Lorde is Youngest Performer to Top Billboard Charts in 26 Years

Tiffany—remember her?—was a few months younger when she ruled the charts in 1987

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Lorde performs on day three of the 2013 Splendour In The Grass Festival on July 28, 2013 in Byron Bay, Australia.

Lorde might be soon driving a Cadillac in real life now that she’s topped both Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the youngest artist to claim the Royals-esque spot of No. 1 in 26 years.

The New Zealand-born 16-year-old singer took Royals to the top this week after sitting at No. 2 last week, those of a certain age will remember when 16-year-old Tiffany brought I Think We’re Alone Now to the chart’s highest locale in 1987.

While Lorde’s September release of Pure Heroine was her first studio album, the singer has been signed to Universal Music Group since the age of 13, so has had time to hone her young career into a queen bee-type success.

With Lorde turning 17 in November, she still trails both Tiffany—she was 16 years and one month of age at her No. 1 timing—and the youngest female ever, Little Peggy March, who was 15 when I Will Follow Him topped the charts in 1963. The youngest artist ever to claim top honors still sits with Steve Wonder, who took Fingertips — Pt 2 to No. 1 just four months after Little Peggy March in 1963.

We saw a youth movement in 1963, but we aren’t too far away from one right now, either, with both Lorde and Cryus—born in 1992—both sitting near the top. And we’d be remiss to even mention the Billboard Hot 100, even if it is only about Lorde, without tossing in that Ylvis’ The Fox slid into No. 10. Plus, that’s a good excuse to link to the video, right?

Lorde’s success has spawned some fun fan reactions too, especially this Pentatonix a cappella remix of her hit song. Check it out here.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9XQ2MdNgKY&feature=player_embedded#t=0]