US Chart Roundup: Icona Pop Crack The Top 10, Daft Punk Climb With "Get Lucky"

Some of the good stuff on the Billboard Hot 100 this week consists of Pink and Nate Ruess' "Just Give Me A Reason" maintaining its stance at #1 for a third week (I had to think about it, but, yes — this is good), while Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" moves up to a new peak of #5. Swedish duo Icona Pop and British singer Charli XCX's "I Love It," the top song on Chart Rigger's 10 Best Pop Singles Of 2012 list, finally makes the Top 10 by moving up to #9.

Elsewhere, Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" climbs to #14 after debuting at #19 last week. Good for those fuckers. The fact that they're actually having a hit in America is kind of blowing my mind. Who'd have thought they'd recover so spectacularly after 2005's abysmal Human After All?

Another US breakthrough: Emeli Sande's "Next To Me" cracks the Top 40 by sliding up to #36. (And let's all take a moment to remember that we first saw this music video back in January 2012.)

That brings us to PSY and the yo-yo-ing "Gentleman." Without enough people with bad enough taste to actual download the song, it plummets from #5 to #26 now that the initial surge in YouTube plays has tapered off.



On a finale note, Lana Del Rey's Great Gatsby soundtrack dirge "Young & Beautiful" debuts at #82. I tend to like her trash at first, and then go off it real quick — something that might be chalked up to the fact that she basically keeps making the same song over and over.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink feat. Nate Ruess *3 weeks*
2. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray
3. "Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko
4. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
5. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake 
6. "When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
7. "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z
8. "Feel This Moment" - Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera
9. "I Love It" - Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX
10. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons

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US Chart Roundup: Pink Lands Her Fourth #1 Single With "Just Give Me A Reason"

I'm glad that Bruno Mars only had one week at #1 with "When I Was Your Man," which, quite frankly, is a one of the more sap-laden ballads in recent memory. And I'm also glad it was Pink who knocked him off the top of the Hot 100.

"Just Give Me A Reason" now marks Pink's fourth trip to the top of the chart, following "Lady Marmalade" (2001), "So What" (2008) and "Raise Your Glass" (2010). Maybe I should actually listen to her latest album, The Truth About Love, again, now that it's produced three Top 10 hits? I'll admit, I played it once, in the fall, and it sounded like snooze central.

Anyway, Ryan Tedder had better watch his back, lest go-to songwriter Nate Ruess, Pink's "Just Give Me A Reason" duet partner, start eating his lunch. The song now gives the fun. frontman his second trip to the top, after last year's over-saturation of "We Are Young."

Elsewhere, Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" finally cracks the Top 10 by jumping up to #7, the same week that The 20/20 Experience's three-week reign on the Top 200 album chart ends. (Paramore's self-titled album bumps it down to #3.)

It's springtime. The sun is shining. And "Mirrors" still feels like the perfect pop song, two months later.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink feat. Nate Ruess *1 week*
2. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
3. "When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
4. "Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko
5. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray 
6. "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z
7. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake 
8. "Feel This Moment" - Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera
9. "Started From The Bottom" - Drake
10. "Heart Attack" - Demi Lovato

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US Chart Roundup: Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" Isn't #1 Yet, But It's Getting There

On the Billboard Hot 100, "Harlem Shake" is #1 for a stupefying fifth week, "Suit & Tie" is back up to #4, the position it debuted at two months ago, and "Just Give Me A Reason" (#8) is now Pink's 14th Top 10 hit. Meanwhile, Christina Aguilera has somehow used Pitbull like a Trojan horse to wriggle her way back to the upper tier of the chart.

Still, the more interesting trash is happening a bit lower. Justin Timberlake's second single off the just-released The 20/20 Experience, "Mirrors," has leaped 52 positions to #25. Over on iTunes, "Suit & Tie" is #1 while "Mirrors" is at #5. Kids, pull your fingers out of your mom and let's get those positions reversed?

