Rihanna rockets to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 to be released tomorrow (Nov. 11), as "What's My Name?," featuring Drake, vaults 60-1.
The song debuts at No. 1 on Digital Songs with sales of 235,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It claims Airplay Gainer honors on Radio Songs, charging 24-16 (48.6 million in audience, up 30%, according to Nielsen BDS).
"What's My Name?" supplants Ke$ha's "We R Who We R," which dips to No. 5 after launching atop the survey last week. The song falls 1-2 on Digital Songs (220,000, down 21%), though it advances 49-29 (35.3 million, up 45%) on Radio Songs.
Nos. 2 through 4 remain static on the Hot 100 from last week: Far*East Movement's "Like a G6," featuring Cataracs & Dev (No. 2), Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" (No. 3) and Rihanna's second track in the top five, "Only Girl (In the World)" (No.4)
"What's My Name?" marks Rihanna's eighth career Hot 100 No. 1 and third this year. She previously reigned in 2010 with "Rude Boy" (five weeks, beginning in March) and as a guest on Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie" (seven weeks, starting in July).
Rihanna is the first artist to score a trio of Hot 100 leaders in a year since she achieved the feat in 2008, when she ruled with her own "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia" and added vocals to T.I.'s "Live Your Life."
"What's My Name?" is Drake's first Hot 100 No. 1 among 23 chart visits.
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Hey Everyone!
How’s it going?? So… I just wanted to fill you guys in…I’m done with my 4th record!!! Well, actually I have been done for a year… and now my record company have finally decided to release it. OMG..How nice! Thanks guys.
I have been dying to get back out on the road and do what I love the most… PLAY MUSIC. I know you guys have been waiting for a long time…..and so have I, but not by choice. I have been sitting with this record for a year now. It’s really special to me. I have produced a couple tracks alone for the first time, written solo, with friends, I have pushed myself and I feel proud.
In saying all that, this has been a really difficult record for me to create and to release. Not only is this the most meaningful and special record I have written, it is sincere, honest and close to my heart. But for the first time I experienced a bunch of bureaucratic BS. People do their best work when they are doing what they want, love and is natural for them, not when you are forcing them to be something that they are not.
From the beginning of my career my message has always been to be yourself and stand up for what you believe in. Follow your heart.
My first single off this record is called: “What The Hell”. This song is the least personal song to me off this album. It’s a fun and funny anthem. It has a broad message about personal freedom. It is the most pop track on the record.
I am shooting the video in 2 weeks and it will be out in January. I have been extremely busy designing Abbey Dawn and taking the line internationally for the first time, establishing “The Avril Lavigne Foundation” and focusing on my personal happiness and health. Balance!
Love you guys!
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Taylor Swift was named country songwriter of the year at the BMI Awards on Tuesday night, becoming the youngest person to win the award at age 20.
The pop sensation also won country song of the year with co-writer Liz Rose for "You Belong To Me." She's the first songwriter to win that award three years in a row.
"It's been a really emotional week for me," Swift told the crowd.
Her new album, "Speak Now," had the biggest opening of any record since 2005. But she also attended the funeral of a close friend on Monday.
"He was 21, and I used to play my songs for him first," Swift said.
Bill Anderson previously was the youngest winner of songwriter of the year, taking the honor in 1960 at 23. Johnny Cash was next with a win in 1956 at 24. Earlier this year, Swift became the youngest winner of the performing rights organization's pop song of the year award.
Swift won the songwriter award based on her own recordings of "Fifteen," "White Horse," "You Belong To Me" and "Best Days Of Your Life," recorded by Kellie Pickler.
Country songwriter of the year is one of the few awards the pop star had yet to win. She's the Country Music Association's reigning entertainer of the year and could win female vocalist of the year for the second straight time during the awards show Wednesday night.
BMI honored dozens of songwriters, including Miranda Lambert, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Toby Keith and Keith Urban.
In one of the night's most poignant moments, Ronnie Dunn, George Strait, Martina McBride and Faith Hill serenaded Billy Sherill, who was named a BMI icon. Hill became emotional during her rendition of Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man."
Sherill was named BMI's country songwriter of the 20th century in 1999 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year.
The producer and songwriter is widely credited as the founder of the so-called "countrypolitan" movement that opened the doors for pop-leaning singers like Swift, Carrie Underwood and many of the night's other award winners.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Sherill was typically dismissive about his pivotal role in country music history.
"I don't think I changed anything," Sherill said. "I think I jumped on the bandwagon."
The 74-year-old Sherill said even now after all the awards, he still has trouble with the attention. He said he would rather be at home watching "The Twilight Zone" than the center of attention Tuesday night.
"It's very humbling," Sherill said. "It's kind of scary. It's so wonderful, it's unreal. It's really hard to talk about. It's easy to do, it's hard to talk about."
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