Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti holds steady atop the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated July 23) for a fifth nonconsecutive week. The set earned 105,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending July 14 (down 5%), according to Luminate.

Also in the top 10, Brent Faiyaz’s Wasteland and Aespa’s Girls: The 2nd Mini Album arrive at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new July 23, 2022-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday, July 19. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of Un Verano Sin Ti’s 105,000 equivalent album units earned, SEA units comprise 104,000 (down 5%; equaling 146.83 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks) and album sales and TEA units comprise the remainder of the week’s total.

Un Verano Sin Ti has earned over 100,000 units in each of its first 10 weeks on the chart. The last album to do so was six years ago, when Drake’s Views saw its first 10 weeks all exceed 100,000 units (May 21-July 23, 2016 charts).

Additionally, Un Verano Sin Ti has spent its first 10 weeks on the chart in the top two. The last album to start off as strong was Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album, which spent its first 10 weeks at No. 1 (Jan. 23-March 27, 2021-dated charts).

Un Verano Sin Ti debuted at No. 1 on the May 21-dated chart, then stepped away from the top slot for three weeks. It returned to No. 1 on June 18, and then moved aside for two more weeks, until coming back to No. 1 for the last three consecutive weeks.

Since the start of 2021, six albums have spent at least five weeks at No. 1, including Un Verano Sin Ti. Earlier in 2022, the Encanto soundtrack notched nine weeks atop the list, while Adele’s 30 wrapped a six-week run at No. 1. In 2021, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy and Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour both clocked five weeks at No. 1, while Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous ruled for 10 weeks.

Brent Faiyaz’s sophomore album Wasteland debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, launching with 88,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 81,000 (equaling 107.48 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 6,000 and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. It’s the first top 10 for the R&B singer, who previously reached the chart with his debut effort, F— the World, debuting and peaking at No. 20 in 2020 and at No. 2 on the Top R&B Albums chart. That 10-track set has earned 684,000 units in the U.S. release-to-date (with on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks totaling 935.81 million).

Since the release of F— the World, Faiyaz has issued collaborative tracks with Tyler, the Creator (“Gravity” and “Sweet/I Thought You Wanted to Dance”) and Drake (“Wasting Time”). Both “Gravity” and “Wasting Time” are included on the new album, alongside a new collaboration with Alicia Keys (“Ghetto Gatsby”).

Aespa’s Girls: The 2nd Mini Album bows at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, giving the South Korean female quartet its first top 10 effort. The set starts with 56,000 equivalent album units earned, of which album sales comprise 53,000 (making it the top-selling album of the week), SEA units comprise 3,000 (equaling 4.34 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks) and TEA units comprise less than 1,000.

Like many K-pop releases, the CD configuration of Girls was issued in collectible deluxe packages (12 total, including an exclusive edition for Target), each with a standard set of items and randomized elements (such as photocards, stickers and a poster); 98% of the album’s first-week sales were on CD. The other 2% were digital album sales. (The set was not released in any other format, such as vinyl or cassette.)

A quintet of former No. 1s are next up on the Billboard 200 at Nos. 4-8. Harry Styles’ Harry’s House falls 2-4 (53,000 equivalent album units; down 3%), Wallen’s Dangerous dips 4-5 (49,000; down 2%), Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind drops 3-6 (42,000; down 19%), Future’s I Never Liked You is a non-mover at No. 7 (37,000; down 8%) and Lil Durk’s 7220 falls 6-8 (35,000; down 16%).

The Weeknd’s compilation The Highlights is stationary at No. 9 with nearly 35,000 equivalent album units earned (up 3%), while Chris Brown’s Breezy falls 8-10 with 33,000 units (down 6%).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes an exhaustive and thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data, removing any suspicious or unverifiable activity using established criteria before final chart calculations are made and published. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious and unverifiable is disqualified prior to the final calculation.

Britney Spears gushed about her wedding guests this weekend, especially one very “special person” who was in attendance: Selena Gomez.

The pop star looked back fondly at her wedding guest list in a new Instagram post on Saturday (July 16). Spears married Sam Asghari on June 9 in a Los Angeles ceremony, and Gomez was one of the guests celebrating alongside them at their reception.

“She came to my wedding,” Spears captioned a photo of Gomez Saturday night. “the three most beautiful women in hollywood … @drewbarrymore, @parishilton … I had no idea !!! I was SO HAPPY !!!”

The singer added that Gomez “told me ‘I just want you to be happy’ three times,” and Spears then pointed out that “My mother does that as well.”

“It was so cool she was able to get to me and share her thoughts … Although I’ve been forced to see people against my will my whole life … she was a beautiful surprise !!!” wrote Spears.

