Swimming Pools (Drank); F**kin' Problems; Never Catch Me; i; The Blacker The Berry; King Kunta; No More Parties In LA; untitled 08 l 09.06.2014; l untitled 02 l 06.23.2014; untitled 06 l 06.30.2014; Freedom; Really Doe; HUMBLE.; The Heart Part 4; LUST.; DNA.; XXX.; Don't Don't Do It!; Tints; Mona Lisa
2nd
Birds of Tokyo
15
4
Silhouettic; Broken Bones; Wild Eyed Boy; White Witch; Head In My Hands; An Ode to Death; The Saddest Thing I Know; Plans; In the Veins of Death Valley; Wild at Heart; Circles; This Fire; Lanterns; When The Night Falls Quiet; Brace
3rd
Muse
15
3
Map of the Problematique; United States of Eurasia; Uprising; Resistance; Unnatural Selection; MK Ultra; Undisclosed Desires; Neutron Star Collision (Love is Forever); Survival; Madness; Follow Me; Panic Station; Psycho; Dead Inside; Reapers
4th
Owl Eyes
14
8
It Can Wait; Raiders; Faces; Crystalised; Love Run Dry; Closure; Nightswim; Find Out; Something About Us; Heart Attack; On Me; Sometime; You And I; You Don't Know Love
5th
Kanye West
14
1
Alors on danse; Ni**as In Paris; Black Skinhead; Thank You; Only One; All Day; Blessings; Real Friends; No More Parties In LA; Ultralight Beam; Champions; Ghost Town; Reborn; everything
6th
MGMT
14
2
Kids; Electric Feel; Weekend Wars; The Youth; Of Moons, Birds & Monsters; Flash Delirium; It's Working; Siberian Breaks; Alien Days; Little Dark Age; When You Die; Hand It Over; Me And Michael; In The Afternoon
7th
Metric
13
3
Sick Muse; Gold Guns Girls; Gimme Sympathy; Eclipse (All Yours); Youth Without Youth; Synthetica; Speed The Collapse; The Shade; Cascades; Too Bad, So Sad; Fortunes; Dark Saturday; Dressed To Suppress
8th
BROCKHAMPTON
13
1
GUMMY; QUEER; SWEET; BOOGIE; ZIPPER; STUPID; SISTER / NATION; 1999 WILDFIRE; 1998 TRUMAN; HONEY; NEW ORLEANS; BOY BYE; NO HALO
9th
Beach House
12
3
Myth; Lazuli; Wild; Sparks; Space Song; The Traveller; Majorette; Chariot; Lemon Glow; Dive; Drunk In LA; Alien
10th
Sia
12
1
Soon We'll Be Found; You've Changed; Stop Trying; Bring Night; Never Gonna Leave Me; Elastic Heart; Eye Of The Needle; Burn The Pages; Alive; Bird Set Free; Cheap Thrills; Genius
Not far behind
11th
Kimbra, Tame Impala
12
1
13th
Drake
12
0
14th
CHVRCHES
11
3
15th
British India, Grimes
10
2
17th
Billie Eilish
10
1
18th
The Weeknd
10
0
19th
Gyroscope
9
5
20th
Kings Of Leon, Samsaruh
9
2
22nd
The National, SAFIA
9
0
24th
Arcade Fire, Silversun Pickups
8
2
26th
Beyonce, Chairlift, Lorde, Sampa The Great, Tkay Maidza
8
0
30th
Boy & Bear, Samsaruh, The Temper Trap, Wolf Alice
7
2
34th
Anderson .Paak, Arctic Monkeys, Art vs. Science, Children Collide, Foster The People, Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey, Montaigne, MS MR, Rise Against, WAAX
7
1
45th
Dead Letter Circus, Disclosure, Florence + The Machine, Gorillaz, Lorde, Radiohead, Stonefield, Tired Lion
New year, new #1. After residing in the runner up slot for 3 weeks, Grimes has scored her first ever #1 hit with "We Appreciate Power" in its 6th week in the chart. Swapping places with Owl Eyes and "On Me" down to #2, it's the only movement in the whole top 6. Stevie Jean holds #3, SOAK holds #4, "Soaked" holds #5 & Samsaruh is at #6. We do however have one new entrant into the top 10, and it's Hozier scoring his first ever top 10 hit with "Movement" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
I can't say I've heard much new music lately but the show must go on, and we've somehow got 4 entries. First up is the newest of the batch, as I extend the olive branch of 21 Savage chart entries for a 2nd week in a row. "a lot" is currently up to #22, and just a little behind it is "asmr" at #25, which is really good even outside of the gimmick. Up next is another relatively recent hip hop release, and a much more surprising inclusion from my perspective. For the first time ever, Wale scores an entry as I was instantly hooked on his new single "Winter Wars" at #28. After two December releases, we go back to...January last year for the next entry, because I only heard it recently. In a way it's the first ever entrance for Alice Glass, but if you go back...9 years now, Crystal Castles charted twice in 2010 with "Celestica" and "Not In Love". Free from that unpleasant person, she enters solo at #33 with "CEASE AND DESIST". Lastly it's another returning artist with less technicality. It's the return of occasional minor hit scorer Lupa J, who has charted twice before a few years back, now she's in with 3rd hit "You're In My Headphones" at #38.
Honestly it's just that time of the year where things are generally at a stand still as new music hasn't really asserted itself. The top 10 is the same as last week save for 2 swaps, notably Samsaruh scores a 3rd top 5 hit with "The Beginning" at #5. Most of the action is lower down on the chart, notably 21 Savage is at #21 now.
NEW ENTRIES
Unlike last week, there is some genuinely new music in here to usher in a new year. There was quite a lot to choose from and leading the pack now is Billie Eilish. While still in my favour, she's had descending fortunes after going from top 10 hits to middle of the chart hits to not quite making the top 40 hits. Things have reversed now with a song that I cannot imagine is going to keep up a hit streak for her because I seem to like it more than most...but I am inclined to liking the creative approach here. I only begrudge the fact that I'll have to utilise a dumb tag to keep my scrobbles correct. Anyway, "WHEN I WAS OLDER" is the first 2019 song to impact the chart. It's at #20 and is Billie's 7th chart entry to date. Next up is another artist whose chart fortunes have also been descending until potentially now. But then it's hard not to descend when you start off with a #1 hit. I'm talking about Cherry Glazerr who now score their 4th entry. It's quite timely as prior entry "Daddi" has just dropped out, and now "Wasted Nun" has nearly outpeaked it at #26. The theme of gradually descending chart fortunes continues again with a 3rd 2019 entry for the week. It's new from Broods who last charted late last year alongside Kito on "Creature Kind". When it comes to solo entries, they've done well with sparse entries, hitting #1 with "Everytime" and #2 with "Free". Now their 4th entry "Hospitalised" is straight in at #29. But it can't all be 2019 stuff, so there's also possibly the last 2018 tracks to squeeze through. Noted rising star Jade Bird has her first ever entry with "Love Has All Been Done Before" at #37. Lastly it's the not so regular return of Hilltop Hoods. I'm right to say that since they've only charted once before with "1955". The source of my own amusement via its artwork also houses a really catchy tune, and "Leave Me Lonely" enters at #39.
Still riding through the slow time of the year. The top end of the chart is relatively inactive waiting on new 2019 tracks to start to gain real traction. Yet again the top 3 is unchanged. Grimes gets a 3rd week at #1 with "We Appreciate Power", while Owl Eyes takes #2 and Stevie Jean takes #3. Making for one switch, we've got Samsaruh climbing to #4 with "The Beginning" swapping with SOAK who is down to #5. An also otherwise not eventful top 10 is disrupted however by one of those curious 2019 tracks. Billie Eilish had the top debut last week with "WHEN I WAS OLDER" and now it rockets up 10 places to #10. It follows "bellyache" and "idontwannabeyouanymore" as her 3rd top 10 hit.
NEW ENTRIES
Fortunately this time around, it's a full round of 2019 tracks (well kind of), though there are just 3 of them. If you're expecting things to be jazzed up with all new artists, you couldn't be more wrong. Methyl Ethel already have a song on the chart and now they've got one more with their 2nd chart entry from their upcoming album. "Trip The Mains" enters at #23 and is their 4th chart entry to date. Following that is another artist who is currently charting, that being Two People, who go from strength to strength with another winning new single. "Phone Call" enters at #27 and is their 3rd entry to date. Their prior entry "In The Garden" currently resides at its #7 peak. Lastly I'm kind of cheating, but considering that it never got a wide release that was within my grasp when it was first released 2 years ago, I think charting "Ill Wind" by Radiohead is fair game. The song comes from a deluxe edition of their last album "A Moon Shaped Pool", which netted them their biggest chart hits to date. This new track is in at #32, and is their 7th chart entry to date.
The top 3 is the same as it has been all year. This gives Grimes her 4th week at #1. It's also still good news for Owl Eyes & Stevie Jean who don't get any sort of progression rather than soaking up the positions above SOAK and "Soaked". Disruption could well be on the way though because Billie Eilish has soared up 6 places to #4 with "WHEN I WAS OLDER", her highest ever charter. Samsaruh closes out the top 5 with "The Beginning" at #5. It causes a lot of downward motion in the top 10, but on the way up is a song that had no way of being affected by it since it was already below Billie. Cherry Glazerr have scored their 2nd top 10 hit with "Wasted Nun" which climbs to #10 in its 3rd week on the chart.
NEW ENTRIES
3 fresh entries again, and relatively high up too. First new one is a returning artist. Makthaverskan made a big first impression in 2015, and then a still noteworthy one 2 years later. Now they're back to seee if they can make another big russ splash with new single "Demands". At #17 it's their 4th entry to date, though it still sounds like all their other singles (and great). Here is a new artist who is totally only entering because of a prior artist, which to leap off something I just said, makes me on the older spectrum of "I Knew You Were Waiting" fans probably. Anyway, Australian producer LO'99 made the very auspicious decision to team up with Owl Eyes on his new single "Sometime" which enters at #20. Owl Eyes just recently got pushed out of the list of top 10 most entries, but now she's back in as she scores a 12th. Lastly it's a full debutant to the chart, though one I've been a little bit more familiar with over the years. Little Simz has teamed up with Cleo Sol, to score the first time in the chart for both of them, "Selfish" at #30.
2019 has officially begun! What is that nonsensical meaningless phrase actually referring to you ask? I mean that the #1 song this week was actually released in 2019. Possibly a surprising one at that. Not that it's particularly obscure, in fact I'd argue that it's my most popular #1 in ages, but relative to the standards of Billie Eilish who is having 2 year old singles crack charts around the world...yeah "WHEN I WAS OLDER" is not exactly an obvious one to ride for. But alas that's where we arrive, and it scores her a #1 hit for the first time. This makes her the youngest artist to ever hit #1 obviously, and the first born in the 21st century. Before this, the youngest was MOAMETAL from BABYMETAL who is still possibly the youngest in terms of when she hit #1 as she (and YUIMETAL actually) was still 16 at the time. Nonetheless, it's getting just one step closer to the existential chaos when an artist who is younger than the chart itself hits #1. Anyhow, with that addressed, I'll also note the damage done to the top 5, with Billie pushing Grimes down to #2, Owl Eyes down to #3 & Stevie Jean down to #4. She's not the only one making moves however, as Methyl Ethel bolt up to #5 with "Trip The Mains" giving them their 2nd ever top 10 hit. That's not the only top 10 arrival however, as we also greet Broods who have climbed up 5 places to #9 with "Hospitalized". They've hit the top 10 twice previously, but to notable success as those two songs ("Everytime" and "Free") hit #1 and #2 respectively.
