ArtistDirect News
Australian Producer James Guidos Co-Written Track Someone to Love Tops 15 Chinese Charts, Reaches 1.1 Million Concurrent Listeners in Minutes
Within minutes of its launch on May 4, an Australian producer’s co‑written single shattered expectations across China’s streaming ecosystem. “Someone to Love,” the new track for pop star Yan Haoxiang, racked up more than one million streams almost immediately and, by the 18th minute, had 1.1 million listeners tuned in at the same time. The song climbed to number one on 15 separate charts on QQ Music, Tencent Music, and other platforms, marking the first time a song written outside mainland China has dominated the market so quickly.
The melody began as a simple idea in Adelaide, where James Guido and fellow Australian songwriter David Turley met during an APRA SongHubs session. According to reports, the pair recorded a demo and then sent it to Yan Haoxiang’s team, who incorporated it into the artist’s EP “Scary Movie II: Same Face.” Remarkably, the release was carried out without a label, publisher, or manager, underscoring the independent nature of the project. Within 13 minutes of launch, the track earned one million saves on QQ Music, a milestone that reflected the song’s instant resonance with listeners.
On QQ Music, “Someone to Love” simultaneously held the top spots in the New Songs, Hot Songs, Rising, Trending, Pop Index, Music Index, MV, and Mainland charts. It also topped the Tencent Music UniChart, an aggregate that pulls data from QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo, Quanmin Karaoke, and Weibo Music. The rapid ascent to number one across these categories demonstrates the track’s broad appeal and the high engagement levels typical of China’s 700‑million‑user streaming ecosystem. Guido described the song as “raw and honest,” noting that the success “makes every difficult moment make sense” after a decade of building a career in the United States. The producer, who grew up near Sydney and left university at 21 to pursue music, now splits his time between Asia, Los Angeles, and Australia. He has worked with high‑profile K‑pop artists and aims to replicate the overseas success for Australian talent.
The sheer breadth of the song’s chart dominance is notable. By occupying the top position in every category—from New Songs and Hot Songs to the Mainland and MV charts—“Someone to Love” demonstrated cross‑segment appeal. The Tencent Music UniChart, which aggregates data from five major Chinese platforms, reflected the track’s performance across diverse listening contexts, including karaoke and social media‑based music services. Such a comprehensive sweep is rare for any release, let alone one that entered the market without a traditional label or publisher.
The rapid streaming figures themselves carry weight. Achieving 1.1 million concurrent listeners in under 20 minutes is a benchmark rarely seen outside of top‑tier releases. For a track that entered the market without a label or publisher, the numbers demonstrate that Chinese audiences can propel a foreign‑written song to the apex of their charts almost instantaneously. Guido’s plans to bring Australian artists into the same production environment aim to replicate this success on a broader scale.
The achievement carries implications beyond a single hit. It shows that a song written outside China can dominate the mainland market without traditional infrastructure, suggesting new pathways for independent releases. The rapid streaming numbers also highlight the speed at which Chinese audiences can propel a track to the top of charts. For Australian artists, the result signals a viable entry point into one of the world’s largest music markets, where streaming platforms account for a significant share of revenue. Industry observers note that the success may encourage more cross‑border collaborations and prompt Australian labels to seek partnerships with Chinese distributors. At present, “Someone to Love” remains the highest‑charting Australian‑written single in China. Guido intends to continue working between Asia, LA, and Australia, with plans to bring Australian artists into the same production rooms and build records that can travel globally. The track stands as a benchmark for international collaboration and illustrates the potential for Australian music to compete beyond language barriers.
The melody began as a simple idea in Adelaide, where James Guido and fellow Australian songwriter David Turley met during an APRA SongHubs session. According to reports, the pair recorded a demo and then sent it to Yan Haoxiang’s team, who incorporated it into the artist’s EP “Scary Movie II: Same Face.” Remarkably, the release was carried out without a label, publisher, or manager, underscoring the independent nature of the project. Within 13 minutes of launch, the track earned one million saves on QQ Music, a milestone that reflected the song’s instant resonance with listeners.
On QQ Music, “Someone to Love” simultaneously held the top spots in the New Songs, Hot Songs, Rising, Trending, Pop Index, Music Index, MV, and Mainland charts. It also topped the Tencent Music UniChart, an aggregate that pulls data from QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo, Quanmin Karaoke, and Weibo Music. The rapid ascent to number one across these categories demonstrates the track’s broad appeal and the high engagement levels typical of China’s 700‑million‑user streaming ecosystem. Guido described the song as “raw and honest,” noting that the success “makes every difficult moment make sense” after a decade of building a career in the United States. The producer, who grew up near Sydney and left university at 21 to pursue music, now splits his time between Asia, Los Angeles, and Australia. He has worked with high‑profile K‑pop artists and aims to replicate the overseas success for Australian talent.
The sheer breadth of the song’s chart dominance is notable. By occupying the top position in every category—from New Songs and Hot Songs to the Mainland and MV charts—“Someone to Love” demonstrated cross‑segment appeal. The Tencent Music UniChart, which aggregates data from five major Chinese platforms, reflected the track’s performance across diverse listening contexts, including karaoke and social media‑based music services. Such a comprehensive sweep is rare for any release, let alone one that entered the market without a traditional label or publisher.
The rapid streaming figures themselves carry weight. Achieving 1.1 million concurrent listeners in under 20 minutes is a benchmark rarely seen outside of top‑tier releases. For a track that entered the market without a label or publisher, the numbers demonstrate that Chinese audiences can propel a foreign‑written song to the apex of their charts almost instantaneously. Guido’s plans to bring Australian artists into the same production environment aim to replicate this success on a broader scale.
The achievement carries implications beyond a single hit. It shows that a song written outside China can dominate the mainland market without traditional infrastructure, suggesting new pathways for independent releases. The rapid streaming numbers also highlight the speed at which Chinese audiences can propel a track to the top of charts. For Australian artists, the result signals a viable entry point into one of the world’s largest music markets, where streaming platforms account for a significant share of revenue. Industry observers note that the success may encourage more cross‑border collaborations and prompt Australian labels to seek partnerships with Chinese distributors. At present, “Someone to Love” remains the highest‑charting Australian‑written single in China. Guido intends to continue working between Asia, LA, and Australia, with plans to bring Australian artists into the same production rooms and build records that can travel globally. The track stands as a benchmark for international collaboration and illustrates the potential for Australian music to compete beyond language barriers.