Variety’s 2021 Hitmakers and Hitbreakers Revealed

Michelle An
Exec VP/Head of Visual Creative, Interscope Records

Christiana Divona
Director, Creative Team, Interscope Records

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

With “Drivers License,” An and Divona helped introduce Olivia Rodrigo and convey her artistic vision to the world. The music video amassed more than 300 million views, launching Rodrigo into Pop stardom. Through the cinematic visuals for “Drivers License,” “Deja Vu” and “Good 4 U,” An and Divona helped spark TikTok trends, Easter eggs and a commitment to working with women directors. The duo also played an integral role in producing the stylized livestreamed event “Sour Prom” and Rodrigo’s part in the global Dolby Atmos campaign. On seeing Rodrigo bring “Drivers License” to life for the first time, in front of thousands of fans at the Brit Awards, Divona says, “It hit me that I was witnessing history, and I felt an immense amount of gratitude to have played a small part in it.”

Lydia Asrat, Gordan Dillard, Josh Kaplan
SalXCo; 10Q Management
Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA Saweetie’s “Best Friend” featuring Doja Cat; The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears”

(pictured with Wassim “Sal Slaiby; Kaplan is not pictured)

“Team” is the keyword when it comes to SalXCo, the management concern behind Doja Cat, the Weeknd and others. In addition to Slaiby and Dillard, 10Q Management’s Asrat handles Doja Cat’s A&R, with Kaplan orchestrating deals that helped push the multi-talented star to the lofty peaks she’s reached over the past year.

“Doja walked into the session and said she wanted to make a song about kissing, and that’s exactly what happened,” says Asrat of “Kiss Me More.” “It’s truly organic and free flowing and fun when she is making music.”

The unique video for “Kiss Me More” went a long way in amplifying the song, another testament to Doja’s creativity. The addition of SZA took it that much further. Says Slaiby, “The visuals in the music video propelled the song on a global level. Doja continues to push the boundaries: Her vision sets her apart from her peers and the video showcased that.”

Radio has been another big proponent for Doja Cat, across the pop, R&B and hip-hop genres. “Doja has been so amazing at making sure her songs and album have longevity,” says Kaplan. “’Kiss Me More’ is still in heavy rotation and ‘Best Friend’ is constantly licensed. The songs are forever-type hits.”

Dillard gives credit to Yeti Beats for his inherent feel for what works for Doja Cat. Says Dillard, “Yeti fully understands Doja’s sound and executes every time creating and being a part of some of her biggest records. They never miss together.”

Senior VP of Sales and Streaming, Sony Music Nashville
Luke Combs’ ”Forever After All”

Every single Luke Combs has put out has been a country airplay No. 1; “Forever After All” was his 11th. The tune was not intended to come out when it did — there was another song in line from the deluxe version of his sophomore album, when “Forever” “debuted with the highest first-week on-demand audio streaming count ever for a country song,” says Atwood. “The metrics were so undeniable; we knew we had to shift focus onto the track.” The tune has racked up more than 430 million on-demand streams, showing “the growth of country music streaming and how the genre has the power to compete with the formats that tend to get more recognition.”

Songwriter
Saweetie’s “Best Friend” featuring Doja Cat

Banks tapped into her group of “beautiful boss besties” when penning “Best Friend,” one of several songs she has written for, or featuring, Saweetie. The first time Banks heard the song on the radio, she was stuck in traffic on the Kosciuszko Bridge in New York. “I turned the volume all the way up, got out of the car and started dancing,” says Banks. Among the song’s brilliant lines: “Beep beep, is that my bestie in a Tessie” has become part of the vernacular. “At least 15 times I’ve seen strangers on the street meet up with a friend and say it. It never gets old.”

Producer
Polo G’s “Rapstar”

Sometimes, hit records happen by accident. Take ukulele extraordinaire Bankz, who was just sitting in a corner plucking his instrument when longtime collaborator Polo G heard the melody that would end up becoming the backbone of his first No. 1 song, “Rapstar.” “I just knew about this one … we did it [originally] in one take,” Bankz recalls. Connecting with Polo before he had a large following, they developed a strong creative relationship. After the acoustic version of “Rapstar” went viral on YouTube, Bankz and Polo G paired his strings with electrifying snares in the studio to create the massive hit.

Aaron Bay-Schuck
Co-chairman & CEO, Warner Records

Tom Corson
Co-chairman & COO, Warner Records

Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”
Saweetie’s “Best Friend” featuring Doja Cat

For Bay-Schuck, the success of “Best Friend” was doubly rewarding, as his wife, Hannah, published three of the songwriters via her work at Prescription Songs. “We get to celebrate each other’s wins all the time as partners in life, but this was our first major win together professionally,” he says. “This was also a pivotal record in our development as a label.” Another such record was “Levitating,” whose eye-popping online metrics defied a shorter initial run at Top 40 radio, inspiring a second promo push that took the song to No. 1. “People ask how record companies can make a difference, and this was an example of identifying something that’s out of sync with what you’re seeing, what the market is telling you and what the methodology doesn’t take into account,” says Corson. “It was a masterclass from our team in supporting an artist in a moment of opportunity.”

Songwriter
Justin Bieber’s “Peaches”

As one of music’s most prolific hitmakers, the 39-year-old scored his eighth chart-topper with “Peaches,” which Bell co-wrote. Beyond an infectious hook, timing played a crucial role in its success. “It was the feel-good, summertime vibe the world was looking for coming out of quarantine,” he says. Bell is as seasoned as they come, but even with his track record, the sheer volume of music being released “makes our jobs much more difficult,” he says. “But it pushes us to craft something that can stand the test of time.”

Songwriter
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears”

In the nearly two decades since future Weeknd manager Wassim “Sal” Slaiby heard Palestinian-born Belly rapping on an Ottawa sidewalk, the two have moved from success to success together, first with Belly’s multiplatinum sales as a rapper and now as co-writer of some of the Weeknd’s biggest hits, including “Save Your Tears” and “Blinding Lights.” Of the former song, he says, “Listeners connected to the record, along with many of the songs on ‘After Hours,’ because times were dire and there was a lot of solitude. The song brought some light and relief and made people feel good when they needed it most.”

Nicole Bilzerian
Exec VP, Geffen Records

Lee L’Heureux
Exec VP/GM, Geffen Records

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

“From the moment Olivia started teasing ‘Drivers License,’ it was like a social media snowball rolling downhill,” says Bilzerian, who guided marketing efforts for Rodrigo’s debut LP, “Sour,” which included a car wash in partnership with Spotify and Taco Bell, and the execution of the “Sour Prom” backed by T-Mobile and YouTube. “For Olivia and fans to safely celebrate together, in a time where live events had been halted for so long, was incredible,” adds Bilzerian. For L’Heureux, “Drivers License” sounded “special and undeniable.” Leaning hard into his marketing expertise — before Geffen, L’Heureux oversaw Warner Records’ rhythm, urban and hip-hop promotional machine — he orchestrated an elaborate seven-month rollout. “We began building the plan in summer 2020 for a January launch.” The plan worked: “Drivers License” proved 2021’s record-setting pop-culture phenomenon, and follow-ups, “Deja Vu” and “Good 4 U” would place among 2021’s biggest hits, too. “IGA’s support structure is incredible, and Geffen’s team worked around the clock,” says L’Heureux.

VP, A&R, Sony Music Publishing
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

Bral spent four months secretly sitting with Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License.” Co-writer and producer Dan Nigro, whom Bral signed in 2018 alongside Jennifer Knoepfle, sculpted the piano ballad into a sonically rich mini-world. Then he sent Bral the demo. “I called him immediately and was, like, ‘I fucking love this song,’” he remembers. But as is the case with publishing, “It’s all about trying to forecast what’s going to happen and sometimes it doesn’t go well.” What followed is something Bral still speaks about with disbelief. “I never in a million years,” he marvels. At a celebration for Nigro, he made a toast. “I said, ‘This is your first No. 1.’ And Dan was like, ‘This is your first No. 1 too, right?’ It had been years of small victories to get to the grand slam.”

