US Chart Roundup: Three Blondes Who Probably Get A Lot Of Sex

All is right in the world as Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" climbs one rung to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. Unfortunately, his follow-up single, "Mirrors," takes a plunge from its debut position of #24 to #76. Of course, JT has only just begun to promote "Mirrors," mainly during overseas gigs like his appearance at the BRIT Awards and on Germany's Wetten, Das..?

Elsewhere, One Direction's charity cover of Blondie's "One Way Or Another" climbs to #13, making it the UK boy band's third highest-charting single in the US. Honestly, I can't keep track of how many singles 1D have clogging up the charts these days. There's this one. There's "Kiss You." There's "Little Things." By the time the songs to make a dent in the charts here, the quintet have already released two more singles and banged 58 more broads a piece.

Meanwhile, One Direction's 2012 US tour opener Olly Murs cracks the Top 40 with his first US hit, "Troublemaker." This week he's at #37.

That leaves us with Emeli Sande, who makes her debut on the Hot 100 with "Next To Me," at #89. Last year the song made it all the way to #2 in the UK. Can Emeli become the one hit sensation that Ellie Goulding is around these parts?

Dare to dream sexy, kids.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Harlem Shake" - Baauer *2 weeks*
2. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
3. "When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
4. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
5. "Scream & Shout" - will.i.am & Britney Spears
6. "Started From The Bottom" - Drake
7. "Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko
8. "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z
9. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars
10. "Love Me" - Lil Wayne feat. Drake & Future

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UK Chart Roundup: One Direction, Justin Timberlake Soar After The BRITs

Following their performance at the BRITs this past week, the most popular young bucks in the world, One Direction, see their Red Nose Day charity cover of Blondie's "One Way Or Another" top the UK chart after selling 113,000 copies — the biggest debut, so far, for any single in the country this year.



This gives the boy band a third chart-topping single in England, following "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Little Things," and one does have to wonder: how did it all go so very wrong for The Wanted?

Elsewhere, Justin Timberlake's second The 20/20 Experience single "Mirrors" climbs to #4 after his first live performance of the song at the BRITs.



I feel like I love this song so much because it sounds just like *NSYNC. And, really — is that such a bad thing?

The UK Top 10:

1. "One Way Or Another" - One Direction *new* *1 week*
2. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
3. "Harlem Shake" - Baauer
4. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake
5. "I Could Be The One" - Avicii vs. Nicky Romero
6. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
7. "When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
8. "Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko
9. "Only Love" - Ben Howard
10. "Clown" - Emeli Sande

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One Direction's "Kiss You" Video: The 10 Most Fucking Annoying Screen Grabs

There go my ovaries!

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US Chart Roundup: Ke$ha's Career Is Dying Young

In the week following Christmas, when iTunes gift cards were used at full force — thus propelling older singles like PSY's "Gangnam Style" back into the Top 10 and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" back into the Top 40 (up to #27 from #43)  — several songs take a plunge.

First up is Swedish House Mafia's "Don't You Worry Child," which drops from its peak of #11 to #15. Pink's "Try" also dips from #13 to #18, while Kelly Clarkson's "Catch My Breath" falls six positions to #36 and Calvin Harris and Florence Welch's "Sweet Nothing" drops 14 spots to #40.

Meanwhile, One Direction's dull as shit "Little Things" is up to #33, making the dirge their fourth Top 40 hit in the States, following "What Makes You Beautiful" (#4), "One Thing" (#39) and "Live While We're Young" (#3).

On a final note, waaaaaay down the chart, Ke$ha's second Warrior single "C'mon" squeaks up to #97. Unfortunately, the album itself is languishing at #46 in its fourth week on the Top 200.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars *4 weeks*
2. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
3. "Diamonds" - Rihanna 
4. "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers
5. "Beauty And A Beat" -Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj
6. "Gangnam Style" - PSY
7. "Die Young" - Ke$ha
8. "One More Night" - Maroon 5
9. "Home" - Phillip Phillips
10. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz

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UK Chart Roundup: One Direction Crown Single, Album Tallies

As mentioned, One Direction's second Take Me Home single "Little Things" is total shit. And now it's totally #1 in the UK! This bumps Robbie Williams' "Candy" down to #6, and gives the fivesome their second chart-topper, not to mention their first since debut offering "What Makes You Beautiful" hit the top in fall 2011.

