Christopher 'Ludacris' Bridges poses at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas.
Steve Granitz/WireImage
Ahead of the May 21 show at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, co-host Ludacris weighs in on the stacked roster of performers, including Bruno, Nicki and other chart-toppers.
Chart Coup: With “That’s What I Like,” Mars scored his seventh Hot 100 No. 1 — continuing his run as the most chart-topping male artist of the 2010s.
On Deck: The 24K Magic World Tour launches July 15 in Las Vegas.
Luda’s Take: “We stayed at the same hotel years ago, and I remember doing shots together — great f—ing time.”
Chart Coup: The EDM duo’s “Closer” spent 12 weeks atop the Hot 100 — the most in the top five for any song in the chart’s history.
On Deck: Following the recent release of their debut LP, Memories…Do Not Open, Alex Pall and Drew Taggart will hit arenas on their Memories Tour through Aug. 25.
Chart Coup: With the debuts of “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill,” Sheeran became the first act to achieve two top 10s in one week.
On Deck: Sheeran is touring his Billboard 200-topping ÷ through March 2018.
Luda’s Take: “His writing skills are out of this world — very unique.”
Florida Georgia Line and John Legend
Chart Coup: “Cruise” and “H.O.L.Y.” notched FGL two of the three longest-ruling No. 1s on Hot Country Songs.
Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line perform at the Country Jam Music Festival in Eau Claire, Wi. on July 21, 2016.RMV/REX/Shutterstock
Chart Coup: The rapper’s More Life — his seventh consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — scored a record number of U.S. song streams for a single week: 384.8 million.
On Deck: Drake teased a possible OVO Fest in London at one of his Boy Meets World Tour shows there in February.
Nicki Minaj with Lil Wayne, David Guetta, and Jason Derulo
Chart Coup: Minaj recently bested Aretha Franklin for total chart entries by a woman on the Hot 100.
On Deck: The rapper’s label boss, Birdman, recently told Billboard Minaj is hard at work on a new album.
Luda’s Take: “She’s representing for women in hip-hop. We need more.”
This article originally appeared in the May 27 issue of Billboard.