This Week’s Chart Wars: The Three-Way Battle for Music Supremacy

Each week, the music charts tell a different story. The Apple Music Global Top 50, Billboard Hot 100, and Hits Daily Double Top 50 all reflect what the world is listening to—but not always in the same way. This week, those charts reveal a fascinating battle between established stars and animated breakouts.

Alex Warren’s Historic Run

Singer-songwriter Alex Warren continues his historic dominance with “Ordinary,” which has now spent nine consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. This marks his first number-one hit and the song has also topped the Billboard Global 200 for ten weeks while reaching number one in over twenty countries.

Warren’s album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” has vaulted 19-5 on the Billboard 200, becoming his first top 10 on the ranking. The track continues to demonstrate staying power across all three major chart platforms.

The K-pop Animation Phenomenon

The biggest story this week belongs to the fictional K-pop group HUNTR/X from Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters.” “Golden,” performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, rises 4-2 for a new Hot 100 high and reaches No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart.

The song becomes the first by an all-woman group to lead the Streaming Songs list since it began in 2013. Internationally, “Golden” has reached number one on charts in Australia, Germany, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

Their rivals from the same film, Saja Boys, also made waves with “Your Idol” bounding 12-9 on the Hot 100, marking the first time an animated movie has spun off two simultaneous top 10 hits since Disney’s “Encanto” in 2022.

This Week’s Chart Comparison

Each chart measures something slightly different:

• Apple Music emphasizes global streaming volume
• Billboard Hot 100 combines streaming, radio airplay, and sales in the U.S.
• Hits Daily Double focuses on a blend of streaming, radio play, and revenue data

Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 This Week:

1. Alex Warren – “Ordinary” (9th week)
2. HUNTR/X – “Golden”
3. Morgan Wallen feat. Tate McRae – “What I Want”
4. Justin Bieber – “Daisies”
5. Morgan Wallen – “Just in Case”

Additional tracks in the top 10 include Ravyn Lenae at No. 6, “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims at 7, Shaboozey at 8, and Saja Boys’ “Your Idol” at 9.

Crossover Success Stories

Songs appearing across multiple charts this week show broad appeal:

• “Ordinary” by Alex Warren (dominating all platforms)
• “Golden” by HUNTR/X (streaming giant crossing to radio)
• “What I Want” by Morgan Wallen feat. Tate McRae (country-pop crossover strength)
• “Daisies” by Justin Bieber (returning superstar power)

Weekly Chart Notes

• Animation’s chart power proves fictional artists can create real-world hits when backed by authentic talent
• Country dominance continues with Morgan Wallen maintaining multiple top 10 positions
• Streaming vs. radio gaps are evident, with K-pop tracks performing stronger on streaming-heavy platforms
• Global reach of hits varies significantly between platforms, with Apple Music showing more international diversity

The battle between established stars and emerging phenomena continues to shape the musical landscape, with traditional powerhouses like Wallen and Warren holding ground against the unexpected animated breakthrough of “KPop Demon Hunters.”