That brings us to Icona Pop and Charli XCX's "I Love It," the song that topped Chart Rigger's 10 Best Pop Singles Of 2012 list. This week it cracks the Top 40 after moving up to #35. I'll admit, I cooled off on "I Love It" awhile ago, but it is nice to hear it on the radio in between the 746th play of "Just Give Me A Reason" and the 983rd play of "I Knew You Were Trouble" each day.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Harlem Shake" - Baauer *5 weeks*
2. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
3. "When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
4. "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z
5. "Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko
6. "Started From The Bottom" - Drake 
7. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
8. "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink feat. Nate Ruess
9. "Scream & Shout" - will.i.am & Britney Spears
10. "Feel This Moment" - Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera

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US Chart Roundup: Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" Back In The Top 10, Ke$ha Takes A Plunge

It was a brief, one-week stay for Pink's "Try" and Calvin Harris and Florence Welch's "Sweet Nothing" in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, as they get bumped out now for the the likes of the returning "Suit & Tie" by Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5's "Daylight" and Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man." JT's "Suit & Tie" peaked three weeks ago at #4, and is now back up to #8 after two weeks spent outside the Top 10.

Meanwhile, someone who isn't looking to be entering the upper tier of the chart with their latest single is Ke$ha, whose "C'mon" drops from its so-far peak position of #27 to #29. And since it's time once again to check in with Ke$ha Career Death Watch, let's try and locate where her album Warrior is on the Billboard 200.

Hmmmm.

Scrolling.

Scrolling.

Scrolling

Scrolling.

Scrolling.

Scroll...Aha! There it is. #93. Brava!

Elsewhere, Olly Murs continues to climb with his breakout US hit "Troublemaker," which is up to #49, while Rihanna's "Stay" is at #57. Expect it to fly up the chart next week, following RiRi's performance of the snooze dirge of the Grammys and the video's premiere earlier this week.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz *4 weeks*
2. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars
3. "Scream & Shout" - will.i.am & Britney Spears
4. "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers
5. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
6. "Don't You Worry Child" - Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin
7. "Daylight" - Maroon 5
8. "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake
9. "When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
10. "Beauty And A Beat" - Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj

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US Chart Roundup: Pink, Calvin Harris, Florence Welch & Tegan And Sara All Hop Into The Top 10

On the same week the video for Pink's third The Truth About Love single "Just Give Me A Reason" premiered, her second single off the album, "Try," hops into the upper-most tier of the Billboard Hot 100 (at #9). Including the Christina Aguilera, Mya and Lil Kim collab "Lady Marmalade," this marks Pink's 13th Top 10 hit in the US overall. So basically, despite being sick to death of "Try," I'll be hearing that shit for years to come when I flip on the radio.

Just below that, Calvin Harris and Florence Welch's 2012 UK chart-topping "Sweet Nothing" slides up to #10. This gives Calvin his first US Top 10 as a lead artist, and Florence her first Top 10 overall her. Sexy.

Meanwhile, over on the album chart, Tegan And Sara's Heartthrob debuts at #3, besting the #21 peak of their previous highest-charting album Sainthood.

Scissor!

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz *3 weeks*
2. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars
3. "Scream & Shout" - will.i.am & Britney Spears
4. "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers
5. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
6. "Don't You Worry Child" - Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin
7. "Beauty And A Beat" - Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj
8. "F**ckin Problems" - A$AP Rocky, Drake, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar
9. "Try" - Pink
10. "Sweet Nothing" - Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch

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Pink & Nate Ruess' "Just Give Me A Reason" Video Wants Me To Like It

Trying to sum up some enthusiasm for this new Pink video, "Just Give Me A Reason," which also feature's fun.'s Nate Ruess. It's the third single from her album The Truth About Love, and the clip features a bear with creepy glowing eyes atop a bed that Pink is writhing around on in a misty haze.

I dunno. I've already lamented the watered-down feel of her songs over the past few albums. This one isn't doing much to change my mind.

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US Chart Roundup: A Rant About Pink's Try," Plus Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" Drops

After owning the same car for nearly 10 years, the stereo has finally decided to give up the ghost, leaving me with the radio as the only option for listening to music while cruising around town. You remember radio, right? Well, if you need reminding, or an update, allow me: it's still the go-to destination for when you want to hear the same seven or eight songs played endlessly throughout the day.

And so, at this point, I have no idea how Pink's "Try" isn't #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. (This week it's up to #11.) Now, granted, way back in October when the music video for "Try" premiered, I noted the following: "I've come to realize that the pop world would really suck without Pink in it. 'Try' is a far better single choice than 'Blow Me (One Last Kiss)'..." But after being beat down for the past week by this particular mid-tempo number – it truly is playing on all formats around the clock — I don't really believe the world would suck so much without this song in it.

