Linkin Park & Bruno Mars top the Charts

In a busy week on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, Linkin Park barely grabs the top spot over Trey Songz while Bruno Mars nabs his first solo # 1 on the Hot 100. Looking at the albums tally, rock rap hybrid Linkin Park sold 241,000 copies of their latest A Thousand Suns to debut on top just ahead of Trey Songz new album, Passion Pain & Pleasure which sold 240,000 copies. They lead a total of 6 new releases in the top ten including the latest from country singer Jamey Johnson, rock legend Robert Plant,  rockers Weezer and The Killer’s front man Brandon Flowers with his solo debut. Also of note, last week’s top album Sara Bareilles’ Kaleidoscope Heart takes a big fall from # 1 down to # 12 while Florence + the Machine’s Lungs takes a giant leap from # 44 to # 14. That move is spurred by their performance of the single “Dog Days are Over” at the MTV Video Music Awards last week and also propels the single to a giant move from 93 -21 on the Hot 100. Leading that singles tally for the first time by himself is newcomer Bruno Mars with “Just the Way You Are” which displaces Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”. Mars previously hit the top spot as a featured artist on B.o.B’s “Nothing on You” earlier this year and the top 5 accompanying Travis McCoy on his hit “Billionaire”. For more info on all the charts, head to Billboard here. And check out this week’s top singles and albums below.

Billboard Top Ten Albums
1. Linkin Park- A Thousand Suns (debut)
2. Trey Songz- Passion, Pain & Pleasure (debut)
3. Eminem- Recovery (last week~2)
4. Jamey Johnson- The Guitar Song (debut)
5. Robert Plant- Band of Joy (debut)
6. Weezer- Hurley (debut)
7. Now 35 Compilation (lw~ 3)
8. Brandon Flowers- Flamingo (debut)
9. Katy Perry- Teenage Dream (lw~ 4)
10. Justin Bieber- My World 2.0 (lw~8)

Top 10 Songs
1. “Just the Way You Are”- Bruno Mars (lw~ 3)
2. “Love the Way You Lie”- Eminem with Rihanna (lw~ 2)
3. “Only Girl in the World”- Rihanna (lw~ 75)
4. “Teenage Dream”- Katy Perry (lw~ 1)
5. “DJ Got us Falling In Love”- Usher w/Pitbull (lw~ 6)
6. “Dynamite”- Taio Cruz (lw~ 4)
7. “I Like It”- Enrique Iglesias w/Pitbull (lw~ 5)
8. “Just a Dream”- Nelly (lw~ 7)
9. “Club Can’t Handle Me”- FloRida w/David Guetta (lw~ 9)
10. “Like a G6”- Far East Movement (lw~ 16)

Kylie Minogue tops my Late Summer Songs Playlist!

So, here in LA, it finally feels like summer with some seriously hot temperatures after a very mild June and July. And in honor of this renewed summer sun, I’ve got another playlist of the songs I’m loving right now. Like my previous list, Kylie Minogue, Robyn, Katy Perry and The Scissor Sisters appear again. But really, they’re latest releases are so good, how could they not show up? So, take a look, download them on iTunes and enjoy the weekend!

Jason’s Late Summer Songs Playlist…

12. Kelly Rolwand “Rose Colored Glasses” (The second release from her upcoming album is more pop influenced than her last dance smash “Commander”, but just as good. And this time there’s a message!)

11. Flo Rida & David Guetta “Club Can’t Handle Me” (This club jammer from Step Up 3 may be generic, but it simply won’t be denied)

10. Mika vs. RedOne “Kick Ass” (Ok, so, this song came out in the spring along with the film it’s from, Kick Ass. However with the film just hitting dvd, it’s time to enjoy it yet again!)

9 Taio Cruz “Dynamite” (Proving he’s not a one hit wonder, Cruz comes back with another delectable dance ditty like his first # 1 “Break Your Heart)”

8. “Crossfire” -Brandon Flowers (The Killers frontman’s first solo single is simply awesome and has a killer video with Charlize Theron to boot!)

7. “Something ‘Bout Love”- David Archuleta (Go ahead, giggle all you want, but I love Archie’s new single from his upcoming sophomore album. It’s some sugary good pop ear candy)

6. Robyn “Hang With Me” (Why oh why isn’t this Swedish sensation a huge star? Every one of her songs is brilliant including her latest bid for a stateside hit)

5. Scissor Sisters “Any Which Way” (The second single from the group’s NightWork album is a downright dirty disco dancin’ electro glam good time!)

4. Christina Aguilera “You Lost Me” ~Hex Hector & Max Quayle Remix (This ballad has been given new life in this amazing remix that has returned Xtina to the top of the dance charts)

3. Erika Jayne “Pretty Mess” (This club diva is everything Ke$ha wishes should could be and this song is better than all of that trashy messes hits)

2. Katy Perry “Teenage Dream” (This is the summer of Perry and we are just along for the ride. Mega-smash # 2 from her second album could become as big as the first “California Gurls”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98WtmW-lfeE

1. Kylie Minogue “Get Outta My Way” (All hail Kylie! Her new album, Aphrodite, is chock full of hits like “All the Lovers” and now her latest bid for world domination)

Charlize Theron is a Ninja Assasin!

Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron (Monster) turns ninja assassin in her latest project. No, it’s not a big new action movie franchise. Instead, the gorgeous former model is starring in the new video for the first single from The Killers’ frontman Brandon Flowers, “Crossfire”. In the new clip for this fantastic track, Theron plays the heroine rescuing her damsel, er um, dude, in distress in a twist on the typical gender roles. It’s a great video and Theron makes a strong case for playing an action heroine. Check out the video below and watch for Flowers debut solo album, Flamingo, to drop on September 14.

Brandon Flowers “Crossfire”