I don’t normally care for “tour footage” music videos but something has changed in the last 12 to 24 months with more pop artists actually making good ones like this.
‘Cheers (Drink to That)’ is the sixth single dragged out from Rihanna‘s Loud album and what I find fascinating about her and Katy Perry – two reigning female pop artists with monstrously successful albums in the last 12 months – is how similar yet different their approach has been to sustaining records.
Where Katy Perry seems to have pulled every trick in the book to keep her singles fresh – see: new remixes featuring rappers on ‘E.T.’ and ‘Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)’ – her pop rival mate has mostly left the singles sounding the way they are. The strategy that keeps these Teenage Dream and Loud singles selling well into the Top 20, beating off newer recordings on the chart, is something that needs to be studied.
It’ll be interesting to see if ‘Cheers’ will storm into the Top 10 world over because it’s largely been panned as one of the most annoying songs on Loud. However, the simple celebratory sentiment and our collective craving to drink the stress away on Friday nights continue to give ‘Cheers’ sustenance.
The music video effectively captures the feeling of working hard and partying harder but rather than depicting something that reflects mere mortals’ nine-to-five situation, Rihanna has decided to give us a behind-the-scenes look at her life on the road: the shows, the after parties and faces she meets. For someone who’s a casual RiRi observer, this is a refreshing insight into her working life and seeing sights through her eyes.
‘Cheers’ is presented in a modern doco style with juxtapositions of tour footage and candid camera shots, with some shots filtered with a sun-soaked film grain-type effect as her previous Loud videos and promo pictures. There is also an Avril Lavigne cameo. As y’all know, the bitch can be heard hollering like a banshee throughout the track thanks to that insipid loop of ‘I’m With You’.
Footnotes:
Rihanna‘s ‘Cheers (Drink to That)’ has found quicker chart success in the Southern Hemisphere with the single already reaching #5 in New Zealand and #14 in Australia. Over in the States, ‘Cheers’ has so far peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #37 in Canada. The single has yet to enter the UK Top 100.
Lady Gaga‘s ‘The Edge of Glory’ bullets after last week’s Australian promo stopover. The single shoots from #22 to a new peak of #6 here while ‘Born This Way’ jumps from #42 to #18. The album also picked up some a few copies, ascending to #2 on our ARIA charts. Yes, still no match for Adele’s 21 album which is effortlessly turning over chart-reigning sales with no promo. Elsewhere, Gaga‘s The Fame rises to #31 while The Fame Monster EP re-enters the Top 50 at #34.
Adele‘s ‘Someone Like You’ might’ve been rushed to local radios last month but they’re already playing catch up with the third single ‘Set Fire to The Rain’. The latter is the third most added track to Aussie radios this week and makes its ARIA Top 50 entry at #50.
Christina Perri‘s Lovestrong album debuts at #5 in Australia, making it the highest selling new album in the country. On the flip side, her breakthrough single ‘Jar of Hearts’ rises to #2. No shade to the Perri Perri but I don’t understand how some girl who appeared of nowhere with one hit single can manage at Top 5 entry when her label mate Wynter Gordon, who came out for a week-long promo trip and had two smash singles under her belt couldn’t even get an album in the Top 20. This is bothering me big time.
Wynter‘s With The Music I Die exits the ARIA Top 50 this week just after a month on the shelves. While I recognise that it’s still early days and they’re still laying foundations, it still bothers me that an amazing album like this gets slept on. I look forward to the next single campaign because something creative needs to happen online. Wynter is pretty hands on with her Twitter and Facebook – she’s got fans connecting with her all over the interwebs. If her label can build a site just for Christina Perri‘s ‘Jar of Hearts’, I don’t see why they can’t do something to promote ‘Buy My Love’ or the album. Over in the States, ‘Til Death’ climbs to a new peak of #5 on the US Billboard Dance/Club charts.
Nicole Scherzinger scores another Australian Top 20 smash with ‘Right There’ climbing to #20 this week. Y’all better send the bitch some flowers because she is totally winning right now. ‘Right There’ is scaling the US Billboard Hot 100, moving to a new peak of #52 and over in Europe, they’re chugging on with a fourth single: ‘Wet’.
Have y’all seen Nicole shake, wind and roll on the American So You Think You Can Dance? Warning: they’ve replaced some of the lyrics with more family friendly lines.
Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera‘s ‘Moves Like Jagger’ leaps to #10 this week in Australia. This is Xtina‘s first time in the confines of the Australian Top 20 since ‘Candyman’ tore it up at #2 position in 2007. Her previous efforts ‘Not Myself Tonight’ and Burlesque‘s ‘Show Me How Your Burlesque’ went as high as #22 and #29. It’s also Maroon 5‘s biggest hit here in a while. Their last Top 20 smash here was 2008’s ‘If I Never See Your Face Again’ with Rihanna and following that, ‘Misery’ from their last album Hands All Over flopped at #39.