Managers, Make Wake Artists
Luke Combs’ “Forever After All”

“When I heard ‘Forever After All’ for the first time, I knew it was the one,” says Brannen, Make Wake’s director of digital and social strategy. He doesn’t mean the one that would land Combs another country chart topper — that was a given — but would reach peaks bigger still. He texted Combs and urged him to put an excerpt from the unreleased master on TikTok … not a dance moment, but a tearjerker line about love surviving death. A month later, the clip had amassed over 200 million views. “It was like a team of runaway horses, and we just got out of the way and let them run,” adds Kappy. “We got to No. 2 on the Hot 100 with just streaming. I couldn’t wrap my head around that.” The icing on the cake? “We then took Luke’s wedding footage and made it into the official music video. Luke has let the fans into his personal life and on the journey of love he has with his wife.”

Founder, SB Projects
Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon; Ariana Grande’s “34+35”; The Kid Laroi’s “Stay” with Justin Bieber

As founder of SB Projects, music mogul Braun has served as the architect of some of pop’s biggest stars. This year, he helped “Peaches” become the first No. 1 song born entirely by Justin Bieber and helped get him on board “Stay” (Braun and the Kid Laroi have since parted ways). As Ariana Grande’s longtime manager, Braun led the singer to radio domination with “34+35,” “Positions” and a feature on the Weeknd’s “Save Your Tears,” which jolted the song to become the second-most played of the year, across all formats. Though he was instrumental to the success of some of 2021’s biggest hits, Braun, whose company merged with Korean entertainment giant HYBE in April, gives credit to Bieber, Laroi and Grande for crafting brilliant earworms. “You can promote shit, but it’s still going to be shit. They were promoting something that was fantastic.”

Producer, Songwriter
Ariana Grande’s “34+35”

While making “34+35,” longtime Ariana Grande collaborator Brown found himself workshopping lyrics in the company of an unexpected guest: Grande’s mother, Joan. “I remember I was like, ‘Ah, I don’t feel comfortable doing this song in front of your mom,’” Brown says, hinting at the track’s explicit lyrics. “But Joan is very supportive, and it was a great moment.” As for his proudest accomplishment during the life of the song, Brown cites the powerhouse remix featuring Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion. “My favorite part is seeing these three very talented women — some of the biggest women in the game — come together,” he says.

Lucky Ent
Masked Wolf’s “Astronaut in the Ocean”

Throughout 2020, Masked Wolf ’s manager observed digital streams steadily rising before several TikTok videos made “Astronaut in the Ocean” go “bananas.”

“We got sent around 60,000 videos that weren’t linked to the song — people were organically using the sound or Shazaming it, then following Wolf,” says Butt, adding that NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes using the 2019 release on Instagram also boosted exposure. “As it grew, all platforms played their part in making it what it is today with over two billion streams.”

Butt credits the opening guitar, “iconic” chorus and pairing Wolf with producer Tyron Hapi, whom he also manages, for the song’s success. “Ty’s one of the best producers I’ve seen. It took them six months to figure each other out, then the fourth song they made was ‘Astronaut in the Ocean.’”

Co-manager, Polo G
Polo G’s “Rapstar”

While the soothing strums of Einer Bankz’s ukulele make up the backbone of “Rapstar,” Polo G’s co-manager Carless believes it’s the song’s message that resonated with listeners and helped it become his first No. 1. “The hook and melody are key, but I think the vulnerability in the lyrics is what made it resonate,” he says. Carless’ veteran leadership was also essential: Recently named president of A&R at Warner Records, he oversees an impressive roster of artists and believes developing talent like Polo is the most pressing issue facing the industry. “Our business is about the artist,” he says.

Producer, Songwriter
The Kid Laroi’s “Stay” with Justin Bieber

Cashmere Cat was at dinner with fellow “Stay” producer and songwriter Blake Slatkin when he first heard the idea for the song. “I was so blown away and knew the whole song by heart just off that one listen,” says Cashmere Cat, who has also produced for Kanye West and Nas. The synth-heavy track seemed to have the same effect on the masses, topping the Hot 100 for seven nonconsecutive weeks. “It just has that undeniable feeling from the moment it comes on,” says Cashmere Cat, who has worked with the Kid Laroi since the breakout star was 16. “It’s the sound of a young artist truly coming into their own.”

Producer, Songwriter
Pop Smoke’s “For the Night” featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby

The drill, trap and R&B stylings for which Pop Smoke was known shine on “For the Night,” co-produced by CashMoneyAP (the AP is for his given name, Alex Petit) alongside Mike Dean. The aim, on the posthumous production, was to showcase Smoke’s “versatility,” says Petit. “The element that stands out the most is the fact that Pop was singing on the hook. The singing was so smooth.” Guest features by hip-hop’s biggest Babies tipped it over into hit territory. “We had the vision, and Steven [Victor] and Ben [Lust] really made it happen. Pop was really around the best people.”

Producer, Songwriter
Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA

All the time Chahayed spent watching Japanese animation growing up left him in good stead when Yeti Beats directed him toward the keywords “cute” and “anime” for “Kiss Me More.” A riff was born and a hit was made. Indeed, the Doja Cat hit was so ubiquitous this past summer that Chahayed, who’s nominated for producer of the year at the 2022 Grammys, came up with a “flipping between stations game” to see how many radio outlets were playing it. “I ended up catching it on [L.A.’s] Power 106 and KIIS-FM at the same time one day,” he says. “To have created something that is so identifiable and gives people good energy is a truly powerful thing.”

Exec VP, Promotion & Commerce, Warner Records
Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”; Saweetie’s “Best Friend” featuring Doja Cat

“Levitating” stalled at No. 4 on Top 40 in January, but knowing “radio doesn’t always measure up to what’s happening on the consumption side” of TikTok, YouTube and other platforms, Chester rallied his team to keep promoting the track even after it reached recurrent. It took 13 weeks, but once Z100 and KIIS put it back in power rotation, “Levitating” started a second life en route to topping the chart in June, six-plus months after first going for adds. “It’s something a 2-year-old and a 60-year-old can sing,” Chester says. “From bar mitzvahs to weddings, it’s ubiquitous.” Meanwhile, impacting Top 40 and Rhythmic formats simultaneously helped “Best Friend” hit double platinum, reflecting Saweetie’s “ability to really move people, especially kids. Celebrating your best friend and being uplifted — these are themes we all really craved during the pandemic.”

Songwriter
Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”

“What really resonated [with listeners] is the love energy embedded in the song,” says Coffee of the hit, which he co-wrote. “‘Levitating’ was created with pure love from friends who truly love each other, and when real love is given the opportunity to be experienced by the people, it spreads like a wild fire.” Clearly as enamored with the British singer as the rest of the world, Coffee says what amplified “Levitating” was that “Dua Lipa radiates such high levels of love and light, that it magnified the song to levels not many reach.”

Senior VP, Marketing Strategy, Republic Records
Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves”

Back in spring 2020, Republic was focused on the track ”Tangerine” as a single for U.K. band Glass Animals, but Coslov noticed that “Heat Waves” consistently outperformed it. After landing a FIFA 21 sync, it was time to pivot. “We found out about two Minecraft influencers who were soundtracked by ‘Heat Waves.’ This proved to be a turning point,” says Coslov. He launched a series of TikTok influencer and Instagram meme campaigns. He notes: “I knew if we could make it to June, the song would receive a second wind” — thanks to the lyric “late nights in the middle of June.” After swinging for the fences, the group garnered “the second-biggest recurrent track of the year.”

Carlos Cuadros
Director, Digital Marketing, RCA Records

Russ Jones
VP, Streaming and Sales, RCA Records

SZA’s ”Good Days”

Last Christmas, SZA’s ”Good Days” proved to be the gift that kept on giving. Fans lauded the surprise-release single’s uplifting message, one much needed during the pandemic. Within weeks, the song became a mental-wellness movement. Says Jones: “Here I was, emailing [DSP] reps, like, ‘Merry Christmas Eve! I’ve got the best gift I could possibly give you, and it’s new SZA music. And oh, by the way, it’s coming tomorrow.’ With ‘Good Days,’ SZA gave everyone what we were waiting for, even if we didn’t know we needed it.” A month later, SZA and her team launched the Goodline hotline, encouraging her fans to call in and “cry n laugh n talk.” “SZA takes a very unique approach to how she engages with fans,” says Cuadros. “And much to her personality, this hotline just was something we always felt would be pretty cool to execute on. And she executed on this.”

