Billboard Hot 100, May 28, 2011

1. Rolling in the Deep - Adele

Adele lands a second week at #1. She's still #1 at iTunes, is this week's airplay gainer, and is on her way to being #1 at top 40 radio quite soon--probably next week. I think she could be settling in for a nice long run at #1.

3. The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga turns around the apparent misfortune of "Judas," making a rather impressive #3 debut with "The Edge of Glory." It's her 10th top 10 hit and 6th to reach the top 3.

18. Dirty Dancer - Enrique Iglesias with Usher feat. Lil Wayne

Enrique Iglesias makes a strong entry with "Dirty Dancer," the third top 40 hit from his album Euphoria. This is the first Iglesias album to generate three top 40 hits since his 1999 English-language debut, Enrique. Two of the albums previous singles peaked at #4--"I Like It" (feat. Pitbull) and "Tonight (I'm Loving You)" (feat. Ludacris).

22. Super Bass - Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj makes a big splash in the top 40, up 26 notches with "Super Bass," the fifth top 40 hit from Pink Friday (albeit only on the deluxe edition).

29. Rolling in the Deep - Glee Cast
34. Friday - Glee Cast

I believe this is a first: The Glee Cast charts in the top 40 with their version of the current #1 hit. You can't get any more timely than that.

Also of note is the Glee Cast's version of Rebecca Black's "Friday," which, despite being an internet sensation, never cracked the top 40. Thus Glee Cast has actually out-charted the original version of the song, which is pretty impressive.

35. (It) Feels So Good - Steven Tyler

Not be outdone by his American Idol co-star Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler scores his own hit single, "(It) Feels So Good," the first solo top 40 hit for the Aerosmith frontman. It's been 10 years since Tyler's been in the top 40. Last time out was on Aerosmith's "Jaded," a #7 hit in 2001.

UK Singles Chart, 5/21/11

1. The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars

It's a lazy Sunday evening in my house, so it feels appropriate to see this at #1, even if it is a little surprising. In the US, this isn't nearly as big as his other two recent hits, yet in the UK it becomes his third straight #1 hit. The last act to hit #1 with their first three singles from one album? That would be Black Eyed Peas, who hit #1 in 2009 with "Boom Boom Pow," "I Gotta Feeling" and "Meet Me Halfway," the first three singles from The E.N.D. "The Lazy Song" is also Mars' second #1 hit this year, making him the first artist to score a second #1 in 2011.

4. Give Me Everything - Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer

Pitbull climbs eight notches with "Give Me Everyting," tying "I Know You Want Me" as his highest charting single as lead artist. If you include his guest turns on Alexandra Burke's "All Night Long" and Enrique Iglesias' "I Like It," this is Pitbull's fourth #4 hit.

6. The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga
(11. Judas - Lady Gaga)

Lady Gaga's record company seems determined to launch her new album next week with a hit. So quickly gears have shifted from the underperforming "Judas" to a new third single, "The Edge of Glory," which does successful manage to eclipse her last single's #9 peak, debuting at #6. Still, when you consider that "Born This Way" only peaked at #3, this still isn't the #1 hit you imagine she is looking for. "Judas" itself gets a bit of a bump this week, up 9 spots to #11.

9. I Need a Dollar - Aloe Blacc
10. Nobody's Perfect - Jessie J

Mr. Blacc climbs another notch with "I Need a Dollar" while new British superstar pop singer Jessie J trades places with him, dropping a notch to #10. Has this single already cooled off? I would have thought she'd be good for a top 5 hit at least.

13. Finish Line - Yasmin

British singer/DJ Yasmin didn't chart very high with her last single, "On My Own," hitting #39. I found this surprising, as I thought it had a rather cool trip-hop sound. She's done quite a bit better with the follow-up, "Finish Line," in at #13 this week. It's a more conventional sound, but not a bad one.

15. Love Love - Take That

After the relatively poor chart positions of "Kidz" (#28) and "Happy Now" (#52), it's nice to see them at least make the top 20 with this new single, "Love Love," which may have suffered from having been available only at midweek. It's not from their album Progress, but rather the soundtrack to the upcoming summer action flick, X-Men: First Class. Can I still hope for another decent hit single from Progress? We'll see what happens this summer.

17. Sun Is Up - Inna
18. Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan

Romanians are few and far between when it comes to the UK singles chart. So I imagine this has never happened before--two Romanian acts back-to-back in the top 20. Debuting at #17 is the new single from dance pop singer Inna, scoring her third top 20 hit. And at #18, the first hit single for singer Alexandra Stan, also a dance pop song, climbs 11 notches this week.

29. Just Can't Get Enough - Black Eyed Peas
30. Just Can't Get Enough - Good Child Foundation

These two songs actually have nothing to do with each other besides sharing a title. One is the Black Eyed Peas' recent top 10 hit, the other is a remake of Depeche Mode's '80s classic. But it's not just any remake or your ordinary charity tune for that matter. The song is performed by Thai Children for the Good Child Foundation, an organization that promotes education for underprivileged children in Thailand, with a particular emphasis on those with Downs Syndrome. There's more to the story though. This release is dedicated to the memory of Reamonn Gormley, a 19 year-old who was murdered earlier this year in an apparent act of street violence as he walked home from a pub. Gormley worked for Good Child Foundation, and the proceeds of this single will be split between that charity and a Scottish anti-violence charity.

Essential Albums of the '80s: Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses (1987)

Violator (1990) is Depeche Mode's most successful and highly regarded album, but Music for the Masses, released just prior to that landmark set, is quite worthy too. Musically, it's pretty similar, finding Depeche Mode exploring the dark synth-pop sound they are best known for. The beginning of the album is particularly strong. Charging synth-pop opener "Never Let Me Down Again" is among the best singles the band ever produced, second only to "Enjoy the Silence." It's followed by the mellower, moodier "The Things You Said," which sounds like the kind of music the people in Blade Runner would listen to. "Strangelove" has a sharper beat, an obvious forerunner to "Personal Jesus." "Little 15" isn't an obvious highlight, but I like how it's foreboding melody drives to a richer instrumental climax during the bridge. Some of the songs in the second half are kind of strange, like "I Want You Now," which featuring wheezy, heavy breathing. Closing instrumental "Pimpf" is bold and dark, a bit over the top. But don't miss "Nothing," a driving synth-pop tune that probably could have been a single had they needed another one. Music for the Masses didn't generate any major hits, but as a solid entry in the DM catalog, it really should have.

Best: Never Let Me Down Again, The Things You Said, Strangelove, Nothing

Album Reviews

Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin' (4/5). R&B singer Raphael Saadiq's Stone Rollin' pulses with energetic retro rock and soul flourishes. It reminds me a bit of Plan B's excellent retro soul offering from last year, The Defamation of Strickland Banks, although Saadiq's retro sound derives from a much broader range of styles. "Go to Hell" builds its sound with horns, strings and female backup singers, and "Over You" goes for wall-of-sound with its layers of guitar, keyboard, drums and vocals. Then the title track follows, with a simpler, bluesier approach. "Radio" reaches back to the 1950s, with a lo-fi recording style to match its guitar rhythm. "Day Dreams" sounds '50s-ish too but with a much faster, joyful tempo. "Movin' Down the Line" has a great groove, as if it reaches back to the sounds that would later inspire elements of Michael Jackson's Off the Wall and Thriller sounds. This is a solid album, although not necessarily the kind of thing I'd see myself going back to again and again. Definitely worth checking out though. Best: Go to Hell, Heart Attack, Movin' Down the Line, Just Don't.

