Rihanna Scores Her 8th #1 Hit

Rihanna's next single, "What's My Name," featuring rapper Drake, debuted at number one this week. It is Rihanna's eigth #1 song and Drake's first.

Watch the video here.



Katy Perry's "Firework" made a huge jump into the top 10, scoring Perry her sixth overall top 10 and the third in a row from her album "Teenage Dream."

Watch here video here: Firework

Blondes Have More... Record Sales? #1 Debuts for Ke$ha and Taylor Swift

In a huge week of music news, Ke$ha scored a number one debut for her new song "We R Who We R." And while I usually just focus on the Hot 100, I have to discuss the Billboard 200 (for full albums rather than songs) because Taylor Swift's Speak Now is the first album in five years to sell over a million copies in one week.

Ke$ha scored a number one debut on the Hot 100.

Ke$ha's "We R Who We R," the lead single off of her upcoming EP 'Cannibal' debuted at number one on the Hot 100 because of its strong sales on iTunes; it was number one all last week. This is Ke$ha's second number one song, after last year's ubiquitous "Tik Tok." I think it's important to note that Ke$ha has gone 5 for 5 for songs making the top 10 of the Hot 100. She has a lot of detractors, but she is obviously also has a lot of fans that propelled all four singles from her "Animal" album and now "We R Who We R" to the upper echelon of the charts.

Listen to the song here: We R Who We R

Ke$ha's debut basically pushes every other song down one notch, as the rest of the top 10 is virtually the same as last week.

In the number 11 slot is a huge jump from Willow Smith with her debut single "Whip My Hair." It was number 78 last week and made its tremendous jump because it became available on iTunes. Smith is the 9-year-old daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. When I heard she was going to have a music career, I was very skeptical. I wanted to hate her because I felt she was entitled, was going to have a career handed to her, and was too young to be entering the music business. While all of this may still be true, I cannot deny the catchiness of this song. It's song that little kids will love but it has mass appeal, as evidenced by the fact that many of my friends (male and female) are obsessed with the song. If she continues to get good guidance, I think Willow Smith could have a long and prosperous career ahead of her. Watch her cool video here (which has 12 million views!): Whip My Hair video

Willow Smith, who has Youtube and dance sensation "Whip My Hair."

And now to the queen of music of the moment, Taylor Swift. She sold 1,047,000 copies of her third album "Speak Now" in its first week of release. She is the first artist to sell over a million copies in one week since Lil Wayne's 2005 album "Tha Carter III." In today's music age of declining sales, this is an extraordinary feat. Selling a million copies in the late 90s and early 200s was somewhat common, but it is nearly impossible in 2010. Swift showed just how devoted and broad her fanbase is.



Swift also made singles chart history. The Hot 100 chart features 11 appearances from Swift, all songs from Speak Now. She is the first female artist  to have that many songs appear on the Hot 100 and the first overall artist ever to have so many songs from one album chart at the same time. Swift is another artist who in recent months has seen her fair share of detractors but it is evident that she has a huge fanbase.

10 Top 10s for P!nk

Congrats to P!nk for scoring the tenth top 10 song of her career with "Raise Your Glass," the first single off of her upcoming greatest hits album.



Listen to Raise Your Glass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuu1aM1lXP4&feature=fvst

Far East Movement Jet "Like a G6" into the Top Spot

After a month in the top spot on the Hot 100, Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" was unseated by Far East Movement's "Like a G6." I am happy to say that my prediction came true. After the first few times I heard "Like a G6" and saw my friends' reactions to it, I knew it was going to be a huge hit. We'll see how long it can stay at number one for. It is still the number one song on iTunes, so I think it's safe to say it will have at least another week at number one after this.

In other chart news in the top 10, Taylor Swift furthered the record I discussed last week by debuting another song from her upcoming album Speak Now,Back to December, in the top 10. It debuted at number 6.

Breaking into the top 10 is Trey Songz's "Bottoms Up," featuring Nicki Minaj. It is Songz's second song to land in the top 10, after last year's "Say Aah", and surprisingly, Minaj's first. The Queens female rapper has seemingly been in every song put out in the past few months, but this is the first song to break through the top 10.

I love Nicki Minaj's style, rapping technique, and originality, but I worry that she may be spreading herself too thin and overexposing herself. Seriously, it's getting to the point where I question if other artists even ask her to be in their songs, or if she just shows up in the recording studio and starts rapping. Her own debut album has not even come out yet, but she is constantly lending herself out to other artists. I think she needs to tone it down and let her own creativity and personality shine through in more songs that are just her. But in all honesty and fairness, I am obsessed with "Bottoms Up." It's one of those stupid songs you just can't help but play on repeat. I know in a few months I won't even care about it, but for now I cannot get enough.