Producer, Songwriter
Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”

Dernst Emile II, aka D’Mile, scored a big look in 2021 via his involvement with arguably the biggest “throwback” song of the year. D’Mile not only co-wrote Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open,” but the Brooklyn-born songsmith also co-produced and played live instruments on track, which topped the Hot 100 for multiple weeks in May. While the pandemic raged in the spring across America, all things “comfort” also resonated with listeners, and “Leave the Door Open” was a heady, nostalgic ’70s-inspired soul infusion that proved irresistible to locked-down listeners (the song will close out the year at over a billion streams between Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube plays).

Senior VP, Rock Formats, Republic Records
Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves”

Dobbins and her team worked this “sleeper hit” from their bedrooms during the pandemic, securing Glass Animals’ career-first No. 1 record at Alternative radio. “Since it wasn’t a typical Alternative song, we were met with a lot of resistance from programmers, but we stuck with it because we knew it was real,” she says. Republic recognized consumer demand for the band, as well as reaction to this particular song. “Our team helped facilitate the biggest alternative band of the year,” says Dobbins. “A year and a half later they’ve sold out their biggest U.S. tour with crowds of 20,000 singing along to ‘Heat Waves.’”

Kendra Ellis
VP, Marketing, Atlantic Records

Jenna Rosenberg
VP, Digital Marketing, Atlantic Records

Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”

Ellis oversaw the marketing strategy for all things Silk Sonic, serving as a key creative force behind Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s music videos and television appearances. Among Ellis’ campaigns: timing the release of “Leave the Door Open” with Mars’ Ricky Regal Lacoste collection. “The style of the clothing ties into the vibe of the music, and Bruno and Anderson actually wear these clothes in real life,” says Ellis. Her digital marketing counterpart, Rosenberg, focused on Instagram memes, a custom Fortnite emote, a Stationhead campaign and a little help from TikTok, which helped push “Leave the Door Open” to surpass 400 million video views and soundtrack more than 1.7 million TikTok videos.

Co-founder, XO Records
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears”

SalXCo founder Wassim “Sal” Slaiby may be the public face of the entertainment company, but Esmailian is co-manager of the Weeknd and co-founder of the XO label. His vital role on the team dates back to 2002, when his neighbor, rapper Belly, signed with Sal’s label. He also brought the Weeknd and Nav to SalXCo, and plays a key role in the company’s dealmaking and promotion. “I still can’t believe ‘Blinding Lights’ is still charting and breaking records, and it was released in 2019,” he says. “I thank God and the fans every day for this blessing.”

Senior VP, A&R and Head of Research and Analytics, Elektra Music Group
Masked Wolf’s “Astronaut in the Ocean”

Fain discovered the hard-hitting track by Australian Masked Wolf (aka Harry Michael) on YouTube and signed him to Elektra at a time when the artist was still working a sales job in Sydney and unsure of his path forward in music. “The whole purpose of the song was for Harry to talk about being vulnerable,” Fain says. After the song broke on TikTok in early 2021, “the comments on social media created a space for people to communicate with each other about similar things they were going through. To see that in real time was pretty special.”

Producer, Songwriter
24kGoldn’s “Mood” featuring Iann Dior; Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”; The Kid Laroi’s “Stay”
with Justin Bieber

With three sonically distinct No. 1s, Fedi helped shape the anything-goes sound of 2021. For the genre-straddling “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” — Fedi executive-produced its parent album — Lil Nas X shared the hook and Fedi grabbed his guitar. “My hands just started playing,” says the Israeli-born musician. “I was just trying to follow his melody.” The creation of 24kGoldn’s rock-laced “Mood” was similarly inspired. “The hook is something everyone says, but no one ever put it in a song.” They did and struck gold. “Stay,” the Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber’s collaboration, was a longer process. “We knew it felt special; the production had to be special too.” Despite his blockbuster year, Fedi remains hungry. “I’m not even close to my goal.”

Songwriters
The Kid Laroi’s “Stay” with Justin Bieber

With Justin Bieber and Charlie Puth involved, “Stay” had the star wattage of a surefire hit. “Justin kills everything he jumps on,” says Mule. “His chemistry with Laroi’s effortless. And Charlie’s a beast.” However, it’s the captivating hook that the Australian producing duo credit for “Stay” hitting No. 1. Says De Boni: “Laroi freestyled super-spontaneously over a keyboard riff. Crazy! He brought us in to write the hyper-pop/electronic elements. We also manipulated his voice to give his background vocals a Vocoder feel.” Mule describes a fellow Aussie “running the charts” as incredible and believes FNZ’s Perth base instilled deeper understanding of music. “Being isolated encourages collaboration,” says De Boni.

General Manager/Exec VP of A&R, Atlantic Records
Pooh Shiesty’s “Back in Blood” featuring Lil Durk

“Back in Blood” achieved the success that it did in large part thanks to a quick pivot by Gaba. The A&R executive and her team had to adjust their rollout plan for the song because it came out the same day Chicago rapper and Durk protege King Von was murdered. “It meant we had to hold off on filming the video until Durk was ready,” she explains. “The song did great out the gate, but by the time the video dropped, it was out of here. I was hearing it everywhere.”

President of Promotion, Atlantic Records
Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”; Cardi B’s “Up”

Picking up from the successful efforts of her rhythmic and adult promotion teams on “Up” and “Leave the Door Open,” respectively, the promo veteran helped cross both songs over into the Top 40 format. “We’re very proud that we sometimes defy expectations and work Cardi singles at Rhythm and Pop radio almost simultaneously,” says Ganis, praising her department’s across-the-board efforts. “That’s exactly what happened on ‘Up’ and it became the perfect multiformat launch to make it a No. 1 Hot 100 record.” As for Silk Sonic, Ganis says simply: “It just cements our motto, ‘In Bruno We Trust.’”

Mixer
The Weeknd’s “Save Your Tears” and “Blinding Lights”; Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA; Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”; Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”; Ariana Grande’s “34+35”; The Kid Laroi’s “Stay” with Justin Bieber

Ghenea has mixed just under 200 No. 1 singles and albums since his start in 1993. In August, 10 of the top 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart had the multiple Grammy Award winner’s name attached to them. “I learned early on that if you try to put a specific sound on something, you end up shortchanging yourself and dating yourself,” says the Virginia Beach-based Ghenea. The mixer has had long-standing relationships with many of the hitmakers he works with — the Weeknd and Ariana Grande, for example — and knows what they like and don’t like to hear. For the ones that were new to him this year, such as Lil Nas X and the Kid Laroi, Ghenea adds: “You’ve got to be a little more careful and try to figure out what it is they’re trying to do.”

Producer, Songwriter
Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA; Saweetie’s “Best Friend” featuring Doja Cat

Since his career first took off with Kelly Clarkson’s 2004 smash “Since U Been Gone,” Gottwald has reigned as one of the world’s top hitmakers via songs with Katy Perry, Rihanna, Pink and many more (and his Prescription Songs proves he’s no slouch as a publisher, either). His work with Doja Cat has seen him riding high into the 2020s. “I noticed that on TikTok there were a lot of duos doing videos together,” he says. “Both Saweetie and Doja’s careers were blowing up and the song was just contagious fun. I also believe it was special because there are not enough artists supporting each other and working together.”

Director, Digital Marketing & Sports Partnerships, Atlantic Records
Cardi B’s “Up”

Overseeing all digital marketing for Cardi B, Grant helped push “Up” to No. 1 through creative social-media strategies, including a TikTok influencer campaign, Snapchat lens and choreographed dance. He’s most proud of creating an Instagram avatar of the artist, allowing users to bring an animated Cardi B into their videos via augmented reality. That the singer has an infectious personality and keen understanding of the internet only makes Grant’s job easier and more enjoyable, he says. “Some artists don’t always understand the value of leaning in and taking advantage of your social presence, but she’s literally the best at it.”

Producer, Songwriter
Lil Tjay’s “Calling My Phone” featuring 6lack

Born Ryan Martinez, G. Ry is known for pairing his patented neo-R&B chops with PartyNextDoor’s elite vocals to help create a signature sound. The producer perfects the craft of smooth samples built for crooning, on Lil Tjay’s platinum “Calling My Phone.” It took just hearing the first four bars to figure out what it needed, a melodic hum to hook its listeners. Says G. Ry: “Once we found that, it brought everything full circle.”

