GDB's Rolling 2005 US Charts Thread

From Billboard.com comes this: "At No. 54, the Used and My Chemical Romance share hot shot debut honors with a cover of Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure," which also appears at No. 14 on the Hot Digital Songs list." Has anyone heard this cover? I have to assume the vocals pale miserably in comparison.

I don't think Amerie's done yet -- she moves up to #1 on the R&B chart this week -- so I'd count on a small rebound next week when "Disco Inferno," "Boulevard," and "Obsession" commence their descents. If she doesn't peak higher than "Meester Lonely" I'll be sore disappointed.

As for the BSB's new one, "Incomplete": It sounds very much like a later-day Bon Jovi power ballad. I have no idea who's singing where but it sounds like three of them still have good voices and two are being Pro Tool punched in. I'm surprised there hasn't been a thread devoted to the song or to the larger point of the boys attempting a comeback. I suppose a sweeping ballad's the only way they could really stage it, but I wonder why they didn't just go balls-out and tack it onto a movie soundtrack like The School Of Diane Warren teaches.

1. Speed of Sound - Coldplay
2. Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
3. Blue Orchid - The White Stripes
4. Holiday (Faded Ending) - Green Day
5. Don’t Phunk With My Heart - Black Eyed Peas
6. Under Pressure - The Used/My Chemical Romance
7. Battle of the Heroes - John Williams (Star Wars Episode III score?!)
8. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
9. Lonely No More - Rob Thomas
10. Switch - Will Smith

It is possible Gwen will one day justify her existence to me without Jacques Lu Cont remixes.

By George, I think you've got it.

It pretty much has. We reviewed it on SGS back in November, I think. It refuses to get more or less popular.

From Billboard.com comes this: "At No. 54, the Used and My Chemical Romance share hot shot debut honors with a cover of Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure," which also appears at No. 14 on the Hot Digital Songs list." Has anyone heard this cover? I have to assume the vocals pale miserably in comparison.

I don't think Amerie's done yet -- she moves up to #1 on the R&B chart this week -- so I'd count on a small rebound next week when "Disco Inferno," "Boulevard," and "Obsession" commence their descents. If she doesn't peak higher than "Meester Lonely" I'll be sore disappointed.

I saw them do it live on MTV2's $2 Bill show. Sounded pretty good--they've got fantastic voices for a song like that. Didn't know it was being pushed as a single, though--hm. That's def. higher than any other MCR or Used single has charted. Is it going to fall off completely by next week? Hope not.

Could be--you're right, the #1 R&B thing is a good sign. Why "Disco Inferno" is still around at all is beyond me. And props to Gwen for curtailing Akon's ridiculous ascent to the top.

"Also debuting this week on the Hot 100 are Squeak E. Clean's "Hello Tomorrow" featuring the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O. at No. 85,"

does anyone know what this is?

Seriously, there's that much of a Justin stigma? That's fucked up. Rap radio/TV chooses such bizarre things to make a stand over sometimes.

And I can't BELIEVE "I Want it That Way" didn't go to #1. In my mind, that song might've very well been the biggest hit of the last half of the 90s. EVERYONE knew that fucking song.

Also def. puts things in perspective re: Britney. For some reason, however, Christina Aguilera seems to be as successful on the charts as on TRL--she's got four #1 singles.

"Will Boulevard of Broken Dreams make it to #4?" was a less catchy thread title.

(xpost I don't understand that dichotomy at all)

The videos are generally a lot better. ;-)

"The Reason" only needs one word to explain why it didn't go to #1.

"Incomplete" sounds like Evanescence! I shit you not!

haha, now i'm really looking forward to this.

"We are the World (video)" >>>>>> "Candy Shop (Video)"

Oh right, "Music of My Heart".

Has JT even hit the top five solo? Think "Like I Love You" might've. Def. no #1s or 2s though.

When I was 13, I wrote a fan letter to Joel Whitburn, author of The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits and Billboard Top 1000 Singles, and I asked him why he insisted, in the latter book, of ranking songs that had peaked at #1 for just one week highter than a song that had peaked at #2 for nine weeks (cf. "Waiting for a Girl Like You," Foreigner). The #2 song obviously had more staying power, I argued. Whitburn replied and said that he stood by his methodology because in many cases (he didn't give examples) a #1 song might have TWICE the airplay or sales as the #2 song. Which I'm sure has happened, but I'm not sure I buy it as a rationale.

Preferably one that doesn't go "this shit is BANANAS! B..A..N..A..N..A..S.."

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/senior/fruits/images/large/bananas.jpg

"Like I Love You" #11
"Cry Me a River" #3
"Rock Your Body" #5
"Senorita" #27

oh wow, I was way off re: JT. I was pretty sure LILY was his biggest.

um, yes. Charm.

dr. bill i'd avoid the mia album if i were you!

Too late. Thanks anyway.

At the time, only songs with a commercial single available were eligible to chart (a foolish policy that was rescinded later in the decade), and I think many of the artists you reference had songs on the radio without actual singles released. I know this is true for Green Day, at least. STP was especially affected as well; "Interstate Love Song" would have been Top Ten with all the airplay it got, I think.

"Tell Me Why" is a good single though I'm hesistant to call it one of the League's peaks.

I noticed recently that there were a whole succession of '96/'97 tracks that I remember as being among the biggest tracks of the year, but failed to crack the top 100. "Fly," "Don't Speak," "Lovefool" and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" are among them.

And so how is the problem rectified now? Is airplay weighted more highly?

xpost

And all this leads me to a question I was considering posting earlier this week: what is the point in a commercial single these days? I was looking at the singles off the newest Cure and Morrissey albums cause I heard the bsides were pretty good, and it struck me how ridiculous it is seems to even release single cds during the downloading era. I mean do people really still hear "Let Me Love You" by Mario and rush out to BestBuy and pick up the cd single? I enjoy the b-side hunt as a music fanatic, but I can't imagine the general public is buying many singles these days. Am I wrong?

Prior to December 5, 1998, the Hot 100 was compiled solely on available singles that could be purchased. Now singles can hit #1 based only on airplay points. These variety of singles are called album cuts. The year after the album cut implementation, no album cut single managed to hit #1 because the album cuts just were not strong enough to advance to pole position. In fact, the first airplay-only single to hit #1 came on June 17, 2000 when Aaliyah's "Try Again" managed to spend one week at the top.

> i betcha it was one of the main reasons they started to give airplay more weight the following year.

Absodamnlutely. People who care about the charts were upset about the omissions noted above along with Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn," which would have been a #1 if it had been eligible to chart.

> So why didn't record labels just pop out a single when they start getting serious airplay?

They wanted people to buy the album instead -- a shortsighted policy that we can directly hold responsible for Napster and all that followed. The labels, in their infinite wisdom, couldn't care less about their roster of artists hitting #1 on singles charts.

> And so how is the problem rectified now? Is airplay weighted more highly?

Yes it is; further, songs are allowed to chart without singles (I think Aaliyah's "Try Again" was the first song to benefit from this change in policy), and paid digital downloads are now included in the tally as well (though I don't know the formula).

xpost

I'm sure you've all realized this before or just don't care, but whoa!

> As for the BSB's new one, "Incomplete": It sounds very much like a later-day Bon Jovi power ballad.

I should correct "Bon Jovi" to "Bryan Adams": This song really is only a rock's throw from "Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven" and the harmonies really have more of a Mutt Lange patina on them than anything the boys had recorded before.