Trey Songz



Nicki Minaj



Another artist who I want to discuss is My Chemical Romance. After releasing the 2006 concept album "The Black Parade," they have take a pretty long hiatus. This album was critically and commercially very successful, and it is one of my favorite albums ever. I kind of forgot about them the past few years but always knew in the back of my head that I would be excited for their new material if and when it arrived. Well that day has finally come. Their new album is due in late November, and they have begun releasing songs to build up some hype and interest. Their first single, "Na Na Na" was released a few weeks ago and debuted at number 75. I thought it was ok; not their worst, but far from their best. But then came "The Only Hope For Me Is You." It is classic My Chemical Romance and yet it does something new and exciting. I can't say that I am a rock expert, but their is something about the song that has elements of classic rock that I believe any rock fan could admire. I just wanted to devote some time and space in my blog to them because I am such a huge fan. And with the release of their newest song, it's safe to say I am excited for their new album.



Well until next time, where's we'll see if "Like a G6" can hold onto the top spot, where "Bottoms Up" lands, and maybe even if My Chemical Romance can start climbing up the charts.

If you haven't heard the songs I'm talking about, here they are:
Bottoms Up - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekAXPCphKXQ&ob=av3e

Na Na Na - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egG7fiE89IU

The Only Hope for Me is You - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xAzqKEYaCs



T-Swift Fans "Speak Now," Kanye Has a "Runaway" Hit

For the fourth week in a row, Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" is the number song in America. While it's a great accomplishment for him, I'm sure you readers are just about as sick of reading about Mars at number one as I am of writing about it.

So moving right along, Far East Movement's "Like a G6" remains at number two. I was wrong about 'G6' becoming the number one song, but I'm going to hold strong on my prediction and say that it will be number one, most likely next week. And if it isn't next week, it may be doomed to the runner-up spot forever.

The biggest news on the chart was the huge debut of Taylor Swift's second single "Speak Now," off of her upcoming album of the same name. It debuted at number eight, and marked the 6th time Swift has entered the chart in the top 10. This is a new record, breaking the previous record of five top 10 debuts by Mariah Carey. While there has been a mini-backlash against Swift by some music critics and detractors, it appears that her fans still love her and have no plans of not buying her music.



Taylor Swift

While I like Taylor Swift, I can see the side of those who are growing tired of her and her 'schtick.' She probably truly is a nice, sweet person. But she constantly sings about the same things - love and boys. Obviously this would be a huge topic for any young female singer, but to me making songs about college and weddings (like in "Mine" and "Speak Now") instead of high school doesn't exactly equal musical growth. Despite its huge debut, I think "Speak Now" will have trouble remaining in the top 10.

Also making a huge debut on the Hot 100 is Swift's forgiven nemesis Kanye West. West's song "Runaway" was finally released to iTunes after being performed on the MTV VMA's about a month ago. To fans it was worth the wait as it scored a number 12 debut. It was the third-highest debut of West's career, after the two biggest hits of his last album, "Love Lockdown" and "Heartless," each which debuted in the top 5.

Kanye West performing "Runaway" at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.

While I really like Taylor Swift as a person but am growing tired of her music, the exact oppostie situation applies to Kanye West. I have always hated him as a person (even before it became "cool" after the Taylor Swift incident) but no one can deny that he knows how to make catchy, mainstream music that is still interesting, unique, and experimental. I love "Runaway" because it has the classic Kanye half-sing, half-rap all while incorporating the fact that he knows he's a "douchebag," "asshole," "scumbag," and "jerkoff." At least he gained some self-awareness from the T-Swift incident.

Kanye West and Taylor Swift in less happy times.

If you haven't heard Taylor and Kanye's new songs, here are the links (neither has an official music video yet):
Speak Now - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7eqcWdY4Cg

Runaway - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDFUPBHvcM8

Be sure to check back next week to see if "Like a G6" can finally overtake Bruno Mars, and if Swift and West climb higher of fall back on the charts after their huge debuts.

The Number One Spot Likes Mars Just the Way He Is

I guess I was wrong to worry about the negative effects of Bruno Mars' arrest. He spends yet another week at number one with his smash single "Just the Way You Are." He is still going strong, but I predict that this may be his last week at number one.

The Far East Movement's "Like a G6" is the number one song on iTunes and it jumped up to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. It also has huge buzz and momentum going for it; it's the favorite song out right now of virtually all of my friends. I hope it makes it to number one, but I can also see it becoming one of those songs that gets overplayed. But I'm not going to worry about that until a few months from now; for now, I'm still obsessed with it.

If you haven't heard the song yet, here is its official music video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4s6H4ku6ZY&ob=av3n


Far East Movement

Following Mars and "Like a G6" is Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" at number 3, Nelly's "Just a Dream" at number 4, and Usher and Pitbull's "DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again" at number 5.

Like I predicted last week, the Britney Spears episode of Glee yielded huge Hot 100 results for its songs. The highest debut was the Glee cast's version of "Toxic" at number 16.


Britney Spears with Glee cast member Heather Morrison

Sometimes, it is not only the Glee cast's version of a song that makes a splash on the Hot 100, but the original version of the song. Paramore beneffited from the "Glee effect," as "The Only Exception," the only non-Britney Spears song of the episode made a huge jump from number 57 to 25.

Compare the two versions of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J7J_IWUhls&ob=av3e

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0km2WGds5DU

Which do you like better?

Be sure to check back next week. We'll see if "Like a G6" can unseat Mars from the top spot, and I also predict huge debuts from Taylor Swift and Kanye West (coincidentally), who both released songs on iTunes last week.

Fans Glee-ful for New Music

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.