The Grammy Awards Spread the Love on a Very fun. Night

Tonight’s Grammy Awards were filled with some great performances, some surprise winners and a really happy Kelly Clarkson. No one artist dominated the night as the love was spread out with wins for all the big nominees. In the big 4 categories, Gotye picked up Record of the Year for “Somebody that I Used to Know” (along with 2 other awards) and Mumford & Sons won Album of the Year (Babel) while fun. grabbed Song of the Year for “We Are Young” and Best New Artist. Other winners included Adele, Frank Ocean, Carrie Underwood, Jay Z, Beyonce, The Black Keys, Zac Brown Band, and an overjoyed Clarkson who took home Pop Album and had the best speech of the night. She also gave arguably the best performance with her brilliant tribute to Carole King and the late Patti Page… Other standout performances came from Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars with Sting, Damian and Ziggy Marley, The Lumineers, Elton John & Ed Sheerhan, and the aforementioned Underwood. Check here tomorrow for more on the performances and the show. In the meantime, check out the winners in the big categories below. Then, head to the Grammy website for all the winners.

2013 Grammy Award Winners:

Album of the Year: Babel- Mumford & Sons
Record of the Year: “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w.Kimbra
Song of the Year: “We Are Young”- fun.
New Artist: fun.

Pop Album: Stronger- Kelly Clarkson
Pop Solo: “Set Fire to the Rain”- Adele
Pop Duo/Group/Collaboration: “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra
Traditional Pop Album: My Funny Valentine- Paul McCartney
Dance Recording: “Bangarang”- Skrillex
Dance Album: Bangarang- Skrillex

Country Album: Uncaged- Zac Brown Band
Country Song: “Blown Away”
Country Solo: “Blown Away”- Carrie Underwood
Country Duo/Group/Collaboration: “Pontoon”- Little Big Town

R& B Performance: “Climax”- Usher
Traditional R & B Performance: “Love on Top”- Beyonce
R & B Song: “Adorn”- Miguel
Urban Contemporary Album: Channel ORANGE- Frank Ocean
R & B Album: “Black Radio” by Robert Glasper Experiment

Rock Album: El Camino- The Black Keys
Rock Performance: “Lonely Boy”- The Black Keys
Rock Song: “Lonely Boy”
Alternative Album: Making Mirrors- Gotye

Rap Album: Take Care- Drake
Rap Sung Collaboration: “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z & Kanye West, featuring Frank Ocean & The-Dream
Rap Performance: “N****s In Paris” by Jay-Z & Kanye West

Short Form Music Video: “We Found Love”- Rihanna w/Calvin Harris
Musical Theatre Album: Once
Compilation Motion Picture Soundtrack: Midnight in Paris
Original Film Score: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Song Written for Visual Media: “Safe & Sound”- The CIvil Wars & Taylor Swift (from The Hunger Games)
Comedy Album: Blow Your Pants Off- Jimmy Fallon

And here’s Kelly Clarkson’s amazing performance of “Tennessee Waltz/(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman”

It’s Time for my Big Bold 2013 Grammy Award Winner Predictions

Sunday night is the biggest night in the music industry with the Grammy Awards airing on CBS. Some of the big nominees include fun., The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, Kelly Clarkson, Frank Ocean and Hunter Hayes, but just who will win? … Well, let’s take a look at my big, bold, but totally unscientific predictions below and see… Then, watch the show Sunday night with performances from the above mentioned artists plus Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Justin Timberlake at 8pm on CBS.

My Big Bold 2013 Grammy Award Winner Predicitons~

Record of the Year:
“Lonely Boy”- The Black Keys, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”- Kelly Clarkson, “We Are Young”- fun. w/Janelle Monae, “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye, “Thinking ‘Bout You”- Frank Ocean, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”- Taylor Swift
Will Win: “Somebody that I Used to Know”
Should win: “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
~ spoiler: “We Are Young”

Song of the Year (award to the songwriter)
“The A Team” (Ed Sheerhan), “Adorn” (Miguel), “Call Me Maybe” (Carly Rae Jepson), “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” (Kelly Clarkson), “We Are Young” (fun.)
Will win: “We Are Young”
Should win: “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
Spoiler: “The A Team”

Album of the Year:
El Camino- The Black Keys, Some Nights- fun., Babel- Mumford & Sons, channel ORANGE- Frank Ocean, Blunderbuss 2- Jack White
Will win: Mumford & Sons
Should win: fun
Spoiler: The Black Keys

