UK Chart Roundup: Jessie J Should Do A Sex Tape

And so Jessie J's acclaimed reign continues, as the 22-year-old BRIT Awards fave sees her new Dr. Luke-produced single "Price Tag" debut at #1 in the UK. This gives her two jams in the Top 10 three weeks before her LP Who You Are arrives. And I'm still on the fence about her much-hyped output so far.

But let's all raise a glass of class to Kylie Minogue, who has landed her first Top 10 Brit hit since "All The Lovers" last spring with her "featuring" credit on Taio Cruz's "Higher." I really need to give that one a second chance.

Meanwhile, Wigney Spears continues to plummet, falling from #8 to #18 with "Hold It Against Me." Bitch better get that damn video out sooner than February 17 if she knows what's good for her.

Adele's 21 continues to dominate the album chart, and I'm off to watch my hometown team in the Super Bowl.

The UK Top 10:

1. "Price Tag" - Jessie J feat. B.o.B *new *1 week*
2. "Grenade" - Bruno Mars
3. "We R Who We R" - Ke$ha
4. "Rolling In The Deep" - Adele
5. "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" - Enrique Iglesias ft. Ludacris *new*  
6. "Coming Home" - Diddy - Dirty Money feat. Skylar Grey
7. "Do It Like A Dude" - Jessie J
8. "Higher" - Taio Cruz feat. Kylie Minogue
9. "Yeah 3X" - Chris Brown
10. "Blind Faith" - Chase & Status feat. Liam Bailey

Chart Rigger just turned 6! Fill out the fun pop blogiversary questionnaire.

US Chart Roundup: Britney Spears And Avril Lavigne Can't Debut Soon Enough

We're a week away from seeing how Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" and Avril Lavigne's "What The Hell"—currently #1 and #2, respectively, on iTunes—affect the Billboard Hot 100. But until then, it's pretty much snoozeville in the Top 10.

Taio Cruz's "Higher" cracks the Top 40 this week, at #37. I've managed to somehow completely avoid hearing the American release with Travie McCoy on it (thank Christ). Maybe it's a subconscious boycott since they dumped Kylie, who's on the version released overseas?

And now that Pink's "Fuckin' Perfect" is finally gaining airplay, it re-enters the chart at #57. Lots of Max Martin this week.

Over on the Top 200, Taylor Swift's Speak Now, which is #1 for sixth non-consecutive week, sets record low sales for a top album (52,000 copies). Way to go, Taylor—thanks for fucking up the economy. Terrorist whore.

At least Daft Punk's TRON: Legacy soundtrack climbs to #4. I'm currently have a serious relationship with that album. I think it's love.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Grenade" - Bruno Mars  *2 weeks*
2. "Firework" - Katy Perry
3. "What's My Name" - Rihanna feat. Drake
4. "We R Who We R" - Ke$ha 
5. "Raise Your Glass" - Pink 
6. "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" - Enrique Iglesias ft. Ludacris & DJ Frank E 
7. "Black And Gold" - Wiz Khalifa
8. "The Time (The Dirty Bit)" - The Black Eyed Peas
9. "Just The Way You Are" - Bruno Mars
10. "Only Girl (In The World)" - Rihanna

iTunes' Best-Selling Singles & Albums Of 2010

In addition to Billboard posting its year-end charts, iTunes has published the digital music store's roundup of best-selling singles and albums for 2010. And it looks like Train's "Hey, Soul Sister"—which was tops halfway through the year—hung in their till the very end. Why don't they just replace the National Anthem with it at this point?

Of the iTunes best-sellers, I've noticed I actually paid (the shame) for six of the Top 10 singles, and one of the albums. But I'm not saying which. Well, alright—I'll say that, surprisingly, I did purchase The E.N.D. when it first was released, and then again for my mom (strangely a Peas fan) earlier this year.

How many did you purchase?

