Warren Zeiders rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart (dated Dec. 2), becoming the top up-and-coming act in the United States for the first time, thanks to his single “Pretty Little Poison,” and his debut full-length of the same name.
The single – Zeiders’ first Billboard Hot 100 hit – ranks at No. 53 on the chart, with 13.1 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 13%), 8.6 million official streams (up 7%) and 1,000 downloads sold (up 35%) in the U.S. Nov. 17-23, according to Luminate. It also climbs 10-8 for a new high on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Further boosting Zeiders’ Emerging Artists coronation is his new song “Sin So Sweet.” The track, released Nov. 17, debuts at No. 39 on Hot Country Songs with 3.3 million streams and 4,000 sold earned in its opening week.
Plus, Zeiders’ debut LP Pretty Little Poison ranks at No. 35 on the Top Country Albums chart, after reaching No. 12 in September, with 8,000 equivalent album units.
Zeiders is the sixth country act to top Emerging Artists in 2023, following Jelly Roll, Nate Smith, Megan Moroney, Colter Wall and Cooper Alan.
Rounding out the top five of the latest Emerging Artists chart, Teddy Swims drops to No. 2, Nate Smith descends 2-3, Victoria Monet dips 3-4 and Kenya Grace holds at No. 5.
Among other Emerging Artists moves, Austin Williams debuts at No. 10 thanks to his song “90s Rap Mashup.” The track, released Nov. 17 on Truth or Dare Records, starts at No. 1 on Country Digital Song Sales and No. 9 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart with 4,000 sold. It interpolates classic hip-hop hits, including DMX’s “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” Nelly’s “(Hot S**t) Country Grammar,” Afroman’s “Crazy Rap” and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s “1st of tha Month.” Williams scored his first chart entry in September, with “Wanna Be Saved.”
The Emerging Artists chart ranks the most popular developing artists of the week, using the same formula as the all-encompassing Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across multiple Billboard charts, including the Hot 100 and Billboard 200. (The Artist 100 lists the most popular acts, overall, each week.) However, the Emerging Artists chart excludes acts that have notched a top 25 entry on either the Hot 100 or Billboard 200, as well as artists that have achieved two or more top 10s on Billboard’s “Hot” song genre charts and/or consumption-based “Top” album genre rankings.
