10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Del Water Gap, The Beaches, Armand Hammer & More

Xander Zellner
·8 min read
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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.

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Here’s a look at 10 artists who appear on surveys for the first time on the Oct. 14-dated charts.

Del Water Gap

The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter scores his first appearance on Billboard’s charts with his new sophomore studio album, I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet. The set, released Sept. 29 via Mom+Pop Music, debuts at No. 97 on the Top Current Album Sales chart with 1,000 copies sold in its opening week, according to Luminate. It follows his debut self-titled full-length, also on Mom + Pop, in 2021.

Del Water Gap (real name Samuel Holden Jaffe – his stage name is inspired by the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on the borders of New Jersey and Pennsylvania) has been releasing music for nearly a decade. In 2019, he dropped the seven-track live EP Alive From Fresno. He has also collaborated with Maggie Rogers, whom he met at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, making featured appearances on her “New Song” and “(Does It Feel Slow?)” from her 2020 set Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011-2016. Del Water Gap also co-wrote and co-produced her songs “Want Want” and “Anywhere With You” from her 2022 LP Surrender. He also teamed with Claud for their song “My Body” in 2020.

Del Water Gap is currently on the road on his headlining I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet Tour, which runs through November. The tour also has several European tour dates set for January and February.

The Beaches

The Canadian band has already scored hits in its native country, but the quartet lands its first entry on a U.S.-based Billboard survey with “Blame Brett.” The song, released in May on AWAL Recordings, debuts at No. 37 on Alternative Airplay (up 28% in plays). The track appears on the group’s sophomore LP Blame My Ex, released Sept. 15. Before that, the band released its debut full-length, Late Show, in 2017. Its 2022 compilation set Sisters Not Twins (The Professional Lovers Album) won for rock album of the year at the 2022 Juno Awards.

The band has charted 10 songs on the Canada Rock radio chart, including nine top 10s and two No. 1s (“T-Shirt” for nine weeks in 2018 and “Blame Brett” for four weeks beginning this August). On Canada Modern Rock, the band has scored three No. 1s: “Want What You Got” (five weeks in 2020), “Blow Up” (11 weeks in 2021) and “Blame Brett” (14 weeks and counting). On Canada Mainstream Rock, the group has earned six top 10s.

The Beaches is comprised of Jordan Miller (lead vocals, bass), Kylie Miller (guitar, vocals), Leandra Earl (keys, guitar, vocals) and Eliza Enman-McDaniel (drums). They’re currently on their North American Blame My Ex Tour, which runs through March.

Armand Hammer

The New York City-based hip-hop duo hits Billboard’s charts for the first time, thanks to its sixth studio album, We Buy Diabetic Test Strips. Released Sept. 29 on Fat Possum Records, the project debuts at No. 12 on Heatseekers Albums, No. 28 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 39 on Top Album Sales with 4,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week (3,000 in album sales). The pair also opens at No. 13 on the Emerging Artists chart. The act previously released the collections Race Music in 2013, Rome (2017), Paraffin (2018), Shrines (2020) and Haram (with The Alchemist; 2021).

Armand Hammer comprises recent Billboard first-timer Billy Woods and Elucid. Both rappers/producers have been releasing music for nearly two decades. Woods, who’s also a member of the underground rap groups Super Chron Flight Brothers and the Reavers, has released over a dozen albums and mixtapes, dating to the early 2000s. Elucid (real name Chaz Hall) has also released over a dozen solo albums and mixtapes, and has worked with hip-hop groups Cult Favorite, Lessondary, Nostrum Grocers and Small Bills.

Cool & Dre

The Miami-based production/songwriting duo posts its first Billboard chart entry under an artist billing, thanks to “To the Bank,” with Lil Wayne. The song, released Sept. 29 on Young Money/Republic Records on Wayne’s new LP Tha Fix Before The IV, debuts at No. 35 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with 4.7 million official streams, 94,000 in radio airplay audience and 1,000 downloads sold in the U.S. in its first week. The pair also starts at No. 43 on the Emerging Artists chart.

