Sunday 25 May 2014

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 26/5/14

Top 20 Singles



1. The Common Linnets - Calm After The Storm (1) (CR-3-1-1)
2. RAM & Susana - RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) (3) (CR-17-3-4-1-2-3-2)
3. The Common Linnets - Give Me A Reason (10) (CR-10-3)
4. The Common Linnets - Lovers And Liars (6) (CR-6-4)
5. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (2) (CR-3-3-2-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-2-4-1-2-5)
6. Pamela Myburgh - Fool (9) (CR-16-9-3-6-9-6)
7. Coldplay - A Sky Full Of Stars (5) (CR-10-8-5-7)
8. Rae Morris - Do You Even Know? (19) (CR-20-19-8)
9. Sarah McLachlan - In Your Shoes (13) (CR-19-13-9)
10. Molly - Children Of The Universe (4) (CR-3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1-2-4-4-10)
11. The Common Linnets - When Love Was King (15) (CR-15-11)
12. Pamela Myburgh - Shepherd (NEW) (CR-12)
13. SecondCity - I Wanna Feel (NEW) (CR-13)
14. Sia - Chandelier (Re-entry) (CR-9-14-OUT-14)
15. The Common Linnets - Before Complete Surrender (18) (CR-18-15)
16. The Common Linnets - Hungry Hands (20) (CR-20-16)
17.
Klingande - Jubel (Re-entry) (CR-19-OUT-17)

18. Oliver Heldens X Becky Hill - Gecko (Overdrive) (NEW) (CR-18)
19. Nico & Vinz - Am I Wrong (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Andreas Bourani - Auf Uns (NEW) (CR-20) 

Top 20 Albums



1. The Common Linnets - The Common Linnets (1) (CR-1-1)
2. Lily Allen - Sheezus (2) (CR-1-2-2)
3. Sarah McLachlan - Shine On (5) (CR-2-5-3)
4. Foxes - Glorious (3) (CR-3-4)
5. Coldplay - Ghost Stories (NEW) (CR-5)
6. Shakira - Shakira. (7) (CR-1-1-2-3-2-3-4-7-6)
7. Bravo Hits 85 (NEW) (CR-7)
8. Eurovision Song Contest Copenhagen 2014 (6) (CR-12-12-1-1-1-1-3-6-8)
9. Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once (8) (CR-1-1-2-2-3-5-4-5-6-8-9)
10. These Dreams (16) (CR-16-10)
11. Michael Jackson - Xscape (4) (CR-4-11)
12. Afrojack - Forget The World (NEW) (CR-12)
13. One Love, One Rhythm - The 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Official Album (9) (CR-9-13)
14. Paolo Nutini - Caustic Love (11) (CR-6-10-11-9-11-14)
15. Cassadee Pope - Frame By Frame (Re-entry) (CR-20-OUT-15)
16. Armin Van Buuren - A State Of Trance 2014 (17) (CR-10-4-8-10-12-6-11-17-16)
17. Lykke Li - I Never Learn (12) (CR-5-12-17)
18. Jill Johnson - Livemusiken Från Jills Veranda Nashville (10) (CR-10-18)
19. Phillip Phillips - Behind The Light (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Go!Go!Go! - Radio Go!Go!Go! (20) (CR-4-6-7-12-20-20)

Commentary

There's no budging Dutch country duo The Common Linnets, who only continue to strengthen their campaigns atop both charts this week! Calm After The Storm spends a second week at No.1 while Give Me A Reason shoots to No.3 and Lovers & Liars climbs to No.4! RAM and Susana's former chart topper RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) moves back up a place to No.2 and Sanna Nielsen slides to No.5 with Undo. 

The Common Linnets stay strong atop the album chart for a second week with Lily Allen behind at No.2 for another week with Sheezus. Sarah McLachlan climbs back up to No.3 with Shine On, Foxes dips a place to No.4 with Glorious and Coldplay's new album Ghost Stories debuts at No.5.

