Apple Music has landed another hot exclusive, this time the latest single release from A-list pop star Katy Perry, "Rise." Another top pop diva, Britney Spears, also made a splash with Apple, hitting the top of the iTunes chart and dethroning her ex, Justin Timberlake, before Perry's single knocked her off the top perch.
Perry announced that "Rise" was slated to serve as the anthem for the upcoming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She stated that she had been working on the tune for years, and that it was originally intended to be part of her next album, but that recent events inspired her to complete it now.
"I know that together we can rise above the fear — in our country, and around the world," said Perry. "I can't think of a better example than the Olympic athletes, as they gather in Rio with their strength and fearlessness, to remind us how we ALL can come together, with the resolve to be the best we can be. I hope this song can inspire us to heal, unite, and rise together. I am honored that NBC Olympics has chosen to use it as an anthem before and during the Rio Games."
So far so good for Perry's song, which has now risen to the top of the iTunes single charts, but not before former pop sweethearts, Spears and Timberlake, created some drama of their own at the chart's helm.
Spears just released her own comeback single titled "Make Me," and the song soon shot to the No. 1 spot, a predictable occurrence given the number of fans who were clamoring for a taste of new music from the pop star, who now has a regular residency in Las Vegas and hasn't released a new single in more than a year.
The timing of Spears' latest chart ascension raised eyebrows, however, because of who she replaced on the throne, none other than her ex Justin Timberlake, who has made a huge splash with his feel-good hit "Can't Stop The Feeling." His song had dominated the iTunes digital download charts for months, and fans couldn't help but note the irony in who succeeded him. Spears' chart reign didn't last long, however, as Perry's single knocked her down to No. 2, where she remains, with Timberlake now relegated to the No. 3 spot. Whether the Perry and Spears songs will have the type of legs the Timberlake track has maintained is still unclear, as any critical reaction to the two new tunes has been tepid.
