Les Cowboys Fringants Debut ‘Merci ben!’ on the Billboard Canada AC Airplay Chart
The track from the Quebec band enters at No. 30 over a year after its release, picking up steam on the radio airwaves. Ariane Moffatt's “Jouer” also reaches a new peak, marking the second consecutive week with two charting French songs.
French-language music makes its mark on the Canadian charts this week.
Les Cowboys Fringants have made their latest Billboard debut with their song “Merci ben!” which arrives at No. 30 on the Canada AC chart for May 10. The country-folk track finds the band thanking its fans while reminiscing on its beginnings and milestones, from playing small bars to sold-out arenas. The track’s title is Quebec jargon for “Thank you very much!”
“Merci ben!” is one of two French-language songs on this week’s chart, joining fellow Quebecer Ariane Moffatt. Her song “Jouer” reaches a new peak of No. 24. This marks the second consecutive week where two French-language songs chart simultaneously on the AC chart, following the absence of French music on the April 26 chart.
The Cowboys Fringants track’s debut comes well over a year after its release. It appeared on the band’s surprise album Pub Royal in April 2024, which made an impressive debut at No. 3 on the Canadian Albums chart. The record was the band’s first release following lead singer Karl Tremblay’s untimely passing in November 2023. He appears on six of the album’s tracks which are his final musical contributions prior to his death.
The group most recently took home a Popular Songs (Francophone) trophy at the 2025 SOCAN Gala and ranked as the most-streamed Québécois music act in Canada last year.
Meanwhile, Toronto singer Alexander Stewart finally cracks the top 10 of the Hot AC chart with “His Problem Instead.” The upbeat breakup song has been consistently charting within the top 20, reaching its previous peak of No. 11 on the April 12 and May 3 charts. It also reached the same peak on the CHR/Top 40 chart last week, dated May 3.
The Juno-nominated singer joins The Weeknd as the only Canadian artists in the top 10 this week. Nearby on the chart, Shawn Desman and Jamie Fine break into the top 20 with “Body.” which rises 26-20 after debuting at No. 34 last month.
Although no Canadian artists appear in the Canada AC top 10, whose songs remain locked in from the previous week, six local artists appear in the lower half of the top 10. As Canadians are gaining on the charts, it remains to be seen if they can break further into the top 10.