Best-Selling iTunes Singles of 2010:
1. Train, “Hey, Soul Sister”
2. Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg, “California Gurls”
3. Eminem feat. Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”
4. B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams, “Airplanes
5. Taio Cruz, “Dynamite”
6. Usher feat. will.i.am, “OMG"
7. Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris, “Break Your Heart"
8. Ke$ha, “TiK ToK”
9. Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
10. Eminem, “Not Afraid”

Best-Selling iTunes Albums of 2010:
1. Eminem, Recovery
2. Ke$ha, Animal
3. Lady Gaga, The Fame
4. Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
5. Taylor Swift, Speak Now
6. Drake, Thank Me Later
7. Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More
8. The Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.
9. Jack Johnson, To the Sea
10. Sade, Soldier of Love

Billboard's 2010 Year-End Hot 100 Songs:
1. Ke$ha, “Tik Tok”
2. Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now"
3. Train, “Hey, Soul Sister”
4. Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg, “California Gurls”
5. Usher feat. will.i.am, “OMG”
6. B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams, “Airplanes”
7. Eminem feat. Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”
8. Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance”
9. Taio Cruz, “Dynamite”
10. Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris, “Break Your Heart”

Billboard's 2010 Year-End Top 200 Albums:
1. Susan Boyle, I Dreamed A Dream
2. Eminem, Recovery
3. Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
4. Lady Gaga, The Fame
5. Justin Bieber, My World 2.0
6. Andrea Bocelli, My Christmas
7. Taylor Swift, Fearless
8. Justin Bieber, My World
9. Taylor Swift, Speak Now
10. The Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.

Taio Cruz, Brandon Flowers And Hurts Light Up The Uk Chart Like Its Dynamite

Three quick thoughts on the UK chart this week, then I'm off to bed:

* Kudos to Taio Cruz for landing another #1 with the infectious "Dynamite."

* Similar congrats to Brandon Flowers, whose solo single "Crossfire" debuts at #8 and becomes his highest-charting song since the Killers' "Human" reached #3 two years ago.

* Hoo-ray for Hurts nabbing a respectable #21 debut with "Wonderful Life." High hopes for the album doing well!

The U.K. Top 10:

1. "Dynamite" - Taio Cruz *new* *1 week*
2. "Love The Way You Lie" - Eminem feat. Rihanna
3. "Club Can't Handle Me" - Flo Rida feat. David Guetta
4. "Green Light" - Roll Deep
5. "Katy On A Mission" - Katy B *new*
6. "We No Speak Americano" - Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
7. "Billionaire" - Travie McCoy feat. Bruno Mars
8. "Crossfire" - Brandon Flowers *new*
9. "Beautiful Monster" - Ne-Yo 
10. "Airplanes" - B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams

Max Martin Makes Me Feel Like I'm Living A Teenage Dream

This literally has to be be Max Martin's most prolific time period, hit-wise, since 1999/2000, no? In glancing over the current Billboard Hot 100 chart, the Swedish songwriter-producer has zillion-dollar hands all over the following:

* Katy Perry's "California Gurls" (#2, co-wrote/co-produced)
* Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" (#3, co-wrote)
* Usher's "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" (#12, co-wrote/produced)
* Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" (debuts at #20, co-wrote)
* Adam Lambert's "If I Had You" (#69, co-wrote/co-produced)

I totally forgot to mention that "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" entered the Hot 100 at #19 last week—forgive me, I was still blinded by thoughts of Enrique Iglesias losing his pants. (And congrats to him for "I Like It" moving up to #6, thereby breaking the rut of the dreaded #8 that so often plagues pop stars.)

I have to say, hearing "Dynamite," "Teenage Dream" and "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" on the radio on a daily basis just makes me smile. And P.S., Max—I know you're notoriously press-shy, but get some new headshots already! We've all been using the same ones (plus the above frowny pic of you) for half a decade now.

Alright, onward to Kylie Minogue Aphrodite watch, now in week three—and it's looking pretty dire.  The album's path on the chart to date is now #19-89-190. Girl, get your Aussie butt over here and do some promotion, already. This ain't Body Language!

Over on the Dance/Club Play Songs chart, Kylie's "All The Lovers" moves up one position to #3.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Love The Way You Lie" - Eminem feat. Rihanna *2 weeks*
2. "California Gurls" - Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
3. "Dynamite" - Taio Cruz
4. "Airplanes" - B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams
5. "Billionaire" - Travie McCoy feat. Bruno Mars
6. "I Like It" - Enrique Iglesias feat. Pitbull
7. "Cooler Than Me" - Mike Posner
8. "OMG" - Usher feat. will.i.am
9. "Find Your Love" - Drake
10. "Ridin' Solo" - Jason Derulo

Taio Cruz And Enrique Iglesias Have Far Less Annoying Summer Hits Than Katy Perry

I'm was kind of officially over Katy Perry's "California Gurls"—now at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a fifth week—after about four plays back in May. And if you ask me, there are far better "Songs Of The Summer" out there, i.e. tracks that aren't necessarily the best ones around, but likely the lesser of the evils you're going to hear relentlessly played on the radio till you want to stab someone through the skull with a beach umbrella.

