Sunday, March 30, 2008

UK Singles Chart, 4/5/2008

1 . American Boy - Estelle Featuring Kanye West
2. Low - Flo Rida

A British girl sits atop the American singles chart this week, and an "American Boy" tops the British chart for a second week. British hip-hop performer Estelle successfully fended off a challenge from American hip-hop act Flo Rida, whose "Low" has been in the top 10 for the last 3 weeks selling on pre-release downloads, but upon its physical release, didn't net enough sales to eclipse Estelle, whose single also saw its physical release this week.

4. Black and Gold - Sam Sparro

While the physically released singles vie for #1, singles due to be released in the next few weeks are lined up to strike. First up is newcomer Sam Sparro, whose first top 40 hit is up 19 places this week. Last week the single charted at #23 based on early sales of a remix, this week the proper single version is out, but the CD single won't hit shops until next Monday, making this a strong contender for the next #1.

5. 4 Minutes - Madonna and Justin

Also selling well on downloads--although not as well as some would expect--is the superstar collaboration between Madonna and Justin Timberlake (as well as Timbaland) that is the lead single from her forthcoming 12th album, Hard Candy. This single won't be available on CD until April 21, so it still has a few weeks to go, and #1 is still a distinct possibility.

8. With You - Chris Brown

Chris Brown moves into the top 10 with his now fully released "With You." The single, which currently tops the U.S. top 40 airplay chart, is Brown's second UK top 10, following his 2006 debut, "Run It!," which peaked at #2. I wonder if his popularity could be used as a launching point for Jordin Sparks in the UK, via their "No Air" collaboration.

10. Fascination - Alphabeat

The fascination with Alphabeat refuses to die, as the single rebounds into the top 10 this week.

20. Carry You Home - James Blunt

Last week I maligned James Blunt, thinking that "Carry You Home" had been fully released and flopped. In actuality, it didn't get its CD release until this week, and upon doing so manages to at least give him his fifth top 20 hit. Not a major achievement, but still certainly better than the #57 peak of his last single, "Same Mistake."

36. Break the Ice - Britney Spears

Britney manages to make a top 40 appearance on downloads well ahead of the 4/14 release for this track. I find it rather uninteresting, but still it manages to give Britney her 21st UK top 40 hit. All but two of her previous 20 singles were top 10 hits, with five going all the way to #1.

Next week Estelle will try to fend off download sales from Sam Sparro and Madonna, while fully released singles from Mariah Carey, The Kooks, and Radiohead shoot for the top 10.

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