Chart Chat UK: October 4, 2009

This week is boring.  Taio Cruz holds tight at the top, Shakira stays put at 4, and the only real movement is at the bottom of the top ten.  Temper Trap hops into the number 7 position, with their slow-burning single 'Sweet Disposition.'  Pitbull grabs another hit, as 'Hotel Room Service' gets delivered at 9, and Dizzee Rascal's 'Dirtee Cash' rings up at 10.  Down at 14, Madonna continues her slide down the hooker pole with her latest, as all the focus has been pushed to the decent selling album.  La Roux, while flopping at 27 with the full release of 'I'm Not Your Toy,' doesn't take the honors of the biggest failure of the week.  That title goes to Natalie Imbruglia, whose electro-Coldplay comeback doesn't even make the top 40 despite the song being LITERALLY AMAZING.  Radio just didn't support this one at all.  Shame, programmers.  Shame. 

The UK Top Ten:
1 - Taio Cruz: Break Your Heart
2 - Jay-Z ft Alicia Keyes: Empire State of Mind
3 - David Guetta Ft Akon: Sexy Chick
4 - Shakira: She Wolf
5 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
6 - Jay-Z ft Rihanna & Kanye West
7 - Temper Trap: Sweet Disposition
8 - Pixie Lott: Boys & Girls
9 - Pitbull: Hotel Room Service
10-Dizzee Rascal: Dirtee Cash

Chart Chat UK: September 6, 2009

The 'epic chart battle' of the week is over, and it's 1776 all over again. The American Jay-z (and Rihanna and Kanye West) track reigns supreme over Brit girls Sugababes who are relegated to number 2 with the first single off their upcoming album. To be fair, the 'babes never really had a chance against such a pedigree, as 'Run This Town' matches three of hip-hop's biggest luminaries. Also new in the top 10 are Kings of Leon, whose 'Sex On Fire' screams into the number 6 position after the song was performed on the X-Factor. The track is already the most-downloaded song in UK history, and this rather staggering re-entry proves there are somehow still a few people who don't already own it. Woman of the moment - or should we say Lady - Ms. Gaga helps Wale to a number 12 spot with 'Chillin,' while Just Jack hangs around with his new track at 15. The 16 spot goes to Booty Luv's 'Say It,' which while not the outright bomb of the week (we'll get to that in a moment), is a far cry from the top 10 successes they enjoyed with the last couple songs. There's little else of note in the top 40...Temper Trap hangs out at 29 with 'Sweet Disposition,' and Prodigy make an appearance at 38 with 'Take Me To The Hospital.' Perhaps most interesting is what is NOT in the top 40 this week. Dolly Rockers, the ScopiSat favorite and much-buzzed-about girlband, are nowhere to be seen. The girls' first proper single, 'Gold Digger,' is a mix of talky northern sass and hooky chorus and it quite frankly is a bit of a shock to not see it at least in the make a bit of a splash. This certainly isn't how their big debut was meant to go, but hopefully there is more to come from the terrific trio. Next week brings another hotly-tipped debut, from Mini Viva with 'I Left My Heart In Tokyo.' As of this writing the track already in the top 15 on iTunes so it looks like they'll avoid the DOA label. To see just how far they manage to actually go, check back next week!

The UK Top Ten:

1 - Jay Z ft Rihanna and Kanye West: Run This Town
2 - Sugababes: Get Sexy
3 - David Guetta ft Akon: Sexy Chick
4 - Dizzee Rascal: Holiday
5 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
6 - Kings of Leon: Sex On Fire
7 - Little Boots: Remedy
8 - Tinchy Stryder ft Amelle: Never Leave You
9 - Beyonce: Sweet Dreams
10- Esmee Denters: Outta Here

Chart Chat UK, August 30, 2009

Another week, another new number 1. David Guetta and Akon couldn't fend off the challenge from garage master Dizzee Rascal's new jam 'Holiday,' and find themselves relegated to the number 2 spot this week. Nothing else really is going on in the top ten, to be honest, save the appearance of Biffy Clyro's 'That Golden Rule' noisefest clocking in at number 10. 14 and 15 find a pair of tracks that certainly were hoping for better this week. First up is Lily Allen whose latest single '22' limps to 14 after a full release. After the top 5 successes of her last two tunes, Lily was probably hoping to extend her run, but either everyone who cares already bought the album (likely) or the song just isn't one of her best (also likely). Next we find Just Jack at 15 with 'The Day I Died.' In contrast to Lily's track, this one is quite a gem and it seems almost unfair that it looks unlikely to beat last week's peak of 11. Not quite the comeback the rapper/singer was hoping for, no doubt, but my guess is the album will fare much better. A side note at 31, Temper Trap clock in with their 2008 number 20 hit 'Sweet Disposition.' The song has been a staple in football adverts for a while now, and the song's use in ads for last week's V Festival seems to have pushed it back into the limelight. All bets are on this one falling off the face of the Earth next week, but another reminder of the importance of licensing in today's music industry.

The UK Top Ten:

1 - Dizzee Rascal: Holiday
2 - David Guetta ft Akon: Sexy Chick
3 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
4 - Calvin Harris: Ready For The Weekend
5 - Tinchy Stryder ft Amelle: Never Leave You
6 - Little Boots: Remedy
7 - Beyonce: Sweet Dreams
8 - Esmee Denters: Outta Here
9 - Mr Hudson ft Kanye West: Supernova
10-Biffy Clyro: That Golden Rule