What's Next (Drake song)

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"What's Next"
Single by Drake
from the EP Scary Hours 2
ReleasedMarch 5, 2021 (2021-03-05)
GenreTrap
Length2:58
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Aubrey Graham
  • Jonathan Demario Priester
  • Maneesh Bidaye
Producer(s)
  • Maneesh
  • Supah Mario
Drake singles chronology
"Talk to Me"
(2021) 		"What's Next"
(2021) 		"Over the Top"
(2021)

"What's Next" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on March 5, 2021, as a single from Drake's fourth EP Scary Hours 2, through Republic Records and OVO Sound.[1]

With the song's debut at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100, it became Drake's eighth US number-one single in the country. Additionally, it became his fourth song to debut atop the chart.[2]

Background[]

An earlier version of the song surfaced on the internet on February 27, 2021.[3] It was noted that various lines of the song resembled those of on an unreleased track with Young Thug titled "What a Time to Be a Slime".[4] On March 3, 2021, Drake took to his social media to announce the release of his upcoming EP Scary Hours 2 on March 5, as well as the return of OVO Sound Radio the next day.[5] The song was released as track one of the EP.[6]

Composition[]

The song was described as Drake being "on his rapping shit" and "in flex mode", with a "grungy trap production" and a "triumphant-sounding instrumental". Lyrically, the rapper shows off "grandiose flexes that only he could relate to".[7][8]

Music video[]

An accompanying music video was released alongside the single and was directed by Theo Skudra. The video was shot in early March 2021 in Toronto[9] and shows Drake dancing at different sites of the city, including the top of the CN Tower, as well as the TTC Subway and Ripley's Aquarium of Canada.[8][10]

Commercial performance[]

The song debuted atop the US Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated March 20, 2021, dethroning Olivia Rodrigo's "Drivers License" which ruled for eight straight weeks.[2] The remaining tracks from the Scary Hours 2 EP, "Wants and Needs" and "Lemon Pepper Freestyle", managed to debut at number two and three, respectively, thus making him the first artist in history to have three songs debut in the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100.[2]

Personnel[]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[1]

  • Aubrey Graham – lead vocals, songwriting
  • Jonathan Demario Priester – songwriting, production
  • Maneesh Bidaye – songwriting, production, additional production
  • Noah "40" Shebib – mixing, studio personnel
  • Noel Cadastre – recording, studio personnel

Charts[]

Chart performance for "What's Next"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[11] 7
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 32
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[13] 2
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[14] 1
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[15] 72
Denmark (Tracklisten)[16] 34
France (SNEP)[17] 74
Germany (Official German Charts)[18] 36
Global 200 (Billboard)[19] 1
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[20] 25
Ireland (IRMA)[21] 7
Italy (FIMI)[22] 88
Lithuania (AGATA)[23] 12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 43
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] 12
Norway (VG-lista)[26] 27
Portugal (AFP)[27] 18
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[28] 26
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[29] 47
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 14
UK Singles (OCC)[31] 4
UK R&B (OCC)[32] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[33] 1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[34] 1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[35] 40
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[36] 1

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[37] Gold 40,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

List of release dates and formats for "What's Next"
Country Date Format Label(s) Ref.
United States March 9, 2021 Rhythmic contemporary radio
[38]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "What's Next / Drake". Tidal. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Trust, Gary (March 15, 2021). "Drake Makes Historic Hot 100 Start at Nos. 1, 2 & 3, Led by 'What's Next'". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Araash (February 27, 2021). "New Drake Song 'What's Next' Surfaces Online". HipHopNMore. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  4. ^ A., Aron (February 27, 2021). "Drake's Unreleased Song "What's Next" Surfaces". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  5. ^ Kaufman, Gil (March 4, 2021). "Drake Teases Second 'Scary Hours' Release". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  6. ^ Minsker, Evan (March 5, 2021). "Drake Shares 3 New Songs on Scary Hours 2 EP: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  7. ^ Coleman II, C. Vernon (March 5, 2021). "Drake 'What's Next' Lyrics". XXL. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Duong, Paul "Big Homie" (March 5, 2021). "Drake "What's Next"". Rap Radar. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  9. ^ Caraan, Sophie (March 3, 2021). "Drake Reportedly Seen Filming New Music Video in Toronto". Hypebeast. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  10. ^ Navjosh (March 5, 2021). "Drake Shares 'What's Next' Music Video: Watch". HipHopNMore. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  11. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Drake – What's Next". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  12. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Drake – What's Next" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "Ultratop.be – Drake – What's Next" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  14. ^ "Drake Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  15. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202110 into search. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  16. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 10, 2021" (in Danish). Hitlisten. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  17. ^ "Top Singles (Week 9, 2021)". SNEP. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  18. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Drake – What's Next" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  19. ^ "Drake Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  20. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on March 22, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  21. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  22. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 10" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  23. ^ "2021 10-os SAVAITĖS (kovo 5-11 d.) SINGLŲ TOP100" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  24. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Drake – What's Next" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  25. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 15, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  26. ^ "Singel 2021-W10". VG-lista. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  27. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Drake – What's Next". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  28. ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202110 into search. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  29. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 10". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  30. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Drake – What's Next". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  32. ^ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  33. ^ "Drake Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  34. ^ "Drake Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  35. ^ "Drake Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  36. ^ "Drake Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  37. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Drake – What's Next". Music Canada. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  38. ^ "Top 40-Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021.
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