NEW ENTRIES
Bumper week here with 6 fresh debuts. Most thrilling is that we lead the pack with an artist who has never charted before, teaming alongside a couple others who also haven't. Young Franco's new single "Otherside" which initially sounds suspiciously similar to "Genghis Khan" by Miike Snow manages to impress rather immediately. Of course credit to Reva DeVito on vocals, and I'm not sure what for but Golden Vessel is also here. It's in at #19. Just one debut from a non-Australian artist this week, but it's a kind of noteworthy one because it's Billie Eilish who is kind of a big deal at the moment. Surprisingly it's actually a song of hers that seems to be pretty relevant too! Miike Snow's impact continues as we all should know their best song is "Billie Holiday". But anyway the Billie who is only about twice as old as that song keeps racking up the hits, as "bury a friend" becomes her 8th chart entry, in at #24. Now another pretty familiar artist to the chart, although due to charting separately with a band, her chart history on its own looks a little less stellar. Not to discredit Julia Jacklin of course, as she scores her 3rd chart entry to date with "Pressure To Party" at #28. Speaking of Australian women with noted chart history, we've got the considerably longer chart history of Washington, although she only has 1 extra entry as she picks up her 4th with "American Spirit". It's in at #31 and carries the momentum as she recently scored her biggest ever hit with "Claws". Born Lion's Spotify page lists Grenadiers as a similar artist and they now share the excellent honour of both being Australian rock bands who have scored their first ever hit on my chart at the start of a calendar year. It'll be quite a feat if "Bigger Than Jesus" manages to be bigger than "Summer", but nonetheless they're making an impression at #34. To finish off, it's the belated debut to the chart for a fellow West Australian, Stella Donnelly. I was regrettably slow to her earlier singles, so she's just now getting a first top 40 hit with "Old Man" at #38.
slay Billie! but ooh Methyl Ethel coming to maybe end your misandrist #1 pattern! (I'm not complaining about that pattern obv :p) yas Broods top 10! Good moves for Cherry Glazerr, Owl Eyes' unpromoted new song, Two People & Little Simz too. I've heard and like 5/6 of the new entries and am especially happy for Washington & Stella. Poor Nina leaving now just after her album came out
Billie Eilish retains the top spot for a 2nd week in a row. As I close in ever slightly more towards having an entire year of female vocalists at the top, the one group poised to stop that, is of course the band who many people have thought actually does have a female singer in the past. That is of course Methyl Ethel, who with "Trip The Mains" have climbed up to #2, the same peak shared by that "Ubu" song of which I have no manner of quip or remark about because why would I? In due process, Grimes slides down to #3 with "We Appreciate Power", and Owl Eyes is #4 with "On Me". Moving into the top 5 is Cherry Glazerr with "Wasted Nun" continuing its strong performance up to #5. Speaking of artists who have proven their out of nowhere massive success to not be a fluke, it's fortunate times for Makthaverskan, who have now picked up their 3rd top 10 hit courtesy of "Demands" up to #8.
NEW ENTRIES
Fresh from appearing in the latest Hottest 100 (an impressive feat that not many can lay claim to), Thelma Plum is back in the chart. With this she's solidified a solid pace of 1 new entry per year as she gets a 3rd to date with "Not Angry Anymore". It's off with strong pace too, in at #22. On the topic of artists who are a little less consistent with the timing of their entries, welcome back to the chart...Stella Donnelly. She's debuting for the 2nd week in a row, but new entry "Lunch" already leaps ahead of last week's "Old Man" as it enters at #27. Next up we have a much messier chart history to deal with, or rather it's just messier crediting. However it's notable for MARINA now as she is back in the chart in record time, usually going 4 years between entries, but this time it's more like 4 months. New single "Handmade Heaven" is in at #32 and it's her 4th charting entry to date. Finally, a new artist to the fold. It is something of a peculiarity that the artist in this set of entries I've seen live is not the one from the same state as me, but rather on the other side of the country. That artist happens to be Winterbourne, who assumably are trying to play a logical fight by slotting the word 'Golden' in their song title to see if it sticks big time. We shall see, but for now "Take The Golden" is at #35.
Billie Eilish has taken hold of the top spot for a 3rd week in a row now with "WHEN I WAS OLDER". An argument can now be made for Methyl Ethel's "Trip The Mains" being their biggest hit to date as it's held the #2 spot for 2 weeks, whereas "Ubu" was there for just 1. Cherry Glazerr have moved up to #3 with "Wasted Nun" while Broods are at #4 with "Hospitalized". As one of the dwindling remnants of 2018, Grimes is at #5 with "We Appreciate Power". It's also a bumper week for top 10 entries as there are 3 this time around. Fresh from taking the #1 spot on the ARIA Club Chart, LO'99 & Owl Eyes are up to #8 with "Sometimes". For Owl Eyes it's her 11th top 10 hit. More new to these heights is Little Simz & Cleo Sol, both with their first ever chart entry "Selfish" which is now up to #9. Finally Two People score a second top 10 hit a couple months after their first, with "Phone Call" up to #10.
NEW ENTRIES
Making a move away from her surely very interesting investment in making cover versions of recently popular songs, Sofia Karlberg released what I believe is an original song which looks to be a strong move for prospects on this chart at least. I've never seen Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind but I've seen the Simpsons episode that's based on it, so I'm obviously experienced enough to enjoy "Spotless Mind" in at #20. I'm a little late on this one because it only just clicked with me, but now I'm all about it so Lizzo gets her first entry ever with "Juice" at #25. Because I'm brainlessly ignorant, I was too distracted by the fact that this sounded a lot like some older Skepta singles to notice that it's a diss track against Wiley. Between this, Little Simz & 21 Savage, now 10% of the chart is UK rappers, as Skepta gets his 2nd ever entry with "Wish You Were Here" at #31, which surpasses the #33 peak of "Man". Suffice to say that I'm not the only person in Western Australia who has passionate opinions on Devolver Digital games because Methyl Ethel have a new album which includes a track titled "Ruiner". They're notching up the hits fast now as they score a 5th to date at #35. Speaking of artists with recently released albums and also have high charting songs already, Broods are back at it again with a track they released a few weeks back. A rare case of them charting with a slower song and not a banger, "Falling Apart" gets in at #39 which is their 5th entry to date.
Billie Eilish has retained the top spot for a 4th week in a row. About 0.5% of her life has been spent at #1 on my chart. The same amount of time has had Methyl Ethel at #2 on my chart as "Trip The Mains" manages its 3rd week there. Sitting behind them is Broods at #3 with "Hospitalized" which has switched places with Cherry Glazerr who are down to #4. At #5 is Makthaverskan with "Demands", their first time in the top 5 since "Witness" roughly 4 years ago! With many of the climbing songs grouping into awkward conglomerates, there is actually no change in the top 10 songs this week.
NEW ENTRIES
Time for a mostly familiar batch of debutants. It does however start with the one who has been away from the chart for the longest, as it's been about a year since Alex Lahey was last seen on this chart. She has amassed an impressive portfolio however despite not yet hitting the top 10. Perhaps this new single will do the trick? "Don't Be So Hard On Yourself" avoids going back to Winnipeg and instead scores her a 5th chart entry to date at #21. For even more familiar territory, it's only been a month since Jessie Ware was last on this chart, and she's keeping up that role of electro house diva through new single "Adore You", which is also her 5th chart entry to date at #25. But wait, it's not all familiar faces! It's not even all women! It's not even all artists with a hint of credible intrigue, because here is...a British acoustic guitar guy who hasn't yet won the British acoustic guitar guy annual lottery for chart domination across a whole year. Nonetheless, with no room for predisposition, I quickly too to what sounds a fair bit like "The Rip" by Portishead, and so Charlie Cunningham has his first entry ever at #30 with "Permanent Way". Lastly we need to signal the ARIA #1 klaxon because I've done it again. It is easy to do this however when we're in a good run of commercial consensus playing well to my interests. What I mean by that is that the last ARIA #1 single to hit my chart was from Ariana Grande, and because of how the charts are these days, the newest one is also by her, except only 2 months later. "7 rings" enters at #36 and is her 5th entry to date.
The year long streak is over. We finally have a #1 song again that is performed with a male vocalist! But it's one that has been mistaken in the past for female so it's baby steps really. Anyway, Methyl Ethel have now claimed their first ever #1 hit with "Trip The Mains" this week. They've bumped down Billie Eilish which I just realised means that my own chart was trapped under the soundtrack hegemony that I have becried much lately. Methyl Ethel are pretty lonely in their role though because the rest of the top 10 is full of more women than the Celadon City gym. Makthaverskan move up to #3 with "Demands" making it their highest charting single to date, pushing Broods down to #4 with "Hospitalized". "On Me" has just left the top 10 meaning that the entire top 10 is 2019 releases, but Owl Eyes' other song with LO'99, "Sometime" is up to #5 this week. There are also new arrivals in the top 10, from fresh faces at that, with Young Franco and company moving to #9 with "Otherside" and Sofia Karlberg up to #10 with "Spotless Mind".
NEW ENTRIES
It's a busy week because 2019 just keeps bringing the hits. Many of this week's entrants are first timers as well. First off is an artist who I used to make fun of because of their mundane stage name, but has slowly won me over with their output. Now Dave scores his first ever entry with the rather engaging and provocative "Black" at #21. Actually let's just talk about how much the UK rap scene is killing it right now, because with Wale out of the top 40 this week and 21 Savage officially British (as well as 'Grimes'), they've totally inundated the chart. Adding to that we've got yet another entry from Little Simz, fresh following her current top 10 hit "Selfish". I look forward to hearing the whole album if that and "Wounds" are anything to go by, the latter entering at #24. But we're not stuck in the UK, because we've got the obligatory Australian contingent to get to. Leading the pack this week is a completely new face to me, and she's from Western Australia! Denise Le Menice gets her first ever entry at #29 with "Stars". Now for by far the most established artist of this week but at the same time a new entrant nonetheless. Though she's not had a hit single in many years, Alicia Keys has been making rather interesting developments with her music. "Raise A Man" takes her to #33 this week. The most familiar artist to the chart comes next because they have had 3 entries in the past. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have been very prolific in the past though they bizarrely didn't release any albums last year. Maybe they're making up for it in 2019 because they released "Cyboogie" which enters at #38. But because I am never one to not go overboard with supporting Australian releases, I've got even more coming through with one last entrant. It's the first time ever for CLYPSO with "Bounty" at #39.
Oh would you look at that, very little change in the top end of the chart. Methyl Ethel retain the #1 spot for a second week with "Trip The Mains", while Billie Eilish retains #2 and Makthaverskan hold their #3 peak. Little Simz does hit a new peak with "Selfish" now up to #4, ahead of LO'99 & Owl Eyes with "Sometime" at #5. Relative lack of action is retained in the top 10 as well, the most noteworthy thing being Thelma Plum scoring her first ever top 10 hit with "Not Angry Anymore".
NEW ENTRIES
After some busy weeks, it's just 3 new entries this week, and none of them were actually released this week. To make it even more unexciting, none of these are new artists and instead names you should be rather acquainted to seeing on this chart, but I digress. Leading the pack is the latest single from WAAX, who are probably at their most poised since it's the first since their most popular single "Labrador". New single "FU" strikes me as peculiar for having catchier verses than the chorus. It adds to their rather hefty run of hits coming in at #24, their 7th entry to date. Last year I was introduced to bülow who had an impressive early showing with tracks from her second EP giving her 2 consecutive top 10 hits with "SAD AND BORED" and "You And Jennifer". She has completely abandoned the word 'and' for new single "Sweet Little Lies" which enters at #29. Finally it's the latest single from a chart regular at this point Sloan Peterson. She is still yet to score a top 10 hit but now has 4 top 40 hits as "Here" enters at #33.
Methyl Ethel are tripping the mains at #1 for a 3rd week running. There's new competition now by way of Makthaverskan, who until this week had the highest debut of the year so far. In its 8th week, "Demands" climbs to #2, pushing Billie Eilish to #3 with "WHEN I WAS OLDER". Little Simz holds #4 with "Selfish", and is living up to that title as she comes close to having two songs in the top 10. Relatively not selfish is Sofia Karlberg, given that she has only ever had one song on the chart so far. To its credit though, "Spotless Mind" is now up to #5. A little behind her is the one top 10 entrant for the week, also from a first time charter, Dave with "Black" at #7.
