Cheryl Cole stays on top of the singles chart for a second week as her debut album also tops the albums chart. There's another string of new albums form older artists.

A chart topping double for Cheryl Cole this week.

The members of Westlife are all very talented young men. Unfortunately they ignored those talents (whatever they might have been) and formed a boy-band instead. There always seems to be a market for a band who can take a number of different songs and make them all sound the same. For a time in the 1970s that was Showaddywaddy’s job. For the last 108 years (at least that’s how long it seems), Westlife have performed that function. The victim this time is Daughtry’s What About Now which itself returns at number 39. They have taken an already bland song and added whole new levels of blandness. In marketing-speak it might be called a reblanding and it’s given them a number two hit behind last week’s number one from Cheryl Cole which stays on top for a second week.

A few weeks ago Jay Sean and Lil Wayne ended an extraordinary record-breaking 26 week run at the top of the US charts for Black Eyed Peas, first with Boom Boom Pow and then with I Gotta Feeling. Now the song, Down, has entered the UK chart at number three. This is Jay Sean’s highest ever position in the UK singles chart, beating the number four position achieved by Stolen exactly five years ago. Alexandra Burke is down to number four, Michael Bublé is up to number five after two weeks at number nine and Black Eyed Peas go half way to rising from 11 to number one by climbing to number six. I Gotta Feeling has a 17th week in the top ten during which time it still hasn’t been at number four or nine.

Miley Cyrus just misses out on having her first top ten single with her sixth top 40 hit, Party in the USA entering at number 11. There is no rational reason why this should out-perform her previous efforts. After all, it is at least as bad as all the others. She has now had three number 11 hits without ever making the top ten. After a couple weeks when the top 40 had a distinct lack of Lady GaGa songs, some sense of normality is restored as Bad Romance enters at number 14. Is it just me or does the “Ra Ra” bit remind anyone else of Boney M’s Rasputin?

The name Biffy Clyro has always seemed more suited to an American folk or country singer than a Scottish rock band. Their new single, The Captain, is at number 17.

Duck Sauce comprises DJs Armand Van Helden and A-Trak who was previously Kanye West’s personal DJ. What does a “personal DJ” do? Does he have to lug his equipment around everywhere in case his employer demands some music? Anyway, they have their debut hit at number 22 with Anyway. This is to be regretted as it is dreadful. Duck Sauce should not be confused with the Marx Brothers film Duck Soup. Nor should it be mistaken for a niche genre of film depicting the seamy events on a Tory MP’s duck island.

The title track of Cheryl Cole’s debut album, 3 Words featuring Will I Am, enters at number 26. What can I say about the song? Erm, how about it’s better than Fight For This Love?

The song Cry Me A River was originally written for Ella Fitzgerald although she didn’t actually record a version until after it had been a hit for Julie London. It has since been recorded by artists as diverse as Barbra Streisand, Bjork, Joe Cocker, Aerosmith and Jeff Beck but not Justin Timberlake. His 2003 hit was with a different song of the same name. Given the song’s classic status it is perhaps surprising that Michael Bublé’s version - a fairly straight interpretation of the song - is only the fourth version to make the top 40 at this week’s number 34.

You Got the Love was a top ten hit for Candi Staton in 1991 and again in 1997. A much better version of the song appeared as a bonus track on Florence + the Machine’s album Lungs although with a slight change of title to the more grammatically correct You’ve Got The Love. It is a new entry at number 37 ahead of the physical release later this month in its ninth week in the top 75.

I’m Yours has dropped out of the top 40 again this week but Sex On Fire soldiers on and has now reached 45 weeks.

And so on to the albums. Cheryl Cole achieves a chart double with her debut 3 Words going straight in at the top of the pile. Some of the reviews have been fairly scathing with the Independent ending theirs with the line “Three words. In. The. Bin.” Michael Bublé holds on at number two while This Is It, a new Michael Jackson collection with a new track co-written with veteran songwriter Paul Anka is new at number three. It has been alleged that there are several hundred unreleased Jackson tracks. Despite the fact that many of them are probably unreleased for a good reason, it has been suggested that these could be used as extra tracks on new versions of his old albums for years to come. Oh joy.

The Soldiers really are soldiers. Come on, that doesn’t necessarily follow; I’m sure Brandon Flowers has never killed anyone. They have recorded an album containing songs such as Bridge Over Troubled Water and Tears In Heaven as well as obvious titles such as Stand By Me, With A Little Help From My Friends and Lean On Me. It also includes a version of He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother which was a top five hit for The Hollies 40 years ago this very week. A week ahead of Remembrance weekend, the album, Coming Home, is a new entry at number four. Last week’s number one from Alexandra Burke falls four places to number five.

This week’s posh slot is occupied at number six by Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins with her new collection, Believe which features a number of duets as well as solo tracks. Out-blanding even Michael Bublé, Daniel O’Donnell enters at number eight with Peace in the Valley. Vera Lynn finally leaves the top ten along with Chipmunk, Spandau Ballet and Seasick Steve.

The remaining new entries are all much lower down the chart. Harry Connick Jr has his seventh top 40 album, and his first for over five years, with Your Songs at number 28 just to keep up the trend of older artists having a strong presence in the charts. It includes a duet with Carla Bruni who is also known as Mme. Sarkozy. Ultrabeat land at number 29 with The Weekend Has Landed and Wolfmother are at number 35 with Cosmic Egg, the second hit album for the Australian band after their eponymous debut in 2006. There are re-entries for Tinchy Stryder’s Catch 22 at number 32 and Michael Buble at 40 with Call Me Irresponsible.

Next weekend I shall be in Berlin for the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Wall coming down. Therefore, the commentary may be a bit late and will probably be shorter than normal.