Welcome to Track Ten - You’re reading the Chart Roundup where I count down the week’s biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you in on the story behind the #1s. On Mondays, I write about the impact of the stars and moments from pop music’s past and present, including in my newest themed collection, Resurrection, about pop’s greatest comebacks.

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Friday saw Drake’s long-teased ICEMAN released alongside two additional surprise album drops, HABIBTI and MAID OF HONOR. The songs, especially from ICEMAN, are already clogging up the daily charts on Spotify and Apple Music, but we’ll have to wait for the full tracking week to end tomorrow to see the results next week. In the meantime, we have some familiar faces, new and old, topping the charts.

what the charts had to tell us about the biggest songs of the week:

The Chart Consensus: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

“Choosin’ Texas” joins the double digit #1 club this week. While that’s slightly more common these days than in the past, it is still a major feat worth recognizing. Six months ago, most people likely didn’t know the name Ella Langley, and now she has a ten week #1 plus a second week with “Be Her” directly behind it at #2.

Two things to note: I often give a lot of credit to radio play for boosting songs like this, but “Texas” continues to dominate on Spotify and Apple Music. Additionally, I’ve been surprised to see the way that duet “I Can’t Love You Anymore” hasn’t caught on in the same way, already dropping out of the Top Ten in its third week. Adding Morgan Wallen, one of the biggest hitmakers of Country (and in general) seemed like an obvious hit, but there’s something about Ella solo that people seem to like even more.

The Chart Subplot: “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

I was actually surprised at the time the MJ biopic was dominating box offices that we didn’t see more of a chart bump for the King of Pop, but I guess I was just too early. “Billie Jean” is up to only #15 on the Hot 100 this week (it originally spent seven weeks at #1), but it tops the Global 200 for the first time as it reaches #4 on Spotify and #3 on Youtube. Beyond that, Jackson charts another five songs on the Hot 100, all in the top 50. This run, like Bieber’s after Coachella, is a reflection of the way that legacy hits continue to make a big impact, especially when there’s a moment in the culture that sparks interest.

Songs to Watch:

• “Earrings” by Malcolm Todd is up to #2 on Spotify and another seven slots up to #26 on the Hot 100. Radio pickup could be just what the song needs to reach the top ten in the next few weeks.

• The 2011 track “Broken Window Serenade” by Whiskey Myers has been hanging around the Spotify top 50 for a few weeks now, this week reaching a new high of #20. It’s aligned with the folk/acoustic trend we’ve been continuing to see on the charts.

• “Boston” by Stella Lefty continues to sneak its way up the charts, finally hitting #20 on the Hot 100 this week. If I had to pick an underdog for song of the summer, it would be this.

new music favorites from me + a guest:

My Most Streamed: “Wannabeher” by MUNA

Maybe unsurprisingly, my most streamed song of last week was actually MUNA’s “Eastside Girls,” a track that I’m predicting will be my personal song of the summer when all is said and done. Close behind it though is “Wannabeher,” which is perhaps MUNA’s most innovative song on new album Dancing on the Wall. When it was released as a single, it didn’t quite connect, but in the context of the album I’m loving the angsty, talk-sung verses and the negative space around the lyrics in the pre-chorus that pays off with the big melodies that come after.

Best New Track: “Outside Tweaking” by Drake feat. Stunna Sandy

I won’t even pretend that I’ve listened to all 46 tracks that Drake released on Friday yet, but unsurprisingly based on the vibes, I’ve gravitated to the weirder and dance-ier Maid of Honor. “Outside Tweaking” starts with minimal production that feels reminiscent of M.I.A. and constantly evolves through the song. The way Stunna Sandy enters the track, first matching Drake’s hook before launching into her own verse, you feel the characters they play coming through - there’s that one person they wish could just be there. So get on a flight, why not? What could be so complicated?

Guest Verse (feat. ): “Madalena” by Goose

Shain writes the newsletter Making Places Better here on Substack. I originally found his work through his fascinating post outlining how an upload fee could help eliminate slop on streaming platforms. Check out his pick, “Madalena” by Goose:

In Case You Missed It:

Ever since Madonna announced Confessions II, I’ve been curious to see how she would roll it out. Like , I have warm feelings towards “I Feel So Free,” but the collaboration with Sabrina left me wanting more for both of them. Check out why:

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the full list of #1 hits of the last week:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 10th week at #1; 27.8 million streams (+4% ), 48.1 million radio airplay (+1%) and 7,000 sales (-11%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: The Great Divide by Noah Kahan

• 3rd week at #1; 132,000 equivalent album units

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

• 1st week at #1; 51.5 million streams (+7%) and 3,000 sales (-3%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 3rd week at #1; 12,786,183 streams (+737,182)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 7th week at #1; 6,313,061 views (-574,304)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Ran To Atlanta” by Drake feat. Future and Molly Santana

r/Popheads Chart: “Rock Music” by Charli XCX

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Welcome to Track Ten - You’re reading the Chart Roundup where I count down the week’s biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you in on the story behind the #1s. On Mondays, I write about the impact of the stars and moments from pop music’s past and present, including in my newest themed collection, Resurrection, about pop’s greatest comebacks.

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The weather is heating up (though ever so slowly here on the East coast), the pop girlies are announcing albums and singles and tours, and it’s starting to be time to think about the Song of the Summer. After falling off the top spot after just a week, I assumed Olivia Rodrigo might be out of the running. Did I count her out too soon?

what the charts had to tell us about the biggest songs of the week:

The Chart Consensus: “Be Her” by Ella Langley

Ella Langley takes the top two spots on the Hot 100 this week. And though “Choosin’ Texas” doesn’t seem to be slowing down, follow up single “Be Her” proves that Ella is more than a flash in the pan. Like many top hits these days, radio is doing a lot of the work, but the song is also up to #6 on Spotify this week, so streaming is backing it up.

The Chart Subplot: “Drop Dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

Last week I shared that I love to watch the week following a #1 debut. When “Drop Dead” fell #1 to #4 in its second week, it signaled to me that it was a lot stronger than something like “Aperture,” but I honestly didn’t expect to see it already climbing back up again. The lead single from You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love was back at #1 on Spotify this week, dethroning Ella Langley. Assuming she’s getting pick up on radio, I think Olivia is likely to get a second week at #1, almost certainly the week of the album, but maybe even sooner.

Songs to Watch:

• Malcolm Todd’s “Earrings” reaches a new high of #4 on Spotify - and I just found out he’s Audrey Hobert’s brother??

• A reminder that it’s worth looking at Youtube separately: Chris Brown debuts “Fallin’” (feat. Leon Thomas) at #6 there while it doesn’t even make the top 200 on Spotify.

• Stella Lefty’s “Boston” which jumps 19 slots to #44 on Spotify this week - it’s the sort of acoustic, Gracie Abrahms-core that I could see blowing up even more in the weeks to come

new music favorites from me + a guest:

My Most Streamed: “Abilene” by Kacey Musgraves

I’ve already spoken about my love for Kacey’s new album last week including standout track “Rhinestoned,” so it’s no surprise that I’ve had it on frequently. A track that I’ve been loving that I haven’t seen get as much shine, though, is “Abilene.” This is Kacey fully back to basics, talking about small town life and small town problems. I love the intro to the chorus, which is constantly getting stuck in my head as it shifts from the languid “oooh there she goes…” to the quick and unexpected “your little honey bee.”

Best New Track: “Eastside Girls” by MUNA

We have a song of the summer contender!!! MUNA has been putting out excellent queer synth pop for nearly a decade and I’ve been a fan since debut album About U. “I Know A Place,” “Silk Chiffon,” and “Home by Now” each made the top five of my end of year playlist the year they came out.

The lead singles for new album Dancing On the Wall have all felt like solid MUNA entries, but when I heard “Eastside Girls” I was immediately dancing around my apartment at 6:30 in the morning before I even had a sip of coffee. The chorus is anthemic and the synths are churning, but I’m totally struck by the bridge, which is not so far off Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” if he was a queer femme living in LA in 2026. In my household, the song of the summer crown is now MUNA’s to lose.

Guest Verse (feat. ): “Fuck My Computer” by Ninajirachi

Ebrima is the author behind Edited for Brevity. I’ve been really drawn to the way he has facilitated in person listening and community events like Hear Me Out and Flying High which bring music lovers together. Check out his guest pick below:

In Case You Missed It:

I’m always trying to balance chart-watching and thinking more broadly about artists who impact the sound of music and the culture beyond. This piece I wrote following the debut of Bruno Mars’s most recent album is intended less as a diss on him, and more a reminder to self that #1s aren’t everything.

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the full list of #1 hits of the last week:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 9th week at #1; 26.6 million streams (+0%), 47.8 million radio airplay (+7%), and 8,000 sales (-2%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: The Great Divide by Noah Kahan

• 2nd week at #1; 163,000 equivalent album units (-58%)

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Beauty and a Beat” by Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj

• 2nd week at #1; 59.2 million streams (-15%) and 2,000 sales (-18%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Drop Dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

• 2nd week at #1; 12,382,368 streams (+1,685,022)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 6th week at #1; 6,887,365 views (+83,191)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/popheads: “Bring Your Love” by Madonna feat. Sabrina Carpenter

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Welcome to Track Ten - You’re reading the Chart Roundup where I count down the week’s biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you in on the story behind the #1s. On Mondays, I write about the impact of the stars and moments from pop music’s past and present, including in my newest themed collection, Resurrection, about pop’s greatest comebacks.

Subscribe now

This week we have two big albums hitting the charts from artists who have been hanging around the top ten of the Hot 100 with lead singles so far this year. A big shift in the streaming era is seeing a dozen plus songs from albums hit the chart at once, then quickly disappear. The long-lasting hits, though, tend to rely on radio.

I’m always trying to make Track Ten better - whether you’re a new or long-time reader, I hope you’ll take my one minute survey to share what you want me to focus on. Thanks in advance :)

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what the charts had to tell us about the biggest songs of the week:

The Chart Consensus: “Doors” by Noah Kahan

At first glance, a #9 debut on the Hot 100 may not seem that “consensus”-worthy. But you have to look a little below the top ten, where Noah Kahan charts 21 songs on the Hot 100 this week. Where Kahan really shines is the #1 debut of the album The Great Divide on the Billboard 200 with 389,000 equivalent album units. Only a slim few albums have bested that in the past year and a half (BTS, Harry, Taylor, Morgan Wallen, and The Weeknd) while plenty of big names have failed to get close (Sabrina, Bad Bunny, and Bruno Mars to name a few). Billboard also reports that this is “the biggest week for a rock album…since the chart began measuring by that metric in 2014.” Paired with the #6 peak for title track “The Great Divide” back in February, Noah Kahan is showing he has the hits.

The Chart Subplot: “Folded” by Kehlani

This week, both the consensus and the subplot are as much about their parent albums as they are the highest charting tracks. Like Noah Kahan, Kehlani saw an excellent start for her self-titled album, which debuts at #4 on the Hot 100. Leading the charge is “Folded” which keeps at #10 after peaking at #6. “Folded” has already had a long life (it just cracked Billboard’s 2025 end of year list at #98, and that chart only tracks through mid-October) but its sustained success shows the way that lower-key songs, whether R&B, Country, or Rock tracks at the top of the chart this year.

Songs to Watch:

• In the wake of the Michael movie, Jackson’s songs are climbing the charts again, including “Billie Jean” reaching a new peak of #3 on Youtube and #36 on Spotify and re-entering the Hot 100 top 40 at #38

• With so much new music from Kahan filling the upper reaches of the Hot 100, Stella Lefty’s “Boston” is the highest song to reach a new peak at #42

• I’ve started to become very interested in how #1 debuts from big pop stars fare in their second week. Let’s look back at the #1 debuts on 2026 so far in their second week:

  • Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drop Dead” → falls to #4

  • Bruno Mars’s “I Just Might” → remains at #1

  • Harry Styles’s “Aperture” → falls to #12

  • BTS’s “SWIM” → falls to #2

new music favorites from me + a guest:

My Most Streamed: “Feel Your Rain” by Eli

Eli is having a bit of a moment between her tour, appearance on Zara Larsson’s remix album, and new single “Feel Your Rain.” The track emphasizes her vocals across a lush, dreamy production that’s becoming an Eli signature moment. I hope you’ll check her out if you haven’t already!

