[Kathryn Straker]

Scroll down through thread replies for an archive of previous weeks.Apologies for the lag in chart updates, MEIEA planning has been taking my full attention. I *wrote* the chart roundups for April, but apparently forgot to post them to the internet. So let’s just skip over that and get back to it with the week before last.

Week of May 7-8

US

Billboard 200Two debuts in the top 5, Moneybagg Yo with his first #1 debut, A Gangsta’s Pain, and Eric Church’s Soul opening at #4. The Bieb’s latest, Justice, is now Gold certified. There are only a couple of other new releases in the top 100, Lyke Mike by Myke Towers (#36), Michigan Boy Boat by Lil Yachty (#39), and Nurture by Porter Robinson (#52).1. A Gangsta’s Pain, Moneybagg Yo (CMG/N-Less/Interscope)
2. Young Stoner Life: Slime Language 2, Young Thug & Various Artists (Young Stoner Life/300)
3. Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen (Big Loud/Republic)
4. Soul, Eric Church (EMI Nashville)
5. Justice, Justin Bieber (Raymond Braun/Def Jam)Hot 100
While there’s nothing new in the top 10 (…or 30) this week, there is a surprise: “Save Your Tears,” the single released by The Weeknd last August, has been given a chart-boosting remix by Ariana Grande. Thanks to Grande’s addition, the song just hit #1. Ariana’s remix comes out 2 months after the original mix earned a Platium certification.What’s interesting, to me, is that the Grande remix is counted on charts as the same song. True to current trend, Ariana’s version comes out 20 seconds shorter. It may be recognizeable as The Weeknd’s song, but Ariana substantially reworked the song structure (and, arguably, improved it).1. “Save Your Tears”, The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
2. “Leave The Door Open”, Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
3. “Peaches”, Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
4. “Rapstar”, Polo G
5. “Levitating”, Dua Lipa Featuring DaBaby

UK

Albums
A lot of new entries in the top of the chart this week. In the top 10, only 2 are repeats from the previous week (#5, Tom Jones, and #9, evergreen Dua Lipa). As such I’ll give the whole top 10 this week, instead of only the top 5. Pink Floyd’s archival live album, unsurprisingly, has a much strong debut in the UK — #8, against #100 in the US. (Though the label is weirdly given as Rhino, which is not the Warner Music imprint used in the UK. That would be Parlophone.)1. TYPHOONS, ROYAL BLOOD (Warner Records)
2. CORAL ISLAND, CORAL (Run On)
3. CELEBRATE THE MUSIC OF PETER GREEN, MICK FLEETWOOD & FRIENDS (BMG)
4. YOUNG HEART, BIRDY (Atlantic)
5. SURROUNDED BY TIME, TOM JONES (EMI)
6. FORTITUDE, GOJIRA (Roadrunner)
7. IF I COULD MAKE IT GO QUIET, GIRL IN RED (Marie Ulven)
8. LIVE AT KNEBWORTH 1990, PINK FLOYD (Rhino)
9. FUTURE NOSTALGIA, DUA LIPA (Warner Records)
10. KHALED KHALED, DJ KHALED (Black Butter/We Are the Best)Singles
The singles chart is characteristically stagnant, especially next to the albums chart, only one new entry in the top 10, Billie Eilish’s “Your Power” at #5. No other newcomers in the top 50.1. “BODY”, TION WAYNE & RUSS MILLIONS (Atlantic)
2. “MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)”, LIL NAS X (Lil Nas X)
3. “KISS ME MORE”, DOJA CAT FT SZA (Ministry of Sound)
4. “PEACHES”, JUSTIN BIEBER/CAESAR/GIVEON (Def Jam)
5. “YOUR POWER”, BILLIE EILISH (Interscope)

