Adele, Drake, Justin Bieber, Fetty Wap, and The Weeknd are the year’s undoubted success stories. Alongside Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift‘s 2014 offerings, the quintet have dominated the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 and ultimately kept the music industry afloat with their respective releases.  But, as has been the case for some 20 years now, when the year nears its end, one name makes its way back to the forefront of charts – Mariah Carey.

Carey, a monarch of many musical things, is the uncontested queen of Christmas.  As if tightening her already taut grip on the record for “best selling holiday album by a female artist” isn’t enough (as her 1994 release, ‘Merry Christmas,’ has been certified platinum 5x times over in the U.S. alone), the album’s most memorable release – ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ – holds the record for the most downloaded holiday tune of all time.  Standing as her most successful international single to date, ‘All I Want’ sits pretty as the 12th best-selling single of all time.

From the looks of things that record will be unbothered for quite some time.  For, as of this week, the song reached its Hot 100 peak…over 20 years after its release.  Tuck in below to find out where it landed and get your weekly Hot 100 chart check here:

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Adele has been the name on everyone’s lips for the last two weeks.

The diva’s colossal return, as reported here, saw her newest release ‘Hello’ say hello to new VEVO and digital sales records and, as a result, become the expected chart-champion for this week’s refreshed Hot 100.

Falling far from short of expectations, the tune ousted The Weeknd from his 6-week chart reign at the top by moving over 1 million in downloads across last week and selling nearly 4 times as much as its nearest competitor, Justin Bieber‘s ‘Sorry’ (which shifted an impressive 277,000k its first week).  Following at #2, ‘Sorry’s premiere on the charts marked the first time two non-U.S. acts debuted at #1 and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the same week (second time overall following the 2003 #1 and #2 debuts of Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard‘s inaugural singles).

And, while Adele’s debut adds some much needed estrogen to the tally’s upper dectet, it’s still very much a man’s world.  See what we mean below:

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Adele has done it.

The British singer has bulldozed all expectations with new single ‘Hello,’ which has opened atop of the Billboard Hot 100 today.

Its first week sales? Over 1 million!

Details on the incredible feat after the jump…

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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 time we press play on Mary J. Blige‘s party-starter ‘Family Affair,’ which shot to the top of the charts this week in 2001.  Coming as the R&B royal’s first reign atop the chart nearly 10 years after she burst on the scene with her debut album ‘What’s the 411?,’ the Dr.Dre produced cut ousted Jennifer Lopez‘s ‘I’m Real’ right off the Hot 100 throne.

Enjoying a six week run at #1, the tune came as MJB’s first and last chart-topper on the tally.  But, with a catalogue as impressive as hers, we’re sure she’s not too mad about it.  Get into the “crunk” number and the other 24 tracks that occupied the top 25 of the Billboard Hot 100 this week in 2001:

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While newcomers The Weeknd and Fetty Wap have been the Hot 100 champions of 2015, it’s Drake who is still showing the new kids how it’s done.

Indeed, in addition to landing not one, but two #1 albums on the Billboard 200 this year (‘If You’re Reading This…’ and ‘What A Time…’ with Future), the rapper/singer/actor is now one step away from seeing similar success on the Hot 100 as his hot new tune ‘Hotline Bling’ ascends to the #2 spot.

Kept at bay this week by fellow Canadian crooner The Weeknd‘s ‘The Hills,’ if next week’s tally looks like industry analysts expect, Drizzy will nab his first #1 hit on the singles chart nearly 10 years into his career.  As if this isn’t cause enough to celebrate, the ‘Back To Back’ beau can also lift a toast to seeing his name peppered over the Hot 100 some 13 times – a feat that etches him further into history books (read more on that here).

See all the entries below:

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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 we press play on ‘The First Night’ – Monica’s very first #1 hit on the Hot 100 as a solo artist. Following the history-making success that was ‘The Boy Is Mine’ (the song), Mo’s sophomore effort of the same name would find an impressive follow-up with the Diana Ross-sampled number.  Leap-frogging over her Brandy-tag teamed tune this week in 1998 to hit the #2 spot, ‘Night’ eventually dethroned chart champion ‘I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing’ (Aerosmith) the week of October 3rd that year and not only gave the singer her first #1, but also her 6th top 10 entry.

Fast forward nearly 20 years later and we’re still just as in love with it now as we were then.  Tuck in below to see the other familiar faces that lined the top 20 this week that year:

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Canadian crooner The Weeknd continues to prove himself 2015’s breakout success story.

As if landing his first number one on the Billboard 200 with his sophomore release ‘Beauty Behind the Madness’ was not enough, the singer/songwriter followed suit with a summer-long domination of the Hot 100 with hits ‘Earned It’ and ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ – his first #1 on the tally.

Now, after his history making trek of being the first male artist ever to top Billboard’s album, single, and “artist” charts simultaneously, he etches his name in record books again by replacing himself at #1. Dethroning his own ‘Face’ with hit ‘The Hills,’ Weeknd becomes the first male artist of the decade to replace himself at the top of the summit (11th overall).

All of this while ‘What Do You Mean,’ the comeback singer of fellow Canadian crooner Justin Bieber, logs its third week as the country’s best selling single and ‘Hotline Bling’ (by Canadian crooner/rapper Drake) notches the week sole new entry in the top 10.

Canada is clearly running things on US charts…

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The Weeknd is officially the man to beat on the charts.

As if dominating the top 10 for most of the summer with hits ‘The Hills’ and ‘Earned It’ wasn’t enough, he’s now added ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ – his first #1 single on the Hot 100 – to the bunch.  Yes, he may have known temporary dethronement last week as Justin Bieber‘s comeback single ‘What Do You Mean’ knocked ‘Face’ from the top spot…but that was then.

Roaring back to the perch of the Hot 100, The Weeknd’s return is accompanied by news his sophomore LP ‘Beauty Behind the Madness’ will probably enjoy a third week at #1 on the Billboard 200.  The feat makes him the first solo male artist in history to simultaneously be #1 on the Artist 100, Hot 100, and Billboard 200.

The Weeknd‘s “Can’t Feel My Face” rebounds 2-1 for a third nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It replaces Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?,” which falls 1-3 after debuting atop the chart last week. Meanwhile,The Weeknd claims the Hot 100’s top two spots, as “The Hills” rises 3-2, making him the first act to rank at Nos. 1 and 2 simultaneously, as a lead act on both songs, since 2009.  (source)

Simply put:  the dude is winning.  See the full chart check below to see what we mean:

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It’s official:  Justin Bieber is back and “Bieber fever” is still well and intact.

If you need evidence look no further than this week’s Hot 100.  There, you’ll find the pop prince enjoying a historic week reigning atop the tally with his latest single ‘What Do You Mean‘ and elsewhere in the top 10 with single ‘Where Are U Now.’  After a whirlwind week of promo (see: MTV VMAs, various talk show appearances, etc.), Bieber dethrones last week’s champ/fellow Canadian crooner The Weeknd and arrives at the top to the tune of 337,000 sold its first week.

The feat not only gives Bieber the first chart-topper of his career, but also puts him in the history books as the youngest act ever to debut at #1 on the Hot 100.

Impressive, right?  We think so.  See the full chart check below:

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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.

While you get your groove on below to this slick urban number, check to see what number other familiar faces fell on when you peep the Hot 100 from this week in 2001 :

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Like The Weeknd last week, Fetty Wap has taken command of the Hot 100’s upper rankings with not one, not two, but three entries!

While his breakthrough hit ‘Trap Queen’ is still getting a royal reception at radio, the New Jersey-native has sailed two other numbers – ‘679’ and ‘My Way’ – right into the top 20.  The latter has also made its way into the history books with a huge 87-7 leap (the largest leap since Katy Perry pounced from #85 to #2 with 2013’s ‘Roar’).  His entries give him three other distinct honors:  4th artist in 2015 to have two concurrent top 10s, first male rapper (as a leading act) to notch two concurrent top 10s since Lil Wayne in 2011, and first male rapper to have three concurrent top 20s since Eminem in 2013.

But, even with all of his chart glory, it wasn’t enough to dethrone OMI‘s ‘Cheerleader’ which is celebrating its third consecutive week on the chart’s perch.

Get the full chart check below:

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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 we press play on ‘This Used To Be My Playground’ – a #1 hit for Madonna found on the soundtrack of the film ‘A League of Their Own.’  Around this time in 1992 she was just weeks from ascending to the Hot 100’s perch and set to dethrone one-hit-wonder Sir Mix-A-Lot’s claim to fame ‘Baby Got Back.’

Check below to see what other familiar faces you see in the top 20:

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