Best New Track: “Rhinestoned” by Kacey Musgraves

I’m one of the many pop fans who fell in love with Kacey Musgraves circa-Golden Hour (one of my favorite live shows of all time was her 2019 Coachella set during literal golden hour - it was magical). I’ve enjoyed her past two albums here and there, but feel like she’s gotten some of that magic back with Middle of Nowhere. It doesn’t have the deepest lyrics, but “Rhinestoned” is the type of track I love going to Kacey for: a little happy and sad at the same time (IYKYK), production that’s Country without being over the top, and a little fun with the wordplay. Welcome back, Kacey.

Guest Verse (feat. ): “Oh Mercy” by Avery Cochrane

Ilana writes the newsletter pop cultured, covering music and more with a focus on her experience in New York City. She actually had the pleasure of recently interviewing the artist behind her selection today, Avery Cochrane. Check that our here and read about her pick below:

In Case You Missed It: April Chart Report Card

I sent out a bonus post on Friday I’m calling the “Chart Report Card” where I’m actually publishing my own alternative chart that tracks the biggest artists of the month. I love doing this (like I did for Q1) because the results are genuinely surprising! Check it out if you didn’t get the chance yet.

the full list of #1 hits of the last week:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 8th week at #1; 26.6 million streams (-5%), 44.7 million radio airplay (+1%), and 8,000 sales (-8%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: The Great Divide by Noah Kahan

• 1st week at #1; 389,000 equivalent album units

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Beauty and a Beat” by Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj

• 1st week at #1; 69.6 million streams (-13%) and 13,000 sales (-35%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Doors” by Noah Kahan

• 1st week at #1; 12,203,156 streams

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 5th week at #1; 6,804,174 views (+170,916)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: “Drop Dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

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Welcome to Track Ten - You’re reading the Chart Roundup where I count down the week’s biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you in on the story behind the #1s. On Mondays, I write about the impact of the stars and moments from pop music’s past and present, including in my newest themed collection, Resurrection, about pop’s greatest comebacks.

Subscribe now

Olivia Rodrigo follows in the stead of Bruno Mars and Harry Styles this year among the megastars who have been able to debut a brand new song at #1 on the chart. As I wrote about in my Q1 Chart Report Card, though, a single week #1 means a lot less than it used to. Beyond the #1 slot, Ella Langley continues a second strong week for Dandelion as Justin Bieber continues the post-Coachella streaming bump.

what the charts had to tell us about the biggest songs of the week:

The Chart Consensus: “Drop Dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

Earlier this week, I shared that I was surprised by my own ick reaction to Olivia Rodrigo’s official fan insta directing fans for how to juice streams to get “Drop Dead” to #1. Olivia is far from the first to do this (she really is a daughter of Taylor Swift, as said!) and Pop is a commercial medium. Buuuuut I do think as fans we at least want the illusion that the artist is a bit more separated from the commerce. Maybe others feel otherwise, though?

I personally love the song and the video is one of my favorites in quite a while in an era where music videos can feel like afterthoughts. In terms of chart performance, this is closer to a baseline for what we should expect from the current youngest artist to score multiple #1s (she now has four). I’m excited to see where this one charts next week (I’d guess somewhere in the 7-11 range), and where this era takes us. I trust the music will be interesting even if there’s no hit as big as “Driver’s License.”

The Chart Subplot: “Daisies” by Justin Bieber

Outside Olivia’s #1 debut, Justin is the only artist to climb slots within the top ten of the Hot 100 week to week with “Daisies.” Last week, I made mention of “Beauty and a Beat” and while it was crazy to see an old song at such a high peak again, “Daisies” proves just how effective Bieber’s headlining Coachella set was. While the set drew its haters, clearly many listeners were reminded of their love for Justin, whether his hits from 10 years ago or today. Fellow headliners Karol G and Sabrina are nowhere to be found in the top ten this week (which is not unusual) but just shows that Justin’s achievements are well-earned here.

Songs to Watch:

• I wouldn’t have guessed that Tyla and Zara Larsson’s “She Did It Again” would outperform the new sombr track “Potential,” but the girls did just that, debuting at #59 vs. sombr’s #61

• My speculation that Taylor would use SNL to perform “Elizabeth Taylor” turned out to be completely wrong, but the Record Store Day edition did get the track back up to #21 on the Hot 100

new music favorites from me + a guest:

My Most Streamed: “Drop Dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

Yes, it did beat out Madonna’s new track (though it had a roughly 36 hour headstart in the release week). I am really pleased to see Olivia branching out a bit with her sound her - she’s certainly pulling from the Dan Nigro/Chappell Roan playbook, but I think it suits her. I will always love rocker chick Olivia, but every artist deserves the chance to shed their skin and try something new, and I like this direction a lot better than the balladry that we could have had. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the album (also I LOVE that album cover so much).

Best New Track: “Joshua Tree” by Demi Lovato feat. Rose Gray

Sadly, I missed Demi’s show at MSG ( was making me very jealous with her mini-review). Luckily, Demi brought Rose Gray to a remix of “Joshua Tree” which means I still have the possibility of seeing some of the It’s Not That Deep energy in a live setting when I get to see Rose at Le Poisson Rouge later this month. This was an inspired feature choice on Demi’s part - I feel like their voices blend so nicely, and the delivery is bringing out a breathiness in Demi’s voice that we don’t always get. More of this please!

In Case You Missed It:

My concert venue resolution is still happening! I wrote in January about my goal to visit 12 new to me concert venues in NYC this year, which sadly meant spending a lot of money in the first few months with the pay off still to come. With my Resurrection series wrapping in just two weeks, I plan to have an update for you soon including Beacon Theater, Le Poisson Rouge, Brooklyn Storefront, and a few other venues!

Track Ten

live from new york: the biggest touring acts of 2025 & looking ahead to 2026 concerts

Year end list season is very quickly coming to a close (some may say not soon enough!) but before it does, I wanted to sneak in at least one more post looking back at 2025 through the lens of live mu…

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5 months ago · 7 likes · 2 comments · Eric

Guest Verse (feat. ): “Dizzy Spell” by Meghan Dowlen

Max is the voice behind Lavender Sound, where he writes about music by and for LGBTQ+ people (and allies too!) Max is such a great community-builder on Substack - he’s helped introduce me to some other amazing writers you’ll be seeing here in the coming weeks. Recently, he wrote a retrospective on Lemonade (that might have some Beyoncé fans a little mad!!) and guested at On Repeat Records to review Björk’s Vespertine. Here’s what Max had to say about his pick:

So far in 2026, the song I’ve listened to the most is from 2025 and maybe could’ve graced the Hot 100 amid Blondie’s peak. Meghan Dowlen’s “Dizzy Spell” (here’s how I found out about her) is funky, oddly sexy, and incessantly replayable, a new-wave-meets-pop banger with campy yet technically flashy vocal runs.

Dowlen is an equally serious and hilarious musician, singing about the liberation of letting go of someone else’s expectations while doing this whole “Kate Bush and PJ Harvey get burlesque and honestly kinda cunty” thing that feels like performance art where the person on stage is winking with their eyes open. The flickering guitar licks and bass riffs are lightly giving INXS’ “Need You Tonight,” which your dad loves but secretly you do too. Dowlen’s deliberately off-rhythm and lightly staccato singing (“an-oth-er WAY! oth-er WAY!” at the end of each verse; the little grunts in the chorus) are so knowingly overexaggerated it’s basically drag. I can all but see her wagging a big cherry-red fingernail at me, and I’m going wherever she leads.

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the full list of #1 hits of the last week:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Drop Dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

• 1st week at #1; 27.9 million streams, 23.8 million radio airplay, and 45,000 sales

Billboard 200 #1 Album: Dandelion by Ella Langley

• 2nd week at #1; 106,000 equivalent album units

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Drop Dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

• 1st week at #1; 67.7 million streams and 41,000 sales

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Drop Dead” by Olivia Rodrigo

• 1st week at #1; 17,590,768 streams

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 4th week at #1; 6,633,258 views (-516,715)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

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Welcome to Track Ten - You’re reading the Chart Roundup where I count down the week’s biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you in on the story behind the #1s. On Mondays, I write about the impact of the stars and moments from pop music’s past and present, including in my newest themed collection, Resurrection, about pop’s greatest comebacks.

Subscribe now

Coachella’s impact is here, but even Justin Bieber’s huge gains in streaming this week are being shadowed by the new Main Pop Girl, Ella Langley. There are so many women in Country like Kacey Musgraves, Megan Moroney, and Marren Morris who have been on the rise but struggled to break into true chart hits. This week, it’s undeniable that Ella is up there with newer artists like Olivia Dean or Zara Larsson who are having breakout moments.

Consensus Pick: “Choosin’ Texas”

Seventh week at #1 on the Hot 100. Three top ten hits on Spotify. The biggest week for an album by a woman this year. And, topping five of six primary charts I track: Ella Langley had the sort of smash album debut week that I was predicting. “Choosin’ Texas” continues to lead the pack with the longest running number one since Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” but “Be Her” is close behind, hitting #4 on the Hot 100. I’m laying my bet now: I don’t think Olivia Rodrigo will be able to reach #1 next week, because Ella will still be holding the top spot.

Contrarian Pick: “Beauty and a Beat” by Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj

After how the last year has gone for Nicki, I didn’t expect to see her here, but this is 100% credit to Justin and his controversial yet beloved Coachella headlining set. “Beauty” is at #4 on the Global 200 (a chart that didn’t even exist when the song debuted), #8 on Spotify, and #26 on the Hot 100. What some derided as “karaoke” clearly connected with others, though it took me by surprise that it was this collab rather than “Baby” that is the big winner. Even so, “YUKON” reaches a new Hot 100 peak of #13 and “Daisies” surges too - fans are loving all flavors of Bieber this week.

My Most Streamed: “GAS STATION” by Slayyyter

I continue to have Slayyyter’s WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA on repeat, and particularly the second half (which I know is an unpopular opinion!) While I love the singles, there’s something about this second half that brings the dark, synthy production but feels hypnotic compared to the first half’s explosiveness. “GAS STATION” is Slayyyter in a vulnerable place, left behind and abandoned, and the production captures the ambivalence perfectly.

Best New Track: “Memorabilia - Nine Inch Noize Version” by Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize

Would’ve been too easy to go Madonna or Olivia this week! Instead, a different Coachella inspired pick. While I’ve never really listened to Boys Noize or Nine Inch Nails before (outside The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo soundtrack - BANGERS), I was hearing the buzz about the new collab/remix/live/cover album Nine Inch Noize and decided to give it a try. Could be to do with my mood, but this really hit hard (and actually is somewhat well in converstation with Slayyyter). Again, I didn’t know these songs, but the one that jumped out most on first listen was “Memorabilia” which I learned was a cover of Soft Cell. Since that first listen, I’ve had the project on repeat and highly recommend it.

Guest Verse (feat. ): “Star Love” by Cheryl Lynn

Pé is behind The Twelve Inch, a substack dedicated to dance music of the 70’s and 80’s. While my pop appreciation is very much of my era as a 90’s kid, one of the silver linings of the streaming era is access to an archive of incredible music, and right now I’m letting Pé be my tour guide!

