WizTheMc and Tyla fight off Ravyn Lenae

TikTok has an undeniable influence on the modern pop landscape. Thanks to its accessibility, smaller unknown artists or underrepresented genres can suddenly grow viral and open new doors worldwide – with Afrobeats perhaps being the strongest example. Aya Nakamura brought the genre to Number 1 in 2018 for the first time. Nigerian singer Rema took the genre to newer heights with “Calm Down” in 2022, becoming the best-selling global hit of 2023 with more than 2 billion streams. The breakthrough of more Afrobeats artists followed, including Tyla, Ayra Starr and King Promise. WizTheMc finally added himself to that line-up when “Show Me Love” went to Number 1. It now holds atop the list for a third consecutive week. Ravyn Lanae still persists to bump WizTheMc and Tyla off the top, staying in second place for also third week, her performance boosted by a remix with Rex Orange County. #3-spot is once again taken by Sam Fender with his “Little Bit Closer”, getting a little bit closer to the top of the charts.

Last week, popular music duo and couple Suzan & Freek made headlines when they announced Freek is terminally ill with lung cancer with no chance of recovery. They had to suddenly stop touring and they have asked Dutch media to leave them alone so they can be with family. To make matters even worse, Suzan also announced she is pregnant with their child and is due at the end of the year. It is a heartbreaking situation for all involved. Their news received a ton of media attention and garnered sympathetic responses from the entire industry. To support the couple in troubling times, Dutch radio stations all over the country played their album track “Lichtje Branden” – a song about staying strong in difficult times – all at the same time. That song debuts at #15 this week, while their newest single “Batterij” is up at #21. Their musical legacy in The Netherlands and Belgium is undisputable. Suzan & Freek have been credited with reviving Dutch pop songs in the late 2010s and have scored numerous streaming juggernauts and radio hits. On my personal chart, Suzan & Freek have earned nineteen Top 40-hits, including the 2019 Number 1-smash “Blauwe Dag”.

Further down, TikTok-protégée-turned-pop icon Addison Rae continues to tease her highly anticipated debut album with “Fame is a Gun”; the album its fifth single. It has been preceded by the Top 10-hits “Aquamarine” and “Headphones On” and of course, the Number 1-breakout “Diet Pepsi”. Meanwhile, British singer Lola Young does her best to channel Noughties’ Lily Allen on “One Thing” at #27. It is her second Top 40-entry to date. She previously broke into the mainstream with the viral hit “Messy”, which made it the top of several international charts, and peaked at #2 on this one. It also ranks as one of the biggest singles of 2025 so far. Tate McRae releases contributes to the F1 film starring Brad Pitt, set to release later this month, with “Just Keep Watching” at #30. The soundtrack is penned by Ryan Tedder, a close collaborator of McRae, and features the likes of Rosé, Doja Cat and Ed Sheeran. The new song was well received on Spotify and other streaming services. It helps McRae to her sixteenth Top 40-entry. Olivia Dean rounds out the new entries with the neo-soul track “Nice To Each Other” at #35. A bit more up-tempo than we’re used to, it’s another homerun for the budding British star. She recently attributed “It Isn’t Perfect but it Might Be” to the Bridget Jones film, which was a minor Top 40-hit on both my chart and the official UK Singles Chart.

Newly certified

“The Giver” – Chappell Roan GOLD