Finally heard Will Smith's "Switch" this afternoon, and while it's catchy enough, I wonder if he'll ever record another song that doesn't delve into his fame and other media projects. Hasn't he picked up from J.Lo that people tire of that quickly?

One week after his debut on the top 50, Cassidy's already beginning to fall, slipping four to #47 with "I'm a Hustla". Disappointing. Weezer looks about one week away from exiting themselves, free-falling sixteen to #45. In more positive news, though, The White Stripes make their first ever top 50 entry with the debut of "Blue Orchid" at #43. Despite perhaps having the most popular rock singles of '02 and '03, the Stripes had never made it higher than #76 ("Seven Nation Army) before. MCR and the Used's "Under Pressure" also is a new-on this week, shockingly far more popular than any other song either band has previously been involved with, and a mere 12 away from matching the original's peak placement.

In the top 40, we see the debut of the obligatory goofy American Idol cast single "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" at #39. If ever there was a sure one-weeker on the top 50, this is it. Disappointingly, the Backstreet Boys appear to have already run out of steam on their comeback, "Incomplete" reversing seven this week to fall at #35. Good luck turning that one around, guys. DC are stuck at #37 with "Girl," and the Ying Yang Twins can't seem to break the top 30, still at #32 this week with "Wait (The Whisper Song)". Brooke Valentine continues her slow-but-steady ascent, up five to #30, and for some reason, Three Doors Down's "Let Me Go" jolts up four this week--will somebody put this fucking song down already? The rest of the 20s are relatively eventful, mostly just past-their-prime singles taking much deserved falls ("Caught Up," "1,2 Step," "Rich Girl" and "Let Me Love You" included) and one big climber, the BEPs up to #21 with "Don't Phunk with My Heart" (sounds like a quintessential BEPs single--kinda catchy at first, more annoying every time you hear it afterwards. How do they do it?)

Natalie continues her wishy-washy dallying about the top 20, falling to #20 again this week. Green Day scorches through with "Holiday," landing at a very impressive #19--I'd think it lacked the crossover appeal of BoBD, but maybe I'm wrong. I'd still be very surprised if it managed to take the throne that BoBD could not. Will Smith's run to the top appears to have come to a screeching halt, falling five this week to #17--honestly, I'm (pleasantly) surprised he's gotten this far. Good job, Big Willie. That goofball Valentino continues to climb to #16, and 50 laps himself with "Disco Inferno" falling out of the top ten (thank god) and landing one spot below "Just a Lil' Bit," the #14 single this week. I'm actually digging "Lil" a fair amount--sounds like it'll hold up much, much better than his first two. Hope so, anyway. The Killers slip two to #13, but on the albums chart they've hit a new peak at #7, and far more excitingly, "Smile Like You Mean It" reaches the modern rock top 20 this week--god, I hope it does half as well as "Mr. Brightside". Mariah jumps to #12 this week--is this gonna be number one #15 for the ol' girl? I like it, anyway.

Amerie sitll at #10 this week--if she's gonna make a run for the top, now's the time. "Obsession" falls three to #9, and at #8, the clearest result of the effect the d/ling rules have had, we have the chart debut of Coldplay's "Speed of Sound". That's a whole 21 places higher than Coldplay have previously charted ("Clocks," #29), and from what I've heard, the song doesn't come close to deserving such a destinction. What do you guys say? Propelled by his quarter-mil selling #1 debut album, Rob Thomas climbs back up to #7 this week with "Lonely No More," and "Oh" finally fulfills my prediction of being Ciara's third consecutive top five single. Congrats, CC--you're officially a pop icon.

And lo and behold, there is a god--after a nine-week reign of terror, 50 falls out of the top spot this week. However, he is not replaced with himself and The Game as we all predicted, and instead we have the first #1 by a white artist in almost two years (Clay Aiken's "This is the Night" being the last). That's right, Gwen Stefani has staged one hell of a coup and grabbed her first ever #1 single (with or without No Doubt) with "Hollaback Girl". I will most likely never understand what about this song makes it an acceptable radio single, let alone a #1--in fact, I'd go so far as to say that not a single aspect of this song makes a shred of sense to me--but I welcome it as a most-appreciated liberator from King Fiddy nonetheless, and I thank it for providing us with our first genuinely OMGWTFLOL #1 single since the halcyon days of Ja Rule. This is the Neptunes' third #1, following "Hot in Herre" in '02 and "Drop It Like It's Hot" from last year.

"This shit is bananas."

I haven't heard six of the top 20 songs this week, which bothers me more than it should. The tanking of "Incomplete" is the biggest surprise of the week to me (well, apart from the Coldplay debut); I thought radio was taking to that one. And I feel bad that I really like that Howie Day song "Collide," having heard it for the first time last night. (I thought there'd be a backlash over his tour-bus m.o., but apparently not.) I give Gwen three weeks before she's overtaken by either "Oh" (one of the six I haven't heard) or "Lonely No More" (my darkhorse candidate from a long time ago on the "Boulevard" thread).

P.S. I know no one's supposed to, but do any websites publish the 51-100 singles positions?

What tour-bus m.o.? I'm not familiar with this story.

Yeah, I can't see Gwen staying on top for more than three weeks, tops. I think there's still a chance "Hate it or Love It" will take it, besides that, I'd put my money on "We Belong Together".

re: Rob Thomas--to me, "Lonely No More" absolutely sounds like a #1 single, which is why I've been surprised to see it falter a bit--if you remember, it fell four last week. I think the only reason that it took such a jump this week was his album being released--next week it'll probably start to sputter again. Still, I hope it proves me wrong on that.

"Oh" doesn't sound like a #1 to me, especially if "1,2 Step" didn't hit. But I could be wrong, and I hope so.

I don't think anyone publishes 51-100--you can see the new-ons in the bottom half if you read the weekly story they publish about the singles charts, but aside from that, I usually take a weekly trip to Tower Records to browse through the actual magazsine.

SCORE!

Have The Neptunes (poss. with an assist from JB and Timbaland) so utterly fucked with our normal perceptions of a pop single that "Hollaback Girl" now makes for a more logical chart-topper than "Since U Been Gone"?

2005: WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON

"Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani is the best song in the world this week. I think it has already been released as a single, but they should have held off until it gets hot outside because it makes me think of barbecues.

i wouldn't say the neptunes did it as much as hip-hop, 'since you've been gone' under other circumstances (ie without 'american idol' associations) mighta hit number one, it did what a rock single needs to do now to top a chart it got play on crossover stations - ac, pop - it just didn't really get support from what would normally be it's homebase - altrock radio.

I guess, but I don't even understand how this can be qualified as hip-hop. I just don't understand a single thing about this song. Oh well.

uh...Harriton High School, Rosemont, PA.

Why?

i'm surprised there hasn't been a "rockcrits who are not sports nerds are bad rockcrits" theory yet.

I'm not sure what this has to do with it being a summer jam or not, but yeah we had a high school football team and no I didn't go to the games and no our cheerleading squad didn't provide any sort of encitement--wasn't as big a deal in our school as I think it is in others. The girls were generally not the attractive sort.

the cheerleaders weren't as hot as the field hockey girls at my school. That's why I liked the Juliette Lewis songs on the last prodigy album.

Very much agreed on the first point, wtf on the second.

I started out as a sports nerd. My bro introduced me to MTV in 1996 and the rest is history.

