Scoreboard: Big Sean Decided

This week on Scoreboard, Big Sean takes the #1 album, but Lady Gaga surges back to #1 on the Artist 100 following the Super Bowl

Billboard Artist Top 10

For the magazine dated February 25, 2017

See the full chart at http://www.billboard.com/charts/artist-100

 

A week after Atlanta’s Migos debuted on top of the Billboard 200, Detroit’s Big Sean took #1 on the Billboard 200 with I Decided. On the Hot 100, Ed Sheeran remains at #1 with “Shape Of You,” and on the Artist 100 the winner is Lady Gaga, who is back at #1 after last sitting on top 15 weeks ago. Her surge in popularity is due to her action-packed Super Bowl halftime performance that led to the Gaga bump across charts.

Reba McEntire also enters the Artist Top 10 this week on the momentum of her new album “Sing It Now: Songs Of Faith And Hope”

Big Sean’s Decision Day

Big Sean has been a solid member of hip-hop’s B team since his first album in 2011. His rap was not groundbreaking and his political and social wisdom not fully developed, though he brought in John Legend on 2015’s “One Man Can Change The World.” What he has become famous for are fun rap-pop tracks like “My Last” and fiery no-apologies statements like “I Don’t F With You.” On the new album I Decided. @bigsean is attempting to grow up by being more reflective and bringing in the Flint Chozen Choir and his mother. Although the thoughtful tracks provide moments of introspection, he still has ways to go to succeed in taking hip-hop to church like Kanye West and Chance The Rapper. Sean trotted out “Sunday Morning Jetback” ft. The-Dream to Saturday Night Live in January, but even in Sean’s discography it cannot match “One Man Can Change The World.”

Fortunately, on the new album @bigsean does not abandon his strength – party jams. The lead single “Bounce Back” is ESPN-ready, including a Marshawn Lynch reference when Sean sings about how he “woke up in beast mode.” It is the highest-charting single off of I Decided. so far. Sean also brings in Migos and Eminem for some guest-appearance fire. On “No Favors” @eminem delivers a classic R-rated verse on which he  states “I’m turning into the Aaron Hernandez of rap,” more NFL references the NFL does not want to hear. It looks like Big Sean’s decision to play to his strengths is the wisest one on I Decided.

@bigsean taking his mom to check out the outdoor advertising for his album

The Gaga Super Bowl LI Effect

Super Bowl LI took place two weeks ago. The New England Patriots pulled off a record comeback to beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime and @ladygaga got the privilege to be this year’s headline halftime performer. So how did she do? Despite her strong political opinions, Gaga kept the performance PG and avoided controversy. She began the show with a medley of America-themed songs and a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance, while Intel drones lit up the Houston sky. She flew down to the field and performed without guests for the 13 minute show. In some ways, the song selection was retro. Not Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers retro, but out of the six songs, five were from @ladygaga’s golden era of 2009-11. The one newish track, from 2016’s Joanne, was “Million Reasons,” and it got the biggest boost on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, coming in at #4. 2009’s “Bad Romance” also surged back to #50. On the Billboard 200, Joanne rocketed up from #66 to #2.

The Super Bowl bump will likely be short for @ladygaga, but she already made her mark in 2017 by delivering an above-average halftime performance, which was advertised as “music’s biggest moment of the year.” She did not stop following the Super Bowl, making her way to last Sunday’s Grammys, though her “Moth Into Flame” mashup with Metallica will not be remembered in December when 2017’s music moments are tallied up. Back in November, Scoreboard hoped that Gaga would stay adventurous in her artpop and it seems like @ladygaga is committed to doing so, we shall see if “Million Reasons” sticks around on the charts in coming weeks.