Forget a slow burn. Sometimes, a song emerges with such undeniable force that it immediately captivates listeners’ attention, demanding to be heard. Such is the case with Tommy Richman’s latest track, “Million Dollar Baby,” which has become an instant sensation within days of its release.
The sunny, funk-infused R&B record has been out for less than four days, yet it’s already dominating airwaves and playlists everywhere. Some chart prediction sites even forecast it heading for a top 10 debut on next week’s Billboard Hot 100.
It’s a rarity to witness a new song from a rising artist blow up this rapidly, but Richman’s success is a result of a perfect storm of social media buzz, impeccable timing, and irresistibly infectious melodies.
Over a ridiculously bouncy bassline, Richman layers his own voice on top of itself in an endearingly self-indulgent way—chanting, soaring falsetto, background hums, and a silky refrain. Technically, the song has one verse and two choruses, but the way Richman delivers it, it almost sounds like he stacks three hooks on top of each other. With a runtime of only two and a half minutes, it’s almost impossible not to hit repeat. No wonder it’s already putting up absurd numbers.
It all began when Richman posted a snippet of the song on April 13. The short video clip, showing him dancing with friends in the studio, went viral on TikTok instantly, amassing over 6 million views. Fans flooded the comments section with messages like, “Drop this before I forget about it,” and Richman wisely didn’t wait long to capitalize on the hype, releasing it on April 26. Responding to fan requests, an additional “VHS version” was released, replicating the blown-out bass from the low-quality snippet.
The timing of “Million Dollar Baby” couldn’t have been better, dropping as much of America experienced the first truly nice weather of spring. As people headed outside, conversations about the “Song of the Summer” began, and Richman delivered the first real contender of the year.
So far, the numbers are staggering. The song debuted with nearly two million first-day streams on Spotify, quickly climbing to the No. 1 spot on Apple Music’s all-genre song chart, surpassing all of Taylor Swift’s new songs. And by next week, it might end up in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
But who is Tommy Richman, anyway? Before anyone throws out lazy “industry plant” allegations, let’s set the record straight. Richman has been in the game for a while. His first song on Spotify, “Ballin’ Stalin,” was released in 2016, and he dropped his Paycheck EP in 2022. He became the first artist on Brent Faiyaz’s indie ISO Supremacy label (in partnership with PULSE Records), opting for a licensing deal with PULSE rather than a major label.
Richman hit the road with Faiyaz as an opening act for the F*ck the World tour in 2023, while releasing a steady stream of catchy, funk-infused R&B songs, including “Last Nite” and “Selfish.” He earned a spot on Complex’s R&B Artists to Watch in 2024 list in January, after being highlighted as one of Pigeons & Planes’ Artists to Watch back in 2022.
Reflecting on his journey with Miami New Times last August, Richman said, “When I would work in my mother’s basement for hours on tracks, and she’d be telling me to get a real job like most moms, I’d be like, ‘No, no, no, it’s gonna work out.’”
And it did. Tommy Richman’s life just changed this weekend, and we’re about to hear him all summer long.