Gotye featuring Kimbra‘s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ debuts at #27, making it the highest selling new single in Australia this week. What a dynamite vocal performance by both parties! You can tell the Triple J crowd would be all over this collabo like Oxford Street queens to Kylie. Check out the nu-di-ty teasing video here, which iTunes is giving away for free this week:
Darren Hayes‘ ‘Talk Talk Talk’ jumps back up to #8 on the Australian ARIA charts this week after dipping to #18 in its second week. When will it crack the ARIA Top 50, y’all? On the promo side, our Dazza has been confirmed as a guest mentor on the upcoming series of X Factor Australia. Should be a treat for the contestants! Meanwhile, another Aussie pop single yet to impact the ARIA Top 50 – Vanessa Amorosi‘s ‘Gossip’ – is currently charting at #145 on iTunes.
Jessica Mauboy‘s new single ‘Inescapable (Youngboyz Remix)’ is perched at #29 on our iTunes charts. It only came out on Friday so we’ll have to wait ’til next Monday to see where it lands on the ARIA charts. Another new digital single Blink 182‘s ‘Up All Night’ is currently placed at #21 on the Australian iTunes charts.
Beyonce‘s ‘Best Thing I Never Had’ rises to #25 in Australia while the album 4 dips a little to #6 in its third week. Over in the UK, ‘BTINH’ moves to #4 while the album relinquishes its #1 position to none other than Adele‘s almighty 21. Looking over at the States, 4 spends its second week on top of the Billboard Hot 200 while ‘BTINH’ moves up to #23. I’ll have y’all know, the most downloaded and therefore, if we can deduce, most popular 4 album track is ‘End of Time’ – should be a no-brainer for single number three, right?
Benny Benassi featuring Gary Go‘s ‘Cinema’ rises a little to #47 this week. I have a feeling this could well propel into the Top 30 or, dare we dream, Top 20 next week. It’s the most added new song to Australian radios this week. Look out for another club to mainstream crossover potential in Wolfgang Gartner featuring will.i.am‘s ‘Forever’. The track was just serviced to our radios last week. The remixes moved to a new peak of #15 on the ARIA club charts this week.
The Wanted‘s ‘Glad You Came’ debuts at #1 in the UK this week and for once, I am approving. There’s something immediate and sexy about this single that grabs me in a way that their previous releases could never. I can’t explain it. [Editor’s note: maybe it’s the sly “come” entendre?] The quintet’s self-titled debut album shoots up to #45 in the UK this week. Expect the sophomore album to be out in November.
Check out the spunky lads in the ‘Glad You Came’ video here:
Nicola Roberts‘ ‘Beat of My Drum’ cops a sale boost thanks to her T4 On The Beach performance and fresh bout of TV promos last week. The single leaps from #76 to #50. I have to say, I’m really proud of Nicola’s efforts. She appears to be more confident with the live performances and her forthcoming debut Cinderella’s Eyes is shaping up to be a real hipster pop treat. Read her interview with Popjustice where she describes the creative control she is afforded now versus what she was relegated to do when recording Girls Aloud material.
Kelly Rowland‘s ‘Motivation’ has gone Top 20 in the US Billboard Hot 100, y’all! The sexy slow jam climbs up to #19, making it Kelendria’s first solo entry in that stratosphere since ‘Dilemma’ went #1 in 2002. The album Here I Am will arrive in the States next week and luckily for her the shit hadn’t leaked yet. Unlike some people’s record that got out three weeks early.
Jennifer Lopez‘s ‘I’m Into You’ ascends to #1 on the US Billboard Dance/Club charts and moves to a new peak of #72 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Look, the rest of the world is ready to move on to ‘Papi’ already. I think the time has certainly passed for ‘I’m Into You’ here in Australia. I know over in the US and UK, they’re still holding back somewhat because ‘On The Floor’ is still so huge but really, can we rush out ‘Papi’ here already?
Kylie Minogue‘s ‘Put Your Hands Up’ rises to #16 on the US Billboard Dance charts. Hold up, is MinMin doing a video for this jam or what? Let’s get on with it. Elsewhere, another fave with the gays Dolly Parton sees her new album Better Daysink to #88 after debuting at #51 last week.
Jennifer Hudson‘s ‘No One Gonna Love You’ ascends to #36 on the US Billboard R&B charts while her fellow Idol alumni and queen of hood rat soul Fantasia finds her ‘Collard Greens and Cornbread’ winding up at #47. Watch Fanny glam it up for her American Idol performance. I’ll have you know, this is not typical of her. She is usually running all over the stage barefoot and sweating like a roast on the spit. Having said that, I’ve still got crazy love for her voice.
Avril Lavigne‘s ‘Smile’ finally cracks the US Billboard Hot 100 at #94 this week while the album moves back up to #169. Shit, I forgot the ho was still flogging that Goodbye Lullaby of hers. The album is definitely bigger in Japan than it is anywhere else in the world. As of last week, it was certified platinum sales with over 340,000 copies sold. Back in March when it debuted, its first week sales there was over 135,000 copies. Compare that to the 15,000 first week sales she made here in Australia and 13,000 in her home country Canada. The Japanese are fervent record buyers fo’ sho.
