Olivia Rodrigo comfortably rebounds to the top

Olivia Rodrigo is very happy for a girl whose kicking up a storm in the Top 40. Her third studio album has been released this week, causing its success to resurge and debut. Lead single “drop dead” returns to #1 and continues to chart in the Top 10. It previously peaked at Number 1 for one week and became Olivia Rodrigo’s fourth Number 1-hit. Follow-up “The Cure” initially seemed to underperform, but it now soars to a new peak at #17. Only one spot down, the album’s third single “Stupid Song” debuts at #18 as the highest new entry of the week. Rodrigo wrote it with its producer, Dan Nigro, and has a bit of a showtune feeling. Olivia Rodrigo quietly collects her thirteenth Top 40-hit with “Stupid Song”. It is a testament to her decade-defining career already. Ever since her debut “Drivers License”, Olivia is has grown into a generational force to be reckoned with – headlining festivals such as Glastonbury whilst simultaneously topping the Billboard Hot 100 with ease. The newest album, titled You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, has received critical acclaim again and further solidifies Olivia’s very unique status in the pop pantheon.

FIFA World Cup songs and anthems are kind of like the Bond songs of the World Cup. A huge honour to perform, but not always a guaranteed goal. Ricky Martin his 1998-single "La Copa de la Vida (The Cup of Life)" was a major early success and showcased the fresh appeal of a World Cup song. In 2010 Shakira took the theme song concept to even bigger heights with “Waka, Waka”. That Afrobeats-infused song was a global sensation and ranks as one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. On this list, “Waka, Waka” peaked at #2 and is certified double-platinum. From that year, we also got the hit “Wavin’ Flag” by K’Naan. Success continued throughout the 2010s with songs by Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull, DJ Khaled and many others. This year, Shakira strikes gold a third time, this time with “Dai, Dai” featuring major pop star Burna Boy. That single moves into the Top 10 for the first time amidst the football chaos. For Shakira, “Dai, Dai” is another hit single pretty late into her career. For an artist who emerged in the 1990s, Shakira has been able to hold the attention of many fans across the globe for more than four decades brilliantly.

The festival season has officially begun in The Netherlands, with Best Kept Secret in Hilvarenbeek kicking off first this past weekend. Like the past few years, these festivals often launch new acts onto the charts and into the Top 40. Some big festival breakout artists of these past few years include Fred Again.., Goldband, Justice and Caroline Polachek. Thanks to their set at Best Kept Secret, American hip hop duo Joey Valence & Brae break through and debut at #22 with their anthem “The Baddest”. Their set in the Two has been cited as a highlight of the weekend, mainly thanks to their blood-nose-inducing moshpits. Only two places down, Belgian superstar Pommelien Thijs re-enters with “Ik Moet Gaan”. She wasn’t originally on the festival bill, but she filled in for a sick Amaree on Friday. English BRIT-darlings Wolf Alice score their first Top 40-hit thanks to their performance at the mainstage with the lovely “Just Two Girls”. Bottomless energy cell Genesis Owusu completes the Best Kept-entries with the “Stampede” new at #35. The Ghanaian-Australian rapper has opened for Paramore a while ago. How will these new festival songs stack against those that came before them? Most of these festival hits are from Best Kept Secret, Glastonbury or Lowlands. The most successful festival hit of all time is “Noodgeval” by Goldband from 2022. Initially peaking at #5 over the summer – the synth pop song reached Number 1 following Goldband’s iconic set at Lowlands Festival. Dutch singer Eefje de Visser can be dubbed the ‘Queen of the Festival hit’, setting the charts alight three times in three consecutive years with her festival singles. Olivia Dean also benefited from her set at Down the Rabbit Hole in 2024, as “The Hardest Part” became her first song to break my Top 20 and it paved the way for “Man I Need” in 2025.

Biggest festival hits of all time

1. “Noodgeval” – Goldband [#1]
2. “The Subway” – Chappell Roan [#1]
3. “Zonder Gezicht” – Froukje & S10 [#10]
4. “Danielle (Smile On My Face)” – Fred Again.. [ #5]
5. “Find The Way” – Peggy Gou [#7]
6. “Neverender” – Justice & Tame Impala [#8]
7. “Vlammen” – Eefje de Visser [#11] 
8. “Welcome to my Island” – Caroline Polachek [#9]
9. “Through the Echoes” – Paolo Nutini [#11]
10. “I’ve Been In Love” – Jungle [#12]
11. “Lift You Up” – Jessie Ware & Romy [#12]
12. “De Parade” – Eefje de Visser [#11] 
13. “The Hardest Part” – Olivia Dean [#13]
14. “Daddy’s Selling Wine” – Sylvia Kreusch [#20]
15. “Soms Regen Ik Ook” – Maan [#20]
16. “Onomkeerbaar” – Eefje de Visser [#17]
17. “LETSGOOOO” – Merol [#20]