Rihanna Sets New Chart Record

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Concerts / Tours, The Charts, Pop, R&B / Soul, New Releases,

Rihanna has set a new chart record in the US. The singer's latest single "Stay" - featuring Mikky Ekko - has become her tenth number one on Billboard Mainstream Top 40 Radio Airplay Chart.

By having ten number one's Rihanna topples Katy Perry's record run of nine number one tracks on the same chart. The "Umbrella" singer also holds further records in the same chart, including most entries on the chart for an artist, with 35 songs.

While Rihanna's chart performances are holding up, she is having a hard time of her current Diamonds World Tour, and has had to cancel four shows in the US leg due to a recurring bout of laryngitis. After cancelling two shows in Texas earlier this month, she apologized to fans, writing on Instagram, "I kept working because I thought two days off after the Vegas show would be enough time to recover and I f****ed up, those were two days off from hell and today is not different! I'm sad and disappointed about it!"

Tonight Rihanna will perform in Baltimore, Maryland, the first of the previously cancelled shows she has rescheduled.

Gallery: Rihanna Sets New Chart Record

David Bowie Single Banned from Charts

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: The Charts, Dance, Electronic, Rock, iTunes, New Releases, Sales,

David Bowie's new single has been banned from the UK charts.

The legendary singer released "Where Are We Now?" - his first track in 10 years - on Tuesday to coincide with his 66th birthday and it shot straight to the top of the iTunes downloads chart. But as well as being sold, it is also being given away to fans who pre-order his album, so chart bosses say it cannot be counted.

The Official Charts Company said, "It is not possible to distinguish album sales from track sales from the retail data."

Bowie's album, The Next Day, is out in March but already tops the iTunes chart with advance orders.

Yesterday, it was revealed Bowie wanted his new album cover to be as "minimal and undesigned as possible." The main picture on The Next Day was made by the singer with design company Barnbrook, and features the cover of his 1977 album Heroes in black and white, with the middle part obscured by a white block featuring the album's title.

Click to continue reading David Bowie Single Banned from Charts

Gallery: David Bowie Single Banned from Charts

Katy Perry Thanks Fans For Chart Record

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, The Charts, Pop,

Katy Perry says she "owes" fans after equaling a US chart record.

The 26-year-old singer thanks fans after her latest song "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" topped the Billboard Hot 100, making it the fifth track from her Teenage Dream one album to top the charts - a record initially set by Michael Jackson with the singles from his 1987 album Bad.

Upon hearing the news, Katy Tweeted, "What a way to wake up! SO proud to announce that the little-engine-that-could of a song 'LAST FRIDAY NIGHT' is officially #1 & made HISTORY! & u know, I couldn't have done it with out ya, really I owe u guys BIG... so take this moment to give yourself a high FIVE!!! #allbecauseofu (sic)"

Click to continue reading Katy Perry Thanks Fans For Chart Record

Gallery: Katy Perry Thanks Fans For Chart Record

Adele Breaks US Records

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Industry News, Pop,

British songstress Adele's 21 has become the biggest selling digital album of all time in the US.

The "Rolling in the Deep" hitmaker took the title from Eminem's Recovery record by selling 1.017 million digital copies of her LP in the country compared to the rapper's 1.005 million sales of his seventh studio album. Keith Caulfield, Billboard's associate director of charts/retail, said the 23-year-old British singer is "not just a digital phenomenon. She appeals to older consumers, who will still buy full albums, and to younger people who may just buy a single track."

According to figures from Nielsen SoundScan, digital sales make up more than 30 per cent of the purchases of 21, which was released in the US in February.

Gallery: Adele Breaks US Records

Glee Breaks Beatles Billboard Record

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Artist News, The Charts, Pop,

Glee has surged ahead of The Beatles to earn the most Billboard Hot 100 chart appearances by a non-solo act.

Six songs hit the chart this week for a total of 75 numbers from the hit musical series, surpassing The Beatles’ seemingly unbreakable score of 71.

The King himself, Elvis Presley, still reigns supreme as the biggest chart-topper of all time, with 108 songs on the list.

James Brown holds fast to second place with his jaw-dropping 91 hits.

Read More | Yahoo! News

Gallery: Glee Breaks Beatles Billboard Record

Can You Guess, Guess, Guess Michael Jackson’s Biggest Hit?

