The turnover at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 this year has really been something to watch. Through the first six months of last year, only six songs had topped the Hot 100 for the first time — but we’re already up to 10 such tracks this year, with only one of them (Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas”) occupying the top spot for more than three weeks total. And the names behind those other No. 1s are some of the biggest in 2020s popular music: Bad Bunny, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, BTS, Drake, Ariana Grande and of course, Taylor Swift (twice).
It’s made for a robust first half of the year in terms of talking about pop music and pop stardom at its highest levels. Which isn’t to say big things haven’t been happening elsewhere on (or totally off) the charts either — artists like PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson and Slayyyter have been pushing things forward at pop music’s cutting edge, while Olivia Dean, RAYE and Sienna Spiro have given things a more classic (and yes, British) spin and Bella Kay and Sombr have brought a bedroom indie sensibility to top 40.
You’ll find all those artists here, as well as plenty of rap hitmakers, country breakouts, R&B favorites and dozens of other artists in between. You won’t find “Choosin’ Texas,” though — we already included that in our 2025 best songs list, along with Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need,” RAYE’s “Where Is My Husband!” and Taylor Swift’s “Opalite,” among other 2025 leftovers that were still climbing on the charts in 2026. (Luckily, all those artists had other strong 2026-eligible songs to choose from, so we don’t feel too bad about the song exclusions.)
See our staff’s top 50 picks ranked below, find our list of our 50 favorite albums of 2026 so far here, and make sure to keep your eyes peeled to the Hot 100’s top spot all year long.
Lady Gaga & Doechii, “Runway”
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The much-anticipated return of Miranda Priestly and Co. meant The Devil Wears Prada 2 was always going to be huge. But with Lady Gaga and Doechii’s “Runway” as its anthem, it has become one of the year’s biggest pop culture moments. The strut-worthy dance-pop track, co-written and co-produced by Bruno Mars, brings together two of music’s fiercest females and a funky bassline — making anyone want to turn more than just the dancefloor into a runway. — DANIELLE PASCUAL
Trueno, “Estilo Sudaka”
Trueno stands out as a true genius of this new generation, and his TURR4ZO album is nothing short of a masterclass. LP highlight “Estilo Sudaka” celebrates South American style, offering a fresh take on the word “sudaco” — a term referring to sudamericano or hispanoamericano — reimagining it as a proud badge of identity. The track not only embraces the artist’s Argentine roots but also ventures into a fusion of sounds, topped with a funky vibe highlighted by Trueno’s signature hard-hitting beats, a killer loop, and his magnetic flow and lyrics. — INGRID FAJARDO
Jungle, “The Wave”
In the lead-up to Sunshine, the British dance-soul trio’s summer-slated album and first full-length since 2023’s Volcano, Jungle has continued to prove that few acts can match the ebullience it packs into each funky release. For a single predominantly consisting of Lydia Kitto singing about finding a way to push a relationship through troubled waters, “The Wave” still plays light as a morning ocean breeze. Guided by a groovy bassline tailored for the dancefloor, it doesn’t feel like much of a coincidence that its most recognizable lyric is “don’t you worry.” — JOSH GLICKSMAN
Lana Del Rey, “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter”
With her long-awaited country-inspired album still in the oven, Del Rey treated listeners – or creeped them out, depending – with the unsettling single “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter,” a tribute to her domestic bliss with husband and Louisiana alligator tour guide Jeremy Dufrene, who’s credited as a cowriter. An eerie orchestral accompaniment and compressed, ghostly vocals make the simmering track feel distinctly different from the rest of Del Rey’s discography, and yet it also feels totally on brand for the ever-evolving baroque pop mastermind. — HANNAH DAILEY
Kaitlin Butts, “Never Really Mine”
