PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson lead at Number 1

After four weeks in second place, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson finally made it to the top with their cross-over “Stateside”. It is taken from a remix collection of Fancy That, smartly titled Fancy Some More?, which reworked all the original songs from PinkPantheress her original album to feature other artists, including the likes of Kylie Minogue and JADE. The remix “Stateside” featuring Zara Larsson became an immediate hit, mainly thanks to Zara Larsson’s resurgence on both the charts and online. In a close race to the top, “Stateside” clinches the top position for a third time. The single is boosted by Alysa Liu’s gold-winning performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. “Stateside” ranks as PinkPantheress her second Number 1, only preceded by 2022’s breakout “The Boy’s a Liar” featuring Ice Spice. For Zara Larsson, “Stateside” marks her fifth Number 1-hit.

Harry Styles discos occasionally, but is on the chart, all the time! His fourth solo studio album with the very conceited name was released this month and has impacted the streaming charts worldwide. All its tracks occupied the British Spotify Top 50 and all of them appeared on the global playlist as well. The critics, however, have reacted dividedly to the album. Many complimented the production, but much criticism was directed towards the fumbled usage of Harry Styles’s impressive voice. Fans were split as well, with some calling it his best work to date and others easily his worst. Lead single “Aperture” debuted at Number 1 on my personal chart and earned Harry Styles his sixth chart-topping song. Since its debut atop the list, the song has kept inside the Top 10, though it does not equal the success of other lead singles “As It Was”. With his ex-boyband status and all, this era rings back to Robbie Williams’s divisive Rudebox. That album also saw Robbie Williams leave his traditional sound for a more techno and electronic sound to varying reviews and muddled chart success. Is this Harry Styles’s Rudebox? Well, much like Rudebox’s second single “She’s Madonna”, Harry Styles’s second single “American Girls” debuted at #14 and reaches a new peak at #8 this week.

In 2023, Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer made their first appearance on my chart and the UK Singles Chart with a small song named “Cardboard Box”. Fresh, very Sugababes-y, smart and cool – it introduced the world to FLO. The British girl group was well received online, filling in a gap left by Little Mix, and the trio released their first EP. They then won the survey BBC Sound of... and the Brit Award for Rising Star, and collaborated with Missy Elliott on the Top 40-hit “Fly Girl”. Last year, FLO bagged a nomination at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. Yet, FLO still feels under rated and they are yet to receive their flowers. Hoping 2026 will become their breakout year, like Zara Larrson right now or Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan in 2024 – FLO launch their new era with the immediately catchy “Leak It”. The response song will precede their upcoming second album. With a debut at #14, FLO earn their best opening week to date.

RAYE works with legendary composer Hans Zimmer on the new “Click Clack Symphony.” It is taken from RAYE’s upcoming new album which already spawned the Number 1 “Where Is My Husband”. Pulling Hans Zimmer for her record is an iconic move; the composer has composed the soundtracks to Dune, Interstellar and several other big-profile projects. While Harry Styles sings it up in the Top 10 with two songs, ex-bandmate Niall Horan celebrates a “Dinner Party” at #30. It will precede his new solo project. Dutch rapper-turned-singer Snelle also returns to tease a new upcoming project with the heartfelt “Laat Het Licht Aan” at #37. He previously teased the songs at his own live shows where it’s been well received. K-pop phenomenon BTS break the Top 40 with their new song “Swim” at #40. In contrast to Snelle, this project has not been as well received and has been at the end of snide criticism from both fans, and critics.

With the first quarter of 2026 over, it is time to rank the biggest songs of 2026 so far. In the past few years, the songs that performed well in the first quarter of the year, ended up as the strongest-scoring and most enduring songs of the entire year. Perhaps to little surprise, Zara Larsson bags the biggest hit of 2026 so far with “Midnight Sun”. The song is somewhat of a sleeper hit, released midway 2025, but it surged on the charts after “Lush Life” went viral and launched Zara back to the top. Her cross-over “Stateside” with PinkPantheress ranks second. That type of breakout signals an awesome 2026 for our Zara. Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” ranks as the third biggest song of 2026 so far. After a long run in the Top 10, it finally made it to Number 1 after the Christmas songs left the chart. Bruno Mars finishes fourth with the romantic “I Just Might” and Olivia Dean completes fifth with the enduring “So Easy (To Fall In Love)”. For a full Top 10 of the biggest songs of 2026 so far, see the list below.

Newly certified

“Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley GOLD

“Aperture” – Harry Styles GOLD

“Stateside” – PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson PLATINUM

Biggest songs of 2026 so far

1. “Midnight Sun” – Zara Larsson

2. “Stateside” – PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson

3. “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift

4. “I Just Might” – Bruno Mars

5. “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” – Olivia Dean

6. “Raindance” – Dave & Tems

7. “Aperture” – Harry Styles

8. “Choosing Texas” – Ella Langley

9. “Chanel” – Tyla

10. “Tot Het Eind Van Mij” – Antoon