Pommelien Thijs’s “Atlas” stays atop, while Froukje & S10 and Lorde earn back-to-back Top 10-debuts

Just like the age-old myth, Pommelien Thijs carries her “Atlas” to a fourth week atop my personal list. Pommelien Thijs first broke through in 2019 as the lead on the musical tv-series #LikeMe which was very popular amongst Belgian youths. She then collaborated with Dutch singer Jaap Reesema on “Nu Wij Niet Meer Praten” in 2020, which became the Christmas Number 1 on here. Following numerous single releases, her musical breakout came with her debut album Per Ongeluk which became an uncomparable success. It spawned the platinum-certified smash hit “Erop of Eronder” and kickstarted Pommelien Thijs her string of Top 40-hits. Just this year, she earned her second Number 1-single with “Het Midden” featuring Dutch singer-songwriter MEAU. Meanwhile, she also gained critical acclaim on Netflix’s Knokke Off. Her third Number 1-hit “Atlas” now claims a fourth week leading the charts. Dutch sorority U.V.S.V. / N.V.V.S.U. seek to claim the top position from Pommelien Thijs, though, as their viral song “Lotje” edges in on the competition from second place.

Last weekend at Coachella Music Festival in Palm Springs, Charli XCX welcomed Addison Rae to the stage to perform their remix “Von Dutch”. In the previous weekend, Rae also made a guest appearance during Venezuelan DJ Arca’s set, where she announced her debut studio album to universal praise. It’s hard to imagine that, nearly four years ago, her debut “Obsessed” was panned by the internet, with critics dismissing her as nothing more than a TikTok-starlet who found a new hobby. It drove Addison Rae to rethink her entire career, teaming up with AG Cook and Charli XCX to find a new sound. With “Diet Pepsi”, Rae scored an unexpected homerun, peaking at Number 1 for one week. Whereas “Diet Pepsi” was lyrically inspired by Lana Del Rey, her new single “Headphones On” is more reminiscent of Björk. Its music video is even filmed in Reykjavík, Iceland. Jumping up a whopping ten places, Rae her newest release peaks at #6. “Headphones On” becomes Rae her third Top 10-hit to date, following the prementioned “Diet Pepsi” and the Arca-remixed “Aquamarine”.

Pop music knows many iconic duos or team-ups – The Weeknd and Ariana Grande, Nelly Furtado and Timbaland, Rihanna and Drake. Or perhaps, in Dutch, we must mention Froukje and S10. Both artists emerged in the early 2020s with their critically acclaimed genre-bending debuts. In 2022, they worked together for the first time on “Zonder Gezicht”, which became a Top 10-hit and resulted in an honestly close friendship between the two. Meanwhile, S10 represented the Netherlands at Eurovision with “De Diepte” where she placed eleventh. More collaborations, many festival appearances and a parttime DJ-gig followed for Froukje and S10 – including last year’s “Ik Haat Hem Voor Jou”, which peaked at #2 for three weeks and became both artists’ their best-scoring effort to date. Last week, Froukje and S10 announced that a collaborative album is coming and that they will headline two sold-out shows in the Ziggo Dome, one of the Netherlands’ biggest concert venues. The album’s lead single “Hart in Brand” secures the highest new entry this week, fresh at #9. It marks Froukje her eighth Top 10-hit while S10 earns her sixth. “Hart in Brand” is produced by Antoon, who scored four Number 1s on his own right while he also produced the prementioned “Ik Haat Hem Voor Jou” and Roxy Dekker’s big breakout “Satisfyer”.

Further down, New-Zealand pop maestro Lorde makes her highly anticipated return to pop music with the synth-driven “What Was That”. The new release was first teased when Lorde posted an Instagram story and sent a message telling fans to go to Washington Square Park in New York, where she filmed a spontaneous dance performance. It perfectly illustrates how loyal and devoted Lorde’s fanbase really is. With her hard lyrics and often eclectic sound, Lorde holds a special place in modern pop music and helped shape it into what it is today. When Lorde her “Royals” emerged in 2013, the pop pendulum swinged from early 2010s care-free EDM pop to the moody and trap-infused rhythms that defined the late 2010s. With more than 10 million units sold worldwide, it is one of the best-selling songs ever. In 2017, her sophomore album Melodrama was met with universal acclaim and indicated how well she’s able to command the zeitgeist. On my personal chart, “Royals” remains Lorde her best-scoring effort. Last year, she earned her first Number 1-hit when she collaborated with Charli XCX on the surprising “girl, so confusing”, on which they worked it out on the remix. With her new song “What Was That”, Lorde claims a #10-debut – her biggest leading debut since 2017 its “Homemade Dynamite” and her fourth Top 10-hit to date.

Further down, Benson Boone celebrates his Coachella success by releasing the second single from his upcoming album: “Mystical Magical”, a synth-driven effort that interpolates Olivia Newton-John her classic “Physical”. During his live set at Coachella, Benson Boone was joined onstage by rock legend Brian May to perform Queen’s “Bohemian Rapsody”. Meanwhile, girl band Haim continue to tease us their fourth studio album with the new single “Down to Be Wrong” at #39. With a very Shania Twain-sounding chorus and the Haim sisters rocking out on their guitars and drums – this is a classic already. Its success is further boosted by a music video starring Logan Lerman.

Newly certified

“Atlas” – Pommelien Thijs GOLD

“Bad Dreams” – Teddy Swims GOLD

“Pink Pony Club” – Chappell Roan 2 X PLATINUM