By Jaelani Turner-Williams, Vrinda Jagota, Colin Joyce, Kemet High, and Michelle Hyun Kim of Third Bridge Creative

In this edition of our Trending Track Report, we’re exploring an R&B duet from two actresses-turned-singers, the Milwaukee rapper transforming an oldie-but-goodie, viral emo trap, a '90s mashup featuring Ice Spice, and an engineering student who went viral from a hobby. 

Reneé Rapp & Coco Jones: "Tummy Hurts (Remix)"

Chartmetric Artist Rank: 1,722
Genre: Pop
Country: U.S.

Reneé Rapp and Coco Jones, both talented singers and actresses, are a match made in pop heaven on “Tummy Hurts (Remix),” a track that took the 31st spot on Rolling Stone’s list of 2023’s top 100 songs. In “Tummy Hurts,” the women cathartically go back and forth, both spurned by ex-lovers in the aftermath of a toxic relationship. Garnering over a million Spotify streams in under a week, “Tummy Hurts (Remix)” has given Jones crossover appeal — despite her five Grammy nominations proving that she is a top contender of contemporary R&B. Releasing the deluxe version of her debut album Snow Angel, which included “Tummy Hurts (Remix),” on November 17, Rapp seems well aware of Jones’ Midas touch, the track marking the only feature included on the project. As Jones’ Chartmetric rank has jumped 1k positions in the past month, Rapp’s also seen growth in listenership by 13.9%, now having 3.93 million Spotify monthly listeners (no doubt boosted by the recent trailer for the movie adaptation of the Mean Girls musical, where Rapp plays Regina George).

Myaap: "Getting To It"

Chartmetric Artist Rank: 49,775
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Country: U.S.

Myaap is part of a rising rap scene in Milwaukee. She has collaborated with other artists from the city, including regional icons Certified Trapper and AyooLii, and has previously gone viral on TikTok for tracks “Party Crackin” and “Hts.” On November 3rd, she released a new song, “Getting To It,” that pairs a cascading ABBA sample with a pounding beat and her nonchalant but energetic flow. The exuberant track is blowing up on TikTok as part of a dance trend and is contributing to Myaap’s already rising profile. This month, her Spotify Monthly Listeners have increased by 115.9% and her Spotify followers are up 51.4%.

Cleffy: "Meet you at the Graveyard"

Chartmetric Artist Rank: 6,327
Genre: Alternative
Country: U.S.

With its haunting emo guitar, soulful lo-fi vocals, trap production, and evocative lyrics of death, “Meet you at the Graveyard,” the viral breakout single from Cleffy, marks the arrival of a new alternative star. Since first sharing a tribute poem grieving Juice WRLD in 2021, the independent artist has amassed 151K followers on TikTok for his musical sketches that showcase his struggles with depression and suicidal ideation. Ahead of his October 6 debut album, Clean Sheets, Dirty Walls, he garnered over 1.8 million views for one of the preview clips of “Meet You at the Graveyard,” which has since been used in 84k videos on TikTok. Since its official release, it racked up 15.4 million Spotify streams, 2.5+ million YouTube views, and gained placements on playlists like “Lorem” and “tear drop” — all indications of a fresh presence in emo-rap. 

JRitt, Ice Spice, and Puff Daddy: "Benjamins Deli"

Chartmetric Artist Rank: 62,545
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Country: U.S.

Ice Spice’s smash “Deli” released in July, currently has over 105 million Spotify streams. In light of the song’s success, instrumentalist and record producer JRitt merged the record with Puff Daddy’s “All About The Benjamins” for an unofficial remix that has been inescapable online. The original upload has been viewed over 12.9 million times on TikTok since September. There have also been over 1.1 million posts made using JRitt’s mashup, due to a fun viral trend where users alternate between dancing casually to wilding out like they are in a club as the beat bounces back and forth. “Benjamins Deli” is now a worldwide sound that has reached areas like Belarus, France, and Ukraine. It’s the definition of a short-form sensation that caters to fast-scrolling platforms like TikTok — evidenced by its mere 336.7k spins on Spotify. 

VaporGod: "Diamondz n Roses"

Chartmetric Artist Rank: 691
Genre: Sigilkore
Country: U.S.

VaporGod is an internet-born sigilkore beatmaker who describes himself merely as a “hobbyist,” passing the time while he figures out if his chosen career path as an engineer works out. In the meantime, he’s got a hit on his hands with the moody, ominous “Diamondz n Roses,” which has taken off on shortform video amid a dance trend and its association with “looksmaxxing” content, a trend recently profiled by the New York Times wherein men share tips to look more attractive. The track has been used in over 416.4k videos on TikTok and has landed on popular Spotify playlists like Trap Nation and t’as la ref ?. Not bad for a computer engineering student.

Graphics by Nicki Camberg and cover image by Crasianne Tirado; data as of Dec. 4, 2023.

Portions of this are included in Sound Signal, a bi-weekly newsletter from Third Bridge Creative. Sign up here.