Welcome to Billboard Pro ‘s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news This week: Eminem’s new single debuts to massive numbers and a big catalog (and sample) bump, a deep cut on Billie Eilish’s latest flies past its lead single, Apple Music brings Miseducation to the masses and more.
A full 25 years into his superstar career, Eminem still knows how to make an entrance. The rapper has been teasing his upcoming The Death of Slim Shady album since late April, and on Friday (May 31), fans got their first taste of it with comeback single “Houdini.” Em showed with the single that he certainly has not lost his taste for provocation at age 52 – the song proved immediately controversial for its jokes about Tory Lanez’ shooting of Megan Thee Stallion, as well as other borderline-offensive lyrics – nor his more recent affinity for reviving classic rock staples, as the song heavily lifts from Steve Miller Band’s 1982 Hot 100-topper “Abracadabra.
” The song’s impact has been similarly instantaneous, both in terms of its own consumption and in its lifting of associated cuts. “Houdini” has already racked up over 30 million official on-demand U.S.
stream.