NEW ENTRIES
It's history being made this week as for the first time ever I've charted a triple j Like A Version. Being available on all platforms like a typical release very much helps with making it happen. I can't back it up because I'm sure I've unknowingly and knowingly charted covers plenty of times, but I might have had restrictions on them for a while. Notably I didn't chart Mr Little Jeans' cover of "The Suburbs" even though I was listening to it a lot at the time. Anyway, you probably know what's coming here, which is Denzel Curry's absolute monster rendition of "Bulls On Parade". 6 months ago he was peaking at #12 with "BLACK BALLOONS", and now he has a 2nd entry at #14, the highest debut of the year. Now in the world of having less to say, it's a debut to the chart for World Champion, whose new track "Callisto" scratches that quirky indie pop niche that I'm inclined to compare to "Landmine" and "Outlaw" from last year. It's new at #32. On the topic of artists who were riding high on the chart late last year, it's the return of Hatchie with her 2nd entry to date. "Without A Blush" enters at #35.
The theme for this year is artists with considerable chart history scoring their first ever #1 hit. We had Grimes, we had Billie Eilish, we had Methyl Ethel, and now we have Makthaverskan. Their song "Demands" in its 9th week on the chart ascends to #1. With that, "Trip The Mains" descends to #2. To counter the previous statement, we've got fresh blood on the chart making rises. Sofia Karlberg is up to #3 with "Spotless Mind" and Dave takes "Black" to #5. In-between we've also got Little Simz with her first hit "Selfish" at #4. Not her only hit mind you, as "Wounds" has now moved up to #7 giving her two simultaneous top 10 hits. Getting there for the first time is Denzel Curry with his cover of "Bulls On Parade" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
It is what could be seen as a standard week now with 4 new entries. Or perhaps it could be described as a standard week for the fact that the top new entry is from Samsaruh. It could be argued that she has a rather excellent track record as all 6 of her solo singles have made this chart so far, including 2 #1's, and also two featured entries. If you can do the maths, that makes 8 entries in a little over 18 months. The latest of which is "Subvert" at #22. For a change of pace, the rest of these debutants are completely new to the chart, in some cases completely new to me. Notably we have another New Zealand artist I've never heard of and thus the latest to my stable of 'wouldn't it be cool if they got big on their next single and I could remind the fact that I was backing them back then, even though they're not technically big because our charts are broken. I'm not saying that a song called "Bone" makes me think of certain other similar words, but that is the name of So Below's first ever entry at #29. Now for some new artists who are not remotely new except in the context of this chart. In fact it's a triple header in this regard with the only slight exception being that Travis Barker did technically make my 2014 EOY without making the chart which may as well count. Actually YUNGBLUD did too though not quite as high, it's still worth noting. Halsey on the other hand has absolutely no chart history with me and is perhaps the biggest revelation here on a song that feels as though shouldn't be for me and yet really comes together well. "11 Minutes" is new at #35 this week. Finally we return to Australia and for that matter, the wonderful world of me charting artists who have less Twitter followers than I do (disclaimer: she has a decent amount more instagram followers, but maybe one day my twitch clout could start overtaking these??), it's the first time in the chart ever for Yorke, who is riding very much up my street with "Wake The City" at #36.
It's another one of those thrilling weeks where for the 2nd time this month, the top 3 is unchanged. In fairness, it's a slightly different top 3 than it was that other time. Makthaverskan are still at #1 for a 2nd week with "Demands". Methyl Ethel holds at #2 and Sofia Karlberg has #3 with the freshest track of the 3 so you would think she has the most future potential. She does however have competition with Dave's "Black" rising to #4, and Little Simz scoring a 2nd top 5 hit with "Wounds" at #5. Also making big moves a little lower down are WAAX, who score their 3rd top 10 hit to date with "FU" at #8.
NEW ENTRIES
In an extremely not surprising turn of events, Tame Impala arrive with their latest single. It's a landmark moment as "Patience" is entry #10 and arrives quite high at #19. Now that we've gotten away with the usual suspects, it's time for a lot of newer and less familiar artists. The next entry is a trio collaboration between Col3trane, DJDS & RAYE. RAYE came close to charting about 2 years ago via Jax Jones' "You Don't Know Me", while DJDS have never charted with proper crediting but notably were very involved with Kanye West's #1 hit "Ultralight Beam". They all team up on "The Fruits" at #31. On the topic of technically new artists but technically not, at #35 is the first ever entry for LPX. And if you're familiar with that name you know what I'm going to say next, which is that LPX is Lizzy from MS MR, which means it's a 3rd former #1 artist for the week. This new entry is "Give Up The Ghost" which is a bit more rock-oriented than MS MR's usual tone. Lastly it's the most obscure artist of them all, but perhaps bidding to be the most relevant song in the coming weeks. Fresh from hitting the ARIA Chart, Tones And I also follows it up with a debut here for "Johnny Run Away" at #38.
Makthaverskan hold the top spot for a 3rd week with "Demands". Behind them the rest of the top 5 have moved around. Actually they've swapped order completely. Little Simz has moved from #5 to #2 with "Wounds", Dave's "Black" is #4 to #3, Sofia Karlberg is #3 to #4 and Methyl Ethel are #2 to #5. There's new stuff coming through lower in the top 10 however. Denise Le Menice's first ever chart entry is going quite well for her as it enters the top 10 at #8. Alex Lahey has a bit more chart history behind her, but she's hitting new heights this week with "Don't Be So Hard On Yourself" being her first top 10 at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
2015 is back in favour lately, because bülow is clearly taking inspiration from Diplo, Skrillex & Aston Merrygold, the big three, with her new song "Get Stüpid" at #20. It's her 4th chart entry to date. This week's obligatory who knows where they came from but they're Australian and their song is quite good, is Moreton. They have been around for a few years now, but I'm just cottoning onto their new song "Circles", which reminds me a fair bit of Big Scary's #1 hit "Belgian Blues", and it's in at #23. I don't know if you've heard of Billie Eilish. She has 9 entries now courtesy of new entry "bad guy" at #29. Speaking of people whose year of birth concerningly starts with a 2, we've got Jasmine Thompson who you might know from some tropical pop hits in the mid 2010s. This new song "more" sounds quite a bit removed from that and really clicked with me as it enters at #37. Now another debutant Australian artist but one who is a little bit more well known. I like quite a few Mansionair songs but I'm often a bit late on them. Unfortunately I'm still a bit behind because it took 5 weeks for "Alibi" to break through but now it gives them their first etnry at #39.
It's been a very long time since a British artist was last at #1? How long ago you ask? I'm talking "Planet Hunter" by Wolf Alice long ago. But that year long drought is over thanks to Little Simz. Maybe this clearly bodes well for her Mercury Prize chances because Wolf Alice won it last year, but from that highly acclaimed album she released this year, "Wounds" has climbed to #1 in its 7th week on the chart. Makthaverskan are pushed back down to #2 while Dave holds at #3. WAAX now have their 2nd highest charting single ever with "FU" at #4, and Denzel Curry also ascends to new highs with "Bulls On Parade" up to #5. Climbing into the top 10 this week is Samsaruh, which is probably no surprise at this point but it should be noted it's now her 5th top 10 to date.
NEW ENTRIES
We've got a big week of Australian artists this week, and rather than obscurities (in my eyes), they're pretty heavy hitters (in my eyes). Speaking of things you visualise space via, Owl Eyes is of course back at it again. Not to be content with a #1 hit and further top 5 hit in the past 6 months, she's actually released two new songs. I'm keeping the b-side off the chart for the time being because it's hard to really judge (and for all I know it's full of opinions I cannot abide in French) but I really dig the production on it. For the more easy to digest, we have "You And I" which enters at #12 to give her 13 chart entries to date. Speaking of artists that were already charting anyway but just had to drop another banger, we've got Tame Impala back at it again. Though I have a little bit of trepidation when obviously canonised singles have their titles re-used, it's hard to deny the quality of this "Borderline" as well. It's their 11th entry to date in at #21. On the topic of songs sharing their titles with previous hits I could not care less that Hatchie's new song is called "Stay With Me" because the idea of someone getting very defensive about Sam Smith is more amusing to me than anything else. Anyway she's on a good run lately, and picks up her 3rd entry to date at #24. Finally we leave Australia and visit the US to collect a number of names of varying familiarity. It's all part of the Beast Coast collective but they've decided to credit every single artist on the song I suppose so it's easier to track who's on it. Also there are artists on here that aren't part of that which are slotted into the name list. What makes it easiest for me is that every single artist here has never charted before, which is a bit unfortunate really because Joey Bada$$, Kirk Knight & Nyck Caution made one of my favourite songs of 2017. But they, along with Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers and CJ Fly finally make their debut here at #37 with "Left Hand".
TW
LW
TI
HP
Artist
Title
1
2
7
1
Little Simz
Wounds (feat Chronixx) {1 Week @ #1}
2
1
12
1
Makthaverskan
Demands {3 Weeks @ #1}
3
3
7
3
Dave
Black
4
7
6
4
WAAX
FU
5
6
5
5
Denzel Curry
Bulls On Parade
6
8
7
6
Denise Le Menice
Stars
7
4
9
3
Sofia Karlberg
Spotless Mind
8
5
13
1
Methyl Ethel
Trip The Mains {3 Weeks @ #1}
9
10
8
9
Alex Lahey
Don't Be So Hard On Yourself
10
13
4
10
Samsaruh
Subvert
11
12
6
11
bülow
Sweet Little Lies
12
NE
1
12
Owl Eyes
You And I
13
16
3
13
Tame Impala
Patience
14
9
12
4
Little Simz
Selfish (feat Cleo Sol)
15
18
4
15
So Below
Bone
16
11
14
1
Billie Eilish
WHEN I WAS OLDER {4 Weeks @ #1}
17
15
6
15
Sloan Peterson
Here
18
20
2
18
bülow
Get Stüpid
19
23
2
19
Moreton
Circles
20
14
12
5
LO'99
Sometime (feat Owl Eyes)
21
NE
1
21
Tame Impala
Borderline
22
17
8
14
Jessie Ware
Adore You
23
21
7
21
Alicia Keys
Raise A Man
24
NE
1
24
Hatchie
Stay With Me
25
19
13
7
Two People
Phone Call
26
25
5
25
World Champion
Callisto
27
29
2
27
Billie Eilish
bad guy
28
27
3
27
Col3trane, DJDS & RAYE
The Fruits
29
22
14
3
Broods
Hospitalized
30
24
10
10
Thelma Plum
Not Angry Anymore
31
28
4
28
Yorke
Wake The City
32
26
11
9
Young Franco
Otherside (feat Reva DeVito & Golden Vessel)
33
35
3
33
Tones And I
Johnny Run Away
34
37
2
34
Jasmine Thompson
more
35
30
9
23
Methyl Ethel
Ruiner
36
31
5
28
Hatchie
Without A Blush
37
NE
1
37
Beast Coast
Left Hand (feat Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution & CJ Fly)
Last week Little Simz became the first UK artist in over a year to hit #1, she holds the top spot again with "Wounds", but Dave moving a spot behind with "Black" makes for a UK top 2, which I believe has not happened in a little over 5 years, when Temples & Katy B were holding the fort. There is a severe lack of additional UK artists elsewhere in the top 20 so this list looks to not get extended. Coming up behind at #3 are WAAX with "FU", while Denise Le Menice is doing very well with her debut hit "Stars" up to #4. Makthaverskan's former #1 hit "Demands" rounds out the top 5 at #5. In other news, the sky is blue and Owl Eyes scores her 12th top 10 hit with "You And I" moving up to #8.