“I appreciate ALL the mental health speeches she does for our generation … Two hour specials with representatives … You’re such a special person and I had to share this picture … I thought it would make her happy,” she said. Gomez was previously asked about Spears and Asghari’s wedding celebration, to which she replied: “I am really happy for her. It was beautiful.”

To the surprise of some fans commenting on Spears’ new Instagram note, the star then also praised her mother, Lynne Spears, who was not in attendance at the wedding.

“PS … My mom was asked by the paparazzi 3 times on the street ‘How does your daughter feel about your response to her wedding’ … she said all she wanted for me was to be happy !!! Mom and Selena, I’m so happy to have such a supportive family !!! God bless you,” the singer wrote.

See Spears’ latest post on Instagram.

Grammy-winning artist Ne-Yo has returned with his all-new, 13-track album, Self-Explanatory. 

The dual Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 chart-topper recently appeared on Billboard News in support of the incredible 41-minute work, released via Motown Records, and opened up about the new project.

Speaking on the hot single “You Got the Body,” Ne-Yo explained, it’s a “very, very sexy record. One of those records that you put on and everyone for whatever reason just knows exactly what they’re supposed to do.” He joked, “Don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself.”

Host Tetris Kelly commented, “That’s what I liked about the record when I listened to it. It gives you that R&B, original feel that your voice is there for.”

And on the ever-evolving landscape of the genre, Ne-Yo said, “There was a point in time where I was like, ‘OK, the look has changed. The sound has kind of changed a little bit; where do I even fit in what’s going on right now?”

But while pondering “that question,” the “U 2 Luv” hitmaker ultimately realized, “I am not a record label. Selling records is not my job. My job is to just be as honest and real as I can within my art.”

Naturally, he’s happy to have concluded the album, which he described as “pretty much” a reflection of his life since 2018.

The R&B mainstay even addressed the marital problems he endured with his wife, Crystal Renay Williams. He candidly revealed, “It’s no secret that during the course of the pandemic” the pair were briefly considering divorce. But the couple, who wed in 2016, have successfully worked it out and are still going strong.

“It took the pandemic for us to really sit and have those necessary, yet really uncomfortable conversations … Those situations for whatever reason always make for incredible song lyrics. A lot of those song lyrics are on this album,” Ne-Yo said.

Ne-Yo’s record “Don’t Love Me” is an “open letter” to his wife.

The star went on to explain that despite the album’s title, he has nothing to explain about his musical ability. “That’s the point. With a Ne-Yo album, you’re gonna get that song to break up to [and] that song to make up to. You’re gonna get that song to play as you’re getting ready to go to the club… in the club.”

He discussed his role in Step Up: High Water — season 3 will soon stream on Starz. He also addressed the loss of actress Naya Rivera, who died in 2020; Christina Milian will join the series. “Everybody was concerned because Naya left very big shoes to fill with the role. But I gotta say, Christina Milian came in … and became that character and she did an amazing job … Coming behind another actress, she rose to the occasion.”

Stream Self-Explanatory and watch Ne-Yo’s Billboard News interview below.

Brandy is opening up about Ray J‘s controversial leg tattoo of her face.

In an impromptu video interview with TMZ, the R&B superstar admitted that she didn’t quite understand her little brother’s new body art at first, but she eventually warmed up to the Alexey Mashkov-designed ink after he explained it to her.

“It was meant to be that way,” Brandy said in the clip, surrounded by adoring fans waiting for selfies. It’s like a Basquiat-type of style. I didn’t understand it at first … but then he explained it to me and showed me the tattoo artist’s whole page and it was amazing.”

Ray J unveiled the massive leg piece on Instagram in early July. The portrait features his sister’s face with the words “Best Friends 4 Ever” graffitied across her forehead and cheeks, along with glowing pink eyes.

“NEW @brandy TATOO BY ONE OF THE GREATEST!! @_mashkow_ – IM GETTING MY WHOLE LEG TATTED WITH- MUSIC- LOVE – SCRIPTURES – THE VOCAL BIBLE – FAMILY – GHOSTS – POSITIVE WORDS AND THEMES – REAL GOTHIC LIKE — ‘THE HOLY LEG!,” the 41-year-old R&B star captioned his post.

Some were touched by Ray J’s tribute to his big sis, but many were turned off by the tattoo’s eccentricities. And while Brandy herself commented “Brooooooo” with four black hearts on his post, she had a few additional thoughts on the artwork.

“It could’ve been a different tattoo,” she told TMZ. “I’m just glad he got a tattoo of me.”

Brandy was also asked if she would be open to getting a tattoo in honor of Ray J. “Yes, but it won’t be that,” she explained. “His name, something simple. Maybe in the back of my ear.”

Watch Brandy discuss Ray J’s new tattoo via TMZ below.