International pop round-up: Katy B, Helene Fischer and Marble Sounds

UK: Katy B - Crying For No Reason

Katy B's career has seen a number of high and lows since she launched with the huge statement of a debut single, Katy On A Mission. Since then she released the huge hits Lights On and Broken Record but her more recent material has failed to catch on in the same way. What Love Is Made Of was a little dull and deserved its general indifferent response, but the fantastic 90s throwback 5AM deserved far more than a fleeting appearance in the top 20. However, she's returned with her best single to date with the third single from her forthcoming album Little Red. Crying For No Reason is a synth ballad that Robyn would be proud of, drenched in emotion and with a stunning soundscape from start to finish. The closing Pet Shop Boys-esque synths lift it to another level altogether. Here's hoping that this is the single that finally sends Katy's career stratospheric. 

Germany: Helene Fischer - Atemlos Durch Die Nacht

German pop singer Helene Fischer has been around for a few years and had huge success in her home country. Singing in her native tongue, understandably that hasn't translated internationally. Her latest domestic hit is the electro-Schlager hit Atemlos Durch Die Nacht. Germany, like Sweden, has a long history of bubblegum-pop and Schlager music, but it had seemed like its glory days were behind it in the mainstream. Helene however has put the genre back on the map, and brought it bang up to date, taking the euphoric Eurovision-esque structure and chorus and fusing it with a contemporary thumping electro bassline. It works incredibly well and who's to say that an English language translation wouldn't work? Her latest album, Farbenspiel is just as cheesy and brilliant, full of frothy pop such as Captain Meiner Seele and Alice Im Wunderland!

Belgium: Marble Sounds - Leave A Light On

Belgian post-rock band Marble Sounds have steadily grown a fanbase over the past few years. The group are centred around singer Pieter Van Dessel, who offers a melancholy and affecting vocal on all of their material thus far. Latest single Leave A Light On, the third release from their current album Dear Me, Look Up, is their finest to date, a short but incredibly sweet ballad with the qualities of a lullaby and an equally charming video. The contrast of the male vocal in the first verse and the female vocal of the second verse works wonderfully well before they come together for a gorgeous finale. It reminds me of some of the more lo-fi music that has come out of the Swedish indie scene in the last decade or so, such as Hello Saferide and Those Dancing Days.

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 27/1/14

Top 20 singles



1. Clean Bandit feat Jess Glynne - Rather Be (1) (CR-8-5-5-4-2-1-1)
2. Shakira feat Rihanna - Can't Remember To Forget You (2) (CR-2-2)
3. Marble Sounds - Leave A Light On (4) (CR-14-4-3)
4. Vance Joy - Riptide (5) (CR-18-18-15-10-11-14-13-OUT-11-5-4)
5. Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue (9) (CR-9-5)
6. Helene Fischer - Atemlos Durch Die Nacht (19) (CR-19-6)
7. Pitbull feat Ke$ha - Timber (3) (CR-20-OUT-18-14-7-3-1-1-1-3-7)
8. A Great Big World feat Christina Aguilera - Say Something (16) (CR-13-9-7-8-13-16-8)
9. Cash Cash feat Bebe Rexha - Take Me Home (7) (CR-18-10-5-7-9)
10. Lorde - Team (13) (CR-19-16-18-16-13-10)
11. Katy B - Crying For No Reason (NEW) (CR-11)
12. Ellie Goulding - Goodness Gracious (6) (CR-20-9-6-12)
13. Ain't No Love - Love Me Lots (Bridge & Law Remix) (18) (CR-18-13)
14. Neon Jungle - Braveheart (NEW) (CR-14)
15. Stine Bramsen - Prototypical (NEW) (CR-15)
16. Little Mix - Word Up (NEW) (CR-16)
17. Lily Allen - Air Balloon (14) (CR-14-17)
18. 4 Strings feat Neev Kennedy - This Heart Is Yours (NEW) (CR-18)
19. Route 94 feat Jess Glynne - My Love (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Martin Garrix & Jay Hardway - Wizard (NEW) (CR-20)

