If you worried over waiting weeks until 2026 earns its own musical character, don’t fret. Though January isn’t even out, there is a litany of storylines and characters that we’ll be looking back on once the year wraps up, and Bruno Mars, A$AP Rocky, and Fetty Wap toss their name into the ring on this edition.
Bruno Mars’ “I Just Might” Signals An Album On The Way
As is often the case, the most significant winner on tap for us this week is no stranger to success already: Mr. Bruno Mars. Capitalizing on what’s typically a slow month in terms of new releases, his “I Just Might” sprints out to the #1 spot in its second overall period of tracking, again executing a familiar narrative as more traditional means reflect unmissable streaming numbers from last week.
What’s more, “I Just Might” is a herald of The Romantic, the crooner’s first full-length since 2021’s Silk Sonic and his first solo effort since 2016. No doubt the return of such a totemic airwaves figure adds some narrative depth to this song and makes it a pop cultural must-see. However, it’s still worth celebrating that Mars’ touch remains intact despite a nearly decade-long hiatus from album releases. And don’t look now, but the halo effect surrounding his new chart-leader extends further down in the rankings: “That’s What I Like,” “Die With A Smile,” and “Locked Out Of Heaven” each command top 50 placement this week.
A$AP Rocky And Fetty Wap Make Their Own Returns
Speaking of long layoffs, A$AP Rocky is more than deserving of mention this week, himself experiencing the afterglow of his long-awaited DON’T BE DUMB. The New York native’s fourth album went confirmed, unconfirmed, started, restarted, delayed, and pushed back more times than anyone could count, and on a critical note, appears to have been worth the wait.
While we wouldn’t recommend repeating that “fits and starts” strategy for another 5+ years for LP five, that excitement shows up on our list as well: “HELICOPTER” and “STAY HERE 4 LIFE” abut each other at #19 and #20, and will likely prove the most significant commercial successes as the weeks go on. In the interest of completion, we’ll also note that much of the record ranks for us this week, beginning with “STOLE YA FLOW” at #47 and “PUNK ROCKY” at #91; three additional album cuts dot the territory from #190 to #250.
Finally, in a “where’d you come from” development, the arrival of Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” at #21 is in blinking lights from our perspective. On the current events front, this is almost certainly a reflection of his early release from prison, and crops up as a celebratory trend more than anything. However, if we can speculate a bit, perhaps it’s the mid-2010s nostalgia that’s tinted social media over the past few weeks that is having an effect, setting up an inviting environment as Wap returns home on our chart.
As always, stream the music mentioned throughout this piece wherever you get your music.