Week of May 14-15

US

Billboard 200Only one new item in the top 10 this week, DJ Khaled’s new album, which opens at #1. Wait, I lied — #10 is also a new release, Thomas Rhett’s Country Again (Side A), which seems to hark back to the early days of LPs in more than name. Its 11 tracks come in at only 34 minutes, meaning it’s only about 1 song too long to fit onto the first side of an LP. The album isn’t dead, but we’re definitely having a revival of under-3-minute singles which comprise albums. Only now we can release the albums one side at a time. (Side B is due this fall.)In other strong debuts, death metal act Gojira comes in at #12 with Fortitude, and the Grateful Dead have yet another Dave’s Picks opening at 25. (Alas for Pink Floyd, their new live album debuted at #100.) There are more new releases than usual in the top 100 this week, including one pleasant surprise, a new studio album from Dropkick Murphys opening at #74, Turn Up That Dial.1. Khaled Khaled, DJ Khaled (We the Best/Epic)
2. A Gangsta’s Pain, Moneybagg Yo (CMG/N-Less/Interscope)
3. Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen (Big Loud/Republic)
4. Justice, Justin Bieber (Raymond Braun/Def Jam)
5. Young Stoner Life: Slime Language 2, Young Thug & Various Artists (Young Stoner Life/300)Hot 100Another boring week in the Hot 100, with the top 50 or so staying pretty static. Billie Eilish’s new single “Your Power” opens at #10. Otherwise, no major newcomers beyond album cuts from DJ Khaled’s new Khaled Khaled.1. “Save Your Tears”, The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
2. “Leave The Door Open”, Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
3. “Peaches”, Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
4. “Levitating”, Dua Lipa Featuring DaBaby
5. “Kiss Me More”, Doja Cat Featuring SZA

UK

AlbumsAnother week of new releases! Looks like pandemic creation time is in full bloom. What’s not so surprising is that last week’s top 10 have almost universally dropped straight to the bottom, or entirely out of the charts. There were several genre and indie releases last week, and if you’re not a major pop star or as classic as Mick Fleetwood, you seem to get a week or two in the chart and that’s it.1. LIFE BY MISADVENTURE, RAG’N’BONE MAN (Columbia)
2. WE ARE MORE THAN ONE, MICHAEL BALL (Decca)
3. BUILD A PROBLEM, ODIE (Doddleoddle)
4.BRIGHT GREEN FIELD, SQUID (Warp)
5. LATEST RECORD PROJECT – VOL 1, VAN MORRISON (BMG)Singles“Save Your Tears” is back in the charts in the UK, yet strangely, Official Charts Company doesn’t note Ariana Grande as a co-writer on the song’s reentry. Not ideal, OCC. The top 50 has only a couple of new entries this week, Coldplay with their new single “Higher Power” at #12, J Cole with “I N T E R L U D E” at #25, and Trippie Redd ft. Playboi Carti at #32 with “Miss the Rage.”1. “BODY”, TION WAYNE & RUSS MILLIONS (Atlantic)
2. “MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)”, LIL NAS X (Lil Nas X)
3. “KISS ME MORE”, DOJA CAT FT SZA (Ministry of Sound)
4. “BED”, JOEL CORRY/RAYE/DAVID GUETTA (Asylum/Perfect Havoc)
5. “SAVE YOUR TEARS”, WEEKND (& Ariana Grande) (Republic Records/XO)

[Kathryn Straker]

