"Popular"
Single by the Weeknd, Playboi Carti and Madonna
ReleasedJune 2, 2023 (2023-06-02)
GenreR&B
Length3:35
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Weeknd singles chronology
"Double Fantasy"
(2023)		 "Popular"
(2023)		 "K-pop"
(2023)
Playboi Carti singles chronology
"Off the Grid"
(2021)		 "Popular"
(2023)		 "Different Day"
(2023)
Madonna singles chronology
"Back That Up to the Beat"
(2022)		 "Popular"
(2023)		 "Vulgar"
(2023)
Visualizer
"Popular" (Visualizer) on YouTube

"Popular" is a song by Canadian singer the Weeknd featuring vocals from American rapper Playboi Carti and American singer Madonna. It was released as a single through XO and Republic Records on June 2, 2023. An R&B song, it was originally intended to serve as the second single from The Idol, Vol. 1, the scrapped soundtrack to the Weeknd’s HBO drama television series, The Idol.[1] The Weeknd and Playboi Carti wrote the song with producers Metro Boomin, Mike Dean, and Tommy Rush, alongside The Idol co-creator Sam Levinson, Michael Walker, and John Flippin.[2][3][4]

Commercially, "Popular" charted within the top 10 in the Weeknd's home country of Canada, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand and it became a top 20 hit in countries such as United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, Ireland, India and Lithuania. "Popular" was certified gold in New Zealand and silver in the United Kingdom. The song earned positive reviews from music critics. Upon its release, it was picked up as one of the best songs of the year at that point by Rolling Stone.

Background

On May 31, 2023, the Weeknd announced that the accompanying soundtrack for the HBO drama series The Idol would include a single by himself, Madonna and Playboi Carti, titled "Popular".[5] A snippet of the song was first teased at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where the series premiered on May 22, 2023.[6]

Originally a collaboration between only The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, and with a different version prior to Madonna, in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, the Weeknd said "I've always wanted to work with her".[7][8] He continued saying: "She's the ultimate co-sign for this song, for this album, and for this TV show. And you'll hear more of her in the show as well too. She is the ultimate pop star".[9]

Composition

"Popular" is a midtempo R&B song,[1] whose lyrics give allusion to the "allure and pitfalls of fame and fortune" referring to a woman that “will do anything to achieve celebrity status".[10][11] Starr Bowenbank from Billboard called a "slinky track", laden with "booming synth instrumentals and plinking percussion" reminiscent of early 2000s R&B Urban Pop.[12]

Critical reception

"Popular" was well received from music critics. In a positive review for Billboard, Jason Lipshutz wrote: "The Weeknd, Madonna and Playboi Carti function like Kendall, Shiv and Roman pre-boardroom drama: what looks like an odd collection of artists on paper complement each other nicely, with The Weeknd and Madonna providing pop flourishes over plinking rhythms and Carti accentuating the song with some of his trademark mumbling to polish off what could be a kicky summer song".[13] Remarking on its lyrics, Jennifer Zhan of Vulture hailed the song a new anthem for "clout chasers".[10] Sebas E. Alonso from Jenesaispop complimented the song, and said sounds a bit like Madonna and Michael Jackson's dream collaboration.[14] American Songwriter's Thomas Galindo called The Weeknd's verse "ingenious"; Madonna's "a standout moment"; and noted how the song is able to use Playboi Carti's "squeaky-voiced bridge to the fullest", despite a minimal contribution.[15] Kevin Bourne from Shifter Magazine called it "a surprising treat that we didn't know we wanted".[16]

Recognition

Upon its release, "Popular" won a poll conducted by Billboard as reader's favorite new music release of the week.[17] On June 14, 2023, Rolling Stone picked it as one of the best songs of the year so far.[18]

Commercial performance

"Popular" debuted at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 with 10.1 million official streams, 2 million airplay audience impressions and 4,000 copies sold in its first week, according to Luminate.[19] The song acts as Madonna's 58th chart entry and the first Hot 100 chart entry, in approximately 8 years with "Bitch I'm Madonna", and her highest peaking in 11 years since "Give Me All Your Luvin'".[20][21] Madonna's entry also makes her one of few artists to have a Hot 100 hit across five consecutive decades, and the second woman to have a Hot 100 hit in five different decades.[19] The song also marks Madonna's first R&B number-one song in a Billboard chart, topping the component R&B Digital Song Sales.[22]

In the United Kingdom, "Popular" peaked at number 11, becoming Madonna's highest peaking single in the UK since "Celebration" reached the Top 10 in 2009.[23] "Popular" debuted within the top 30 in a number of countries, including Australia,[24] Iceland,[25] India,[26] Lithuania,[27] New Zealand,[28] Romania,[29] Switzerland[30] and also Canada, where it debuted in the top 10.[31]

Music video and live performances

To accompany its release, the Weeknd uploaded a music visualizer of the song on his YouTube, featuring a montage of clips and photos from the Cannes premiere of the series and the afterparty.[10][32] On July 25, in order to further promote the song, the Weeknd uploaded a live performance of the song on YouTube.[33] The Weeknd performed "Popular" for the second leg of his After Hours til Dawn Tour.[34]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Popular"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[96] Gold 20,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[97] Gold 45,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[98] Gold 50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[99] Platinum 30,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[100] Gold 25,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[101] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[102] Gold 400,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[103] Platinum 2,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history for "Popular"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various June 2, 2023 [104][105]

References

  1. 1 2 Camp, Alexa (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd Taps Playboi Carti and Madonna for "Popular" from HBO's The Idol". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  2. ↑ Mamo, Heran (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd, Playboi Carti Come Together on 'Popular' Track: Stream It Now". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  3. ↑ Dunworth, Liberty (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd teams up with Madonna and Playboi Carti for 'Popular'". NME. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Popular (Music from the HBO Original Series)". YouTube Music. June 10, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  5. ↑ Denis, Kyle (May 31, 2023). "The Weeknd Teases New Madonna & Playboi Carti Single for 'The Idol' Soundtrack". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  6. ↑ Zemler, Emily (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd Taps Madonna, Playboi Carti for New Single 'Popular'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  7. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd Enlists Madonna and Playboi Carti for New Idol Song "Popular": Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  8. ↑ Denis, Kyle (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd Teases Viewers Will Hear 'More of' Madonna in 'The Idol': 'She Is the Ultimate Pop Star'". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  9. ↑ Irvin, Jack (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd Reveals He Wants to Make an Album with Madonna After Dropping New Collab 'Popular'". People. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Zhan, Jennifer (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd Got the Queen of Pop on 'Popular'". Vulture. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  11. ↑ Galindo, Thomas (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd Recruits Madonna and Playboi Carti for New Song "Popular"". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  12. ↑ Bowenbank, Starr (June 2, 2023). "The Weeknd, Madonna & Playboi Carti, Foo Fighters: What's Your Favorite Music Release of the Week? Vote!". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
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  14. ↑ Alonso, Sebas E. (June 2, 2023). "'Popular' de The Weeknd suena un poquito a la colaboración soñada entre Madonna y Michael". Jenesaispop (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
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