:whistle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

48. Bad Meets Evil feat. Bruno Mars - Lighters

Peak; #10

Weeks; 23

Points; 1338

 

47. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West - E.T.

Peak; #3

Weeks; 23

Points; 1338

 

Bad Meets Evil, a side project of super-famous-well-known rapper Eminem and less-so rapper Royce Da 5'9'', have been around for years but didn't get a major hit in the UK until 2011. That hit was 'Lighters' from the duo's EP 'Hell: The Sequel'. With help from megastar singer Bruno Mars singing the chorus, the track reached #10 for 2 weeks and, uncharacteristically for a rap act, the album peaked three places higher than that in the albums chart. It finishes 48th in this countdown. A place ahead, separated only by its higher peak, is 'E.T.', the fourth single from Katy Perry's massively successful 'Teenage Dream' era. My personal highlight of the era even if only for the fact Perry enlisted one of my favourite artists of all time (another super-famous-well-known rapper, in this case Kanye West) to do a couple of verses in the single remix. 'E.T.' reached the top three here and was the fourth of Perry's record-equalling 5 #1s from the 'Teenage Dream' album across the pond. Despite having a much higher peak and being released earlier 'E.T.' is outpaced by fifth single 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)' on this list.

Edited February 11, 201213 yr by Bré

46. Dr. Dre feat. Eminem & Skylar Grey - I Need A Doctor

Peak; #8

Weeks; 21

Points; 1365

 

45. The Wanted - Glad You Came

Peak; #1

Weeks; 19

Points; 1379

 

'I Need A Doctor', the second single from 'Detox', an album which has apparantly been in production for 10 YEARS now and still doesn't have an official release date, comes in next after being Dr. Dre's first UK hit in 10 years with the help of Eminem. Summer smash 'Glad You Came', the official first single from second album 'Battleground', just makes the top 45. The Wanted are now having big success with this song on the other side of the Atlantic as it should soon become at least a top 15 'hit' and gets covered by hit comedy show 'Glee'.

44. Chipmunk feat. Chris Brown - Champion

Peak; #2

Weeks; 20

Points; 1380

 

43. Noah And The Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.

Peak; #14

Weeks; 25

Points; 1395

 

British rapper Chipmunk scored his highest-selling single with 'Champion' (at #44 on this countdown), despite the slightly controversial decision to feature Chris Brown relatively fresh after Rihannagate. It didn't quite become Munk's second #1, reaching the top in the midweek update but being dethroned by the end of the week. Second album 'Transition' bombed, making the top ten for a week then vanishing and it produced no further notable hits. And on a completely different note, one of the small handful of decent-sized indie hits of 2011 comes in at #43 - 'L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.' by Noah And The Whale. It's not an abbreviation, just the phrase 'life goes on' spelled in an annoying-to-type manner. The song failed to become a second top 10 hit to follow '5 Years Time (Sun Sun Sun)', peaking at #14, but hung around for an age hence its high position here. Parent third album 'Last Night On Earth' peaked at #8 and is by far their longest-running album, coming up to a year on the album chart, nearly five times as long as debut album 'Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down' charted for.

Yeah yeah, sure thing :whistle:

 

Right back atcha :whistle:

Shush you, I've had three days away from the computer

 

42. Calvin Harris feat. Kelis - Bounce

Peak; #2

Weeks; 22

Points; 1405

 

41. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks

Peak; #18

Weeks; 27

Points; 1406

 

Calvin Harris' first single, featuring American singer Kelis, from his current era brought him another #2 hit in the UK chart and did enough to make #42 in this chart. Fresh off producing Rihanna's smash hit 'We Found Love', Calvin is now finding some success in the US with second single 'Feel So Close' picking up airplay. American band Foster The People just miss out on a top 40 placing without even going top 15 officially but managing to stick around for ages with 'Pumped Up Kicks', the first single from debut album 'Torches' which has also been having some success since.

Apologies at this predictably slowing down again, I'm determined to get this done by the end of March at the very latest :kink:

 

40. Nicole Scherzinger - Don't Hold Your Breath

Peak; #1

Weeks; 23

Points; 1411

 

39. Olly Murs feat. Rizzle Kicks - Heart Skips A Beat

Peak; #1

Weeks; 18

Points; 1414

 

Former Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger scored a shock solo #1 hit near the start of the year with 'Don't Hold Your Breath', the second single from her debut solo album 'Killer Love' - the song shifted close to 100,000 copies in its first week, but could only hold off what would be 2011's biggest selling single from #1 for a week. The song sneaks a top 40 place on this countdown. Another UK #1, this one from much later in the year, is at #39 - Olly Murs' 'Heart Skips A Beat' featuring Rizzle Kicks. The first single from second album 'In Case You Didn't Know', it became Olly's second #1 single and the follow-up 'Dance With Me Tonight' (already been on the countdown) became his third a few months later. The album also peaked at #1, a place higher than his self-titled debut managed. 'Heart Skips A Beat' is my personal favourite from Olly Murs and a rare case of a song actually sounding better several months after release than when it was actually at the top of the charts.

