Music Musings: Sia ‘Thrills’ To 1st US Number One

As if this week wasn’t amazing enough for women in America, there’s something of a revolution that occurred this week on the nation’s pop charts.  Singer-songwriter phenom Sia has scored her first Number 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100, and she made some important history while doing it.  Here’s more from the source, Gary Trust of Billboard

Sia‘s “Cheap Thrills,” featuring Sean Paul, crowns the Billboard Hot 100 (dated Aug. 6), rising 3-1 to become Sia’s first Hot 100 No. 1 as an artist, while Paul earns his fourth topper and first in more than 10 years. The song unseats Drake‘s “One Dance,” featuring WizKid and Kyla, which led the Hot 100 for 10 weeks, marking both the longest-leading No. 1 of 2016 and of Drake’s career.

[…]

from reader Eric M.:

“Great news regarding Sia: if ‘Cheap Thrills’ goes to No. 1 on Hot 100, she’ll be the first female over 40 to reach the top since Madonna and Cher back in 2000 and 1999. Madonna was 42 when ‘Music’ led for four weeks in 2000, and Cher was 52 when ‘Believe’ reigned for four in 1999.”

As Sia was born Dec. 18, 1975, she’s just past 40 years and seven months of age.

In an industry marked by near-constant turnover due to ageism, this feat is definitely worth celebrating from the Australian-born pop star.  Interestingly enough, the song was originally written for pop’s reigning Super Star Rihanna, but like most of the work on Sia’s album This Is Acting, Cheap Thrills didn’t make the final cut for Rihanna’s 2016 effort.

So much congratulations to the ever incredible Sia. Get your Thrill from the video below.