007 Chart Commentary

Olly Murs debuts at #1 with Please Don’t Let Me Go

X-Factor runner up from last year Olly Murs enters straight in at #1 with his debut single, in what has been a closely run competition for the top. Oliver Stanley Murs is a 28 year singer songwriter from Whitham in Essex, auditioning for last year’s X-Factor and wowing judges with his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition. Since coming second to Joe McElderry, Olly has been hard at work on his debut album which is due out in November. He may have come second on X-Factor but he wins the chart battle with Katy Perry, however time will tell if he can sustain this level of success.

Katy Perry – Teenage Dream enters at #2

US singer songwriter Katy Perry first made her name in a big way in 2008 as she topped the UK charts with her debut and controversial single I Kissed A Girl. This was followed by the release of debut album One Of The Boys, which spawned another huge top 5 hit Hot n Cold, #27 Thinking Of You and #19 Waking Up In Vegas. Last year she collaborated with 3 Oh 3 on Starstrukk and with Timbaland on If We Ever Meet Again, both tracks hit #3 and further established her name. In May 2010, California Gurls went straight to #1 and has proved to be another massive hit. This week both her 2nd album and the 2nd single from that album have been released this week, entitle Teenage Dream. The single is in at #2 and the album as expected is at #1.

Pepper & Piano – You Took My Heart enters at #7

Must Be The Music is a Sky One music talent contest featuring judges Dizzee Rascal, Sharleen Spiteri and Jamie Cullum. The show is intended to rival ITV’s X Factor, however unlike the latter which is limited to “singers”, it is open to all musicians who are allowed to play their own compositions. Moreover the acts that do make the semi-finals will have their tracks released on iTunes and Sky TV’s web site and immediately receive profits. This is what has happened this week, and thus the most popular of the acts Pepper & Piano have entered at #7 this week. Pepper & Piano may not be a household name yet, however they can now boast a top 10 hit to their name with You Took My Heart. They are a duo consisting of singer Katie Pepper and pianist Emma Alkazraji (hence the name Pepper & Piano).

Adele – Make You Feel My Love re-enters at #24

UK singer songwriter Adele Laurie Blue Adkins achieved big success in 2008 with #2 hit Chasing Pavements and subsequent top 20 hits Cold Shoulder and Hometown Glory. As her fourth single, Adele released a cover of Bob Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love which made #26. Now after being used in the new series of X Factor, the track beats it original peak by re-entering at #24.

Kanye West feat Dwele – Power enters at #36

T his week sees the return of US rapper Kanye Omari West, as his new single has the Power to enter at #36. Kanye first made his mark in 2003 when Through The Wire hit #9, being inspired by a near fatal car accident he was involved in. He then went on to receive critical acclaim and huge success with his first 4 album and a total of 9 top 10 hits, including 207 #1 Stronger. This new single Power samples 21st Century Schizoid Man by rock band King Crimson, and is taken from his forthcoming fifth album Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Lil Wayne feat Drake – Right Above It enters at #37

Rapper Lil Wayne gets another top 40 hit to his name, albeit only his second as lead artist, this is also Drake’s second top 40 appearance. Lil Wayne first charted in 2005 alongside Destiny’s Child on their #4 hit Soldier, he has also featured on a further 2 top 5 hits – Kevin Rudolf’s Let It Rock and Jay Sean’s Down. Lollipop hit #26 in 2008 for Lil Wayne alone, Find Your Love hit #24 just a few weeks ago from Drake. Now the 2 singers collaborate for #37 entry Right Above It, for which there is no clean version so daytime radio and TV cannot play the song. There is actually another new entry right above it!

Katy Perry – Teenage Dream is the new #1 album

As has been widely expected, Katy Perry hits #1 with her second album Teenage Dream, which easily eclipses the rather lowly #11 placing of One Of The Boys. Eminem drops back down to #2 after yo-yoing between #2 and #1 for the last 10 weeks. Several albums reach a new peak this week, perhaps the most surprising of them is Biffy Clyro’s Only Revolutions at #3 and there is also Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons at #4. These come ahead of 2 new entries, in at #6 is Pretty Reckless with their debut album Light Me Up and US rockers Disturbed who achieve their highest peak yet at #7 with their fifth album Asylum. UK indie rock band Everything Everything become the latest act to appear in the BBC Sound Of 2010 poll and get a hit album, Man Alive comes in at #17.

Personal opinion

I am happy that Olly has managed to get a #1 with Please Don’t Let Me Go as it is a rather good song, in a Will Young sort of way. However I do feel that Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream is a better song and should have made #1 instead, however I am very happy that she’s finally managed a #1 album. I rather like the Pepper & Piano song, it is really nice and different from the usual sort of urban stuff dominating. Talking of which I do not like either Kanye West’s or Lil Wayne’s new songs and think they are just generic rubbish.