Olivia Rodrigo's "The Cure" debuts at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week (June 6). It's the second single from her upcoming album. You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love , which will be released on June 12. This emotional pop composition follows the first single "Drop Dead," which debuted at No. 1 in early May.
Elsewhere, "The Cure" debuted at number one on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. This marks Rodrigo's third hit on the chart, following "Brutal" in 2021 and "Bad Idea Right?" in 2023.
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So, what does this second single mean for Rodrigo's new album? And, given the album's imminent release, what else would we like to see from the star before its release? Staff Billboard discuss these and other issues below.
1. This week, Rodrigo's song "The Cure" entered the Hot 100 chart at No. 5. It was followed by "Drop Dead," the lead single from her upcoming album. You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, which became her fourth single to debut at number one on the Hot 100. If you're Olivia, on a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you with the top five debut?
Hannah Daly: I'll give it an 8. Of course, you always hope for a second consecutive number one when you're as popular as Olivia, but to crack the top five the week after Drake topped the Hot 100 is a huge achievement. It's clear she's still capturing the public's attention and generating a lot of excitement for her new album.
Josh Glicksman: Let's give it a 7. Honestly, I don't know how much she's hoping for her Hot 100 debut with "The Cure." She's already proven her chart prowess is still top-notch with "Drop Dead," and with 29 songs from three Drake albums still on the chart this week and Ella Langley's ever-growing mainstream presence, Rodrigo has a tough job ahead of her. Considering she called "The Cure" one of her "favorite songs I've ever written," she might have been hoping for a slightly higher finish, but I don't think she'll be too worried.
Lindsay Havens: 7. There are arguments for both pros and cons here: a strong start for a new album's lead single immediately generates excitement, and if a second single outperforms the first, it can also indicate that the best is yet to come. Of course, "Drop Dead" had a higher debut result—in fact, the highest possible—but getting into the top five is still a brilliant start. Especially considering who she's currently competing against.
Joe Lynch: 9. Having the second song off a new album debut in the top five of the Hot 100 is fantastic, phenomenal, even considering "The Cure" is a five-minute, sad, heartbreaking journey, more confessional than pop single. Rebecca Milzoff: A solid eight! Knowing that Olivia recently said this is one of her favorite songs on the album, I'm sure she'd certainly be thrilled to have another number one hit. But against the backdrop of giants like Drake and Ella, and with this (checks watch) song, which is over five minutes long and has a somewhat unusual vibe for Olivia's early singles—it's neither a ballad nor a pop-punk rocker with a protest twist—a No. 5 debut feels more than a worthy achievement.
2. "The Cure" charts after being snatched by Drake, and Ella Langley remains strong. However, was this expected from Olivia's second single?
Hannah Daly: Yes, more or less. Her latest album was similar to the previous one: the lead single, "Vampire," debuted at number one, and the follow-up, "Bad Idea Right?", debuted at number seven. I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd debuted higher with "The Cure," but I'm not shocked that she didn't.
Josh Glicksman: Overall, yes—and, if anything, I'd say it's an encouraging result for Rodrigo. Second singles from the albums SOUR и GUTS "Deja Vu" and "Bad Idea Right?" debuted at No. 8 and No. 10 on the Hot 100, respectively. The possibility of setting a new record with "The Cure," especially after a tough week on the charts with Drake, Langley, and a host of other stars occupying spots in the top 10, could be a sign of very good prospects for the upcoming album.
Lindsay Havens: If it weren't for Drake's dominance following Ella's Hot 100 triumph, I would have expected "The Cure" to debut higher. But given that Langley's "Choosin' Texas" isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and the fact that Drake has released three albums, I think Olivia's fifth spot this week is entirely justified.
Joe Lynch: There's a world (a world where Drake released his comeback albums within weeks and "Choosin' Texas" never cracked the Hot 100) in which "The Cure" would have a shot at No. 1, likely debuting at No. 2. But to me, "The Cure" sounds less like an attempt at radio play than a demonstration of its significant sonic evolution. The fact that it does just that, debuting in the top five, is a double victory. Rebecca Milzoff: Honestly, things are a bit better historically, given the debuts of "Deja Vu" and "Bad Idea Right?" Especially without the promotional campaign that accompanied "Drop Dead," and without any teaser even at her performance. on Saturday Night Live , this performance also slightly exceeded my expectations.
3. Album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love divided into two parts: Girl So in Love и You Seem Pretty Sad . "Drop Dead" is the first song of Part I, and "The Cure" is the first song of Part II. With that in mind, which part of the album are you most interested in?
