You Better “Believe” Justin Bieber is Back at # 1

It’s a little unsettling that Justin Bieber captures his 5th # 1 album this week on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and he’s only 19 years old… I mean what were you doing when you were 19? Probably not achieving global domination but the Biebs just keeps chugging along with his latest smash Believe: Acoustic. I mean he even hits the top with an album of re-worked material! He also holds off new debuts by Andrea Bocelli, Tegan & Sara and Charlie Wilson. Also making a nice debut this week is the 7th place finisher from American Idol last season, Colton Dixon with his Contemporary Christian album A Messenger at # 15 … Take a look at the new top ten below and head to Billboard here for more on Biebs chart accomplishments this week.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Believe: Acoustic- Justin Bieber (debut)
2. Passione- Andrea Bocelli (debut)
3. Heartthrob- Tegan and Sara (debut)
4. Love, Charlie- Charlie Wilson (debut)
5. Pitch Perfect soundtrack (last week~ 3)
6. Unorthodox Jukebox- Bruno Mars (lw~8)
7. Babel- Mumford & Sons (lw~ 6)
8. Set You Free- Gary Allan (lw~ 1)
9. The Lumineers- The Lumineers (lw~ 2)
10. Red- Taylor Swift (lw~ 9)

Over on the Hot 100 Singles Chart, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis make it three weeks on top with “Thrift Shop”. They may have some new competition in the weeks ahead as two new songs enter the top-tier with Pink’s “Try” at #9 (her 13th top ten hit!) and “Sweet Nothing” by Calvin Harris and Florence Welch. We will see how all the songs hold up in the wake of Sunday’s Grammy Awards which always gives the chart a big shakeup. In the meantime, check out all your favorite genre charts at Billboard and take a gander at the biggest hits in the land below.

Top Ten Singles on the Hot 100:
1. “Thrift Shop”- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (lw~ 1)
2. “Locked Out of Heaven”- Bruno Mars (lw~ 2)
3. “Scream & Shout”- Will.I.Am w/Britney Spears (lw~ 5)
4. “Ho Hey”- The Lumineers (lw~ 3)
5. “I Knew You Were Trouble”- Taylor Swift (lw~ 4)
6. “Don’t You Worry Child”- Swedish House Mafia w/John Martin (lw~ 6)
7. “Beauty and a Beat”- Justin Bieber w/Nicki Minaj (lw~ 7)
8. “F##kin Problems”- A$AP Rocky w/Kendrick Lamar, Drake & 2 Chainz (lw~ 10)
9. “Try” – P!nk (lw~ 11)
10. “Sweet Nothing”- Calvin Harris w/ Florence Welch (lw~ 14)

And here’s Calvin Harris with his second top ten single and Florence Welch’s first top ten hit, “Sweet Nothing”

One Direction Rules a dreadful VMA’s.

This year’s MTV Video Music Awards ratings were down 50 percent and I’m not really surprised. The show was really lackluster with only Pink delivering a killer performance with her latest amazing single “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”. Other performances by Taylor Swift, One Direction, and Rihanna were pretty blah while Green Day and Alicia Keys (featuring gold medal winning Olympian Gaby Douglas) could only muster a little more excitement. And then there was the mess that was 2 Chainz. Aside from that you had egotistical and arrogant winners like Rihanna and her douchebag jerk bf Chris Brown spouting ungrateful speeches or just incoherent ones from the likes of Nicki Minaj (oh dear what is she gonna be like on American Idol next season?)… Speaking of One Direction, they were the big winners with 3 awards while Rihanna took home two including Video of the Year for “We Found Love”. Take a look at all the winners below and head to MTV here for more info on the show and the performances.

2012 MTV Video Music Award Winners~

Video of the Year: “We Found Love”- Rihanna w/ Calvin Harris
Female Video: “Starships”- Nicki Minaj
Male Video: “Turn Up the Music”- Chris Brown
Pop Video: “What Makes You Beautiful”- One Direction
New Artist: “What Makes You Beautiful”- One Direction
Hip Hop Video: HYFR”- Drake w/ Lil Wayne
Rock Video: “Paradise”- Coldplay
Video with a Message: “Skyscraper”- Demi Lovato
Electronic/Dance Video: “Feel So Close”- Calvin Harris
Shareworthy Video: “What Makes You Beautiful”- One Direction
Art Direction: “Wide Awake”- Katy Perry
Choreography: “Turn Up the Music”- Chris Brown
Cinematography: “Bad Girls”- M.I.A.
Editing: “Countdown”- Beyonce
Visual Effects: “First of the Year”- Skrillex
Direction: “Bad Girls”- M.I.A.

