Week 1, Rank 97.
Week 4, Rank 74.
Week 10, Rank 49.
Step by step, "Ho Hey" slowly but steadily climbed the Billboard Hot 100 chart. There was no sudden surge to the top, but it never fell in rank either. Each week showed progress, much like an inspiring, heartfelt sports story, witnessing its gradual growth.
Week 15, Rank 38.
Week 20, Rank 27.
For five whole months, "Ho Hey" quietly spread through a small circle, relying on the power of music to conquer listeners.
Gradually, it gained more and more praise and admiration from netizens.
After "Ho Hey" broke into the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100, forums everywhere saw posts from netizens recommending it, claiming they'd discovered a hidden gem of a band or stumbled upon an excellent song. Word of mouth spread quickly.
Later, "Ho Hey" was featured as background music in the Emmy-winning HBO series "Six Feet Under," enhancing its poignant, wandering atmosphere. After the episode aired, the music received widespread acclaim, attracting more fans.
Following that, NBC's classic series "Law & Order" used "Ho Hey" as an ending theme, reflecting the helplessness and sighs of facing reality. This sparked another round of small-scale discussion, further spreading the song.
Amid the bustle, a small group of netizens grew curious: Who exactly is the band August 31st?
However, the level of discussion remained limited—
This wasn't an unfamiliar scenario. An unknown indie band or artist hits big with a single song on the Billboard chart but then vanishes like a shooting star. People forget their name, and only the melody lingers on the tip of the tongue.
Years later, when that familiar tune plays again, many hum along instinctively, but the name of the performer has long been lost in the river of time. Even if the singer were standing right there, people might not recognize them.
So, people often say, the work itself is the only thing that truly matters.
And now, it's happening again.
"Ho Hey" continued to climb the Billboard Hot 100, but genuine interest in the band August 31st remained limited.
Until—
The following week.
In the song's 21st week on the chart, "Ho Hey" continued its magical journey and reached a new level.
Week 21, Rank 19.
From Rank 27 the previous week to Rank 19 this week, "Ho Hey" officially broke through the second barrier and successfully entered the public's view.
On the Billboard Hot 100, the top 100 is the basic threshold, the top 50 is the mainstream threshold, the top 20 is the popularity threshold, and the next peak is the top 10. Each threshold represents a stage and serves as the most intuitive measure of popularity.
Someone once joked, "A number-one Billboard single can guarantee a lifetime of prosperity."
Of course, this is a joke; but it shows the level of popularity and market heat that a Billboard chart-topping single can achieve, as well as the significance of being in the top 10 or top 20.
When "Ho Hey" broke into the top 20, it meant that the song was truly heard across the North American continent.
At this point, let's look at the names in the Billboard Hot 100 top 20:
50 Cent, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Avril Lavigne, Eminem, and so on.
Each name is a powerhouse, undeniably some of the most frequently mentioned names in the current North American music market.
And now, the band August 31st has quietly joined their ranks, indicating that the band finally has the value of being mentioned and discussed—
Not just the music.
So, who exactly is the band August 31st?
However.
No one knows.
From Warner Records to online forums, there wasn't a single clue; since they didn't know German, French, or any other second language, North American netizens who "know nothing but English" couldn't explore the ongoing buzz in Europe, completely isolated from the information.
That's the nature of the internet.
On one hand, it connects the world, making it easier to search for and find information, creating a library at one's fingertips without leaving home.
On the other hand, because of the information explosion, everyone is deep in an ocean of information. Without the right method, one might actually miss what they truly need.
And now, that's exactly the case.
Lacking the correct keywords, North American netizens were completely baffled. The band was shrouded in a veil of mystery.
Then, a rumor quietly spread across the internet—
The band might be a prank.
Look, it's simple. The band's name is "August 31st," which is obviously hiding something. Even if netizens search for it, they'll only find a bunch of calendars; the song's name is "Ho Hey," which also has no distinctive information, exuding a free and bohemian vibe.
Plus, the band has had no formal promotion from start to finish, and there's no related information online. It's not hard to reach one conclusion:
Maybe this is an independent band playing for fun, never realizing the single would become so successful.
Maybe this is a small prank by a top superstar, using a different name to hide their identity and test the market.
Though a bit far-fetched, this theory had some traction, quietly sparking a series of discussions, and things got more interesting.
Then it escalated.
Week 22, Rank 17.
Week 23, Rank 14.
Week 24, Rank 8.
A breakthrough came.
Advancing unstoppably, after breaking into the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Ho Hey" took another step forward, entering the top 10 within just three weeks.
With the song's continued climb, discussions about the band August 31st also heated up—
But Warner Records remained silent, keeping the mystery intact. Netizens let their imaginations run wild, with theories becoming increasingly exaggerated and absurd.
It was unstoppable!
Week 25, Rank 7.
The heat around "Ho Hey" continued to rise. Since its release over six months ago, it climbed from complete obscurity to an incredible height. Even after entering the top 50, it continued to climb each week, staying on the chart for 25 consecutive weeks without ever dropping in rank.
Unbelievable! Truly unbelievable!
Now, it wasn't just the netizens; Billboard officials joined the discussion, and other media outlets couldn't help but participate. The entire music market was buzzing.
In the lively and bustling atmosphere—
Then, a piece of news crossed the Atlantic from Paris to North America.
"…Anson Wood leads the band August 31st…"
Wait, what?
Boom.
The entire North American continent was shocked. It was so unexpected, so powerful, so astonishing that all the media were momentarily at a loss for words, plunged into a brief state of silence.