The Kills - Blood Pressures (3/5). I first learned of Alison Mosshart of The Kills when she joined up with Jack White to form The Dead Weather, which has been my least favorite Jack White group so far. I like her better here, although I can't say I'm in love. On Blood Pressures, the group's fourth album, they churn out pretty consistent moody, raw, bluesy sort of indie rock. Opening track "Future Starts Slow" has bold drums and a prominent bass. It's restraint creates tension and teases of more to come. Closing track "Pots and Pans" delivers on that promise, with its dramatic build up, vibrating bass notes and clever lyrics with a culinary take on the challenges of romance ("I can't find enough pots and pans--let alone knives--in my kitchen to keep you cookin'"). The restrained tempo works in the favor of songs like "DNA," which sounds very southern, and on "Damned If She Do," whose languid beats come so slow as if to sound like the song is in danger of defaulting on its own tempo. Generally, I like the more tuneful, upbeat stuff like "Nail in My Coffin" and the raw and rough "Heart Is a Beating Drum," which has a great guitar solo that's probably longer and even better live. It's all very cool and generally likeable, despite the obvious posing. Best: Pots and Pans, Nail in My Coffin, Future Starts Slow.

Raveonettes - Raven in the Grave (3.5/5). Compared to The Kills, Danish duo Raveonettes are more my style. From the opening track, "Recharge & Revolt," it's clear what you'll get: strong melodies that effectively blend chilly synths and raspy electric guitars in a package that nods to the '80s but isn't consumed by them. "War Is Heaven" is darker and dramatic, interrupting its guitar melody with some airy vocals and then a decent bass line. Bass is prominent too on hopeful "Forget that You're Young," contrasting with the moodier "Apparitions," with its great '80s beat. "Summer Moons'" sweet melody feels a bit too slight against the mostly darker tracks, but I like its minimalism. "Evil Seeds," in contrast, pushes its foreboding synths to the fore, crowding out the receding guitars. The album doesn't get too gloomy though, as evidenced by the more upbeat tunes like "Ignite." Although closing the album with an elegant slow-dance of a song like "My Time's Up" may be a cliché, it's one that almost always works. Best: Recharge & Revolt, Apparitions, My Time's Up.

Personal Chart, May 14, 2011

Billboard Hot 100, May 21, 2011

I had this all written out last night but couldn't post it 'til now, since Blogger apparently had some sort of massive failure. Yikes.

1. Rolling in the Deep – Adele

Three cheers for Adele! The British pop singer scores her first US #1 this week with “Rolling in the Deep,” climbing a notch to #1 as this week’s Airplay Gainer. Adele is the first British act to hit #1 this year and the first British female artist to hit #1 since Leona Lewis topped the chart 3 years ago with “Bleeding Love.”

Adele’s music career is red hot this year. Probably way hotter than she imaged. Her album, 21, has spent 7 weeks at #1 in the US, which is pretty amazing considering how fast the album chart’s top spot generally turns over. In the UK, she’s spent 14 weeks at #1 with 21, and although “Rolling in the Deep” peaked at #2, her other single, “Someone Like You,” is the year’s biggest hit.

2. E.T. - Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

So Perry loses her perch at the top but picks up a significant milestone. Billboard has reported that this week she becomes the first artist ever to lodge 52 consecutive weeks in the top 10--a whole year we've gone now with Perry having a top 10 hit starting with "California Gurls" a year ago, followed by "Teenage Dream," "Firework" and "E.T."

3. On the Floor – Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull

J.Lo climbs four notches to #3, scoring a new peak with “On the Floor,” this week’s Digital Gainer. She’s got a big hill to climb if she’s going to steal #1 from Adele, but still, Lopez hasn’t been this high on the chart in 8 years.

7. Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum

Just a year after their mainstream breakthrough album and single of the same name, Need You Now, Lady Antebellum returns with the first single from their upcoming third album. This is the country trio’s second top 10 hit.

8. Give Me Everything – Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, AfroJack & Nayer

Pitbull scores his seventh top 10 hit with “Give Me Everything,” the second single from his latest album, Planet Pit. This is good news for Ne-Yo, who gets his 10^th top 10 hit. He needs it, since his last album, Libra Scale, did a big ol’ belly flop and produced no hits.

14. Where Them Girls At – David Guetta feat. Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj

French DJ David Guetta scores his fourth top 40 hit with “Where Them Girls At,” which debuts at #14.

19. Judas – Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s “Judas” rebounds a notch to #19, but I think it’s over for this song. The track just lost its bullet at #15 at top 40 radio. Gaga may have an ace up her sleeve though. Even though it’s just a promotional track, “The Edge of Glory” looks set to chart higher than “Judas” next week. It’s #2 at iTunes and top 5 in the UK’s midweek chart.

31. Motivation – Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne

Go Kelly! I didn’t even know she had a new single out. And she manages to chart higher than the overhyped new single from her more-famous cousin Beyonce, “Run the World (Girls).” Not bad Kelly.

Miss-Steps

Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are two of the biggest names in pop music. By any measure they are among the best-selling and most acclaimed female pop singers in recent years.

Yet, they both appear to be faltering with their latest singles. Gaga's "Judas" debuted at #10 and then began to plummet on the chart. At top 40 radio, it looks set to level out at about #15, a very poor showing if you consider that seven of her nine singles to date have hit #1 (only "Alejandro" missed out, peaking at #4). Beyoncé seems to be doing even worse. "Run the World (Girls)" debuted on the Hot 100 at a rather lousy #33 a couple weeks ago before falling out of the top 40 last week. At top 40 radio--where Beyoncé has had 11 top 10 hits--the song has barely climbed within the top 40 with a rather unimpressive weekly spin gain.

From a PR perspective, some record execs have to be sweating right now. Both of these singles were intended to launch their upcoming albums. Despite a robust sales market for singles, albums are struggling, and it's clear from the way they are promoted these days that they're expected to perform well right out the gate. Long-term sales are no longer a guarantee.

In both cases, I chalk this up to pushing the envelope just a bit too far. The religious imagery of "Judas" has turned people off, and the edgy beat-driven tune of "Run the World" lacks the kind of pop hook we expect to launch an album on. It's not a question of playing it to safe, but rather the opposite. This is an example of risk and risk doesn't always pay off.

On the one hand, that's what makes them a cut above the rest of the pack. Katy Perry and Rihanna are big too, but their music is pretty conventional by comparison. Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are pop music leaders--a role that can reap both accolades and derision. Madonna, for example, was similarly risky with her music, which generally served her well...until it didn't (see Erotica).

When you're on top, unfortunately, your choices are to stay there or fall, and everyone falls a bit eventually. For every "One Sweet Day" there's a Glitter Soundtrack; for every "I Will Always Love You" a Just Whitney; for every "Baby One More Time..." a "Do Somethin'." You get the picture.

If I had to choose between them launching their albums with something different that doesn't quite catch on or something conventional that sounds like everything else, I'll choose the former any day. Besides, I imagine both of these albums will have plenty of surprises before all is said and done.

Even the PR guys can be assured this story isn't over. Beyoncé has the chance to make up for it by putting out something more conventional between now and when her album is due for release this summer. And Gaga appears set to release a new single each week, and this week's release "The Edge of Glory," looks like a winner.