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that 1D's sophomore LP Take Me Home also manages to top the UK album chart this week, thus knocking Robbie's Take The Crown down to #5.

The UK Top 10:

1. "Little Things" - One Direction *new* *1 week*
2. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars *new*
3. "DNA" - Little Mix *new*
4. "Beneath Your Beautiful" - Labrinth feat. Emeli Sande
5. "The Power Of Love" - Gabrielle Aplin
6. "Candy" - Robbie Williams
7. "Gangnam Style" - PSY
8. "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers
9. "Diamonds" - Rihanna
10. "Love Is Easy" - McFly *new*

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One Direction's "Little Things" Is Total Shit

Oh, wow — One Direction's second single from upcoming album Take Me Home has a lyric video. Oh, wow — the song is a ballad, and a really shit one at that.

Drills to the forehead, music fans!

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US Chart Roundup: Ke$ha's String Of Top 10 Singles Continues With "Die Young"

Last week's trio of debuts within the Top 10 scatter down the Hot 100 and make way for Taylor Swift's promo single "I Knew You Were Trouble" (#5), Ke$ha's "Die Young" (#8) and Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Good Time," which climbs back up to #10 after previously peaking at #8. All of Ke$ha's seven singles as a lead artist have now placed in the Top 10. And that's why she's the New Queen Of Soul.

Meanwhile, this activity has Adele's "Skyfall" dropping from #8 to #13 and One Direction's "Live While We're Young" falling from #3 to #21. Last week's other new entry in the Top 10, Taylor Swift's "Red," plummets from #6 to #54.

Elsewhere, Rihanna's "Diamonds" jumps seven positions to a new peak of #11, while Ellie Goulding's lead Halcyon single "Anything Could Happen" debuts at #75.

Over on the Top 200 album chart, Halcyon makes an entry at #9.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "One More Night" - Maroon 5 *5 weeks*
2. "Gangnam Style" - PSY
3. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift *new*
4. "Some Nights" - fun.
5. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Taylor Swift
6. "As Long As You Love Me" - Justin Bieber
7. "Too Close" - Alex Clare
8. "Die Young" - Ke$ha
9. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" - Pink
10. "Good Time" - Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen

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US Chart Roundup: One Direction & Adele Will Be Having Their Way With Your Ears For Awhile

This week sees three new songs debut in the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 chart — apparently only the second time this has happened (and both incidences were this year). This time around, it's One Direction's "Live While We're Young" going in at #3, Taylor Swift's "Red" at #6 and Adele's James Bond theme song "Skyfall" at #8.

This gives One Direction their second Top 10 single in the States, and their highest-charting one ("What Makes You Beautiful" peaked at #4 earlier this year). They've now matched the chart placing of "Glad You Came" by rivals The Wanted, and one-upped them, as the latter boy band has only managed one hit here to date.

As for Adele, "Skyfall" marks her sixth Top 40 single in the US, and her fourth Top 10. The song went on sale last Thursday night, and has been steadily hanging around the upper reaches of the iTunes download chart ever since, so look for "Skyfall" to climb higher on the Hot 100 once sales from its first full week are added up.

Elsewhere, after debuting at #13 last week, Ke$ha's "Die Young" slips one position to #14. Likewise, Rihanna's "Diamonds" drops down two to #18. Further down, Christina Aguilera's "Your Body" rises from #64 to #62 in its third week on the chart.

Keep jigglin', girls.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "One More Night" - Maroon 5 *4 weeks*
2. "Gangnam Style" - PSY
3. "Live While We're Young" - One Direction *new*
4. "Some Nights" - fun.
5. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Taylor Swift
6. "Red" - Taylor Swift *new*
7. "As Long As You Love Me" - Justin Bieber
8. "Skyfall" - Adele *new*
9. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" - Pink
10. "Too Close" - Alex Clare

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UK Chart Roundup: Rihanna Beats One Direction, Adele & Ellie Goulding To #1

It was a fierce race for several singles ambling for the top of the UK chart this week, but in the end it ended up being Rihanna's "Diamonds" that emerged triumphant after the tune sold 105,000 copies. The Official Charts Company reports that "Diamonds" moved a mere 420 copies more than last week's chart topper, PSY's "Gangnam Style." The classy jam — which, let's face it, borrows chords rather shamefully from M83's "Midnight City" — had a much more modest debut in the US, where it recently entered the Hot 100 at #16.

