Number 1 spot

In the music industry, there is a constant competition to be at the top of the charts.There are many factors that go into who makes it to the number 1 spot when it comes to the music world.

The week of September 30, 2017, Taylor Swift was at the top of a chart and no one could take her crown for that golden number one spot. She stayed at the top for 4 straight weeks before Cardi B.  came in and kicked her off her golden throne.

With Cardi B. now on top, other artists such as Imagine Dragons, are climbing the ladder ready to take the number one spot.

What does it take to claw your way to the top though?

• Airplay
• Social Media
• Streaming
• Album sales
• Views
• And even fan base

Just to name a few.

It takes more than just an artist’s voice to make it to the Billboard top 100 though. Making a song, let alone an album takes a lot of time, talent, and labor. 

As for cost, nowadays, it could easily cost you  $10,000 to $1 million.  When it comes to time, studios typically rent out the recording rooms for 8 to 12 hours.at a time.

Next time you see a new artist at the top, just know, it took a lot to get there. Hats off to those who made it to the number 1 spot, or even on the top 100 chart.

 

 

50 Years Ago: The Beatles’ Domination of Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart

Photo courtesy of http://www.showbiz411.com

To say the Beatles were at the top of their game on April 4, 1964, would be an understatement. It was 50 years ago when the Fab Four made chart-topping history. In a Billboard takeover the legendary group held the top 5 spots on the Hot 100 chart with their singles “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Twist and Shout,” “She Loves You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and “Please Please Me.”

Photo courtesy of sixties-radio.com

As if locking down the top 5 wasn’t enough, the Beatles also had seven other hit songs in the Top 100. Only a week later they surpassed their record-breaking 12 song spread with a whopping 14. To top the craze off “We Love You Beatles” by the Carefrees and “A Letter to the Beatles” by the Four Preps both occupied the chart as well. Not to mention Meet the Beatles! and Introducing … The Beatles held the top 2 spots on the album chart.

Aretha 3000? Aretha Franklin working on new music with Andre 3000 and Babyface

At 72 years-old, Aretha Franklin is not only alive and kickin’, but still turning out new music!

The Queen of Soul announced at her 72nd birthday party on Saturday (March 22) that she would be dropping a new album. She also told Billboard that both singer/producer Babyface (Kenny Edmonds) and Outkast member/MC Andre 3000 would be collaborating with her on the album.

“So, I’m just waiting for [Babyface] to finish that so he can finish my tracks please,” she stated. “And I think Andre 2000 – is it two or three? 3000 is going to be doing some of the tracks with him,”

Aretha’s career has spanned more than 50 years, during which she has recorded 20 number-one singles, sold more than 75 million records world-wide, and has won 18 Grammy Awards. In 1987 she became the first female inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She has subsequently been inducted into both the UK Music Hall of Fame (2005) and the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2012).

All hail the Queen!

Swift Money: Taylor Swift tops Billboards Money Makers list for 2014

Taylor Swift captures top spot on Billboard’s 2014 Money Makers list

Billboard has announced their annual Money Makers list and this year Taylor Swift took it to the bank with a $39 million outing. No surprise there with the meteoric success of her newest studio album, “Red,” and the fact that she earned an estimated $30M for six months worth of touring. Check out who took the other top spots.

10. Fleetwood Mac — The classic rock band pulled in an estimated $19 million with the release of their first new content in over ten years and a tour which earned the group a whopping $17M over just 34 shows.

9. Pink — With an album (“The Truth About Love”) which helped the singer earn over 8M digital downloads and an international tour that raked in more than $15M in the US leg alone, Pink is sitting pretty in 2014 with a $20 million price tag.

8. Luke Bryan — $22 million is certainly nothing to sneeze at! With more than 2.7M album sales, 7.6M digital downloads, a tour that brought in over $15M, and winning the 2013 CMA Entertainer of the Year award, Bryan had a banner year.

7. Maroon 5 — Last year’s impressive comeback by the L.A.-based alternative band with multiple sold-out live performances was impressive enough. Earning $22 million, having four singles make it into the top 20 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and selling more than 7M digital downloads makes it pretty damn amazing.

6. Beyonce — Yeah, like anyone didn’t think she would make the list. With the release of a  surprise self-titled album which has sold more than 1.3M copies since December and a lengthy world tour that alone has earned the singer an estimated $19M, it’s no shock that Queen Bey is in the top ten. A strong outing at $24 million.

A Steamy Comeback: Shakira heats things up with Rihanna in provocative new video

Shakira is shaking and gyrating her way back to prominence in the music industry with the help of American Music “Icon” Award winner, Rihanna. The Colombian-born singer and dancer was once on top of the world with what has thus far been the best-selling song of the 21st century, “Hips Don’t Lie,” from her 2005 album “Oral Fixation, Vol. 2.” In 2010 she released the single “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” as the official song of the 2010 World Cup. Selling over 4 million copies world-wide, it is the best-selling and fastest-selling World Cup anthem in history.

Since then, however, the Queen of Hips has been relatively quiet. In 2012 she released the single “Get It Started,” her 3rd collaboration with American hip-hop artist Pitbull. After reaching #64 on the UK charts and only hitting the 89th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 the song quickly fizzled out.

It seems, however, that those quiet days are now in the past. Shakira has teamed up with fellow sexy-siren Rihanna for her newest single, “Can’t Remember To Forget You.” This is the first single off of her forthcoming self-titled album, “Shakira,” due for release later this year.

The steamy video, which features Shakira and Rihanna sharing some tender moments (and cigars) in bed, has already generated more than 71 million views on Youtube only 5 days after its release. The song itself is reminiscent of the new-wave pop style of her previous English-language album, “She Wolf,” which has sold more than 2 million copies world-wide.

Teaming up with Rihanna certainly can’t hurt Shakira’s chances of once more reaching the top. The seven-time Grammy Award winner is one of the best-selling artists of all time with 13 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2012 she was ranked as the fourth most powerful celebrity of the year by Forbes and named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by TIME. Add all of this to the fact that she is undeniably sexy and it’s a good bet that Shakira couldn’t have made a better choice of partners than Rihanna.

Be sure to check out our free Sing-N-Share app for Apple and Android devices. You can sing along to several songs from both pop-divas and then share your performances with the world through Facebook and Twitter!