Lorde Returns to the ARIA Top 10 With ‘What Was That’

Lorde has officially returned to the ARIA Singles Chart’s top tier, as her latest release “What Was That” debuts at No. 9 this week (May 2).

It marks the New Zealand singer-songwriter’s first top 10 appearance in Australia since 2017, when “Green Light” peaked at No. 4. The new track, co-produced by Dan Nigro — known for his work with Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan and Kylie Minogue — is the lead single from her upcoming fourth studio album.

“What Was That” is Lorde’s third career top 10 hit on the ARIA Singles Chart. She first broke into the top 10 with “Royals,” which reached No. 2 in 2013 and propelled her to international fame. In 2021, her most recent chart entry, “Mood Ring,” peaked at No. 29. The arrival of her latest single ends a four-year gap between charting releases in Australia and signals the start of a new creative era for the 27-year-old star.

On the ARIA Albums Chart, Swedish rock band Ghost claims its first No. 1 in Australia with Skeletá. The group — led by frontman Tobias Forge and his bandmates, known as the Nameless Ghouls — has steadily climbed the Australian charts over the past decade. Their previous highest peak was No. 3 with Impera in 2022. Skeletá also debuts atop the ARIA Vinyl Albums Chart this week.

Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet rebounds to No. 2, followed by Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us at No. 3, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft at No. 4 and Tate McRae’s So Close To What at No. 5.

On the Singles Chart, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” holds at No. 1 for a sixth consecutive week. Chappell Roan’s viral hit “Pink Pony Club” stays steady at its No. 2 peak, while Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True” sits at No. 3.

Other notable chart moves this week include a new peak for Pitbull’s Greatest Hits, which jumps to No. 21 on the Albums Chart after more than 240 non-consecutive weeks in the top 100. The set had previously peaked at No. 27.