The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard 200 dated July 12, we look at a loaded week of new and surging releases, headlined by returning alt-pop star Lorde and what’s quickly becoming the summer’s hottest movie soundtrack.

Lorde, Virgin (Republic): One of the most anticipated pop releases of the summer has certainly been Lorde’s fourth album Virgin, her first full-length since 2021’s polarizing Solar Power. The album came with an extensive rollout, led by first single “What Was That” — which was debuted at a stop-start live event in New York’s Washington Square Park (filmed for the song’s official video, released later that week) and which became her first Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit of the 2020s, bowing at No. 36.

That song fell off the Hot 100 after just a few weeks, and none of the other tracks released in advance of Virgin followed it onto the chart — and the set has only 11 tracks and no feature appearances — so it’s unlikely to be a streaming blockbuster, though it should still perform respectably on DSPs. It’s also expected to sell well, helped by its availability for purchase in eight vinyl variants, including two signed editions — as well as being available on CD and for digital download. (The early critical response for Virgin has also been much stronger than the relatively mixed reception for Solar Power.)

It should be enough to continue Lorde’s streak of each of her studio albums making the Billboard 200’s top five, and may better the No. 5 debut of Solar Power. It’s unlikely to give her a second No. 1 album on the chart, however — following the No. 1 bow of Melodrama in 2017 — as Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem continues to be an absolute streaming juggernaut, set to score a seventh consecutive week of six-digit units on the chart.

KPop Demon Hunters Soundtrack (Republic): The greatest potential obstacle to Lorde’s path to a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200 may come from another Republic release, and one far fewer would have tabbed as such a charts contender. KPop Demon Hunters, the animated Netflix musical set in the Korean pop world, has become such a sensation since its release two Fridays ago (June 20) that its soundtrack — featuring the songs of its two primary fictional groups, HUNTR/X and Saja Boys, as well as a couple contributions from real-life K-pop stars TWICE — appears on its way to being one of the summer’s biggest hits.

The rising soundtrack already debuted on the Billboard 200 dated July 5 at No. 8, making it the first soundtrack to reach the chart’s top 10 since Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo’s Wicked accompanying set in January. And the set is still growing, up 220% in streams over the first four days of this tracking week (June 27-30), as its songs continue to scale the DSPs’ daily charts — with the soundtrack now occupying five of the top 15 spots on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA listing, and seven of the top 25.

If the set continues to grow on streaming, it could not only crash the Billboard 200’s top five next week, it could challenge Virgin for the chart’s runner-up spot. And the album doesn’t even have a physical release yet — it’s only available for streaming and digital purchase at the moment — so if Republic could get a physical soundtrack together to tap into K-pop fans’ investment in tangible products, the sky is the limit for KPop Demon Hunters‘ commercial potential.

KATSEYE, Beautiful Chaos (Hybe UMG/Geffen): Speaking of K-pop — one of the biggest stories in the genre this year is of the global outfit KATSEYE, which encompasses members from not just Korea but the Philippines, Switzerland and the U.S., and sings in multiple languages, despite largely working within a K-pop framework. The group’s approach has generated much discussion within various pop communities, and also a couple crossover hits: The group’s singles “Gabriela” (No. 94) and “Gnarly” (No. 98) can both be found on this week’s Hot 100.

Both those singles can also be found on the sextet’s second EP, Beautiful Chaos. The five-track set contains contributions from behind-the-scenes stateside pop fixtures like Andrew Watt and Justin Tranter, and comes with a surfeit of physical options for purchase — including four vinyl variants and nine CD variants. It might not be enough to compete with the streaming power of KPop Demon Hunters on next week’s Billboard 200, but it should be enough to further cement KATSEYE as a burgeoning force on the charts.

IN THE MIX

Russ, W!LD (Diemon): Billboard‘s 2025 Indie Trailblazer returned on Friday (June 27) with new set W!LD, follow-up to 2023’s No. 12-debuting Santiago. The album should also be ticketed for a top 20 debut, as the 19-track collection has yet to produce any obvious breakout hits, but Russ’ selling power remains considerable for an independent rapper — and W!LD is available for purchase in multiple vinyl, CD and cassette variants, some of which are signed.

Barbra Streisand, The Secret of Life: Partners, Vol. 2 (Columbia): Barbra Streisand is one of the legends of the Billboard 200, having topped the chart a staggering 11 times in her career, ranging from 1964’s People to 2016’s Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway. Streisand’s latest Partners duets set is unlikely to make it an even dozen, but should attract interest with its star-studded guest list — including modern-day chart-toppers Ariana Grande, Sam Smith and Hozier, as well as all-time legends like Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Mariah Carey — and is available for sale in a pair of vinyl variants, as well as on CD.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

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Dave Grohl and Jordyn Blum have made their first public outing as a couple since the rocker revealed he had fathered a baby outside of his marriage, attending the third day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London together Wednesday (July 2).

In photos from the event, Grohl looks dapper in a navy suit while the former television producer sports a light peach blazer-and-trouser set. After entering the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club together, the couple flashed smiles and chatted with their seat neighbors.

The Foo Fighters frontman and Blum also attended Wimbledon together in 2024. Just a few months after that, Grohl revealed that he had welcomed a baby girl “outside of my marriage,” writing in a statement on Instagram, “I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness.”

“I plan to be a loving and supportive parent to her,” he’d added at the time. “We’re grateful for your consideration toward all the children involved, as we move forward together.”

Grohl married Blum in 2003. They share three daughters — 19-year-old Violet, 16-year-old Harper and 10-year-old Ophelia.

The former Nirvana drummer has been inactive on his own Instagram account since posting his statement about the baby, but he has kept busy over the past few months. In January, he volunteered to help families in need by serving meals in Los Angeles amid the devastating wildfire crisis, and in February, he took part in the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary concert special.

Grohl also delivered some special performances in April, taking the stage at Coachella before playing an L.A. benefit concert a few weeks later. And on July 2, the Foo Fighters dropped a new track called “Today’s Song,” celebrating 30 years of the band’s debut album, and paired with it a statement remembering drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died in March 2022.

Kendrick Lamar adds to his collection of Billboard chart records not once, but twice this week as his latest studio album GNX and his SZA collaboration “Luther” become the longest-running No. 1s in the history of the Top Rap Albums and Hot Rap Songs chart, respectively, on the lists dated July 5, 2025.

Top Rap Albums launched in June 2004, and Hot Rap Songs began in March 1989.

GNX rebounds from the runner-up slot to capture an unprecedented 22nd week at No. 1 on Top Rap Albums. It passes the previous titleholder, Pop Smoke’s Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon, and its 21-week run that wrapped in April 2021. For its coronation week, GNX earned 31,000 equivalent album units in the tracking week of June 20-26, according to Luminate, an 8% decline from its total in the prior tracking frame.

As GNX asserts its supremacy on Top Rap Albums, here’s a review of the albums with the longest runs at No. 1 in the chart’s 21-year history.

Weeks at No. 1, Album Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1
22, GNX, Kendrick Lamar, Dec. 7, 2024
21, Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon, Pop Smoke, July 18, 2020
19, Recovery, Eminem, July 10, 2010
18, Heroes & Villains, Metro Boomin, Dec. 17, 2022
16, Take Care, Drake, Dec. 3, 2011
14, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem, Dec. 23, 2013

GNX opened atop the Top Rap Albums chart dated Dec. 7, 2024, as Lamar’s sixth No. 1. Its surprise arrival capped a high-profile 2024 for the rapper, whose feud with Drake and resulting diss track battle — including the runaway hit “Not Like Us” — was among the year’s defining music storylines.

Joining the album achievement, Lamar and SZA’s single “Luther” snatches its share of Billboard history with a record 27th week at No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs. Lamar, however, keeps the baton, as “Luther” passes “Not Like Us,” which spent 26 weeks at the summit in 2024-25.

The song’s landmark week comes through a combination of 12.8 million official U.S. streams (down 8%), 53.1 million in airplay audience (down 1%) and 1,000 sales downloads (down 17%).

As “Luther” shuffles the leaderboard, let’s recap the songs with the most weeks at No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs.

Weeks at No. 1, Song Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1
27, “Luther,” Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Dec. 21, 2024
26, “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar, May 18, 2024
20, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, April 13, 2019
19, “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, Aug. 7, 2021
18, “Hot Boyz,” Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott feat. Nas, Eve & Q-Tip, Nov. 27, 1999
18, “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea feat. Charli xcx, May 3, 2014
18, “Hotline Bling,” Drake, Oct. 10, 2015
17, “Panda,” Desiigner, April 23, 2016
17, “Mood,” 24kgoldn feat. iann dior, Oct. 24, 2020

In addition to ruling Hot Rap Songs, “Luther” likewise leads Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for a 27th week, extending its record for the most time at No. 1. (It nabbed the standalone title in its 23rd week, beating “Not Like Us.”) The single topped the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks in March and through May, easily the longest stay of both Lamar and SZA’s careers.