It’s 2014 again – Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding take Number 1 with the anthemic “Miracle”

It feels like 2014 all over again, as Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding peak at Number 1 this week with their trance anthem “Miracle”. The single marks Harris and Goulding their third collaboration to date – they previously came together on 2013’s “I Need Your Love” and the 2014 Number 1-smash “Outside”. Since then, both artists have enjoyed major chart success. Harris scored the biggest song of 2018 with “One Kiss” featuring Dua Lipa, while Goulding went multi-platinum with “Love Me Like You Do” in 2015. The new “Miracle” is a straight up trance song with an infectious Eurodance beat. The single is also very reminiscent of Robert Miles his 1996-hit “Children” and other dance songs of the late 1990s. As “Miracle” peaks atop the chart this week, Harris earns his eighth Number 1-hit. He now joins Robbie Williams and One Direction as the male acts with the most Number 1s. Goulding earns her third Number 1-single. Together they dethrone “Boy’s a Liar” by PinkPantheress & Ice Spice, which spent three weeks leading the list.

Nigerian pop star Ayra Starr enters the Top 10 with her breakthrough hit “Rush”, finishing at #10 this week. The infectious Afrobeats song is set to become a worldwide hit, already appearing inside the Top 40 on multiple European charts. In Nigeria, Starr is already a widely established act. Starr’s eponymous debut EP and its hit track "Away" became streaming hits. She then released her debut 19 & Dangerous, which included “Bloody Samaritan”; the first solo song by a female artist to reach Number 1 in Nigeria. On my personal list, “Rush” is boosted by increasing streaming numbers and strong playlisting, earning Ayra Starr her first Top 10-hit.

The Netherlands’ hottest pop star Antoon scores the top debut of the week, as his new single “Roddels” featuring rapper Frenna enters at #19. Last year was an incredibly successful year for the young talent. His collaboration “Vluchtstrook” became the most-streamed song of the Netherlands that year, while the country-inspired “Hallo” peaked at Number 1 on the official national charts. On my personal chart, Antoon continued his streak of Top 10-hits. On the new single “Roddels”, Antoon is supported by one of the Netherlands’ best, Frenna, who has scored twenty-two Top 40-hits on my personal list since 2015. His last appearance in my personal Top 20 was 2018’s “Verleden Tijd”, which peaked at #5 and became his best-performing single to date.

Further down, Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía debut at #25 with their new cross-over “Beso”. The single is taken from their collaborative EP titled RR, which features three new songs. To no surprise, “Beso” became an immediate streaming hit. It earns Rauw his second Top 40-entry, while Rosalía collects her eighth. Girl group FLO enter at #29 with “Fly Girl” featuring rap icon Missy Elliott. It is an undeniable anthem and the perfect follow-up to their breakout Top 20-hit “Cardboard Box”. Ed Sheeran debuts at #37 with his comeback release “Eyes Closed”, which is the lead single to his upcoming fifth album. In anticipation of Eurovision 2023, Sweden’s entry Loreen debuts at #39 with “Tattoo”. She of course won the competition in 2012 with “Euphoria”, which is often cited as one of the best Eurovision entries of all time.

As the first quarter of this year has already passed, it is time to look back at the biggest hits of 2023 so far. Miley Cyrus takes the lead with the career-defining “Flowers”. It spent five consecutive weeks atop the list after a spectacular debut at Number 1. It marked Cyrus her fifth chart-topper on my personal list. RAYE finishes second with her breakout “Escapism”, while the Dutch smash hit “Stiekem” by Maan & Goldband takes third place in the ranking so far. London-based DJ Fred Again.. has the biggest-scoring non-Number 1 of the year so far with “Delilah (Pull Me Out of This)”, which finishes fifth right now. Other notable entries include Bizarrap & Shakira their eponymous collaboration, which became the first Spanish Number 1-hit in over six years, and Mimi Webb’s “Red Flags”, which finishes inside the Top 10 ranking so far, despite its relatively low peak at #6.

Biggest-scoring singles of 2023 so far

1. “Flowers” – Miley Cyrus [#1]

2. “Escapism” – Raye & 070 Shake [#1]

3. “Stiekem” – Maan & Goldband [#1]

4. “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” – Bizarrap & Shakira [#1]

5. “Boy’s a Liar” – PinkPantheress & Ice Spice [#1]

6. “Kill Bill” – SZA [#2]

7. “Paracetamollen” – Flemming [#3]

8. “Delilah (Pull Me Out of This)” – Fred Again.. [#2]

9. “Red Flags” – Mimi Webb [#6]

10. “Creeping” – Metro Boomin’, The Weeknd & 21 Savage [#8]