After a long, steady climb up my chart, I’m happy to announce that “Essence”, the stunning electro-pop collaboration between young Danish DJ and electronic house music producer Refeci (aka Victor Cornelius Tommerup) and Canadian-American singer-songwriter and musician Shimmer Johnson, has reached #1. They’ve each released an impressive amount of music both as solo artists and in collaboration with numerous musicians and vocalists. Refeci composed the mesmerizing and sensuous music, while Shimmer wrote the lyrics that speak to the importance of having faith in ourselves to forge our own path: “Don’t ever ever doubt your life. Make a wish and just believe. Find the path that’s right. It’s the essence of life.” It’s Shimmer’s second song to top my chart, her first being “Starts With You” early last year.

In other notable changes this week, “The Narcissist” by Brit pop band Blur enters the top 10 at #8, and “Psychos” by American singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis leaps 10 spots to #10. Three songs enter the chart, the first of which, “Vampire”, by 20-year-old Southern California-based singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Rodrigo, debuts at #11. Released on June 30, the heartrending song debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, her third single to do so (the others were her 2021 monster hit “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U”). “Call Me What You Like” by British indie rock band Lovejoy, enters at #29, and “Good Vibrations” by Texas duo MISSIO (which I recently reviewed) enters at #30.

1. ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (2)
2. RESCUED – Foo Fighters (1)
3. RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (4)
4. LEAVING – Au Gres (5)
5. NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (3)
6. WHY – Future Theory (7)
7. PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (9)
8. THE NARCISSIST – Blur (12)
9. IN MY HEAD – Mike Shinoda & Kailee Morgue (10)
10. PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (20)
11. VAMPIRE – Olivia Rodrigo (N)
12. HELLO – GROUPLOVE (15)
13. KID – The Revivalists (8)
14. EAT YOUR YOUNG – Hozier (11)
15. WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE – Joy Oladokun & Noah Kahan (17)
16. STUCK – 30 Seconds to Mars (18)
17. PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (19)
18. EMPTY NEST – Silversun Pickups (16)
19. GO DOWN RIVER – The Heavy Heavy (6)
20. DUMMY – Portugal. The Man (13)
21. SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (24)
22. THOSE EYES – New West (14)
23. SPELLBINDING – The Smashing Pumpkins (23)
24. BONES – HEALER (25)
25. WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (26)
26. ORBIT – Gooseberry (28)
27. OVERRATED – dwi (29)
28. LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (30)
29. CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (N)
30. GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (N)