Top 20 albums



1. Ola - Carelessly Yours (NEW) (CR-1)
2. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Wanderlust (NEW) (CR-2)
3. Ellie Goulding - Halcyon Days (1) (CR-2-4-9-12-19-OUT-14-2-1-2-2-2-3-4-7-10-14-16-18-OUT-16-2-1-1-6-8-13-OUT-12-5-1-3)
4. Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (3) (CR-10-1-2-3-2-3-4)
5. Leddra Chapman - My Mother's Mind (2) (CR-1-1-1-2-5)
6. Agnes - Collection (4) (CR-10-8-7-4-2-4-4-6)
7. Helene Fischer - Farbenspiel (NEW) (CR-7)
8. Avicii - True (6) (CR-3-4-4-1-1-1-1-1-2-3-5-7-8-8-10-12-13-12-14-11-7-6-8)
9. A Great Big World - Is There Anybody Out There? (NEW) (CR-9)
10. Lady Gaga - ARTPOP (10) (CR-1-1-1-3-5-7-9-10-9-10-10-10)
11. Delta Goodrem - Innocent Eyes (Ten Year Anniversary Acoustic Edition) (7) (CR-1-1-2-3-4-6-7-11)
12. Gary Barlow - Since I Saw You Last (8) (CR-1-3-5-6-6-7-8-8-12)
13. Katy Perry - Prism (9) (CR-1-1-3-5-6-8-14-16-17-18-13-11-9-13)
14. Public Service Broadcasting - Inform - Educate - Entertain (5) (CR-5-5-3-5-14)
15. Little Mix - Salute (11) (CR-2-2-5-13-17-18-13-10-12-11-15)
16. Disclosure - Settle (16) (CR-8-3-7-5-7-10-7-4-4-2-2-2-5-7-10-10-10-15-18-OUT-17-16-16)
17. Lorde - Pure Heroine (13) (CR-10-8-7-5-6-3-4-7-5-6-11-14-16-17-16-15-13-17)
18. London Grammar - If You Wait (15) (CR-2-3-6-9-12-OUT-13-15-18)
19. Haim - Days Are Gone (12) (CR-3-4-11-14-20-OUT-18-14-12-19)
20. One Direction - Midnight Memories (14) (CR-4-8-12-11-7-6-9-14-20)

Commentary

No change atop the singles chart as Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne get a second week in control with Rather Be while Shakira and Rihanna stick at No.2 for a second week with Can't Remember To Forget You. Marble Sounds climb a place to No.3 with their charming ballad Leave A Light On, Vance Joy moves up another place to No.4 with Riptide and Kylie Minogue's comeback single Into The Blue jumps four places to No.5! New entries in the top 20 come from Katy B, Neon Jungle, Stine Bramsen, Little Mix, 4 Strings feat Neev Kennedy, Route 94 feat Jess Glynne and Martin Garrix & Jay Hardway!

Swedish singer Ola flies in at the top of the album chart with the long anticipated Carelessly Yours and Sophie Ellis-Bextor enters at No.2 with new album Wanderlust! Ellie Goulding's Halcyon Days dips two places to No.3, Beyoncé's BEYONCÉ is down one spot to No.4 and Leddra Chapman falls to No.5 with My Mother's Mind. Other new entries come from Helene Fischer and A Great Big World!

