The latest Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, dated Aug. 13, 2022, mark 100 weeks since the worldwide song lists launched in September 2020. This week, we’re celebrating the hits that topped, lingered on, and shaped the surveys throughout their first 100 weeks. Today, we travel around the world, looking at key chart hits that originated in territories from Asia to South America.
Here, take a spin (or more literally, a click) around the globe for a look at some of the biggest hits over the last two years by artists from more than 40 international territories.
For this customized feature, we’re not spotlighting achievements on charts in the U.S., Canada or the U.K., where, as every dialed-in music fan already knows, Adele, Drake and Taylor Swift are doing well (there is a highlight for Puerto Rico, spotlighting its own musical ecosystem). We’re also excluding artists with No. 1 songs on the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts (so, no Anitta, Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK or BTS), since we recapped those earlier this week.
Without leaving your current location, explore, learn and listen to songs encompassing a wide variety of genres, languages and cultures that have shaped the last 100 weeks of global hits.
Sixteen European countries (some of which are partially Asian nations) are represented above, with songs in nine languages, including eight in English. Much of northern Europe, particularly to the west, focuses on high-volume, high-intensity electronic dance music. Germany is spotlighted by DJ Robin and Schurze's "Layla"; the Netherlands is highlighted by Tiësto's "The Business"; and Kosovo is represented by Regard's "Ride It."
Bridging the gap between electronic and hip-hop, Spain's HVME appears alongside Travis Scott with their 2021 updated of the latter's 2016 track "Goosebumps." Elsewhere, "Blaues Licht" by RAF Camora (Austria) and Bonez MC (Germany), and "Bilmem Mi?" by Sefo (Turkey) illustrate rap in native European languages.
Meanwhile, the impact of the Eurovision Song Contest cannot be understated, from Italy's "Brividi" by Mahmood and BLANCO and Armenia's "Snap" by Rosa Linn to the competition's 2022 winner, "Stefania" by Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine.
The only continent to eclipse Europe in diversity of language in the graphic above is Asia, with nine represented, including three native to India: "Lut Gaye" by Jubin Nautiyal featuring Emraan Hashmi (Hindi); "Srivalli" by Sid Siriam (Telugu); and "295" by Sidhu Moose Wala (Punjabi). Other highlights include LiSA's "Homura," which became the highest charting Japanese song when it hit No. 2 on Global Excl. U.S., and Indonesia's Tulus, who climbed to No. 51 this March with "Hati-Hati di Jalan."
Latin America is perhaps the most collaborative region of the world in terms of hit global music, highlighted by the top 10 Global Excl. U.S. hit "Relación" by Sech (Panama), Daddy Yankee (Puerto Rico) and J Balvin (Colombia) and featuring Rosalía (Spain) and Farruko (Puerto Rico). More often, collaboration is among acts from the same country, as with the Argentinian power foursome of Tiago Pzk, LIT killah, Nicki Nicole and Maria Becerra on "Entre Nosotros" and the Brazilian team-up of Xama, Gustah and Neo Beats on "Malvadão 3."
Plus, songs by African artists have become more prevalent on the global charts over the past year. Upon the lists' inception, Master KG's "Jerusalema," featuring Burna Boy and Nomcebo Zikode, brought South Africa and Nigeria to the surveys, while more recent such representation has included hits by CKay, Fireboy DML, Tems and Wizkid (all from Nigeria), plus Amaarae and Moliy (both from Ghana), with songs spanning (and combining) English, Duala, Yoruba and Zulu languages.
And take a listen to the biggest global hits of the last 100 weeks below. We'll be updating the playlist throughout the week as we highlight more of the charts' most definitive hits.