38. Birdy - Skinny Love

Peak; #17

Weeks; 28

Points; 1432

 

37. Rihanna feat. Drake - What's My Name?

Peak; #1

Weeks; 25 (during 2011)

Points; 1448

 

'Skinny Love', a cover of the Bon Iver song, was the first single from 15 year old Birdy's self-titled debut album and despite not going top 15 it managed to stick around for a long time thanks to it being used in a variety of TV shows and getting radio 1 support - one of the songs that people seemed to get a bit fed up with because it just wouldn't go away, or it would before coming back later. I'm still fine with the song but I never LOVED it. 'What's My Name?', the second single from Rihanna's fifth album 'Loud', featuring Canadian rapper Drake, became the first new #1 of 2011 and manages to finish top 40 here. Rihanna still has three tracks (including a featured credit) to come which shows just what a dominating force she's been over the past few years. Deservedly so too as this is just one of many great tunes that she has delivered over the years.

36. Jessie J - Nobody's Perfect

Peak; #9

Weeks; 25

Points; 1455

 

35. Rizzle Kicks - Down With The Trumpets

Peak; #8

Weeks; 26

Points; 1495

 

Jessie J's cliché of choice for single numero three was that nobody's perfect - she named the song after this and grabbed a third straight top 10 hit off debut album 'Who You Are'. It didn't quite manage to reach the top 2 heights of previous hits 'Do It Like A Dude' and 'Price Tag' (feat. B.o.B), both of which are still to come, but it peaked at a respectable #9. The song itself is not so respectable. It finishes at #36 on this countdown. A second and last appearance for Brighton rap duo Rizzle Kicks is at #35 - it only peaked at number eight (holding that position for three weeks) but finishes four places higher than 'Heart Skips A Beat', mainly because of its advantage of being released earlier. It was the group's third single off debut album 'Stereo Typical' but the first to attract any attention and make the chart. The fourth single 'When I Was A Youngster' also peaked at #8 but dropped off quickly, just missing the top 200 of this countdown, while the fifth single 'Mama Do The Hump' (in my opinion by far their best) did much better, reaching #2 in 2012 and currently being the leader of the 2012 points chart - though it's doubtful this will last all year.

Edited February 23, 201213 yr by Bré

34. Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)

Peak; #9

Weeks; 22

Points; 1500

 

33. Beyoncé - Best Thing I Never Had

Peak; #3

Weeks; 22

Points; 1512

 

'Last Friday Night', the 5th single from Katy's incredible 'Teenage Dream' era, managed another top 10 for her in the UK and what an amazing video it had (the best pop video of 2011 in my opinion). A brilliant song too even though I was already getting tired of it by the time the release finally came around. The remix features Missy Elliot but that particular version didn't seem to help it that much. 'Best Thing I Never Had', the 2nd single from Queen B's album '4', finishes just above after amounting the same number of weeks but peaking at #3. This song probably helped the album out (along with her Glasto performance obviously), being the follow-up to 'flop' single 'Run The World (Girls)', and it's a great ballad from what I think has been a brilliant Beyoncé era.

E.T., Heart Skips a Beat, Nobody's Perfect, What's My Name?, Down With the Trumpets and Best Thing I Never Had. :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:

32. Cee Lo Green - F**k You

Peak; #11 (during 2011)

Weeks; 31

Points; 1518

 

31. Example - Changed The Way You Kiss Me

Peak; #1

Weeks; 23

Points; 1627

 

