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Welcome to the Trending Up newsletter from Billboard Pro, where we delve into the songs, artists, curiosities, and trends that have captivated the music world. Some emerge unexpectedly, while others take time to gain traction, yet all have the potential to go viral with just a quick TikTok clip.
This week: Taylor Swift’s most discussed album gains attention ahead of an announcement that never came, Young Jeezy and Akon’s iconic collaboration receives an unexpected meme push, and a curious take on a Sly Stone classic draws listeners back to the original.
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See the latest videos, charts, and news
See the latest videos, charts, and news
Taylor Swift’s ‘Reputation’ Positioned for Surprises on Streaming
If you tuned into the American Music Awards on Monday night (May 26), you were likely on the lookout for a certain reveal from a certain pop icon. Swifties had inundated social media with speculation regarding a potential Taylor Swift Memorial Day Miracle – an appearance at the awards, likely paired with an announcement of a new release, possibly the long-anticipated Reputation (Taylor’s Version) re-recording.
Unfortunately for the Swifties, the AMAs wrapped up without any sightings, announcements, or drops from their favorite artist. However, anticipation clearly remained high in the lead-up to the awards, particularly in streaming: The 15 tracks on Reputation garnered a total of 11.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams during the first four days of the tracking week (May 23-26), marking a 14% increase compared to the same period the previous week, as reported by Luminate. The most significant spike occurred on Memorial Day, with the album achieving 2.4 million streams that day alone, representing a 29% jump from the prior Monday.
Jeezy and Akon’s 20-Year-Old Hit Revived by ‘Holy Airball’
“Soul Survivor” was the defining crossover hit two decades back for the rapper then known as Young Jeezy, as the Akon-featured anthem climbed to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped cement his Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 as one of that year’s standout rap albums. Fast forward to today, and the street classic is once again resonating with music lovers, albeit through an unexpected medium: a TikTok meme centered around dating blunders.
Tiktoker Hadley (@localyerbafein) hit viral success last week (May 21) when she shared a video illustrating a scenario with a guy – presumably someone she was dating or considering – who reacted to her interest in law with a question about whether she watched the show Suits. The clip concludes with footage of Hadley playing a courtroom attorney, ending with the caption “holy fckin airball,” all set to the tune of “Soul Survivor.” The video quickly went viral, amassing 10 million views and 1.8 million likes and prompting numerous users to share their own tales of missed connections, again using Akon and Jeezy’s track as the soundtrack.
As a result, the song saw a massive surge in streaming toward the end of the week. For the tracking week ending May 22, “Soul Survivor” accumulated over 3 million official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate, effectively doubling its streams from the previous week, and it is poised for an even larger total this week, given TikTok’s continuing influx of “holy fckin airball” clips.
‘Everyday’ Gains Attention: Sly & The Family Stone Classic Revived by Unlikely Cover
In 2017, two icons of popular music – pop star Cher and rap maestro Future – collaborated on an unexpected cover of Sly & The Family’s popular soul classic “Everyday People.” Their rendition featured in a Gap commercial, which highlighted the duo meeting up on a staircase in an otherwise-blank setting, discussing Cher’s inability to forget the 1969 Hot 100 hit, leading to her singing it over a trap-infused beat. Meanwhile, Future attempted to contribute harmonies and ad libs, creating a blend that felt somewhat inorganic.
The awkward advertisement has resurfaced all over the internet recently, with TikTok users recreating the visuals in charming clips that gently poke fun at the original’s stilted chemistry. Though Cher & Future’s version of “Everyday People” is currently unavailable in its entirety on digital streaming platforms, listeners are evidently charmed enough by the quirky cover to revisit (or discover) the original. According to Luminate, during the first four days of this tracking week (May 23-26), “Everyday People” surged to 309,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, up from 256,000 during the same timeframe the previous week, reflecting a 21% increase.
Rhapsody in Blue Shirt: Sam Gellaitry’s Track Climbs Thanks to Viral Dance Trend
In this week’s instance of unpredictable breakout hits from 2025, we spotlight Scottish dance producer Sam Gellaitry. His track “Assumptions,” from the 2021 EP IV, has started to gain traction in streaming over the past month, primarily due to the Russian dancer Руслан Айдаев, better known as the Blue Shirt Guy – who has been a meme for years thanks to his exuberant dance moves, often filmed from behind.
Recent viral clips have paired his footage with Gellaitry’s pulsating electro-pop instrumental, prompting it to gain popularity on TikTok anew – with many of TikTok’s top creators donning their own blue shirts and filming themselves grooving from behind. As a result, the four-year-old “Assumptions” has surged to the forefront of Gellaitry’s Spotify profile, now accumulating over 2.2 million official on-demand U.S. streams weekly, a remarkable 142% increase from three weeks prior, according to Luminate.
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