(January 8, 2025). As soon as I reviewed this week’s Billboard Hot 100 and spotted “I Never Lie” nestled back-to-back with a song called “Liar,” I knew we were in for a ride. This chart, covering the first full week of 2025 (dated January 11), is brimming with titular contradictions, complements, and uncanny coincidences that’ll make a pop nerd giddy.
And now, readers, by the end of this article, depending on your level of chart geekery, you’ll either, 1) wonder how to get these next five minutes back, or 2) share this article with every like-minded pop chart fan you know.
Let’s just dive right in, shall we? Tongue firmly planted in cheek, of course!
Truth vs. Lies:
Mark Zuckerberg may have just rescinded his Meta fact-checking policy, but the Hot 100’s truth-seekers are in abundance this week. At Nos. 39 and 38, respectively, Jelly Roll’s “Liar” faces off with Zach Top’s “I Never Lie” in what is perhaps the best example of back-to-back contradiction in recent history. Throw in Gracie Adams’ “That’s So True” at No. 6 and you have yourself a fact-checking conundrum. But if I begged you, “Please, Please, Please” (Sabrina Carpenter, No. 26) stop telling “Lies, Lies, Lies” (Morgan Wallen, No. 34), would you?
Are We Okay or Not?
Has there ever been a chart before now where a musical question is both asked and answered (with two polar opposite responses) in three distinct titles? Megan Moroney asks “Am I Okay?,” at No. 59. There’s an optimistic response by Tate McRae at No. 44 with “It’s Ok, I’m Ok,” while further up the ranking, Jelly Roll appears again with “I Am Not Okay” at No. 28. None of these songs is related to one another and no one knows for sure but it appears Jelly’s pessimism has the edge.
Smiling through Death and Beyond
Morgan Wallen’s new single “Smile” lands at No. 27 just as Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars tied a record at No. 1 with the more morbid “Die With a Smile.” But maybe it’s easier to turn that terminal frown upside down when there’s the promise of “Another Life” (SZA) waiting for you (at No. 64).
Love — Specific, Ambiguous, Apologetic Love.
Wallen, who has been all over the charts these past four years, is part of an ambiguous love quest with his former No. 1 “Love Somebody” sitting at No. 13, while fellow country stars Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood desire more specificity with “I’m Gonna Love You” at No. 40. This love triangle is completed by Gracie Adams’ half-apologetic “I Love You, I’m Sorry” re-entering at No. 43 — with the most conflicted title of them all.
Good News or Nah?
If a tree falls in a forest, and no one’s there to hear it… ahh, you know the rest. So, in a week where there’s some “Good News” (Shaboozey) that “No One Noticed” (The Marias), sitting back-to-back at Nos. 47 and 46, respectively, was there really good news?
Short Convo?
Try having this conversation with yourself, as illustrated by the songs at Nos. 62 “What Do I Do?” and No. 61 “I Ain’t Sayin’” by SZA (again) and Jordan Davis, respectively.
Espresso Tastes (Too) Sweet
A few of 2024’s biggest holdovers might even get your palette going, especially if you like the “Taste” of “Espresso” — both songs by Sabrina Carpenter — back-to-back at Nos. 10 and 9, respectively. Of course, if “Espresso” is “Too Sweet” (Hozier, No. 14), you can always settle for “Diet Pepsi” at No. 73 (by Addison Ray).
A Messy Kitchen Fire?
Just don’t spill either one in the “Kitchen” (SZA yet again, No. 77), otherwise it might get “Sticky” (No. 18, Tyler The Creator) and “Messy” (No. 25, Lola Young).
And while we’re in the “Kitchen,” we hope it’s not “Burning Down” (Alex Warren, No. 79), otherwise we’ll be “Dancing In the Flames” (The Weeknd, No. 55) and shouting “Holy Smokes!” (Bailey Zimmerman, No. 96).
Defying Gravity with not one but two ‘High Roads’
And would you be “Defying Gravity” (Ariana Grande & Cynthia Arevo, No. 49) if you had to take the “High Road” (Zach Bryan, No. 97) and “Drive” (SZA again, No. 51) to the “Ends of the Earth” (Ty Myers, No. 94), and back via another “High Road” (Koe Wetzel & Jessie Murph, No. 23)?
A Kendrick vs. Drake Kind of Thing?
Speaking of musical questions, if you have to ask “Whatchu Kno About Me” (GloRilla & Sexxy Red, No. 21), then you’re probably “Not Like Us” (Kendrick Lamar, No. 20) and more “Like Him” (Tyler, The Creator, No. 37). But just don’t ask “Who” (No. 24, by K-pop’s Jimin).
The Carpenters and Luther – “Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby, Oh Baby”
Speaking of who, earlier I mentioned the two Carpenters back to back in the top ten — the two songs by Sabrina Carpenter, that is — and just a couple of spots above those is “Luther” (Kendrick Lamar & SZA at No. 6), a song that was inspired by the late Luther Vandross. Vandross once covered a Carpenters (‘70s brother/sister duo) song, “Superstar,” where in each chorus the word “Baby” is repeated five times in succession…
The Baby Bunch
Fitting then that this week’s Hot 100 has five “Baby” songs: “Million Dollar Baby” (Tommy Richman, No. 30), “Crybaby” (SZA, No. 71), “Gang Baby” (NLE Choppa, No. 82), “Chill Baby” (SZA, No. 95), and “Scorsese Baby Daddy” (SZA, No. 41).
Of course, “Scorsese” as “Baby Daddy” is a crossover no one asked for.
Is it Me or Those Other Boys?
But if I’m in my emotions and you ask “What Is This Feeling?” (Ariana Grande & Cynthia Arevo, No. 88) and I respond I “Think I’m In Love With You” (Chris Stapleton, No. 53) and just want to be “Close To You” (no, not the Carpenters again, but Gracie Adams at, ahem, No. 69), don’t say you already have a “Guy For That” (Post Malone ft. Luke Combs, No. 54).
Because I’d be left “Wondering Why” (No. 93, by the Red Clay Strays) and asking “Who” (No. 24, by Jimin), and questioning whether it’s the “Diamond Boy (Doing Too Much)” (No. 60, SZA) or one of the two Dylan “Boys Back Home” (Dylan Marlowe & Dylan Scott, new at No. 75).
Closing Time
And then I’d be left to dwell at one of my old haunts — “El Club” (Bad Bunny, No. 89) or “Pink Pony Club” (Chappell Roan, No. 36) — and either “Shake Dat Ass” to a “Twerk Song” (BossManDlow, No. 81), cry in my beer to an old “Sailor Song” (Gigi Perez, No. 33), binge on a bunch of “Cowboy Songs” (No. 100, George Birge), or perhaps the worst thing anyone could do at this point…
Play “A Bar Song” and have everybody at the club gettin’ “Tipsy”!
And that would be the former No. 1 by Shaboozey, now at No. 2.
Because if this week’s Hot 100 is any indication of what 2025 will be like, chaos still reigns and we’re all just along for the “Drive” (SZA again, No. 51).
DJRob
DJRob (he/him) is a freelance music blogger from the East Coast who covers R&B, hip-hop, disco, pop, rock and country genres – plus lots of music news and current stuff! You can follow him on Bluesky at @djrobblog.bsky.social, X (formerly Twitter) at @djrobblog, on Facebook or on Meta’s Threads.
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