UPDATE: NEW RELEASES (AND ANOTHER BUNNY BENCHMARK)

The #1 spot on Friday's HITS Top 50 will likely once again belong to Bad Bunny—and his Un Verano Sin Ti (Rimas) may once again finish the week over 100k. After opening in May with 274k, the album, now in its 11th week, has yet to fall below the six-digit threshold. Another 100k will put the project at 1.6m YTD, eclipsing the Encanto soundtrack to become the biggest album of 2022 thus far.

Here's how the week's new releases—including new sets from BTS member j-hope and genre-blurring breakout Steve Lacy, who now sits at #1 on Spotify U.S. (and Top 5 at Apple Music) and is already generating Grammy buzz—are shaping up.

Lizzo (Nice Life/Atlantic): 65-75k
Steve Lacy (L-M/RCA): 29-33k
j-hope (Big Hit/Geffen): 21-25k
Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo & CMG the Label (CMG/N-Less/Interscope): 21-24k

In political news, jury selection is underway for Steve Bannon's contempt-of-Congress trial. Due to the proximity of the defendant, potential jurors are asking about the availability of "whole body" hand sanitizer.

PRE-GRAMMY GALA GOES GAGA FOR GERSON
Jody will be the center of attention at Clive's shindig. (12/18a)
ON THE COVER:
BILLIE EILISH
A star upon the highest bough (12/19a)
NOISEMAKERS:
A HOLIDAY TREAT
Something for their stockings (12/18a)
SUPREME COURT SETS 1/10 HEARING ON TIKTOK BAN
How will SCOTUS rule? (12/19a)
THE HIP-HOP CONUNDRUM
Grammy being Grammy (12/19a)
NOW WHAT?
We have no fucking idea.
COUNTRY'S NEWEST DISRUPTOR
Three chords and some truth you may not be ready for.
AI IS ALREADY EATING YOUR LUNCH
The kids can tell the difference... for now.
WHO'S BUYING THE DRINKS?
That's what we'd like to know.
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