Billboard Magazine

WorldMags.net Topline / Chart Movers ANATOMY OF A HIT “Turn Down for What” DJ SNAKE & LIL JON How an unknown French DJ, a rapper without a recent hit and their team took a song with just 12 words to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Usher’s new single jumps to No. 70 in its first week on the Billboard Hot 100. culture and what’s classic for me,” he says. “And R&B is EaDo@ DEEREOH@ °C51&5304° THE DJ classic for me. “But really I just want to connect to my fan base: the DJ SNAKE “I initially made the song with ladies,” he adds, loosely a Redman sample [2007’s ‘Da Countdown (Saga Continues)’]. We tried to clear it but he wasn’t quoting Drake’s hook on Lil down, so I decided to send it to somebody else to [re- Wayne’s “Love Me” through create it]. The first person in mind? Lil Jon. He’s laughter. “Drake said it best: energetic — I knew he ’d be best for it.” ‘I could give a damn what Usher Puckers Up them haters say long as my New single “Good Kisser” invades charts bitches love me.’ ” Before “Good Kisser,” &AR '2NaDr V780411 thanks to its throwback sound: “I just want Usher had EDM to thank for to connect to my fan base: the ladies” his recent pop smashes: 2010’s Eurodance-inspired “OMG,” THE VOICE BY BRAD WETÉ which hit No. 1 for four weeks on the Hot 100; 2012’s LIL JON “ When I heard it, I was like, ‘This Usher’s “Good Kisser,” the fi rst single from his “Climax” (No. 17), which features producer beat is crazy but the Redman sample just don’t fit .’ forthcoming eighth album, is returning him to Diplo’s electro fl ourishes; and David Guetta’s PC)H@NE3C)Ei I go in the booth, and the first track I laid was crazy. I sent Snake the track back, and he said, ‘You familiar territory: the charts. The song debuts “Without You” (No. 4) in 2011. But Usher’s changed it?’ I said, ‘F— that Redman sample! This at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at follow-up to 2012 album Looking 4 Myself is crazy.’ The rest is history.” No. 18 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts dated is “me coming back to where I started,” he May 24. The bow was fueled by 29,000 down- says. “Artists are after real instrumentation as HERE g©GAN 4FIE loads in the week ending May 11, according to opposed to electronic, synthesized music. Real Nielsen SoundScan, and 13 million impressions music is taking a stand.” on radio, according to Nielsen BDS. The song With the album (which boasts a Chris Brown “Good Kisser” launched with a music video duet and production from Pharrell Williams), THE EXEC on May 5, the same day it hit digital retailers. Usher also will return to touring. The last time Usher, 35, gave the single another bump with he was on the road was spring 2011, when Q -OH his May 12 performance on The Voice. his OMG world tour wrapped. “I decided to COLUMBIA RECORDS VP A&R IMRAN MAJID The song and its accompanying video, work on a fi lm here, a TV show here, raise kids “I was watching a big Auburn-Georgia football game featuring Usher dancing seductively and there,” he explains of his absence from arena DIRECTORS OF SY in November. In the final seconds, the quarterback throws drumming shirtless, is also a return to the stages. “This next album and tour comes with 0 a Hail Mary touchdown, and the stadium plays ‘Turn Down for What.’ That’s when I was like, ‘This is a moment.’ sex-symbol imagery and R&B sound that fi rst everything I’ve learned in the process — in We did the [single] deal at the end of the year.” made him a star. “It bridges current urban addition to me keeping it sexy for the ladies.” Tomorrow’s Hits THE DIRECTORS RADIO BREAKING ‘HABITS’ AJR ‘READY’ WITH SPONGEBOB HERE COME THE SUNS JON: SONY COURTE DANIELS: THE MUSIC.L MAJID: RECORDS. COLUMBIA Tove Lo makes her debut on Pop brother trio AJR bubbles Bad Suns shine with “Cardiac Billboard’s airplay charts as under Mainstream Top 40 with Arrest,” which thumps 26-22 DANIEL SCHEINERT (LEFT) AND DANIEL KWAN a lead artist, as the hypnotic “I’m Ready.” (Partial credit on Alternative. The song is Kwan “ The idea was a guy humping his way through a “Habits (Stay High)” (Republic) goes to SpongeBob SquarePants, from the SoCal band’s debut building. Each floor would have its own series enters Rock Airplay (No. 34) whose voice the song samples.) EP, Transpose, which bowed at of gags .” Scheinert “Originally they were and Alternative (No. 36). “It’s The New York-based siblings — No. 41 on the Billboard 200 in going to crash down one floor further into a Taco Bell hard for me to talk or sing Adam, Jack and Ryan Met — will February. Currently touring and all eat . That’s the answer to the question about,” says the Swedish singer- tour with Lindsey Stirling with Vagrant labelmate The ‘Turn down for what?’ — everyone turns down songwriter of the breakup that starting June 16 and are 1975, Bad Suns will release for Taco Bell.” —Sowmya Krishnamurthy inspired the song. “But you need currently at work on their debut LP Language & Perspective to feel passion. I need to use debut album, due later this on June 24. —Keith Caulfield, thatWorldMags.net when I write.” year on Warner Bros. Gary Trust and Emily White LI SNAKE, DJ RECORDS. UNIVERSAL LO: TOVE ISWARIENKO. KURT USHER: 12 BILLBOARD | MAY 24, 2014.

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