This week, the public’s attention again turned to New York City for the Met Gala, a juncture at which we could take stock of which up-and-comers became part of the mainstream fabric. Doechii and Chapelle Roan stood out among first-time attendees, saddling up next to fellow chart-rulers like ROSE and Sabrina Carpenter. However, even if the fashion world had all eyes on well-established acts, with the tip-top of our rankings again consisting of familiar faces, we’re instead turning our attention further down the list, where names like Ravyn Lenae, PLUTO (in two senses) and Arctic Monkeys are making noise.
PLUTO and Young Thug Headline This Week’s Hip-Hop Risers
This fashion angle is particularly notable this week, where we see the material effects of Atlanta’s PLUTO and YKNIECE’s “WHIM WHAMIEE” checking in at #32. Built on the ever-successful Atlanta trap formula and already drawing comparisons to no-filter female MCs like Sexxy Red, the song’s catchiest portion contains a reference to Lululemon, something that’s led to it alternatively referred to simply as “the Lululemon song.” Outside of that brand tie, there’s no deeper drivers at play than the song’s overall stickiness, but it does remind of previous hip-hop sleepers that leveraged cultural connections into outsized success: Flo Milli’s “NEVER LOSE ME” and its Emilio Pucci reference, or more abstract takes like Central Cee’s “Doja” or Jordan Adetunji’s “Kelhani” in a different lane.
For a more established act, we shift to “Money On Money,” continuing to gain steam after its initial release via a heavy social media push. Debuting on our chart last week around the #170 mark, the Rap Caviar team-up jumps to the 60s for this entry. While we cited the song as a somewhat paint-by-numbers chapter in the shared Future / Young Thug history in our original coverage, there’s no doubt that the residual excitement from the end of Thug’s legal saga and the impending release of his first album since helped push this up as one of the more powerful hip-hop debuts in recent weeks.
Social Media Helps Propel Ravyn Lenae And The Arctic Monkeys
We stop off a bit further down the chart to check off one of our personal favorites, Ravyn Lenae. A product of the Chicago underground scene that gave us names like Noname, Vic Mensa, and Mick Jenkins, she’s yet another example of how post-release promotion can almost be as important as efforts in the lead-up. Though easily among the best-received singles from her 2024 Bird’s Eye, an official remix with Rex Orange County a few months after the song’s initial release helped push the song further into the public consciousness.
In a story that should be familiar to anyone, the story of “Love Me Not” ending up at #72 this week isn’t complete without mentioning TikTok: a mash-up with it and “Losing You” with Solange helped the single become part of the fabric in a real sense, something paid off with organic streaming. For those keeping track at home, it checks in within the 10 most streamed songs on Spotify this week.
Finally, revisiting another long-standing theme in these pieces, we’re spotlighting another “long tail” hit this week, a song whose release is far in the rear-view mirror but nonetheless is experiencing its peak in the modern day. Something seen with tracks like Imogen Heap’s “Headlock,” the Arctic Monkeys’ “505” remains in the mix at #82 in the Music Daily Tracks ranking. Experiencing a sudden renaissance in 2022, the song’s staying power has been absurd since, earning it late-stage record certifications worldwide without much promotional effort other than covers and recognition from other artists as among the British indie scene’s best-ever products.
Catch all of the music included in this piece in our Tracks playlist below, or wherever you stream your music.