And here’s Pink’s amazing performance of “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”

http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/832106/blow-me-one-last-kiss-live.jhtml#id=1692712

 

First Listen~ Scissor Sisters “Only the Horses”

One of my favorite bands ever is finally back with new music. After teasing us with “Shady Love” a few months back, the Scissor Sisters are releasing their first official single from their forthcoming fourth album Magic Hour. The slamming new dance track is called “Only the Horses” and it’s fantastic. Perhaps the touch of writer/producer Calvin Harris (who you know best from his # 1 smash collaboration with Rihanna, “We Found Love”) will help this one fly up the charts here in America while it’s surely going to be big in the U.K. where they have their biggest fan base. The new single hits iTunes next week and the album is due in the U.S. later this summer. For more on the Sisters, upcoming tour dates and this great track, head to their website here, and check out their great new single below.

Scissor Sisters “Only the Horses”

The Charts: Rihanna and Buble win the week before Christmas

It’s becoming pretty boring on the Billboard Music charts as Rihanna and Michael Buble ruled the roost again… On the Albums chart, Buble held at # 1 for a fourth week with Christmas selling another 448,000 copies for a total of 1.96 million and the title of third best-selling album of the year. Just behind him at # 2 was Adele’s 21, the biggest selling album of the year. It has now totalled 5.28 million and has become the best-selling album in the U.S. since Usher’s Confessions sold 8 million copies in 2004. Go Adele! For more on all the numbers, head to Billboard here and check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Christmas- Michael Buble (last week~ 1)
2. 21- Adele (lw~ 3)
3. Under the Mistletoe- Justin Bieber (lw~ 4)
4. El Camino- The Black Keys (lw~ 2)
5. Own the Night- Lady Antebellum (lw~ 15)
6. Here and Now- Nickelback (lw~8)
7. Take Care- Drake (lw~ 7)
8. Concerto: One Night in Central Park- Andrea Bocelli (lw~ 6)
9. Clear as Day- Scotty McCreery (lw~ 13)
10. Lioness: Hidden Treasures- Amy Winehouse (lw~ 5)

Over on the Hot 100 Singles chart, Rihanna‘s “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris holds on top for an 8th week marking her longest reigning # 1 and the longest chart topper of 2011. (She just beats out Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” which had 7 weeks at the summit). Take a look at the new top ten below.

Top Ten Songs on the Hot 100:
1. “We Found Love”- Rihanna w/Calvin Harris (last week~ 1) * 8 weeks at # 1!
2. “Sexy and I Know It”- LMFAO (lw~ 2) * 7th week at # 2
3. “It Will Rain”- Bruno Mars (lw~ 3) * 4th week at # 3
4. “Good Feeling” – Flo Rida (lw~ 5)
5. “The One that Got Away”- Katy Perry (lw~ 4)
6. “Ni**s in Paris”- Jay Z & Kanye West (lw~ 6)
7. “Someone Like You”- Adele (lw~ 7) *formerly spent 5 weeks at # 1
8. “Without You”- David Guetta w/Usher (lw~ 9)
9. “Moves Like Jagger”- Maroon 5 w/Christina Aguilera *formerly spent 4 weeks at # 1
10. “5 O’Clock”- T Pain w/Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen (lw~ 10)

Speaking of Adele, she’s about to land her 3rd top ten single of the year as “Set Fire to the Rain” flies from # 21 to # 13. Check out an amazing live performance of her latest below.

Adele “Set Fire to the Rain”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2j279pZxTY&feature=fvwrel

Baby Daddy (?) Bieber Leads the Charts

Justin Bieber just can’t get out of the news. Following the claims that the 17 year-old fathered some chick’s baby (which he vehemently denies), the Biebs got some good news today as he nabbed his third # 1 album. Selling 210,000 copies, Bieber’s Under the Mistletoe debuts on top of the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart making it the first Christmas album from a solo male artist to debut in that position. (On a personal note, I can’t stand hearing any Christmas music til at least after Thanksgiving~ better yet mid December. So, please don’t be playin’ the Biebs holiday tidings near me, lol). Justin also lays claim to the title of most # 1 albums (3) by an artist under 18 years-old breaking his tie with LeAnn Rimes who had two…. Now, it wasn’t all about tween heart-throbs on the chart this week as 5 other records debuted in the top ten from rapper Wale, Grammy winning country singer Miranda Lambert, Grammy nominees Florence + the Machine, R& B crooner Tyrese and former X-Factor contender Susan Boyle whose latest gave her a third top 5 album, albeit with a huge drop off in sales compared to her last two…. For more on this chart, head to Billboard here and check out the top ten albums below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Under the Mistletoe- Justin Bieber (debut)
2. Ambition- Wale (debut)
3. Four the Record- Miranda Lambert (debut)
4. Someone to Watch Over Me- Susan Boyle (debut)
5. 21- Adele (last week~ 4)
6. Ceremonials- Florence + the Machince (debut)
7. Mylo Xyloto- Coldplay (lw~ 1)
8. Christmas- Michael Buble (lw~ 5)
9. Open Invitation- Tyrese (debut)
10. Stronger- Kelly Clarkson (lw~ 2)

And here’s Miranda Lambert’s rocking current top 5 country smash “Baggage Claim”. Watch for her to perform it on the CMA Awards tonight on ABC.

