1. Drake has all of the top three on the Hot 100 this week just the third artist to ever do that, and the first to do it with all three debuts. Does him notching this achievement say more about Drake, about these three songs, or about the Hot 100 in general in 2021?
Josh Glicksman: It’s a combination of Drake and the Hot 100 in general. In 2020, there were more No. 1 debuts on the chart (12) than in any other calendar year and thanks to “Drivers license” and “What’s Next,” half of the No. 1s in 2021 so far have debuted atop the chart. The steadily ascending No. 1 hit certainly still exists “Mood” first reached the pinnacle last October in its 10th week on the chart but splashy debuts, particularly from household names, have become commonplace. Speaking of which, “What’s Next” marks Drake’s eighth number one. Few other artists across the industry can generate the hype that he can surrounding a new release.