“I’ve got your hand/ But she caught your eye,” Butts sings on this stone-cold country ballad, instantly setting the scene of finding her lover distracted by another woman. Over pedal steel, bass and guitars, Butts’ lilting country voice makes it clear the moment is no cause for despair, as she resolves the relationship is not worth fighting for if her partner is so easily swayed. The singer-songwriter is known for songs that command attention, such as her viral hit “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead to Me),” while “Never Really Mine” continues her signature blend of traditional country sounds with razor-sharp lyrical observations. — JESSICA NICHOLSON
KATSEYE, “Pinky Up”
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As the lead single from KATSEYE’s upcoming EP WILD, “Pinky Up” is just one piece of the vision behind the group’s new musical era. With the group putting its “Pinky Up” as a symbolic response to the imminent apocalypse (“One day, soon, the world’s gonna end/ I’m gonna make out with my new bestest friends”), they make the best of end times and spend their final days on cloud nine. With an upbeat melody and highly danceable rhythm, the song continues to strike a chord with fans, both on their playlists and throughout Katseye’s festival run this summer. — KRISTEN WISNESKI
Kelela, “Idea 1”
Few artists in recent memory have shepherded R&B onto the dancefloor as deftly as Kelela, the Washington, D.C. auteur whose masterful second album, 2023’s Raven, fused her world-class vocal gifts with cutting-edge electronic production. So “Idea 1,” the first taste from New Avatar, her much-anticipated third album, is noteworthy for what it isn’t: a dance track. As Kelela unspools an elliptical story about a world in flames — influenced, she’s said, by Octavia Butler’s 1993 dystopian novel Parable of the Sower — a lone guitar glides through a hypnotic riff, before a wall of distortion and fuzz signals the chorus’ arrival. As intriguing as her shoegaze turn may be, “Idea 1” is also a reminder that for an artist as singular as Kelela, genre descriptors need not apply; “Idea 1” is simply Kelela. — ERIC RENNER BROWN
Juvenile feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “BBB”
How could the song that brought Juvenile back to the Billboard Hot 100 after two decades not be included on this list? With an assist from fellow Southern MC Megan Thee Stallion, Juve delivered a new strip club anthem for the 2020s. Between his breathless verse (whose energy Megan perfectly matches) and the simple, yet wildly effective hook, Juvenile deftly balances humor and sex on this Skolo-produced banger. — KYLE DENIS
Carin Léon, “La Buena”
On “La Buena,” Carín León makes devotion sound mischievous, lusty and totally believable. Over a sturdy regional Mexican backbone — accordion riffs, tololoche thump and that unmistakable nasal drawl — León plays the reformed troublemaker who’s finally met the woman worth cleaning up for. The lyrics are full of swagger and smirk, but the song’s charm is in how naturally he sells the turnaround, balancing cheeky one-liners with real surrender. It’s flirtatious, funny and deeply Sonoran at heart: a love song for the bad boy who swears, this time, he means it. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Riley Green, “Change My Mind”
Green’s ability to resist a past lover is non-existent, and he’d have it no other way, on this sultry, stripped-down, guitar-driven tune. “Show up in a midnight sundress/ Burn me up with a whiskey kiss,” he sings as his willpower steadily crumbles throughout the runtime, to where by song’s end the reunion feels not only inevitable, but deeply desired. Green exudes a low-key charm on the track, which peaked at No. 2 on Country Airplay this summer, as his star continues to rise. — MELINDA NEWMAN
Kurt Vile, “Chance to Bleed”
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All of Kurt Vile’s music sounds pretty chill, due to the fact that the man behind it has one of the chillest, most unbothered singing voices around. “Chance to Bleed,” from Vile’s latest, Philadelphia’s been good to me, is no exception — pretty chill! — but the electric guitar and the subject matter give it teeth. The swaggering rock song seems to find Vile considering the physical toll of a musician’s life, where if you do your job well, you might end up bleeding on your Wurlitzer by the end of the set. It’s all in service of those “rock ‘n’ roll nights!” Vile shouts — recognizing that it doesn’t last forever, and refusing to pass up the opportunity: “Well, now’s your chance.” — CHRISTINE WERTHMAN
A$AP Rocky feat. Brent Faiyaz, “Stay Here 4 Life”
