The Pop Chart – January 25, 2009

The first Pop Chart of the season is on now! Since it’s the first one of the season and there’s essentially 34 debuts, I might be a little slow with the live updates. But I’m typing as fast as I can!

1. Bloc Party, One Month Off

2. Sahara Hotnights, In Private
3. Miley Cyrus, Fly On The Wall
4. Kanye West, Heartless
5. Lily Allen, The Fear
6. The Raveonettes, Blush
7. Taylor Swift, Love Story
8. MGMT, Kids
9. Mando Diao, Dance With Somebody
10. Britney Spears, Circus

11. The Killers, Spaceman
12. Franz Ferdinand, Ulysses
13. An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, Lights Out
14. Empire of the Sun, Walking On A Dream
15. Solange, T.O.N.Y.
16. WILEY feat. Daniel Merriwether, Cash In My Pocket
17. Rudenko, Everybody
18. Grace Jones, Williams’ Blood
19. Manda Rin, Guilty Pleasure
20. Morrissey, I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris

21. Sugababes, No Can Do
22. The Ian Carey Project, Get Shaky
23. Kelly Clarkson, My Life Would Suck Without You
24. Girls Aloud, The Loving Kind
25. Metro Station, Seventeen Forever
26. XRABIT & DMG$, Follow The Leader
27. Laura Izibor, From My Heart To Yours
28. Il Genio, Pop Porno
29. TI, Dead and Gone
30. A Camp, Stronger Than Jesus

31. Sneaky Sound System, UFO
32. Ida Maria, Oh My God
33. Tinchy Stryder, Take Me Back
34. Antony and the Johnsons, Epilepsy Is Dancing
35. Veronica Maggio, Mandagsbarn
36. Jay Sean, Tonight
37. Coldplay, Life In Technicolor II
38. The Prodigy, Omen
39. Pink, Sober
40. Ava Leigh, La La La

This Week In 1994

The Pop Chart returns two weeks from today. In the meantime, here’s my Top 25 from this week in 1994. [FYI: I was twelve then.]  Two–nay, three–of the decade’s most insufferably drecky ballads are on this list, as well as a number of duets from hell, a Hi-Five song that came out three years after I Like The Way (The Kissing Game), a song from the Cool Runnings soundtrack, lots of old people, and the ungodly trifecta of terror that was Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting ALL ON THE SAME HEINOUS SONG.

There’s three songs on this list I have no recollection of whatsoever, so some Youtubery is in order. Also, for the record I still like, I don’t know, maybe ten of these songs at most.  And I just learned that the Gin Blossoms’ death story might not even be this countdown’s most tragic; Tony Thompson, the singer from Hi-Five, died a couple of years agohuffing freon.  Which is possibly the least glamorous way to go I can think of.

Rank. Artist, Title (Previous Week, Weeks On Chart)

25. Bruce Springsteen, Streets of Philadelphia (NEW)
24. Inner Circle, Rock With You (19, 8)
23. Elton John and RuPaul, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (25, 2)
22. Mariah Carey, Hero (12, 11)
21. Tevin Campbell, Can We Talk (22, 2)

20. Joshua Kadison, Jessie (14, 6)
19. Dina Carroll, Don’t Be A Stranger (21, 2)
18. Don Henley, Rockin’ The Boat (NEW) [nb: This song doesn't seem to exist in video form on the internet, not even in cheesy General Hospital tribute form!]
17. Toni Braxton, Breathe Again (9, 8)
16. Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting, All For Love (17, 5) [nb: Not even for thoroughness' sake can I bring myself to inflict this video upon you.  Sorry!]

15. Celine Dion, The Power of Love (20, 2)
14. Weird Al Yankovic, Bedrock Anthem (8, 4)
13. Frank Sinatra & Bono, I’ve Got You (Under My Skin) (16, 2)
12. DRS, Gangsta Lean (15, 3)
11. Hi-5, Never Shoulda Let You Go (13, 3)

10. Snoop Dogg, Who Am I (What’s My Name) (10, 8)
9. Ace of Base, All That She Wants (3, 16)
8. Faith Hill, Wild One (NEW)
7. Us3, Cantaloop (11, 5)
6. Jimmy Cliff, I Can See Clearly Now (7, 6)

5. 10000 Maniacs, Because The Night (4, 8)
4. Belly, Gepetto (5, 6)
3. The Cranberries, Linger (1, 7)
2. UB40, Higher Ground (6, 4)
1. Gin Blossoms, Found Out About You (2, 7)

Numbers and Materials, Pt. 2

Here’s a list of which numbers have been recorded so far.  Right now, the list is blank, but if there’s a name next to the number that means that the number has been recorded by that person and you might want to pick a different number.  Thanks!

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January Schedule

Just a quick update on The Pop Chart’s schedule for January. It’ll be returning January 25th, and it’s moving up an hour, so it’ll be on Sundays from 9:30 AM until 1:30 PM Eastern time.  In the meantime, I’ll be reviving my old show, The World’s Slowest Dance Party, for two weeks only.  Thursday the 8th and Thursday the 15th, from 11:30 PM until 1 AM.

Numbers and Materials

I’d like some help with the forthcoming season of The Pop Chart. If you make music, here’s what you can do:

Every week–well, except for when it’s winter break–I count down the 40 best pop hits on The Pop Chart. But even if you’re not the sort of band that releases pop singles, you can still be on the show. Here’s how:

I’m looking for people to record song intros for me. Remember how Casey Kasen used to always have those voices that said things like “Number Forty!” and “Number Twenty-three!” and “Number sixteen!” (for example)

Well, I’m looking for people to record those. Here’s what you do:

1. Send me an mp3, 10 seconds or less, of you saying a number between 1 and 40. You must ONLY say “Number [and then the number].” Variations are acceptable (ie. “Number seven, number seven,” “Num-num-number seven-even-even.”) But you can’t use any words besides the word “number” and then whatever number you’re saying.

2. Numbers can be in any musical style, from spoken to speedcore. Reciting numbers over the instrumental bits from your favorite disco/New Jack swing songs is fine, too, but remember that it must be under 10 seconds total.

3. Your name will appear on the Pop Chart Blog and you will be officially recognized as Awesome by the pop-loving community.

4. I’ve posted a handy list of the numbers from 1-40 (see here). As I get numbers in I’ll mark them down on the list, so I don’t get twelve entries for #36 and none for anything else (for instance.)

5. Tell your friends to send me entries, too, especially if your friends are talented and/or pretty.

6. This will be ongoing, so if somebody else wants to do a new version of your number, and it’s better than yours, then yours will be replaced. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make a new one.

7. This shouldn’t take you any more than five to seven minutes to record, including multiple takes and a beer break. Please, please, please, don’t spend any more time than that on this, unless you want to record multiple numbers (which is also fine, but if you do try to spread them out a bit, ie. #4 and #33 is better than #4 and #5.)

Numbers should be sent to matthewrlawrence@gmail.com.