Elsewhere, One Direction's "Live While We're Young," the boy band's lead offering from upcoming LP Take Me Home, is forced to contend with a #3 debut. This now gives the lads their fourth Top 10 in the UK. Just behind them, Adele arrives at #4 with her James Bond theme song "Skyfall." Not bad, considering it didn't go on sale until Friday.

That brings us to Ellie Goulding's lead Halcyon single "Anything Could Happen" at #5. When it first premiered two months ago, I declared that the song was "fucking fantastic." And while I still maintain that "Anything" is a decent tune, it's overall charm wore off a tad, rather quickly.

At any rate, "Anything Could Happen" gives Ellie her third UK Top 10 hit, after "Starry Eyed" (#4) and her cover of Elton John's "Your Song" (#2).

The UK Top 10:

1. "Diamonds" - Rihanna *new* *1 week*
2. "Gangnam Style" - PSY 
3. "Live While We're Young" - One Direction *new*
4. "Skyfall" - Adele *new*
5. "Anything Could Happen" - Ellie Goulding *new*
6. "Hall Of Fame" - The Script feat. will.i.am 
7. "I Cry" - Flo Rida
8. "She Wolf (Falling To Pieces)" - David Guetta feat. Sia
9. "Turn Around" - Conor Maynard feat. Ne-Yo
10. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Taylor Swift

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One Direction Get Shirtless In "Live While We're Young" Video

Here's One Direction's video for "Live While We're Young," the first single off their upcoming sophomore album Take Me Home. Enjoy the boy banders as they sing about "getting some tonight," pile on top of each other, wave a giant banana in the air and get shirtless in a kiddy pool.

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It's One Direction's 'Take Me Home' Album Cover

This might sell better if whatshisname was straddling Zayn Malik's face instead of sitting his ass on his shoulder. Out in November.

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One Direction Announce "Live While We're Young" Single, New Album In November

The lads from One Direction all have new haircuts (except for Harry), and so they wanted to get this news out there via a new video announcement. They also casually mentioned that their new single "Live While We're Young" will be made available for pre-order on iTunes tonight at midnight, and their sophomore album will be out in November.




Two albums in one year (in America)? We haven't had this much Brit mania since 1997, when Spice Girls' Spice and Spice World were released.

And now, back to the haircuts...

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US Chart Roundup: Flo Rida Ends Carly Rae Jepsen's Stretch At #1

And so in the end, it's not Ellie Goulding or Katy Perry — it's Flo Rida (!!) and his oral sex hit "Whistle" that topples the nine-week reign of Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" atop the Billboard Hot 100. This is the Sunshine State rapper's third #1 single, following "Low" and "Right Round" (the latter of which introduced Ke$ha to the world, so Flo Rida is good for something, at least).

The rest of the chart is pretty flat this week, save for the title track from fun.'s Some Nights album jumping into the Top 10 at #8 and The Wanted creeping up to #50 with "Chasing The Sun."

And with One Direction's "One Thing" dropping from #41 to #64 (after only peaking at #39), it will be interesting to see if the whole UK boy band thing was just a minor flash in the pan in 2012.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Whistle" - Flo Rida *1 week*
2. "Lights" - Ellie Goulding
3. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen
4. "Wide Awake" - Katy Perry
5. "Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
6. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
7. "Titanium" - David Guetta feat. Sia
8. "Some Nights" - fun.
9. "Home" - Phillip Phillips
10. "Where Have You Been" - Rihanna

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London Olympics Closing Ceremony Concert 'A Symphony Of British Music' Streaming Live Today

I wrote a guide to Who's Who at the London Olympics closing ceremony concert A Symphony Of British Music that's airing today for Idolator. 

