advertisement
Chart Beat

Shawn Mendes and His 'Heart of Gold' Debut on Billboard Canadian Hot 100

Mendes' new album, Shawn, is due out Friday, and the latest single has struck a chord with fans following his dedication of a live performance to Liam Payne. The Weeknd also lands a new debut this week with "São Paulo."

Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes
Anthony Wilson

Shawn Mendes has debuted a bittersweet new single on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100.

"Heart of Gold" lands on the chart dated November 16 at No. 91, the final advance single from Mendes' upcoming album Shawn due out this Friday, Nov. 15. The song is a heartfelt tribute to a late friend who died of a drug overdose, and finds Mendes reflecting on grief and friendship over a sweet acoustic strum.


The song took on an extra layer of meaning when Mendes dedicated a recent live performance of the song to Liam Payne, following the One Direction member's death. Speaking about the song, he told the crowd: “It’s about grieving those we miss with tears, but it’s also about celebrating them… who they were and what they’ve left in this world.”

advertisement

"Liam, we love you! And the world is crying for you, brother," Mendes said.

Shawn marks Mendes' return to releasing and performing following a break to focus on his mental health. The Canadian singer is taking a folk-inspired approach on this album, also audible on previous single "Why Why Why." That track is also on the chart, and moved up the chart this week, from No. 87 to 62.

Mendes fans will get a chance to hear "Heart of Gold," "Why Why Why" and the rest of the album, as well as the inspiration behind the songs, at one-night-only screenings of Mendes' live concert film this Thursday, November 14, ahead of the album release.

Another Canadian chart-topper has a debut this week: The Weeknd's "São Paulo" featuring Anitta lands at No. 35. The track brings some Brazilian funk and four-on-the-floor to The Weeknd's synth-pop sound, giving it a heady energy. The duo performed the song together in Sao Paulo in September.

The track will be included on The Weeknd's upcoming project Hurry Up Tomorrow, alongside previously released singles "Timeless," which holds steady at No. 17 this week, and "Dancing in the Flames," which moves up to No. 33. "São Paulo" also debuted at No. 77 on the U.S. Hot 100.Hurry Up Tomorrow is also the name of The Weeknd's upcoming psychological thriller film, which will get worldwide distribution from Lionsgate.

advertisement

Canadians are generally having a good week on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Tate McRae's "It's ok I'm ok" moves up from. No. 46 to 33, Devon Cole's "I Got You" moves up from No. 73 to 59, Josh Ross' "Single Again" moves up from No. 70 to 61, and Jamie Fine's "You're Like" climbs from No. 94 to 84.

Shaboozey continues to make history at the top of the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 with "A Bar Song (Tipsy)." The Virginia singer is extending his record for longest running No. 1 in Canada every week, with this edition marking his 24th week leading the chart.

The song has been No. 1 for less time on the U.S. Hot 100 at 17 weeks, but that's good for the second-longest Hot 100 No. 1 ever. It's been a good year for Shaboozey, to say the least.

advertisement

Check out the full chart here.

advertisement
Metric
Justin Broadbent

Metric

FYI

Music Biz Headlines: Metric's Break with Bloc Party, Toronto's Dakota Tavern Remembered

Also in the news this week: Joel Plaskett is surprised with a tribute album, Green Day makes a statement at Coachella, AI copyright fears & more.

Trans artists Bells Larsen and T. Thomason are pulling out of U.S. tour dates because of border fears, and the issue is grabbing attention on both sides of the border. That story has grabbed headlines this week, as have Coachella performances, AI backlash and an HYBE crackdown on deepfakes in South Korea resulting in multiple arrests.

Read about those stories and more in our weekly roundup below:

keep readingShow less
advertisement