Ariana Grande makes her highly anticipated comeback with “Yes, And?”, earning a solid Top 3-debut

After finally conquering the holiday songs and Dua Lipa, Noah Kahan again fights off major competition and earns a second week at Number 1 with “Stick Season”. It is taken from his third album of the same name. The album was very well received and helped establish a distinct fanbase. Then last year, its title track went viral on TikTok and became a big hit in the UK. It also reached Number 1 in Ireland. On my personal list, “Stick Season” became the first American male solo Number 1-hit in over two years. His competition has included some of the biggest pop stars right now, including Tate McRae and Dua Lipa. His biggest threat debuts this week though..

One of the biggest pop stars of the moment finally made her long-awaited and very anticipated comeback this week: Ariana Grande. The megastar has nine Number 1-hits under her belt, is currently filming the musical film Wicked and is always making headlines – whether that’s good I’ll not decide. When Grande finally announced her comeback “Yes, And?”, the internet went livid. The song debuted on Spotify with over 11 million streams. It is the lead single for her upcoming seventh album, titled Eternal Sunshine, a reference to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The Jim Carrey film is also referenced in the video clip for “Yes, And?, which also references Paula Abdul and Michael Jackson. On my personal chart, the new house song debuts at #2 this week. It only barely misses out on the Number 1-slot. It becomes her twenty-ninth Top 10-entry and her first solo Top 10-hit since 2020’s “Positions”. To celebrate Grande her return, I have decided to rank her biggest hits to date – her biggest remaining her first ever Number 1-hit “Problem”.

With the streaming age, it is anyone’s guess which song will become a hit. Over the 2020s, there have been a string of sleeper hits that found traction on Spotify or went viral on TikTok. Dutch artists Antoon and Goldband both scored big hits with year-old songs, while Afrobeats smashes such as “Calm Down” by Rema can suddenly rise to the top of the charts months after its initial release. Remixes also impact the charts, such as The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s team-ups “Die For You” and “Save Your Tears”. This week, a 22-year-old song makes its return to the Top 10 – and with good reason: “Murder On The Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor at #8. It was recently featured in the film Saltburn. “Murder on the Dancefloor” was a big smash back in 2002, becoming Sophie Ellis-Bextor her first and only Number 1-hit and topping the chart for three consecutive weeks. It now endured as a modern classic and is currently certified double-platinum. With its return to the Top 10 after all these years, “Murder on the Dancefloor” can shape up to become one of the biggest hits of the 2000s.

One of the Netherlands’ most acclaimed artists to debut in the past few years, is without a doubt Froukje. The indie pop star debuted in January 2020 with “Groter Dan Ik”, a protest song about climate change which went viral across the internet. A few hit songs and many festival appearances later, Froukje has grown into a celebrated pop icon with a recognizable style and sound. This week, she has finally released her much anticipated debut Noodzakelijk Verdriet. It has previously spawned the Top 10-songs “Als Ik God Was” and “Houden Van Mij” on my personal chart. The former became her highest-peaking release to date. The new up-tempo single “Kwijt” earns the highest debut of the week, entering the chart at #14. It marks Froukje eleventh Top 40-entry.

Further down, Flemming and Boef re-enter the chart with their revenge song “Champions League”. It previously peaked at #28, but now re-enters at an all time high of #27. It is supported by the success of Flemming his new single “Alles Op Gevoel” with Zoë Tauran and Ronnie Flex. Dutch singer Hannah Mae debuts at #39 with her solo single “Waterdicht”. It is her first Top 40-appearance with a solo credit. She previously had a Number 1-hit with the duet “Wat Wil Je Van Mij” with Metejoor.

Newly certified

“Satisfyer” – Roxy Dekker GOLD

The biggest Ariana Grande songs

1. “Problem” with Iggy Azalea [#1 x 5 weeks] (23 weeks)
2. “7 Rings” [#1 x 1 week] (23 weeks)
3. “Break Free” with Zedd [#1 x 3 weeks] (21 weeks)
4. “Side to Side” with Nicki Minaj [#1 x 3 weeks] (22 weeks)
5. “No Tears Left to Cry” [#1 x 3 weeks] (21 weeks)
6. “thank u, next” [#1 x 2 weeks] (25 weeks)
7. “Bang, Bang” with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj [#1 x 3 weeks] (20 weeks)
8. “Save Your Tears” with The Weeknd [#5] (35 weeks)
9. “Into You” [#2] (25 weeks)
10. “Positions” [#1 x 2 weeks] (21 weeks)