Could it finally be Shaboozey's week on the Top the Hot 100?

The contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top Advertising sign charts and the strategies behind their efforts. Next week (for next Billboard Hot 100 dated July 13), one of the year's biggest artists is hoping to take a post-July 4th victory lap with his first crossover hit.

Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (American Dogwood/EMPIRE/Magnolia Music): Over the past two and a half months, as established superstars like Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar and up-and-comers like Sabrina Carpenter and Tommy Ritman have all made it big on the Hot 100, one artist has been lurking steadily off-screen, slowly gathering steam: Shaboozey. The country singer-songwriter, who made his Hot 100 debut earlier this year via a pair of feature-length appearances on Beyoncé's hit song Cowboy Carter album, bowed on the chart with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” in April and peaked at No. 3 in May, before slipping back a bit as the crowded chart saw new dramatic crashes seemingly every week.

But now, success is closer than ever: “Bar Song” reaches a new peak of No. 2 on the chart this week, with the song continuing to circulate and sell very well – especially the latter, as it reigns for seventh week in digital song sales. And it still has room to grow at radio, where it climbed the radio songs chart (8-7 this week) and continues to gain momentum across all formats – including country radio, climbing 17-12 on Country Airplay. (If it goes to the top 10 on that chart next week, it will become the first song ever to reach that level on each of Advertising signCountry Airplay, Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts.)

Helping with the song's momentum: a big showing at Sunday's (June 30) BET Awards, with Shaboozey becoming the all-too-rare country singer to receive a full performance on Culture's Biggest Night — and she jumped at the chance with a party performance that song begins, including a late guest appearance by St. Louis rapper J-Kwon. Louis, whose 2004 classic “Tipsy” interjects heavily. With the race already looking close, any streaming or sales boost from this performance could be enough to propel “A Bar Song” to the top spot on next week's Hot 100.

Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help” (Mercury/Big Loud/Democracy): Post Malone may finally be on his way to moving on from the highly successful first taste of his long-promised country pivot, with the release two Fridays ago (June 21) of his second single from his upcoming F-1 Tris set, the Blake Shelton collaboration “Pour Me a Drink.” That song is also off to a strong start on the Hot 100, debuting at No. 12, tying Shelton's best peak on the chart (with 2013's “Boys 'Round Here,” featuring the Pistol Annies & Friends).

However, its predecessor “I Had Some Help” is far from done, as it returns to the top of the Hot 100 this week for a sixth overall frame at the top – while also topping Radio Songs for the first time. However, his streams are starting to slip a bit, as the song drops 2-4 on Streaming Songs this week. So it'll likely either need to keep building at radio—it's hitting the top five this week on both Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay—or get some July 4th barbecue to keep the Shaboozey at bay and secure a seventh week at the top of the chart the following week.

IN THE MIX

Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso” & “Please Please Please” (Island): She may be at No. 1 for now, after “Please Please Please” scored her first Hot 100-topper a week ago, but both that song and “Espresso” remain consistent smashes for Sabrina Carpenter , which ranks at Nos. 4 and 5 respectively on the Hot 100 this week, with significant streaming profiles. 'Espresso' has also long established itself at radio, moving into the Radio Songs top five this week, but it may have to make room for 'Please' soon too, as that song is the top Airplay Hot 100 gainer this week. debuts at No. 24 on Pop Airplay (with the help of radio edits that replace the signature ending of “don't embarrass me, baby-ker” with “mother trucker” and/or “little sucker”).

Chappell Roan, “Good Luck, Babe!” (KRA/Entertainment/Island): Chappell Roan diversifies her Hot 100 takeover last month: She now has five different songs climb the chart, with “Casual” (No. 82) joining “Pink Pony Club” (No. 66), ” Red Wine”. Supernova' (No. 46), 'Hot To Go!' (No. 38) and “Good Luck Babe” (No. 11) at the party this week. It still hasn't reached the top 10 on the chart – but that could change next week, as “Babe” continues to climb both DSPs (reaching the Streaming Songs top 10 this week) and airplay (after 19- 17 on Pop Airplay ).

GloRilla, “TGIF” (CMG/Interscope/ICLG): Rihanna isn't recording and releasing songs as often as she used to, but that doesn't mean she's lost her touch as a hitmaker — now it's just other artists' songs she's blasting. GloRilla's latest single “TGIF” blew up on social media and streaming last weekend after RiRi posted a video of her rapping along to the song to a stern A$AP Rocky — and now it looks like she's on her way to her third big hit of the year, following “Yeah Glo!” and the Megan Thee Stallion collaboration “Wanna Be.” It's unlikely to crack the top 10 next week, but if its momentum continues, it could be in the hunt soon enough – especially if Rihanna ever graces a remix of the song.