Lots of steady chart movement this week, but few big movers (Adam Lambert's "Voodoo" being the exception, up eight to No. 31), so let's concentrate on the debuts.
The week's top debut is a medley of two very popular songs that haven't done as well on my charts as they have elsewhere. Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" is the longest-running Hot 100 hit in Billboard history (76 weeks), but it never caught on with me, while Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Hawaiian take on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" has been a standard in movies and TV shows in the years since the musician's death in 1997. This week, the two songs debut at No. 36 as a medley by the vocal group Straight No Chaser. The 10-man a cappella group originally from Bloomington, Ind., (shout-out to my alma mater, Indiana University!) caught fire the past couple of years on the adult contemporary charts with renditions of Christmas classics. This medley is from their new release "With a Twist."
At No. 37 is a song that also has an IU connection. Alumnus Ryan Murphy created the hit show "Glee," which has spawned more than two dozen Billboard Hot 100 remakes in the past year. The first to chart on my surveys is the all-male remake of "What It Feels Like for a Girl," from last week's all-Madonna episode. The original went to No. 1 in 2000-01. (A medley of two other Madonna hits, "Borderline" and "Open Your Heart" is bubbling under the Top 40 this week.)
The Rolling Stones are back with their first hit in years, "Plundered My Soul," at No. 38. It's a newly unearthed track from the "Exile On Main Street" sessions, with some production updates. Most of the Stones' biggest hits came long before my charts, so their biggest hit here is the ballad "Out of Tears," which hit No. 2 for three weeks in 1994-95.
Christina Aguilera rounds up the debuts with "Not Myself Tonight" at No. 40. We'll see how far this goes; I like the groove a lot but it's a tough song to listen to repeatedly, with a lead-in to the chorus that contains the f-word. (Guess I should see if there's a "clean" version available on iTunes!)
One last note: Keith Urban keeps his unusual chart streak this week with the new No. 1 song, " 'Til Summer Comes Around." What's unusual about it? Every time a song of his has gone to the Top 10, it has gone to No. 1. Otherwise, he misses the Top 10 entirely. This is now his fourth chart-topper, following "Once in a Lifetime," "Stupid Boy" and "Standing Right in Front of You."
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Week of April 25
After the chart slowness of the past few weeks, this week's chart speeds up, with 15 songs moving 4 or more positions up the survey. A revitalized Top 10 with four new entries leads the pack, with first-time Top 10 hits for The Bird and the Bee ("Heard It on the Radio," 17-7), Goldfrapp ("Dreaming," 18-8) and Daniel Merriweather ("Not Giving Up," 15-9).
Annie Lennox is nothing if not consistent. Fifteen years ago this week, she was in the Top 10 with "No More 'I Love You's," and a year ago this week, "Shining Light" resided in the Top 10. This week, she moves to No. 1 as duet partner of David Gray on "Full Steam." It's her sixth number one as a solo artist (including her duet with Al Green on "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"). In addition, she's gone to the top four times with Eurythmics: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Here Comes the Rain Again," "Would I Lie to You?" and "17 Again" were those chart-toppers.
This is a good week for electronic dance pop. In addition to the healthy moves for Goldfrapp and The Bird and the Bee, both debuts fall into that category. "Voodoo" at No. 39 marks Adam Lambert's fourth Top 40 hit in the past year. And at No. 40 "Something Good Can Work" becomes the first chart hit for Two Door Cinema Club. The band's MySpace page refers to them as a three-man indie/electronica group -- Alex Trimble, Kev Baird and Sam Halliday -- out of Bangor, Northern Ireland. This song was selected as iTunes free single download last week.
Annie Lennox is nothing if not consistent. Fifteen years ago this week, she was in the Top 10 with "No More 'I Love You's," and a year ago this week, "Shining Light" resided in the Top 10. This week, she moves to No. 1 as duet partner of David Gray on "Full Steam." It's her sixth number one as a solo artist (including her duet with Al Green on "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"). In addition, she's gone to the top four times with Eurythmics: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Here Comes the Rain Again," "Would I Lie to You?" and "17 Again" were those chart-toppers.
