Adele’s ‘Easy on Me’ Off to Fast Start, Aiming for Splashy Chart Debut

One of the rarest events in music is upon us once again. It’s Adele Season on Billboard’s charts!

On Oct. 14, the superstar released her first new song in nearly six years, “Easy on Me.” The piano ballad premiered at 7 p.m. ET across streaming services and digital retailers worldwide, alongside its official music video. (The song premiered globally, so, while it bowed at 7 p.m. ET in the U.S., it arrived concurrently at 12 a.m. in the U.K. on Oct. 15.)

“Easy on Me” is the first single from Adele’s upcoming fourth studio album, 30, due out on Nov. 19. Adele last released new music in November of 2015, with the release of her third album, 25. (And the 25 album came more than four years after her second album, 21.)

Adele’s track record on Billboard’s charts is impressive. Among her achievements from only three studio albums: two No. 1s on the Billboard 200 albums chart (with a combined 34 weeks atop the list), four No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, four No. 1s on the Pop Airplay chart, five No. 1s on the Adult Pop Airplay chart, five No. 1s on the Adult Contemporary airplay chart and three No. 1s on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart.

Her last two albums, 25 and 21, were led by the singles “Hello” and “Rolling in the Deep,” respectively. Both tracks hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 — “Hello” opened in the top slot (dated Nov. 14, 2015) and spent 10 weeks at No. 1, while “Rolling” ruled for seven weeks in 2011.

INITIAL U.S. SALES & STREAMS 

“Easy on Me” sold nearly 15,000 digital downloads in its first five hours of availability in the U.S. (7 p.m.-midnight ET on Thursday, Oct. 14) according to MRC Data. Meanwhile, it collected over 3 million on-demand audio and video streams in the same time frame. (Digital retail stores and streaming services’ U.S. tracking week, as reported to MRC Data, ends at midnight ET [9 p.m. PT] every Thursday.)

On Friday, Oct. 15 in the U.S., “Easy” sold another 27,000 downloads, according to initial reports to MRC Data.

Adding up Oct. 14 and Oct. 15, the song has sold over 42,000 in a little over a day in the U.S. To put that number in perspective, only five songs have sold at least that many downloads in a single week in the U.S. in 2021, and four of them are by BTS.

Further updates on “Easy on Me’s” U.S. sales and streams, as well as its global sales and streaming performance, will be reported as the week progresses.

U.S. RADIO AIRPLAY

“Easy on Me” is off to a scorching start on U.S. radio.

The single drew 897 plays in its first five hours (7 p.m.-midnight ET on Thursday, Oct. 14), on 250 stations that report to Billboard’s all-genre Radio Songs chart (whose panel includes over 1,300 stations covering multiple formats). Those 897 plays translate to 3.1 million all-format audience impressions for the song in that span, helped by hourly plays on multiple radio chains.

In its first full day of tracking (Friday, Oct. 15), “Easy” was played 4,160 times, generating 21 million in audience, again propelled, in part, by hourly spins. It ranked as the No. 1 most-played and most-heard song on radio Friday, ahead of runner-up “Stay” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber (4,114 plays, 13.2 million in audience).

“Easy” drew 25 or more plays from its release through the end of Friday on 111 Radio Songs reporters, including stations in each of the 10 largest radio markets.

The song is set to debut on at least three individual format radio airplay charts, which are due to update Tuesday, Oct. 19, on Billboard.com. It could launch in the top 10 on Adult Contemporary; if it does, it would claim the first top 10 grand entrance for a non-holiday song since the chart adopted MRC Data information in 1993. The track is also likely to begin in the top 20 of Adult Pop Airplay and the top 25 of Pop Airplay.

The charts measure plays on respective panels of adult contemporary, adult pop and mainstream pop radio stations in the U.S., with the next editions, dated Oct. 30, reflecting airplay covering Oct. 11-17. “Easy” could, thus, debut on the surveys from airplay over its first three full days, plus its first five hours of availability.

HOT 100

What will be the impact of “Easy” on the airplay-, sales- and streaming-based Billboard Hot 100?

The chart’s tracking week for those metrics runs Friday through Thursday each week. “Easy” is eligible to arrive on the forthcoming Hot 100 (dated Oct. 23; covering the tracking week of Oct. 8-14) from only its first five hours of activity on Oct. 14.  

“Easy” will make its first seven-day impact on the Hot 100 dated Oct. 30, as well as on the Radio Songs, Digital Song Sales and Streaming Songs charts dated Oct. 30, reflecting its performance in the Oct. 15-21 tracking week, the song’s first full week of release.   

