The Global Countdown
Fernando Augusto Pacheco explores global music charts, highlighting the best—and quirkiest—hits from around the world.
Latest Episodes
Brazilian Carnival special: The songs to know in 2026
Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco looks at the top songs at this year’s Carnival in Brazil, from a disco-diva classic to a song about looking sexy on a jet ski.
A Puerto Rican music celebration
Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco celebrates the music of Puerto Rico after Bad Bunny’s historic Album of the Year win at this year’s Grammys.
How the Swedish charts blocked an AI-made number one, and the star power of Zara Larsson
Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco looks at the top-five songs in Sweden, including an old hit by Zara Larsson. Plus: how an AI-made number one was banned from the charts.
The music charts from the world’s top-five economies
This week on ‘The Global Countdown’, Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco looks at the music charts from the world’s top-five economies – right in time for Davos.
Sunny hits from Côte d’Ivoire
This week on The Global Countdown, Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco explores the top songs in Côte d’Ivoire.
The appeal of the British Christmas number one
Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco looks back at some of the best UK Christmas number ones.
Monocle Radio’s favourite songs
Fernando Augusto Pacheco picks his favourite songs of 2025, plus a heartwarming throwback to the 1980s that fuses synthesised US sounds with Venezuelan vocals.
Monocle ‘Alpino’ playlist
This week on ‘The Global Countdown’, Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco picks five songs that will light up your winter. These tracks will take you from a gentle evening by the fire to a pumping après-ski dancefloor.
The Cambodian hit parade
This week on The Global Countdown, Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco explores the Cambodian hit parade.
Highlights from the Monocle Radio playlist
Fernando Augusto Pacheco highlights the new tracks added to our playlist – from a classic by Japanese music legend Haruomi Hosono to techno-pop princess Sam Quealy.
