No “Royals” can reign forever.
And after nineteen weeks, Lorde’s breakthrough hit has finally ceded its Hot Rock Songs throne.
Billboard revealed this week that Passenger’s “Let Her Go,” an international breakthrough in its own right, has finally overtaken Lorde’s “Royals” on its Hot Rock Songs chart.
The nineteen week “Royals” reign was the third largest in the chart’s four-and-a-half year history. Only Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” (23) and Foo Fighters’ “Rope” (20) had longer stays at number one.
In dropping to number two on Hot Rock Songs, “Royals” no longer maintains control of any major chart. The song, which previously led the Hot 100 for nine weeks and the Alternative Songs chart for seven, is presently only number one on the relatively minor Ringtones and Rock Streaming Songs charts.
But as “Royals” starts to fade, follow-up single “Team” continues its climb. The song, which is pacing to become another multi-format hit, is currently #11 on the Hot 100, #4 on Hot Rock Songs and #4 on Alternative Songs.
New Rock kingpin “Let Her Go,” meanwhile, spends the week at #6 on the Hot 100.