Adele’s legendary 21 has finally stepped up to the #1 position here in Australia after 14 weeks on our charts holding tight to second-best seller for most of it. Looks like mainstream radios are finally ready to embrace the soul siren – ‘Rolling In The Deep’ is second most added new track to Aussie airwaves this week. 21 is already one of the biggest records of 2011, having sold over 1.2 million copies in the US and shipped 2.1 million units in the UK.
Beyonce’s ‘Run The World (Girls)’ is the highest charting new entry on our Australian singles chart this week, coming in at #12. The next Top 50 debut in sight is Avril Lavigne’s ‘Smile’, which sits at #42, and our home grown Justice Crew (featuring Flo Rida) ‘Dance With Me’ at #44. Back to B, this track has seriously parted the fan base like the Red Sea. ‘Run The World (Girls)’ is the most added new song to Australian radios this week but I’m not convinced that the Aussie masses will lap this up. I personally won’t stan for it but I’m also sure that I will not – for one second – hesitate to drop it if I hear this up in the clubs.
Back in the States, ‘Run The World (Girls)’ debuted at #33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #41 on the R&B charts. Who would’ve thought that former Child of Destiny Kelly Rowland would be outdoing Queen B on the American R&B and iTunes charts? Ms Kelly’s ‘Motivation’ is taking over like a quiet storm! The song moves up to #11 on the US R&B charts, thanks to increased radio airplays, and here on our Australian iTunes – the track is currently charting at #190 with absolutely no promo or radio support. [Editor’s note: Limmy are we supposed to be impressed with that placement?]
Lady Gaga’s ‘Judas’ plummets from its #6 debut here last week to #20. Ba-bow! Over in the UK, the single drops from #9 to #23 and takes a slight dip on the US Billboard Hot 100 from #10 to #12. Every time I’ve clocked our Aussie iTunes of late, I’ve noticed ‘Born This Way’ outselling ‘Judas’. I mean, really? The ‘Judas’ video is now set to premiere exclusively on E! News this Thursday. Get ready for the new Jerusalem, heathens!
Wynter Gordon’s ‘Til Death (Denzal Park Edit)’ moves up to #21 on the ARIA singles chart this week. So close to securing another Top 20 smash. Queens, make it happen! Over on the Australian club chart, them ‘Til Death’ remixes move to a new peak of #7. Meanwhile, ‘Dirty Talk’ has officially arrived on the UK singles chart this week – debuting at #34 despite having no promo happening there. I caught up with the super talented Ms Gordon last week to talk about the new single, her forthcoming debut album and why she wants to work with Zoe Badwi. You can read the full interview here after 10pm on Wednesday 4 May.
Jessie J had her new single ‘Nobody’s Perfect’ rushed to Aussie media yesterday, where it soon became this week’s third most added new song to radios. Earth to Australians who only discovered her yesterday when she warbled at the Logies! I felt so appalled reading most of the tweets on my timeline last night from fellow Aussies who either didn’t know Jessie J or had nasty shit to say about her appearance. You guys are the worst, seriously. ‘Nobody’s Perfect’ jumps to #18 in the UK this week while over in the US, the global smash ‘Price Tag’ edges to a new peak of #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Wombats’ exciting new album This Modern Glitch enters at #2 in Australia and #3 in the UK this week. It’s the highest-selling new LP in both territories. Glee’s The Warblers album debuts at #6 in Australia this week while over in the UK, the two new original recordings from Glee Cast‘s The Music Volume 5 compilation start charting: ‘Loser Like Me’ shoots from #140 to #27 and ‘Get It Right’ debuts at #31.
Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream LP cops a sales boost thanks to the current Australian tour. The record moves from #23 to #17 but I reckon we haven’t seen the last of this tour-related sale surge. Keep an eye on next week’s chart position. Likewise for any Bieber related records. Such a shame about the egg pelting incident! I was so embarrassed for us as a nation for this immature fuckery. Regardless of what I think of his music or his stans, Justin Bieber is a talented performer and he never fails to deliver it live. It’s complete and utter disrespect to be subjected to this kind of abuse. Yet another example of Australian concert goers not acting right with international pop stars – see other: Whitney concert whines and Britney mime-gate foolery.
Junior Caldera and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s divine ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ is actually making a bleep on the Australian club charts – albeit placed at #47. If this is Sophie’s only presence in the country then we need to get behind it. The original version would be perfect for commercial radios if we weren’t so fixated on a specific brand of party-starter dance/urban hybrid right now. My theory is, if Australian radios can embrace Cascada, they are more than able to handle ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’. Give it a chance.
Jennifer Hudson’s I Remember Me album debuts at #20 in the UK this week – the title track starts charting at #89 there. The record got a surprise rush-release to Aussie retailers last Friday despite us being told that it wasn’t due ’til her promo visit later this month. The Aussie tracklisting features the radio mix of ‘I Remember Me’ and two bonus tracks: ‘Spotlight’ and that beige Leona Lewis duet for Sex & the City 2 ‘Love Is Your Colour’.