Highlights of the Hot 100 are revealed each Monday on Billboard.com, with the full chart, and all other rankings, updating each Tuesday. Highlights of the Oct. 23-dated Hot 100 will post this coming Monday, Oct. 18, with the full chart updating Oct. 19, while those of the Oct. 30 Hot 100 will publish Oct. 25, with the full chart posting Oct. 26. 

BILLBOARD 200

While the 30 album will not be released until Nov. 19, expect Adele’s earlier albums to post gains on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Oct. 23), as well as the Catalog Albums chart.

On the most recently published Billboard 200 (dated Oct. 16, reflecting sales and streaming data in the U.S. for the week ending Oct. 7), 25 jumped from No. 174 to No. 83, while 21 surged from No. 198 to No. 119. Both albums rallied up the list in the wake of Adele’s Oct. 5 announcement of the then-forthcoming release of “Easy on Me.”

The top 10 of the Oct. 23-dated Billboard 200 chart is scheduled to be announced on Sunday, Oct. 17. All of Billboard’s Oct. 23-dated charts are scheduled to post in full to Billboard.com on Tuesday, Oct. 19.

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Travis Barker Teases ‘SNL’ Appearance With Young Thug

Young Thug is the musical guest on Saturday Night Live tonight, and it looks like Travis Barker will be joining him.

The Blink-182 drummer posted a photo of himself with the Atlanta rapper just hours ahead of this weekend’s show.

“SNL tonight,” Barker captioned the image he shared on social media Saturday evening (Oct. 16).

Barker’s participation on this week’s SNL follows his name being the subject of a sketch last weekend, one in which host Kim Kardashian West playfully trolled her sister Kourtney’s highly publicized relationship with him.

Over the summer, Barker backed Young Thug during another performance, for his NPR Tiny Desk concert. Barker closed out the show with an impressive drum solo on “Ski.” Young Thug’s new album Punk arrived on Oct. 15.

The Oct. 16 episode of SNL will be hosted by Rami Malek. You can watch full episodes of SNL on Hulu here. The streaming service is currently offering a 30-day free trial, which you can sign up for here.

See Barker’s SNL teaser picture on Twitter.

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Here’s How Chris Martin’s Kids Apple & Moses Earn Credits on Coldplay’s New Album

Sounds like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes Chris Martin’s two kids, who are both featured on Coldplay’s new album Music of the Spheres. 

Coldplay released their space-themed concept album on Friday (Oct. 15), featuring A-list acts from BTS to Selena Gomez, as well as two familiar guests. Martin’s 15-year-old son Moses can be heard singing alongside his father on the chorus of “Humankind.” “I say I know I know I know, We’re only human/I know I know I know /How we’re designed, yeah /I know I know I know /We’re only human/But from another planet/ Still they call us Humankind.”

And on the Gomez collab, titled “Let Somebody Go,” the lead singer’s 17-year-old daughter Apple receives songwriting credits. And in the handwritten album’s credits, the Coldplay frontman drew small hearts next to both of his gifted children’s names.

Martin shares both children with his ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow. After tying the knot in 2003, the superstar couple separated in 2014 before finalizing their divorce two years later.

This isn’t their children’s first foray into music. In 2015, Paltrow posted a video of a then-11-year-old Apple playing guitar and singing as she performed with a holiday choir. They also accompanied their father during a 2016 Boys and Girls Club benefit, with Apple performing a cover of Ariana Grande’s “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart” and Moses taking over Twenty One Pilots’ “House of Gold.”

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Britney Spears Says ‘Lord Have Mercy on My Family’s Souls’ If She Ever Does an Interview

In her latest Instagram post, Britney Spears is opening up to fans about the double-edged sword of her looming freedom.

Even though she’s still fighting to end the conservatorship that has controlled her personal life and finances for the past 13 years, she scored a big victory last month when her father was suspended as the conservator of her estate. In her new post, she says she’s already had a lot more freedom, but she’s worried she might mess it all up by making a “mistake.”

“For so many years I was always told if I succeeded at things, it could end … and it never did !!!” Spears writes. “I worked so hard but now that it’s here and getting closer and closer to ending I’m very happy but there’s a lot of things that scare me !!!”

One of those things that scares her is the overly aggressive paparazzi that lurk outside her home. “I don’t like that they try to scare me and jump out like they do … it’s like they want me to do something crazy!!!”

In the post — which features a photo of Spears’ fully decorated Christmas tree — the pop star also talks about being allowed to drive just four months ago for the first time since her conservatorship began, and how she can’t believe this was allowed to happen to someone in the United States.

