007 Chart Commentary - 25th March 2012

Katy Perry - Part Of Me goes in at #1

We have a new #1 this week, in a very busy top 10 consisting of no less than 4 new entries all vying for the top spot. Top honours goes to US singer songwriter Katy Perry who scores her 3rd UK #1 hit single with Part Of Me. Katy debuted in 2008 with huge chart topper I Kissed A Girl amidst wide controversy. She then followed up with #4 peaking Hot n Cold then a further 2 smaller hits Thinking Of Me and Waking Up In Vegas. 2010 saw the release of the Teenage Dream album which went on to be her biggest era in terms of sales and singles success. She scored 5 top 10 hits - #1 California Gurls, #2 title track Teenage Dream, #3 Firework, #3 ET and #9 Last Friday Night (TGIF), followed by #18 hit The One That Got Away. Now she returns with the lead single to the new version of said album Part Of Me.

Sean Paul - She Doesn't Mind enters at #2

Jamacan dancehall singer / rapper Sean Paul makes his return to the upper reaches of the UK chart, as he equals his biggest solo hit to date with She Doesn't Mind in at #2. Sean Paul first came on the scene in 2002 with #5 hit Gimme The Light, his commercial breathrough. 2003 however saw his biggest UK success when Get Busy reached #4 and Like Glue #3, he also hit #1 with his feature on Blu Cantrell's Beath and #2 alongside Beyonce on Baby Boy. He then scored a #6 hit with I'm Still In Love With You, followed by #2 hit We Be Burnin' but didn't score another sizeable hit until last year. Got 2 Luv U saw him team up with Alexis Jordan and hit #11, that track and She Doesn't Mind are from his forthcoming new album Tomahawk Technique.

Labrinth - Last Time enters at #4

London born singer songwriter and producer Timothy McKenzie is back in the charts under the name of Labrinth, as Last Time debuts at #4. The last time he shook up the charts alongside Tinie Tempah on huge #2 hit Earthquake, after letting the sun shine. In 2010, Labrinth signed to Syco, becoming Simon Cowell's first signing in 6 years not to come from a talent show. Shortly after that came #3 debut hit Let The Sun Shine as well as an appearence on Devlin's Let It Go, Labrinth has also produced Yasmin's Finish Line and Ms Dynamite's Neva Soft. All 3 of his singles are from his forthcoming debut album Electronic Earth, due for release on 2nd April.

JLS - Proud enters at #6

UK boy band JLS have got plenty to be proud of this week, as their Sport Relief single entitled Proud debuts at #6. Since coming second in 2008's X Factor and launching their career in 2009, the boys have now scored 9 top 10 hits out of 10 releases, including 5 #1s of their own (plus 3 other #1 charity collaborations). Beat Again was the debut, followed by Everybody In Love then #6 hit One Shot. The Club Is Alive then debuted at #1, as did Children In Need single Love You More, followed by #8 hit Eyes Wide Shut featuring the aforementioned Tinie Tempah. Last year saw them top the chart alongside Dev on She Makes Me Wanna, with Take A Chance On Me hitting #2. However their last single missed the top 10 as Do You Feel What I Feel limped to #16, however they now return to hit making ways with Proud.

You Me At Six - The Swarm enters at #23

Since their 2007 debut, English rockers You Me At Six have had rather limited UK singles success with 3 minor top 40 hits. The biggest of those was a collaboration with hip hop duo Chiddy Bang, Rescue Me made #21 last year. Their other top 40 hits were 2009's Finders Keepers and last year's Loverboy, now they debut at #23 with The Swarm. This track is not actually the band's new single, but a promotional track for the new Alton Towers ride of the same name. Their new single No One Does It Better is due out in 2 week's time, taken from their 3rd album Sinners Never Sleep.

Paul Weller - Sonik Kicks tops the albums chart

The "modfather" scores his 4th UK #1 album this week as his 11th studio album release Sonik Kicks comes in at pole position to beat David Guetta by just 250 copies. Nothing But The Beat equals its #2 peak achieved last year, whilst Military Wives slip 2 places to #3. US indie rock band The Shins get their biggest UK album entry as 4th album Port Of Morrow debuts at #11, within a whisker of the top 10. Other new entries come from alternative Swedish group Miike Snow, country group The Band Perry and a live set from Faithless who have now officially split up.

Opinionated bit!

I am happy to see Katy Perry top the chart this week as I think it is the best of the big 4 new entries, albeit not Katy's best song but still really good. I have never been a fan of Sean Paul's music but have to admit to quite liking She Doesn't Mind, it's listenable. I wasn't keen on Earthquake by Labrinth but I do like Last Time. Not a fan of JLS at all, although I did like Beat Again and One Shot, and I do think Proud is probably their best so far ... mind you the standards are very low. Not a fan of You Me At Six but I do like their marketing strategy with this track. I am a huge fan of Paul Weller but find Sonik Kicks difficult to get into if I'm honest.