My Jan-Apr 2020 Charts

Kim Wilde, Ricky Wilde 2019 December, Sturminster Newton, Dorset

 

26th April 2020

It’s 3 weeks on top for Levitating as Break My Heart hits 2 to give Dua Lipa a chart double-top as she also contributes the opening line to the charity Foo Fighters cover at 72. Times Like These peaked at a relatively lowly 20 in my charts 17 years ago (2003 was a terrible year for me, and it impacted on what I liked) while Glen Campbell’s fab cover of it did much better in 2008 when it peaked at 8. Highest new entry is from Galantis & Wrabel, the brand new The Lake, in at 4 to give Galantis a 3rd top 5, including chart-topper True Feeling in 2017.

Up 43 places to 7, it’s the latest Pet Shop Boys single I Don’t Wanna, which had peaked in the 30’s as an album track – it’s the longest climb ever for a PSB single to peak (12 weeks!) and the video gives the lyrics a boost in impact: the boy in the story is basically Young Me. That was me that was, talk about identifying with a lyric! The B side, New Boy, enters at 51, and it’s a song they half-wrote but never finished over 35 years ago. Now it’s finished! Kygo meanwhile gets a 4th top 20 in 5 years as I’ll Wait leaps up to 16, and The Weeknd gets at least his 12th top 40 as In Your Eyes pushes out Blinding Lights.

The Fizz keep their resurgence strong as Storm makes it yet another top 40 for Bucks Fizz (give or take a Bobby G) and a chart span of 39 years. That’s really not bad for a British Eurovision entry is it?! No other UK Eurovision discovery act (as opposed to previously successful) comes close by a margin of 35 years, and no Eurovision act at all has a longer chart span with new material – pending the yet-to-be-released new Abba songs of course, and excluding established stars in the UK like Cliff, Lulu, Engelbert etc.

New entries include: The Rolling Stones returning after a break of 7 years, their best track in a decade, and most relevant new song (I’d venture) in almost 37 years, as a direct result of Lockdown: Living In A Ghost Town; New Kids On The Block, back again after a short break from 2018’s 80’s Baby, and a chart span of 31 years; Rumer back after a 5-year MIA sequence; Pretenders back after a gap of 3 years, and a chart span of 41 years for Chrissie Hynde & drummer; Alanis Morrissette back swiftly; The 1975 finally get a follow-up to 2013’s Chocolate which limped in at 74 – so If You’re Too Shy only has to climb 7 places next week to beat it! Shocking I know that I’ve never rated the Critically-acclaimed band beyond a peak of 74. Ah well, it would be boring if we all liked the same thing…

1 1 1 5 LEVITATING Dua Lipa 572100
2 3 2 5 BREAK MY HEART Dua Lipa 292400
3 2 2 11 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 623500
4 NEW 4 1 THE LAKE Galantis & Wrabel 65000
5 4 1 9 SAY SO Doja Cat 711600
6 5 5 7 CAUTION The Killers 252550
7 50 7 12 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 182550
8 6 6 8 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 232700
9 7 4 9 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 363100
10 8 1 12 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 964000

11 11 11 8 LOST AT SEA Cashier No.9 178150
12 17 12 5 DANCING NEXT TO ME Greyson Chance 96400
13 9 9 8 MURPHY’S LAW Roisin Murphy 223300
14 12 12 7 GOLIATH Smith & Thell 131300
15 16 15 6 WHO I AM Melanie C 126500
16 39 16 4 I’LL WAIT Kygo & Sasha Sloan 48800
17 20 17 5 SPOTLIGHT Jessie Ware 81050
18 14 6 10 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 309500
19 15 15 8 WHO Lauv featuring BTS 131900
20 32 20 5 ANTISOCIAL SOCIALITES Kyan Palmer, nicopop & Yuri Joness 68300

21 24 21 11 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 156350
22 19 19 8 ALL OF THE FEELINGS Kiesza 137550
23 10 1 12 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 1255250
24 62 24 5 IN YOUR EYES The Weeknd 40800
25 27 25 5 BLUE SKIES Music from Star Trek: Picard featuring Isa Briones 77550
26 18 2 12 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 501200
27 33 27 8 LOOK AFTER YOU Aron Wright 94050
28 21 9 9 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 254600
29 38 29 4 HOLD ON, WE’RE GOING HOME Nerina Pallot 44400
30 34 30 8 SOMETIMES Kodaline 88400

31 25 25 6 LIMITLESS Bon Jovi 73450
32 35 32 7 CRASHING Illenium featuring Bahari 92550
33 45 33 4 THE MAN Taylor Swift 41300
34 46 34 7 KINGS & QUEENS Ava Max 69150
35 63 35 5 STORM The Fizz 33000
36 36 36 6 THROW MY BONES Deep Purple 68200
37 30 3 13 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 526800
38 41 38 7 HARVEST MOON Neil Young 78250
39 48 39 7 I’M TOAST Sparks 61000
40 66 40 5 LIMITLESS Richard Marx 31400

41 40 1 21 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1390450
42 28 4 13 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 449550
43 13 13 4 LEAN ON ME Bill Withers 102500
44 22 10 11 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 224050
45 57 45 5 BOYFRIEND Mabel 36300
46 68 46 5 RESERVATION The Fizz 24750
47 47 47 8 MAMA Genesis 79700
48 23 23 6 YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gerry & The Pacemakers 92550
49 69 49 2 WHO YOU LOVIN’ LEON 18300
50 26 26 4 LOVELY DAY Bill Withers 66300

51 NEW 51 1 NEW BOY Pet Shop Boys 11750
52 29 3 6 STAY Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko 265700
53 31 14 9 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 147050
54 75 54 2 THE GREATEST James Blunt 16000
55 43 8 13 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 303750
56 72 56 2 IF YOU THINK THIS IS REAL LIFE Blossoms 16200
57 37 25 6 100 WAYS Jackson Wang 86550
58 58 58 6 FREAKS Fisher 43600
59 71 59 2 I LOVE YOU NOW CHANGE Twinnie 15900
60 60 60 6 NO JUDGEMENT Niaill Horan 37600

61 42 24 9 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 131350
62 65 62 5 GHOST TOWN The Specials 32000
63 NEW 63 1 LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN The Rolling Stones 7200
64 70 64 5 I LOVE YOU’S Hailee Steinfeld 19400
65 49 14 12 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 234100
66 NEW 66 1 HARD TIMES FOR LOVERS Rumer 6800
67 67 1 35 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1266700
68 NEW 68 1 SECRETS Regard & Raye 6400
69 78 69 2 LEAN ON ME UB40 featuring Ali Campbell & Astro 10600
70 79 70 2 I CONTAIN MULTITUDES Bob Dylan 10200

71 74 71 2 JUST THE TWO OF US Grover Washington Jr & Bill Withers 11000
72 NEW 72 1 TIMES LIKE THESE Live Lounge Allstars 5600
73 76 73 2 LIGHT OF LOVE Florence + The Machine 10200
74 64 64 6 IS EVERYBODY GOING CRAZY? Nothing But Thieves 34600
75 NEW 75 1 HOUSE PARTY New Kids On The Block featuring BoyzIIMen, Big Freedia, Naughty By Nature & Jordin Sparks 5000
76 NEW 76 1 THE BUZZ Pretenders 4800
77 77 77 3 THANK U VERY MUCH FOR THE NHS The Scaffold 12200
78 44 16 10 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 161000
79 NEW 79 1 DIAGNOSIS Alanis Morrissette 4200
80 NEW 80 1 IF YOU’RE TOO SHY (LET ME KNOW) The 1975 4000

DROP OUTS
51 12 9 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 206300
52 17 9 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 140400
53 36 8 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 82650
54 54 5 I’M IN LOVE Danny Dove featuring The Flirtations 37600
55 1 17 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1148100
56 4 13 WILL-O-THE-WISP Pet Shop Boys 458900
59 39 7 THE STEPS HAIM 80350
61 20 9 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 147550
73 73 5 FALLING Harry Styles 16900
80 80 1 WILD THING The Goodies 4000

 

 

19th April 2020

It’s 2 weeks on top for Levitating as Dua Lipa makes a Billie Eilish sandwich with her INXS-inspired Break My Heart at 3. When we reflect back on Lockdown in years to come, for me it’ll be Dua Lipa that brightened it up. It’s a quiet chart generally, as I’m not getting to hear my itunes purchases in the car in beautiful surround-sound – not getting out and about, while my home CD player is faulty and PCWorld is shut, doh! Plus I want to chop it down to 75 anyway, almost there this week.

Two big climbers into the 40 from Nerina Pallot and Kygo, and new entries from LEON returning with a goodie pop number, as The Goodies return in tribute to the late Tim Brooke-Taylor – Wild Thing was a B side (and excerpt from a TV episode) and a cover of The Troggs classic, both amusing and about as cool as they got musically, as they parodied the mid-70’s music scene. Blossoms return, James Blunt gets a 5th track off his album in my charts as his previous single remains top 20, Florence + The Machine return with a Lockdown present, while Ali Campbell covers the already-charting late Bill Withers classic Lean On Me for NHS charity causes, and giving the UB40 brand a chart career of exactly 40 years since Food For Thought went top 3, and at least the 4th version of Lean On Me to chart.

Bob Dylan also returns with a new track. He doesn’t quite have the chart span of The Scaffold (a few months short for new material, a mere 51 years give or take), and he’s never been consistent with new material (though some of his classic 60’s period have charted over the years, notably Like A Rolling Stone), a mere 5 chart entries solo, the last of them 30 years ago. That would normally make a notable comment for the entry of I Contain Multitudes after such a lengthy gap, were it not for The Scaffold and Deep Purple already having pissed all over that gap at 52 years and 49 years, respectively, in the chart. Bob, of course was a Traveling Wilbury too, and had some chart hits with his mates, and oodles of covers of his songs over the decades from the likes of Bryan Ferry, Adele, The Rolling Stones, and many others.

1 1 1 4 LEVITATING Dua Lipa 402100
2 2 2 10 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 538500
3 6 3 4 BREAK MY HEART Dua Lipa 177400
4 3 1 8 SAY SO Doja Cat 651600
5 5 5 6 CAUTION The Killers 197550
6 9 6 8 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 184700
7 7 4 8 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 363100
8 8 1 11 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 922000
9 10 9 7 MURPHY’S LAW Roisin Murphy 191300
10 4 1 11 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 1236000

11 14 11 7 LOST AT SEA Cashier No.9 141150
12 20 12 6 GOLIATH Smith & Thell 102300
13 13 13 3 LEAN ON ME Bill Withers 89000
14 11 6 9 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 287500
15 18 15 7 WHO Lauv featuring BTS 110900
16 17 16 5 WHO I AM Melanie C 99500
17 21 17 4 DANCING NEXT TO ME Greyson Chance 61400
18 12 2 11 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 482700
19 23 19 7 ALL OF THE FEELINGS Kiesza 118050
20 27 20 4 SPOTLIGHT Jessie Ware 58050

21 16 9 8 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 236300
22 15 10 10 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 210800
23 28 23 5 YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gerry & The Pacemakers 80250
24 33 24 10 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 136600
25 34 25 5 LIMITLESS Bon Jovi 55550
26 30 26 3 LOVELY DAY Bill Withers 54300
27 29 27 4 BLUE SKIES Music from Star Trek: Picard featuring Isa Briones 58800
28 24 4 12 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 435800
29 19 3 5 STAY Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko 254200
30 26 3 12 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 509500

31 22 14 8 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 135800
32 37 32 4 ANTISOCIAL SOCIALITES Kyan Palmer, nicopop & Yuri Joness 48300
33 46 33 7 LOOK AFTER YOU Aron Wright 75650
34 43 34 7 SOMETIMES Kodaline 70400
35 39 35 6 CRASHING Illenium featuring Bahari 74750
36 40 36 5 THROW MY BONES Deep Purple 50800
37 25 25 5 100 WAYS Jackson Wang 76150
38 73 38 3 HOLD ON, WE’RE GOING HOME Nerina Pallot 26200
39 74 39 3 I’LL WAIT Kygo & Sasha Sloan 23800
40 32 1 20 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1376450

41 44 41 6 HARVEST MOON Neil Young 61050
42 36 24 8 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 123850
43 31 8 12 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 292950
44 35 16 9 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 156600
45 62 45 3 THE MAN Taylor Swift 23600
46 54 46 6 KINGS & QUEENS Ava Max 51550
47 50 47 7 MAMA Genesis 67200
48 56 48 6 I’M TOAST Sparks 43900
49 45 14 11 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 227100
50 52 35 11 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 132550

51 38 12 9 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 206300
52 41 17 9 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 140400
53 42 36 8 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 82650
54 55 54 5 I’M IN LOVE Danny Dove featuring The Flirtations 37600
55 49 1 17 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1148100
56 51 4 13 WILL-O-THE-WISP Pet Shop Boys 458900
57 67 57 4 BOYFRIEND Mabel 23300
58 65 58 5 FREAKS Fisher 33400
59 47 39 7 THE STEPS HAIM 80350
60 68 60 5 NO JUDGEMENT Niaill Horan 27600

61 48 20 9 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 147550
62 71 62 4 IN YOUR EYES The Weeknd 21800
63 78 63 4 STORM The Fizz 15500
64 64 64 5 IS EVERYBODY GOING CRAZY? Nothing But Thieves 29400
65 69 65 4 GHOST TOWN The Specials 24600
66 79 66 4 LIMITLESS Richard Marx 14400
67 66 1 34 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1260100
68 83 68 4 RESERVATION The Fizz 12000
69 NEW 69 1 WHO YOU LOVIN’ LEON 6200
70 81 70 4 I LOVE YOU’S Hailee Steinfeld 12300

71 NEW 71 1 I LOVE YOU NOW CHANGE Twinnie 5800
72 NEW 72 1 IF YOU THINK THIS IS REAL LIFE Blossoms 5600
73 77 73 5 FALLING Harry Styles 16900
74 NEW 74 1 JUST THE TWO OF US Grover Washington Jr & Bill Withers 5200
75 NEW 75 1 THE GREATEST James Blunt 5000
76 NEW 76 1 LIGHT OF LOVE Florence + The Machine 4800
77 85 77 2 THANK U VERY MUCH FOR THE NHS The Scaffold 7600
78 NEW 78 1 LEAN ON ME UB40 featuring Ali Campbell & Astro 4400
79 NEW 79 1 I CONTAIN MULTITUDES Bob Dylan 4200
80 NEW 80 1 WILD THING The Goodies 4000

DROP OUTS
53 17 9 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 129150
57 25 8 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 115500
58 58 7 SECOND CHANCE The Shapeshifters featuring Kimberly Davis 45200
59 59 4 THE SUN RISING The Beloved 25700
60 33 6 DEAD WEIGHT PVRIS 87500
61 16 12 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 209300
63 5 12 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 374300
70 3 12 FOREVER Will Young 412100
72 2 7 DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears 252200
75 75 2 KEEP ON MOVIN’ Five 8400
76 30 8 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 108050
80 80 2 TOUCH TOO MUCH Arrows 6600
82 58 6 REVIVAL Gregory Porter 39800
84 21 10 REACT Pussycat Dolls 143150

 

 

12th April 2020

It’s a first week on top for the best track on Dua Lipa’s new album, the outrageously catchy sci-fi-pop-dance of Levitating, her second chart-topper, following Hotter Than Hell in 2016, while she simultaneously grabs another top 10 with the INXS-themed Break My Heart, her 9th in total the same week Paloma Faith gets her 15th with Jonas Blue’s Mistakes – his first top 10, and Paloma herself has charted with a version of Never Tear Us Apart, the under-pinning rhythm of Break My Heart. Billie Eilsh is stranded at 2 for 2 weeks now, with The Killers going top 5, Caution giving them an 11th top 10, or 15th including Brandon Flowers solo stuff. Roisin Murphy gets her first new solo top 10 in 13 years, and 5th in total including Moloko stuff spanning 22 years.

Greyson Chance gets the highest climber to enter the 40 at 21, Jessie Ware gets her first in a while, and Bon Jovi their highest-charting in 11 years. That’s nuttin’ though, this week, as Deep Purple get a first top 40 in, gasp, over 48 years since Fireball dropped out my charts (though lead singer Ian Gillan had 8 of them in the early 80’s). For new material that would be seriously impressive.

If it weren’t for the only new entry this week, that is – a charity track for the NHS in times of need, and a rewritten-song that predates my charts, back to when I was a lad of 9 years old learning how to do arts and craft-y girlie stuff at school to avoid playing football. Thank U Very Much was a huge Scouse, and kiddie anthem for The Scaffold, the Liverpool band which included Mike McGear, Paul McCartney’s brother. I’d been living in Liverpool for a year just before so all things Scouse were fab by me. By late 1968 I did my first charts, and included in them was Lily The Pink, the UK chart-topping novelty song about the lady who invented Medicinal Compound, something we all could do with right now – no-one knows what it was, but it solved a lot of problems! So, it’s been 51 years since the Scaffold had their one and only chart action. It seems unlikely that any other 60’s act will ever have to wait any longer for a newly-recorded track to stop them having One-Hit Wondership, or such a long gap between chart hits. Mike McGear, though, doesn’t share that record personally as Macca donated him a fab minor hit record in 1974 (Leave It), the same year that The Scaffold had a UK hit with Liverpool Lou, a record I didn’t chart as I was too interested in exciting new stuff from obscure bands like Abba, Queen and Sparks, and bands with a “The” were uncool now.

1 7 1 3 LEVITATING Dua Lipa 232100
2 2 2 9 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 423500
3 1 1 7 SAY SO Doja Cat 586600
4 3 1 10 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 1194000
5 13 5 5 CAUTION The Killers 137550
6 15 6 3 BREAK MY HEART Dua Lipa 92400
7 4 4 7 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 313100
8 5 1 10 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 874000
9 14 9 7 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 129700
10 12 10 6 MURPHY’S LAW Roisin Murphy 146300

11 6 6 8 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 258500
12 8 2 10 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 460700
13 16 13 2 LEAN ON ME Bill Withers 57000
14 19 14 6 LOST AT SEA Cashier No.9 104150
15 10 10 9 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 191300
16 11 9 7 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 216550
17 17 17 4 WHO I AM Melanie C 74500
18 20 18 6 WHO Lauv featuring BTS 83900
19 9 3 4 STAY Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko 236000
20 30 20 5 GOLIATH Smith & Thell 67300

21 53 21 3 DANCING NEXT TO ME Greyson Chance 38400
22 18 14 7 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 117900
23 24 23 6 ALL OF THE FEELINGS Kiesza 97050
24 21 4 11 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 417500
25 34 25 4 100 WAYS Jackson Wang 58850
26 26 3 11 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 491500
27 44 27 3 SPOTLIGHT Jessie Ware 38050
28 33 28 4 YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gerry & The Pacemakers 61000
29 40 29 3 BLUE SKIES Music from Star Trek: Picard featuring Isa Briones 40400
30 32 30 2 LOVELY DAY Bill Withers 35800

31 22 8 11 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 279450
32 28 1 19 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1359450
33 37 33 9 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 117600
34 54 34 4 LIMITLESS Bon Jovi 36800
35 25 16 8 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 143350
36 29 24 7 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 110100
37 67 37 3 ANTISOCIAL SOCIALITES Kyan Palmer, nicopop & Yuri Joness 30500
38 23 12 8 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 194550
39 51 39 5 CRASHING Illenium featuring Bahari 57250
40 55 40 4 THROW MY BONES Deep Purple 33400

41 27 17 8 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 128900
42 36 36 7 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 82650
43 49 43 6 SOMETIMES Kodaline 52800
44 48 44 5 HARVEST MOON Neil Young 47050
45 35 14 10 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 215000
46 50 46 6 LOOK AFTER YOU Aron Wright 57950
47 39 39 6 THE STEPS HAIM 70250
48 31 20 8 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 140050
49 42 1 16 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1137300
50 52 50 6 MAMA Genesis 54700

51 45 4 12 WILL-O-THE-WISP Pet Shop Boys 448300
52 59 35 10 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 120550
53 38 17 9 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 129150
54 60 54 5 KINGS & QUEENS Ava Max 38800
55 62 55 4 I’M IN LOVE Danny Dove featuring The Flirtations 26600
56 63 56 5 I’M TOAST Sparks 31600
57 43 25 8 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 115500
58 65 58 7 SECOND CHANCE The Shapeshifters featuring Kimberly Davis 45200
59 66 59 4 THE SUN RISING The Beloved 25700
60 41 33 6 DEAD WEIGHT PVRIS 87500

61 46 16 12 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 209300
62 84 62 2 THE MAN Taylor Swift 10600
63 47 5 12 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 374300
64 69 64 4 IS EVERYBODY GOING CRAZY? Nothing But Thieves 22300
65 70 65 4 FREAKS Fisher 23200
66 64 1 33 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1253500
67 75 67 3 BOYFRIEND Mabel 12900
68 73 68 4 NO JUDGEMENT Niaill Horan 17600
69 71 69 3 GHOST TOWN The Specials 17600
70 56 3 12 FOREVER Will Young 412100

71 77 71 3 IN YOUR EYES The Weeknd 14400
72 58 2 7 DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears 252200
73 82 73 2 HOLD ON, WE’RE GOING HOME Nerina Pallot 9000
74 95 74 2 I’LL WAIT Kygo & Sasha Sloan 6700
75 83 75 2 KEEP ON MOVIN’ Five 8400
76 61 30 8 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 108050
77 85 77 4 FALLING Harry Styles 11500
78 89 78 3 STORM The Fizz 8300
79 92 79 3 LIMITLESS Richard Marx 7600
80 87 80 2 TOUCH TOO MUCH Arrows 6600

81 97 81 3 I LOVE YOU’S Hailee Steinfeld 6300
82 79 58 6 REVIVAL Gregory Porter 39800
83 99 83 3 RESERVATION The Fizz 5600
84 57 21 10 REACT Pussycat Dolls 143150
85 NEW 85 1 THANK U VERY MUCH FOR THE NHS The Scaffold 3000

DROP OUTS
68 46 5 GASLIGHTER Dixie Chicks 55050
72 32 9 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 120550
74 9 13 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 284800
76 58 7 INSTANT HISTORY Biffy Clyro 48800
78 17 9 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 135000
80 59 6 ROSES (IMANBEK REMIX) SAINt JHN 36100
81 6 11 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 295450
86 86 3 IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE) REM 7500
88 38 9 BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 83700
90 90 3 EARTH BEAT Paul Weller 5600
91 5 12 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 401400
93 6 14 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 301500
94 94 2 STREETS OF LONDON Ralph McTell 2600
96 96 1 USE ME Bill Withers 1400
98 98 1 MY LAST NIGHT WITH YOU Arrows 1200
100 100 1 I LOVE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Arrows 1000

 

5th April 2020

It’s Doja Cat on top, finally getting past Barry White to the top spot, but challenged by Billie Eilish at 2 with her highest-charting track to date, No Time To Die not quite overtaking Say So. Dua Lipa pushes herself out the top 20, but not to worry she has two massive climbs for album cut Levitating (hoping this is the next single) and current INXS-sampling single Break My Heart. She’s in a pop class of her own right now.

The highest new entry is the late Bill Withers’ 1972 chart-topper Lean On Me, plus a couple of others lower down in tribute to the great man, and also 3 new entries from forgotten mid-70’s teen stars Arrows as lead singer, and writer of I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll, Alan Merrill dies of coronavirus. Bill’s Use Me and Arrows original version of the Joan Jett biggie have never charted before – cos I didn’t know them at the time! If radio didn’t play them – and they didn’t – that was it, no chance of hearing them.

Paloma Faith gets over a decade of top 20’s, Mel C makes it 22 years of solo top 20’s, and Lauv gets 2 simultaneous top 20’s. Actual new entries with current material are thin on the ground, thank goodness, as I dont have the space and will never expand beyond 100, that takes too long to do as it is! Nerina Pallot, though, is back after a gap of 5 years, when she topped my chart with Rousseau (and then failed to follow-up!). Her previous chart-topper was Turn Me On Again in 2012, and she now spans 15 years, 10 top 10’s and no other track that has charted without going top 10 – so no pressure on her fab low-key version of the 2013 Drake hit, then. Only me and two-dozen people had even checked out the youtube!

Yet another track from the latest Taylor Swift album charts, The Man, Five return with their best track selling on itunes again, and finally Kygo is also back with a newie.

1 2 1 6 SAY SO Doja Cat 501600
2 6 2 8 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 308500
3 1 1 9 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 1129000
4 4 4 6 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 263100
5 5 1 9 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 826000
6 7 6 7 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 221500
7 49 7 2 LEVITATING Dua Lipa 62100
8 8 2 9 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 425700
9 3 3 3 STAY Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko 215000
10 13 10 8 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 164300

11 9 9 6 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 191550
12 18 12 5 MURPHY’S LAW Roisin Murphy 104300
13 19 13 4 CAUTION The Killers 77550
14 30 14 6 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 84700
15 57 15 2 BREAK MY HEART Dua Lipa 37400
16 NEW 16 1 LEAN ON ME Bill Withers 25000
17 35 17 3 WHO I AM Melanie C 51500
18 14 14 6 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 98400
19 26 19 5 LOST AT SEA Cashier No.9 75150
20 34 20 5 WHO Lauv featuring BTS 61900

21 10 4 10 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 398500
22 11 8 10 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 261550
23 12 12 7 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 177350
24 28 24 5 ALL OF THE FEELINGS Kiesza 77800
25 16 16 7 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 125850
26 15 3 10 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 473000
27 17 17 7 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 114900
28 21 1 18 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1341650
29 24 24 6 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 92700
30 31 30 4 GOLIATH Smith & Thell 47300

31 20 20 7 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 127750
32 NEW 32 1 LOVELY DAY Bill Withers 17800
33 45 33 3 YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gerry & The Pacemakers 42700
34 39 34 3 100 WAYS Jackson Wang 40100
35 22 14 9 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 202000
36 37 36 6 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 68900
37 40 37 8 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 99900
38 23 17 8 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 117900
39 47 39 5 THE STEPS HAIM 57750
40 74 40 2 BLUE SKIES Music from Star Trek: Picard featuring Isa Briones 22200

41 33 33 5 DEAD WEIGHT PVRIS 77500
42 38 1 15 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1125200
43 25 25 7 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 105100
44 68 44 2 SPOTLIGHT Jessie Ware 19650
45 32 4 11 WILL-O-THE-WISP Pet Shop Boys 436550
46 27 16 11 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 201800
47 29 5 11 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 367100
48 52 48 4 HARVEST MOON Neil Young 33800
49 55 49 5 SOMETIMES Kodaline 39300
50 54 50 5 LOOK AFTER YOU Aron Wright 45200

51 51 51 4 CRASHING Illenium featuring Bahari 40150
52 60 52 5 MAMA Genesis 42700
53 62 53 2 DANCING NEXT TO ME Greyson Chance 18650
54 70 54 3 LIMITLESS Bon Jovi 19200
55 82 55 3 THROW MY BONES Deep Purple 16400
56 41 3 11 FOREVER Will Young 406100
57 36 21 9 REACT Pussycat Dolls 139950
58 43 2 6 DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears 246600
59 63 35 9 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 109050
60 66 60 4 KINGS & QUEENS Ava Max 27800

61 42 30 7 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 103250
62 71 62 3 I’M IN LOVE Danny Dove featuring The Flirtations 15800
63 75 63 4 I’M TOAST Sparks 21000
64 61 1 32 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1246700
65 76 65 6 SECOND CHANCE The Shapeshifters featuring Kimberly Davis 35000
66 78 66 3 THE SUN RISING The Beloved 15600
67 67 67 2 ANTISOCIAL SOCIALITES Kyan Palmer, nicopop & Yuri Joness 13200
68 46 46 5 GASLIGHTER Dixie Chicks 55050
69 69 69 3 IS EVERYBODY GOING CRAZY? Nothing But Thieves 15200
70 73 70 3 FREAKS Fisher 16200

71 72 71 2 GHOST TOWN The Specials 11400
72 44 32 9 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 120550
73 83 73 3 NO JUDGEMENT Niaill Horan 11200
74 56 9 13 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 284800
75 97 75 2 BOYFRIEND Mabel 6300
76 58 58 7 INSTANT HISTORY Biffy Clyro 48800
77 80 77 2 IN YOUR EYES The Weeknd 8600
78 48 17 9 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 135000
79 79 58 5 REVIVAL Gregory Porter 36200
80 59 59 6 ROSES (IMANBEK REMIX) SAINt JHN 36100

81 53 6 11 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 295450
82 NEW 82 1 HOLD ON, WE’RE GOING HOME Nerina Pallot 3600
83 NEW 83 1 KEEP ON MOVIN’ Five 3400
84 NEW 84 1 THE MAN Taylor Swift 3200
85 89 85 3 FALLING Harry Styles 6900
86 86 86 3 IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE) REM 7500
87 NEW 87 1 TOUCH TOO MUCH Arrows 2600
88 50 38 9 BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 83700
89 93 89 2 STORM The Fizz 3900
90 90 90 3 EARTH BEAT Paul Weller 5600

91 65 5 12 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 401400
92 94 92 2 LIMITLESS Richard Marx 3400
93 77 6 14 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 301500
94 100 94 2 STREETS OF LONDON Ralph McTell 2600
95 NEW 95 1 I’LL WAIT Kygo & Sasha Sloan 1500
96 NEW 96 1 USE ME Bill Withers 1400
97 98 97 2 I LOVE YOU’S Hailee Steinfeld 2500
98 NEW 98 1 MY LAST NIGHT WITH YOU Arrows 1200
99 99 99 2 RESERVATION The Fizz 2200
100 NEW 100 1 I LOVE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Arrows 1000

DROP OUTS
64 64 2 RUBY, DON’T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN Kenny Rogers & The First Edition 13100
81 64 5 ALWAYS Waze & Odyssey vs Tommy Theo featuring George Michael & Mary J. Blige 29500
84 55 5 MY LAST BREATH James Newman 41000
85 15 9 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 139600
87 57 6 DEAR JEALOUSY MIKA 40700
88 88 2 SOMETHING’S BURNING Kenny Rogers & The First Edition 4200
91 91 2 ISLANDS IN THE STREAM Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton 3400
92 39 6 CHANGE MY MIND Celine Dion 58450
95 75 4 NEVER WORN WHITE Katy Perry 14500
96 4 13 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 430200

 

29th March 2020

It’s 5 weeks on top for the unstoppable Birds Of Prey-promoted 1973 classic soul track from Barry White – it peaked at 9 first-time-round! Noel Gallagher grabs another top 20 track back-to-back, The Avalanches make it for the first time in almost 2 decades, and even Roisin Murphy gets her first top 20 in 13 years. The Killers leap into the 20 from outside the 40 following a great acoustic youtube performance from home of it by Brandon Flowers, to give them a first top 20 for 3 years, and Jonas Blue and Paloma Faith keep the list of top 40’s growing.

Lauv grabs a second top 40 track with South Korean boyband BTS, while his other track is still top 10, and China-supertar Jackson Wang rockets into the 40, 100 Ways has a great video, very Michael Jackson. New entries into my even-more-expanded chart include Dua Lipa’s new single and a track off her new album, the latter getting the higher chart position, for a total of 3 – it would have been 4 if she hadn’t pushed her own track out this week.

Jessie Ware is back, her 5th chart track in 8 years, back in the Spotlight, and 1981 social-commentary ska classic is back for The Specials – Ghost Town topped my chart then, as mass unemployment included me at the time and the sentiment of the song resonated strongly, and does now for different reasons – coronavirus has made actual Ghost Cities. That’s also responsible for the
return of Ralph McTell’s 1969/1974 classic Streets Of London, a song for the homeless I missed first-time-round (living in tropical Singapore) until a re-recorded version was a monster early 1975 UK number 2.

At 74, the act isn’t Music From Star Trek: Picard (but that’s what the listed act is!) it’s star of the show Isa Briones, covering the Irving Berlin standard Blue Skies, which plays over a tear-jerking goodbye to Data, the android from Next Generation who died already in the final movie starring the cast, and who had sung the sung himself (Brent Spiner that is, as data). I won’t do a spoiler, but it’s lovely, and the song is an old fave that has never charted before, not in any version. At 94-years-old it’s one of the oldest songs to make my charts (ignoring classical music or hymns, I can’t think of any other “pop music” songs older).

The Fizz get another 2 tracks from the new album in the chart, The Weeknd does the same with one track, Mable and Hailee Steinfeld both return with newies, and Richard Marx is also back with a song called Limitless which is not the same song Bon Jovi have in the chart. Richard is a good Tweeter to follow, and first charted ooh 32 years ago, topping my chart with Hazard in the early 90’s, and his first new entry since 2012.

1 1 1 8 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 1044000
2 2 2 5 SAY SO Doja Cat 331600
3 3 3 2 STAY Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko 170000
4 6 4 5 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 198100
5 5 1 8 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 766000
6 9 6 7 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 193500
7 8 7 6 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 166500
8 4 2 8 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 377700
9 10 9 5 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 154550
10 7 4 9 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 378750

11 11 8 9 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 242050
12 12 12 6 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 158100
13 24 13 7 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 122300
14 34 14 5 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 76400
15 15 3 9 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 454500
16 27 16 6 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 107100
17 22 17 6 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 96500
18 35 18 4 MURPHY’S LAW Roisin Murphy 69300
19 42 19 3 CAUTION The Killers 45550
20 20 20 6 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 109950

21 13 1 17 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1323350
22 14 14 8 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 184500
23 17 17 7 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 100700
24 28 24 5 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 74500
25 25 25 6 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 91600
26 36 26 4 LOST AT SEA Cashier No.9 54150
27 16 16 10 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 189050
28 29 28 4 ALL OF THE FEELINGS Kiesza 58800
29 19 5 10 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 354600
30 45 30 5 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 55700

31 66 31 3 GOLIATH Smith & Thell 29300
32 18 4 10 WILL-O-THE-WISP Pet Shop Boys 423550
33 37 33 4 DEAD WEIGHT PVRIS 63500
34 47 34 4 WHO Lauv featuring BTS 41900
35 54 35 2 WHO I AM Melanie C 28500
36 21 21 8 REACT Pussycat Dolls 129550
37 40 37 5 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 51500
38 23 1 14 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1111450
39 73 39 2 100 WAYS Jackson Wang 22500
40 41 40 7 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 82600

41 26 3 10 FOREVER Will Young 395500
42 30 30 6 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 95750
43 31 2 5 DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears 236400
44 32 32 8 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 114950
45 50 45 2 YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gerry & The Pacemakers 25000
46 46 46 4 GASLIGHTER Dixie Chicks 48650
47 49 47 4 THE STEPS HAIM 40650
48 33 17 8 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 130600
49 NEW 49 1 LEVITATING Dua Lipa 12100
50 38 38 8 BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 81300

51 53 51 3 CRASHING Illenium featuring Bahari 28400
52 72 52 3 HARVEST MOON Neil Young 21500
53 39 6 10 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 291650
54 60 54 4 LOOK AFTER YOU Aron Wright 33200
55 63 55 4 SOMETIMES Kodaline 27200
56 43 9 12 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 279600
57 NEW 57 1 BREAK MY HEART Dua Lipa 10400
58 61 58 6 INSTANT HISTORY Biffy Clyro 44000
59 67 59 5 ROSES (IMANBEK REMIX) SAINt JHN 32100
60 62 60 4 MAMA Genesis 31200

61 56 1 31 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1239600
62 NEW 62 1 DANCING NEXT TO ME Greyson Chance 7400
63 71 35 8 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 98950
64 70 64 2 RUBY, DON’T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN Kenny Rogers & The First Edition 13100
65 44 5 11 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 399500
66 69 66 3 KINGS & QUEENS Ava Max 17800
67 NEW 67 1 ANTISOCIAL SOCIALITES Kyan Palmer, nicopop & Yuri Joness 6600
68 NEW 68 1 SPOTLIGHT Jessie Ware 6400
69 86 69 2 IS EVERYBODY GOING CRAZY? Nothing But Thieves 9000
70 89 70 2 LIMITLESS Bon Jovi 8200

71 87 71 2 I’M IN LOVE Danny Dove featuring The Flirtations 8400
72 NEW 72 1 GHOST TOWN The Specials 5600
73 76 73 2 FREAKS Fisher 10200
74 NEW 74 1 BLUE SKIES Music from Star Trek: Picard featuring Isa Briones 5200
75 77 75 3 I’M TOAST Sparks 13800
76 65 65 5 SECOND CHANCE The Shapeshifters featuring Kimberly Davis 28000
77 51 6 13 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 299800
78 78 78 2 THE SUN RISING The Beloved 8800
79 58 58 4 REVIVAL Gregory Porter 32000
80 NEW 80 1 IN YOUR EYES The Weeknd 4000

81 64 64 5 ALWAYS Waze & Odyssey vs Tommy Theo featuring George Michael & Mary J. Blige 29500
82 90 82 2 THROW MY BONES Deep Purple 5600
83 88 83 2 NO JUDGEMENT Niaill Horan 5800
84 55 55 5 MY LAST BREATH James Newman 41000
85 52 15 9 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 139600
86 91 86 2 IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE) REM 4700
87 57 57 6 DEAR JEALOUSY MIKA 40700
88 92 88 2 SOMETHING’S BURNING Kenny Rogers & The First Edition 4200
89 93 89 2 FALLING Harry Styles 3900
90 94 90 2 EARTH BEAT Paul Weller 3600

91 95 91 2 ISLANDS IN THE STREAM Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton 3400
92 59 39 6 CHANGE MY MIND Celine Dion 58450
93 NEW 93 1 STORM The Fizz 1700
94 NEW 94 1 LIMITLESS Richard Marx 1600
95 75 75 4 NEVER WORN WHITE Katy Perry 14500
96 74 4 13 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 430200
97 NEW 97 1 BOYFRIEND Mabel 1300
98 NEW 98 1 I LOVE YOU’S Hailee Steinfeld 1200
99 NEW 99 1 RESERVATION The Fizz 1100
100 NEW 100 1 STREETS OF LONDON Ralph McTell 1000

DROP OUTS
48 29 8 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 117650
68 58 5 MELTDOWN Jake Shears 43100
79 8 10 THE VOID Muse 250500
80 12 9 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 189350
81 17 10 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 165000
82 9 10 OH YEAH! Green Day 228600
83 67 5 WHAT IF I NEVER GET OVER YOU Lady Antebellum 27600
84 7 16 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 392350
85 3 21 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 702950

 

22nd March 2020

It’s 4 weeks on top for the Barry White 1973 lush soul goodie, as Doja Cat becomes the latest current track to be kept off the top by the Birds Of Prey oldie – ironically Doja Cat is also on the soundtrack, oops! Meanwhile, Rihanna’s second-best track is back in at 3 following some itunes sales, having topped my chart in 2013: it shows what you can do with a stripped-back song when you have an amazing duo vocal, a great song, and a sensitive arrangement. Just brilliant. Lauv, future big star I hope, debuts in the top 10 with his great Modern Loneliness, Billie Eilish gets a 3rd, and most other tracks shuffle a few places inside the top 40 as there are so many good ones – in fact so many new ones I’ve been forced to extend the chart to 95, which i would rather not do, but have been forced to for now.

Biggest climber is Lady Gaga, back in the top 40 for the first time in 3 years, her 23rd top 40 track, Stupid Love. There’s another former chart-topper at 50, as Gerry & The Pacemakers return yet again, this time nothing to do with football bringing it back: You’ll Never Walk Alone has been played across Europe as a song of inspiration for the coronovirus self-isolating and those losing loved ones. First out in 1963, the song dates even further back from the 1945 musical Carousel, but it was Gerry and his Merseybeat pals who recorded the definitive rousing version, latterly an Anfield anthem. It topped my chart in 2010 in lieu of me not doing charts in 1963, though 5-year-old me prob would have put it on top as I loved Gerry & The Pacemakers as a kiddie.

More oldies entering, also coronavirus-related in the case of R.E.M’s 1987 It’s The End Of The World As We Know It returning 33 years on thanks to those with an cynical sense of humour, with a bunch of Kenny Rogers tracks returning in tribute to the death of the Country Music icon at the weekend. The Beloved’s 30-year-old The Sun Rising is back in the itunes chart, not sure why, but it’s still fab, and in at 87 it’s a dance track with a sample of UK 70’s TV staples The Flirtations as it’s backbone. The US group never charted, but backed many a legend vocally, toured, and featured on variety shows and music shows without ever getting a hit or entering my charts – better-50-years-late-than-never!

Melanie C gets the highest new track, extending her run of solo tracks to 21 years, and 24 Spice years, while Chinese star Jackson Wang, former boyband member, does a good video and interesting song to enter at 73, big in the Far East and bubbling under in the wake of BTS’ success here. Harry Styles gets a 5th track off his new album, Falling in line with veteran returns at the lower end from Paul Weller, 2 years since his entry, 27 years since his first solo hit, and 43 years since he Jam-med up in the punk era. Bon Jovi date only back to 1986, chart-wise, and haven’t charted for 7 years: back in 1999 I was backstage filming Jon Bon Jovi doing a live concert at King’s Park Bournemouth (it’s on Youtube) on a radio 1 Roadshow – it’s not what you know it’s who you know….

Finally, a mention for Deep Purple. No, not the Donny & Marie hit from 1976, the even-older Rock Actual Legends fronted by 80’s hitster Ian Gillan, back on board 50 years since Black Night riffed-it-out. Hush charted in the USA in 1968, but had to wait until 2008 to make my charts, so, err, this is the first new track to chart since 1977’s Smoke On The Water (live version) and first new studio song to chart since their best record Fireball hit my top 10 in 1971, a mind-boggling 49 years ago. Phew!

1 1 1 7 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 874000
2 5 2 4 SAY SO Doja Cat 216600
3 NEW 3 1 STAY Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko 85000
4 2 2 7 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 329700
5 3 1 7 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 706000
6 7 6 4 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 133100
7 4 4 8 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 336750
8 19 8 5 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 116500
9 23 9 6 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 138500
10 10 10 4 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 109550

11 8 8 8 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 205050
12 12 12 5 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 123100
13 9 1 16 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1303600
14 14 14 7 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 165000
15 11 3 8 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 427500
16 16 16 9 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 170650
17 25 17 6 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 81450
18 13 4 9 WILL-O-THE-WISP Pet Shop Boys 405750
19 15 5 9 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 336400
20 20 20 5 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 89950

21 24 21 7 REACT Pussycat Dolls 112150
22 33 22 5 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 73500
23 17 1 13 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1094250
24 26 24 6 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 90300
25 27 25 5 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 72850
26 18 3 9 FOREVER Will Young 381500
27 28 27 5 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 82100
28 37 28 4 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 55500
29 49 29 3 ALL OF THE FEELINGS Kiesza 40500
30 30 30 5 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 82000

31 6 2 4 DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears 222900
32 34 32 7 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 101700
33 21 17 7 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 118300
34 38 34 4 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 47400
35 35 35 3 MURPHY’S LAW Roisin Murphy 47300
36 44 36 3 LOST AT SEA Cashier No.9 35650
37 40 37 3 DEAD WEIGHT PVRIS 45800
38 45 38 7 BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 69300
39 22 6 9 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 280400
40 70 40 4 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 34200

41 41 41 6 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 65600
42 55 42 2 CAUTION The Killers 24550
43 31 9 11 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 269000
44 32 5 10 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 392500
45 48 45 4 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 37700
46 46 46 3 GASLIGHTER Dixie Chicks 35900
47 62 47 3 WHO Lauv featuring BTS 24300
48 29 29 8 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 117650
49 53 49 3 THE STEPS HAIM 28150
50 NEW 50 1 YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gerry & The Pacemakers 12000

51 42 6 12 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 295200
52 36 15 8 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 136600
53 73 53 2 CRASHING Illenium featuring Bahari 16650
54 NEW 54 1 WHO I AM Melanie C 11000
55 56 55 4 MY LAST BREATH James Newman 35800
56 54 1 30 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1232100
57 61 57 5 DEAR JEALOUSY MIKA 38100
58 59 58 3 REVIVAL Gregory Porter 27800
59 39 39 5 CHANGE MY MIND Celine Dion 56650
60 68 60 3 LOOK AFTER YOU Aron Wright 22200

61 63 61 5 INSTANT HISTORY Biffy Clyro 33800
62 65 62 3 MAMA Genesis 21200
63 75 63 3 SOMETIMES Kodaline 16400
64 66 64 4 ALWAYS Waze & Odyssey vs Tommy Theo featuring George Michael & Mary J. Blige 25700
65 72 65 4 SECOND CHANCE The Shapeshifters featuring Kimberly Davis 23200
66 77 66 2 GOLIATH Smith & Thell 11400
67 74 67 4 ROSES (IMANBEK REMIX) SAINt JHN 22000
68 58 58 5 MELTDOWN Jake Shears 43100
69 76 69 2 KINGS & QUEENS Ava Max 11000
70 NEW 70 1 RUBY, DON’T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN Kenny Rogers & The First Edition 6000

71 RE 35 7 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 91750
72 78 72 2 HARVEST MOON Neil Young 10000
73 NEW 73 1 100 WAYS Jackson Wang 5400
74 43 4 12 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 428800
75 80 75 3 NEVER WORN WHITE Katy Perry 13000
76 NEW 76 1 FREAKS Fisher 4800
77 79 77 2 I’M TOAST Sparks 8800
78 NEW 78 1 THE SUN RISING The Beloved 4400
79 51 8 10 THE VOID Muse 250500
80 50 12 9 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 189350

81 47 17 10 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 165000
82 52 9 10 OH YEAH! Green Day 228600
83 67 67 5 WHAT IF I NEVER GET OVER YOU Lady Antebellum 27600
84 57 7 16 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 392350
85 71 3 21 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 702950
86 NEW 86 1 IS EVERYBODY GOING CRAZY? Nothing But Thieves 2800
87 NEW 87 1 I’M IN LOVE Danny Dove featuring The Flirtations 2600
88 NEW 88 1 NO JUDGEMENT Niaill Horan 2400
89 NEW 89 1 LIMITLESS Bon Jovi 2200
90 NEW 90 1 THROW MY BONES Deep Purple 2000

91 NEW 91 1 IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE) REM 1900
92 NEW 92 1 SOMETHING’S BURNING Kenny Rogers & The First Edition 1800
93 NEW 93 1 FALLING Harry Styles 1700
94 NEW 94 1 EARTH BEAT Paul Weller 1600
95 NEW 95 1 ISLANDS IN THE STREAM Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton 1500

SROP OUTS
60 40 7 TENNIS FAN Banoffee featuring Empress Of 69100
64 1 19 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 958250
69 23 8 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 122550

 

 

15th March 2020

It’s 3 weeks on top for the Barry White 1973 track that takes me back to much-less-stressed times, holding off James Blunt and Ward Thomas from the top spot, the highest-charting of the singles off the new album, poor ol’ James has never quite managed to top my chart, though this is his 5th top 5 and beats his previous peak of 3 for Wisemen in 2006, a track that went top 5 in 2005 as well. Doja Cat and Marina Kaye both get top 10 debuts, SZA gets her 2nd since topping with the Black Panther track with Kendrick Lamarr, All The Stars, in 2018. Justin T gets his 12th top 10, but much more with contributions to other artists and N’Sync tracks.

Roisin Murphy gets 2 top 40’s in a row, both with 8-minute-plus disco-era-styled boogies, Halsey does that too with much shorter tracks that have no disco-boogies in sight, and Noel Gallagher yet again gets 2 simultaneous top 40 new songs on the list, they just overlap with the frequency of releases recently. Against all the odds, and I never expected to write this sentence, Celine Dion continues her comeback artistically with another good top 40 off the new album. She’s had at least 15 top 40’s over the last 30 years, but very few top 10’s – just 4, peaking at 2 in 2002 with A New Day has Come.

New entries from The Killers urging Caution, extending their run to 16 years, Ava Max getting a 3rd chart entry, Neil Young bringing his fab 1992 Harvest Moon ballad back after selling on itunes due to some sort of advert promo, I expect, and last, but not least, Sparks follow-up their Christmas chart-topper with the whimsical I’m Toast, making it 46 years of non-stop quality, paving their own unique path through whatever music scenes are around, always relevant, always cool, always inventive lyrically and musically, touring, and occasionally selling albums and singles. The titles of tracks on the forthcoming album make it worth buying already…!

1 1 1 6 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 704000
2 7 2 6 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 264700
3 3 1 6 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 646000
4 4 4 7 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 286750
5 12 5 3 SAY SO Doja Cat 101600
6 2 2 3 DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears 205000
7 19 7 3 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 78100
8 9 8 7 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 168050
9 6 1 15 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1271600
10 25 10 3 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 67550

11 5 3 7 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 400500
12 18 12 4 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 88100
13 8 4 8 WILL O’THE WISP Pet Shop Boys 383750
14 14 14 6 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 136000
15 10 5 8 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 315400
16 16 16 8 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 145650
17 11 1 12 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1075000
18 15 3 8 FOREVER Will Young 363000
19 24 19 4 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 68500
20 23 20 4 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 69950

21 17 17 6 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 100600
22 13 6 8 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 263300
23 20 20 5 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 93500
24 26 24 6 REACT Pussycat Dolls 92400
25 28 25 5 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 58450
26 29 26 5 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 71300
27 32 27 4 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 54100
28 36 28 4 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 63700
29 30 29 7 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 105350
30 35 30 4 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 64000

31 27 9 10 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 255500
32 21 5 9 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 379250
33 38 33 4 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 54000
34 37 34 6 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 83900
35 48 35 2 MURPHY’S LAW Roisin Murphy 29800
36 22 15 7 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 125100
37 43 37 3 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 37200
38 68 38 3 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 29800
39 53 39 4 CHANGE MY MIND Celine Dion 46550
40 52 40 2 DEAD WEIGHT PVRIS 28500

41 44 41 5 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 51600
42 31 6 11 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 283450
43 34 4 11 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 423600
44 75 44 2 LOST AT SEA Cashier No.9 18250
45 55 45 6 BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 52100
46 57 46 2 GASLIGHTER Dixie Chicks 23150
47 33 17 9 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 161200
48 65 48 3 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 24700
49 58 49 2 ALL OF THE FEELINGS Kiesza 22300
50 39 12 8 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 185450

51 40 8 9 THE VOID Muse 246300
52 41 9 9 OH YEAH! Green Day 224800
53 76 53 2 THE STEPS HAIM 16050
54 51 1 29 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1221500
55 NEW 55 1 CAUTION The Killers 10800
56 63 56 3 MY LAST BREATH James Newman 25000
57 42 7 15 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 389150
58 59 58 4 MELTDOWN Jake Shears 36700
59 61 59 2 REVIVAL Gregory Porter 17600
60 49 40 6 TENNIS FAN Banoffee featuring Empress Of 69100

61 62 61 4 DEAR JEALOUSY MIKA 27700
62 78 62 2 WHO Lauv featuring BTS 11800
63 64 63 4 INSTANT HISTORY Biffy Clyro 26300
64 50 1 19 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 958250
65 66 65 2 MAMA Genesis 13800
66 70 66 3 ALWAYS Waze & Odyssey vs Tommy Theo featuring George Michael & Mary J. Blige 18600
67 69 67 4 WHAT IF I NEVER GET OVER YOU Lady Antebellum 24200
68 71 68 2 LOOK AFTER YOU Aron Wright 12200
69 47 23 8 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 122550
70 72 70 3 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 17200

71 56 3 20 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 699950
72 73 72 3 SECOND CHANCE The Shapeshifters featuring Kimberly Davis 16200
73 NEW 73 1 CRASHING Illenium featuring Bahari 5400
74 74 74 3 ROSES (IMANBEK REMIX) SAINt JHN 15400
75 79 75 2 SOMETIMES Kodaline 9200
76 NEW 76 1 KINGS & QUEENS Ava Max 4800
77 NEW 77 1 GOLIATH Smith & Thell 4600
78 NEW 78 1 HARVEST MOON Neil Young 4400
79 NEW 79 1 I’M TOAST Sparks 4200
80 80 80 2 NEVER WORN WHITE Katy Perry 8000

DROP OUTS
45 34 6 HAPPY PEOPLE Pet Shop Boys 88800
46 22 8 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 128050
54 29 7 FOREVER YOURS Kygo, Avicii & Sandro Cavazza 100800
60 60 3 ON BTS featuring Sia 23700
67 3 16 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 489100
77 33 6 NARCISSUS Roisin Murphy 71950

 

8th March 2020

It’s 2 weeks on top for Barry White who first topped my chart in 1974 in his guise of the Love Unlimited Orchestra, Love’s Theme being a lush gorgeous soul instrumental, a mere 6 months after this track debuted in my charts. At 2 Sniff ‘n’ The Tears finally get the chart position they deserved (but didn’t get) during a very competitive period for amazing music in 1979 – though it was a big American hit for the UK band. Music lately is so strong I’m having to extend to 80 again as there are no more tracks I can evict, and many have already been booted out a bit early!

Dua Lipa adds to her run of top 10’s, must be about 6 or so, Doja Cat gets the biggest climb up to 12 from 67, it’s a good pop track, Billie Eilish gets another top 20 with her Bond theme, and Marina kaye debuts inside the top 20. Sza gets her biggest track since her chart-topper with Kendrick Lamarr 2 years ago, at 25 with Justin Timberlake who is now 22 years into NSync’ing top 40’s, while Khalid and Disclosure both add to their tally of top 40’s. The Fratellis grab a 7th top 40, Tame Impala a 3rd in the last 6 months to add to the 7 dating back to 2015, and the highest new entry is another from Roisin Murphy, giving her 2 8-minute grooves in my chart, and a 12-year career since Moloko kick-started singing it back.

Other newies: PVRIS debut, Dixie Chicks stage a catchy comeback 15 years since they last charted, and with their 7th chart entry extending their chart career to 21 years, Kiesza also has a comeback 6 years since her 3rd entry and also debut with Hideaway. That also applies to Gregory Porter who debuted with Liquid Spirit in 2014, and is now having a Revival, while Genesis announce their first tour since the noughties and boost itunes sales of their greatest singles, including their absolute best, the moody, dark Mama which topped my chart in 1983 and returns to give it some extra “sales”.

Cashier No.9 return with an oldie that didn;t chart last decade, a second chart entry for them a mere 9 years since topping my lists with Oh Pity, HAIM also return with some good old-fashioned electric guitar riffs and drum fills, it’s so refreshing to hear them, even if it does sound rather a lot like Sheryl Crow. Lauv gets a 2nd concurrent chart entry, as he shapes up to be the next Big Thing, if there’s any justice, and assists BTS to do the same, Kodaline follow-up their recent comeback, 7 years into their charting, and Katy Perry makes it a sweet dozen years of hits – at least 26 of ’em, including 3 chart-toppers.

1 1 1 5 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 534000
2 12 2 2 DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears 150000
3 2 1 5 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 561000
4 7 4 6 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 221750
5 3 3 6 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 363500
6 4 1 14 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1226600
7 9 7 5 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 149700
8 5 4 7 WILL O’THE WISP Pet Shop Boys 351750
9 14 9 6 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 120050
10 6 5 7 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 288400

11 8 1 11 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1052000
12 67 12 2 SAY SO Doja Cat 41600
13 11 6 7 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 243800
14 16 14 5 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 107000
15 10 3 7 FOREVER Will Young 341000
16 17 16 7 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 120650
17 20 17 5 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 80850
18 24 18 3 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 53100
19 64 19 2 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 28100
20 25 20 4 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 74250

21 13 5 8 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 361450
22 15 15 6 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 107700
23 29 23 3 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 49950
24 26 24 3 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 47500
25 66 25 2 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 25550
26 27 26 5 REACT Pussycat Dolls 73400
27 19 9 9 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 237600
28 57 28 4 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 39700
29 33 29 4 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 52800
30 30 30 6 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 87150

31 18 6 10 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 269700
32 49 32 3 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 35700
33 23 17 8 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 148700
34 22 4 10 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 410100
35 35 35 3 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 46000
36 36 36 3 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 45400
37 39 37 5 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 66300
38 47 38 3 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 36300
39 21 12 7 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 173450
40 32 8 8 THE VOID Muse 234550

41 28 9 8 OH YEAH! Green Day 213300
42 31 7 14 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 378750
43 68 43 2 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 19900
44 51 44 4 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 37600
45 34 34 6 HAPPY PEOPLE Pet Shop Boys 88800
46 37 22 8 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 128050
47 38 23 7 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 116350
48 NEW 48 1 MURPHY’S LAW Roisin Murphy 12300
49 40 40 5 TENNIS FAN Banoffee featuring Empress Of 59100
50 42 1 18 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 951150

51 43 1 28 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1210500
52 NEW 52 1 DEAD WEIGHT PVRIS 11500
53 54 53 3 CHANGE MY MIND Celine Dion 29450
54 48 29 7 FOREVER YOURS Kygo, Avicii & Sandro Cavazza 100800
55 58 55 5 BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 39100
56 50 3 19 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 694150
57 NEW 57 1 GASLIGHTER Dixie Chicks 10400
58 NEW 58 1 ALL OF THE FEELINGS Kiesza 10200
59 60 59 3 MELTDOWN Jake Shears 26500
60 61 60 3 ON BTS featuring Sia 23700

61 NEW 61 1 REVIVAL Gregory Porter 7500
62 62 62 3 DEAR JEALOUSY MIKA 20200
63 63 63 2 MY LAST BREATH James Newman 14400
64 65 64 3 INSTANT HISTORY Biffy Clyro 19100
65 73 65 2 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 12400
66 NEW 66 1 MAMA Genesis 6800
67 59 3 16 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 489100
68 69 68 2 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 12600
69 70 69 3 WHAT IF I NEVER GET OVER YOU Lady Antebellum 17600
70 71 70 2 ALWAYS Waze & Odyssey vs Tommy Theo featuring George Michael & Mary J. Blige 11800

71 NEW 71 1 LOOK AFTER YOU Aron Wright 5800
72 72 72 2 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 11200
73 74 73 2 SECOND CHANCE The Shapeshifters featuring Kimberly Davis 10600
74 75 74 2 ROSES (IMANBEK REMIX) SAINt JHN 10200
75 NEW 75 1 LOST AT SEA Cashier No.9 5000
76 NEW 76 1 THE STEPS HAIM 4800
77 44 33 6 NARCISSUS Roisin Murphy 71950
78 NEW 78 1 WHO Lauv featuring BTS 4400
79 NEW 79 1 SOMETIMES Kodaline 4200
80 NEW 80 1 NEVER WORN WHITE Katy Perry 4000

DROP OUTS
41 3 6 SUPERNATURE (795450) Cerrone 287000
45 45 4 AT ROCK BOTTOM Pet Shop Boys 46000
46 20 7 RARE Selena Gomez 118700
52 24 6 LAZY LOVE Bobbi Storm 98650
53 35 6 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 85950
55 1 11 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 733350
56 20 7 ORDINARY MAN Ozzy Osbourne featuring Elton John & Slash 114750

 

1st March 2020

It’s a first week on top for Barry White’s classic sexy soul debut from 1973, as featured in Birds Of Prey, and which first-time round hit my top 5 but had a short chart run because it was only in the UK top 30 for a few weeks (I based my charts exclusively on tracks inside the top 30 in those days). So, only taken almost 47 years to get there, and his 2nd chart-topper following Let The Music Play which topped in 2000 a mere 24 years late, this one nearly doubles that gap. James Blunt grabs another top 10 from his current album, he’s really back on top form of late, and 1979 top 20 track (for me) Driver’s Seat, returns Sniff ‘n’ The Tears to the charts at 12, 41 years on, thanks to my entering it into a music competition – now it can get a much better chart placing for such a great record.

Another big batch of new entries means that there are virtually no records dropping outside the top 50 – they’ve all had to be evicted to make way for all the fresh stuff! Big climbs into the 40 for Agnes Obel, Lauv, Lizzo, Ronan & Emeli (Ronan Keating having been away for 8 years, but extending his chart run of solo stuff to 21 years), X Ambassadors & The Avalanches. Newies include the UK Eurovision entry from John Newman’s brother James, probably our best chance to do well since Blue’s entry; SZA back with Justin Timberlake in tow, his chart run now 17 years solo (with 5 chart-toppers) or 21 years with N’Sync (plus another chart-topper).

It’s another month so it must be another Noel Gallagher single, he usually has 2 charting simultaneously the last year or so; Lady Gaga is back doing dance music, and returns to my chart for the first time in 6 years – that’s longer than her entire prolific career up to that point, but extends her run to 11 years, including 4 chart-toppers in her early Fame-hot days. Paloma Faith returns assisting Jonas Blue, she is also of the Class of 2009, but her 4 chart-toppers are spread-out over her entire career and she has only missed out on charting in 2019. Finally, The Shapeshifters return 14 years since they last troubled my charts, and 16 years since Lola’s Theme was a big debut. Unexpected returns are always welcome in my charts!

1 2 1 4 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 364000
2 1 1 4 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 476000
3 3 3 5 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 303500
4 4 1 13 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1171600
5 7 4 6 WILL O’THE WISP Pet Shop Boys 303750
6 6 5 6 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 246400
7 10 7 5 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 156750
8 5 1 10 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 1015000
9 13 9 4 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 99700
10 9 3 6 FOREVER Will Young 314000

11 8 6 6 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 211800
12 NEW 12 1 DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears 35000
13 11 5 7 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 341700
14 36 14 5 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 75050
15 20 15 5 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 88200
16 19 16 4 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 78000
17 34 17 6 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 95650
18 16 6 9 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 251800
19 15 9 8 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 219200
20 30 20 4 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 57850

21 12 12 6 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 156350
22 14 4 9 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 392500
23 17 17 7 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 131000
24 49 24 2 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 31100
25 27 25 3 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 54250
26 60 26 2 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 28500
27 28 27 4 REACT Pussycat Dolls 54900
28 18 9 7 OH YEAH! Green Day 199300
29 47 29 2 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 30700
30 40 30 5 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 69150

31 25 7 13 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 365000
32 21 8 7 THE VOID Muse 217550
33 52 33 3 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 34600
34 41 34 5 HAPPY PEOPLE Pet Shop Boys 75800
35 54 35 2 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 28500
36 56 36 2 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 28000
37 22 22 7 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 115300
38 23 23 6 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 103850
39 42 39 4 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 49000
40 48 40 4 TENNIS FAN Banoffee featuring Empress Of 47000

41 24 3 6 SUPERNATURE Cerrone 287000
42 32 1 17 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 939150
43 38 1 27 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1198750
44 33 33 5 NARCISSUS Roisin Murphy 67350
45 45 45 4 AT ROCK BOTTOM Pet Shop Boys 46000
46 26 20 7 RARE Selena Gomez 118700
47 67 47 2 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 19100
48 29 29 6 FOREVER YOURS Kygo, Avicii & Sandro Cavazza 89800
49 71 49 2 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 17900
50 44 3 18 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 683550

51 62 51 3 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 24350
52 31 24 6 LAZY LOVE Bobbi Storm 98650
53 35 35 6 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 85950
54 63 54 2 CHANGE MY MIND Celine Dion 18200
55 37 1 11 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 733350
56 39 20 7 ORDINARY MAN Ozzy Osbourne featuring Elton John & Slash 114750
57 70 57 3 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 21400
58 64 58 4 BETTER OF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 28300
59 43 3 15 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 482500
60 68 60 2 MELTDOWN Jake Shears 16400

61 69 61 2 ON BTS featuring Sia 13700
62 74 62 2 DEAR JEALOUSY MIKA 12800
63 NEW 63 1 MY LAST BREATH James Newman 7200
64 NEW 64 1 THE WHOLE 9 Marina Kaye 7100
65 75 65 2 INSTANT HISTORY Biffy Clyro 12000
66 NEW 66 1 THE OTHER SIDE SZA, Justin Timberlake 6800
67 NEW 67 1 SAY SO Doja Cat 6600
68 NEW 68 1 YOU SHOULD BE SAD Halsey 6400
69 NEW 69 1 COME ON OUTSIDE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 6200
70 73 70 2 WHAT IF I NEVER GET OVER YOU Lady Antebellum 11400

71 NEW 71 1 ALWAYS Waze & Odyssey vs Tommy Theo featuring George Michael & Mary J. Blige 5800
72 NEW 72 1 STUPID LOVE Lady Gaga 5600
73 NEW 73 1 MISTAKES Jonas Blue & Paloma Faith 5400
74 NEW 74 1 SECOND CHANCE The Shapeshifters featuring Kimberly Davis 5200
75 NEW 75 1 ROSES (IMANBEK REMIX) SAINt JHN 5000

DROP OUTS
46 19 7 THE KEEPER Blossoms 130900
50 50 5 SIMMER Hayley Williams 50600
51 32 6 WHAT A MAN GOTTA DO Jonas Brothers 86100
53 21 7 TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS Harry Styles 110200
55 55 4 AMOUREUSE (608550) Kiki Dee 35000
57 57 4 WEDDING IN BERLIN Pet Shop Boys 33300
58 24 7 ORIGINAL Sia 108450
59 59 3 PALE HORSES Ina Wroldsen 23000
61 61 4 NEW ME Ella Eyre 25100
65 65 5 RUNAROUND SUE Dion 30600
66 16 12 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 173300
72 1 24 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 1003450

 

23rd February 2020

It’s 2 weeks on top for Faouzia, passionate at 1 where runner-up Barry White is sensual soul with his template song reaching a new peak 47 years late (it went top 5 for me in the Summer of ’73), thanks to the Birds Of Prey movie. Duke Dumont outdoes his previous 3 top 10’s for a new peak position of 3 for Therapy and an amazing vocal performance from Sharlene Hector. Pet Shop Boys make it, ooh, 4 or 5 top 10’s this year already. One day I’ll top up how many chart entries they’ve had – I can’t believe any other act outdoes them except The Beatles, maybe.

James Blunt also adding yet another top 20 to the 3 off the album already, and a first for Ward Thomas, Nile Rodgers is on 42 years of Dance Dance Dance-ing in the top 20, and Noel Gallagher is on around 4 or 5 in the last 12 months to add to his 26-year run of many others. Pussycat Dolls get a first top 40 entry in 12 years, their 6th in all, and heading the new influx is Lizzo with a great vocal at 47 with not-the-Slade-song Coz I Love You. Her 4th entry. Agnes Obel returns with a Kate-Bush-esque dark ballad, X Ambassadors return with a rousing singalong, The Avalanches make a welcome return err 19 years since they had back to back top 10’s with Since I Left You & Frontier Psychiatrist – and then nothing else ever again! Better late than never…

Lauv is sounding good with a debut, Celine continues to surprise with her comeback stuff for 30 chart years, Tame Impala enter with an album track, Jake Shears gets a second solo entry 2 years since Creep City hit the 20, and 16 years since Comfortably Numb gave Scissor Sisters the first of 5 number ones. BTS bring a spot of South Korean boyband action to my charts with a debut featuring Sia and a great rhythm track, The Fratellis bring some fun back to extend their run to 14 years, and Lady Antebellum get a 6th entry since debuting a decade ago with the fab Need You Now. MIKA’s pushing 20 chart entries over 13 years, and Biffy Clyro take a more pop route to get a 3rd entry 9 years since Many Of Horror, a 12 years since Mountains.

1 1 1 3 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 361000
2 10 2 3 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 194000
3 9 3 4 THERAPY Duke Dumont featuring Sharlene Hector 218500
4 2 1 12 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1106600
5 3 1 9 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 967000
6 5 5 5 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 191400
7 7 4 5 WILL O’THE WISP Pet Shop Boys 243750
8 6 6 5 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 174800
9 4 3 5 FOREVER Will Young 272000
10 13 10 4 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 106750

11 8 5 6 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 309700
12 12 12 5 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 136600
13 37 13 3 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 54700
14 11 4 8 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 373000
15 15 9 7 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 198200
16 16 6 8 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 229800
17 19 17 6 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 111750
18 18 9 6 OH YEAH! Green Day 181000
19 26 19 3 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 53000
20 32 20 4 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 61200

21 17 8 6 THE VOID Muse 199750
22 23 22 6 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 98000
23 27 23 5 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 86650
24 14 3 5 SUPERNATURE Cerrone 273000
25 21 7 12 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 347100
26 20 20 6 RARE Selena Gomez 105950
27 39 27 2 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 35500
28 45 28 3 REACT Pussycat Dolls 36500
29 29 29 5 FOREVER YOURS Kygo, Avicii & Sandro Cavazza 77500
30 46 30 3 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 37850

31 24 24 5 LAZY LOVE Bobbi Storm 87150
32 25 1 16 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 925400
33 40 33 4 NARCISSUS Roisin Murphy 54100
34 30 30 5 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 72650
35 35 35 5 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 74700
36 53 36 4 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 46050
37 22 1 10 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 722550
38 33 1 26 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1185250
39 28 20 6 ORDINARY MAN Ozzy Osbourne featuring Elton John & Slash 104150
40 42 40 4 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 51150

41 38 38 4 HAPPY PEOPLE Pet Shop Boys 58300
42 51 42 3 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 31900
43 34 3 14 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 472400
44 36 3 17 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 671550
45 47 45 3 AT ROCK BOTTOM Pet Shop Boys 33000
46 31 19 7 THE KEEPER Blossoms 130900
47 NEW 47 1 CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo 12500
48 49 48 3 TENNIS FAN Banoffee featuring Empress Of 30000
49 NEW 49 1 BROKEN SLEEP Agnes Obel 12100
50 52 50 5 SIMMER Hayley Williams 50600

51 41 32 6 WHAT A MAN GOTTA DO Jonas Brothers 86100
52 73 52 2 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 16900
53 43 21 7 TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS Harry Styles 110200
54 NEW 54 1 GREAT UNKNOWN X Ambassadors 11000
55 58 55 4 AMOUREUSE Kiki Dee 35000
56 NEW 56 1 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches featuring Blood Orange 10600
57 59 57 4 WEDDING IN BERLIN Pet Shop Boys 33300
58 44 24 7 ORIGINAL Sia 108450
59 64 59 3 PALE HORSES Ina Wroldsen 23000
60 NEW 60 1 MODERN LONELINESS Lauv 10000

61 67 61 4 NEW ME Ella Eyre 25100
62 74 62 2 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 12600
63 NEW 63 1 CHANGE MY MIND Celine Dion 7200
64 70 64 3 BETTER OF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 18100
65 69 65 5 RUNAROUND SUE Dion 30600
66 50 16 12 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 173300
67 NEW 67 1 INSTANT DESTINY Tame Impala 6600
68 NEW 68 1 MELTDOWN Jake Shears 6400
69 NEW 69 1 ON BTS featuring Sia 6200
70 75 70 2 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 11000

71 NEW 71 1 SIX DAYS IN JUNE The Fratellis 5800
72 66 1 24 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 1003450
73 NEW 73 1 WHAT IF I NEVER GET OVER YOU Lady Antebellum 5400
74 NEW 74 1 DEAR JEALOUSY MIKA 5200
75 NEW 75 1 INSTANT HISTORY Biffy Clyro 5000

DROP OUTS
48 48 4 YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING The Real Thing 46650
54 8 8 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 180000
55 40 6 STOP THIS FLAME Celeste 82100
56 56 5 DARE Gorillaz featuring Shaun Ryder 38900
57 9 14 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 273000
60 46 4 MAYDAY!!! FIESTA FEVER AWOLNATION featuring Alex Ebert 45050
61 5 8 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 236300
62 1 16 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 1027000
63 8 16 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 396550
65 36 6 WHEREVER YOU ARE Kodaline 77050
68 35 6 ONE WORLD Billy Ocean 77950
71 9 13 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 214600
72 9 13 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 289200

 

 

 

16th February 2020

It’s a first week on top for Canadian-Morrocan singer Faouzia, who first appeared in Casablanca. Not with Humphrey Bogart, though, it’s where she was born. Tears Of Gold is fab. Adam Lambert & Niles Rodgers go top 40, James Blunt & Ward Thomas climb bigly into the 40, and highest new entry is the new Bond theme from Billie Eilish, who unexpectedly stretches for a big note and wins, in at 39. Lots of good climbs lower down and not much in the way of new entries, just Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande, Khalid & Disclosure, & an oldie from Louis Armstrong, the classic 1945 Edith Piaf torch-ballad La Vie En Rose made my top 10 in 1985 for Grace Jones, and this recording pre-dates that by some 35 years, or at 70 years-old one of the oldest recordings to make my charts, the only older one that springs to mind is the closing sequence from The Avengers”Endgame.

1 19 1 2 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 191000
2 1 1 11 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 1041600
3 2 1 8 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 907000
4 3 3 4 FOREVER Will Young 227000
5 8 5 4 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 136400
6 10 6 4 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 126800
7 4 4 4 WILL O’THE WISP Pet Shop Boys 193750
8 5 5 5 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 272700
9 9 9 4 THERAPY Duke Dumont 133500
10 11 10 2 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 79000

11 7 4 7 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 344000
12 14 12 4 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 101600
13 20 13 3 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 64750
14 6 3 4 SUPERNATURE Cerrone 254000
15 15 9 6 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 171200
16 13 6 7 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 204800
17 12 8 5 THE VOID Muse 180000
18 16 9 5 OH YEAH! Green Day 159000
19 24 19 5 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 88750
20 22 20 5 RARE Selena Gomez 87450

21 17 7 11 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 329350
22 18 1 9 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 705250
23 28 23 5 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 78500
24 25 24 4 LAZY LOVE Bobbi Storm 69250
25 21 1 15 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 907600
26 43 26 2 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 32000
27 27 27 4 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 67400
28 23 20 5 ORDINARY MAN Ozzy Osbourne featuring Elton John & Slash 87050
29 36 29 4 FOREVER YOURS Kygo, Avicii & Sandro Cavazza 59300
30 37 30 4 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 55050

31 26 19 6 THE KEEPER Blossoms 118150
32 38 32 3 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 41200
33 33 1 25 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1168050
34 34 3 13 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 458900
35 35 35 4 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 57200
36 30 3 16 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 658300
37 73 37 2 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 22700
38 40 38 3 HAPPY PEOPLE Pet Shop Boys 44300
39 NEW 39 1 NO TIME TO DIE Billie Eilish 17100
40 48 40 3 NARCISSUS Roisin Murphy 36400

41 32 32 5 WHAT A MAN GOTTA DO Jonas Brothers 74350
42 45 42 3 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 34150
43 31 21 6 TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS Harry Styles 98950
44 29 24 6 ORIGINAL Sia 98250
45 74 45 2 REACT Pussycat Dolls 18200
46 64 46 2 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 19850
47 61 47 2 AT ROCK BOTTOM Pet Shop Boys 20000
48 49 48 4 YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING The Real Thing 46650
49 72 49 2 TENNIS FAN Banoffee featuring Empress Of 17700
50 39 16 11 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 166500

51 68 51 2 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 18150
52 52 52 4 SIMMER Hayley Williams 38600
53 57 53 3 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 28650
54 41 8 8 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 180000
55 54 40 6 STOP THIS FLAME Celeste 82100
56 59 56 5 DARE Gorillaz featuring Shaun Ryder 38900
57 42 9 14 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 273000
58 63 58 3 AMOUREUSE Kiki Dee 24200
59 66 59 3 WEDDING IN BERLIN Pet Shop Boys 22900
60 46 46 4 MAYDAY!!! FIESTA FEVER AWOLNATION featuring Alex Ebert 45050

61 50 5 8 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 236300
62 55 1 16 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 1027000
63 56 8 16 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 396550
64 71 64 2 PALE HORSES Ina Wroldsen 12900
65 47 36 6 WHEREVER YOU ARE Kodaline 77050
66 62 1 23 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 997850
67 70 67 3 NEW ME Ella Eyre 17600
68 44 35 6 ONE WORLD Billy Ocean 77950
69 69 69 4 RUNAROUND SUE Dion 23600
70 75 70 2 BETTER OF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 11000

71 60 9 13 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 214600
72 67 9 13 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 289200
73 NEW 73 1 ONE OF A KIND Ronan Keating & Emeli Sande 5400
74 NEW 74 1 LA VIE EN ROSE Louis Armstrong 5200
75 NEW 75 1 KNOW YOUR WORTH Khalid & Disclosure 5000

DROP OUTS
51 51 5 DON’T WALK AWAY Jade 39950
53 1 9 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 653450
58 1 17 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1406000
65 4 18 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 604700

 

 

9th February 2020

It’s 3 weeks on top for Blinding Lights as Will Young gets his biggest track since Love Revolution hit 2 in 2015 and his 3rd top 3 in 18 years – Friday’s Child topped my chart in 2004. Nathaniel Rateliff outpeaks his debut hit SOB by 6 places, while Duke Dumont gets his 4th top 10 in 6 years, and slightly more succesful in the dance arena, David Guetta gets his first top 10 in 5 years, his 11th top 10 in 17 years of hits, and over 25 chart entries.

