USA
Billboard Report (excerpt)
'Golden' overtakes 'Ordinary'
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
by Keith Caulfield & Gary Trust, Los Angeles

Huntr/x' “Golden” shines again atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and contributes to history for its parent album, the soundtrack to the smash animated Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters. “Golden”

rebounds a spot for a second week at No. 1, two weeks after it first led the Hot 100, as KPop Demon Hunters becomes the first soundtrack to generate four simultaneous top 10s over the chart’s 67-year archives. Also from the album, Saja Boys’ “Your Idol” holds at its No. 4 high and their “Soda Pop” surges 10-5 — while Huntr/x slays with its second top 10, as “How It’s Done” bursts 14-10. KPop Demon Hunters becomes just the fifth soundtrack with four Hot 100 top 10s at all, and the first since Waiting To Exhale spun off a record five in 1995-96. “Golden,” on Visva / Republic Records, tallied 33.8 million official streams (up 3% week-over-week), 16.2 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 39%) and 8,000 sold (up 11%) in the United States Aug. 15-21. The track scores a fifth week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart; debuts at No. 42 on Radio Songs; and holds at its No. 2 best on Digital Song Sales. The soundtrack to Netflix’s empowering,

action-packed and heartwarming KPop Demon Hunters hauls in a fourth Hot 100 top 10, as Huntr/x’s “How It’s Done,” the act’s second top 10, after “Golden,” bounds 14-10. “How It’s Done” was driven by 17.2 million streams (up 2%) in the tracking week. Huntr/x and KPop Demon Hunters adversaries Saja Boys come to a draw, each with two Hot 100 top 10s: the latter’s “Your Idol” keeps at its No. 4 high and “Soda Pop” leaps 10-5. The former boasts a gain of nearly 1% to 20.4 million streams and the latter, a 4% lift to 18.4 million. Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” drops to No. 2 on the Hot 100 after 10 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning in June. It claims a 10th week at No. 1 on Radio Songs (73.8 million, essentially no percentage change). Morgan Wallen’s “What I Want,” featuring Tate McRae, is steady at No. 3 on the Hot 100, after it debuted in May as Wallen’s fourth No. 1 and McRae’s first. Ravyn Lenae’s “Love Me Not” falls to No. 6 from its No. 5 Hot 100 high. Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” which topped the Hot 100 for a week in March 2024, and wrapped as the year’s No. 1 song, keeps at No. 7 — as it adds a record-extending 105th week on the chart overall and a record-padding, and landmark, 75th week in the top 10. Elsewhere in the Hot 100’s top 10, Justin Bieber’s “Daisies” drops 6-8 and Wallen’s “Just in Case” descends 8-9, both after reaching No. 2. Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem notches its 12th nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Aug. 30). The set earned 121,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Aug. 21 (down 4%), according to Luminate. I’m the Problem debuted at No. 1 on the May 31-dated chart, spent it first eight weeks in the pole position, stepped away from the top for two weeks and then returned to No. 1 for four weeks running. Of I’m the Problem’s 121,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Aug. 21, SEA units comprise 116,000 (down 4%, equaling 154.02 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs — it leads Top Streaming Albums for a 13th nonconsecutive week), album sales comprise 4,000 (up 1%; it moves 21-17 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise 1,000 (up 1%). The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack holds at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 108,000 equivalent album units earned (up 3%). The album debuted at No. 8 nine weeks ago and has never left the top 10. The last soundtrack to spend its first nine weeks in the top 10 was Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015, which spent its first 14 weeks in the top 10. Further, KPop Demon Hunters has spent five nonconsecutive weeks at No. 2 — its peak to date. The last soundtrack to spend at least five weeks at No. 2, without reaching No. 1, was Forrest Gump in 1994, which notched five straight frames in the runner-up spot (behind another soundtrack, The Lion King). KPop Demon Hunters is likely to sport further gains on next week’s charts, with the Netflix film getting a wide release in movie theaters for a sing-a-long event this weekend. Conan Gray scores his highest-charting album ever on the Billboard 200 as Wishbone bows at No. 3. It launches with 71,000 equivalent album units earned — his best week by units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 53,000 (his best sales week yet — it debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 18,000 (equaling 23.71 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs; it debuts at No. 27 on Top Streaming Albums) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. Gunna’s The Last Wun falls one spot to No. 4 on its second week on the Billboard 200 (48,000 equivalent album units, down 40%), while Alex Warren’s You’ll Be Alright, Kid is steady at its No. 5 high for a second week (nearly 40,000 units, down 6%). Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft rallies 24-6 after the release of a one-year anniversary vinyl edition of the album. The set, counting all versions of the album, including the new vinyl variant, earned 38,000 equivalent album units in the tracking week (up 64%). Of that sum, vinyl sales accounted for nearly 18,000. The anniversary edition of the vinyl was pressed on bio-vinyl dark blue and orange splatter with its cover printed on silver mirror foil board and contains a poster. Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time rises a spot to No. 7 on the latest Billboard 200 (nearly 38,000 equivalent album units, down 1%), SZA’s former leader SOS is up two spots to No. 8 (35,000, down 1%) and Justin Bieber’s SWAG falls 7-9 (nearly 33,000, down 15%). Closing out the top 10 is Taylor Swift’s former No. 1 The Tortured Poets Department, which jumps 18-10 with 30,500 equivalent album units earned (up 18%). Swift’s most recent studio album, which led the chart for 17 nonconsecutive weeks beginning in May 2024, returns to the top 10 for the first time since the Feb. 15-dated list (No. 9). Poets’ vault back into the top 10 comes after Swift’s Aug. 12 announcement of her forthcoming new studio album, The Life of a Showgirl (due Oct. 3). On Aug. 13, Swift provided further details about the album, including its tracklist and producers, and appeared on her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s podcast, New Heights, to chat about the project.