Chart news for the week of March 26

UK

Albums
Justin Bieber had the most streamed album in the UK this week, getting 25.4 million track hits from his new release, Justice.In physical sales, Lana del Rey set a new record for fastest-selling vinyl of the century (for a female act). Her new album Chemtrails sold 16,700 LPs this week. She has the second #1 album debut of the year, just edging out the Bieb. Black Honey’s new album Written & Directed opened at #7, and there are two new anthologies from classic artists in the top 20, Bob Dylan 1970 at #13 and Sting Duets at #17.Much farther down chart, there’s a surprising blast from the past–a new album from Saxon, Inspirations, which is a collection of covers. It debuted at #56. Not bad, really, for a band that’s been going since 1977.1. CHEMTRAILS OVER THE COUNTRY CLUB, LANA DEL REY (POLYDOR)
2. JUSTICE, JUSTIN BIEBER (DEF JAM)
3. WILD WEST, CENTRAL CEE (CENTRAL CEE)
4. FUTURE NOSTALGIA, DUA LIPA (WARNER RECORDS)
5. FINE LINE, HARRY STYLES (COLUMBIA)Singles
This week in singles, “Wellerman” remains on top, with one newcomer in the top 5, Justin Bieber’s lead single for his new album, “Peaches.” (I was momentarily excited, thinking the artist Peaches had a top 5 debut, but, no.)1. “Wellerman”, NATHAN EVANS/220KID/BILLEN TED (POLYDOR)
2. “Latest Trends”, A1 & J1 (EMI)
3. “Peaches”, JUSTIN BIEBER/CAESAR/GIVEON (DEF JAM)
4. “Friday”, RITON/NIGHTCRAWLERS/MUFASA (MINISTRY OF SOUND)
5. “The Business”, TIESTO (ATLANTIC)

Charts for the week of April 2

UK

Albums
I may have misread “Peaches” as an unexpected return of the Aughts, but this week there is no mistake: there is a new Evanescence album, and it debuted at #4. (Fingers still crossed for Peaches.) There’s one other new release in the top 10, PROMISES by FLOATING POINTS/SANDERS/LSO, coming in at #6. Two more new releases squeak into the top 20, the self-titled debut by Smith/Kotzen (#17, featuring Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden) and Stargazer by Scottish pop singer Marti Pellow (#18).1. COLLECTIONS FROM THE WHITEOUT, BEN HOWARD (ISLAND)
2. JUSTICE, JUSTIN BIEBER (DEF JAM)
3. FUTURE NOSTALGIA, DUA LIPA (WARNER RECORDS)
4. THE BITTER TRUTH, EVANESCENCE (RCA)
5. WILD WEST, CENTRAL CEE (CENTRAL CEE)Singles
Lil Nas X’s latest splash, “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” jumped straight to the top of the chart and bumped the other top contenders down a rung. The single’s video, which features both Plato quotes etched on the Tree of Knowledge and twerking with Satan, immediately went viral and was easily the most streamed song of the week. (OCC reported 2.5m video streams in the UK on April 2. As of today, April 5, “Montero” has had almost 99.8m views worldwide!) Apart from Lil Nas X, the only new song near the top of the chart is #17, Mimi Webb’s “Good Without” (RCA).1. “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”, Lil Nas X (Lil Nas X)
2. “Wellerman”, NATHAN EVANS/220KID/BILLEN TED (POLYDOR)
3. “Peaches”, JUSTIN BIEBER/CAESAR/GIVEON (DEF JAM)
4. “Latest Trends”, A1 & J1 (EMI)
5. “Friday”, RITON/NIGHTCRAWLERS/MUFASA (MINISTRY OF SOUND)

[Kathryn Straker]

UK

Albums

Week of March 5

The last week of February in the UK charts had a milestone that I personally was quite excited about: Scottish prog group Mogwai scored their first #1 album, As the Love Continues. This week, they’ve dropped to #23, but that’s still pretty good for Mogwai. Since their first release in 1997, they’ve had ever stronger opening weeks, with their last 3 albums making it to the top 10.

So, congrats to my boos, Mogwai, for their week in the sun.

The top 5 this week are all new in the charts:

1. FOR THOSE THAT WISH TO EXIST, ARCHITECTS (EPITAPH)
2. NATURE ALWAYS WINS, MAXIMO PARK (PROLIFICA)
3. MADE IN THE PYREX, DIGGA D (CGM)
4. DETROIT STORIES, ALICE COOPER (EAR MUSIC)
5. CHOICES, LUCY SPRAGGAN (COOKING VINYL)

Week of March 12

This week had a lot of fluctuation, with a few older releases spiking back into the top 5, as there’s a little less competition from new releases this week. The #1 and #4 albums are new, but looking down chart, most new releases debuted in the teens, including Poster Girl by Zara Larson (#12) and As Days Get Dark by Arab Strap (#14, another post-rock act and Mogwai label-mates).

