Friday, November 17, 2006

Billboard Hot 100 Analysis, 11/25/2006

1. My Love - Justin Timberlake

What an exciting time for the Hot 100. Remember when, just a few years ago, it was so boring an stale? Justin Timberlake retains the #1 position for a third week, but with his bullet gone, the 3 songs from #2 to #4 will be vying for #1 next week, and it's a tight, tight competition.

2. Smack That - Akon (featuring Eminem)

Akon leads the pack of would-be #1s for next week with "Smack That," his collaboration with Eminem. At #2, it's already two spots ahead of previous best, 2005's "Lonely," which peaked at #4. This song is posing huge airplay gains at top 40. Interestingly, this track is leading at top 40, not on the R&B and rap charts, where it is climbing, but not yet top 10.

3. Fergalicious - Fergie

Fergie holds at #3, but continues to post strong gains at top 40. I think she's going to get mowed over by Beyonce at #4 though.

4. Irreplaceable - Beyonce

With lines like "to the left, to the left," and "don't you ever think, you're irreplaceable," it's easy to confuse this song for an election commentary. At #4 this week it matches the peak of first B'Day single "Deja Vu," and should climb even higher, given it's momentum. It's this week's Airplay Gainer winner.

8. Show Me What You Got - Jay-Z

A few places below Beyonce is her boyfriend Jay-Z, who scores his sixth top 10 hit this week with "Show Me What You Got," making a big leap from #47. He's only had two top 5 hits as lead artist, his best being #4 "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" with girlfriend Beyonce. Wouldn't you like to have separate top 10 hits at the same time with your girlfriend? I'm sure they love counting up the $$$s.

11. It Ends Tonight - All-American Rejects

All-American Rejects is up 7 spots to #11 with "It Ends Tonight," pulling it ahead of the #15 peak of their last single, "Move Along," to become their second-highest charting hit. Top 10 next week?

16. Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood

Fresh from having won a CMA award for Female Vocalist of the Year (to the chagrin of Faith Hill), Carrie Underwood is fastly establishing herself as the second most successful American Idol alumna. She has a long, long way to go to catch frontrunner Kelly Clarkson, who's topped any incarnation of a Billboard chart 41 times now, 30 #1s ahead of second-place Fantasia's 11 number ones. "Before He Cheats" climbs 9 places this week, scoring a third top 20 hit for Underwood. Only Clarskon has had more top 20 hits on the Hot 100 (she's had 7).

17. I Wanna Love You - Akon (featuring Snoop Dogg)

Not content with just one hit in the top 20, Akon's second rises three to #17 this week. This single is bigger at R&B stations, but is also impacting at top 40, and wil surely score him another top 10.

No comments: