Chart Feed – 08.10.12

Remember when One Direction was slated to slay the charts with their new single? That didn’t quite happen.

This week the almighty British boy band’s latest release ‘Live While We’re Young’ missed the #1 position in Australia and the UK, which staggeringly is still supposed to be their biggest market.

Elsewhere, it has been a mad week for the likes of Taylor Swift, Muse, Rihanna and Ke$ha. On the horizon, peep new releases by Adelegend, Ellie Goulding, Reece Mastin, Cher Lloyd and Kids of 88.

– AUSTRALIA –

One Direction‘s ‘Live While We’re Young’ becomes the biggest selling new single in Australia, crashing in at #2 this week. Despite the record-breaking pre-order sales and endless fan gurl excitement, the single didn’t sell enough to dislodge Psy‘s ‘Gangnam Style’ from the #1 position.

‘Gangnam Style’ clocks its second week on top of our ARIA charts, now certified double platinum sales of over 140,000 copies.

Ke$ha‘s new single ‘Die Young’ enters at a meek #11 on our ARIA charts and #15 on the New Zealand charts this week. It’s not quite a news event now, is it? On the scale of zero (being dead boring) to 10 (like if Ke$ha were to tweet about menstrual cramps), I would rate this as a 2.5.

‘Die Young’ also made a meh effort on the US Billboard Hot 100, debuting at #13. It is the third biggest seller on the digital charts, pushing 188,000 first-week copies. ‘We R Who We R’ – which was the lead single from her last project Cannibal – managed to debut on top of the digital charts in 2010 with 280,000 downloads.

The song enters the US airplay charts at #46 this week, making it the second biggest new song on the airwaves (after Rihanna‘s ‘Diamonds’). Even though radio uptake for ‘Diamonds’ is greater than ‘Die Young’, Ke$ha still caned RiRi on the digital sales front.

Nicki Minaj‘s ‘Va Va Voom’ races in at #36 this week on the ARIA charts thanks to some strong radio uptake locally. Over in the UK, the single reaches a new peak of #20 in its fourth week – making this Onika’s fifth UK Top 20 hit as a lead artist.

The Collectives keep two of their X Factor live shows covers in the ARIA Top 100 this week: ‘Footloose’ locks itself at #61 in its second week while their spectacular cover of New Kids on The Block‘s ‘You Got It (The Right Stuff)’ debuts at #78. These lads deserve to take the crown – they are just that fucking good.

Elsewhere, Bella Ferraro also shows up twice with her cover of ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ placed at #75 this week and the last week’s cover of ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ debuting at #84.

Usher‘s ‘Numb’ quietly debuts at #66 in Australia this week. The song was an early hit in South Korea, debuting at #40 on the Gaon International Singles chart based on downloads alone when the album came out in June.

Pink‘s The Truth About Love holds the #1 spot on our ARIA album chart for the third consecutive week, aided by a quick promo tour.

Something For Kate‘s Leave Your Soul to Science is the second biggest new album in the land this week, entering at #5. The Melbourne band’s last effort was six years ago with Desert Lights, which managed to peak at #1 on the ARIA charts.

Cody Simpson‘s Paradise has shockingly missed the ARIA Top 30 this week, debuting at a discouraging #31. I had expected more from this twink, y’know given the amount of fan gurls he has? Maybe it was a mistake to go up against a One Direction single launch?

– UK –

Rihanna‘s ‘Diamonds’ issued a swift and victorious back hand on One Direction‘s ‘Live While We’re Young’ to debut at #1 this week. Both new releases were vying for the top of the UK singles chart, with 1D initially leading the race at the mid-weeks.

‘Diamonds’ managed to sell over 105,000 copies in its first week to become RiRi’s sixth chart topper. The track also went on a wig-snatching spree on the UK radio airplay charts last week, racing from #58 to #3 to be one of the most played new songs on air.

Over here in Australia, the Sia-penned smash lands at #8 on our ARIA charts but it’s set to pick up next week due to bucket loads of radio support. ‘Diamonds’ is the most added new song to Australian radios this week.

One Direction‘s ‘Live While We’re Young’ debuts at #3 in the UK this week and races to #2 on the airplay charts. I mean, the album is so fucking close to hitting shelves, I can actually understand if folks are just waiting for that.

Adele‘s ‘Let The Skyfall’ drops in at #4 on the UK charts with just two days worth of sales behind her. Bow down. ‘Skyfall’ was the biggest new entry on the UK radio airplay chart last week, entering at #26, which is pretty impressive for a Bond ballad. I can’t help but wonder where this would land if some other artist, like say the Pet Shop Boys, had been given the honour.

The epic ballad should race into the Top 5 in Australia, New Zealand and US next week. Adelephants have already sent the nouveau James Bond theme into the Australian iTunes Top 3 and to #1 position in the US and UK iTunes stores.

Ellie Goulding‘s quirky new single ‘Anything Could Happen’ debuts at #5 in the UK this week and astonishingly tops the airplay charts. Ain’t that some triumphant news? The album Halcyon is expected to raid the top of the UK charts next Monday.

Muse‘s new album 2nd Law busts in at #1 this week, making this the band’s fourth consecutive chart topping effort. Similarly winning success is also replicated in New Zealand where 2nd Law debuted at #1 and also here in Australia where it enters at an appropriate #2.

Ronan Keating‘s new album Fires suspiciously leaps to #40 in its fifth week today. Despite charming our idiot box every week on the X Factor, the Irishman’s album has fallen from #18 to #33 in Australia this week. The title track bows out of our ARIA Top 100.

After 13 weeks in the UK Airplay Top 30 – the following singles have been given a dignified wind down: The Killers‘ ‘Runaways’ (drops from #13 to #22), Amelia Lily‘s ‘You Bring Me Joy’ (wanes from #6 to #27), Pink‘s ‘Blow Me (One Last Kiss)’ (gets a kiss off from #11 to #29).

– US –

Mumford and Sons‘ Babel has predictably taken its winning streak all the way to the top of the US Billboard 200. It debuted straight in at #1 with 600,000 opening week sales – making it the biggest debut album sales in America so far this year.

Green Day‘s Uno managed to debut at #2 with 139,000 copies, which evidently is an entire continent away from what Mumford and Sons’ is working with.

No Doubt‘s Push and Shove debuts at #3 on the US Billboard 200, selling 115,000 opening week copies. The band’s last album Rock Steady lit up the box office with 225,000 first-week sales to debut at #9 in 2001. Checking south of the equator, Push and Shove plummets from #8 to #29 in Australia – no promo, no singles on the radio, no wonder. Over in New Zealand, the album slides from #11 to #26 in its second week.

Kanye West‘s G.O.O.D. Music Cruel Summer compilation slips from #2 to #7 in its second week, peddling just 55,000 copies. Down here in Australia, the album quickly sinks from #7 to #23.

Taylor Swift‘s ‘Begin Again’ tops the US Digital Song chart with 299,000 downloads. This is TayTay’s fifth digital chart topper and please try to act surprised when she does it all again this Thursday when the album’s title track ‘Red’ raids the US charts. ‘Begin Again’ is the highest charting new single on the Hot 100, debuting at #7.

Christina Aguilera‘s ‘Your Body’ embarrassingly tumbles from #34 to #64 in its second week. On the digital charts, ‘Your Body’ sinks from #10 to #34 and the curse of radio reluctance sees the song only managing to enter the airplay charts at #69 this week. BRB – putting on my muu muu and comforting this large double quarter pounder meal for poor Xtina.

Brandy‘s ‘Put It Down’ moves up to a new peak of #70 on the US Billboard Hot 100 this week. The slick urban single has impressively risen to #3 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts – fuck, if this goes #1, I’m gonna have to celebrate in some way. Even though I hate the song, it’s a win for Brandy nonetheless. Meanwhile, the follow up single ‘Wildest Dreams’ escalates from #100 to #68 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts.

Ciara‘s rather acceptable new ballad ‘Sorry’ shoots from #96 to #75 on the R&B/Hip Hop song chart. I hate when Ciara proves me wrong with a good mid-tempo.

Nicki Minaj‘s ‘Pound the Alarm’ is raising hell on top of the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play charts. Oh god, wouldn’t it be rich if Mariah‘s ‘Triumphant’ remixes (currently at #3) dethrone Nicki? Both stan groups have been steadily warring ever since the pair had their bust up on American Idol.

– NEW ZEALAND –

One Direction scores their first Kiwi chart topper this week with ‘Live While We’re Young’. I can’t believe that a teeny bopper pop nation like New Zealand has never had a #1 One Direction single before. Almost as unbelievable as me going sexless for two years and counting.

Side bar: New Zealand is the only country in the world, other than Ireland, to send ‘LWWY’ to the top of their national chart. Golf claps.

Rihanna‘s ‘Diamonds’ debuts at #5 in New Zealand this week. Fact: This is RiRi’s 12th Top 10 single in the country in the last three years. For some artists that would qualify for at least two greatest hits packages already, but not our hardworking Barbadian pop goddess.

Taylor Swift might as well be running the country. The young American music superstar has three singles in the New Zealand Top 20 this week: ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ continues to sell well in the Top 10, while the newest track ‘Red’ burns bright at #14, and last week’s track ‘Begin Again’ slides from #11 to #16.

Meanwhile up here in Australia, ‘Red’ – the title track of her forthcoming studio album – debuts at #30 this week in Australia while last week’s newbie ‘Begin Again’ falls to #22.

Lana Del Rey‘s irresistible modern day Belinda Carlisle ballad – ‘Summertime Sadness’ – clings to the Top 30 in its fourth week. Yet another example why I have a lot of time for the NZ charts.

Christina Aguilera‘s relatively untouched ‘Your Body’ unsurprisingly finds love on the New Zealand Top 40 this week, entering at a modest #35. It’s fucking daylight robbery that this song isn’t even in our ARIA Top 100 (heck, not even in our iTunes Top 100). Why have local radios avoided ‘Your Body’ like it was some puss-covered carcass?

Kids of 88 – this fantastic Kiwi electro pop band – sees their standout single ‘Lala’ rise back up to #40 on the NZ charts this week. Their new album Modern Love arrived on Friday and is on my list to listen this week. Should we expect this to bust through the NZ Top 3 next Monday?

Carly Rae Jepsen must’ve cast a spell on dem Kiwis because her Kiss album, which is rapidly vanishing off the charts everywhere else, remains in the NZ Top 10 for the third consecutive week.

Over in Australia, Kiss plummets from #27 to #40, but its keynote single ‘Call Me Maybe’ goes from strength to strength – now certified 8x platinum sales for over 320,000 copies. Its follow up with Owl City ‘Good Times’ is now pushing sales north of 210,000 copies.

– FUTURE FEED –

Cher Lloyd‘s Sticks and Stones is expected to at least make the ARIA Top 20 next week after some strong early sales, which saw the album peak at #10 on our Aussie iTunes store. The tracklisting here features new recordings including that naff new single ‘Oath’ and a shitty cover of Anjulie‘s ‘Stand Behind the Music’.

Bruno Mars‘ new single ‘Locked Out of Heaven’ becomes the second most added new song to Australian radios this week. It sounds like something you’d expect to come out of an old radio at some beach-side bar in Phuket. Summery background music.

Aussie X Factor winner Reece Mastin‘s third single ‘Rockstar’ becomes the third most added new song to local radios this week. He just announced title of his debut album as Beautiful Nightmare, prompting a thundering chorus of “bitch, please”s from Beyoncé stans across the land.

Katie Melua has surprisingly scored herself an Aussie radio surprise hit with ‘Better Than A Dream’. The new single lifted from her Secret Symphony album becomes the fourth most added new track to radios – ahead of Ke$ha‘s ‘Die Young’.

The marvellously cray-cray Kitty Brucknell from last year’s UK X Factor series drops her debut single ‘I Wanna Get Out’ – credited as Loverush UK! vs Tiltin (featuring Kitty Brucknell). Don’t expect it to disrupt the Top 100 next Monday.

Misha B‘s new single ‘Do You Think of Me’ debuts at #44 on the UK airplay Top 100 this week. The video just dropped today and I’m quite pleased with her efforts. As predicted, the second single was always gonna be something more mainstream following the hard-hitting efforts of ‘Home Run’.

Rebecca Ferguson‘s ‘Backtrack’ slowly rises to #45 on the UK airplay Top 100 in its third week. The single is out next Monday but I sense that everyone would just grab the deluxe repackaged version of Heaven for Christmas?

Stooshe‘s cover of ‘Waterfalls’ arrives on 5 November, just a week before their self-titled debut drops in the UK. The label was right to delay the album release and rename it – the original title, which was set for a mid-year release, was simply too long and complex. The funky trio scored a huge summer hit a few months ago with the Motown-infused ‘Black Heart’.