Cheryl Lynn is one of the greatest voices to emerge from disco’s golden era. After her debut, she built a thriving career in both singing and acting. But her inclusion here is not just because of her voice. It ties into my recent piece on Boz Scaggsand the connection between AOR, or Yacht Rock if you prefer, and disco, and how the musicians who would soon form Toto were instrumental, pun fully intended, in shaping that sound.
Toto may not have been disco, but they certainly flirted with the dancefloor from time to time. Georgy Porgy is perhaps the best example, featuring Cheryl Lynn herself. What many people either do not know or have forgotten is that David Paich produced Lynn’s debut album. On that record we find several pure disco gems. Got to Be Real became a Top 20 hit on the Hot 100, peaking at number 12. But it is the follow-up that interests us today: Star Love.
Alongside Saturday Night Fever, there was another cultural phenomenon everyone had seen by the end of the seventies: Star Wars. Its influence on music helped inspire what we now call “Space Disco.” Usually, Space Disco is associated with European productions and heavily electronic arrangements. But the theme also filtered into American R&B-based disco, and Star Love is a wonderful example of that.
Yet beyond its cosmic sheen, the song is also a showcase for Cheryl Lynn’s extraordinary vocal ability. She completely dominates this Hi-NRG disco bomb, elevating it into something truly special. Do not be fooled by the ballad-like introduction. Before long, you will be heading straight for the dancefloor, ready to give it everything you have.

In Case You Missed It:

We’re halfway through my first collaborative collection, Resurrection, featuring essays from some amazing collaborators. The intro essay is a great place to start, but you can read them in any order.

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Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 7th week at #1; 30.7 million streams (+15%), 42.5 million radio airplay (+0%) and 10,000 sales (+16%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: Dandelion by Ella Langley

• Debuts at #1; 169,000 equivalent album units

Billboard Global 200 #1: “SWIM” by BTS

• 4th week at #1; 73 million streams (-12%) and 22,000 sales (-51%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 2nd week at #1; 13,474,548 streams (+1,938,997)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 3rd week at #1; 7,149,973 views (-2,129,054)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: “Runway” by Lady Gaga & Doechii

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Welcome to Track Ten - You’re reading the Chart Roundup where I count down the week’s biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you in on the story behind the #1s. On Mondays, I write about the impact of the stars and moments from pop music’s past and present, including in my newest themed collection, Resurrection, about pop’s greatest comebacks.

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Coachella has been on the brain for pop fans as Weekend 1 brought great moments and of course, hot takes online. Next week will bring the chart receipts for Justin Bieber, but we already have the numbers for Sabrina Carpenter’s “House Tour” video premiere. Meanwhile, we’re in a bit of a holding pattern on the Hot 100 with a fifth week #1 and a second song reaching the top ten from the same artist. Can you guess who listeners keep “choosin” ?

trending up:

• “What You Need” by Tems made a big jump last week, rising 33 slots on the Hot 100 to #56. This is especially worth noting as this all happened prior to her appearance with Justin Bieber at Coachella - we could see a further bump next week.

• As predicted last week, Malcolm Todd’s “Earrings” is already up 23 slots on both the Hot 100 (to #42) and on Spotify (all the way to #9).

• Sabrina Carpenter enjoys a big Youtube debut with “House Tour” hitting #6. However, those streams don’t count for the Hot 100, which she misses entirely. “When Did You Get Hot?” however is back up to #47 after initially peaking at #17 back in the fall.

Consensus Pick: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

It is a very strong showing for “Choosin’ Texas” on the charts this week. Ella Langley picks up a fifth week at #1 on the Hot 100 while topping four of the seven charts I track. Langley released her album, Dandelion on Friday, so don’t expect any slow down from “Choosin’ Texas” unless its at the hands of another single. As of Tuesday evening, she holds the top four slots on the Apple Music daily charts.

Contrarian Pick: “Dracula - JENNIE Remix” by Tame Impala

The easy choice would be Langley’s second top ten hit this week, “Be Her.” But that would be way too easy, plus I predicted this song’s rise as my contrarian pick back on my March 25th chart roundup. Instead, let me point you towards Tame Impala and JENNIE’s “Dracula,” the highest charting song to reach a new peak this week other than “Be Her.” While only jumping one slot on the Hot 100, it climbs a solid 6 spots to #19 on Youtube and huge 21 spots to #27 on Spotify. There is a slow and steady climb happening here and this song clearly continues to keep finding new audiences even six months since its release.

for your consideration:

My Most Streamed: “UNKNOWN LOVERZ” by Slayyyter

While I’ve liked and saved a few Slayyter tracks over the years, I (like many) have joined the fan club with the new album. Some fans seem to have a more mixed reaction to the back half, which was mostly non-singles, but I have really enjoyed the second half of the album, and have been quite obsessed with “UNKNOWN LOVERZ.” I almost never play tracks on repeat, but there’s something addictive about her static-y vocal delivery, especially the pre-chorus, “it’s love, it’s love it’s loooooove.” It’s the first serious contender for my song of the year.

Best New Track: “My Mouth Is Lonely For You” by Anne Hathaway

Yes, you read that right. If you’ve been primarily inundated with Devil Wears Prada 2 promo, please make sure you check out Anne’s other major upcoming spring release, Mother Mary, where she plays a pop star going through some sort of spiritual/paranormal crisis (details tbd). The production and lyrics team includes FKA twigs, and previous single “Burial” was co-written by Charli XCX, George Daniel, Jack Antonoff. Could be the best fictional pop song since “Hair Body Face” ???

Guest Verse (feat. ): “Giving Up” by Donny Hathaway

First, I promise I didn’t plan the “Hathaway” double feature! Andres writes the substack The Vinyl Room where he unpacks everything vinyl related. He is a lover of classic hits, and when I first asked him to contribute, he shared that there weren’t too many new songs that he was passionate about. I hope the song he chose still may be new to many of you, as it was to me!

The song is the opening track of his second, self-titled LP. I’ve had the record in my collection for a long time, but I’ve been spinning it quite obsessively recently as I’m working on “Giving Up” for my singing lessons.

Donny Hathaway’s version of “Giving Up” doesn’t stay on the surface.
If the original by Gladys Knight & the Pips serves as a grand statement of unwavering commitment to unrequited love, Hathaway’s rendition is the fist you slam into the wall when you realise the person you love isn’t coming back.
It’s the confession you make after pretending you’re fine. It’s the goodbye kiss they give you, out of pity, through the tears you’re already shedding for them.
It’s quiet despair while you’re screaming inside.
It burns. Slowly. It lacerates your soul, then your heart, then your blood.

Find “Giving Up” as well as all the previous guest verse picks on my Spotify playlist below!

In Case You Missed It: For my ongoing collection Resurrection, I wrote about two legends, Beyoncé and Madonna. While it may feel like they’ve always been on top, I’m talking about how they both took a commercial dip before coming back with all-time great albums right as they became mothers, and how they used that in their work.

Track Ten

Grown Woman: Beyoncé and Madonna's Mid-Career Reinventions as Mothers and Matriarchs | Vol. 1: Resurrection

If you’re new to Track Ten, welcome! On Mondays I publish a column analyzing the impact of stars and moments from pop music’s past and present, and on Wednesdays I share a breakdown of what’s happeni…

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a month ago · 7 likes · 10 comments · Eric

the countdown:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 6th week at #1; 26.6 million streams (+11%), 42.4 million radio airplay (-2%), and 9,000 sales (+14%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: ARIRANG by BTS

• 3rd week at #1; 124,000 equivalent album units (-34%)

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Swim” by BTS

• 3rd week at #1; 83.3 million streams (-21%) and 44,000 sales (-61%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 1st week at #1; 11,535,551 streams (+1,591,036)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 2nd week at #1; 9,279,027 views (+3,025,473)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: “YES GODDD” by Slayyyter

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Another week, another Hot 100 top 10 without a new song, but seven of those slots are held by women. Just below, we have some movement from Kanye West, Bella Kay, Dominic Fike, and Don Toliver threatening to disrupt the stasis.

Welcome to Track Ten - You’re reading the Chart Roundup where I count down the week’s biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you in on the story behind the #1s. On Mondays, I write about the impact of the stars and moments from pop music’s past and present, including in my newest themed collection, Resurrection, about pop’s greatest comebacks.

Subscribe now

counting down:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 5th week at #1; 23.9 million streams (+1%), 43.2 million radio airplay (+0%), and 8,000 sales (+28%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: ARIRANG by BTS

• 2nd week at #1; 187,000 equivalent album units (-71%)

Billboard Global 200 #1: “SWIM” by BTS

• 2nd week at #1; 106.3 million streams (-3%) and 114,000 sales (-49%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike

• 2nd week at #1; 10,162,420 streams (+211,510)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 1st week at #1; 6,253,554 views (+2,203,941)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: “YES GODDD” by Slayyyter

trending up:

• Of note, seven of the top ten on the Hot 100 are by women, and if you expand to the top 13, we have three women with two songs in that range: Ella Langley (#1 and #12) Olivia Dean (#3 and #6) and Taylor Swift (#9 and #13). Together, they take up 10/100 slots on the entire Hot 100 this week.

• Kanye’s mistiming of new album BULLY compared to a typical Friday release is main factor that led to it missing the #1 slot; it debuts at #2 behind ARIRANG. Meanwhile, “FATHER” feat. Travis Scott enters at #5 on Youtube, #10 on Spotify, and #21 on the Hot 100, where Kanye notches 16 total songs. Clearly there is still big appetite for his music as he continues his apology tour.

• Bella Kay rises to a new high of #17 on the Hot 100 and #4 on Spotify with “iloveitiloveitiloveit” - as I shared back on 3/18, this is one to watch.

• Tame Impala’s “Dracula,” which hit a peak of #30 on the Hot 100 last year, is continuing its slow climb up the charts (now #18) thanks to its remix with JENNIE of Blackpink which debuted in early February.

consensus pick:

BTS had a stronger second week showing than I expected, but this week’s consensus pick goes to Ella Langley with “Choosin’ Texas.” Not only is it back at #1 on the Hot 100, but it earns its first week at #1 on Youtube following the debut of its official music video this week (crazy that a song spent four weeks on the Hot 100 without an official video, but that’s the current reality of Youtube streams not counting, as I've broken down in past posts.) One interesting tidbit is that “Choosin’ Texas” has thus far peaked at #8 on Radio Songs, meaning there is still plenty of room for growth here. Ella already has four songs on the Hot 100 (including a new peak of #12 for “Be Her”) so expect a big debut for album Dandelion when it impacts the charts the week of 4/22.

contrarian pick:

I’m going out on a limb with this one… remember a month ago when I named “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike as contrarian pick? (That one’s now #1 at Spotify and #3 on the Global 200, btw.) Well, I have a new R&B inflected white boy song from a few years ago that’s bounding up the Spotify charts and it’s “Earrings” by Malcolm Todd. This song isn’t on the Youtube charts or Apple music yet, but it leapt 30 slots from #62 to #32 this week, and as of the time of writing is at an astounding #10 on Spotify. Flash in the pan? Maybe, but if this mode is working for Dominic, there’s no reason to think Malcolm can’t ride this wave to a hit soon after.

for your consideration:

My Most Streamed: “Really Real” by Robyn

This track opens one of my most played albums of the year so far, and there’s a reason I’m starting at the top and not skipping around. “Really Real” sets the tone for Sexistential, starting deep and moody until it suddenly emerges into a chorus that sounds backed by the sun coming out on a cloudy day. As Robyn explores motherhood across the album’s nine tracks, this feels like the perfect entry point, still slightly shocked that this is her life.

Best New Track: “Girls” by 2charm

Admittedly, I’m a bit behind the curve on this track from 2charm’s debut album, star scum city which came out at the tail end of February. BUT after finding it, I’ve been a little bit obsessed with the hyper pop of it all, and this was before I found out that the duo is a new project from two members of Cub Sport (who I loved seeing at during pride weekend 2023). The branding of the project is ridiculous, but the music is addictive. You can also check out ’s recent interview with them here.