Clare Maguire‘s Light After Dark album re-enters the UK Top 100 this week, shooting to #53. The record’s third single ‘The Shield and The Sword’ will be launched in the UK on 9 May. Ho-hum!
Dev featuring The Cataracs‘ single ‘Bass Down Low’ debuts at #66 in the UK this week. Yes, it is the gang who famously teamed up with Far East Movement on the #1 smash ‘Like A G6’. Expect to hear more from Californian electro-crunk diva Dev in the coming months as she takes her solo single ‘In The Dark’ beyond the reaches of the pop music blogosphere.
Britney Spears’ stunning anthem ‘Till The World Ends’ is slated to propel up the US Billboard charts this Wednesday when figures finally come in with the new “Femme Fatale” remix (featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha). Industry chin-strokers are predicting all that versions of ‘TTWE’ should amass around 210,000 sales. The guest star remix worked a charm for Rihanna last week when her Britney Rih-mix of ‘S&M’ pushed the single to #1. With triple the star power, can ‘Till The World Ends’ finally go Top 5? The Femme Fatale remix of ‘Till The World Ends’ is currently charting at #73 on our Aussie iTunes chart.
Selena Gomez’s new single ‘Who Says’ copped a decent gain on the US Billboard charts this week, moving from #25 to #37. Other tracks of interest making a move on up include Jill Scott’s ‘So In Love’, rising to #38 on the US R&B charts this week.
Estonian pop sensation Kerli nabs her first ever US #1 with ‘Army of Love’ topping the dance charts this week. Next in line is Kat DeLuna’s ‘Dancing Alone’, reaching a new peak of #2. Jessie and The Toy Boys’ ‘Push It’ is enjoying more club spins, taking it to a new peak of #12 on the US dance charts.
Nicole Scherzinger bumps Adele from the top spot to claim her very first UK #1 single. ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’ is the second offering from the ex-Pussycat’s forthcoming solo album Killer Love and all I can say is, haters better run and hide because that’s two consecutive solo hits for the glamazon. Her last single ‘Poison’ made #2 in the UK a few months back but despite all that good feeling, the song failed to blow up in Australia. Could ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’ be what Scherzy needs to slay our air waves?
Jennifer Lopez‘s monumental party anthem ‘On The Floor’ climbs to #1 in Australia this week, making this the diva’s second chart topper here after ‘If You Had My Love’. The single has been certified gold sales here and over in the States, it has sold over 609,000 copies to date. The planets are lining up for an epic comeback – don’t fuck it up with the second single.
Jessie J‘s ‘Price Tag’ rises to #2 in Australia this week – as predicted, this song has global takeover potential and with the industrial strength promo and hype behind her, there’s no reason why this can’t go #1. Jessie’s Who You Are album picked up a bit of pace this week, moving up to #20 in Australia. Over in the US, ‘Price Tag’ jumps to a new peak of #58 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Glee‘s latest compilation Glee: The Music Volume 5 debuts straight in at #1 in Australia this week and #3 in the US, selling over 90,000 first week copies there. All previous volumes of the Glee soundtrack has gone Top 10 here – including their EPs (eg. The Power of Madonna, Journey To Regionals and The Rocky Horror Glee Show) – but this is the gang’s second #1 album here after Volume 3, which featured covers of ‘Total Eclipse of The Heart’, ‘Physical’ and ‘Beautiful’.
Snoop Dogg‘s ‘Sweat’ featuring David Guetta debuts at #9 here this week. The original version of the song titled ‘Wet’ was specifically created for Prince William‘s bachelor party last November. “When I heard the royal family wanted to have me perform in celebration of Prince William’s marriage, I knew I had to give them a little something,” the Dogfather said. The newly remixed ‘Sweat’ is the most added new song to Aussie radios this week – and it will serve as the first single from Snoop‘s forthcoming Doggumentary album which drops here on 15 April.
Chris Brown and Benny Benassi‘s ‘Beautiful People’ debuts at #14 in Australia this week. Another R&B and dance fusion – kapow! The F.A.M.E. album came out last Friday so it’ll be interesting to see where it debuts next Monday.
Britney‘s ‘Till The World Ends’ enters our main singles chart at #19 this week. Why isn’t this massive on our airwaves? I don’t get it. It’s only the eighth most added new track to Aussie radios this week. Speaking of the latest radio additions, here are some interesting new choons making a splash – 360/Pez‘s ‘Just Got Started’ (#2), Wiz Khalifa‘s ‘Black and Yellow’ (#5) and Jay Sean/Lil Wayne‘s ‘Hit The Lights’ (#10). Over in the UK BritBrit‘s ‘Till The World Ends’ plummets from #21 to #55 but back in the States, her stomping ground, the single soars to #9.
Jessica Mauboy‘s ‘What Happened To Us?’ debuts at #30 on our ARIA singles chart this week. I texted my deets to purchase the limited edition signed CD single. Still waiting by the mailbox every day with my hands cupping my chin. On that note, I do miss the Been Waiting era when J Mau singles all had previously unreleased tracks tacked on as b-sides.
Tinie Tempah feat. Kelly Rowland‘s ‘Invincible’ debuts at #41 here this week. It’s yet another mildly acceptable Ms Kelly guest warble but wait my queens, there’s a newer one that might be right up your street. Check on Alex Gaudino and Kelly Rowland‘s ‘What A Feeling’ – no it’s not the Flashdance cover but yeah, it sounds like something Emily Williams from Young Divas would release. Take a listen if you haven’t already and throw some glitter in the air:
The Wanted‘s Comic Relief charity single ‘Gold Forever’ debuts at #3 in the UK this week. The track was co-written by Steve Mac, Wayne Hector (both worked on the boys’ ‘All Time Low’ single) and Claude Kelly (hit songwriter behind Britney, Whitney and Jessie J) and it serves as the first single off their forthcoming sophomore album. I personally don’t know if I can handle round two of The (un)Wanted. Thanks for the offer, though.
Parade – the new British girl band everyone’s raving about – sees their debut single ‘Louder’ debut at #10 in the UK this week. Not bad for a first stab. This five-piece has been bubbling over for a while now, having supported Ellie Goulding, Shakira and Alexandra Burke on tour. What do ya’ll think of their look and sound?
Adele‘s reign just won’t let up. This week, the soul siren pulled the #1 and #2 best selling albums in the UK with 21 and 19 lined up accordingly. Hopefully they’re planning to shoot videos for ‘Someone Like You’ and ‘Set Fire To The Rain’.
The Naked and Famous makes a splash on the UK charts this week with their album Passive Me Aggressive You debuting at #25. Elsewhere Arctic Monkey‘s front ho Alex Turner‘s solo EP – the Submarine soundtrack – starts charting at #35 in the UK.
Lupe Fiasco‘s Lasers debuts straight in at #1 on the US Billboard 200, selling over 200,000 first week copies to become the hip hop artist’s first ever chart topper there. All his records have so far have made #1 on the US Rap charts. Golf claps.
Avril Lavigne‘s Goodbye Lullaby debuts at #4 in the US this week, clocking over 87,000 first week copies. It’s shaping up to be a major hit record having already gone #1 here in Australia as well as Japan, Hong Kong, Greece and Czech Republic. What are your picks for second single? Personal favourites are going to ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘Everybody Hurts’ and ‘Push’.
Jennifer Hudson‘s ‘Where You At’ debuts at #96 on the US Billboard Hot 100 this week. Has anyone inspected her new album – I Remember Me – yet? I don’t mind ‘Where You At’ but seriously, I can’t do another beige wailfest. Can’t and won’t do it.
Alexis Jordan‘s ‘Good Girl’ moves up to #10 on the US Dance/Club charts. Highly doubt it’ll go in the way of ‘Happiness’ and scale to the top of the dance charts there. I am ready to put my cash money on ‘Hush Hush’ being the next single but knowing how similar it sounds to the two existing singles, her team might actually decide to switch it up with something sonically different.
Mary Mary‘s got a new single out at the moment, in case you care to scribble it down on your “to check out” list this week. ‘Walking’ is the first offering from the gospel duo’s sixth studio album Something Big [Editor’s note: I know, right? Just ’cause you ain’t heard nothin’ since ‘Shackles (Praise You)’, don’t mean there ain’t nothin’.] I went out and grabbed the sistas’ first two albums but all the subsequent releases have flown past me. Check out Mary Mary‘s feel good new track. Bounce snap personified, ladies:
‘Walking’ sits at #100 on the main US Billboard charts this week. The Something Big album drops in the States on 29 March.
Ellie Goulding‘s Lights album debuts at #129 on the US Billboard 200 this week and since this is her first Billboard appearance, it’s also shown up on the Heatseekers’ chart, effortlessly making #1 there. The American edition features a rejigged tracklisting with three tracks from her Bright Lights EP. Will she follow in the step of Florence + The Machine and find her way into radio ubiquity there? By the end of 2010, Lights has already sold over 380,000 copies in the UK.
Avril Lavigne‘s Goodbye Lullaby debuts at #1 in Australia this week, making this the Canadian pop rawker’s third chart topping album here. Over in the States, Goodbye Lullaby comes in at #4 on the Billboard Hot 200.
In Japan, the record – in both standard and deluxe editions – have dominated the iTunes charts, reportedly selling over 31,935 copies in the first 24 hours to debut at #1 and #4 respectively. With Brit and Avril getting us hyped this year, all we need for a full fledged reunion of early-00s pop titans is a couple of stellar releases from Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera.
There’s been a whirlwind of new releases blowing up our ARIA Top 20 this week, golf claps all around for the following chart debuts: The Waifs‘ Temptation (#3), Lupe Fiasco‘s Lasers (#4), Alexis Jordan‘s self-titled LP (#11), Oh Mercy‘s Great Barrier Grief (#13), R.E.M.‘s Collapse Into Now (#15).
