A record that stood for six decades fell, a halftime report nobody has confirmed yet took over the timeline, and New Music Friday delivered three albums worth arguing about. From chart history to a prison transfer to a rights-data power move, here is the week in ten lines.
The Big Five
Bruno Mars owns the record — "I Just Might" logged a 32nd week at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, the longest run in the chart's history, passing Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "Luther," per Luminate data reported by Parade.
Jay-Z reportedly picks himself — Puck reported that Jay-Z selected himself to headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show, per HotNewHipHop and Consequence; neither the NFL nor Roc Nation has confirmed the report.
Anderson .Paak and Cordae wear the crown — Heavy Is The Crown, their first full joint album, arrived Friday, October 23, with 11 tracks per Apple Music and an 8/10 review from Clash.
Yung Miami's Watch Dis finally lands — her debut solo album arrived Friday, October 23, on a 12-track listing, per HotNewHipHop and DancehallMag.
Diddy moves prisons — Sean Combs was transferred on Friday, October 16, from FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey to FCI Allenwood Low in Pennsylvania, a move the Bureau of Prisons confirmed to USA Today, Entertainment Weekly and Page Six.
The Next Five
Rolling Loud India goes global — Burna Boy and Metro Boomin close day one of Rolling Loud India in Mumbai on December 12 and 13, with Skepta and Karan Aujla headlining day two, per Rolling Stone India and The Hollywood Reporter India.
Che Noir builds her village — It Takes A Village arrived Friday, October 23, with guest appearances from Black Thought, Ransom and Bruiser Wolf, per Winneba News and BroadwayWorld.
Laila! stays young — We'll Never Be This Young Again, her sophomore album, arrived Friday, October 23, after SZA called it the most beautiful thing she had heard all year, per Rolling Stone reporting cited by Wooster Magazine.
Spotify opens the membership money — Spotify launched paid Memberships on Tuesday, October 20, in 34 markets, with creators keeping 90 percent of membership revenue, per Spotify's newsroom and TechCrunch.
Musixmatch buys Music Reports — Musixmatch acquired Music Reports, owner of the Songdex copyright registry, in its first acquisition in 16 years, per Music Business Worldwide and Dealroom.
Filed under The Wire, MixShow Prime's music industry news desk.
