Sunday, January 09, 2011

UK Singles Chart, January 15, 2011

1. What's My Name - Rihanna (feat. Drake)
2. When We Collide - Matt Cardle
(9. Only Girl - Rihanna)
(10. Who's that Chick - David Guetta feat. Rihanna)

This week brings the first new #1 hit of 2011, ending the 3-week reign for the X Factor champion Matt Cardle's "When We Collide." The song is, appropriately, but one of 2010's biggest pop artists, Barbadian pop/R&B/dance pop singer Rihanna, scoring her fifth #1 hit. Along for the ride is rapper Drake, with his first #1 hit. "What's My Name" has taken its time getting to #1, hitting the top spot in its 8th week. In contrast, Rihanna's last single, "Only Girl," topped the chart in its second week of release. In the US, quite the opposite happened, with "What's My Name" hitting #1 in its first week of release, and "Only Girl" doing so later after 11 weeks on the chart, despite having been released first.

Last year there were several weeks where Rihanna had three hits in the top 10, and she repeats the feat this week as David Guetta's "Who's that Chick" on which she does a guest vocal returns to the top 10 at #10, just one spot below "Only Girl," which drops 3 notches this week.

4. Lights On - Katy B (feat. Ms. Dynamite)

Katy B debuted at #4 two weeks ago, then dropped quickly out of the top 10, making it look like "Lights On" wasn't to have much longevity. In a reversal, this week the song climbs back up 7 notches to its original peak position. Clearly, the single should not yet be discounted. Katy B's last single, "Katy on a Mission," had a similarly odd chart run. After debuting at #5, it spent the next 4 consecutive weeks at #8.

5. Do It Like a Dude - Jessie J

Congratulations go to Jessie J for winning the BBC Sounds of 2011 poll this week. Benefitting from the ensuing promotion, Jessie J's debut single jumps 13 spots to #5 this week. The single initially debuted at #25 in early December and then begin falling, but has been climbing quite dramatically the last 2 weeks. I though the song was "meh" when it came out, but it's been growing on me and I think I'm starting to like it.

15. Me & You - Nero

Another BBC Sounds of 2011 artist arrives at #15 with his debut single, although unfortunately he failed to claim a spot on the poll's top 5 list.

18. The Flood - Cheryl Cole

The once mighty Cheryl Cole appears to have landed a chart dud this week with "The Flood," the second single from her second album, Messy Little Raindrops, and follow up to #1 single "Promise This." In contrast, her first album generated two more top 5 hits following its first #1 hit "Fight for This Love." In truth, this new album isn't that great, and she may have difficulty finding a third track that's worthy of a release. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see one--Leona Lewis after all didn't get a follow-up single after she misfired with "I Got You"--although "Yeah Yeah Yeah" is a pretty decent song.

20. Happiness - Alexis Jordan

Alexis Jordan climbs four spots to #20 this week, the second week in a row the song has climbed. She's also climbing at radio, up four to #25. It's a welcome sign for a great song.

24. It's Okay - Cee Lo Green

It's no "Fuck You," but Cee Lo Green's new single manages to make it to the top 40 this week finally (it was released in December). It's been getting pretty strong support at radio, which may have helped it along. His aforementioned previous single is still going strong, back up a notch to #11 this week.

26. More - Usher

Another one that's been around for awhile is Usher's "More," which, in its 7th week in the top 40, climbs to a new peak of #26 this week. I'm ready to write it off, but I guess I shouldn't, considering that his last single, "DJ Got Us Falling in Love," didn't reach the top 10 until its 9th week of release.

27. Make Me Feel My Love - Adele

What is this still doing around? Good grief.

29. Hello - Martin Solveig (feat. Dragonette)

Here's one of those dance songs that, for whatever reason, manages to conquer the global market. French DJ Martin Solveig's "Hello" has already been to #1 in Belgium, The Netherlands and South Africa, and enters the top 40 this week at #29. It features Canadian electronic group Dragonette.

39. Limit to Your Love - James Blake

Another artist who made it into the BBC Sounds of 2011 top 5. James Blake was #2, helping send his debut single "Limit to Your Love" into the top 40 for the first time.

3 comments:

J.Mensah said...

Make You Feel My Love was on Dancing on Ice this week (or whatever it's called) and it's an awesome, what are you talking about? lol

Cheryl's flop makes me feel better about The Silence.

Cook In / Dine Out said...

I like "Make You Feel My Love," but it's 3 years old! And she has a new song just around the corner (already out in the US).

Cheryl's flop is arguably bigger, since it is a fairly new song, while "The Silence" was over a year old. I don't think she was ready for her second album yet. She should have waited until this summer.

rcLoy said...

I'm still lovin' Make You Feel My Love and Do It Like A Dude is still "meh" for me. Can't get it, don't think I will.