Britney Spears performs during Now! 99.7 Triple Ho Show 7.0 at SAP Center on December 3, 2016 in San … [+]
After half a decade largely away from the music industry, Britney Spears has returned with what many are calling her comeback single. On Friday (August 26), the pop superstar joined Elton John on the collaborative “Hold Me Closer,” which is already trending toward becoming a huge hit in a number of nations. In the U.S., it debuts on a handful of rankings early, showing there is intense interest in the latest from the two powerhouses.
In about a week, Billboard should announce where “Hold Me Closer” debuts on the Hot 100 and various other charts, but for the moment, it’s new to three radio-focused tallies, which operate on a different timetable than all other lists. Because DJs and radio programmers across the country began playing the tune the moment it became available, it makes some impressive starts after just a few days of activity.
Pop Airplay
“Hold Me Closer” lands the top debut on the competitive Pop Airplay chart, which ranks the most-played tracks on pop/top 40 radio stations across the U.S. The single opens at No. 30, beating even the latest offering from The Weeknd, even though Spears and John’s collaboration has been out for a much shorter span of time.
The title marks the second new appearance for both Spears and John of the year. The piano player of the two started 2022 off right with his holiday single “Merry Christmas,” a joint effort with Ed Sheeran that peaked at No. 36. Spears was credited on a cut by ALTEGO which melded Ginuwine’s “Pony” with her “Toxic,” and which climbed to No. 40.
Adult Contemporary
Over on the Adult Contemporary radio chart, “Hold Me Closer” also lands the top debut, as it comes in at No. 14. It is one of only two new arrivals on the tally, and it’s off to a fantastic start, as it is already inside the upper half of the list. Impressively, John also sits at No. 1 with his similarly-composed Dua Lipa effort “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix),” which has now been on the chart for 54 weeks–14 of them on top.
The placement marks just the third on the chart for Spears, whose music typically doesn’t receive serious play on AC stations. In fact. “Hold Me Closer” brings the Grammy winner to the ranking for the first time in 20 years, as she last landed on the list in 2002 with “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman.” John, one of the most successful names of all time on the Adult Contemporary chart, earns his seventy-sixth appearance.
Adult Pop Airplay
“Hold Me Closer” opens at No. 24 on the Adult Pop Airplay chart, which is something of a blend of the other two pop radio lists. Similar to its performance on the others, the duet earns the status of being the top-ranking debut this time around, and one of only two new arrivals.
The cut helps Spears return to the chart after a six-year absence, and she collects her fifteenth win on the tally. John is just behind her with a dozen titles having found their way to the roster, including two in 2021.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2022/08/30/britney-spears-and-elton-johns-collaborative-single-begins-to-hit-the-billboard-charts/