10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Buck Meek, Juju<3, säje, Peakboy & More

Xander Zellner
·8 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts in its menu, 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.

More from Billboard

Here’s a look at 10 artists who appear on surveys for the first time on the Sept. 9-dated charts.

Buck Meek

The singer-songwriter and guitarist/backing vocalist for Big Thief scores his first career solo entry on Billboard’s charts, thanks to his new solo LP Haunted Mountain. The set, released Aug. 25 via 4AD, debuts at No. 82 on the Top Current Album Sales chart with 1,000 copies sold in its opening week in the U.S., according to Luminate. The set also helps him debut at No. 46 on the Emerging Artists chart. Haunted Mountain is Meek’s third solo LP outside of Big Thief, after his self-titled 2018 LP, and Two Saviors in 2021. Meek is currently on the European leg of his worldwide solo tour, which runs through February.

Big Thief has forged a successful history on Billboard’s charts since it first debuted in 2016. The group has charted three albums on the Billboard 200: U.F.O.F. (No. 142 peak in 2019), Two Hands (No. 113; 2019) and Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (No. 31; 2022). The latter two sets reached the top 10 of the Top Alternative Albums chart, while Dragon hit No. 1 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart. The band has also charted two songs on Adult Alternative Airplay: “Certainty” (No. 34 peak in 2021) and “Simulation Swarm” (No. 18; 2022). U.F.O.F. and Dragon both earned Grammy nods for best alternative music album in 2020 and 2023, respectively.

Juju<3

The 18-year-old California-based singer-songwriter (real name Julian Perez) reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time with his breakthrough viral song “Wasted Summers.” Released July 12, the melancholy pop-rock song debuts at No. 13 on Hot Alternative Songs, No. 25 on Hot Rock Songs, and No. 32 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs with 2.8 million U.S. streams earned in the latest tracking week.

The song, which also includes vocals from Juju<3’s 10-year-old sister, Lailah (who’s credited as a co-songwriter), went viral on TikTok in July. A portion of the song has been used in over 234,000 clips on the platform to-date (TikTok activity does not contribute directly to Billboard‘s charts). “Lailah and I are very grateful and cant even wrap our heads around this!!!” he posted to TikTok as the song was picking up steam.

“Wasted Summers” was produced by Indonesia-based hitmaker Dan Darmawan, who also worked on d4vd’s breakthrough tracks “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me.” Those songs reached Nos. 33 on and 60 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.

säje

The vocal supergroup lands on Billboard’s charts for the first time with its debut self-titled studio album. The set, released Aug. 25 on sajevoices, debuts at No. 2 on Contemporary Jazz Albums and No. 3 on Jazz Albums with 2,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week. As all of those units were in traditional album sales, the set also opens at No. 47 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 81 on Top Album Sales. The set helps the quartet also debut at No. 21 on the Emerging Artists chart. One track on the album, “Desert Song” earned a Grammy nomination for best arrangement, instrumental and vocals in 2021.

säje comprises Sara Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, Johnaye Kendrick and Erin Bentlage. All four artists have already forged solo careers outside the group. Gazarek has charted five solo albums on Billboard’s Jazz Albums chart, including the top 10s Dream In The Blue (No. 10 peak in 2016) and Thirsty Ghost (No. 3; 2019). The group is currently touring in support of its debut album, with dates slated through November.

Peakboy

The South Korean rapper (real name Kwon Sung-hwan) arrives on Billboard’s charts thanks to his featured appearance on V’s holiday song “Snow Flower.” The song debuts at No. 2 on World Digital Songs and No. 43 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart with 2,000 downloads sold in the latest tracking week. The song, which initially had a limited release in December 2020 only through Soundcloud and YouTube, debuts after it was made available widely on digital download and streaming platforms on Aug. 28, along with V’s 2019 songs “Scenery” and “Winter Bear.” The tracks were made available ahead of V’s forthcoming debut solo studio album Layover, which is slated for release on Friday, Sept. 8. Peakboy, from Incheon, South Korean, has released three solo EPs in his career: Portrait (2018), Us (2019) and Loop (2020).

