advertisement
Chart Beat

Canadian Hot 100 First-Timers: Alexander Stewart Charts With "I Wish You Cheated"

The Toronto-born musician and TikTok creator makes his Canadian Hot 100 debut on the Jan. 6 chart with a relatable lovelorn single.

Alexander Stewart

Alexander Stewart

via Facebook

Canadian singer-songwriter Alexander Stewart starts 2024 off with a bang, making his debut on the Canadian Hot 100 with the explosive "i wish you cheated," off of his new EP, if you only knew. The lovelorn single arrives on the Jan. 6 chart at No. 100 after gathering steam since Stewart's October performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Starting off with mournful piano and Stewart's voice, the song has a strong premise: Stewart wishes his ex had cheated on him so that he could have clarity, and a simple justification for feeling angry and upset. The piano cuts out at the end of the chorus as Stewart asks: "how do I move on / when you did nothing wrong?" Then, Stewart ramps up the energy with backup vocals, dropouts and a theatricality that calls to mind Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license."


advertisement

It's the kind of emotionally relatable song that resonates on TikTok, and it has. The Toronto-born musician is now based in L.A. and has built up an impressive online fanbase, with six million followers on TikTok and 2.5 million subscribers on YouTube. He released if you only knew with entertainment company FAE, and according to a press release the initial TikTok campaign for "i wish you cheated" amassed more than 43 million views. Stewart was the second-most popular artist on TikTok in Canada in 2023, behind Lauren Spencer Smith, who charted on the Billboard Hot 100 last year with "Last Christmas."

Stewart previously appeared on the Canada CHR/Top 40 radio chart with "Backwards" in 2020, which peaked at No. 31. But this is his first time on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, and he's pretty excited about it. Stewart could be poised to climb higher, if he can gather momentum as holiday music drops off the charts in the coming weeks. The top 10 of this week's Billboard Canadian Hot 100 are all holiday songs.

advertisement

Also new on the Jan. 6 chart is "Entrapreneur" by U.K. rapper Central Cee, who first hit the Billboard Hot 100 last year with his Drake collab "On The Radar Freestyle." "Entrapreneur" enters at No. 87.

Here are the other new entries on the Canadian Hot 100 this week:

  • "Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season" by Andy Williams at No. 42
  • "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" by Gwen Stefani Featuring Blake Shelton at No. 45
  • "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" by Mariah Carey at No. 46
  • "My Only Wish (This Year)" by Britney Spears at No. 49
  • "Wrap Me Up" by Jimmy Fallon and Megan Trainor at No. 92
Check out the full chart here and follow all of Billboard Canada's charts here.
advertisement
The Live Nation logo is seen at its NYC headquarters on May 23, 2024 in New York City.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

The Live Nation logo is seen at its NYC headquarters on May 23, 2024 in New York City.

Legal News

Live Nation Reaches Settlement With DOJ In Antitrust Case, But Some States Will ‘Keep Fighting’

The deal would reportedly include some major structural changes, but would not require Live Nation to divest Ticketmaster.

Live Nation has reportedly reached a settlement with the Department of Justice to resolve federal antitrust accusations without selling Ticketmaster, but several state attorneys general are planning to move ahead with the case.

The settlement, first reported Monday by Politico, would require big concessions from Live Nation including opening Ticketmaster’s platform to rivals, limiting how it uses exclusive deals with venues, and selling several amphitheaters. Live Nation would also pay $200 million to 40 states involved in the case.

keep readingShow less
advertisement