Current Trends in Music: A Deep Dive into Rising Artists and Songs
Welcome to the latest edition of Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we explore songs, artists, and intriguing trends capturing the attention of the music world. Some acts emerge unexpectedly, while others slowly build momentum, often going viral in just a matter of seconds on platforms like TikTok.
Kneecap’s Controversial Rise Following Coachella
The Northern Irish rap group Kneecap has caught headlines recently, particularly for their performance at Coachella, where they made pointed remarks about Palestine, condemning the violence in Gaza. While their statements have drawn backlash, including criticism from the U.K. government and separation from their booking agency, the controversy has had a surprising positive effect on their streaming numbers.
Prior to the Coachella event, Kneecap’s U.S. on-demand streams totaled 431,000 during the week of April 4 to April 10. However, following the festival, their streams surged by nearly 97%, reaching 852,000 by April 25. This trend continues to rise even after the event concluded, showing the ongoing discussion surrounding their comments.
Lorde’s ‘Ribs’ Gains Traction As New Single Debuts
Contrasting Kneecap’s rise through controversy, pop artist Lorde has reignited interest in her older track “Ribs” following the debut of her new single, “What Was That.” This happened during an informal gathering in Washington Square Park, where fans began singing “Ribs” while waiting for her arrival. After clips of this singalong circulated online, streaming of the 2013 track spiked by 69%, jumping from about 2 million streams to over 3.4 million in just five days.
“Ribs” has historically performed well in streaming but has never made it to the Billboard Hot 100. Should current trends continue, it could soon achieve that milestone.
Chuckyy’s Quick Rise: ‘My World’ Takes Off
Emerging Chicago rapper Chuckyy is making strides with his latest release “My World,” which has garnered significant attention since its debut on April 24. The song gained traction after a TikTok fanpage shared a snippet, leading to over 728,000 views and nearly 75,000 likes on the original post. The track’s lyrics and sound have resonated with fans, driving it to debut with more than 745,000 on-demand streams in its first day.
In its first weekend of release, the song maintained consistent streaming numbers, peaking with nearly 855,000 on-demand streams, positioning Chuckyy as a notable newcomer in the rap scene.
Revival of Rasheeda’s Classic Through Viral Dance Challenge
After over a decade without new music, rapper Rasheeda is experiencing a resurgence thanks to a viral dance challenge on TikTok. Originally released in 2006, her track “My Bubblegum” saw a revival when TikTok user @yinyangelina created a dance that amassed over 2.3 million likes. This viral moment resulted in a 146% increase in streams over three weeks, leading to “My Bubblegum” not only re-entering streaming charts but also gaining traction in the R&B and Digital Song Sales categories.
Conclusion
These artists illustrate the diverse pathways to popularity in the modern music industry. From controversial statements that spark discussions to nostalgic revivals driven by social media trends, it is clear that the landscape of music consumption continues to evolve rapidly. Keep an eye on these trends as they develop in upcoming weeks.