10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: ILLIT, Love Fame Tragedy, Mark Ambor & More
Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts, encompassing numerous genres and formats.
While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.
Here’s a look at 10 artists who appear on surveys for the first time on the April 6, 2024-dated charts.
ILLIT
The South Korean group makes its first showing on Billboard’s charts with its debut four-track EP Super Real Me and single “Magnetic.” The set, released March 25 on BELIFT LAB (a sublabel of HYBE Corporation), debuts at No. 10 on the World Albums chart and No. 15 on Heatseekers Albums with 4,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending March 28, according to Luminate.
The EP’s breakout single “Magnetic” also arrives at No. 33 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart and No. 63 on the Billboard Global 200; it drew 21.7 million official streams worldwide. TikTok has been a contributing factor in the song’s growth, as a portion of it has soundtracked over 170,000 clips on the platform, where the group boasts 1.4 million followers. The song is expected to vault further on next week’s, April 13-dated charts.
ILLIT was formed through the Korean JTBC reality show R U Next? and comprises members Iroha, Minju, Moka, Wonhee and Yunah.
Love Fame Tragedy
Love Fame Tragedy nets its first entry on Billboard’s charts, as “Don’t You Want To Sleep With Someone Normal?” debuts at No. 39 on Alternative Airplay (up 24% in plays).
The act is a solo side project of Wombats frontman Matthew Murphy. The band, from Liverpool, has maintained a steady presence on Billboard’s charts since 2008, with five charting songs on Alternative Airplay and two charting albums (of its five total) on the Billboard 200: Glitterbug (No. 91 peak in 2015) and Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life (No. 190, 2018).
“Normal?” is from Love Fame Tragedy’s second album, Life Is a Killer, released March 29 on Bright Antenna Records. The band released its first collection, Wherever I Go, I Want To Leave, in 2020.
Mark Ambor
Mark Ambor is officially a Billboard-charting hitmaker, thanks to his breakthrough viral song “Belong Together.” Released Feb. 16, the song debuts at No. 167 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart with 8.2 million streams earned outside the U.S. The song also starts at No. 88 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100.
Before releasing the song, Ambor had been teasing it for weeks on TikTok, where two versions have gone viral. Its original audio has soundtracked over 20,000 clips, while a sped-up mix has been used in over 120,000 videos. Ambor himself boasts nearly a million followers on the platform.
Ambor released his debut seven-track album Hello World in 2022, followed by other songs, including another viral hit, “Good To Be” (118,000 clips on TikTok). Ambor has a run of European tour stops lined up in April.
Yahir Saldivar
The Mexican singer is now a Billboard-charting artist, thanks to his breakthrough viral hit “SC-9.” The song, released Feb. 1 on Cash On Beat/H.D.P., debuted at No. 45 on the March 23-dated Hot Latin Songs chart and holds at its No. 23 high on the latest list with 3.7 million U.S. streams (a 14% gain from the previous week). The song also stands at No. 4 on Latin Digital Song Sales after reaching No. 1 a week earlier, where it became Saldivar’s first career Billboard leader. Plus, Saldivar ranks at No. 38 on the Emerging Artists chart.
The recent gains for “SC-9” can partly be attributed to TikTok, where Saldivar boasts over 500,000 followers. The song has been used in over 50,000 videos on the platform.
Loe Shimmy
The emerging rapper, from Pompano Beach, Fla., reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to his new album, Zombieland 2. Released March 22 on NETL/Open Shift Records, the set debuts at No. 13 on Heatseekers Albums (which ranks the most popular albums each week by new or developing acts) with 4,000 equivalent album units earned. It features collaborations with fellow Billboard-charting artists Luh Tyler and Veeze, plus rappers BLP Kosher and ffawty.
Loe Shimmy has been releasing music on streaming services since 2020. Since then, he’s dropped two additional full-lengths – Zuper PowerZ in 2021 and Z end in 2022 – along with his EPs Zombie Land and World WAR Z (both in 2020). He has also released songs with Kodak Black, Bossman Dlow and Danny Towers, among others.
Ahadadream & Priya Ragu
Both artists land their first Billboard chart hits, thanks to their new collaboration with Skrillex, “TAKA.” Released March 22 via Major Recordings/FFRR, the track debuts at No. 37 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 512,000 U.S. streams.
British-Pakistani electronic/house DJ Ahadadream (real name Ahad Elley) has been releasing music for nearly a decade, including four EPs: Movements, Shade, 3:33 and Homecoming. Outside of Skrillex, he has also collaborated with Ellie Goulding, ELIZA, and Tommy Genesis. “TAKA” initially rose to prominence last September, when he previewed the track during his debut Boiler Room set (alongside Skrillex). He has a run of North American and European tour dates lined up through August, including a set at The Do Lab stage at Coachella this month.
Priya Ragu released her debut studio album Santhosam, on Warner Records U.K., following the mixtape damnshestamil in 2021 (also via Warner U.K.) The Tamil-Swiss singer-songwriter, who has also released music with Jungle and Oddisee, has a string of European and Australian tour dates scheduled through May.
As for Skrillex, “Taka” earns the EDM star his 61st entry on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, tying The Chainsmokers for the fourth-most in the chart’s decade-long-plus history, after David Guetta (86), Marshmello (68) and Kygo (63).
Keith Nieto
The Mexican singer-songwriter has already appeared on Billboard’s charts as saxophonist for the group La Maquinaria Norteña, but he earns his first career entry as a soloist with “Contigo Sí.” The song, on Azteca Records/Fonovisa/UMLE, debuts at No. 35 on Regional Mexican Airplay, with a 110% gain in radio audience impressions. The song is on Nieto’s debut solo six-track EP Saxy, released Feb. 28.
La Maquinaria Norteña has charted 32 songs on Regional Mexican Airplay, including 14 top 10s and three No. 1s: “50 y Cincuenta” (in 2022), “Eres Ese Algo” and “Te Quiero Ver” (both 2023). The group has also logged 10 albums on Top Latin Albums, including three No. 1s: El Fenomeno (2014), Ya Dime Adios (2015) and Generacion Maquinaria Est. 2006 (2016). Nieto, who has written and produced many of the band’s hits, is joined in the group by his brothers Tony and Rory Nieto, as well as Iván Gutiérrez and Sergio Soto.
Rosemarie
The R&B singer-songwriter claims her first Billboard chart hit, thanks to her collaboration with Roddy Ricch, “Is it Real?” Released in November on her 12-track project Rock Paper Scissors: Recut (via Bird Vision/Interscope Records), the song opens at No. 39 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay with a 4% gain in spins at the format.
Rosemarie released her debut full-length TBD: To Be Determined in 2019 and dropped her nine-track set Sinnergy in 2021. Outside of Roddy Ricch, she has collaborated with Juvenile and Kalan.FrFr.
ÁSDÍS
The Icelandic singer hits Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to her featured appearance on Seven Lions and Illenium’s “Not Even Love.” Released March 22 on Casablanca/Republic, the track debuts at No. 14 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 1 million U.S. streams.
ÁSDÍS, based in Berlin, has been releasing music since 2020. She has collaborated with fellow Icelandic singer Daði Freyr on “Feel the Love,” and co-wrote Sophie Simmons’ 2021 release “Love Turns Lonely” (which deadmau5 produced).
Xander Zellner
Billboard