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[Popchartfreak]

11th October 2020

It's straight in at 1 for the 1975 top 5 single from John Lennon, the gorgeous ethereal #9 Dream, a minot hit everywhere except my charts, and even then I under-appreciated it, it's one of his very best post-Beatles tracks and becomes his 9th solo chart-topper since first doing it with the Plastic Ono Band in 1969 on Give Peace A Chance (that band is effectively John & Yoko Lennon in much the same way as Wings is effectively Paul & Linda McCartney). Spurred by a new "Ultimate Mix" album of his greatest solo tracks to mark his 80th birthday, in another 6 months it'll be sobering to reflect John will have been dead for longer than he was alive. That also gives me an excuse to chart the wonderful Mind Games from 1973 at 6, another minor hit that deserved better, Beautiful Boy which peaked at 2 as an album track that should have been the 3rd single off Double Fantasy in 1980, and Stand By Me the Ben E. King cover which topped my charts in 1975. Meanwhile Dubstar get a second chart entry with an acostic cover of Free As A Bird.

Talking of late popstars, they are falling so fast that new tribute entries are knocking out other tribute entries of the chart, this week it's Eddie Van Halen, with 1984's Jump jumping in, and the fab Johnny Nash who introduced me to pop reggae back in 1968 and the fab Hold Me Tight, back at 19 52 years on, his signature tune I Can See Clearly Now which is on it's 3rd visit, and his 1975 UK chart-topper Tears On My Pillow which under-performed for me at the time. Following a Teddy Pendergrass life bio, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes Wake Up Everybody also returns 44 years on.

Back in the current pop world, Kylie gets a 2nd top 10 of the year with a massive leap for Magic, Gabby Barrett gets a first powerful top 10 along with Charlie Puth, who's been there before, ditto Roisin Murphy still kicking that top 10 22 years into her dance career, while Georgia Lines gets a first. Shawn Mendes is on the fast route into the top 20, it's a Wonder as he climbs 55 places, and Marshmello & Demi Lovato both return to the top 40 with a big climb, It's Ok Not To Be OK about that. The Weeknd enters the 40 with a 41-place kick on Save Your Tears, so he won;t be crying that Over You is dropping.

Fleetwood Mac's 1987 chart-topper and classic, Little Lies is back cos it's selling on itunes, and I love it, Vera Blue gets a 2nd chart entry, Gary Barlow extends his solo hits to 22 years or so, or 28 including Take That as his ol mucker Robbie is a bit higher doing the same. The Buble also has a longer run, giving a helping hand. Other chart returnees in a hectic week: The Killers, Kiesza, New Order (39 years and counting), Bieber, Jax Jones, AU/RA, Alicia Keys & Labrinth! Phew! Had to extend to 95 places again, doh!

1 NEW 1 1 #9 DREAM John Lennon 170000
2 1 1 6 NUMB Jessi 644250
3 2 1 9 MIDNIGHT SKY Miley Cyrus 1127600
4 59 4 3 MAGIC Kylie Minogue 80500
5 3 3 8 TICK TOCK Clean Bandit & Mabel featuring 24kGoldn 428700
6 NEW 6 1 MIND GAMES John Lennon 55000
7 39 7 4 I HOPE Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth 78100
8 12 8 4 SOMETHING MORE (EDIT) Roisin Murphy 112500
9 26 9 7 SAME THINGS Georgia Lines 108600
10 5 2 9 GHOSTKEEPER Klangkarussell & GIVVEN 652000

11 4 1 7 ALL THE STARS Kendrick Lamar, SZA 672000
12 6 5 7 ELECTRIC LOVE BORNS 327000
13 7 7 8 CHINA SHOP St. Lucia 244450
14 11 6 6 SECONDS (ELECTRIC LADY SESSIONS) LCD Soundsystem 240000
15 8 8 6 LOVER 4 NOW Groove Armada featuring Todd Edwards 209400
16 9 9 4 CRYING AT THE DISCOTHEQUE Sophie Ellis-Bextor 141000
17 72 17 2 WONDER Shawn Mendes 28700
18 10 10 7 OVER NOW Calvin Harris, The Weeknd 152900
19 NEW 19 1 HOLD ME TIGHT Johnny Nash 21000
20 16 16 8 BEND THE KNEE Bruno Martini, IZA & Timbaland 144000

21 14 14 10 A LITTLE RESPECT Erasure 193150
22 17 17 5 WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN Saara Aalto & Baga Chipz 82500
23 13 1 12 SAY SOMETHING Kylie Minogue 868250
24 15 1 10 FREAK Doja Cat featuring Paul Anka 580000
25 18 16 6 THELMA AND LOUISE Anna Bergendahl 129050
26 27 26 4 ONE TOO MANY Keith Urban & P!nk 51500
27 19 8 9 BREATHE DEEPER Tame Impala 233900
28 24 16 9 BLUEBIRD Miranda Lambert 155950
29 65 29 2 OK NOT TO BE OK Marshmello featuring Demi Lovato 25200
30 30 30 9 LOVE AND AFFECTION Joan Armatrading 106900

31 23 10 10 AIR I BREATHE Sub Focus featuring Wilkinson 201400
32 28 28 5 FROM CLOUDY BAY TO MALIBU Nik Kershaw 56550
33 22 22 8 BABY IT’S YOU London Grammar 116650
34 29 29 5 WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS Steps 63800
35 40 35 4 DIAMONDS Sam Smith 48100
36 36 36 4 IN THE END Sheryl Crow 52800
37 32 10 11 MY FUTURE Billie Eilish 259950
38 46 38 4 PAPER DRAGON Dami Im 45950
39 48 39 2 WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN Carpenters 29400
40 81 40 2 SAVE YOUR TEARS The Weeknd 20800