Senior VP, Marketing Strategy, Republic Records
Ariana Grande’s “34+35”

Ariana Grande’s “34+35” proved a marketing challenge, considering the song’s risqué subtext. But through a seamless strategy for parent album, “Positions,” Gryn and Grande’s team were able to roll out the release under the tightest timeline, helping the artist notch her fifth No. 1 debut. Music videos proved key. The first spawned a dance challenge on TikTok and the second, a remix featuring Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion that dropped three months later, helped the track re-peak at No. 2 on the Hot 100. Says Gryn: “You have these three powerhouse women, all with crazy schedules and everyone just hustled quickly to make it work.”

Producer
Masked Wolf’s “Astronaut in the Ocean”

Slow-burn hits are common in the age of TikTok given the app’s indifference to release dates. Melbourne-based Hapi experienced that first-hand when Masked Wolf’s “Astronaut in the Ocean” exploded belatedly. “We put the record out in 2019 and it topped a few hundred thousand streams,” he says. Cut to 2021 and it’s a worldwide phenomenon, amassing more than one billion plays. Hapi puts its appeal down to simplicity. “I started with the guitar you hear at the beginning; from there the beat built itself,” he says. The success of “Astronaut,” now certified double-platinum in the U.S., is a source of pride that changed Hapi’s life. “I’ll forever be chasing that milestone,” he says.

Producer, Songwriter
Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

While “Peaches” was not the first collaboration between HARV and Justin Bieber, it is unquestionably the biggest hit yet for the rising songwriter, producer and bassist. “The song was really one of the first releases of the year that embodied that big summer top-down energy after a really heavy year in lockdown,” says HARV of the smash, which he co-wrote and co-produced. “It’s spotlighting many different places and then connects them all together with that line from the hook [“light right from the source”] which is from God the creator. … The hook is catchy and easy for everyone to relate to.”

Managing Partner, Range Media Partners
Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon; Lil Tjay’s “Calling My Phone” featuring 6lack SZA’s “Good Days”

After hearing an Instagram tease of Bieber’s early version of “Peaches,” longtime collaborator HARV greatly expanded the song’s instrumentation and helped turn it into “the perfect balance of summer and fun,” says Henry, who manages HARV. “It was really cool to see it happen so organically.” “Calling My Phone” was also incomplete when Lil Tjay teased it on social media, prompting a massive fan response. “It pushed G. Ry to finish the song, get 6lack’s feature on it and put it out,” says Henry. “The fans made it a hit.” Likewise, when a snippet of “Good Days,” featuring Loshendrix’s distinctive guitar melody was tacked onto the end of SZA’s video for “Hit Different,” listeners demanded its release. “‘Good Days’ was huge before it even came out,” says Henry. “That tease was brilliant.”

Kevin Holiday
Exec VP, Black Music Promotion, Atlantic Records

Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”; Cardi B’s “Up”

Lott knew Atlantic had a hit on its hands when he found his daughter’s volleyball team singing every word to “Leave the Door Open” during a practice. Serving as the lead single from parent album “An Evening With Silk Sonic,” the track landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, multiple urban radio charts and stayed atop the BDS/Mediabase R&B chart for 12 weeks. “I definitely had my chest sticking out when that happened,” Lott says with a laugh. But Lott and Holiday had to bang down doors to get people to put it in rotation. “We ran into some resistance at first,” Holiday says. “But once it exploded, everyone wanted it.” With “Up,” there was little to no resistance getting the single to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the colorful video took it to another level. “She’s such an amazing performer,” Holiday says. “She really does make our job easier.”

Shawn Holiday
President, Giant Records and Publishing; Manager, Full Stop Management

Bilal “Bizzy” Joseph
Director, A&R, Columbia Records

Polo G’s “Rapstar”

“Sometimes the label gets it wrong and the artist gets it right,” says urban music vet Holiday with a laugh remembering the moment Polo G entered the charts at No. 1 with “Rapstar.” That it became one of the year’s biggest hits confirmed his decision to “put my trust in the artist and his vision. Polo knows his audience, so I felt we should let him lead on this when he said, ‘No, “Rapstar” is the song my fan base wants to hear.’” On the label side, A&R executive Joseph was still settling into his new gig at Columbia when he found himself in the studio with G. “We were chopping it up about what I’d learned working with Travis Scott,” says Joseph, who serves as co-CEO of Scott’s Cactus Jack imprint. “Travis teased the ‘Astroworld’ album for years and it blew up, and I saw how people loved it when Lil Boosie and Playboy Carti leaked music and release dates. Then I told Polo how Lil Tjay gradually teased ‘Calling My Phone’ so that fans went crazy when it finally came out. He got quiet and said, ‘You know, I have this song my fans have been asking for ….’ He showed me all the tweets posted after he’d teased a snippet of a track. Seeing that reaction, I was like, ‘Yo, this is the one!’ For an entire year, we kept ramping up anticipation with viral reveals — and that snippet became the ‘Rapstar’ phenomenon.” Adds Holiday: “Polo came with the right single — it was the gasoline; we just had to throw the match.”

Producer, Songwriter
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears”

Over the past dozen years, Sweden-born Holter has become one of the most successful writer-producers in the game, with a track record that includes hits for the Weeknd (some five songs on his blockbuster “After Hours” album, including the two above), Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Charli XCX, Tove Lo, Justin Timberlake and many more. An alum of Max Martin’s hit factory — with whom he worked on many of the Weeknd’s songs — Holter’s discography betrays his modesty: He rarely speaks to the press.

VP, Digital Marketing, Republic Records
Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves”

For Hrycyshyn, “lightning in a bottle”— the viral sensation that was Glass Animals’ “Heat Wave”— came down to about “90% effort, 10% magic.” The June 2020 timing felt precarious amid protests and the pandemic. But the song was hooky and special, and “after we started to see potential on TikTok, it became about having at least one or two wins per day,” Hrycyshyn says of the colossal global digital marketing effort led by his team and Republic’s U.K. partners. Small victories coalesced into the song’s fall FIFA 21 appearance, a platform that gave way to the Minecraft/YouTube community. All of which snowballed into more than 546 million streams on Spotify. “There was always a ‘What about this?’ conversation happening,” says Hrycyshyn. “And the band was open to different ideas. There was an eye towards creativity and wonder.”

Songwriter
Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”

Hudson is no stranger to hit songs — her co-writing credits include Katy Perry’s No. 1 “Dark Horse,” among other cuts for the singer. Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” marks another charttopper. “The melodies, lyrics and entire essence of ‘Levitating’ embody so much light-hearted joy and I think people always yearn for that vibration,” says Hudson, who adds that timing played a big part in its success. “It was released right in the middle of it all. … In such unprecedented times, we needed light, love, joy, a sense of freedom and connection, and ‘Levitating’ really ignited those high vibrational emotions.”

Producer
Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love”

Among the traits that made late rapper Pop Smoke so special was his versatility — for instance, “What You Know Bout Love,” co-produced by IamTash, which nods to the great R&B sounds of the 1990s. That’s courtesy of a sample the Boston-based producer used: “Differences” by Ginuwine. “What I noticed is, if people are familiar with a sample, it’s easier for them to enjoy because it brings them back to a song they grew up on,” he explains. IamTash’s hunch was right, and his keen ear helped birth a No. 1 song.

Senior VP, Rhythm Radio Promotion, Republic Records
Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love” and “For the Night”

Capitalizing on the late hip-hop icon’s posthumous, chart-topping “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon” album, Ingenloff ’s work at Rhythm radio paved the way for the track’s crossover to pop. He points to the sample of Ginuwine’s “Differences” as key, with strong reactions on TikTok. “Having ‘For the Night’ go No. 1 at Top 40 paved the way, as well as Pop’s unique voice and a strong melodic hook,” says the promo vet, who takes pride in the song staying in power rotation through the year, noting how music discovery has broadened. “We’re in a world where influences can come from all over.”

A&R, Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

As an A&R exec and DJ, James was preaching the power of “Peaches” behind the scenes long before the general public had a chance to hear the smash. “Honestly, I knew ‘Peaches’ would be a hit before we released the record because of the overwhelming response to Justin’s NPR Tiny Desk performance,” he says. James helped connect Bieber and R&B singer Giveon to collaborate on music, which resulted in the finished track. “I was a fan of Giveon’s work and knew they would sound great together,” he says. “When it was time to pick the next single before the release of the album [‘Justice’], I really pushed for ‘Peaches,’ then the team agreed, and the rest is history.”