Hannah Daly: Definitely the second part. I think she's so right when she says that love sometimes brings out the worst in people, and I'm really interested to see what a thoughtful and insightful songwriter like Olivia has to say about that in a collection of songs.
Josh Glicksman: As a newly married man, I would probably expect to hear in response: «"The girl is so in love"» , but I'd listen to heartbreaking ballads every day of the week and twice on Sundays. The phenomenon of the suffering artist exists for a reason! Sure, being madly in love is cool, but try telling me that message resonates more powerfully in music than shouting "I'm crazy!" to the sky during a powerful bridge. Sign me up if you look quite sad .
Lindsay Havens: In both cases, "Drop Dead" and "The Cure" revealed themselves to me gradually. The latter turned out to be even more subtle, its indie rock riff deeply lodged in my head and quietly playing on a loop. Considering that, as we Seems, What we know about Olivia's life lately—namely, the fact that she may have experienced a breakup somewhere along the way—feels like a more challenging area to explore than straightforward love songs. Even the way "The Cure" unexpectedly evolves in its second half helps me feel more excited and curious about this part of the album—and I hope at least one song will be in the style of Ragerigo.
Joe Lynch: Definitely the second half. "Drop Dead" is a great song, and I love Olivia's catchy melodies, but I'm looking forward to Rodrigo delving into darker themes. Her breakout hit was obviously an emotional drama, but we've never heard anything this dark from her before—and, like Robert Smith, the color black seems to suit Rodrigo very well. Rebecca Milzoff: Definitely the second half. I love how "The Cure" evokes Smashing Pumpkins, like a '90s rock chick (not to mention the Michel Gondry-esque music video), but even more, I love the sense that Olivia is revealing a new level of complexity in her approach to writing songs about relationships and her own role in them. She acknowledges that she has issues, that not every breakup is solely the fault of one person, and in doing so, she finds new ways to process the experience of love and loss.
4. Both "Drop Dead" and "The Cure" reference the band led by Robert Smith. What other rock bands might Olivia reference on the album?
Hannah Daly: You never know with her! My first guess is David Byrne, who recorded his version of "Drivers License" for the single's fifth anniversary earlier this year (as part of a project that seems to have since been abandoned?) and appeared at Rodrigo's Gov Ball performance in 2025.
Josh Glicksman: Considering David Byrne's cover of "Drivers License" in January, Talking Heads immediately springs to mind. But why limit yourself to just bands? I'd go with Avril Lavigne. She covered the pop-punk legend's "Complicated" during her 2022 Glastonbury set—where, notably, she also covered The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" and "Just Like Heaven" last year.
Lindsay Havens: Jack White, please. Their admiration, which blossomed into friendship, always felt special, especially when White is the one who inspires something sweet, like leaving her a note that she finds in her dressing room. Saturday Night Live . Although it simply said «well done, kid,» I will now forever dream of working with them under this name - but if you look quite sad , I would have been satisfied with a secret mention of White or his discography.
Joe Lynch: Oh, I don't know. I think it's been said before that "Drop Dead" leans toward Foo Fighters, but if we're sticking with The Cure vibes, maybe another great band from the dark 80s, Depeche Mode. We haven't heard Livtronica yet. Rebecca Milzoff: I can see The Cranberries as an influence, a band that manages to balance righteous anger so well with delightfully soulful melody.
5. With only two weeks left until the album release, what else do you think Olivia can hope for in her promotional campaign?
Hannah Daly: Honestly? I'd like to see her have a little fun. No one has definitively confirmed the rumors that she and Louis Partridge broke up, so if she really wants to attract more listeners to the album, she could make some snide remark about him in an interview or rib him in the TikTok comments to spark a wave of gossip in her favor. People might object, but there's no denying that it's a proven way to sell records.
Josh Glicksman: Maybe it's because summer is finally here and I'm hungry, but take a cue from Tyler, The Creator and collaborate with a premium ice cream brand.
Lindsay Havens: She a lot of things I did. And it seems like all of this is helping to maintain interest in the album as the release date approaches. I think it would be really interesting to play out both sides of the album… Maybe hold two release parties, depending on the fans' mood: are you in love or are you sad? Choose one or the other. Each party would feature only one half of the album, and fans would be able to piece it all together online when the full project is released.
Joe Lynch: Interview for Billboard ? Her impromptu performance at Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn was also amazing, and I hope more of the same is in the works—truly unexpected moments that will also help raise the profile of a cool place in the borough (not necessarily New York City). Rebecca Milzoff: I loved the quiet intensity and gradual build-up of 'The Cure', but I'm certainly still hoping the album's second half will feature at least one of Olivia's signature fiery tracks that will get us all pumped up and ready for the final release.
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