Christmas is coming early for Mariah Carey and fans.

The Pop diva, whose enduring holiday classic ‘All I Want for Christmas’ has become an anthem synonymous with the season’s arrival, has been burning up streaming and digital download platforms with the song since early November.

And, while the tune’s annual ascension on Billboard charts is by no means a surprise, now – just a day after learning its parent album, ‘Merry Christmas,’ cracked the Billboard 200’s top 10 again – the Walter Afanasieff-co-written cut has snipped out the competition to land at #3 on this week’s Hot 100 (mirroring last year’s re-peak).

25 years after its debut, ‘Christmas’ could claim Billboard’s top spot in the coming weeks. See what why inside:

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As fans anxiously await new music from The Weeknd (born Abel Tesfaye), the singer-songwriter has much to celebrate as his 2015 hit single, ‘The Hills,’ just recently crossed the Recording Industry of America Association’s threshold for Diamond certification.

Details inside:

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Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.

So, just as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature “Chart Rewind” – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.

Next, it’s all about ‘What About Us’ – the lead single from R&B veteran Brandy‘s 3rd album ‘Full Moon.’  Written by Lashawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, and Brandy, the 2002-released bop – produced by Jerkins – was a surprising foray into alternative R&B by Bran (who up to that point was better known for her more standard R&B leaning numbers).  Released at the top of the year, ‘What’ – with the assistance of a kickass futuristic Dave Meyers music video – eventually moseyed its way up to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 where it peaked at #7 this week 15 years ago.

Tuck in below to relive her last top 10 hit on the pop chart and see who joined her in the top 25 this week in 2002:

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Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.

So, just as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.

This week in 1995 Queen of Pop, Madonna, reascended to the Billboard Hot 100 throne with ‘Take A Bow’ – the second single from her most R&B-leaning album to date, ‘Bedtime Stories.’  Written and produced by Madge and Babyface, ‘Bow’ – thanks in great part to its cinematic accompanying visual – rose to the top of the Hot 100 this week 22 years ago, snatching the title from TLC‘s ‘Creep.’ 

Coming as her last #1 of the 90s, the song went on to reign for an impressive 7 weeks and, to date, remains the longest running chart-topper of her career.  Tuck in below to see who joined Madge in the top 25 this week in 1995:

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Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.

So, as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’  allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.

Next, we’ll salute ‘Hero’ – the 8th of a historic 18 #1 singles by pop icon Mariah Carey.  As diehard Carey fans – affectionately called #Lambs – already know, the song almost belonged to another chart-topping diva:  Gloria Estefan.  Originally penned for the legendary Latin pop songstress, Carey – originally disenchanted with the song – later opted to keep it and make some “flavorful” changes to its arrangement.  The reworking not only met MC’s favor, but apparently the buying public’s as well.

Just ten weeks after its release, ‘Hero’ topped the Hot 100 for four weeks (where it was found this week 23 yeaers ago).  Ousting Janet Jackson‘s scorching ballad ‘Again’ from the top spot, Carey’s uplifting tune went on to quickly earn platinum status. And, while it was not honored by any major awards academy, it endured to become her signature song.

Tuck in below to see who joined her in the top 25 this week in 1994:

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As we’ve previously indicated, now is a good time to be a guy named J. Cole.

Indeed, as if seeing his new album, ‘4 Your Eyez Only,’ conquer charts with a whopping 492,000 units moved wasn’t enough (the third largest figure of the year), he made history by seeing every song from the project crack the top 40.

Now, Billboard reports Cole has even more reason to celebrate:

4 Your Eyez Only also logs a big streaming week as it tallied 118,000 in SEA units (equaling 176.9 million streams of the album’s songs), which is the second-largest streaming debut ever for an album. It trails only the bow of Drake’s Views, which launched with 163,000 streaming units in its opening frame (equating to 245.1 million streams of songs from the album that week). 4 Your Eyez Only is just the third album to surpass 100,000 streaming equivalent album units in a single week, following Views and The Weeknd’s Starboy (with its opening frame of 117,000 in SEA units).

Tuck in below to see who joined Cole this week on the refreshed Billboard 200:

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Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.

So, as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’  allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.

This week we believe it’s time to replay R. Kelly‘s biggest hit, ‘I Believe I Can Fly.’  The inspirational tune, featured on the Michael Jordan-led semi-animated film ‘Space Jam,’ made its debut on the Hot 100 this week 20 years ago.  Going on to serious chart glory in the following year, ‘Fly’ – despite never soaring to the top of the Billboard singles’ chart (held at bay from #1 by the historic reign of Toni Braxton‘s signature tune ‘Unbreak My Heart’) – would go on to be Kelly’s most successful release to date.