Essential Albums of the '80s: Tina Turner - Private Dancer (1984)

Tina Turner made a name for herself in the '60s and early '70s singing alongside her husband on memorable hits like "Proud Mary" and "River Deep, Mountain High." Theirs was a tempestuous relationship, well documented in the 1993 biopic, What's Love Got to Do With It. That film's name came from this album's biggest hit, a #1 hit for Tuner in 1984 that cemented her musical comeback intended by this release. For Private Dancer, Turner's first album in 5 years, the singer veered away from soul toward more rock and pop territory, creating a fine album of memorable '80s tunes. She rocks out on the very '80s-sounding "Show Some Respect" and "I Might Have Been Queen," and really lets loose on "Steel Claw," belting out the lyrics like only Turner could. As fun as those songs are, the album's best moments are its quieter ones, like the moody come on of "What's Love Got to Do With It," keyboard-heaving "Just Can't Stand the Rain," and heartful remake of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," a version almost as famous as the original. The best song though is the title track. Like Houston did later on "Saving All My Love for You," Turner takes the persona of a downtrodden woman--this time a prostitute/stripper--and makes you really feel for her. At over 7 minutes, the song is sensual, sad and powerful. It made a saxophone sound more amazing than any other '80s pop song.

Best: Private Dancer, What's Love Got to Do With It, Just Can't Stand the Rain, Show Some Respect, Let's Stay Together, Better Be Good to Me.

UK Singles Chart, 5/14/11

1. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock

LMFAO gets a fourth week at #1 with "Party Rock Anthem," becoming the second-longest running #1 hit of the year behind Adele's 5 weeks with "Someone Like You." It's now lengthy run at the top has me somewhat perplexed. The song is fine but...4 weeks at #1? Really?

3. Where Them Girls At - David Guetta feat. Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj

Further proving his elite status among current hitmakers, David Guetta nabs yet another top 10 hit with the #3 debut of "Where Them Girls At." That gives him two top 10 hits at the moment, as his "Sweat" remix with Snoop Dogg falls a notch to #6.

9. Nobody's Perfect - Jessie J

Jessie J scores her third top 10 hit as "Nobody's Perfect" climbs 9 notches to #9. I expect it will continue to climb as the single gets additional promotion. The singer is definitely this year's hottest new act and has successfully crossed over to the US with her last single, "Price Tag," which may eventually reach the Billboard top 10.

10. I Need a Dollar - Aloe Blacc

American R&B singer Aloe Blacc scores his first top 10 hit with "I Need a Dollar." It's a cool song that manages to sound both retro and modern. With its soulful vocal and modern beat, it reminds me a lot of the sound of Moby's 1999 album, Play. The song is featured over the opening credits of HBO show How to Make It in America.

12. Give Me Everything - Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer

It's been awhile since Pitbull's had a hit of his own. He was #1 about a month ago on Jennifer Lopez's "On the Floor," and reached the top 10 last year as guest on Alexandra Burke's "All Night Long," Usher's "DJ Got Me Falling in Love" and Enrique Iglesias's "I Like It." But his own recent single, "Hey Baby (Drop it to the Floor)," stalled at #38. In contrast, "Give Me Everything" is pretty hot: rocketing up 13 notches this week, it's poised to reach the top 10 next week. If it can do that, it will give the rapper his third proper top 10 hit.

16. I Can - Blue

Remember Blue? They were a late-breaking boyband from 2001 that managed a string of 11 top 10 hits between then and 2004, include three #1s. Their members embarked on solo careers of varying success, collectively scoring 12 top 40 hits, but few top 10s. Now they reunite for that annual European tradition known as Eurovision, carrying the flag for Britain with this entry, which will also serve as the first single from their forthcoming comeback album. Surely a Blue comeback was just what everyone has been waiting for this year.

21. Time - Chase & Status feat. Delilah

Chase & Status offer up another great dance track, "Time," which climbs 17 spots this week. It's the duo's fourth top 40 hit.

Billboard Hot 100, May 14, 2011

1. E.T. - Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

Katy Perry's "E.T." extends its run at #1 to 5 weeks, just a week shy of the 6 weeks she spent at #1 with "California Gurls," the first Teenage Dream single. The albums four singles have now collectively spent 17 weeks at #1. That puts the album second among the nine albums to have four or more #1 hits. In first place is Usher's Confessions, whose four #1 hits collectively spent 28 weeks at #1. The three #1 hits from Black Eyed Peas' The E.N.D. also spent 28 weeks at #1 collectively. Mariah Carey's Daydream comes close to this, with 26 weeks at #1 between its three #1s.

2. Rolling in the Deep - Adele

Adele holds at #2 this week. The single is #2 on Digital Songs, #7 on Radio Songs (entering the top 10 this week) and #1 at iTunes. I think she has a good shot at #1 next week.

3. Till the World Ends - Britney Spears

Britney climbs 8 notches to #3, earning this week's Digital Gainer, thanks to the new remix of this song featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha. This is Spear's 3rd consecutive top 5 hit (7th overall).

5. The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars

Speaking of top 5 hits, Bruno Mars earns his fifth as "The Lazy Song" climbs a notch to #5. I'm still not really feeling this song. It's okay. I liked his other singles a lot more.

38. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock

LMFAO charges into the top 40 at #38, up 14 notches. The single--currently #1 in the UK--is their first to reach the top 40, not counting the two singles they appeared on as guest vocalists.

Personal Chart, May 6, 2011

Thankfully, I'm done traveling for a couple weeks.

May New Album Releases

I'm going from vacation last week to work travel this week. That doesn't leave me much time to catch up, so this won't be as pretty as it usually is.

Highlights

Lady Gaga - Born This Way (May 23). Lady Gaga releases her second full-length album (third if you count Fame Monster as an album, which I think is reasonable). It's easily the most anticipated release of the year. The title track was an instant hit earlier this year, spending 6 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, while the second single, "Judas," debuted in the top 10. Sure she's being dogged by detractors who don't like the cover and claim she's ripping off Madonna or offending the church--but that's the kind of controversy that makes big pop stars stand apart from the pack, along with top-notch production and hooks, which I expect she'll deliver in droves.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (May 2). The folksy Seattle band, whose lushly layered 2008 eponymous debut was a big hit with critics, tee up their second album. The band has said this second album would be more psychedelic and less pop-based. The last time I heard a band say that was MGMT with their second album, which I didn't enjoy as much as their first, but I'm still hoping this will be good, having enjoyed their first album, as well as works by other similar artists like Bon Iver.



Jennifer Lopez - Love? (May 2). After being pushed back from April (and originally a year ago), this will finally, finally, finally see a release. If you're hoping it will include the two singles she released a year ago, don't hold your breath. Despite having been #1 dance hits, "Fresh Out the Oven" and "Louboutins" failed to connect with the mainstream, so they have been discarded. It does include Lopez's biggest hit in about 8 years, the international smash "On the Floor" with Pitbull, as well as her new single with Lil Wayne, "I'm Into You." Sporting production from big names like Tricky Stewart, RedOne and Stargate, Lopez is gunning for a hit with this one, which, ironically, she doesn't need as much these days, considering her burgeoning TV career on American Idol.

Other releases

Stevie Nicks - In Your Dreams (May 3). Fleetwood Mac singer releases her seventh album.

The Cars - Move Like This (May 10). The notable '80s band returns with their seventh album.

Friendly Fires - Pala (May 16). British rock band releases their second album, the follow-up to their eponymous debut that offered up great songs like "Paris."

Moby - Destroyed (May 16). The bald wizard of techno returns with his tenth album, recorded late at night in hotels while on tour.

Mona - Mona (May 16). Buzz-generating American alternative band releases its first album.

