Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 24/3/14

Top 20 singles



1. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (1) (CR-3-3-2-1-1-1)
2. Molly - Children Of The Universe (3) (CR-3-3-2)
3. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco (2) (CR-5-1-2-2-3) 
4. Sweet California - This Is The Life (NEW) (CR-4)
5. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothin' (6) (CR-12-9-8-6-5)
6. Route 94 feat Jess Glynne - My Love (5) (CR-19-18-OUT-9-5-6) 
7. John Martin - Anywhere For You (8) (CR-5-2-4-6-8-7) 
8. Sigma - Nobody To Love (7) (CR-19-14-7-8)
9. Sia - Chandelier (NEW) (CR-9) 
10. Firelight - Coming Home (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Martin Garrix & Firebeatz - Helicopter (4) (CR-8-5-4-11)
12. Gaia - Empire Of Hearts (10) (CR-10-12)
13. Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once (NEW) (CR-13)
14. Duke Dumont feat Jax Jones - I Got U (NEW) (CR-14) 
15. Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue (17) (CR-9-5-6-4-8-8-10-17-17-15) 
16. Tove Lo - Not On Drugs (9) (CR-15-10-9-16)
17. Aram MP3 - Not Alone (NEW) (CR-17)
18. Kiesza - Hideaway (18) (CR-19-18-18) 
19. Calvin Harris - Summer (20) (CR-20-19)
20. Helene Fischer - Atemlos Durch Die Nacht (12) (CR-19-6-2-3-2-1-3-7-12-20)

Top 20 albums



1. Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once (1) (CR-1-1)
2. Girl Thing - Girl Thing (3) (CR-3-2)
3. The Big Reunion 2014 (6) (CR-8-6-3)
4. Melodifestivalen 2014 (2) (CR- 2-1-1-2-4)
5. Katy B - Little Red (4) (CR-1-1-1-2-2-4-5)
6. Enrique Iglesias - Sex And Love (15) (CR-15-6)
7. Paloma Faith - A Perfect Contradiction (5) (CR-5-7)
8. Absolute Dance Spring 2014 (NEW) (CR-8)
9. Melodifestivalen - 1958-2013 (8) (CR-1-2-2-3-3-4-8-9)
10. Tensnake - Glow (7) (CR-7-10) 
11. Beldina - Opening Act (NEW) (CR-11)
12. Helene Fischer - Farbenspiel (11) (CR-7-5-6-3-6-4-7-11-12)
13. John Legend - Love In The Future (NEW) (CR-13)
14. Katie Cole - Lay It All Down (9) (CR-3-9-14)
15. Yohio - Together We Stand Alone (NEW) (CR-15) 
16. Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (13) (CR-10-1-2-3-2-3-4-7-10-7-9-7-9-13-16) 
17. Skrillex - Recess (NEW) (CR-17) 
18. Madeline Juno - The Unknown (NEW) (CR-18)
19. The Pretty Reckless - Going To Hell (NEW) (CR-19)
20. American Authors - Oh, What A Life (NEW) (CR-20)

Commentary

It's a third week on top for the incredible Sanna Nielsen with the beautiful ballad Undo and just behind is Molly's Children Of The Universe which climbs a place to No.2! Alcazar fall a spot to No.3 with Blame It On The Disco and Spanish girlband Sweet California debut at No.4 with the Avicii-esque This Is The Life! Ace Wilder completes the top five with her Melodifestivalen runner-up Busy Doin' Nothin' climbing a place to a new peak of No.5! 

Kylie eases to a second week atop the album chart with Kiss Me Once while Girl Thing climb a place to No.2 with their eponymous album. The Big Reunion 2014 compilation moves up to No.3, Melodifestivalen 2014 is down to No.4 and Katy B's Little Red dips to No.5.

Britney Jean winner announced!

Thank you to all who took part in the competition to win the Deluxe Edition of the new Britney Spears album, Britney Jean. The competition is now closed and the correct answer to the question asked was 'Work Bitch'!



The randomly selected winner from the entrants who submitted the correct answer is...