Built around a sample of Brent Faiyaz’s “Full Moon,” the Maryland crooner’s heavenly chorus ties “Stay Here 4 Life” together. A$AP Rocky also rises to the occasion: He’s convinced his days as a player are behind him, and he doesn’t want this moment of being in love to end. “Boys don’t cry, but, boy, that girl turn boys to men,” Rocky raps with hearts replacing his pupils like Bugs Bunny in Space Jam. As someone partnered with Rihanna and now a father of three, can you blame him? “Stay Here 4 Life” notched the highest entry of any Don’t Be Dumb song on the Hot 100, debuting at No. 23 in January. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
Bad Gyal, “Más Cara”
“Más Cara,” lifted from the Spanish rising star’s sophomore album of the same name, thrives in emotional turbulence. Its lyrics chart thwarted longing and shifting states of mind – liberated, hurt, confused, tormented, jealous, anxious – while an undercurrent of lust runs through its full-bodied, dancehall-inflected arrangement. Yet despite this state of turmoil, Bad Gyal eventually proves that she’s not blind to the epiphany that freedom often begins with letting go, and at its beatific apex, the song practically glows from within. — SOPHIE WILLIAMS
Bruno Mars, “I Just Might”
With “I Just Might,” Bruno Mars highlighted all his best moves, from the retro vibes of the joyful soul-pop production to the flirty, tongue-in-cheek lyrics (“What good is bеauty if your booty can’t find the beat?”). The three-week Hot 100 No. 1 is tailor-made to put a smile on your face and send you directly to the dance floor – so if you need a song to play for a pretty little lady, this one “just might” be the ticket. — KATIE ATKINSON
Easily the standout record from Keem’s sophomore effort Ca$ino, “Good Flirts” also features one of the best verses of the year from his cousin Kendrick Lamar, and a star turn from Infinity Song’s Momo Boyd. Her chorus, coupled with the Vegas rapper getting into his R&B bag, along with the vibe director Renell Medrano captured in the music video, helped make this an all-around hit. “Good Flirts” would’ve run the 106 & Park countdown for multiple weeks back in the day. — ANGEL DIAZ
Baby Rose feat. Leon Thomas, “Friends Again”
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Two distinctive voices whose sonorous interplay mesmerizes: That’s what fans divined after hearing Baby Rose’s guest feature on “I Used To” from Leon Thomas’ Grammy-winning album Mutt. The pair have since repeated their vocal magic on “Friends Again,” an emotional treatise about the dicey situation that sometimes arises when friends become lovers. The YouTube video has already amassed 1.2 million views since its February release. Meanwhile, the song will be among the selections on Baby Rose’s upcoming album Yearnalism as she prepares to open for Olivia Dean’s summer tour. — GAIL MITCHELL
The Strokes, “Going Shopping”
“Going Shopping” is certainly an unexpected song title for the now-pronouncedly conscientious Strokes’ first single from upcoming album Reality Waits. But the song’s frivolous title and breezy groove is of course a a red herring, with the song’s mall-bumpin’ energy (and frontman Julian Casablancas’ Auto-Tune-drowned warble) a thin veneer for lyrics about “stockbrokers flying out the window” and “building castles from the bones of dead trees.” Most memorably, Casablancas sums up both the song’s message and the dilemma facing all successful veteran rock bands still trying to care about s–t in their middle age: “Solidarity can be difficult/ When you got cool stuff to lose.” — ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Tucker Wetmore, “Brunette”
After being disappointed by one too many blondes, Wetmore is thinking that a change of hair color in his romantic partners will do him good in this delightful, tongue-twisting, high-speed tune that one of Wetmore’s co-writers described as a “panic attack…in a good way.” Wetmore’s frantic, energetic delivery as he defines what he’s looking for in a mate is a concert highlight and a tune that became the rising country star’s first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart. — M.N.
Don Toliver, “E85”
Arguably, no rapper has improved their stock in 2026 more than Don Toliver. He didn’t waste any time welcoming listeners into OCTANE’s world of psychedelic trap with the intoxicating “E85.” Aligning with Toliver’s love for sports cars, the woozy OCTANE opener is perfect for a late-night cruise and quickly became a fan-favorite. The Houston native opens and closes his OCTANE World Tour set with the breakout hit, sending arenas into a frenzy at every stop of the North American trek. There’s been more in the gas tank for “E85” when it comes to chart longevity than any other OCTANE track, which has remained in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 since the blockbuster album’s arrival in January. — M.S.
