Lorde Racks Up Two Months As #1 In US

Arguably the biggest story of music in 2013, New Zealand teenager Lorde has racked up two months at the top of the American singles chart with Royals remaining at #1 for its eighth straight week, while also cleaning up at last night's New Zealand Music Awards.

The break-out track has shot the young singer, real name Ella Yelich-O'Connor, to international acclaim with a huge year of touring and festival performances off the back of her debut Pure Heroine album.

Lorde, who turned 17 during her reign at the top of The US' Hot 100, has held off Eminem and Rihanna's hit Monster (which is number on in Australia) for a second straight week, although her lead has shortened and Billboard's own analysis suggests the track will overtake Royals next week.

Royals also tops the Radio Songs chart for the fifth week in a row with an estimated 160 million audience impressions, while it's at three on the Digital Songs chart with 158,000 downloads sold this week – down five percent on last week. For the 12th week in a row it is top of the Hot Rock Songs.

Yellich-O'Connor picked up four awards at the New Zealand Music Awards last night, winning Single Of The Year, Breakthrough Artist Of The Year, International Achievement and People's Choice.

“I owe a lot to my family… for staying the same in a world which for me is always changing,” she said during an acceptance speech.

EIGHT WEEKS at number 1 in the US blows my mind. thank you so much, you lovely people; you have, quite simply, turned my life upside down.

— Lorde (@lordemusic) November 20, 2013

In the American Dance Club Play songs chart recent Australian number one Havana Brown slips to 12 from 10 last week, while Empire Of The Sun's Ice On The Dune is down to 13 from eight. Lorde's Royals was steady at 15.