"hollaback girl" is kind of like the ex-head cheerleader in Bring It On bringing the videocamera to the black school.

HAHAHAYES! This is the first remotely sensical way I've heard this song described.

it's a start, though. This song could take years.

the video adds that whole "meet my geishas" ethical ethnic delight to the mix.

yeah, but it doesn't sound just like a white approximation of black culture, there's a sort of utterly, hopelessly lost-in-translation sense to the song that implies a far greater sense of alienation from the norm than just white vs. black.

T

Oh yeah, I remember that song. Let me see if I can find the lyrics anyway.

Also, the song is mad catchy.

and I couldn't find lyrics for Da Lench Mob song, but the title implies that "Bananas" is meant in the crazy-insane sense as opposed to the crazy-awesome sense, which I think is probably more common, if still relatively rare.

The important question here is, what the heck is a hollaback girl, exactly?

I'm sorta curious about that myself. I originally thought it to mean slut, but the chorus is fairly confusing if that's the case.

"THIS SHIT IS NOT BANANAS"

My vage, puzzled interpretation is that it means, like, someone who responds to gossip by spreading more rumors, and Gwen is saying that she's not going to do that -- she''s going to kick the other girl's ass.

I have no idea if I'm right or not, though. At least "hella good" is pretty obvious. Gwen and her wacky O.C. slang.

Note: I do not think "Hollaback Girl" is a big unpleasant mess. I think HBG is a big, confusing and fascinating and compelling mess.

haha, you have to say more, djdee.

x5,000,000

Kelly passes herself at #38 with new single "Behind These Hazel Eyes"--haven't heard it, but something about that title and the law of averages tells me it's gonna be more "A Moment Like This" than "Since U Been Gone". Let me know if I'm wrong. Backstreet Boys are continuing to stall at #35, but Cassidy and 112 finally break out of their ruts a little bit, climbing four to #43 and nine to #33, respectively. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of singles. Unfortunately, that damn Howie Day song is also on the rise. MOR is big on the charts this week for some reason. Green Day's impressive run with "Holiday" appears to all be a facade, dropping twelve this week to #31. Bummer, but it was obviously no "Boulevard of Broken Dreams".

Natalie appears to have exited the top 20 for good, falling to #28 this week, falling next to other dropper Trick Daddy at #29. "Girl" is up to #26 this week, and "Girlfight" continues the slow-but-steady-wins-the-race philosophy, up another five to fall just into the top half of the countdown this week. Like some predicted, momentum from the YYT's great "Whisper" video has propelled it to #22--hopefully it'll hit the top 20 next week. Inexplicably, though, after at least two months of limbo in the 30s, 3 Doors Down jumps eight this week to #21. What, do people finally get it or something? Fucking 3 Doors Down.

DMB provides our itunes-sponsored hot shot debut of the week, hitting #19 with "American Baby". Haven't heard it yet, but I can only assume it's a Dave Matthews Band song. I guess we'll see. Mostly falling action in the top 20 besides that, with "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Disco Inferno" being the big droppers, as well as Coldplay's "Speed of Sound," which drops out of the top ten to #14 this week. Considering it probably didn't deserve to debut nearly as high as it did, they should still consider it a blessing. Bizarrely, despite being the "greatest gainer / sales," Amerie drops out of the top 10 this week, landing at #12. Upsetting and disappointing.

Bobby Valentino hits the top ten this week for some reason which is beyond me. Please don't spend two months on the top of the countdown, Bobby. Rob Thomas appears to be running out of luck, falling to #4 on the albums charts and #9 on the singles with "Lonely No More". Kelly's right behind him and Mariah passes them both, up five with "We Belong Together"--liked the song at first, but I'm already sick of it to the point of never wanting to hear it again. Still, I appreciate her joint effort with The Killers to make Eric Roberts the Farnsworth Bentley of 2005 (or is it Bentley Farnsworth? I can never remember). 50 Cent falls out of the top 5, making room for 50 Cent, who hits the top five for the fifth time this year with "Just a Lil' Bit". Akon is still stranded at #4, while "Oh" leapfrogs over him to land at #3. I hope it peaks there, and then her next single tops out at #4. "Hollaback Girl" is still #1. It still probably has one week left in it, after which it'll most likely be supplanted by CC or 50 (my money's on 50).

Mostly digital sales, and it appears airplay is waning, to my chagrin. :( I thought the release of the album would give her a boost in the same way Rob Thomas got one last week. Oh well, I suppose a Top 10 entry is satisfaction enough.

> "Behind These Hazel Eyes"--haven't heard it, but something about that title and the law of averages tells me it's gonna be more "A Moment Like This" than "Since U Been Gone"

Actually, quite the opposite: BTHE doesn't rock as much as SUBG, but it's no weeper. Kudos to her team for not falling back on an oversung ballad as the followup.

It also mildly amused me that positions 25-27 are held by "Girlfight," "Girl," and "Rich Girl." And who said the girls don't like the job?

I wouldn't count "Holiday" out just yet; it may not return to the Top 20, but its modern/mainstream rock airplay is too solid for it to just tank altogether.

Anyone know where "E-Pro" peaked? The more I heard it, the more I came to like it (though the percussion-heavy rendition on SNL far outstripped the album track).

Thanks, GDB, for another great recap.

what a fucker.

Speaking of "Oh"'s -- somebody tell me that Ciara has a chance of holding off 50 and hitting #1 in the next couple of weeks.

Anyone know where "E-Pro" peaked? The more I heard it, the more I came to like it (though the percussion-heavy rendition on SNL far outstripped the album track).

It's possible, but I think it's just too edgy for most Top 40 / Adult Contemporary stations, whereas BoBD really worked across the board. It's the problem that pretty much all upbeat rock songs are facing these days.

Surprisingly, even though it had a scorching modern rock placement / O.C. backing / new digital sales and whatnot, "E-Pro" peaked at #65 (according to AMG, which is usually a week or two behind, but I still think it sounds right) which isn't even as high as "Where It's At" (#61).

The 3 Doors Down song is pretty OK by 3 Doors Down standards (seriously, why are these guys one of the five most popular rock groups of this decade) though I think it'd be a lot better if the chorus tried to make sense. Mostly the Papa Roach song just surprises me with how un-Papa Roach it is.

"American Baby" is one of DMB's more Stingpop tracks and the chorus is "stay beautiful, baby, stay American, baby."

Jesus christ. God, I hope it never gets popular enough for me to have to hear it more than once.

It's funny how the top 7 artists on the modern rock singles chart all started in the 90s while the top 4 on the adult contemporary chart all debuted in the new millenium (unless you want to count Mayer's self-released debut in '99).

Yeah, but all of the MR top ten have been on the charts for less than 20 weeks, whereas the AC top ten's youngest charter is 15 weeks old. TS: quick-fix nostalgia vs. insatiable modern trendiness?

Speaking of "Oh"'s -- somebody tell me that Ciara has a chance of holding off 50 and hitting #1 in the next couple of weeks.

yes, albeit not a very good one. My prediction: Next week 50 jumps over Ciara to #2, she sticks at three, they both move up one the next week and Ciara never makes it higher than that.

Ciara defies predictions and moves to #2 with "Oh," which may yield for her the shortest title of a #1 song in chart history if she's lucky. Gwen hangs on to the throne with "Hollaback Girl," which maintains its bullet in time for prom season. But they're both being challenged by Mariah Carey, whose "We Belong Together" I still haven't heard: Is it another of her trademark schlock ballads?