1. WHEN YOU SEE YOURSELF, KINGS OF LEON (COLUMBIA)
2. FUTURE NOSTALGIA, DUA LIPA (WARNER)
3. MADE IN THE PYREX, DIGGA D (CGM)
4. DO IT AGAIN, GABRIELLE (BMG)
5. THE HIGHLIGHTS, WEEKND (REPUBLIC RECORDS/XO)

Week of March 19

Once again, we’ve got all fresh material in the top 5, apart from Dua Lipa, whose album Future Nostalgia is about to have its one year anniversary in the charts. The #1 this week is a sophomore release from British singer-songwriter Tom Grennan. OCC’s metrics noted that 73% of his sales last week were physical copies, which has been a trend among recent albums to debut at #1. Of the last 10, they all had majority physical sales, most of them over 70%.

There’s also an interesting nugget down chart. The reissued David Bowie live album Something in the Air debuted at #18 this week, and what’s interesting is that it’s sold exclusively through the official David Bowie store and WMG’s online shop. One wonders how much higher in the chart it would be if it had wider distribution.

1. EVERING ROAD, TOM GRENNAN (INSANITY)
2. WILD WEST, CENTRAL CEE (CENTRAL CEE)
3. ALL THE RIGHT NOISES, THUNDER (BMG)
4. FUTURE NOSTALGIA, DUA LIPA (WARNER)
5. LIFELINE, RJ THOMPSON (CODENAME)

Singles

Week of March 5

1. “Drivers License,” OLIVIA RODRIGO (INTERSCOPE)
2. “Wellerman,” NATHAN EVANS/220KID/BILLEN TED (POLYDOR)
3. “Calling My Phone,” LIL TJAY & 6LACK (COLUMBIA)
4. “The Business,” TIESTO (ATLANTIC)
5. “Friday,” RITON/NIGHTCRAWLERS/MUFASA

Week of March 12

Olivia Rodrigo sets a new milestone this week, with the longest running debut single since Gnarles Barkley’s “Crazy.” She’s had the #1 for 9 weeks straight. Drake hits the top 10 with THREE new singles, “What’s Next” at #4, “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” (ft. Rick Ross) at #6, and “Wants and Needs” (ft. Lil Baby) coming in at #10.

1. “Drivers License,” OLIVIA RODRIGO (INTERSCOPE)
2. “Wellerman,” NATHAN EVANS/220KID/BILLEN TED (POLYDOR)
3. “The Business,” TIESTO (ATLANTIC)
4. “What’s Next,” DRAKE (OVO/REPUBLIC RECORDS)
5. “Calling My Phone,” LIL TJAY & 6LACK (COLUMBIA)

Week of March 19

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” had a shocking tumble this week, dropping from #1 all the way to #18! In the end she didn’t beat Gnarles Barkley’s 9 weeks at #1, but at least she tied. Otherwise, no real surprises at the top of the chart this week.

1. “Wellerman”, NATHAN EVANS/220KID/BILLEN TED
2. “Latest Trends,” A1 & J1
3. “Patience”, KSI FT YUNGBLUD & POLO G
4. “The Business,” TIESTO
5. “Friday,” RITON/NIGHTCRAWLERS/MUFASA

[Kathryn Straker]

March catch-up for the US here.

USA

Billboard 200

Week of March 6

1. Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen
2. Positions, Ariana Grande
3. Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon, Pop Smoke
4. The Voice, Lil Durk
5. Shiesty Season, Pooh Shiesty

Week of March 13

Not a lot of commentary for this month, because as you can see, there hasn’t been a lot of movement at the top of the chart this month. Last week, there were only three new releases in the entire top 200, and the only new album in the top 20 was Kevin Gates’ Only the Generals, Part II, which debuted at #18. The next one down was #77, Sin Miedo (Del Amor y Otros Demonios) by Kali Uchis.