I'm afraid Pink has truly entered the land of Safe Song Choices. Gone is the zest of "Just Like A Pill," the spunk of "Don't Let Me Get Me" and the edge of "U + Ur Hand." Now it's all by-the-numbers stuff about blowing kisses and trying. It's as if Pink's management sat her down after Try This flopped 10 years ago and said, look, do you want to continue being the bad-ass chick of pop and working with rock producers or do you want to have actual hits?

Not the most timely assessment, I know. But cut me some slack; I've got "Try" ringing in my ears and I don't know how to make it stop.

Where were we? Oh, right — Calvin Harris and Florence Welch's "Sweet Nothing" is up to #14 on the Hot 100, making it the Scottish DJ's second-highest chart position (as lead artist) in the US, following the #12 peak of "Feels So Close" last year. 

Just above Calvin, Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" plummets from #4 to #13. Similarly, JT's latest dropped from #3 to #12 in the UK, after initial excitement for his first new material in over six years gave way to mediocre reviews of the retro-sounding Timbaland jam.

Meanwhile, Ke$ha's "C'mon" climbs to #28, Olly Murs' "Troublemaker" makes a big leap to #65 in its second week on the chart and Pitbull (ugh) and Christina Aguilera's (hmmmm) "Feel This Moment" debuts at #99.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz *2 weeks*
2. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars
3. "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers
4. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
5. "Scream & Shout" - will.i.am & Britney Spears
6. "Don't You Worry Child" - Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin
7. "Beauty And A Beat" - Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj
8. "Diamonds" - Rihanna
9. "Home" - Phillip Phillips
10. "F**ckin Problems" - A$AP Rocky, Drake, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar

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US Chart Roundup: Kesha Career Death Watch

Maroon 5's "One More Night" finally takes a tumble out of the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 this week, which allows Swedish House Mafia's John Martin-featuring smash "Don't You Worry Child" to breeze in at #7.

The song, as you know, landed on Chart Rigger's 10 Best Pop Singles Of 2012 list, and recently the kids of the PS22 Chorus performed a cover of "Don't You Worry Child" with Ithacappella, Ithaca College's men's chorus.



Awww. Brings a tear to the eye, doesn't it? You heartless broads.

Elsewhere, Pink's "Try" — inescapable on radio at the moment — is up to #12, while Calvin Harris and Florence Welch's "Sweet Nothing" becomes the Scottish DJ's fourth Top 20 hit in the States by climbing to #20.

Kelly Clarkson's "Catch My Breath" also continues its slow slog up the chart, this week making it to #23. I don't know — it seems that even when her singles don't crack the Top 10, you still hear them played nonstop for years after in elevators, doctor's offices and grocery stores. Kelly's getting her royalty cash, one way or another.

Meanwhile, checking in with Ke$ha Career Death Watch this week: "C'mon," the glitter-addicted diva's second single off Warrior, is up 17 positions to #48, while the album itself plunges from #29 to #46 on the Top 200 in only its sixth week on the chart.

Maybe she just didn't incorporate enough Illuminati iconography into her last five vidoes/photo shoots/single covers?

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars *6 weeks*
2. "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
3. "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers
4. "I Knew You Were Trouble" - Taylor Swift
5. "Diamonds" - Rihanna
6. "Scream & Shout" - will.i.am & Britney Spears
7. "Don't You Worry Child" - Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin
8. "Beauty And A Beat" -Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj
9. "Home" - Phillip Phillips
10. "I Cry" - Flo Rida

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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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It's Pink's "Try" Video

I've come to realize that the pop world would really suck without Pink in it. "Try" is a far better single choice than "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)," and the video is one of her best — if not the best.

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Pink Covers 'The Advocate'

Fuck this company.

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US Chart Roundup: Christina Aguilera Returns From The Pop Hooker Graveyard

K-Pop fans hoping PSY's crossover smash "Gangnam Style" would fly to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week will be disappointed to see the song land in the runner-up position. I'm just annoyed that Maroon 5 are still at the top with their tuneless attempt at reggae, "One More Night."

A far better Max Martin/Shellback co-production is Christina Aguilera's "Your Body," which crashes into the chart at #34. This marks the curvy Voice ho's first Top 40 solo hit since "Not Myself Tonight" kicked off the disastrous Bionic campaign two years ago and peaked at #23. Of course, last year she made her way to #1 by chirping for about 14 seconds on Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger."