Highest new entry at 11 is Barry White’s debut hit from 1973, the very very sexy, sultry I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby which had a short chart run in my top 10 back in the day, but was evicted early due to a short UK chart run (I only allowed current UK top 30 hits in my actual charts of the time) despite still being probably his best record. Thanks to a prime spot in Birds Of Prey, it now gets to set things right some errr 47 years late and just a few months before I changed my chart rules to allow all current singles and album tracks into my charts.

Highest actual new song is at 19 from Faouzia, a 19-year-old Canadian-Moroccan, it’s fab, while Pet Shop Boys dominate the chart even more with a number of climbers, notably You Are The One into the top 20, and another new entry – B Side of Monkey Business is At Rock Bottom at 61. That’s 9 tracks or over 12% of the chart. Noel Gallagher adds yet another top 40 to his increasingly long list of top 40 tracks, and newies include Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers, the latter extending his run to a not-unimpressive 42 years since I first disco-danced to Dance Dance Dance.

Purple Disco return, talking of discos, and sample some vintage Jocelyn Brown, who’s charted with numerous dance acts, and solo, across her 5th decade now. The track doesn’t give credit to Al Stewart, but I do – his classic Year Of The Cat riff is nicked for a key backdrop to the track, and I adore the original, so in he goes to extend his mentions to 43 years. Alanis Morissette hasn’t troubled my listings for 12 years, but she’s back, and makes it a sweet 25 years since her jaw-droppingly bitter You Oughta Know hit my top 10, kick-starting a brilliant album and run of singles. Pussycat Dolls also return after an absence of 11 years, their 4 years of singles being followed by a number of Nicole Scherzinger hits, who’s back on board 9 years since she topped my charts with Right There, which unfortunately also gave the usually unlistenable 50 Cent billing on a chart-topper.

1 1 1 10 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 927600
2 2 1 7 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 822000
3 6 3 3 FOREVER Will Young 162000
4 5 4 3 WILL O’THE WISP Pet Shop Boys 143750
5 7 5 4 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 224700
6 3 3 3 SUPERNATURE Cerrone 225000
7 4 4 6 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 307000
8 18 8 3 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 76400
9 13 9 3 THERAPY Duke Dumont 88500
10 17 10 3 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 71800

11 NEW 11 1 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY Barry White 37000
12 10 8 4 THE VOID Muse 157000
13 8 6 6 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 179800
14 15 14 3 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 66600
15 9 9 5 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 144200
16 12 9 4 OH YEAH! Green Day 137000
17 14 7 10 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 309600
18 11 1 8 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 686000
19 NEW 19 1 TEARS OF GOLD Faouzia 21000
20 46 20 2 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 32750

21 16 1 14 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 888850
22 23 22 4 RARE Selena Gomez 67450
23 20 20 4 ORDINARY MAN Ozzy Osbourne featuring Elton John & Slash 68750
24 27 24 4 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 67750
25 26 25 3 LAZY LOVE Bobbi Storm 50250
26 19 19 5 THE KEEPER Blossoms 100250
27 28 27 3 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 49000
28 32 28 4 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 59250
29 24 24 5 ORIGINAL Sia 85000
30 22 3 15 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 640900

31 21 21 5 TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS Harry Styles 85450
32 37 32 4 WHAT A MAN GOTTA DO Jonas Brothers 60350
33 34 1 24 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1150350
34 25 3 12 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 441300
35 50 35 3 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 39700
36 39 36 3 FOREVER YOURS Kygo, Avicii & Sandro Cavazza 41100
37 42 37 3 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 37050
38 69 38 2 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 23400
39 29 16 10 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 154500
40 59 40 2 HAPPY PEOPLE Pet Shop Boys 27100

41 30 8 7 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 169000
42 31 9 13 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 262600
43 NEW 43 1 ROSES Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers 13500
44 35 35 5 ONE WORLD Billy Ocean 71550
45 62 45 2 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 20400
46 48 46 3 MAYDAY!!! FIESTA FEVER AWOLNATION featuring Alex Ebert 35050
47 36 36 5 WHEREVER YOU ARE Kodaline 70050
48 64 48 2 NARCISSUS Roisin Murphy 19400
49 53 49 3 YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING The Real Thing 34350
50 33 5 7 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 228800

51 60 51 5 DON’T WALK AWAY Jade 39950
52 56 52 3 SIMMER Hayley Williams 27100
53 38 1 9 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 653450
54 40 40 5 STOP THIS FLAME Celeste 71300
55 43 1 15 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 1019600
56 44 8 15 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 389350
57 65 57 2 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 17400
58 41 1 17 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1406000
59 63 59 4 DARE Gorillaz featuring Shaun Ryder 28300
60 47 9 12 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 208800

61 NEW 61 1 AT ROCK BOTTOM Pet Shop Boys 7500
62 57 1 22 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 991050
63 66 63 2 AMOUREUSE Kiki Dee 14000
64 NEW 64 1 IN MY ARMS Purple Disco Machine featuring Inner Life & Jocelyn Brown, with Al Stewart 7100
65 49 4 18 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 604700
66 70 66 2 WEDDING IN BERLIN Pet Shop Boys 12800
67 52 9 12 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 283600
68 NEW 68 1 REASONS I DRINK Alanis Morrissette 6400
69 72 69 3 RUNAROUND SUE Dion 17400
70 75 70 2 NEW ME Ella Eyre 11000

71 NEW 71 1 PALE HORSES Ina Wroldsen 5800
72 NEW 72 1 TENNIS FAN Banoffee featuring Empress Of 5600
73 NEW 73 1 HALFWAY James Blunt featuring Ward Thomas 5400
74 NEW 74 1 REACT Pussycat Dolls 5200
75 NEW 75 1 BETTER OF WITHOUT YOU Becky Hill featuring Shift K3Y 5000

DSROP OUTS
45 20 2 (DON’T FEAR) THE REAPER Blue Oyster Cult 33000
51 34 9 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 104250
54 10 8 HOPE Kim Wilde 168050
55 55 4 HURT Louise 39500
58 58 4 LOVE REMEDY Roachford 35900
61 61 3 THOSE KINDA NIGHTS Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran 21500
67 67 2 IN THESE ARMS JP Cooper 11800
68 68 2 BROKEN LAND The Adventures 12600
71 20 9 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 116350
73 5 9 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 250400
74 18 6 KISSING IN THE WIND Travis 85200

 

 

2nd February 2020

It’s The Weeknd on top for a 2nd week as the top 20 gets very volatile with lots of movement, Pet Shop Boys getting 2 top 5 tracks off Hotspot, the highest new entry at 46 with the lovely You Are The One, and a total of 8 tracks in the chart, 7 of them off the album. I’ve probably never mentioned I’m a fan….! Will Young adds to his top 10 list as Forever climbs to 6, Duke Dumont rockets up to 13 for some banging dance therapy, Jeff Lynne continues his habit of going top 20 even after 50 years or so, as the tuneful All My Love shoots up to 15, and David Guetta and Raye add to their top 20’s with leaps up from the 60’s, as does Nathaniel Rateliff getting his 2nd top 20.

Ozzy, Elton and Slash all go up to 20, Ozzy getting his 2nd Top 20 of this century, Elton getting his 4th with new material and his first for 7 years – but he’s constantly been in the charts with oldies, guest spots (eg uncredited Scissor Sisters, Pet Shop Boys) and revamps (eg Pnau). The Fizz are back with yet another simultaneous charting track, they weren’t this prolific even in their heyday! Dua Lipa does the same, as she gets Physical, Roisin Murphy makes it 22 years of Moloko and solo activity, Ella Eyre pops in again with a newie, Noel Gallagher also is another who can’t stop releasing new tracks at a furious pace, for 26 years of non-stop chart action, pretty much, and Kiki Dee brings her 1973 Elton-John-pushed classic Amoureuse back into my charts as it’s selling on itunes for some reason, having popped back into my charts in 1976 but not since.

1 1 1 9 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 757600
2 2 1 6 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 707000
3 3 3 2 SUPERNATURE Cerrone 170000
4 5 4 5 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 257000
5 25 5 2 WILL O’THE WISP Pet Shop Boys 78750
6 18 6 2 FOREVER Will Young 77000
7 7 7 5 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 164700
8 6 6 5 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 147800
9 10 9 4 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 117200
10 8 8 3 THE VOID Muse 122000

11 4 1 7 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 664000
12 9 9 3 OH YEAH! Green Day 112000
13 52 13 2 THERAPY Duke Dumont 43500
14 14 7 9 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 286600
15 56 15 2 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 37600
16 11 1 13 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 869100
17 66 17 2 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 29800
18 68 18 2 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 28400
19 19 19 4 THE KEEPER Blossoms 81750
20 38 20 3 ORDINARY MAN Ozzy Osbourne featuring Elton John & Slash 49500

21 22 21 4 TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS Harry Styles 67550
22 13 3 14 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 622900
23 33 23 3 RARE Selena Gomez 47950
24 26 24 4 ORIGINAL Sia 66800
25 21 3 11 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 423700
26 45 26 2 LAZY LOVE Bobbi Storm 31500
27 39 27 3 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 48750
28 48 28 2 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 30600
29 24 16 9 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 137400
30 17 8 6 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 155000

31 23 9 12 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 248850
32 46 32 3 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 40950
33 12 5 6 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 216800
34 29 1 23 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1132650
35 36 35 4 ONE WORLD Billy Ocean 58300
36 37 36 4 WHEREVER YOU ARE Kodaline 57550
37 44 37 3 WHAT A MAN GOTTA DO Jonas Brothers 42550
38 16 1 8 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 642200
39 67 39 2 FOREVER YOURS Kygo, Avicii & Sandro Cavazza 23700
40 40 40 4 STOP THIS FLAME Celeste 60300

41 27 1 16 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1395800
42 70 42 2 LONELY Joel Corry featuring HARLEE 19750
43 28 1 14 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 1008800
44 31 8 14 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 378750
45 20 20 2 (DON’T FEAR) THE REAPER Blue Oyster Cult 33000
46 NEW 46 1 YOU ARE THE ONE Pet Shop Boys 12750
47 47 9 11 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 198800
48 60 48 2 MAYDAY!!! FIESTA FEVER AWOLNATION featuring Alex Ebert 22300
49 32 4 17 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 597700
50 58 50 2 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 22200

51 34 34 9 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 104250
52 35 9 11 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 277000
53 54 53 2 YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING The Real Thing 22250
54 30 10 8 HOPE Kim Wilde 168050
55 55 55 4 HURT Louise 39500
56 75 56 2 SIMMER Hayley Williams 15600
57 51 1 21 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 983650
58 59 58 4 REMEDY Roachford 35900
59 NEW 59 1 HAPPY PEOPLE Pet Shop Boys 10100
60 63 60 4 DON’T WALK AWAY Jade 28200

61 62 61 3 THOSE KINDA NIGHTS Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran 21500
62 NEW 62 1 WINNING WAYS The Fizz 7400
63 71 63 3 DARE Gorillaz featuring Shaun Ryder 18200
64 NEW 64 1 NARCISSUS Roisin Murphy 7100
65 NEW 65 1 PHYSICAL Dua Lipa 7000
66 NEW 66 1 AMOUREUSE Kiki Dee 6800
67 74 67 2 IN THESE ARMS JP Cooper 11800
68 69 68 2 BROKEN LAND The Adventures 12600
69 NEW 69 1 BLUE MOON RISING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 6200
70 NEW 70 1 WEDDING IN BERLIN Pet Shop Boys 6000

71 41 20 9 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 116350
72 72 72 2 RUNAROUND SUE Dion 11200
73 43 5 9 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 250400
74 42 18 6 KISSING IN THE WIND Travis 85200
75 NEW 75 1 NEW ME Ella Eyre 5000

DROP OUTS
15 4 2 CA PLANE POUR MOI (ORIGINAL 1977 VERSION) Plastic Bertrand 92000
49 36 10 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 94700
50 14 12 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 192700
53 38 4 HIGH HEELS Melanie C featuring Sink The Pink 48350
57 15 17 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 285200
61 1 26 I TRANCE Agnes 1681900
64 64 3 UNDERDOG Alicia Keys 20100
65 65 3 TRASH GLAM BABY The Boomtown Rats 19000
73 27 9 CLEAN Hey Violet 110650

 

 

26th January 2020

It’s a first solo number one for The Weeknd after 3 previous 2’s, and a topper with Ariana Grande, holding off a challenge from a return from 1978 classic ahead-of-it’s-time dance track Supernature, Cerrone’s only big hit in the UK which went top 3 for me around the same time as Blue Oyster Cult went top 10 with (Don’t Fear) The Reaper. “More Cowbell!”. 4th time round for that one, all of them top 20, and joining fellow 1978 chart-topper Ca Plane Pour Moi for a mini-invasion of a good Uni year for me.

Friendly fires get a 3rd top 10, including a chart-topper in 2011 with Hurting, Muse make it 6 top 10’s as The Void expands upwards, and Green Day make it a 3rd top 10, having had two peaks of 4 for ballads early in their career – and then nothing big since. The Fizz make it a 5th top 10 in their current incarnation, including a number one with Amen in 2017, but add in some Bucks and increase the top 10’s by 13 to 18, and the chart-toppers by 5 to 6. Cheryl also has another top 10 with Coco.

Highest new track is Will Young, Forever! His 16th top 20, and in at 18, including hotting the top in 2004 with Friday’s Child. Pet Shop Boys drop the new album, and get instant new entries for the 2 most-commercial tracks, Wil o’the wisp at 25, and I Don’t Wanna at 58. I’ve just bought the CD to play it through properly, but Hotspot is sounding pretty good on one quick runthrough as a whole, but minus the clear individual track highlights that the last few albums have had.

Jeff Lynne’s back, making it 50 years of chart activity in various guises, mostly ELO, and with numerous chart-toppers, at least 15 to date, Duke Dumont is also returning, for a 7th year of chart entries, The Real Thing 1976 classic is back for a 3rd time, You To Me Are Everything peaked at 3 in 1986, Dion is back with another oldie, he first charted with a reissue of The Wanderer in 1976, Runaround Sue dates from 1961 making it 59 years-old and one of the oldest-recordings to chart in terms of release date to chart-date.

1 2 1 8 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 587600
2 1 1 5 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 592000
3 NEW 3 1 SUPERNATURE Cerrone 85000
4 3 1 6 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 627000
5 5 5 4 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 192000
6 19 6 4 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 99800
7 10 7 4 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 114700
8 13 8 2 THE VOID Muse 80000
9 18 9 2 OH YEAH! Green Day 67000
10 17 10 3 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 72200

11 8 1 12 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 844100
12 6 5 5 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 199100
13 11 3 13 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 603400
14 9 7 8 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 257600
15 4 4 2 CA PLANE POUR MOI (ORIGINAL 1977 VERSION) Plastic Bertrand 92000
16 7 1 7 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 625000
17 12 8 5 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 137000
18 NEW 18 1 FOREVER Will Young 22000
19 20 19 3 THE KEEPER Blossoms 60750
20 NEW 20 1 (DON’T FEAR) THE REAPER Blue Oyster Cult 20000

21 15 3 10 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 404950
22 28 22 3 TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS Harry Styles 47800
23 14 9 11 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 230950
24 16 16 8 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 119200
25 NEW 25 1 WILL O’THE WISP Pet Shop Boys 18750
26 32 26 3 ORIGINAL Sia 47800
27 22 1 15 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1381800
28 25 1 13 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 995300
29 29 1 22 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1115050
30 21 10 7 HOPE Kim Wilde 157050

31 26 8 13 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 365500
32 27 4 16 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 585600
33 54 33 2 RARE Selena Gomez 28700
34 34 34 8 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 92500
35 30 9 10 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 265500
36 40 36 3 ONE WORLD Billy Ocean 40800
37 46 37 3 WHEREVER YOU ARE Kodaline 40150
38 48 38 2 ORDINARY MAN Ozzy Osbourne featuring Elton John & Slash 29500
39 44 39 2 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 30350
40 41 40 3 STOP THIS FLAME Celeste 43300

41 31 20 8 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 110550
42 23 18 5 KISSING IN THE WIND Travis 80000
43 24 5 8 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 245000
44 50 44 2 WHAT A MAN GOTTA DO Jonas Brothers 25250
45 NEW 45 1 LAZY LOVE Bobbi Storm 13000
46 57 46 2 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 23150
47 33 9 10 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 186300
48 NEW 48 1 TASTES LIKE KARMA Madilyn 12300
49 36 36 10 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 94700
50 35 14 12 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 192700

51 42 1 20 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 973250
52 NEW 52 1 THERAPY Duke Dumont 11500
53 38 38 4 HIGH HEELS Melanie C featuring Sink The Pink 48350
54 NEW 54 1 YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING The Real Thing 11000
55 55 55 3 HURT Louise 28700
56 NEW 56 1 ALL MY LOVE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 10600
57 47 15 17 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 285200
58 NEW 58 1 I DON’T WANNA Pet Shop Boys 10200
59 60 59 3 REMEDY Roachford 25700
60 NEW 60 1 MAYDAY!!! FIESTA FEVER AWOLNATION featuring Alex Ebert 10000

61 58 1 26 I TRANCE Agnes 1681900
62 67 62 2 THOSE KINDA NIGHTS Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran 14000
63 70 63 3 DON’T WALK AWAY Jade 18200
64 65 64 3 UNDERDOG Alicia Keys 20100
65 66 65 3 TRASH GLAM BABY The Boomtown Rats 19000
66 NEW 66 1 MAKE IT TO HEAVEN David Guetta & MORTEN with Raye 6800
67 NEW 67 1 FOREVER YOURS Kygo, Avicii & Sandro Cavazza 6600
68 NEW 68 1 AND IT’S STILL ALRIGHT Nathaniel Rateliff 6400
69 NEW 69 1 BROKEN LAND The Adventures 6200
70 NEW 70 1 LONELY Joel Corry 6000

71 74 71 2 DARE Gorillaz featuring Shaun Ryder 11000
72 NEW 72 1 RUNAROUND SUE Dion 5600
73 39 27 9 CLEAN Hey Violet 110650
74 NEW 74 1 IN THESE ARMS JP Cooper 5200
75 NEW 75 1 SIMMER Hayley Williams 5000

DROP OUTS
37 28 10 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 143500
43 40 7 THIS IS REAL Jax Jones & Ella Henderson 64500
45 23 11 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 163850
49 30 4 WINTER SONG Kim Wilde 49100
51 14 9 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 173150
52 52 4 EVERYDAY LIFE Coldplay 34800
53 4 12 TOMIE GHOST DATA 402900
56 7 9 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 260250
59 36 6 KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Kim Wilde 69450
61 26 12 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 170600
62 62 6 THE LOOK Roxette 35400
63 38 7 HAMMER Louise 79550
64 8 13 ORPHANS Coldplay 312300
68 16 9 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 154550
69 24 15 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 191100
71 62 6 FADING LIKE A FLOWER (EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE) Roxette 37200
72 10 11 MONSTERS James Blunt 232350
73 9 16 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 323850
75 28 12 THE TRUTH James Blunt 148150

 

 

19th January 2020

It’s Avicii on top for a second week as the charts start to wake up and get moving, with The Weeknd getting his 4th number 2 and highest new entry is a former 1978 chart-topper from Plastic Bertrand, the Belgian New Wave act who hit across Europe with his deliciously fab and fun Ca Plane Pour Moi while I was a student at Uni. For some reason it’s in the itunes charts and seeling again (Number 100 on sales last week) so that’s good enough reason for me to re-chart it, in at 4! Ca plane pour moi, as it were!

Seeb get a second top 10 inside 6 months, after getting the top track during 2019 for me on chart “sales”, this time assisting Julie Bergan who gets a first. Highest contemporary track is Muse’s The Void, the 4th track to chart off their last album to go top 20, shooting in at 13 by virtue of me watching Dr Brian Cox’s brilliant The Planets series again and loving the theme snippet from the song they use. Evocative! That’s 13 top 20’s in 20 years. Meanwhile The Fizz recycle an old SAW hook to great effect and leap into the 20 as they keep the new material clicking at a good pace 39 years on.

Green Day enter at 18, shockingly their first new entry for 11 years, and some 22 years since Time Of Your Life hit 4 on their chart debut (and a future chart-topper for Glen Campbell). What got them back on chart-course? Err sampling a hook from an old Joan Jett track, that was a cover of a huge UK Glamrock hit from 1973. Oh Yeah! is the bracketed bit in the title Do You Wanna Touch Me, which would be uncoverable these days given who wrote the words, but at least the lads have donated proceeds to charity having realised who Mr Paul Gadd is on the songwriting credits. I’m happy to give main credit to Mike Leander who most likely wrote the tune, produced the song, worked with The Beatles, and Executive-produced Jesus Christ Superstar, the album.

Harry Styles makes it 4 tracks in the top 30, SO greedy, Billy Ocean shoots into the top 40 with his first new top 40 track since errr the 80’s, I think! Noah Cyrus returns with at least her 4th chart entry in 3 years, including 2 top 10’s, and July. Ozzy Osbourne hasn’t troubled my rundown since 2003’s Changes with daughter Kelly, but now extends his chart career to 37 years as solo act, and 50 years as lead-singer of Black Sabbath, aided by Elton John making it 49 years of hits, and Slash getting a credit from me for the fab guitar solo 33 years since Guns ‘n’ Roses debuted.

Chart returns from Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers, Tame Impala, Eminem (now on 21 years of chart success), Ed Sheeran, and a former chart-topper from Gorillaz popping back in, round off the busy week.

1 1 1 4 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 477000
2 3 2 7 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 417600
3 2 1 5 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 562000
4 NEW 4 1 CA PLANE POUR MOI (ORIGINAL 1977 VERSION) Plastic Bertrand 65000
5 9 5 3 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 132000
6 5 5 4 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 164100
7 4 1 6 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 600000
8 6 1 11 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 807100
9 7 7 7 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 228600
10 35 10 3 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 64700

11 11 3 12 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 571400
12 8 8 4 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 114000
13 NEW 13 1 THE VOID Muse 32000
14 12 9 10 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 211700
15 13 3 9 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 385200
16 16 16 7 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 100200
17 38 17 2 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 30200
18 NEW 18 1 OH YEAH! Green Day 22000
19 29 19 3 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 44800
20 21 20 2 THE KEEPER Blossoms 39750

21 10 10 6 HOPE Kim Wilde 139050
22 15 1 14 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1363400
23 18 18 4 KISSING IN THE WIND Travis 66250
24 14 5 7 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 231500
25 22 1 12 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 977000
26 17 8 12 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 347600
27 19 4 15 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 567800
28 60 28 2 TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS Harry Styles 28300
29 24 1 21 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1096850
30 26 9 9 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 248000

31 20 20 7 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 96550
32 52 32 2 ORIGINAL Sia 29300
33 23 9 9 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 173800
34 34 34 7 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 74900
35 25 14 11 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 180700
36 39 36 9 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 82600
37 28 28 10 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 143500
38 43 38 3 HIGH HEELS Melanie C featuring Sink The Pink 37100
39 27 27 8 CLEAN Hey Violet 105250
40 68 40 2 ONE WORLD Billy Ocean 23400

41 48 41 2 STOP THIS FLAME Celeste 26300
42 37 1 19 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 961500
43 40 40 7 THIS IS REAL Jax Jones & Ella Henderson 64500
44 NEW 44 1 JULY Noah Cyrus & Leon Bridges 13250
45 32 23 11 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 163850
46 59 46 2 WHEREVER YOU ARE Kodaline 22850
47 46 15 16 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 274800
48 NEW 48 1 ORDINARY MAN Ozzy Osbourne featuring Elton John & Slash 12300
49 30 30 4 WINTER SONG Kim Wilde 49100
50 NEW 50 1 WHAT A MAN GOTTA DO Jonas Brothers 12000

51 33 14 9 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 173150
52 56 52 4 EVERYDAY LIFE Coldplay 34800
53 41 4 12 TOMIE GHOST DATA 402900
54 NEW 54 1 RARE Selena Gomez 11000
55 64 55 2 HURT Louise 17900
56 47 7 9 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 260250
57 NEW 57 1 LOST IN YESTERDAY Tame Impala 10400
58 58 1 25 I TRANCE Agnes 1674400
59 36 36 6 KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Kim Wilde 69450
60 72 60 2 REMEDY Roachford 15600

61 31 26 12 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 170600
62 66 62 6 THE LOOK Roxette 35400
63 42 38 7 HAMMER Louise 79550
64 49 8 13 ORPHANS Coldplay 312300
65 70 65 2 UNDERDOG Alicia Keys 13000
66 74 66 2 TRASH GLAM BABY The Boomtown Rats 12000
67 NEW 67 1 THOSE KINDA NIGHTS Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran 6600
68 44 16 9 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 154550
69 51 24 15 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 191100
70 75 70 2 DON’T WALK AWAY Jade 11000

71 62 62 6 FADING LIKE A FLOWER (EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE) Roxette 37200
72 45 10 11 MONSTERS James Blunt 232350
73 54 9 16 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 323850
74 NEW 74 1 DARE Gorillaz featuring Shaun Ryder 5200
75 53 28 12 THE TRUTH James Blunt 148150

drop outs
50 17 8 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 120800
55 2 4 DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea 178800
57 4 5 ISOBEL’S DREAM (370900) Kim Wilde 59400
61 13 6 DON’T START WITHOUT ME (2019 RADIO EDIT) The Fizz 127250
63 18 12 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 176200
65 8 15 ECHOES Lola Marsh 343900
67 10 17 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 312350
69 34 10 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 126050
71 36 9 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 108750
73 33 11 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 125900

 

 

 

12th January 2020

It’s a first week at one for Avicii – ever! That gives him a unique chart record, the first posthumous chart-topper with current material by an act who has never topped my chart previously. He’s been as high as 2, but never managed that extra spot up. Far too many acts have hit my top spot posthumously before with current material, but none for the first time – although Mama Cass in 1974 was already topping my chart when she died, and she would in any case have had chart-toppers with The Mamas & The Papas had I been charting when they were active. Fades Away, like most of his last album, is so sad and full of cries for help,

The Weeknd gets his 6th top 3 as main artist, but he’s yet to top in that respect, but has as guest on Ariana Grande’s Love Me Harder, and Pet Shop Boys add another 2 top 10’s with latest single Monkey Business, and last B side Decide. Kim Wilde also gets an 8-year-late top 10 with Hope. There’s a lot of songs with important messages in my charts right now, which, given the state of the world, is at it should be. Sting gets his highest chart credit in 20 years, up to 16, Blossoms are the highest entry, and top all previous singles bar one in one fell swoop, in at 21.

Big climbs for Friendly Fires, Kim Wilde and Julie Bergan, all into the top 40, and The Fizz get a quick follow-up to their revamped xmas song, in at 38, given Cheryl, Jay and Mike a span of 39 years since Eurovision debut Making Your Mind Up, with added Bucks. Stormzy gets a second top 40, Ella Henderson gets a second simultaneous climber inside the 40 (joining Pet Shop Boys and Kim Wilde), while Celeste gets a 2nd chart entry – that’s not Strange at all! – Sia does another movie theme (Dr. Doolittle), Kodaline are back again, Harry Styles charts a 4th track off his album, and Louise gets her 2nd simultaneous a bit Hurt.

So, time for some oldies. New songs, that is, by veterans: at 68, Billy Ocean gets his first new entry for 2 years, and an increased span of 44 years of hits solo, or 46 years including Scorched Earth who debuted the same month as Sparks (now number 2). Bob Geldof hasn’t charted in 26 years – and still hasn’t. Except that he has returned, as lead singer and mainman of The Boomtown Rats, who quietly sneak in with Trash Glam Baby at 75: the band hasn’t troubled my charts with new material since 1985 (or even existed, I think) when they went top 20 with A Hold Of You after I’d seen them in concert at Poole Arts Centre as it was known in those days. So they leap from an 8-year chart-span to err, 43 years since they punked onto the scene. Roachford is also back after a 22 year chart lay-off, and Alicia Keys after a few months but almost 2 decades of entries.

1 2 1 3 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 307000
2 1 1 4 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 477000
3 4 3 6 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 302600
4 3 1 5 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 550000
5 13 5 3 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 109100
6 6 1 10 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 759100
7 7 7 6 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 183600
8 19 8 3 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 79000
9 15 9 2 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 72000
10 14 10 5 HOPE Kim Wilde 119300

11 11 3 11 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 534400
12 9 9 9 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 182700
13 8 3 8 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 358200
14 5 5 6 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 212500
15 10 1 13 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1344100
16 35 16 6 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 75200
17 12 8 11 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 329100
18 20 18 3 KISSING IN THE WIND Travis 47000
19 17 4 14 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 549400
20 25 20 6 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 78650

21 NEW 21 1 THE KEEPER Blossoms 19750
22 21 1 11 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 958250
23 18 9 8 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 156100
24 24 1 20 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1078650
25 23 14 10 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 163200
26 16 9 8 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 230000
27 27 27 7 CLEAN Hey Violet 88150
28 28 28 9 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 126200
29 72 29 2 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 23800
30 50 30 3 WINTER SONG Kim Wilde 37000

31 26 26 11 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 163100
32 32 23 10 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 150850
33 22 14 8 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 161400
34 47 34 6 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 57300
35 74 35 2 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 22700
36 45 36 5 KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Kim Wilde 59350
37 37 1 18 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 947750
38 NEW 38 1 THE WORLD WE LEFT BEHIND The Fizz 17200
39 57 39 8 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 65200
40 60 40 6 THIS IS REAL Jax Jones & Ella Henderson 51000

41 29 4 11 TOMIE GHOST DATA 391650
42 38 38 6 HAMMER Louise 72350
43 68 43 2 HIGH HEELS Melanie C featuring Sink The Pink 19900
44 31 16 8 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 148150
45 33 10 10 MONSTERS James Blunt 226750
46 46 15 15 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 262300
47 36 7 8 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 249650
48 NEW 48 1 STOP THIS FLAME Celeste 12300
49 39 8 12 ORPHANS Coldplay 305200
50 34 17 8 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 120800

51 44 24 14 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 184900
52 NEW 52 1 ORIGINAL Sia 11500
53 43 28 11 THE TRUTH James Blunt 143150
54 49 9 15 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 318450
55 30 2 4 DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea 178800
56 64 56 3 EVERYDAY LIFE Coldplay 23300
57 40 4 5 ISOBEL’S DREAM Kim Wilde 59400
58 56 1 24 I TRANCE Agnes 1664200
59 NEW 59 1 WHEREVER YOU ARE Kodaline 10100
60 NEW 60 1 TREAT PEOPLE WITH KINDNESS Harry Styles 10000

61 42 13 6 DON’T START WITHOUT ME (2019 RADIO EDIT) The Fizz 127250
62 65 62 5 FADING LIKE A FLOWER (EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE) Roxette 31400
63 48 18 12 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 176200
64 NEW 64 1 HURT Louise 7100
65 61 8 15 ECHOES Lola Marsh 343900
66 69 66 5 THE LOOK Roxette 28000
67 67 10 17 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 312350
68 NEW 68 1 ONE WORLD Billy Ocean 6400
69 51 34 10 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 126050
70 NEW 70 1 UNDERDOG Alicia Keys 6000

71 52 36 9 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 108750
72 NEW 72 1 REMEDY Roachford 5600
73 53 33 11 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 125900
74 NEW 74 1 TRASH GLAM BABY The Boomtown Rats 5200
75 NEW 75 1 DON’T WALK AWAY Jade 5000

DROP OUTS
41 29 5 WANDERING STAR Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 73100
54 29 8 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 83250
55 48 6 LYING DOWN Celine Dion 56850
58 50 6 CALIFORNIA HALO BLUE AWOLNATION 59000
59 59 6 NEVER TEAR US APART INXS 46500
62 62 8 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 51500
63 49 7 THUMBS Sabrina Carpenter 66100
66 3 13 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 465650
70 40 3 LIGHT THE NIGHT Andy Burrows 34750
71 71 5 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING REO Speedwagon 25000
73 2 15 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 591250
75 19 14 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 200650

 

5th January 2020

It’s a quiet week for a new decade starting in terms of new entries and Sparks on top for a second week, holding off the new Avicii track to give him a second runner-up inside 6 months, with a climb of 16 places for Fades Away. Billie Eilish gets another top 10, Rod takes Georgie back into the 20 for the second time and reaches a new peak of 13 34 years late. Highest new entry is Pet Shop Boys new single Monkey Business, at 15, pure disco Radio 2-friendly, as previous single drops, and it’s B side is a high climber to 19 from 60. Anyone would think they have a new album pending…

Travis are the highest climbers, and into the 20 for the first time in 7 years, and Sigala and Ella Henderson both a nice leap into the 30, having been there on other tracks before. Sting and his mates are into the 40, Mel C is seeking the pink pound lower down, 4 years since her last chart action, Friendly Fires continue to mine the recent album, and Julie Bergan debuts with former chart-topper Seeb on tow.

1 1 1 3 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 362000
2 18 2 2 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 137000
3 2 1 4 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 485000
4 5 4 5 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 217600
5 6 5 5 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 183500
6 3 1 9 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 704100
7 8 7 5 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 133600
8 7 3 7 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 326200
9 13 9 8 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 147700
10 4 1 12 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1317100

11 10 3 10 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 497400
12 11 8 10 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 306100
13 39 13 2 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 49100
14 19 14 4 HOPE Kim Wilde 77300
15 NEW 15 1 MONKEY BUSINESS (RADIO EDIT) Pet Shop Boys 27000
16 16 9 7 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 211500
17 17 4 13 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 528400
18 9 9 7 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 136850
19 60 19 2 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 31000
20 75 20 2 KISSING IN THE WIND Travis 25000

21 15 1 10 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 938750
22 14 14 7 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 143700
23 21 14 9 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 144450
24 24 1 19 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1059650
25 47 25 5 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 58650
26 28 26 10 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 145200
27 33 27 6 CLEAN Hey Violet 69750
28 36 28 8 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 107900
29 23 4 10 TOMIE GHOST DATA 377650
30 12 2 3 DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea 168000

31 22 16 7 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 134900
32 32 23 9 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 133050
33 26 10 9 MONSTERS James Blunt 213750
34 27 17 7 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 108800
35 54 35 5 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 50200
36 25 7 7 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 237150
37 35 1 17 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 930450
38 43 38 5 HAMMER Louise 58600
39 31 8 11 ORPHANS Coldplay 293100
40 20 4 4 ISOBEL’S DREAM Kim Wilde 49000

41 29 29 5 WANDERING STAR Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 73100
42 30 13 5 DON’T START WITHOUT ME (2019 RADIO EDIT) The Fizz 119750
43 34 28 10 THE TRUTH James Blunt 131900
44 40 24 13 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 173150
45 55 45 4 KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Kim Wilde 41950
46 46 15 14 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 249550
47 57 47 5 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 39700
48 38 18 11 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 169000
49 45 9 14 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 307450
50 65 50 2 WINTER SONG Kim Wilde 19000

51 41 34 9 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 119850
52 42 36 8 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 102950
53 44 33 10 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 120500
54 37 29 8 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 83250
55 48 48 6 LYING DOWN Celine Dion 56850
56 53 1 23 I TRANCE Agnes 1654000
57 63 57 7 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 48100
58 50 50 6 CALIFORNIA HALO BLUE AWOLNATION 59000
59 59 59 6 NEVER TEAR US APART INXS 46500
60 66 60 5 THIS IS REAL Jax Jones & Ella Henderson 34000

61 52 8 14 ECHOES Lola Marsh 336900
62 62 62 8 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 51500
63 49 49 7 THUMBS Sabrina Carpenter 66100
64 72 64 2 EVERYDAY LIFE Coldplay 12700
65 68 65 4 FADING LIKE A FLOWER (EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE) Roxette 24000
66 58 3 13 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 465650
67 56 10 16 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 305750
68 NEW 68 1 HIGH HEELS Melanie C featuring Sink The Pink 6400
69 71 69 4 THE LOOK Roxette 21200
70 51 40 3 LIGHT THE NIGHT Andy Burrows 34750

71 73 71 5 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING REO Speedwagon 25000
72 NEW 72 1 OFFLINE Friendly Fires & Friend Within 5600
73 64 2 15 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 591250
74 NEW 74 1 KISS SOMEBODY Julie Bergan with Seeb 5200
75 70 19 14 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 200650

DROP OUTS
61 25 6 HEYO The Makemakes 72200
67 45 9 PUMP IT UP Endor 87800
69 6 14 YOU. Lucy Daydream 371750
74 18 10 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 157700

My 2015 Charts May to Aug

mirror mirror

30th August 2015

It’s Niia just edging out Royksopp, and her so lovely Body. Not far behind though there’s a brace of girlies all challenging with big jumps into the 10: Selena Gomez, Foxes and Nerina Pallot. It’s not Nerina’s first time in the top 5 by any means, and as I’m generally a fan I hope it’s not the last time either. The highest new entry at 8 is a bizarrely beautiful track from Kishi Bashi, Japanese American classical violinist with avant-garde electronic tendencies.