Guest Verse (feat. ):

Utterly Vapid writes about pop culture with honest admiration, and when necessary, even more honest criticism. I can always turn to Utterly Vapid for smart, thoughtful, yet incisive takes on the media that others are often glossing over, like this review of Slayyyter's new album (which I’ll say I feel more warmly towards, for the record!) Check out what they had to say about “Blue” by Yaya Bey single:

Easy-listening, pop-radio-friendly singles are severely underrated, and Yaya Bey has a voice that we’d all do well hearing more often. The lady can sing and sing well. Melodic, gorgeously performed, and deeply touching in its gentle coaxing towards self-actualisation that personally inspires me, ‘Blue’ feels like it meets the culture where it is needed. You may be feeling blue, but the sky is also blue and that’s beautiful. You only have yourself, but she believes in you. A musical friend! I like that.

In Case You Missed It: I was so pleased to publish the first guest piece in the Resurrection collection on Monday, ’s excellent analysis of how Taylor Swift hit reset after the near-disaster that was the album rollout for 2019’s Lover. I hope you’ll comment and show her some love, and don’t forget to subscribe so you can get the next entry this Monday.

Track Ten

The Old Taylor Can’t Come To The Phone | Vol. 1: Resurrection

If you’re reading Track Ten for the first time, welcome! Today’s essay by Natalie is part of Resurrection, my collaborative collection which traces moments in which pop stars rise from the ashes, whether th…

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2 months ago · 6 likes · 3 comments · Eric and Natalie

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Find every guest pick, plus other fun stuff, on my Spotify!

We are officially a quarter of the way through the year, and the pop stars are coming out of hibernation. This tracking week includes BTS’s big comeback after 6 years, and Friday’s releases included a lot of mid-tier/indie pop stars back for the first time in a while. Did someone say… resurrection?

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

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counting down:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Swim” by BTS

• 1st week at #1; 15.3 million streams, 25.8 million radio airplay, and 154,000 sales

Billboard 200 #1 Album: ARIRANG by BTS

• 1st week at #1; 641,000 equivalent album units

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Swim” by BTS

• 1st week at #1; 108.8 million official streams and 221,000 sales

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike

• 1st week at #1; 9,950,910 streams (+925,789)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Swim” by BTS

• 1st week at #1; 6,264,040

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Father” by Kanye West & Travis Scott

r/Popheads Chart: “Tell Me (U Want It)” by underscores

trending up:

• While overshadowed by BTS, Luke Combs managed both a #2 album debut and two top twenty Hot 100 hits this week with “Sleepless in a Hotel Room” at #11 (a new peak) and “Be By You” at #18

• Riley Green, the alleged third side of the country love triangle with Ella Langley and Megan Moroney, scores his fourth top 40 hit this week as “Change My Mind” reaches #38

• “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike reaches the peak of the Spotify charts for the first time, as well as a new high of #16 on the Hot 100

consensus pick:

“SWIM” is the jumbo sized comeback hit that BTS was looking for after each of its members completed their mandatory military service. The pop and kpop landscape has changed a lot during that time, but BTS has proven that their fans are still ready to consume whatever they put out. I was particularly shocked by the single sales - 154k is huge - which may have been a misfire. The Taylor playbook would have had them wait on single sales until this week to push a second week at #1. Lately, even huge artists like Harry and Taylor haven’t been able to achieve that second week. Can BTS?

contrarian pick:

I spoke a bit last week about Olivia Dean’s second single reaching the top ten, but with “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” climbing another two spots to #7, I’d comfortably call it the dark horse this week. The song is the only one at a new peak in the top 10 (and does so in its 26th week on the chart!). Despite the song taking a small dip on streaming, radio seems to be enough to drive the growth.

for your consideration:

My Most Streamed: “Leak It” by FLO

The girls are back! I had so much fun seeing FLO live last year (even though I could barely see them) and I’m super happy to see them coming right back out again for round two less than 18 months after the debut album. “Leak It” continues their run of songs that build on girl group nostalgia while still bringing a level of freshness and fun. Why don’t we have more voiceovers in songs anymore?

Best New Track: “Light Up” by Robyn

As I teased on Friday, Sexistential was far and away the album I was most excited for amongst the many new releases last week. Admittedly, I wasn’t the most focused on my first listen, but “Light Up” jumped out to me even that first time. Robyn is a master of synths, and among the more gently pulsing sounds of this album, “Light Up” cuts through with its tripping, stabbing, arpeggios.

Guest Verse (feat. ):

Emily North writes the gorgeous substack Angel Cake, and I most recently was wowed by her piece about throwing an amazing party that she loved and her complicated feelings about having no photos to show for it. I never manage to take any pictures at my own parties, but often I at least have the playlist as a memento, so I asked her to share her favorite party playlist song this week and she did not disappoint!

Top Dog by Magdalena Bay is so many things to me, it is a spiritual mantra, a prayer, an affirmation.. I can be like the girl in Wild At Heart… it is a brilliant song and always on every party playlist I make!!!

Check out “Top Dog” and all the previous guest picks on Spotify!

In Case You Missed It: I’ve been teasing it for a few weeks, but this first essay in my collection Resurrection is finally here! I break down what makes for a true pop comeback, why we love them, and examples of the three pillars that make for a true resurrection. I hope you’ll take a look and consider sharing it with someone you know who loves pop music :)

Track Ten

For Pop Stars to Rise from the Ashes, They First Have to Go Up In Flames | Vol. 1: Resurrection

Spring. Each year, I genuinely forget the rush of serotonin that hits me on the first truly sunny day. The actual temperature hardly matters–it could still be barely over 50, but when the clouds part…

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2 months ago · 6 likes · Eric

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Before we get to the chart round up, I want to be sure to share a bit about my upcoming series Resurrection which is debuting on Monday! If you like watching the charts, then you understand the drama of seeing an artist come back from a flop era or controversy, and this series will include writing from me and my collaborators about some of the best pop comebacks of all time. You can bookmark the landing page or subscribe to get every piece in your inbox when it comes out.

Subscribe now

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

counting down:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 4th week at #1; 21.8 million streams (-4%), 43.6 million radio airplay (-3%), and 6,000 sales (-1%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally. by Harry Styles

• 2nd week at #1; 99,000 Equivalent Album Units (-77%)

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Stateside + Zara Larsson” by PinkPantheress

• 1st week at #1; 47.7 million streams (- 6%) and 2,000 sales (+2%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Stateside + Zara Larsson” by PinkPantheress

• 1st week at #1; 9,796,307 streams (-1,233,150)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Golden” by HUNTR/X

• 29th week at #1; 4,343,168 views (+226,137)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: “Stateside + Zara Larsson” by PinkPantheress

trending up:

• Olivia Dean reaches the Hot 100 top 10 for the second time as “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” climbs to #9 this week while “Man I Need” maintains its #2 high

• With three songs already in the top 50, Luke Combs is likely looking at a big week next week following the release of his 22 track album, The Way I Am

• BossMan Dlow makes a big debut with “Motion Party,” ranking at #25 on Youtube and #45 on the Hot 100 despite its 1:35 run time

• “E85” by Don Tolliver continues to hang around beyond his huge album debut, currently back at #10 on Spotify, #2 on Apple Music, and #21 on the Hot 100 (down from a peak of #15)

consensus pick:

Maybe this is my pop girl bias, but I honestly think there’s a strong case to be made for “Stateside + Zara Larsson” by PinkPantheress as this week’s consensus pick. After appearing to lose some steam a few weeks ago, Alyssa Liu’s use of it at the Olympics gave it a shot in the arm, and it’s now topping 3 of the 7 charts I track. While #6 on the Hot 100 may not feel like a consensus #1, keep in mind that the songs above it were already #1 for multiple weeks (except “Man I Need” which has been in the top 5 for ages). Would I officially deem this a “resurrection” for Zara? Maybe not, since she never reached these heights before, but it’s great to see Pink back in the top 10 after three years as she was starting to feel like a bit of a one hit wonder.

contrarian pick:

While I wouldn’t give Ella Langley another consensus pick for “Choosin’ Texas,” let me direct your attention to her second top 20 single “Be Her” which jumps to #16 this week on the Hot 100. If this continues gaining, there’s a serious chance we could see a Hot 100 top 10 in the next few weeks that has three women with two songs each: Ella, Olivia Dean, and Taylor Swift. Ella still has a big runway with her album Dandelion coming on April 10th. The right feature could put her into the stratosphere.

for your consideration:

My Most Streamed: “American Girls” by Harry Styles

Credit where credit is due, I think this was the perfect second single choice for Harry, and I’m not alone as it manages to come in at #10 on the Hot 100 and #4 on Spotify. I’ve been listening to KATT.DO. pretty often, usually starting with “Taste Back” or “American Girls” and then letting the rest of the album wash over me. It’s vibey, pleasant, and is becoming my soundtrack for the thawing weather and sunnier days as winter turns to spring.

Best New Track: “The Peace” by underscores

I’ve been waiting for the new underscores album, U, since my friend Brittany shared “Do It” with me late last year, and I was not disappointed! The stand out new track for me is “The Peace,” which has a little bit of Imogen Heap sonically and beautiful lyrics that capture a relationship across three vignettes of smoking together. Sadly, I’ll be out of town when she plays Webster Hall on June 13th, but I hope you take the chance to catch her.

Guest Verse (feat. Russ Martin):

This week’s guest, Russ Martin is the producer of my absolute favorite podcast, Pop Pantheon! His work both behind the scenes and on mic are a huge part of what make the podcast so special - fascinating analysis of artists, amazing guests, and fun newer additions like their draft of Madonna’s all time best singles.

In addition to his work as a producer, I highly recommend you check out his writing, including recent profile of Peaches for The Globe and Mail. Here’s what he has to say about a recent favorite from Zee Machine:

Queer people learn early how to see themselves in a world that tries to cover our presence up. Gay men especially see themselves in pop divas, who so often represent the power we seek, but can’t represent us in the literal sense. I love pop divas so much I manifested a job thinking about them. But I wish more gay men could grasp pop glory too.

That’s part of what attracted me to Zee Machine, who has sung about everything from navigating open relationships to the carnal pleasures of hearing “good boy” in bed. His latest single “Seat At The Table” is about aging, which hits different for gay guys both because our culture fetishizes youth and because our lives can look so different from our hetero peers.

“Seat At The Table” has the sexiest guitar riff Zee’s ever featured on a song. There’s a cool confidence about being vulnerable enough to wail on record about not being able to “keep up with the cradle” as he does on this track. Zee Machine knows better than anyone that we’ll call teen pop girls mother but it takes years of seasoning before a gay guy can securely enter his daddy era.

In Case You Missed It: Is it just me, or is the Hot 100 starting to seem a little repetitive again after a few months of some bigger moves and newer songs? 3 of the top 10 this week were #1 songs last year, and another 3 come from big 2025 albums. Back in the fall, Billboard made some major changes to its rules to try to prevent songs from sticking around for so long - check out my explainer on the change, which is still making an impact now.

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Harry snagged a predictably big debut week despite mixed critical reviews, but it wasn’t enough to surpass Ella Langley. Yet another case of radio driving durable hits to the top, though “Choosin’ Texas” is no slouch on streaming, either.