This is a good week for electronic dance pop. In addition to the healthy moves for Goldfrapp and The Bird and the Bee, both debuts fall into that category. "Voodoo" at No. 39 marks Adam Lambert's fourth Top 40 hit in the past year. And at No. 40 "Something Good Can Work" becomes the first chart hit for Two Door Cinema Club. The band's MySpace page refers to them as a three-man indie/electronica group -- Alex Trimble, Kev Baird and Sam Halliday -- out of Bangor, Northern Ireland. This song was selected as iTunes free single download last week.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Week of April 18
Four debuts this week, and three have a link to the 1980s. At No. 40, singer Cary Brothers debuts with "Something About You." It's a remake of the 1986 hit by Level 42, which hit No. 2 for three weeks. Meanwhile, Usher's latest at No. 39, "Making Love (Into the Night)," incorporates part of the melody and lyrics from the two-time hit from Benny Mardones. "Into the Night" went to No. 1 in 1980 and, upon re-release, No. 3 in 1989.
The third 1980s link is a little less literal. Murs & 9th Wonder debut at No. 37 with "I Used to Love Her (Again)," a song that uses the metaphor of a romance to talk about the artists' relationship with hip-hop. In theme and approach, it's reminiscent of early hip-hop artists. Hip-hop is not my favorite genre of popular music, but sometimes particular songs catch my attention. (It definitely helped that I was familiar with 9th Wonder, a North Carolina-born producer, from local media.)
Last week, the logjam was in the top 10; this week, it's affecting positions 11 through 21, which probably portends a good deal of midchart action next week. Meanwhile, probably in its final Top 10 week is Michael W. Smith's "I Will Be Your Friend," down 1-6. This would be a fitting bow for the song as 10 years ago this week it entered the Top 10 for its first run. (It came back in January in tribute to my then-ailing cat Dr. Gray, who now seems to be getting along well, thank goodness.)
The third 1980s link is a little less literal. Murs & 9th Wonder debut at No. 37 with "I Used to Love Her (Again)," a song that uses the metaphor of a romance to talk about the artists' relationship with hip-hop. In theme and approach, it's reminiscent of early hip-hop artists. Hip-hop is not my favorite genre of popular music, but sometimes particular songs catch my attention. (It definitely helped that I was familiar with 9th Wonder, a North Carolina-born producer, from local media.)
Last week, the logjam was in the top 10; this week, it's affecting positions 11 through 21, which probably portends a good deal of midchart action next week. Meanwhile, probably in its final Top 10 week is Michael W. Smith's "I Will Be Your Friend," down 1-6. This would be a fitting bow for the song as 10 years ago this week it entered the Top 10 for its first run. (It came back in January in tribute to my then-ailing cat Dr. Gray, who now seems to be getting along well, thank goodness.)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Week of April 11
Three new songs to the Top 40 this week. Shinedown tries for three No. 1 hits in a row, as the iTunes Session version of "Call Me" enters at No. 35. The band went to the top last year with "Second Chance" (three weeks in May) and "If You Only Knew" (two weeks in December).
Barenaked Ladies debut at No. 39 with "Summertime," their first Top 40 hit since "Too Little, Too Late" went to No. 15 in 2001. (Two songs -- "Another Postcard (Chimpanzees)" in 2003 and "Easy" in 2006 -- fell during the chart's hiatus.) The group's biggest hit on my charts is "It's All Been Done," a No. 1 hit in 1999.
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have earned quite a reputation among critics and fans by touring cross-country the past decade. Their version of "This Land Is Your Land," heard over the opening credits of the George Clooney movie "Up in the Air," earned mainstream attention, and now their first Top 40 hit comes with the title track of their new album, "I Learned the Hard Way." It enters this week at No. 40.
At the top of the charts, Michael W. Smith's "I Will Be Your Friend" improves on its first chart run about a decade ago by moving 5-1 this week. Look for some upper-chart action next week as the songs in spots 6-10 are being held back this week by a top five largely dominated by former No. 1 songs.
Barenaked Ladies debut at No. 39 with "Summertime," their first Top 40 hit since "Too Little, Too Late" went to No. 15 in 2001. (Two songs -- "Another Postcard (Chimpanzees)" in 2003 and "Easy" in 2006 -- fell during the chart's hiatus.) The group's biggest hit on my charts is "It's All Been Done," a No. 1 hit in 1999.
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have earned quite a reputation among critics and fans by touring cross-country the past decade. Their version of "This Land Is Your Land," heard over the opening credits of the George Clooney movie "Up in the Air," earned mainstream attention, and now their first Top 40 hit comes with the title track of their new album, "I Learned the Hard Way." It enters this week at No. 40.
