Steinweiss, Nicholas Jonas, Joseph Jonas, Kevin Jonas II (see lyrics here) Released: March 1, 2019 First Charted: March 9, 2019 Peak: 11 BB, 16 BA, 11 DG, 11 ST, 117 AC, 19 A40, 4 UK, 11 CN, 13 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 1.2 UK, 8.23 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 443.40 video, 1381.03 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Kevin (born 1987), Joe (1989), and Nick (1992) were raised in New Jersey and formed as a pop trio in 2005. They released their first album, It’s About Time, a year later. Three albums followed – two reached two million in U.S. sales, two topped the Billboard album chart. They reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 twice – with “Burnin’ Up” and “Tonight,” both from 2008’s A Little Bit Longer. After their fourth album, it was ten years before they released Happiness Begins in 2019. It gave the group their third #1 album and third platinum release. It also featured their biggest hit to date, the #1 song “Sucker.” In addition to debuting atop the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., it reached the pinnacle in seven other countries. It became the most-heard song on American radio in 2019. SF It is a “rollicking pop-rock jam…about an infatuation…The lovesick brothers are so obsessed with the girl it makes them do crazy stuff like dancing on top of cars. Still, they are proud to be suckers for their love.” SF One of the song’s co-writers was Ryan Tedder. He had success with his group One Republic, reaching the top ten with “Apologize” (2007), “Good Life” (2010), “Counting Stars” (2013), and “I Ain’t Worried” (2022). He’d also accumulated writing credits on songs by Adele, Beyoncé, Camila Cabello, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Leona Lewis, Jennifer Lopez, Maroon 5, Paul McCartney, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and others. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Jonas Brothers SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 4/11/2024.

Ariana Grande debuted at #1 with “7 Rings”

7 Rings Ariana Grande

Writer(s): Ariana Grande, Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx, Njomza Vitia, Kimberly Krysiuk, Tommy Brown, Michael Foster, Charles Anderson, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II (see lyrics here) Released: January 18, 2019 First Charted: February 2, 2019 Peak: 18 US, 16 RR, 12 BA, 13 DG, 18 ST, 14 A40, 14 UK, 18 CN, 15 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 9.0 US, 1.2 UK, 13.95 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 1520.00 video, 2232.18 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “7 Rings” was the second single from Ariana Grande’s fifth studio album, Thank U, Next. Like the lead single, the album’s title cut, “& Rings” debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100. She was the fourth artist – following Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, and Drake – to have more than one song debut at #1. It spent eight non-consecutive weeks on top and topped the charts in 19 countries. With nearly 15 million plays on Spotify within its first 24 hours of release, the song set the single-day record for streams. SF Grande describes the trap-pop, R&B, and rap song as “a friendship anthem” which evolved from her previous single, “Thank U, Next.” WK She tweeted that the song grew out of a “pretty rough day” following her split with comedian Pete Davidson. She and six friends went to Tiffany’s for retail therapy and she bought them all matching rings. She took the advice of one of the friends to turn her feelings into music and wrote “7 Rings” that afternoon. SF Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos called the song “dangerously fun.” WK Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos referred to Grande’s vocals as “smooth and crystalline with a retro vibe.” WK On the flip side, The Atlantic’s Spencer Kornhaber called the song “cartoonish and imitative.” WK The song incorporates the melody of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music. To get the record released, Republic Records (Grande’s record company) agreed to give Image/Concord Music, the company holding the publishing rights to Rodgers & Hammerstein, 90% of the songwriting royalties. WK Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: Last updated 5/3/2024.