Luke Combs, “Sleepless in a Hotel Room”
On his 20th Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper, hailing from his The Way I Am album, Combs explores the loneliness and longing for home that stays behind far after the stadium lights and sounds of screaming fans fade. Combs wrote the song with Randy Montana and Jonathan Singleton, while his gritty vocal expertly conveys the song’s angst. Overall, this hit strikes a nice balance of commercial polish with reflective lyrics that capture the emotional toll of life on the road. — J.N.
Bossman Dlow, “Motion Party”
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A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it banger with a chirping hook, a vernacular-expanding title, an impossibly fun music video and so much energy and momentum throughout that it doesn’t even really need a proper chorus. Feels like we used to get hits like this all the time; the one benefit to the fact that we don’t anymore is that at least it makes us extra grateful for the ones that we do. — A.U.
Fcukers, “L.U.C.K.Y.”
It’s a testament to Fcukers’ restraint (and a bit of a disappointment) that “L.U.C.K.Y,” the best song on the New York cool kids’ debut album, isn’t three times longer. For 138 seconds, singer Shannon Wise nonchalantly floats over an absolutely disgusting dance-punk groove she cooked up with a brain trust of Fcukers’ bandmate Jackson Walker Lewis, Dylan Brady of hyperpop pranksters 100 gecs and Kenneth Blume, better known as Kenny Beats, the producer of Geese’s Getting Killed. Why is it the best parties always seem to end too soon? — E.R.B.
Olivia Rodrigo, “Drop Dead”
Olivia Rodrigo’s lead singles just hit different: 2021’s Sour lead-off “Drivers License” turned heads and flew to No. 1 on the Hot 100, while “Vampire” from 2023 sophomore Guts repeated the trick and upped the intensity. “Drop Dead,” the kick-off track from her third album You Seem Pretty Sad For a Girl So in Love, is softer but no less potent as she sings of being smitten by someone who looks “like an angel on the walls of Versailles“ atop a new wave beat. Predictably, it gave Rodrigo her fourth career Hot 100 chart-topper and kicked off one of 2026’s most enjoyable album campaigns in stunning fashion. — THOMAS SMITH
Slayyyter, “DANCE…”
Slayyyter’s third studio album is anchored by “DANCE…” a tone-setting opener melding a squelchy bassline and waves of throbbing, ominous synth. A 2026 take on blog house-era electro, “DANCE…” soars in its final minute, with the Missouri-born artist’s bewitching vocal runs sounding like a nightclub fever dream. “I don’t really need some big breakthrough to sleep at night,” the artist told Billboardbefore the March release of Wor$t Girl In America. But with this single and album at large making the longtime cult favorite into a newly minted main pop girl candidate, we bet she’s resting well. — KATIE BAIN
Gracie Abrams, “Hit the Wall”
Gracie Abrams’ new music era is upon us, and if “Hit the Wall” is any indicator, we’re in for quite the emotional rollercoaster. The harrowing lead single off her third studio album Daughter From Hell sees her excavating the reasons behind her physical and mental exhaustion, which juxtaposes its twinkling production (co-helmed by Aaron Dessner, as were her last couple albums). With each line, Abrams becomes increasingly aware of her destructive tendencies before realizing how her actions harm herself and the people around her. “Watch my blade ricochet,” she sings before the reaching the cathartic acknowledgement of self in the bridge that the song was driving towards all along. — D.P.
BTS, “Swim”
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“Swim,” the lead from ARIRANG, BTS’s first studio album of new material since 2020, blends a melodic, mid-tempo alternative-pop sound in contrast to the upbeat songs the group usually releases. The song’s metaphor, combined with the lyric “I just wanna dive” allows the septet to reflect on taking a chance, embracing the unknown and diving into something new while acknowledging that they’re ready for more. This sense of readiness for what lies ahead, together with the smooth synth-driven sound, created an atmosphere of calmness and reflection throughout the track, and helped make it smooth sailing for the group’s journey back to the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100. — K.W.