At the top of the charts, Michael W. Smith's "I Will Be Your Friend" improves on its first chart run about a decade ago by moving 5-1 this week. Look for some upper-chart action next week as the songs in spots 6-10 are being held back this week by a top five largely dominated by former No. 1 songs.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Week of April 4
Guess it's fitting for the weekend that Christians celebrate as the Easter Triduum that the highest debut is from one of the pioneer Christian crossover acts on the pop charts, Amy Grant. Twenty-five years ago, she went to No. 1 with "(Love Will) Find a Way," her first crossover hit. She's had almost 20 chart appearances since then, and her latest, "Better Than a Hallelujah," enters at No. 34 from her "Somewhere Down the Road" collection.
Of the three other debuts this week, two add to impressive chart totals for their acts. By entering at No. 39 with "Soul Sick," Rob Thomas matches his solo output of 10 chart hits (including his guest shot on Santana's "Smooth") to the 10 times he's appeared with Matchbox Twenty. Meanwhile, Janet Jackson's "Nothing" at No. 37 marks her 45th chart hit including collaborations with Shaggy, Luther Vandross/BBD/Ralph Tresvant, Carly Simon and her brother Michael. "Nothing" comes from the soundtrack of "Why Did I Get Married Too?" a Tyler Perry movie in which she stars.
The newcomers to the survey are the members of the group Paper Tongues, entering at No. 40 with "Trinity." The seven-member band out of Charlotte, N.C. -- Aswan North, Devin Forbes, Cody Blackler, Joey Signa, Clayton Simon, Jordan Hardee and Danny Santell -- have said they're trying to blend elements of rock and hip-hop/R&B in their work. This song was selected as iTunes' free single of the week this week.
Up in the Top 10, lots of movement as three songs make healthy moves from lower in the chart. "Another Love Song," Uncle Kracker's follow-up to last year's No. 1 hit, "Smile," moves 14-8. Even bigger moves come from Taio Cruz and Ludacris with the former Billboard chart-topper "Break Your Heart" (22-9) and Lifehouse with their latest album cut, "It Is What It Is" (26-10). Finally, the new No. 1 song, "Each Tear," is the eighth chart-topper for Mary J. Blige including duets with George Michael and Elton John (her duet with Sting, "Whenever I Say Your Name," fell during my chart hiatus but it would've been a No. 1 hit -- as it was, it was the No. 1 hit of 2003 in my year-end surveys, which continued even during the hiatus).
Of the three other debuts this week, two add to impressive chart totals for their acts. By entering at No. 39 with "Soul Sick," Rob Thomas matches his solo output of 10 chart hits (including his guest shot on Santana's "Smooth") to the 10 times he's appeared with Matchbox Twenty. Meanwhile, Janet Jackson's "Nothing" at No. 37 marks her 45th chart hit including collaborations with Shaggy, Luther Vandross/BBD/Ralph Tresvant, Carly Simon and her brother Michael. "Nothing" comes from the soundtrack of "Why Did I Get Married Too?" a Tyler Perry movie in which she stars.
The newcomers to the survey are the members of the group Paper Tongues, entering at No. 40 with "Trinity." The seven-member band out of Charlotte, N.C. -- Aswan North, Devin Forbes, Cody Blackler, Joey Signa, Clayton Simon, Jordan Hardee and Danny Santell -- have said they're trying to blend elements of rock and hip-hop/R&B in their work. This song was selected as iTunes' free single of the week this week.
Up in the Top 10, lots of movement as three songs make healthy moves from lower in the chart. "Another Love Song," Uncle Kracker's follow-up to last year's No. 1 hit, "Smile," moves 14-8. Even bigger moves come from Taio Cruz and Ludacris with the former Billboard chart-topper "Break Your Heart" (22-9) and Lifehouse with their latest album cut, "It Is What It Is" (26-10). Finally, the new No. 1 song, "Each Tear," is the eighth chart-topper for Mary J. Blige including duets with George Michael and Elton John (her duet with Sting, "Whenever I Say Your Name," fell during my chart hiatus but it would've been a No. 1 hit -- as it was, it was the No. 1 hit of 2003 in my year-end surveys, which continued even during the hiatus).
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