Olivia Rodrigo bounces back | Chart Roundup 5.13.26

plus early song of the summer discourse, new music from MUNA, and all your chart news for the week

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.

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. Ebrima Jassey): “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:

I’m gonna go with “F**k My Computer” by Ninajirachi. What I like about this song is true about most of her music; it’s structurally simple, but she manages to packs so many different little sounds in there. My favorite moment is the glitchy scream at 2:21! I’m not normally into EDM, but you just can’t not want to jump around to this!

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.

chart dominance does not equal cultural impact

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