Further down, Fiddy surprisingly stays stuck at #5 with "Just a Lil Bit," while Rob Thomas reverses course to reach a new peak position of #6 with "Lonely No More," which would definitely be in my top 10 singles of the year if the year ended today. Black Eyed Peas look to score their biggest hit to date as "Don't Phunk With My Heart" hurdles 18-11, while the Killers move upwards YET AGAIN, reversing 13-12. I still haven't counted that one out from the Top 10.

"American Baby" defies all expectations by moving *upwards* after its download-centric chart debut, going from 19 to 16; while the Backstreet Boys pull off an even bigger surprise, rebounding all the way from 35 to 18 with "Incomplete" after we'd all left it for dead. Three Bores Down finally reach the top 20 through sheer persistence; Trick Daddy hits a new peak of 22 with "Sugar"; Kelly Clarkson makes a strong jump from 38 to 24 with "Behind These Hazel Eyes"; "Holiday" mildly rebounds from 31 to 29 (getting its bullet back in the process); Foo Fighters score what I think is only their second Top 40 hit as "Best of You" moves 51-35; Cassidy escapes one-hit-wonder status as "I'm a Hustla" ascends 43-39 (I haven't heard it, but I can't imagine it's any less noxious or useless than "Hotel"); and with "Caught Up" declining 37-43, Usher is completely out of the Top 40 for the first time since "Yeah" hit. Quite a run for him. Finally, Missy Elliott's "Lose Control" enters at 86.

Yeah, WBT is pretty much just another trademark schlock ballad, but I happen to think it's an excellent one. That said, I've already heard it way too much.

Rob climbing makes me happy, but I can't see it going too much farther than this. I don't get why Trick suddenly started climbing this week either.

"I'm a Hustla" is much, much better than "Hotel," JM--def give it a try.

I like "On & On" much more than "Lose Control" oh well.

So who unseats Gwen next week--Ciara or Mariah?

"Hollaback Girl" hit #1 so early (I guess thanks to iTunes sales) that I wouldn't be surprised if that helped it stay there way longer than you're expecting it to. I mean, the video just hit the airwaves around the time it hit #1 and I've only started to see it a lot in the past week. as far as who would supplant her, the Mariah has grown on me really quickly, and she's got a long history of #1's in her favor.

If it did, it didn't make the Top 50 (yet). Unfortunately, AMG hasn't updated to include 2005 singles yet and I don't have access to Billboard's 51-100 chart positions (read: too cheap to buy the print edition). I'm torn between the two: I think I'd like "On & On" better if instead of a loop that was a live pennywhistle being played; the organic imperfections would put it on a par with James Brown's 1969-1973 output for me.

A surprise from the AMG chart listing for Missy, though: Apparently "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" missed the Hot 100 altogether! Is this right?

how could you forget
the way I ruled charts last year?
six hits in FIVE MONTHS

believe me, I don't think the song deserves to be even top 40, let alone hold the top spot for a month or more. I'm just saying, I won't be surprised if it hangs on for a while now that it's there.

I'm not making a qualitative judgement here. Just sayin', don't think it can hold on much longer.

Apparently "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" missed the Hot 100 altogether! Is this right?

Yeah, this surprised me too, but I've found a whole bunch of '96 / '97 hits were huge but missed the hot 100 because no official single was released. either that or maybe the song just got much more vid action than radio.

plus "caught up" only got to #8, you weak soup-sippin' pretty boy

Duh - I'd blindly assumed that a single had been released. I'm sure you're right.

Ur-sher took about 10 months to have his Top 10 hits (nb: "Caught Up" peaked at #8); Fiddy has done his in under 6.

And I've just realized that it's worth it to spend the extra dollar on Keebler fudge-striped-shortbread cookies instead of the CVS knockoffs.

Gwen holds down a fourth week at #1 with "Hollaback Girl." Ciara's missed her chance to jump in; now it's Mariah's ode to the #1 slot, "We Belong Together," inching to #2 in its attempt to fulfill its destiny. Fiddy flips places with himself as "Just a Lil Bit" moves 5-4, and Black Eyed Peas continue their strong momentum as "Don't Phunk" hurdles 11-6.

As we exit the Top 10, Will Smith reverses course to 11 with "Switch" as the Killers hold down yet another week at 12, still with a fighting chance of making the Top 10 as Rob Thomas, Bobby Valentino, and Akon all commence their descents. "Incomplete"'s up to a very respectable #14, and "Behind These Hazel Eyes" makes an even better move than I expected, moving 24-18. After the horrid "A Moment Like This," Clarkson really has selected very good material, and I must give her credit.

After Ying Yang Twins' long-awayed move into the Top 20 (they're at 19) we have a pair of unexpected rises: Trick Daddy at 20 (making "Sugar" a bona fide hit if it wasn't one already), and more mystifyingly, "Beverly Hills" rebounding all the way from 47 to 21. I think that's the highest Top 40 re-entry since Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" in the wake of 9/11. That Pretty Ricky song that no one appears to have heard, "Grind With Me," enters the Top 40 at an impressive #25, while Howie Day's "Collide" picks up speed one position behind. "1 Thing" tumbles all the way from 17 to 28, which makes me a little sad.

On the other hand, "American Baby" (love the intro, hate the song) slides from 16 all the way to 33, and "Karma" appears to finally be out of rebounds, slipping to 36. Further down, Papa Roach is dangerously close to entering the Top 40 for the first time as the excrement of "Scars" is up to 41, providing that kids will buy anything, System of a Down proves anything is possible by taking "BYOB" to #43, and Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Cha" -- which I really thought would have been a major topic of conversation on this board -- is in at #49. Missy's still out of the Top 50, but I hope to see her in there soon. Top debut: Nelly's "Errtime" at 55. (That's not another single from Suit Sweat, is it?)

Bill owes me a coke!

After the horrid "A Moment Like This," Clarkson really has selected very good material, and I must give her credit.

fwiw, "Moment" was the pre-arranged song that was going to be sung by whoever won the first season of AI right after winning and released as their first single. so she didn't really select it or have much choice in the matter once she won.

It is quite amazing how she's *completely* shaken off that debut single (an Idol-ordained song which she was obligated to sing) -- nobody even remembers it anymore.

I'm gutted about "Oh" :(
"1-2 Step" was also turned back at #2 -- Ciara is the new CCR!!

I saw the video for "Beverly Hills" this morning ... it reeked of "hey man, let's make a CLASSIC video that people will talk about. Bring on the irony". It just feels like they were trying too hard.

nope, Longest Yard sdtk. I think Nelly realized that Sweat was pretty much DOA and is now desperately trying to make another non-slow jam hit before he's resigned to a career of balladeering.

That Pretty Ricky song that no one appears to have heard, "Grind With Me," enters the Top 40 at an impressive #25

it's a staple of the 106 & Park countdown, but yeah, I've yet to actually hear it on the radio.

If it stays for more than another week, I owe you a coke (or the monetary equivalent).

Nope, not yet.

Joe, I'm now working from 9-3 on Mondays, so you're going to have to give me more a grace period before you update this thread.

That Pretty Ricky song is sorta dreadful. "Don't Cha" is great, but I already did my gushing over it when it was done by Tori Amalaze.

Next week, Mariah takes #1.

You can't scan the radio dial without catching Mariah on one of the stations these days. I can't see "Hollaback Girl" being the song to hold it off.

Gavin DeGraw's "Chariot" enters at #49 this week--while I admired his last song's attempt to recapture the magic of "More Than Words," two hits is more than enough from this guy. Hope it doesn't make it too much higher than this. "Trapped in the Closet" finally enters at #47--no part (movement?) is specified, so I'm confused how they're counting it, since different parts for multi-part songs are supposed to be counted separately these days (i.e. "I Need a Girl, Pt. 1 & 2"). The buzz on this thing is sorta overwhelming, though, so maybe it doesn't need the quintuple-up support. Alicia, Usher, Natalie and Mario are all on their way out.

"Scars" enters the top 40 this week at #39, yuck. Cassidy rises one to #38--I don't know what's stunting this thing's growth, but I wish it'd stop. Should be top 25 by now. "Don't Cha" climbs 13 to #36--exciting, but not as exciting as it would be if it was Tori Alamaze's version. Lifehouse up nine to #33--song's OK, though it makes me long for the MOR halcyon days of "Hanging By a Moment" (underrated! underrated!) Meanwhile Green Day can't get back over their "Holiday" hump, slipping one to #32 this week.

Coldplay's airplay is probably starting to catch up with it, as it reverses direction and hits #29 this week, one ahead of Baby Bash's seven-climbing "Baby I'm Back"--I dunno what it is about this song, but it's def. starting to hook me a little bit. "Girl" starts falling this week, thank god, landing at #28, one behind what has surely got to be the most bizarre top 40 entry in history, System of a Down's "B.Y.O.B.". Explanations? I dunno, I guess the "everybody's going to the party" bit is kinda catchy. Less so the "WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" hook. Nelly enters the top 50 in grand fashion, landing at #24 with his highly competent (yes, competent, we'll leave it at that) "Errtime," surely Nelly's most innovative vocal slur yet and one I plan on slipping into casual conversation at any time possible. Trick Daddy's somewhat inexplicable surge of chart momentum appears to have died out a bit, as "Sugar" falls back two to #22. Weezer remains stalled at #21.

Passing the once-again sputtering Ying Yang Twins (#20 this week) is Pretty Ricky, for some reason. Anyone else heard this song? Sounds like a pastiche of all the worst parts of 90s R&B with remarkably little new life breathed into it. Far more promising, however, is the highest top 50 debut this week, Gorillaz and De La Soul's "Feel Good, Inc." at #17 (up a grand 57 from last week). This is a whole lot better than either group has ever charted before, 17 higher than "Me, Myself and I" and 40 higher than "Clint Eastwood". The iPod strikes again? I don't even know anymore. The Three Doors Down juggernaut rises to #15 this week, which is not nearly far enough from the top ten. Someone please stop this thing before it's too late. "Incomplete" hits #13, and The Killers are stuck at #12 for like the 10th straight week. C'mon.

Akon and Bobby Valentino are out of the top ten this week (yay for the latter, hesitated yay for the former), leaving room for Will Smith at #9 (huh? I thought we had seen the last of that one, and I was pretty OK with that) and Kelly Clarkson at #8 (am I the only one who thinks this song is some grunge throwback errtime I hear the first couple seconds?) "Don't Phunk With My Heart" swaps places with "Hate it or Love It" (#5 and #6, respectively), "Just a Lil' Bit" and "Oh" stand their ground, and "Hollaback Girl"'s highly improbable reign over the top 100 is brought to a close by Mariah Carey's 15th #1, "We Belong Together". Looks she'll have a fairly long stay at the top, too, with no immediate challengers in sight--that BEPs song is way too goofy to be a #1, and I can't imagine "Behind These Hazel Eyes" getting the top spot when "Since U Been Gone" couldn't manage it.

Oh, and so much for Bo Bice breaking the Nickelback curse. At least Carrie will be able to unseat Mariah for a week or two.

Vision of Love
I Don't Wanna Cry
Someday
Love Takes Time
Emotions
I'll Be There
Hero
Dreamlover
One Sweet Day
Fantasy
Always Be My Baby
Honey
My All
Thank God I Found You
We Belong Together

what am I missing?

"Heartbreaker"

DPMWH's absurd silliness (even more overt than their '04 run, as if that were possible) did grow on me for a while, now it feels like it's getting annoying again. Such a fine line with BEPs.

I bet the Billboard people are glad that download sales are helping make the pop chart a lil' whiter.

You say this as if it's a bad thing. Yeah, it's basically pop chart affirmative action, but if it's making the charts a bit more balanced (which they certainly weren't before), why not?

I am sorta surprised you're not feeling "Beverly Hills," at least. What's wrong with Steve Miller and Peter Frampton covering "El Scorcho," anyway?

(x-post and that DMB song isn't as terrible as I feared)

Her #1s ranked, besides "I Don't Wanna Cry" and "Love Takes Time" which I somehow haven't heard.

14. Thank God I Found You
13. Hero
12. My All
11. We Belong Together
10. I'll Be There
9. Honey
8. Always Be My Baby
7. Someday
6. Vision of Love
5. Heartbreaker
4. One Sweet Day (greatest prestige duet of ever?)
3. Fantasy
2. Emotions
1. Dreamlover

How that urge didn't hit an unassailable peak with the "Everyday" video is beyond me.

De La Soul existing in the Top 20 delights me more than you'd think. And while I like "Chariot" a lot, I didn't think it would become a radio hit -- seemed a grasp. Glad to be wrong on that.

Other news: Kenny Chesney charts at 93 with "Keg in the Closet," which I really wish Cletus T. Judd had the compunction to parody as "Kells in the Closet."

read tomorrow's Stylus to find out!

In the shit-for-brains wisdom of the AI producers, they rolled out the Rent-A-Ballads for the winner's debut single, so it wouldn't have mattered even if Bo had won.

Maybe it's a good thing that he lost, because he'll certainly have his own album out in time. It'll likely be a straight-up rock album and won't be shackled to these crummy AI ballads. Clay Aiken finished second in AI and had a #1 later on, so there's still plenty of hope for Bo.

I am not feeling the Mariah single AT ALL. I didn't like any of her mid-90's ballads either.

The only new-on to the top 50 this week is Rascal Flatts' "Fast Cars and Freedom" at #49. Besides that, notable movement in the 40s includes DC plummeting to #45 with "Girl" (no doubt to be soon replaced by the fairly OMGWTFLOL "Cater 2 U") and R. advancing to #43 with "Trapped in the Closet" (part 4 sucks part 4 sucks part 4 sucks)

System of a Down's nonsensical chart-climbing is abruptly put to a halt, as "B.Y.O.B." slides to #35 this week. "I'm a Hustla" finally starts to head upwards, landing at #34, one spot below (sigh) Papa Roach's "Scars". Gorillaz's impressive top 20 hot-shot last week falls 11 to 28, but Green Day appear to have turned things around a bit, climbing five to #27, as have Coldplay, who rebound to #21 this week. Howie Day, Weezer and Nelly all hang in mid-20s limbo.

"Sugar" is back at #20 this week, though I can't imagine why--I haven't heard the song or seen the video in at least a month. Whatever. "Don't Cha" is the big mover this week, blazing up 17 to #19. Pretty Ricky is up two to #16, and the increasingly controversial Ying Yang Twins' approval ratings rise to #15. "Lonely No More" slips one out of the top 10 this week, leaving room for, at last, "Mr. Brightside" at #10. After something like three months of languishing in the top 25, this is the first the single has seen of the top 10.