The Pierces - You and I (May 23). New York sisters Catherine and Allison Pierce have been putting out albums since 2000, but make a ploy for mainstream success with this set, produced by Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman.

Matthew Morrison - Matthew Morrison (May 29). Glee star releases his debut.

Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys (May 31). Seven appears to be the lucky number this month, as the alternative band releases their seventh album.

Personal Chart, April 30, 2011

Essential Albums of the '80s: John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy (1980)

Double Fantasy was released November 17, 1980, just 3 weeks before John Lennon was murdered. Although some initial reviews regarded the album as rather self-indulgent, as Lennon's final musical statement, it was critic-proof, becoming a major hit album and winner of the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

As its title suggests, Double Fantasy is a double album of sorts, an apparent collaboration between husband and wife, although they never perform together on any song--half the songs are written and performed by him and the other half by her, with the tracks generally alternating between them. Thus, they form a sort of "call and response," most evident on Lennon's "I'm Losing You" followed by Ono's "I'm Moving On," as well as "Beautiful Boy" (Lennon) and "Beautiful Boys" (Ono).

Although their intention was to showcase their happy marriage, the result really shows what an amazing pop talent Lennon was (and Ono was not). His knack for pop songcraft shines on #1 hits like "(Just Like) Starting Over" with its bright '50s bounce, and "Woman," a layered tune that's a rather sweet love song ("woman, I know you understand the little child inside your man"). Although clearly sentimental, even his "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" comes off not as sappy but as sweet and even a little sad when you consider it means he never got to see his son grow up.

In contrast, Ono's more avant garde style refuse to be turned into good pop music, and many of her songs come across as off-kilter filler. "Kiss Kiss" features her weird babble and finishes with her reaching orgasm. While his "Beautiful Boy" is lovely and melodic, her "Beautiful Boys" sounds kind of creepy (and what mother muses that her son will feel empty at age 40?). Her only entry that I kind of like is "Give Me Something," which, while a bit brash for this album, has a good bass beat with layered acoustic and synth melodies.

Best: (Just Like) Starting Over, Woman, Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy), Watching the Wheels, Give Me Something

Essential Albums of the '80s: Barbra Streisand - Guilty (1980)

The Bee Gee's Barry Gibb is so essential to the sound of Barbra Streisand's Guilty that he earned himself a spot on the album's cover. Even though the work itself is solely credited to Streisand, this really is a collaboration, and the Bee Gee's signature pop sound is unmistakable throughout. Dramatic "Woman in Love" was a #1 hit, while "Guilty" and "What Kind of Fool" both reached the top 10. "Guilty," a duet with Gibb, is a particularly nice slice of breezily romantic 1980s pop. It won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo/Group. A lot of the music here is in that vein--laid back, groovy love songs. Things get a little funkier on "Promises," and "Life Story" is a bold mix of guitar, brass and synths. But mostly it's the love ballads with their soaring strings that make this album memorable, like "What Kind of Fool," another Gibb duet, and "The Love Inside," which threatens to climb the raptors but actually manages to reign itself in as a nicely understated love song. The team-up with Gibb proved a major success for Streisand, making Guilty her most successful album.

Best: Guilty, Woman in Love, What Kind of Fool

Hiatus

I'm on vacation this week, so I don't expect to post anything other than this weekend's Essential Albums of the '80s post until the following weekend.

Album Review: Glee: The Music Presents - The Warblers (4/5)

Glee has churned out a quite a few fun songs, but it hasn't produced a true album until now. The previous Glee releases--all collections of songs from the previous few episodes aired--sound like the soundtracks that they are: a mixed bag of styles and quality. The Warblers is different, for it focuses only on the music of Blaine Anderson and the Dalton Academy Warblers, who are, in real life, actor/singer Darren Criss and the Tufts University Beelzebubs, an a cappella men's singing group. Thus it sounds not just like a soundtrack, but an actual album, since it adheres to a more consistently style musically--that of the mostly a cappella Warblers--with Darren Criss doing lead vocal duty on almost all the tracks (Chris Colfer gets a few leads too, but this is Criss's show).

Let's pause a moment and consider Mr. Criss. Remember that episode when her first appeared singing Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream?" That remains one of the series best moments, and this set is wise to capitalize on it by putting that track front and center. From there we get the rather fun a cappella renditions of Train's "Hey, Soul Sister" and Destiny's Child's "Bills, Bills, Bills." A lot of the fun of this album is trying to discern to what extent its sound are instruments or clever vocal acrobatics. Clearly there's quite a lot of the latter--another reason why musically this set is a cut above what we've gotten previously from Glee.

Glee recently showed that it could hold its own with original songs, and it's a shame there aren't any here. Instead we get mostly top 40 covers, which is fun, but wouldn't it be great to hear what The Warblers could come up with on their own? At least there are some bonus gems that haven't appeared on the show, like a stirring remake of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know," which I think is slated to appear in a future episode, and the album-only tracks "What Kind of Fool" (Barbra Streisand) and "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" (Rod Stewart). These are all great and make up for the album's few low points, such as "Silly Love Songs." The songs that Colfer leads or shares with Criss are largely not as compelling either, save for "Candles," which has some really lovely melodies.

Mark Salling and Matthew Morrison are the first Glee stars to release solo albums, but I think Darren Criss will likely be in the pike quite soon (along with Lea Michele, who is also such a fantastic performer).

Best: Teenage Dream, Somewhere Only We Know, Bills Bills Bills, Hey Soul Sister, Raise Your Glass.

Personal Chart, April 23, 2011

Billboard Hot 100, April 30, 2011

1. S&M - Rihanna (feat. Britney Spears)

Madonna. Whitney Houston. Mariah Carey. Janet Jackson. That's the list of the biggest female pop stars of all time. That circle widens today to admit a new member: Rihanna. With "S&M," Rihanna joins the elite club of 10 artists that have scored 10 or more #1 hits on the Hot 100. She is, of course, the 5th female artist to do so. The other five are groups or men: The Beatles, Elvis, Michael Jackson, The Supremes, and Stevie Wonder.

Rihanna amassed her 10 #1s in a pretty short period of time. The Beatles got theirs in a mere 20 months, but among the ladies, Rihanna wins the race. Janet: 15 years between "When I Think fo You" and "All for You." Madonna: 8 years between "Like a Virgin" and "This Used to Be My Playground." Whitney: 6 years between "Saving All My Love for You" and "I Will Always Love You." Mariah: 5 years and 6 months between "Vision of Love" and "One Sweet Day." Rihanna? She comes in at just under 5 years between "SOS" and "S&M"--how appropriately similar these songs are titled.

Britney Spears deserves some credit for giving Rihanna an assist. It was sales of the new remix with Spears that sent the single over the top this week (and made the song this week's Digital Gainer). Billboard is listing this track now as "Rihanna featuring Britney Spears," so I suppose we can also count this as Spears' fifth #1 hit.

2. E.T. - Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

Perry falls a notch to #2, but is still a strong gainer, earning this week's Airplay Gainer. The song has over 14,000 spins at top 40 radio. I don't think I've ever seen a song get so much airplay. It's possible she'll top 15,000. There must be more top 40 stations these days. That's really impressive airplay.

6. Rolling in the Deep - Adele

Adele climbs 4 spots to #6 with "Rolling in the Deep." Something I should mention about her that has nothing to do with the Hot 100....So much attention on 21 lately, but I think 19 deserves some mention too. That album debuted at #1 in Britain in 2008, yet it's sold more copies this year than it did 3 years ago and has spent twice as much time in the top 10 in 2011 than it did in 2008. Considering that is has no current singles--and hasn't for years--that's really impressive. For a new album to be so popular as to serve for very effective promotion of an old album is pretty impressive. 21 was #1 in the US last week, but falls to #2 this week because of Foo Fighters (who also took the #1 spot from Adele in Britain). 19 isn't nearly as popular in the US--it is #42 this week.

