6weeksatnumber7

2/20 is clearly wrong - will adjust it. Was using a site that asterisked all the straight in ats so they've clearly ballsed up.

One thing the digital age has generally killed is the immortal line "straight in at number 1 this week". We've lost our SIANOs. Here's how the number 1s from 1952 onwards arrived at their peak: 1950s straight in at number 1 2/94. The very first #1 Al Martino with "Here In My Heart" and the first true SIANO Elvis Presley with "Jailhouse Rock" in 1958. 1960s 3/186 ... 1960 Elvis and the Jordanaires "It's Now Or Never", the first UK artists to have a SIANO: 1962 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "The Young Ones" and to round off the 60s The Beatles with Billy Preston "Get Back" in 1969. 1970s 3/168 ... All in 1973. Glamrock took over the airwaves and Slade went straight to #1 twice and Gary Glitter once. 1980 1/24 ... The Jam slotted straight in at the top with double A side "Going Underground/Dreams of Children" 1981 1/19 ... Adam & the Ants "Stand and Deliver"ed. 1982 2/21 ... The Jam doubled up with "Town Called Malice/Precious" and "Beat Surrender" 1983 1/17 ... Duran Duran "Is There Something I Should Know" 1984 2/14 ... Band Aid at the end of the year and Frankie Goes To Hollywood with the epic "Two Tribes" 1985 1/19 ... Bowie and Jagger danced along the streets straight to #1 1986 0/20 ... "Don't Leave Me This Way" by the Communards with Sarah Jane Morris was the biggest seller in a blank year 1987 1/19 ... Ferry Aid's "Let It Be" was released ti raise funds in the aftermath of the Zeebrugge Disaster 1988 0/19 ... though it was the year of Kylie's first number 1 1989 4/18 ... two of which were charity records 1990 1/18 ... Iron Maiden's glorious "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter" replaced Cliff's "Saviour's Day" 1991 4/16 ... a year of heavvy hitters - U2 and Michael Jackson were joined by Queen who doubled up in the year of Freddie Mercury's death 1992 1/13 ... Erasue with their Abba-esque EP 1993 4/16 ... three of them were by Take That "Pray", "Relight My Fire" with Lulu, and Babe 1994 3/16 ... Take That, Mariah and Whigfield 1995 10/18 ... record companies start to target the #1 spot in the first week of release 1996 18/24 ... but not the year's biggest seller which was the Fugees with "Killing Me Softly" 1997 21/24 ... with the unlikely trio of Tori Amos, R Kelly and Aqua having to deploy the crampons to hit the peak 1998 27/30 ... another unlikely set of climbers - All Saints, Tamperer feat. Maya and South Park's Chef 1999 33/35 ... Steps "Heartbeat/Tragedy" and Cliff's "Millennium Prayer" had to fight their way to the top 2000 42/43 ... "Bob The Builder" was the one exception and climbed to the summit 2001 29/31 ... exceptions were SClub7 "Don't Stop Moving" and DJ Otzi "Hey Baby" 2002 31/31 ... Daniel Bedingfield's "Gotta Get Thru This returned to the top spot at the start of the year having previously entered at #1 2003 23/23 ... the last year to have a full house of SIANOs 2004 28/29 ... exception was DJ Casper "Cha Cha Slide". Also Eric Prydz returned to #1 after previously entering there. 2005 27/29 ... exceptions Steve Brookstein "Against All Odds" and James Blunt "You're Beautiful" 2006 9/25 .... the digital era kicks in and SIANOs decrease 2007 6/17 .... the total number of #1s is also dropping 2008 10/20 .... a recovery? In many ways the chart has reverted back to when it was its strongest in the 70s/80s. There's far more meaning to getting the top spot now. 43 #1s in a year was devaluing the singles chart IMO.

I thought of adding MIA - maybe at the expense of Wiley? Can't see them not including Take That. The Script are Irish so will be ineligible.

Are we sure this is not a Guardian misreporting? My understanding from the original press release was they'd just dumped physical singles.

Ronson and Winehouse's Valerie was nominated last year and made the top 5.

Bleeding Love wasn't the X-Factor "winners single" last year (or any year!) - Leon Jackson's was which got snubbed.

I think that Duffy - Mercy Estelle feat Kanye West - American Boy Dizzee Rascal - Dance Wiv Me Leona Lewis - Run Girls Aloud - The Promise Ting Tings - That's Not My Name Coldplay - Viva La Vida Adele - Chasing Pavements Wiley Wearing - My Rolex Take That - Greatest Day would be a strong 10.

ej87 - remember when it reaches the last 5 it's a phone vote on the night. Of those listed I think you'd have to fancy Girls Aloud as having the most active fanbase.