And that's about it. Will Smith and the BEPs are up one, Kelly falls two with "Since U Been Gone" but rises two with "Behind These Hazel Eyes," and the top four are totally static.

Notable debuts include Ludacris and Bobby Valentino's "Pimpin' All Over the World" (pretty damn good, though imo the first time that Ludacris is outshined by the production) and the absolutely too hott "Pon de Replay" by Rihanna--a brief track ID confusion on the board a week or so ago, thankfully resolved. D/l it immediately if you haven't heard it yet, maybe I'll YSI when I get home.

Can somebody explain to me how "Mr. Brightside", which has peaked at #10 (thus far) is certified 2x platinum, but "Candy Shop", which was #1 for twelve years, is only certified gold?

Granted, the certifications are due to sales/downloads, whereas the chart placements are more weighted toward airplay. Nonetheless, that's a huge disparity -- how could "Candy Shop"'s sales be so small? Were people just buying the album and not bothering with the single?

-- jaymc (jmcunnin...), June 9th, 2005.

I think "Breakaway" is becoming something of a staple on certain pop and adult alt. formats, anytime I hear any of those kindsa stations for an hour or more I hear "Breakaway", even now, a good 6-8 months after its followup single was released.

"Candy Shop" was a #1.

why is "Dreams" on a bunch of Houston mixtapes right now? or do you mean remixes/freestyles over the beat?

As for Kelly's "Breakaway," it didn't rebound so much as other songs had more pronounced falls. She's in her 15th week at #1 on adult contemporary with that song.

Lastly, a question: Are the standards for gold and platinum digital downloads the same as the standards for gold and platinum single sales? "Blvd" is showing as triple platinum, which I find rather astonishing -- I thought only a handful of singles (We Are the World, I Will Always Love You, etc) had reached that plateau?

Well, if DJs are spinning them, it usually signifies some level of grassroots/bottom-up success on the track's part.

The Game up twelve to #38--I guess he's gonna make it after all, after all. Color me impressed. The Foos climb back into the top 40--does everyone hate this song? I can't figure out why, sounds OK to me. That Bow Wow Wow & Omarion song (see if you can remember which one is which!)debuts on the top 50 at #33--that one's gonna go top ten for certain. More annoyingly, Gavin DeGraw climbs to #31--this probably means I'm going to have to actually listen to the song all the way through, the fucker.

Excitingly, the even more likely jam-of-the-summer candidate, Rihanna's "Pon de Replay," debuts at #30 this week. This year's "Move Your Body," no question--surprised there haven't been a half-dozen threads on it on this board already. There will be. Tim McGraw re-enters the charts at #29, uh, for some reason. Anybody know why this is? "Scars" continues to scale the top 40, hitting at #26 this week, luckily only two ahead of the slipping Howie Day. "Lose Control" is up 7 to #23--I was pretty sure no one was gonna cotton to this one, but am happy to be proved wrong.

Weezer is back in the top 20 this week, though probably not for long. The "Let Me Go" juggernaut finally appears to have stopped for good, down to #18 this week. Similarly, "Incomplete" appears to be more or less finished, heading to #17 this week (though hopefully some first week Never Gone sales will send it back towards the top). That ridiculously mediocre Fat Joe and Nelly song (CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK ALL OR NOTHING CRACK CRACK CRACK) is up to #16, and "Don't Cha" hits at #13.

Colplay re-enters the top 10, most likely bolstered by X&Y sales. Not much else to speak about towards the top, with Pretty Ricky and Will Smith swapping one spot and the BEPs climbing to #3, also assisted by first-week sales. Expect them to start slipping next week, though I'm not sure what to--aside from a couple possible contenders in the teens, nothing on the horizon looks like it could unseat Mariah. Except Carrie Underwood's debut single, which now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure is being released this week. Surprisingly it's only rated at #9 on amazon.com, so maybe sales won't be enough to give her the #1. Should be interesting to see.

The suckage ratings of American Idol contestants' debut singles are always predictable.

I Believe >> A Moment Like This >>> This is the Night >>>>>>>>>>> Inside Your Heaven

I was baffled at first as well, but according to his homepage (http://www.timmcgraw.com/home.php), the digital download was only made available on June 7. Seems there were enough sales to garner him re-entry.

P.S. Give DeGraw's "Chariot" a chance; it's a far more interesting track than "I Don't Wanna Be." But then, I like several Train songs, so consider that a disclaimer.

http://www.billboard.com/bb/chartbeat/chat.jsp

[...]

Hi Fred,

First, I really enjoy your column and look forward to reading it every week.

I'm writing you today regarding the re-entry of Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying" at No. 29 on the Hot 100 and new entry at No. 12 on the Hot Digital Songs chart. Personally, I enjoy the song very much and I am happy to see it returning to the charts; however, I'm a little puzzled as to the sudden surge of the song.

Did that many people download the song within the one-week period for it to shoot up the charts like that? If so, what caused such a strong interest in the song? After all, the song has been out for about a year now. Or was there some kind of downloading promotion to cause the rapid movement of the song?

It's such a mystery to me and I would love to find out the reasons why.

Sincerely,

Andy Tran

Dear Andy,

Good question, and there is a logical explanation. Curb Records just signed up with iTunes, and so it was the first week that any songs on the Curb label could be downloaded from the popular site. Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying" debuted on the Hot 100 just over a year ago. The song was a new entry at No. 73 the week of June 12, 2004. In its original chart run, the song peaked at No. 30 the week of Aug. 14, so this re-entry establishes a new peak position.

"Live Like You Were Dying" isn't the only Curb track to benefit from being newly available at iTunes. Jo Dee Messina's "My Give a Damn's Busted" debuts on the Hot Digital Songs list at No. 73, and I'm told Kimberley Locke's "I Could," bulleted at No. 25 on the Adult Contemporary chart, also sold a lot of downloads during Curb's inaugural week with iTunes.

[...]

Hi Fred,

Would you clarify how airplay points are being compiled for R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" series. I only see one title on the Billboard charts: "Trapped in the Closet" (without any of the chapter designations).

Would this be the equivalent of having five songs in heavy rotation, but having all the points from the five songs pushing one title to the top?

I love your column.

Robert Briggs
New York

Dear Robert,

Another good question, and since I didn't know the answer, I turned to Hot 100 chart manager Silvio Pietroluongo, who provided this explanation:

"All versions of the song are being tracked together as it meets our merge requirements (either music or lyrics must match in each version). In addition, 'Trapped' appears as one song on R. Kelly's upcoming album.

"For chart purposes, immediate back-to-back plays of two different chapters count as one play. Three or four in a row count as two plays. All five chapters played without interruption count as three plays. We are not finding many stations playing more than two chapters at a time, so most airings are counting as one play. Also, most stations move onto the current chapter as it is released and lessen the airplay of the previous chapters."

Not much other movement in the top 10 of note (everyone just slips one to make room for Carrie, pretty much), aside from Fat Joe crashing the party at #10 (hopefully he'll start slipping after the first-week sales effect wears off). "Don't Cha" is up to #11, and "Pon de Replay" is the big mover (yay!), up 17 to #13. Track's already more popular than I ever could've hoped for. Rock takes a kick in the ass this week, as Rob, Coldplay and The Killers all drop significantly, though the Foo Fighters (1st week sales again) are up 19 to #18.