Cool & Dre consists of Marcello “Cool” Antonio Valenzano and Andre “Dre” Christopher Lyon. As a duo, they’ve produced 24 songs that have charted on the Hot 100, dating to Angie Martinez’s “Take You Home,” featuring Kelis, in 2003 (No. 85 peak). Of those, one has reached the top 10: The Game’s “Hate It or Love It,” featuring 50 Cent (No. 2, 2005). The track also spent two weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The pair logged its most recent Hot 100 entry in a production role with Wale’s “Poke It Out,” featuring J. Cole 73, 2022). The two have also produced songs for Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, The Carters, Fat Joe and Megan Thee Stallion.

Outside of their work as a duo, Dre has appeared on several Billboard’s charts in a solo capacity. He’s tallied four entries on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs under an artist billing: “Girl I’m A Bad Boy” with Fat Joe and P. Diddy (No. 69 peak in 2003), “Chevy Ridin’ High” featuring Rick Ross (No. 54; 2006), “Ain’t Sayin’ Nothin'” with Fat Joe and Plies (No. 93; 2008) and “Lord Above” with Fat Joe, Eminem and Mary J. Blige (No. 44; 2019). His collaborative album with Fat Joe, Family Ties, also reached No. 81 on the Billboard 200 in 2019.

Koyo

The emo/melodic hardcore band, from Stony Brook, N.Y., reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time with its debut LP, Would You Miss It? The set, released Sept. 29 on Pure Noise Records, debuts at No. 24 on Heatseekers Albums, No. 39 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 55 on Top Album Sales with 3,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week (nearly all from album sales). Koyo’s lineup comprises Joey Chiaramonte (lead vocals), Harold Griffin, TJ Rotolico (both on guitars), Stephen Spanos (bass) and Sal Argento (drums). The band has a string of North American and European tour dates lined up through December.

GRAHAM

GRAHAM is officially a Billboard-charting artist, as his breakout song “HOV” debuts at No. 48 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. Released in August on 100graham Sounds, it arrives with 513,000 streams Sept. 29-Oct. 5. The song’s latest bump was aided by a new remix with Connor Price and Nic D released Sept. 29.

Courtney Hadwin

The singer-songwriter, from Hesleden, England, makes her first visit to Billboard’s charts as “Monsters” debuts at No. 19 on Hard Rock Digital Song Sales. She self-released the song, her fourth original single, Sept. 29. Hadwin rose to prominence on NBC’s American’s Got Talent in 2018. Before that, she competed on The Voice Kids UK in 2017, where she performed hits by James Brown, Martha and the Vandellas and Tina Turner.

John Alex Gatsby

The singer-songwriter, from Brooklyn, debuts on Billboard’s rankings with his new single “Therapy.” The song, released Sept. 22 on Cromer Entertainment Corp., enters Adult R&B Airplay at No. 30. Gatsby has released nine additional songs, including “Bedroom” and “Take You Out,” both in June.

Vikkstar

The English YouTuber and internet personality arrives on Billboard’s charts for the first time with his new collaboration with Alan Walker and Dash Berlin, “Better Off (Alone, Part III).” The track, released Sept. 28 on MER Musikk/RECORDS/Columbia Records, debuts at No. 41 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 656,000 streams. The song samples Alice Deejay’s classic dance staple “Better Off Alone,” which reached No. 27 on the Hot 100 in 2000.

Vikkstar, who posts videos under the name Vikkstar123, has drawn buzz through his gaming channel on YouTube, where he boats over 7.5 million subscribers. His videos have garned over 2.1 billion YouTube views since he began posting in 2010.

Jere Klein

The Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, from Chile, achieves his first Billboard chart hit with “Ando.” The Latin urbano song, released Sept. 27, debuts at No. 105 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart with 14.4 million streams outside the U.S. in the latest tracking week.

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