Best New Artist:
Alabama Shakes, fun., Hunter Hayes, Frank Ocean, The Lumineers
Will & Should win: fun.
spoiler: Frank Ocean

Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Set Fire to the Rain”- Adele, “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”- Kelly Clarkson, “Wide Awake”- Katy Perry, “Where Have You Been?”- Rihanna
Will & Should win: Kelly Clarkson
Spoiler: Adele

Pop Duo/Group/Collaboration:
“Shake It Out”- Florence + the Machine, “We Are Young”- fun. w/Janelle Monae, “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra, “Sexy and I Know It”- LMFAO, “Payphone”- Maroon 5 w/Wiz Khalifa
Will & Should win: fun.
Spoiler: Gotye w/Kimbra
Pop Album:
Stronger- Kelly Clarkson, Ceremonials- Florence + the Machine, Some Nights- fun., Overexposed- Maroon 5, The Truth About Love- Pink
Will win: fun.
Should win: P!nk
Spoiler: Kelly Clarkson

Country Solo Performance:
“Home”- DIerks Bentley, “Springsteen”- Eric Church, “Cost of Livin’”- Ronnie Dunn, “Wanted”- Hunter Hayes, “Over”- Blake Shelton, “Blown Away”- Carrie Underwood
Will & Should win: Carrie Underwood
Spoiler: Blake Shelton or Eric Church

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg in some of the biggest categories. If you’d like to know my thoughts in the other fields like Rock and Dance, shoot me a private message. In the meantime, please enjoy my favorite Grammy nominated song and artist, Miss Kelly Clarkson with “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” below.

Adele and Gotye are Music’s Biggest Sellers in 2012

Adele ruled the Album Charts throughout 2011 and again in 2012 with her massive smash 21. According to Billboard, she sold another 4.41 million again to have the top-selling album of the year for two years running (and over 10 million to date). The Grammy winning singer held off Taylor Swift and two albums by boy band One Direction not to mention five country albums in the top ten. Take a look at the top sellers of the year below.

Top Selling Albums of 2012:
1. 21- Adele (4.41 million)
2. Red- Taylor Swift (3.11 million)
3. Up All Night- One Direction (1.62 million)
4. Babel- Mumford & Sons (1.46 million)
5. Take Me Home- One Direction (1.34 million)
6. Believe- Justin Bieber (1.34 million)
7. Blown Away- Carrie Underwood (1.2 million)
8. Tailgates & Tanlines- Luke Bryan (1.1 million)
9. Tuskegee- Lionel Richie (1.07 million)
10. Night Train- Jason Aldean (1.04 million)

As for the top-selling digital singles of the year, newcomer Gotye was one of five new artists to land in the year-end top ten. Gotye’s “Somebody that I Used to Know” was the big winner selling 6.8 million to lead over fellow newbie Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” with 6.4 million. The other new artists in the top ten were Psy, One Direction and fun. who grabbed two spots in the final list (as did Maroon 5). Take a look at the biggest selling singles of the year below and head to Billboard here for more info on all the year-end charts and sales figures.

Top Ten Selling Singles of 2012:
1. “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra (6.8 million)
2. “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen (6.47 million)
3. “We Are Young”- fun. w/Janelle Monae (5.95 million)
4. “Payphone”- Maroon 5 w/Wiz Khalifa (4.76 million)
5. “Starships”- Nicki Minaj (3. 98 million)
6. “What Makes You Beautiful”- One Direction (3.89 million)
7. “Some Nights”- fun. (3.84 million)
8. “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”- Kelly Clarkson (3. 82 million)
9. “Gangnam Style”- Psy (3.59 million)
10. “One More Night”- Maroon 5 (3.46 million)

And here’s the biggest selling single of 2012 by Gotye.

Check Out Allison Kramer’s Brilliant and Hilarious Parody Video “Never Gonna Win in November”

I knew my friend Allison Lynn Kramer was massively talented when we did sketch comedy years and years ago, but I didn’t know just how brilliant. She’s also a very smart satirist. I shared with you her great take on Gotye’s “Somebody that I Used to Know” earlier this year and now she outdoes that great work with a hilarious and incisive take on Taylor Swift’s recent # 1 smash “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”. This time Kramer sings the song about politics and how ridiculous Mitt Romney is, insisting he “will never ever win in November”. (I have to agree). Anywho, check out this great video below and remember to vote next Month!! I know who I’m voting for… Here’s a hint, Allison likes praises him in her video as well. Oh heck, I’ll say it. VOTE OBAMA!!!  Enjoy and for more on Allison Kramer, head to her website here.