Rawayana & Manuel Turizo, “Inglés en Miami”
In a first collaborative effort, Venezuelan band Rawayana and Colombian artist Manuel Turizo delivered the saucy merengue tune, “Inglés en Miami.” If its title is any indication, the song is about a girl who travels often from Venezuela to Miami to study and take English-speaking lessons. But, in a clever turn of events, she ends up meeting a Miami boy, and does everything besides learn how to speak the language — such as going to the clubs and having sleepless beach nights. “Inglés en Miami” earned Rawayana its first Billboard No. 1 hit when it topped the Latin Airplay chart this May. — JESSICA ROIZ
Robyn, “Talk to Me”
The second single from Robyn’s Sexistential is an ode to the pleasure of good communication and — with the lyrics “Yeah, I’m so close/ I’m almost there/ Want you to tell me how to do it” — also of phone sex. “I wrote it during the pandemic when there was no way to be physical,” Robyn said in a statement upon the song’s release. “I like talkers, that turns me on.” The Swedish pop saint’s first collab with Max Martin in 16 years weaves this blunt desire with emotional depth and sleek, synthy production that all culminates in a prismatic chorus that hits like a freefall into real satisfaction. — K.B.
Sienna Spiro, “Die on This Hill”
This stately piano ballad about a strained romantic relationship recalls Adele in its elegance and raw emotion. Spiro, now 20, was just 19 when she co-wrote and recorded the song. If the English artist performs it on the upcoming Grammy Awards, it’s easy to see it being the night’s starmaking moment, similar to when Adele performed “Chasing Pavements” in 2009 or Brandi Carlile sang “The Joke” a decade later. “Who was that?” millions of viewers will ask. Just one of this year’s most talented newcomers. – PAUL GREIN
Hilary Duff, “Roommates”
Hilary Duff’s triumphant return to music earlier this year with Luck…or Something saw the former child star tackle sibling estrangement, crippling anxiety, jealousy and, on single “Roommates,” the loss of sexual spark with her partner. Duff gets clever with the use of the title on the pulsating electro-pop track, referencing how she and her partner couldn’t keep their hands off one another in the beginning and woke up his roommates, to their current state where Duff feels more like a roommate than a romantic partner. As “Roommates” hits the chorus, the tempo accelerates to emphasize the lusty eagerness of new relationships and dips as Duff practically begs to not have to beg anymore. — TAYLOR MIMS
Noah Kahan, “The Great Divide”
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From its swirling opening riff, “The Great Divide” hints at greatness to come. While the song is sandwiched between acoustic melodies, that riff eventually swells into a folky rock epic beginning with the song’s chorus and continuing to build until it finally erupts at the 4:25 mark – because, oh yeah, this song clocks in at over five minutes. Co-written and co-produced with album collaborator Gabe Simon, “Great Divide” fittingly introduced its parent album of the same name – both sonically and lyrically, as Kahan sings of the divide he feels in his own life post-Stick Season success – proving early on that this song and album would be among Kahan’s best. — LYNDSEY HAVENS
Charli xcx, “Dying for You”
When Emerald Fennell asked Charli xcx to write a song for her bombastic cinematic adaptation of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, the over-achieving British singer-songwriter responded by recording an entire album inspired by the script. On “Dying for You,” staccato synth-strings and Charli’s sing-speak verses create a sense of exuberant torment as the song careens toward a deceptively sweet chorus, beautifully capturing the rush of attraction-turned-addiction that links Cathy and Heathcliff. The full soundtrack is a low-key masterwork, but “Dying” gives us the most life. – JOE LYNCH
Drake, “Shabang”
While Iceman might have drawn the most initial attention for its more explicitly barred-up, shot-firing missives, it’s the songs with the more laid-back hooks and carefree energy to them like the addictive “Shabang” that are enduring best. OK, “carefree” probably isn’t really the word for anything Drake-related in 2026: he may claim that the beef is “cooked,” but he’s still chewing on it. Still, there’s a looseness to Drake’s rapping here in his “1-2-3, 4, 5-6…” flow and the casually triumphant Maneesh-led production that brings an infectious levity to the proceedings. And while Drake may or may not be checking for himself on Billboard anymore, he’s at his best being too petty not to see who is hanging out there these days: “Don’t even recognize none of thеse names at the top of thе charts/ I looked.” — A.U.
