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2019

in Music

Albums

25

Artists

27

Milestones

59

Notable Releases

SINGLE2019

America the Beautiful

Yolanda Adams

Performance at Super Bowl LIV that received critical acclaim and showcased her vocal prowess to a massive audience.

ALBUM2019

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Billie Eilish

Debut studio album that debuted atop Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart, becoming one of the year's best-selling albums and establishing Eilish as a major pop force.

SINGLE2019

Bad Guy

Billie Eilish

Fifth single from debut album that peaked at number-one on US Billboard Hot 100, first by an artist born in the 21st century to top the chart, certified Diamond by RIAA.

ALBUM2019

What You See Is What You Get

Luke Combs

Second album that topped charts in multiple territories, marking his first number-one album and establishing him as a major commercial force.

SINGLE2019

Beautiful Crazy

Luke Combs

Album track that became the fifth consecutive number-one single and reached number one on multiple country charts including Hot Country Songs and Country Streaming Songs.

SINGLE2019

Señorita

Shawn Mendes

A collaboration with Camila Cabello that debuted at number two and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Mendes's first chart-topping single on the Hot 100.

SINGLE2019

Don't Start Now

Dua Lipa

The lead single from Future Nostalgia that earned the longest top-ten stay for a British female artist on the UK Singles Chart. The song was credited with being the protagonist in disco's revival in 2020.

ALBUM2019

Indigo

Chris Brown

His ninth studio album that debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, featuring the hit single 'No Guidance' which broke the record for longest-running number one on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.

SINGLE2019

No Guidance

Chris Brown

A collaboration with Drake that broke the record for longest-running number one on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, marking a significant achievement in Brown's career.

SINGLE2019

Under the Influence

Chris Brown

A sleeper hit from the Indigo album that went viral on TikTok in 2022, giving Brown his 50th top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and making him the first R&B singer in history to achieve this milestone.

SINGLE2019

Nobody but You

Gwen Stefani

Duet with husband Blake Shelton that peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100

ALBUM2019

No.6 Collaborations Project

Ed Sheeran

Fourth studio album and first collaborative project, debuted at number one globally, spawned three UK number-one singles including 'I Don't Care' with Justin Bieber

ALBUM2019

Fine Line

Harry Styles

Second album featuring the breakthrough single "Watermelon Sugar," breaking records for biggest first-week sales by an English male artist in the US and included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

SINGLE2019

Watermelon Sugar

Harry Styles

Fourth single from Fine Line, became Styles' first US number-one hit and won Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance.

SINGLE2019

Adore You

Harry Styles

Second single from Fine Line that won Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work and peaked at number six in the US.

ALBUM2019

Thank U, Next

Ariana Grande

Her fifth studio album that debuted at number one with 360,000 album-equivalent units, breaking records for largest streaming week for a pop album. Featured two chart-topping singles and established her as one of the most successful artists of the decade.

SINGLE2019

7 Rings

Ariana Grande

Her second consecutive chart-topping single that spent eight weeks at number one and was certified diamond by the RIAA. Became 2019's fifth-best-selling song globally.

ALBUM2019

Hello Happiness

Chaka Khan

First studio album in twelve years featuring 'Like Sugar' collaboration with Major Lazer's Switch.

Significant Milestones

Grammy Awards Host

Grammy Win
Alicia Keys

Hosted the 61st Annual Grammy Awards on February 10, 2019, first time a woman hosted in 14 years

The Voice Coach

Achievement
John Legend

Became vocal coach for The Voice starting with sixteenth season

Hustlers Critical Acclaim

Award
Jennifer Lopez

Lopez starred in the crime drama Hustlers, garnering critical praise for what many deemed the best performance of her acting career and earning multiple award nominations.

Super Bowl LIV Performance

Achievement
Yolanda Adams

Officially opened Super Bowl LIV with a critically acclaimed performance of "America the Beautiful."

Soul Train Music Awards Lady of Soul

Award
Yolanda Adams

Received the Soul Train Music Awards Lady of Soul Award.