Allison Lynn Kramer “Never Gonna Win in November”

Rick Ross, Carly Rae Jepsen and Phillip Phillips make Big Moves on the Charts

Rapper Rick Ross lands his fourth # 1 album on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart with his new one God Forgives, I Don’t selling 218,000 copies. One other new album hits the top ten as Joss Stone lands her fourth top ten record with The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 at # 10. Aside from the usual suspects hanging out in the upper regions of the chart like Maroon 5, Justin Bieber and Adele, pop music icons the Bee Gees fly into the top five with Number Ones which benefitted from special low pricing on Amazon.com. For more info on these numbers, head to Billboard here and check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. God Forgives I Don’t- Rick Ross (debut)
2. Uncaged- Zac Brown Band (last week~ 1)
3. Believe- Justin Bieber (lw~ 6)
4. Up All Night- One Direction (lw~ 7)
5. Number ones- Bee Gees (RE-Entry)
6. Life is Good- Nas (lw~ 6)
7. Kidz Bop 22 (lw~ 5)
8. 21- Adele (lw~ 9)
9. Overexposed- Maroon 5 (lw~ 10)
10. The Soul Sessions Vol. 2- Joss Stone (debut)

Over on the Hot 100, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” holds at # 1 for the ninth week in a row making it the longest running chart topper of 2012. Jepsen breaks the tie with Gotye who ruled for eight weeks before she hit the top. We’ll see if anyone can break her streak but Ellie Goulding and Flo Rida are still climbing, so we’ll see…. One dark horse for the top spot next week is American Idol winner Phillip Phillips coronation song “Home” which flies up from 84 – 9 landing it a new peak position. The song has been getting a ton of exposure during the Olympics gymnastics coverage and clearly is winning a lot of new non-Idol fans. I also have to begrudgingly admit that I like the song. While I wasn’t a fan of Phillips on Idol, I am happy he has a hit with this song further proving the only singing competition on TV that can consistently produce hit makers is truly American Idol…. For more on this chart, head to Billboard and take a look at the new top ten below.

Top Ten Singles on the Billboard Hot 100:
1. “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen (last week~ 1) * 9 weeks on top
2. “Lights”- Ellie Goulding (lw~ 5)
3. “Whistle”- Flo Rida (lw~ 4)
4. “Wide Awake”- Katy Perry (lw~ 2)
5. “Payphone” – Maroon 5 w/Wiz Khalifa (lw~ 2)
6. “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra (lw~ 6)
7. “Where Have You Been?”- Rihanna (lw~ 7)
8. “Titanium”- David Guetta w/Sia (lw~8)
9. “Home”- Phillip Phillips (lw~ 84)
10. “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”- P!nk (lw~ 10)

And begrudginly, I’m gonna share with you the brand new video for the song I have finally decided I kinda like….
Phillip Phillips “Home”

Carly Rae Jepsen and Zac Brown Band continue to Rule the Charts

The Zac Brown Band hit the top of the Billboard Charts two weeks ago with their latest album, Uncaged, and this week they return to the summit. The country boys edge out edge out last week’s topper Nas and debuts from The Gaslight Anthem and Gossamer. Take a look a the latest top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:

1. Uncaged- Zac Brown Band (last week~ 2)
2. Life is Good- Nas (lw~ 1)
3. Handwritten- The Gaslight Anthem (debut)
4. Passion Pit- Gossamer (debut)
5. Kidz Bop 22 collection (lw~ 3)
6. Believe- Justin Bieber (lw~ 5)
7. Up All NIght- One Direction (lw~ 7)
8. Channel Orange- Frank Ocean (lw~ 4)
9. 21- Adele (lw~ 9)
10. Overexposed- Maroon 5 (lw~ 10)

Over on the Hot 100 Singles Chart, Carly Rae Jepsen ties Gotye for the longest run atop that chart this year with 8 weeks in a row for her smash “Call Me Maybe”. That reign may finally come to an end in a tight battle next week with Katy Perry and Flo Rida. We also may see a surprise charge into the top ten from American Idol winner Phillip Phillips whose coronation single “Home” has flown up to the top spot on the iTunes charts following its use in Olympics gymnastic coverage. Stay tuned… In the meantime, check out the latest top ten below.