Producer
Ariana Grande’s “34+35”

Ariana Grande’s naughty-meets-pretty hit “only consists of violins, drums and vocals, and I think this unique combination caught people’s ears,” says Johnson, who co-produced the track with Xavi, Tommy Brown and Mr. Franks. “When I sat down to make these strings I was trying to channel the 1950s orchestral vibes of arrangers like Nelson Riddle. I would like to shout out Ariana for incorporating such a string-focused sound into modern music.” An additional thrill: “I started out making violin cover videos online, and now it’s been fun for me to see other violinists covering a song I made.”

VP, Streaming and Sales, Atlantic Records
Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” Cardi B’s “Up”

Jones and her Atlantic streaming and sales team helped both Silk Sonic and Cardi B rack up hundreds of millions of plays through a combination of viral choreography and visuals, with a major assist from radio. But ultimately, says Jones, it’s the fans finding unique ways to interact with the music that pushed each song to the next level. “The artist’s personality is what’s gonna get it to the top,” she says. “My job is to make their personality shine.”

Senior VP, A&R, Atlantic Records
Cardi B’s “Up”

Cardi B is a hitmaking machine, and Jones is an essential cog that has helped power her since the beginning of her career. The A&R executive recognizes that she “knows exactly what she wants” when making records, and “Up” reflects their seasoned, complementary skills. The double-platinum song features an electrifying beat and an earworm of a chorus, but Jones believes that her fiercely unique and contagious personality makes “Up” stand out. “There’s a bunch of songs with this same hook, but her presentation of it is special,” he says.

Walter Jones
Co-Head, A&R, Universal Music Publishing Group

Lillia Parsa
Senior VP, A&R, Universal Music Publishing Group

Pop Smoke’s “For the Night” featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby; 24kGoldn’s “Mood” featuring Iann Dior; The Kid Laroi’s “Stay” with Justin Bieber

For all the hoops artists sometimes jump through during the life of a song, Lil Baby’s involvement in Pop Smoke’s posthumously released “For the Night” was just about as simple as it gets. Record executive Steven Victor and manager Rico Beats asked if Jones — who signed Baby to UMPG in 2019 — would send him the song and request a feature. “And that’s how it came to life,” Jones says. “The combination of it being a great song written by Pop Smoke, Lil Baby and DaBaby, with production by CashMoneyAP, made it reach the masses organically.”

Parsa is among the youngest A&R executives at UMPG and is responsible for signing producer-writers Blake Slatkin, Omer Fedi and Billy Walsh to the label. The collaborative partnership has yielded a series of smash hits including 24kGoldn’s “Mood” and the Kid Laroi’s “Stay,” both of which zipped past a billion streams on Spotify. “Omer and Blake are very competitive and ambitious,” says Parsa. “So watching them fight for a song throughout its entire creative process is inspiring.”

President, SB Projects
The Kid Laroi’s “Stay” with Justin Bieber; Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

Kaye had her hands in some of 2021’s biggest hits and helped lead Justin Bieber to No. 1 twice, with “Peaches” and Kid Laroi collaboration “Stay.” Not only did “Peaches” surpass 900 million streams, but Bieber also turned a key lyric (“I get my weed from California”) into a lucrative partnership with luxury marijuana company Palms. “If I told you 10 years ago that Justin Bieber would be singing a song on pop radio about smoking weed, you’d be like, ‘What? Never!’” Kaye says. “He got to make a record that was really authentic to himself.”

Chief Revenue Officer/Global Head of Streaming & Strategy, Interscope Geffen A&M
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

IGA streaming guru Kelly immediately knew “Drivers License” was a “once-in-a-generation song.” Nearly as instantly, the metrics confirmed his instincts. “Data made clear it had a certain destiny,” he says. “The morning after ‘Drivers License’ was released, I got on the phone with Spotify’s head of global hits, who was already adding the song into Today’s Top Hits — their biggest global playlist. I then texted the reaction to Zane Lowe [Apple Music’s global head of artist relations]. Two days later, he was doing Olivia’s first interview around the song — all while Geffen and manager Kristen Smith executed strategy at the highest level.” Kelly partially credits the unique cultural moment for the record-shattering success of Rodrigo’s hit trifecta — including follow-up hits “Deja Vu” and “Good 4 U”: “Anecdotal evidence suggests that the downtempo, introspective tone of Olivia’s songs helped drive engagement based on when they were released during the pandemic. They captured what many felt but couldn’t readily express. That’s what great art does — reflects society.”

President, Warner Records U.K.
Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”

On first listen, Kentish — then head of A&R at Warner’s U.K. office — knew “Levitating” was much more than just a “totally joyous” anthem. “Dua had had the ‘Future Nostalgia’ concept in her head for a year,” he says. “But this was the song that sounded like everything she’d been talking about.” “Levitating” became “a song with many lives” — a record-breaking Hot 100 Top 10 stay was secured via remixes featuring DaBaby and Missy Elliott/Madonna, a Grammy performance and a “massive moment” on TikTok. Kentish, hailed by Lipa’s management as instrumental in her success, was promoted in May, but downplays his contribution. “Sometimes people describe A&R [execs] like puppet masters and we’re absolutely not,” he says. “The artists are the hitmakers. We’re just there to encourage them to do their best.”

Songwriter
Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”

Stephen Kozmeniuk, aka Koz, logged another hit with longtime collaborator Dua Lipa — a global smash for them both. “The song was written pre-pandemic so we didn’t know what was waiting behind the door, but I do think people could hear that we had fun making it,” says Koz. “[The song] took people to a brighter place during a darker time.” The Canadian producer and songwriter is always on the lookout for new talent, citing “an amazing twin brother duo from Manchester called the Flints” as next year’s hitmakers. “It feels like psychedelic future Bee Gees with crossover appeal.”

Manager, Pop Smoke
Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love” and “For the Night”

Pop Smoke died tragically young — not even 21 when he was shot during a 2020 robbery — and his following was even younger. “When I met Pop, he had kids in third grade running after him, dancing like him and knowing his songs word-for-word,” Lamarre remembers. “Once you have these kids trying to be you, you know you’re on your way.” Lamarre had good instincts when it came to business, and is the person who introduced Smoke to Steven Victor. Lamarre says “old school A&R’” is what’s missing in today’s industry. “If an artist isn’t streaming or doesn’t have 500,000 followers, they get overlooked. That’s where me, Steven Victor and the rest of the crew had an advantage — we’re old school guys who know what it takes and what to do.”

Producer, Songwriter
SZA’s “Good Days”; Doja Cat feat. SZA’s “Kiss Me More”

With credits on two of 2021’s most-consumed songs, Lang co-crafted an antidote to lockdown and a soundtrack for reentering the world. For SZA’s “Good Days,” the 30-year-old says he “focused on cinematic textures, both acoustic and synthesized, to help bridge the worlds of fantasy and reality.” The tone of “Kiss Me More,” SZA’s disco-tinged collaboration with Doja Cat, was more carefree. “It came out when people first started going out during the pandemic,” he says. “It was a jump for joy.”

Producer, Songwriter
Drake’s “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby

For LaTour, better known as Cardo, making hits with Drake is old hat. The Minnesota-born, Texas-raised producer and songwriter has been working with the rapper since 2015 and helped deliver one of his biggest songs, 2018’s “God’s Plan.” Their synergy can be heard on “Wants and Needs,” a track that fed the streets as the rapper cooked up his 2021 studio album, “Certified Lover Boy.” “The beat definitely plays a factor but also the lyrics,” says Cardo of what makes the song a hit. “Coming from Drake and Baby, it made the beat stand out way more.”

CEO, Rebel
Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”; The Kid Laroi’s “Stay” with Justin Bieber

Superstar manager Leber admits his involvement with the Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber’s massive single “Stay” was “an opportunity that fell into my lap,” when Laroi left Scooter Braun to have Leber rep him. “When I came on, it was already a rocket. I just tried to elevate it as much as I could.” Leber’s stewardship of another of 2021’s biggest hits, “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” proved more involved — both personally and professionally. When Leber left management collective Maverick to strike out on his own in April, one client that followed him was Lil Nas X. The artist’s namesake track was launched with a cutting-edge, provocative marketing campaign — including a $500,000 Bitcoin giveaway promotion and the now-infamous “Satan Shoes” tie-in (a collaboration with creative collective MSCHF). “It was a perfect storm,” Leber says. “The entire world was focused on Nas. I knew it when I got a call from Nike on a Sunday after the drop saying, ‘Hey, we’re suing you guys.’”

