Glee, the television phenomenon that became ratings gold for Fox last year, returned on Tuesday, September 21, and now Gleeks across the country are reaking havoc on the Billboard charts. You see, after each week's episode of Glee airs, fans rush to iTunes to snatch up the music they just heard on the show. These off-the-charts digital downloads give the songs huge debuts on the Billboard Hot 100, but they are in no way sustained after that. This is for two reasons: 1) a large part of success on the Billboard charts comes from radio airplay, which the Glee songs do not get. 2) Fans move on within a week and are already gobbling up the songs from the next episode. So the Glee songs post huge debuts and cause other songs to shift on the chart, but after that they pretty much just taper off. But I suppose since Glee is so popular its songs are worth reviewing. Glee posted five debuts in the Hot 100, all within the top 60, in fact, ranging from the highest debut of number 21 to number 51. The Glee Cast's rendition of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" had the highest debut at No. 21, followed in order by "Telephone" (No. 23), <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-Fv-MsxhWU">"Billionaire"</a> (No. 28), "Listen" (No. 38) and "What I Did for Love" (No. 51).While I will admit that I have seen Glee, a large part of me doesn't really understand what all the fuss is about. I think it started out as an innovate show but is increasingly becoming a commercial brand that only cares about pumping out hits and making a profit. For example, last year alone, there were four CDs of Glee music. And that was only in its first season! I think Glee is in serious danger of becoming overexposed and overhyped. In terms of predictions, expect possibly even higher debuts from Glee songs next week. The past episode was the heavily hyped Britney Spears episode, so the Glee cast's covers of those songs are likely to explode on the charts.
In other non-Glee related chart news, Bruno Mars spends another week at number one with "Just the Way You Are." It seems this song is going to be at number one for at least a few more weeks. My prediction last week that Rihanna's "Only Girl" had a chance of dethroning Mars was pretty off, as that song fell from number three to number eight.
The top ten was pretty similar to last week; the notable move was Far East Movement's "Like a G6." It jumps from number 10 to number 6. Right now, it's the number one song in iTunes, so now I believe that this song is the one that has the best chance of becoming number one within the next few weeks.
Farther down on the chart is an impressive feat by Train. Their huge hit "Hey, Soul Sister" marks its 52nd week on the Hot 100, and it's still at number 43. The song has spent an entire year on the charts because of its slow ascension and now because of its continued radio airplay. I think that 'Soul Sister' was a great, simple, catchy song. It was not like any other songs out there, and I think that is what made it such a huge hit. It did not employ auto-tune or synthesizers like most other songs, it was just singing and simple instruments.
One more piece of more personal note of the charts. Kid Cudi and Kanye West's "Erase Me" is at number 97, in serious danger of falling off the charts, after only 5 weeks and a peak of number 22. I don't know what it is about this song that isn't catching on. I love it, and think it does a great job of combining rock and rap elements. This is what I think makes Kid Cudi unique and interesting. He has attained success, particularly with his debut "Day n Night" but I guess listeners are just not liking this song for some reason.
Until next time folks, when we'll see if Mars can hold off Katy Perry and the Far East Movement, and we'll see where all the Glee Britney Spears songs end up.
The top ten was pretty similar to last week; the notable move was Far East Movement's "Like a G6." It jumps from number 10 to number 6. Right now, it's the number one song in iTunes, so now I believe that this song is the one that has the best chance of becoming number one within the next few weeks.
Farther down on the chart is an impressive feat by Train. Their huge hit "Hey, Soul Sister" marks its 52nd week on the Hot 100, and it's still at number 43. The song has spent an entire year on the charts because of its slow ascension and now because of its continued radio airplay. I think that 'Soul Sister' was a great, simple, catchy song. It was not like any other songs out there, and I think that is what made it such a huge hit. It did not employ auto-tune or synthesizers like most other songs, it was just singing and simple instruments.
One more piece of more personal note of the charts. Kid Cudi and Kanye West's "Erase Me" is at number 97, in serious danger of falling off the charts, after only 5 weeks and a peak of number 22. I don't know what it is about this song that isn't catching on. I love it, and think it does a great job of combining rock and rap elements. This is what I think makes Kid Cudi unique and interesting. He has attained success, particularly with his debut "Day n Night" but I guess listeners are just not liking this song for some reason.
Until next time folks, when we'll see if Mars can hold off Katy Perry and the Far East Movement, and we'll see where all the Glee Britney Spears songs end up.
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