Saturday 17 May 2014

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 19/5/14

Top 20 singles



1. The Common Linnets - Calm After The Storm (3) (CR-3-1)
2. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (1) (CR-3-3-2-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-2-4-1-2)
3. RAM & Susana - RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) (2) (CR-17-3-4-1-2-3)
4. Molly - Children Of The Universe (4) (CR-3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1-2-4-4)
5. Coldplay - A Sky Full Of Stars (8) (CR-10-8-5)
6. The Common Linnets - Lovers And Liars (NEW) (CR-6)
7. Conchita Wurst - Rise Like A Phoenix (10) (CR-10-7)
8. Fox Stevenson - Tico (5) (CR-5-5-8)
9. Pamela Myburgh - Fool (6) (CR-16-9-3-6-9)
10. The Common Linnets - Give Me A Reason (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This (13) (CR-19-13-11)
12. Meadowlark - Family Tree (7) (CR-13-7-12)
13. Sarah McLachlan - In Your Shoes (19) (CR-19-13)
14. Elaiza - Is It Right (16) (CR-16-14)
15. The Common Linnets - When Love Was King (NEW) (CR-15)
16. Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake - Love Never Felt So Good (15) (CR-17-15-16)
17.
Röyksopp & Robyn - Do It Again (9) (CR-20-8-9-17)

18. The Common Linnets - Before Complete Surrender (NEW) (CR-18)
19. Rae Morris - Do You Even Know? (20) (CR-20-19)
20. The Common Linnets - Hungry Hands (NEW) (CR-20)  

Top 20 albums



1. The Common Linnets - The Common Linnets (NEW) (CR-1)
2. Lily Allen - Sheezus (1) (CR-1-2)
3. Foxes - Glorious (NEW) (CR-3)
4. Michael Jackson - Xscape (NEW) (CR-4)
5. Sarah McLachlan - Shine On (2) (CR-2-5)
6. Eurovision Song Contest Copenhagen 2014 (3) (CR-12-12-1-1-1-1-3-6)
7. Shakira - Shakira. (4) (CR-1-1-2-3-2-3-4-7)
8. Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once (6) (CR-1-1-2-2-3-5-4-5-6-8)
9. One Love, One Rhythm - The 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Official Album (NEW) (CR-9)
10. Jill Johnson - Livemusiken Från Jills Veranda Nashville (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Paolo Nutini - Caustic Love (9) (CR-6-10-11-9-11)
12. Lykke Li - I Never Learn (5) (CR-5-12)
13. Euphoric Clubland II (8) (CR-3-2-8-13)
14. Hafdis Huld - Home (10) (CR-10-14)
15. Anastacia - Resurrection (7) (CR-7-15)
16. These Dreams (NEW) (CR-16)
17. Armin Van Buuren - A State Of Trance 2014 (11) (CR-10-4-8-10-12-6-11-17)
18. Tori Amos - Unrepentant Geraldines (NEW) (CR-18)
19. Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Go!Go!Go! - Radio Go!Go!Go! (12) (CR-4-6-7-12-20)

Commentary

It's double Dutch for The Common Linnets as Eurovision runner-up Calm After The Storm climbs two places to No.1, becoming the first ever Dutch entry to top the chart and the third Eurovision entry to go to No.1 this year! Sanna Nielsen's Undo dips one spot to No.2, and contiuning the Dutch theme at No.3 is RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) by RAM and Susana who drop one place to No.3. Molly stays put at No.4 with Children Of The Universe, making the entire top four current or former chart toppers, and Coldplay climb to No.5 with new single, the Avicii produced A Sky Full Of Stars. 

The Common Linnets complete their double by storming in at No.1 as Ilse and Waylon deliver the best country album in nearly a decade! Lily Allen's Sheezus falls to No.2, Foxes enters at No.3 with debut album Glorious, the new posthumous Michael Jackson album Xscape debuts at No.4 and Sarah McLachlan dips to No.5 with Shine On.

Sunday 11 May 2014

Austria's Conchita Wurst rises like a phoenix to win Eurovision 2014!

The musical and televisual event of the year has been and gone once again and this year the Eurovision Song Contest threw up a very unexpected set of results. Held in Copenhagen this year, Denmark put on a stellar show with fantastic presentation and staging. The hosts came across as a bit odd at times and the 'ode to joy' interval act was plain bizarre, but overall it was a well packaged show. It was not without its controversy however, with the recent political situation between Russia and Ukraine spilling over into the contest and Russia getting heavily booed whenever they got awarded points. 

