Bob Dylan Makes History | Scanning the Charts 📉

Scanning the Charts – Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100 dated 7/4/20 – Bob Dylan makes history with his consistent chart success. 

SCANNING THE CHARTS is just what it says it is.  I, the quirky founder and do-it-all at The Musical Hype scans through the Billboard Charts and picks out things that catch my eye.  To reiterate what I said last week (Lil Baby is Doing Big Things), this column won’t be extensive, but rather short and sweet, keeping that shit moving.  This week, I picked out five notable observations from the Billboard 200, as well as five observations from the Billboard Hot 100.  And that’s about the size of it.  Check out my takeaways!

Billboard 200 

💭 Lil Baby continues to kill it on The Billboard 200, spending a fourth nonconsecutive week (and third consecutive week) at no. 1.  Even though My Turn wouldn’t budge from the top of the Billboard 200, that didn’t stop Bob Dylan and his Rough and Rowdy Ways from a respectable runner-up start, and more notably, accomplishing the feat of a top-40 album in the past seven decades (60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s, and 20s).  Also, after last week saw no new albums bow in the top 10, Dylan ends the drought.

💭 Bob Dylan wasn’t the only musician to bring a new album to the top-10 of the Billboard 200. Sure, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie unleased the deluxe edition of Artist 2.0, good enough for the “King of My City” to ascend from no. 80 to no. 3, but that’s not a totally brand-new album. No, Teyana Taylor brings a totally brand-new album with The Album, which launches at no. 8.  This, believe it or not, is Taylor’s FIRST top-10 album.

💭 While Bob Dylan and Teyana Taylor ‘got the job done’ with their cushy, top-10 debuts, three other successful musicians fell short of such glory, settling for the top 20.  Lamb of God secured a top-15 launch with their self-titled album.  Neil Young settled for 17^th with Homegrown.  Most disappointing, however, was the no. 19 launch by John Legend with Bigger Love.  Say what you will, but that’s a flop for a musician with numerous top 10 albums…

💭 There are three more Top 40 debuts of note.  Tee Grizzley starts at no. 22 with The Smartest, which includes the protest album, “Mr. Officer”, which graced my playlist, 13 Powerful Songs Where Black Lives DO Indeed Matter.  American Idol third-place finisher Gabby Barrett lands at no. 27 with her country debut album, Goldmine.  City Girls have the City on Lock at no. 29.

💭 Unfortunately, some musicians with anticipated albums couldn’t secure a Top 40 album.  That’s not shocking for Phoebe Bridgers, whose Punisher starts at no. 43.  It’s a bit more surprising for Black Eyed Peas, who were once sitting atop the pop charts. This time, Translation settles for no. 52 – day-um! Could be worse – just ask New Found Glory, who land at no. 135 with Forever and Ever X Infinity.

Billboard Hot 100

💭 After being bumped down to no. 2 by 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj (“TROLLZ”), DaBaby retakes the no. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with his Blame it on Baby hit, “Rockstar,” featuring Roddy Ricch.

💭 SAINt JHN may not be a familiar name, but “Roses” is certainly ‘kicking ass and taking names’ on the Billboard Hot 100. It ascends from no. 8 to a new peak of no. 4, 14 weeks into its chart journey. “Roses” appeared on the playlist, 13 Marvelous Songs About Roses.

💭 Jack Harlow is also killin’ it on the Billboard Hot 100. The Louisville, Kentucky-bred rapper has now officially secured a top-10 hit with “WHATS POPPIN”, which ascends from no. 18 to no. 8, 20 weeks into its chart journey.  Worth noting, Harlow dropped the “WHATS POPPIN Remix” featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne.

💭 Speaking of “TROLLZ”, well, the former no. 1 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj hit free falls from no. 1 to no. 34 – OUCH! That’s definitely disappointing considering the track made history by debuting at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Of course, Blood, Sweat & Tears said it best on “Spinning Wheel”: “What goes up, must come down…”

💭Despite the fact that “Bang!” has been out since February 2020, the AJR track finally bows on the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 99.  I guess it’s never too late.

Photo Credits: Brent Faulkner, Columbia, Interscope, The Musical Hype, Pixabay, Pexels