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

Subscribe now

counting down:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 3rd week at #1; 22.7 million streams (+4%), 44.7 million radio airplay (+1%), and 6,000 sales (-7%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally. by Harry Styles

• 1st week at #1; 430,000 Equivalent Album Units

Billboard Global 200 #1: “American Girls” by Harry Styles

• 1st week at #1; 50.9 million streams and 3,000 sales

Spotify Weekly US #1: “American Girls” by Harry Styles

• 1st week at #1; 12,796,916 streams

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Ordinary” by Alex Warren

• 1st week at #1; 4,122,644 views (-284,570)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: “Stateside + Zara Larsson” by PinkPantheress

trending up:

• Harry manages quite a few feats, including launching all 12 tracks from KISSCO inside Spotify’s top 25 and the Hot 100’s top 50. Two tracks make the Hot 100’s top 10 (“American Girls” at #4 and “Aperture” returning to #9), and he also achieves his own career best first week for an album with 430k equivalent album units.

• Zara Larsson’s “Midnight Sun” is up to #49 on the Hot 100 following an alternate version EP. She’s been teasing the album’s deluxe edition, which could provide another boost later this spring.

• Dominic Fike has another song climbing the charts as “White Keys” rises to #53. Last week’s contrarian pick, “Babydoll,” is up another position to #32 (but also has 10 Harry songs ahead of it).

• On the lower reaches, Dave’s “Raindance” featuring Tems jumps 20 spots on Youtube to #42 and a gigantic 48 spots on Spotify to exactly #100. While only up to #63 on the Hot 100, this could be a grower.

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

It’s gotta be “American Girls” by Harry Styles. Leading on Spotify and the Global 200 with the album atop the Billboard 200, it’s definitely Harry’s week. #4 is a major launch for a second single (and matches Bruno’s second single, “Risk It All” from last week). If anything, I was surprised this didn’t perform better on Youtube, only launching at #44. But I think fans’ excitement has been recharged here, and a re-entry in the top 10 for “Aperture” is not bad, either. “American Girls” is the slight reset that Harry needed for this era.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

Bella Kay’s “iloveitiloveitiloveit” has been sneaking its way up the charts and has real potential to blow up. If not for Harry claiming 10 slots above it, the song would have jumped from #20 to #10 on Spotify this week as its’ streams on the platformed jumped about 20% from 5.3 to 6.3 million. It’s up to #29 on the Hot 100 and is all the way at #5 on Apple Music. As always, radio pick up will be the push needed for this song to ascend to the top 10 of the Hot 100.

for your consideration:

My Most Streamed: “Taste Back” by Harry Styles

While I hear the criticisms of Harry’s new album, I think overall the vibes are very pleasant, if not groundbreaking. “Taste Back” calls to mind a lot of the influences I see for this album that are less “dance” and more “late aughts/early tens indie electronic” like Passion Pit, Phoenix, and MGMT. I keep meaning to play other songs more, but then I just hit replay on “Taste Back.”

Best New Track: “Cruel World” by Holly Humberstone

There is a huuuuuge camp of singer-songwriters that have tried to follow in the post-Taylor, post-Gracie mode, and in the past it’s been easy to write Holly off as just another sad girl clone (my previous favorite was the MUNA-assisted “Into Your Room”). “Cruel World,” though, actually delivers something fresh with quirky synths and and a solid hook. I’m loving this mid-tempo bop, and hope we get to see more variety from her.

Guest Verse (feat. ): While most of my guests come from music-first blogs, Yaz has the distinction of covering a broader swath of culture including lots of movies, tv, and trends for her substack Libra Daughter. Check out her selection for this week:

I came across a snippet of this demo maybe two months ago during a late night scroll. A basketball edit to be precise, to an unreleased Venturing song (a project attributed to Jane Remover). The song titled “In the dark” released the day before Valentine’s. Which was a shock to me by the way when I realized it was finally out and I could put down the snippet. This song hit the same place in my brain as Mk.Gee did with Candy and Dijon did with Nico’s Red Truck. There are things going on in this song—riffing guitar, acoustic strumming, drums that sound sadly soft until the bridge. I had been waiting for this song and playing the demo over and over that when we got to the “I still dream of us” ending with the fade out of the vocals, drums and electric guitar it hit me. This is a song I didn’t want to end. Which is what music is all about for me.

In Case You Missed It: Monday I published a piece on Chappell Roan’s sort of bizarre sort of brilliant release strategy as she goes on three years since her debut album. Check it out and let me know if you think the Lorde path is the right future for her:

Editorial update! I’m going to try out moving the roundup to Wednesdays as I work to build out some of the other regular pieces I want to get out more often, including a new series I can’t wait to share more about next week! Check out Monday’s post about how popular music is getting sadder and more acoustic:

Track Ten

alone in my tower: why is pop music getting less dance-y and more sad?

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the best hits of 2011, then that Friday night I had the pleasure of attending main pop girls, one of the few invites these days that could convince me to go to something …

Read more

2 months ago · 3 likes · 2 comments · Eric

Now on to the charts!

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

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counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “I Just Might” by Bruno Mars

• 3rd week at #1; 18M streams (+70%) and 72.5M radio airplay (+6%) and 6,000 sales (+37%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: The Romantic by Bruno Mars

• 1st week at #1; 186,000 equivalent album units (93,500 sales, 90,500 streaming equivalent albums, and 2,000 track equivalent albums)

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Risk It All” by Bruno Mars

• 1st week at #1

Spotify Weekly US #1: I have no idea why, but Spotify hasn’t updated this chart since February 27th… my eyeball guess would be “Risk It All” but that is not an official #1.

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Risk It All” by Bruno Mars

• 1st week at #1; 6,052,738 views

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: “Stateside + Zara Larsson” by PinkPantheress

my last.fm: “What It Feels Like For A Girl” by Madonna

• I told you I was having a Madonna phase!!!

trending up:

• T.I.’s “LET ‘EM KNOW” is having a big moment on Youtube, jumping to #4 this week and sneaking into the Hot 100 at #39

• BLACKPINK has a solid album debut week, reaching #8 on the Billboard 200 as “GO” debuts at #17 on Youtube and #63 on the Hot 100

• Shockingly (to me at least) I would now qualify Alex Warren as a main pop girl?? He achieved his 4th top 40 hit with “Fever Dream” debuting at #21

debuts & news:

• I shared my initial faves on Harry’s new album on Friday, but after a few listens I can confidently say that “Taste Back” and “American Girls” rise to the top for me

• “if you wanna party, come over to my house” by Fcukers is the sort of addictive, repetitive electro that I can get behind

• Ayra Starr’s new track “Where Do We Go” caught my ear listening to the New Music Friday releases - moody!

guest pick (feat. ):

Larisha Paul joined substack relatively recently, but her main (and very impressive) gig is as a staff writer at Rolling Stone! including pop stars writing on substack and recently wrote a piece celebrating Rihanna on the 10th anniversary of Anti. I personally also love her appearances on Pop Pantheon! Here’s what she had to say about her pick, “be the girl!” by hemlocke springs:

I have a particular preoccupation with time and nostalgia that consistently draws me to songs like “be the girl!” Hemlocke Springs closes her debut album The Apple Tree Under the Sea with this send-off to an inaccessible past version of herself and an examination of how time and the people we encounter in life shape and change us. It’s such a fun record and also so devastating. Every year that I’ve experienced in my twenties has felt exactly like this song. When she sings “I’m not so lonely when I dance in my room,” you can hear her trying to convince herself as much as she’s trying to convince you. It reminds me so much of Lorde’s “Liability,” the one girl swaying alone, stroking her cheek. But it’s also Olivia Dean’s “Baby Steps,” the girl who is her own pair of safe hands. Hemlocke Springs isn’t the girl she used to know, but it’s a joy to watch her become someone new.

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

I gotta give this one to Bruno obviously, but I think I can reasonably make the case for “Risk It All” (rather than “I Just Might”) even if it’s not a song I love. Even big pop stars these days are having a hard time launching second singles from the same album once the album is out, so a #4 debut on the Hot 100 while topping the Global 200 and Youtube charts signal a really solid performance from Bruno. If he can get radio stations to pivot from “I Just Might,” he has the makings of a second multi-week #1 from the same album, which would make him the first artist since The Weeknd in 2020 to do so.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

This is a bit random, but I’m giving the contrarian pick to “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike. This track has consistently been at or near the top 10 of the Spotify daily charts, even as Bruno and Harry are dominating (as of March 8th, he had the 4th biggest song that wasn’t by one of those two). The song also cracked the top 40 of the Hot 100 this week, jumping 11 slots to #33 in its 4th week on the chart. I can imagine a big future for this song if it gets some radio pick up.

Know someone who has great taste and would make a great guest pick? Tag them in a comment or send me a message with their info!

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This week we have two country women atop the two primary Billboard charts for the first time ever. (If you believe the gossip, they may be following in the footsteps of Olivia and Sabrina’s love triangle that also launched the two to new heights). Plus, a Disney star with a triumphant return!

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 2nd week at #1; 20.4 million streams (-4%), 41.8 million airplay )+5%), and 6,000 sales (-19%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: Cloud 9 by Megan Moroney

• 1st week at #1; 147,000 Equivalent Album Units from 78,000 sales and 69,000 streaming equivalent albums

Billboard Global 200 #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 5th week at #1; 57 million streams (-5%) and 3,000 sales (-51%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 6th week at #1; 10,565,325 streams (-5,205,274)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Golden” by HUNTR/X

• 28th week at #1; 4,319,511 views (-354,701)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Risk It All” by Bruno Mars

r/Popheads Chart:

my last.fm: “Two Hearts” by Danny L Harle feat. Dua Lipa

trending up:

• I am shocked to see the numbers Hilary Duff put up as luck… or something debuts at #3 on the Billboard 200. Now, is there a single song anywhere on the charts? Sadly no. But good for her!

• Two albums dominate the Hot 100 this week, Megan Moroney’s Cloud 9 (also #1 on the Billboard 200) and Baby Keem’s Ca$ino (#4 on the Billboard 200)

• Baby Keem notches ten tracks on the Hot 100, led by “Good Flirts” (feat. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd) at #34 and “Ca$ino” at #37

• Megan Moroney follows closely behind with nine tracks, led by “Beautiful Things” at #32

• “Iloveitiloveitiloveit” by Bella Kay continues to surge driven by streaming, this week jumping 23 slots to #43 on the Hot 100

debuts & news:

• “Tell Me (U Want It)” continues a string of great, interesting singles from underscores - this one pushes into a new, vocoder forward production in the verses before bursting into the chorus

• New to me on recommendation from , Panic Shack’s “Girl Band Starter Back” is a bit of a thesis statement for their silly, punk-y sound. Hearing a round of drinks referred to as “four double voddies” is one of my favorite lines!

• I’ve always been pretty hot and cold on BLACKPINK, but enjoy the spare production on “GO” (and should probably give the rest of the EP a chance)

guest pick (feat. ):

Lauren writes about music, sports, and politics on her self-titles substack, including a recent piece on what it was like watching the Super Bowl for the first time from the UK. Check out her guest pick for this week, “Quiet Part Loud” by The Maine:

I feel like this band are still really underrated in the indie/alternative genre despite coming up in the Warped tour late emo 2000’s era. Quiet Part Loud is a great reflection of how the band have developed their sound. Lead singer John sounds great and I really like the way it makes me feel (makes me feel like I’m in a indie love story). I’m really excited for their new album Joy Next Door!

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

While it was hard to decide between “Choosin’ Texas” and “DtMF,” the fact that Bad Bunny has been receding since his Super Bowl peak while Ella (and Megan) are climbing makes me want to give the award to “Texas” this week. While I don’t love the fact that country has become so dominant on the Hot 100 in the past few years (a topic for a future post perhaps!), it’s at least nice to see that women are finally getting some representation at the top.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

Yet again, it’s gotta be “Stateside” by PinkPantheress feat. Zara Larsson! I argued in my khia asylum piece that she’s not fully on her way to Main Pop Girl yet, but I am so happy to see this track having a second wave resurgence after Alyssa Liu used it at the olympics. It reached all the way to #4 on Spotify this week, and on the daily charts continues to do big numbers. It jumped an incredible 28 slots to #13 on the Hot 100 as well. If this started gaining on radio, it’s really over. I can’t wait to see Pink on tour in May!!