This was the final scoreboard at the end of the night:

1. Austria: Conchita Wurst, Rise Like a Phoenix - 290 points
2. The Netherlands: The Common Linnets, Calm After The Storm - 238 points
3. Sweden: Sanna Nielsen, Undo - 218 points
4. Armenia: Aram MP3, Not Alone - 174 points
5. Hungary: Andras Kallay-Saunders, Running - 143 points
6. Ukraine: Mariya Yaremchuk, Tick - Tock - 113 points
7. Russia: Tolmachevy Sisters, Shine - 89 points
8. Norway: Carl Espen, Silent Storm - 88 points
9. Denmark: Basim, Cliche Love Song - 74 points
10. Spain: Ruth Lorenzo, Dancing In the Rain - 74 points
11. Finland: Softengine, Something Better - 72 points
12. Romania: Paula Seling & OVI, Miracle - 72 points
13. Switzerland: Sebalter, Hunter Of Stars - 64 points
14. Poland: Donatan & Cleo, My Slowianie - We Are Slavic - 62 points
15. Iceland: Pollaponk, No Prejudice - 58 points
16. Belarus: Teo, Cheesecake - 43 points
17. United Kingdom: Molly Smitten-Downes, Children of the Universe - 40 points
18. Germany: Elaiza, Is it Right - 39 points
19. Montenegro: Sergej Cetkovic, Moj Svijet - 37 points
20. Greece: Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd, Rise Up - 35 points
21. Italy: Emma, La Mia Citta - 33 points
22. Azerbaijan: Dilara Kazimova, Start a Fire - 33 points
23. Malta: Firelight, Coming Home - 32 points
24. San Marino: Valentina Monetta, Maybe (Forse) - 14 points
25. Slovenia: Tinkara Kovac, Round and Round - 9 points
26. France: TWIN TWIN, Moustache - 2 points

A deserved win for drag artist Conchita Wurst from Austria and her grand Bond theme-esque entry, which marked the first time that Austria have won since 1966! 



Fellow perennial underachievers The Netherlands finished in second place, the Dutch enjoying a recent renaissance with this being their second consecutive top ten finish! And it was a thoroughly deserved second and one of the two songs I voted for, a gorgeous, classy but very subtle country duet that had a fantastic performance and perfect presentation. It's set to become the biggest post-contest hit around Europe somewhat surprisingly and has even cracked the top five on iTunes UK.


In third place was the Swedish legend that is Sanna Nielsen. The lady has literally given her entire career, which stretches 20 years (not bad for a 29 year old!) to the contest but finally made it through Melodifestivalen victorious this year. And she didn't disappoint, belting out the stunning Undo as if her life depended on it. It's Sweden's third top three finish in the last four years after Eric Saade's Popular and Loreen's winning smash Euphoria. It was naturally the second song that I voted for last night.


Elsewhere in the top 10 were expected high finishers from Armenia, Hungary, Ukraine, Norway and Denmark and slight over achievers perhaps in Russia and Spain, the former quite surprising considering all of the hate directed that way recently, but admittedly the song, a sort of The Pierces Juniors, grew on me a lot with the performance.

Stuck in the middle of table is poor Poland who finished 5th in the televote with their 'sexually churning the butter' anthem of life 
My Slowianie - We Are Slavic! Suffering the fate of Blue three years ago, the jury vote completely killed them off with a 12 in the UK televote translating to nothing overall once the jury votes had been combined! 

And then of course onto the flops, some of which were incredibly surprising. The United Kingdom were widely expected to finish top five or top ten at the very least with Molly's pop anthem Children Of The Universe. In the end, it wasn't to be and she finished 17th. A marginal improvement on Bonnie Tyler's 19th last year but rather undeserved overall, the song was certainly far superior to the mess that finished one place above and Molly delivered a stellar performance! On the plus side it looks set to give her a UK top 20 hit and hopefully she'll have more hits to follow.


Azerbaijan, Italy and Greece have a habit of finishing in the top ten with just about anything that they send, the former finishing top five in all five previous contests. But they all failed spectacularly this year with Azerbaijan's deathly boring Start A Fire doing the complete opposite and finishing in the bottom five and Italy and Greece not doing much better! 

Malta's Mumford and Sons-esque Coming Home sounded like it had real potential, and in fact the UK gave it 10 points, but that was to be almost a third of its total and it somewhat shockingly finished 4th from last! The bottom three however are not at all surprising, with France very nearly scoring the dreaded nul points for their Stromae meets Major Lazer type entry Moustache.