“I haven’t done anything to be treated the way I have for the past 13 years !!!” she writes. “I’m disgusted with the system and wish I lived in another country !!! I’m celebrating Christmas way early this year … because why not ???!!! I believe any reason to find more joy in life is a good idea.”

In her final lines, she says she’s steering clear of the entertainment business (“which is all I’ve ever known my whole life”) for now, and that her family is lucky that she hasn’t agreed to do any interviews about her conservatorship yet. “Lord have mercy on my family’s souls if I ever do an interview !!!”

As for what’s next in Spears’ court battle, the next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 12, where a judge will determine if her conservatorship should end for good.

See Spears’ full post below:

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First Stream Latin: Randy’s Album, Anitta & Saweetie’s Collab, Plus More New Music

First Stream Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

Randy, Romances De Una Nota 2021, Vol. 2 (Randy Nota Loca)

Randy of famed reggaeton duo Jowell y Randy has launched his solo project Romances de Una Nota 2021, Vol. 2, released four years after Vol. 1. On this 18-track set, it’s evident that Randy had creative liberty, focusing heavily on R&B above all. “No Exit,” “Las Nubes” featuring De La Ghetto, and focus track “Loquita” with Jay Wheeler are some of the best examples of the sultry R&B fusions found on this album. Randy also taps into chill EDM melodies as heard on “Remember” with The Martinez Brothers, his take on the 1991 Michael Jackson classic “Remember the Time.” Of course, it wouldn’t be a Randy album without some reggaeton, as heard in Zion-assisted “Baila Baila” and the pure perreo on “23” featuring Ape Drums. Other collaborations on this galactic album include Rauw Alejandro, Lenny Tavarez, Dalex and Justin Quiles, to name a few, and wraps up with a stripped-down romantic ballad called “Amor a Ciegas.”

Anitta feat. Saweetie, “Faking Love” (Warner Records)

Following the release of her uptempo bossanova “Girl From Rio,” Anitta reels in Saweetie for an all-English collaboration called “Faking Love.” “She is the badass boss bi—,” the Brazilian artist said on Instagram. Produced by Andres Torres, Mauricio Rengifo and Ryan Tedder, the song is an edgy, midtempo Brazilian funk track featuring Saweetie’s slick rap verses. “I’ve been faking love with you,” Anitta sings in the track that’s about a girl who shows no remorse after a breakup. The music video, helmed by director duo Bradley & Pablo, shows both artists in a cheeky and conceptual setting.

Camilo & Evaluna Montaner, “Indigo” (Sony Music Latin/Hecho a Mano Music)

Marking the couple’s third collaborative effort following “Por Primera Vez” and “Machu Picchu,” the song is not only about having good luck in their dream-come-true relationship, but also their clever pregnancy announcement. “What good luck of mine. I won without playing the lottery. With you, Christmas came early because the love of my life has arrived,” they sing. Stepping away from pop-urban and sultry fusions, “Indigo” — which is the name of their baby — is a sugary indie-alternative love song that gives us early 2000s vibes, à la Belanova or Julieta Venegas. In the music video, both Camilo and Evaluna announced the exciting news that they will become first-time parents. Scenes toward the end of the video document the moment Evaluna found out she was pregnant and the sweet reactions of their loved ones, including Latin pop icon Ricardo Montaner.

Gente de Zona & Maffio, “Háblame de Miami” (Sony Music Latin/Magnus Media)

Like true Miami natives, Gente de Zona and Maffio have joined forces for “Háblame de Miami,” a party-starting track that can easily become the 305’s newest anthem. Produced by the Dominican hitmaker, “Háblame” is an infectious mambo-merengue-and-Cubaton fusion with on-beat claps and, in true GdZ fashion, pura gozadera. “Talk to me about Miami/ Where the mamis are/ Today we’re going to drink until the morning/ Today I’m going to party,” the Cuban duo chants in the chorus. In the music video directed by Pedro Vazquez, we see the three artists enjoy the Magic City in all its glory.

Sael, “Ajá” (Black Koi Entertainment)

In less than three minutes, Argentine newcomer Sael easily demonstrates that he’s a well-rounded artist. The singer-songwriter and producer raps, sings and navigates different genres in “Ajá,” his new single under Sky Rompiendo’s label. Co-produced by Sael and Emma Beats, the track kicks off with a smooth hip-hop melody and transitions to a hard-hitting perreo. With his soulful vocals, Sael sings about unrequited love, which is also represented in the nostalgic music video directed by Lucas Emiliani.

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