Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: April 1st, 2008

01. Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
02. Usher and Young Jeezy - Love In This Club
03. Ray J and Yung Berg - Sexy Can I
04. Chris Brown - With You
05. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
06. Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown - No Air
07. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
08. Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
09. Lil Wayne and Static Major - Lollipop
10. Lil Mama and Chris Brown - Shawty Get Loose
11. Timbaland and OneRepublic - Apologize
12. OneRepublic - Stop And Stare
13. Lupe Fiasco - Superstar
14. Miley Cyrus - See You Again
15. Mariah Carey - Touch My Body

Wow!  After some pretty boring and static charts, this week's chart is jumping! 

I thought I would just introduce Leona Lewis last week when she entered the Top 10 at #8.  But then here she is now, jumping all the way to Number 1!  She has reached the summit in only her sixth week on the chart with "Burning Love".

There had only been two other British women who had reached Number 1 with their debut hits.  First was Petula Clark with "Downtown" back in 1965.  Second was Sheena Easton with "Morning Train (9 to 5)" in 1981.

The new #9 song "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne and Static Major vaults in from #85!  While the new #10 "Shawty Get Loose" by Lil Mama and Chris Brown is up from #19.  You will notice that this last song is now Chris Brown's third hit in the Top 10!  He still has "With You" and "No Air" (with Jordin Sparks) in there as well.

"Apologize" by Timbaland featuring One Republic is now down at Number 11.  This song actually stayed in the Top 10 for an incredible 25 weeks!  The new single for One Republic "Stop and Stare" is poised to reached the Top 10 soon as it rises from #16 to #12.  Also, Ryan Tedder of One Republic is one of the writers of "Burning Love", the new Number 1 song!

Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" is one point down this week, but still with a bullet.  With the release of a digital download this week, look for a big jump next week.  It is expected to catapult her straight to the top!

The top debut this week is "Roll" by Flo Rida and Sean Kingston at #60.  Flo Rida's album "Mail on Sunday" debuts on the Billboard 200 at #4 this week.

However, the more exciting debut is at #68.  The song is "4 MInutes" by Madonna and Justin Timberlake.  This charting is just based on airplay alone.  We expect this to vault into the top of the charts once the digital downlaods are available.  I just posted about this song last Sunday, now here is the link:  http://3xhcch.multiply.com/music/item/79

Strange for me to see Ne-Yo just debuting at #96 with "Go On Girl".  Of course this song has been very big here locally last month, and was one of the most anticipated songs at his concert.  There is even a new single "Closer" now on the radio as Ne-Yo is about to release his third studio album.

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 10/2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Chris Brown - With You
03. Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
04. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
05. Alicia Keys - No One
06. Timbaland and OneRepublic - Apologize
07. Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
08. Sean Kingston - Take You There
09. Webbie featuring Lil' Phat and Lil' Boosie - Independent
10. Buckcherry - Sorry
11. Miley Cyrus - See You Again
12. Lupe Fiasco - Superstar
13. Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown - No Air
14. Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again
15. Linkin Park - Shadow Of The Day

I should stop making predictions about this song "Low," so that it can give another song its chance on top.  Haha.  It stays on top for 10 weeks already, matching Beyonce's "Irreplaceable."  Flo Rida's follow-up single "Elevator" which debuted at #100 last week, now rose up to #28!

One notable debut this week is that of Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson with "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" at #80.  I expected it to debut higher considering its premier on an American Idol show last week, granted that was a predictable result show.  Let's follow the chart fortune of Ms. Abdul's chart comeback.  Her last Hot 100 hit was "Crazy Cool" in late 1995.  This is actually Randy's first single as a credited artist.  Here's the official video, which was reportedly not submitted to MTv (?):

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 09/2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Chris Brown - With You
03. Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
04. Alicia Keys - No One
05. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
06. Timbaland and OneRepublic - Apologize
07. Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
08. Sean Kingston - Take You There
09. Buckcherry - Sorry
10. Webbie featuring Lil' Phat and Lil' Boosie - Independent
11. Miley Cyrus - See You Again
12. Fergie - Clumsy
13. Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar
14. Lupe Fiasco - Superstar
15. Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again

Yes, "Low" by Flo Rida remains at Number 1 for an unbelievable 9 weeks.  I just think that is too long for a song with lyrics as inane as:

Apple Bottom Jeans [Jeans]
Boots with the fur [With the fur]
The whole club was lookin at her
She hit the flo [She hit the flo]
Next thing you know
Shawty got low low low low low low low low.

