This is the first edition of a regular column that will highlight tracks that are trending across various platforms, using a combination of Chartmetric data and the subject expertise of our contributing writers and curators. In addition to calling out new music from established acts that’s currently blowing up—see “4EVA,” from the new Kaytranada and rapper Aminé collaboration KAYTRAMINÉ—we’ll also spotlight songs from up-and-coming artists that are making waves, such as the track from North Carolina indie-rock band Wednesday. Most of what we cover here will be new, but because music streaming means a track from the past can return to the conversation at any time, we’re on the lookout for interesting stories on older music that’s trending on TikTok or elsewhere, such as the Deftones track. We’ll be updating the TTR every two weeks, so stay tuned.

KAYTRAMINÉ feat. Pharrell: “4EVA”

Chartmetric Score: 566

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap, Electronic

Country: United States

“4EVA,” a fusion of funk, dance and club music with producer Kaytranada and rapper Aminé, is almost a decade in the making. In 2014, the Portland rapper created an unofficial remix to the producer’s “Not At All” in 2014, which sparked a collaborative relationship between the two (Kaytranada produced three tracks on Aminé’s debut mixtape Calling Brio, including “La Danse” which has 2.1M streams on SoundCloud). Since then, the two have risen to higher echelons on their own, and are poised for even greater heights as KAYTRAMINÉ, a portmanteau that blends both of their names and sounds. One day after its release, "4EVA," featuring Pharrell Williams, who co-produced the track, garnered over 1M streams on Spotify, earning its spot on prized editorial playlists like Rap Caviar and POLLEN.

Deftones: “Sextape”

Chartmetric Score: 38

Genre: Rock, Metal

Country: United States

California nu-metal progenitors Deftones keep landing TikTok hits without even trying. Since 2020, the band’s 2000 track “Change (In the House of Flies),” has garnered 76.9K videos, while 1997’s “Be Quiet and Drive Far Away,” has reached 33.1K videos, with three other tracks breaking the 15K video mark. Their 2010 song “Sextape,” is the latest minor hit on the app, peaking at No. 63 on the Canadian TikTok charts and No. 167 on the US TikTok charts this April. The renewed interest in the band has led to considerable growth in their Spotify monthly listenership, which has climbed from 6.3M to 8.1M listeners since the start of 2023—pretty impressive considering they haven’t released new music in two years.

Wednesday: “Quarry”

Chartmetric Score: 27

Genre: Alt-Rock

Country: United States

Wednesday’s fifth album since 2020, Rat Saw God, sounds like alt-country, noise rock, and fuzzy ‘90s indie rock all at once. Titled after an episode of Veronica Mars, the album functions similarly to the ‘00s cult teen drama: Both focus on the complexities of relationships and the dark parts of growing up. “Quarry,” the dynamically-arranged single released on April 7, exemplifies Wednesday’s zeitgeisty appeal. The Asheville, N.C., band depicts small town characters as the knotty, often unknowable personas that make a community’s story. Placed on notable Spotify playlists like Ultimate Indie, The New Alt, and Today’s Indie Rock—multiplying their reach since January by a count of 13 in mid-April. “Quarry” seems destined to be an indie-rock staple that calls back to the kind of TikTok-less adoration of the decades it references.

Kali: “Area Codes”

Chartmetric Score: 129

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap

Country: United States

“Area Codes,” the infectious new single from rising Atlanta rapper Kali, modernizes the famous Ludacris 2001 hit of the same name. Kali brings a newfound confidence to the track, with a flow that oscillates from nimble to deliberate, that is resonating with her audience. “Area Codes,” once a song used to demean women, is now being subverted by TikTok users praising the versatility of Black beauty. Since its release last month, the audio has been used in 253K videos, with hair and makeup trends transforming fans into seemingly new women. “Area Codes” has catapulted Kali’s playlist reach, giving her a 56 percent increase in editorial playlist placements, appearing on Spotify’s Get Turnt, big on the internet, and Feelin’ Myself.

Peter McPoland: “Digital Silence”

Chartmetric Score: 201

Genre: Alt-Rock

Country: United States

Twenty-year-old Peter McPoland returns with “Digital Silence,” an evocative track that feels like a call-to-action for a better world. On the track the folk-pop luminary asks a string of rhetorical questions: “Why don’t you get it? Can’t you get it? Understand?” Catching young listeners who feel helpless against exhausting news cycles nearly 1M TikTok users have liked the sound, with some of the most popular clips utilizing McPoland’s query to bring awareness to the ban of hormone therapy for trans children and mass shootings. Since its release on April 7, the track has been played nearly 3M times on Spotify and landed on significant playlists like The New Alt and big on the internet.

Portions of this article are included in Sound Signal, a bi-weekly newsletter from Third Bridge Creative. Sign up here.

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