Aussie country singer Jasmine Rae sees her new album Listen Here debut at #35 this week. Take a listen to her feisty track ‘Hunky Country Boys’ – because, y’know, she totally had me at the title:
Britney‘s roof-raising new anthem ‘Till The World Ends’ debuts at #18 on our Aussie digital charts and #20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 this week. Over in the UK, it shoots up to #21 but get this, every single Godney has released over there so far has gone Top 20 (except the underpromo-ed ‘Radar’).
So, you would’ve all heard the prematurely leaked Femme Fatale album by now. What are your thoughts and favourite tracks? To me, this truly is one of the most essential Britney albums to date. It’s ranked up there somewhere with In The Zone and Blackout. Bitch will slay hard once the record drops worldwide.
Jessie J‘s ‘Price Tag’ has stormed up the ARIA single charts this week, high stepping from #22 to #3, thanks in no small part to the healthy radio rotation it has been getting. Her album Who You Are enters at #27 here but watch this baby rise as the gospel of Jessie J spreads across the nation. Interest in the States should have piqued considerably after her recent Saturday Night Live performance.
Brian McFadden‘s ‘Just The Way You Are (Drunk At The Bar)’ debuts on the main ARIA charts at #49 this week. *Drops to the ground laughing, flails arms, getting wheeled out on a stretcher*
Gypsy & The Cat‘s ‘Jona Vark’ – Van She Tech and Tommy Trash remixes – debuts at #49 on our Aussie club charts this week. The Melbourne electro pop duo has been confirmed as Goddess Kylie‘s opening act for the Aussie leg of her Aphrodite tour.
Wiz Khalifa‘s ‘Black and Yellow’ makes a huge splash across the Atlantic this week when it debuted at #5 on the UK charts. The US chart topping hip hop track is the only new entry on the UK Top 20 this week. As of last month, ‘Black and Yellow’ has pulled over 2.3 million download sales in the States. Bam!
Clare Maguire‘s spectacular Light After Dark album tumbles from #7 to #24 in the UK this week while the chic single ‘The Last Dance’ falls from #24 to #49. I grabbed my copy of the LP when it came out here in Australia on Friday and it’s marvelous. Folks, lose yourself in this and it can be our smug little indulgence that the generic Aussie record buyers won’t get. Kinda like Hurts and Paloma Faith.
Another British soul diva conquers the US this week: Marsha Ambrosius‘ Late Nights & Early Mornings debuts at #2 on the US Billboard 200, behind Adele‘s titan 21 album. Marsha first came to our attention as one half of neo/soul duo Floetry but she’s probably better known these days for her songwriting prowess – see: Michael Jackson‘s lush ‘Butterflies’ (a favourite from his Invincible album) and Alicia Keys‘ ‘Go Ahead’ (from the As I Am record).
Your Chart Feed homework for this week is to check on Marsha‘s choons. Here’s the lead single from her Late Nights… record, ‘Hope She Cheats On You (With A Basketball Player)’:
Jennifer Lopez‘s anthemic ‘On The Floor’ moves up to #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Mami recently revealed in an interview chat that a second single will precede the Love? album release – and it’s likely to be a track titled ‘I’m Into You’ featuring Lil Wayne.
Ricky Martin‘s Musica + Alma + Sexo drops to #97 in the US after three weeks. No shade, of course. This record debuted at #3 and became the biggest primarily-Spanish language album to hit the US Billboard charts since Selena‘s Dreaming of You back in 1995. Ricky’s album is also pulled the biggest first week sales for any Sony Music Latin record.
Keri Hilson‘s ‘Pretty Girl Rock’ has finally cracked the US Top 30 this week, rising to #27. It’s only taken 15 weeks and so many close calls. Her brilliant No Boys Allowed album will drop in stores here this Friday (you can already download it off iTunes etc.) and Ms Keri is headed for our shores next month for the huge urban festival Supafest. Other headline acts include Taio Cruz, Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Bow Wow. Grab your tickets here.
Rihanna‘s ‘S&M’ has taken the top spot on our ARIA singles chart this week amidst dramas that UK’s BBC Radio 1 has banned it from their daytime playlist. The video has also copped a YouTube restriction and was immediately banned in 11 countries, prompting the acclaimed video director Melina to speak out to MTV News:
“When I go out to make something, I kind of go out with the intention to get it banned — [well] not to get it banned, I always want my stuff played — but to make something provocative … so when you do something that’s provocative, that’s usually a repercussion. It’s gonna be talked about or banned or slandered in some way. But it’s making an effect and people are having a dialogue about it, so, to me, that’s successful.”
Seriously, don’t get what all the uproar is about but bitch can’t stay mad because she must’ve expected some kind of backlash from conservatives when she took on a song with sadomasochistic themes.
Avril Lavigne‘s ‘What The Hell’ bullets into the Aussie Top 10 this week, rising to a new peak of #8. It deserves to be where it is now but I’m not convinced if this album will reconnect the rawker with the masses who worshipped her in the her hey days. Please don’t let it be dreary and mournfully personal.