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 20/1/14

Top 20 singles

1. Clean Bandit feat Jess Glynne - Rather Be (2) (CR-8-5-5-4-2-1)
2. Shakira feat Rihanna - Can't Remember To Forget You (NEW) (CR-2)
3. Pitbull feat Ke$ha - Timber (1) (CR-20-OUT-18-14-7-3-1-1-1-3)
4. Marble Sounds - Leave A Light On (14) (CR-14-4)
5. Vance Joy - Riptide (11) (CR-18-18-15-10-11-14-13-OUT-11-5)
6. Ellie Goulding - Goodness Gracious (9) (CR-20-9-6)
7. Cash Cash feat Bebe Rexha - Take Me Home (5) (CR-18-10-5-7)
8. Public Service Broadcasting - Spitfire (3) (CR-10-7-3-8)
9. Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue (NEW) (CR-9)
10. Gary Barlow & Elton John - Face To Face (4) (CR-1-1-1-2-2-2-4-10)
11. Agnes - Instant Repeater (8) (CR-4-6-8-11)
12. Public Service Broadcasting - Night Mail (7) (CR-16-7-12)
13. Lorde - Team (16) (CR-19-16-18-16-13)
14. Lily Allen - Air Balloon (NEW) (CR-14)
15. Hardwell feat Matthew Koma - Dare You (10) (CR-15-10-15)
16. A Great Big World feat Christina Aguilera - Say Something (13) (CR-13-9-7-8-13-16)
17. Pharrell Williams - Happy (Re-entry) (CR-10-12-12-OUT-17)
18. Ain't No Love - Love Me Lots (Bridge & Law Remix) (NEW) (CR-18)
19. Helene Fischer - Atemlos Durch Die Nacht (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Aloe Blacc - The Man (NEW) (CR-20)

Top 20 albums

1. Ellie Goulding - Halcyon Days (5) (CR-2-4-9-12-19-OUT-14-2-1-2-2-2-3-4-7-10-14-16-18-OUT-16-2-1-1-6-8-13-OUT-12-5-1)
2. Leddra Chapman - My Mother's Mind (1) (CR-1-1-1-2)
3. Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (2) (CR-10-1-2-3-2-3)
4. Agnes - Collection (4) (CR-10-8-7-4-2-4-4)
5. Public Service Broadcasting - Inform - Educate - Entertain (3) (CR-5-5-3-5)
6. Avicii - True (7) (CR-3-4-4-1-1-1-1-1-2-3-5-7-8-8-10-12-13-12-14-11-7-6)
7. Delta Goodrem - Innocent Eyes (Ten Year Anniversary Acoustic Edition) (6) (CR-1-1-2-3-4-6-7)
8. Gary Barlow - Since I Saw You Last (8) (CR-1-3-5-6-6-7-8-8)
9. Katy Perry - Prism (11) (CR-1-1-3-5-6-8-14-16-17-18-13-11-9)
10. Lady Gaga - ARTPOP (10) (CR-1-1-1-3-5-7-9-10-9-10-10)
11. Little Mix - Salute (12) (CR-2-2-5-13-17-18-13-10-12-11)
12. Haim - Days Are Gone (14) (CR-3-4-11-14-20-OUT-18-14-12)
13. Lorde - Pure Heroine (15) (CR-10-8-7-5-6-3-4-7-5-6-11-14-16-17-16-15-13)
14. One Direction - Midnight Memories (9) (CR-4-8-12-11-7-6-9-14)
15. London Grammar - If You Wait (13) (CR-2-3-6-9-12-OUT-13-15)
16. Disclosure - Settle (17) (CR-8-3-7-5-7-10-7-4-4-2-2-2-5-7-10-10-10-15-18-OUT-17-16)
17. Boyzone - BZ20 (18) (CR-2-7-3-4-11-15-18-17)
18. Britney Spears - Britney Jean (16) (CR-2-4-5-8-14-16-18)
19. Rudimental - Home (20) (CR-2-7-11-13-18-19-OUT-16-17-20-OUT-16-11-9-12-17-20-OUT-20-19)
20. Sharon Corr - The Same Sun (19) (CR-9-15-20-20-17-19-20)

Commentary

British dance act Clean Bandit complete their climb to No.1 with Rather Be just ahead of Can't Remember To Forget You, a brand new entry from Shakira and Rihanna at No.2! Pitbull and Ke$ha dip two places to No.3 after three weeks on top with Timber, Belgian band Marble Sounds soar to No.4 with the gorgeous ballad Leave A Light On and Australian indie singer Vance Joy leaps to a new peak of No.5 with Riptide! Other new entries in the top 20 come from Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen, Ain't No Love, Helene Fischer and Aloe Blacc, whilst Pharrell Williams re-enters with Happy!

