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HITS Daily Double

WHAT’S LOOKING BIG
IN Q1

Now that it has finally sunk in that we have to actually work again, here’s a peek at some big music due to rock the marketplace soon.

The first major release of the new year looks to be the long-awaited full-length set from SYCO/Epic’s Camila Cabello, due 1/12. The former Fifth Harmony singer had one of last year’s most explosive singles with the ubiquitous “Havana” f/Young Thug, which is still #1 at Pop radio and remains a streaming and sales monster (it’s Top 5 at Spotify U.S. and Global and iTunes, with 762k track sales, 170m streams and a song project total of nearly 2m); her new track, “Never Be the Same” is underway at Top 40.

What other biggies drop in Q1? Look for a new set from Island/DCD2’s Fall Out Boy on 1/19. The crew’s oddly formatted M A N I A is powered by three singles that dropped last year, including the Pop crossover “Champions” and “Hold Me Tight or Don’t,” which is moving up at Top 40. The set was originally slated to drop in Q3 of last year.

The big kahuna expected this quarter, of course, is Man of the Woods, the highly anticipated new album from RCA’s Justin Timberlake; it’s due to drop on 2/2, just ahead of the affable megastar’s Super Bowl appearance, with a new single, “Filthy,” out now. JT's 2013 20/20 Experience has racked up 3.38m in total album activity, with 2.5m sold; the 20/20 Complete set has 2.3m+ total, with 632m streams. His 2016 Trolls single, "Can't Stop the Feeling," meanwhile, was that year's top-selling song and has moved more than 3m downloads; the Pop radio #1 also earned Grammy and was nominated for an Oscar.

A new arrival in the sweepstakes is the TDE/Aftermath/Interscope set (don't call it a "soundtrack") to accompany Marvel's Black Panther flick. Overseen by and starring the market-smashing, nomination-drawing superhero Kendrick Lamar in collaboration with TDE chief Top Dawg, the 2/9 album has already spawned a single, "All the Stars," pairing Lamar with fellow TDE artist and Grammy nominee SZA.

Also due in the early part of the year, but with its release date TBA, is Beerbongs and Bentleys, the second full-length set from streaming giant Post Malone. The Republic star’s debut set, Stoney (boasting such long-tail tracks as “Congratulations” and “I Fall Apart” and certified double platinum in October, almost a year after debuting at #6 with 59k) continues to generate big action, but does not feature his gigantic smash “rockstar” f/21 Savage, which dominated all platforms last year, remains #1 at Spotify U.S. and Global and Top 10 iTunes and is set to appear on the new album. That juggernaut clocked a 4.1m song project total, with 490m streams and 812k track sales.

This list is by no means exhaustive, so don't get all worked up.

Another major arrival expected soon: the kid we just sent on a weed run. Did you hear it’s legal now?