The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard 200 dated July 12, we look at a loaded week of new and surging releases,

In this week's Trending Up, we look at the animated musical looking to launch multiple songs into major charts contention, as well as exploding streams for the weekend's most controversial act.

The popularity of the Netflix animated film Kpop Demon Hunters is igniting a cultural phenomenon in South Korea and around the world. As of Jul. 2, the film ranked No. 1 globally in Netflix’s film category.