41 38 9 12 DANGEROUS LOVE Tiwa Savage 280150
42 20 20 15 ORDINARY WORLD Duran Duran 223050
43 RE 17 9 MARRIED IN VEGAS The Vamps 130850
44 21 9 11 HAPPINESS McFly 244300
45 25 19 7 DO WHAT YOU CAN Bon Jovi 92150
46 35 5 14 AND IT BREAKS MY HEART LEON 436650
47 33 33 6 LEGENDS NEVER DIE Orville Peck & Shania Twain 59800
48 52 48 4 BETTER THAN THIS Paloma Faith 40200
49 50 49 5 STRANGE DAYS The Struts & Robbie Williams 42100
50 31 23 10 REAL LOVE SONG Nothing But Thieves 148950

51 37 37 6 CRAZY DAYS The Shires 55400
52 64 52 4 911 Lady Gaga 23800
53 82 53 3 CHASING A FEELING LEON 16850
54 55 54 4 AVALANCHE Aimee Mann 32000
55 75 55 2 DREAM ON ME Ella Henderson x Roger Sanchez 15800
56 56 56 2 SHOW ME HEAVEN Maria McKee 21200
57 58 57 6 WHAT’S YOUR PLEASURE? Jessie Ware 33100
58 62 58 3 YOU & ME SONG Joy Crookes 24000
59 NEW 59 1 LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac 10100
60 47 47 7 HYGIENE STRIP Dubstar 41700

61 77 61 3 LET ME GO (CERRONE MIX) Duke Dumont & RY X 14500
62 69 62 3 LASTING LOVER Sigala & James Arthur 16200
63 63 63 6 LOADED Primal Scream 33600
64 NEW 64 1 BEFORE I GO Mimi Webb 7100
65 76 65 3 TROUBLE’S COMING Royal Blood 14600
66 41 38 6 MAYBE LOVE IS IN NYC Pretenders 58800
67 NEW 67 1 ARM’S LENGTH Kacy Hill 6600
68 68 68 2 HOCUS POCUS Focus 12800
69 42 35 8 WHO’S LAUGHING NOW Ava Max 89900
70 70 70 6 RADAR LOVE Golden Earring 25200

71 43 37 7 NERVES OF STEEL Erasure 63750
72 NEW 72 1 LIE TO ME Vera Blue 5600
73 73 73 4 CUBA Gibson Brothers 17200
74 74 74 4 I NEED YOU TO HATE ME JC Stewart 17000
75 78 75 2 LET’S LOVE David Guetta & Sia 9400
76 51 1 11 RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM Maxine Nightingale 518500
77 79 77 3 GIANTS Dermot Kennedy 11000
78 NEW 78 1 ELITA Gary Barlow, Michael Bible & Sebastian Yatra 4400
79 83 79 2 PEOPLE LIKE US (from DOOM PATROL Season 1) Matt Bomer featuring Alan Mingo Jr 7600
80 NEW 80 1 NAKED (WITH MY HEADPHONES ON) Rat City & Kiesza 4000

81 34 34 8 SAILING The Sutherland Brothers 85850
82 NEW 82 1 BLOWBACK The Killers 3600
83 NEW 83 1 BEAUTIFUL BOY John Lennon 3400
84 NEW 84 1 I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW Johnny Nash 3200
85 NEW 85 1 BE A REBEL New Order 3000
86 NEW 86 1 NO ORDINARY Labrinth 2800
87 NEW 87 1 LOVE LOOKS BETTER Alicia Keys 2600
88 NEW 88 1 I MISS U Jax Jones & AU/RA 2400
89 44 31 8 TRAVEL BACK IN TIME Little Jinder’s Unreleased Romance & Little Jinder 101050
90 NEW 90 1 FREE AS A BIRD (ACOUSTIC) Dubstar 2000

91 NEW 91 1 HOLY Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper 1900
92 NEW 92 1 STAND BY ME John Lennon 1800
93 NEW 93 1 TEARS ON MY PILLOW Johnny Nash 1700
94 NEW 94 1 JUMP Van Halen 1600
95 NEW 95 1 WAKE UP EVERYBODY Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes 1500

45 18 10 TO SPEAK IS A SIN Pet Shop Boys 174150
49 40 7 TAKE YOU DANCING Jason Derulo 73300
53 53 7 DREAM KID The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver 42950
54 54 5 TONIGHT I RUN Astraea 34200
57 10 12 SUN IS SHINING Bob Marley Featuring Robin Schulz 263350
60 60 4 THE ONLY THING Travis featuring Susanna Hoffs 24800
61 32 10 SUNDOWN Gordon Lightfoot 142650
66 66 2 ADVICE FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART (ITALIAN RADIO EDIT) Tears For Fears 11800
67 4 10 SUGAR MAN (THE GOLDFISH MIX) Rodriguez 361200
71 1 21 IN YOUR EYES Robin Schulz featuring Alida 983850
80 80 3 I KNOW HIM SO WELL Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson 9200
84 84 1 ANGIE BABY Helen Reddy 3200
85 85 1 EL BIMBO Bimbo Jets 3000