10. Judas - Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga debuts at #10 with "Judas," the follow-up single to her recent #1 "Born This Way," which falls out of the top 10 this week. "Judas" is the Lady's 9th top 10 hit. It's #10 debut isn't as impressive as the #1 debut of her last single, but it's still not bad. "Born This Way" had an unusual chart run--that doesn't mean "Judas" can't have a more normal but still impressive one.

24. Price Tag - Jessie J feat. B.o.B

Jessie J makes an impressive jump, up 16 notches to #24. It's top 40 airplay isn't growing so fast these days, but could turn around.

Singles Serving

Judas - Lady Gaga. Clearly the big new single of the week. Lady Gaga returns with the second helping from her upcoming album, Born This Way. It's edgier than "Born This Way," although still very much in her usual vein of electro-dance pop. This "Bad Romance" only a bit dirtier ("Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind"). Definitely another winner.

Turning Tables - Glee Cast feat. Gwyneth Paltrow. Gwyneth Paltrow tackles an album track from Adele's 21 and manages to pull the song off quite well. It makes me hope Adele releases this as a single soon. Such a beautiful song. It is odd that I think Gwyneth sounds a bit like Chris Colfer?

Unorthodox - Wretch 32 feat. Example. Wretch 32 is the year's hottest new British rapper. He hit #5 earlier this year with "Traktor" and returns with this superior single. It doesn't move the Earth, but it's enjoyable enough upbeat hip-hop track with a little taste of reggae melody underpinning it.

Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair - Arctic Monkeys. Remember when Arctic Monkeys delivered tight little explosive bombs masquerading as rock songs? Well, they don't do that anymore. Not that this is a bad song--the deep bass guitar growl recalls '90s-style alternative--but they aren't as much fun anymore. This is the first single from their upcoming fourth album.

Telling the World - Taio Cruz. This song is pretty cheesy, but I actually kind of enjoy it. Taio Cruz backed with piano and soaring synth-based melodies is a winning enough combination. Then the chimes come in...and you know you're in for the kind of song that works well in advertisements. It is, after all, from the soundtrack to the film Rio. Enjoy it for what it is.

Stop and Stare - Fenech-Soler. Fenech-Soler is a British electropop group from Northhamptonshire (isn't that a great name for a place to be from?). Not a bad bit of dance pop. Still, it's a genre that's been worked over of late, and while enjoyable, this isn't adding anything new to the conversation.

Glee, "A Night of Neglect"

It's Gleefully good week. The Warblers' Glee album is pretty great, but I'll get to that later (like hopefully before the end of the week).

New Directions needs to raise funds for traveling to Nationals. They agree to also help the academic club, which most of the kids and Will didn't realize was made up of Mike, Artie, Tina and...Brittany. Will wants them to sell saltwater taffy as a fundraiser. If finances weren't hurdle enough, Sue calls on the Vocal Adrenaline coach, Dustin (hottie 30 Rock guest star Cheyenne Jackson), Will's predatory predecessor and Will's ex-wife Terri to concoct a plot to bring Will down. Will's girlfriend Holly (the ever fabulous Gwyneth Paltrow) convinces Will to hold a "Night of Neglect" fundraiser, during which they will honor neglected musicians.

Vocal Adrenaline member Sunshine Corazon (Charice) shows up and offers to help New Directions sell tickets for their fundraiser. The kids are skeptical that she's trying to derail them, but give her chance to try out.

Emma tells Will that Carl has left her and asked for an annulment. It's caused her OCD tendencies to resurface in a big way. He consoles her but doesn't notice Holly looking in from outside the window--and she doesn't look happy about it. Holly then dresses up as Wallace Simpson (!) for her class after which Dustin hits on her. Will sees and doesn't look happy about it. It leads to a little tiff and Holly backs out of doing a duet with Will at the benefit.

Mercedes decides to do Aretha Franklin and then turns diva, insisting on a green room stocked with green M&Ms, humidifiers and a puppy (for drying her hands) and uses Lauren as a sort of interpreter for speaking with Rachel. How very odd.

Kurt brings Blaine to McKinley High to show him around the school before the benefit when they run into the closeted gay football player. Santana shows up and lays the smack down on him. Sunshine tweets that she's not going to the benefit and neither will any of her 600+ friends she promised would show up. Despite that, the show must go on. Tina performs first, but gets booed off the stage by Sue's hecklers.

Holly levels with the hecklers and tries to get them to turn their energy into cheering. They all decide to take off instead, but at least they aren't booing New Directions anymore. When it's time for Mercedes to go on she's missing; Rachel finds her sulking in her car, upset that she's not as big a star as Rachel. Rachel gives her a pep talk to convince her to go inside and sing.

Holly gives an emotional performance of Adele's "Turning Tables," followed by the finale performance by Mercedes. Afterward Holly breaks Will's heart when she tells him she's moving on to Cleveland for a new job and breaks up with him, but not before giving him a push to get with Emma. His "come back and visit" plea leaves the door open for some future guest turns from Paltrow (good idea).

Not a bad episode, but not really a standout either. The gimmick of having lots of guest stars meant that Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't used as much as she could've been.

Songs:

All By Myself (Eric Carmen/Celine Dion) - Sunshine. Sunshine tackles the Celine arrangement of this epic lovelorn ballad. She nails the big note (if you know the song--you know the one). She's good, but I don't see that this performance adds much to the show, considering that she's not a very interesting character. Then Mike dances, and the hecklers are silenced by spiced taffy.

I Follow Rivers (Lykke Li) - Tina. Bold song choice, as Lykke Li isn't particularly mainstream, although her album has gotten good buzz. Too bad we didn't get to hear much of it.

Bubble Toes (Jack Johnson) - Mike Change. Mike does a dance-only performance. He's really good although the part where he dances with a mop is kinda bizarre.

Turning Tables (Adele) - Holly. Gwyneth deserves some major credit for tackling an Adele song. That's not easy. And she sounds great on it. Performance of the night.

Ain't No Way (Aretha Franklin) - Mercedes. Wow. Mercedes looks stunning. And backed by a gospel choir too (where did they come from?). Definitely soul-stirring.

Line of the week (Dustin): "I'm handsome, good looking and easy on the eyes. Also, I'm gorgeous."

New Beyonce Single Leaked

Beyonce's new single, "Girls (Who Run the World)" has leaked. Billboard has it here. My first impression is...not good. It's quite a mess, and I don't hear a good hook in there. The lead single from her last album was so great.

UK Singles Chart, April 23, 2011

1. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock

LMFAO scores their first official #1 hit as "Party Rock Anthem" ascends to the top of the chart this week. They appeared as guest vocalists on David Guetta's "Gettin' Over You," but now can claim a #1 hit as headliners. One of the featured singers on this track has an X Factor connection: Lauren Bennett was one-half of the duo Fusion that was rejected during the third season boot camp.

3. E.T. - Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

Katy Perry climbs three spots to #3, making "E.T." the fourth single from Teenage Dream to reach the top 3. Three is a magic number for Perry. In addition to "Teenage Dream," the two singles she lended guest vocals to in 2009 both peaked at #3 (3Oh!3's "Starstrukk" and Timbaland's "If We Ever Meet Again").