Maroon 5 and Jess Glynne both grab another top 10 of several, the very Joan Armatrading-sounding Rationale shoots up to 11 (he may not thank for that comparison though), while the Sugarhill Gang get a 2nd top 20 record at long last. Talking of veteran old skool rap, Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis are back with a huge supporting cast, notably Melle Mel making his first appearance in 20 years, and lengthening his run to 31 years since the classic White Lines. Duran Duran (at 5) also covered White Lines in 1995 with a top version with assistance from an original rapper or two. It’s a sprawling show-piece of Mark Ronson-style retro rap delight. No bragging about long they can keep it up and how*, you can hear the words, and no swearing. Just like the cliche-free old days!

(I choose to view “going downtown” as completely innocent in content, as this was certainly nothing Pet Clark had in mind when she went downtown!

Dusty shoots up as the soulful delight of Spooky makes my serious playlist along with former friend and duet partner Cilla’s remixed version of Step Inside Love, a song I loved in 1968 just before my charts started, and written by Paul McCartney for Cilla and her new TV show. Long overdue a chart position by about ooh 47 years. a-ha return too, for a second comeback hit, more uptempo despite the title, Simply Red also pop back with a another to add to the long list, and look see – it’s a Pink Floyd-er getting a new chart entry for the first time in about 20-odd years: Dave Gilmour with a bunch of singing convicts. I’m not kidding….! Oldies: the late Lynn Anderson pops back in 44 years on, as a goodbye tribute, and Elton John’s Tiny Dancer (as previously sampled by Ironik) is back in the UK top 100 sales chart (though not in the made-up chart that most people don’t care about anymore, and don’t even notice) thanks to an advert. Never made my chart in the 70’s, as it was fairly obscure at that time.

1 3 1 3 BODY Niia 290000
2 1 1 5 I HAD THIS THING Royksopp 436500
3 15 3 3 GOOD FOR YOU Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky 33400
4 26 4 2 ROUSSEAU Nerina Pallot 83500
5 2 1 9 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 573600
6 25 6 3 BODY TALK Foxes 79550
7 7 7 3 YOUNG AND RESTLESS Benjamin 177000
8 NEW 8 1 I AM THE ANTICHRIST TO YOU Kishi Bashi 48000
9 11 9 5 DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF Jess Glynne 115400
10 20 10 5 THIS SUMMER Maroon 5 91600

11 33 11 2 FUEL TO THE FIRE Rationale 54700
12 5 5 7 PEANUT BUTTER JELLY Galantis 257700
13 22 13 3 APACHE (JUMP ON IT!) The Sugarhill Gang 69100
14 6 6 6 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN Gladys Knight And The Pips 162500
15 4 1 12 SHINE Years And Years 1122450
16 24 16 3 OH MY LOVE The Score 55000
17 12 12 10 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 165200
18 NEW 18 1 DOWNTOWN Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, and Grandmaster Caz 22000
19 9 9 6 POWERFUL Major Lazer featuring Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley 187200
20 10 2 9 ‘CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 661000

21 8 2 9 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 522950
22 64 22 10 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 77400
23 19 8 7 WAITING FOR LOVE Avicii featuring Simon Aldred (of Cherry Ghost) 229250
24 13 5 8 EASY LOVE Sigala featuring The Jackson 5 277000
25 37 25 3 RESTLESS YEAR Ezra Furman 42050
26 16 4 9 WHEN M+A 378400
27 23 10 6 THE OTHER BOYS NERVO featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers 159650
28 28 28 4 TIDAL WAVE EVVY 60100
29 17 8 5 IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black 155200
30 14 14 4 ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART Cilla Black 85200

31 18 18 6 SWEET HARMONY Monarchy featuring The Pledge Choir 91850
32 34 32 3 DON’T WORRY Madcon and Ray Dalton 42900
33 38 33 3 ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING AND ANYTHING AT ALL Kylie Minogue 40100
34 36 34 3 CLOAKED Woolf And The Wondershow 41200
35 35 35 6 INSOMNIA 2.0 (AVICII REMIX) Faithless 79000
36 21 16 5 BLACK Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi featuring Norah Jones 92150
37 NEW 37 1 THE GATES Young Empires 17300
38 55 38 2 STITCHES Shawn Mendes 28000
39 NEW 39 1 THE WAKE a-ha 17100
40 NEW 40 1 90’s LOVE (ACID PT. II) The Caulfield Beats 17000

41 44 3 9 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 350450
42 NEW 42 1 STEP INSIDE LOVE (ALMIGHTY RADIO EDIT) CIlla Black 13750
43 30 30 6 GHOST TOWN BLUES Lauren Housley 82400
44 52 44 2 CLOSER Lemaitre featuring Jennie A 24750
45 27 18 10 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 154300
46 32 32 3 NIGHTS LIKE THIS W. Darling 43050
47 58 47 2 I WANT YOU Wrabel 22700
48 66 48 3 OMEN Disclosure featuring Sam Smith 25900
49 43 2 14 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 618100
50 60 50 3 HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE Calvin Harris and Disciples 28600

51 47 1 18 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1547500
52 49 1 12 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 569900
53 57 53 7 HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles 57850
54 53 1 17 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 552050
55 54 1 25 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 1032950
56 31 17 7 HURTS Kove featuring Moko 117000
57 69 57 2 GOOD TIMES Ella Eyre featuring Sigma 16600
58 40 40 6 RUN AWAY WITH ME Carly Rae Jepsen 56600
59 NEW 59 1 I AM Leona Lewis 10100
60 41 25 7 ORGAN The Hardkiss 86250

61 39 39 4 WATERFALL Vok 46700
62 61 1 17 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 710300
63 56 10 19 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 330300
64 70 64 3 INSTANT CRUSH Natalie Imbruglia 18100
65 73 65 3 MELLOW YELLOW Donovan 17600
66 NEW 66 1 INTOXICATED Martin Solveig and GTA 6800
67 74 67 2 HAPPY DAYS Squeeze 11800
68 71 68 2 KING GRADES 12200
69 NEW 69 1 TINY DANCER Elton John 6200
70 75 70 2 RESTLESS New Order 11000

71 68 4 20 HOME Max Jury 442450
72 NEW 72 1 (I NEVER PROMISED YOU A) ROSE GARDEN Lynn Anderson 5600
73 NEW 73 1 RATTLE THAT LOCK David Gilmour 5400
74 46 20 7 UNDER THE MAKEUP a-ha 111200
75 NEW 75 1 GHOST OF LOVE Simply Red 5000

29 29 3 YOU’RE MY WORLD Cilla Black 53100
42 4 10 COME AND GET IT John Newman 348700
45 25 4 SOMETHING LIKE HAPPINESS The Maccabees 67350
48 36 5 GET STUPID Aston Merrygold 59700
50 50 3 DIGGIN’ UP THE HEART Brandon Flowers 32200
51 7 8 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 233050
59 10 9 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 214500
62 17 7 FREEDOM Pharrell Williams 120800
63 34 5 WHAT YOU DON’T DO Lianne La Havas 67550
65 43 5 WITHOUT YOU Tobias Jesso Jr 54700
67 67 1 SEARCH PARTY Sam Bruno 6600
72 72 1 SAVAGES Five Knives 5400

23rd August 2015

It’s Royksopp getting their first ever chart-topper after over a decade of not coming close before, and following in the tradition of Norwegian bands like, err a-ha who are also back lower down, and at unofficial position of 76 with new single The Wake – there just aren’t enough chart places for another 20 tracks this week! Somebody explain to me how this brilliant track has not been a hit! American singer Niia meanwhile is at 3 with the gorgeous Body. Here’s a shocking statistic (for me) – the fabulous Gladys Knight has only had 2 previous top 10 songs in my charts, Van McCoy’s Baby Don’t Change Your Mind hit 3 in 1977 and the Bond Theme Licence To Kill hit 7 in 1989, so this classic oldie is long overdue at 6 – If I Were Your Woman hits 6, her 19th chart hit in 43 years and her 2nd biggest hit. What?! So many other oldies of hers could do the same.

Big climbs for Selena Gomez, Maroon 5, Foxes, Madcon, Woolf And The Wondershow, eccentric alternative act Ezra Furman, Carly Rae Jepsen and Kylie Minogue getting a second top 40 hit in the same week. New at 26, Nerina Pallot is back philosophising about Rousseau for a 9th year of chart action which includes a number one for herself, and one written for Kylie – Aphrodite, criminally never a single. Down the bottom end of the chart, 2 veterans return relatively quietly after not being together some years: New Order stretch their run of hits (including 2 chart-toppers) to 34 years, and Squeeze have a run of 37 years, with not even a sniff of a number one amongst a quality songbook – Take Me I’m Yours in 1978 came closest when it went top 3.

1 3 1 4 I HAD THIS THING Royksopp 321300
2 1 1 8 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 513600
3 12 3 2 BODY Niia 120000
4 2 1 11 SHINE Years And Years 1095450
5 5 5 6 PEANUT BUTTER JELLY Galantis 222700
6 14 6 5 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN Gladys Knight And The Pips 133500
7 7 7 3 YOUNG AND RESTLESS Benjamin 127000
8 4 2 8 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 503200
9 9 9 5 POWERFUL Major Lazer featuring Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley 166200
10 6 2 8 ‘CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 641000

11 19 11 4 DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF Jess Glynne 70400
12 22 12 9 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 142200
13 11 5 7 EASY LOVE Sigala featuring The Jackson 5 258000
14 20 14 3 ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART Cilla Black 67200
15 68 15 2 GOOD FOR YOU Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky 33400
16 13 4 8 WHEN M+A 359900
17 8 8 4 IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black 137000
18 23 18 5 SWEET HARMONY Monarchy featuring The Pledge Choir 73950
19 10 8 6 WAITING FOR LOVE Avicii featuring Simon Aldred (of Cherry Ghost) 210000
20 40 20 4 THIS SUMMER Maroon 5 49600

21 16 16 4 BLACK Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi featuring Norah Jones 74750
22 34 22 2 APACHE (JUMP ON IT!) The Sugarhill Gang 37100
23 15 10 5 THE OTHER BOYS NERVO featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers 141250
24 54 24 2 OH MY LOVE The Score 30000
25 71 25 2 BODY TALK Foxes 24550
26 NEW 26 1 ROUSSEAU Nerina Pallot 18500
27 18 18 9 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 141300
28 31 28 3 TIDAL WAVE EVVY 41800
29 33 29 3 YOU’RE MY WORLD Cilla Black 53100
30 30 30 5 GHOST TOWN BLUES Lauren Housley 68900

31 17 17 6 HURTS Kove featuring Moko 106400
32 47 32 2 NIGHTS LIKE THIS W. Darling 30300
33 NEW 33 1 FUEL TO THE FIRE Rationale 17700
34 61 34 2 DON’T WORRY Madcon and Ray Dalton 25100
35 50 35 5 INSOMNIA 2.0 (AVICII REMIX) Faithless 61500
36 69 36 2 CLOAKED Woolf And The Wondershow 23600
37 70 37 2 RESTLESS YEAR Ezra Furman 23300
38 73 38 2 ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING AND ANYTHING AT ALL Kylie Minogue 22400
39 39 39 3 WATERFALL Vok 39200
40 60 40 5 RUN AWAY WITH ME Carly Rae Jepsen 46400

41 25 25 6 ORGAN The Hardkiss 76250
42 21 4 10 COME AND GET IT John Newman 348700
43 26 2 13 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 606000
44 24 3 8 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 336450
45 32 25 4 SOMETHING LIKE HAPPINESS The Maccabees 67350
46 41 20 6 UNDER THE MAKEUP a-ha 106000
47 37 1 17 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1535750
48 36 36 5 GET STUPID Aston Merrygold 59700
49 38 1 11 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 558400
50 58 50 3 DIGGIN’ UP THE HEART Brandon Flowers 32200

51 28 7 8 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 233050
52 NEW 52 1 CLOSER Lemaitre featuring Jennie A 11500
53 48 1 16 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 541050
54 49 1 24 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 1022150
55 NEW 55 1 STITCHES Shawn Mendes 10800
56 46 10 18 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 323200
57 57 57 6 HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles 46600
58 NEW 58 1 I WANT YOU Wrabel 10200
59 42 10 9 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 214500
60 67 60 2 HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE Calvin Harris and Disciples 16600

61 56 1 16 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 703100
62 29 17 7 FREEDOM Pharrell Williams 120800
63 44 34 5 WHAT YOU DON’T DO Lianne La Havas 67550
64 64 64 9 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 57900
65 45 43 5 WITHOUT YOU Tobias Jesso Jr 54700
66 66 66 2 OMEN Disclosure featuring Sam Smith 13600
67 NEW 67 1 SEARCH PARTY Sam Bruno 6600
68 59 4 19 HOME Max Jury 436650
69 NEW 69 1 GOOD TIMES Ella Eyre featuring Sigma 6200
70 75 70 2 INSTANT CRUSH Natalie Imbruglia 11000

71 NEW 71 1 KING GRADES 5800
72 NEW 72 1 SAVAGES Five Knives 5400
73 74 73 2 MELLOW YELLOW Donovan 10600
74 NEW 74 1 HAPPY DAYS Squeeze 5200
75 NEW 75 1 RESTLESS New Order 5000

DROP OUTS
27 27 12 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 173150
35 35 4 FOUND YOUR LOVE Oliver Nelson featuring Heir 59600
43 7 20 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 330750
51 22 6 WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES (YOUNG BOMBS REMIX) Katelyn Tarver 92700
52 6 17 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 504000
53 42 5 OPEN HEART Morgan Page featuring Lissie 51750
55 55 4 LOVE IS Rod Stewart 31700
62 24 8 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 111900
63 16 6 BROTHER NEEDTOBREATHE featuring Gavin DeGraw 103200
65 3 12 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 481450
72 56 4 KISS ME QUICK Nathan Sykes 28800

16th August 2015

It’s finally a new number one and it’s Duran Duran, Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers keeping the pressure on for years and years, and toppling them. It’s the Durannies 4th number one, spanning 31 years since their first Wild Boys – appropriately that was produced by Nile Rodgers (and no doubt he would’ve had a featuring credit if they did that in those days). For all their classics, Chic never climbed higher than 2, though Sister Sledge managed it with Lost In Music with a bit of help from Duran Duran on a remix 12” for a reissue of it around about Wild Boys time. They are all Nile Rodgers of course. Duran Duran had 2 more chart-toppers in 1993 so it’s a been a 22-year wait for another one. Janelle Monae almost made the top with fun. and We Are Young, and they did it with the follow-up without her assistance, so it’s only fair she gets one at last too! It’s a great single, sounding both contemporary and yet also sounds like it could have been the follow-up to Wild Boys.

Royksopp get their biggest hit after a decade of trying, the fab I Had This Thing at 3, and Galantis outdo the previous top 10 single, as does Major Lazer at 9. Highest new entry is the cool Niia at 12, a sultry delight, and Jess Glynne leaps up 50 places to 19 for one of her bigger hits, while in at 34 it’s a 33-year-old track being featured in an ad for confused.com with some robots. Apache has already topped my chart as an instrumental oldie for The Shadows, still one of the 3 or 4 oldest records (in terms of year-of-release) dating from 1960, this version came out in 1982 for the Sugarhill Gang, the boys who were ground zero for rap in the charts, Rapper’s Delight hitting the top 10 in 1979, having borrowed Niles Rodgers’ Chic backing track to Good Times for the record. They never really managed to follow it up though, sadly, even with this great track, so belatedly here it is, and at over 35 years wait for a follow-up hit that’s one of the longest waits ever to avoid being a one-chart-hit-wonder.

Other oldies returning: Donovan’s back with the first-time entry for 60’s classic Mellow Yellow (thanks to the Minions soundtrack), though all of his singles would have charted had I been charting before 1968, but he has to make do with a mere 46 years of chart entries. Kylie’s back, with a new (movie) track, giving her 2 at once in the chart, and Natalie Imbruglia is back after ages away for a 17-year run of chart entries. Austastic.

1 4 1 7 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 398600
2 1 1 10 SHINE Years And Years 1030450
3 8 3 3 I HAD THIS THING Royksopp 151300
4 2 2 7 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 465200
5 12 5 5 PEANUT BUTTER JELLY Galantis 162700
6 3 2 7 ‘CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 599000
7 15 7 2 YOUNG AND RESTLESS Benjamin 77000
8 9 8 3 IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black 114000
9 13 9 4 POWERFUL Major Lazer featuring Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley 121200
10 11 8 5 WAITING FOR LOVE Avicii featuring Simon Aldred (of Cherry Ghost) 189000

11 5 5 6 EASY LOVE Sigala featuring The Jackson 5 226000
12 NEW 12 1 BODY Niia 35000
13 6 4 7 WHEN M+A 334900
14 19 14 4 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN Gladys Knight And The Pips 78500
15 10 10 4 THE OTHER BOYS NERVO featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers 122000
16 24 16 3 BLACK Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi featuring Norah Jones 55000
17 21 17 5 HURTS Kove featuring Moko 88500
18 26 18 8 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 123000
19 69 19 3 DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF Jess Glynne 33400
20 29 20 2 ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART Cilla Black 38200

21 7 4 9 COME AND GET IT John Newman 334950
22 28 22 8 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 107200
23 31 23 4 SWEET HARMONY Monarchy featuring The Pledge Choir 51950
24 16 3 7 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 323200
25 35 25 5 ORGAN The Hardkiss 62250
26 18 2 12 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 592500
27 30 27 12 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 173150
28 14 7 7 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 221300
29 17 17 6 FREEDOM Pharrell Williams 113400
30 39 30 4 GHOST TOWN BLUES Lauren Housley 50900

31 72 31 2 TIDAL WAVE EVVY 23500
32 25 25 3 SOMETHING LIKE HAPPINESS The Maccabees 54350
33 38 33 2 YOU’RE MY WORLD Cilla Black 34900
34 NEW 34 1 APACHE (JUMP ON IT!) The Sugarhill Gang 17600
35 37 35 4 FOUND YOUR LOVE Oliver Nelson featuring Heir 59600
36 40 36 4 GET STUPID Aston Merrygold 47400
37 33 1 16 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1523250
38 32 1 10 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 546300
39 75 39 2 WATERFALL Vok 22100
40 RE 40 3 THIS SUMMER’S GONNA HURT Maroon 5 29600

41 20 20 5 UNDER THE MAKEUP a-ha 93250
42 27 10 8 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 204400
43 23 7 20 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 330750
44 34 34 4 WHAT YOU DON’T DO Lianne La Havas 60350
45 43 43 4 WITHOUT YOU Tobias Jesso Jr 47700
46 44 10 17 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 312600
47 NEW 47 1 NIGHTS LIKE THIS W. Darling 12500
48 47 1 15 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 529800
49 48 1 23 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 1011150
50 50 50 4 INSOMNIA 2.0 (AVICII REMIX) Faithless 44000

51 42 22 6 WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES (YOUNG BOMBS REMIX) Katelyn Tarver 92700
52 45 6 17 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 504000
53 53 42 5 OPEN HEART Morgan Page featuring Lissie 51750
54 NEW 54 1 OH MY LOVE The Score 11000
55 59 55 4 LOVE IS Rod Stewart 31700
56 54 1 15 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 695600
57 63 57 5 HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles 36200
58 60 58 2 DIGGIN’ UP THE HEART Brandon Flowers 20200
59 55 4 18 HOME Max Jury 430250
60 65 60 4 RUN AWAY WITH ME Carly Rae Jepsen 29400

61 NEW 61 1 DON’T WORRY Madcon and Ray Dalton 7500
62 36 24 8 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 111900
63 41 16 6 BROTHER NEEDTOBREATHE featuring Gavin DeGraw 103200
64 64 64 8 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 50800
65 46 3 12 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 481450
66 NEW 66 1 OMEN Disclosure featuring Sam Smith 6800
67 NEW 67 1 HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE Calvin Harris and Disciples 6600
68 NEW 68 1 GOOD FOR YOU Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky 6400
69 NEW 69 1 CLOAKED Woolf And The Wondershow 6200
70 NEW 70 1 RESTLESS YEAR Ezra Furman 6000

71 NEW 71 1 BODY TALK Foxes 5800
72 56 56 4 KISS ME QUICK Nathan Sykes 28800
73 NEW 73 1 ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING AND ANYTHING AT ALL Kylie Minogue 5200
74 NEW 74 1 MELLOW YELLOW Donovan 5200
75 NEW 75 1 INSTANT CRUSH Natalie Imbruglia 5000

DROP OUTS
22 9 17 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 385500
49 31 4 I CAN’T LOSE Mark Ronson featuring Keyone Starr 59600
51 5 8 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 237550
52 2 14 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 583200
57 57 7 SONGBIRD Fleetwood Mac 71800
58 38 4 GIRLS CHASE BOYS Ingrid Michaelson 49900
61 33 4 ANNIE Neon Indian 44300
62 47 4 BREATH AWAY Stacey Solomon 42600
66 50 4 BLACK MAGIC Little Mix 35400
67 3 13 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 476350
68 68 3 CURE Disa 16800
70 1 27 SPEED KILLS 10CC 707000
71 71 2 FIRE MEET GASOLINE SIA 10800
73 9 8 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 185950
74 74 1 BITCH I’M MADONNA Madonna featuring Nicki Minaj 5200

9th August 2015

It’s still Years And Years who have been on top for years and years (or 5 weeks) presiding over a static top 3, while Sigala take the Jackson 5 sample of ABC 2 places higher than the original managed 45 years ago. Royksopp celebrate 14 years of chart entries with a top 10 climber, and the late Cilla Black moves up to 9 with If I Thought You’d Ever Change Your Mind, her 7th top 10 and belatedly giving a hat-trick of top 10 singles from 1969 48 years after Surround Yourself With Sorrow peaked at 2. As Cilla enters the sales chart for the 3rd time with her two UK chart-toppers, that’s enough excuse for me to chart them for the 3rd time too and they both enter the top 40 (or re-enter, if you like but I like to count tracks that chart in individual years as separate chart runs).

Kylie notches up 27 years of top 10’s, Jake Shears has 11 years, Niles Rodgers has 37 years thanks to NERVO. Highest new entry is from Benjamin, who appears to be a young Scandipop singer, Young And Reckless sounds like a hit single to me. Gladys Knight gets her first top 20 in 26 years with a 45-year-old soul classic of hers, and Norah Jones is welcomed back into the top 40 along with Danger Mouse. Elsewhere, both Brandon Flowers and Madonna add to their rather large run of entries from their latest albums, just a shame none of them have been big hits because the singles chart is stupidly ignoring anyone who looks more than 16 years old. Hey ho…

1 1 1 9 SHINE Years And Years 915450
2 2 2 6 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 400200
3 3 2 6 ‘CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 544000
4 5 4 6 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 228600
5 10 5 5 EASY LOVE Sigala featuring The Jackson 5 189000
6 6 4 6 WHEN M+A 302900
7 4 4 8 COME AND GET IT John Newman 315200
8 28 8 2 I HAD THIS THING Royksopp 66300
9 19 9 2 IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black 66000
10 13 10 3 THE OTHER BOYS NERVO featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers 95000

11 8 8 4 WAITING FOR LOVE Avicii featuring Simon Aldred (of Cherry Ghost) 147000
12 16 12 4 PEANUT BUTTER JELLY Galantis 102700
13 15 13 3 POWERFUL Major Lazer featuring Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley 76200
14 7 7 6 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 203000
15 NEW 15 1 YOUNG AND RESTLESS Benjamin 27000
16 11 3 6 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 304200
17 17 17 5 FREEDOM Pharrell Williams 95200
18 12 2 11 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 574000
19 40 19 3 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN Gladys Knight And The Pips 49500
20 20 20 4 UNDER THE MAKEUP a-ha 79250

21 21 21 4 HURTS Kove featuring Moko 65500
22 9 9 17 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 385500
23 14 7 19 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 317250
24 54 24 2 BLACK Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi featuring Norah Jones 30000
25 32 25 2 SOMETHING LIKE HAPPINESS The Maccabees 36550
26 26 26 7 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 101000
27 18 10 7 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 190650
28 29 28 7 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 87700
29 NEW 29 1 ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART Cilla Black 18200
30 30 30 11 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 154750

31 62 31 3 SWEET HARMONY Monarchy featuring The Pledge Choir 32700
32 22 1 9 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 529100
33 23 1 15 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1505950
34 35 34 3 WHAT YOU DON’T DO Lianne La Havas 47100
35 58 35 4 ORGAN The Hardkiss 43500
36 24 24 7 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 104500
37 37 37 3 FOUND YOUR LOVE Oliver Nelson featuring Heir 42100
38 NEW 38 1 YOU’RE MY WORLD Cilla Black 17200
39 55 39 3 GHOST TOWN BLUES Lauren Housley 32900
40 63 40 3 GET STUPID Aston Merrygold 30000

41 25 16 5 BROTHER NEEDTOBREATHE featuring Gavin DeGraw 96000
42 27 22 5 WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES (YOUNG BOMBS REMIX) Katelyn Tarver 80950
43 56 43 3 WITHOUT YOU Tobias Jesso Jr 34700
44 43 10 16 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 298850
45 41 6 16 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 492500
46 36 3 11 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 474450
47 45 1 14 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 517500
48 46 1 22 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 999050
49 31 31 4 I CAN’T LOSE Mark Ronson featuring Keyone Starr 59600
50 60 50 3 INSOMNIA 2.0 (AVICII REMIX) Faithless 32000

51 39 5 8 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 237550
52 34 2 14 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 583200
53 42 42 4 OPEN HEART Morgan Page featuring Lissie 40500
54 49 1 14 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 685000
55 51 4 17 HOME Max Jury 420150
56 65 56 3 KISS ME QUICK Nathan Sykes 23200
57 57 57 7 SONGBIRD Fleetwood Mac 71800
58 38 38 4 GIRLS CHASE BOYS Ingrid Michaelson 49900
59 73 59 3 LOVE IS Rod Stewart 20900
60 NEW 60 1 DIGGIN’ UP THE HEART Brandon Flowers 10000

61 33 33 4 ANNIE Neon Indian 44300
62 47 47 4 BREATH AWAY Stacey Solomon 42600
63 66 63 4 HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles 25800
64 64 64 7 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 43700
65 68 65 3 RUN AWAY WITH ME Carly Rae Jepsen 19400
66 50 50 4 BLACK MAGIC Little Mix 35400
67 53 3 13 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 476350
68 74 68 3 CURE Disa 16800
69 69 69 2 DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF Jess Glynne 12400
70 70 1 27 SPEED KILLS 10CC 707000

71 75 71 2 FIRE MEET GASOLINE SIA 10800
72 NEW 72 1 TIDAL WAVE EVVY 5600
73 52 9 8 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 185950
74 NEW 74 1 BITCH I’M MADONNA Madonna featuring Nicki Minaj 5200
75 NEW 75 1 WATERFALL Vok 5000

DROP OUTS
44 28 6 ARE YOU WITH ME Lost Frequencies 80500
48 48 6 GOLD IN THE ETERNAL FLAME Monarchy 53600
59 1 17 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 734850
61 3 11 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 483150
67 40 4 SPITFIRE Public Service Broadcasting 48600
71 34 3 GET IT ON Elin Overfjord 30500
72 45 4 HONEY I’M GOOD Andy Grammer 41200

2nd August 2015

4 weeks for Shine, Years and Years look being on top that long, holding off Conrad Sewell at 2, and Duran Duran who go up to 5 for the first time in 20-odd years. In at 19, it’s Cilla Black following her shock death today, very unexpected following on from the great TV series “Cilla” showcasing her singing career and back catalogue. Cilla has been a lovely, likeable mainstay in my life since I was 6 years old, and I will miss her. If I Thought You’d Ever Change Your Mind was one I missed at the time it was a UK hit in late 1969, as I was living in Singapore, but one I grew to love after Agnetha Faltskog covered it and took it to number one in my charts a decade ago. Most of Cilla’s greatest hits have already made my charts as oldies, but this one has missed out, so here it is.

Others: Royksopp return at 28, The Maccabees are at 32, and Danger Mouse is back at 54 with the help of Norah Jones – Norah has had 13 years of chart hits, far outdoing her dad Ravi Shankar who had only 5 years of charting from 1969 to 1974, though he did have a chart-topper and she hasn’t yet; Danger Mouse has also topped my chart with Cee-Lo, as Gnarls Barkley, Crazy in 2006, and had a top 5 as part of Broken Bells.

1 1 1 8 SHINE Years And Years 745450
2 3 2 5 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 285200
3 2 2 5 ‘CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 459000
4 4 4 7 COME AND GET IT John Newman 265200
5 7 5 5 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 163600
6 5 4 5 WHEN M+A 247900
7 8 7 5 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 174000
8 10 8 3 WAITING FOR LOVE Avicii featuring Simon Aldred (of Cherry Ghost) 110000
9 14 9 16 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 366000
10 13 10 4 EASY LOVE Sigala featuring The Jackson 5 129000

11 6 3 5 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 279200
12 9 2 10 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 552000
13 19 13 2 THE OTHER BOYS NERVO featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers 53000
14 11 7 18 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 298000
15 38 15 2 POWERFUL Major Lazer featuring Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley 44200
16 16 16 3 PEANUT BUTTER JELLY Galantis 67700
17 18 17 4 FREEDOM Pharrell Williams 72200
18 12 10 6 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 172250
19 NEW 19 1 IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black 21000
20 20 20 3 UNDER THE MAKEUP a-ha 59250

21 26 21 3 HURTS Kove featuring Moko 45750
22 15 1 8 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 511300
23 17 1 14 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1488250
24 25 24 6 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 87100
25 21 16 4 BROTHER NEEDTOBREATHE featuring Gavin DeGraw 82000
26 29 26 6 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 82500
27 22 22 4 WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES (YOUNG BOMBS REMIX) Katelyn Tarver 67200
28 NEW 28 1 I HAD THIS THING Royksopp 18300
29 30 29 6 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 69400
30 33 30 10 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 136750

31 37 31 3 I CAN’T LOSE Mark Ronson featuring Keyone Starr 47500
32 NEW 32 1 SOMETHING LIKE HAPPINESS The Maccabees 17800
33 47 33 3 ANNIE Neon Indian 36800
34 23 2 13 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 571700
35 50 35 2 WHAT YOU DON’T DO Lianne La Havas 29500
36 24 3 10 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 461700
37 61 37 2 FOUND YOUR LOVE Oliver Nelson featuring Heir 24800
38 48 38 3 GIRLS CHASE BOYS Ingrid Michaelson 39700
39 27 5 7 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 225800
40 52 40 2 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN Gladys Knight And The Pips 28500

41 34 6 15 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 479500
42 59 42 3 OPEN HEART Morgan Page featuring Lissie 29250
43 39 10 15 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 285600
44 28 28 6 ARE YOU WITH ME Lost Frequencies 80500
45 43 1 13 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 505000
46 42 1 21 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 986750
47 49 47 3 BREATH AWAY Stacey Solomon 35200
48 53 48 6 GOLD IN THE ETERNAL FLAME Monarchy 53600
49 44 1 13 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 674000
50 55 50 3 BLACK MAGIC Little Mix 28600

51 36 4 16 HOME Max Jury 409350
52 32 9 7 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 180550
53 35 3 12 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 469750
54 NEW 54 1 BLACK Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi featuring Norah Jones 11000
55 75 55 2 GHOST TOWN BLUES Lauren Housley 15800
56 56 56 2 WITHOUT YOU Tobias Jesso Jr 21200
57 57 57 6 SONGBIRD Fleetwood Mac 61400
58 58 58 3 ORGAN The Hardkiss 26000
59 46 1 17 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 734850
60 60 60 2 INSOMNIA 2.0 (AVICII REMIX) Faithless 20000

61 31 3 11 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 483150
62 62 62 2 SWEET HARMONY Monarchy featuring The Pledge Choir 14800
63 71 63 2 GET STUPID Aston Merrygold 13000
64 64 64 6 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 36600
65 72 65 2 KISS ME QUICK Nathan Sykes 12600
66 66 66 3 HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles 18600
67 40 40 4 SPITFIRE Public Service Broadcasting 48600
68 70 68 2 RUN AWAY WITH ME Carly Rae Jepsen 12400
69 NEW 69 1 DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF Jess Glynne 6200
70 69 1 26 SPEED KILLS 10CC 701000

71 RE 34 3 GET IT ON Elin Overfjord 30500
72 45 45 4 HONEY I’M GOOD Andy Grammer 41200
73 73 73 2 LOVE IS Rod Stewart 10800
74 74 74 2 CURE Disa 10400
75 NEW 75 1 FIRE MEET GASOLINE SIA 5000

DROP OUTS
41 6 7 A MINHA MENINA Os Mutantes 199400
51 10 6 JOAN OF ARC Madonna 163050
54 8 6 A MONSTER LIKE ME (Norway) Morland & Debrah Scarlett 146900
63 63 2 DON’T WAIT UP Robert DeLong 14400
65 17 9 THANK YOU Will Young 121750
67 67 2 SHADOW LEV 12200
68 60 3 NOT LETTING GO Tinie Tempah featuring Jess Glynne 22800

26th July 2015

It’s Years And Years for a 3rd week at one, still keeping the fantastic Tame Impala at 2, and holding off a rising Conrad Sewell with his biggest track to date, Hold Me Up. In a hectic, packed chart it’s a terrific top 20 and all records under-perform except for the record on top, of course. Duran Duran get a cool 34 years of Top 10 singles, not to mention Nile Rodgers extending his run to 37 years as he simultaneously assists NERVO to enter at 19, as the Aussie twin lady DJ’s come back with Kylie in tow, for her 2nd guest vocal of the year (after Giorgio Moroder hit 2 with her help), and Jake Spears gets his first solo credit outside Scissor Sisters for 11 years of top 20 tracks since they hit 1 with Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb, not to mention co-writing a number for Kylie, I Believe In You. Phew!

Avicii adds to his run of big singles at 10, as Simon Aldred, and Janelle Monae (with Duran) add to their’s after a bit of a gap. Elsewhere: Galantis, Kove, Sigma have big leaps while Major Lazer enter over themselves, Diplo-matically, and Lianne La Havas, Moncarchy (with a Beloved cover), Carly Rae Jepsen, Rod Stewart, and some ex-boy-band-ers in Aston Merrygold and Nathan Sykes newly pop in for a visit.

1 1 1 7 SHINE Years And Years 575450
2 2 2 4 ‘CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 374000
3 5 3 4 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 170200
4 6 4 6 COME AND GET IT John Newman 200200
5 4 4 4 WHEN M+A 192900
6 3 3 4 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 242200
7 24 7 4 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 103600
8 11 8 4 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 124000
9 9 2 9 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 517000
10 20 10 2 WAITING FOR LOVE Avicii featuring Simon Aldred (of Cherry Ghost) 62000

11 7 7 17 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 269000
12 10 10 5 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 150250
13 13 13 3 EASY LOVE Sigala featuring The Jackson 5 87000
14 14 14 15 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 321000
15 8 1 7 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 491800
16 33 16 2 PEANUT BUTTER JELLY Galantis 42700
17 12 1 13 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1469000
18 18 18 3 FREEDOM Pharrell Williams 49200
19 NEW 19 1 THE OTHER BOYS NERVO featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers 21000
20 23 20 2 UNDER THE MAKEUP a-ha 39250

21 16 16 3 BROTHER NEEDTOBREATHE featuring Gavin DeGraw 63250
22 26 22 3 WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES (YOUNG BOMBS REMIX) Katelyn Tarver 48800
23 17 2 12 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 554100
24 19 3 9 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 444000
25 25 25 5 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 68100
26 61 26 2 HURTS Kove featuring Moko 26000
27 15 5 6 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 208700
28 28 28 5 ARE YOU WITH ME Lost Frequencies 67250
29 49 29 5 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 64000
30 36 30 5 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 51200

31 21 3 10 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 475650
32 22 9 6 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 169050
33 37 33 9 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 118750
34 29 6 14 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 465500
35 30 3 11 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 458500
36 31 4 15 HOME Max Jury 397600
37 48 37 2 I CAN’T LOSE Mark Ronson featuring Keyone Starr 29600
38 NEW 38 1 POWERFUL Major Lazer featuring Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley 17200
39 44 10 14 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 272100
40 45 40 3 SPITFIRE Public Service Broadcasting 42000

41 27 6 7 A MINHA MENINA Os Mutantes 199400
42 42 1 20 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 974000
43 43 1 12 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 492000
44 41 1 12 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 661900
45 50 45 3 HONEY I’M GOOD Andy Grammer 35600
46 39 1 16 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 724750
47 66 47 2 ANNIE Neon Indian 19100
48 58 48 2 GIRLS CHASE BOYS Ingrid Michaelson 22500
49 56 49 2 BREATH AWAY Stacey Solomon 22700
50 NEW 50 1 WHAT YOU DON’T DO Lianne La Havas 12000

51 32 10 6 JOAN OF ARC Madonna 163050
52 NEW 52 1 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN Gladys Knight And The Pips 11500
53 53 53 5 GOLD IN THE ETERNAL FLAME Monarchy 41300
54 35 8 6 A MONSTER LIKE ME (Norway) Morland & Debrah Scarlett 146900
55 71 55 2 BLACK MAGIC Little Mix 16600
56 NEW 56 1 WITHOUT YOU Tobias Jesso Jr 10600
57 57 57 5 SONGBIRD Fleetwood Mac 51000
58 RE 58 2 ORGAN The Hardkiss 15800
59 73 59 2 OPEN HEART Morgan Page featuring Lissie 15500
60 NEW 60 1 INSOMNIA 2.0 (AVICII REMIX) Faithless 10000

61 NEW 61 1 FOUND YOUR LOVE Oliver Nelson 7500
62 NEW 62 1 SWEET HARMONY Monarchy featuring The Pledge Choir 7400
63 63 63 2 DON’T WAIT UP Robert DeLong 14400
64 67 64 5 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 29500
65 65 17 9 THANK YOU Will Young 121750
66 75 66 2 HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles 11800
67 72 67 2 SHADOW LEV 12200
68 60 60 3 NOT LETTING GO Tinie Tempah featuring Jess Glynne 22800
69 68 1 25 SPEED KILLS 10CC 695000
70 NEW 70 1 RUN AWAY WITH ME Carly Rae Jepsen 6000

71 NEW 71 1 GET STUPID Aston Merrygold 5800
72 NEW 72 1 KISS ME QUICK Nathan Sykes 5600
73 NEW 73 1 LOVE IS Rod Stewart 5400
74 NEW 74 1 CURE Disa 5200
75 NEW 75 1 GHOST TOWN BLUES Lauren Housley 5000

DROP OUTS
34 34 2 GET IT ON Elin Overfjord 24700
38 29 7 BAD BLOOD Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar 89150
40 9 11 ROADS Lawson 202800
46 19 5 WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING Rixton 82050
47 22 7 WANT TO WANT ME Jason Derulo 121500
51 9 8 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 222550
52 20 7 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 84000
54 43 3 TIME Jungle 31950
55 4 10 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 333500
59 38 8 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 85950
62 53 4 WAVES Nell Bryden featuring Tom McRae 35850
64 37 6 YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE Conchita Wurst 70700
69 69 2 MERCY Muse 11200
70 60 4 THE WAY YOU WERE Shayne Ward 32400
74 10 14 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 212350

19th July 2015

A second week for Years And Years on top, with Shine, which may have been cruelly pipped at the post in the UK singles chart, but at least they got a number one album out of it. Conrad Sewell gets his 2nd top 10, and Kacey Musgraves her first, as Pharrell Williams rockets into the 20 screaming Freedom, well over a decade since he first did it with NERD. That includes quite a few biggies along the way… meanwhile highest new entry is Avicii, keeping his run of big singles alive at 20, with uncredited vocal duties from Simon Aldred of Cherry Ghost, who have previously topped my charts with Mathematics in 2007, before getting the Birdy cover treatment (People Help The People).