Jon Lewis
Exec VP, Top 40 Promotion, Atlantic Records

Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”; Cardi B’s “Up”

Rhythm radio paved the way for Silk Sonic’s debut and a Cardi B follow-up on the Top 40 format. “The huge success of ‘WAP’ at Top 40 left programmers wide open for the next Cardi single,” says McMann of “Up.” “One of the turning points was her hilarious explanation to Jimmy Fallon of the true meaning of ‘up and stuck.’ It went nowhere but up after that.” Hiromoto points to the viral #UPCHALLENGE dance contest on TikTok and Instagram for the spike. As for Silk Sonic, McMann credits both Pop and Rhythm programmers for the song reaching No. 1 on two separate occasions “It didn’t sound like anything else out there.” Adds Hiromoto: “This is the kind of song you sing at the top of your lungs with the windows up so no one hears how off-key you are.”

Producer
SZA’s “Good Days”

Grammy-nominated producer Loshendrix was suffering from a bout of COVID-19 when SZA unleashed “Good Days” on Christmas Day 2020. Instead of celebrating in L.A. with co-producers Carter Lang and Nascent, he drove around with the song on repeat for hours. As “Good Days” approaches triple-platinum status, it’s finally completed a nearly three-year journey. “It sat for a long time,” Loshendrix says. “I wrote the chords on guitar and bass in a session for somebody else, but that artist didn’t want to use it.” Loshendrix felt it was meant for SZA, and Nascent was ultimately able to get the song to her. “I knew once somebody looped a snippet of the song for an hour on YouTube, it was going to go nuts as soon as it dropped” — and it did.

A&R Lead, Victor Victor
Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love” and “For the Night”

Its earworm of a chorus, nostalgic flair and hypnotic melody made Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love” a TikTok favorite, allowing the song even greater success beyond its radio and streaming numbers. In fact, Lust attributes much of the track’s momentum to the app. “In the early stages of TikTok, I think ‘What You Know Bout Love’ was one of the prototypical formulaic songs [beat and lyrics-wise] that took off organically on the platform,” he explains. Its success also opened the door to a follow-up, “For the Night” featuring Lil Baby.

Founder, ODA Management
Polo G’s “Rapstar”

“I randomly asked Siri what the No. 1 song in the world was — and she said ‘Rapstar’,” Mac, Polo G’s “momager,” recalls. “I was so proud of my son at that moment.” Indeed, getting “Rapstar” to top charts globally in 2021 proved a family affair from the jump. “We talked internally,” Mac notes. “Together, we decided Polo’s album-launch strategy should lead with the ‘Rapstar’ single rollout. … We know the fans and what they wanted to hear.” In her management role, Mac found herself going 24/7 once the track’s ingenious slow-trickle campaign of leaks and snippets kicked off a social-media sensation. “Inclusive engagement across platforms had to be properly rolled out,” says Mac, who aspires to moguldom herself. “You could immediately see the impact — and it kept skyrocketing.”

Exec VP/Head of Marketing, Def Jam
Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

As an independent marketing consultant acting as liaison between Def Jam and SB Projects, Michelle helped launch Justin Bieber’s biggest banger in ages. Key components of the campaign ranged from the singer’s acoustic NPR Tiny Desk performance two days ahead of the single’s release to a made-for-Instagram re-creation of the music video on a 5-ton flatbed “peaches truck” that fans could step onto. “At the end of winter and months of everyone being locked down, the vibe and feel-good nature of ‘Peaches’ couldn’t have been better timed” to coincide with the hope of a return to normalcy, she says. The campaign went well for Michelle, too: she was asked to join Def Jam as a full-time marketing exec.

Matt Morris
Senior VP of A&R, Interscope Geffen A&M

Sam Riback
Exec VP and co-head of A&R, Interscope Geffen A&M

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

Morris and colleague Emerson Redd stumbled upon Rodrigo in 2019, when they heard her “High School Musical” single “All I Want.” “I was so moved by her songwriting talent and taken aback by her vision and taste,” Morris says. And when “Drivers License” was released, a speechless FaceTime with Rodrigo said it all: “We just stared at each other. The next day, it was the biggest song in the world.” Adds Riback: “I’m not sure I have been a part of a record that was so quick to enter the public consciousness.” From an A&R standpoint, Riback ensured — along with Morris and producer and co-writer Dan Nigro — that the song didn’t get “overthought” and stayed true to the day one demo. The execs scored again with singles “Deja Vu” and “Good 4 U” from her debut album, “Sour,” and are looking forward to “the next chapter in what will be an iconic career in music,” says Riback.

Producer
Ariana Grande’s “34+35”

Frequent Ariana Grande collaborator Mr. Franks vividly remembers the genesis of “34+35.” Once Peter Lee Johnson played a glittery violin riff, musical sparks started flying. “We could feel it as soon as it happened; we just didn’t know what it was going to turn into,” he says. Franks, who helped oversee the production of the song alongside Tommy Brown, says his reaction to the finished product was simply “goosebumps.” He adds: “I don’t know what changes from hearing it in the studio to hearing it on TV or radio, but it hits you in a way that’s surreal.”

Co-presidents, Elektra Music Group
Masked Wolf’s “Astronaut in the Ocean”

“The hook is absolutely undeniable and that alone could have made it a hit, but the lyrics really made an impression on fans,” says Nadel of “Astronaut,” a No. 1 hit in 14 countries as well as Elektra’s first chart-topper at rhythm radio, despite early hesitation from programmers. Easterlin says he’s especially proud of how much Masked Wolf ’s Harry Michael has matured since he signed to Elektra in November 2020, when “Astronaut” was just a fledgling viral hit. “He’s gained a lot of confidence since those early meetings where he was pretty shy, and we’re so proud of the amazing new music that he’s writing,” he says. “It’s a big challenge for a new artist when their first hit is so big, but he’s really stepping up.”

Tommy Nappi
Senior VP, Promotion, Elektra Music Group

Melanie Scull
VP, Promotion, Elektra Music Group

Masked Wolf’s “Astronaut in the Ocean”

“Astronaut in the Ocean” took off early after Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes used it in an Instagram post after a team victory. “This was leading into the Super Bowl and he was on everyone’s radar at the time,” Scull says. “We had Shazam pretty quickly as well, which is an indication of people searching for and liking the track.” Then in February, Masked Wolf was presented at the virtual iHeartRadio summit, and programmers responded extremely positively to the track. “The blend of Hip-Hop, Pop and Alternative helped gain traction with a variety of audiences,” Nappi says. Indeed, it reached so far that every reporting Top 40 radio station had “Astronaut in the Ocean” in rotation in 2021. Says Nappi: “Rarely do you ever get them all to play a track. In my career, I’ve worked several No. 1 tracks where we weren’t able to accomplish that.” Scull credits the song’s hook — “What you know about rolling down in the deep” — for grabbing listeners who might not necessarily have heard of Wolf, or even know the song’s title. “It became a hugely used song for TikTok videos, where everyone had their own idea of what they knew about ‘rolling in the deep,’” she adds.

Producer
SZA’s “Good Days”

Released in December 2020, the emotive track started off as a simple guitar loop crafted by co-producer Loshendrix. Once in Nascent’s hands, he says he was able to “find the pocket of nostalgia” without making it sound old, his signature touch. “Good Days” peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified two-times platinum by the RIAA. Its omnipresence was nearly overwhelming for the artist. “I almost got tired of hearing the song every time I hopped on Instagram,” says the Chicago-based producer with a laugh. “But I was just so grateful.”

Manager, Electric Feel
24kGoldn feat. Iann Dior’s “Mood”

It’s not every day that two artists you manage come together for an all-conquering No. 1 hit. “A lot of moving pieces aligned beautifully,” says Ndlovu of “Mood,” by Electric Feel clients 24kGoldn and Iann Dior, citing “the initial support from both fan bases, DSPs, radio, playlisting, live performances and the TikTok campaign.” Each chart milestone broke new ground for the collaborators. “My proudest moment is ongoing,” Ndlovu says. “It’s watching Iann, Goldn and all of the producers on the record grow as adults. It’s amazing to see how well they’ve handled the success.”

