As I predicted…all good things came to an end this week. I knew that Pink’s rockin’ response to her ex-husband Carey Hart with her song “So What” would have a short run…because it slips to #2 and loses its bullet. T.I.’s “Whatever You Like” regains its position atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a fourth non-consecutive week with a bullet. The song is the Airplay Gainer again for the second week in a row, and also sold more than 202,000 digital downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan. So the nation prefers a drowsy, lazy, boring song to a fist-pumpin’ rocker? Whatever you like, I guess. Let’s look into next week then. I don’t see the Pink song regaining the top position again, so unless T.I. scores a fifth non-consecutive week at #1 next week, we have two possible interesting contenders. The first one to fight for the top spot is Kanye West with his song “Love Lockdown.” It is the first single to be released off his new album 808s & Heartbreak (release date will be sometime in November.) It sold 213,000 digital downloads in only four full days of release, therefore causing it to debut at #3 on the Hot 100. This is West’s highest debut of his career, and the second highest debut on the Hot 100 of 2008. The song made its world premiere originally at the tail end of this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. The other song that might be a contender is Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” off her sophomore album Fearless. It jumps from #16 to #5 in just its second week on the chart, fueled by digital sales of 159,000. If “Love Story” tops the chart, it will be the first country song to top the Hot 100 since Lonestar did it back in 2000 with their song “Amazed.” One final note…we are back with rip-off acts charting on the Hot 100 covering Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long.” Since Rock still will not allow his original song to be downloaded individually (you can download it, but it will require you to download his whole album, Rock and Roll Jesus), these sound-alike bands are making money by convincing consumers that they are downloading the original. This time the rip-off band is The Rock Heroes, who have sold 63,000 digital downloads and debuted on the chart at #38. I think I will give up on trying to fight this phenomenon…but you will never see me downloading a cheap imitation over the original. (more…)

This week the Billboard Hot 100 is going to rock! If you don’t include her collaboration with Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, and Mýa on the 2001 cover version of Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, “So What” is Pink’s first solo #1. Thanks to digital sales of 253,000 units in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan (it keeps its bullet and is actually the Sales Gainer for the week), the rocker takes the top spot, knocking T.I.’s “Whatever You Like” down to #2 (though it retains its bullet and is the Airplay Gainer for the week.) I’m happy!! I haven’t heard it on terrestrial radio yet, but I have heard it on VH1 (which I guess is the only place that will play videos currently, now that MTV’s “TRL” is going bye-bye) and of course, here on AllNumberOneRadio.com! I also liked her performance of it on the 2008 MTV Music Video Awards. I would love to say that it will keep its position for a second week, but there are just too many contenders for next week. With the exception of Chris Brown’s “Forever,” all of the songs in the top 10 have a bullet. Not all of them are going to make it, but several of them are ready to take over. T.I. could easily slide back into its former position. M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” inches its way up one position from #5 to #4, and the Hot Shot Debut for the week is “Swagga Like Us” by Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne, which enters the chart at #5. Unlike the Disney Channel/”American Idol” acts (Jonas Brothers/David Archuleta, etc.), I think this one may stick around for a few weeks. (more…)

I guess that T.I. is “Whatever You Like,” because his song is #1 for a third week with a bullet. It has sold 145,000 copies in the United States this week, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and it is the Greatest Airplay Gainer for the week as well. To be honest with you…the song is a little boring. I certainly hope that Pink’s “So What” takes the top spot next week. Last week it became her highest charting song to date at #3 (beating her former peaks of 2000’s “Most Girls” and 2002’s “Get the Party Started”…both of which peaked at #4), but this week, it is at #2 with a bullet. It is also the Greatest Digital Gainer after selling 197,000 downloads. Other possible contenders to take T.I.’s crown many, as the top nine songs all have bullets. Pink is a big one, but another one is “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, who moves from #9 to #6. Last week I said that he probably won’t make it to #1 because the song is too quirky, but I have been surprised before. I originally thought that Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” wouldn’t make it…but it went on to top the chart for seven weeks. The last big threat may be from Flo Rida featuring will.i.am’s “In the Ayer,” which jumps from #21 to #9. I have been hearing the song everywhere, from radio airplay to a featured appearance in an episode of the CW’s “One Tree Hill.” I don’t think that it will take the top spot next week, but it might in two weeks. I hope that it does, because it is a fun little dance song that I could see all the high school kids requesting that it be played at their homecoming dances this fall (I should know…I am a part-time mobile DJ on the weekends when I’m not being The Chart Guy.) One possible last contender is the charity single “Just Stand Up!” by Artists Stand Up to Cancer, featuring an all-star group of pop/R&B/rock performers, including Beyoncé Knowles, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Natasha Bedingfield, Miley Cyrus, Leona Lewis, Carrie Underwood, Keyshia Cole, LeAnn Rimes, Ashanti, and Ciara. Last week it debuted at #78, and this week it rockets to #11. Could it be the next “We are the World” by USA for Africa? (more…)