UK Singles Chart, February 13, 2010

Snowmageddon has given me Monday off from work, which I'll probably squander doing things like writing about the music of 1990 and playing Wii. We have almost 2 feet of snow here and anyone who dares drive in it is an idiot. On to the charts...

1. Fireflies - Owl City

A third week at #1 for Owl City's "Fireflies," which holds off a challenge from...

2. Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) - Jedward feat. Vanilla Ice

...Jedward, the 6th place X Factor competitor and most successful of the groups from last year. They performed this live with Vanilla Ice and now put out a recorded version, becoming their first hit. This, of course, gives Vanilla Ice his first hit in a very, very long time. "Ice Ice Baby" was a #1 hit in Britain in 1990, and was followed by a top 10 hit, "Play that Funky Music." A couple more top 40 singles followed in 1991, but nothing significant. When I was writing about Vanilla Ice for my 1990 lookback about rap the other week, I never dreamed he'd actually have another hit just a week later. Bizarre.

3. If We Ever Meet Again - Timbaland feat. Katy Perry

Timbaland and Katy Perry rocket up 14 spots to #3, much higher than I thought this single would peak. This makes the single a bigger hit than his last, "Morning After Dark" (w/Nelly Furtado), which hit #6. How well will "Carry Out" do in Britain?

5. Empire State of Mind II - Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys' solo version of "Empire State of Mind" continues its ascent, up 2 spots to #5 this week, becoming her fourth top 5 single in the UK after "Fallin," (#3), "My Boo" (w/Usher, #5), and the original "Empire State of Mind (w/Jay-Z), which hit #2. It really is pretty amazing that another version of the same song can be such a big hit within such a short span of time. Although...

4. Don't Stop Believin' - Cast of Glee
9. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

....Stranger things have happened, or rather are happening, as "Don't Stop Believin'" appears in the top 10 in two different forms for the fourth straight week. I do love to see Glee in the top 10 though.

11. Blah Blah Blah - Ke$ha feat. 3Oh!3

Ke$ha's second solo single debuts at #11. This time she's got 3Oh!3 in tow for support. "Blah Blah Blah" is the follow up to "Tik Tok," which hit #4, and has spent the last 7 weeks at #1 in the United States. "Blah Blah Blah" isn't out until March 1, so expect this to rise for a few weeks.

12. Hollywood - Marina & the Diamonds

One of the year's most hyped new artists scores her debut top 40 hit. Marina & The Diamonds enters the chart at #12. Marina was the runner-up in this year's BBC Sound of 2010 poll. It's a far better showing than last year's runner-up, White Lies, whose first top 40 single, "To Lose My Life," peaked at #34 although also much less a success than 2008's runner up, Duffy, whose breakthrough single "Mercy" was one of the biggest hits of 2008.

26. Somebody to Love - Cast of Glee

Glee scores its third top 40 hit. This was the show's second top 40 hit in the US, hitting #28.

38. You Used to Hold Me - Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris scores his 7th top 40 hit with "You Used to Hold Me," the latest single from his Ready for the Weekend album. This single is out tomorrow.

39. Telephone - Lady GaGa feat. Beyonce

"Telephone" returns to the top 40 after a 9-week absence. The single initially debuted at #30 the week The Fame Monster was released, but then fell outside the top 40. The single is out March 15.

Next week--"Everybody Hurts" will surely debut at #1 with massive, massive sales.