"Lose Control" jumps to one outside the top 20, and "Let Me Hold You" is up to #28. Papa Roach and Howie Day mercifully begin to slide. Ludacris is up to #32, The Game at #34 and Webbie & Bun B. to #37. The biggest new-on to the top 50 is "Listen to Your Heart" by D.B.H.--country, I assume? I've never heard/heard of it. Three new ones in the 40s--DC's hysterical "Cater 2 U" (#45), Frankie J's "Burn" clone "How to Deal" (#47) and another one of those Fantasia singles ("Free Yourself," #48)

Next week: Bo Bice takes a run at it.

I'm actually pretty down on my Roxette knowledge, considering they've had four #1s--all I know is "It Must Have Been Love" (excruciating) and "The Look" (not bad).

Also: Natalie Bedingfield debuts at #100, something that doesn't seem to happen often. I'm hoping she peaks there; the list of songs that peaked at #100 is far too short.

Thankfully, Pretty Ricky falls to #10 and Fat Joe is out of the top 10 completely, landing at #12. Rihanna stalls at #13 while Missy (#14), Lifehouse (#16), Bow Wow (#17) and Ludacris (#20) are all big movers. The Killers' chart saga appears to finally have ended, with "Mr. Brightside" plummeting to #25 this week. Three Doors Down (#24), Backstreet Boys (#26) and the Ying Yang Twins (#28) are all losers this week.

Not much else of note--that D.H.T. song is up, hitting at #30, as is Desitny's Child's grand finale, "Cater 2 U" rising to #38 this week. The only new-on of note is Mike Jones's comically awful (yes, Deej, comically awful is the correct descriptor for this song) "Back Then," whose #48 placement now officially makes it a bigger hit than the infinitely superior "Still Tippin'".

Coldplay at #1 for the third week. Billy Corgan debuts at an underwhelming #30.

NOW IM HOT

As both "Inside Your Heaven" recordings begin their descent, "Hollaback Girl" rebounds to 2 while Black Eyed Peas have a new peak of 3 with "Don't Phunk With My Heart." Neither has a bullet, so I don't see the latter hitting #1. Indeed, nothing looks poised to unseat Mariah's "We Belong Together" anytime soon, with the possible exception of Rihanna's "Pon de Replay," which at this point ranks in my top 10 singles for the year. Rihanna's new to the Top 10 this week at 9, with Missy E stepping up to 10 with "Lose Control."

Further down the chart, Ludacris's "Pimpin' All Over the World," up 4 to 16, has now outperformed "Number One Spot" (it's apparently bad luck to boast about chart positions on a record; I'm reminded of Nelly's "#1" being the only non-Top-10 single of his first several releases). The useless and inferior remake of "Listen to Your Heart" jumps 30-19, which makes me frown. As does "Scars" moving to 21, and Jessica Simpson hot-shot-debuting at 33 with her "Boots" remake (wasn't Willie Nelson supposed to be credited on that?). Mike Jones cracks the Top 40 with "Back Then," which isn't nearly as bad to my ears as others have described it. Arrrr Kelly's "Playas Only" has a typically slow trajectory to start, edging 90-73. I'm always intrigued by how long it always takes his singles to cross over to pop.

The worst news, though, is Simple Plan's "Untitled (How Can This Happen to Me?)" moving up to #50. I question the song's very title -- how can a song be untitled yet have a subtitle? -- and rue that the song's just as bad as everything else they've ever recorded. Definitely placement in my 10-worst-of-year list.

The top ten is looking kinda cool, though. #4-#6 are all big movers and among the coolest singles of the year, "Don't Cha" up three to #4, "Pon de Replay" up four to #5 and "Lose Control" up four to #6. Pretty Ricky's somewhere in there too, unfortunately. "Get it Poppin'" (#12) and "Let Me Hold You" (#11) are getting dangerously close as well. Jessica Simpson's love-it-and/or-hate-it "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'" is at #14 in just its second week on the list--hot damn. Curious to see how far that one goes.

Not too many other big movers this week. "Scars" ends up in the top 20, frighteningly enough, and "Cater 2 U" is up ten to #27. "Trapped in the Closet," presumably propelled by sales of TP3 (#1 on the album charts this week) is up 37 to #38. Gorillaz crawl their way back up to #43, and the hot shot debut comes courtesy of this week's obligatory iTunes Boosted Single After a Big Important Event, in this case U2 and Paul McCartney's "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" performance at Live8. This is McCartney's first solo top 50 hit in over 15 years.

I still don't understand the Mariah love. I was about to ask about the last ballad to have an extended stay at #1 during the summer months, but then I checked the chart history and noticed that it's not so uncommon.

I thought the Cybotron song was sampled from something else as well, though? Who's getting money for it, him or Kraftwerk?

Actually, I think "We Belong Together" is fantastic, but most people won't realize it until it's used as a plot point in a karaoke scene in some indie tearjerker a decade or so from now.

That's all I've got for now; Eric Byrnes has been traded and I am very sad about that.

Perhaps if there were more than 6 #1 singles a year these days, my opinion would change, but that's the way it is I suppose. So you know those books that list the details of every Hot 100 chart topper? The fact that any of those songs went to #1 is irrelevant to me now. #1 means nothing from here on out.

YOU DON'T MEAN THAT

I just hurt my eyes I was rolling them so hard.

I thought I did, but you're right. I'll continue to respect what the concept represented up until 2000-ish, or whenever the spotlight hogs began arriving with their 15-week #1 streaks. The element of surprise in regards to #1 singles is not exactly what it used to be, which wouldn't be so bad if I thought the majority of these songs were worth it. I think the last big one that I actually think was worth what it recieved was "Hey Ya," which was well over a year ago. I don't mind Mariah Carey or 50 Cent reaching #1 at all, but the streaks these songs recieve is pretty ridiculous. Come to think of it, "Let Me Love You" is probably in my top ten singles of the year so far, and I STILL don't think it's worth the streak it recieved.

However, for the first time since she took over, there actually seems to be a legitimate challenger to the throne. Rihanna leapfrogs over the Pussycat Dolls this week, jumping 5-2. I gotta say, I'd never have expected it to go #1, but I'd be more than happy for the dancefloor hero of the people to have our next #1. I'm not sure if it's gonna happen, though--I could see Mariah at least holding on for another week or two, which could be more than enough time for Rihanna to lose the necessary momentum.

Gwen slips to #3, the Dolls stuck at #4 (can't wait for that follow-up single), BEPs slide to #5. Missy's unfortunately stuck at #6, but I think it'll probably reach the top five next week as the BEPs continue to fall. "Let Me Hold You," the next likely #1 after Rihanna, is up three to #8. It's more or less won me over by now, but we'll see how well it holds up when it becomes truly unavoidable. Fat Joe & Nelly return to the top ten somehow at #9, which at the very least means Pretty Ricky is out of there for good.

Big movers in the teens are Ludacris/Bobby (15-12), Lifehouse (18-13--I thought this thing peaked like four months ago), and DHT (19-14--I wish they'd make a video for this so I could actually hear which version of the song is getting played). Despite her 33-14 jump last week, Jessica Simpson falls back to #19. Shame, sorta.

Other movers of note include Destiny's Child, whose "Cater 2 U" is now officially a much bigger hit than it should have been at #22, Gorillaz, who after hitting #17 a month ago fell dramatically but are now rising back to #25 (also #3 on the MR charts, and back up to #14 on the albums), and Mike Jones, whose "Back Then" continues to disprove everything I thought I knew about everything by hitting #28.

