UK Singles Chart, December 19, 2009

It's the week before Christmas! Surely next week all competition will step aside as Joe McElderry, the sixth winner of The X Factor, marches to #1 with his remake of Miley Cyrus' "The Climb."

1. Bad Romance - Lady GaGa

Flagging interesting in the Peter Kay Christmas single and one week until The X Factor winner's #1 means there's an opening at #1 just wide enough to let in...Lady GaGa! She scores her third UK #1 with "Bad Romance," the first single from her Fame Monster EP. GaGa joins Black Eyed Peas as the second artist this year to score three #1 hits. This is the 30th single to top the UK chart this year.

3. Russian Roulette - Rihanna

I neglected to do a UK singles chart write-up last week, but I did want to note the post-X-Factor-performance rise of Rihanna's "Russian Roulette," which hit #2 last week. It was her fourth single to peak at #2 after "Pon Da Replay," "SOS," and "Unfaithful."

6. Morning After Dark - Timbaland Feat. SoShy and Nelly Furtado

Timbaland scored three top 10 hits with his first maestro outing, 2007's Shock Value, where he played the role of "producer plus" to Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado on the #1 "Give It to Me," to Keri Hilson on the #1 "The Way I Are," and to OneRepublic on the #3 hit "Apologize." Now he's back with Shock Value 2, which features all of those artists plus others. "Morning After Dark" is up first, giving Nelly Furtado her ninth top 10 hit. The single flopped in the US, and we're already being treated to the follow-up, "Carry Out" with Justin Timberlake, which is doing well at radio.

8. Doesn't Mean Anything - Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys' "Doesn't Mean Anything" debuted at #8 last week and holds there this week. It's her 7th top 10 hit.

10. Look for Me - Chipmunk feat. Talay Riley

Chipmunk follows up his recent #1 hit "Oopsy Daisy" with "Look for Me," which climbs 9 spots to #10, becoming his fourth top 10 hit. The physical single comes out the Monday after Christmas.

13. Fight for This Love - Cheryl Cole
14. 3 Words - Cheryl Cole feat. Will.I.Am

Cheryl Cole climbs 11 spots to #14 with "3 Words," just one spot below her former #1 hit "Fight for This Love." The "3 Words" single is out in a week. Any hope this could unseat "The Climb" at #1? I'm sure it won't happen, but wouldn't it be nice.

15. You Know Me - Robbie Williams

Robbie Williams' latest single may be his 10th to top the UK airplay chart, but on the sales chart, it fails to reach the top 10, climbing 15 spots to #15 this week. This is the first time that a second single from a Robbie Williams album hasn't reached the top 10 (assuming it goes no higher, which, considering next week is Christmas week, is likely).

18. Fairytale of New York - Pogues feat. Kirsty Macoll
19. All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey

The annual rite of these singles appearing on the chart around Christmas time continues.

35. Ego - The Saturdays

The Saturdays score their 7th top 40 hit with "Ego," the follow-up to recent #2 hit "Forever Is Over." The single is out just after the New Year.