NEW ENTRIES
Relatively fresh faces in the debut section even though all of them have charted before. Cyn has the most charting clout of them not just for having charted twice before, but most recently she scored a #1 hit via "Believer" last year. She continues to surpass all releases by the artist who discovered her, as her 3rd song to chart is "Terrible Ideas" at #25. I Know Leopard had a promising start to their chart career last year with top 20 hit "Landmine". It seems only fitting that this chart which goes up on the day after April 21st is titled "Seventy Lies", entering at #30. Also on the topic of promising starts, I'd not heard a thing from Eleanor Jacks before or after she scored her top 10 hit "Boys" last year, but she's finally returned complete with a cheesy No Doubt pun on "I'm Drunk And I Love You" at #33.
TW
LW
TI
HP
Artist
Title
1
1
8
1
Little Simz
Wounds (feat Chronixx) {2 Weeks @ #1}
2
3
8
2
Dave
Black
3
4
7
3
WAAX
FU
4
6
8
4
Denise Le Menice
Stars
5
2
13
1
Makthaverskan
Demands {3 Weeks @ #1}
6
5
6
5
Denzel Curry
Bulls On Parade
7
10
5
7
Samsaruh
Subvert
8
12
2
8
Owl Eyes
You And I
9
7
10
3
Sofia Karlberg
Spotless Mind
10
8
14
1
Methyl Ethel
Trip The Mains {3 Weeks @ #1}
11
13
4
11
Tame Impala
Patience
12
9
9
9
Alex Lahey
Don't Be So Hard On Yourself
13
15
5
13
So Below
Bone
14
11
7
11
bülow
Sweet Little Lies
15
21
2
15
Tame Impala
Borderline
16
19
3
16
Moreton
Circles
17
18
3
17
bülow
Get Stüpid
18
24
2
18
Hatchie
Stay With Me
19
16
15
1
Billie Eilish
WHEN I WAS OLDER {4 Weeks @ #1}
20
14
13
4
Little Simz
Selfish (feat Cleo Sol)
21
17
7
15
Sloan Peterson
Here
22
27
3
22
Billie Eilish
bad guy
23
20
13
5
LO'99
Sometime (feat Owl Eyes)
24
22
9
14
Jessie Ware
Adore You
25
NE
1
25
Cyn
Terrible Ideas
26
23
8
21
Alicia Keys
Raise A Man
27
28
4
27
Col3trane, DJDS & RAYE
The Fruits
28
34
3
28
Jasmine Thompson
more
29
25
14
7
Two People
Phone Call
30
NE
1
30
I Know Leopard
Seventy Lies
31
33
4
31
Tones And I
Johnny Run Away
32
26
6
25
World Champion
Callisto
33
NE
1
33
Eleanor Jacks
I'm Drunk And I Love You
34
37
2
34
Beast Coast
Left Hand (feat Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution & CJ Fly)
Little Simz retains the top spot for a 3rd week in a row with "Wounds". Right up behind her is WAAX, whose "FU" continues to show fine form as it reaches #2. Dave is relegated to #3 with Black while Denise Le Menice holds #4. In an extremely unshocking development, Samsaruh has another top 5 hit with "Subvert" up two places to #5. Similarly unshocking is the news of Tame Impala scoring a top 10 hit. With "Patience" up 2 places to #9 they now have 8 top 10 hits to their name. Along with that, a band called Tame Impala score their 9th top 10 hit with "Borderline" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
Last week's debuts were not particularly fresh, I think "You And I" and "Borderline" were still older than anything that entered then. That's still the case with this week's entries which are primarily from February and March 2019. The first entry this week is incidentally from an artist with prominent chart history here. Having been absent for about 2 years, Ali Barter returns with her 5th chart entry to date, "Ur A Piece Of Shit" at #27. If you are sick of seeing the same artists back here again and again...well maybe you should think about the implications of a chart where all artists are dumped as soon as they've had their one hit. Nonetheless we have a new artist who is being very mysterious with this song. If you listen to the song "London" by breathe., you might think that the song is in fact called "Breathe", something that I'm not 100% sure isn't a mistake on Spotify's part. Nonetheless after about 2 months of climbing up the ranks, it's finally here at #34. Next up is another returning artist, but serving somewhat against repetitious content, it's an artist whose success prior has not been overly remarkable. Lupa J has had 3 prior entries but only gotten as high as #20 with her first hit "Armour". Time will tell how her fortunes develop with her 4th top 40 hit "The Crash" at #36. Now for extremely constant appearing artists, The National are back with their first entry since 2017. They're now up to 9 chart entries to date thanks to "Light Years" in at #38.
TW
LW
TI
HP
Artist
Title
1
1
9
1
Little Simz
Wounds (feat Chronixx) {3 Weeks @ #1}
2
3
8
2
WAAX
FU
3
2
9
2
Dave
Black
4
4
9
4
Denise Le Menice
Stars
5
7
6
5
Samsaruh
Subvert
6
8
3
6
Owl Eyes
You And I
7
6
7
5
Denzel Curry
Bulls On Parade
8
5
14
1
Makthaverskan
Demands {3 Weeks @ #1}
9
11
5
9
Tame Impala
Patience
10
15
3
10
Tame Impala
Borderline
11
9
11
3
Sofia Karlberg
Spotless Mind
12
18
3
12
Hatchie
Stay With Me
13
10
15
1
Methyl Ethel
Trip The Mains {3 Weeks @ #1}
14
16
4
14
Moreton
Circles
15
13
6
13
So Below
Bone
16
17
4
16
bülow
Get Stüpid
17
12
10
9
Alex Lahey
Don't Be So Hard On Yourself
18
22
4
18
Billie Eilish
bad guy
19
14
8
11
bülow
Sweet Little Lies
20
25
2
20
Cyn
Terrible Ideas
21
19
16
1
Billie Eilish
WHEN I WAS OLDER {4 Weeks @ #1}
22
24
10
14
Jessie Ware
Adore You
23
21
8
15
Sloan Peterson
Here
24
28
4
24
Jasmine Thompson
more
25
20
14
4
Little Simz
Selfish (feat Cleo Sol)
26
30
2
26
I Know Leopard
Seventy Lies
27
NE
1
27
Ali Barter
Ur A Piece Of Shit
28
27
5
27
Col3trane, DJDS & RAYE
The Fruits
29
33
2
29
Eleanor Jacks
I'm Drunk And I Love You
30
26
9
21
Alicia Keys
Raise A Man
31
23
14
5
LO'99
Sometime (feat Owl Eyes)
32
34
3
32
Beast Coast
Left Hand (feat Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution & CJ Fly)
It is May 4th, and it is also the 4th week running that "Wounds" has been sitting at #1. WAAX retain the #2 spot with "FU", while some new Australian contenders who are even more familiar with the top spot are on the way up. Samsaruh's "Subvert" moves up 2 places to #3 and Owl Eyes' "You And I" moves up 2 places to #4. On that note, the top 10 has gotten increasingly Australian as Hatchie climbs to #7 with "Stay With Me", matching the peak she set with "Adored" at the end of last week, and giving her a 2nd top 10 hit.
NEW ENTRIES
Fresh from topping the UK Charts this weekend (the actual ones for that matter), Stormzy is back with his 2nd ever chart entry. He was last seen about 2 years ago with "Big For Your Boots" which reached #12. Now we will see if he can surpass that as "Vossi Bop" has a better start at #25. A big success last year was Press Club whose first hit "Suburbia" did quite well getting to #3. Their 3rd entry to date will have a tough time living up to its name as "Get Better" lands at #29. But wait, we continue to ascend in your choice of either prime number or a fibonacci sequence in terms of how many entries the artist has. This is because Alex Lahey is now in at #34 with "Am I Doing It Right?", her 5th entry. Lastly, after all these returning artists, there's actually a new one. Because it's the track I've heard the most on the album, Weyes Blood gets her first entry with "Something To Believe" at #38.
TW
LW
TI
HP
Artist
Title
1
1
10
1
Little Simz
Wounds (feat Chronixx) {4 Weeks @ #1}
2
2
9
2
WAAX
FU
3
5
7
3
Samsaruh
Subvert
4
6
4
4
Owl Eyes
You And I
5
4
10
4
Denise Le Menice
Stars
6
3
10
2
Dave
Black
7
12
4
7
Hatchie
Stay With Me
8
10
4
8
Tame Impala
Borderline
9
9
6
9
Tame Impala
Patience
10
7
8
5
Denzel Curry
Bulls On Parade
11
14
5
11
Moreton
Circles
12
8
15
1
Makthaverskan
Demands {3 Weeks @ #1}
13
16
5
13
bülow
Get Stüpid
14
20
3
14
Cyn
Terrible Ideas
15
11
12
3
Sofia Karlberg
Spotless Mind
16
13
16
1
Methyl Ethel
Trip The Mains {3 Weeks @ #1}
17
18
5
17
Billie Eilish
bad guy
18
15
7
13
So Below
Bone
19
27
2
19
Ali Barter
Ur A Piece Of Shit
20
24
5
20
Jasmine Thompson
more
21
17
11
9
Alex Lahey
Don't Be So Hard On Yourself
22
22
11
14
Jessie Ware
Adore You
23
26
3
23
I Know Leopard
Seventy Lies
24
19
9
11
bülow
Sweet Little Lies
25
NE
1
25
Stormzy
Vossi Bop
26
29
3
26
Eleanor Jacks
I'm Drunk And I Love You
27
21
17
1
Billie Eilish
WHEN I WAS OLDER {4 Weeks @ #1}
28
23
9
15
Sloan Peterson
Here
29
NE
1
29
Press Club
Get Better
30
25
15
4
Little Simz
Selfish (feat Cleo Sol)
31
34
2
31
breathe.
London
32
28
6
27
Col3trane, DJDS & RAYE
The Fruits
33
32
4
32
Beast Coast
Left Hand (feat Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution & CJ Fly)
Brace yourself for the most painfully on brand chart of all time. My biggest critic is probably myself as I'm extremely self-conscious of the fact. On an unrelated note, Owl Eyes scores her 8th #1 hit with "You And I" moving up 3 places to #1. But wait because there are more artists noted for past successes doing well too. WAAX hold #2 for a 2nd week with "FU" and Samsaruh maintains #3 with "Subvert". Thanks to this we have an all-Australian top 3 for the first time since October last year. Little Simz's #1 from last week, "Wounds" drops back down to #4, and right behind is Hatchie with her first ever top 5 hit, "Stay With Me". In moderately on brand news, there are two new top 10 entries and only one of them is from an artist with a #1 hit under their belt! Moreton score their first with "Circles" at #9, and Cyn scores her 2nd with "Terrible Ideas" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
But obviously I only meant the on brand stuff with relation to the top 10. Anyway so the top debut this week is from Olympia. This is clearly a wild twist because if you ignore her two former #1 hits, and acknowledge the fact that her last single didn't make the top 40. It's been quickly followed though, and "Hounds" enters at #18, giving her 6 entries to date. Now let's make things even less on brand, because while it is very clear that Bene's last single both went to #1 and spent about half a year on the chart, she's still relatively new to the chart only scoring her 3rd entry to date. That 3rd entry is "Evil Spider" at #23, the exact same debut position as "Soaked". More in the world of me accidentally entering an artist at the same position as their last, we've got the return of BABYMETAL. I believe their next album is coming out this year but for the time being, they're just putting out new singles every several months. The latest one I'm addicted to is "Elevator Girl". Entering at #28 (exactly where "Starlight" entered), it's their 5th entry to date. At last, I finally reach the end of the debuts with tremendously off-brand material. The final debuting artist has never charted before. Now you just need to ignore the fact that it almost could pass as a Camp Cope song and I can walk away with some dignity. Body Type get their first entry with "Uma" at #32.