Tiakola

The French rapper (real name William Mundala) earns his first-ever Billboard chart appearance thanks to his collaboration with Dave on “Meridian.” The song, released Aug. 25 on Neighbourhood Recordings, debuts at No. 164 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart with 9.4 million streams outside the U.S. The song has already become a hit in other countries, as it debuts at No. 2 on Billboard’s France Songs chart, No. 4 on Luxembourg Songs, No. 7 on Switzerland Songs, and No. 8 on Belgium Songs.

Tiakola is also a member of the hip-hop group 4Keus. He released his debut solo studio album Mélo in May 2022.

SOG

The Colombian producer (whose name is an acronym for his full name, Santiago Orrego Gallego) reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time under an artist billing thanks to his new collaboration with Blessd and Peso Pluma, “Ojos Azules.” The song, released Aug. 24 on JM World/Cigol/Warner Latina, debuts at No. 46 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, fueled in large part by 2.1 million U.S. streams earned in its first full week of tracking. SOG has previously charted two songs on Hot Latin Songs as a producer: Ryan Castro’s “Mujeriego” (No. 33 peak in 2022) and Castro and Peso Pluma’s “Quema” (No. 21 peak in July). He also produced Blessd’s “Instagram,” which reached No. 18 on Latin Rhythm Airplay and No. 47 on Latin Airplay.

Akiaura, LONOWN & STM

All three artists arrive on Billboard’s charts with their collaboration “Sleepwalker.” The song, released June 30 via virtual memory404, debuts at No. 42 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, powered by 790,000 official U.S. streams earned in the latest tracking week. The song appears on Akiaura and LONOWN’s latest EP, Ketamine Girl. TikTok has been a contributing factor to the song’s growing profile, as a portion of the audio has been used in over 10,000 clips on the platform. Akiaura is an experimental electronic artist whose music is inspired by darkwave/underground basement sounds. LONOWN, who records phonk, ambient and trap music, has released one additional EP: Heaven Subculture in 2019. STM, who provides the vocals on “Sleepwalker,” has released several other solo EPs, including ELECTRONICA (2019), CHROMA (2022), and SPLIT (2022).

DABOYWAY

The American-born Thai rapper (real name Prinya Intachai) lands on Billboard’s charts with his new track “POGO” featuring Mark B. The song, which he self-released Aug. 25, debuts at No. 8 on Latin Rhythm Digital Song Sales and No. 16 on Latin Digital Song Sales. DABOYWAY released his debut self-titled solo LP in 2020 on Def Jam Recordings Thailand. Outside of his solo work, he was a member of the Bangkok-based rap group Thaitanium.

Sydtherockerkid

The Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter arrives on Billboard’s charts thanks to her featured appearance on HARBER’s “Medicine.” The dance-pop anthem, released June 30 on Lowly, debuts at No. 31 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart (up 105% in plays). Sydtherockerkid (real name Sydney Schmier) has only released one solo song on streaming services so far: “Bad Girl,” in May. She’s also one-half of the pop duo Stereo Jane with her sister, Mia. The pair released their debut five-track EP Are We There Yet? last year. As for HARBER, the EDM artist had landed one song on Billboard’s charts before this week: “More Than,” with Lexy Panterra, reached No. 21 on the Dance Club Songs chart in 2019.

Chris Canas

The Detroit-based artist debuts on Billboard’s charts for the first time with his new LP Detroit. The set, released July 1, 2022, debuts at No. 12 on the Blues Albums chart. Canas released six other albums before Detroit: Shades of Blue (2002), C (2003), Sunshine (2004), Pure As Gold (2006), She’s Breaking Me (2010) and Would You Mind (2020).

Best of Billboard

Click here to read the full article.