Know someone who has great taste and would make a great guest pick? Tag them in a comment or send me a message with their info!

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There’s not a single new song in the Hot 100 top 10 this week, but we do have a new #1, and below the surface there’s some movement on radio that could point to some long-term hits yet to come.

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

Subscribe now

counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Opalite” by Taylor Swift

• 1st week at #1; 11.4 million streams (-20%), 58.9 million radio airplay (+17%), and 168,000 sales (+2,290%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny

• 5th week at #1; 135,000 equivalent album units (-46%)

Billboard Global 200 #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 4th week at #1; 76.4 million streams (-28%) and 6,000 sales (-65%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 5th week at #1; 15,770,599 streams (-10,573,320)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 2nd week at #1; 5,757,441 views (-2,991,433)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

r/Popheads Chart: “Dying for You” by Charli XCX

my last.fm: “Into the Groove” by Madonna

• idk, I’ve been having an 80’s/90’s moment lately!!

trending up:

• sombr’s “Homewrecker” makes a big jump in its second week on Spotify, rising from #22 to #12 and hitting #26 on the Hot 100

• Ella Langley is trying hard to avoid being a one hit wonder with “Be Her” debuting at #23 on Spotify and #18 on the Hot 100 as “Dandelion” reaches a new peak of #37 on the Hot 100

• Brent Faiyaz has a big week with 6 songs on the Hot 100, including “Butterflies” on top at #49

• Charli XCX returns to the chart with “Chains of Love” debuting at #87 following the release of Wuthering Heights (the album, not to be mistaken with “Wuthering Heights” the movie)

debuts & news:

• “only the best” by horsegiirL, who continues to put out strange internet music that sort of just needs to be experienced rather than described

• I wanted to like the new Hilary Duff album more, but I have definitely been appreciating “We Don’t Talk”

• Not actually a new song, but ’s post celebrating her favorite songs of the decade so far reminded me how good “Good Girl” by Reneé Rapp is and that her album should’ve taken off more than it did

guest pick (feat. ):

Matthew writes the substack The Report Card and hosts the podcast PS You're Wrong, both of which feature his takes on movies, tv, culture, and of course music (check out his most important songs of 2025 for a sense of his taste!) This week, he’s here to highlight “To Love Somebody” by Holly Humberstone:

I don’t quite know how I discovered Holly Humberstone, but she only had a few songs on Spotify at the time, and I became obsessed with “Scarlett” (still one of my favorites). Over the past few years, she keeps dropping tracks that are the perfect mix of upbeat and melancholy, which “To Love Somebody” is as well. I think this song is technically about breakups, but I’ve latched onto the line “It all breaks down. It always does. It all works out. It always does.” as a bit of a mantra recently. Like yes things in the world are always going wrong, but things in the world are also always going right, and that gives me some reassurance. This song also has a healthy amount of cowbell, and we as a society need MORE COWBELL.

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

Bad Bunny continues to ride the wave of his big tv moments, and “DtMF” is the big beneficiary of the renewed attention. Still topping the streamers, he also manages to remain at #4 on the Hot 100 even with limited radio play. While I certainly love this song, I kind of can’t believe that this one is getting so much play when he neither performed it at the Grammys (he wasn’t able to perform at all) and only got a snippet/outro at the end of the Super Bowl!!! Maybe it isn’t surprising then that “Tití Me Preguntó” is still at #9 and Baile Inolvidable is still at #10.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

Okay, I’m cheating here because the point of this section is less about what’s already on top and more about what’s potentially rising or coming around the bend, and because of this I have to talk a bit about the importance of radio in the modern chart era. It is actually somewhat shocking to see a song like “DtMF” do so well these days without a huge radio presence, and radio lately has included a lot of CVS music - the type of thing that’s unlikely to offend anyone.

Therefore, this week I want to highlight both “I Just Might” by Bruno Mars and “Opalite” by Taylor Swift - both songs that have already hit #1 on the Hot 100, but signs point to the possibility of extended runs. “I Just Might” spent 2 weeks at #1 already, but as radio tends to operate at a lag (remember, unlikely to offend anyone is key), it is only now hitting #1 on radio, giving Bruno his 11th all time leader. His return to #6 on the Hot 100 this week is an indicator of potential longevity here, plus the full album out this Friday is likely to give a boost.

Similarly, “Opalite” has climbed to #3 on radio this week for a new high. I think most people who follow the charts even loosely at this point know that Taylor is quite capable of deploying her army of fans to buy multiple editions of the same song or album to juice her chart numbers, and she did this with “Opalite.” But what allowed her to get her all time best 10 weeks at #1 with “The Fate of Ophelia” was its strength on radio, and we could be headed a similar way with “Opalite.” Now, I wouldn’t necessarily expect this to be #1 next week (both “Man I Need” and “Choosin’ Texas” are way outstreaming it), but keep your eyes on this space. A well-timed late night performance or other media boost could be enough to give us the first album with two multi-week #1s since 2020.

Know someone who has great taste and would make a great guest pick? Tag them in a comment or send me a message with their info!

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This week looks pretty definitive, with a monster performance by Bad Bunny that seems to (for now) keep Taylor’s second single curse going strong. Let’s see what’s going on under the hood of the charts…

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Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 1st week at #1; 43 million streams (+85% ), 5.3 million radio airplay (+56%) and 12,000 sales (+262%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: The Fall-Off by J. Cole

• 1st week at #1; 280,000 Equivalent Album Units

Billboard Global 200 #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 3rd week at #1; 105.4 million streams (+165%) and 17,000 sales (+254%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 4th week at #1; 26,343,919 streams (+17,483,537)

Youtube Weekly US #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

• 1st week at #1; 8,748,874 views (+5,960,462)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

r/Popheads Chart: “Opalite” by Taylor Swift

my last.fm: “Dancing on the Wall” by MUNA

• We are so back!!!

trending up:

Keeping this one short, as the Hot 100 in full doesn’t post until tomorrow and I want to get to the beach!! Taylor’s “Opalite” is the opposite of trending up this week. It jumped to #8, which is really kind of pitiful for a big launch push for a single from her, especially when it was recently at #10. This says a few things to me:

1. She should have launched the single sooner. Not only has 2026 had a busy start, but the post Grammys/Superbowl bump for Bad Bunny is something she should have predicted. He has 4 songs ahead of “Opalite” on the Hot 100 this week.

2. The Youtube/Billboard fallout continues and is COMPLICATED. Launching a big budget, star filled music video is a great way to launch a single if America’s #1 video platform has streams that count towards the charts… too bad that’s not the case anymore. Taylor withheld the video from Youtube for 2 days, but people just don’t use Spotify and Apple Music to watch music videos the way they do Youtube. It will be interesting to see if pressure from labels/stars is enough to bring Billboard back to the table.

3. Sales alone are not enough. Taylor only sold 7,000 downloads of “Opalite” this week. I’m guessing that they may have held back from shipping some, if not all of the vinyls, and she’s been going absolutely bonkers promoting remix downloads this week. But when you are competing with radio and streaming, it may not be enough. It’s also really, really, hard as an artist to get these three component parts of the chart to line up together, as radio is often a slow build

debuts & news:

• “Dancing on the Wall” !!! So happy to have MUNA back!!! So sad I didn’t get tickets to the Music Hall of Williamsburg show… looking forward to this album and era

• I have wanted to like a song by hemlocke springs as much as I’ve been enjoying “be the girl!” - it starts odd, as many of her songs do, but hits its stride as the production unfolds

• I’ve been a little cooler on the acoustic stuff lately, but ’s post of 26 albums to listen to in 2026 turned me on to “What’s Right?” by Ratboys

guest pick (feat. ):

Chris DeVille has the honor of being my first guest pick with a published book!! Such Great Heights: The Complete Cultural History of the Indie Rock Explosion documents indie rock’s interplay with the mainstream across the 21st century, and his substack of the same name includes not only great background, but also a playlist for each chapter. Check out his work, plus his new music pick below:

I have always enjoyed and admired Mitski’s music, but “I’ll Change For You” might be my tipping point into a more intense fandom. The latest single from her forthcoming Nothing’s About To Happen To Me is an elegant ballad with operatic stakes, performed with the barely-hanging-on composure that made her a star. The arrangement is pure class—a little bit jazzy Joni, a little bit sophistipop, maybe some notes of Natalie Prass—and Mitski graces it with one of the most stunning vocal performances in recent memory. The writing wrings so much feeling out of a few choice phrases, starting with an opening verse that stops my heart: “How do I let our love die/ When you’re the only other keeper of my most precious memories?/ Yeah, I’ve been drinking/ Why’s that gotta mean I can’t call you ‘bout you and me?” Every fancy flourish brings her desperation into contrast. The knockout blow comes with about a minute left, when she leans into the glory note with controlled intensity—declaring, begging, “I’ll do anything.” It’s an Oscar-worthy performance translated into sound.

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

Clearly, it’s “DtMF” by Bad Bunny, a song that I talked about last week as my contrarian pick. This one just has the juice, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it go for more than one week, but who knows. Bad Bunny is well deserving of the recognition he is getting, and besides “DtMF” he has another three songs in the Hot 100 top 10.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

Quite tough to decide here, but I think with all the buzz around new singles and things rising up the ranks, it’s been easy to ignore the fact that Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” reached a new high at #2 last week, is back at #3 this week, and is spending its 3rd week at #1 on radio. Radio has become the real defining way to have a lasting #1, so keep your eye on this space.

Know someone who has great taste and would make a great guest pick? Tag them in a comment or send me a message with their info!

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Something happened this week that hasn’t before since I started writing my roundups: Not only are there different artists on top of the Hot 100, Billboard 200, Spotify, and Youtube, but all four charts have a new number one this week! Been an exciting start to the year with lots of big debuts, so let’s dive right in.

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

Subscribe now

counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

• 1st week at #1; 22.1 million streams (+22% ), 34.4 million radio airplay (+8%) and 12,000 sales (+98%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album: OCTANE by Don Toliver

• 1st week at #1; 162,000 Equivalent Album Units

Billboard Global 200 #1: “The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift

• 7th week at #1; 50.7 million streams (-5%) and 6,000 sales (- 9%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: “The Great Divide” by Noah Kahan

• 1st week at #1; 12,463,096 streams

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Big Guy” by Ice Spice

• 1st week at #1; 5,115,086 views (-970,907)

Apple Music US Daily #1: “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

r/Popheads Chart: “Stateside” by PinkPantheress feat. Zara Larsson

my last.fm: “Cool” by Gwen Stefani

• just an all time great song (and music video!!!)

trending up:

• Grammy bumps come in this week: “Ordinary” bounces back to #4, “DtMF” back to #10, “Yukon” up ten slots to #21, and Olivia Dean manages 6 songs on the Hot 100 this week.

• Don Toliver has an absolutely massive week with 18 songs from his new album OCTANE on the Hot 100. The top track so far is “Body” which debuted at #14.

• “Let ‘Em Know” by T.I. is rising the charts, jumping 33 slots this week to #50

• “Big Guy” by Ice Spice has been hanging around the upper reaches of the YouTube charts, but finally makes it to #1 this week. Maybe not surprisingly after the methodology change, it doesn’t even appear anywhere on the Hot 100.

debuts & news:

• “I’ll Change For You” by Mitski - moody!! have always been a bit up and down on her, but I enjoy this one

• Not brand new, but new to me is “El Camino” by Buscabulla, a song I found through ’s playlist of artists from PR to know after the SuperBowl

• “Dreams” by Coco & Breezy - worth checking out the whole EP, even if I might not personally need every spoken word situation here, but this track is a standout and just makes me feel summery in this endless winter

guest pick (feat. ):

This week, I have a pick from Dev, who writes about a huge variety of music both inside and outside the United States. Well in line with his pick today, I recommend his piece If You Proclaim Rock & Rap Are Dead Your Ears Are Stuck In America.