In at 23, just ahead of fellow 80’s act Duran Duran’s new single, it’s a-ha with a lush new ballad, Under The Makeup, and an incredible 30 years since they topped my chart with Take On Me and The Sun Always Shines On TV. Lots of new acts and acts following up big hits entering lower down, but in at 75 it’s a childhood fave Happy Together from The Turtles, a fab 1967 single which predates my charts by a year, so it’s about time it was an entry and the new Minions movie features it over the title credits to give me a great excuse. The Turtles did, however, hit my number one in late 1968 with Elenore, so technically speaking that gives them a nice run of singles: 2. While they appeared in the interim as guests on other big name singles as Flo and Eddie (Get It On by T.Rex being just one), and their songs have been covered by Jason Donovan, The Lightning Seeds and Salt ‘n’ Pepa (among others) that means that they by far are the act who have had to wait the longest for a second hit, and a follow-up to a number one (they were the first One-Hit Wonders in my chart) – 46 and a half years. What?!! Surely it was just a couple of decades ago….

1 1 1 6 SHINE Years And Years 405450
2 2 2 3 ‘CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 259000
3 3 3 3 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 187200
4 7 4 3 WHEN M+A 132900
5 20 5 3 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 85200
6 8 6 5 COME AND GET IT John Newman 135200
7 10 7 16 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 232000
8 4 1 6 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 464800
9 5 2 8 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 472000
10 15 10 4 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 115250

11 18 11 3 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 76000
12 6 1 12 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1446000
13 17 13 2 EASY LOVE Sigala featuring The Jackson 5 55000
14 16 14 14 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 292000
15 11 5 5 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 190300
16 26 16 2 BROTHER NEEDTOBREATHE featuring Gavin DeGraw 43500
17 9 2 11 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 534850
18 74 18 2 FREEDOM Pharrell Williams 27200
19 13 3 8 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 425000
20 NEW 20 1 WAITING FOR LOVE Avicii featuring Simon Aldred (Of Cherry Ghost) 20000

21 12 3 9 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 457750
22 21 9 5 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 151250
23 NEW 23 1 UNDER THE MAKEUP a-ha 19250
24 37 24 3 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 53600
25 33 25 4 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 49350
26 55 26 2 WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES (YOUNG BOMBS REMIX) Katelyn Tarver 29300
27 14 6 6 A MINHA MENINA Os Mutantes 185400
28 35 28 4 ARE YOU WITH ME Lost Frequencies 48950
29 25 6 13 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 447900
30 30 3 10 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 441000

31 28 4 14 HOME Max Jury 380200
32 22 10 5 JOAN OF ARC Madonna 151300
33 NEW 33 1 PEANUT BUTTER JELLY Galantis 17700
34 64 34 2 GET IT ON Elin Overfjord 24700
35 19 8 5 A MONSTER LIKE ME (Norway) Morland & Debrah Scarlett 135900
36 RE 36 4 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 33200
37 48 37 8 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 101050
38 29 29 7 BAD BLOOD Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar 89150
39 31 1 15 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 712000
40 24 9 11 ROADS Lawson 202800

41 39 1 11 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 648650
42 42 1 19 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 960250
43 41 1 11 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 478500
44 23 10 13 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 258000
45 50 45 2 SPITFIRE Public Service Broadcasting 25000
46 32 19 5 WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING Rixton 82050
47 36 22 7 WANT TO WANT ME Jason Derulo 121500
48 NEW 48 1 I CAN’T LOSE Mark Ronson featuring Keyone Starr 12300
49 49 49 4 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 45800
50 56 50 2 HONEY I’M GOOD Andy Grammer 22600

51 27 9 8 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 222550
52 34 20 7 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 84000
53 66 53 4 GOLD IN THE ETERNAL FLAME Monarchy 30050
54 RE 43 3 TIME Jungle 31950
55 43 4 10 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 333500
56 NEW 56 1 BREATH AWAY Stacey Solomon 10600
57 59 57 4 SONGBIRD Fleetwood Mac 40600
58 NEW 58 1 GIRLS CHASE BOYS Ingrid Michaelson 10200
59 38 38 8 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 85950
60 68 60 2 NOT LETTING GO Tinie Tempah featuring Jess Glynne 16400

61 NEW 61 1 HURTS Kove featuring Moko 7500
62 65 53 4 WAVES Nell Bryden featuring Tom McRae 35850
63 NEW 63 1 DON’T WAIT UP Robert DeLong 7200
64 40 37 6 YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE Conchita Wurst 70700
65 52 17 8 THANK YOU Will Young 114750
66 NEW 66 1 ANNIE Neon Indian 6600
67 71 67 4 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 22400
68 67 1 24 SPEED KILLS 10CC 688800
69 75 69 2 MERCY Muse 11200
70 60 60 4 THE WAY YOU WERE Shayne Ward 32400

71 NEW 71 1 BLACK MAGIC Little Mix 5800
72 NEW 72 1 SHADOW LEV 5600
73 NEW 73 1 OPEN HEART Morgan Page featuring Lissie 5400
74 63 10 14 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 212350
75 NEW 75 1 HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles 5000

DROP OUTS
44 39 6 NEW YORK RAINING Charles Hamilton featuring Rita Ora 64900
45 23 4 BLACK SMOKE (Germany) Ann Sophie 62450
46 5 28 ALFIE Cilla Black 401150
47 16 6 GHOST TOWN Adam Lambert 87100
51 11 8 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 196100
53 36 5 MONTANA James Taylor 61950
54 28 4 DREAMS Beck 65600
57 29 5 GET UP Chinese Man featuring Ex-l, Lush One & Plex Rock 75600
58 20 7 SHOTS Imagine Dragons 101750
61 19 13 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 162700
62 25 12 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 157100
69 6 8 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 189050
70 57 2 INDIAN SUMMER Jai Wolf 16400
72 72 1 ORGAN The Hardkiss 5600
73 1 25 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 991400

12th July 2015

It’s Years And Years getting a second number one of 2015, equalling Brandon Flowers, with the fab Shine which rockets to the top. They should have been the UK number one but wuz robbed by a few sales by a much lesser record, and it’s going to happen again this week. Hey ho. Tame Impala also get a second of the year – number 2 that is, as Cause I’m A Man follows Feels Like We Only Go Backwards in the runners-up slot. Tame Impala are a positively joyous hotchpotch of old records for me, albeit in an EDM stylee – The Beatles, Hot Chocolate, Mercury Rev all leap out at me, and there’s been one bugging me about Cause I’m A Man – it’s The Delfonics Didn’t I Blow My Mind vocal and melody very much inspiring this one. Fab. Up 35 spots in a top 3 clearout, there’s X Ambassadors and Renegades, a fab track if ever I heard one. If it’s not a UK chart hit I will complain.

Big jumps for Petite Meller finally hitting the 10 after 15 weeks, for John Newman with another top 10, and a top 10 debut for M+A’s lush track. Mmmm. Highest new entry is Sigala sampling dance record Easy Love, which has more than a bit of The Jackson 5’s ABC at 17. Conrad Sewell is also back shooting up to 20, fresh from his previous “featuring” credit with Kygo’s Firestone. Other artists coming back: Gavin DeGraw, Andy Grammer, Tinie Tempah, Jess Glynne, Pharrell Williams and Muse.

1 35 1 5 SHINE Years And Years 235450
2 14 2 2 CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 144000
3 38 3 2 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 102200
4 1 1 5 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 416800
5 3 2 7 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 427000
6 2 1 11 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1411000
7 31 7 2 WHEN M+A 67900
8 30 8 4 COME AND GET IT John Newman 80200
9 4 2 10 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 511850
10 65 10 15 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 182000

11 5 5 4 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 163300
12 7 3 8 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 438000
13 11 3 7 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 404000
14 6 6 5 A MINHA MENINA Os Mutantes 167000
15 15 15 3 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 73250
16 16 16 13 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 263000
17 NEW 17 1 EASY LOVE Sigala featuring The Jackson 5 23000
18 40 18 2 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 39000
19 8 8 4 A MONSTER LIKE ME (Norway) Morland & Debrah Scarlett 118400
20 74 20 2 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 25200

21 9 9 4 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 131750
22 10 10 4 JOAN OF ARC Madonna 133500
23 17 10 12 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 244750
24 24 9 10 ROADS Lawson 185800
25 21 6 12 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 429700
26 NEW 26 1 BROTHER NEEDTOBREATHE featuring Gavin DeGraw 18500
27 12 9 7 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 210800
28 22 4 13 HOME Max Jury 362300
29 29 29 6 BAD BLOOD Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar 71950
30 18 3 9 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 423000

31 25 1 14 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 694900
32 19 19 4 WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING Rixton 69300
33 64 33 3 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 30600
34 20 20 6 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 72500
35 46 35 3 ARE YOU WITH ME Lost Frequencies 30650
36 27 22 6 WANT TO WANT ME Jason Derulo 109000
37 37 37 2 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 34600
38 44 38 7 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 75850
39 32 1 10 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 634650
40 43 37 5 YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE Conchita Wurst 63600

41 41 1 10 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 465000
42 42 1 18 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 946500
43 33 4 9 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 322700
44 39 39 6 NEW YORK RAINING Charles Hamilton featuring Rita Ora 64900
45 23 23 4 BLACK SMOKE (Germany) Ann Sophie 62450
46 13 5 28 ALFIE Cilla Black 401150
47 26 16 6 GHOST TOWN Adam Lambert 87100
48 48 48 7 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 83750
49 55 49 3 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 33700
50 NEW 50 1 SPITFIRE Public Service Broadcasting 12000

51 34 11 8 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 196100
52 52 17 7 THANK YOU Will Young 107750
53 36 36 5 MONTANA James Taylor 61950
54 28 28 4 DREAMS Beck 65600
55 NEW 55 1 WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES (YOUNG BOMBS REMIX) Katelyn Tarver 10800
56 NEW 56 1 HONEY I’M GOOD Andy Grammer 10600
57 50 29 5 GET UP Chinese Man featuring Ex-l, Lush One & Plex Rock 75600
58 51 20 7 SHOTS Imagine Dragons 101750
59 59 59 3 SONGBIRD Fleetwood Mac 30200
60 60 60 3 THE WAY YOU WERE Shayne Ward 26400

61 45 19 13 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 162700
62 58 25 12 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 157100
63 54 10 13 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 207150
64 NEW 64 1 GET IT ON Elin Overfjord 7100
65 53 53 3 WAVES Nell Bryden featuring Tom McRae 28450
66 70 66 3 GOLD IN THE ETERNAL FLAME Monarchy 18800
67 67 1 23 SPEED KILLS 10CC 682400
68 NEW 68 1 NOT LETTING GO Tinie Tempah featuring Jess Glynne 6400
69 61 6 8 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 189050
70 57 57 2 INDIAN SUMMER Jai Wolf 16400

71 75 71 3 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 15800
72 NEW 72 1 ORGAN The Hardkiss 5600
73 69 1 25 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 991400
74 NEW 74 1 FREEDOM Pharrell Williams 5200
75 NEW 75 1 MERCY Muse 5000

DROP OUTS
47 36 8 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 95500
49 45 3 ONE LAST TIME Ariana Grande 32200
56 9 8 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 182650
62 62 3 TREASURED SOUL Michael Calfan 21700
63 63 3 SHUT UP AND DANCE WALK THE MOON 20000
66 2 13 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 563300
68 68 2 THIS SUMMER’S GONNA HURT Maroon 5 12600
71 29 9 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 102200
72 35 5 TONIGHT AGAIN (Australia) Guy Sebastian 57550
73 73 3 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 15800

5th July 2015

Back yesterday from a week in the Gran Canaria sun, battery recharging, and last night from seeing the amazing 71-year-old Gladys Knight in concert (see my review), and just now sitting through the last ever UK Top 40 show on a Sunday – I first listened to Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman’s Pick Of The Pops in September 1968, age 10, and became instantly hooked on the chart show right up to the point when streaming was incorporated into the singles rundown. From then on it became mired in increasing dullness as nothing much ever happened apart from record-company held-back instant number ones. I’ll believe the new On-Air On-Sale World Friday release promises when I see them, but it’s not so much the start of a new era for me, so much as a mercy killing. The chart of course still has a handful of fresh new good singles, but mostly it’s tracks that have long outstayed their welcome, with some that were never welcomed in in the first place. The UK Top 100 sales chart is more interesting and more representative of active music fans, just as it’s always been, as opposed to casual passive music fans content to stick with familiar stuff for months on end.

Thankfully, my charts are more changeable, only Brandon Flowers I Can Change has ironically been around for a 6-week run on top and 10 weeks in my upper rundown. This week he’s replaced by Giorgio Moroder and Britney Spears cover of Suzanne Vega’s Tom’s Diner, that’s Giorgio’s first ever as a credited lead artist (though of course I Feel Love did it in 1977, and many since as producer or writer), so at 75 years old I reckon that makes him the oldest artist to have a first chart-topper with new product, and a mere 38 year wait since his first chart hit with From Here To Eternity, not to mention a full 43 years since he first had chart action as producer/writer of Chicory Tip and actual synthesisers wrapped up as the main appeal of the hit singles. Pioneer!

Britney, a comparatively recent hit-maker has only 16 years of hits, but it’s a chart span of 16 years of chart-toppers since ..Baby One More Time started the ball rolling. Followed up with Lucky, Toxic and Everytime for her 5th number one in 3 consecutive decades. At 16, oldie of the week is Os Mutantes Portuguese psychedelic rock fabness. Play it on youtube! Madonna scrapes into the 10 from Holiday to Joan Of Arc, 1984 to 2015, and never straying far from it even if her actual new single from the album has yet to chart. Highest new entry is fromTame Impala, giving them 2 in the 20, top-notch varied retro Aus rock, and Holly Johnson like Madonna stretches a run back to 1984 of top 20 tracks. Even more veteran Duran Duran are back with Nile Rodgers at 37, giving the lads 34 years of good singles since Planet Earth, and Nile 37 years since he first charted with Chic, Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah). Hooray!

1 2 1 4 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 351800
2 1 1 10 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1356000
3 3 2 6 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 367000
4 4 2 9 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 466850
5 8 5 3 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 126300
6 14 6 4 A MINHA MENINA Os Mutantes 138000
7 7 3 7 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 403000
8 13 8 3 A MONSTER LIKE ME (Norway) Morland & Debrah Scarlett 97400
9 10 9 3 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 112000
10 11 10 3 JOAN OF ARC Madonna 114000

11 6 3 6 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 372000
12 9 9 6 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 192400
13 5 5 27 ALFIE Cilla Black 388400
14 NEW 14 1 CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala 29000
15 23 15 2 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 46250
16 18 16 12 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 238000
17 20 10 11 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 225500
18 15 3 8 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 405000
19 30 19 3 WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING Rixton 51500
20 33 20 5 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 54900

21 12 6 11 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 410950
22 17 4 12 HOME Max Jury 344000
23 31 23 3 BLACK SMOKE (Germany) Ann Sophie 49450
24 24 9 9 ROADS Lawson 166800
25 19 1 13 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 677000
26 16 16 5 GHOST TOWN Adam Lambert 74600
27 27 22 5 WANT TO WANT ME Jason Derulo 91600
28 28 28 3 DREAMS Beck 54600
29 46 29 5 BAD BLOOD Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar 53750
30 RE 30 3 COME AND GET IT John Newman 32200

31 NEW 31 1 WHEN M+A 17900
32 26 1 9 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 617550
33 22 4 8 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 309200
34 21 11 7 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 184350
35 35 35 4 SHINE Years And Years 65450
36 39 36 4 MONTANA James Taylor 50700
37 NEW 37 1 PRESSURE OFF Duran Duran featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers 17300
38 NEW 38 1 RENEGADES X Ambassadors 17200
39 53 39 5 NEW YORK RAINING Charles Hamilton featuring Rita Ora 51650
40 NEW 40 1 BURN WITH ME Whilk And Misky 17000

41 34 1 9 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 451000
42 41 1 17 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 932750
43 37 37 4 YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE Conchita Wurst 46600
44 38 38 6 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 58650
45 25 19 12 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 155200
46 57 46 2 ARE YOU WITH ME Lost Frequencies 23150
47 36 36 8 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 95500
48 48 48 6 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 71450
49 45 45 3 ONE LAST TIME Ariana Grande 32200
50 29 29 4 GET UP Chinese Man featuring Ex-l, Lush One & Plex Rock 65200

51 32 20 6 SHOTS Imagine Dragons 91550
52 42 17 6 THANK YOU Will Young 96250
53 58 53 2 WAVES Nell Bryden featuring Tom McRae 21450
54 51 10 12 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 199950
55 55 55 2 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 21600
56 40 9 8 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 182650
57 NEW 57 1 INDIAN SUMMER Jai Wolf 10400
58 52 25 11 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 149700
59 60 59 2 SONGBIRD Fleetwood Mac 20100
60 68 60 2 THE WAY YOU WERE Shayne Ward 16400

61 44 6 7 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 182650
62 62 62 3 TREASURED SOUL Michael Calfan 21700
63 63 63 3 SHUT UP AND DANCE WALK THE MOON 20000
64 71 64 2 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 12900
65 74 20 14 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 140000
66 54 2 13 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 563300
67 67 1 22 SPEED KILLS 10CC 675800
68 69 68 2 THIS SUMMER’S GONNA HURT Maroon 5 12600
69 65 1 24 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 986000
70 70 70 2 FIRE IN ETERNAL FLAME Monarchy 12000

71 43 29 9 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 102200
72 RE 35 5 TONIGHT AGAIN (Australia) Guy Sebastian 57550
73 73 73 3 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 15800
74 NEW 74 1 HOLD ME UP Conrad Sewell 5200
75 75 75 2 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 10000

DROP OUTS
47 40 5 PERFECT LOVE AFFAIR Shaun Escoffrey 53000
49 33 6 APART Kasper Bjorke featuring Sisy Ey 72000
50 50 6 SHE AIN’T ME Sinead Harnett 58700
56 1 12 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 580500
59 19 8 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 129750
61 27 7 ALL CRIED OUT Blonde featuring Alex Newell 73950
64 64 2 HEY MAMA David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj Bebe Rexha & Afrojack 13100
66 1 18 KING Years And Years 725600
72 26 6 VINTAGE High Dive Heart 82700

28th June 2015

It’s still Brandon Flowers for a 6th week on top, a run not seen since Keane’s Disconnected did 7 weeks, and one week short of Brandon’s Crossfire! Giorgio Moroder gets a second number 2 of the year, still short of a number one as an act, technically – though of course had producers been given artist credit back in the day may as well say I Feel Love the first actual EDM track (if one ignores the more novelty Hot Butter instrumental Popcorn from 1972) in 1977 was Giorgio Moroder featuring Donna Summer. Let’s be honest, it’s no different from Calvin Harris or David Guetta in any way whatsoever, excepting that Giorgio invented the genre. Britney gets her highest chart placing since Everytime and Toxic topped the chart in succession, while Cilla Black gets yet another oldie top 5 entry, the third in the last year – this time it’s Burt Bacharach’s classic film theme Alfie, which pre-dated my first chart (but which would have been a big chart hit cos I loved Cilla when I wuz a kiddie).

Paul Weller gets another top 10 to add to his long list of ’em, stretching back to 1978 and The Jam, while the highest new entry is from country star Kacey Musgraves, finally getting a biggie in my charts. Holly Johnson has a welcome loooooong overdue top 40 return (say, 25 years or so), though Frankie stuff has charted in the interim many a time. James Taylor also hasn’t troubled my top 40 since the 80’s, most likely – I still have no access to my old chartfile, doh! Meanwhile I saw the classic Rumour’s Fleetwood Mac line-up this week at the O2, and they were fab, fab, fab, so Songbird, the closing track, much-covered pops in. There aren’t many tracks off that album that haven’t made my charts, as each time it enters the UK album chart it gives me another excuse to chart another one. Yay!

1 1 1 9 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1241000
2 5 2 3 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 181800
3 2 2 5 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 282000
4 4 2 8 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 401850
5 20 5 26 ALFIE Cilla Black 356400
6 3 3 5 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 335000
7 6 3 6 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 353000
8 28 8 2 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 66300
9 10 9 5 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 157400
10 16 10 2 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 67000

11 12 11 2 JOAN OF ARC Madonna 72000
12 7 6 10 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 391200
13 36 13 2 A MONSTER LIKE ME (Norway) Morland & Debrah Scarlett 49400
14 14 14 3 A MINHA MENINA Os Mutantes 83000
15 8 3 7 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 383000
16 26 16 4 GHOST TOWN Adam Lambert 56100
17 17 4 11 HOME Max Jury 324500
18 18 18 11 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 213000
19 15 1 12 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 658250
20 24 10 10 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 202500

21 11 11 6 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 166750
22 13 4 7 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 291500
23 NEW 23 1 HIGH TIME Kacey Musgraves 19250
24 9 9 8 ROADS Lawson 147800
25 19 19 11 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 142200
26 21 1 8 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 599750
27 22 22 4 WANT TO WANT ME Jason Derulo 73200
28 30 28 2 DREAMS Beck 36300
29 35 29 3 GET UP Chinese Man featuring Ex-l, Lush One & Plex Rock 53200
30 47 30 2 WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING Rixton 30500

31 48 31 2 BLACK SMOKE (Germany) Ann Sophie 30200
32 27 20 5 SHOTS Imagine Dragons 79800
33 68 33 4 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 34900
34 31 1 8 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 437000
35 38 35 3 SHINE Years And Years 47950
36 39 36 7 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 83000
37 60 37 3 YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE Conchita Wurst 33100
38 69 38 5 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 45400
39 56 39 3 MONTANA James Taylor 33300
40 23 9 7 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 172050

41 41 1 16 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 919000
42 25 17 5 THANK YOU Will Young 84750
43 29 29 8 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 96400
44 34 6 6 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 175150
45 64 45 2 ONE LAST TIME Ariana Grande 20100
46 54 46 4 BAD BLOOD Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar 35550
47 40 40 5 PERFECT LOVE AFFAIR Shaun Escoffrey 53000
48 49 48 5 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 59150
49 33 33 6 APART Kasper Bjorke featuring Sisy Ey 72000
50 57 50 6 SHE AIN’T ME Sinead Harnett 58700

51 50 10 11 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 188950
52 55 25 10 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 139500
53 59 53 4 NEW YORK RAINING Charles Hamilton featuring Rita Ora 34550
54 43 2 12 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 556500
55 NEW 55 1 GLITTERBALL Sigma featuring Ella Henderson 10800
56 45 1 12 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 580500
57 NEW 57 1 ARE YOU WITH ME Lost Frequencies 10400
58 NEW 58 1 WAVES Nell Bryden featuring Tom McRae 10200
59 42 19 8 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 129750
60 NEW 60 1 SONGBIRD Fleetwood Mac 10000

61 44 27 7 ALL CRIED OUT Blonde featuring Alex Newell 73950
62 65 62 2 TREASURED SOUL Michael Calfan 14300
63 72 63 2 SHUT UP AND DANCE WALK THE MOON 12800
64 70 64 2 HEY MAMA David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj Bebe Rexha & Afrojack 13100
65 62 1 23 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 979800
66 63 1 18 KING Years And Years 725600
67 66 1 21 SPEED KILLS 10CC 669200
68 NEW 68 1 THE WAY YOU WERE Shayne Ward 6400
69 NEW 69 1 THIS SUMMER’S GONNA HURT Maroon 5 6200
70 NEW 70 1 FIRE IN ETERNAL FLAME Monarchy 6000

71 NEW 71 1 CAN’T FEEL MY FACE The Weeknd 5800
72 32 26 6 VINTAGE High Dive Heart 82700
73 75 73 2 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 10400
74 74 20 13 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 133000
75 NEW 75 1 SPOOKY Dusty Springfield 5000

DROP OUTS
37 37 5 GRANDE AMORE (Italy) Il Volo 73350
46 12 8 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 160950
51 16 9 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 169900
52 52 1 HERE FOR YOU (Slovenia) Maraaya 11500
53 43 3 TIME Jungle 31950
58 38 7 I REALLY LIKE YOU Carly Rae Jepsen 73200
61 49 4 THAT’S ALRIGHT WITH ME Andreya Triana 35500
67 46 5 QUICKSAND Caro Emerald 46850
71 61 3 AMERICA’S SWEETHEART Elle King 19500
73 7 16 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 364400

21st June 2015

It’s Brandon Flowers on top for a 5th week, he says he can change but no change here, he’s even seen off himself and Hurts who are at 2 for the their second-biggest hit. I Can Change is now only 2 weeks short of the run on top that Crossfire had. Highest new track is a re-entry for Giorgio Moroder and Britney Spears at 5, making a second top 10 appearance for Tom’s Diner (last time was DNA and Suzanne Vega in 1990), a second top 10 for Giorgio in 2015, while his 3rd track with SIA breaks into the 20. Britney gets her highest chart position for a decade, though she has made the top 10 in the interim, most recently with will.i.am, and it extends her run of hits to 17 years.

Talking of long-running female hitmakers, Madonna’s back with another track off her latest album at 12, the fab Joan Of Arc, her 5th top 20 of the year and 31 years of chart entries, she must be pushing closer and closer to 100 hits, as she’s had 75 UK top 75 entries, and quite a number of American-only singles and album tracks and non-hits have charted for me. In at 16, Jack Savoretti has a quick top 20 follow-up with Written In Scars, Paul Weller picks the wrong first single from Saturns Pattern and the one that should have been first is in at 28, Going My Way giving him 38 Style Jam-tastic years of chart entries. Beck’s also back for the first time in years with a great new single, Dreams at 30, for 21 years since he was first a Loser.

Some more Eurovision entries as I belatedly play them more, and that also applies to a bunch of UK top 40 tracks that have been pottering around outside my top 75 for a while. Finally Marvin Gaye’s at 10, but he’s also at 75 – as a song title. It’s not the first time he’s featured in song (Diana Ross, and The Commodores both did it in 1985) though he’s not had his name as the title before. Marvin The Paranoid Android had a hit with Marvin, though. Brain the size of a planet and here I am handing out trivia….or something like that!

1 1 1 8 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 1071000
2 4 2 4 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 197000
3 3 3 4 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 280000
4 2 2 7 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 336850
5 RE 5 2 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 66800
6 6 3 5 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 303000
7 7 6 9 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 359200
8 8 3 6 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 356000
9 15 9 7 ROADS Lawson 128800
10 10 10 4 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 112400

11 11 11 5 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 147000
12 NEW 12 1 JOAN OF ARC Madonna 35000
13 12 4 6 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 272000
14 16 14 2 A MINHA MENINA Os Mutantes 54000
15 9 1 11 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 637200
16 NEW 16 1 WRITTEN IN SCARS Jack Savoretti 25000
17 13 4 10 HOME Max Jury 301500
18 19 18 10 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 191000
19 23 19 10 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 123450
20 25 20 25 ALFIE Cilla Black 296400

21 5 1 7 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 599750
22 29 22 3 WANT TO WANT ME Jason Derulo 54800
23 14 9 6 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 155050
24 18 10 9 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 182500
25 17 17 4 THANK YOU Will Young 71000
26 63 26 3 GHOST TOWN Adam Lambert 31100
27 20 20 4 SHOTS Imagine Dragons 62000
28 NEW 28 1 GOING MY WAY Paul Weller 18300
29 32 29 7 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 82900
30 NEW 30 1 DREAMS Beck 18000

31 21 1 7 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 419400
32 26 26 5 VINTAGE High Dive Heart 77100
33 36 33 5 APART Kasper Bjorke featuring Sisy Ey 59900
34 28 6 5 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 161900
35 35 35 2 GET UP Chinese Man featuring Ex-l, Lush One & Plex Rock 35000
36 NEW 36 1 A MONSTER LIKE ME (Norway) Morland & Debrah Scarlett 17400
37 37 37 5 GRANDE AMORE (Italy) Il Volo 73350
38 44 38 2 SHINE Years And Years 30450
39 54 39 6 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 65600
40 48 40 4 PERFECT LOVE AFFAIR Shaun Escoffrey 40500

41 41 1 15 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 905000
42 24 19 7 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 119650
43 22 2 11 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 545500
44 27 27 6 ALL CRIED OUT Blonde featuring Alex Newell 66450
45 34 1 11 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 569900
46 30 12 8 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 160950
47 NEW 47 1 WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING Rixton 12500
48 NEW 48 1 BLACK SMOKE (Germany) Ann Sophie 12300
49 50 49 4 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 46850
50 40 10 10 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 177200

51 33 16 9 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 169900
52 NEW 52 1 HERE FOR YOU (Slovenia) Maraaya 11500
53 43 43 3 TIME Jungle 31950
54 70 54 3 BAD BLOOD Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar 22800
55 42 25 9 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 128000
56 72 56 2 MONTANA James Taylor 16200
57 57 57 5 SHE AIN’T ME Sinead Harnett 46700
58 38 38 7 I REALLY LIKE YOU Carly Rae Jepsen 73200
59 67 59 3 NEW YORK RAINING Charles Hamilton featuring Rita Ora 23300
60 71 60 2 YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE Conchita Wurst 15800

61 49 49 4 THAT’S ALRIGHT WITH ME Andreya Triana 35500
62 52 1 22 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 972800
63 53 1 17 KING Years And Years 718800
64 NEW 64 1 ONE LAST TIME Ariana Grande 7100
65 NEW 65 1 TREASURED SOUL Michael Calfan 7000
66 66 1 20 SPEED KILLS 10CC 662600
67 46 46 5 QUICKSAND Caro Emerald 46850
68 RE 68 3 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 17200
69 74 56 4 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 28200
70 NEW 70 1 HEY MAMA David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj Bebe Rexha & Afrojack 6000

71 61 61 3 AMERICA’S SWEETHEART Elle King 19500
72 NEW 72 1 SHUT UP AND DANCE WALK THE MOON 5600
73 RE 7 16 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 364400
74 RE 20 12 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 127800
75 NEW 75 1 MARVIN GAYE Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor 5000

DROP OUTS
31 10 19 HERE I GO AGAIN (959900) Archie Bell And The Drells 433400
39 26 4 SEE YOU AGAIN Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth 61000
45 34 7 JEALOUS Nick Jonas 84200
47 35 8 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 99650
51 16 6 SHIP TO WRECK Florence And The Machine 105900
55 31 6 STILL WANT YOU Brandon Flowers 87050
56 8 12 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 220500
58 32 4 LOVE INJECTED (Latvia) Aminata 57800
59 9 9 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 220900
60 30 4 NIGHTCLUB NIRVANA Lo-Fi-Fnk 53000
62 8 10 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 237200
64 64 2 COME AND GET IT John Newman 14200
65 65 3 BREAK THE RULES (AQUOSTIC LIVE VERSION) Status Quo 18800
68 25 5 SORRY Meg Myers 68200
69 11 9 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 160550
73 35 4 TONIGHT AGAIN (Australia) Guy Sebastian 51950
75 9 15 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 256000

14th June 2015

It’s Brandon Flowers versus Brandon Flowers for the top spot, but I Can Change just edges out Lonely Town as it returns for a 4th week on top, Lonely Town peaking at 2 so far. Tame Impala hit 3 and Hurts rocket to 4 to claim their biggest of several top 10 singles, bar the number one with Calvin Harris. Kygo remixes Marvin Gaye, and Sexual Healing goes top 10 for the first time since 1982.

Highest new entry at 16? Portuguese 1960’s psychedelic rock classic? Ring a bell? You may know the cover by the Bees, but I prefer the original quirky fab original, having discovered it the other week. So it’s new to me, even though it’s 47 years old or so. Love that guitar riff! Imagine Dragons have some Shots inside the 20, as per usual for them, while among the new entries is James Taylor, singer-songwriter veteran who once upon a time had some Fire and Rain, and noted You’ve Got A Friend back in 1971. Montana is getting plays on Radio 2, for a cool 44 years of new chart entries in my poptastic chartfreak lists.

1 2 1 7 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 901000
2 3 2 6 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 271850
3 4 3 3 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 195000
4 60 4 3 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 82000
5 1 1 6 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 580000
6 5 3 4 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 248000
7 8 6 8 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 309200
8 6 3 5 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 308000
9 7 1 10 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 610200
10 18 10 3 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 70400

11 13 11 4 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 110000
12 12 4 5 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 240000
13 11 4 9 HOME Max Jury 278500
14 9 9 5 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 135800
15 15 15 6 ROADS Lawson 83800
16 NEW 16 1 A MINHA MENINA Os Mutantes 25000
17 23 17 3 THANK YOU Will Young 52250
18 17 10 8 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 163500
19 20 19 9 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 169000
20 36 20 3 SHOTS Imagine Dragons 43600

21 21 1 6 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 401500
22 22 2 10 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 532000
23 37 23 9 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 102450
24 19 19 6 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 105900
25 27 25 24 ALFIE Cilla Black 276400
26 32 26 4 VINTAGE High Dive Heart 59300
27 29 27 5 ALL CRIED OUT Blonde featuring Alex Newell 53200
28 14 6 4 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 144300
29 39 29 2 WANT TO WANT ME Jason Derulo 35300
30 24 12 7 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 148200

31 10 10 19 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 433400
32 38 32 6 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 64700
33 16 16 8 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 157150
34 28 1 10 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 556900
35 NEW 35 1 GET UP Chinese Man featuring Ex-l, Lush One & Plex Rock 17500
36 47 36 4 APART Kasper Bjorke featuring Sisy Ey 42200
37 44 37 4 GRANDE AMORE (Italy) Il Volo 56050
38 40 38 6 I REALLY LIKE YOU Carly Rae Jepsen 63000
39 26 26 4 SEE YOU AGAIN Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth 61000
40 33 10 9 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 165200

41 41 1 14 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 891000
42 25 25 8 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 117200
43 63 43 2 TIME Jungle 20700
44 NEW 44 1 SHINE Years And Years 13250
45 34 34 7 JEALOUS Nick Jonas 84200
46 58 46 4 QUICKSAND Caro Emerald 40250
47 35 35 8 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 99650
48 72 48 3 PERFECT LOVE AFFAIR Shaun Escoffrey 23500
49 59 49 3 THAT’S ALRIGHT WITH ME Andreya Triana 28000
50 52 50 3 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 34750

51 43 16 6 SHIP TO WRECK Florence And The Machine 105900
52 49 1 21 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 965400
53 50 1 16 KING Years And Years 711600
54 56 54 5 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 48500
55 31 31 6 STILL WANT YOU Brandon Flowers 87050
56 45 8 12 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 220500
57 57 57 4 SHE AIN’T ME Sinead Harnett 36300
58 48 32 4 LOVE INJECTED (Latvia) Aminata 57800
59 42 9 9 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 220900
60 30 30 4 NIGHTCLUB NIRVANA Lo-Fi-Fnk 53000

61 69 61 2 AMERICA’S SWEETHEART Elle King 13700
62 54 8 10 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 237200
63 RE 63 2 GHOST TOWN Adam Lambert 12600
64 64 64 2 COME AND GET IT John Newman 14200
65 RE 65 3 BREAK THE RULES (AQUOSTIC LIVE VERSION) Status Quo 18800
66 66 1 19 SPEED KILLS 10CC 655800
67 67 67 2 NEW YORK RAINING Charles Hamilton featuring Rita Ora 13200
68 46 25 5 SORRY Meg Myers 68200
69 53 11 9 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 160550
70 71 70 2 BAD BLOOD Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar 11800

71 NEW 71 1 YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE Conchita Wurst 5800
72 NEW 72 1 MONTANA James Taylor 5600
73 51 35 4 TONIGHT AGAIN (Australia) Guy Sebastian 51950
74 RE 56 3 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 22000
75 75 9 15 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 256000

DROP OUTS
55 7 8 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 169800
61 2 9 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 429500
62 1 10 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 599550
65 1 18 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 703150
68 62 5 SHINE ON Simply Red 29800
70 70 2 KILLING ALL MY DARLINGS Maria Hazell 11200
73 73 2 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 10800
74 1 25 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 981800

7th June 2015

Hot Chocolate get their 2nd topper of the year with an oldie, for the late Errol Brown, their first hit from 1970 which I charted but never got it’s just dues as I barely heard it until 1975, due to living In Singapore when it was a hit. I love it, still, and it’s their 8th number one. Brandon Flowers gets knocked down to 2 – but he’s also up to 3 with Lonely Town, his 3rd top 3 of the year, and a previous number one holds at 7, and a 4th goes up to 31. Good thing I haven’t bought the album yet or the chart might get invaded!

