Pochette du titre en tête des classements mondiaux. FIFA/Sony Music
The back-to-school season has not slowed the hit machine. Between a World Cup anthem that refuses to leave the top, breakouts landing from one continent to the next and long-awaited returns, the week of 4 September 2026 mixes every colour of global pop. American country, French rap, Colombian reggaeton, British house and K-pop all answer one another in a deliberately wide selection. Here are the ten tracks to keep close, from planet-sized smash to rising gem.
Dai Dai — Shakira & Burna Boy
The official 2026 World Cup anthem simply refuses to leave the top of the global charts, racking up week after week at number one. A fusion of afrobeats, reggaeton and dance-pop, it unites two continents on a single hook — the year’s great crowd-pleaser, everywhere at once and somehow never tiring. Few songs have bottled the feeling of a global event quite so completely. also featured on whatlisten.
Choosin’ Texas — Ella Langley
American country has its phenomenon: built on an unshakeable hook, this song has broken longevity records at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Ella Langley delivers a full-throated voice and plain-spoken writing, the mark of an artist who has pulled the mainstream toward Nashville’s new face. The one to keep if you want to understand who America is singing along to right now, months into its record-breaking reign.
BbY WOW — Karol G, Judeline & rusowsky
Taken from the album “No Me Arrepiento De Sentir Tanto,” this track dethroned reggaeton’s biggest names to sit atop the Latin charts. Karol G brings in two new Spanish voices for one of her most adventurous songs yet, poised between alternative pop and Latin sensuality. Keep an ear on this turn — the Colombian star clearly has no interest in repeating herself, and the gamble is paying off worldwide. also featured on whatlisten.
Boston — Stella Lefty
The year’s American breakout delivers: entering the Hot 100 high, “Boston” climbed all the way to number two. It leans on an openly borrowed hook from Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” — credited as a co-writer — for a melancholy folk-pop built for singalongs. A perfect calling card for an artist we will be hearing a lot more from.
Wagyu — Mauvais djo
The first single from “L’undertaker pt.2,” “Wagyu” pushed Mauvais Djo into the French top 10 and set social feeds ablaze. The rapper works a laid-back flow and a knack for one-liners that stick on first listen. Confirmation that one of the season’s biggest French-language rap breakouts is no fluke. also featured on whatlisten.
So Easy (To Fall In Love) — Olivia Dean
British soul-pop has found its new ambassador. Lifted from the album “The Art of Loving,” Olivia Dean’s single slipped into the top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic, carried by a warm voice and an elegant groove. The kind of song that warms up a playlist without ever overplaying its hand.
Ravers — Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding swaps introspection for the dancefloor: “Ravers” is a bright house anthem built for festivals. The track sits on “I Know Too Much,” her sixth album, released this very week. A winning return for a voice you might not have expected here — and one that sounds completely at home.
MAGIC — MONSTA X
Back with the EP “The Phase,” out this week, MONSTA X bet on jagged guitars and a punchy beat. “Magic” is a reminder of why the group remains a safe bet in a K-pop scene that loves muscular production. A direct, stage-ready track that reopens a new chapter in style.
I Knew It, I Knew You — Taylor Swift
From the “Toy Story 5” soundtrack, Taylor Swift’s single smashed streaming records on release and still sits high on the Hot 100. Further proof, if any were needed, that she turns every project into a global event. Keep it for a luminous hook that simply will not leave your head.
FLOAT — Taemin
A double title track from the EP “PHASE 1 : Soft Violence,” “Float” unfurls an airy, dreamlike synth-pop carried by one of K-pop’s most expressive voices. The genre’s first male soloist to play Coachella, Taemin confirms his status as a complete artist. The one to keep for a weightless end to the day. also featured on whatlisten.
Ten tracks, ten ways into September: to loop, to slot into a playlist or to keep an eye on in the weeks ahead. The sheer spread of this batch, from World Cup stadiums to festival dancefloors, captures a borderless global pop, where a Colombian hook, a French flow and a Korean ballad sit side by side without the slightest friction. Whatever your usual lane, there is at least one here worth adding to the rotation. See you next Friday for the new selection.