Yikes.  Funny and cheesy, hahaha!  At the other end of the chart, Flo Rida debuts with his follow up "Elevator" featuring Timbaland this time, at #100.

Anyway, elsewhere on the chart, we have many other notable debuts:

Mariah Carey (photo, with her naked body only covered by a hat!) is back on the chart after being absent from the Hot 100 for the whole 2007, with her new song "Touch My Body", debuting at #54.  Well not bad, but for me it is just a continuation of her "We Belong Together" success couple of years back.  This song could have been part of that older album.  But still, we would be eager to hear how the other tracks of her new album, interestingly titled "e=mc2".

UK X-Factor winner Leona Lewis, who looks and sounds very much like Mariah Carey to me, finally debuts on the US Hot 100 with "Bleeding Love" at #85.  This very song has already landed Lewis at #1 in the UK and other European charts.

Also, Usher makes it back to the chart after a long absence.  "Love In This Club" featuring Young Jeezy debuts at #834.  Locally, the new Usher song being played on the radio is "That Girl Right There" featuring Ludacris.

On the Billboard 200 album chart, Amy Winehouse and Herbie Hancock rocket literally into the Top 5 after their Grammy wins.  Amy's "Back In Black" jumps back up from #24 to #2 on its 49th week on the chart.  Hancock's Album of the Year winner "River:  The Joni Letters" shoots up to #5 from a lowly #154 on only its 4th week on the chart.  Withstanding these big moves is Jack Johnson's "Sleep Through the Static" which remains at #1 after debuting there last week.

Another interesting piece of news this week was the decision of Billboard to put Michael Jackson's "Thriller 25" in the Pop Catalog Album chart instead of the Billboard 200 big chart.  Billboard explains its decision by saying that "The overwhelming consensus at leading retailers was that despite the new material added to "Thriller 25," this essentially represents a re-issue of a 25 year old album and it thus belongs on the catalog charts."   Of course, elsewhere in the world where there is no catalog chart, "Thriller 25" debuted in the Top 10.

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 08/2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Chris Brown - With You
03. Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
04. Alicia Keys - No One
05. Timbaland and OneRepublic - Apologize
06. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
07. Yael Naim - New Soul
08. Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
09. Sean Kingston - Take You There
10. Buckcherry - Sorry
11. Fergie - Clumsy
12. Miley Cyrus - See You Again
13. Webbie featuring Lil' Phat and Lil' Boosie - Independent
14. Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again
15. Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar

I really cannot believe how strong this song "Low" is!  Eight weeks at #1!  All indications seem to point to a Chris Brown #1 next week.  But did we not say that two weeks ago? 

Glad to see the cool songs of Sara Bareilles and Yael Naim continue to gain in the Top 10.  Multi-media sensation Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) is about to barge into the Top 10 with her strongest hit yet "See You Again".  I must admit it is very catchy pop and mature for her age.

There's continuing good news for "No Air" by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown as it rises from #42 to #32 in its 6th week.  My other favorite is "Feels Like Tonight" by Daughtry, now up to #60 in its 3rd week.  Since this is from an album that is more than a year old, I am thinking it may nor really reach the heights of "It's Not Over" or "Home", but there's no harm wishing for more success.

Elsewhere on the chart, I am not too happy that a couple of my favorite songs from 2007 have already peaked and are on their way down.  "Pieces of Me" by Britney Spears peaked at #18 2 weeks ago, and is now down to #25.  "Won't Go Home Without You" by Maroon 5 did not even reach the top 40, already peaking at #48 last week, now down to #54. 

The Jackson siblings are also not doing very well.  Janet's "Feedback" falls to #61 (peaked at #51).  Michael's "Wanna Be Starting Something 2008" is languishing at #98 (peaked at #81 only).

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 07/2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Chris Brown - With You
03. Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
04. Timbaland and OneRepublic - Apologize
05. Alicia Keys - No One
06. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
07. Fergie - Clumsy
08. Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
09. Yael Naim - New Soul
10. Sean Kingston - Take You There
11. Buckcherry - Sorry
12. Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again
13. Webbie featuring Lil' Phat and Lil' Boosie - Independent
14. Chris Brown and T-Pain - Kiss Kiss
15. Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar

"Low" stays on Number 1 on the Hot 100 for a 7th week now, still with a bullet.  It also sets a new record for the longest staying Number 1 song on the Hot Digital Songs chart as it stays there for 10 weeks now.  On the Hot 100 though, Chris Brown and Rihanna are both challenging strongly.

