If you play FanLabel regularly, you may have noticed a slight change in gameplay this week. Or, if you just joined FanLabel this week, you may have noticed some of the industry’s biggest artists featured in the app. One day (a different day per week) in each genre, we included a big-name artist feature. That means, all Taylor (for you Swifties), or all Drake, and so on.
We wanted to feature artists that have really changed the music landscape, to give them their due. We celebrate music here, and love to introduce you to new artists, but want to make sure the industry juggernauts are mainstays within the app as well.
Now that you’re aware of this fun new element to this week’s game play, remember that the goal remains the same — choose which song you believe will get the most streams on a given day. Be sure to open or download the FanLabel app and play to earn Royalties!
Below is the list of featured artists for the week and why those artists–and the particular songs used (some recent, some older)–were chosen.
Hip-Hop, Drake (1/22)
Few artists have reached heights comparable to Drake. The Toronto superstar has come a long way from his roots as an actor on the teen drama “DeGrassi.” Today, he sits at the top of the rap pyramid, cranking out hit after hit. When considering who to select for our first special hip-hop feature, Drake stood out immediately due to his widespread appeal and extensive discography. Choosing our top-five songs proved challenging, mostly due to how many of his tracks were unmistakable hits.
Songs used:
- “God’s Plan” – This optimistic anthem was released as a single in early 2018 and quickly became viral. Drake has often incorporated strong emotions in his lyrics, and this song proved not all his feelings are negative. Combined with a very memorable video where he gives back to the community, God’s Plan will definitely be remembered as one of Drake’s more uplifting hits.
- “Hold On, We’re Going Home” – The best-performing track off Drake’s 2013 album “Nothing Was The Same,” this song is a great example of how the artist has adapted his style to stand out. Setting a new standard for creativity through nostalgia, the retro ‘80s instrumental fit extremely well with Drake’s vocal style.
- “In My Feelings” – Breaking the record for most weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, this is Drake’s most widely listened-to song to date. With the accompanying video sparking a viral video challenge, this song reached new levels of exposure. “In My Feelings” even started beef with rival hip hop giant Kanye West, who claimed the “Keke” mentioned in the song was his spouse Kim Kardashian. Affair or not, this song certainly captured people’s attention
- “Hotline Bling” – In late 2015, it was hard to go anywhere without hearing this infectious hit. In fact, it was so overplayed that some people would still say they need space from it. Some might see this quality as negative, but at FanLabel we see it as a testament to the song’s extreme catchiness. The tropical-influenced beat, combined with some of Drake’s best vocal work, is hard to resist.
- “Headlines” – From Drake’s 2011 album “Take Care,” this upbeat track drew a lot of new listeners to the then-rising star. His signature lyrical style was in full display, showing an artist who was just starting to reach maturity. Today, it remains one of his most widely listened-to songs in Drake’s discography.
Note: According to our research via BuzzAngle, each Drake song listed earned more than 245,000 daily streams with “In My Feelings” and “God’s Plan” receiving over 1 million streams (per data from Jan. 19, 2019).
Pop, Taylor Swift (1/23)
While we still love to reminisce and listen to Taylor Swift’s older country songs, there is no denying she has turned into a full-blown pop superstar after fully crossing over into the genre. Swift often experimented with pop sounds even when she was still recording country tracks, but she made the permanent move in 2014 with her “1989” album release. She remains one of the most popular artists in the world,, thus making her an easy choice for our first pop feature of 2019.
Songs used:
- “Shake It Off” – The first single off the “1989” album and our first taste of Taylor’s new pop sound. This song was fun, different and annoyingly catchy. It was a smash hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, winning numerous awards and being certified a ridiculous nine-times platinum in the United States.
- “…Ready For It” – Released off of Swift’s sophomore pop studio album (and most recent) “…Ready For It” was certified double-platinum and peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The song infuses electronic influences with the pop sound.
- “Blank Space” – We can’t talk about Swift’s prowess as a pop diva without mentioning “Blank Space.” The second single off of “1989” went platinum in five different countries, and was certified eight-times platinum here in the U.S. It also took home Song of the Year at the American Music Awards.
- “Delicate” – Swift’s most recent single here in the States, “Delicate” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s U.S. Adult Top 40, Adult Contemporary Top 40 and U.S. Mainstream Top 40 charts. It peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100. That’s a lot of accolades, making it an obvious inclusion for this week’s feature.
