The Weeknd, Ye, Omarion, Mariah Carey & More of the Week’s Biggest Winners (Jan. 7)

Cher said she’s never going gray, but The Weeknd did this week on the cover of his new album Dawn FM, which he released on Friday (Jan. 7).

While the Canadian crooner boogies his way out of a pandemic-induced depression and captures the sweat-drenched dancefloor rhythms of yesteryear on his latest project, COVID-19 is still getting in the way of other major music events, like the 2022 Grammy Awards that have been postponed, and artists whose names sound too similar to the newest variants (*cough cough* Omarion *cough cough*).

And Ye turns a new leaf with the latest lady on his arms — actress and model Julia Fox — and newly scheduled festival appearance: Coachella 2022.

Take a look at Billboard’s weekly roundup and the “awards” we’re giving to this week’s headlines.

Funniest Music News: Omarion clarifies he’s “not a variant”

Omarion has gone viral after his season’s greetings on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve last Friday set the record straight. “I am an artist, not a variant,” he said. “So please be aware if you just so happen to run into me on the street, you don’t have to isolate for five days nor do you have to have a negative test result in order to dance to my music.” Watch his statements here.

Wildest Music News: CD sales are up for the first time in 17 years

Adele, BTS and Taylor Swift are just some of the biggest international pop acts as well as the biggest reasons for the resurgence of CD sales for the first time in 17 years, according to MRC Data’s 2021 U.S. Year-End Report. CD sales are up 1.1% to 40.59 million albums sold in 2021, compared to the 40.16 million sold in 2020, which marked the first yearly gain in CD sales since 2004. Read the whole report here.

Biggest Music News: The Weeknd unveils Dawn FM album

The Weeknd released his fifth studio album Dawn FM on Friday (Jan. 7) with all of its haunting ’80s post-disco brilliance. He recruits collaborators such as Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne and Quincy Jones on the 16-track project, which was executive produced by Max Martin and Oneohtrix Point Never and formatted like a radio station (103.5 Dawn FM) hosted by none other than Jim Carrey. Stream the album here, and read our critic’s picks here.

Most Record-Breaking Music News: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” spends most weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100 for any holiday song

The Queen of Christmas holds more power to her title after her 1995 yuletide classic notched another week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (chart dated Jan. 8). It’s the song’s eighth total week on top of the all-genre tally, crowning “All I Want For Christmas Is You” as the holiday song with the most weeks at No. 1. It also marks the longest span from a song’s first week atop the Hot 100 to its latest — two years and 18 days. See which other holiday carols have stayed on the Hot 100 this week here.

Most Surprising Music News: 2022 Grammy Awards postponed due to Omicron

The 64th annual Grammy Awards have officially been postponed due to the rapid spread of the Omicron (not Omarion) variant, the Recording Academy announced on Wednesday (Jan. 5). The ceremony was originally scheduled to air live from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Monday, Jan. 31, but is being moved to a later date to be announced. Despite the telecast for Music’s Biggest Night being pushed back, final-round voting closed as scheduled on Wednesday. Learn more here and here.

Most Live Music News: Ye headlining Coachella 2022, Billie Eilish potentially joining top of the bill

Unlike the Grammys, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival seems to be moving full speed ahead with its two-weekend affair in April after sources told Billboard on Wednesday (Jan. 5) that Ye (formerly Kanye West) will be headlining Sunday. The rapper might stage another Sunday Service performance, similar to what he did Easter 2019. Eilish is in talks to headline on Friday, while Billboard has learned that Coachella organizer Goldenvoice is considering moving Swedish House Mafia out of the third slot at the top of the festival bill. Learn more here.

Most Fashionable Music News: Ye and Julia Fox reveal photoshoot from their extravagant second date

Ye naturally finds himself in multiple headlines this week, but the most perplexing one was “Date Night” written by Julia Fox for Interview on Thursday (Jan. 6), in which the Uncut Gems star detailed their lavish second date captured all on camera. “It was every girl’s dream come true. It felt like a real Cinderella moment,” she wrote. “I don’t know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I’m loving the ride.” Read more about their date here.