4. Sweat - Snoop Dogg vs. David Guetta

Snoop Dogg's "Sweat" climbs 5 notches to #4. After "Signs," which peaked at #2, this is the second-highest Snoop Dogg has charted aside from featured appearances.

6. Someone Like You - Adele

Adele edges down three more spots on the singles chart, but the big news for her is the end of her consecutive run at #1 on the albums chart, as she sees 21 fall to #2 after 11 weeks at #1, as the Foo Fighters' Wasting Light becomes the first new #1 album since late January.

7. S&M - Rihanna

After spending a week outside the top 10, "S&M" rebounds up 5 notches to #7.

8. Beautiful People - Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi

Chris Brown jumps 12 notches to #8 with "Beautiful People," which becomes his 7th top 10 hit. It follows "Yeah 3X," which hit #6.

14. Judas - Lady Gaga

Since this was released Friday, she only got 2 days of sales in, but that's enough to make "Judas" debut at #14. As great as that sounds, remember that "Born This Way" was similarly released on a Friday and debuted at #3--although then it never managed to climb any higher.

WA Post: Listening to every No. 1 song. Ever.

The Washington Post has a story today by a writer who listened to every Hot 100 #1 hit (all 1,001 of them) and then wrote about the experience. For pop music/chart fans, it's a real treat. The observations are interesting, particularly the one about how the musical trends that define various eras aren't necessarily reflected in what hits #1. The '90s are a good example. I think most people would agree that alternative rock was very central to the sound of '90s music, yet not a single #1 hit came of that genre, as the Hot 100's #1 spot was dominated by adult contemporary, soft R&B and rap for most of the '90s.

Album Reviews

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (4/5). Foo Fighters are another band that have been around a long time that I never really got into. Sure, I'd heard their big hit singles ("Big Me," "Best of You," "The Pretender"), but I've never listened to one of their albums before. So I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Wasting Light, the group's seventh studio album. Dave Grohl and company excel at muscular guitar rock that doesn't need to result to trends and tricks to be enjoyable. Songs like "Bridge Burning" and "A Matter of Time" have a frenetic pace fueled by tight guitar melodies and drum rhythms. "White Limo" rocks even harder with distorted, screeching vocals. "These Days," a relatively softer moment, seems like a sure bet for a future single, as does uplifting "Walk." The album was produced by Bruce Vig, who helmed Nirvana's Nevermind, but hasn't produced a Foo Fighters album before. That makes somber "I Should Have Known" as close as a Nirvana reunion as possible, since it also features Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and lyrically addresses the death of Kurt Cobain. Best: Bridge Burning, These Days, I Should Have Known, Rope, Walk.

Bill Callahan - Apocalypse (3/5). Apocalypse is a mixed bag of an album with some definite strengths and weaknesses. In the former category, is the singer's voice, which is deep and smooth--very appealing. I also like the rootsy guitar melodies, which I find very compelling on the opening tracks, "Drover" and "Baby's Breath." The album fails, however, when it tries to tackle protest music, such as the plodding "America!," which includes a cringe-worthy listing of notable global conflict zones of the last 40 years. I'm all for popular music tackling politics, but I think it can be done in a more interesting way than lyrics like "Afghanistan, Vietnam, Iran, Native American (spoken to sound like "con")." He slows the tempo down on the next couple of tracks, the second of which, the rather lovely "Riding for the Feeling," restores my faith in the album. Best: Drover, Baby's Breath, Riding for the Feeling.

Essential Albums of the 80s: Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

A lot of '80s rock music sounds relatively tame to my post-grunge ears. Appetite for Destruction not so much. Guns N' Roses blustery 1987 debut was a sharp shot of adrenaline for hard rockers softened by too much makeup and too many synthesizers. "It's So Easy" has guitar and bass interplay that reminds me of a lot of '90s music. It was their first single, although not a hit. "Welcome to the Jungle," the band's second single was their breakthrough, signaling their shameless, high-energy style. "Nightrain," has a musical guitar melody courtesy of the band's guitarist Slash--one of few rock musicians that's not a singer to become a mainstream name himself. The band's other big name, its lead singer Axl Rose, sings with raspy mania, which he barely reigns in, even on the group's #1 hit, the more genteel love song, "Sweet Child O' Mine," or its radio-friendly follow-up hit "Paradise City." As explosive as this debut was, the band's subsequent career was underwhelming. After the epic two-part punch of 1991's Use Your Illusion albums, the band released a covers album and then didn't produce another album for 15 years, 2008's Chinese Democracy.

Best: Sweet Child O' Mine, Paradise City, It's So Easy, Welcome to the Jungle

Personal Chart, April 16, 2011

Single Serving

S&M (Remix) - Rihanna featuring Britney Spears. Musically this is a "soft" remix that sounds mostly like the original. The big difference is the addition of Britney Spears, turning a softcore fetishist tease of a pop song into the latest girl-on-girl come on. Britney's no stranger to that of course. Just as the song might start to fade on the charts, this fresh remix ensures it will stick around awhile longer. Great idea.

Don't Turn Out the Lights - NKOTBSB. New Kids on the Block plus Backstreet Boys equals the first ever boyband supergroup. I guess these guys are serious about their reunion efforts which, in the case of NKOTB amounted to a popular tour, but a not very successful album, and in the case of Backstreet Boys--who have actually been reunited for 6 years now--has definitely flagged after a promising start. So why not join forces? Sure, Donnie Wahlberg has a popular TV show, Blue Bloods, but it's not a hit series (yet), so he's got to keep the bread and butter alive. I've seen the press swoon over this, but frankly, Take That re-wrote the book on mature boyband music with Progress and this first joint offering pales in comparison to anything on that disc. Fun, but not a keeper.

Sweat (Remix) - Snoop Dogg vs. David Guetta. Snoop Dogg is back on the pop charts big time. First he teamed up with Katy Perry on last year's biggest summer hit, "California Gurls," and now he joins forces with DJ-Producer David Guetta to deliver spring's biggest club jam. I'm quite enjoying this--best Guetta track since "When Love Takes Over."

Beautiful People - Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi. Speaking of dance jams, Chris Brown takes his urban sound to the dance floor on this track from F.A.M.E. He's still on my s**tlist, but I can't deny this is great dance track. "Yeah 3X" may have been pretty bland, but he's quickly proving that this album has much to offer.

I Wrote the Book - Beth Ditto. A freebie on iTunes this week that's actually pretty decent. She exudes quite a bit of personality on this early-to-mid '80s-loving dance pop track. Check out the video, which pays homage to Madonna's "Justify My Love" and "Vogue" vids:

UK Singles Chart, April 16, 2011

1. On the Floor - Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull

Congratulations to J.Lo as she extends her run at #1 a second week. It's the first time she's managed to do so, since "Love Don't Cost a Thing" and "Get Right" each spent a solitary week at #1. That's still far less time she's spent at the top than with her American #1s, among which her shortest run was 4 weeks with "All I Have."

2. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO

Britons must be gearing up for Easter holiday, as the dance tunes are ruling the chart this week. LMFAO climbs a notch to #2, and several party-friendly tracks move into the top 10 this week.

3. Someone Like You - Adele

It looks like Adele's time at #1 for "Someone Like You" has passed; however, her 21 retains its hold at #1 on the albums chart for an 11th consecutive week, just 1 week behind the 12-week record set by Bob Marley's Legend. I imagine this will be it's last week at the top (for now) as The Foo Fighters will present the best chance yet to end her reign.

