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Nicki Minaj Loses Out On A New No. 1 To Her ‘America Idol' Rival

Forbes

38 minutes ago

Forbes

Nicki Minaj Loses Out On A New No. 1 To Her ‘America Idol' Rival

Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne's "Banned From NO" hits No. 1 on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart but is ... More blocked from the top spot on the R&B/Hip-Hop list by Mariah Carey. PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 08: (L-R) Judges Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Nicki Minaj of "American Idol" speak onstage during the FOX portion of the 2013 Winter TCA Tour at Langham Hotel on January 8, 2013 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) Nicki Minaj makes a somewhat surprising return to the No. 1 spot on a single Billboard ranking this week. The celebrated rapper joined her longtime friend and collaborator Lil Wayne on a remix of his track "Banned From NO," taken from his new album Tha Carter VI. Once Minaj hopped on the updated version of what was originally a solo cut, it became a strong seller. Thanks to her massive and dedicated fanbase, the tune leads one tally — though it narrowly misses out on ruling another list, edged out by a fellow female powerhouse who was once seen as a true rival. Nicki Minaj Loses No. 1 to Mariah Carey "Banned From NO" opens in the runner-up space on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart this frame. It just misses giving both Minaj and Wayne another chart-topper, as "Type Dangerous," Mariah Carey's new single, starts at No. 1. Minaj and Carey served as judges on American Idol together during the twelfth season of the reality series, which began in January 2013. It was the only time the two sat on the judging panel simultaneously. The season was marked by numerous on-air spats between the two stars. They traded barbs both on camera and in the press for years afterward, and there was clearly tension between them. More than a decade has passed since that very public feud, and while they almost never mention each other anymore, it appears they still find themselves in competition on the charts from time to time. Mariah Carey Still Trails Nicki Minaj Carey may win the race to No. 1 this frame on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart, but Minaj remains far more successful overall. As "Type Dangerous" arrives, it becomes Carey's third No. 1 and her seventh top 10 on the list of the bestselling R&B, hip-hop, or rap tracks in America. Minaj, by comparison, has earned 27 No. 1s. As "Banned From NO" debuts, it becomes her one-hundred-and-sixth top 10 smash. To put their chart histories into perspective: Minaj has more No. 1s on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales ranking than Carey has total appearances, as "Type Dangerous" is just her twenty-sixth showing. Nicki Minaj Does Hit No. 1 on Other Charts "Banned From NO" does manage to open atop the Rap Digital Song Sales chart, a list for which "Type Dangerous" was not eligible. It also enters the all-genre Digital Song Sales ranking at No. 5 — just one space below Carey's new tune. According to Luminate, the tracks were separated by fewer than 100 purchases.

Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters

CNN

an hour ago

CNN

Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters

The movie industry hasn't caught many breaks in recent years, even after rebounding from the Covid-19 pandemic. Studios were faced with a writers' strike, blockbusters that fell well below expectations and dilemmas over when to release movies into theaters before having them stream online. The domestic box office continued a trend of getting the year off to a slow start, as January lacked a strong carryover movie from the holiday season or a surprise audience pleaser, renewing fears the industry faces long-term financial woes. The box office for January 1 to April 3 was down 13% compared to the same time last year, which in turn was down 7.6% compared with 2023. 'It's not like a hard-and-fast rule that the first three months are typically slow. Sometimes they can be huge if you have a big holdover movie and a couple of breakout hits,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore. The first major release of 2025 was Marvel's 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which opened in February to more than $100 million over the four-day Presidents Day holiday weekend, only to see its earnings plunge 68% in the second week. Things didn't improve much from there. In March, the box office was down nearly 50% compared with the same month last year, according to Comscore data. Ticket sales certainly weren't buoyed by Disney's 'Snow White,' which opened to a meager $43 million amid polarizing reactions about casting and politics. But then came the turnaround. April brought a wide variety of movies that drew in nostalgic audiences and moviegoers following positive buzz. Carrying much of the load for the month was Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio's 'A Minecraft Movie' debuted to nearly $163 million, while Ryan Coogler's highly acclaimed 'Sinners' has exceeded expectations with over $275 million in domestic sales. Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN. Following the strong performance from 'Minecraft,' the industry had a record Memorial Day weekend that saw the box office up 22% compared with 2024. It was led by Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' remake opening to a record $183 million. 'Lilo & Stitch' has so far grossed over $380 million domestically and may soon overtake 'Minecraft' ($423.9 million) as this year's biggest earner. Other May winners include the big-budget Disney/Marvel movie 'Thunderbolts' ($189 million), Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' ($173 million) and Warner Bros.' 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' ($133 million). The momentum has carried over into June with 'How to Train Your Dragon.' Universal's live-action remake has already grossed nearly $135 million since opening last weekend. The overall box office is closing in on $4 billion for all of 2025 — an 18% gain compared to this time last year, according to Comscore data. 2023 marked the first post-pandemic year to earn more than $4 billion between the first Friday of May and Labor Day, according to Comscore. Greg Durkin, founder of entertainment research firm Enact Insights, attributes the industry's comeback to a rise in quality films. And high-potential movies are about to be released. Warner Bros. Pictures' 'F1' and Universal Pictures' 'M3GAN 2.0' are set to open Friday. July will include Universal Pictures' 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' and Warner Bros.' 'Superman,' which Durkin said will be 'tremendous' hits at the box office. He added that Disney's July release of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' will also do well. ''Superman' and 'Fantastic Four' and maybe to a degree 'Jurassic World,' will be big players' to nearly reach $4 billion this summer, said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder and owner of Box Office Theory. 'We're not selling Frosted Flakes or Coca-Cola … This is a product that reinvents itself every week,' said Daniel Loria, editorial director at Boxoffice Pro. Movies have 'fortunately' connected better with audiences, but it's still a 'risky business,' Loria added. Having a diverse movie slate can be helpful. Since April, moviegoers have had the choice of children and family movies ('How to Train Your Dragon' and 'Lilo & Stitch'), action flicks ('Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning'), horror ('Sinners') and romantic comedies ('Materialists'). 'The lineup goes on hot and cold streaks. Something can look good on paper but not work in release, and vice versa,' said box office analyst David A. Gross, who publishes FranchiseRe. Gross noted that even superhero movies, such as 'Captain America' and 'Thunderbolts,' haven't consistently performed well compared to pre-pandemic years. And while April and May helped this year's box office bounce back from a slow start, June will be down about 6.5% compared to last year and down almost 26% compared with the pre-pandemic average, according to estimates from Gross. 'The 'recovery' compared with last year is slipping, so it's not time to pop the champagne just yet,' Gross said. In times of broader political and economic uncertainty, Americans have shown they will pull away from expensive commitments and seek smaller pleasures. For some, that means trading in vacations and indulging in less expensive purchases. 'It's pretty cheap to go to a movie, relative to going to rent a house and get on a flight, or rent a car,' said Durkin. 'You still need that escapism.' The movie theater is a social experience, Durkin said, which makes it fulfilling and worthwhile. In Clarksdale, Mississippi — the town which inspired the setting of 'Sinners' — a special screening was hosted to allow locals in the theater-less town to watch the film together. Moviegoers are still 'price sensitive,' Loria said. Although premium offerings can price a single ticket as high as $25 in cities like New York and Los Angeles, theater chains such as AMC offer discount screenings on Tuesdays. On July 9, AMC will start offering 50% discounts on Wednesdays. 'It's a relatively inexpensive way to escape the outside world for a couple of hours,' said Dergarabedian, adding that PG-rated films have been 'booming' as families head to theaters. 'Looking at 2025 in a vacuum — what a great recovery,' he said. 'It's all product-based. It's the movies that determine the box office, not the month.'