Usually they seem to go with the biggest selling singles at the BRITs when it comes to nominating Best British Single. This is last year's long list: James Blunt - 1973 Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby Kate Nash - Foundations Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love Mark Ronson + Amy Winehouse - Valerie Mika- Grace Kelly Mutya Buena - Real Girl Sugababes - About You Now Take That - Shine The Hoosiers - Worried About Ray (those in italics were eliminated before the night via fan voting) And here's the year to dates for 2007 with overseas artists removed (bound to be a few mistakes) *1 Leona Lewis Bleeding love 787652 *3 Mika Grace Kelly 492500 4 Leon Jackson When you believe 395669 5 Take That Rule the world 357449 *6 Sugababes About you now 346420 8 Proclaimers ft Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin (I'm gonna be) 500 miles 336138 *9 Mark Ronson feat Amy Winehouse Valerie 329490 *10 Kaiser Chiefs Ruby 313765 *17 Kate Nash Foundations 272805 *18 Take That Shine 272745 23 Just Jack Starz in their eyez 220000 *31 Hoosiers Worried about Ray 178250 37 T2 feat Jodie Aysha Heartbroken 151145 42 Shayne Ward No U hang up/If that's ok with you 143525 46 Scouting For Girls She's so lovely 139335 48 The View Same jeans 137500 55 Freemasons feat Bailey Tzuke Uninvited 131450 56 Amy Winehouse Rehab 131415 *57 James Blunt 1973 130000 59 Girls Aloud Call the shots 126495 60 Hoosiers Goodbye Mr A 125795 62 Mika Love today 118500 65 Calvin Harris Acceptable in the 80s 115000 67 Newton Faulkner Dream catch me 113800 *71 Mutya Buena Real girl 109500 *nominated Using Haven's top 40 2008 end of year UK singles: 1 Alexandra Burke Hallelujah 887933 2 X Factor Finalists Hero 751000 3 Duffy Mercy 536000 *6 Estelle feat Kanye West American boy 458500 12 Dizzee Rascal Dance wiv me 386820 13 Leona Lewis Run 362370 17 Girls Aloud The promise 349450 22 Ting Tings That's not my name 300000 25 Coldplay Viva la vida 295815 27 Adele Chasing pavements 284500 29 H Two O feat Platnum What's it gonna be? 260000 30 Duffy Warwick Avenue 252915 34 Wiley Wearing my Rolex 240750 37 Leona Lewis Better in Time/Footprints in the sand 237500 *collaboration with overseas artist so possibly ineligible? So will they ignore the top two and cull most of the list from the rest? Who else will get a look in - Take That for Greatest Day?

It'll only really affect the X-Factor and charity singles and those artists who rely on a big physical bump for chart success - Oasis, Girls Aloud etc

You said it Scherz ;)

Jonjo - why do you have such a large version of that hideous Kelly Clarkson single cover as a sig? What the hell are they doing to her? She looks like a blow up doll !!!

For once we see the benefits of low album sales ... having a string o hit singles is not a bad way to start a pop career, particularly for a multi-member vocal group where it may take some time to get to know each individual.

1) Sarah Connor 2) Nasa 3) Rosanna

Whilst agreeing with your general point, I think you're pushing the boat out to claim either of those for TVOTR.

lol I was there lunchtime - the plimsoll explosion had to be seen to be believed! Couldn't believe they were still only 60% off. The only music of any quantity they had was the Leon Jackson single still at £1.99, Mutya Buena's album for £5 and Songs for Dads around £4.00. I was tempted to make a break from that front corner to theback of the store to see if they were hiding anything.

Country: Inner Massivia Artist: Melanie Fiona Song: Give It To Me Right YouTube/DailyMotion Link: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rTQXWxSrCx8

01-01. Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah 02-01. Leona Lewis - Run 03-01. Beyonce - If I Were A Boy 04-00. James Morrison & Nelly Furtado - Broken Strings 05-00. Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody 06-02. Take That - Greatest Day 07-00. Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah 08-03. Geraldine - Once Upon A Christmas Song 09-00. Katy Perry - Hot'n'Cold 10-01. The Killers - Human

31-01. Duffy - Warwick Avenue 32-02. Will.I.Am & Cheryl Cole - Heartbreaker 33-01. Usher & Young Jeezy - Love In This Club 36-01. September - Cry For You 37-03. The Killers - Human 38-01. Leona Lewis - Better In Time 39-02. T.I. & Rihanna - Live Your Life

Well given the above information she clearly isn't.

From my experience that rarely happens. People vastly overestimate the effect radio edits are likely to have.

if it's not Paul McCartney at #1 I'll eat everyone's hat. John Lennon will be #2.

Inner Massivia's wonderful Melanie Fiona has sent her New Year's greetings to everyone in BJSC: fNJRb1ekOoY

I don't think the rises are TOTP related at all. Far more likely to be connected to the big three NYE shows - Jools Holland (Adele, Duffy, Dizzee Rascal, Sam Sparro, Lily Allen et al), BBC (Alesha) and Elton John at the O2 on ITV (Alexandra, Will Young).

VH1 currently counting down the official Top 40 selling albums of 2008 - they've just had Plant and Kraus at #23 and Madonna at #22 ... Girls Aloud #20, Neil Diamond #19, Ting Tings #18, Mika #17, Abba #16. Think it's sake to assume this had an early cut off.