I'm in Billboard!!!!

I wrote to Fred Bronson, Billboard's Chart Beat writer, about Nelly Furtado topping both the US and UK singles charts this week, and he posted my comment! Here's the link: Billboard Chart Beat Chat, 6/30/2006

Here's my comment and his response:

LOVE HER TWO TIMES

Fred,

I can't help but be excited to see that the No. 1 singles in the United States and the United Kingdom this week are by the same artist - -Nelly Furtado -- but are different tracks ("Promiscuous" in the United States and "Maneater" in the United Kingdom).

It isn't that rare for an artist to top both charts in the same week with the same song (I think I counted seven such instances during the '00s). But for an artist to be No. 1 simultaneously in both countries with different tracks is pretty rare. The last such instance I found was nine years ago, in the week ending March 15, 1997, when the Spice Girls were No. 1 in the United States with "Wannabe" and No. 1 in the United Kingdom with "Mama" / "Who Do You Think You Are." (Some may argue Elton John did it in December 1997 with "Candle in the Wind 1997" in the United States and as one of the 29 artists featured on the U.K. No. 1 "Perfect Day").

The last time before that? Strangely, another nine years prior, when during the week ending Feb. 6, 1988 (and the week after), Tiffany topped The Billboard Hot 100 with "Could've Been" and the U.K. singles chart with "I Think We're Alone Now."

Just thought I'd share. Thanks,

Andrew Huddleston
Washington, D.C.

Dear Andrew,

It is rare, and thanks for finding examples. One thing to remember when comparing the U.S. and U.K. singles charts is that the Hot 100 is dated with the week ending date, while the date on the British singles chart is the first day of the week.

That's why you'll read in this week's Chart Beat that the most recent instance of an artist being No. 1 in both countries with different songs happened in July 2005, when Usher's "Confessions Part II" was No. 1 in America while his "Burn" topped the U.K. chart.