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[ThePensmith]

Good afternoon everyone. So sorry my top 20 is a bit later than usual this week, alas this weekend has been a bit crazy busy for me, coupled with the fact I've got a bit of a sniffle at the moment. As we left it last week, McFly were on top for a second week, but are they still there, or will their next new 'Lost Song' or new singles from Diplo with Jonas Brothers and Lauv prove too strong a challenge? Here's where we find out...

THEPENSMITH'S TOP 20 SINGLES CHART
Week ending 4th October 2019
© AM LIMITED 2019

1. (1) MCFLY - Touch the Rain
2. (2) CAMILA CABELLO - Liar
3. (HNE) MCFLY - Hyperion
4. (NE) DIPLO FEAT. JONAS BROTHERS - Lonely
5. (5) ALPHABEAT - I Don't Know What's Cool Anymore
6. (3) MCFLY - We Were Only Kids
7. (6) THE SCRIPT - The Last Time
8. (NE) LAUV - Feelings
9. (8) ONEREPUBLIC - Wanted
10. (4) NOW UNITED - Crazy Stupid Silly Love

11. (9) CAPULETS - Act One EP
12. (NE) TOVE LO FEAT. KYLIE MINOGUE - Really Don't Like U
13. (7) MCFLY - Red
14. (10) MARK RONSON FEAT. CAMILA CABELLO - Find U Again
15. (11) RICK ASTLEY - Every One of Us
16. (NE) CHARLIE PUTH - Mother
17. (12) CRAIG DAVID - Do You Miss Me Much
18. (16) JONAS BLUE FEAT. HRVY - Younger
19. (18) SHAWN MENDES FEAT. CAMILA CABELLO - Senõrita
20. (17) KATY PERRY - Small Talk

Compiled from my own personal listening in the last seven days across streaming, digital and physical formats.

KEY

(1) - last week's position
(HNE) - highest new entry
(NE) - new entry
(RE) - re-entry

CHART COMMENTARY



Don't let the presence of five new entries fool you. It's a relatively becalmed top 20 this week, with the top 2 records from last week retaining their berths, meaning McFly remain top of the pile for a third week with 'Touch the Rain', whilst Camila Cabello remains at #2 with 'Liar' - her seventh such week in this position in the last three months if we include the five weeks 'Senõrita' with Shawn Mendes spent there in July.

Three weeks for McFly is now enough to make 'Touch the Rain' the third longest running chart topper in their career and their most popular since 'Shine A Light' hit the top nine years ago in 2010. What it is also - albeit unintentionally - doing, as we now enter October, is rather undermining the impact of the remainder of their 'Lost Songs' that are coming out week by week until their big comeback show at London's O2 Arena in November.

In fact, far from our notions of them occupying all the slots in the top 10 by then, what seems to be happening is a short but sharp chart life for each of the songs that aren't 'Touch the Rain' in turn. Just look at the way 'Red' - which joined our chart at #2 in conjunction with 'Touch the Rain' three weeks ago - is now down at #13 this week. Similarly, 'We Were Only Kids' has immediately tumbled outside the top 3 from its entry point seven days ago to #6 this week.



I'm immediately wondering therefore, what the chances of success and longevity of the remainder of the songs to come from the lads has between now and mid-November, including this week's new song 'Hyperion' which debuts at #3. It's certainly the most epic single of theirs to date, clocking in at just over six minutes, double the length of the average top 10 hit.

This or indeed any of their remaining 'lost' sixth album tracks to come could yet prove me wrong and enjoy the appeal and longevity their current chart topper has, especially if they get a second wind and are promoted to single status later on, but at the moment you wonder less about the first week impact and more what the status of each remaining single to come will be three weeks hence.

So then, onto the record that would be the biggest newcomer of the week were it not for McFly's ongoing scattergun dominance. Exactly one year ago, Diplo was sat at the top of our chart alongside Labrinth and Sia as part of their supergroup LSD, with 'Thunderclouds' celebrating its third and final week at number one on our chart. After a further two top 10 hits at the start of this year with 'Mountains' and 'Heaven Can Wait', the project has now gone its seperate ways, and Diplo's now back under his own steam - or almost anyway. 'Lonely' is a collaboration with Jonas Brothers, following up their chart topper with 'Sucker' in March and #2 smash 'Cool' from June and both acts thus notch up their third top 10 hits of the year with this #5 entry point.



Lauv's chart career continues to go from strength to strength. A year on from his first top 10 hit 'I Like Me Better', the US singer songwriter arrives at #8 this week with 'Feelings', his first new material since 'There's No Way', his collaboration with Julia Michaels made #7 back in April. He's now had four top 10 hits inside the last year, and there should be hopefully more to come yet.



Down into the top 20, and it's a first appearance inside the upper reaches this week for Swedish songstress Tove Lo. Until today, her biggest hits were guest appearances on top 30 hits for Nick Jonas and Years & Years, but 'Really Don't Like U' - a collaboration with Kylie Minogue - debuts at #12.



Charlie Puth now enters the fourth year of his hit making career, but he is still yet to have a single as big as his debut 'Marvin Gaye' which topped our chart for six weeks in August 2015. 'Mother' is the second single off his forthcoming third album, and enters at this week's #16.



FLASHBACK TOP 10

Your chance to see how my personal top 10 was looking on this week in the last 20 years. This week in 2008: Sugababes top our chart for the seventh - and final - time with 'Girls', plus classic hits from Annie, P!nk and Oasis



1. (HNE) SUGABABES - Girls



2. (1) ANNIE - My Love Is Better
3. (NE) P!NK - So What
4. (NE) OASIS - The Shock of the Lightning
5. (NE) BOYZONE - Love You Anyway
6. (2) WILL YOUNG - Changes
7. (3) THE SCRIPT - The Man Who Can't Be Moved
8. (4) RIHANNA - Disturbia
9. (5) JAMES MORRISON - You Make It Real
10. (6) MCFLY - Lies