August 31st, 2018
European Border Breakers Chart 31 August 2018
The European Border Breakers Chart shows which upcoming European artists are most successful outside their home countries.
For the full Top 100, click the âEBBChartâ tab in the top menu of this blog (loading of the PDF may take a little while).
More charts, like the Airplay Chart and the Streaming Chart and the Tips (ranking the tracks that are on their way to the Top 100), are at www.europeanborderbreakerschart.eu, where you can also listen to all of the tracks and watch their videos, as well as share them via social media.
This weekâs chart counts 31 (re)entries, 13 of which are completely fresh:
#12: Liam Payne feat. French Montana – First Time
#40: Wwwater – Wwwater
#61: The Blaze – Faces
#70: NOTD feat. Tove Styrke – Been There Done That
#72: Radiant Children – Life’s A Bitch
#77: Sink Ya Teeth – If You See Me
#81: Dardan – Facetime
#83: Liam Payne – Home With You
#87: Declan J Donovan – Numb
#89: Hardy Caprio – Best Life
#90: Honey Hahs – Stop Him
#92: Katja Krasavice – Sex Tape
#95: Tamino – Persephone

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Eckhardt & The House – Put Me In A Cape
The higher the tempo in Eckhardt & The Houseâs music, the faster their star begins to rise. Good news for them then, that their new single is an up-tempo affair. Their most energetic song to date, to be exact.
In recent months, Eckhardt & The House developed a danceable indie sound, based on elements from pop to avant-garde to disco-funk. However, they managed to turn these influences into a unique sound of their own. Remember their great single If She Cannot Talk? This one is even better.
More than ever, Put Me In A Cape sounds like itâs the eighties all over again, and Iâd be the last to vote against that. The song is full of retro ingredients, wrapped in smooth, contemporary production. Not only made for playlists, but sure to become a live staple as well!

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Barns Courtney – â99â / Good Thing
27-year-old Barns Courtney has already experienced more highs and lows than most artists could wish to encounter in an entire lifetime. His is a story of family turmoil, bad record industry deals, and homelessness, but also of sheer talent and hard work winning out against the odds. As a result, the last 18 months have been nothing less than impressive. His debut album The Attractions Of Youth has sold 200.000 units, his songs have been streamed over 250 million times, and his YouTube channel racked up 25 million views. Now, itâs time for the next chapter of his career.
New single â99â, an uplifting anthem, is a throwback to the glory days of the late nineties. Courtney: âI was born in England and grew up in suburban Seattle playing video games and watching PokĂ©mon. 99 has got genuine sadness, but itâs got playfulness, and it references the nerdy parts of my personality where Iâm in Seattle in the late â90s with my friends in front of a TV screen playing Nintendo 64.â
Like an old-fashioned âdouble A-sidedâ single, â99â comes with a great companion track, that surely worth checking as well. A stomper thatâs exactly what itâs title promises: Good Thing.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Oh Pep! – Whatâs The Deal With David?
Oh Pep! are Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs from Melbourne, Australia. After a series of EPâs, that caught the attention of legendary artists and critics alike, their debut album Stadium Cake was very well received in 2016. So, their second is one to look out for. I Wasnât Only Thinking About You… comes out on 26 October.
The first single off it – Whatâs The Deal With David? – is a bright, irresistible sing-along track, that Liv wrote as a note for Pep. âItâs that excited energy about two friends talking about their love lifeâ, she explains.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
You Me At Six – Back Again
With previous singles 3AM and IOU, You Me At Six already demonstrated they had stepped out of their comfort zone, by including new sounds into their music. 3AM was very poppy already, and IOU even had electronic elements in it. This versatility will also characterize the bandâs new album VI, out on 5 October, where theyâll be replacing what was once distortion and big rock riffs, for indie-pop prowess.
You Me At Sixâs funky new single Back Again is arguably their most catchy song to date, with the potential to become one of this summerâs break-out anthems. Frontman Josh Franceschi comments; âBack Again is quite a departure for us sonically. We took some risks, We wanted to soundtrack peopleâs weekends.â
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Wildcard (week 35):
Lauren Daigle – Still Rolling Stones
Surely, Adele doesnât have the exclusive rights to a specific sound, but when a song is compared to her, you immediately have an idea of what it must sound like. You can bet thereâs an orchestra involved, it will have a certain drive and urgency, and of course itâs sung beautifully. In short, each âAdele (like) songâ could be a potential James Bond theme.