TW
LW
TI
HP
Artist
Title
1
4
5
1
Owl Eyes
You And I {1 Week @ #1}
2
2
10
2
WAAX
FU
3
3
8
3
Samsaruh
Subvert
4
1
11
1
Little Simz
Wounds (feat Chronixx) {4 Weeks @ #1}
5
7
5
5
Hatchie
Stay With Me
6
8
5
6
Tame Impala
Borderline
7
5
11
4
Denise Le Menice
Stars
8
6
11
2
Dave
Black
9
11
6
9
Moreton
Circles
10
14
4
10
Cyn
Terrible Ideas
11
9
7
9
Tame Impala
Patience
12
13
6
12
bülow
Get Stüpid
13
10
9
5
Denzel Curry
Bulls On Parade
14
19
3
14
Ali Barter
Ur A Piece Of Shit
15
17
6
15
Billie Eilish
bad guy
16
12
16
1
Makthaverskan
Demands {3 Weeks @ #1}
17
20
6
17
Jasmine Thompson
more
18
NE
1
18
Olympia
Hounds
19
25
2
19
Stormzy
Vossi Bop
20
16
17
1
Methyl Ethel
Trip The Mains {3 Weeks @ #1}
21
15
13
3
Sofia Karlberg
Spotless Mind
22
23
4
22
I Know Leopard
Seventy Lies
23
NE
1
23
Bene
Evil Spider
24
18
8
13
So Below
Bone
25
29
2
25
Press Club
Get Better
26
26
4
26
Eleanor Jacks
I'm Drunk And I Love You
27
22
12
14
Jessie Ware
Adore You
28
NE
1
28
BABYMETAL
Elevator Girl
29
21
12
9
Alex Lahey
Don't Be So Hard On Yourself
30
31
3
30
breathe.
London
31
34
2
31
Alex Lahey
Am I Doing It Right?
32
NE
1
32
Body Type
Uma
33
24
10
11
bülow
Sweet Little Lies
34
36
3
34
The National
Light Years
35
27
18
1
Billie Eilish
WHEN I WAS OLDER {4 Weeks @ #1}
36
35
3
35
Lupa J
The Crash
37
28
10
15
Sloan Peterson
Here
38
32
7
27
Col3trane, DJDS & RAYE
The Fruits
39
38
2
38
Weyes Blood
Something To Believe
40
33
5
32
Beast Coast
Left Hand (feat Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution & CJ Fly)
Owl Eyes retains the top spot for a 3rd week running with "You And I". Her top spot blocking has transferred to a new song, as Hatchie scores her highest ever chart position of #2 with "Stay With Me". WAAX's long running #2 hit "FU" is made to retreat to #3, while Samsaruh also slides to #4 with "Subvert". Tame Impala hold the #5 spot with "Borderline", which if I wasn't mad last week I'd note makes for an all-Australian top 5, which actually happened as recently as October last year. There's more Australian music on the way up as well with the newest two top 10 hits. Olympia has just hit the top 10 with "Hounds", which puts it right ahead of "Wounds", and gives her a 5th top 10 hit. Fellow 2015 discovery Ali Barter also returns to the top 10, though the wait has been much longer as she's not made it since 2016's "Far Away". Her 3rd top 10 hit "Ur A Piece Of Shit" climbs to #10 this week.
NEW ENTRIES
I haven't listened to many new albums this year but Tyler, The Creator has set a very strong standard with his latest one. It's to the point that I have to contain myself to keep the chart from becoming a frenzy. Nonetheless he does manage his 2nd chart entry to date with "EARFQUAKE" debuting at #19, which is also Playboi Carti's 2nd entry as well if you wish to acknowledge his iconic verse. In the world of me being more than a little slow to things, say hi to Georgia for the first time as "About Work The Dancefloor" provides her first ever entry at #30. It would be easy to forget but the debuting artist with the most chart tenure prior to this week is actually FRITZ. Late last year they scored a #26 hit with "Summer Holiday". The follow up single "Ghost Poke" arrives at #34. Finally we have another new Australian artist, bringing with him all sorts of bizarre spelling decisions. After quite a slow climb up the lower rungs, Stevan finally arrives with "Timee" at #39.
4 weeks for "You And I" at the top spot matches the 4 week reign of Owl Eyes' previous single "On Me". Hatchie stays close behind at #2 with "Stay With Me", and we complete a top 3 of Australia songstresses with Olympia whose "Hounds" have well and truly been released with a climb to #3. WAAX recede to #4 with "FU", but moving into the top 5 is the distinctly not Australian Cyn, whose "Terrible Ideas" moves up to #5, and as a side note, Katy Perry's stanning of her is the most wholesome thing ever. Two arrivals come along into the top 10 this week. On the topic of artists following #1 hits, Bene is up to #9 with "Evil Spider" to give her a 2nd top 10 hit. BABYMETAL's #1 hit was a fair way back, but they do now have a 4th top 10 hit with "Elevator Girl" distinctly moving up to #10.
NEW ENTRIES
The highest entrant this week is an artist that's never charted before, though she did come close about a month ago with one of her SG Lewis collaborations. Clairo has struck even better on her own though, with "Bags" entering at #25. It has been a very long time since Mark Ronson's name has appeared at the front of a new entry on this chart. Legitimately it's not happened since 2010, though he has made his impact elsewhere, and did receive a feature credit on A$AP Rocky's "Everyday" in 2015. He's put out some respectable singles in the time since too, but the first one to really click with me while being fresh is "Don't Leave Me Lonely", which enters at #30 giving Mark Ronson his 5th entry, and YEBBA her first. If me having now charted two conflicting songs this year regarding whether or not one wants to be left lonely, then here's another conflict of interest as I now have two songs currently on the chart with similar titles typeset in different ways. You've heard of "You And I", now get ready for "Between You & I". It's actually Kita Alexander's first ever entry, and is in at #34. Finally, it's another long time returning artist...well this one is just one album cycle but it feels like it's been quite a while since we last heard from Alpine. Though they no longer have the same number of members as letters in their name, they have gone from 5 to 6 in terms of chart entries, as "Dumb" enters at #38.
Owl Eyes now has her 2nd longest running #1 hit with "You And I", only "Faces" has spent a longer time at the top. This week the runner up is from Olympia whose "Hounds" has taken her to #2, meaning she presently has 2 #1 hits, and 2 #2 hits to her name. Hatchie will have to be content with just the 1 #2 hit at this point with "Stay With Me" declining to #3. Cyn climbs up to #4 this week with "Terrible Ideas", bumping WAAX's "FU" down to #5. New to the top 10 this week is Body Type, whose "Uma" is making a really strong first impression of the group as it climbs up 4 places to #10.
NEW ENTRIES
Back to typical business where no new artist makes their way onto the chart, perhaps some sort of commentary on how much brand loyalty affects my early impressions is in order. That's not to say some aren't going beyond their usual to impress. Before we get to that though, Samsaruh leads the debuting pack yet again. She has done this 4 times now (incidentally not with "Golden To Thrive" which debuted at the very high #5, but on the same week Jessie Ware debuted at #1), and latest offering "Powerlines" is an absolute belter. I again remind that it's been less than 2 years since she debuted and she now has 9 entries to her name, the latest debuting at #19. Conversely, making her return to the chart this week is Amber Mark. She' briefly charted early last year with "Love Me Right", which got as high as #35. Most recently she's been bubbling under the chart with "Mixer", but it feels time to move on as her newest single really clicked with me on first listen. So much so that 2 days after me hearing it, it's now her highest charting entry ever, as "What If" lands at #22. If Samsaruh's collection of entries might sound a bit expected to a reader of this chart, what might not be is Lupa J. She's been a bit more low key on this chart, still yet to match the #20 peak of her first entry "Armour" from 2015, but by gosh has she persisted. She's now up to 5 chart entries to date, and newest entry "Pull Me Under" looks to be no slouch in that camp, as it debuts at #26. Lastly it's the return of Tones And I who scored her chart debut just back in March this year with "Johnny Run Away" peaking at #31. I would not count out the possibility of her doing a bit better with her next single, which though it's relatively arbitrary, can lay claim to debuting higher in the top 40. "Dance Monkey" is new at #37.
For a 6th week in a row the #1 spot goes to a blonde haired Australian musician whose 7 letter stage name starts with the letter O. That would be a fun way to say that nothing has changed but really it has because Olympia is #1 this week! With "Hounds" moving up from #2 last week, it becomes her 3rd #1 hit, after "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things" and "Star City". Owl Eyes is thus pushed back to #2 with "You And I", remaining ahead of Hatchie's "Stay With Me" at #3. Proving that some things don't change much, there was a week in late November last year with Olympia, Owl Eyes & Bene all in the top 5, and effectively the same thing has happened this week with "Evil Spider" moving up to #4. Cyn finishes up the top 5 with "Terrible Ideas" at #5, I can certainly think of a terrible idea someone had recently. Otherwise this week we've got two new top 10 entries. Tyler, The Creator gets his first ever with "EARFQUAKE" moving up to #9, while Samsaruh now has 6, as "Powerlines" moves up quickly to #10, maintaining the weekly quota of '...erline...' songs in the top 10.
NEW ENTRIES
The pack this week is headed up by a new entrant, although it feels like cheating because Free Nationals have gained quite a bit of notoriety as Anderson .Paak's backing band. There's here on their own...except not actually because they have the vocal company of Kali Uchis and also the late Mac Miller, both having charted twice before this. Last week's chart had Bene & "Timee", now we have BENEE and "Time", as the latter enters at #22. Speaking of making replacements on the chart, Denzel Curry just ended his 4 month run with "Bulls On Parade", just in time he's replaced himself on the chart as "SPEEDBOAT" (complete with no 1337 version of it tacked onto the end of the title) enters at #35. This is his 3rd time charting to date. Lastly it's another new artist to the chart, one that perhaps should have impacted some time ago, but nonetheless it's the first time in the top 40 for Ceres, with their song "Dancing Patterns" at #38.
Though she may have just proclaimed to have released an album, Olympia's reign here with "Hounds" is over as she drops to #2. Replacing her this week is Samsaruh's "Powerlines". This is her 3rd #1 and makes for one #1 per year since 2017, as well as continuing the concerning state of affairs where seemingly only established chart regulars can get to #1 lately. On the other hand, there are new faces on the way up, notably Clairo's "Bags" climbing to #3, and Zoe A'dore's "Galaxy" at #4. Rounding things off is someone in-between, with BENEE's "Evil Spider" at #5. That's not the only news for her though, as "Want Me Back" now moves up 6 places to #10, giving her a 3rd top 10 hit.
NEW ENTRY
Just the one entry this week. It's something of a good week for Oscar Dawson of Holy Holy fame. Not only did he produce this week's #1, but he's also married to the debuting artist, whose video he is very prominent in. Ali Barter has already had a top 10 hit just a couple months ago with "Ur A Piece Of Shit", but now has a 6th chart entry with "Backseat" at #20.
Samsaruh retains the #1 spot for a 2nd week with "Powerlines". In this plural heavy top 3 there's a new contender as Clairo's first ever chart entry "Bags" moves up to #2, swapping with Olympia's "Hounds" which moves to #3. Zoe A'dore is also of course new to the chart with "Galaxy" which holds at #4, while Amber Mark is not new, but is seeing unprecedented success with "What If" giving her a top 5 peak, up 2 places from #7. There's more good news for new artists too, as Yuna's first ever entry "Pink Youth" gives her a top 10 hit at #9 (and Little Simz her 3rd, all this year), meaning there's finally a disco pop track in my top 10 whose chorus contains the phrase 'you and I'.