Looking at the Hot 100 Singles chart, Rihanna makes it two weeks in a row with “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris. She is likely to hold on another week despite the quickly rising LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It”. Take a gander at the new top ten below.

Top Ten Singles on the Hot 100:
1. “We Found Love”- Rihanna w/ Calvin Harris (last week~ 1)
2. “Sexy and I Know It”- LMFAO (lw~ 3)
3. “Someone Like You”- Adele (lw~ 2)
4. “Moves Like Jagger”- Maroon 5 w/ Christina Aguilera (lw~ 4)
5. “Stereo Hearts”- Gym Class Heroes w/ Adam Levine (lw~ 6)
6. “Without You”- David Guetta w/Usher (lw~ 7)
7. “Pumped Up Kicks”- Foster the People (lw~ 5)
8. “Good Feeling”- Flo Rida (lw~ 12)
9. “You Make Me Feel”- Cobra Starship w/Sabi (lw~ 9)
10. “Party Rock Anthem”- LMFAO (lw~8)

Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson and Rihanna Rule the Charts

In a busy week on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, Coldplay makes it three in a row with their latest album, Mylo Xyloto. The disc becomes their third consecutive # 1 album debuting with a big 447,000 copies and an easy win over fellow Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson whose Stronger debuts at # 2 with 163,000 copies sold. Clarkson nabs her fifth consecutive top three album. (Interestingly, her lowest charting album was Breakaway, her smash from 2005 that sold over 6.3 million copies in the U.S. but only hit # 3). There were three more debuts in the top ten from Michael Buble, Toby Keith and Tom Waits. For more on the album charts, head to Billboard here and take a look at the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Mylo Xyloto- Coldplay (debut)
2. Stronger- Kelly Clarkson (debut)
3. Christmas- Michael Buble (debut)
4. 21- Adlele (last week~ 1)
5. Clancy’s Tavern- Toby Keith (debut)
6. Bad As Me- Tom Waits (debut)
7. Clear As Day- Scotty McCreery (lw~ 3)
8. Own the Night- Lady Antebellum (lw~ 7)
9. Duets II- Tony Bennet (lw~ 5)
10. Come to the Well- Casting Crowns (lw~ 2)

And here’s Coldplay’s latest video “Paradise”. It’s the second consecutive top 15 track from the new album following “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”.
Coldplay “Paradise”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4isv_Fylg&ob=av2e

Back on the Hot 100 singles chart, Kelly Clarkson makes more noise as the lead off single from Stronger “Mr. Know It All” zooms up from # 19 to # 10 giving her a 9th top ten on this chart. Watch for it to continue to climb in the weeks ahead. However, she’s got some fierce competition at the top as Rihanna nabs her 11th # 1 with “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris. Take a look at the new top ten below.

Top Ten Singles on the Hot 100:
1. “We Found Love”- Rihanna w/Calvin Harris (last week~ 2)
2. “Someone Like You”- Adele (lw~ 1)
3. “Sexy and I Know It”- LMFAO (lw~ 4)
4. “Moves Like Jagger”- Maroon 5 w/Christina Aguilera (lw~3)
5. “Pumped Up Kicks”- Foster the People (lw~ 5)
6. “Stereo Hearts”- Gym Class Heroes w/Adam Levine (lw~ 6)
7. “Without You”- David Guetta w/Usher (lw~ 7)
8. “Party Rock Anthem”- LMFAO (lw~ 10)
9. “You Make Me Feel…”- Cobra Starship w/Sabi (lw~8)
10. “Mr. Know It All”- Kelly Clarkson (lw~ 19)

And speaking of that amazing company Rihanna is in. Let’s look at the artists with the most # 1′s on the Hot 100 Singles Chart in Billboard History.

