Tuesday, March 10, 2009

UK Singles Chart

1. Right Round - Flo Rida Featuring K3$ha
2. Just Can't Get Enough - The Saturdays

It was a real battle for the UK #1 this week. Early in the week, The Saturdays had the lead, but late in the week Flo Rida and Ke$sha pulled ahead, in the end outselling the girl group by about 8000 copies, giving Flo his first #1 hit. He came close about a year ago when "Low" hit #2, kept from #1 by Estelle and Kanye West's "American Boy."

In second place then are The Saturdays with "Just Can't Get Enough." It's the band's fourth consecutive top 10 hit, each of which has placed higher than the previous--#8 for "If This Is Love," #5 for "Up," #4 for "Issues" and now #2. That they didn't reach #1 is a bit shocking, considering that the single is this year's Comic Relief charity single. The last time an official Comic Relief single missed #1 was when Right Said Fred's 1993 release, "Stick It Out," hit #3.

Finally, this week's chart shows clearly that the '80s influence in today's pop music is still alive and strong, with "Right Round" drawing heavily on Dead or Alive's 1985 #1 hit "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" and The Saturdays doing a straight up remake of Depeche Mode's top 10 from 1981.

3. Poker Face - Lady GaGa
4. My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson

While Kelly Clarkson takes a tumble from #1, Lady GaGa's "Poker Face" manages to be the only single from last week's top 3 to appear there this week.

13. Beautiful - Akon Featuring Colby O'Donis

Akon's latest single looks set to not follow his last hit, "Right Now (Na Na Na)" into the top 10, rising 17 spots to #13 with its physical release.

14. Up All Night - Take That

Take That may be "up" all night, but their latest single is definitely down, climbing a mere 3 places with its physical release to #14. While "Patience," "Shine," and "Rule the World" were major hits, their Circus releases aren't faring as well. "Greatest Day" was a #1, but it was nearly the seller that "Patience" was, and that album's second single "Shine" was also a big #1--and like "Patience" a Brit Award winner (making Beautiful World the only album ever to contain two tracks that won the Best British Single Brit award).

29. Revelry - Kings of Leon

Here's another follow-up single to chart surprisingly low; however, here it may be due to the enduring popularity of their last two hits, which are still on the chart--higher even than their new single, with "Use Somebody" at #11 this week and "Sex on Fire" at #22.

31. Weight of the World - Lemar

Lemar's chart fortunes seem to be drying up, with his latest single limping in at #31. Remember when he had top 10 hits?

40. Halo - Beyonce

Beyonce debuts at #40 this week--over a month away from her single's physical release. Like Kings of Leon, she's got 3 entries in the top 40 this week, with "Single Ladies" at #17 and "If I Were a Boy" at #39.

58. Let It Go - Will Young

Finally, let's pull out our sad violins for Will Young, who manages to miss the top 40 all together this week with his latest single "Let It Go." I'm really scratching my head over why his popularity has dried up so much lately. Anyone want to venture a guess why? His 2003 and 2005 albums were pretty good hitmakers, but Let It Go's singles have not performed well, with "Changes" managing only #10 and "Grace" a dismal #33. "Let It Go" is Will's first single to miss the top 40.

2 comments:

Myfizzypop said...

i felt sad at this week's charts. Which may be a bit silly really. But the poor Saturdays seem to be getting a lot of stick for landing at number two (not from you, just in general!) So what if it didn't make number one? They are making a whole heap of money for charity with a song that is not entirely brilliant but not entirely dreadful either. Good for them :)

And TAke That - the album sales rose again this week which is good, so maybe people are STILL buying The Circus. Up All Night should have gone top ten, but TT are still the biggest and best act in Britain right now, thank god.

Which is more than can be said for Will YOung and Annie Lennox. Both have very disappointing chart positions (though again, Will sees an increase in album sales) with quality songs which just makes me a little sad :( Probably no more singles from Let It Go then, which means we probably won't see the discotastic remixes of I WOn't Give Up. Hopefully Annie's hits collection will perform better.

That was a bit of an essay wasn't it?

Cook In / Dine Out said...

It was a bit of an essay, but that's okay. I've been feeling kind of down about the UK singles chart lately, mostly because there's too much American pop on it. I can turn on the radio here and get my fill of that any time I want. I like following the UK chart because it offers something different, but when Saturdays, Take That, Will Young, etc. (i.e. those acts that are "different" to me b/c they aren't on the radio here) aren't performing well, but Lady GaGa, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Akon, etc. are doing just fine, then what's the point? Except for Lily Allen, British artists have taken a real retreat so far in 2009.