It’s Thursday April 18th and this is a complete Taylor Swift takeover, ahead of the release of her new album ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ the superstar announced the lead single “Fortnight,” breaks a record on Spotify for most pre-saves for her new album and we take you inside the ‘Tortured Poets Department’ Spotify library that happened in Los Angeles this week. Billboard explains Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Billboard chart history, Alek Olsen remains on top of the TikTok chart, we look back at the Isley Brothers’ going to No. 1 with “It’s Your Thing” and more!
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00:00 Ahead of Taylor's new album, she's totally taking over.
00:03 We bring you inside her exclusive pop-up,
00:05 explain some of her biggest achievements,
00:08 run down the TikTok Billboard Top 50,
00:10 and take a look back at the Hot 100 in 1969.
00:14 (upbeat music)
00:17 - Happy Thursday, I'm Rania Nipdos for Billboard News.
00:20 It's April 18th and we've got a lot to get through,
00:23 so let's jump into our lead story.
00:25 - With broken records, new challenges, and major rebrands,
00:29 it's a total Taylor takeover.
00:31 Here are the details.
00:32 (upbeat music)
00:35 Taylor Swift announced the first single
00:38 off the Tortured Poets Department
00:40 will be "Fortnite" featuring Post Malone,
00:42 after already announcing the music video's
00:44 coming Friday as well.
00:46 And she also teased a "Fortnite" challenge
00:48 set to kick off with the album tomorrow.
00:51 With the announcement, Taylor gushed about Post Malone,
00:53 saying, "I've been such a huge fan of Post
00:56 "because of the writer he is.
00:57 "His musical experimentation and those melodies he creates
01:01 "that just stick in your head forever.
01:03 "I got to witness that magic come to life firsthand
01:05 "when we worked together on 'Fortnite.'"
01:08 Well, fans are definitely excited for the album.
01:10 Spotify posted on IG saying it became
01:12 the most pre-saved album countdown page
01:14 in the streamer's history.
01:16 And they aren't the only ones that are gonna blast
01:18 the new album when it drops at midnight.
01:20 iHeartRadio announced a rebrand for the release,
01:22 calling themselves iHeartTaylor,
01:24 where there will be giveaways,
01:26 plus they're going to play the "Torture Poets" department
01:28 front to back with exclusive audio from Taylor herself.
01:32 There's no denying the hype is real.
01:35 - There's no bigger Swiftie than our own Tetris Kelly.
01:38 So when he heard that she had a pop-up at The Grove
01:41 celebrating her new album, he just had to be there.
01:44 - It's just crazy.
01:44 I mean, what Spotify has done is also so beautiful.
01:48 The energy here is beautiful.
01:49 Swifties are the best people in the world.
01:51 - So many Swifties.
01:52 Lyrics and Easter eggs?
01:54 It's Tetris with Billboard, and Spotify is helping us
01:57 celebrate the "Torture Poets" department.
01:59 Taylor Swift, what are you telling us?
02:00 We try to find out in Billboard All Access.
02:05 You wouldn't believe the line at The Grove
02:07 as Spotify enticed Swifties with a mission
02:10 before Friday's release of the "Torture Poets" department.
02:13 - I cannot wait.
02:14 I actually can't believe it's already coming out.
02:16 - We just saw you at Coachella, Taylor.
02:18 - I literally can't wait.
02:19 This woman's a genius.
02:20 She is a genius.
02:23 - 20 new songs, hopefully some music videos, merch.
02:27 It's going to be amazing.
02:28 - Fans grabbed bookmarks and a card
02:29 where they could pick the song they're most excited for
02:32 and then deposit it at the library pop-up.
02:35 And in addition to hidden lyrics and titles,
02:37 they also had a photo op to commemorate the moment.
02:40 And what are the Easter eggs here?
02:42 I got to find them.
02:43 - There's a lot of twos.
02:44 There's a lot of Easter eggs that lead to the number two,
02:46 and I don't know what that means,
02:48 but I'm shaking once again.
02:50 - I saw the December 13th sign over there.
02:53 And then I also saw a journal that said "Us,"
02:56 and it was like hidden behind something.
02:57 And I really wanted to go in there
02:59 and see if it was a journal about her and Travis,
03:01 but who knows?
03:02 - All the typewriters, the tambourines,
03:04 which means there's going to be definitely
03:06 some instrumental music in here.
03:07 - The pins on Florida, particularly Miami,
03:10 I think is quite an interesting Easter egg
03:12 because she does have shows there later this year.
03:14 And the pens, there's no, I believe, glitter gel pen,
03:18 which usually indicates pop songs, Be Jeweled, et cetera.
03:21 So I think that does indicate the vibe of the album,
03:23 more rock, more longer songs, ever more red.
03:27 That's my guess.
03:28 - We find out what it all means on Friday.
03:31 - Speaking of Taylor, she's sure to break more records
03:34 when the Tortured Poets Department drops at midnight,
03:36 but let's take a look at some of her biggest achievements
03:39 so far.