The big news however is the debut of an unknown artist Yael Naim right into the Top 10 with a song called "New Soul".  On further reading, I found out that Yael is female, born in France and raised in Israel.  Her song follows the lead of Feist's "1234" and Sarah Bareilles "Love Song" who both gained prominence when they were used for TV commercials.  "New Soul" was used in the commerical spot for the launching of MacBook Air (which looks great and something I won't mind having, but that's another story.)



Other notable new songs debuting this week are the latest ones by Panic at the Disco! called  "Nine in the Afternoon" (no. 79) and Missy Elliot's "Ching-A-Ling" (No. 83).

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 06/2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Alicia Keys - No One
03. Chris Brown - With You
04. Timbaland and One Republic - Apologize
05. Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
06. Fergie - Clumsy
07. Sean Kingston - Take You There
08. Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
09. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
10. Chris Brown and T-Pain - Kiss Kiss
11. Natasha Bedingfield and Sean Kingston - Love Like This
12. Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
13. Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again
14. Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
15. Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar

Flo Rida still hangs on to the top slot of the Hot 100 for the 6th week.  Quite an achievement for such a nondescript song like "Low", in my opinion.  Aside from that, it also makes Number 1 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, and makes it an incredible 9 weeks atop the Hot Digital Songs chart.  It is also remains Number 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks and the Rhythmic Top 40 charts.

Rihanna latest single makes Top 5 this week, after entering the Top 10 last week.  "Don't Stop the Music" is now her seventh top 10 hit since making her chart debut the week of June 11, 2005 with "Pon de Replay," which peaked at No. 2. Her other top 10 hits were "SOS" (No. 1 for 3 weeks), "Unfaithful" (No. 6) and "Break It Off" (No. 9), "Umbrella" (No. 1 for 7 weeks) and most recently, "Hate That I Love You" (No. 7) with Ne-yo.  Billboard Chart Beat has noted that no other lead artist has had more top 10 hits than Rihanna within in same time frame from debut to present single.

Further down the chart, some news is brewing around the first Hot 100 debut of Michael Jackson in four years, one month and one week, with "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008." It is hard to believe that the original peaked at No. 5 hit already 25 years ago! I have heard this latest version.  It sounds very much stripped down from the energetic original and features Akon in a major role.  This is the first single off the "Thriller" commemorative album due out later this year. Jackson's last Hot 100 hit was "One More Chance" which peaked at a lowly No. 83 back in 2003. 

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 05/2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Alicia Keys - No One
03. Timbaland and One Republic - Apologize
04. Chris Brown - With You
05. Fergie - Clumsy
06. Chris Brown and T-Pain - Kiss Kiss
07. Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
08. Sean Kingston - Take You There
09. Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
10. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
11. Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
12. Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
13. Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
14. Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar
15. Alicia Keys - Like You'll Never See Me Again

It is still "Low" by Flo Rida on top of the heap, now for 5 weeks.  But the big news is that Chris Brown's new song "With You" is the Greatest Gainer in both airplay and sales.  This augurs well as a bid for the top spot next week perhaps?

Further down the chart , we see a familiar name return to the Top 40.  That's Billy Ray Cyrus (he of the Achy Breaky Heart) who has his duet with daughter Miley Cyrus "Ready, Set, Don't Go" advance Number 40 this week.

Even further down at Number 95, Bruce Springsteen returns to the Hot 100 at Number 95 with a very pop "Girls in Their Summer Clothes".  This is Bruce's first Hot 100 hit since "Devils and Dust" in April 2005.  His chart career is now 32 years, four months and two weeks long, since his first Hot 100 hit "Born to Run".  I am hoping it brings him back into the Top 10,  where his last was "Streets of Philadelphia" back in April 1994.  Here's the video:

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 03/2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Alicia Keys - No One
03. Timbaland and One Republic - Apologize
04. Chris Brown and T-Pain - Kiss Kiss
05. Fergie - Clumsy
06. Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
07. Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
08. Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
09. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
10. Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
11. Rihanna and Ne-Yo - Hate That I Love You
12. Chris Brown - With You
13. Sean Kingston - Take You There
14. Baby Bash and T-Pain - Cyclone
15. Wyclef Jean featuring Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia - Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)

"Low" by Flor rida stays at No. 1 for the 3rd week in a row.  On top of that it is also the Greatest Gainer in Airplay, as it was the Greatest Gainer in Sales last week.  This seems to portend a longer stay at the top.