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Music Videos, The Charts, Videos, Pop,

“Thriller” may have been the Michael Jackson video most fans wanted to watch, but it surprisingly wasn’t the song most people wanted to play, play, play.

According to Billboard, it was a tune that Jackson did with Paul McCartney that ranks as the late singer’s best hit. “Say, Say, Say” topped a list of 50 tracks followed by “Billie Jean” and “I’ll Be There.”

The list, which was compiled to help commemorate the upcoming anniversary of Michael’s death (June 25), took a number of factors into consideration to determine a track’s performance in the Hot 100. (You can read the full explanation behind the inverse point system here.) Although “Billie Jean” spent more weeks at #1, the Jackson/McCartney collaboration lasted longer on the charts.

Click to continue reading Can You Guess, Guess, Guess Michael Jackson’s Biggest Hit?

Read More | Billboard

Gallery: Can You Guess, Guess, Guess Michael Jackson’s Biggest Hit?

Susan Boyle Tops UK Charts

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Artist News, The Charts, Covers,

UPDATE: Boyle has also set a record for the US charts with the biggest first-week tally of 2009.

Reality star Susan Boyle is no longer just an internet sensation—she’s a true chart topper.

The 48-year-old Britain’s Got Talent competitor just saw her new album reach #1. Approximately 410,000 units of I Dreamed a Dream were purchased making it the quickest selling CD in Britain this year. Boyle’s entry also had the highest sales for any debut week in UK history.

“Wild Horses,” Susan’s cover of the famous Rolling Stones tune, also entered the charts with a 9th place ranking.

Read More | Billboard

Gallery: Susan Boyle Tops UK Charts

Michael Jackson Taking Over iTunes Chart

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Artist News, The Charts, Pop, iTunes,

It should come as no surprise that less than 24 hours after Michael Jackson’s death, his library is dominating the iTunes sales chart. You can check out the entire Michael Jackson music library if you want to get in on the action.

What is surprising? Although he currently has 39 entries in the Top 100, his highest chart position is #2. What’s at #1? ‘I Gotta Feeling’ from the Black Eyed Peas. (Perez Hilton’s rivals are also still sitting at #3 with ‘Boom Boom Pow.’)

So which songs are fans are downloading the most? The King of Pop’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ currently sits at #2 while ‘Thriller’ stands at #4 and ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ at #5. ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’ and ‘Smooth Criminal’ are the only other tunes ranked in The Top 10.

Update: Looks like 8 of the Top 10 iTunes albums are also Michael Jackson’s work.

Read More | iTunes Michael Jackson Catalog

Gallery: Michael Jackson Taking Over iTunes Chart

Kelly Clarkson Breaks Hot 100 Record

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: The Charts, Videos, Pop,

Although she might be so seven seasons ago, Kelly Clarkson is giving the contestants of American Idol 8 something to look up to.

The show’s first-ever winner has just broken a Billboard record recently set by Britney Spears. Clarkson’s new single, “My Life Would Suck Without You,” has just made the biggest leap ever to #1 in the Hot 100’s 50-year history. Tomorrow, the song will have officially jumped from #97 to #1 in just one week of release. (Britney’s “Womanizer” only moved from #96 to #1.)

Click to continue reading Kelly Clarkson Breaks Hot 100 Record

Read More | Billboard

Gallery: Kelly Clarkson Breaks Hot 100 Record

Twilight Soundtrack Tops Music Charts

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: The Charts, Soundtracks,

The second phase of Twilight domination is officially complete.

Now that we’re just eight days away from the big-screen adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s novel, it’s becoming increasingly impossible to avoid anything with Robert Pattinson’s face on it. The mania over the best-selling book has inspired collector’s edition magazine covers (EW), news packages (Nightline) and sight-seeing tours (Forks, WA). It’s even evolved into a #1 album.

After two turns at the top of the charts, AC/DC’s Black Ice was just dethroned by the soundtrack for the vampire-themed movie. Although Twilight is now the third soundtrack this year to reach #1 (following Juno and Mamma Mia!), it’s the only one since 2006’s Sing-a-Longs and Lullabies for Curious George to debut there.

Twilight - which includes tracks from Linkin Park, Muse and Paramore - sold 165,000 units last week. AC/DC came in second with 160,000 while High School Musical 3 came in third with 110,000.

Read More | Billboard

Gallery: Twilight Soundtrack Tops Music Charts