Lorde’s “Royals” made her the youngest solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 since 1987. The song reached No. 1 in 2013, when Lorde was 16 years old.
Lorde co-wrote the track with Joel Little, who produced it in Auckland, New Zealand. Its sparse arrangement and lyrics criticizing luxury-focused pop imagery set it apart from many contemporary chart hits. The song first gained attention through online releases before expanding into an international hit.
“Royals” spent nine weeks at No. 1 and won the Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The age comparison refers to solo artists, not every performer in chart history; younger groups and child performers had reached No. 1 in earlier periods. “Team,” another song from Lorde’s debut album, was also successful but did not precede “Royals” to the summit.