CNN

an hour ago

CNN

Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters

The movie industry hasn't caught many breaks in recent years, even after rebounding from the Covid-19 pandemic. Studios were faced with a writers' strike, blockbusters that fell well below expectations and dilemmas over when to release movies into theaters before having them stream online. The domestic box office continued a trend of getting the year off to a slow start, as January lacked a strong carryover movie from the holiday season or a surprise audience pleaser, renewing fears the industry faces long-term financial woes. The box office for January 1 to April 3 was down 13% compared to the same time last year, which in turn was down 7.6% compared with 2023. 'It's not like a hard-and-fast rule that the first three months are typically slow. Sometimes they can be huge if you have a big holdover movie and a couple of breakout hits,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore. The first major release of 2025 was Marvel's 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which opened in February to more than $100 million over the four-day Presidents Day holiday weekend, only to see its earnings plunge 68% in the second week. Things didn't improve much from there. In March, the box office was down nearly 50% compared with the same month last year, according to Comscore data. Ticket sales certainly weren't buoyed by Disney's 'Snow White,' which opened to a meager $43 million amid polarizing reactions about casting and politics. But then came the turnaround. April brought a wide variety of movies that drew in nostalgic audiences and moviegoers following positive buzz. Carrying much of the load for the month was Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio's 'A Minecraft Movie' debuted to nearly $163 million, while Ryan Coogler's highly acclaimed 'Sinners' has exceeded expectations with over $275 million in domestic sales. Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN. Following the strong performance from 'Minecraft,' the industry had a record Memorial Day weekend that saw the box office up 22% compared with 2024. It was led by Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' remake opening to a record $183 million. 'Lilo & Stitch' has so far grossed over $380 million domestically and may soon overtake 'Minecraft' ($423.9 million) as this year's biggest earner. Other May winners include the big-budget Disney/Marvel movie 'Thunderbolts' ($189 million), Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' ($173 million) and Warner Bros.' 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' ($133 million). The momentum has carried over into June with 'How to Train Your Dragon.' Universal's live-action remake has already grossed nearly $135 million since opening last weekend. The overall box office is closing in on $4 billion for all of 2025 — an 18% gain compared to this time last year, according to Comscore data. 2023 marked the first post-pandemic year to earn more than $4 billion between the first Friday of May and Labor Day, according to Comscore. Greg Durkin, founder of entertainment research firm Enact Insights, attributes the industry's comeback to a rise in quality films. And high-potential movies are about to be released. Warner Bros. Pictures' 'F1' and Universal Pictures' 'M3GAN 2.0' are set to open Friday. July will include Universal Pictures' 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' and Warner Bros.' 'Superman,' which Durkin said will be 'tremendous' hits at the box office. He added that Disney's July release of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' will also do well. ''Superman' and 'Fantastic Four' and maybe to a degree 'Jurassic World,' will be big players' to nearly reach $4 billion this summer, said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder and owner of Box Office Theory. 'We're not selling Frosted Flakes or Coca-Cola … This is a product that reinvents itself every week,' said Daniel Loria, editorial director at Boxoffice Pro. Movies have 'fortunately' connected better with audiences, but it's still a 'risky business,' Loria added. Having a diverse movie slate can be helpful. Since April, moviegoers have had the choice of children and family movies ('How to Train Your Dragon' and 'Lilo & Stitch'), action flicks ('Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning'), horror ('Sinners') and romantic comedies ('Materialists'). 'The lineup goes on hot and cold streaks. Something can look good on paper but not work in release, and vice versa,' said box office analyst David A. Gross, who publishes FranchiseRe. Gross noted that even superhero movies, such as 'Captain America' and 'Thunderbolts,' haven't consistently performed well compared to pre-pandemic years. And while April and May helped this year's box office bounce back from a slow start, June will be down about 6.5% compared to last year and down almost 26% compared with the pre-pandemic average, according to estimates from Gross. 'The 'recovery' compared with last year is slipping, so it's not time to pop the champagne just yet,' Gross said. In times of broader political and economic uncertainty, Americans have shown they will pull away from expensive commitments and seek smaller pleasures. For some, that means trading in vacations and indulging in less expensive purchases. 'It's pretty cheap to go to a movie, relative to going to rent a house and get on a flight, or rent a car,' said Durkin. 'You still need that escapism.' The movie theater is a social experience, Durkin said, which makes it fulfilling and worthwhile. In Clarksdale, Mississippi — the town which inspired the setting of 'Sinners' — a special screening was hosted to allow locals in the theater-less town to watch the film together. Moviegoers are still 'price sensitive,' Loria said. Although premium offerings can price a single ticket as high as $25 in cities like New York and Los Angeles, theater chains such as AMC offer discount screenings on Tuesdays. On July 9, AMC will start offering 50% discounts on Wednesdays. 'It's a relatively inexpensive way to escape the outside world for a couple of hours,' said Dergarabedian, adding that PG-rated films have been 'booming' as families head to theaters. 'Looking at 2025 in a vacuum — what a great recovery,' he said. 'It's all product-based. It's the movies that determine the box office, not the month.'

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Nicki Minaj Loses Out On A New No. 1 To Her ‘America Idol' Rival

Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters

Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters

Welcome to Azalea Festival weekend: We've got you covered, Wilmington

Hashtags

Try Our AI Features

Comments

Related Articles

Nicki Minaj Loses Out On A New No. 1 To Her ‘America Idol' Rival

Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters

Hollywood loves a comeback story: What the 2025 box-office rebound means for summer blockbusters

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