NEW ENTRIES
A bit more than last week now. First off is the return for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, who naturally have already released a new album since their last spell in the charts for "Cyboogie"...4 months ago. Sounding a bit different this time, they have "Self-Immolate" at #24 which is their 5th chart entry, and 2nd highest ever only behind "Crumbling Castle". They are however not the quickest cycling artist this week, as Sasha Sloan returns to the chart...that she's already on with "Thoughts" which only debuted 2 weeks ago. She's leapt over that however with newer single "Dancing With Your Ghost" at #30, which is her 3rd chart entry to date. The one new artist to the table this week is Australian duo ALTA, who I know so little about that until a week ago I thought it was a single person. Their single "Back On It" has a strong FKA twigs vibe however, and enters at #34. Lastly we have a single that's taken so long to climb into the chart that the band have lost a member in the process, which makes all their full band profile artwork a bit awkward. Nonetheless, it's a welcome return for Sleater-Kinney who 4 years ago scored a top 10 hit with "No Cities To Love". They now finally get a 2nd entry with "Hurry On Home" at #39.
Samsaruh has now headed the pack for 4 weeks now with "Powerlines". It might be a tough ask for her to set a new personal best as she's also had an 8 week running #1 in "Golden To Thrive", but weirder things have happened. Actually setting a new personal best is Amber Mark, with "What If" now up to #2, swapping with Clairo's "Bags" at #3. BENEE continues to improve an already very strong discography of hits as "Want Me Back", her 3rd top 5 hit now sits at #4. Yuna is still making her first impression but it's a strong one with "Pink Youth" at #5, which is also Little Simz's 3rd top 5 hit just this year. Ali Barter is back in the top 10 for the 2nd time this year and 4th overall with "Backseat" at #9, while Free Nationals' first ever chart entry nets them a top 10 appearance, which is the 2nd time around for both Mac Miller & Kali Uchis, as "Time" sits at #10 this week.
NEW ENTRIES
Several fresh faces this week, first off is not one of those. It has however been quite a while since Shura was last seen in this chart. Or at least it especially feels as such since she scored 4 entries just over a year across 2015-2016. At last a 5th entry arrives with "the stage" at #22. Seems kind of random to me but despite being somewhat in my wheelhouse, I don't know if I've ever consciously listened to DIIV until now, stumbling across new single "Skin Game". A strong early impression puts in at #29 for their first ever chart entry obviously. It's time for yet another hip hop collaboration with an absurd amount of artists on it. Mainly it just serves as a way to introduce several new entities to the chart because I'm pretty sure Mustard, Tyga & YG have all never made any chart appearances before. After letting Juicy J handle it on "Wait A Minute", this time A$AP Ferg is doing so, and brings along A$AP Rocky as well, who I can't imagine has anything of note going on. "On GOD" lands at #33. In the ever important world of 'hey that sounds like this', the last debut sounds like it could fit on Olympia's first album perhaps. Merpire's first ever entry comes with "Habit" at #37.
Samsaruh holds the top spot for a 5th week, which is the equal longest reign of 2019. Amber Mark retains the #2 slot with "What If", while Yuna's "Pink Youth" continues its climb, now at #3. BENEE holds #4 with "Want Me Back" while Clairo finishes off the top 5 with "Bags" at #5. Of most note in this week's top 10 is a new arrival from Montaigne's "READY", which is her 2nd ever top 10 hit, following 2015's #1 "Clip My Wings".
NEW ENTRIES
Having a strong year thus far, Clairo returns with her 2nd ever entry. Curiously it's had a nearly identical run up to this point to "Bags", which may well help the case of "Sofia", which enters at #26. New artists! I have a strange recollection that I think Shannen James had another single on Spotify up until two weeks ago, but if this isn't a suspicious scrubbing, she's making a strong impression with her first single, "Something In The Water", which enters at #29. The biggest veterans to the chart, among the debuts and if not for Tame Impala hanging on, the entire chart altogether. On the other hand, you can turn it back to Spoon's favour because I've known their music for even longer than that. Nonetheless, the most consistent band in indie rock have returned with their 6th chart entry to date, "No Bullets Spent" at #34. The final entrant is also technically a debut though they made a minor below top 40 splash with prior single "In The Dark". Summer Flake are now in the major leagues with "Hand In The Fire" in at #38.
It's time for a new #1, and unlike the last 3, it's from an artist that hasn't been there before. In fact we've got Yuna's first ever chart entry "Pink Youth" becoming a #1 hit. Although just as a counter to this, it features Little Simz who is now the first artist to score multiple #1 hits this year. She deposes Samsaruh who moves down to #2 with "Powerlines". Amber Mark is also down to #3 with "What If", but BENEE can hold the #4 position with "Want Me Back". Ali Barter scores her 3rd ever top 5 hit with "Backseat" moving up to #5.
NEW ENTRIES
Leading the pack this week is the only Australian entrant, and for that matter, the only artist who has charted before. Ainslie Wills has a very enviable chart history with her last 2 entries going to #1. She's now back with a 4th chart entry, "Mountains" at #18. Technically a new entrant, JessB has been bubbling under a little bit before now. After these low charters, she's making instant impact with latest song "So Low", making a strong contribution to NZ canon because featured artist Paige is also from New Zealand. "So Low" enters at #25. Though she has made my End Of Year lists before, this is the first time in the chart for Angel Olsen, with "All Mirrors" at #32. Finally, MUNA have made their first entry into the top 40, after "I Know A Place" got fairly close a couple years back. "Number One Fan" does it for them as it enters at #37.
Having completed her pilgrimage to #1, Yuna has now been there for 2 weeks with "Pink Youth". Samsaruh retains #2 with "Powerlines", just ahead of BENEE who belatedly reaches #3 with "Want Me Back", matching the peak of "Evil Spider". Ali Barter continues to climb with "Backseat" now up to #4, moving ahead of Amber Mark's "What If" at #5. Joining them all in the top 10 for the 2nd time ever is Shura, as "the stage" climbs to #9, while King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard also have their 2nd top 10 hit, "Self-Immolate" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
Without doing much analysis, I believe there's a new record being set this week. In 2018, Cog returned to the chart after a nearly 10 year absence. Tapping a very similar market, it's the similarly long awaited return of The Butterfly Effect this week, who haven't been on the chart since their #1 hit "In These Hands" in early 2009, so they've been more than 10 years shy from the chart. "Unbroken" makes a strong early impression as it enters at #23, their 4th entry to date. In terms of new entries, this week's chart has got 4 on it. It would be very convenient if I did have one more because this week features a song titled "Us". Earlier this year, So Below made a strong first impact on the chart with "Bone" climbing to #13. Now she's back with a 2nd chart entry, as previously noted, titled "Us", at #28. Surprisingly popular, even if the charts haven't decided to acknowledge it, YBN Cordae becomes the latest artist to bubble under the chart with a feature credit (featured on H.E.R.'s "Racks") only to make the actual chart as the lead. Teaming up with him is frequent feature artist Anderson .Paak, who has now charted 7 times. The latest is "RNP" at #33. My own version of the triple j -> Double J demographic shift is when artists go from racking up big hits on this chart to being stuck in the #41-#80 section, to not even being able to make that. I was prepared for Of Monsters and Men to downgrade a league as I didn't find myself enthusiastic for new material, but they've retained honour for another album at least as they return to the top 40 for the first time in 4 years. "Wars" is their latest entrant at #37, their 4th to date.
Just rushing this because I'm busy but Yuna is #1 for a 3rd week in a row, the top 4 is unchanged, and Montaigne now has a 2nd top 5 hit with "READY".
NEW ENTRIES
Speaking of Montaigne, she also has a new entry at #25 with "Love Might Be Found (Volcano)". This is her 7th entry to date and she continues to be wonderful. Also on a great stride is Shura whose album I probably need to get around to hearing. She's currently riding on a high with "the stage" at #7, and it's joined by "side effects" at #28, following her typical pattern of charting two songs in close succession. It's her 6th entry to date. If their very succinct Twitter bio is anything to go by, Cymbals Eat Guitars are no more. They leave with them a pretty impressive legacy on this chart including a #1 & a #2 hit. In the wake of it, their lead singer has gone solo, and still sounds pretty much the same so I'm very on board. Empty Country thus make their debut to the chart at #34 with "Ultrasound". One more debutant, it's one that's been trying to get into the chart for weeks and just now sneaks in at #40. It's Queensland group Ivey with their song "Bodies", assumably not wanting to get mixed up with Flight Facilities because of how frequently the title is preceded by 'two', but having no qualms about any potential future Robbie Williams beef.
It's another thrilling week where the top 4 is exactly the same as last week, and thus, exactly the same as 2 weeks ago. It works out well for Yuna whose "Pink Youth" now has 4 weeks at #1. Shura manages her first ever top 5 hit with "the stage" now up 2 places to #5. Ainslie Wills scores her 3rd ever top 10 hit with "Mountains" moving up to 7th, but it's the first time ever for JessB & Paige with "So Low" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
This week is the return of a regular hitmaker over the last 5 years, Tkay Maidza. Just last year she had her first ever top 10 hit courtesy of "Glide" with Hoodboi. Now she's keeping up with the international relations and now gifting JPEGMAFIA his first ever entry, which is also Tkay's 7th, as "Awake" enters at #21. In fact it's a pretty good week for Australian hip hop as we see the entrance for another always rising star with their song "Freedom". I'm of course talking about Sampa The Great who after making her debut in 2016 is now up to 8 entries, as her latest is at #26. Pretty excited to see them when they make their way to our shores early next year, BROCKHAMPTON have their first new entry for the year this week. Suffice to say they're very active and they're now up to 12 chart entries with "BOY BYE" entering at #32. Replacing last week's obscure Australian entry that took a long time to creep in at #40 is another obscure Australian entry that took a long time to creep in at #40. Naturally it's another debut artist, as Teischa scores her first entry ever with "hotel pool".
Because it's my chart I can make comparisons to Owl Eyes on regular intervals, and this week what is pertinent is that following a first chart entry of not particularly much note, she went through with a streak of 5 #1 hits in a row. That hasn't been replicated just yet but over a much longer period of time, Ainslie Wills has scored 3 consecutive #1 hits, with her 2nd through 4th chart entries, the latest of these is "Mountains" which climbs to the top this week. She deposes Yuna's "Pink Youth" which adds to the bunch of 5 week #1s this year as it drops to #2. JessB continues to see new heights with "So Low" up to #3 which causes Shura to remain at #4 while Samsaruh drops down to #5. I neglected to mention last week that The Butterfly Effect had scored their 4th top 10 hit, but I can freely mention now that Angel Olsen has her first with "All Mirrors" which is now at #7.
NEW ENTRIES
For those of you keeping tabs on me, 3 weeks is how long it took me to get over it. Several new artists on this week's chart but the newest really is the artist I'd never heard of before this and whose name I am not confident on how to pronounce. DVNA's first entry "Sushi In Tokyo" rolls up at #26. It's been a long time coming but I've finally cottoned onto a Mallrat song while it's actually relevant. "Charlie" is her first time ever on the chart and it's at #32. Next up in the obligatory 'chart hits that people who sparingly get into chart hits tend to universally abide by, we've got the first ever entry in any capacity for Normani. That is of course her 6th debut single "Motivation" in at #34. Just the one returning artist this week. It's been a while between entries for clipping. but they return at #37 with their 4th entry "Nothing Is Safe".
Ainslie retains the #1 spot for a 2nd week running with "Mountains". If she can last another week, she will overtake "Mountain Sound" as the most dominant 'mountain' based #1 hit, and there's a good chance that will be accompanied by Of Monsters and Men's current hit leaving the chart as well, if the wound needed some salt. Perhaps they'll be rooting for JessB as "So Low" climbs to #2 in place of "Pink Youth" which is now down to #3. Shura continues to hold #4 with "the stage" while The Butterfly Effect continue this wild ride of longevity with "Unbroken" now hitting #5. Montaigne scores her 2nd top 10 hit of the year and 3rd overall with "Love Might Be Found (Volcano)" at #8, while Clairo belatedly joins her with a 2nd top 10 hit in "Sofia" at #9.
