Week: May 12 - 18, 2023
The Top 5 songs that have been on rotation since Trinidad Carnival continue their reign last week. Kes & Shaggy take over the #1 spot with their smash hit Mood catapulting into the top position with a gain of nearly 70k Spotify streams in the past week – the largest single week increase since the song debuted Christmas Eve along with hitting the Apple Music, iTunes, etc. charts in over 19 countries.
As Kes & Shaggy both ramp up their international tours, we will continue to keep an eye on the charts to see how the world adopts the new Mood.
The newest addition to the top 10 last week from Shaggy, this time paired with Skinny Fabulous on Don’t Run their techno inspired collaboration released back in February comes in at #6 this week. Perhaps the anticipation of Shaggy’s new album released Friday, May 20th entitled In the Mood, helped to bring an additional visibility and awareness to the now 3–4-month-old songs – which are both coincidentally produced by Shane Hoosong, along with Shaggy.
As Soca Music begins to ramp up in the rest of the Caribbean, we are starting to see many new songs & riddims that are booming in their respective islands, begin to bubble onto the weekly Top 20. The A-List by Pumpa produced by the Hard Fete producer DJ Avalanche is continuing to spread at rapid pace throughout the islands and territories across the Caribbean. Just six (6) months old, the song has nearly 100k Spotify streams (his #1 streamed song on Spotify) and has been heavily streamed across the Caribbean diaspora on Apple Music & iTunes.
Father Philis song Vroom Vroom is moving full speed ahead. The song is heating up on TikTok, which by standard has been translating to his Spotify streams racking up to the tune of nearly 18k Spotify streams. Just one month old, this is already his #15 top song streamed song on Spotify closing in fast on #14. The song is #13 this week on the global Top 20 and #4 on the Top Soca streamed in Canada.
Yung Bredda continues to bring the steam, now with his own Steamy Service. Off the Dibby Service Riddim, the song is picking up pace across the Caribbean landing at #134in the global weekly Top 20. Young Bredda continues to top the charts with this release just days old already coming in at #5 in his native Trinidad & Tobago Soca charts as well as #4 in Barbados, the homeland of the Producer, DJ KY.
Problem Child continues his Heights of Greatness with two (2) songs off two (2) new riddims, perhaps appealing to two (2) different Soca audiences. Impossible #15 this week, produced by Super K off the Heights of Greatness Riddim has already topped the Apple Music & iTunes charts in several countries, with heavy streams in Canada, while Rum Sweet off the Jumbie Horn Riddim, produced by Added Rankin – has been holding onto #1 spot for Soca songs streamed in his native St. Vincent & the Grenadines for the past 2 weeks.
Hypasounds Looking for It is coming in at #16 this week is already making waves internationally – trending on Spotify as well as on itunes in Canada & France. The song is begging to pick a buzz in his native Barbados.
Motto & Ezra team up to represent St. Lucia with Domino coming in at #17 off the riddim of the same name. The song is also positioned as the #2 Soca song streamed in France last week, only slightly behind Dennery by Army Guy & Freezy off the same Riddim – the Soca Dennery segment proving strong in France. No stranger to the Top 20, Nat U by Claudette Peters, continues its reign at #1 in Antigua & Barbuda last week and, #18 this week, has been frequenting the global charts.
Last but certainly not least is Wah Do her (She Shame) by Zutee Man produced by Collisbeats off the Jab & Eve Riddim, which has been inching up the charts in their native Grenada since its release in February. Today the song has begun to peak on other Caribbean islands and territories as the audience is eager for the Jab.
Here are this week’s global Soca Top 20:
