UK Singles Chart, March 12, 2011

1. Someone Like You - Adele
2. Price Tag - Jessie J feat. B.o.B
3. S&M - Rihanna

Adele holds the top spot for a third week with "Someone Like You," the first single to stay at #1 for that long since X Factor winner Matt Cardle did so with "When We Collide" in December. Amazingly, her sales have actually increased each week: 112k 2 weeks ago, 115k last week and 116k this week. Her album 21 also holds the top spot on the albums chart for a sixth week, tying the recent 6-week run at #1 by Take That's Progress. Such a long spell atop the albums chart is rare. Eminem spent 7 weeks at #1 last year with Recovery, but it took four turns to reach that total. The last album to spend more consecutive weeks at #1 was Michael Jackson, who topped the chart for 7 weeks with The Essential Michael Jackson in the summer of 2009 just after his death. The last living artist to have that many consecutive weeks at #1 was Leona Lewis, who spent the last 7 weeks of 2007 at #1 with Spirit.

It's a static top 3 with Jessie J holding at #2, giving her a fifth week in the top 2, and Rihanna at #3.

4. Born This Way - Lady Gaga

Just when it starts looking bad for this single, it gets its second wind. After dropping 5 spots last week, Lady Gaga rebounds to #4 with "Born This Way." In the US, her airplay at top 40 had started to wane, but then turned around and is growing strong again. Once the video is out, it should give the song an extra push, although #1 is very much a longshot at this point.

22. Rope - Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters are back, but don't make a very big splash, debuting at #22 with "Rope," the first single from their upcoming album. Their last major hit was "The Pretender," which hit #8 in 2007.

30. Kidz - Take That

Doesn't look like this will be a hit for them. Too bad. I still like it. It peaked at #28 last week. One three Take That singles have charted lower and those were their first three before they became really big.

40. Who You Are - Jessie J

Will this be Jessie J's "Someone Like You?" The title track of her new album, an acoustic ballad that closes the album, sneaks in as a cherry-picked track at #40.