007 Chart Commentary - 2nd June 2013

Robin Thicke feat TI & Pharrell - Blurred Lines enters at #1

We have another new #1 with huge sales this week as widely predicted, Robin Thicke debuts in poll position with Blurred Lines. This marks the sixth week running that the #1 single sales have been over 100k, unusually high for this time of year. US singer songwriter Robin Thicke released his first single When I Get You Alone in 2003 and made top 10 in Netherlands and New Zealand but did not chart in the UK or US. However in 2007 Lost Without U was his first international hit, making #11. He had several international hits but nothing that charted here in the UK, until now. Blurred Lines features US singer and producer Pharrell Williams, who is also featured on Daft Punk's Get Lucky. So Pharrell is now featured on 2 huge #1s which also make up 2 of this week’s top 3. This replaces Naughty Boy's La La La La which slips to #2, the aforementioned Get Lucky by Daft Punk slips to #3.

Jessie J feat Dizzee Rascal & Big Sean - Wild enters at #5

This week sees the return of 25 year old singer, songwriter and talent show judge Jessica Ellen Cornish, as new single Wild enters at #5 for Jessie J. Jessie first came to prominence in late 2010 with debut single Do It Like A Dude, which went on to make #2 after her appearance in the BBC Sound of 2011. In 2011, Jessie scored a huge #1 with Price Tag which was followed by the release of her huge selling debut album Who You Are. Her third single was the #9 peaking Nobody's Perfect, followed by #16 hit Who's Laughing Now. She then hit #8 with the title track to her album, and scored her second #1 with Domino. She was last in the charts last year with the David Guetta featuring Laser Light, which also hit #5. Currently appearing as a judge on The Voice UK, Jessie J makes her return with new single Wild. The track features 2 rappers Dizzee Rascal and Big Sean, this is the latter's first appearance in the top 10 and the former's 11th.

Jennifer Lopez feat Pitbull - Live It Up enters at #17

43 year old US singer, actress and superstar Jennifer Lopez gets another top 20 hit this week as Live It Up debuts at #17. JLo first came on the scene in 1999 with #4 hit If You Had My Love, followed by #5 hit Waiting For tonight. Love Don't Cost A Thing provided her with her first UK #1 in 2001, from her second album J.Lo. This was followed by the #3 hits Play and Ain't It Funny, then the #4 hits I'm Real and Ain't It Funny (remix). A further 8 top 11 hits came from 2002-2007, including second #1 Get Right. She had no hits until 2011 when she scored her biggest seller and third #1 On The Floor, featuring rapper Pitbull. #9 I'm Into You and #11 Dance Again (also featuring Pitbull) then followed. Now she returns at #17 with Live It Up, teaming up with Pitbull once more for her 20th top 20 hit. She was also featured on Will I Am's #3 hit THE last year, alongside Mick Jagger.

Stylo G - Soundbwoy enters at #18

28 year old Jamacan born singer Jason McDermott gets his debut UK chart hit this week under the name of Stylo G. Stylo was born in Jamaica and moved to the UK at the age of 15, and has since built an underground following. He has been releasing music since 2004 and has worked with artists such as Giggs, Chipmunk, Sneakbo, Gyptian. Now he gets his first mainstream hit with Soundbwoy, which debuts this week at #18.

Of Monsters & Men - Little Talks and Daniel Merriweather - Red reenter

After being performed on The Voice UK as part of the battle rounds, there are 2 re-entries in this week's chart. The highest is Icelandic group Of Monsters & Men, who made #12 last year with Little Talks and is back just a place lower at #13. Australian singer Daniel Marriweather scored 2 top 10 hits in 2009, by far the biggest was Red which made #5 and is back this week at #29. We can expect further re-entries due to performances on The Voice and/or Britain’s Got Talent in the coming weeks.

Bruno Mars - Treasure enters at #35

27 year old US singer songwriter Bruno Mars gets another UK top 40 hit this week as Treasure debuts at #35. Bruno first came on the scene as a solo artist in 2010 with debut Just The Way You Are, which went on to sell over a million in the UK. This was the first of 3 #1s with Grenade and The Lazy Song being the other 2. 3 further top 20 hits followed - Marry You, Runaway Baby and It Will Rain. These were all from his huge selling debut album Doo Wops & Hooligans. Last year he hit #2 with Locked Out Of Heaven, the lead single form his second album Unorthodox Jukebox which has also sold very well. His last single When I Was Your Man also made #2 and is still in this week’s top 30. Now Treasure debuts at #35, with the possibility of climbing further in the coming weeks.

Daft Punk retain the #1 album

After becoming the year's fastest seller, Random Access Memories by Daft Punk stays at #1 this week. Folk singer Laura Marling debuts at #3 with her 4th and highest peaking album Once I Was An Eagle. UK girl group Stooshe's much delayed debut album London With The Lights On comes in at #8, featuring the recent hits Love Me, Black Heart and Slip (but not Waterfalls). Other new entries come from Black Star Riders and Alice In Chains. There are re-entries and climbers from the likes of Bruno Mars, Ellie Goulding, Jake Bugg and Olly Murs due to recent live performances at Radio 1’s Big Weekend and Britain's Got Talent.

Opinion

I am happy to see Blurred Lines debut at #1 as it is a very good song, again a little bit unusual in style. I'm not a fan of Jessie J's new one, even without the pointless features of both Dizzee Rascal and Big Sean. Stylo G's monstrosity is just as bad for me if not worse, and JLo's generic rubbish is not much better. Bruno Mars though is good as ever, Treasure is one of the many highlights of his current album, for me. Great to see Red and Little Talks back in the charts too. Also great to see Rod Stewart's really brilliant Time album hanging around.

Edited June 2, 201312 yr by loudjamesbond