This week, we’ve got the usual suspects in the top. The highest charting new reelase is #39, Julien Baker’s Little Oblivions. Surprisingly, Alice Cooper did much worse in the US, with his latest album Detroit Stories debuting at #47.

1. Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen
2. The Highlights, The Weeknd
3. Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon, Pop Smoke
4. Shiesty Season, Pooh Shiesty
5. The Voice, Lil Durk

Week of March 20

Morgan Wallen still on top. Controversy remains good for sales in the US, it seems. Speaking of which, The Weekend’s latest studio album, After Hours, has rocketed to #4 from #163 after the singer’s been all over the news for the past week with a Grammy Awards boycott.

Alice Cooper has already dropped out of the chart, as has Willie Nelson (who also had a new album out last week, charting at #58). Rough times for old white guys.

This week did get one new release in the top 10, Niratias by Chevelle. Kings of Leon, who debuted at #1 in the UK, squeaked in at #11 in the US.

1. Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen
2. Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon, Pop Smoke
3. Shiesty Season, Pooh Shiesty
4. After Hours, The Weeknd
5. The Voice, Lil Durk

Hot 100

Week of March 6

There isn’t a single new song in the top 50 this week.

1. “Drivers License”, Olivia Rodrigo
2. “Up”, Cardi B
3. “Go Crazy”, Chris Brown & Young Thug
4. “34+35”, Ariana Grande
5. “Blinding Lights”, The Weeknd

Week of March 13

Another week of nothing new. Kali Uchis’ single “Telepatia” is making a climb up the charts, coming up from 54 to 39 this week. But once again, there are no new releases in the top 50. Highest charting new song is #64, “AP” by Pop Smoke. Next week will be the chart week of the Grammys, so I’m sure we can expect another week of old hits having a resurgence.

1. “Drivers License”, Olivia Rodrigo
2. “Up”, Cardi B
3. “Blinding Lights”, The Weeknd
4. “34+35”, Ariana Grande
5. “Go Crazy”, Chris Brown & Young Thug

Week of March 20

While the Grammy Awards did give its performers a major sales boost (over 300%, according to Billboard), even this publicity wasn’t enough to top our chart lord, Drake, who has three new songs in the chart. These three comprise the EP Scary Hours 2. The only official single is “What’s Next,” but with digital sales and streams counting to the Hot 100, all three songs made it onto the chart. Drake’s new release breaks Olivia Rodrigo’s 8 week streak at #1.

1. “What’s Next,” Drake
2. “Wants and Needs,” Drake (ft. Lil Baby)
3. “Lemon Pepper Freestyle”, Drake (ft. Rick Ross)
4. “Leave the Door Open”, Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson Paak)
5. “Drivers License”, Olivia Rodrigo

[Kathryn Straker]

Chart news for week of February 5

United Kingdom

The honor of the top 5 albums this week goes to all British artists, the top 4 all new releases making their chart debuts.

The #1 album, Celeste’s Not Your Muse, belongs to a debut album by a British woman for the first time since 2015.
The #2 album, Money Can’t Buy Happiness by rapper Fredo was the most streamed in the UK last week.

The top 5 singles for the week cross both oceans, with American artist Olivia Rodrigo in #1 and Australian rapper Kid Laroi in #4. Rodrigo also tops the Irish charts for the week.

Kid Laroi also made Australian chart history, becoming the youngest artist to reach #1 on the ARIA album chart with the deluxe edition of his July debut, F*ck Love (Savage). The 17 year old is also the second aboriginal artist to have a #1 album.