Next up we have Pink, whose second The Truth About Love single "Try" debuts at #56 while her current hit "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" is still soaring at #5. And speaking of the pink-wigged faux lezzer's latest album, it becomes her first to hit #1 on the Top 200 after moving 280,000 copies last week — the third-largest opening for an album in 2012 so far. 

God bless vagina.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "One More Night" - Maroon 5 *2 weeks*
2. "Gangnam Style" - PSY
3. "Some Nights" - fun.
4. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Taylor Swift
5. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" - Pink
6. "Whistle" - Flo Rida
7. "As Long As You Love Me" - Justin Bieber
8. "Good Time" - Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
9. "Too Close" - Alex Clare
10. "Lights" - Ellie Goulding

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Kylie Minogue Did Pink's "Try" Cover Art Better Five Years Ago

Above: Pink, 2012. Below: Kylie, 2007.

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US Chart Roundup: Lady Gaga And Katy Perry Can "Blow" Pink

I'm really glad Pink now has more Top 10 hits on the Hot 100 (she has 12) than either Lady Gaga (she has 11) or Katy Perry (11, also). It makes all seem right in the world. My only problem is that "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)," her latest (it's up to #9) feels sort of pedestrian. It's been several weeks now, and that song still hasn't grown on me. Call me old school, but I like my Pink with Max Martin and (really old school) Linda Perry.

Oh, well. Everything else on the Hot 100 is pretty flat this week, save for The Wanted jumping up 17 positions to #53 with "Chasing The Sun," which finally looks like it's making some headway on iTunes.

Over on the Top 200 album chart, Frank Ocean's much-hyped debut LP Channel Orange arrives at #2. "Pyramids" has kind of been my jam for a few weeks now, so well done. Now if only the gays could actually turn all this "Let's Have A Kiki" business into a hit for Scissor Sisters.

You know, Frank Ocean, Scissor Sisters — same thing, right?

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen *6 weeks*
2. "Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
3. "Wide Awake" - Katy Perry
4. "Somebody That I Used To Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra
5. "Lights" - Ellie Goulding
6. "Where Have You Been" - Rihanna
7. "Whistle" - Flo Rida
8. "Titanium" - David Guetta feat. Sia
9. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" - Pink
10. "Scream" - Usher

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It's Pink's 'The Truth About Love' Album Cover

Here's the cover of Pink's upcoming album The Truth About Love, which arrives September 18, the same day as new album releases from Nelly Furtado, Pet Shop Boys, The Killers, Ne-Yo and Ben Folds Five.

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US Chart Roundup: Pink's New Single Blows, But Appears To Be A Hit

"Call Me Maybe," the eighth single to top the Billboard Hot 100 in 2012, is still on top (for a fifth week). Carly Rae Jepsen is now one week shy of tying fun.'s "We Are Young" for having the second-longest run at #1 this year — Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" being in first place, with eight weeks.

A bit further down the chart, Owl City and Carly Rae's "Good Time" moves up one position to #17, while Pink's "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" debuts at #58. Both singles have been getting decent airplay over the past week, and Pink jumped up to #2 on iTunes this week (behind Katy Perry's "Wide Awake"). "Good Time" is #8 on iTunes. But I'm still not digging the Pink song. I'm sure hearing it repeatedly over the next three months will eventually wear me down.

Meanwhile, with their latest US single, The Wanted appear to be on the Ellie Goulding "Lights" trajectory of taking three thousand weeks to climb the Hot 100, as "Chasing The Sun" inches up from #72 to #70.

The U.S. Top 10:

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

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Pink Announces 'The Truth About Love' Album

Out September 18. Too bad first single "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" kinda blows. Oh well, maybe it'll be an I'm Not Dead and have far stronger singles to come?

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Pink's "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" Contains Lots Of Shrieking

I want to like Pink's new Greg Kurstin-produced single "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)", I really do. And the intro and verses are pleasant enough. But the chorus is pretty weak, and she sounds like a shrieking hyena on it.

Plus, do we really need to hear the word "shit" that much in a pop song?



Oh, well. Maybe it's a grower...

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Pink Announces Single "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)", Co-Written By Greg Kurstin

Pink's first single from her upcoming sixth LP will be "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)", a co-write she did with Greg Kurstin (Kylie Minogue "Wow," Lily Allen "The Fear," etc.). 

According to the below video announcement, it'll be out July 9. (If the video is acting up, watch it here.)



It's about time this broad got back to music.

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