Turns out that the entire closing ceremony — including the concert, which will feature Spice Girls, Pet Shop Boys, One Direction, Jessie J, George Michael, Kate Bush and several other British artists — is live-streaming commercial-free today at NBCOlympics.com, starting at 4 p.m. EST.

Otherwise you can watch on NBC tonight at 7:30 p.m....with commercials, of course (and probably several artists skipped over in the process).

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MTV Video Music Awards 2012: The Nominations

Below you'll find the main nominations for this year's MTV Video Music Awards, which will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 6. Rihanna and Drake lead the pack with five nominations each. Drake, folks...

And who the hell is still listening to M.I.A. at this point? Plus, "Wide Awake" for Video Of The Year? I guess I liked it enough... but video of the year?

Alicia Keys and One Direction (who are up for Best New Artist and Best Pop Video) are the first performers to be announced.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Katy Perry, "Wide Awake"
Gotye, "Somebody That I Used To Know"
Rihanna, "We Found Love"
Drake (feat. Rihanna), "Take Care"
M.I.A., "Bad Girls"

BEST NEW ARTIST
Fun. (feat. Janelle Monae), "We Are Young"
Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe"
Frank Ocean, "Swim Good"
One Direction, "What Makes You Beautiful"
The Wanted, "Glad You Came" 

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO
Childish Gambino, "Heartbeat"
Drake (feat. Lil Wayne), "HYFR"
Kanye West (feat. Pusha T, Big Sean & 2 Chainz), "Mercy"
Watch the Throne, "Paris"
Nicki Minaj (feat. 2 Chainz), "Beez in the Trap"

BEST MALE VIDEO
Justin Bieber, "Boyfriend"
Frank Ocean, "Swim Good"
Drake (feat. Rihanna), "Take Care"
Chris Brown, "Turn Up the Music"
Usher, "Climax"

BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Rihanna, "We Found Love"
Katy Perry, "Part of Me"
Beyoncé, "Love on Top"
Nicki Minaj, "Starships"
Selena Gomez & The Scene, "Love You Like a Love Song"

BEST POP VIDEO
One Direction, "What Makes You Beautiful"
Fun. (feat. Janelle Monae), "We Are Young"
Rihanna, "We Found Love"
Justin Bieber, "Boyfriend"
Maroon 5 (feat. Wiz Khalifa), "Payphone"

BEST ROCK VIDEO
Coldplay, "Paradise"
The Black Keys, "Lonely Boy"
Linkin Park, "BURN IT DOWN"
Jack White, "Sixteen Saltines"
Imagine Dragons, "It's Time"

BEST ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC VIDEO
Duck Sauce, "Big Bad Wolf"
Calvin Harris, "Feel So Close"
Skrillex, "First of the Year (Equinox)"
Martin Solveig, "The Night Out"
Avicii, "Le7els"

BEST VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE
Demi Lovato, "Skyscraper"
Rise Against, "Ballad of Hollis Brown"
Kelly Clarkson, "Dark Side"
Gym Class Heroes, "The Fighter"
K'Naan (feat. Nelly Furtado), "Is Anybody Out There?"
Lil Wayne, "How to Love"

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US Chart Roundup: Ellie Goulding's "Lights" Sure Took Its Sweet Time...

Seventeen years, four months and 23 days after Ellie Goulding's single "Lights" was released, the song finally makes its way into the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, as it moves up to #6 this week.

Okay, the song wasn't really released that long ago. But I vividly recall writing about the music video way back in January 2011, and Goulding first performing "Lights" live on American TV in May that year. At any rate, the song has far exceeded the success it had in Ellie's home country of the UK, where it peaked at #49 on the chart.

Elswhere, Calvin Harris snags another Top 40 single in the US as his Ne-Yo-featuring "Let's Go" climbs to #35. One Direction also pull off the same feat with "What Makes You Beautiful" follow-up "One Thing", which is at #39.

Cher Lloyd's first US chart entry "Want U Back" ascends to #51, while The Wanted continue their slow crawl upward  (to #75) with "Chasing The Sun".

