Scoreboard: The XX See You

The xx have the biggest new album this week; Scoreboard spotlights Drake’s chances at the Grammys

Billboard Artist Top 10

For the magazine dated February 4, 2017

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

 

The Weeknd continues his #1 run on both the Billboard 200 this week and gets back to #1 on the Artist 100 after Ed Sheeran‘s big comeback last week. On the Hot 100, Sheeran loses the #1 spot, held last week by “Shape Of You,” and Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert are back on top again with “Bad And Boujee.” The week’s biggest new album comes from British indie pop group the xx and Scoreboard’s Grammy previews continue with Drake‘s Views, which is still at #8 on the Billboard 200 and will be competing for the Album of the Year Grammy in two weeks.

The Chainsmokers released another single, “Paris,” which starts at #7 on the Hot 100 and moves them up to #3 on the Artist 100

The xx See You

London indie pop band the xx broke out in 2009 with their self-titled debut album that was praised for its whispery sound that ventured across dance, rock, and R&B. In 2012 came follow-up Coexist that stayed true to the formula with more minimalist songs of romantic tension and heartbreak. The band’s I See You, which comes in at #2 on the Billboard 200, expands the group’s sound beyond streamlined minimalism to include pop samples and mainstream electronica. This is driven by group member Jamie xx, who has achieved solo success as a dance producer and remixer, and on I See You he brings a new pop speed to tracks such as “Dangerous” and lead single “On Hold.” However, not all songs on the new album venture into poppy territory. “Performance,” for example, is a sparse, maudlin tearjerker performed by female vocalist Romy Madley Croft. The album’s peaks come when Croft and male vocalist Oliver Sim join together in a back-and-forth channeling The Human League. No song depicts that better than “Say Something Loving,” an upgrade on a similarly titled hit by Christina Aguilera and A Great Big World from three years ago. Although the xx have done well on the albums chart, they have never made the Hot 100. Let’s see if third album’s the charm in 2017.

Two weeks ago the xx were seen performing the low-key “Lips” on Jimmy Fallon

Grammys Preview: Drake

2016 has been a career-best year for @champagnepapi. Drake spent 19 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 and at year-end tied Lil Wayne for most singles ever on that chart for a solo artist (with 132). Over on the Billboard 200, Drake’s fourth album Views spent 10 weeks at #1 and it is nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys. It is the only hip-hop album in the running for the trophy, though @champagnepapi faces competition from the likes of Kanye West and Chance The Rapper for Best Rap Album. In his career, Drake won only one 1 of the 27 Grammys for which he was nominated, the Best Rap Album Grammy for 2011’s Take Care. This year he is nominated for 8 Grammys, 5 of which are related to Views.

Does Views have a chance at the Grammys? The odds are stacked against it. And not only because it features the track “Grammys” on which Drake’s frequent collaborator Future huffs and puffs about having no Grammys. On one hand, Views has the hits “One Dance,” “Controlla,” and “Too Good.” The mean “Pop Style” is nominated for Best Rap Performance and 2015’s “Hotline Bling” is nominated for Best Rap/Sung Performance. On the other hand, 15 other tracks on the album frequently sound alike and find @champagnepapi brooding over his exes when he should have stopped after “Marvins Room.” On February 12, Drake will likely win some Grammys, though it is highly unlikely that Views will become the second rap album ever, after OutKast‘s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, to win the ultimate Grammys prize.

Despite only winning one Grammy combined, Drake and Future had the biggest hip-hop tour of all time in 2016