Overall, a week of big surprises. Few fans would have predicted an Austria vs. Netherlands top two this time a week ago, but both gave stellar renditions of excellent songs. Next year it's off to Vienna and I can't begin to imagine what will happen, but this year proved more than ever that you definitely can't rely on friends, politics and diaspora to get you a respectable finish. It's all about the song, the quality, the performance, the gimmick, the staging and the connection to the audience. Will the UK return to sending crap or finally find a winner? Will Azerbaijan pull another smash out of the bag after this epic fail? Will The Netherlands pick a winner now that they have their mojo back? #Join Us in a year's time to find out!

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 12/5/14

Top 20 singles



1. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (4) (CR-3-3-2-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-2-4-1)
2. RAM & Susana - RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) (1) (CR-17-3-4-1-2)
3. The Common Linnets - Calm After The Storm (NEW) (CR-3)
4. Molly - Children Of The Universe (2) (CR-3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1-2-4)
5. Fox Stevenson - Tico (5) (CR-5-5)
6. Pamela Myburgh - Fool (3) (CR-16-9-3-6)
7. Meadowlark - Family Tree (13) (CR-13-7)
8. Coldplay - A Sky Full Of Stars (10) (CR-10-8)
9. Röyksopp & Robyn - Do It Again (8) (CR-20-8-9)
10. Conchita Wurst - Rise Like A Phoenix (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine (NEW) (CR-11)
12. Mr Probz - Waves (Robin Schulz Radio Edit) (7) (CR-13-8-5-5-5-7-12)
13. Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This (19) (CR-19-13)
14. Andriette & Adam Tas - Ek Sal (11) (CR-20-11-8-11-14)
15. Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake - Love Never Felt So Good (17) (CR-17-15)
16. Elaiza - Is It Right (NEW) (CR-16)
17.
Lily Allen - Life For Me (NEW) (CR-17)

18. Ariana Grande feat Iggy Azalea - Problem (20) (CR-20-18)
19. Sarah McLachlan - In Your Shoes (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Rae Morris - Do You Even Know? (NEW) (CR-20) 

Top 20 albums



1. Lily Allen - Sheezus (NEW) (CR-1)
2. Sarah McLachlan - Shine On (NEW) (CR-2)
3. Eurovision Song Contest Copenhagen 2014 (1) (CR-12-12-1-1-1-1-3)
4. Shakira - Shakira. (3) (CR-1-1-2-3-2-3-4)
5. Lykke Li - I Never Learn (NEW) (CR-5)
6. Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once (5) (CR-1-1-2-2-3-5-4-5-6)
7. Anastacia - Resurrection (NEW) (CR-7)
8. Euphoric Clubland II (2) (CR-3-2-8)
9. Paolo Nutini - Caustic Love (11) (CR-6-10-11-9)
10. Hafdis Huld - Home (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Armin Van Buuren - A State Of Trance 2014 (6) (CR-10-4-8-10-12-6-11)
12. Go!Go!Go! - Radio Go!Go!Go! (7) (CR-4-6-7-12)
13. The Ultimate Collection: 90s Anthems (4) (CR-4-13)
14. Sweet California - Break Of Day (9) (CR-2-5-9-14)
15. Frankmusik - By Nicole (8) (CR-8-15)
16. Mando Diao - Aelita (10) (CR-10-16)
17. Rebecca & Fiona - Beauty Is Pain (NEW) (CR-17)
18. Iggy Azalea - The New Classic (12) (CR-7-12-18)
19. Christina Perri - Head Or Heart (16) (CR-3-7-12-15-16-19)
20. Kent - Tigerdrottningen (NEW) (CR-20) 

Commentary

It's a return to No.1 for Sanna Nielsen's epic ballad Undo, which clocks up its sixth week on top after finishing third in last night's Eurovision final. RAM & Susana fall a place to No.2 with the equally huge RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) while fellow Dutch act country duo The Common Linnets debut at No.3 with their Eurovision runner-up Calm After The Storm. Molly's Children Of The Universe slides two places to No.4 and Fox Stevenson remains at No.5 for a second week with Tico.