5. E.T. - Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

Katy Perry climbs 7 notches to #5, making "E.T." the fourth consecutive top 5 hit from Teenage Dream. Including her two featured appearance singles, she's now had 8 top 5 hits.

6. Buzzin - Mann feat. 50 Cent

Mann climbs 5 spots to #6 with "Buzzin'," scoring his first top 10 hit. I really like this song, which makes liberal use of Portland, Oregon-based Nu Shooz's 1986 hit "I Can't Wait," which reached #2.

9. Sweat - Snoop Dogg vs. David Guetta

Snoop "Doggy" Dogg scores his third top 10 hit as a lead performer with "Sweat," a remixed, radio-friendly version of hits current single "Wet." The track is courtesy of DJ extraordinaire David Guetta, who is no stranger to the top 10.

20. Beautiful People - Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi

Even Chris Brown has the dance music bug with his decidedly uptempo track from F.A.M.E. debuting this week at #20. Along with his previous single "Yeah 3X" at #19 and his collaborations with Chipmunk at #26 ("Champion") and T-Pain at #40 ("Best Love Song"), he's one of two acts with four entries in the top 40 this week. The other? His ex, Rihanna, who also has two singles in the top 20--"S&M" at #12 and "All of the Lights (with Kanye West)" at #15--plus David Guetta's "Who's That Chick" at #28 and "Only Girl" at #38.

32. Girls Fall Like Dominoes - Nicki Minaj

Minaj scores her fourth top 40 hit. Go Nicki!

Essential Albums of the 80s: Bruce Springsteen - Born in the USA (1984)

"The time are tough now, just getting tougher" begins Springsteen on "Cover Me," the second track of Born in the USA. It sounds like a statement more apt for the '10s than the '80s which, after all, was the decade of excess. But despite the public's interest in Wall Street portfolios and shows like Dynasty, Springsteen kept the fire burning for the everyday working man, making the themes of class struggle his bread and butter. Compared to his previous work, Born in the USA takes a lighter approach musically even as it adheres to his typically gritty themes. Thus you get "Born in the USA," a defiant-sounding slice of synth-scored pop rock that has been (often inappropriately) appropriated by political campaigns that hear the song's refrain and think "patriotism" while missing its bitter message about the illusion of the American dream.

While social commentary creeps through many of its songs, so does the pursuit of romance, through which he finds success on "Cover Me," but ends up in the slammer at the end of the lively "Working on the Highway." Springsteen infuses a lot of sex appeal in his songs too, whether its the edgy romanticism of downbeat "I'm on Fire" or the propulsive vitality of "Dancing the Dark," the song that became the singer's biggest hit. Romance of a different sort combines with social commentary on "My Hometown," which chronicles the plight of a small town in decline while balancing the economic desire to leave with the nostalgic desire to stay.

I wouldn't generally consider myself a big Springsteen fan, although I am somewhat familiar with his more recent albums. That said, I really like Born in the USA, and its whetted my appetite to hear more of his earlier work. I appreciate that it managed to appeal both to the masses and the music critics--something few albums seem to do these days. That it scored a very impressive seven top 10 hits (a feat managed by only two other albums ever), makes it all the more notable, especially since he'd had only one top 10 hit prior.

Best: Dancing in the Dark, Born in the USA, I'm on Fire, Cover Me, Glory Days, My Hometown

Album Reviews

Katy B - On a Mission (3.5/5). Programming those late-night dance shows on Radio 1 just got a lot easier. All that's necessary is to insert Katy B's debut album and press play. Over these 12 tracks, she explores a variety of contemporary and (recently) retro dance styles, including dubstep, garage, drum 'n' bass, etc. I'm not enough of dance music expert to tell which is which, but I do recognize the differences in the familiar sounds. The more upbeat tracks--"Katy on a Mission," "Lights On," "Power on Me"--contrast nicely with the mellower ones like "Movement" and closing downbeat track, "Hard to Get," during which she graciously thanks everyone who made her album possible. The perfect 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. soundtrack. Best: Lights On, Katy on a Mission, Why You Always Here, Movement.

Elbow - Build a Rocket Boys (3.5/5). With their last album, alternative band Elbow jumped a few notches up the popularity ruler going from modest success and a respectable following to enviable success and a mainstream following thanks to the success of The Seldom Seen Kid, which won the Mercury Award and went double-platinum in the UK. I enjoyed that album, but wasn't blown away by it, and my reaction to Build a Rocket Boys! is similar. I like the melodic build up on opening track "the birds," which is followed by the gentle optimism of "lippy kids." After those initial standouts, there's not much else that jumps out at me, although it's generally likeable, laid back rock. Best: the birds, lippy kids, with love.

Personal Chart, April 9, 2011

Billboard Hot 100, April 16, 2011

1. E.T. - Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

Katy Perry spends a second week at #1 with "E.T." Last week, I skipped a Hot 100 recap and instead wrote about her pretty amazing feat of having four #1 hits from one album, making Teenage Dream only the ninth album to ever do that. This week, it joins an even more exclusive club within that set, becoming one of just four albums with four #1 hits that all spent more than 1 week at #1, a feat she shares with George Michael's Faith, Mariah Carey and Usher's Confessions. As for Perry's guest star, Kanye West, this is his fourth #1 hit and his second as a guest performer after his first, "Slow Jamz" with Twista and Jamie Foxx. The track is this week's Airplay Gainer, and it's currently the fastest growing track at top 40, where it's gaining 2002 spins at present according to Mediabase. Surely it will also soon become her sixth #1 hit at top 40.

2. S&M - Rihanna
3. Just Can't Get Enough - Black Eyed Peas

Two singles are teed up to try to unseat Perry at #1. It will be a tough sell for either to accomplish this next week though. Perry is #1 at sales, #6 and airplay and the greatest gainer on both of those component charts. "S&M" is #1 at radio, but lagging behind the other two in sales. "Just Can't Get Enough" is second place at sales but not yet top 10 at radio. I think this all adds up to a third week at #1 for "E.T." next week.

6. Look at Me Now - Chris Brown feat. Lily Wayne & Busta Rhymes

"Look at Me Now" climbs a notch to #6. It's Chris Brown's 10th top 10 hit and his first since "Forever" hit #2 late in 2008. His last album, Graffiti, failed to chart any top 10 hits.

10. Rolling in the Deep - Adele

Adele scores her first US top 10 hit as "Rolling in the Deep" climbs 7 notches to #10. The single peaked at #2 in Britain, playing second-fiddle to her bigger #1 hit, "Someone Like You." Globally, "Rolling in the Deep" is the bigger single, having hit #1 in Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Switzerland.

Singles Serving

All of the Lights - Kanye West feat. Rihanna. Many more artist are featured on this track, but Rihanna's typically robotic vocal is the most prominent. With horns reminiscent of the Rocky theme and a propulsive rhythm section, it's one of the standout tracks from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Although the album continues to fail to produce a hit on par with "Gold Digger" or "Stronger," it's not the kind of album that really offers up pop hits--it's too deep for that. This is as close as he'll probably come to getting a big single from it.

Look at Me Now - Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes. I know I kind of made fun of this song last week by making it my April Fool's #1. But the joke may be on me. As much as I think that Chris Brown is a grade-A jerk (the fact that he titled his album "Forgiving All My Enemies" is further proof that he just doesn't get it), I can't help but like this song. The sparse, electro beats are fun, but the real appeal is in Busta Rhymes rapid-fire rapping skills, which are on impressive display here.