Record Of The Month
'Back To Friends' became the breakout hit of the 20-year-old American singer / songwriter
Shane Michael Boose, known professionally as Sombr. The song entered many charts
around the world after going viral on the video-sharing app Tik Tok.

United Kingdom
Music Week Report (excerpt)
'No Broke Boys' climbs at the runner-up slot
Monday, August 25, 2025
by Alan Jones, London
 
No.1 for the second week in a row and third time in total, Kpop Demon Hunters cut Golden – by Huntr/X, Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami & KPop Demon Hunters Cast – continues to increase consumption, which rises 14.42% week-on-week to 59,449 units (1,970 digital downloads and 57,479 sales-equivalent

streams). It is only the second time in 12 weeks that the No.1 single has not changed. Two more songs from the Netflix movie soundtrack also remain in the top tier and also continue to grow. They are Soda Pop (6-3, 34,212 sales) and Your Idol (7-6, 31,786 sales), both by Saja Boys, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, Kevin Woo, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast. With special ‘singalong’ cinema screenings of Kpop Demon Hunters tomorrow (August 23) and Sunday (August 24), it is likely that demand for the triumvirate will increase again next week. It wouldn’t take much for the soundtrack album to become only the second in chart history to simultaneously place three songs in the Top 5 – writer/director Greta Gerwig’s box office smash, Barbie, did so a little more than two years ago, when What Was I Made For? jumped 10-3 for Billie Eilish; 15-4 (34,928 sales) for Dance The Night exploded 15-4 for and Barbie World catapulted 20-5 for Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice

& Aqua. Whether it clears that hurdle or not, Kpop Demon Hunters is already one of only five films in chart history to spawn three simultaneous Top 10 hits, those not mentioned hitherto being Saturday Night Fever and Grease – both in 1978 – and Encanto, in 2022. Although it retreats to No.2 behind Alex Warren’s Ordinary in the latest chart, Golden also topped the US US Hot 100 singles chart last week, thus becoming the first song by a female vocal grouping of three or more to reach No.1 on both sides of the Atlantic since Lady Marmalade did so in 2001 for Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya & Pink. That was also from a highly successful film, specifically Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge. Ahead of the release of her second album, The Art Of Loving, next month, Olivia Dean lands her third Top 10 hit with Man I Need. The only new entry to the Top 75 this week, it opens at No.8 (28,140 sales). Its debut coincides with her first Top 10 solo hit – Nice To Each Other, which reached No.10 five weeks ago – bouncing 14-9 (27,872 sales) to achieve a new peak and Lady Lady – No.55 last month – returning at a new high of No.38 (9,126 sales). Ahead of the release of her second album, The Art Of Loving, next month, Olivia Dean lands two entries in the Top 10 this week. The only new entry to the Top 75 this week, her third Top 10 hit Man I Need opens at No.8 (28,140 sales). Her first Top 10 solo hit – Nice To Each Other, which reached No.10 five weeks ago – meanwhile also bounces 14-9 (27,872 sales). Lady Lady – No.55 last month – returns at a new high of No.38 (9,126 sales). No Broke Boys reaches a new peak for the seventh week in a row for Disco Lines & Tinashe, rising 3-2 (37,494 sales), although it is now 58.56% behind Golden, having been 32.30% in arrears last week. The rest of the Top 10: The Subway (2-4, 33,952 sales) by Chappell Roan, Dior (4-5, 31,794 sales) by MK feat. Chrystal, Daisies (5-7, 30,653 sales) by Justin Bieber and Ordinary (8-10, 23,062 sales) by Alex Warren. Overall singles consumption is down 1.34% week-on-week to 29,882,452 units, 3.62% above same week 2024 consumption of 28,839,733 units. Paid-for sales are up 2.70% week-on-week at 272,945, 11.18% below same week 2024 sales of 307,312. Tom Grennan’s fourth studio album, Everywhere I Went, Led Me To Where I Didn’t Want To Be, secures a very easy victory atop the chart this week, debuting at No.1 on consumption of 23,772 units (17,856 CDs, 2,671 vinyl albums, 971 cassettes, 902 digital downloads and 1,372 sales-equivalent streams). Effecting the 36th change in leadership of the chart in as many weeks – five short of the all-time record of 41 set in 2020/2021 – Everywhere… has a 12.17% smaller first week than its immediate predecessor, What Ifs & Maybes, which opened at No.1 in 2023 on consumption of 27,065 units; a 37.24% bigger first week than Grennan’s second album, Evering Road, which opened at No.1 on sales of 17,322 copies in 2021; and a 118.98% bigger first week that his debut release, Lighting Matches, which opened and peaked at No.5 with 10,856 sales in 2018. To date, Lighting Matches has achieved consumption of 165,847 units, Evering Road 248,113 units and What Ifs & Maybes 17,590 units. 26-year-old Californian singer/songwriter Conan Gray also released his fourth studio album last Friday and proves to be Grennan’s nearest challenger, debuting at No.2 (12,952 sales) with Wishbone. Although it has not spawned any airplay or singles chart hits, Wishbone makes the best showing yet for an album by Gray, who previously debuted and peaked at debuting at No.4 with third release, Found Heaven last year, having reached No.8 with 2022’s Superache and No.30 with his 2020 debut Kid Krow. Gray’s only hit single, Heather – from Kid Krow – reached No.17 in 2020, and has achieved to-date consumption of 967,809 units, while the album itself is on 105,218 units, just behind Superache (107,937 units) and well ahead of Found Heaven (32,350 units). The third and final new entry to the Top 10 is, likewise, a fourth studio set, this time from Nottingham rock quartet As December Falls, who fell short of the chart with their eponymous 2019 debut and 2021 set Happier but reached No.11 with 2023’s Join The Club, after being a big hit at the Download Festival in Donington the previous month. Their progress continues, with the self-released Everything’s On Fire, But I’m Fine providing their Top 10 debut at No.8 (6,960 sales), helped considerably by six vinyl variants and a busy week for the band playing acoustic sets and signing albums at multiple stores. Formed in 2014, they are fronted by 29-year-old singer Bethany Hunter Jiminez. Her husband, guitarist Ande Hunter Jiminez, is also in the band, whose membership is completed by bassist Timmy Francis and drummer Kiaran Hegarty. A dark blue and splatter vinyl edition of Billie Eilish’s latest album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, accounts for 3,092 (45.02%) of its 6,868 sales in the latest frame, hoisting it 25-10. Although the new vinyl is officially a ‘one year anniversary edition’ the album has been in the charts continuously since it debuted at No.1 65 weeks ago, never falling below No.27. Its to date consumption: 526,549 units. As expected, with Oasis’ triumphant Live ’25 tour now shifting to North America, domestic consumption of their oeuvre is in decline, although they have three albums in the Top 10 for the seventh week in a row with Time Flies 1994-2009 slipping 1-3 (12,533 sales), (What’s The Story) Morning Glory ebbing 3-4 (8,886 sales) and Definitely Maybe receding 7-9 (6,883 sales). The band’s two sell-out gigs at Dublin’s Croke Park last weekend helped galvanise their Irish fanbase to the extent that they have the top three albums – in the same order as the UK – in the Republic this week, with related leaps of 24-3 for Live Forever, 21-5 for Look Back In Anger and 30-8 for Wonderwall in the singles chart, where local indie/folk group Kingfishr’s Killeagh spends its fifth straight week, and seventh week in all, at No.1. The rest of the Top 10: You’ll Be Alright, Kid (5-5, 8,341 sales) by Alex Warren, 50 Years: Don’t Stop (6-6, 8,281 sales) by Fleetwood Mac and +-=÷× Tour Collection (8-7, 7,208 sales) by Ed Sheeran. Overall album sales are down 0.19% week-on-week to 2,422,030 units, 3.96% above same week 2024 sales of 2,329,853. Physical product accounts for 259,445 sales, 10.71% of the total.