New-ons to the top 50 are Lil' Rob's "Summer Nights" at #46 (anyone know about this? Surprised I haven't heard it yet) and far more interestingly, Natasha Bedingfield's slightly annoying but majorly fantastic "Three Words" at #48 and Gwen Stefani's rather redeeming "Cool" at #50 (she sounds like a human being again, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your Stefani tastes). R.'s still #1 on the album charts, but Slim Thug debuts at #2--not bad for a dude whose only hit single so far wasn't even his.

The unplugged version is #16 on iTunes, the regular (dance) version is #59.

its been getting radio spins out the ass, esp. here in chicago (I posted about it back in May when I first heard it). I love it. its like the hip-hop eagles or steve miller band or something.

Innit "These Words"?

woah that sounds awesome. Gotta d/l that.

Innit "These Words"?

yeah, mixed up with the JBs song. Whoops.

They started showing the Lifehouse video a whole lot on MTVHits too, but I don't understand why it took them so long--it's not like the song's a grower or by some new band just gathering hype or anything. Maybe it was on a TV show.

Man, after that first album, who'd have thought Gorillaz would have a hit bigger than "Clint Eastwood"? Certainly not me.

Week #9 for Mariah, now officially tied for longest stay at #1 of the year so far. Rihanna still at #2, Pussycat Dolls up one to #3, Missy up two to #4. Ludacris breaks the top ten with "Pimpin' All Over the World," now his biggest Red Light District hit at #9. "Scars" is up three to #15 (now officially the '05 recipient of the annual "If You Could Only See" award), "Feel Good Inc." continues to bullet into the top 20 at #16, "Cater 2 U" is in at #19.

Other big movers include Mike Jones, up to #22 with "Back Then" (oh man), and far more encouragingly, Natasha Bedingfield, up 18 to #30 with "These Words" and Fall Out Boy, with the pop-punk breakout hit of the year, "Sugar, We're Going Down," up 24 to #31. "Cool" (#35) and "Summer Nights" (#36) both break the top 40, and Kanye finally shows up at #43 with "Diamonds from Sierra Leone". That goofball Tony Yayo is another new-on to the list, at #48 with "So Seductive," and Mariah's follow-up to "We Belong Together," "Shake it Off," also appears for the first time at #50.

Also, it appears to be one of the slowest weeks in the history of the album charts, as NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC #21 easily slides into a #1 debut, in front of the new Mary Mary album at #7 and Carly Simon's FOURTH ALBUM OF STANDARDS at #8. The good news about this is that it makes room for Demon Days to saunter back into the top 10, up five to #9.

I really hope Mariah stays on just for one more week, long enough to top "Candy Shop" and "Let Me Love You". Then Rihanna can take.

Green Day are back up to #21, for some reason--anyone know why "Holiday" should be popular again? Natasha is up seven to #23, cool, and Mike Jones' luck (tremendous as it is) appears to have finally run out, sliding two to #24. Gwen is up to #26 with "Cool," Kelly has a "Since U Been Gone" turnaround to #28, and Fall Out Boy's bullet is running out, only up one to #30. Teairra Mari is up seven to #38. Kanye, Rob, and Jessica Simpson all make unexpected, big-time slips.

New-ons to the top 50 are Lyfe Jennings (?) at #45 with "Must Be Nice," that spanish Shakira song at #46, the pretty cool-but-would've-been-cooler-before-"Wait" David Banner song at #47, and the new Bow Wow duet with Ciara (what, the Omarion duet isn't new enough?) at #49. Hopefully the divided airplay will mean LMLY won't get to #1...but doubtful.

hah, yeah, that's the one.

I would say that, by definition, "We Belong Together" couldn't be the JAM of the summer, but I guess some people define it differently than I do.

Question for the chart geeks in light of Shakira's ascent: When's the last time an all-foreign-language track went Top 40 without a version in English being available as well?

And also, taking bets on what will replace Mariah at #1:
* Pon De Replay
* Let Me Hold You
* Lose Control
* Axel F

Meanwhile, I'm thinking "Wake Me Up When September Ends" actually has a pretty significant chance of finsihing what BOBD started and making it all the way to the top. The video is the first EVENT VIDEO in god knows how long on MTV, it's the perfect end-of-summer ballad...it'd be just the thing to topple Mariah, and it catapults from 49-21 this week. Here's hoping.

This is looking more and more likely. "Shake it Off" at #2 this past week.

Other big movers are Fall Out Boy crashing the top ten at #8, Green Day up to #11, the (shudder) Black Eyed Peas, now at both #14 for "Don't Lie" and #16 for "My Humps," Shakira at #24 and MCR toppling into the top 40 with "Helena" (probably on the back of the VMAs).

Kanye's on top of the album charts too, obvivously. 860,000 units scanned.

Your second-to-last post is OTM, though. I don't know that I'd have heard "We Belong Together" if I didn't occasionally listen to commercial radio. Whereas "Hollaback Girl" is something that I've heard lots of people that don't necessarily listen to commercial radio or watch MTV reference jokingly.

Foos debuted in the low 30s and climbed to like #18 before hitting the sales wall. NIN debuted in the high 30s and did little climbing before plummeting all the way back down. The White Stripes debuted I think at #46 and then fell instantly.

The Massacre

The Massacre Special Edition

Other notable moves up the chart include "Hung Up," which enters the top 20 at #14 (yay), and 50's "Window Shopper," which enters the top 40 at #30.

Also, fans of "Stay Fly" will be pleased to know it inched up to #13 and probably has a shot at the top 10 within a week or two.

Among the biggest losers this week are Lil' Kim's "Lighters Up," which peaked last week at #31 before taking a nosedive to #46. And "I'm Sprung" seems to have stalled out, slipping to #10 after last week's high of #8.

I'm glad Chris Brown finally made it to #1, the song's not fantastic but it's a very #1-sounding single (much more so than "Gold Digger," which was great but didn't deserve more than half of it's ten-week run).That D4L song depresses me, it's horrible. "Stickwitu" is great, though--sorta the "2 Become 1" to "Don't Cha"'s "Wannabe".

"Stay Fly" is one of the best singles...hell, maybe of the decade. Hope I never get sick of it. "Window Shopper" is actually surprisingly good. Can't fathom for the life of me the top 20 success of "I Think They Like Me," "One Wish" and "Here We Go". Music doesn't get much more mediocre

Disappointed "Dance, Dance" has already started to fall after bulleting to #22, but glad to see Juelz regain some momentum. And the All-American Rejects in the top 40, not bad.

Also: a song from Rent ("Seasons of Love") is at #43!

Huge gains for Nelly's "Grillz" (ft. Paul Wall, natch) (52 --> 19) and Eminem's "When I'm Gone" (69 --> 25).

"Run It" is at #1 for the 3rd week. Not much action within the top 10.

"Laffy Taffy" at #4 is slightly disturbing. There's no chance of it going to #1, is there?

Juelz jumping to #11 makes me happy.

Good God, I hope not.

And I hate pretty much everything from Rent.

We staved off Crazy Frog, we can stave off teh Blunt as well.

bip bip click PUSSY bip bip click PUSSY POUNDIN' bip bip click PUSSY bip bip click PUSSY POUNDIN' will be the theme of your children's prom night. and they will find it square.