Aussie hip hop artist Drapht scores his first ever Top 20 hit with ‘Rapunzel’ rising to a new peak of #16 after lurking about for a good 10 weeks. Is he one to look out for in the scene? His CV boasts collabos with industry big names like M-Phazes and Hilltop Hoods. Word.
Black Eyed Peas new single ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ debuts at #19 here in Australia. The track – which is co-produced by Darkchild and DJ Ammo – marks some kind of unholy alliance of ultra hitmakers, so having not formally heard all of it, I’d like to think it’s not as insipid as ‘The Time (Dirty Bit)’. ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ is set to impact American radios tomorrow.
Little Red‘s new track ‘Rock It’ shoots from #41 to #25 this week while the Midnight Remember album moves back up to #37 in Australia. Elsewhere, The Naked & Famous makes Top 30 with ‘Young Blood’ and home grown indie rockers Boy & Bear‘s ‘Fall At Your Feet’ rises to #37.
The Burlesquesoundtrack is the second biggest selling record in the country. Gays, give yourselves a heartfelt limp-wristed pat on the backs. What am I doing not having seen it yet? This is what happens when I have a lesbian bestie instead of a fag hag.
Sia‘s We Are Born ascends back up the Aussie charts this week, thanks to le national tour etc. Did ya’ll enjoy the show? Not sure if she did this – or some variation of it – in all the other gigs but the lady rocked up completely covered in black body paint (head to toe) for the Melbourne show last week. Mmph! Sensational – yes. But them WTF alarm bells were going off in everybody’s heads.
Jessie J scores her first ever UK #1 single with ‘Price Tag’ debuting straight on top this week! Never in anyone’s wildest dreams could they imagine a track selling this hard in its first week given the sudden drop. ‘Price Tag’ was unconventionally issued to radio and retail on the same day – and if anything, this success just proves how fucking hot she is right now. Jessie‘s first single ‘Do It Like A Dude’ sits at #7 this week. It totally makes sense to bring the album out a month early. Our friends at AuspOp has just announced that Jessie J‘s Who You Are will hit Aussie retails on 4 March – best news I’ve heard all day.
Enrique‘s sly ‘Tonight (I’m Fuckin’ You)’ is the second highest new entry in the UK this week, making #5. Elsewhere, Tinie Tempah and Ellie Goulding‘s ‘Wonderman’ bullets to #14 and Pink registers her 18th UK Top 20 hit with ‘Fuckin’ Perfect’ rising to #11 this week. Across the Atlantic, ‘Fuckin’ Perfect’ shoots to #2 on the US charts while ‘Raise Your Glass’ sits at #11. Look who’s slaying hard.
Britney‘s ‘Hold It Against Me’ worryingly drops ten places to #18 in the UK this week. The pop legend is set to upload a teaser clip of her new music video daily, in the 14 days leading up to its full premiere on 18 February. Two weeks’ worth of five second teasers is going to be frustrating and could very well turn people off the campaign altogether. Simple solution: just let us have it already. Brit‘s forthcoming album Femme Fatale has been trending on Twitter hard ever since the announcement last week. As a certain queen on JOY 94.9‘s Glitter & Tonik would say, “HOT-HOT-HAWT!”
Nicki Minaj and Drake‘s ‘Moment 4 Life’ bullets from #135 to #55 in the UK this week, thanks to proper Radio 1 support. Back on Onika’s stomping ground, the single soars to a new peak of #27 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Savage Garden‘s ‘Truly Madly Deeply’ rises from #117 to #73 in the UK this week. How, umm, why? <Insert explanation for this wonderous comeback>
Adele‘s almighty 21 holds tight to #1 on the UK charts for a second week. I’ve had her second single ‘Someone Like You’ on repeat for long enough. Fixation’s now transferred to the voodoo Ryan Tedder co-write: ‘Rumour Has It’. Future single, please. Can you imagine it fronting a black and white Tarantino-esque video? That would be immense.
Two Door Cinema Club‘s Tourist History rockets from #62 to #33 on the UK charts this week. Absolutely loving this album like you won’t believe – really catchy, immediate and shimmery indie pop. The record has so far only made #100 on our Aussie charts but ya’ll should get on board before the masses do. Personal picks of the pack include ‘What You Know’, ‘I Can Talk’ and ‘Undercover Martyn’.
R. Kelly‘s Love Letter holds tight to #18 on the US charts this week. Why am I writing about this now after its been around for a good seven weeks? Well, ladies, we can all thank my incessant Soundcloud trawls for introducing me to the magic of his single: ‘When A Woman Loves’. Pure 60s soul class of Stevie Wonder and Dreamgirls proportions. We ain’t never heard R. Kelly warble like this before. Take a listen here:
David Guetta et Rihanna‘s ‘Who’s That Chick?’ climbs to the top spot on the US Dance/Club charts this week. One must wonder if his albeit uber ordinary production of J.Lo‘s ‘On The Radio’ will make the final cut of her Love? project.