Top Ten Singles on the Billboard Hot 100:

1. “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen (lw~ 1)
2. “Wide Awake”- Katy Perry (lw~ 3)
3. “Payphone”- Maroon 5 w/Wiz Khalifa (lw~ 2)
4. “Whistle”- Flo Rida (lw~ 6)
5. “Lights”- Ellie Goulding (lw~ 4)
6. “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra (lw~ 5)
7. “Where Have You Been?”- Rihanna (lw~ 7)
8. “Titanium”- David Guetta w/Sia (lw~8)
9. “Scream”- Usher (lw~ 9)
10. “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”- P!nk (lw~ 10)

And here’s a little treat for you… Check out the brand new single and video from Maroon 5 who is currently in the top ten of the albums and singles chart. They should keep up that momentum with their new one “One More Night”. (And watch for the super sweet and talented  Minka Kelly in the video too!) Enjoy

Maroon 5 “One More Night”

Carly Rae Jepsen, Katy Perry and Chris Brown conquer the Charts

Carly Rae Jepsen just won’t settle down til everyone in American gives her a ring as her smash “Call Me Maybe” makes it 5 weeks in a row on top of the Billboard Hot 100. She fends off the usual challengers Maroon 5 and Katy Perry while David Guetta & Sia make the biggest move up from 9 to 7 with “Titanium”. We’ll see if any of them can stop her from holding at # 1 next week. However, a sleeper may stop her in the form of P!nk’s brand new single “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” which debuts on the Hot 100 at# 58 but is now featured on the front page of iTunes and has risen to # 2 on that sales chart. Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out the new top ten singles below.

Top Ten Singles on the Hot 100:
1. “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen (last week~ 1)
2. “Payphone”- Maroon 5 w/ Wiz Khalifa (lw~ 2)
3. “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/ Kimbra (lw~ 3)
4. “Wide Awake”- Katy Perry (lw~ 4)
5. “Lights”- Ellie Goulding (lw~ 7)
6. “Where Have You Been?”- Rihanna (lw~ 5)
7. “Titanium”- David Guetta w/ Sia (lw~ 9)
8. “We Are Young”- fun. w/Janelle Monae (lw~ 7(
9. “Starships”- Nicki Minaj (lw~8) * sets the record for longest reign a song has spent in the top ten of the Hot 100 that debuted there with 21 weeks
10. “Scream”- Usher (lw~ 1)

Over on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, that douchebag unapologetic jerk Chris Brown grabs his second #1 album with Fortune. However, the collection sells only 134,000 copies, less that half of his last album to land at the top of the chart… Right behind him making a massive 21 to 2 move is Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream aided by the release of her concert film Katy Perry: Part of Me. That album also benefitted from a $.99 sale at Amazon.com last week on July 3rd where a ton of albums were sold at that discount price. Others benefitting from that sale were The Black Keys, Gotye and fun. who all return to the top ten. For more on that sale and all the numbers, head to Billboard here and check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Fortune- Chris Brown (debut)
2. Teenage Dream- Katy Perry (last week~ 21)
3. Believe- Justin Bieber (lw~ 3)
4. Overexposed- Maroon 5 (lw~ 2)
5. Living Things- Linkin Park (lw~ 1)
6. Making Mirrors- Gotye (lw~ 31)
7. Some Nights- fun. (lw~ 27)
8. Welcome to the Fishbowl- Kenny Chesney (lw~ 6)
9. 21- Adele (lw~ 7)
10. El Camino- The Black Keys (lw~ 55)

And here’s the latest video from Katy Perry, featured on her Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection collection, for “Wide Awake”. Enjoy