03:40 - A brand new album comes out April 19th.
03:43 It's called the Tortured Poets Department.
03:45 - The day has finally arrived.
03:47 Taylor Swift's upcoming studio album,
03:49 the Tortured Poets Department, drops on April 19th.
03:52 And to celebrate, we're looking back
03:54 at some of Taylor's incredible achievements
03:56 on the Billboard charts.
03:58 This is Billboard Explains Taylor Swift's
04:00 record-breaking chart history.
04:03 Taylor kicked off her charts journey back in July 2006
04:06 when her debut single, Tim McGraw,
04:08 arrived on the country charts.
04:10 ♪ You think Tim McGraw ♪
04:12 ♪ I hope you think of me ♪
04:14 It also made the Billboard Hot 100,
04:16 peaking at number 40 the next year.
04:19 She kicked things into high gear
04:20 with her sophomore album, Fearless,
04:22 which includes hits like Love Story,
04:24 that reached number four on the Hot 100.
04:26 ♪ Love story, baby, just say yes ♪
04:30 And You Belong With Me, that went to number two in 2009.
04:34 ♪ Mm, you belong with me ♪
04:37 ♪ Mm ♪
04:39 Since then, Taylor's been a Hot 100
04:41 force to be reckoned with.
04:42 She's racked up 11 number one hits,
04:45 tying her with Whitney Houston for the fourth most
04:48 among women in chart history.
04:50 The superstar has charted 232 songs on the Hot 100,
04:54 more than any other female artist,
04:56 and only second to Drake overall.
04:59 But often, Taylor is competing against herself.
05:02 She's the only woman to replace herself
05:04 at number one on the Hot 100,
05:06 and she's done it three times.
05:07 In 2014, Blank Space knocked Shake It Off
05:10 from the top spot.
05:11 And then in 2023, Is It Over Now, Taylor's version,
05:15 took out Cruel Summer, before the song
05:17 switched places the following week.
05:19 And we can't forget the history-making album, Midnight.
05:22 Its debut was so massive that Taylor landed every spot
05:26 on the Hot 100's top 10 that week,
05:28 the only time it's happened in the chart's history.
05:31 Over on the Billboard 200,
05:33 the records just keep coming for Taylor.
05:35 She claims 13 number one albums,
05:37 the most of any woman.
05:39 And her albums have spent 69 weeks at number one,
05:42 the most of any solo artist.
05:44 This is just a small taste
05:46 of Taylor's Billboard chart accomplishments.
05:48 We can't wait to see where the tortured poet's department
05:51 takes her next on the charts.
05:53 - We wouldn't be Billboard if we didn't give you the charts,
05:55 so here's what's happening over on TikTok.
05:58 - One trend reigns supreme,
05:59 while two songs return to the top 10.
06:02 Alec Olsen's Someday I'll Get It
06:04 spends a fourth week on top of the TikTok Billboard top 50,
06:07 with a chart posting April 18th.
06:09 It ties Flo Millie's Never Lose Me
06:11 for the most consecutive weeks at number one,
06:14 while the rest of the top 10 are the same as last week,
06:16 with a little bit of a shuffle,
06:18 two songs bounce back.
06:20 YG Marley's Praise Ya in the Moonlight
06:22 jumped up from 14 to two,
06:24 a new peak for the reggae hit.
06:26 (upbeat music)
06:27 ♪ These roads of flames are catching on fire ♪
06:31 Also reaching new heights is Madison Beer's Make You Mine,
06:34 which climbed from 20 to eight.
06:35 ♪ I just wanna get you going ♪
06:38 ♪ Ah ah ah ah ah ♪
06:41 Every Thursday, Billboard will bring you
06:42 the verified list of the hottest songs on TikTok
06:45 by monitoring music discovery and engagement
06:47 on the platform in the United States.
06:50 To find the TikTok Billboard top 50 each week,
06:52 users can simply go to any sound detail page
06:55 and tap the top right button to access the charts page.
06:58 - And why not throw it back on this fine Thursday
07:01 and take a look at an epic chart from the past?
07:05 ♪ Show thing ♪
07:06 ♪ Do what you wanna do ♪
07:09 - The Isley brothers make it to the top
07:11 on this week's chart rewind.
07:13 We head all the way back to 1969.
07:16 The Isley brothers hit the number one spot
07:18 with their hit It's Your Thing
07:20 on what was called the best-selling
07:22 Rhythm and Blues singles chart.
07:23 ♪ Wanna do what's right ♪
07:27 Now called Hot R&B Hip Hop Songs,
07:30 it spent four weeks at the top
07:31 and was their first number one on any Billboard chart.
07:35 Over on the Hot 100, the song reached number two
07:37 and remains the group's highest charting song.
07:40 That's the show.
07:41 Come back tomorrow for your Friday Music Guide
07:43 and our interview with Benson and Ruber.
07:46 I'm Rania Niftos and this is Billboard News.
07:49 (upbeat music)