My pick has to be “Omens” by EsDeeKid. Released just two months after the mega viral collab with Timothée Chalamet (currently at 60.2M views on Instagram) and in the middle of his sold out NA + Australia tour, which I’m desperately trying to find tickets for, EsDeeKid in his latest release showcases he’s only soaring from here. With production you feel in your chest the entire track and bragidocious bars like: “’25, I did a milli’, boy/ ‘26, I need a billi’, boy/ I’m the best out of the city, boy” the Scouser gives a prelude to what he’s going to bring to the genre this year. Though I find the whole “rap is dead” conversation incredibly tired and ignorant as it completely ignores all of the incredible rap being released outside the US, if you do believe that statement just know EsDeeKid is aboard a ghost ship and he’s about to wreck America’s shores.

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

In my first chart roundup of 2026, I gave “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley the contrarian pick award as she showed real promise in her chart climb. That being said, the heavy competition among new debuts and world-class stars like Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, and Harry Styles made this far from a guarantee. We are seeing country just continue to soar on the charts, and this song is an indicator it isn’t going anywhere. Beyond #1 on the Hot 100, “Choosin’ Texas” also hits #5 on Youtube and # 2 on Spotify, all three of which represent new peaks. Ella still has room to grow, too, with an album and tour coming up.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts): “DtMF” by Bad Bunny

Okay, I’m sure some chart watchers are like… just wait a week. And to be fair, the title track from the Grammy Album of the Year which also happens to be the closing track of the Superbowl halftime show is not exactly a contrarian pick. However, “DtMF” is at #10 this week after a #2 peak in January 2025, and despite the big streaming numbers Bad Bunny is putting up, I’m not convinced that he’s going to be able to beat Taylor’s vinyl sales for “Opalite” next week. That’s not to say that he shouldn’t - midweek streams clearly point to the fact that he’s bigger, but the bump from the Superbowl is also more diffuse (yesterday he had the top 6 songs on the US Spotify Daily chart). I’m giving it to him this week with the hope that I can confidently call “DtMF” the consensus biggest song in America next week, but we’ll have to wait and see.

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Know someone who has great taste and would make a great guest pick? Tag them in a comment or send me a message with their info!

This week, we have the second new number one song peaking in just the first month of 2026! I’m curious to see if 2026 may end up feeling stacked the way 2024 did - that was the first year in a while where it felt like not only were many of the big dogs out to play, but a new crop of artists emerged as well. So far, 2026 has been a lot of return players, but Ella Langley has a real shot of emerging as a breakthrough artist.

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: “Aperture” by Harry Styles

• 1st week at #1; 18.2 million streams, 27.1 million radio airplay, and 4,000 sales

Billboard 200 #1 Album: Megadeath by Megadeath

• 1st week at #1; 73,000 Equivalent Album Units

Spotify Weekly US #1: “Aperture” by Harry Styles

• 1st week at #1; 11,793,104 streams

Youtube Weekly US #1: “Golden” by HUNTR/X

• 31st week at #1; 7,526,468 views (-98,232)

Billboard Global 200 #1: “Aperture” by Harry Styles

• 1st week at #1; 51.3 million streams and 9,000 sales

Apple Music US Daily #1: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: “Aperture” by Harry Styles

my last.fm: “girl of your dreams” by Eli

• Can’t wait to see Eli next month at Le Poisson Rouge!!

trending up:

• Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” makes another big jump from #6 to #2 on the Hot 100 this week. She also has announced her album, Dandelion, for release in April, so keep your eyes on her.

• “Amen” by Shaboozey & Jelly Roll hits a new high at #27 on the Hot 100; its win for Best Country Group/Duo Performance on Sunday (and Jelly’s big speech) may prime it for another jump next week.

• Outside of Harry, Don Toliver has the highest debuting song on the Hot 100 with “ATM” at #63. His new album Octane is doing huge numbers on Apple Music in particular this week.

debuts & news:

• Noah Kahan is back with “The Great Divide” and if you like him, I’m sure you’ll like this song. I’ll just leave it at that :)

• I was pleasantly surprised by “Ah Ya” by Christine and the Queens and Thee Diane. A bit of interesting, churning electronic production that feels right this time of year.

• Russ from Pop Pantheon recommended “Work” by no na, a fun girl group banger that might work for you if you didn’t love “Internet Girl” as much as you hoped

• I also continue to steal great recommendations from this week’s guest pick, who I’ll introduce in a moment. “Body Is On Fire” by MARIS scratches an indie pop itch for me that at this point feels nostalgic for the mid 2010s (am I too late for the 2016 trend?). I had a similar thought listening to Louis’s new album, How Did I Get Here? that reminds me Coin or Smallpools.

guest pick (feat. ):

Bethany writes the substack Why Are You So Quiet? where she does A LOT including new music roundups, trend and analysis posts, and a new artist interview series In Five Songs. The first edition features "Griever" singer Avery Cochrane and I highly recommend it. Keep reading for her pick this week:

• “My pick is “Scooby” by Corook. One of my favorite types of song can be described as a “Trojan horse” and that’s exactly what “Scooby” is. It’s a relevant and relatable message packaged in gorgeous musical-theater inspired production and the catchiest chorus I’ve heard in a while. I genuinely think everyone should hear it.”

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

I have to give this one to Harry - “Aperture” had a big debut, especially for such a quirky song. Additionally, topping the Hot 100 and Global 200 the same week really demonstrate a wide-ranging hit. I’ll be curious to see if this song manages any radio pickup, as it’s not at all in line with the folky, accoustic-y vibes currently going on.

As a fun note for chart watchers, after following “I Just Might” to a number one debut, “Aperture” earns 2026 the title of the year with the fastest sprint to two #1 debuts.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

It was a bit hard to pick this week! The original premise of my contrarian pick was that Billboard is often way too slow to pick up on trends, but for a huge artist like Harry a #1 debut is not always so difficult. So, I’ll lean into personal taste and choose “Stateside” by PinkPantheress feat. Zara Larsson. This song just continues to climb following it’s super cute video, reaching #30 on the Hot 100, #15 on Spotify, and #17 on the Global 200.

Zara had the chance to perform at the Grammy pre-show, and Pink is getting ready to launch her own tour, so I’ll be curious to see if they can continue the buzz here. I have to say that more credit goes to Zara, as she manages to chart 3 songs on the Hot 100 this week. Maybe Ella Langley isn’t the only breakout star we have to look forward to this year??

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To me, this week serves to verify the elite status of Bruno Mars. As I’ve written about recently, a debut week at #1 doesn’t mean what it used to, but Bruno’s second week on top for I Just Might, especially after the success of APT and Die With A Smile last year, points to his place in top tier of pop stars.

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

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counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: I Just Might by Bruno Mars

• 2nd week at #1; 17.1 million streams, 40.8 million radio airplay, and 9,000 sales

Billboard 200 #1 Album: Don’t Be Dumb by A$AP Rocky

• 1st week at #1 (and #1 debut); 123,000 Equivalent Album Units

• Top charting song is Stay Here 4 Life feat. Brent Faiyaz at #23

Spotify Weekly US #1: I Just Might by Bruno Mars

• 9,996,195 streams (-828,555)

Youtube Weekly US #1: Golden by HUNTR/X

• 7,624,700 views (-946,142)

Billboard Global 200 #1: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift

• 6th week at #1; 58 million streams and 12,000 sales

Apple Music US Daily #1: Choosin’ Texas by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: Dance… by Slayyyter

my last.fm: CALM DES FCKDOWN by Buckshot

• a chaotic track and artist I found through his collabs with fakemink!

trending up:

• Olivia Dean reaches a new high on the Hot 100 as Man I Need jumps to #2, leapfrogging long-running #1s Golden and The Fate of Ophelia which drop to #4 and #3 respectively

• Zara Larsson’s main pop girl push continues with two songs entering the Hot 100 top 40. Stateside feat. PinkPantheress (#39) laps Lush Life (which hits #40). Lush Life also enters the Global 200 top 10 at #8 and rises to #19 on Spotify

• Trap Queen by Fetty Wap re-enters the Hot 100 at a ridiculously high #37

debuts & news:

• Have you heard there’s a new Harry Styles single? Aperture is out (and I’ll be very curious to see where it debuts on the Hot 100). Not only do I love a big artist taking a big swing, but I like the result in this case as well!

• I Could Get Used To This by Jessie Ware is lovely evolution of her sound, which also comes with a super vibey music video you should check out

• My friend Brandon put me on to Trim, and I’m enjoying her new single Floor and the unexpected Arctic Monkeys sample (sadly I can’t say I love their new single)

• In addition to PUNK ROCKY, the Doechii featuring ROBBERY is probably my unexpected favorite from A$AP Rocky’s album

guest pick (feat. ):

Bre’s substack Too Many Feet covers a bunch of her favorite pop culture, and in the new year she’s picked up a weekly recap series that’s a great place to find recommendations for not just music but shows, movies, and books too! Check out her pick below:

• “Digging back into early 2025 for a song that’s stuck with me since the first time I heard it. Us Three by Charlotte Lawrence is a highlight on her debut album, Somewhere. Centered around her boyfriend’s affair, the slow buildup in the first verse provides a sense of dread that continues into the haunting way her voice is layered throughout the pre-chorus. And the ethereal way she hits her higher register? Total chills. I cannot say enough good things about this song or her as an artist, and, as a bonus, she’s just as good live as she is on the track!”

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

• Gotta give it to the man, the myth, the legend, Bruno Mars with his second week at #1 for I Just Might. This relatively unassuming song is hitting hard, picking up to the #1 spot on Spotify even as Man I Need is nipping at his heels. Expect this new album and era to be a huge one from Bruno - but yet to be seen if I Just Might will have enough pick up at radio to fend off Aperture next week.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

• Choosin’ Texas by Ella Langley is not only the #1 song on Apple Music, but is actually the overall top streaming song of the week according to Billboard. While it’s only #6 on the Hot 100 this week (its best is #5), it even reached a new peak of #8 on Youtube, streams from which are no longer be reported as I wrote about last week. I think many people were expecting a huge showing for Langley when this song was rising the ranks in December, but she has a tough road ahead to actually reach #1. Between the new singles from Bruno and Harry, plus an anticipated push of Opalite as Taylor’s next single in February, I expect the top spots of the Hot 100 to be heavily contested for the next few weeks at least.

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This is the freshest week of the 2026 so far! We have a brand new song at #1 on the Hot 100 for the first time since October when The Fate of Ophelia launched on top. If you also exclude the perennial hits of 2025 (Golden, Ordinary, and All I Want For Christmas), you have to go all the way back to the June 21st chart when Manchild was #1 to find the last debut that wasn’t an 8+ week megahit.

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

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counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: I Just Might by Bruno Mars

• 1st week at #1; 23.5 streams, 32.6 million radio airplay, and 13,000 sales

Billboard 200 #1 Album & Song: Heaven on Top by Zach Bryan

• 1st week at #1; 134,000 Equivalent Album Units

• Plastic Cigarette is the highest charting song at #13

Spotify Weekly US #1: End of Beginning by Djo

• 2nd week at #1; 11,135,081 streams (-340,555)

Youtube Weekly US #1: Golden by HUNTR/X

• 25th week at #1; 8,570,842 views (+1,003,741)

Billboard Global 200 #1: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift

• 5th week at #1; 78.3 million streams (+2%) and 17,000 sold (+41%)

Apple Music US Daily #1: Choosin’ Texas by Ella Langley

r/Popheads Chart: Talk to Me by Robyn

my last.fm: Dance the Pain Away by Haute & Freddy

trending up:

• Ice Spice’s Big Guy continues to do numbers on Youtube with a 2nd week at #2, but fails to even appear on the Spotify chart and sneaks onto the Hot 100 at #100.