Tame Impala sounding like Beatles circa 1966 are at 4, cos it’s fab gear, while Lawson return with a bang hitting the roads at 15. Kygo leapfrogs himself (times 2) as his remix of Marvin Gaye shoots up to 18, 33 years since the original was last in the 20. Highest actual new entry is Jason Derulo at 39, Jungle come back a year after it was last in my chart (with Time, a long enough break for it to qualify as a new hit rather than re-entry: I mean you HAVE to have some point in time to stop calling them re-entries, as it just doesn’t make sense once there are 2 very different chart runs separated by years. Others; Rita Ora, Taylor Swift and John Newman are all back with new hits, with or without the obligatory featuring credit.

1 2 1 5 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 520000
2 1 1 6 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 731000
3 15 3 5 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 156850
4 9 4 2 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 110000
5 3 3 3 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 193000
6 5 3 4 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 260000
7 7 1 9 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 565200
8 8 6 7 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 259200
9 16 9 4 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 106800
10 11 10 18 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 415500

11 4 4 8 HOME Max Jury 246500
12 6 4 4 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 205000
13 14 13 3 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 73000
14 10 6 3 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 126000
15 RE 15 5 ROADS Lawson 56800
16 17 16 7 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 139450
17 12 10 7 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 141500
18 68 18 2 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 28400
19 24 19 5 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 86900
20 23 20 8 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 148000

21 13 1 5 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 381750
22 19 2 9 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 512500
23 60 23 2 THANK YOU Will Young 29250
24 18 12 6 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 130200
25 30 25 7 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 103450
26 27 26 3 SEE YOU AGAIN Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth 43900
27 29 27 23 ALFIE Cilla Black 257650
28 20 1 9 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 539300
29 67 29 4 ALL CRIED OUT Blonde featuring Alex Newell 34800
30 34 30 3 NIGHTCLUB NIRVANA Lo-Fi-Fnk 43000

31 33 31 5 STILL WANT YOU Brandon Flowers 76250
32 36 32 3 VINTAGE High Dive Heart 40800
33 22 10 8 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 148200
34 39 34 6 JEALOUS Nick Jonas 71200
35 37 35 7 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 87150
36 69 36 2 SHOTS Imagine Dragons 23600
37 47 37 8 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 83200
38 49 38 5 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 46900
39 NEW 39 1 WANT TO WANT ME Jason Derulo 17100
40 50 40 5 I REALLY LIKE YOU Carly Rae Jepsen 45800

41 41 1 13 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 877000
42 21 9 8 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 210800
43 28 16 5 SHIP TO WRECK Florence And The Machine 94150
44 46 44 3 GRANDE AMORE (Italy) Il Volo 38750
45 26 8 11 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 209900
46 25 25 4 SORRY Meg Myers 61800
47 64 47 3 APART Kasper Bjorke featuring Sisy Ey 24800
48 32 32 3 LOVE INJECTED (Latvia) Aminata 47600
49 44 1 20 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 953900
50 42 1 15 KING Years And Years 700350

51 35 35 3 TONIGHT AGAIN (Australia) Guy Sebastian 46550
52 53 52 2 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 22750
53 31 11 8 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 154350
54 45 8 9 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 229800
55 43 7 8 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 169800
56 56 56 4 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 37500
57 59 57 3 SHE AIN’T ME Sinead Harnett 25900
58 52 52 3 QUICKSAND Caro Emerald 27500
59 71 59 2 THAT’S ALRIGHT WITH ME Andreya Triana 15900
60 65 60 2 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 17000

61 48 2 9 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 429500
62 40 1 10 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 599550
63 NEW 63 1 TIME Jungle 7200
64 NEW 64 1 COME AND GET IT John Newman 7100
65 58 1 18 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 703150
66 66 1 18 SPEED KILLS 10CC 649000
67 NEW 67 1 NEW YORK RAINING Charles Hamilton featuring Rita Ora 6600
68 RE 62 5 SHINE ON Simply Red 29800
69 NEW 69 1 AMERICA’S SWEETHEART Elle King 6200
70 74 70 2 KILLING ALL MY DARLINGS Maria Hazell 11200

71 NEW 71 1 BAD BLOOD Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamarr 5800
72 72 72 2 PERFECT LOVE AFFAIR Shaun Escoffrey 11200
73 73 73 2 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 10800
74 70 1 25 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 981800
75 63 9 14 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 251000

DROP OUTS
38 20 6 ARE YOU READY Texas 97350
51 14 11 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 238850
54 15 8 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 170700
55 55 3 CUT ME LOOSE LYON 27600
57 4 12 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 312500
61 51 3 ON A TRAIN Northbrook 29350
62 38 10 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 114000
75 75 1 TROUBLE Iggy Azalea featuring Jennifer Hudson 5000

31st May 2015

3 weeks for Brandon Flowers, I Can Change, but I don’t want to I still love it to bits, fab song, fab Bronski Beat samples and fab Neil Tennant voicemail message in it. Just for the record Pet Shop Boy Neil has featured on other chart-toppers outside the band by Liza Minelli, Dusty Springfield, David Bowie, and now Brandon. Of course I love it! Both of them have impeccable taste in music! Brandon now has 3 tracks in the top 15, 4 in the 40.

That leaves the Swedish Eurovision winner up to 3, Heroes, and a very Beatles/John Lennon track I missed the other year as highest new entry at 9 from Australia’s Tame Impala, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards. In at 53 it’s a record that dropped out of my charts 43 years ago – and it was already a few years old by then! It’s currently getting a featuring credit for Rod Stewart, though it’s really Python Lee Jackson (Rod didn’t even get a credit as he was hired in for the track before he became famous), and the track using it is not in my chart (A$AP Rocky, and Everyday). I’ll take the original, which was reissued on World Record Store Day a few weeks back, and is thus eligible to chart again.

Others back: Will Young getting all interesting with his new album tracks, Hurts back after a longish gap, Kygo getting a 3rd entry as remixer of the Marvin Gaye soul classic, Imagine Dragons keeping the chart entries coming (though not the UK single), and Holly Johnson is back again. Frankie Says About Time!

1 1 1 5 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 616000
2 2 2 4 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 350000
3 8 3 2 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 133000
4 5 4 7 HOME Max Jury 209500
5 3 3 3 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 205000
6 4 4 3 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 170000
7 7 1 8 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 515200
8 11 6 6 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 211200
9 NEW 9 1 FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS Tame Impala 45000
10 6 6 2 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 97000

11 13 11 17 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 373500
12 10 10 6 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 118500
13 9 1 4 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 362000
14 50 14 2 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 41000
15 21 15 4 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 71850
16 22 16 3 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 61800
17 18 17 6 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 114450
18 12 12 5 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 111200
19 15 2 8 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 493000
20 19 1 8 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 521000

21 17 9 7 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 197050
22 14 10 7 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 130500
23 25 23 7 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 128000
24 24 24 4 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 65900
25 28 25 3 SORRY Meg Myers 49050
26 26 8 10 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 196900
27 65 27 2 SEE YOU AGAIN Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth 25400
28 16 16 4 SHIP TO WRECK Florence And The Machine 79650
29 32 29 22 ALFIE Cilla Black 239250
30 30 30 6 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 84700

31 20 11 7 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 143100
32 35 32 2 LOVE INJECTED (Latvia) Aminata 35300
33 36 33 4 STILL WANT YOU Brandon Flowers 58350
34 62 34 2 NIGHTCLUB NIRVANA Lo-Fi-Fnk 25000
35 37 35 2 TONIGHT AGAIN (Australia) Guy Sebastian 34800
36 72 36 2 VINTAGE High Dive Heart 23000
37 49 37 6 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 69650
38 23 20 6 ARE YOU READY Texas 97350
39 45 39 5 JEALOUS Nick Jonas 53600
40 27 1 9 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 592150

41 39 1 12 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 863000
42 42 1 14 KING Years And Years 688350
43 43 7 7 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 159000
44 40 1 19 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 941800
45 34 8 8 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 218800
46 46 46 2 GRANDE AMORE (Italy) Il Volo 25500
47 56 47 7 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 65900
48 33 2 8 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 422000
49 63 49 4 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 29700
50 68 50 4 I REALLY LIKE YOU Carly Rae Jepsen 28800

51 29 14 11 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 238850
52 71 52 2 QUICKSAND Caro Emerald 17300
53 NEW 53 1 IN A BROKEN DREAM Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart 11250
54 38 15 8 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 170700
55 57 55 3 CUT ME LOOSE LYON 27600
56 59 56 3 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 26900
57 31 4 12 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 312500
58 54 1 17 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 696150
59 73 59 2 SHE AIN’T ME Sinead Harnett 15500
60 NEW 60 1 THANK YOU Will Young 10000

61 51 51 3 ON A TRAIN Northbrook 29350
62 52 38 10 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 114000
63 58 9 13 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 246000
64 74 64 2 APART Kasper Bjorke featuring Sisy Ey 12300
65 NEW 65 1 SOME KIND OF HEAVEN Hurts 7000
66 64 1 17 SPEED KILLS 10CC 642200
67 75 67 3 ALL CRIED OUT Blonde featuring Alex Newell 16600
68 NEW 68 1 (SEXUAL) HEALING (KYGO REMIX) Marvin Gaye 6400
69 NEW 69 1 SHOTS Imagine Dragons 6200
70 66 1 24 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 976600

71 NEW 71 1 THAT’S ALRIGHT WITH ME Andreya Triana 5800
72 NEW 72 1 PERFECT LOVE AFFAIR Shaun Escoffrey 5600
73 NEW 73 1 DANCING WITH NO FEAR Holly Johnson 5400
74 NEW 74 1 KILLING ALL MY DARLINGS Maria Hazell 5200
75 NEW 75 1 TROUBLE Iggy Azalea featuring Jennifer Hudson 5000

DROP OUTS
41 9 5 THE WAY YOU ARE (Denmark) Anti Social Media 126250
44 13 7 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 174750
47 28 5 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 71800
48 15 11 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 182550
53 53 2 NEVER LET YOU GO Dash Berlin and John Dahlback featuring BullySongs 18350
55 55 3 SOMEONE NEW Hozier 27400
60 60 4 TALK ABOUT YOU MIKA 32400
61 61 2 STATE LINES The Shires 14100
67 20 3 STAND BY ME Ben E. King 40600
69 56 2 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 16800
70 70 2 BREAK THE RULES (AQOUSTIC LIVE VERSION) Status Quo 11800

24th May 2015

It’s Brandon Flowers fantastic I Can Change grabbing a second week at 1, and holding off the mass onslaught of classic Hot Chocolate (Love Is Life peaking at 2 for the second time 45 years on) and Grace’s revamp of You Don’t Own Me, the song hitting the top 3 for the second time this year. Not to mention Jax Jones at 4, two new Eurovision entries from Belgium and Sweden (the winner) inside the top 10, and Max Jury a 21-year-old singer-songwriter currently supporting Rufus Wainwright at 5 with the gorgeous atmospheric Home. Lean On also belatedly goes top 10, as I finally get hooked on Major Lazer’s goodie.

Fair to say my chart is totally dominated by two song contests, Eurovision and online Buzzjack, the UK singles chart now having less and less effect by the week, being as I don’t bother listening to it anymore now that brilliant top 40 sales hits barely scrape into the 75 as the terminally dull months and months runs in the charts of some singles from streaming make it unlistenable. Which will of course make the charts even worse as people hook onto the few new entries late in the day and make them hang around even longer. For example I just bought the Whiz Khalifa single weeks late as I don’t get to hear it much and it took a while to sink in. Ah well, the record industry only has itself to blame….

1 1 1 4 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 446000
2 3 2 3 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 235000
3 5 3 2 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 145000
4 7 4 2 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 115000
5 17 5 6 HOME Max Jury 144500
6 NEW 6 1 RHYTHM INSIDE (Belgium) Loic Nottet 55000
7 4 1 7 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 465200
8 NEW 8 1 HEROES (Sweden) Mans Zelmerlow 48000
9 2 1 3 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 330000
10 40 10 5 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 83500

11 6 6 5 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 163200
12 15 12 4 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 89200
13 14 13 16 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 336500
14 10 10 6 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 111000
15 8 2 7 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 472000
16 25 16 3 SHIP TO WRECK Florence And The Machine 61350
17 13 9 6 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 177300
18 18 18 5 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 91450
19 9 1 7 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 501000
20 11 11 6 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 125200

21 34 21 3 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 44850
22 37 22 2 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 36800
23 20 20 5 ARE YOU READY Texas 80150
24 32 24 3 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 46900
25 27 25 6 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 108750
26 26 8 9 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 178400
27 19 1 8 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 575150
28 50 28 2 SORRY Meg Myers 30300
29 22 14 10 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 227100
30 30 30 5 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 66700

31 16 4 11 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 302100
32 35 32 21 ALFIE Cilla Black 221050
33 12 2 7 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 409700
34 29 8 7 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 205800
35 NEW 35 1 LOVE INJECTED (Latvia) Aminata 17500
36 44 36 3 STILL WANT YOU Brandon Flowers 40650
37 NEW 37 1 TONIGHT AGAIN (Australia) Guy Sebastian 17300
38 23 15 7 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 159700
39 31 1 11 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 849000
40 33 1 18 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 928550

41 21 9 5 THE WAY YOU ARE (Denmark) Anti Social Media 126250
42 39 1 13 KING Years And Years 674600
43 36 7 6 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 145750
44 24 13 7 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 174750
45 47 45 4 JEALOUS Nick Jonas 36500
46 NEW 46 1 GRANDE AMORE (Italy) Il Volo
47 28 28 5 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 71800
48 61 15 11 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 182550
49 53 47 5 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 52350
50 NEW 50 1 PUSH A-Track featuring Andrew Wyatt 12000

51 59 51 2 ON A TRAIN Northbrook 21850
52 38 38 9 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 106600
53 64 53 2 NEVER LET YOU GO Dash Berlin and John Dahlback featuring BullySongs 18350
54 49 1 16 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 685950
55 55 55 3 SOMEONE NEW Hozier 27400
56 65 50 6 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 53400
57 68 57 2 CUT ME LOOSE LYON 16800
58 58 9 12 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 238800
59 69 59 2 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 16300
60 60 60 4 TALK ABOUT YOU MIKA 32400

61 67 61 2 STATE LINE The Shires 14100
62 NEW 62 1 NIGHTCLUB NIRVANA Lo-Fi-Fnk 7400
63 74 63 3 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 17600
64 63 1 16 SPEED KILLS 10CC 635400
65 NEW 65 1 SEE YOU AGAIN Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth 7000
66 57 1 23 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 970600
67 41 20 3 STAND BY ME Ben E. King 40600
68 73 68 3 I REALLY LIKE YOU Carly Rae Jepsen 16800
69 56 56 2 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 16800
70 71 70 2 BREAK THE RULES (AQOUSTIC LIVE VERSION) Status Quo 11800

71 NEW 71 1 QUICKSAND Caro Emerald 5800
72 NEW 72 1 VINTAGE High Dive Heart 5600
73 NEW 73 1 SHE AIN’T ME Sinead Harnett 5400
74 NEW 74 1 APART Kasper Bjorke featuring Sisy Ey 5200
75 75 75 2 ALL CRIED OUT Blonde featuring Alex Newell 10000

DROP OUTS
42 19 8 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 142200
43 37 5 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 78500
45 27 5 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 72600
46 35 6 CURTAINS Last Lynx 92350
48 4 9 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 328400
51 36 5 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 68400
52 4 9 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 339750
54 43 6 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 50000
62 62 4 SHINE ON Simply Red 23400
66 54 4 ROADS Lawson 39800
70 7 15 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 359000
72 72 1 SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN Billy Joel 5600

17th May 2015

It’s Brandon Flowers second number one of the year, his 3rd solo topper, and his 4th in total including the Killers, with the fabulous Bronski Beat sampling I Can Change, which means Jimmy Somerville not only had to wait 31 years to get a number one from his debut Smalltown Boy, he then only had to wait another 3 weeks for a second (sort of) based loosely around said first hit. Hot Chocolate, and the late Errol Brown, get knocked off the top only to go up to join themselves in the top 3 with the 1970 Love Is Life, as they push out Brandon Flowers previous number one to 4. Just to keep the repeat themes going, and the tributes, the late Lesley Gore hit number one a couple of months ago with You Don’t Own me, her fab 60’s defiant girl-power ballad, and now it’s back updated by Grace, the highest new entry at 5.

Jax Jones enters at 7 with a Massive Attack-borrowed riff, the soulful fabulous Yeah Yeah Yeah, the vocal hook sampling Nina Simone’s 50-year-old Be My Husband, which was co-incidentally written by her then-husband. As I’ve given Nina a featuring credit (I always do where the main vocal of a song is a key sample, but not where the hook is more of a template, so nothing for Massive Attack or Jimmy Somerville) that also means she has a 47-year span of new chart entries (she hit number one for me in late 68 with Ain’t Got No..I Got Life, before it took 30-odd years to come back big again). That makes Nina the new record-holder if I discount Paul McCartney as part of The Beatles.

Freemasons get another top 10, having had 2 previous chart-toppers in the noughties, and FFS hit 15, giving Franz Ferdinand their biggest hit in years, and Sparks a run of 41 years of top 20 hits. They hit the top 20 in every decade since topping in 1974. Never huge, but always consistent and always back with interesting stuff. Elsewhere: 4 Brandon tracks in the charts, Leona Lewis is back with one of her better singles, and Quo keep the 1974 theme going as their hit from the spring of 74 returns acoustic and live, Break The Rules, boys!

1 2 1 3 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 276000
2 1 1 2 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 285000
3 6 3 2 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 120000
4 3 1 6 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 415200
5 NEW 5 1 YOU DON’T OWN ME Grace featuring G-Eazy 60000
6 8 6 4 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 126200
7 NEW 7 1 YEAH YEAH YEAH Jax Jones featuring Nina Simone 50000
8 4 2 6 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 445000
9 5 1 6 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 480000
10 30 10 5 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 82050

11 19 11 5 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 105200
12 10 2 6 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 392000
13 9 9 5 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 154300
14 14 14 15 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 304500
15 40 15 3 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 54200
16 7 4 10 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 284200
17 17 17 5 HOME Max Jury 84500
18 23 18 4 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 69450
19 11 1 7 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 556750
20 29 20 4 ARE YOU READY Texas 60900

21 12 9 4 THE WAY YOU ARE (DENMARK) Anti Social Media 112250
22 18 14 9 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 208900
23 15 15 6 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 142500
24 13 13 6 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 161500
25 34 25 2 SHIP TO WRECK Florence And The Machine 36350
26 22 8 8 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 159900
27 28 27 5 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 90000
28 RE 28 4 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 59300
29 16 8 6 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 188200
30 33 30 4 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 48700

31 24 1 10 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 831900
32 59 32 2 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 27900
33 31 1 17 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 911550
34 61 34 2 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 25100
35 38 35 20 ALFIE Cilla Black 203250
36 25 7 5 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 122250
37 NEW 37 1 SHUT OUT OF PARADISE SLO 17300
38 49 38 8 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 95100
39 21 1 12 KING Years And Years 660850
40 55 40 4 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 41500

41 20 20 2 STAND BY ME Ben E. King 34000
42 26 19 8 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 142200
43 37 37 5 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 78500
44 60 44 2 STILL WANT YOU Brandon Flowers 23250
45 27 27 5 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 72600
46 35 35 6 CURTAINS Last Lynx 92350
47 70 47 3 JEALOUS Nick Jonas 23500
48 32 4 9 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 328400
49 46 1 15 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 674950
50 NEW 50 1 SORRY Meg Myers 12000

51 36 36 5 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 68400
52 42 4 9 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 339750
53 47 47 4 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 40250
54 43 43 6 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 50000
55 71 55 2 SOMEONE NEW Hozier 16600
56 NEW 56 1 FIRE UNDER MY FEET Leona Lewis 10600
57 48 1 22 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 963800
58 52 9 11 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 228600
59 NEW 59 1 ON A TRAIN Northbrook 10100
60 66 60 3 TALK ABOUT YOU MIKA 22400

61 41 15 10 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 170250
62 72 62 4 SHINE ON Simply Red 23400
63 62 1 15 SPEED KILLS 10CC 628300
64 NEW 64 1 NEVER LET YOU GO Dash Berlin and John Dahlback featuring BullySongs 7100
65 50 50 5 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 42800
66 54 54 4 ROADS Lawson 39800
67 NEW 67 1 STATE LINE The Shires 6600
68 NEW 68 1 CUT ME LOOSE LYON 6400
69 NEW 69 1 FERRARI Coyote Kisses 6200
70 57 7 15 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 359000

71 NEW 71 1 BREAK THE RULES (AQOUSTIC LIVE VERSION) Status Quo 5800
72 NEW 72 1 SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN Billy Joel 5600
73 75 73 2 I REALLY LIKE YOU Carly Rae Jepsen 10400
74 74 74 2 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 10400
75 NEW 75 1 ALL CRIED OUT Blonde featuring Alex Newell 5000

DROP OUTS
39 10 6 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 132100
44 1 12 LOST STARS Adam Levine 663400
45 12 8 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 201750
51 4 9 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 334400
53 24 5 EGO Tove Styrke 62250
56 25 5 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 79350
58 42 4 SHY Stacey Solomon 35750
63 20 10 SUGAR DADDY Spada 156350
64 38 5 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 62900
65 48 5 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 38700
67 67 3 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 18600
68 20 11 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 122600
69 2 15 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 673000
73 73 1 GHOST TOWN Adam Lambert 5400

10th May 2015

It’s Hot Chocolate’s 1977 classic So You Win Again in at 1, in tribute to the late great Errol Brown, one of pop music’s good people, and the lead singer of one of the most consistent acts of the 70’s and half the 80’s. there were so many faves I could have gone for as tribute, but this is the one really that deserves it. It originally peaked at 2 in my chart, even though I adored it, because it came up against a little music-changing ditty called I Feel Love. It was also written by a great songwriter (not Errol this time) Russ Ballard of Argent. The other Errol track was one of his, the first Hot Chocolate hit from 1970 while he was a hit songwriter for Mickie Most, the fantastic Love Is Life, a track I largely missed while living in Singapore, so now I’m paying just dues. It also has a positive message while I’m not feeling at all positive, not helped by the awful General Election result in the UK. So You Win Again just had to top my chart, cos “here I stand the loser” indeed. My very difficult home-caring duties and home-working life is about to become impossible once the Tories get their hatchets going. Not that I get any practical help anyway (though I am eligible for a free cinema ticket to have a night out on the taxpayer, whoopee), but I’m sure they’ll find a way to make it worse. I loathe most politicians and the 2 I had time for both got booted out. Happy days….

All of which overshadows the Brandon Flowers invasion, as all four advance tracks chart, his number one from last week dropping to 3 as new track I Can Change catapults from 70 to 2, and samples Jimmy Somerville heavily, (Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy) as Jimmy is knocked down to 5 himself. Alesso gets another top 10, following Number One Under Control with Calvin Harris and Hurts, and Parson James gets 2 top 40 entries as featured vocalist, one with Kygo (who also has 2 in the 40) and one with Audien. The late Ben E. King also returns to the chart for the 4th time with 1987 chart-topper classic Stand By Me, a song that had previously hit number one as a cover by John Lennon in 1975. What can I say, it’s a great song, and even the timeless Lennon can’t improve on Ben’s original.

Sparks are back in the 40, 41 years on, as FFS with Franz Ferdinand youngsters of only a decade or so, and both having had one previous chart-topper each. Florence is back with a ship to wreck, another goodie inside the top 40, and that’s about that…

1 NEW 1 1 SO YOU WIN AGAIN Hot Chocolate 170000
2 70 2 2 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 106000
3 1 1 5 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 350200
4 2 2 5 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 397000
5 3 1 5 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 435000
6 NEW 6 1 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate 55000
7 4 4 9 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 259200
8 32 8 3 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 71200
9 10 9 4 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 122300
10 5 2 5 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 357000

11 6 1 6 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 535750
12 9 9 3 THE WAY YOU ARE (DENMARK) Anti Social Media 92500
13 13 13 5 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 142500
14 16 14 14 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 275500
15 15 15 5 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 123250
16 14 8 5 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 170000
17 26 17 4 HOME Max Jury 61500
18 18 14 8 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 189400
19 20 19 4 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 68200
20 NEW 20 1 STAND BY ME Ben E. King 20000

21 17 1 11 KING Years And Years 643750
22 8 8 7 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 141400
23 30 23 3 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 47450
24 12 1 9 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 814000
25 7 7 4 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 104850
26 19 19 7 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 128450
27 29 27 4 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 59600
28 28 28 4 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 71600
29 37 29 3 ARE YOU READY Texas 40900
30 53 30 4 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 40050

31 27 1 16 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 893850
32 11 4 8 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 316100
33 63 33 3 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 30700
34 NEW 34 1 SHIP TO WRECK Florence And The Machine 17600
35 35 35 5 CURTAINS Last Lynx 79600
36 44 36 4 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 56650
37 38 37 4 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 65000
38 39 38 19 ALFIE Cilla Black 185750
39 21 10 6 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 132100
40 58 40 2 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 27200

41 46 15 9 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 162750
42 22 4 8 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 328250
43 64 43 5 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 39000
44 31 1 12 LOST STARS Adam Levine 663400
45 23 12 8 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 201750
46 34 1 14 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 662850
47 52 47 3 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 29000
48 33 1 21 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 953400
49 50 49 7 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 77900
50 55 50 4 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 35800

51 36 4 9 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 334400
52 40 9 10 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 218400
53 24 24 5 EGO Tove Styrke 62250
54 54 54 3 ROADS Lawson 33000
55 61 55 3 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 24500
56 41 25 5 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 79350
57 69 7 14 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 353000
58 42 42 4 SHY Stacey Solomon 35750
59 NEW 59 1 LOUD PLACES Jamie xx featuring Romy 10100
60 NEW 60 1 STILL WANT YOU Brandon Flowers 10000

61 NEW 61 1 LONELY TOWN Brandon Flowers 7500
62 60 1 14 SPEED KILLS 10CC 621100
63 25 20 10 SUGAR DADDY Spada 156350
64 49 38 5 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 62900
65 48 48 5 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 38700
66 72 66 2 TALK ABOUT YOU MIKA 12400
67 RE 67 3 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 18600
68 68 20 11 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 122600
69 62 2 15 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 673000
70 75 70 2 JEALOUS Nick Jonas 11000

71 NEW 71 1 SOMEONE NEW Hozier 5800
72 74 72 3 SHINE ON Simply Red 16000
73 NEW 73 1 GHOST TOWN Adam Lambert 5400
74 NEW 74 1 RUNAWAY (U & I) Galantis 5200
75 NEW 75 1 I REALLY LIKE YOU Carly Rae Jepsen 5000

DROP OUTS
43 18 5 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 90750
45 45 6 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 61400
47 7 8 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 242900
51 27 7 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 109250
56 35 6 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 85200
57 57 2 GERONIMO Sheppard 17900
59 59 2 CRYSTALS Of Monsters And Men 20200
65 40 3 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 41000
66 66 1 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 6800
67 6 16 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 418700
71 71 1 SOMETHING’S MISSING Sheppard 5800
73 4 10 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 255650

3rd May 2015

Brandon Flowers gets his 2nd solo chart-topper and 3rd including The Killers, keeping poor ol’ Will Young at 2. Mumford go top 5, Spada replace themselves in the top 20 and even go top 10 to boot. Giorgio Moroder is also replacing himself lower down the chart, SIA and Kylie swapping places inside the 60 while Britney joins him for a new entry and cover of Suzanne Vega’s DNA version of Tom’s Diner, last in the top 10 25 years ago. Markus Feehily does what Westlife managed once (got into the top 10), but Love Is A Drug is better than Bop Bop Baby.

The top early Eurovision fave from me is Denmark, up to 9, Ali Campbell is back in the 40 35 years after debuting with UB40, ditto Texas but a mere 26 years, while FFS enter inside the 60. Who? It’s Franz Ferdinand and Sparks combining on an album project, Johnny Delusional being very much in the Sparks tradition, quirky now lo these 41 years of love from me.

1 5 1 4 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 265200
2 2 2 4 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 332000
3 1 1 4 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 375000
4 9 4 8 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 209200
5 6 2 4 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 315000
6 3 1 5 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 498750
7 26 7 3 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 86100
8 RE 8 6 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 121900
9 47 9 2 THE WAY YOU ARE (DENMARK) Anti Social Media 57500
10 32 10 3 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 77300

11 4 4 7 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 288300
12 7 1 8 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 795000
13 13 13 4 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 110500
14 8 8 4 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 145000
15 16 15 4 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 96250
16 17 16 13 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 246500
17 11 1 10 KING Years And Years 624000
18 14 14 7 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 167400
19 19 19 6 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 109950
20 39 20 3 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 47200

21 10 10 5 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 115000
22 12 4 7 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 314500
23 22 12 7 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 188750
24 30 24 4 EGO Tove Styrke 51000
25 20 20 9 SUGAR DADDY Spada 149150
26 60 26 3 HOME Max Jury 38500
27 28 1 15 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 875950
28 34 28 3 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 53300
29 50 29 3 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 41200
30 58 30 2 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 28200

31 23 1 11 LOST STARS Adam Levine 650150
32 RE 32 2 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 23200
33 24 1 20 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 941100
34 31 1 13 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 650100
35 37 35 4 CURTAINS Last Lynx 62100
36 15 4 8 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 322650
37 73 37 2 ARE YOU READY Texas 22700
38 40 38 3 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 47700
39 42 39 18 ALFIE Cilla Black 168550
40 36 9 9 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 206900

41 25 25 4 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 68750
42 66 42 3 SHY Stacey Solomon 25550
43 21 18 5 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 90750
44 44 44 3 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 39250
45 45 45 6 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 61400
46 29 15 8 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 148750
47 18 7 8 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 242900
48 65 48 4 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 31700
49 38 38 4 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 55800
50 51 50 6 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 65800

51 33 27 7 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 109250
52 75 52 2 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 16500
53 72 53 3 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 22050
54 54 54 2 ROADS Lawson 22000
55 63 55 3 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 23800
56 35 35 6 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 85200
57 61 57 2 GERONIMO Sheppard 17900
58 NEW 58 1 JOHNNY DELUSIONAL FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks) 10200
59 59 59 2 CRYSTALS Of Monsters And Men 20200
60 53 1 13 SPEED KILLS 10CC 613700

61 69 61 2 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 13700
62 41 2 14 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 666800
63 71 63 2 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 13000
64 67 64 4 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 25500
65 RE 40 3 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 41000
66 NEW 66 1 TOM’S DINER Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears 6800
67 48 6 16 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 418700
68 RE 20 10 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 116200
69 49 7 13 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 342600
70 NEW 70 1 I CAN CHANGE Brandon Flowers 6000

71 NEW 71 1 SOMETHING’S MISSING Sheppard 5800
72 NEW 72 1 TALK ABOUT YOU MIKA 5600
73 46 4 10 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 255650
74 74 74 2 SHINE ON Simply Red 10400
75 NEW 75 1 JEALOUS Nick Jonas 5000

DROP OUTS
27 27 8 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 113950
43 12 6 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 124850
52 52 4 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 39400
55 55 2 WHEN I FOUND YOU Franceso Yates 21000
56 56 3 THIEF The Beach 28300
57 57 5 LONESOME STREET Blur 46800
62 62 3 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 20500
64 64 4 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 23900
68 68 2 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 12000
70 70 2 RUN COIN 12000
60 60 4 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 33400
33 14 5 GOLD Andreya Triana 110800

My 2015 Charts – January to April

GC

26th April 2015

It’s Jimmy Somerville edging out Will Young, and it’s a first chart-topper for Jimmy including all of his previous incarnations, so he’s only had to wait patiently for, ooh, nigh on 31 years to get there with his lovely 70’s Philly-sounding soul retro pop track. Some wonder! Will has had one previous chart-topper (Friday’s Child in 2004) so Love Revolution is his 2nd biggest in 13 years or so. Brandon Flowers has also had one previous solo number one (a huge 7-weeker) Crossfire in 2010, and Somebody Told Me with The Killers in 2004, so up at 5 Can’t Deny My Love is his biggest track in 5 years.

Eurovision already has 2 tracks in my charts now, Denmark joining the UK as an early favourite at 47. I’ve flicked through the album on itunes giving each track a few seconds and they seem to fall into the “let’s copy Conchita Wurst” category or the “let’s do pop dance” category, so I’d guess that any track that doesn’t sound like all the others will do better than expected. Hello Electro Velvet! Some previous recent number one acts also return, Miami Horror featuring Cleopold, and Of Monsters And Men, and some older number one acts – Texas and Simply Red. Texas had loads in the 90’s and early 2000’s, Simply Red had two: Fairground in 1995 and Sunrise in 2003.

1 4 1 3 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 290000
2 5 2 3 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 217000
3 1 1 4 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 443750
4 8 4 6 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 251300
5 30 5 3 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 95200
6 2 2 3 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 255000
7 3 1 7 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 760000
8 9 8 3 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 116000
9 20 9 7 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 144200
10 17 10 4 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 95250

11 6 1 9 KING Years And Years 601000
12 7 4 6 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 295000
13 15 13 3 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 78500
14 14 14 6 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 145400
15 10 4 7 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 305250
16 16 16 3 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 69250
17 19 17 12 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 221500
18 11 7 7 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 230400
19 25 19 5 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 88950
20 27 20 8 SUGAR DADDY Spada 130400

21 18 18 4 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 77250
22 12 12 6 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 169500
23 13 1 10 LOST STARS Adam Levine 632250
24 31 1 19 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 923400
25 29 25 3 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 54750
26 34 26 2 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 36100
27 32 27 8 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 113950
28 23 1 14 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 857550
29 22 15 7 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 136000
30 62 30 3 EGO Tove Styrke 32000

31 24 1 12 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 632500
32 35 32 2 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 35300
33 33 27 6 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 97500
34 36 34 2 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 35000
35 RE 35 5 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 74600
36 26 9 8 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 189900
37 39 37 3 CURTAINS Last Lynx 44600
38 44 38 3 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 43700
39 59 39 2 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 27200
40 43 40 2 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 30500

41 27 2 13 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 659400
42 45 42 17 ALFIE Cilla Black 151450
43 21 12 6 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 124850
44 46 44 2 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 26000
45 RE 45 5 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 48400
46 41 4 9 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 250250
47 NEW 47 1 THE WAY YOU ARE (DENMARK) Anti Social Media 12500
48 37 6 15 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 412100
49 38 7 12 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 336400
50 54 50 2 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 23000

51 51 51 5 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 53800
52 52 52 4 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 39400
53 48 1 12 SPEED KILLS 10CC 603700
54 NEW 54 1 ROADS Lawson 11000
55 58 55 2 WHEN I FOUND YOU Franceso Yates 21000
56 56 56 3 THIEF The Beach 28300
57 57 57 5 LONESOME STREET Blur 46800
58 NEW 58 1 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 10200
59 NEW 59 1 CRYSTALS Of Monsters And Men 10100
60 60 60 2 HOME Max Jury 20000

61 NEW 61 1 GERONIMO Sheppard 7500
62 64 62 3 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 20500
63 71 63 2 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 13000
64 69 64 4 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 23900
65 65 65 3 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 19400
66 75 66 2 SHY Stacey Solomon 11800
67 67 67 3 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 18400
68 72 68 2 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 12000
69 NEW 69 1 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 6200
70 70 70 2 RUN COIN 12000

71 NEW 71 1 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 5800
72 74 72 2 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 10800
73 NEW 73 1 ARE YOU READY Texas 5400
74 NEW 74 1 SHINE ON Simply Red 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 5000

DROP OUTS
40 40 2 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 34000
42 5 27 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 616100
47 47 2 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 23500
49 6 8 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 223050
50 50 1 AMERICAN PIE Don McLean 12000
53 12 9 STYLE Taylor Swift 162000
55 2 13 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 443200
61 20 9 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 109800
63 11 11 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 250050
66 9 12 SUGAR Maroon 5 233750
68 68 2 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 11400

19th April 2015

2 weeks on top for a Bollywood Hit Hit, I’m still playing it a lot, it’s a creation of Bollywood musical maestro Pritam, regular award winner dating from 2009, and it’s so chocka hooks! Mumford & Sons bounce back at 20, you better Believe it, and Spada are cool enough to get a second top 40 entry (with Elen Levon) at 34 as Sugar Daddy goes up to 27. At 36, The Zombies 60’s classic She’s Not There is in thanks to Record Store Day and an advert – it’s been a hit many times before starting with the Santana 1977 hit cover, but the original remains the best.

At 50, news of the lyric sale of American Pie pushed sales of the classic 1972 top 10 hit enough to qualify for my charts, a belated number one for me in the 90’s on one of it’s regular chart re-appearances for Don McLean, while Ali Campbell gets a solo hit again, extending his run to 22 years, or 35 years as the voice of UB40, this time with a reggae version of Diana Ross’ 1985 US hit (and top 10 charter for me) Missing You. Written by Lionel Richie, the video was originally Diana’s tribute to the late Marvin Gaye, Florence Ballard of The Supremes and Paul Williams of The Temptations, all Motown friends at one time. Giorgio Moroder is back with a second chart entry (with SIA), Deja VU, the senior act of the chart getting good diva support from Kylie still, higher up. At 74 the Freemasons, former number one act are back after a fair break with True Love Survivor.