MUNA, “Dancing on the Wall”
MUNA launched out of hiatus with one of its most danceable hits to date. “Dancing on the Wall” – also the name of the trio’s fourth studio album – might be the most MUNA song yet, with its dominating beat and propulsive production. Welding together the band’s signature synth pop and relentless BPM push, “Dancing on the Wall” is a triumphant anthem about falling for a person who can’t manage to prioritize you in the same way. The lyrics of the song could be a downer (“I’m always sayin’, ‘This time, I’ll get through,’ I get through/ I end up with a bruise as a consequence”) but MUNA always has a way of making even the darkest of topics into a chorus you can’t help but bounce to on a dancefloor. — T.M.
RAYE feat. Hans Zimmer, “Click Clack Symphony”
After detailing her deepest fears, anxieties and traumas on debut My 21st Century Blues, RAYE finally got to explore a more optimistic viewpoint on sophomore album This Music May Contain Hope.“Click Clack Symphony” serves as the perfect thesis statement for that effort, capturing the singer, yes, at a time of personal tumult, but also now with a newfound conviction that she’ll find her way out of it. “The cold never lasts, my darling,” she concludes on the sweeping, cinematic track, elevated by Hans Zimmer’s earth-rattling orchestral arrangements. “It just teaches the heart how to burn.” — H.D.
Tame Impala & JENNIE, “Dracula”
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It’s not often that a remix eclipses an original, but that’s exactly what happened here – thanks in large part to Jennie’s cohesive contribution. On “Dracula (Remix)” the pop star doesn’t drop in for a verse of two, she’s embedded throughout, making her whispered presence a quiet, creeping force that creates a more intimate, conversational tone than Kevin Parker solo – especially with lyrical tweaks like “My friends are saying, ‘Shut up, Jennie, just get in the car” (instead of “Shut up, Kevin”) and later asking, “Hey Kevin, what’s up?” As such, Jennie hopping on the track helped lure fans of the original and new listeners alike to crave another bite. — L.H.
Madonna, “I Feel So Free”
When Madonna announced upcoming LP Confessions II would reunite her with Stuart Price, the producer behind her 2005 classic Confessions on a Dance Floor, fans wondered if the duo could recapture the club catharsis that made it such a fan favorite. “I Feel So Free” was a resounding “yes,” delivered in a sensual whisper atop an arpeggiated volley of retro synths and soothing soundscapes. A song about the dancefloor as a place of escape, release and self-actualization (themes Madonna has touched on more than a couple times), “I Feel So Free” is an invitation to dance that radio RSVP’d to immediately, making it her first radio No. 1 in 18 years. – J.L.
Doechii feat. SZA, “Girl, Get Up”
At the tail end of 2025, TDE powerhouses Doechii and SZA joined forces for their first non-remix collaboration. Built around a Jay Versace-flipped sample of Birdman & Clipse’s “What Happened to That Boy,” this brooding, eerily mellow track finds Doechii addressing frivolous “industry plant” allegations, choosing solidarity with her fellow female MCs in the face of talking heads’ misogynoir and slyly previewing her upcoming debut studio album. With cover artwork that showcases the remnants of her beaded, Alligator Bites Never Heal braids, “Girl, Get Up” is exactly the way music’s hottest new star should enter her new era. — K.D.
Harry Styles, “Aperture”
In January, Styles ushered in his Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. rollout with “Aperture,” an electro-pop smash that leans on synths and boasts a chorus culminating in a yearning simplicity: “We belong together/ It finally appears it’s only love.” His influences feel matured — shades of LCD Soundsystem ooze throughout the album, and particularly so on the lead single — as does his overall persona. After all, it’s hard to fathom him writing the hit’s strongest lyrics, “Time won’t wait on me/ I wanna know what safe is,” from any perspective other than lived experience as a man truly smitten. — J.G.
Sombr, “Homewrecker”
With “Homewrecker,” Sombr once again demonstrates his ability – which most of the public first saw on his breakthrough single, “Back to Friends” — to take a universal feeling and reword it in a way that feels brand new, punchy and effortlessly catchy. In this case, that feeling is jealousy over the person your crush is dating instead of you, which he perfectly distills into three simple lines over an addictive blend of drums, guitar and harmonies: “I don’t wanna talk down on your lover/ Don’t wanna be a homewrecker/ I just know I can be better.” — H.D.
Taylor Swift, “I Knew It, I Knew You”
Hailed by many as Taylor Swift’s return to country — and at the very least, her historic return to country radio — her Toy Story 5 soundtrack single “I Knew It, I Knew You” is more notable as her return to a smaller-sized form of pop music. There’s no tortured poetry here, no showgirl-anthologizing, no Eras-sized expansiveness — just some sweet harmonica, a gently pulsing bass-and-drum groove, and the kind of wistfully sentimental lyric with an itch-scratching melody that no songwriter this century does better. It’s a great argument that for as much as we love our greatest pop stars to be larger-than-life world-builders and self-mythologizers, it’s not the worst idea to throw them a soundtrack song every now and then to force them to get out of their own heads for a minute and go back to the songcraft basics. And because it’s Taylor Swift, she’ll still get a multi-week Hot 100 No. 1 out of it anyway. — A.U.
Bruce Springsteen, “Streets of Minneapolis”
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Americans should never forget the “winter of ’26,” in which Renée Good and Alex Pretti were “left to die on snow-filled streets” after encounters with agents of their own government. Springsteen assures we never will: Releasing “Streets of Minneapolis” just four days after Pretti’s death, The Boss richly mines the topical song tradition of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Paxton to share outrage and solidarity. With lyrics filled with detail— “Bloody footprints/ Where mercy should have stood” — and an arrangement that builds from a sparse acoustic guitar to rock energy, the song became a centerpiece of Springsteen’s Land of Hope And Dreams American Tour this spring and has earned 13.5 million official on-demand streams globally, according to Luminate. “Streets of Minneapolis” is a song of this moment, and a song for the ages. — THOM DUFFY
Ella Langley, “Be Her”
On first listen to “Be Her,” it might sound like Ella Langley is envious of a specific woman and everything she has. But another interpretation of this four-week Country Airplay No. 1 is that Langley knows exactly the woman she wants to be and spells out every one of her ideal qualities in the lyrics, whether it’s easing up on her vices, building her dream family, or just calling her mama more. The irony, of course, is that plenty of women listening to the lush, discofied mid-tempo track certainly covet the life Langley has built as a glamorous country hitmaker – so maybe the whole point is to be happy with what you’ve got along the way. – K.A.
Jay-Z, “Roots Picnic Freestyle”
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“It’s funny how one verse could f—k up the game.” That’s a line Jay rapped towards the end of his classic B-side “Imaginary Players,” and it still rings true following his headline-making appearance going a cappella at May’s Roots Picnic in Philadelphia. Jigga had everyone talking about who he dissed and why for like two weeks straight and yet, it still seems like only yesterday when he got up on that stage, in front of that crowd, and showed them who was who, and what was what. Meanwhile, Dame Dash, Oschino, and Nicki Minaj were the only ones to respond in some form or fashion. Now we wait and see what Drake has to say about some of the jabs sent his way. In any event, the rest of this year should be way more interesting thanks to this still-never-officially-released freestyle. — A.D.
Bella Kay, “iloveitiloveiloveit”
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You see a song climbing the Billboard Hot 100 with that title, you certainly assume it’s going to be a lot more Black Eyed Peas than Black Tambourine. In fact, Bella Kay’s breakout hit stays more to the bedroom than the dancefloor — both in the DIY and the bad-decisions sense — and is all the more rewarding for the misdirect. Which isn’t to say that it doesn’t have real hooks and energy to it, too: “iloveitiloveitiloveit” works because Kay packages her toxic impulses in a hitmaker’s sense of melody, pacing and wordplay and a pop star’s confidence and lack of apologizing. It’s just her and a guitar, but she sounds ready to take on the entire world as she sings: “I lovе it when we fight, and I like it when you’re mean/ We don’t have to get into what that says about me.” — A.U.
