Saturday, April 01, 2006

US Chart Analysis, 4/8/2006

Daniel Powter ascends to #1 with "Bad Day," continuing the rapid turnover at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, while Prince tops the albums chart with his 26th album. Read below for details.

Billboard Hot 100 (Singles):

1. Bad Day - Daniel Powter

The Billboard Hot 100 rapid-fire turnover continues with Daniel Powter topping this chart this week with "Bad Day." This is 2005's 7th #1 single, and the 4th in a row by a male artist, which last happened in 1988 when George Michael, Rick Astley, Michael Jackson, and Billy Ocean topped the chart with consecutive singles. "Bad Day" was a massive hit in Britain last summer; it spent 25 weeks in the top 40, including 3 weeks at #2 and spent 3 weeks at #1 on the airplay chart. "Bad Day's" US popularity owes itself to the fact that it is a great pop single, but also because American Idol has made it the weekly "loser's theme," playing over the montage of scenes from the performer who gets booted each week. Powter, a Canadian artist, is the third foreign-born act to top the US chart this year, after Britain's James Blunt and Jamaica's Sean Paul.

9. Ms. New Booty - Bubba Sparxxx Featuring Ying Yang Twins

Little else of interest in the top 10 this week--5 tracks are nonmovers--except for "Ms. New Booty," which is the only entry into the top 10, up from #13.

16. Move Along - All-American Rejects

"Move Along" is the week's biggest mover within the top 40, up 16 spots this week to #16. It's also this week's Sales Gainer. Last time out the Rejects hit #9 with "Dirty Little Secret," their second top 40 hit.

23. Savin' Me - Nickelback

Nickelback returns with "Savin' Me," their second top 40 hit from All the Right Reasons. The track is the highest entry in the top 40 this week, up 19 spots from #42. "Savin' Me" is only Nickelback's 4th top 40 hit, following the #2 hit "Photograph," and is the first time they've ever managed to score a 2nd top 40 from an album.

28. Poppin' My Collar - Three 6 Mafia
31. For You I Will (Confidence) - Teddy Geiger
37. Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Fray
39. What You Know - T.I.


Nickelback leads a pack of 5 entries in the top 40. Three 6 Mafia score their second top 40 hit at #28 with "Poppin' My Collar," the follow-up to last year's #13 hit "Stay Fly;" Teddy Geiger and The Fray have debut singles "For You I Will (Confidence)" at #31 and "Over My Head (Cable Car)" at #37 respectively. Finally T.I. scores his fifth top 40 at #39 with "What You Know."

Billboard 200 (Albums):

1. 3121 - Prince

Prince lands his 26th album, 3121, at #1, his fifth #1 album, despite the fact that the album lacks a strong hit single. Prince's chart career spans back to the late '70s--nearly 30 years--and reached its pinnacle in 1984 with Purple Rain, a dual album/film project that spawned his greatest hit, "When Doves Cry," as well as "Let's Go Grazy" and "Purple Rain." Prince is one of the most prolific albums artists, releasing one or more (one year even three) albums per year.

Prince's album history with Billboard 200 peak positions (by year with "key track"):

1. For You (1978) #163 - "Soft and Wet"
2. Prince (1979) #22 - "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
3. Dirty Mind (1980) #45 - "When You Were Mine"
4. Controversy (1981) #21 - "Controversy"
5. 1999 (1983) #9 - "Little Red Corvette"
6. Purple Rain (1984) #1 - "When Doves Cry"
7. Around the World in a Day (1985) #1 - "Raspberry Beret"
8. Parade (1986) #3 - "Kiss"
9. Sign 'O' The Times (1987) #6 - "U Got the Look"
10. Lovesexy (1988) #11 - "Alphabet St."
11. Batman (1989) #1 - "Batdance"
12. Graffiti Bridge (1990) #6 - "Thieves in the Temple"
13. Diamonds & Pearls (1991) #3 - "Cream"
14. (The Love Symbol Album) (1992) #5 - "7"
15. Come (1994) #15 - "Letitgo"
16. The Beautiful Experience EP (1994) #92 - "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"
17. The Black Album (1994) #47***
18. The Gold Experience (1995) #6 - "I Hate U"
19. Chaos and Disorder (1996) #26
20. Emancipation (1996) #11 - "Betcha By Golly Wow"
21. New Power Soul (1998) #22 - "Come On"
22. Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic (1999) #18 - "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"
23. The Rainbow Children #109 (2001)
24. N.E.W.S. (2003) (Did not chart)
25. Musicology (2004) #3 - "Cinnamon Girl"
26. 3121 (2006) #1 - "Black Sweat"

***Recorded in 1987, but shelved for 7 years.

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