SIGNS OF THE TIMES: COLUMBIA ABLAZE

Rob Stringer’s debut week as Sony chief ends with a bang, as Joel Klaiman has Columbia not missing a beat. Harry Styles’ first solo single and The Chainsmokers’ first full-length are blowing up out of the gate, topping the iTunes Singles and Album charts, respectively and exploding across the spectrum.

Labelmate James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go” has climbed to #7 at iTunes, one slot below the Chainsmokers/Coldplay collab “Something Just Like This.”

This story’s just starting, but signs point to high times ahead—Big Red’s on fire.

Harry’s “Sign of the Times” has scored more than 150 commitments from radio stations, while the former 1D heartthrob’s track rules the streaming platforms and the socials go apeshit. The audio clip of the song on YouTube hit 1m views within hours of release and about 2.5m by noon PT.

Harry will perform his new music on the 4/15 episode of NBC’s Saturday Night Live (before which a second track is expected to drop) and 4/21 on the BBC’s Graham Norton Show.

Harry waited hours past the usual launch time for global release day and finally unveiled the single on BBC Radio 1 at 8am in the U.K. Devoted Directioners in America, meanwhile, were bonding on the socials over staying awake all night to be first to catch a listen.

In an interview yesterday (4/6), Styles told Radio One Breakfast Show host Nick Grimshaw that he played songs from his new album for Ed Sheeran, who "didn't say he didn't like any," and ultimately made an album of music that he wanted to listen to.

“Sign of the Times” was produced by Jeff Bhasker and co-written by Styles, with additional production by Alex Salibian and Tyler Johnson. The video, which will arrive this month, was filmed on Scotland’s Isle of Skye and was directed by French filmmaker/musician Yoann Lemoine.

Me trying to stay awake for #SignOfTheTimes pic.twitter.com/lyBejPYAOG

— one direction (@NoControlProjec) April 7, 2017