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen *3 weeks*
2. "Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
3. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
4. "Wide Awake" - Katy Perry
5. "Where Have You Been" - Rihanna
6. "Lights" - Ellie Goulding
7. "We Are Young" - fun. feat. Janelle Monae
8. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
9. "What Makes You Beautiful" - One Direction
10. "Scream" - Usher

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US Chart Roundup: Carly Rae Is Still #1, Grouplove Rise & Matchbox Twenty Return

With Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" in its second week at #1 on the Hot 100, Billboard points out that this marks the first time three consecutive artists — in this case Jepsen, Gotye and fun. — have seen their debut US singles hit the top of the chart since 1977. Unfortunately, this means that every time you flip on the radio, one of those damn songs is on. I just might officially be completely over all three.

A quick check-in on the latest British invastion: Ellie Goulding's "Lights" inches up to #12 this week, while One Direction's second single "One Thing," another one getting constant radio play these days, is up to #47. Meanwhile, Cher Lloyd debuts at #75 with the Shellback-produced "Want U Back," and The Wanted jump 10 positions to #81 with "Chasing The Sun."



Other trash: David Guetta and Sia's "Titanium," which might just be my favorite single of the year so far, is up to #15, and that iPod commercial song "Tongue Tied" by Grouplove is all over the place on radio, a fact that has the single moving up to #60.

On a final note, Matchbox Twenty return with their first Hot 100 entry in five years, "She's So Mean," which debuts at #91. Their last hit came in the form of 2007's "How Far We've Come." It peaked at #11.



The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen *2 weeks*
2. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
3. "Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
4. "Wide Awake" - Katy Perry
5. "We Are Young" - fun. feat. Janelle Monae
6. "What Makes You Beautiful" - One Direction
7. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
8. "Where Have You Been" - Rihanna
9. "Wild Ones" - Flo Rida feat. Sia
10. "Boyfriend" - Justin Bieber

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US Chart Roundup: Carly Rae Jepsen Closes The Deal With "Call Me Maybe"

The inevitable has happened — Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" is the new #1 song on the Hot 100, and it only took me stepping out of the country for this feat to happen. Well, not really — the 26-year-old (!) Canadian bimbette has been hovering at #2 for weeks, and it was only a matter of time before "Somebody That I Used To Know" finally ran out of steam. Meanwhile, look out Bieber: my prediction about your pop protege is coming true.

"Call Me Maybe", which has been certified three-times Platinum in the US alone, is now the eighth single to top the Hot 100 in 2012. Of those, it's the fifth to be fronted by a female solo artist.

Elsewhere, Ellie Goulding's "Lights" is up one position to #13, David Guetta and Sia's "Titanium" cracks the Top 20 and moves to #18, One Direction bound seven notches to #54 with "One Thing" and Calvin Harris and Ne-Yo's "Let's Go" climbs to #58. And as for The Wanted, whose breakout US hit "Glad You Came" drops out of the Top 10 this week, their follow-up tune "Chasing The Sun" creeps up to #91.

Over on the Top 200 album chart, Adele's 21 is #1 for a 24th non-consecutive week, and now ties the runs at the top of both the Purple Rain and Saturday Night Fever soundtracks. Only five albums have spent more weeks in the peak position. Think Adele has the chops left to beat at least a few of them? Her next hurtle is 31 weeks, which Fleetwood Mac racked up with Rumours, Harry Belafonte achieved with Calypso and the South Pacific soundtrack also spent on top.

Meanwhile, Scissor Sisters' fourth album Magic Hour, which I'm finding myself quite hooked on, has plunged from its debut spot at #35 to #160 in its second week.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen *1 week*
2. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
3. "Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
4. "We Are Young" - fun. feat. Janelle Monae
5. "What Makes You Beautiful" - One Direction
6. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
7. "Wild Ones" - Flo Rida feat. Sia
8. "Where Have You Been" - Rihanna
9. "Wide Awake" - Katy Perry
10. "Boyfriend" - Justin Bieber

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US Chart Roundup: Ellie Goulding & The Rest Of The Brits

Fourteen months after her album Lights was released in the US, and over two years after it first dropped in her home country, UK electro-pop broad Ellie Goulding finally lands her first Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, with title song "Lights." The song slides up nine positions this week to #40.