NEW ENTRIES
Danny Brown dominated the chart in 2016 with 4 different hits, 3 of which went into the top 10, but he hasn't been seen on the chart since, assumably because how can you make music when you're also trying to play Persona 5? Or rather it's just a usual gap between albums which sees him return now with his 6th chart entry, "Dirty Laundry" at #24. 3 years is standard for an album but 1 year is a bit unusual just for a single. Nonetheless, Jaguar Jonze finally does have a 2nd single on the market and it's anyone's guess if it can still emulate the long climb towards the top that she had for "You Got Left Behind" last year. "Beijing Baby" makes its first impression at #33. Lastly we have another Australian artist returning, a little faster though, as Stevan charted for the first time this year with "Timee", which he rudely spelled as such so it couldn't be the 3rd of now 4 songs called "Time" that I've charted. He's not ruined anything though by naming his newest single "LNT", and it enters at #37.
3 weeks at #1 for "Mountains" now. JessB continues to hold #2, just ahead of The Butterfly Effect who have no recent peaks to beat because their last chart entry was a #1 hit. Nonetheless, "Unbroken" is doing well at #3, just ahead of Angel Olsen who is hitting new career highs with "All Mirrors" now at #4. Yuna rounds out the top 5 with "Pink Youth" down 2 places to #5. New to the top 10, Grimes & i_o take "Violence" to #8. This is i_o's first top 10 hit, but for Grimes, she's up to 5.
NEW ENTRIES
All familiar artists this week, and all Australian for that matter. The highest of these is the one with the least chart history, in fact it's hard to have less without having nothing at all, because Caiti Baker has only previously hit #40 with her song "Believer". She now returns at all new heights of #28 with 2nd entry "Gone". Going to need to work a bit more to reach new highs is Slowly Slowly. They're setting themselves up as reasonably consistent by scoring a single new entry for a 3rd year in a row. We just recently had a song in the chart about being a creature of habit, now we have "Creature Of Habit Pt.2" at #37. The most chart history in this lot goes to the final entrants The Money War. They're up to 6 entries now as "Let Love In" goes in at #39.
It's 4 weeks now for Ainslie Wills and "Mountains". This matches her reign 2 years ago with "Running Second", so if she can last another, "Running Second" will indeed be running second. It's rather steady at the top this week too. JessB holds #2, The Butterfly Effect hold #3 and Angel Olsen holds #4. The one difference in the top 5 is that Montaigne is now there with "Love Might Be Found (Volcano)" at #5, the same peak she reached a couple months ago with "READY". Tkay Maidza climbs into the top 10 with "Awake" which is her 2nd top 10 hit and first as a lead artist, while it's naturally the first for JPEGMAFIA.
NEW ENTRIES
For the 3rd week in a row, all the debuting artists are familiar to the chart, though not really any that could be described as excessively familiar in the chart. For instance, leading the pack this week is Georgia, who only charted for the first time this year, reaching #20 with "About Work The Dancefloor". She's poised to do a bit better with her next single though as "Never Let You Go" enters almost that high at #21. Currently making a bid for the top spot in a guest spot, NZ singer Paige is making a claim on her own this week with her first lead artist entry, "Bloom", at #29. The most familiar artists to the chart here are both together, though they're most familiar with the lower end of the chart having never gone higher than #30 in the past. That #30 summit is the combined peak of a prior 3 entries for FKA twigs and 2 for Future, twigs has not been seen on the chart in roughly 3 years, and now returns with "holy terrain" at #34. Best known for inadvertedly being a nuisance on last.fm, Maddy Jane is now scoring her 2nd ever entry after reaching the top 10 last year with "Ideal". The new entry is "Something Old and Something New" at #38.
#1 turnover remains below average this year, and we've got 5 weeks running now for Ainslie Wills' "Mountains". 4 of those 5 weeks have had JessB at #2 with "So Low", including this one. Grimes makes a bid for back to back #1 hits as "Violence" climbs up 3 places to #3, with Montaigne just behind her scoring her highest charting 2019 entry with "Love Might Be Found (Volcano)" at #4. Closing out the top 5 is The Butterfly Effect with "Unbroken". Moving into the top 10 this week, Lastlings score their first ever top 10 hit with "Last Breath" at #8, as do Empty Country with "Ultrasound", though it should be noted that Cymbals Eat Guitars had 2 top 10 hits as well.
NEW ENTRIES
It's time for an ever so occasional tradition on this chart, where an artist I generally like makes it onto this chart with a song they made for a video game soundtrack. The National did it in 2011, Daughter did it in 2017, and now CHVRCHES have done it in 2019. It would be logical at this point to mention what video game it is, but I don't actually need to because for some reason the song is named "Death Stranding". A big hole in my gaming knowledge is that I've never played any of Kojima's games but his reputation precedes him, and his latest act of wonder is making CHVRCHES release good music again. "Death Stranding" enters at #16 as their 11th entry to date. That serves as an easier way to lead into the next entry. Because in the world of video games I have played, I spent last month playing AI: The Somnium Files, the latest murder mystery visual novel from Spike Chunsoft and the mind behind the Zero Escape games. I wasn't keeping up with the promotion of the game, but for several months beforehand, there was regular teaser content being released by way of a YouTube account for one of the characters, as in-game, they're a budding internet idol/streamer. Such was the committal to the guise that an entire song was made (with both the Japanese & English voice actresses), and it's absolute cheesy nonsense, but something that I really warmed to with the way it's used in the game. To put it more simply, this is like the Miley Cyrus/Ashley O thing but for VN nerds. It's also not officially on music services so crediting it is difficult. Said character has a stage name, nickname & real name, and there are two versions depending on my language of choice at the time. So I'll just credit the composer and put "Invincible Rainbow Arrow" at #19, A-set, you bet. I will try to keep that absurdity less isolated with a very different kind of bombshell. Namely that Usher is getting his first ever chart entrance because I just wasn't ready enough to appreciate "Climax" at the time. He gets in via collaboration with Black Coffee who actually has charted before in collaboration with Drake on "Get It Together". Together we have "LaLaLa" which impressively finds a unique non-Naughty Boy or Y2K way of being typeset, at #34. Finally, the least peculiar chart entry of the week goes to Stormzy, who scores his 3rd entry to date with "Wiley Flow" at #39.
With an enviable career arc across this decade, we have a new #1 this week courtesy of Grimes and i_o. Grimes scored her first ever #1 hit at the start of this year with "We Appreciate Power", and is back at the top one single later with "Violence" this week. Thus "Mountains" is displaced to #2 and "So Low" follows at #3. Montaigne is able to hold #4 with "Love Might Be Found (Volcano)", and behind her is Tkay Maidza scoring her 2nd ever top 5 hit with "Awake" at #5. Danny Brown scores his 4th top 10 hit to date this week with "Dirty Laundry" up to #8.
NEW ENTRIES
It's time for more peculiar Japanese music this week, only this one is normalised so it requires less explanation. BABYMETAL released their 3rd album last week and it is a serious mixed bag, although it's already a big hit on this chart via 3 previously released singles that all charted rather well (even if those versions aren't all technically on it). Otherwise my pick is the closing track "Arkadia" for the lazy reason that it sounds the most like their last album. It's in at #20 and is their 6th entry to date. In a peculiar turn of events, if you were to make an NZ Tracks chart version of my chart, this week might be the first time in over a year that BENEE is not in the top 2, having now fallen behind JessB/Paige and...Paige. But she's determined to stay in the picture by continuing to rack up hits, having now had 4 different songs in the chart this year. The latest is "Find An Island" which enters at #25 and is her 5th entry to date. But I also have new artists this week. The first of which is Erthlings, who I'm not sure have properly been on my radar before, but have struck some variety of gold with their blissful "Returning" at #34. The last entry is not technically a debut as this artist has even been behind a #1 hit on this chart as a former member of Cherry Glazerr. That's something I didn't know until just now so there is no sort of suspicious chart nepotism from my hands that gives SASAMI her first ever entry with "Take Care" at #38.
It's a second week at the top for Grimes. Ainslie Wills remains at #2 with "Mountains", just ahead of a bit of actual chart actions. Firstly Lastlings continue to seriously impress with "Last Breath" now climbing up to #3, a big improvement from them peaking at #38 with "Urges". Tkay Maidza also hits a new peak of #4 with "Awake", pushing JessB down to #5 with "So Low". Georgia has a top 10 peak for the first time ever with "Never Let You Go" at #8, followed closely behind CHVRCHES who now have 5 thanks to "Death Stranding" at #9. They lead the charge for when this top 10 possibly gets remarkably Japanese, with fake & real Japanese idol acts at #11 & #14 this week.
NEW ENTRIES
It's that wild time of the extremely inconsistent timeframe, new Owl Eyes single. "You Don't Know Love" is her 14th entry to date, and also brings in tow TAPZ, who under the old pseudonym Young Tapz, charted twice alongside Hermitude in 2015 with "Through The Roof" & "The Buzz", which I'm surprised to realise now had a higher peak for the former than the latter. This track is higher than both of them ever got though, entering at #23. From established names to newer ones, Denise Le Menice had a massive breakout hit with "Stars" earlier this year. I recently realised she put out a new single after that and it's also pretty great too. "Lust" enters at #27 as her second entry. Now for our sole debutant artist, it's the possibly long awaited entrance for Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, who arrive just on time to replace King Gizzard in the long name stakes. "Mundungus" is their offering at #33. Finally we have another returning artist, with Kwame who is basically doing Kanye's thing better than Kanye is lately. "STOP KNOCKIN' @ MY DOOR" enters at #37 as his 2nd entry, following a brief run with "No Time" early last year.
Grimes has been dictating with "Violence" for 3 weeks now. There's some shuffling around below, with Lastlings climbing up to #2 with "Last Breath". Ainslie Wills declines to #3 with "Mountains", followed by a 3rd consecutive Aus entry with Tkay Maidza at #4 with "Awake". Georgia continues to move up fast with "Never Let You Go" at #5. We had a video game song enter the top 10 last week from CHVRCHES, and conveniently we have another game that mentions Kojima for a joke. It's also very timely because it's November 2019, which is the general setting for AI: The Somnium Files. So shortly after this chart is available, I'm pretty sure Iris is about to stream, and will surely be excited to see "Invincible Rainbow Arrow" up in the top 10 at #8.
NEW ENTRIES
It's been a little while since we last had Wafia on this chart. Or rather it just feels like it because her last entry was the #1 hit "I'm Good". With a tendency to peak just outside of the top 40, she's just now up to her 4th top 40 entry, with "Flowers & Superpowers" at #23. Speaking of Australian solo artists with 4 entries to date, we now have the slower build up of occasional entries from Woodes. Her latest is "Silent Disco" at #26. 4th entry is the theme of this week, as it's also something that applies to the last debutant. It's an international artist this time, courtesy of Milky Chance who have also spread out their entries EVEN more slowly because it's across 3 different albums. "Fado" gives them their latest at #38.
Grimes continues to take a strong residence at the #1 spot, "Violence" has now stood there for 4 weeks. Like it, the runner up remains the same, with Lastlings lodging a 2nd week with "Last Breath". Georgia elevates to #3 with "Never Let You Go", and then we have two more climbers behind her, both from video game soundtracks. CHVRCHES avoid the timefall with "Death Stranding" moving up to #4, their highest peaker since "Gun" as it so happens, while Tesa continues to make miracles with "Invincible Rainbow Arrow" at #5. If that's all a bit too silly for you then I shall make the top 10 much more regular business as BABYMETAL have scored their 5th top 10 hit with "Arkadia" at #9. Just behind them is BENEE who continues to show great consistency. Just a year ago "Soaked" was hitting the #1 spot for the first time, and now she has a 4th top 10 hit in "Find An Island" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
But that's not all she's got going for her as BENEE also has the highest new entry of the week. She's very quickly moved onto releasing a new EP, and another new track taken from it recently is "Monsta". It enters at #24 and is her 6th chart entry to date. Next up is a name that's not been seen on this chart in many years, but it's a long awaited return for City and Colour. The project netted two moderate hits near the start of the decade with "Fragile Bird" and "Thirst". Now comes a 3rd entry, nearly 7 years after the last, "Difficult Love" at #29. City and Colour of course was originally known for being in Alexisonfire, and solo projects are the theme of this week, because up next is a first time entry for Jezabels frontwoman Hayley Mary. The Jezabels of course have had plenty of entries over the years though haven't been heard from in a few years, but we make up for that lull with "The Piss, The Perfume" at #33. Lastly, it's a second time entry for Sabrina Claudio who tends to make herself much more present in the bottom 40 of my chart. She enters at #39 with "Rumors" which is actually the same peak she reached with "Numb" last year. Notably it also features ZAYN who thus surprisingly becomes the first One Direction member to ever make this chart.
