Another Year In Pop: 32

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

For better or worse, Katy Perry is this week's brand new Number 1. Rihanna moves up into the top ten, and in inexplicable re-entry news, Baz Luhrmann's in at no.72 with 'Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)'. Okaaay.

[Poll #1238683]

Comments

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I think this is the first time for ages that there hasn't even been one half-decent song in the top 5 :(

The physical release of 'Stryderman' pushed it up...one place to No 73 :(

The Lloyd single peaked at No 75, and DJ Q/MC Bonez are already plummeting, not that they reached much of a height to plummet from :(

The only really great (as opposed to Any Good At All) songs in the top 40 are about a million years old :(

Every second song seems to be by the Ting Tings or Alphabeat :(

'Body On Me' and 'Baditude' are OK (hey 'Baditude' has a shout-out to THE END!) but really WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY??? Why does the record-buying public have such terrible taste? Who the hell buys the fucking Verve when they could buy Tinchy Stryder?

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

and why are Young Jeezy, Jennifer Hudson, Jazmine Sullivan, Cassie et al not being released here? ffs J-Hud WAS IN DREAMGIRLS. SHE IS KNOWN TO BRITISHERS. RELEASE HER GODDAMN SINGLE WHICH PISSES OVER THE ENTIRE TOP 40 ALREADY.

and I am sick in living in a country where 'A Milli' is not blaring from every car and flat and shop. How on earth has this song eaten America but is COMPLETELY UNKNOWN here.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

and WHERE IS MY FUNKY HOUSE INVASION.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Calm down dear! People are probably listening to this but they're just not *buying* it, that's all.

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

I imagine one thing is the conservatism of radio programmers, who I think are ignoring lots of this stuff, and the other thing is that lots of the stuff missing out has a younger appeal, and the youngsters are probably more likely acquiring this stuff for free rather than buying it off iTunes.

I hope that is the case otherwise I would entirely lose faith in this country.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Yeah - lack of interest on the part of record companies, too. This happens too regularly to totally absolve the British public from blame though, especially looking at what they ARE buying.

The thought that the charts are now dictated by old people is so disturbing, it makes sense though.

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

I think some of the loss of the record company interest has been the big decline in single sales - historically it was possible to make profits from singles (making them worthwhile to release) whereas now they are much less profitable as they don't sell enough (there is more money in albums). Historically the R&B & Dance markets have been heavily biased to single sales and have sold less well as artist albums. Now that singles don't sell enough, it's not worth it if they can't sell albums of the back of it. (well, that's what a colleague who used to work for Ministry's label told me anyway)

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

i can't believe you have succumbed to writing 'Britishers'. it is a DISEASE.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

it is a mark of contempt when US ilx people do it and therefore entirely appropriate here.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

it is lame "noise" baby-talk almost entirely used by people who listen to a load of indie shite

[koganbot]

U.S. Top 5, fyi:

Katy Perry "I Kissed A Girl"
Chris Brown "Forever"
Rihanna "Disturbia"
Rihanna "Take A Bow"
Coldplay "Viva La Vida"

U.S. chart counts airplay and video play and stuff of that sort (which it should) as well as sales; if it were sales only as in Britain the top five would be more or less this:

1. Rihanna "Disturbia"
2. Jonas Brothers "Tonight"
3. M.I.A. "Paper Planes"
4. Katy Perry "I Kissed A Girl"
5. Jonas Brothers "Burnin' Up"

and at 6 or 7 would be Estelle "American Boy"

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

did paper planes get a single release here yet? it was on blimmin eastenders the other day (and not just in the background - actual characters were actually singing 'bam bam bam bam' along) but i don't hear it on the radio. on the ipods and itunes, aye, but radio?

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

it got a single release here and in the US last year (I bought the DFA mix off 7digital!) (it was shit) - did nothing in either country. Apparently it's being played over the credits of some big film in the US right now though so that's why it's doing well there...

[koganbot]

Wiki isn't giving info on what's released where; in the U.S. there's an EP that includes remixes and there may be a dance 12-inch as well, but the bulk of sales are no doubt as downloads, which Britons can probably do as well as Americans. Mediabase has become subscriber only for the time being, so I don't know what's going on with airplay (assuming alternative rock stations but I'm not sure whether it's breaking pop or not). A friend of mine heard it on satellite radio the other day. But the downloads are being driven by TV commercials for this: