Week of Dec. 6

Catching up after having been away over the weekend. Looks like Michael Jackson's stay turned out to be brief with "This Is It," as it slides 1-2 this week. (Hint to Epic Records: This song would've made a larger dent nationally if it had been commercially available as a single ... Forcing fans to buy an album full of songs they already have to get one new song is the kind of '90s-style greed that prompted lots of folks to illegally download. I wasn't one of them, but I can sympathize with the sentiment. Off the soapbox.)

Norah Jones' "Chasing Pirates" continues to make healthy moves, this week rising 9-5. But the big movers on this week's chart are two other women who couldn't be more different: Lady GaGa and Susan Boyle.

Lady GaGa's "Paparazzi" jumps 29-16. I find her music full of hooks, but some I like (e.g. "Just Dance" and this single) and some drive me nuts ("Poker Face," "LoveGame" and, now, "Bad Romance").

But Susan Boyle's "Wild Horses" has the week's biggest move, shooting from 38 to 17. That kind of chart action usually portends a No. 1 hit. We'll see if that can happen; "I Dreamed a Dream" blasted on to the charts at No. 23 earlier this year but only went to No. 2.

As 2009 is winding down, it'll be time in the next few weeks not only for the top 100 of the year but the top 1,000 of the decade. Look for the top 100 of 2009 before Christmas and the top 1,000 of the decade before New Year's.