One such jam would be Taio Cruz's "Dynamite," which was co-written by Max Martin and produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco. With Ke$ha's "Your Love Is My Drug" and Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" dropping out of the Top 10, there's room for Taio's upbeat single to hop in at #7. Pure pop.



The next one wore me down much slower. I almost feel ashamed to own up to the fact that I like Enrique Iglesias' "I Like It" (for now), for the sheer fact that it's somewhat tied in to MTV's bumpit-wound trainwreck series Jersey Shore. Alas, it's grown on me like Russell Brand's bed monster snaking up Katy Perry's thigh at 7 a.m.

At any rate, I'm starting to warm to "I Like It" with each listen, and this week the song jumps up to #18, thereby becoming Iglesias' highest charting single on the Hot 100 since "Escape" reached #12 back in 2002. Over on iTunes "I Like It" moved up to #4, where it's been sitting for the past few days. So expect it to probably start threatening the Top 10 next week.

 I just wish there was a version available sans Pitbull.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "California Gurls" - Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg *5 weeks*
2. "Love The Way You Lie" - Eminem feat. Rihanna
3. "OMG" - Usher feat. will.i.am
4. "Airplanes" - B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams
5. "Billionaire" - Travie McCoy feat. Bruno Mars
6. "Cooler Than Me" - Mike Posner
7. "Dynamite" - Taio Cruz
8. "Find Your Love" - Drake
9. "Ridin' Solo" - Jason Derulo
10. "Not Afraid" - Eminem

Max Martin Has Another #1 Hit! (And I Guess Katy Perry Does, Too)

So this week pair of tits Katy Perry scores a second #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with "California Gurls." Like her previous chart topper "I Kissed A Girl," it was co-written by Max Martin and Dr. Luke, and it now gives Max his first #1 since Britney Spears 2009 hit "3" and Luke his first since Ke$ha's "TiK ToK" earlier this year.

Between writing and producing, Max Martin has now racked up seven #1 singles in the U.S., including the following:

1. Britney Spears, "...Baby One More Time" (1999)
2. *NSync, "It's Gonna Be Me" (2000)
3. Katy Perry, "I Kissed A Girl" (2008)
4. Pink, "So What" (2008)
5. Kelly Clarkson, "My Life Would Suck Without You" (2009)
6. Britney Spears, "3" (2009)
7. Katy Perry, "California Gurls" (2010)

It is a bit annoying how Katy chose to label Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" video "cheap" and "blasphemous" (which I wrote about more extensively here). As noted earlier this week, "Alejandro" is hardly my favorite Gaga video, but it's like, baby, you shoot whipped cream out of your boobs and you're fucking that sex-addicted cockroach Russel Brand—not to mention you're a straight girl who sings about drunk-kissing another broad for the sake of a hit song—and you wanna talk about cheap?

Moving on, Taio Cruz debuts at #26 with "Dynamite" and #96 with his Ke$ha duet "Dirty Picture,"  while Nicki Minaj's "Your Love," which samples Annie Lennox's 1995 jam "No More 'I Love You's'," enters the Hot 100 at #51 (which is far better than her previous single "Massive Attack" did, at least).

I'm not really understanding Enrique Iglesias' need to tie in his latest, "I Like It," with obnoxious train wreck program Jersey Shore (I guess it's simple: $$$), but the song has moved up from #70 to #55 this week, so he must be doing something right.

That brings us to this year's American Idol winner Lee DeWyze, who had a lackluster #24 debut last week with his cover of U2's "Beautiful Day," and now drops all the way to #72. The poor guy has been averaging pretty much a TV show appearance a day since he won two weeks ago, and he still can't breathe any life into that dull (read: utter shit) cover. Better luck with some original music this fall, Lee!
 
The U.S. Top 10:

1. "California Gurls" - Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg *1 week*
2. "OMG" - Usher feat. will.i.am
3. "Airplanes" - B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams
4. "Your Love Is My Drug" - Ke$ha
5. "Billionaire" - Travie McCoy feat. Bruno Mars
6. "Break Your Heart" - Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris
7. "Alejandro" - Lady Gaga
8. "Nothin' On You" - B.o.B feat. Bruno Mars
9. "Rock That Body" - The Black Eyed Peas
10. "Bulletproof" - La Roux