- “Bad Blood” (feat. Kendrick Lamar) – A song rumored to be about fellow female pop star Katy Perry (and pretty obviously about her given their feud), Swift sings “Cause baby now we got bad blood/You know it used to be mad love/So take a look at what you’ve done.” Swift tapped into the talents of hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar and created yet another No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. We’re all about the industry drama here, so this song was included.
Note: Per BuzzAngle, each song received more than 257,000 daily streams, with “Shake It Off” earning just under 900,000 streams, on Jan. 19, 2019.
Country, Florida Georgia Line (1/24)
A superstar duo in country music, Florida Georgia Line was one of the genre’s first acts to introduce us to “Bro Country” and infuse a lot more hip-hop elements into the genre. FGL has been cranking out hit after hit on country radio since 2012, making them a perfect fit to be featured on FanLabel’s artist spotlight.
Songs used:
- “Cruise” – Duh. While Florida Georgia Line released their first EP in 2010, “Cruise” was the duo’s first mainstream single release and it was astronomically successful. This track launched FGL into country superstardom and they haven’t looked back since. The ultimate summer party song, “Cruise” was the first ever country song to reach “Diamond” Status (10,000,000 units sold). The song not only reached No. 1 on various country charts, it also reached all the way up to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
- “Round Here” – Released in June 2013 as FGL’s third single, “Round Here” was another song that makes you want to sing along. It reached No. 1 on both the Country Airplay and U.S. Hot Country charts, while peaking at No. 28 on the Hot 100. It is one of our personal favorites here at FanLabel.
- “This Is How We Roll” – It doesn’t get much better than combining two of country music’s most popular acts in Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan. The result? Another No. 1 hit on the U.S. Hot Country charts for FGL. The hit was certified four-times platinum, and also peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100 charts.
- “Stay” – A little bit of a different sound from FGL, “Stay” is a slower, more intimate song compared to the duo’s usual upbeat, partying type tracks we were used to from them. It followed “Round Here” and gave us more of a mandolin and steel guitar vibes. It was actually a cover of a Black Stone Cherry song, though, FGL’s version had much more commercial success, earning double platinum status.
- “H.O.L.Y.” – This was the lead single from FGL’s third studio album, “Dig Your Roots,” and it was another step away from the duo’s normal brand of “Bro Country.” The song’s title is an acronym for “High On Loving You.” This song also reached No. 1 on various country charts and reached all the way to No. 14 on the Hot 100. It was another smash success, and was certified four-times platinum.
Note: BuzzAngle tells us that each song garnered at least 71,471 daily streams, with three of the Florida Georgia Line songs getting over 245,000 streams, on Jan. 19, 2019.
Alternative, The 1975 (1/25)
English pop-rock band The 1975 released its eagerly anticipated third studio album, “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships,” in late 2018. It was well worth the wait, and produced hit tracks like “Love It If We Made It” and “TOOTIMETOOTIMETOO TIME.” Without much lag time, the band is set to release a follow-up album, “Notes on a Conditional Form,” this May.
Songs used:
- “Somebody Else” – Arguably the band’s most well-known song, “Somebody Else” peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard charts in March of 2016. It’s a synthpop love story falling to pieces with each emotionally-powered note.
- “Robbers” – A single off the band’s self-titled debut album, this is a good-natured track about a toxic couple who commit a robbery together. Not the best soundtrack for a children’s birthday party, but a great one for most other scenarios. Bonus fun fact: Quentin Tarantino’s film, “True Romance,” served as a huge inspiration for singer Matty Healy’s development of this story.
- “Give Yourself a Try” – This song is essentially an ode to millennials: “When your vinyl and your coffee collection is a sign of the times, you’re getting spiritually enlightened at 29.” Sounds about right, eh?
- “Chocolate” – Remember that one unremarkable Adam Sandler comedy in which the adults are talking about getting drunk, and cover by saying they ate too much chocolate, so the kids say they want to get “chocolate wasted”? In this case, “chocolate” refers to “cannabis,” and the lads sing about fleeing a police cruiser with their goods. Scandalous!
- “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” – One might think, “Aww, how sweet!” Finally, a lovely, romantic song about the one you can’t live without. Sure… if that someone is heroin. This one is an autobiographical track about Healy’s former drug addiction.
Note: Per BuzzAngle, The aforementioned tracks from The 1975 each earned at least 38,986 streams, with three of the songs earning at least 122,000 streams, on Jan. 19, 2019.