Cee Lo Green's massive #1 hit from 2010, 'F**k You' (a.k.a. 'Forget You'), is one of the highest placed 'carry-over' hits on the countdown, at #32 - it's the fifth highest placed song which reached its chart peak before the start of 2011. Despite Cee Lo releasing five further singles off third solo album 'The Lady Killer' in 2011 this remains his highest entry on the list. 'Bright Lights Bigger City' (feat. Wiz Khalifa) was the biggest of the follow-ups and made #76 on the countdown and 'It's OK' also made the top 200 at #173, while 'Cry Baby' is at #319, 'Anyway' (from the Platinum Edition) is at #362 and 'I Want You' is just #648. At #31 is Example's first UK #1 single 'Changed The Way You Kiss Me'. It was the first single from his third studio album 'Playing In The Shadows' and finally took the British singer/rapper to the top spot after making #3 with 'Kickstarts' and #2 with his featured appearance on 'Unorthodox' by Wretch 32. The album also made #1, three places higher than second album 'Won't Go Quietly' and it later produced a second #1 single for Example ('Stay Awake', which we've already encountered on this countdown). Most people prefer 'Changed The Way You Kiss Me' to 'Stay Awake' but I'm the opposite, the latter being my second favourite song of the year - but they are my 2 favourite #1s of the year, so a pat on the back for Example.

 

(Sorry, that commentary was FAR more waffly than I'd intended).

Edited February 25, 201213 yr by Bré

30. Jessie J - Do It Like A Dude

Peak; #2

Weeks; 26

Points; 1658

 

29. Bruno Mars - Marry You

Peak; #11

Weeks; 29

Points; 1681

 

'Do It Like A Dude', the debut single from upcoming The Voice UK judge Jessie J and taken from the album 'Who You Are', peaked at #2 right at the start of the year when she won the BBC 'Sound of 2011' poll, having been released in November 2010. Like a lot of Jessie's material this seems to be a bit of a love/hate track and I love it myself. 'Marry You' was the fourth single to be taken from Bruno Mars' album 'Doo Wops & Hooligans' and it didn't follow in the footsteps of the previous three singles which all got to #1, having peaked just outside the top 10. Personally this is my favourite Bruno solo track although I wouldn't really choose to listen to any of them. This certainly won't be the last of either act you see in this countdown.

28. Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat

Peak; #3

Weeks; 28

Points; 1732

 

27. David Guetta feat. Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj - Where Them Girls At

Peak; #3

Weeks; 26

Points; 1748

 

The past few years have been oddly prosperous chartwise for acts from the Eastern European nation of Romania. Probably the biggest hit produced from the country is this countdown's #28, Alexandra Stan's Mr. Saxobeat, which reached number three. Other big Romanian hits are Inna's 'Hot' and Edward Maya's 'Stereo Love' (feat. Vika Jigulina) which peaked at six and four respectively. Stan's second single 'Get Back (ASAP)' wasn't as big, peaking at just #56 after the questionable choice of releasing it on Christmas Eve. Another European dance artist, this time a much more established one, is at number 27 - French DJ David Guetta was generally expected to go straight to #1 with his first new single after the 'One Love' era. 'Where Them Girls At', featuring vocals from Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj, looked like it'd do so by building up a big lead on iTunes, but alas ended up with just a #3 peak due to being released on a Monday. The album it's taken from, 'Nothing But The Beat' (Guetta's fifth) repeated the #2 success of 'One Love', becoming the fifth UK #2 album by a French artist - a UK #1 album still evades the country. Alongside two and soon to be three other top 10 hits, the 'Nothing But The Beat' album has since given Guetta a fifth #1 single in the form of 'Titanium' (feat. Sia).

"Where Them Girls At" still sounds great in a club, which isn't something you can say about the two singles that followed it.

I can assure you that this section was certainly worth waiting for;

 

26. Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)

Peak; #6 (during 2011)

Weeks; 37

Points; 1796

 

25. Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera - Moves Like Jagger

Peak; #2

Weeks; 19

Points; 1806

 

Right here we have two songs that made my top 5 of 2010 & 2011 respectivly. 'Only Girl (In The World)', the first single from Rihanna's 5th album 'Loud', was a massive hit that went on to become a UK million seller for the pop superstar and almost made the top 25 here despite being released towards the end of 2010 which just shows how long it stuck around for. 'Moves Like Jagger' is another UK million seller and the 2nd biggest selling song of 2011 within the UK despite not making the Radio 1 playlist. Neither Maroon 5 or Christina Aguilera had done much chartwise for a few years but thanks to the hit show 'The Voice' they got together to record this track which catapulted them back in, spending a whooping six seven weeks at #2 (behind six different songs - damn you Rihanna!) and is now featured on a deluxe edition of Maroon 5's album 'Hands All Over'.

 

Bray admit it - this section will not be beaten.