A quick survey of the rest of the Brits in the upper reaches of the chart finds The Wanted back up one to #4 with "Glad You Came", and their boy band rivals One Direction down to #9 with "What Makes You Beautiful." Guess calling Christina Aguilera a bitch has its pluses?

Scottish stud Calvin Harris is at #13 with "Feel So Close," a song he just can't seem to get in the Top 10 (it previously peaked at #12), while Adele's latest single "Rumour Has It" is lodged at #16 for another week. Meanwhile, Calvin and Ne-Yo's "Let's Go" debuts at #89.



As for the the Top 10 itself, the songs remain the same but just shuffle slightly. If you're on Carly Rae Jepsen Watch, she now has a Top 5 hit.

And over on the Top 200 album chart, if you're on Madonna MDNA Death Watch, the LP has dropped out of the Top 40 in its fifth week, and is currently clinging to #45.

Whatever. I still say there are a few jams on there.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra *3 weeks*
2. "We Are Young" - fun. feat. Janelle Monae
3. "Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
4. "Glad you Came" - The Wanted
5. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen
6. "Wild Ones" - Flo Rida feat. Sia
7. "Boyfriend" - Justin Bieber
8. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
9. "What Makes You Beautiful" - One Direction
10. "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" - Kelly Clarkson

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US Chart Roundup: The Wanted Vs. One Direction - Which Team Are You On?

It occurred to me this week that The Wanted's self-titled album that was supposed to be released in the US on April 24 has now been downgraded to an EP. Strange, I thought, given that they've been riding high on the Billboard Hot 100 ("Glad You Came" moves back up to #3 this week) since the year began.

That said, The Wanted's UK rivals One Direction are nipping at their manly heels, as "What Makes You Beautiful" flies up to #4 in its second week within the Top 10. I think the last time two British boy bands appeared in the upper tier of the US chart at the same time was, um, well...never.

On the the "Iris"/Wanted post I put up yesterday, two anonymous commentators had this two say about the band's album downgrade:

Anonymous #1: "There is 'Deluxe Version', which has 10 tracks, which essentially makes it an album. The 'EP' is only being released to whet appetites for their second album, 'Battleground', which will be released this fall in the U.S."

Anonymous #2: "The Wanted's spin factory downgraded the album to an 'EP' in fear that its charting would pale in comparison to One Direction's (true story) album performance. Besides the fact that 1D seems to have stolen their thunder, the fear was largely based on the fact that half the tracks had been around for over a year and a half now and the relative lack of strength of the new songs they recorded (most of the new tracks they recorded were cut and deemed 'average'). For the Anonymous poster above me - Battleground is NOT being released this fall (other than an unofficial introduction onto ITunes, but that doesnt count); however their new International album (US/UK release) should be ready for a late November release date."

For what it's worth, here's where I stand with these two: "Glad You Came" is the fucking jam. I like "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Stole My Heart" off 1D's Up All Night album enough, but they're no "Glad You Came". However, The Wanted have yet to record a song as good as "Glad You Came". So at the end of the day, these guys are all only as good as their songs (and Max George's abs and butt) — which is pretty much the way I felt about Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC back in the day.

Elsewhere, fun.'s "We Are Young" is #1 for a sixth week, and has now sold over 3 million downloads — crazy, considering it's only April, and Adele's "Rolling In The Deep" was the best-selling single of all of 2011 at 5 million.

Jennifer Lopez's "Dance Again", another collaboration with in-demand (read: overused and generic) producer RedOne, debuts at #27. It might be kind of perfect, if it wasn't for the presence of Pitbull.



And on a final note, Ellie Goulding's "Lights" inches its way up to #60. At this rate, it should be in the Top 10 by February 2014.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "We Are Young" - fun. feat. Janelle Monae *6 weeks*
2. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
3. "Glad you Came" - The Wanted
4. "What Makes You Beautiful" - One Direction
5. "Boyfriend" - Justin Bieber
6. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
7. "Wild Ones" - Flo Rida feat. Sia
8. "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" - Kelly Clarkson
9. "Part Of Me" - Katy Perry
10. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen

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