Adele and Carly Rae Jepsen~ “Call” them # 1

Adele just won’t stop… selling albums, that is, as her massive smash 21 returns to the top of the Billboard 200 Albums chart for a 24th frame at # 1. That run makes 21 the longest running # 1 album since Prince’s Purple Rain soundtrack grabbed 24 weeks on top in 1984. It also places in a tie for 6th place for the longest running # 1 album in history. Congrats Adele! With another 75,000 records sold, 21 has now totaled over 9.34 million in the U.S. which is unheard of these days when most hit albums struggle to get over 1 or 2 million total…. Adele (whose album has never left the top ten in its entire 68 week run) holds off a few debuts from Alan Jackson who grabs his 12th top ten record with Thirty Miles West at # 2 and legendary group The Beach Boys who grab their highest charting album since 1974 at # 3 with That’s Why God Made the Radio. Other top ten debuts come from Neil Young, Big K.R.I.T., Curren$y and Brandi Carlisle. For more on Adele’s feats and this chart, head to Billboard here and check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. 21- Adele (last week~ 2) * 24 weeks at # 1
2. Thirty Miles West- Alan Jackson (debut)
3. That’s Why God Made the Radio- The Beach Boys (debut)
4. Americana- Neil Young (debut)
5. Live from the Underground- Big K.R.I.T. (debut)
6. Up All Night- One Direction (lw~ 4)
7. Born & Raised- John Mayer (lw~ 1)
8. The Stoned Immaculate- Curren$y (debut)
9. Blown Away- Carrie Underwood (lw~ 6)
10. Bear Creek- Brandi Carlisle (debut)

Over on the Hot 100 Singles Chart, Canadian Idol finalist Carly Rae Jepsen officially conquers America as her “Call Me Maybe” hits # 1 booting out Gotye after 8 weeks on top. The single is pretty much inescapable on the radio and is the top-selling single in the country for 4 weeks now…. The other big news comes Katy Perry‘s “Wide Awake” which flies into the top ten at # 9 giving her an 11th top ten hit! Take a look at the new top ten below and for more on all the charts, head here.

Top Ten Singles on the Billboard Hot 100:
1. “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen (last week~ 2)
2. “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra (lw~ !)
3. “Payphone”- Maroon 5 w/Wiz Khalifa (lw~ 3)
4. “We Are Young”- fun. w/Janelle Monae (lw~ 4)
5. “What Makes You Beautiful”- One Direction (lw~ 6)
6. “Starships”- Nicki Minaj (lw~ 5)
7. “Wild Ones”- Flo Rida w/Sia (lw~ 7)
8. “Where Have You Been?”- Rihanna (lw~ 9)
9. “Wide Awake”- Katy Perry (lw~ 19)
10. “Boyfriend”- Justin Bieber (lw~8)

And here’s the hilarious and delightful video for the incredibly addictive new # 1 song in the land, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”

Rihanna and Regina Spektor Break into the Top Ten of the Billboard Charts

It was a rather quiet week on the Billboard charts for the past frame as Gotye and John Mayer maintained their holds on the top of the Hot 100 and Billboard 200. However, there were a few people breaking into those upper tiers… As Mayer held for a second week with Born & Raised on the albums charts, Regina Spektor grabbed her best debut ever at # 3 with What We Saw from the Cheap Seats. Also debuting in the top ten for the first time were Sigur Ros and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Heros. For more on this chart, head to Billboard here and check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Born & Raised- John Mayer (last week~ 1)
2. 21- Adele (lw~ 2)
3. What We Saw from the Cheap Seats- Regina Spektor (debut)
4. Up All Night- One Direction (lw~ 5)
5. Here- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Heros (debut)
6. Blown Away- Carrie Underwood (lw~ 3)
7. Valtari- Sigur Ros (debut)
8. Now 42 Compilation- Various Artists (lw~ 9)
9. Tailgates and Tanlines- Luke Bryan (lw~ 15)
10. Tuskegee- Lionel Richie (lw~ 6)

Over on the Hot 100 Singles chart, Gotye’s “Somebody that I Used to Know” continues its run at the top for an 8th week, the longest reign of 2012. I thought Carly Rae Jepsen would break his stranglehold of that spot this week, but I guess she’s just gonna have to wait one more week for her infectious hit “Call Me Maybe” to become her first chart-topper…. Further down the list, Rihanna makes waves with “Where Have You Been” hitting # 9 giving her a 22nd top ten hit. That’s darn impressive and when you consider she’s done that in the last 7 years, it’s incredible! … For more on Rihanna and the Hot 100, head to Billboard here and take a look at the new top ten below.