Edited March 4, 201213 yr by Jackel

24. Chris Brown - Yeah 3X

Peak; #6

Weeks; 26

Points; 1822

 

23. David Guetta feat. Rihanna - Who's That Chick?

Peak; #6

Weeks; 32

Points; 1861

 

A pair of #6 hits by a controversial couple (and a certain French house music DJ) comprise this section. At #24 is Chris Brown's return to major success, the Calvin Harris 'I'm Not Alone' soundalike 'Yeah 3X'. The song spent seven weeks in the top 10, peaking at number six for two of those weeks, a big contrast to his last lead single 'I Can Transform Ya' (feat. Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz) which only made #26. Brown's fourth album 'F.A.M.E.' from which 'Yeah 3X' was lifted peaked at #10 in the albums chart, again a big contrast from third album 'Graffiti' which made just #55. The reason for Brown's previous era underperforming is pretty obvious and involves Rihanna, the featured artist on David Guetta's 'Who's That Chick?' which is at #23 on the countdown. 'Who's That Chick?' was the first and only single taken from the re-release of Guetta's fourth studio album 'One Love' (entitled 'One More Love') and the sixth release in total from the era. Considering it was not available on any album when released and the past successes of both acts involved a #6 peak could be seen as disappointing but it did spent its first 15 weeks in the top 20, the first four of those in 2010. Chris Brown and Rihanna each have one entry still to come (as indeed does David Guetta). Who will be the highest?

Edited March 13, 201213 yr by Bré

22. Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette - Hello

Peak; #13

Weeks; 31

Points; 1902

 

21. Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are

Peak; #14 (during 2011)

Weeks; 47

Points; 1906

 

'Hello' became a major worldwide hit for French producer Martin Solveig and Canadian band Dragonette in the early part of 2011 going top 5 in many countries. It missed the top 10 over in the UK but stuck around plenty long enough to secure a high placing in this countdown. 'Just The Way You Are', the debut single from Bruno Mars taken from album 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans', was released at the end of 2010 and became a major #1. Even in 2011 it just refused to go away (much like Bruno himself), sticking around for 47 weeks and managing to just miss the top 20 even with a #14 peak during the year. If you can't get enough of Bruno, he has another track just around the corner (you'll probably find out in another week).

How's this for 'another week'?

 

20. Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song

Peak; #1

Weeks; 31

Points; 1930

 

Chart run;

86-15-2-2-1-2-2-5-8-11-14-17-22-24-24-26-30-36-44-44-52-57-64-68-72-75-90-81-65-77-85-x

 

Only barely edging 'Just The Way You Are' into the top 20 despite not losing any weeks to 2010 is Bruno Mars' third of a trio of solo #1 hits off debut album 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans'. 'The Lazy Song' was seen by some as a poor choice of song that would end up completely flopping, with 'Marry You' being the preferred choice - but oh how wrong those people were! The song was of course helped by its ICONIC video. Bruno Mars still has one more entry to come.

19. Katy Perry - Firework

Peak; #5 (during 2011)

Weeks; 47

Points; 2009

 

Chart run;

-5-7-14-23-27-31-31-34-33-37-36-44-40-36-34-41-46-47-50-61-63-73-72-73-73-65-75-71-71-71-72-67-71-76-93-85-75-75-84-78-94-99-69-85-63-78-90-x

 

Katy Perry's 3rd single from 2010 album 'Teenage Dream' scores 2009 points. A fan-favourite from the time the album was released, 'Firework' became another massive hit for Katy with a very good message and inspirational video. This is her last entry in the countdown for this year after sticking around for an absolute age, beating out 'E.T' which had a higher 2011 peak.

18. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull - On The Floor

Peak; #1

Weeks; 29

Points; 2027

 

Chart run;

1-1-2-3-3-5-7-10-12-13-18-14-19-22-23-25-26-25-29-33-42-45-54-58-65-76-85-86-100-x

 

2011 was undeniably a year of surprising returns to prominence by artists that has previously seemed to be over and here's one of the most obvious examples of that. Jennifer Lopez spun off loads of top 10 hits between 1999 and 2005 including the #1s 'Love Don't Cost A Thing' (2001) and 'Get Right' (2005) but her 2007 album 'Brave' bombed and produced just one top 40 hit, 'Do It Well' reaching number eleven. No one expected a new Lopez single to come close to her former glories, let alone become by far her biggest hit - the Lambada sampling 'On The Floor' spent two weeks atop the chart and had a pretty monster chart run, ending 2011 in its top ten best selling singles. Follow-up 'I'm Into You' featuring Lil Wayne also went top 10 and album 'Love?' performed decently but aside from that this was a bit of a blip success for her and she may well be back to irrelevance. This was also the first UK #1 single for featured rapper Pitbull and he would go on to grab a second #1 (still to come on this countdown) just seven weeks later, a record for a living artist.

Edited March 20, 201213 yr by Bréyhound