Most # 1′s on the Hot 100~
1. The Beatles (20 #1′s)
2. Mariah Carey (18)
3. Michael Jackson (13)
4. TIE~ Madonna & The Supremes (12)
5. TIE- Whitney Houston & Rihanna (11)
6. TIE- Janet Jackson & Stevie Wonder (10)

Rihanna, B.o.B. and J. Cole storm the charts

Rapper J.Cole leads six debuts in the top ten of the Billboard 200 Album charts with his debut release, Cole World: the Sideline Story. He’s the first debut artist to land a # 1 album this year. Landing just behind him in the runner-up position were punk pop rockers Blink 182 with their first top ten album in five years, Neighborhoods. Rounding out the newcomers in the upper region of the list are rockers Wilco, Switchfoot, Chickenfoot and Mastodon. Check out the new top ten below.

Top 10 Albums:
1. Cole World: The Sideline Story- J. Cole (debut)
2. Neighborhoods- Blink 182 (debut)
3. 21- Adele (last week~ 3)
4. Duets II- Tony Bennett & Various Artists (lw~ 1)
5. The Whole Love- Wilco (debut)
6. Own the Night- Lady Antebellum (lw~ 2)
7. Tha Carter IV- Lil Wayne (lw~ 5)
8. Vice Verses- Switchfoot (debut)
9. Chickenfoot III- Chickenfoot (debut)
10. The Hunter- Mastadon (debut)

Jumping over to the Hot 100 singles chart, rapper B.o.B. grabs his highest debuting track (and his fourth top ten) with his new single “Strange Clouds” featuring Lil Wayne. That’s one of three new songs in the top ten alongside David Guetta & Usher’s “Without You” and Rihanna‘s landmark 20th top ten “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris. Check out the top ten below which sees Adele‘s “Someone Like You” return to the summit for a second non-consecutive week and head to Billboard for more info on all the numbers.

Top Ten Songs on the Hot 100:
1. “Someone Like You”- Adele (last week~ 2)
2. “Moves Like Jagger”- Maroon 5 w/Christina Aguilera (lw~ 1)
3. “Pumped Up Kicks”- Foster the People (lw~ 3)
4. “Stereo Hearts”- Gym Class Heroes w/Adam Levine (lw~ 5)
5. “Party Rock Anthem”- LMFAO (lw~ 4)
6. “Sexy and I Know It”- LMFAO (lw~ 10)
7. “Strange Clouds”- B.o.B. w/ Lil Wayne (debut)
8. “Without You”- David Guetta w/Usher (lw~ 11)
9. “We Found Love”- Rihanna w/Calvin Harris (lw~ 16)
10. “You Make Me Feel…”- Cobra Starship w/Sabi (lw~ 9)

And before we go, let’s look at Rihanna’s twenty top ten hits. It’s also worth it to note that Rihanna has become the artist to reach this milestone the fastest outpacing Madonna by just five months. (They both trail The Beatles though). Congrats RiRi!

Here are all of Rihanna’s 20 Billboard Hot 100 top 10s (ranked by year, peak position and title):

2005, No. 2, “Pon De Replay”
2006, No. 1 (three weeks), “SOS”
2006, No. 6, “Unfaithful”
2007, No. 9, “Break It Off” (Rihanna and Sean Paul)
2007, No. 1 (seven weeks), “Umbrella” (featuring Jay-Z)
2007, No. 7, “Hate That I Love You” (featuring Ne-Yo)
2008, No. 3, “Don’t Stop the Music”
2008, No. 1 (one week), “Take a Bow”
2008, No. 1 (two weeks), “Disturbia”
2008, No. 1 (six weeks), “Live Your Life” (T.I. featuring Rihanna)
2009, No. 2, “Run This Town” (Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West)
2009, No. 9, “Russian Roulette”
2010, No. 8, “Hard” (featuring Jeezy)
2010, No. 1 (five weeks), “Rude Boy”
2010, No. 1 (seven weeks), “Love the Way You Lie” (Eminem featuring Rihanna)
2010, No. 1 (one week), “Only Girl (In the World)”
2010, No. 1 (one week), “What’s My Name?” (featuring Drake)
2011, No. 1 (one week), “S&M” (featuring Britney Spears)
2011, No. 7, “Cheers (Drink to That)”
2011, No. 9 (to-date), “We Found Love” (featuring Calvin Harris)

Rihanna w/Calvin Harris “We Found Love”

First Listen~ Rihanna “We Found Love”

Let’s just face it: Rihanna is a machine. I mean, how else can we explain the amount of music she has put out since her debut in 2005? She’s had 24 Top 40 hits, 19 Top Tens, and 10 # 1 Singles off of 6 albums. That’s simply incredible. And now, the Grammy winner is readying her next album, due in November. It’s preceded by the fantastic new dance/pop single “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris that is sure to soar straight to the top of the charts, and I have your first listen. Check it out below and surrender to Rihanna yet again.

Rihanna w/Calvin Harris “We Found Love”