Stadium Tour Launch

Tour
Garth Brooks

Brooks launched his Stadium Tour, visiting thirty North American stadiums and performing in a football-centric environment, representing a new era of his career.

Jesus Is King

Cultural Moment
Kanye West

Released gospel-influenced album that topped Billboard 200, Top Christian Albums, and Top Gospel Albums simultaneously.

Withdraws from touring for conservatorship case

Tour
Britney Spears

Spears withdrew from regular concert touring to focus on her conservatorship case, leading to the #FreeBritney movement gaining international momentum.

Debut Album "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" Debuts at Number One

Debut
Billie Eilish

Album debuted atop Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart, making Eilish the first artist born in the 2000s to have a number-one album in the US and youngest female to achieve this in UK.

"Bad Guy" Reaches Number One

Debut
Billie Eilish

At age 17, "Bad Guy" peaked at number-one on US Billboard Hot 100, making Eilish the first artist born in the 21st century to top the chart and youngest since Lorde in 2013.

Grammy Awards Recognition

Grammy Win
Billie Eilish

Nominated for six Grammy Awards including Record of the Year and Song of the Year at age 17, becoming the youngest artist nominated in all four General Field categories.

Five Consecutive Number-One Singles

Debut
Luke Combs

Achieved historic milestone with five consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard country chart with his first five released singles, an unprecedented achievement in country music.

Grand Ole Opry Membership

Award
Luke Combs

Invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry on June 11, 2019, one of country music's highest honors.

Second Album Success

Achievement
Luke Combs

Released What You See Is What You Get on November 8, 2019, achieving chart-topping status in multiple territories.

Señorita Number One Hit

Debut
Shawn Mendes

Mendes achieved his first number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 with 'Señorita,' a collaboration with Camila Cabello, marking a major milestone in his career.

Grammy Awards Success

Grammy Win
Dua Lipa

Won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist and for Best Dance Recording for 'Electricity' featuring Silk City. This marked her arrival at the highest level of international music recognition.

Indigo Debuts at Number One

Debut
Chris Brown

Brown's ninth studio album reached number one on the Billboard 200 with the single 'No Guidance' featuring Drake, which broke records for the longest-running number one on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.

Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Decade

Achievement
Chris Brown

Brown was ranked third on Billboard's 'Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Decade' for the 2010s, behind Drake and Rihanna, solidifying his status as one of the most successful artists of the era.

Songwriters Hall of Fame Award

Award
Justin Timberlake

Received Contemporary Icon Award from Songwriters Hall of Fame and honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music.

Disney Legend Honor

Award
Christina Aguilera

Named a Disney Legend in recognition of her contributions to the Walt Disney Company, including her iconic role in Mulan.

Coming Out as Non-Binary

Achievement
Sam Smith

Smith came out as non-binary and changed pronouns to they/them, becoming an important figure in LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream music.

Artist of the Decade

Achievement
Ed Sheeran

Named Artist of the Decade by Official Charts Company in December 2019 for most combined success in UK album and singles charts during 2010s, with eight of his songs in the decade's chart.

Highest-Grossing Tour

Tour
Ed Sheeran

÷ Tour became the highest-grossing tour of all time in August 2019, wrapping with 260 shows in August after six years, including record-breaking performances in Australia and New Zealand.

Fine Line Release and US Chart Records

Grammy Win
Harry Styles

Released second album Fine Line in December, breaking record for biggest first-week sales by English male artist in US. Won Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance for "Watermelon Sugar." Album ranked 491 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums.

Thank U, Next Record-Breaking Success

Achievement
Ariana Grande

The album 'Thank U, Next' broke multiple records including largest streaming week for a pop album with 307 million on-demand streams. Grande occupied the top three spots of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously.

The Kelly Clarkson Show Launch

Award
Kelly Clarkson

Launched her daytime talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show on September 9, 2019, which garnered multiple Emmy Awards and critical acclaim.

Musicians from 2019