Hovering right under the 2x platinum mark, ‘Fly’ went on to earn the singer 3 Grammys at the 1998 ceremony.  Relive the song and tuck in below to see who joined Kelly this week on the Hot 100:

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If you thought the chart domination of The Weeknd’s new album, ‘Starboy,’ was limited to the Billboard 200, you are sorely mistaken.

For, much like his fellow Canadian entertainer/‘Live For’ co-star Drake, The Weeknd – whose real name is Abel Tesfaye – has made history as the fourth artist (second male vocalist) to ever simultaneously place every song from one album on the Hot 100.

Billboard reports:

Additionally, all 18 songs from Starboy chart on the Hot 100; with 18 total tracks on the Dec. 17 chart, The Weeknd posts the second-most simultaneous entries in the Hot 100’s 58-year history; only Drake tallied more at the same time: 20 on the May 21 chart. 

Find out where they (and all your other favorites from the day) landed on the refreshed TGJ Chart Check [Hot 100] below:

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justin-timberlake-sexyback-hot-100-thatgrapejuice

Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.

So, as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’  allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.

This week we’ll take it back to ‘Sexy Back’ – the inaugural chart-topper from former NSYNC leader Justin Timberlake.  The singer/songwriter – whose 2002 debut album, ‘Justified,’ established him as an internationally recognized solo act – braved the sophomore slump in 2006 with his second album ‘FutureSex/LoveSounds.’  The first taste of his “futuristic” offerings?  ‘SexyBack.’
Produced by Timbaland, the synth-heavy, funk-inspired tune was released in summer 2006 and skyrocketed to the top spot in its third week (where it remained for a total of 7 weeks).  Found atop the tally this week ten years ago, tuck in below to see who accompanied Timberlake in the top 25 in this week’s #FBF Chart Rewind:

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While the Billboard 200 run of Drake‘s latest album, ‘Views,’ is by no means anything to shake a stick it, the Hot 100 runs of the songs that line its tracklisting are nothing less than historic.

As if notching 20 simultaneous Hot 100 hits wasn’t enough, the crooning emcee is currently reigning with the longest consecutive top 10 run of any male artist in history.  After last month saw him best fellow Canadian hitmaker, The Weeknd’s, impressive 45 week run over 2015-16, this week – as his song ‘One Dance’ slips to #8 – the Young Money maestro notched his 50th (yes, count ’em) consecutive week in the top 10.

The accomplishment not only extends his reign as the male artist with the most consecutive weeks in the tally’s top 10, but it puts him in second place overall (behind Katy Perry‘s whopping 69 consecutive week run at the turn of the decade).

Until we find out if he’ll be beating Miss Perry, tuck in below to find out all of your other favorites landed on this week’s refreshed Hot 100:

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sia-drake-thatgrapejuice hot 100 third week

As powerhouse singer/songwriter Sia enjoys her third week of thrilling listeners with her first #1 on the Hot 100, ‘Cheap Thrills’ (featuring Sean Paul), the week’s real winner just may (yet again) be Drake.

After the rapper’s hit ‘One Dance,’ which Sia dethroned to claim the top spot, reigned over the Hot 100 and headlines with an impressive 10 nonconsecutive week run on the tally’s perch, what may be equally impressive is the emcee’s overall time in the top 10 with other hits from ‘Dance’s parent album ‘Views.’  A history-making feat to say the least, Billboard reports:

“…[Drake] has now spent 47 consecutive weeks in the region, padding his record among solo males. His streak began on the Oct. 3, 2015, Hot 100, when “Hotline Bling” jumped 16-9. The record among all acts belongs to Katy Perry, who ranked in the Hot 100’s top 10 for 69 consecutive weeks (all as a lead) in 2010-11.”

Snatching the title from fellow Canadian hitmaker, The Weeknd, Drizzy may be well on his way to climbing past Katy’s historic 69 week figure from the looks of other ‘Views’ songs that are working their way up the charts.  Until then, tuck in below to find out where Ms. Perry, Mr. Graham, and all of your other faves of the day landed on this week’s refreshed Hot 100:

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That Beyonce reign just won’t let up.

Music’s Queen Bey has the world drinking up her sixth studio album ‘Lemonade’ at a feverish rate.

In recent times, the superstar singer has shunned the singles-driven concept and instead opted to push her projects as bodies of work. So much so that 2013’s self titled set was only available to buy whole upon release.

Interestingly, this go round the diva did make each of ‘Lemonade’s 12 songs purchase-able. The results have proven all sorts of fruitful.

See what we mean…

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