Official Charts Company Top 5 Albums:
1. NOT YOUR MUSE, CELESTE (Polydor)
2. MONEY CAN’T BUY HAPPINESS, FREDO (Since 93)
3. COLLAPSED IN SUNBEAMS, ARLO PARKS (Transgressive)
4. THE FUTURE BITES, STEVEN WILSONS (W Records)
5. FINE LINE, HARRY STYLES (Columbia)

Top 5 Singles:
1. DRIVERS LICENSE,OLIVIA RODRIGO (Interscope)
2. WELLERMAN, NATHAN EVANS/220KID/BILLEN TED (Polydor)
3.  MONEY TALKS, FREDO FT DAVEDAVE NEIGHBOURHOOD (Since 93)
4. WITHOUT YOU, KID LAROI (RCA)
5. DON’T PLAY, ANNE-MARIE/KSI/DIGITAL FARM (Atlantic)

 

United States

Country singer Morgan Wallen tops the Billboard 200 for the fourth week in a row with Dangerous: the double album, just as his recording contract with Big Loud Records has been indefinitely suspended, after footage of Wallen shouting racial slurs emerged last week. Radio stations have already dropped Wallen out of rotation, so we expect this is his last week at the top.

Hot 100
1. Drivers License, Olivia Rodrigo
2. Mood24k, Goldn Featuring iann dior
3. Blinding Lights, The Weeknd
4. 34+35, Ariana Grande
5. Levitating, Dua Lipa Featuring DaBaby

Billboard 200
1. Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen
2. Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon, Pop Smoke
3. Evermore, Taylor Swift
4. After Hours, The Weeknd
5. The Voice, Lil Durk

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Kathryn Straker.

[Kathryn Straker]

For the week ending February 12-13

USA

Well, last week’s prediction that Morgan Wallen, who was recently dropped by his record label over his use of racial slurs, was not long for the top 40 turned out to be wrong. I should know better, with America. Dangerous sits at #1 for the fourth week.

The Hot 100 has no major changes in the top positions this week, with the entire top 20 being songs that were in the chart last week. The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” is enjoying its 61st week in chart, the longest-running hit in the current Hot 100.

Likewise, the Billboard 200 has only one newcomer in the top 20, volume 37 of Dave’s Picks, which is a series of live albums from the Grateful Dead.

Hot 100

1. “Drivers License,” Olivia Rodrigo
2. “Mood,” 24kGoldn Featuring iann dior
3. “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd
4. “34+35,” Ariana Grande
5. “Levitating,” Dua Lipa Featuring DaBaby

Billboard 200

1. Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen
2. The Voice, Lil Durk
3. Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon, Pop Smoke
4. After Hours, The Weeknd
5. Legends Never Die, Juice WRLD

UK

Olivia Rodrigo has the #1 single for the fifth week in a row in the UK, and pretty much everywhere. The top five this week has only one newcomer, a collaboration between British rappers Digga D and AJ Tracey. Tracey has scored a number of hits, including seven top 10 singles, but the collaboration is Digga D’s first time cracking the top 10.

Trending so far this week is the latest release from Ru Paul’s UK Drag Racers, the United Kingdolls, whose song “UK Hon?” is starting the week out as the most downloaded song.

The top five on the albums chart this week comprises all new releases, and all North American — with the exception of British singer Celeste, in her second week-in-chart — including a second greatest hits album for The Weeknd, released to coincide with their recent Super Bowl performance.

Singles

1. DRIVERS LICENSE, Olivia Rodrigo (Interscope)
2. WELLERMAN, Nathan Evans/220 Kid/Billen Ted (Polydor)
3. WITHOUT YOU, Kid Laroi (RCA)
4. DON’T PLAY, Anne-Marie/KSI/Digital Farm (Atlantic)
5. BRINGING IT BACK, Digga D/AJ Tracey (CGM)

Albums

1. MEDICINE AT MIDNIGHT, Foo Fighters (Columbia)
2. THE HIGHLIGHTS, The Weeknd (Republic Records/XO)
3. NOT YOUR MUSE, Celeste (Polydor)
4. FOR THE FIRST TIME, Black Country New Road (Ninja Tune)
5. SHORE, Fleet Foxes (Anti)

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