Thelma & James Search for an ‘Alternate Ending’ on the Billboard Canada Country Airplay Chart
A couple of weeks ahead of the country duo — singers MacKenzie Porter and Jake Etheridge — performing at the inaugural Boots and Hearts West, their new track arrives at No. 45.
Thelma & James
Country duo Thelma & James are dreaming up an “Alternate Ending” on the Billboard Canada Airplay charts. Their latest track debuts at No. 45 on this week's Canada Country Airplay chart, dated Aug. 15.
It's a tune that finds a couple pondering how their lives would be different in an alternative universe, one where they aren’t together. Still, “Alternate Ending” flexes a natural chemistry between singers MacKenzie Porter and Jake Etheridge. That’s probably because in real life, Porter — who hails from Alberta — and Etheridge are happily married, hot on the heels of their first tour as a duo.
“We wrote this song in our home studio,” they share. “We were talking about how there [are] always two ways things can play out. The truth and the alternate ending.”
On the Airplay charts, it’s been just over a year since the married couple hit All-Format with their first duet, the viral TikTok song “Happy Ever After You.” While the two met during a songwriting session over a decade ago, they hadn't written together again until that track.
At the end of the month, they’ll undoubtedly perform both tracks at the inaugural Boots and Hearts West, where they’re sharing the stage with emerging homegrown acts and major country stars.
At No. 60, Savannah Jade is putting it bluntly on “Kiss My Glass.” Ushering in the end of summer, the cheeky, feel-good anthem encourages listeners to literally raise a glass to resilience, friendship and finding joy in life’s ups and downs.
She reveals that writing the track only took two hours with songwriters Victoria Banks and Sam Ellis, calling it “the song we all need right now.”
The rising country star joins the two additional entries on Country: Bradley Hale’s “County Line 5” debuts at No. 51, and Adam Johnson’s “Get To Forgetting You” arrives two spots down at No. 53.
There are only a couple of new Canadian entries on the Airplay charts. Hamilton, Ontario rockers The Wild High are “Still Holding On,” as their track arrives at No. 38 on Mainstream Rock. Meanwhile, Justin Bieber scores an All-Format debut with “Speed Demon,” which comes in at No. 50.
On AC, TALK’s “Time Machine” arrives at No. 30. It’s already a hit on multiple Airplay charts, including All-Format (No. 30), CHR/Top 40 (No. 26) Hot AC (No. 19), Mainstream Rock (No. 24) and its highest charting placement at No. 6 on Modern Rock.
One Canadian act is scoring their first-ever Airplay chart entry: XAV. Born Xavier Trudeau — and the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — arrives at No. 36 with "DOWNTOWN."
Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You” already holds down the No. 1 spot on All-Format, but Swift might be in the business of dethroning Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” on AC, as the pop star’s Toy Story 5 hit climbs 4-2. Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You” makes a big jump on Country, too, from No. 6 to No. 2. That chart has a new No. 1 hit, as Morgan Wallen’s “Don’t We” rises one spot to No. 1, dethroning Jason Aldean’s “Don't Tell On Me,” which falls to No. 6.
On CHR/Top 40 chart, Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drop Dead” is still at No. 1, and “Dracula,” Tame Impala & JENNIE’s viral collaboration, remains at the top on Hot AC.
Over on Mainstream Rock, Evanescence’s “Who Will You Follow” holds down the top spot, while Three Days Grace rises from No. 4 to No. 2 with “Don't Wanna Go Home Tonight,” potentially foreshadowing another No. 1 for the CanRock group who are undergoing a major revival. On Modern Rock, Death Cab for Cutie keeps at No. 1 with “Riptides,” but Cage the Elephant’s “Beaches in Tennessee” moves from 4-2.
Check out the Billboard Canada Airplay charts here.
