Billboard Hot 100, 8/22/2009

Exciting week on the Hot 100 this week, as two records get teed up to possibly be broken next week, plus an usual amount of interesting activity outside the top 40.

1. I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

It's a 7th week at #1 for Black Eyed Peas. When combined with the 12 weeks at #1 for "Boom Boom Pow," the act has now been #1 on the Hot 100 for 19 consecutive weeks--tying the record set in 2004 by Usher, coincidentally also with two songs split at #1 with 12 and 7 weeks ("Yeah!" and "Burn" respectively). If they can make it an 8th week, they'll break the record, but in order to do so face tough competition from two major sales-driven singles released this week: Miley Cyrus's "Party in the USA" and Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West's "Run This Town." Next week will definitely be a week to watch.

2. You Belong with Me - Taylor Swift
4. Knock You Down - Keri Hilson Featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo

Taylor Swift finally breaks away from her little dance with Keri Hilson to climb a notch to #2, a new peak for "You Belong with Me," which had twice reached #3. Hilson has also twice reached #3 with "Knock You Down," but appears to be losing steam, as the single is not bulleted this week.

6. Down - Jay Sean Feat. Lil Wayne

Jay Sean holds steady at #6 this week, but remains bulleted and earns the airplay gainer this week. "Down" is the rare single by a popular British artist to become a hit in the US without first doing so at home. Most of the decade's biggest British singles that achieved popularity in the US already were at a hit in the UK (or achieved fame simultaneously)--Coldplay, Dido, James Blunt, Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Estelle, etc. The only other one I can think of is Natasha Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine," which was a huge hit early in 2008--probably her second biggest after "Unwritten," but was never released as a single in her homeland.

9. Hotel Room Service - Pitbull

The only entry in the top 10 this week is Pitbull's "Hotel Room Service," rising 6 spots to #9. It follows his recent #2 hit "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)."

13. She Wolf - Shakira

Shakira continues her ascent, up 8 spots to #13 this week to become her 5th top 20 hit.

20. Break Up - Mario Feat. Gucci Mane & Sean Garrett

After a 4-year absence, Mario returns to the top 10 with "Break Up," the first single from his upcoming album. Mario is best-known for his #1 hit "Let Me Love You," but his last album failed to generate any major hits.

23. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" manages the rather amazing feat this week of now having been on the Hot 100 for 69 weeks, tying the record set by Leann Rimes' "How Do I Live." One more week and he'll hold the record, and it looks like a done deal, as the single as actually bulleted this week (a bullet at 69 weeks!), up 12 spots to #23.

71. Celebration - Madonna
74. I Look to You - Whitney Houston

Nice to see some of my favorite veteran artists on the Hot 100. Madonna lands her 55th Hot 100 hit with "Celebration," the new single from her upcoming greatest hits album of the same name. Perhaps more momentous is the first appearance on the Hot 100 in 6 years for Whitney Houston. Last time out in 2003 she hit #84 with "Try It on My Own," the third single from an album that failed to generate any top 40 hits. "I Look to You" is the first single from the album of the same name--her first in 7 years--and is Houston's 37th appearance on the Hot 100.

81. Uprising - Muse

Here's a nice surprise. Muse scores their first Hot 100 hit ever with "Uprising," the first single from the band's upcoming album, The Resistance.

89. Already Gone - Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone" returns to the Hot 100. The Ryan Tedder-penned track spent one week in the Hot 100 the week the album was released.