Girls Fall Like Dominoes - Nicki Minaj. This was a bonus track from Pink Friday, not included on all versions of the album (including the one I bought, unfortunately). The track is built around "Dominoes" by British electro-rock duo The Big Pink, making it a delightful merger of new wave-inspired indie pop and hip-hop.

Essential Albums of the '80s - Whitney Houston (1985)

It's been said that the '80s were the heyday of the blockbuster pop album. This was one of the biggest ones--the decade's best-selling album by a female artist and second best-selling debut album (behind Guns 'N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction). Whitney Houston wrote the book for crossover adult-leaning R&B/pop, a sound that would dominate pop music through the second half of the '80s and most of the '90s, paving the way for other similarly vocally gifted female artists like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Toni Braxton.

Musically, Whitney Houston adeptly dispatches both its ballads and uptempo tracks. Houston became known for her torchy love songs, and these were among her first and best. "You Give Good Love" set the stage, while "Saving All My Love for You" became her first #1 hit, on which she takes the unusual role of the anti-heroine persona "the other woman." "The Greatest Love of All" was the album's biggest hit ballad, but the lesser-known "All at Once" and "Hold Me," a song that first appeared on duet partner Teddy Pendergrass's 1984 album Love Language and was released as a single, are also good too.

The uptempo numbers on the album don't shine as bright as the ballads with one notable exception, "How Will I Know," a real knockout of a dance pop single. "Thinking About You" and "Someone for Me," while fun, don't hold a candle to its carefree pop perfection (Houston would do generally better uptempo material on her 1987 follow-up, Whitney). Although Jermaine Jackson was surely included for some name recognition, hits two collaborations are the album's weakest material, but "Take Good Care of My Heart" does add some needed energy among the album's many slow songs.

The album Whitney was my first exposure to Houston and, while for nostalgic reasons it will always hold a special place in my heart, I've come to appreciate Whitney Houston more and more as the years go by, and would probably recognize it as the superior of the two sets.

Best: How Will I Know, Saving All My Love for You, You Give Good Love, The Greatest Love of All, All at Once

UK Singles Chart, April 9, 2011

1. On the Floor - Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull

Jennifer Lopez claims the #1 crown form Adele with "On the Floor," her third #1 hit. After struggling to find a hit with her last album--her first to lack a top 10 hit--Lopez is back in a big way with this new single from her upcoming album Love?. The song features rapper Pitbull, who scored three top 10 hits last year as a featured artist, although this is his first appearance on a #1 hit. "On the Floor" moved 130,000 copies, the second-highest tally for a #1 hit so far this year behind Bruno Mars' 145,000 copies sold for "Grenade" during its first week at #1.

2. Someone Like You - Adele

Thus Adele's "Someone Like You" is knocked to #2, but it achieves the significant feat this week of becoming the year's best-selling single. On the albums chart, 21 extends its run at #1 to 10 consecutive weeks. In terms of consecutive weeks at #1, 21 is now tied for second place with Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms (1986) and Adam & the Ants' Kings of the Wild Frontier (1981). The record is held by Bob Marley's Legend (1984), which spent 12 consecutive weeks at #1. In terms of total weeks at #1, she's in a 6-way tie for 11th place; the leader is 15 weeks, shared by Phil Collins' ...But Seriously (1989) and Spice Girls' Spice (1996). Judging from the new release schedule, she should get 1 more week at #1 before she has to take on Foo Fighters.

3. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & Goon Rock

LMFAO made it to #1 last year as a featured artist on David Guetta's "Gettin' Over You." On their own, they reached the top 10 with "I'm in Miami Bitch" a few years ago. Now they are back with their biggest hit yet, "Party Rock Anthem," which climbs 19 notches to #3 this week.

8. Broken Record - Katy B

On the eve of the release of her debut album, On a Mission, Katy B scores her third top 10 hit. It follows "Katy on a Mission" and "Lights," which both reached the top 5.

12. E.T. - Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

Nice jump for Katy Perry and Kanye West as "E.T." glides up 17 notches to #12. Her last three singles peaked at #1, #2 and #3.

Album Review: Britney Spears - Femme Fatale (3.5/5)

Does Britney Spears have anything to say? That seems to be the big question hanging over much of her music. She sings a lot, but she never manages to say anything. The beats on Femme Fatale are cutting-edge and polished to perfection by a cadre of today's top pop producers, but when it comes to personality, Spears once again manages to inject very little into the admittedly already crowded mix.

Despite her lack of skills as a songwriter, when she's at least put the effort into co-writing her music, it's resulted in generally better albums, the apex of which was her 2003 set In the Zone, an album for which she co-wrote two-thirds of the tracks. Spears also did a little bit of writing for her last album, Circus (2008). But like her soulless 2007 set Blackout, Femme Fatale is written only by others, further emphasizing it as more a showcase for producer talent than for Spears herself. More often than not her thin, girly voice fades into the background of the mix rather than be supported by it.

But if you're just looking for some glossy pop production, Femme Fatale has it in spades. It is Spears' most dance-floor-ready work yet. "Hold It Against Me" and "Till The World Ends" have already proven their worth on the charts. They are produced by master hit-makers Dr. Luke, Max Martin (a Spears collaborator going all the way back to ...Baby One More Time) and Billboard, a new voice from Canada that has worked with Robyn and Ke$ha. These producers also helmed "Inside Out," a less propulsive but also enjoyable number that pushes out rolls of jittering, synth based melodies that wash over like waves in a digital ocean.

Martin teams up with Shellback for two of my favorite tracks. "I Wanna Go" is another dance floor stomper that's basically about nothing--Britney just wanting to dance herself into an orgasmic frenzy--but she delivers her line "shame on me to need release uncontrollably" in a manner to elicit at least a little smile. "Criminal" is the album's sharpest departure. It's the only song that approaches a slower pace. Lyrically, it's close to a story song, one in which the singer can't help but love a guy she knows is wrong for her. Its mix of acoustic guitar with electronic synths and beats recalls Madonna's Music, and its middle section flute solo is the most unexpected musical element on the album.

"How I Roll" is an interesting song. It's quite beat heavy and mostly minimalist, with a chant-like quality that serves to showcase the keyboard-driven choruses well. It's co-produced by Bloodshy of the Bloodshy & Avant team that has been one of Spears' most successful collaborators ("Toxic," "Piece of Me"). Avant writes but doesn't produce on this album; instead Bloodshy is working with Henrik Jonback and Magnus Lidehäll--all Swedes presumably. Their other contribution, "Trip to My Heart," is a journey that lacks inspiration.

My least favorite tracks are "Beautiful (Drop Dead)," which I find to be pretty tedious, although I do like the hip-hop bridge by newcomer Sabi, who raps in a style that seems obviously inspired by Nicki Minaj, and "Big Fat Bass," Spears' first collaboration with Will.I.Am. It's a match that doesn't prove to a fruitful, as the song just sounds like something Fergie could have done but took a pass on. "Gasoline" has a good chugging beat, but is fueled by petroleum-based metaphors that burn out quickly (he he).

So try as a I might, I just can't give this album 4 stars, although she comes real close. I've come around to enjoy her last album, which is comparatively more interesting and, for her at least, more personal. This album is almost as good and certainly better than Blackout and Britney, as well as her earliest teeny-pop work. However, seven albums in, Britney continues to deliver great songs but has still yet to record a truly great pop album. Many, myself included, keep hoping she has it in her, but with Femme Fatale she's still not there yet.

Best: Hold It Against Me, Till the World Ends, I Wanna Go, Criminal, How I Roll

Personal Chart, April 2, 2011

Personal Chart, April 1, 2011