What do you know, back to back country performers in Billboard’s Top Ten! Maren Morris follows up her well-received 2016 album Hero by serving vocal duties on an EDM track by German DJ Zedd.
‘The Middle’ doesn’t exactly sound like a country/dance crossover. In fact, it was recorded by a laundry list of well-known performers before reaching Morris. Everybody from Tove Lo to Camila Cabello, Carly Rae Jepsen to Demi Lovato.
In Billboard’s #5 spot is ‘Meant to Be’ by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, the rare country tune to crack the Top Ten.
Rexha is better known as a pop and R&B performer but going country resulted in her biggest hit yet, with ‘Meant to Be’ peaking at #2. This is also the biggest hit for Florida Georgia Line, who previously reached #4 with ‘Cruise,’ a collaboration with Nelly.
At #4 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 we have Post Malone with ‘Psycho,’ his follow-up to the smash hit ‘Rockstar.’ While ‘Rockstar’ spent two months at #1, ‘Psycho’ peaked at #2 and appears to be on its way back down the list.
Joining Post Malone on the song is rapper Ty Dolla $ign, who co-wrote and co-produced the track.
Yesterday I posted about Drake’s ‘Nice for What’ being the first #1 debut to replace a previous #1 debut by the same artist. Well, here’s Drake’s previous #1 debut — ‘God’s Plan,’ which is now at #3.
This was Drake’s second solo #1 (after ‘One Dance’). He previously hit the top spot twice in support of Rihanna, with ‘Work’ and ‘What’s My Name?’ He’s had 20 other Top 10 hits. Not bad for a Canadian.
It’s high time for another installment of ‘What the Kids are Listening To,’ an occasional series in which I feature the songs currently topping Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
The current #1 is an unlikely title holder, and a song I featured on the blog just last week. Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America,’ propelled by its provocative video, earned the singer/actor his first whiff of the top ten, let alone the top spot. Previously, Gambino’s highest charter was ‘Redbone,’ which peaked at #12.
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