Ellie Goulding returns to the top of the album chart yet again with repackaged second album Halcyon Days, up from No.5 last week. It pushes Leddra Chapman down to No.2 with My Mother's Mind and Beyoncé down to No.3 with BEYONCÉ. Agnes stays put at No.4 with Collection and Public Service Broadcasting dip to No.5 with Inform - Educate - Entertain.

Could a duets album save Xtina's career?

Christina Aguilera's latest smash is the US top three hit, and soon to become mammoth global success, Say Something, a collaboration with American pop duo A Great Big World (essentially the second coming of fun., the band, not the concept!). She's also recently reinvigorated the chart fortunes of Lady Gaga's Do What U Want, appearing alongside Gaga on a remix of the single that has sent it soaring back up the charts worldwide. It's the latest in a string of duet hits that Xtina has featured on, following on from the 2011 monster Moves Like Jagger. That song was No.1 worldwide and a 1.5 million selling hit in the UK, essentially putting it inside the top 50 biggest songs EVER in this country.

Then came the A-Ha sampling Feel This Moment, a collaboration with Pitbull. The biggest radio hit from her most recent album, Lotus was the Blake Shelton duet Just A Fool. Yet the former superstar hasn't managed to have a proper solo hit for almost a decade. Should Christina perhaps consider scrapping her solo career and join a group? Or maybe release a duets album. All of these could feature. And what else? Xtina feat Britney, Xtina feat Rihanna, Xtina feat Avicii? They all have more commercial potential than her solo ventures so maybe it's the way forward for the former Disney starlet!

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 13/1/14

Top 20 singles



1. Pitbull feat Ke$ha - Timber (1) (CR-20-OUT-18-14-7-3-1-1-1)
2. Clean Bandit feat Jess Glynne - Rather Be (4) (CR-8-5-5-4-2)
3. Public Service Broadcasting - Spitfire (7) (CR-10-7-3)
4. Gary Barlow & Elton John - Face To Face (2) (CR-1-1-1-2-2-2-4)
5. Cash Cash feat Bebe Rexha - Take Me Home (10) (CR-18-10-5)
6. Burial - Come Down To Us (3) (CR-20-3-6)
7. Public Service Broadcasting - Night Mail (16) (CR-16-7)
8. Agnes - Instant Repeater (6) (CR-4-6-8)
9. Ellie Goulding - Goodness Gracious (20) (CR-20-9)
10. Hardwell feat Matthew Koma - Dare You (15) (CR-15-10)
11. Vance Joy - Riptide (Re-entry) (CR-18-18-15-10-11-14-13-OUT-11)
12. Seinabo Sey - Younger (5) (CR-8-5-12)
13. A Great Big World feat Christina Aguilera - Say Something (8) (CR-13-9-7-8-13)
14. Marble Sounds - Leave A Light On (NEW) (CR-14)
15. Angel Haze & Sia - Battle Cry (NEW) (CR-15)
16. Lorde - Team (18) (CR-19-16-18-16)
17. Leddra Chapman - Blue Tattoo (9) (CR-15-9-17)
18. Sub Focus - Turn Back Time (NEW) (CR-18)
19. Katy Perry feat Juicy J - Dark Horse (19) (CR-19-19)
20. Sam Smith - Money On My Mind (NEW) (CR-20) 

