NEWS
In 2015, Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora released her debut EP, Running With the Wolves. She followed in 2016 with her first full-length, All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend, which reached No. 28 on Billboard's U.S.-based Top Rock Albums chart.
Both sets begin with the song "Runaway." Fast-forward to 2021 and the track is gaining more widespread worldwide recognition on the back of, what else? TikTok virality. On the latest lists, dated April 24, "Runaway" leaps 99-34 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart and 130-49 on the Billboard Global 200.
"Runaway" received its own colorful interactive TikTok filter that dramatically changes the backlighting from day to night and back again, spurring the #RunawayChallenge. The song's global sales and streams have been building each week for more than a month, from 7.8 million streams and 500 downloads sold in the week ending March 18 to 23.7 million streams and 2,400 downloads sold in the week ending April 15, according to MRC Data.
The song's success is rare for songs of a certain age: of 51 songs released in 2015 or before to make the Global Excl. U.S. chart since the list launched last September, "Runaway" is only the second to crack the top 40. Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams," from 1977, followed its own social media resurgence No. 30 for two weeks in October.
Further, it’s the fifth such song to hit the top 50 of the Global 200, following “Dreams” (No. 10), The Weeknd’s “The Hills” (No. 44) and a pair of DMX tracks, as “Ruff Ryders' Anthem” and “X Gon’ Give It to Ya” debut on this week’s chart at Nos. 27 and 32, respectively.
Growth for "Runaway" has been healthy both in and out of the U.S., although its share of streams in the past month has shifted slightly more internationally; while four weeks ago its streams were 24% domestic and 76% international, this week brings an 18% U.S./82% outside the U.S. split.
Stateside, still, "Runaway" debuts on this week's U.S.-based Alternative Digital Song Sales and Alternative Streaming Songs charts at Nos. 14 and 15, respectively, while jumping 12-3 on the LyricFind U.S. chart. Aurora herself re-entered the Emerging Artists two weeks ago and has climbed 42-32-15 the last three weeks.
NEWS
Mustard has seemingly hit back at comments from Drake‘s producer Gordo, with a little help from JAY-Z.
Gordo, who worked on several Drizzy albums including $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, For All the Dogs and Honestly, Nevermind, called out the “Not Like Us” hitmaker this week after noticing that he was no longer following him on social media.
“omg just noticed mustard unfollowed me on ig…. Sad day,” he wrote sarcastically on X. “headlining chella must of got to his head.”
Despite unfollowing Gordo, Mustard appeared to catch wind of his post and issued a snarky yet subliminal response on Instagram.
Alongside a caption which read: “We not the same,” the producer posted a video of JAY-Z in an interview saying: “Are you kidding me? Who are you guys talking to? What have you done to even have an opinion on what I been doing? You done nothing to even have an opinion.”
Swipe below to see the clip.
Mustard hasn’t exactly been quiet about his disdain for Drake throughout the 6 God’s beef with Kendrick Lamar which erupted last year.
The multi-platinum producer and DJ graced the stage at Tyler, The Creator‘s Camp Flog Gnaw last November, where he surprised the crowd by appearing to cue up Drizzy’s Take Care hit “Crew Love” with The Weeknd.
Before the song could kick into gear, however, Mustard jumped on the mic and yelled, “Sike!” before quickly pivoting to Kendrick, Future and Metro Boomin‘s “Like That,” the blistering collaboration that ignited the heated feud between the Hip Hop titans.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times months earlier, the 10 Summers hitmaker took a shot at Drake’s character while ruling out a reunion with his “Who Do You Love?” collaborator.
“I don’t think I want to make a song with that dude. He’s a strange guy,” he said matter-of-factly.
Mustard would also offer Drake some advice on how to bounce back from the beef, saying to Big Boy: “I’m not speaking at Drake or for him, but a lot of shit that’s going on — the tactics, the things that you do just to get attention. You don’t need to do that. Just make music, man. Make good music and you’ll be fine.”
Mustard also made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s historic Super Bowl halftime show performance, joining the Compton superstar for his climactic rendition of “TV Off” which he also produced.
