I sincerely hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday break! I somehow managed to get COVID right at Christmas, but I’m vaccinated and had the booster, so I had only cold-like symptoms. It’s important to not put our guard down just because we take the obvious measures. On to a more positive note, the chart is starting to get back to normal and even though there are still a few records that are down, I don’t believe they’re over.

RCA’s Lori G and Inca have walked into 2022 with a #1 record! Latto’s “Big Energy”—I TOLD you Chi/KOPW—has unofficially been at #1 for three weeks now and it was up 200 spins. Normani’s “Wild Side” f/Cardi B continues its amazing turnaround story. It was down and off the chart in late November, only to return inside the Top 10 with its sight set on the Top 5. SZA’s “I Hate U” (TDE) rockets #38-30, gaining 300 spins. Doja Cat’s “Woman” (Kemosabe) is just getting started and with a 250-spin increase, it’s already at #32 on the chart.

Over at Interscope, Nino Cuccinello sees Moneybagg Yo’s “Scorpio” enter the Top 15 with a 140-spin gain. Right behind is Summer Walker’s “Ex for a Reason” f/JT from City Girls, which sees an increase of 85 spins. Thanks to a 120-spin jump, Juice WRLD’s “Wandered to L.A” f/Justin Bieber (Grade A/Def Jam) enters the Top 20 while Amaarae’s “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY” impacts this week. It’s already #46 on the chart and was up 85 spins. Look for this to make a big splash next week!

Davey Dee and Garrett Ream at Republic are impacting The Weeknd’s “I Heard You’re Married” f/Lil Wayne this week and it’s already on the building chart at #36. Post Malone and The Weeknd’s “One Right Now” collab holds at #8, but up 220 spins, it looks to enter the Top 5 in a few weeks. Drake’s “Knife Talk” f/21 Savage & Project Pat holds at #11, but with a 140-spin jump, it looks to be inside the Top 10 next week.

Epic’s Rick Sackheim and Dontay Thompson have GIVĒON’s “For Tonight” (Not So Fast) holding at #14. French Montana’s “Handstand” f/Doja Cat & Saweetie moves up two spots to #19.

Over at Columbia, John Strazza and James White are focused on Polo G’s “Bad Man.” It moves up two spots to #18 and the streams on this are still impressive.

Warner’s B Dot Scales is pushing to take Wale’s “Poke it Out” f/J. Cole & Cool & Dre inside the Top 5. Up 120 spins, it’s currently at #7 but there are a few records ahead that are coming down. Saweetie’s “Icy Chain” comes in at #35 this week.

Noah Sheer and team Def Jam have several records on the chart! YE’s “Believe What I Say” sees a 130-spin increase and climbs to #21, while Mount Westmore’s “Big Subwoofer” picks up 80 more spins and enters the Top 25. Big Sean’s “Loyal to a Fault” f/Hit-Boy, Bryson Tiller & Lil Durk also continues to grow with 60 additional spins and lands at #27.

Capitol’s Dixie Tipton has begun to work Mae Muller X NEIKED X Polo G’s “Better Days.” Up triple digits, it comes in at #34.

On another note, I did have a small get together over the holidays with a few of my friends. Check it out below!

Top row (l-r)—WZMX & KQKS’ DJ Buck; Andrew Arnold; KHXT’s DJ Digital, WIOQ’s Buster, Geffen GM Lee L’Heureux, Columbia VP Strazza, Mike Miller (former WHZT PD); Middle Row—Brian “DJ Fly” Sampson, Empire; Island’s Ayelet Schiffman, Paula Tuggey, WVHT’s Paul Kyles, KKFR’s Complex; Bottom Row— WAMO’s Jonathan Steele and WLOA’s Gabe Carrillo.

Biggest Increases:
SZA “I Hate U” (TDE/RCA)
Doja Cat “Woman” (RCA)
Post Malone & The Weeknd “One Right Now” (Republic)
The Weeknd “I Heard You’re Married” f/Lil Wayne (XO/Republic)
Latto “Big Energy” (RCA)

Buzz Records:
The Weeknd “I Heard You’re Married” f/Lil Wayne (XO/Republic)
Amaarea “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY” (Interscope)
Mae Muller x NEIKED x Polo G “Better Days” (Columbia-Capitol)
NLE Choppa “Jumpin” (Warner)
SZA “I Hate U” (TDE/RCA)