• Luke Combs’s Sleepless In A Hotel Room has a big debut at #17 on the Hot 100

• Die On This Hill by Sienna Spiro is the week’s biggest gainer, jumping 33 spots to #21. Her song You Stole The Show also rises 18 spots to #63 in its second week on the chart.

• Zara Larsson continues to have a good moment as Lush Life reaches a new high of #48 and her remix of PinkPantheress’s Stateside leaps to #83.

debuts & news:

• A$AP Rocky’s album Don’t Be Dumb has competing hits out the gate; STAY HERE 4 LIFE is the top streamer on Apple Music, while HELICOPTER leads daily streams on Spotify

• DANCE… - Edit by Slayyyter is a little more mainstream/palatable than some of her other stuff but still very good. She was also rewarded for this by a really high placement on Spotify’s New Music Friday (which shocked me)

• Griever by Avery Cochrane caught my attention after seeing it recommended by . Like her, I appreciate getting in on the ground floor with an artist, and right now most of her top streamed songs have under 100k plays. Check her out!

• NOTHING IS REAL by DESTIN CONRAD and Terrance super vibey and low key. put me on to Destin from his Best Albums of 2025, so I was extra excited to already have new music from him.

guest pick:

• This week’s pick comes from , and it was also her birthday yesterday! Alix writes broadly, but for a taste of her music musings, check out her piece on her experience at Camp Flog Gnaw last year. I similarly dug into oklou (and underscores, actually) after seeing so many EOY recs for them. Here’s what she has to say about her pick:

  • “my pick is oklou’s “harvest sky,” featuring underscores, from oklou’s 2025 album choke enough. i found oklou’s album after she was on my friend lindsey’s spotify wrapped and was so mad: how had no one introduced me to her yet?! i’ve been bumping the album nonstop, but especially harvest sky. it pulls me in every time, hypnotic and clubby, providing the perfect sound as i race down the freeway home after work.”

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

• Another week where signs are pointing all over the place, so I have to default to the north star of the Hot 100 and give it to I Just Might by Bruno Mars. As I shared above, after you subtract the mega- 8+ week hits, you have to go all the way back to June to find our last new Hot 100 #1. While many are not keen on Bruno or the way he continues to go back to the well of vintage sounds, I appreciate at least the fact that there’s a new song in town.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

• A hard one, especially since we have lingering prior hits topping most of the other charts, but I’m going based off of momentum to give the prize this week to What You Saying by Lil Uzi Vert. This is a WEIRD song to hit #12 on the Hot 100, and is a big comeback for Uzi. This week it hits at #2 on Apple Music, #8 on Spotify, and #20 on Youtube. His last Hot 100 top 10 (Just Wanna Rock) peaked in 2022, and I think we could be poised for a comeback. It’s also one of the first songs that isn’t soft pop rock, soft country, or soft R&B to be this high on the chart in quite a while.

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Last week’s chart took us fully into post Christmas mode, and this week’s brought us the first full tracking week of 2026 (as well as the first chart not to include Youtube data - I have a whole explainer coming on that sooner rather than later). The top of the Hot 100 still looks pretty familiar, but we have some shuffling around on other charts and a few fun things popping up in the lower reaches.

Everyone seems to think the Hot 100 is broken. Each week, I count down the biggest songs, take a look at what’s trending up in the weeks ahead, and let you know if I think Billboard got it right. Need an explainer on how the charts work so this all makes sense? I have one here for you!

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counting down:

Billboard Hot 100 #1: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift

• 10th week at #1

• 18.4 million streams (+1%), 62.1 million radio airplay (+2%) and 11,000 sales (-63%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album & Song: I’m the Problem by Morgan Wallen (I Got Better at #12)

• 13th week at #1

• 85,000 equivalent album units (+16,000)

Spotify Weekly US #1: End of Beginning by DJO

• 1st week at #1

• 11,475,636 streams (+5,320,812)

Youtube Weekly US #1: Golden by HUNTR/X

• 24th week at #1

• 7,567,101 views (-1,781,346)

Billboard Global 200 #1: End of Beginning by Djo

• 1st week at #1

• 80.7 million streams (+85%) and 10,000 sales (+185%)

Apple Music US Daily #1: FDO by Pooh Shiesty

r/Popheads Chart: Internet Girl by KATSEYE

my last.fm: flash by 2hollis

• Finally got around to this album in the last few weeks and have really been enjoying! and worked perfectly when I realized I’ll be seeing 2hollis at gov ball this year, too

trending up:

• Lush Life by Zara Larsson - is having a moment as Zara jumps from Tate opener to her own headlining tour (which I don’t think I’ll be seeing sadly). It re-enters the Hot 100 at #70, its new peak.

• Stateside by PinkPantheress - I was shocked and pleased to see this at #100 on the Hot 100! Like what do you mean, and why?? (I’m not on tiktok but I have to assume that’s why)

• What You Saying by Lil Uzi Vert - has a solid second week climb, moving from #21 to #14. I could see this song having legs.

• Purple Rain by Prince - Like a song I’ll talk about in a moment, another one trending up from Stranger Things. #27 on the Hot 100 (previous peak of #2).

• BOO by H3adband - A new one to me, caught my attention with a new peak of #14 on Youtube as well as hanging around the 90’s on the Hot 100 for the second week.

debuts & news:

• NEW - Middle of the Night by Pearl Charles - described the album as “if Weyes Blood started pulling more cues from ABBA” and I’m digging it!

• NEW - Sexistential / Talk To Me by Robyn - the come back is really coming now. Had the pleasure of hearing both of these live on NYE in Brooklyn as well :)

• NEW - ROCCO by Ralphie Choo - hear the other new single, TENTACION, first and it didn’t grab me, but ROCCO is intriguing me.

• Guest Pick: When a Good Man Cries by CMAT

  • writes the substack i have great taste, and I have to say I agree that she does! As a bit of a starter, consider checking out her 2025 favorites post where she also dives deeper into her love for CMAT, who is also her guest pick for this week. “My pick this week is “When a Good Man Cries.” The entire track is catchy, but the second half really soars. Gorgeous, addictive bridge. I’m hoping to see her live this year!” Thanks for sharing, Katelyn!

consensus pick (#1 on the charts):

I have to say, I love a week like this where almost every source is pointing in a different direction, but I think the consensus this week points to End of Beginning by Djo. This song is blowing up (again) after the Stranger Things finales. While only peaking at #6 on the Hot 100, the song is #1 on the Global 200 as well as on Spotify, and #7 on Youtube. These are big, big, numbers for a song that came out in 2022! The song is helped by it’s moody, rocky sound which is super on trend for 2025-2026, as seen in Goo Goo Dolls, Radiohead, and The Neighborhood continuing to surge on the charts.

contrarian pick (#1 in our hearts):

I’m going out on a limb here and selecting Internet Girl by KATSEYE this week. It had a pretty solid debut week, coming in at #10 on Youtube, #19 on Spotify, #32 on the Global 200, and a solid top 40 debut at #29 on the Hot 100. Beyond these placements, Gabriela continues to have a moment (#21 on the Hot 100) and Gnarly remains on the chart (#89). Overall, I guess this is more of an endorsement of the KATSEYE moment than the particular song, which is fine. I think that like many artists, the fan base is there, but they still haven’t quite crafted the hit that’s going to break them out into the mainstream, and that’s in part because of chasing trends. I recommend ’s piece on this!

Utterly Vapid

'Internet Girl' reminds me of worse times

Read more

4 months ago · 4 likes · Utterly Vapid

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It’s a big reset week on the charts as Christmas songs (mostly) leave the Hot 100, clearing out the top 10 entirely. While the top four may look pretty familiar, we’re seeing some shuffling around of things a bit below that, as well as some new stuff (and returning hits) on Spotify and Youtube’s charts.

counting down

Billboard Hot 100 #1: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift

• 9th week at #1

• 18.3 million streams (+9%) and

• 60.7 million radio airplay (+12%)

• 30,000 sales (+ 779%)

Billboard 200 #1 Album & Song: The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift (The Fate of Ophelia)

• 12th week at #1

• 81,000 EAUs

• 47,000 Streaming Equivalent Albums (+10%)

• 33,000 sales (-66%)

• 1,000 track equivalent albums (+25%)

Spotify Weekly US #1: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift

• 9th week at #1

• 7,603,292 streams (+578,837)

Youtube Weekly US #1: Golden by HUNTR/X

• 23rd week at #1

• 9,348,447 views (+402,911)

Billboard Global 200 #1: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift

• 4th week at #1

• 78.3 million streams (+2%) and

• 9,000 sales (+16%)

r/Popheads Chart: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift

my last.fm: The Bolter by Taylor Swift

• Random, I know!

trending up:

• I Thought I Saw Your Face Today by She & Him (which is from 2008) enters the top 10 on Spotify (#9) and hits #43 on the Hot 100 thanks to a TikTok trend

• Zoo by Shakira maintains its #3 peak on Youtube and debuts on the Hot 100 at #77

• Ice Spice is getting some traction with Big Guy, peaking at #4 on Youtube, despite missing the Hot 100 so far

• 4 Raws by EsDeeKid enters the top 40 on the Hot 100, jumping from #64 to #38 and #11 on Spotify. Phantom (with Rico Ace) also rises to #67 on the Hot 100, and on Spotify EsDeeKid has 4 songs in the top 200.

• NEW girl, get up. By Doechii feat. SZA - Obviously a big improvement from Anxiety, but I’m worried Doechii may have learned some of the wrong lessons from the success of that one. Song is fine, but I was hoping for Nissan Altima pt. II and this is not that.

• NEW Internet Girl by KATSEYE - I really can’t decide how I feel about this one… curious to see where it ends up on the charts next week. I imagine the build up could mean top 20.

• NEW moments of glory by flora cash - this one reminds me of sufjan stevens at the start but then manages to add layers that make it unique

Guest Pick: Drink Deep by Florence + the Machine

• , who writes the substack The Grateful Poet is this week’s featured guest! Erin is a writer and creative and has some great pieces discussing artists like Taylor Swift’s creative process that you should check out. Here’s what she had to say about her pick: “I am absolutely dazzled by Drink Deep by Florence and the Machine. I love that she wrote a fantasy novel in the confines of a song, about dalliances with fairies gone wrong. It’s a gem on an album full of feminine rage, love, and despair.”

consensus pick: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift

• I feel like I’m earning my stripes as a Swift-watcher after predicting this last week. While not shocking, Golden was charting a few slots higher than TFOO last week, and likely would have been back at #1 if not for the vinyl single sales that Taylor held off on shipping so they could track for this week. Taylor now has a #1 hit in the first 7 years of the 2020s. As I wrote in my Mariah Carey piece a few weeks ago, it is rare to see an artist with this level of dominance over a decade, not only in number of weeks at #1 (now up to 27) but also with chart-topping singles with four years left to go. My guess is that Taylor is going to push more physical sales for another week at #1, unless something like Choosin’ Texas or Man I Need starts getting crazy radio pick up that makes it hard to fight off.

contrarian pick: Choosin’ Texas by Ella Langley

• Langley was running up the charts in the leadup to Christmas, but even with those holiday songs falling off this week, this was a a big jump for the song, rising to #5 on the Hot 100 (from a previous peak of #11). Its position at #6 on Spotify and #14 on Youtube also show that this song has legs beyond radio programming. She also appears as the featured artist on Riley Green’s Don’t Mind If I Do (#23 on Hot 100) and BigXthaPlug’s Hell at Night (#28 on Hot 100), tying her for most Top 40 hits this week (alongside Morgan Wallen and Olivia Dean). Country, and guitar-based music more broadly, continues to be on a hot streak and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Ella hit #1 in the next few weeks.

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