1 1 1 3 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 358750
2 3 2 2 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 200000
3 2 1 6 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 710000
4 6 4 2 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 120000
5 10 5 2 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 102000
6 4 1 8 KING Years And Years 564000
7 9 4 5 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 260000
8 5 5 5 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 186300
9 17 9 2 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 68000
10 7 4 6 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 278250

11 11 7 6 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 208400
12 20 12 5 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 150000
13 8 1 9 LOST STARS Adam Levine 613000
14 16 14 5 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 116400
15 22 15 2 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 46500
16 23 16 2 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 44250
17 25 17 3 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 53250
18 29 18 3 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 57500
19 19 19 11 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 198500
20 41 20 6 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 99200

21 12 12 5 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 111350
22 15 15 6 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 117800
23 13 1 13 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 839250
24 14 1 11 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 614600
25 30 25 4 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 67950
26 24 9 7 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 172500
27 18 2 12 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 645400
27 28 27 7 SUGAR DADDY Spada 110400
29 32 29 2 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 36000
30 38 30 2 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 35200

31 35 1 18 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 904400
32 42 32 7 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 95550
33 27 27 5 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 79800
34 NEW 34 1 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 17600
35 NEW 35 1 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 17500
36 NEW 36 1 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 17400
37 37 6 14 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 399800
38 36 7 11 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 324300
39 58 39 2 CURTAINS Last Lynx 27300
40 40 40 2 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 34000

41 26 4 8 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 237500
42 31 5 27 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 616100
43 NEW 43 1 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 13500
44 44 44 2 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 26500
45 49 45 16 ALFIE Cilla Black 137700
46 NEW 46 1 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 12750
47 54 47 2 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 23500
48 45 1 11 SPEED KILLS 10CC 592450
49 21 6 8 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 223050
50 NEW 50 1 AMERICAN PIE Don McLean 12000

51 59 51 4 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 42050
52 60 52 3 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 27900
53 43 12 9 STYLE Taylor Swift 162000
54 NEW 54 1 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 11000
55 48 2 13 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 443200
56 64 56 2 THIEF The Beach 17700
57 57 57 4 LONESOME STREET Blur 36400
58 NEW 58 1 WHEN I FOUND YOU Franceso Yates 10200
59 NEW 59 1 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 10100
60 NEW 60 1 HOME Max Jury 10000

61 63 20 9 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 109800
62 67 62 2 EGO Tove Styrke 14000
63 50 11 11 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 250050
64 70 64 2 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 13100
65 73 65 2 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 12400
66 65 9 12 SUGAR Maroon 5 233750
67 74 67 2 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 11800
68 75 68 2 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 11400
69 72 69 3 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 16800
70 NEW 70 1 RUN COIN 6000

71 NEW 71 1 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 5800
72 NEW 72 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 5600
73 NEW 73 1 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 5400
74 NEW 74 1 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 5200
75 NEW 75 1 SHY Stacey Solomon 5000

DROP OUTS
33 14 5 GOLD Andreya Triana 110800
34 18 5 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 77050
39 39 4 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 57100
46 22 3 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 51750
47 31 5 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 61350
51 17 6 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 119250
52 38 2 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 28700
53 1 8 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 316650
55 20 7 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 105550
56 56 4 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 35400
61 40 6 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 74850
62 4 13 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 327700
66 42 4 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 43900
68 68 1 HABIB GALBI A-WA 6400
69 8 9 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 215100
71 48 4 SEASONS Olly Murs 40400

12th April 2015

It’s a Bollywood dance anthem on top, I’m just loving the rhythms, the tune, the production, the structure of the track, not to mention the cool singing and that fab cheesy dance movie video. This is bad news for highest new entry from London band Life Of Dillon, whose terrific Overloaded might well have topped the chart, bringing steel drums back into the current europop sound, and the singer sounding more like Sam Smith ought to sound – that’ll be La La La Sam Smith as opposed to Snore Me Down Sam Smith. In at 6, it’s Jimmy Somerville with a retro-tribute soul track, a bit of Love Unlimited Orchestra here, a touch of The Stylistics there, and it’s been an aeon since he was in the Top 10: I hadn’t realised just how much I’d missed Jimmy Somerville till I heard this one, welcome back Jimmy, 31 years of top 10 hits!

It’s also welcome back to Will Young with a cracking re-versioning of the fab 2003 chart-topper Loneliness (Tomcraft) – one of Will’s biggest hits in my chart, already. It’s a chart invasion of new names, and one re-imagining of Prince’s actual first hit from 1980, I Wanna Be Your Lover, and it’s pretty fine at 32. Brandon Flowers is back on the solo hit scene, presumably on a Killers break, and he’s been doing well in my charts for over a decade now. That leaves new hits for recent regulars like The Ting Tings, SIA, and Loreen. Phew!

1 25 1 2 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 188750
2 2 1 5 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 625000
3 NEW 3 1 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 85000
4 1 1 7 KING Years And Years 509000
5 10 5 4 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 138300
6 NEW 6 1 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 55000
7 5 4 5 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 236250
8 3 1 8 LOST STARS Adam Levine 581000
9 4 4 4 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 210000
10 NEW 10 1 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 42000

11 7 7 5 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 171400
12 15 12 4 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 91600
13 8 1 12 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 820000
14 11 1 10 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 595600
15 20 15 5 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 98300
16 17 16 4 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 87400
17 NEW 17 1 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 23000
18 14 2 11 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 627000
19 19 19 10 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 177500
20 12 12 4 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 115000

21 6 6 7 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 210950
22 NEW 22 1 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 19500
23 NEW 23 1 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 19250
24 9 9 6 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 154000
25 52 25 2 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 30250
26 21 4 7 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 223500
27 27 27 4 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 62100
28 30 28 6 SUGAR DADDY Spada 92000
29 37 29 2 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 35500
30 33 30 3 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 49200

31 13 5 26 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 602350
32 NEW 32 1 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 17800
33 16 14 5 GOLD Andreya Triana 110800
34 18 18 5 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 77050
35 35 1 17 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 886500
36 24 7 10 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 307100
37 29 6 13 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 382500
38 NEW 38 1 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 17200
39 41 39 4 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 57100
40 NEW 40 1 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 17000

41 28 28 5 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 79200
42 45 42 6 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 77750
43 23 12 8 STYLE Taylor Swift 150750
44 NEW 44 1 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 13250
45 43 1 10 SPEED KILLS 10CC 580150
46 22 22 3 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 51750
47 31 31 5 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 61350
48 34 2 12 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 432400
49 51 49 15 ALFIE Cilla Black 124700
50 32 11 10 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 242850

51 26 17 6 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 119250
52 38 38 2 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 28700
53 44 1 8 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 316650
54 NEW 54 1 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 11000
55 39 20 7 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 105550
56 56 56 4 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 35400
57 57 57 3 LONESOME STREET Blur 26000
58 NEW 58 1 CURTAINS Last Lynx 10200
59 59 59 3 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 30300
60 68 60 2 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 16400

61 40 40 6 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 74850
62 36 4 13 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 327700
63 63 20 8 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 102300
64 NEW 64 1 THIEF The Beach 7100
65 50 9 11 SUGAR Maroon 5 226950
66 46 42 4 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 43900
67 NEW 67 1 EGO Tove Styrke 6600
68 NEW 68 1 HABIB GALBI A-WA 6400
69 61 8 9 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 215100
70 NEW 70 1 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 6000

71 48 48 4 SEASONS Olly Murs 40400
72 75 72 2 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 10600
73 NEW 73 1 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 5400
74 NEW 74 1 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 5200
75 NEW 75 1 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 5000

DROP OUTS
42 29 3 WIN Deacon Blue 39350
47 5 6 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 201550
49 33 6 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 77000
53 35 5 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 80850
54 54 5 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 42200
55 30 6 SACRED Erasure 93200
58 19 5 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 73900
60 60 4 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 33400
62 50 4 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 38000
64 64 4 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 23900
65 19 7 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 100200
66 66 4 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 22600
67 55 4 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 34300
69 10 10 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 200600
70 70 3 BERYL Mark Knopfler 17200
71 6 10 THE NIGHTS Avicii 288300
72 1 14 INSIDE OUT Spoon 433550
73 73 1 INVISIONS Luca C & Brigante featuring Roisin Murphy 5400
74 74 1 IRRESISTIBLE Fall Out Boy 5200

4th April 2015

King finally climbs to the top, edging The Ronettes off after 2 weeks, but it took Years And Years! Great record. Meanwhile, following a boost on The Voice, Lost Stars returns to the top 3 for Adam Levine, former number one, as a cover version for The Voice winner Stevie enters at 52. Ahhh, he’s a fireman you know! I’m happy cos the song deserves to top the UK chart, I know a great tune when I hear one and it’s a great tune, trust me.

Chic get their first top 5 hit since I Want Your Love in 1979, when I was a student at uni. I love Nile Rodgers, and not just cos those were the days! Safri Duo get a second hit, and Kato a first, as they go top 10 with a great dance track, though I do wonder where the both The Green Hornet and Inspector Clouseau are. Lulu hits 15 with a bullet, her biggest self-written song, and it gives her top 20 hits in the 60’s, the 70’s, the 80’s, the 90’s, the 00’s and the 10’s – I make that 6 consecutive decades, and still looking good and sounding good, and now writing songs good. Lulu is a musical chameleon, and an under-rated national treasure. I have Faith In You, Lulu!

The UK Eurovision entry hits 20, and peaks higher (so far) than the vast majority of UK entries since 1977, though it has some way to go to beat last year’s chart-topper. At 25, it’s a fab Indian dance track from a fillum, with another one at 68 – Billum Barber and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel respectively. Love Mera Hit Hit is Bollywood playback singer-songwriter Neeraj Shridhar plus feamle vocalist Tulsi Kumar (and ditto playback singer, that’s singers who actors/dancers mime to in Bollywood musicals). Just to keep it current, Shreya Ghoshal is also a playback singer, though the track in the Hotel movie is on radio, and Shreya is a star in her own right in India. Another Eastern star enters at 38, courtesy of an H&M ad – it’s Yuna, from Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) but now getting quite the Norah Jones buzz round LA – she’s covered the fantastic Brothers Johnson 1970‘s dance track Strawberry Letter 23 (they had the hit version with that gorgeous instrumental hook and sophisticated melody).

Others: ABC are back with a 2001 track I somehow missed at the time, Marc Almond returns for a melodrama-filled 34 years of hits, and Roisin Murphy guests, and keeps the Moloko 90’s sounds a-going strong.

1 2 1 6 KING Years And Years 444000
2 1 1 4 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 510000
3 12 1 7 LOST STARS Adam Levine 533000
4 6 4 3 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 165000
5 4 4 4 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 186250
6 7 6 6 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 191200
7 9 7 4 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 134400
8 3 1 11 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 788000
9 10 9 5 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 135000
10 26 10 3 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 78300

11 5 1 9 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 566600
12 13 12 3 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 95000
13 11 5 25 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 584450
14 8 2 10 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 605000
15 39 15 3 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 56600
16 14 14 4 GOLD Andreya Triana 93100
17 19 17 3 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 62400
18 27 18 4 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 59450
19 24 19 9 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 156500
20 38 20 4 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 71300

21 18 4 6 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 205000
22 22 22 2 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 39000
23 23 12 7 STYLE Taylor Swift 137250
24 21 7 9 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 289750
25 NEW 25 1 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 18750
26 17 17 5 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 107500
27 28 27 3 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 43700
28 37 28 4 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 65200
29 16 6 12 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 365200
30 49 30 5 SUGAR DADDY Spada 73700

31 44 31 4 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 48850
32 15 11 9 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 230850
33 43 33 2 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 31200
34 31 2 11 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 420100
35 54 1 16 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 869000
36 25 4 12 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 320300
37 NEW 37 1 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 17300
38 NEW 38 1 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 17200
39 20 20 6 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 94750
40 40 40 5 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 67350

41 45 41 3 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 40000
42 29 29 3 WIN Deacon Blue 39350
43 41 1 9 SPEED KILLS 10CC 567150
44 36 1 7 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 305400
45 46 45 5 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 64000
46 42 42 3 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 37100
47 32 5 6 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 201550
48 48 48 3 SEASONS Olly Murs 34600
49 33 33 6 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 77000
50 34 9 10 SUGAR Maroon 5 219950

51 53 51 14 ALFIE Cilla Black 112600
52 NEW 52 1 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 11500
53 35 53 5 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 80850
54 57 54 5 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 42200
55 30 30 6 SACRED Erasure 93200
56 64 56 3 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 24800
57 74 57 2 LONESOME STREET Blur 15600
58 58 19 5 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 73900
59 59 59 2 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 20200
60 60 60 4 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 33400

61 47 8 8 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 208900
62 50 50 4 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 38000
63 65 20 7 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 95100
64 70 64 4 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 23900
65 52 19 7 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 100200
66 72 66 4 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 22600
67 55 55 4 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 34300
68 NEW 68 1 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 6400
69 66 10 10 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 200600
70 71 70 3 BERYL Mark Knopfler 17200

71 56 6 10 THE NIGHTS Avicii 288300
72 67 1 14 INSIDE OUT Spoon 433550
73 NEW 73 1 INVISIONS Luca C & Brigante featuring Roisin Murphy 5400
74 NEW 74 1 IRRESISTIBLE Fall Out Boy 5200
75 NEW 75 1 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 5000

DROP OUTS
51 40 6 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 74750
61 32 4 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 60300
62 62 2 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 13400
63 63 4 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 28800
68 2 10 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 420600
69 3 14 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 589050
73 73 1 FROZEN SILENCE Fahrenhaidt 5400
75 8 15 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 252400

29th February 2015

It’s 2 weeks for The Ronettes on top – well it’s still a classic! Holding off Years And Years, not quite King of the castle, and Train with yet another top 5. Sigma and Labrinth both return to the top 10, but together this time, as Noel Gallagher gets 2 in row top 20 and Ace Of Base their first since the 90’s. Billy Idol’s top 10 from last year returns at 22, and Charles Aznavour gets his first ever top 30 entry 41 years since She.

It’s a Eurovisoion trio at 38, 39, 40, almost as if it was planned, as Electro Velvet re-enter one place ahead of Lulu and 2 ahead of Blue. Lulu’s Eurovision peaked at 2 and Blue’s top 10, still time for Still In Love With You though! Blur are back, too, for a neat 25 years or so of chart entries.

1 1 1 3 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 395000
2 3 2 5 KING Years And Years 274000
3 2 1 10 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 740000
4 10 4 3 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 126250
5 4 1 8 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 529600
6 9 6 2 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 100000
7 7 7 5 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 136200
8 8 2 9 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 576000
9 19 9 3 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 84400
10 17 10 4 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 90000

11 5 5 24 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 552450
12 6 1 6 LOST STARS Adam Levine 448000
13 16 13 2 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 57000
14 14 14 3 GOLD Andreya Triana 68100
15 11 11 8 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 213050
16 13 6 11 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 347000
17 18 17 4 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 89000
18 12 4 5 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 185250
19 27 19 2 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 39400
20 25 20 5 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 77650

21 15 7 8 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 270750
22 NEW 22 1 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 19500
23 21 12 6 STYLE Taylor Swift 118000
24 24 24 8 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 135500
25 22 4 11 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 302900
26 32 26 2 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 36300
27 44 27 3 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 37450
28 65 28 2 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 25300
29 62 29 2 WIN Deacon Blue 25600
30 30 30 5 SACRED Erasure 82400

31 26 2 10 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 402500
32 23 5 5 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 189050
33 33 33 5 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 64900
34 29 9 9 SUGAR Maroon 5 207950
35 35 35 4 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 69600
36 34 1 6 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 292150
37 37 37 3 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 46900
38 RE 38 3 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 51300
39 47 39 2 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 29600
40 43 40 4 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 50350

41 31 1 8 SPEED KILLS 10CC 553650
42 56 42 2 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 24350
43 NEW 43 1 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 13500
44 52 44 3 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 30950
45 45 45 2 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 26000
46 46 46 4 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 51000
47 20 8 7 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 201400
48 60 48 2 SEASONS Olly Murs 22300
49 39 39 4 SUGAR DADDY Spada 55700
50 50 50 3 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 30600

51 40 40 6 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 74750
52 28 19 6 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 93200
53 55 53 13 ALFIE Cilla Black 100850
54 48 1 15 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 851500
55 59 55 3 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 27700
56 36 6 9 THE NIGHTS Avicii 282500
57 58 57 4 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 31200
58 42 19 4 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 63700
59 NEW 59 1 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 10100
60 68 60 3 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 23400

61 38 32 4 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 60300
62 70 62 2 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 13400
63 63 63 4 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 28800
64 64 64 2 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 14200
65 41 20 6 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 87900
66 49 10 9 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 194400
67 54 1 13 INSIDE OUT Spoon 427950
68 53 2 10 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 420600
69 51 3 14 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 589050
70 73 70 3 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 16800

71 72 71 2 BERYL Mark Knopfler 11200
72 74 72 3 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 15800
73 NEW 73 1 FROZEN SILENCE Fahrenhaidt 5400
74 NEW 74 1 LONESOME STREET Blur 5200
75 75 8 15 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 252400

DROP OUTS
57 50 4 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 39600
61 33 5 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 62100
66 7 14 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 291450
67 1 18 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 724200
69 17 9 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 119450
71 1 14 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 662000

22nd March 2015

It’s The Ronettes 1963 classic Be My Baby at 1, currently amusing some meerkats on TV adverts in the UK. The Phil Spector classic has a gap of over 40 years since it last topped my chart, in 1974 (in an oldies-only chart), or else it’s taken 49 years from the time I went mad on it, when my dad bought the single in 1966, to get to be a proper chart topper. At 52 years old it’s also one of the oldest records to top my chart. That’s bad news for Outlines which stays at 2, and Years And Years who go up to 3. Paloma Faith and Train get yet another top 10 each, in long lists of top tenners, while the highest new entry is Chic (aka Nile Rodgers and friends) and the unearthed lost disco Chic track I’ll Be There, now rejigged and more contemporary-sounding. They were so prolific in the late 70’s they gave half their stuff away, and actually forgot about this track entirely, so they never got back to it until the old record company dug it out recently and sent it to Niles. Hooray! That gives Chic a span of 37 years of top 10 hits.

Noel Gallagher replaces himself in the chart with a very Wonderwall-ish ambitious Riverman, at 27 and fab, Lulu returns with a self-written track at 47, Faith In You carrying on where Tina Turner’s cover of her song I Don’t Wanna Fight left off, in giving Lu songwriting credits after a lifetime of singing other people’s songs, such as David Bowie, nestled just above her at 46, who spearheaded one of her many many comeback reinventions in 1974. Lulu charted with I’m A Tiger at 2, in my chart in 1968 – which gives her a run of a whopping 47 years of new chart entries, pretty much throughout the 47 years too. Only Paul McCartney can beat that (with The Beatles, and by a few weeks only). Other oldies with comebacks: Mark Knofler doing a Sultans Of Swing-ish track, Beryl, for 36 years, and Deacon Blue, getting on for 30 years, with Seasick Steve being one of the oldest “new” (ish) acts to chart. Fifty Shades Of Grey in my chart, at least!

1 6 1 2 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 225000
2 2 1 9 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 655000
3 7 3 4 KING Years And Years 159000
4 1 1 7 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 469600
5 5 5 23 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 515450
6 3 1 5 LOST STARS Adam Levine 413000
7 16 7 4 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 86200
8 9 2 8 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 528000
9 NEW 9 1 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 45000
10 23 10 2 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 61250

11 11 11 7 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 186050
12 4 4 4 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 163250
13 14 6 10 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 322000
14 59 14 2 GOLD Andreya Triana 39100
15 15 7 7 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 251000
16 NEW 16 1 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 25000
17 30 17 3 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 48000
18 18 18 3 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 66000
19 27 19 2 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 39400
20 8 8 6 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 188900

21 12 12 5 STYLE Taylor Swift 98750
22 10 4 10 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 284150
23 13 5 4 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 171250
24 24 24 7 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 116500
25 28 25 4 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 57650
26 17 2 9 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 384600
27 NEW 27 1 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 18400
28 19 19 5 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 81700
29 29 9 8 SUGAR Maroon 5 190350
30 37 30 4 SACRED Erasure 64400

31 21 1 7 SPEED KILLS 10CC 539650
32 NEW 32 1 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 17800
33 53 33 4 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 47200
34 31 1 5 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 274750
35 35 35 3 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 52100
36 26 6 8 THE NIGHTS Avicii 271900
37 48 37 2 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 29600
38 32 32 3 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 52800
39 43 39 3 SUGAR DADDY Spada 43600
40 47 40 5 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 63000

41 20 20 5 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 80900
42 25 19 3 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 53500
43 44 43 3 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 33350
44 71 44 2 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 19050
45 NEW 45 1 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 13000
46 46 46 3 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 38250
47 NEW 47 1 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 12500
48 38 1 14 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 840500
49 22 10 8 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 187600
50 67 50 2 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 18600

51 34 3 13 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 582850
52 69 52 2 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 17700
53 42 2 9 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 414200
54 41 1 12 INSIDE OUT Spoon 421350
55 58 55 12 ALFIE Cilla Black 89600
56 NEW 56 1 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 10600
57 50 50 4 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 39600
58 72 58 3 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 20800
59 66 59 2 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 16900
60 NEW 60 1 SEASONS Olly Murs 10000

61 33 33 5 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 62100
62 NEW 62 1 WIN Deacon Blue 7400
63 63 63 3 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 21600
64 NEW 64 1 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 7100
65 NEW 65 1 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 7000
66 52 7 14 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 291450
67 49 1 18 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 724200
68 65 65 2 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 13400
69 61 17 9 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 119450
70 NEW 70 1 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 6000

71 60 1 14 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 662000
72 NEW 72 1 BERYL Mark Knopfler 5400
73 73 73 2 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran 10800
74 75 74 2 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 10200
75 70 8 14 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 247400

15th February 2015

It’s Calvin Harris getting his second number one, but this time it’s not Hurts, it’s another “H”, Haim. The pattern is clear! It’s a terrific record and has finally made the UK Top 40, after being in the sales Top 40 charts a few weeks. Stevie Nicks has that rhythm, and she finally gets into the top 5, 34 years on, with Edge Of Seventeen. Marlon Roudette hasn’t had to wait quite so long, but it’s still taken 22 weeks to peak at 5, I’ve never gotten bored with it any stage. Highest new entry? Phil Spector’s classic, Dirty Dancing-used, TV advert pushed, Brian Wilson all-time fave (yes him at 18), Be My Baby by The Ronettes. The record would have been number one in my charts for weeks and weeks in 1966 (had I been doing charts) as dad bought the record when we lived in Liverpool and got our first record player, and I was a bit mad on it. It finally topped my chart as an oldie in 1974, so that’s a 41-year gap for a 52-year-old girl-group classic.

Paloma is singing in Bournemouth tonight, and shoots up to 16 even though I couldn’t get tickets to watch Beauty Remains done live. Last night, though, I did get to see actual legend Morrissey in concert, as irascible, witty and political as always. He has an enormous catalogue of classic hits, sadly he chose not to do any faves of mine, bar one, in favour of his new album. On the plus side, his pre-show videos had a handful of fab oldies for me to search out and download – the man has taste when he’s passionate about music. Which explains Charles Aznavour and Tim Buckley, father of Jeff (both of them dying young) as new entries. There would have been another had I been able to find out who the punk-bhangra singer was!

Train are back, the long run of chart entries gets longer, with Bulletproof Picasso at 23, and Sigma and Labrinth both add to theirs, together Higher at 27. Ace Of Base go top 40 for the first time since the 90’s, Jess Glynne wants to Hold My hand at 30, and Mumford And Sons have a welcome return, Believe it! Shayne Ward has unlikely return of the week, and Bryan Ferry extends his run of chart entries to oooh, a mere 43 years. Gosh! He’s Driving Me Wild, in a very low-key way. Marvin Gaye gave it up a long time ago, but his family crossed some blurred lines recently, which boosted sales of the 1977 soul disco classic enough to hit the sales charts lower down, and re-enter mine 38 years on.

1 2 1 6 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 404600
2 1 1 8 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 540000
3 3 1 4 LOST STARS Adam Levine 358000
4 7 4 3 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 128250
5 17 5 22 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 455450
6 NEW 6 1 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 55000
7 24 7 3 KING Years And Years 74000
8 8 8 5 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 168900
9 4 2 7 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 480000
10 6 4 9 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 264650

11 13 11 6 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 149050
12 20 12 4 STYLE Taylor Swift 79000
13 5 5 3 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 152000
14 10 6 9 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 290000
15 11 7 6 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 224000
16 72 16 3 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 36200
17 9 2 8 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 366100
18 18 18 2 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 44000
19 26 19 4 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 63400
20 27 20 4 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 66900

21 14 1 6 SPEED KILLS 10CC 521750
22 15 10 7 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 175500
23 NEW 23 1 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 19250
24 25 24 6 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 97500
25 19 19 2 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 39750
26 16 6 7 THE NIGHTS Avicii 254500
27 NEW 27 1 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 18400
28 56 28 3 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 38900
29 21 9 7 SUGAR Maroon 5 172150
30 65 30 2 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 25000

31 23 1 4 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 257150
32 32 32 2 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 35600
33 48 33 4 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 54600
34 22 3 12 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 571100
35 39 35 2 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 34600
36 30 20 5 TEACH ME Bakermat 80600
37 49 37 3 SACRED Erasure 46400
38 41 1 13 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 828200
39 40 39 2 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 34100
40 12 8 10 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 351000

41 31 1 11 INSIDE OUT Spoon 410350
42 33 2 8 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 402950
43 45 43 2 SUGAR DADDY Spada 26500
44 67 44 2 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 19850
45 29 26 4 WINDFALL TheFatRat 66800
46 46 46 2 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 25500
47 50 47 4 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 46000
48 NEW 48 1 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 12300
49 36 1 17 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 717600
50 54 50 3 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 29200

51 34 34 5 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 71750
52 52 7 13 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 284650
53 53 53 3 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 29500
54 37 12 7 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 149850
55 28 15 9 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 143500
56 35 35 5 MINE Phoebe Ryan 68700
57 38 1 21 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 893050
58 60 58 11 ALFIE Cilla Black 78800
59 NEW 59 1 GOLD Andreya Triana 10100
60 59 1 13 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 656200

61 42 17 8 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 113250
62 43 4 15 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 511050
63 63 63 2 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 14400
64 44 18 9 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 111600
65 NEW 65 1 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 7000
66 NEW 66 1 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 6800
67 NEW 67 1 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 6600
68 RE 68 2 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith featuring John Legend 11800
69 NEW 69 1 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 6200
70 57 8 13 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 242400

71 NEW 71 1 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 5800
72 75 72 2 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 10600
73 NEW 73 1 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran 5400
74 NEW 74 1 GOT TO GIVE IT UP Marvin Gaye 5200
75 NEW 75 1 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 5000

Me with Iron Man the other week

8th March 2015

It’s Mike Mago and Dragonette, that melody just never lets up and I never tire of it, such a pretty, touching dancepop song. In an age when dreary repeat album plays keep tedious tracks in the singles charts for month after terminal month, I’m a bit miffed that this little gem exited so quickly. It’s possibly because it’s on Ministry Of Sound and the streaming sites don’t like MoS I suspect….

Calvin Harris goes up to 2, 1 place short of equalling Under Control. Stevie Nicks classic Edge Of Seventeen finally makes my top 10 34 years late, Stevie’s 2nd of 2015, showing she can rock out as well as she can tender ballad, and the riff features at 2 as well, having previously been sampled heavily by Destiny’s Child. Stevie says she borrowed the inspiration for it from The Police. Hooray!

Highest new entry is from The Beach Boys. Actually, it’s just 3 of the original Beach Boys line-up, Brian Wilson (sometimes Beach Boys genius) plus Al Jardine (who’s been a Beach Boy throughout pretty much) and David Marks (boyhood neighbour of the Wilson brothers, and 60‘s occasional Beach Boy) but minus Mike Love (cousins Brian and Mike have been falling out for 50 years at least). Carl and Dennis Wilson of course, sadly no longer with us. It’s the single to Brian’s new album, and sounds like a decent latter-day Beach Boys record thanks to the harmonies. Just behind at 19, it’s an ex-member of Westlife, and I really need exclamation marks for the arrival of Markus Feehily who I couldn’t even have named before this great new track that is way better than any of his former band’s hits.

Back in the top 20, 20 weeks on, and finally a UK hit, it’s Marlon Roudette’s great single. He’s on Syco, but I forgive him as much as I forgive Labrinth. A big climb for Years And Years, getting their second top 40 entry with King, while at 39 Lady Antebellum prove they aren’t just about ballads, as they get a bit rocky, just ahead of the UK’s fun, catchy, jazzy Eurovision entry – seems to be splitting opinion right down the middle, possibly due to the modern singles chart scene having had the “fun” element of pop surgically removed, give or take the odd Taylor Swift or Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit. We are, of course, only allowed to be depressed or to dance in the charts since the Tories legislated for it. Well, I blame them anyway, for keeping everyone miserable. Talking of Eurovision, Blue are back as well, hey I still like them, and unlike Westlife, I can actually name them all.

1 2 1 7 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 425000
2 3 2 5 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 234600
3 1 1 3 LOST STARS Adam Levine 273000
4 9 2 6 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 435000
5 5 5 2 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 120000
6 4 4 8 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 222650
7 44 7 2 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 63250
8 10 8 4 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 120900
9 6 2 7 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 343100
10 13 6 8 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 261000

11 11 7 5 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 197000
12 12 8 9 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 334000
13 16 13 5 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 112050
14 8 1 5 SPEED KILLS 10CC 502000
15 14 10 6 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 156000
16 15 6 6 THE NIGHTS Avicii 236000
17 36 12 21 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 395450
18 NEW 18 1 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 22000
19 NEW 19 1 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 21000
20 30 20 3 STYLE Taylor Swift 44000

21 19 9 6 SUGAR Maroon 5 153950
22 18 3 11 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 553500
23 7 1 3 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 239250
24 75 24 2 KING Years And Years 24000
25 25 25 5 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 78500
26 28 26 3 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 42400
27 33 27 3 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 46900
28 17 15 8 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 132700
29 26 26 3 WINDFALL TheFatRat 53800
30 20 20 4 TEACH ME Bakermat 63200

31 23 1 10 INSIDE OUT Spoon 396350
32 NEW 32 1 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 17800
33 22 2 7 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 389200
34 35 34 4 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 60000
35 37 35 4 MINE Phoebe Ryan 58100
36 29 1 16 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 705500
37 32 12 6 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 138850
38 21 1 20 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 882650
39 NEW 39 1 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 17100
40 NEW 40 1 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 17000

41 34 1 12 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 811000
42 24 17 7 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 105750
43 31 4 14 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 503650
44 27 18 8 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 104500
45 NEW 45 1 SUGAR DADDY Spada 13000
46 NEW 46 1 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 12750
47 59 47 3 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 28400
48 48 48 3 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 36900
49 40 40 2 SACRED Erasure 29100
50 52 50 3 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 33500

51 55 51 3 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 27750
52 43 7 12 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 273150
53 65 53 2 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 18250
54 69 54 2 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 17200
55 39 39 5 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 47700
56 60 56 2 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 20600
57 57 8 12 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 236400
58 56 9 11 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 218900
59 49 1 12 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 646200
60 63 60 10 ALFIE Cilla Black 68600

61 38 30 6 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 89900
62 47 47 3 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 31900
63 NEW 63 1 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 7200
64 42 8 10 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 232000
65 NEW 65 1 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 7000
66 64 1 30 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1049300
67 NEW 67 1 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 6600
68 66 1 27 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 681750
69 45 28 6 LET IN THE SUN Take That 89500
70 70 1 52 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 895650

71 62 1 20 THESE DAYS Take That 911800
72 72 72 2 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 11200
73 NEW 73 1 SOMETHING NEW Axford & Ingrosso 5400
74 74 74 2 JULIA Jungle 10400
75 NEW 75 1 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 5000

DROP OUTS
41 41 2 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 28000
46 46 3 TV Eves The Behaviour 35900
50 50 2 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 22200
51 16 6 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 112450
53 20 6 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 103450
54 26 6 LOVE KILLS Queen 87100
58 58 2 AVENIR Louane 15600
61 25 5 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 81100
67 67 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs CHVRCHES 6600
68 54 6 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 54200
71 71 2 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 10800
73 73 1 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith 5400

1st March 2015

Adam Levine pips by a hair’s-breadth, as any of the top 5 should have been on top this week, the charts are electric for me at the moment, records falling that should be climbing, and a queue forming outside the top 75 there’s just no room! Adam Levine’s Lost Stars should have won this week’s Oscar, and I’m miffed it didn’t as he gives a brilliant vocal performance and it’s a fantastic song, typically-structured to build climactically and melodically like the best Gregg Alexander songs always do – it’s Adam’s 2nd chart-topper (after Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger) and Gregg’s 4th as songwriter (New Radicals’ You Get What You Give, Texas’ Inner Smile, and Ronan Keating’s Life Is A Rollercoaster).

Beaten by a whisker, the fantastic Outlines is up to 2, I love the lyrics and tune, and that only just keeps off Calvin Harris and HAIM, who rocket into the top 40 at 3 with Pray To God, HAIM’s biggest hit by far, though Calvin has a topper with Hurts. That riff sounds very familiar (Oh yes, there it is at 44 as Stevie Nicks Edge Of Seventeen and it’s John Lennon-murder-inspired lyrics and bootylicious riffs returns after under-achieving first time round in 1981, thanks to The Voice this week). Allt his love keeps Madonna’s BRIT’s gravity-bound performance out of the top 3, as Living For Love shoots up to 4, but as consolation she also has album track Hold Tight at 10, giving her 4 top 10’s so far in 2015. That really is pretty good, even for Madonna!

Just as Adam Levine replaces himself in the top 10 (as Maroon 5 drop), so too Rihanna’s new soundtrack film track Towards The Sun from film Home is straight in at 5, overshadowing her superstar collaboration big hit as far as I’m concerned – I love the marching mood and melody. Like Adam Levine, she also gives a great vocal performance. Elsewhere: Kaiser Chiefs big jump to 28, Taylor Swift to 30, and Erasure in at 40 with yet another new track, Sacred, and more consistent than they have been for years in my charts. Ace Of Base are back! It’s been a decade or more, so it’s good to see a sweet new pop toon from them at 60 – Would You Believe they still look great too, 22 years on from All That She Wants? They do!

1 30 1 2 LOST STARS Adam Levine 188000
2 4 2 6 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 255000
3 49 3 4 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 119600
4 42 4 7 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 167650
5 NEW 5 1 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 60000
6 2 2 6 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 298100
7 1 1 2 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 220000
8 3 1 4 SPEED KILLS 10CC 473000
9 5 2 5 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 370000
10 27 10 3 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 72900

11 7 7 4 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 160000
12 12 8 8 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 299000
13 6 6 7 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 219000
14 10 10 5 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 129000
15 11 6 5 THE NIGHTS Avicii 211000
16 23 16 4 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 80050
17 15 15 7 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 114400
18 16 3 10 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 534000
19 9 9 5 SUGAR Maroon 5 134200
20 20 20 3 TEACH ME Bakermat 45200

21 8 1 19 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 865450
22 13 2 6 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 371500
23 14 1 9 INSIDE OUT Spoon 378450
24 17 17 6 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 92000
25 34 25 4 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 59750
26 39 26 2 WINDFALL TheFatRat 35600
27 18 18 7 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 91250
28 72 28 2 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 23900
29 25 1 15 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 688100
30 70 30 2 STYLE Taylor Swift 24000

31 22 4 13 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 490150
32 21 12 5 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 121550
33 55 33 2 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 28500
34 29 1 11 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 797000
35 35 35 3 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 42400
36 45 12 20 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 372450
37 37 37 3 MINE Phoebe Ryan 40600
38 36 30 5 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 82400
39 64 39 4 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 36900
40 NEW 40 1 SACRED Erasure 17000

41 41 41 2 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 28000
42 19 8 9 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 225900
43 31 7 11 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 261650
44 NEW 44 1 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 13250
45 28 28 5 LET IN THE SUN Take That 83300
46 46 46 3 TV Eves The Behaviour 35900
47 50 47 2 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 24500
48 48 48 2 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 24600
49 40 1 11 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 636100
50 58 50 2 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 22200

51 24 16 6 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 112450
52 60 52 2 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 21500
53 32 20 6 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 103450
54 26 26 6 LOVE KILLS Queen 87100
55 74 55 2 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 16000
56 53 9 10 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 208700
57 51 8 11 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 226000
58 73 58 2 AVENIR Louane 15600
59 71 59 2 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 15900
60 NEW 60 1 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 10000

61 33 25 5 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 81100
62 56 1 19 THESE DAYS Take That 906000
63 63 63 9 ALFIE Cilla Black 58600
64 57 1 29 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1042500
65 NEW 65 1 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 7000
66 62 1 26 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 675350
67 NEW 67 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs CHVRCHES 6600
68 54 54 6 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 54200
69 NEW 69 1 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 6200
70 69 1 51 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 889650

71 75 71 2 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 10800
72 NEW 72 1 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 5600
73 NEW 73 1 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith 5400
74 NEW 74 1 JULIA Jungle 5200

DROP OUTS:
38 10 7 LADY Stevie Nicks 145050
43 2 9 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 532950
44 14 6 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 110650
47 10 7 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 157200
52 28 6 START A FAMILY Texas 84700
59 59 2 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 20200
61 61 2 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 14300
65 65 2 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 13600
66 40 3 CASSY O’ George Ezra 35800
67 39 5 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 65050
68 68 3 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 17000
75 NEW 75 1 KING Years And Years 5000

22nd February 2015

It’s the late Lesley Gore in at 1 with her classic girl-power anthem ballad, one of the early pop songs for females (and she was 17-years-old) to make a stand for girls, an American chart-topper but a UK flop, criminally lost amongst Beatlemania. Lesley later came out as gay, one of the very few girls around in the 60’s music scene. It’s also her first popchartfreak entry, although 2 of her 60‘s hits were covered, Maybe I Know hit for The Seashells in 1972 and It’s My Party Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin in 1981 took it to number 2.

Bad news for Ellie Goulding, then, up to 2 with her great UK chart-topper, with Mister Magoo at 4, with it’s terrific melody and a great new twist on describing attraction in lyrics. Just when you think it’s all been said…! David Guetta adds another top 10 to his quite long list now, with Emeli Sande grabbing a few herself so far. Ne-yo jumps into the 20, but not as rapidly as Bakermat, who can Teach Me a few things with some fab gospel hooks. At 30 Adam Levine gets his 2nd top 30 hit in the same chart, Maroon 5 holding at 9, and his movie theme up for an Oscar at 30, Lost Stars is essentially a Gregg Alexander song from his soundtrack to the movie, a man who’s written a few chart-toppers in my chart, starting with his band New Radicals in 1997 and the brilliant You Get What You Give.

