1.(NEW) Don't Go - Wretch 32 (feat. Josh Kumra)
After a couple of ho-hum weeks, the British singles chart bounced back nicely this week with an exciting race to #1. Sales have slumped a bit--summer has delivered three #1 hits with 100,000+ copies sold in their first week, but Cheryl Lloyd's "Swagger Jagger" moved only about 67,000 and last week Nero's "Promises" had the year's lowest #1 sales tally of just under 47,000. Although I haven't seen the sales figures for this week yet, having three solid contenders for #1 meant that at least it was an interesting race this week.
The victor is British hip-hop artist Wretch 32, riding a nice upward trajectory that began with #5 hit "Traktor" from the beginning of the year and spring's #2 single, "Unorthodox." The appropriately summerly "Don't Go," his best single yet, continues this year's interesting trend of hip-hop/dance singles. Wretch 32 is the third BBC Sounds of 2011 longlister to score a #1 hit this year, coming directly after the second one (Nero).
2.(NEW) Heaven - Emeli Sandé
Emeli Sandé comes in at #2, which I can't help but feel a little disappointed about, since I adore the song, and would have loved to see it reach #1. This is Sandé's first solo single, although she has visited the top 10 twice before as a featured vocalist on Chipmunk's "Diamond Rings" (#6) and Wiley's "Never Be Your Woman" (#8).
3.(NEW) Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 (feat. Christina Aguilera)
I haven't been as excited about a Maroon 5 single in years. "Moves Like Jagger" rounds out an all new top 3 this week, hitting the same mark in Britain as the song achieved on the US Billboard Hot 100 this week. This is Maroon 5's third top 3 hit, tying the #3 placing of "This Love" and just short of #2 hit "Makes Me Wonder," their biggest UK release. For Aguilera, this is a return to form. From her 1999 debut to 2006, she scored 14 top 10 hits, but none in the last 5 years as her last album, Bionic, had pretty dismal chart prospects. Interesting that this is the second top 10 hit in recent weeks to pay tribute to Mick Jagger, after Cheryl Lloyd's recent #1 "Swagger Jagger."
6.(7) The A Team - Ed Sheeran
This single just won't give up, despite Sheeran having lined up its follow-up "You Need Me (I Don't Need You)," which I think is quite superior really to this song, which is okay, but I don't see why it's so appealing as to have become the oldest song in the top 10 and 17th-biggest hit so far this year.
18.(28) Marry You - Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars climbs 10 notches with his latest single, "Marry You," the follow-up to his recent #1, "The Lazy Song." This song isn't catching on the US, which surprises me, since it's another great release from Mars, covered memorably on the last season of Glee, which hit #51 earlier this year.
21.(37) Who's Laughing Now - Jessie J
22.(38) Wet - Nicole Scherzinger
Jessie J and Nicole Scherzinger make twin 16-spot leaps this week, both with the fourth singles from their respective albums. Both saw their prior three releases reach the top 10, with one #1 hit each. Hmm... This is sounding so curiously identical.
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