The Derry Queen is gonna kill it with this release. I can feel in it my bones. Someone tell me how she’s doing on American Idol. It’s life-changing moments like these – and during America’s Next Top Model season – that I wish I still had cable TV.
Adele has blown up the UK charts with her 21 album selling over 208,000 first-week copies to rightfully debut at #1. How’s this for a “so what” stat? The UK charts have declared 21 to be the biggest-selling January record since Arctic Monkey‘s 2003 album Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not. Nothing to sneeze at, I guess. Given that January is a tradionally quiet month for record sales.
Elsewhere, 21 debuted at #3 in Australia, where it’s also the highest-selling new entry this week. Adele‘s intense, sobbing-int0-an-empty-tub-of-ice-cream new single, ‘Someone Like You’, starts charting at #36 in the UK this week.
Wynter Gordonrides the #1 spot in Australia for the third week in a row avec ‘Dirty Talk’– just when I thought Rihanna‘s ‘S&M’ was gonna snatch the lube-soiled carpet from under her this week. RiRi‘s ferosh third Loud single copped a sales boost – going from #27 to #3 this week – thanks to crescendoing radio support. Sadly, her last single ‘What’s My Name’ (feat. Drake) didn’t chart quite as well, peaking only at #18 here. Oh! Na na…
Usher‘s pop perfection ‘More’ shoots up to the Top 20 this week, reaching a new peak of #16 in Australia. The RedOne-track was serviced to radios last week and, as predicted, it just took off from there. This’ll be the eighth single from Usher‘s Raymond v. Raymond/Versus era and it could well be the last. Raymond v. Raymond is nominated for a Best Contemporary R&B album Grammy and the single ‘There Goes My Baby’ for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Fingers crossed for another two weeks, Urshurrr fans.
Pink‘s ‘Fuckin’ Perfect’ moves back up the Aussie charts to #22 this week while Far East Movement featuring Ryan Tedder‘s brilliant ‘Rocketeer’ debuts at #30. I’ve got my eye on this one. It’s too catchy and radio friendly to not pick up more rotation. Meanwhile, check out my new song ‘Make Some Noise’ which I wrote over a looped sample of Far East Movement‘s ‘Go Ape’ [Editor’s note: sly segue, Limmy. Self plug over.]
The Naked and Famous sees their kick arse album – Passive Me Aggressive You – almost crack our Top 30 this week. It has risen to #31 in Australia, no doubt thanks to their Big Day Out stints and various side shows happening now. The Kiwi band made the much-coveted BBC Sound of 2011 shortlist (which Jessie J won) – a UK take over should be on their action plan.
Sia‘s We Are Born is climbing back up the Aussie charts again thanks to this eagerly anticipated tour. I’ve downloaded a recording of her We Meaning You tour in Copenhagen and have loved every minute of it so I’m totally moist for a good time tomorrow when I finally get to experience her live in Melbuorne! We Are Born is charted at #24 this week, having previously peaked at #2.
Ke$ha‘s ‘We R Who We R’ debuts straight in at #1 in the UK this week, selling over 90,000 copies. What in the world? This record is old as. We’ve been dry humping and snorting glitter to that shit for months now. The next single from her Cannibal EP – ‘Blow’ – is set to impact US radios tomorrow. Yawn! Gimme ‘The Harold Song’ or ‘Grow A Pear’ any day.
Britney‘s ‘Hold It Against Me’ is burning out a little quicker than expected, why? Maybe we should give it a little more time. Perhaps things will pick up again when hell freezes over and Brit finally gets up to do some decent promo? We’ll see. ‘HIAM’ slid from #1 to #6 in the US, #4 to #10 in Australia and #6 to #8 in the UK this week. Speaking of worrying drops…
Avril Lavigne‘s ‘What The Hell’ might’ve done exceedingly well by, say, Alesha Dixon‘s standards but it’s really not standing up well against her previous hits. The Canadian bubblegum rawker’s comeback single drops from #13 to #31 in the US, #29 to #45 in the UK this week while dipping to #14 here in Australia after a #9 debut last week. Bam!
Cheryl Cole‘s ‘The Flood’ can now be laid to rest. Time to snuff out the candle because this dripping ballad won’t be improving on its peak of #18 in the UK after all. It sinks to #43 this week and needless to say, ‘The Flood’ is an absolute fuck off no goer for Australian radios right now. Shame on you for even suggesting it!
Fellow Girls Aloud stablemate Kimberley Walsh isn’t enjoying the most joyous of rides on the pop charts herself. Her collabo with Aggro Santos‘Like U Like’ plummets from its #8 debut last week to #22. At least, Kimba can’t be held solely responsible for that flop. She was just the rent-a-vocalist.
James Blunt‘s Some Kind of Trouble album debuts at #11 in the US this week. Damn, I totally forgot about that record. ‘Stay The Night’ was something of a wonder so let’s see if his new single ‘So Far Gone’ (a Ryan Tedder co-write) can keep up. Some Kind of Trouble peaked at #8 in Australia, where it’s been certified platinum sales (70,000 copies shipped).
Feed Limmy 