NEW RELEASES
Kenshi Yonezu
Courtesy of Billboard JapanAtop a double-digit list of debuts by international acts on the June 12-dated Billboard global charts, four Japanese and South Korean acts add to their countries' increasingly long list of chart exports.
The week's highest debut on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart is Kenshi Yonezu's "Pale Blue" at No. 48, while it starts on the Billboard Global 200 at No. 134. The song is the theme to the TBS mini-series Rikokatsu (translation: How to Get a Divorce For the Whole Family). It follows Yonezu's "Kanden," which hit No. 46 on the Sept. 19, 2020-dated survey.
It's not uncommon for acts from Japan to make chart hits out of songs associated with TV or film, with LiSA's "Homura" having hit No. 2 on the Global Excl. chart and No. 8 on the Global 200 last October, after it was released alongside Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train.
Another Japanese act debuting its second song onto the Global Excl. U.S. chart is One OK Rock, with "Broken Heart of Gold" at No. 66 (and No. 173 on Global 200). The foursome released two versions of the song, one in English and one in Japanese. The same bilingual approach propelled "Renegades" to No. 18 last month.
Two South Korean boy bands make splashes, nearly back to back. Stray Kids arrive at No. 109 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart with "Wolfgang," just above Tomorrow X Together's No. 113 debut for "0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You)," featuring Seori.
Elsewhere, three European acts hit the Global Excl. U.S. chart. Mozznik (Kosovo/Albania) and Loredana (Switzerland) start at No. 146 with the German-language "Rosenkrieg"; Måneskin (Italy) debuts at No. 157 with "Coraline"; and Aya Nakamura (France/Mali) makes her fourth visit with "Bobo" at No. 186.
"Coraline" is one of three songs by Måneskin on this week's ranking, the most that an Italian act has simultaneously charted. Its 2021 Eurovision Song Contest-winning "Zitti E Buoni" is the first Italian-language song to grace the top 10, as it lifts 11-10, up 6% to 31.5 million streams outside the U.S., according to MRC Data. Plus, "I Wanna Be Your Slave" soars 73-21, up 114% to 23.4 million streams.
NEW RELEASES
Kevin Abstract, like his stage name suggests, is back with another creative record. "GEEZER" is the name, and it sports a feature from singer, rapper, and actor, Dominic Fike. This now makes this their second ever collaboration, with the first being 2019's "Peach" from Kevin's ARIZONA BABY.
This track is also kind of special as it serves as the lead single for the former BROCKHAMPTON member's next solo LP, Blush. Per Hypebeast, fans should expect it to drop on June 27. Per Genius, its shaping up to be a stacked project too with potential features from JPEGMAFIA, The Kid LAROI, Danny Brown, Quadeca, and more.
Of course, this will be Kevin Abstract's fourth solo LP with American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story, ARIZONA BABY, and 2023's Blanket being the predecessors.
On "GEEZER," him and Fike have some great chemistry over this indie instrumental, which shouldn't be a surprise. The duo has some great humor about them too. They cheekily rap about being afraid of not chasing their dreams.
The parent element goes a long way in urging listeners to not feel like you are bound to one path in life. "I said, "Damn, back then you used to be my right hand" / What happened? / She said, "Dad, you got old and then you ruined my plans," Fike raps.
Check out the track below.
Quotable Lyrics:
She ain't get accepted where the teacher recommended (Uh-oh)
She still makin' coffee at the age of thirty-seven (Uh-oh)
I know it's a small town, but the mall now looks small now
I guess the lesson is never let your guard down
Banks put up the buildings and your parents build the fences
Please don't stay behind them in your mid-twenties