The rest of the Top 10 basically remains the same.  However there are exciting moves elsewhere on the chart.  Snoop Dogg's latest "Sensual Seduction" flies up from 39 to 21. "Stop and Stare" by One Republic goes up from 64 to 49.  Janet Jackson's "Feedback" rises from 84 to 52 on its second week. 

I'm disappointed that my favorite "Can't Go Home Without You" by Maroon 5 could not keep its momentum and drops from 65 back to 69.  Still hoping that its fortune will turn in weeks to come.

Two American idols debut on the chart with their latest singles.  Carrie Underwood's "All-American Girl" starts at Number 84.  I'm glad that the best song from Jordin Spark's album is now released as a single and debuts at Number 95.  The song is "No Air" and it is duet with star Chris Brown.  I am looking forward for a Top 10 future for this song.

On The Billboard 200, Radiohead shoots up to No. 1 this week  with "In Rainbows" from  a No. 156 debut last week due to street date violations. Nielsen SoundScan records sales of 122,000 units in the United States.  Thier last album, 2003's "Hail to the Thief," debuted at No. 3 but with sales of 300,000 units.

"In Rainbows" was available for several weeks late last year as an exclusive "name your own price" download from Radiohead.com.  Thus this album had already been hailed as the best album of 2007 by Billboard critics.

 

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 02/2008, week ending January 12, 2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Alicia Keys - No One
03. Timbaland and One Republic - Apologize
04. Chris Brown and T-Pain - Kiss Kiss
05. Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
06. Fergie - Clumsy
07. Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
08. Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
09. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
10. Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
11. Baby Bash and T-Pain - Cyclone
12. Wyclef Jean featuring Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia - Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
13. Sean Kingston - Take You There
14. Kanye West - Stronger
15. Rihanna and Ne-Yo - Hate That I Love You

"Low" by Flo Rida stays on top for a second week.  It actually gained 470,000 digital sales, setting a new single-week record!  Previous record holder was Fergie's "Fergalicious" which had 294,000 digital sales in a single week last year.


There are some exciting news on the lower part of the chart as Janet Jackson debuts in the Hot 100 again since November of 2006.  I have heard this new song "Feedback" and I find its electronic arrangement to be strong, smart and good pop.  Hopefully it propels Ms. Jackson back into the Top 10 again, where she has been missed since September of 2001!   Her last Top 10 at that time was Number 3 hit "Someone to Call My Lover".


The Top Debut this week at Number 62 is "Witch Doctor" by Alvin and the Chipmunks from the surprise hit movie.  This original version of this tune was a Number 1 hit back in 1958 for David Seville, stage name of Chipmunks creator Ross Bagdasarian.  Elsewhere on the chart are three other Chipmunks songs: "The Chipmunks Song" at Number 66 (the original of which was also a Number 1 hit back in 1958), their version of Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" at Number 67 and Lipps Inc.'s "Funkytown" at Number 86.

Billboard Hot 100
Issuedate: week 01/2008  Week ending Jan. 5, 2008

01. Flo Rida and T-Pain - Low
02. Alicia Keys - No One
03. Timbaland and One Republic - Apologize
04. Chris Brown and T-Pain - Kiss Kiss
05. Fergie - Clumsy
06. Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
07. Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
08. Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
09. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
10. Rihanna and Ne-Yo - Hate That I Love You
11. Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
12. Wyclef Jean featuring Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia - Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
13. Baby Bash and T-Pain - Cyclone
14. T-Pain and Kanye West - Good Life
15. Sean Kingston - Take You There

New Year, new Number 1 song!  "Low" by Flo Rida and T-Pain (both from the state of Florida) is another rap number.  I have heard it a few times on the radio, but the hook does not stick with me yet.  I thought for sure "No One" had the legs to stick it out at Number 1 for a few more weeks, but that is not to be.

"Low" is one of seven No. 1 hits in the 48-year rock era with the shortest title. The others are: "Why," Frankie Avalon (1959); "ABC," The Jackson 5 (1970); "War," Edwin Starr (1970); "Ben," Michael Jackson (1972); "Bad," Michael Jackson (1987); and "SOS," Rihanna (2006).

The newcomer in the Top 10 is Sara Bareilles with "Love Song", which jumps from #16 to #9.  This hit is also attributed to its continued exposure from a Rhapsody TV commercial (link). Remember last year, "1234" was used by iPod Nano in its commercial, and it also resulted in a Top 10 hit, and a Grammy Best New Artist nomination for Feist.