Lorde Scores A Pair Of Hot 100 Hits — And Their Journeys Couldn't Be More Different

Forbes

09-05-2025

Lorde lands two hits on the Hot 100 this week — new single 'What Was That' at No. 36 and viral ... More favorite 'Ribs' at No. 99 — amid excitement for upcoming album Virgin. NEW YORK, NY - MAY 5: Lorde is seen at the 2025 Costume Institute Benefit Gala celebrating the opening of the Exhibition "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" on May 5, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by XNY/Star Max/GC Images)
Lorde recently began the latest promotional period in her music career. Her upcoming album Virgin is expected this summer, and its lead single, "What Was That," arrived with quite a lot of fanfare. As the tune debuts across a variety of Billboard rankings, the New Zealand-based singer secures a pair of smashes on the Hot 100.
The Grammy winner does so not because she shared multiple new cuts at the same time, but thanks to the power of her brand new drop, as well as a viral moment. Fans have also flocked to a track she released more than a decade ago, turning it into the hit it never had a chance to become when it was first unveiled.
Lorde scores two new Hot 100 hits this frame with "What Was That" and "Ribs." The former, her current focus track, opens at No. 36 on the tally, giving her another top 40 smash. At the same time, "Ribs" barely makes it to Billboard's list of the most consumed songs in America, arriving at No. 99 on the roster.
Throughout her career, Lorde has now collected 12 Hot 100-charting songs, upping her count by two this time around.
"Ribs" has gone viral recently, thanks in part to the release of "What Was That." Lorde showed up at Washington Square Park in New York City, where a huge crowd of fans had gathered to see her. She stood in the middle of a massive circle and played "What Was That," but the crowd also later sang "Ribs" to her, and they all enjoyed the moment.
Countless videos and photos went viral on social media, reminding millions of people around the world how much they love "Ribs." That attention has translated into a huge uptick in both sales and streams of the composition, making it a Hot 100 success story.
Originally released on Lorde's debut album Pure Heroine, "Ribs" was never an official single, but rather a promotional cut. The tune arrived just a few months after "Royals," Lorde's official first single, which turned her into a global superstar nearly overnight. Fans have loved the album cut for more than a decade, and now their collective buying and streaming has turned it into a smash.
While "Ribs" reaches the Hot 100 and also debuts on several other Billboard tallies, "What Was That" is the real smash this frame. The tune arrives on eight different rankings and climbs on two others it managed to appear on last frame after just a short period of availability.
Lorde has been away from the spotlight for several years, and her previous album Solar Power was not as well received as some of her past projects. When she shared "What Was That," it was considered a return to form — and it has now given her the comeback she's been searching for.