Lily Allen's Sheezus becomes her third consecutive chart topper as it goes straight in at the top ahead of fellow chart heavyweight Sarah McLachlan, the C+++anadian singer-songwriter debuting at No.2 with Shine On. The Eurovision compilation falls two spots to No.3 after a month on top, Shakira's Shakira. falls two places to No.4 and Swedish balladeer Lykke Li enters at No.5 with I Never Learn.

Saturday 3 May 2014

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 5/5/14

Top 20 singles



1. RAM & Susana - RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) (4) (CR-17-3-4-1)
2. Molly - Children Of The Universe (1) (CR-3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1-2)
3. Pamela Myburgh - Fool (9) (CR-16-9-3)
4. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (2) (CR-3-3-2-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-2-4)
5. Fox Stevenson - Tico (NEW) (CR-5)
6. Sigma - Nobody To Love (3) (CR-19-14-7-8-9-12-4-2-3-6)
7. Mr Probz - Waves (Robin Schulz Radio Edit) (5) (CR-13-8-5-5-5-7)
8. Röyksopp & Robyn - Do It Again (20) (CR-20-8)
9. Vilija Matačiūnaitė - Attention (6) (CR-15-8-6-9)
10. Coldplay - A Sky Full Of Stars (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Andriette & Adam Tas - Ek Sal (8) (CR-20-11-8-11)
12. Sheppard - Geronimo (7) (CR-18-12-7-12)
13. Meadowlark - Family Tree (NEW) (CR-13)
14. Katy Perry - Birthday (17) (CR-17-14)
15. Ella Henderson - Ghost (10) (CR-10-15)
16. Clean Bandit feat Sharna Bass - Extraordinary (12) (CR-18-11-9-12-16)
17.
Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake - Love Never Felt So Good (NEW) (CR-17)

18. Aram MP3 - Not Alone (Re-entry) (CR-17-OUT-18)
19. Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Ariana Grande feat Iggy Azalea - Problem (NEW) (CR-20) 

Top 20 albums



1. Eurovision Song Contest Copenhagen 2014 (1) (CR-12-12-1-1-1-1)
2. Euphoric Clubland II (3) (CR-3-2)
3. Shakira - Shakira. (2) (CR-1-1-2-3-2-3)
4. The Ultimate Collection: 90s Anthems (NEW) (CR-4)
5. Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once (4) (CR-1-1-2-2-3-5-4-5)
6. Armin Van Buuren - A State Of Trance 2014 (12) (CR-10-4-8-10-12-6)
7. Go!Go!Go! - Radio Go!Go!Go! (6) (CR-4-6-7)
8. Frankmusik - By Nicole (NEW) (CR-8)
9. Sweet California - Break Of Day (5) (CR-2-5-9)
10. Mando Diao - Aelita (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Paolo Nutini - Caustic Love (10) (CR-6-10-11)
12. Iggy Azalea - The New Classic (7) (CR-7-12)
13. Now That's What I Call 21st Century (9) (CR-9-13)
14. Dconstructed (8) (CR-8-14)
15. Imelda May - Tribal (NEW) (CR-15)
16. Christina Perri - Head Or Heart (15) (CR-3-7-12-15-16)
17. Embrace - Embrace (NEW) (CR-17)
18. Ingrid Michaelson - Lights Out (14) (CR-10-7-14-18)
19. Katy B - Little Red (20) (CR-1-1-1-2-2-4-5-11-14-17-19-20-19)
20. Helene Fischer - Best Of (18) (CR-3-5-9-14-18-20)

Commentary


Despite it being one week until Eurovision, after eight weeks solid of contest related No.1's there's a new leader this week. Dutch trance producer RAM and singer Susana's RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia), a tribute to RAM's late wife, climbs three places to the top of the chart! Molly's Children Of The Universe is down a place to No.2 after nine weeks in the top three and Pamela Myburgh, the lead singer of South African duo The Arrows who topped the chart last year with Spin My World and Entropy, climbs to No.3 with the beautiful piano ballad Fool! Sanna Nielsen is down to No.4 with the former chart topper Undo and UK producer Fox Stevenson makes a huge chart debut at No.5 with the instrumental dance track Tico!

The Eurovision 2014 compilation makes it four weeks in a row at No.1 ahead of Euphoric Clubland II which moves up a place to a new peak of No.2! Shakira's Shakira. drops a place to No.3, compilation album The Ultimate Collection: 90s Anthems debuts at No.4 and Kylie Minogue falls to No.5 with Kiss Me Once.