Producer, Songwriter
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

“The first weekend that ‘Drivers License’ came out was one of the craziest moments of my life,” says Olivia Rodrigo’s primary collaborator. Nigro remembers a family friend “running through her neighborhood and sending us a video of two different houses blasting it at full volume on her block.” Despite the communal embrace, it was solitude some related to. “Being so insular while making the song helped put us in a headspace everyone else was in,” he says. “When people heard it for the first time, they were most likely alone in their house, like we were while making it.” Proudest moment? “When the New York Times did a podcast solely about the bridge of the song.”

Senior Director, Marketing, Atlantic Records
Pooh Shiesty’s “Back in Blood” featuring Lil Durk

Pagano vividly remembers the expression on Shiesty’s face when she told him “Back in Blood” had been certified gold by the RIAA — he couldn’t believe it (it’s since climbed to three-times platinum). The gritty street anthem required a few lyrical tweaks to make it to radio, but with guidance and expertise from Atlantic and Gucci Mane’s 1017 Records, which signed the rapper, the Memphis native had a bona fide hit. “Once it was No. 1 trending, we knew we had a live one.” (Shiesty is in jail in connection with a 2020 shooting in Florida.)

Senior VP, Operations, Victor Victor
Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love”

After the late Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love” became a certified hit, it was up to Pandya to galvanize the track. Pandya knew TikTok would be a crucial place for the song to gain traffic, so he targeted it. “It’s incredibly important as it’s where cultural attention is at the moment, and that’s always where music is most relevant,” he explains. Thanks to Pandya’s recognizing social media as “the new communal space where people gather,” Pop’s song reached meteoric new heights via the different platforms the executive utilized beyond traditional means.

President, North America, Warner Chappell Music
Pop Smoke’s “What You Know Bout Love”

The recently promoted publishing executive, who met Pop Smoke prior to his untimely 2020 death, remains a trusted adviser to the artist’s family and has spent the past 18 months working alongside Victor Victor and manager Rico Beats to preserve the musician’s legacy. “Pop had done an interview with [radio personality] Angie Martinez, talking about how excited he was to release a love song,” the L.A.-based, Philadelphia-bred Press says. “So for the world to finally get to hear ‘What You Know Bout Love’ has been my proudest moment in the life of the song” — the artist’s second Top 10 in the U.S.

Producer
Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”

English producer Price’s work with Dua Lipa extended to several tracks on her album “Future Nostalgia,” including a co-production credit on “Levitating.” “The songwriters just hit upon a moment in the studio and what happened was automatic,” he says. Price is primarily known for producing big names like Madonna, but he’s open to work with fresh faces, too. “I’ve been fortunate to work with many amazing people this year, from young writers like Jackson Guthy to Blu DeTiger,” he says. “We all have to be open to change … the most liberating part of streaming is the depth and variety in what can become a hit.”

President, Promotion, Interscope Geffen A&M
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

Arguably the breakout success story of the year, it took a scant seven weeks for Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” to reach No. 1 in Pop airplay. The song also set streaming records, thanks to an incredible effort by Romano and her team. “Olivia’s songs are so honest, and her lyrics relate to people across generations,” she says. “Timing was the most important part of our strategy in order to meet audience demand and maximize airplay on each single release.” Romano achieved all this despite a raging pandemic. “We were able to do a lot virtually, but obviously there were limitations,” she says.

Senior VP, Promotion, Republic Records
Ariana Grande’s “34+35”

The decision to release “34+35” just one week after her track “Positions” was aggressive. But given Ariana Grande’s ferocious fanbase, it was the smart move. “It had never really been attempted and executed successfully prior to that and ultimately it landed us nine of 10 weeks at No. 1, an absolutely incredible feat for our team,” says Romeo. “This was a rare scenario where having singles with simultaneous success allowed each record to feed off the other.” Romeo also credits the tempo and hook on “34+35” for the song’s resonance. “What’s made Ariana so lethal over the past few years is her ability to give her fans what they love about her while constantly taking it to the next level.”

Head of Promotion, RCA Records
Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA

The past year was a big one for Rothschild, who was named co-head of promotion at RCA Records alongside Sam Selolwane. One of the first projects in his new role was leading fans on a mission to Doja Cat’s “Planet Her.” “To be a part of the album’s launch was just an incredible win for me and my team,” says Rothschild. “‘Kiss Me More’ hitting No. 1 on Rhythmic and Top 40 was a really proud moment for me to jump into this role and help lead the charge on this record.”

Producer, Publisher
Luke Combs’ “Forever After All”

Singleton, who’d been Luke Combs’ publisher for six years, took over the country star’s co-production (with Chip Matthews) beginning with this single — which involved “a healthy dose of fear. He was at 10 straight No. 1s at that time, and we were like, ‘Let’s not be the ones who mess this streak up.’” They didn’t. “Forever” became a crossover smash, debuting at No. 2 on the Hot 100 on top of its country dominance. They worked overtime to simplify the arrangement: “Making it more like the live show is what we were trying to do.” The love song came at a point when fans wanted a window into Combs’ new marriage. “It’s great to have a beer-drinking song, and I’ve written a bunch of those with Luke, but at some point you gotta say a real thing.”

The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears”

As the founder and leader of an entertainment empire that oversees the careers of The Weeknd, Doja Cat, Brandy, Swedish House Mafia, Ty Dolla $ign, Bebe Rexha, Bryson Tiller, French Montana and many more, not to mention producers like Metro Boomin, London on Da Track, Slaiby and SalXCo have quickly become one of the top management companies in the game. 2021 has been a banner year for most of its artists, but none more than the Weeknd, whose record-smashing “Blinding Lights” single “took us all the way to the iconic Super Bowl Halftime stage,” Slaiby says. Yet he’s sure to put the credit for the company’s success where it is due: “To everyone who pushes ‘play,’” he says. “They are the heartbeat of it all.” 

Producer, Songwriter
24kGoldn’s “Mood” featuring Iann Dior; The Kid Laroi’s “Stay” with Justin Bieber

The Slatkin family home is L.A.’s most unlikely hit factory. Two songs created there, at least partially, topped the Hot 100 in 2021. The most recent, “Stay,” emerged from a hang with pals Charlie Puth and Omer Fedi. The Kid Laroi dropped by and heard Puth noodling away on a keyboard. Transfixed, the Aussie hitmaker just started singing. “It’s a moment that you couldn’t re-create in 10 million years,” says Slatkin. “Being in that room and hearing a song like that off the cuff was unbelievable.” Slatkin’s casual approach makes success all the sweeter. “I’ve been in a car and heard one station playing ‘Stay’ and then changed the channel to hear ‘Mood,’” he says of the 24kGoldn and Iann Dior smash. “I still can’t believe something made where I live with my mom and my brother is even on the radio.”

Founder, Camp Far West
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

In a year that saw Olivia Rodrigo become a household name, manager Smith played a key role in ensuring the now 18-year-old’s success at every step. “It felt amazing to have the world see in Olivia what I did when I met her years ago,” says Smith, who saw the cumulative efforts of her team’s hard work result in the year’s second-longest reigning No. 1 album, and a sketch on “Saturday Night Live.” “To have a comedy sketch on an iconic show be about the songwriting [of “Drivers License”], was such an incredible moment.”

Exec VP, Republic Records
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears”

“Blinding Lights” impacted Top 40 in January 2020, before moving on to the Hot Adult Contemporary and Adult Contemporary charts, breaking the record for most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Radio Song Chart, while “Save Your Tears” also gained momentum from the superstar’s memorable performance at the Super Bowl. “Abel [Tesfaye, aka the Weeknd] is the king of music soliciting an emotional response — listeners can feel his music,” says Spangler. “People who wanted positive energy during the pandemic found that both songs perfectly encapsulated those emotions.” As streaming has gained on radio, Spangler still sees a tool for discovery, though he admits, “The challenge is to find a connection and build relationships with the teen audience.”

Senior VP, Marketing, Atlantic Records
Cardi B’s “Up”

Having overseen everything Cardi B since the rapper signed to Atlantic Records in 2017, St. Hubert credits infectious hooks and cheeky one-liners for making “Up” her fifth Hot 100 No. 1. “Every few bars is something that you could use as an Instagram caption,” says St. Hubert. “‘Up and stuck’ is something that culturally, we say on a regular basis. ‘Up’ puts the sentiment of what ‘up and stuck’ means into an actual song. People will say, ‘We’re going up tonight,’ and someone will say ‘And it’s gonna be stuck.’ ‘Up and stuck’ is like the exclamation point to whatever you’re trying to say.”