Florence and The Machine are back at 50, after a bit of a gap, though nowhere as big a gap as Annie Lennox has managed from time to time, as she brings about the 5th or 6th track from 50 Shades Of Grey into my chart, I Put A Spell On You being a 1956 Jay Hawkins classic covered by Nina Simone and Alan Price in the 60’s UK charts, while more recently Sonique had a big hit with it in 2000-ish. Annie now has solo chart entries dating back 27 years, and as singer dating back to the Tourists 36 years ago. Not bad! The Weeknd copies Madonna and grabs a 4th current chart track, how greedy are they!

1 NEW 1 1 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 170000
2 3 2 5 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 238100
3 1 1 3 SPEED KILLS 10CC 425000
4 10 4 5 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 140000
5 4 2 4 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 325000
6 6 6 6 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 187000
7 7 7 3 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 123000
8 2 1 18 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 845700
9 9 9 4 SUGAR Maroon 5 113200
10 18 10 4 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 100000

11 11 6 4 THE NIGHTS Avicii 184000
12 12 8 7 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 264000
13 5 2 5 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 352000
14 8 1 8 INSIDE OUT Spoon 359200
15 37 15 6 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 91400
16 13 3 9 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 512000
17 22 17 5 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 73000
18 27 18 6 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 72850
19 15 8 8 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 212150
20 74 20 2 TEACH ME Bakermat 25200

21 14 12 4 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 103750
22 17 4 12 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 472250
23 28 23 3 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 55050
24 16 16 5 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 100700
25 23 1 14 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 669900
26 32 26 5 LOVE KILLS Queen 76100
27 47 27 2 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 30900
28 36 28 4 LET IN THE SUN Take That 70300
29 19 1 10 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 779400
30 NEW 30 1 LOST STARS Adam Levine 18000

31 31 7 10 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 248150
32 20 20 5 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 92200
33 25 25 4 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 73600
34 38 34 3 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 41000
35 62 35 2 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 24900
36 30 30 4 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 65200
37 70 37 2 MINE Phoebe Ryan 23300
38 21 10 7 LADY Stevie Nicks 145050
39 NEW 39 1 WINDFALL TheFatRat 17100
40 34 1 10 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 624000

41 NEW 41 1 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 14000
42 26 22 6 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 102650
43 33 2 9 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 532950
44 24 14 6 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 110650
45 45 12 19 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 355050
46 57 46 2 TV Eves The Behaviour 23150
47 29 10 7 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 157200
48 NEW 48 1 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 12300
49 49 49 3 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 34600
50 NEW 50 1 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 12000

51 43 8 10 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 215600
52 52 28 6 START A FAMILY Texas 84700
53 44 9 9 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 198100
54 55 54 5 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 47800
55 NEW 55 1 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 10800
56 50 1 18 THESE DAYS Take That 898600
57 56 1 28 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1035400
58 NEW 58 1 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 10200
59 59 59 2 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 20200
60 NEW 60 1 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 10000

61 66 61 2 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 14300
62 60 1 25 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 668550
63 63 63 8 ALFIE Cilla Black 51400
64 64 64 3 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 19800
65 67 65 2 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 13600
66 40 40 3 CASSY O’ George Ezra 35800
67 39 39 5 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 65050
68 73 68 3 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 17000
69 65 1 50 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 883650
70 NEW 70 1 STYLE Taylor Swift 6000

71 NEW 71 1 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 5800
72 NEW 72 1 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 5600
73 NEW 73 1 AVENIR Louane 5400
74 NEW 74 1 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 5000

DROP OUTS
35 19 10 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 134900
41 13 6 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 123000
42 26 6 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 89100
46 39 4 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 55400
48 48 3 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 32300
51 40 6 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 58750
53 15 10 COOL KIDS Echosmith 177250
54 10 11 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 265100
58 7 12 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 291500
61 11 11 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 191650
68 1 17 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 598900
69 5 8 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 204050
71 9 17 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 322550
72 72 1 LIGHTS Kartell 5600
75 75 1 HOLD BACK THE RIVER James Bay 5000

15th February 2015

1 1 1 2 SPEED KILLS 10CC 340000
2 2 1 17 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 797700
3 43 3 4 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 123100
4 3 2 3 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 265000
5 5 2 4 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 320000
6 15 6 5 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 132000
7 17 7 2 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 73000
8 4 1 7 INSIDE OUT Spoon 330200
9 29 9 3 SUGAR Maroon 5 68200
10 20 10 4 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 75000

11 6 6 3 THE NIGHTS Avicii 147000
12 8 8 6 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 229000
13 7 3 8 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 487000
14 12 12 3 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 84000
15 11 8 7 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 191150
16 23 16 4 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 81700
17 9 4 11 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 452750
18 24 18 3 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 58000
19 13 1 9 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 761200
20 28 20 4 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 74400

21 10 10 6 LADY Stevie Nicks 127850
22 37 22 4 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 50000
23 18 1 13 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 651150
24 14 14 5 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 97400
25 25 25 3 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 55900
26 RE 22 5 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 88900
27 44 27 5 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 50850
28 35 28 2 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 35800
29 16 10 6 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 144700
30 32 30 3 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 47800

31 49 7 9 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 230250
32 34 32 4 LOVE KILLS Queen 57600
33 21 2 8 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 519450
34 27 1 9 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 607000
35 19 19 10 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 134900
36 36 36 3 LET IN THE SUN Take That 52000
37 38 37 5 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 64400
38 69 38 2 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 23400
39 39 39 4 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 58450
40 50 40 2 CASSY O’ George Ezra 29000

41 22 13 6 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 123000
42 26 26 6 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 89100
43 33 8 9 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 203850
44 31 9 8 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 186850
45 53 12 18 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 342050
46 48 39 4 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 55400
47 NEW 47 1 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 12500
48 60 48 3 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 32300
49 57 49 2 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 22500
50 45 1 17 THESE DAYS Take That 888000

51 40 40 6 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 58750
52 41 28 5 START A FAMILY Texas 73200
53 30 15 10 COOL KIDS Echosmith 177250
54 51 10 11 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 265100
55 56 55 4 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 36800
56 54 1 27 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1025000
57 NEW 57 1 TV Eves The Behaviour 10400
58 47 7 12 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 291500
59 NEW 59 1 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 10100
60 59 1 24 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 661150

61 55 11 11 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 191650
62 NEW 62 1 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 7400
63 65 63 7 ALFIE Cilla Black 44200
64 72 64 2 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 12700
65 64 1 49 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 877450
66 NEW 66 1 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 6800
67 NEW 67 1 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 6600
68 62 1 17 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 598900
69 58 5 8 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 204050
70 NEW 70 1 MINE Phoebe Ryan 6000

71 68 9 17 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 322550
72 NEW 72 1 LIGHTS Kartell 5600
73 74 73 2 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 10600
74 NEW 74 1 TEACH ME Bakermat 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HOLD BACK THE RIVER James Bay 5000

DROP OUTS
42 24 6 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 101350
46 4 11 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 345650
52 27 6 REACH OUT Rumer 73400
61 9 12 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 263900
63 33 3 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 42200
66 23 9 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 102750
67 35 3 GHOST Megan Vice 41600
70 1 16 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 686050
71 71 3 BREATHE Glude 16600
73 12 17 SOS Indila 273800
75 75 2 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 10000

8th February 2015

It’s a record I’ve worshipped since I first heard it in 1976 when Pete Lambert in the 6th form loaned me his 10CC album, Speed Kills, but which wasn’t eligible for my charts as it was an old album track. I’ve been waiting for an excuse to chart it ever since, and Buzz Jack Song Contest is good enough for me as an excuse. Those driving guitars, those harmonies, the exciting pulsating rhythms, the lyrics which are sort of anti-drug while the record has it’s own musical rush. Should have been a single. So, 42 years late, it joins T.Rex (also from that period) in my top 10, and gives 10CC 2 chart-toppers in 2 years, a span of 43 years of number ones, and the 6th under the 10CC name – though one of those is just Graham Gouldman (who wrote Bus Stop, as reworked melody-wise by Noel Gallagher at 12) and Eric Stewart, but the missing Lol Creme and Kevin Godley had another 2 as a duo in the 80’s as Godley & Creme, so they are actually on 7 each.

Another veteran Stevie Nicks adds to her 39-year haul, I’ve lost count if I include Fleetwood Mac, quite a Lady! Imagine Dragons are back in the top 40 again at 16 as the hits roll on – you bet your life! Fall Out Boy are also back with the highest new proper record, a tribute to Uma Thurman. I say new – actually about one-third of it a lengthy sample of the brilliant theme tune from the lovable 60’s fantasy sit-com, The Munsters, and a brilliant theme tune it is too, all surfer-instrumental-rock Halloween flavoured. The record blends it perfectly in.

Mr Magoo is at 20 (one for the older folk there), though he’s lost his other O, clumsy, but a great record. In fact the charts are pretty volatile with new stuff battling it out, records that should be going up are static or dropping a little. Boo! Maroon 5 are sweet as Sugar and rocketing up to 29, Queen get 41 years of top 40 hits with a 31-year-old song, actually it’s better than Freddie’s dance version, I think, which scraped into my 20 in 1984. Synth Indie act Above And Beyond also enter at 38, after I heard it on Paul Gambaccini’s USA chart run-down driving back from London yesterday – Paul is still giving me great musical tips after well over 40 years, thanks Paul!

Also back: Cobra Starship get another top 40 hit, ditto Rae Morris and Ne-Yo. George Ezra gets a 3rd entry with Cassy O’. I assume that’s the missing O from Mike Mago, who pronounces it Magoo. Calvin Harris and HAIM are busy praying to God, they might want to have a word with Hozier though, as he’s at 2, a bit higher than 57. Another 1973 song enters at 74 (joining Linda Lewis in being an alternative version of a 1973 chart hit), Paper Plane from Status Quo, while a 1972 number one in my chart, the brilliant 1968 US northern soul hit from Archie Bell And The Drells, Here I Go Again, is back again thanks to a current advert on TV.

1 NEW 1 1 SPEED KILLS 10CC 170000
2 1 1 16 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 682700
3 2 2 2 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 200000
4 4 1 6 INSIDE OUT Spoon 382200
5 3 2 3 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 260000
6 6 6 2 THE NIGHTS Avicii 110000
7 5 3 7 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 455000
8 9 8 5 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 194000
9 12 4 10 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 429750
10 16 10 5 LADY Stevie Nicks 108100

11 8 8 6 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 164150
12 20 12 2 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 55000
13 7 1 8 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 740200
14 18 14 4 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 78400
16 10 10 5 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 126500
16 41 16 4 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 75000
17 NEW 17 1 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 23000
18 17 1 12 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 631900
19 19 19 9 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 117400
20 63 20 3 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 33000

21 11 2 7 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 501750
22 13 13 5 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 109000
23 23 23 3 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 56700
24 40 24 2 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 36000
25 30 25 2 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 36750
26 26 26 5 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 75350
27 14 1 8 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 589400
28 28 28 3 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 54400
29 75 29 2 SUGAR Maroon 5 23200
30 15 15 9 COOL KIDS Echosmith 166000

31 22 9 7 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 173600
32 50 32 2 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 29800
33 29 8 8 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 190350
34 49 34 3 LOVE KILLS Queen 39800
35 NEW 35 1 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 17500
36 38 36 2 LET IN THE SUN Take That 34600
37 67 37 3 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 30500
38 48 38 4 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 47100
39 44 39 3 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 41350
40 56 40 5 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 47000

41 36 28 4 START A FAMILY Texas 61700
42 24 24 6 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 101350
43 47 43 3 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 38100
44 66 44 4 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 32450
45 37 1 16 THESE DAYS Take That 876000
46 21 4 11 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 345650
47 32 7 11 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 281300
48 39 39 3 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 42650
49 25 7 8 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 212350
50 NEW 50 1 CASSY O’ George Ezra 12000

51 34 10 10 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 256100
52 27 27 6 REACH OUT Rumer 73400
53 53 12 17 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 329050
54 52 1 26 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1014400
55 31 11 10 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 184150
56 58 56 3 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 26000
57 NEW 57 1 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 10400
58 45 5 7 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 197850
59 57 1 23 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 651150
60 60 60 2 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 20000

61 46 9 12 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 263900
62 51 1 16 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 592500
63 33 33 3 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 42200
64 62 1 48 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 870450
65 65 65 6 ALFIE Cilla Black 37000
66 43 23 9 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 102750
67 35 35 3 GHOST Megan Vice 41600
68 54 9 16 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 316750
69 NEW 69 1 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 6200
70 61 1 16 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 686050

71 73 71 3 BREATHE Glude 16600
72 NEW 72 1 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora
73 59 12 17 SOS Indila 273800
74 NEW 74 1 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 5200
75 RE 75 2 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 10000

DROP OUTS
42 25 3 SOLO DANCING Indiana 51000
55 55 2 SAVE ME Listenbee 21600
64 1 15 DUST HALOS 650500
68 68 2 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 12800
69 1 26 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1189950
70 58 2 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 16200
71 1 14 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 636550
72 1 14 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 670300
74 1 25 CALL Francesco Yates 744200

1st February 2015

It’s Hozier, finally getting on top after two previous chart runs in previous years, and his fantastic passionate anti-hymn, Take Me To Church a well-deserved world-wide hit. Of course, here on Buzz Jack, it becomes yet another example of a classic record well-under-appreciated by voters – sorry boys and girls, but as long as we voters keep not voting for brilliant records I’m going to keep on mentioning it! It knocks off another (non-hit) example, Spoon, and keeps off a MYNGA, as well, all fab.

Highest new entry is from 74-year-old Giorgio Moroder and much much younger Kylie Minogue, and the terrific Right Here Right Now, the hook is just fabulous. Giorgio first came close to topping my charts in 1972 as writer-producer of one of the first ever synthpop song chart-toppers, Son Of My Father, before topping in 1977 with the instant classic, force of nature that is Donna Summer’s I Feel Love, pretty much all modern dance music can be traced back to that one. He had his first solo top 10 hit later that year (From Here To Eternity), then appeared again with Phil Oakey in 1984 on the classic Together In Electric Dreams, and it’s only taken him 31 years to get his 3rd, entering straight in at 2! Kylie, of course, has a zillion top 10 hits, and I think has yet not to chart with anything she’s released. So I like her!

Avicii is back with another big new entry and top 10 hit, with The Nights, at 6, while Sarah Cracknell adds to her list of top 10 entries. Paloma Faith adds to her top 20 list, and Noel Gallagher extends his run (including with Oasis) to 21 years with The Ballad Of The Mighty I, and it’s little hint of The Hollies Bus Stop. At 30 it’s a superstar bunch, as Rihanna takes lead vocals, Kanye West adds a bit, and Paul McCartney tinkles on some instruments. That’s a decade each for the first two of chart entries, and combined they still don’t have half the span of chart entries of Macca, my first ever chart number one with The Beatles Hey Jude in 1968. Legend!

Others returning: Take That, David Guetta, Emeli Sande, The Prodigy, and Maroon 5. With the new stupid dull streaming charts keeping genuine Top 40 sales hits out of the UK charts, only Maroon 5 breaks in to the UK charts, though at least The Weeknd finally gets in a few weeks late, resting still at 5 in my charts. Hey ho!

1 6 1 15 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 567700
2 NEW 2 1 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 115000
3 2 2 2 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 200000
4 1 1 5 INSIDE OUT Spoon 317200
5 5 3 6 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 405000
6 NEW 6 1 THE NIGHTS Avicii 55000
7 4 1 7 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 708200
8 8 8 5 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 127150
9 11 9 4 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 146000
10 14 10 4 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 101500

11 3 2 6 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 482000
12 12 4 9 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 384750
13 17 13 4 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 89500
14 10 1 7 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 571000
15 15 15 8 COOL KIDS Echosmith 148000
16 19 16 4 LADY Stevie Nicks 66100
17 18 1 11 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 609900
18 36 18 3 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 49400
19 39 19 8 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 96400
20 NEW 20 1 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 20000

21 7 4 10 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 332900
22 9 9 6 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 155700
23 29 23 2 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 37450
24 24 24 5 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 87600
25 13 7 7 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 200250
26 26 26 4 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 56850
27 27 27 5 REACH OUT Rumer 61900
28 32 28 2 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 36100
29 22 8 7 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 172650
30 NEW 30 1 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 18000

31 16 11 9 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 173350
32 20 7 10 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 268800
33 37 33 2 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 35000
34 21 10 9 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 244350
35 35 35 2 GHOST Megan Vice 35000
36 28 28 3 START A FAMILY Texas 47700
37 31 1 15 THESE DAYS Take That 863000
38 NEW 38 1 LET IN THE SUN Take That 17200
39 44 39 2 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 30350
40 NEW 40 1 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 17000

41 30 30 3 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 50000
42 25 25 3 SOLO DANCING Indiana 51000
43 23 23 8 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 95950
44 54 44 2 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 24250
45 40 5 6 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 187650
46 33 9 11 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 256400
47 49 47 2 WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Ellie Goulding 24600
48 50 48 3 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 29900
49 59 49 2 LOVE KILLS Queen 22200
50 NEW 50 1 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 12000

51 45 1 15 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 585100
52 51 1 25 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 1003400
53 47 12 16 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 317800
54 38 9 15 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 310350
55 55 55 2 SAVE ME Listenbee 21600
56 63 56 4 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 30000
57 56 1 22 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 641050
58 74 58 2 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 15400
59 48 12 16 SOS Indila 268400
60 NEW 60 1 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 10000

61 52 1 15 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 680050
62 62 1 47 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 863350
63 71 63 2 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 13000
64 57 1 15 DUST HALOS 650500
65 70 65 5 ALFIE Cilla Black 30000
66 69 66 3 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 19200
67 67 67 2 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 13200
68 68 68 2 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 12800
69 66 1 26 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1189950
70 58 58 2 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 16200

71 61 1 14 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 636550
72 65 1 14 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 670300
73 73 73 2 BREATHE Glude 10800
74 72 1 25 CALL Francesco Yates 744200
75 NEW 75 1 SUGAR Maroon 5 5000

DROP OUTS
34 19 9 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 160500
41 14 10 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 178550
42 22 4 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 70400
43 5 12 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 350000
46 5 11 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 322700
53 10 9 DESIRE Years And Years 203650
60 3 9 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 316800
64 64 1 PRETTY GREEN Spinee 7100
75 75 1 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 5000

25th January 2015

It’s a big clearout of oldies this week, as an invasion of buzz jack contest entries forces them out earlier than I’d have liked – but it was them or current stuff I still love, and the oldies lost! So that means it’s a Buzz Jack 1 and 2 as semi-finalist’s Spoon climb on to the top with the fab Inside Out, and a great John Lennon-styled vocal performance. Just behind, and new in at 2, it’s the equally good MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein, and the falsetto soul dance fabulousness of Back Home. Support MYNGA’s!

Up to 8, Simple Minds best record in 20 years, the not-very-rocky Let The Day Begin, it’s more synth-period Simple Minds with that throbbing beat they turned to in 1983, and it’s very good. Linda Lewis gets Rock A Doodle Do, an archive live BBC version that’s virtually as good as the original, into the top 10 42 years on. I love her voice, her range is amazing, it’s like 3 singers in one, and look forward to her new material. Sarah Cracknell extends her top 20 hits run (with Saint Etienne) to 22 years, and the sweet Ready Or Not, while The Charlatans do the same, only 26 years. That’s nothing, though, the classy Stevie Nicks goes top 20 with a bound, the Lady has 38 years of hit-songs (with Mac of course, and solo, and with ex-Lindsay Buckingham).

Paul McCartney, Texas, and Paloma Faith all go top 40, while Queen’s version of the 1984 Freddie Mercury dance top 20 hit Love Kills, pops in as Somebody To Love is pushed out. The Weeknd makes it 3 in the chart, finally, as his featuring with SIA enters, as SIA and The Weeknd’s Top 10 tracks drop a bit, leaving his other featuring, former number one with Ariana Grande, a bit lower down. Not bad, and about time he had a solo hit.

1 9 1 4 INSIDE OUT Spoon 252200
2 NEW 2 1 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 115000
3 2 2 5 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 445000
4 1 1 6 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 658200
5 3 3 5 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 345000
6 5 5 14 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 397700
7 4 4 9 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 313150
8 25 8 4 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 79150
9 16 9 5 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 136200
10 6 1 6 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 542000

11 13 11 3 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 101000
12 8 4 8 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 349750
13 7 7 6 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 181500
14 23 14 3 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 59500
15 15 15 7 COOL KIDS Echosmith 121000
16 11 11 8 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 155450
17 35 17 3 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 57500
18 12 1 10 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 586900
19 59 19 3 LADY Stevie Nicks 41100
20 14 7 9 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 251000

21 17 10 8 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 226750
22 38 8 6 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 154450
23 71 23 7 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 82450
24 24 24 4 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 68600
25 26 25 2 SOLO DANCING Indiana 37250
26 44 26 3 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 38350
27 49 27 4 REACH OUT Rumer 43500
28 50 28 2 START A FAMILY Texas 30300
29 NEW 29 1 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 18200
30 30 30 2 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 36000

31 18 1 14 THESE DAYS Take That 845700
32 NEW 32 1 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 17800
33 21 9 10 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 243650
34 19 19 9 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 160500
35 NEW 35 1 GHOST Megan Vice 17500
36 60 36 2 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 27400
37 NEW 37 1 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 17300
38 28 9 14 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 299350
39 73 39 7 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 75400
40 31 5 5 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 174650

41 27 14 10 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 178550
42 22 22 4 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 70400
43 29 5 12 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 350000
44 NEW 44 1 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 13250
45 40 1 14 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 573350
46 36 5 11 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 322700
47 33 12 15 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 306550
48 34 12 15 SOS Indila 258300
49 NEW 49 1 WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Ellie Goulding 12100
50 72 50 2 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 17600

51 48 1 24 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 991900
52 41 1 14 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 672550
53 32 10 9 DESIRE Years And Years 203650
54 NEW 54 1 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 11000
55 NEW 55 1 SAVE ME Listenbee 10800
56 55 1 21 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 630650
57 47 1 14 DUST HALOS 643400
58 NEW 58 1 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 10200
59 NEW 59 1 LOVE KILLS Queen 10100
60 39 3 9 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 316800

61 52 1 13 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 630750
62 62 1 46 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 855950
63 67 63 3 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 19400
64 NEW 64 1 PRETTY GREEN Spinee 7100
65 54 1 13 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 664700
66 63 1 25 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1183750
67 NEW 67 1 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 6600
68 NEW 68 1 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 6400
69 69 69 2 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 12400
70 70 70 4 ALFIE Cilla Black 23000

71 NEW 71 1 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 5800
72 68 1 24 CALL Francesco Yates 739000
73 NEW 73 1 BREATHE Glude 5400
74 NEW 74 1 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 5200
75 NEW 75 1 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 5000

DROP OUTS

10 10 30 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 448750
20 20 16 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 212750
37 37 4 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 50100
42 2 10 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 359250
43 43 12 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 112000
45 36 5 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 59950
46 46 9 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 84150
51 13 11 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 205150
53 15 10 27 CLUB Chloe Black 176250
56 5 20 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 528550
57 57 10 MY GENERATION The Who 77400
58 47 5 I’M AN ALBATRAOZ AronChupa 48600
61 25 5 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 76600
64 37 5 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 71600
65 33 6 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 65700
66 1 16 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 696950
74 74 1 TONGUE TIED Alvin Stardust 5200
75 75 2 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 10000

18th January 2015

3 weeks for Madonna on top, getting close to catching up her long runners at number one (I think 4 weeks is the longest, or do I mean Four Minutes). Still at 2 too! Not much change at the top at all in fact, though Spoon go top 10, and SIA gets her 4th Top 5. Sarah Cracknell gets a solo top 40 entry (yay!), and Indiana is back with Solo Dancing after doing well with it last year. The Radio One playlist is starting to look like an old Buzzjack song contest listing. Just saying….

Imagine Dragons are back with a new track, hooray! In at 30, I Bet My Life, giving them, ooo it must be 6 or so top 40 hits and a number one with Radioactive about a year before Radio one picked up on it. Just saying…

Texas are back, also hooray, looking to start a family at 50, while Gavin DeGraw pops in on fire at 60, sounding suspiciously like Maroon 5, but he’s been around long enough to have a Greatest Hits coming out. True fact! Ne-Yo is also back, extending his long run of chart action, just ahead of the late Alvin Stardust and his new track, very retro-sounding in a Johnny Cash sort of fashion, quite probably his first chart hit in 25 years, and extends his run wayyyy back to 1973, when I became mad on My Coo Ca Choo and sent it all the way to number one.

1 1 1 5 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 593200
2 2 2 4 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 360000
3 3 3 4 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 285000
4 6 4 8 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 263150
5 7 5 13 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 342700
6 5 1 5 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 500000
7 8 7 5 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 149500
8 4 4 7 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 314750
9 24 9 3 INSIDE OUT Spoon 82200
10 10 10 30 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 448750

11 19 11 7 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 130450
12 9 1 9 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 564900
13 13 13 2 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 64000
14 11 7 8 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 231000
15 20 15 6 COOL KIDS Echosmith 94000
16 16 16 4 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 91200
17 12 10 7 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 207000
18 15 1 13 THESE DAYS Take That 828000
19 22 19 8 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 142900
20 23 20 16 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 212750

21 17 9 9 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 225950
22 25 22 3 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna featuring Alicia Keys 56650
23 53 23 2 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 30500
24 34 24 3 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 49600
25 38 25 3 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 31150
26 NEW 26 1 SOLO DANCING Indiana 18500
27 14 14 9 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 164550
28 28 9 13 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 282150
29 18 5 11 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 336500
30 NEW 30 1 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 18000

31 21 5 4 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 157650
32 26 10 8 DESIRE Years And Years 192400
33 27 12 14 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 294050
34 50 12 14 SOS Indila 246000
35 40 35 2 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 34500
36 31 5 10 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 309950
37 39 37 4 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 50100
38 30 8 5 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 134950
39 29 3 8 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 306800
40 37 1 13 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 560350

41 33 1 13 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 661050
42 35 2 10 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 359250
43 46 43 12 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 112000
44 67 44 2 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 19850
45 36 36 5 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 59950
46 49 46 9 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 84150
47 42 1 13 DUST HALOS 633000
48 48 1 23 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 980150
49 62 49 3 REACH OUT Rumer 25100
50 NEW 50 1 START A FAMILY Texas 12000

51 32 13 11 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 205150
52 44 1 12 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 623250
53 59 15 10 27 CLUB Chloe Black 176250
54 43 1 12 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 657700
55 55 1 20 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 620050
56 56 5 20 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 528550
57 57 57 10 MY GENERATION The Who 77400
58 47 47 5 I’M AN ALBATRAOZ AronChupa 48600
59 60 59 2 LADY Stevie Nicks 20100
60 NEW 60 1 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 10000

61 41 25 5 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 76600
62 61 1 45 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 848550
63 63 1 24 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1176550
64 45 37 5 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 71600
65 52 33 6 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 65700
66 64 1 16 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 696950
67 72 67 2 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 12200
68 68 1 23 CALL Francesco Yates 733400
69 NEW 69 1 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 6200
70 70 70 3 ALFIE Cilla Black 17000

71 58 40 6 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 63200
72 NEW 72 1 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 5600
73 69 49 6 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 58300
74 NEW 74 1 TONGUE TIED Alvin Stardust 5200
75 75 75 2 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 10000

DROP OUTS
51 4 9 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 260350
54 19 11 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 157900
65 20 6 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 73700
66 4 12 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 313200
71 71 3 JEALOUS Labrinth 16600
73 1 28 BECOME Midge Ure 988400
74 74 1 EVERY BREAKING WAVE U2 5200

11th January 2015

It’s bad news for Madonna, Devil Pray is held off the top spot by Madonna, and a second good news week for Ghosttown. That’s frustrating as Devil Pray would have been her 21st number one! I think it’s probably fair to say Madonna is back on peak form at the age of 56, even if the rest of the album is merely OK (I like all the tracks I’ve heard so far). The Weeknd meanwhile gets his 3rd Top 3 hit, Olly and Demi go back up to 4, SIA goes up to 6 and Hozier is a re-entry at 7, though it’s really his 3rd run in 3 different years in my chart, 2013 he went top 20, 2014 hit 9, and thanks to a Graham Norton performance and BBC radio at loooooong last properly picking up on it it’s back at a new peak of 7. Hozier is completely absent from the top 50 radio chart, despite being 3 on streaming and consistently selling downloads over a long period. I think that says a lot about current British radio programming and “target audiences” instead of just going for quality new music.

Abba finally creep into the top 10 with Mamma Mia song, and Super Trouper album track, Our Last Summer from 1980. It’s only taken 34 years to get there (cos I didn’t allow album tracks during Abba’s years or else they would have taken over the whole chart). Also back, 42 years on, it’s T.Rex and Solid Gold Easy Action, thanks to an advert., at 13. I was mad on this one when I was 14, and bought it the same week I bought John & Yoko’s Happy Xmas, Lennon & Bolan being heroes of mine. Tragically, within 8 years they had both died violently.

Highest proper new track is from The Charlatans, great to have them back with a good single at 40, and a chart run of around 25 years now… while also back, it’s Sarah Cracknell (thanks AH) and a sweet ballad, Saint Etienne dating back regularly in my charts since the early 90’s. Under-rated throughout. At 60, it’s Stevie Nicks, who’s been having solo hits since the 70’s, and with Fleetwood Mac since 1976, and like Sarah Cracknell a long-time fave female vocalist. I have my tickets for the long-awaited classic Rumours line-up in the summer, having seen them all previously in various line-ups of Fleetwood Mac, but never together on one stage. Always brilliant.

1 1 1 4 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 423200
2 3 2 3 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 245000
3 4 3 3 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 200000
4 7 4 6 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 266750
5 2 1 4 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 445000
6 9 6 7 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 198150
7 RE 7 12 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 282700
8 12 8 4 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 99500
9 6 1 8 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 529900
10 19 10 29 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 406750

11 11 7 7 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 202000
12 10 10 6 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 184000
13 NEW 13 1 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 32000
14 14 14 8 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 146150
15 8 1 12 THESE DAYS Take That 806000
16 16 16 3 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 68200
17 15 9 8 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 206200
18 13 5 10 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 318300
19 42 19 6 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 93450
20 24 20 5 COOL KIDS Echosmith 67000

21 5 5 3 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 139750
22 RE 22 7 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 121900
23 26 23 15 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 192750
24 29 24 2 INSIDE OUT Spoon 37200
25 27 25 2 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna featuring Alicia Keys 37150
26 20 10 7 DESIRE Years And Years 174600
27 17 12 13 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 276350
28 28 9 12 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 263850
29 22 3 7 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 289700
30 21 8 4 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 117750

31 31 5 9 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 292550
32 18 13 10 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 193400
33 23 1 12 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 647050
34 45 34 2 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 30600
35 30 2 9 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 345500
36 46 36 4 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 46950
37 35 1 12 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 543350
38 74 38 2 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 22400
39 59 39 3 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 32800
40 NEW 40 1 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 17000

41 25 25 4 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 69100
42 34 1 12 DUST HALOS 620500
43 38 1 11 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 646700
44 36 1 11 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 611750
45 37 37 4 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 64500
46 49 46 11 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 98750
47 48 47 4 I’M AN ALBATROAZ AronChupa 38400
48 47 1 22 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 967850
49 54 49 8 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 71400
50 50 12 13 SOS Indila 228400

51 41 4 9 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 260350
52 33 33 5 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 58700
53 NEW 53 1 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 11250
54 39 19 11 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 157900
55 55 1 19 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 609250
56 43 5 19 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 517950
57 60 57 9 MY GENERATION The Who 67000
58 40 40 5 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 57400
59 RE 15 9 27 CLUB Chloe Black 165000
60 NEW 60 1 LADY Stevie Nicks 10000

61 61 1 44 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 841150
62 72 62 2 REACH OUT Rumer 13000
63 63 1 23 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1169350
64 62 1 15 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 690150
65 65 20 6 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 73700
66 53 4 12 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 313200
67 NEW 67 1 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 6600
68 68 1 22 CALL Francesco Yates 727000
69 58 49 5 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 52900
70 75 70 2 ALFIE Cilla Black 11000

71 71 71 3 JEALOUS Labrinth 16600
72 NEW 72 1 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 5600
73 73 1 28 BECOME Midge Ure 988400
74 NEW 74 1 EVERY BREAKING WAVE U2 5200
75 NEW 75 1 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 5000

4th January 2015

It’s Madonna – but which one? Not the highest new entry, at 27, that’s new single Living For Love. Not Devil Prey which climbs to 3 to give Madonna 2 consecutive top 3’s for the first time in yonks and yonks, if yonks means 1985, I think. No, the one on top is the fab Ghosttown, and it’s not even a single, with most of the album yet to be revealed. So how many chart-toppers does that make for Her Madgeness? The 1st was Papa Don’t Preach in 1986, the oldest Holiday from 1984, and the most recent 4 Minutes in 2008, so it’s been a long gap of almost 7 years, but gives a grand total of 20, I reckon. 29 years of chart-toppers, not bad!

The Weeknd meanwhile replaces himself in the top 5 as it starts to chart in the USA, and SIA gets a 2nd solo top 10 of the year, and Sam Smith gets his first, shockingly given he had the top record of 2014 (La La La), but then Like I Do isn’t as whingey as the previous album singles. Visage take Fade To Grey back into the top 20 34 years on from topping my chart, Linda Lewis top 20 doodle do-ing 42 years on from first time round, and some reactivated dance tracks shoot up and back from Andy C and Fiora, Marlon Roudette, a new mystery song (all to be revealed in a week or two), and Alle Farben moves a bit closer to the 40 2nd time around around after hitting 49 last september – Radio 2 is playing it now, so it may even chart, shock! As may the Albatross song. Not Fleetwood Mac, it’s the sweary AronChupa track. I like it despite the the potty-mouth lyrics, which I’m getting fed up with in pop music, it’s become such a contrived cliche. I mean I can swear like a trooper but even so….

For my birthday, born the same year as Madonna, I went ice skating with the young niece and nephew, trying not to fall over and look even more ridiculous as kiddies zipped in and about and danced on ice. I was comfortably the oldest skating, singing along to the music: Iiiiiim gonna swing (wobble) from the chande (slide) lieeeeerrrrrrr (wibble) froooom (bump) the chandeleee (wobble) eeeeeerrrrrrrrr (glide). I got series 7 Doctor Who, too, so yay!

1 4 1 3 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 253200
2 1 1 3 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 385000
3 9 3 2 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 130000
4 7 4 2 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 115000
5 5 5 2 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 120000
6 2 1 7 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 484900
7 6 4 5 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 201750
8 3 1 11 THESE DAYS Take That 779000
9 12 9 6 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 143150
10 14 10 5 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 149000

11 11 7 6 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 165000
12 59 12 3 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 51500
13 8 5 9 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 296300
14 RE 14 7 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 117150
15 18 9 7 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 183200
16 29 16 2 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 43200
17 51 12 12 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 257950
18 15 13 9 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 175600
19 23 19 28 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 364750
20 20 10 6 DESIRE Years And Years 156100

21 13 8 3 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 99750
22 10 3 6 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 271500
23 17 1 11 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 629350
24 34 24 4 COOL KIDS Echosmith 47000
25 25 25 3 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 55100
26 27 26 14 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 173500
27 NEW 27 1 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 18400
28 16 9 11 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 245550
29 NEW 29 1 INSIDE OUT SPOON 18200
30 22 2 8 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 328000

31 21 5 8 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 274650
32 32 32 5 REAL LOVE Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne 63300
33 37 33 4 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 47200
34 31 1 11 DUST HALOS 606750
35 28 1 11 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 526050
36 26 1 10 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 598500
37 38 37 3 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 51500
38 30 1 10 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 633200
39 36 19 10 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 146900
40 40 40 4 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 47200

41 19 4 8 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 248600
42 24 24 5 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 72450
43 41 5 18 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 507350
44 67 44 2 THINKING ABOUT IT Just Kiddin 19850
45 NEW 45 1 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 13000
46 56 46 3 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 29550
47 47 1 21 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 955550
48 66 48 3 I’M AN ALBATROAZ AronChupa 25900
49 54 49 10 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 86000
50 44 12 12 SOS Indila 216400

51 43 19 4 I BELIEVE IN FATHER CHRISTMAS Greg Lake 65500
52 39 39 2 HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) John & Yoko and The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir 28600
53 48 4 11 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 306400
54 58 54 7 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 59300
55 55 1 18 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 598450
56 53 6 10 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 240550
57 45 26 7 WAIT ON ME Rixton 84500
58 49 49 4 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 46700
59 RE 59 2 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 15700
60 63 60 8 MY GENERATION The Who 56600

61 61 1 43 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 833650
62 62 1 14 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 683050
63 60 1 22 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1162150
64 64 64 2 7/11 Beyonce 14200
65 33 20 5 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 66700
66 35 18 3 CHRISTMAS WRAPPING The Waitresses 46300
67 42 42 2 ONE MORE SLEEP Leona Lewis 20350
68 68 1 21 CALL Francesco Yates 720600
69 50 50 3 DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea 29000
70 70 70 2 DIAMONDS Josef Salvat 12000

71 75 71 2 JEALOUS Labrinth 10800
72 NEW 72 1 REACH OUT Rumer 5600
73 73 1 27 BECOME Midge Ure 983000
74 NEW 74 1 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 5200
75 NEW 75 1 ALFIE Cilla Black 5000

DROP OUTS
46 32 5 TELL ‘EM I’M GONE Cat Stevens 73250
52 5 12 WHEN I FIND LOVE AGAIN James Blunt 276600
57 29 4 YOU GIVE ME LOVE Idris Elba featuring Maverick Sabre 54000
65 15 8 27 CLUB Chloe Black 154900
69 52 2 STEP INTO CHRISTMAS Elton John 17700
71 71 2 REBEL HEART Madonna 11600
72 72 1 IT DON’T MEAN A THING Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga 5600
74 8 13 HELLO GOODNIGHT Mamas Gun 251950