American singer Lauren Daigle is working in âAdele territoryâ as well, and itâs hardly something to be ashamed about. On the contrary: Still Rolling Stones is a great song, which deserves to be picked up by many radio stations (and Spotify playlists, for that matter). It has all the right ingredients to score big, especially with the autumn on our door steps.
Three years after her debut album How Can It Be, Lauren Daigle is ready to release the follow-up. Look Up Child will be out on 7 September. If Still Rolling Stones is anything to go by, it might become one of the surprise hits of the coming months. Laurenâs voice has never been stronger than it is now, as it truly captures the heart of the song.
This week, Still Rolling Stones by Lauren Daigle is the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, so it joins the great collection of songs that is already in the Wildcards 2018 playlist.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
MaĂŻa – Laisse-Moi Libre
Canadian singer-songwriter Maïa Davies, part of the band Ladies Of The Canyon, released her first French language solo album Héritage in 2012. Since a few years, she works with producer Gavin Brown (Metric, Billy Talent, The Tragically Hip) on her second long player Alléluia. Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies) is involved as well.
The forthcoming albumâs new single Laisse-Moi Libre (âlet me be freeâ) is a personal and autobiographical ode to feminism, and to the wish to remain independent, also in a relationship.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Joe Bonamassa – Evil Mama
21 September sees the return of two-time Grammy-nominated blues-rock giant Joe Bonamassa with a brand-new studio album, Redemption. His 13th already, and his most ambitious yet, as he continues to redefine and push the barriers of his repertoire. The album is once again produced by Kevin Shirley, who worked with everyone from Aerosmith and Iron Maiden to The Black Crows and Rush. “From a producer’s perspective, this is far and away the most challenging and diverse album that Joe has ever made,” Shirley says.
Evil Mama is Bonamassaâs new single. It has a great groove, the horns add a touch of funk and the backing vocals make his trademark blues-rock soulful. Not exactly the sound of contemporary hit music, but all the better for it. Timeless class!
The video is the fourth studio performance Bonamassa has issued in the last several weeks, in anticipation of the new albumâs release. Similar to the clips for King Bee Shakedown, Molly O and Redemption, Evil Mama presents Bonamassa and his (great!) band performing the song in the recording studio.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Rina Sawayama – Cherry
Japan-born, London-based singer Rina Sawayama recently expressed her ambition âto break recordsâ in the pop industry. New single Cherry is her latest effort to do just that.
Her debut mini album Rina was a body of work that talked about the digital era and millennials’ relationship with technology, but now, she’s here to serve up tunes on a much more personal note. Taking inspiration from her personal life and J-Pop, this new single is about queer love. âIt’s a song about shame, but refusing to be ashamed.â But if youâre not into lyrics, Cherry is still a great pop song.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Wernerâs Weekly (week 35)
In my Carte Blanche Music playlist I keep you up to speed with the best new music that was released this year, so far. Mind you: it doesnât pretend to give you a full overview of all new releases. On the contrary, I only present you with great new songs. In other words: following my list saves you a lot of time browsing numerous other playlists and listening to songs you probably donât like⊠#tipoftheweek đ
Last week, I added the likes of Dubstar, Plain White Tâs, Rea Garvey, Smallpools & The Aces, and Villagers to my container playlist. But if 14 additions are too much for you (no offence), below youâll find Wernerâs Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. If youâre only looking for the best of the best, here they are, alphabetically ordered and preceded by the two latest Wildcards:
- Say Lou Lou – Golden Child (Wildcard this week)
- Cookin’ On 3 Burners feat. Kaiit – Warning (Wildcard last week)
- Ăine Cahill – Beauty Is A Lie
- Ed Struijlaart (feat. The Hornaments) – Guitar
- Romes – Out Of It
- Sam Fender – Dead Boys
- Yonaka – Fired Up
As usual, clicking the links provides you with extra information (both serious and fun facts), and you can listen to all seven of the songs via the Wernerâs Weekly player in the sidebar. Enjoy!
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.