Chart Chat UK, Aug. 16, 2009

A flip-flop at the top this week, and a couple of top tens that are interesting, albeit for wildly different reasons.
Black Eyed Peas return to number 1 with 'I Gotta Feeling,' pushing Tinchy Stryder down to 2. Calvin Harris' new jam debuts at number 3, and while it can't extend to three his string of number 1's, this happy dance track serves as a nice promo for his new album due out next week. One place below and we find a man whose music career has been overshadowed by his tabloid appearances. Peter Andre had a surprisingly healthy run of hits in the 90's as a pin-up, ever-shirtless hottie, before he faded into obscurity, only to be thrust back into the limelight by an appearance on 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' and subsequent marriage to fellow contestant and glamour girl Jordan. Since he re-entered the public eye, Andre's chart fortunes have been mixed, with two top 10's and two also-rans. There always seemed to be a question of whether people were buying his songs because of the music or they hype - especially this time around. This number 4 placing for new single 'Behind Closed Doors' comes on the heels of his very public marriage breakdown and does very little to answer that question. The Ian Carey Project manages to improve on last week's number 10 showing, moving up a place to 9. At number 10 we find the first top 10 for ScopiSat fave Little Boots. 'Remedy' finally gives the hotly-tipped singer a solid hit, with the single's full release still a day away. There's not a lot of action in the rest of the chart, but there are a few tracks to watch. David Guetta's track with Akon bows at 21, right above Noisettes who can't seem to break through the number 20 barrier with 'Never Forget You.' Frankmusik sticks around as well, treading water with his latest, 'Confusion Girl.'

The UK Top Ten:

1 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
2 - Tinchy Stryder ft Amelle: Never Leave You
3 - Calvin Harris: Ready For the Weekend
4 - Peter Andre: Behind Closed Doors
5 - Beyonce: Sweet Dreams
6 - Mr. Hudson ft Kanye West: Supernova
7 - JLS: Beat Again
8 - Pitbull: I Know You Want Me
9 - Ian Carey Project: Get Shaky
10- Little Boots: Remedy

The Horrors are what they say

Trent Reznor is hot. He also makes pretty good music most of the time. But he has terrible, terrible taste in other peoples' music.



This....THIS...showed up on the NIN website, as a push for one of Trent's favorite 'bands.' If you'll excuse me, I need to wipe the blood from about my neck and face, as my ears have bled out and I just spent the last three minutes and twenty eight seconds clawing at my eyes.

Madonna is FIFTY ONE: a somber tribute

As the title says, Mantis-Arms turns quite old today. It's a bit shocking when one realizes an icon that defined youth and culture for generations (no really, like three of them) is so...advanced. Madonna's been pulled, peeled, tucked and worked out, and keeps focusing on her new tunes like they will somehow save her from age or irrelevance, but there's something inherently misguided in that. It's those classic tunes and iconic moments that are themselves eternal in a way that an individual can never be. I suppose there's something to be said for avoiding nostalgia, but no one wants to see an old lady try to be hip. They want to see a wise woman recognize that she is the sum of all that she has done before. It seems like her new greatest hits, 'Celebration' may be a step in that direction. If 'Hard Candy' was mutton dressed as lamb, this new Madonna has the chance to be the iconic equivalent of an aged wine - wisdom, knowledge and experience are the stewing sugars and acids of a pop career. A cheap, young wine is alright to chug and forget, but rare vintage is something to truly be savored.
Yes, today is the day that Madonna-mantis entered the world, and ScopiSat is all about respecting our elders so here is a rundown of some reasons we still love her:



1. Because she sang 'True Blue'

2. Because she's made some quite good videos

3. Because she has said she will quit acting

4. Because she sang 'You'll See,' which remains a CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED 90's ballad

5. Because her rock-out performance of 'Burning Up' at the Re-invention Tour made it almost worth the £120 we paid to see a speck hopping around on a stage for 2 hours

6. Because she paved the way for modern female sexuality
6.5 Because the Sex book was actually quite well done and included VANILLA ICE

7. Because she gave the gays someone to love who didn't sing showtunes (Evita doesn't count because ScopiSat refuses to acknowledge the existence of Andrew Lloyd Weber)

8. Because she did the whole 'Like A Prayer' album

9. Because in five years' time, Lourdes is going to knock the Pop Queen tiara off Lady Gaga and put out some PHENOMENAL future-disco

10. Because she pioneered the new music business model and made a gajillion dollars

11. Because her old band Emmy and the Emmys could kick the pants off most of today's indies

12. Because she did the whole 'Ray of Light' album

13. Because if we didn't we fear she might have us killed :(

Lest we forget, the lady can sell a song:

Mini Viva go SAW

We heard the Pete Hammond remix of one of our favorite new tracks, 'Left My Heart in Tokyo' by Mini Viva the other day, and now the Pete Hammond Retro remix has surfaced and is somehow even better because it is a REMIX and it is also RETRO. We'll probably be posting the 'Tokyo' video again to celebrate the single's release on Sept. 8, but until then here's a picture of two attractive women floating around while a very good remix plays.


PS we mean SAW (Stock Aitken Waterman) not SAW like the girls chained someone to a pole and told the person they had poisoned them and that the only way to get to the antidote in time was to hack off their leg or something