Top 20 Albums



1. Leddra Chapman - My Mother's Mind (1) (CR-1-1-1)
2. Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (3) (CR-10-1-2-3-2)
3. Public Service Broadcasting - Inform - Educate - Entertain (5) (CR-5-5-3)
4. Agnes - Collection (2) (CR-10-8-7-4-2-4)
5. Ellie Goulding - Halcyon Days (12) (CR-2-4-9-12-19-OUT-14-2-1-2-2-2-3-4-7-10-14-16-18-OUT-16-2-1-1-6-8-13-OUT-12-5)
6. Delta Goodrem - Innocent Eyes (Ten Year Anniversary Acoustic Edition) (4) (CR-1-1-2-3-4-6)
7. Avicii - True (11) (CR-3-4-4-1-1-1-1-1-2-3-5-7-8-8-10-12-13-12-14-11-7)
8. Gary Barlow - Since I Saw You Last (7) (CR-1-3-5-6-6-7-8)
9. One Direction - Midnight Memories (6) (CR-4-8-12-11-7-6-9)
10. Lady Gaga - ARTPOP (9) (CR-1-1-1-3-5-7-9-10-9-10)
11. Katy Perry - Prism (13) (CR-1-1-3-5-6-8-14-16-17-18-13-11)
12. Little Mix - Salute (10) (CR-2-2-5-13-17-18-13-10-12)
13. London Grammar - If You Wait (Re-entry) (CR-2-3-6-9-12-OUT-13)
14. Haim - Days Are Gone (18) (CR-3-4-11-14-20-OUT-18-14)
15. Lorde - Pure Heroine (16) (CR-10-8-7-5-6-3-4-7-5-6-11-14-16-17-16-15)
16. Britney Spears - Britney Jean (14) (CR-2-4-5-8-14-16)
17. Disclosure - Settle (Re-entry) (CR-8-3-7-5-7-10-7-4-4-2-2-2-5-7-10-10-10-15-18-OUT-17)
18. Boyzone - BZ20 (15) (CR-2-7-3-4-11-15-18)
19. Sharon Corr - The Same Sun (17) (CR-9-15-20-20-17-19)
20. Rudimental - Home (Re-entry) (CR-2-7-11-13-18-19-OUT-16-17-20-OUT-16-11-9-12-17-20-OUT-20)

Commentary

It's three weeks on top for Pitbull and Ke$ha's Timber with Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne climbing two places to No.2 with Rather Be! Public Service Broadcasting jump to a new peak of No.3 with the war influenced Spitfire, Gary Barlow & Elton John dip two places to No.4 with their former chart topper Face To Face and American dance act Cash Cash climb to No.5 with Take Me Home, which features Bebe Rexha! New entries to the chart come from Marble Sounds, Angel Haze & Sia, Sub Focus and Sam Smith whilst there is a re-entry for Vance Joy's top ten hit Riptide!

Leddra Chapman gets a third week at the top of the album chart with My Mother's Mind, just ahead of Beyoncé, who climbs back up a place to No.2 with BEYONCÉ. Public Service Broadcasting's debut album Inform - Educate – Entertain moves up to a new peak of No.3, Agnes dips to No.4 with Collection and Ellie Goulding returns to the top five, at No.5, with Halcyon Days!

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 6/1/14

Top 20 Singles



1. Pitbull feat Ke$ha - Timber (1) (CR-20-OUT-18-14-7-3-1-1)
2. Gary Barlow & Elton John - Face To Face (2) (CR-1-1-1-2-2-2)
3. Burial - Come Down To Us (20) (CR-20-3)
4. Clean Bandit feat Jess Glynne - Rather Be (5) (CR-8-5-5-4)
5. Seinabo Sey - Younger (8) (CR-8-5)
6. Agnes - Instant Repeater (4) (CR-4-6)
7. Public Service Broadcasting - Spitfire (10) (CR-10-7)
8. A Great Big World feat Christina Aguilera - Say Something (7) (CR-13-9-7-8)
9. Leddra Chapman - Blue Tattoo (15) (CR-15-9)
10. Cash Cash feat Bebe Rexha - Take Me Home (18) (CR-18-10)
11. Little Mix - Little Me (17) (CR-18-19-OUT-17-11)
12. Pharrell Williams - Happy (12) (CR-10-12-12)
13. Avicii - Hey Brother (6) (CR-13-10-11-11-5-3-6-10-17-13-13-6-3-6-6-13)
14. Agnes - En Sån Karl (NEW) (CR-14)
15. Hardwell feat Matthew Koma - Dare You (NEW) (CR-15)
16. Public Service Broadcasting - Night Mail (NEW) (CR-16)
17. Ed Sheeran - I See Fire (NEW) (CR-17)
18. Lorde - Team (16) (CR-19-16-18)
19. Katy Perry feat Juicy J - Dark Horse (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Ellie Goulding - Goodness Gracious (NEW) (CR-20) 

