Week of May 1

Two debuts and a new No. 1 frame a week of solid chart moves. Among the week's biggest movers are Bruno Mars' "Talking to the Moon" (17-8) and Roxette's "She's Got Nothing On (But the Radio)" (35-27). The former is not only on Mars' "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" CD but also on the fund-raising collection "Songs for Japan" in an acoustic version. The latter, still not commercially available in the U.S., has made big waves in Europe. Perhaps the same sort of lightning that originally struck Roxette with its worldwide smash "(She's Got) The Look" in 1989 will occur with this comeback hit.

Of the debuts, Adele follows up her former No. 1 hit "Rolling in the Deep," still in the Top 10, with the ballad "Someone Like You." Debuting at No. 39, it's also from the CD "21." Meanwhile, Matthew Morrison of TV's "Glee" joins a long line of actors-turned-singers including John Travolta, David Soul and two artists this year -- Gwyneth Paltrow and Christian Kane -- by debuting at No. 40 with "Still Got Tonight." (Kane, meanwhile, pushes 5-4 in his 20th week on the chart with "Thinking of You.")

And at No. 1, Pink returns with "Perfect." It's her first chart-topper since "Sober" a few years back. Pink becomes the fourth solo female to hit the top in 2011, following Melanie Fiona ("Gone and Never Coming Back"), Adele ("Rolling in the Deep") and the artist she knocked to No. 6 this week, Katy Perry ("Not Like the Movies").

Week of April 24

Lots of stories behind the six new entries in this week's countdown. At No. 40 is the first chart collaboration for two "boy bands" of different eras. New Kids on the Block were a late '80s/early '90s juggernaut that never quite caught on with me; despite their massive international success, only two of their singles hit my charts, with "Tonight" from 1990 peaking the highest (No. 13). On the other hand, the Backstreet Boys about a decade later not only were enormous successes worldwide, but they also caught on with me more -- I found several of their songs much less "teen idol" bubblegum and more mainstream vocal pop than NKOTB. The Boys earned three Top 5 hits on my charts, with two -- "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" and "All I Have to Give" -- going to No. 1. This week, an amalgamation of the two groups called NKOTBSB enters the countdown with "Don't Turn Out the Lights." In the weeks to come, we'll see whether its chart run is more similar to New Kids' or Backstreet Boys'.

These days, I find out about new music from a variety of sources (other than the too-restrictive Top 40 and adult pop radio in my market). That's clear from this week's debuts. Two come courtesy of an article I read online in Billboard. Both "Alone Again" and "A Father's Love (The Only Way He Knew How)" are Canadian hits spotlighted in this report.

Roxette's comeback hit, "She's Got Nothing On (But the Radio)," is a song I had seen charted on several personal surveys, which prompted me to find and listen to the song online. Stevie Nicks' "Secret Love" is a song that a reader of this chart drew to my attention via e-mail. And Weird Al Yankovic's "Perform This Way" came via a Billboard news report Wednesday about a conflict between Yankovic and Lady GaGa, the artist he spoofs. (This isn't the first time Yankovic has been spurned by an artist. His last song to make my charts, "You're Pitiful" in 2006, was put online after the management for James Blunt refused to allow Yankovic to commercially release the parody of "You're Beautiful.")

Week of April 17

Big stories at the top and bottom of this week's chart, but also a lot of action in the middle:

* At No. 1, Katy Perry earns her fourth charttopper in the past three years, as "Not Like the Movies" moves up one final place. She's gone to the top with "Hot 'N' Cold," "California Gurls" featuring Snoop Dogg and "Teenage Dream." In that three-year period, the only other artist to hit the top that often is Darius Rucker ("Don't Think I Don't Think About It," "History in the Making," "It Won't Be Like This for Long" and "Southern State of Mind," the song that hit the top two weeks back). Right behind them are Uncle Kracker ("Smile," "Another Love Song" and "Good to Be Me," the last with Kid Rock) and Cee-Lo Green ("Forget You," "The Thrill Is Gone" with Fantasia and "Fool for You"). Green is pushing to join Perry and Rucker as his latest, "Bright Lights, Bigger City," moves 8-7.

* At No. 40, legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon earns his first chart hit in a decade with the title track from his new release, "So Beautiful or So What?" Simon hit No. 15 in 2001 with "Old" from the CD "You're the One."

* Fifteen songs move up four or more positions this week. The biggest mover is Mary Mary's aptly titled "Something Big," which sprints 29-15. Near the top of the charts, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's "Don't You Wanna Stay?" gains steam after 17 weeks on the survey, pushing 7-3.

Week of April 10

It took four months to get there, but Adele notches her first No. 1 hit, as "Rolling in the Deep" moves 2-1 this week. (Her previous best came with her debut, "Chasing Pavements," a No. 6 hit in 2009.) Meanwhile, another sleeper hit enters the Top 10 in its 17th chart week. Christian Kane's "Thinking of You" moves 11-10. Other songs taking their sweet time moving up are "Our Generation" from John Legend and the Roots (20-19 in its 10 chart week), "Don't You Wanna Stay" from Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson (9-7 in its 16th week) and the aptly named "Never Make It on Time" from Nikki Yanofsky (4-3 in its 13th week).

At the bottom of the Top 40, the three debuts make for interesting chart bedfellows. The "Country Road Version" remix of Lady GaGa's Billboard smash "Born This Way" enters at No. 38. The song, with the most gay-affirmative lyrics since Jody Watley's "Affection" more than 15 years ago, ranks just above hits from two artists whose previous statements have earned negative press for potentially homophobic content. Former "American Idol" competitor Mandisa lands a second Top 40 hit (after 2007's "(Never Gonna) Steal My Joy") with "What If We Were Real" at No. 39, while country singer Blake Shelton makes his pop debut with "Honey Bee" at No. 40.