Kacey Musgraves, “Dry Spell”
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Kacey Musgraves is at it again – well, not it, but making phenomenal, mind-blowing country music. While 2024’s Deeper Well was a beautiful album, it is fair to say that fans have been waiting a lot longer than “three-hundred and thirty-five days” for a banger like “Dry Spell” from Musgraves. The Western foot-stomper is so chock-full of innuendos about the narrator’s disappointing sex life (“Ain’t nobody’s tool up in my shed/ Ain’t nobody’s boots under my bed/ Ain’t nobody’s truck up in my drive”) that there is nothing subtle about how lonely with a capital H she is. Musgraves’ affect – dragging out phrases like “real long” and “last time” – on the track is perfect to convey how over the situation she is, and the accompanying music video featuring a suggestive grocery run only adds to the humor of an already perfect single. — T.M.
Olivia Dean, “So Easy (To Fall in Love)”
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This breezy, lilting tune owes an obvious debt to such bossa nova giants as Antonio Carlos Jobim and Sergio Mendes; more generally, you can hear echoes of the marvelous light touch Bacharach & David brought to such pop gems as Dionne Warwick’s “I Say a Little Prayer.” In the same way that Dean sings “I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life,” this record is the perfect mix of paying homage to pop traditions and sounding fresh and current. “So Easy” is a bit jazzy and adult contemporary-leaning for pop radio in 2026, but programmers gave it a chance – and listeners of all ages responded. PDs should keep this episode in mind the next time a Laufey record crosses their desks. – P.G.
PinkPantheress feat. Zara Larsson, “Stateside” (Remix)
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The lush “Stateside” from PinkPantheress’ Fancy That becomes tighter, funkier and thumpier in the remix from Pink’s Fancy Some More? The edit also shifts the song’s thematic focus via the addition of Zara Larsson, whose slinky verse about “kissing my Swedish boy over FaceTime” makes the song as much a girlie chat about the global demands of a pop star schedule as it is about the allure of intercontinental romance. A cheeky, sparkly music video starring the pair gave the song a sharp visual identity, which was then eclipsed when Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu figure-skated to it in her own glittery ensemble during her joyful, viral Exhibition Gala Skate at the 2026 Winter Olympics. — K.B.
Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”
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It’s beyond fitting that Ariana Grande’s 10th Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper is an outright, unapologetic rebuke of “fans” who are seemingly incapable of letting go of past — and even imagined — iterations of herself and artistry. Written and produced alongside longtime collaborators Max Martin and ILYA, “Hate That I Made You Love Me” sources its quiet power from Grande’s rich lower register, in which she resides for the entire song, save for a few ad-libs in the final chorus. Her steely, almost detached vocal performance elevates the hook from a snarky kiss-off to something colder — she’s long moved on and thrown away her rose-colored glasses, so why haven’t we?
In the vein of her last Hot 100 No. 1 hit, 2024’s “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” “Hate” uses the thinly veiled metaphor of a romantic relationship to explore Grande’s endlessly tumultuous relationship with both the media and her own fans. From picturesque lyrics like, “Just know that I will find my way from you/ Like flowers from a tomb” to that gorgeous, guitar-back bridge, “Hate” synthesizes nearly all of Grande’s past musical inclinations into one addictive anthem. Petal can’t come soon enough. — K.D.
Olivia Rodrigo, “The Cure”
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When Olivia Rodrigo announced You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, one stark difference was immediately apparent when put beside her previous two albums: its title. Following her debut with Sour in 2021 and its 2023 follow-up Guts, fans theorized four-letter-word titles for OR3, like Luck, Burn and Love, for months. While logical guesses, boy, were they wrong — not only did she break the pattern, she produced one of the longest No. 1 album titles in the history of the Billboard 200.
But if she stayed true to this made-up rule, Cure should’ve been a strong contender for the set’s title. Its tracklist is thoughtfully curated to tell a story, and at track eight, “The Cure” is a stunning turning point for our love-struck narrator. Becoming increasingly aware that a “happy” relationship won’t fix all your problems, as a simple muffled acoustic guitar riff simultaneously builds into a more complex, entrancing production, Rodrigo lays her heart on the line — angrily talk-singing throughout the verses before completely unravelling at the climax. “Why can’t you stitch me up? Why can’t it ever be enough?” she begs in the song’s unforgettable bridge, coming to terms with the heart-wrenching realization — before an abrupt stop of its orchestral outro concludes her most visceral song to date. — D.P.
