Tegan and Sara's CanCon Supercollab with Lights and Felix Cartal Hits the Billboard Canada Airplay Charts
“Our Year” Tegan and Sara's first single in nearly two years, and it's a explosion of Canadian talent. Plus: Cameron Whitcomb reaches No. 1 with “Kingdom of Fear.”
L-R: Tegan Quin, Felix Cartal, Lights, Sara Quin
Tegan and Sara are claiming 2026 as their year.
The Calgary-born twin sister duo joins forces with Lights and producer Felix Cartal on “Our Year,” a true collaboration of Canadian talent. It arrives at No. 40 on the Billboard Canada Modern Rock Airplay chart, dated Oct. 10.
Fusing the earnest songwriting of Tegan and Sara and Lights with Cartal’s dream-like production, “Our Year” is described as “part love letter to Vancouver, and part hard-bitten commentary on the current economy.” The track zeroes in on the overt optimism that comes with a fresh start, and finds the group accepting that even the best-laid plans don’t always work out.
“Our Year” started as a demo that Tegan Quin sent to Cartal, who immediately connected with it. Once Lights — described as a “long-time fan” of Tegan and Sara — came on board, it felt complete. “This song is one of those heritage moments, those legacy things that feel like if you died today, you’d be happy with where you left off,” she says.
For Tegan, the track is the result of trying new things. “I feel like we’re at a point in our career where everything we put out should have meaning — but also feel fun. Our band has always been about building community, and it was really cool to build this song with other people, to include so many other artists in the process.”
This isn’t the first time Felix Cartal has collaborated with Tegan and Sara or Lights, as he now has multiple collaborations with each act.
He also spoke recently with Billboard Canada about collaborating with fellow Vancouver sister act Fionn, and their new collab, “The Race,” is charting on the Contemporary Hit Radio/Top 40 and Hot Adult Contemporary charts at No. 37 on the former and rises 35-33 on the latter.
Cameron Whitcomb's Biggest Hit "Kingdom of Fear" Rises to No. 1 on the All-Format Chart
While Cameron Whitcomb said he was coming for the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, he’s reached that milestone on the All-Format chart. This week, he rises from No. 2 to No. 1 in its 14th week, dethroning Stella Lefty’s “Boston.”
The earnest hit has been a major moment for the B.C. native. This summer, it was tapped as a song-of-the-summer contender by Spotify, became his first-ever top 3 hit on the Canadian Hot 100 and marked his debut entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
Notably, “Kingdom of Fear” has hit all seven of the Billboard Canada Airplay charts. On AC, it reaches a new peak, climbing from No. 21 to No. 14, and on CHR/Top 40, it cracks the top 5, moving up two spots to No. 4. It remains at No. 6 on Hot AC and rises 14-12 on Canada Country. The track sits at No. 35 on Mainstream Rock, and No. 12 on Modern Rock.
Whitcomb is not the only Ontario act to hit No. 1 in his home country's Airplay charts. Three Days Grace are also at No. 1 for another week on the Mainstream Rock chart with “Don't Wanna Go Home Tonight.”
Talk Bounces Back on 'Boomerang'
TALK arrives on the Hot AC chart, No. 36 with “Boomerang." It’s an uptempo soft-rock anthem, driven by bright guitars and a soaring singalong chorus as the vocal powerhouse chronicles the journey of a lifelong runaway who finds the one person who makes him want to stay.
Speaking of the track, the Ontario artist says it’s “a celebration of love, of overcoming your fears, and of giving in and showing your full self to somebody for the first time.” It came via Big Loud Rock and ArtHaus in Canada, and is the latest single from the singer’s recently inked dual partnership with the U.S. alternative and rock imprint.
“Boomerang” is already a hit on Modern Rock, moving up one spot from 25-24. It marks the singer’s second entry on the Airplay charts, joining his comeback single “Time Machine,” which sits at No. 29 on All-Format, No. 26 on AC and No. 33 on CHR/Top 40. It enters the top 10 on Hot AC, climbing four spots from No. 14, and rises 24-22 on Mainstream Rock and 18-17 on Modern Rock.
Debuts from LØLØ, Thelma & James, Zach McPhee and More
A few months after LØLØ’s “The Punisher” debuted on the Airplay charts for the first time, the ex-stalking breakup anthem arrives on All-Format at No. 45. Three spots down, country duo Thelma & James lands at No. 48 with the wistful “Alternate Ending,” and Zach McPhee debuts at No. 50 with “The Way I Know You Now.” Over on Country, Jade Eagleson & Midland team up on “Coming Soon To A Honky Tonk Near You,” which arrives at No. 40.
Taylor Swift holds down the No. 1 spot on AC with Toy Story 5’s “I Knew It, I Knew You,” along with Tame Impala & JENNIE’s summer hit “Dracula” on Hot AC. Meanwhile, Ariana Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me” rises 2-1 on CHR/Top 40.
Canadian listeners are still going to “Boston,” as Stella Lefty’s viral track spends another week at No. 1 on the Canada Country chart, while Cage the Elephant sit at No. 1 on Modern Rock with “Beaches In Tennessee.”
Check out the Billboard Canada Airplay charts here.