1. “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra (last week~ 1) * 8 weeks at # 1
2. “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen (lw~ 2)
3. “Payphone”- Maroon 5 w/Wiz Khalifa (lw~ 3)
4. “We Are Young”- fun. w/Janelle Monae (lw~ 4)
5. “Starships”- Nicki MInaj (lw~ 5)
6. “What Makes You Beautiful”- One Direction (lw~ 7)
7. “Wild Ones”- Flo Rida w/ Sia (lw~ 6)
8. “Boyfriend”- Justin Bieber (lw~ 9)
9. “Where Have You Been?”- Rihanna (lw~ 11)
10. “Glad You Came”- The Wanted (lw~8)

And here’s the hot new video for Rihann’s 22nd top ten smash “Where Have You Been”

John Mayer and Idol’s Phillip Phillips charge onto the Charts

Grammy winner John Mayer and newly crowned American Idol winner Phillip Phillips share a lot in common. Both are attractive, guitar strumming, raspy voiced white guys, and now they’re both making waves on the Billboard Charts... Mayer lands his third # 1 album with his latest, Born and Raised, which sells 219,000 copies. Phillip’s compilation album from season 11 of American Idol debuts at # 11 while the combo-album from the season finale episode,  American Idol Season 11: Top 2 Season Finale EP, featuring his competition (and the girl who should’ve won) Jessica Sanchez also debuts at # 21. Sanchez’s season competition album debuts way down at #126. Two other Idol contenders also hit the charts as season 10′s third place finisher Haley Reinhart barrels in at # 17 while season 8 champ Kris Allen disappoints with a # 27 debut for his sophomore album. He may have won that season but he has been upstaged time and again by that season’s runner-up Adam Lambert who hit # 1 with his sophomore album, Trespassing, last week…. For more on all these albums and the Billboard 200, head here and check out the new top ten below.

Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Born & Raised- John Mayer (debut)
2. 21- Adele (last week~ 2)
3. Blown Away- Carrie Underwood (lw~ 3)
4. Apocalyptic Love- Slash (debut)
5. Up All Night- One Direction (lw~ 10)
6. Tuskegee- Lionel Richie (lw~ 9)
7. The Hurt & the Healer- Mercy Me (debut)
8. Once Upon Another Time EP- Sara Bareilles (debut)
9. Now 42 Compilation- Various Artists (lw~ 6)
10. Little Broken Hearts- Norah Jones (lw~ 5)

And other American Idol contenders on the BB200 (along with Carrie Underwood above) ….
11. Journey to the Finale- Phillip Phillips (debut)
12. Trespassing- Adam Lambert (lw~ 1)
17. Listen Up! – Haley Reinhart (debut)
21. American Idol Season 11: Top 2 Season Finale EP- Phillip Phillps & Jessica Sanchez (debut)
27. Thank You Camellia- Kris Allen (debut)
33, Stronger- Kelly Clarkson * a former # 2 album that just passed 800,000 copies
73. Clear as Day- Scotty McCreery * a former # 1 album that has sold over 1 million copies
126. Journey to the Finale- Jessica Sanchez (debut)

Back on the Hot 100 Singles Chart, Philips also makes an auspicious debut as his coronation single “Home” hits the top ten debuting at # 10. This makes him the first Idol winner to hit the Hot 100 top ten with their coronation single since season 7′s David Cook. He also becomes the 13th Idol alum to hit the top ten on this chart following Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, David Archuleta, and Adam Lambert…. Perhaps, I may have to eat my words about Phillips but I am still very skeptical that he will ever have any real pop hits with his upcoming debut album. That said, he’s off to a nice start. We’ll see how things turn out…. Holding onto # 1 is Gotye while Carly Rae Jepsen fights hard in the runner-up spot. For more on this chart, head to Billboard here.

Top Ten Singles on the Billboard Hot 100:
1. “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra (last week~ 1) * 7 weeks at # 1, the longest chart topper of 2012
2. “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen (lw~ 2)
3. “Payphone”- Maroon 5 w/ Wiz Khalifa (lw~ 3)
4. “We Are Young”- fun. w/Janelle Monae (lw~ 4)
5. “Starships”- Nicki Minaj (lw~ 5)
6. “Wild Ones”- Flo Rida w/Sia (lw~ 6)
7. “What Makes You Beautiful”- One Direction (lw~ 7)
8. “Glad You Came”- The Wanted (lw~8)
9. “Boyfriend”- Justin Bieber (lw~ 9)
10. “Home”- Phillip Phillips (debut)

And here’s the lead off single from Mayer’s new album, “Shadow Days”