Senior Director, Digital Marketing, Interscope Records
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu”

Stubbs served as chief architect of Olivia Rodrigo’s digital marketing campaign. Working closely with the artist and her team, Stubbs was instrumental in devising a TikTok campaign that utilized the bridge from “Driver’s License”— a move that garnered 23 million views for the teaser and 62 million for the Out Now Post. “There was a solid month where TikTok’s For You page was purely Olivia Rodrigo,” says Stubbs. But in an era in which tech and stats, and a global pandemic, can sometimes subvert the tangible connection between artist and fan, she and Rodrigo managed to imbue the digital space with personal touches. “[Olivia] hand wrote every email blast we sent. She mailed fans lockets, ice cream and flowers just to say ‘thanks.’”

Producer, Songwriter
Cardi B’s “Up”

“I felt like Cardi could really shine over an upbeat record that’s both bright and friendly but still ‘hard,’” says DJ SwanQo, aka James Steed, who co-wrote and co-produced one of this past spring’s biggest radio and streaming hits, “Up.” “To put it simply, I feel everyone grabbed what they wanted from this record.” He too was able to take in the thrill of its rollout, marveling over the singer’s performance at the Grammy Awards. Adds SwanQo: “It’s an honor to say I was part of such a historic moment in music … and in the culture.”

Producer
Polo G’s “Rapstar”

When Bay Area-producer Synco saw Polo G’s “Rapstar” catapult to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, he burst into his father’s home office with the good news. “I’ll be honest, I probably shed a tear or two,” says Synco. After a chance encounter with platinum producer Einer Bankz on the Clubhouse app, Synco was asked to help bring Polo G’s ominous musings on fame to life. Now certified triple platinum, “Rapstar” blew up thanks in part to Synco’s addition of the 808s, high hats, delicate piano notes and synths over the sparse ukulele strings Bankz had already provided, a formula that clearly worked.

Producers, Songwriters
Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”

Embracing the unknown was the central tenet of “Montero,” both for Lil Nas X and the song’s producers. “The whole process was inspired by a desire for freedom,” says Denzel Baptiste, one half of the duo Take a Daytrip. That flowed into the visual and promotion. “It was the first time Nas spoke his truth publicly and loudly,” the duo’s other half, David Biral, adds. The two were similarly fearless with production. For drums, Take a Daytrip recorded handclaps and foot stomps. “They were layered on top of an industrial-sounding 808 bass that we distorted and bit-crushed,” Baptiste explains. “Sometimes putting familiar elements in an unfamiliar context is the best way to grab a listener.”

Creative Director; Co-founder, XO Records
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears”

From the multi-part “After Hours” storyline to the artist’s stadium-sized Super Bowl halftime performance, the Weeknd and Taylor, who’ve known each other since high school, collaborated on all concepts, videos and television appearances. “The proudest moment for me, and everyone who worked on the records was seeing the viral impact ‘Blinding Lights’ had on our front-line workers during the peak of the pandemic,” Taylor says. “Seeing hospital nurses and doctors in their medical gear doing the dance was inspiring.”

Producer, Songwriter
Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

Reigning Grammy producer of the year Watt has collaborated with Bieber for a decade, which means being ready to record anytime the star pops by. That’s why tape was already rolling last year when Bieber sat down at the piano and “started playing these amazing chords,” Watt recalls. Within minutes, Bieber recorded the drumbeat, sang the hook melody and opening lyric and instructed Watt what to play on guitar. “That’s ‘Peaches,’ right there,” Watt says of the track, which quickly became a worldwide smash. “It just flew out of him. With everything we’ve gone through, doesn’t it feel good to just dance and not know what the fuck you’re singing about?”

Co-Founder and CEO, Records
24kGldn’s “Mood” featuring Iann Dior

Weiss, the CEO of Records (the joint-venture imprint with Sony Music that Weiss founded after successful chairman stints at RCA and Universal Music), was discussing what 24kGoldn’s next single should be with A&R exec D.A. Doman while texting with producer Omer Fedi. “I wrote, ‘What’s that song you and 24kGldn were teasing on Instagram?’,” Weiss recalls. “Omer replied, ‘That one’s for later.’ I was like, ‘There is no ‘later.’ The record was fantastic — with totally relatable lyrics and a classic hook. But nobody can predict 3 billion streams.”

Songwriter
Luke Combs’ “Forever After All”

It’s rare that a member of an artist’s touring band is also a co-writer on that artist’s hits — even in country music, where it used to be more common. Williford is unusual in that respect — so, almost uniquely among this year’s hit writers, he gets to reap the rewards of audience feedback nightly. “To me, selfishly, there’s no more gratifying reward: hearing 50,000 people sing along with something you wrote,” he says. “That’s a super-full-circle thing to get to witness.” Combs had just gotten engaged when he co-wrote the song with Drew Parker and guitarist Williford, who says, “I’m a pretty cynical guy, but I do love love songs. And there was real-world inspiration looking in on Luke’s relationship with Nicole [Hocking], which I very much admire. … Because we’ve lived a lot of life together, we’re able to quickly bypass all the bullshit and get to a place of vulnerability.” What’s the main appeal, real-life-reflecting lyrics aside? “That chorus is uniquely Luke. When he sings that big, belting melody at the top of the chorus, that’s the thing that gets people’s ears.”

Producer, Songwriter
Drake’s “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby

Veteran producer and songwriter Wright almost deleted the sample he used for Drake and Lil Baby’s “Wants and Needs.” But trusting his gut, he sent it anyway. “It’s definitely a learning experience for me — to send out everything I make and not to second-guess myself,” he says. Since he and Drake have a history of dynamic collaborations — “Landed” and “Love All,” to name a couple — Wright knew that he wanted this song to sound different than the rest, so he substituted “pretty” chords with ones he deemed more “aggressive.”

Producer, Songwriter
Ariana Grande’s “34+35”

Do the math — that was the message songwriter and producer Xavi conveyed when he coined the cheeky title and hook for Ariana Grande’s “34+35.” “I don’t even know where it came from,” he says with a laugh. “I was joking — and then it stuck.” The upbeat track captivated listeners with its bouncy beat and string-infused instrumentation, but Xavi says its real power is undeniably in its lyricism, which is chock-full of sexual innuendo. “If anything, it’s going to catch someone’s attention,” says Xavi, who got his start in the industry in 2017. “I live for shock value.”

Producer
Pooh Shiesty’s “Back in Blood” featuring Lil Durk

Pooh Shiesty’s track “Back in Blood” quickly became a street anthem this year, and that’s largely thanks to the hypnotic beat produced by Christopher Pearson, professionally known as YC. The Tennessee native has had a busy 2021, working on hits like Moneybagg Yo’s “Wockesha” and “Said Sum,” and he connected with Shiesty while working on Yo’s last album. “I really just vibed and kicked it with him; I wasn’t expecting to work, but I was prepared,” he explains. The key to the triple platinum song’s success is a combination of YC’s “simple but catchy” piano pattern, Lil Durk’s viral verse and Shiesty’s bars.

Producer, Songwriter
Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA

Yeti Beats has been in the executive producer seat for his discovery, Doja Cat, from the start, including for this year’s chart-topping album “Planet Her.” As the main producer and songwriter for “Kiss Me More,” Yeti credits Nile Rodgers for inspiration and receiving SZA’s vocals as a key moment in the development of the song. “Doja is the best hook writer I know,” he says. “Her music is fun, witty, original and authentic. The subject, wanting kisses, is simple and relatable. At a time of little social interaction, this song provided a fun, light-hearted escape.”

Producer
Cardi B’s “Up”

One of hip-hop’s ascendant behind-the-scenes players comes from a new frontier for rap music producers: Serbia. Yung Dza burst onto the global stage earlier this year via his co-write of Cardi B’s “Up,” which topped the charts in the spring. “I grew up listening to Three 6 Mafia and Cash Money records, so the beat for ‘Up’ is definitely inspired by DJ Paul, Juicy J and Mannie Fresh production,” the Belgrade-based beatmaker says. Dza, who is now represented by Hallwood Media, attributes the song’s success to “switch-ups, a catchy hook and Cardi B’s voice.”