Keeping up the general trend of late, Grimes has now notched up 5 weeks at #1 with "Violence". The cavalcade of contenders creep ever closer though, as we now have a new climber at #2 from Georgia with "Never Let You Go". The two very dissonant songs from two very dissonant video games (though both I would describe as being very heavy while also being very silly), "Death Stranding" is up to #3 and "Invincible Rainbow Arrow" up to #4. Lastlings are push back from #2 to #5 with "Last Breath". In a move surprising nobody, Owl Eyes climbs into the top 10 with "You Don't Know Love" at #10, which is her 13th top 10 hit, and TAPZ's 1st.
NEW ENTRIES
Though frequently these new entries go through a week by week vetting process, occasionally there's a very fresh one on display. That's the case for this week's top debut with Billie Eilish's song that was released 2 days ago. "everything i wanted" taps into the vibe of album highlight "ilomilo" but stands out in its own regard stylistically. She now has 9 chart entries to her name as it enters at #25. The last time this next artist appeared on the chart was also shortly after Billie Eilish scored her first entry, though it feels like a longer time between drinks for Ásgeir. "Youth" succinctly recalls the special moment of discovering his music for me and so many others 5 years ago, and gives him a 4th entry to date at #30. Just over a year ago, Stevie Jean scored her first chart entry with "Estranged", which would go on to do big things as it reached #3. She's finally returned to the chart, some might say a little early with "December Song" at #36, her second entry to date.
Grimes has the longest running #1 of the year, as "Violence" has broken the 5 week barrier to get a 6th, an amount that can't even be beaten in the time left in the year. She's atop a precarious place as there are many songs in the top 10 still keen to climb, but for now the top 4 is stable. Georgia maintains #2, CHVRCHES hold #3, and you bet A-set is still at #4. BABYMETAL score their 2nd top 5 hit for the year with "Arkadia" at #5, while speaking of seconds, it's Denise Le Menice's 2nd top 10 hit this week as "Lust" climbs to #9.
NEW ENTRIES
In record time, Jaguar Jonze is back again, and with her highest debut position yet. While her last single was a little short lived here, she's showing more promise with "Kill Me With Your Love" debuting at #23 giving her 3 entries now. It's now time for a name that's not been seen in a while, certainly not at the front of the chart. But it's a welcome return for KUČKA whose newly released "Real" has made a fast impression on me. She made her first ever entry on the chart with "Flux 98" but since then she's been a go-to guest vocalist. She's in at #25 with her 5th entry to date. Now in more predictable realms, it's the inevitable return of Tame Impala. Perhaps limping a bit compared to recent hits but I do think the song itself offers enough of its own merit. "It Might Be Time" enters at #35 and is their 12th entry to date. Lastly we've got one debutant to the chart, as it's been a decent climb into the chart for Jessie Reyez, whose "Far Away" nets her an entry at #38.
Grimes solidifies the longest reign of the year, "Violence" now up to 7 weeks at the top. The rotating wheel of the top 5 continues. This time CHVRCHES are up to #2, "Invincible Rainbow Arrow" is at #3, and BABYMETAL are #4, for their highest chart position of the year. Amidst all this, Georgia has to make way with "Never Let You Go" sliding to #5. The top 10 also has two new entrants, with Wafia scoring her 3rd top 10 hit "Flowers & Superpowers", and Lastlings are replaced in the top 10 by Erthlings, who are on their first ever top 10 with "Returning" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
We're coming up with some of the last contenders to make an impression on the end of decade before I inevitably have to dump them and start looking forward to the 2020s. On that less than optimistic note, it's a good week for FKA twigs, whose newest album is distracting me from listening to more new albums because it's so good. From it is a 2nd entry now with "sad day" at #23, instantly her highest ever charter, and her 5th in total. She's riding high at the top, so maybe the best opportunity to take the top spot over will have to be from Grimes herself. She scores a new entry at #27 with "My Name Is Dark (Art Mix)", which gives her 9 entries to date, more than 1 per year since her debut. Speaking of artists already on the chart, we've got another entry for Tkay Maidza, who recently scored a big hit with "Awake". This time it's solo, with the most distinct title of "IDC IF U BE DED" though the flow is less distinct because the chorus sounds like Merlyn Wood (maybe) on I don't know which BROCKHAMPTON song. In at #29. This is her 8th entry to date. Alongside her, another Australian artist, and the only new entrant who hasn't already charted this year. This is relatively on brand for E^ST who usually charts about once a year, having done so in 2015, 2017, 2018, and now 2019. 2018 was when she scored her biggest hit with "I Don't Lack Imagination", and now it's finally followed up here with 4th entry "TALK DEEP" at #39.
We're coming close to the end of the decade and the mysterious wonder of what will be the last #1 hit of the decade. Going for contention now is CHVRCHES who claim their first #1 hit in over 6 years, and 3rd overall with "Death Stranding". They previously hit #1 with "The Mother We Share" & "Gun". They end the 7 week reign for Grimes & i_o's "Violence" which drops down to #2. BABYMETAL keep climbing with "Arkadia" now at #3, swapping places with "Invincible Rainbow Arrow" down to #4. Owl Eyes & TAPZ climb into the top 5 with "You Don't Know Love". This leads a growing pack of restocked Australian entries in the top 10, and notably KUČKA scores her first ever top 10 hit with "Real" at #10.
NEW ENTRIES
Leading this week's debuts is an entirely new entrant, to the point that I didn't know their name a week ago and thought they could be added to the canon of Pokemon sounding artists. But no instead we have Leprous who I believe are a Norwegian prog metal band although it's not very apparent based on this new entry, which sounds more like Nothing But Thieves but with a hint of Beirut in the vocals. "I Lose Hope" enters at #24. I was recently noting that there are only a very small handful of artists on my chart that I could say I'd heard of at the start of this decade. As we approach the end of the decade, I can add another as Alicia Keys scores another new entry. She reached #21 earlier this year with "Raise A Man", and now returns at #28 with 2nd ever entry "Time Machine" at #28. Lastly, it's another return for an artist who made their debut this year. Free Nationals had a big showing with "Time" being a top 10 hit, and now they return, this time with Syd on vocals for "Shibuya" at #37.
It's a 2nd week at the top for Sam Porter CHVRCHES. They contribute to a relatively rare chart feat this week, as "Death Stranding", as well as this week's #2, "Arkadia" both run for over 5 minutes long. The last time that both of the top 2 were this long was in 2017 when it was occupied by "LUST." and "Cross My Heart". Grimes declines a little to #3 with "Violence", with Owl Eyes climbing to #4, and Denise Le Menice scoring her 2nd top 5 hit now with "Lust" at #5. New to the top 10 this week is Billie Eilish with "everything i wanted", which is her 2nd top 10 hit this year after "WHEN I WAS OLDER" and 4th overall.
NEW ENTRIES
No one new this week, but some who haven't been seen in a while. Arguably that's two on the same track, as KAYTRANADA is welcomed back to the chart with a song released on my birthday no less. He reached a big high of #3 in 2016 with "GLOWED UP", and most recently entered later that year with "TOGETHER". He also brings in with him Kali Uchis, with "10%" becoming their 4th & 3rd entries respectively at #25. I saw the next entry performed at The Game Awards and I didn't even know what song it was, nor did it really grab my attention, but later that day I listened to "4ÆM" properly and it really hooked me in, and so Grimes adds to her busy set of chart entries lately. It's her 10th entry to date at #27. For another recent charter, we've got Caiti Baker, who scored her biggest hit to date with "Gone" going top 20 in October, so she hasn't been gone from the chart for very long. Her latest entry makes for another unlikely candidate for the multiple charting entries list, as "Gasoline" enters at #33, her 3rd entry to date. Lastly we've got two artists with #2 hits under their belt teaming up. Caiti is not the only Baker in this week's chart, as Baker Boy returns to the top 40 for the first time since early 2018 (although I continue to realise that "Black Magic" definitely should have gotten in there), and he teams up with JessB on "Meditjin", their 3rd & 2nd entries respectively at #40.
It's the 2nd last chart of 2019, and we have a new #1 to show for it. Perhaps the biggest proponent of realness this side of Anna Wise, it's KUČKA who takes her first ever #1 with "Real" climbing up 6 places to #1. This is actually the first time in a little over 2 years that a song has climbed to the top spot from outside the top 5, when "Planet Hunter" did so via its #9 debut. She replaces CHVRCHES who drop to #2 with "Death Stranding", while BABYMETAL are pushed down to #3. The rest of the top 5 stays the same, with Owl Eyes & TAPZ at #4 and Denise Le Menice at #5. There's no new arrival into the top 10, but Jaguar Jonze, Tkay Maidza & FKA twigs are making their claims just outside.
NEW ENTRIES
Just the two new entries this week. The first is technically a debut just in terms of which artists are arbitrarily credited officially on songs. It's certainly not the first impact on the chart for 070 Shake, who made herself very known singing the hook on Kanye West's top 5 hit "Ghost Town" last year, just not enough to get a feature credit which instead went to the logical party. She is fortunately credited on her own music, so "Under The Moon" takes her to #23. Having a good year is Lupa J. Previously had a moderate impact on this chart with two moderate hits a few years ago, but in 2019 alone she's had 4 songs debut in the top 40, a feat only shared with BENEE and Billie Eilish. The latest is "Half Alive", which enters at #31.
It's the final chart of the year and it's another relatively stable affair at the top. KUČKA retains "Real" for a 2nd week at #1, keeping behind the same competition of CHVRCHES at #2, BABYMETAL at #3, and further capitalisation from TAPZ in tow with Owl Eyes. All of this needs to be countered of course and so climbing into the top 5 this week is the complete opposite from Billie Eilish, whose "everything i wanted" becomes her 2nd ever top 5 hit at #5. Both of these are from 2019 and neither are on her album as it turns out. Last year Tkay Maidza scored her first ever top 10 hit, and she's in flying form as she now collects a 3rd, her first now with no collaborator, as "IDC IF U BE DED" moves up to #7. Not far behind is the 2nd top 10 hit for Jaguar Jonze, who finished last year with "You Got Left Behind" at #9, and now she's #9 again with "Kill Me With Your Love".
NEW ENTRIES
It's time to round out a whole decade, which might be an ample time to bring in some new artists to make an impression just before 2020, but instead it's all pretty regular artists to varying extents. The first of which is the most regular, as MGMT now have a chart career here spanning 5 albums. Last year was a pretty good year for them and we'll have to see how they go following it up, starting off with what is definitely not The Cure, but "In The Afternoon" at #24. This is their 14th chart entry to date. Next we have an artist whose chart history comes entirely after the last time MGMT charted, as Two People continue to notch up chart entries. Their 4th and latest is "Dream Steppin'" at #33. If an artist could be described as irregular on this week's debuts, it would be Allie X purely because she charted twice in 2016 with nothing since. Thanks to the unstoppable control of the ACI influence, she's making up for lost time with "Fresh Laundry" at #35. Danny Brown probably never wrote a song about her. Possibly to be described as an irregular artist here, but only not because he's already been on the chart very recently. The final debut of the decade goes to New Zealand rapper TAPZ, who may or may not have gained credibility in the wake of Owl Eyes association, but now having charted 3 times as a feature artist, he gets his first ever solo entry with "Die For This" at #39.