Top 20 Albums



1. Leddra Chapman - My Mother's Mind (1) (CR-1-1)
2. Agnes - Collection (4) (CR-10-8-7-4-2)
3. Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (2) (CR-10-1-2-3)
4. Delta Goodrem - Innocent Eyes (Ten Year Anniversary Acoustic Edition) (3) (CR-1-1-2-3-4)
5. Public Service Broadcasting - Inform - Educate - Entertain (5) (CR-5-5)
6. One Direction - Midnight Memories (7) (CR-4-8-12-11-7-6)
7. Gary Barlow - Since I Saw You Last (6) (CR-1-3-5-6-6-7)
8. Absolute Dance Winter 2014 (9) (CR-9-8)
9. Lady Gaga - ARTPOP (10) (CR-1-1-1-3-5-7-9-10-9)
10. Little Mix - Salute (13) (CR-2-2-5-13-17-18-13-10)
11. Avicii - True (14) (CR-3-4-4-1-1-1-1-1-2-3-5-7-8-8-10-12-13-12-14-11)
12. Ellie Goulding - Halcyon Days (Re-entry) (CR-2-4-9-12-19-OUT-14-2-1-2-2-2-3-4-7-10-14-16-18-OUT-16-2-1-1-6-8-13-OUT-12) 
13. Katy Perry - Prism (18) (CR-1-1-3-5-6-8-14-16-17-18-13)
14. Britney Spears - Britney Jean (8) (CR-2-4-5-8-14)
15. Boyzone - BZ20 (11) (CR-2-7-3-4-11-15)
16. Lorde - Pure Heroine (17) (CR-10-8-7-5-6-3-4-7-5-6-11-14-16-17-16)
17. Sharon Corr - The Same Sun (20) (CR-9-15-20-20-17)
18. Haim - Days Are Gone (Re-entry) (CR-3-4-11-14-20-OUT-18)
19. Angel Haze - Dirty Gold (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Frida Sundemo - For You, Love (19) (CR-6-13-19-20)

Commentary

Pitbull and Ke$ha claim a second week atop the singles chart with the infectious Timber whilst Face To Face by Gary Barlow & Elton John stays firm at No.2 on its sixth consecutive week in the top two! London producer Burial soars to No.3 with the gorgeous Come Down To Us, Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne climb a place to a new peak of No.4 with Rather Be whilst Swedish singer Seinabo Sey jumps to No.5 with Younger! New entries to the top 20 come from Agnes, Hardwell feat Matthew Koma, Public Service Broadcasting, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry feat Juicy J and Ellie Goulding!

Leddra Chapman stays on top of the album chart for a second week with My Mother's Mind ahead of a steadily rising Agnes who jumps two spots to a new peak of No.2 with her hits album Collection. Beyoncé's album BEYONCÉ falls a place to No.3, Delta Goodrem's Innocent Eyes Ten Year Anniversary Acoustic Edition dips another spot to No.4 and Public Service Broadcasting stay put at No.5 with Inform - Educate - Entertain! Ellie Goulding and Haim have top 20 re-entries whilst Angel Haze's Dirty Gold is the only new entry, at No.19!