Jade from Northampton! 

Congratulations to you Jade and thank you to everybody else who entered. Keep your eyes peeled for further competitions!

Competition: Britney Deluxe CD giveaway!

After running this blog for almost five years, it seems the right time to introduce what I hope will be regular competitions. The first free-to-enter giveaway will be the deluxe edition of Britney Spears' latest album, Britney Jean. Released only a few months ago, the 14 track album features the lead single, UK No.7 hit Work Bitch, the Sia-penned ballad Perfume and tracks that feature will.i.am, T.I. and Britney's sister Jamie Lynn! My highlight is the Avicii-inspired Now That I Found You, which can only be found on this deluxe edition!

To enter the competition you need to answer the following question correctly and you will be placed into the draw:

Which of these was not a UK No.1 single for Britney?

1. Toxic
2. ...Baby One More Time
3. Work Bitch

Send your answer to me in an e-mail with the subject line 'Britney comp' to richardstuartturner@hotmail.com and include your full name and postal address. The competition closes at 9am on Friday 21st March. I will draw the winner at random and send the CD out asap! The competition is open to UK residents only and I will publish your first name and town on the site at some point on Friday 21st! Your details won't be shared with anybody else and will be deleted from my database after the competition has finished. Good luck!

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 17/3/14

Top 20 singles



1. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (1) (CR-3-3-2-1-1)
2. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco (2) (CR-5-1-2-2)
3. Molly - Children Of The Universe (3) (CR-3-3)
4. Martin Garrix & Firebeatz - Helicopter (5) (CR-8-5-4)
5. Route 94 feat Jess Glynne - My Love (9) (CR-19-18-OUT-9-5)
6. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothin' (8) (CR-12-9-8-6)
7. Sigma - Nobody To Love (14) (CR-19-14-7)
8. John Martin - Anywhere For You (6) (CR-5-2-4-6-8)
9. Tove Lo - Not On Drugs (10) (CR-15-10-9)
10. Gaia - Empire Of Hearts (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Helena Paparizou - Survivor (4) (CR-10-9-16-5-4-11)
12. Helene Fischer - Atemlos Durch Die Nacht (7) (CR-19-6-2-3-2-1-3-7-12)
13. Manda - Glow (11) (CR-10-7-12-11-13)
14. Girl Thing - Sometimes You Hit, Sometimes You Miss (NEW) (CR-14)
15. Coldplay - Magic (20) (CR-20-15)
16. The Pierces - Believe In Me (13) (CR-16-13-16)
17. Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue (17) (CR-9-5-6-4-8-8-10-17-17)
18. Kiesza - Hideaway (19) (CR-19-18)
19. Katy B - Crying For No Reason (12) (CR-11-4-2-1-4-7-12-19)
20. Calvin Harris - Summer (NEW) (CR-20)

Top 20 albums



1. Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once (NEW) (CR-1)
2. Melodifestivalen 2014 (1) (CR- 2-1-1-2)
3. Girl Thing - Girl Thing (NEW) (CR-3)
4. Katy B - Little Red (2) (CR-1-1-1-2-2-4)
5. Paloma Faith - A Perfect Contradiction (NEW) (CR-5)
6. The Big Reunion 2014 (8) (CR-8-6)
7. Tensnake - Glow (NEW) (CR-7)
8. Melodifestivalen - 1958-2013 (4) (CR-1-2-2-3-3-4-8)
9. Katie Cole - Lay It All Down (3) (CR-3-9)
10. Melodi Grand Prix 2014 (6) (CR-5-6-6-10)
11. Helene Fischer - Farbenspiel (7) (CR-7-5-6-3-6-4-7-11)
12. Pharrell Williams - G I R L (5) (CR-10-5-12)
13. Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (9) (CR-10-1-2-3-2-3-4-7-10-7-9-7-9-13)
14. Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2014 (NEW) (CR-14)
15. Enrique Iglesias - Sex And Love (NEW) (CR-15)
16. MØ - No Mythologies To Follow (NEW) (CR-16)
17. JTR - Touchdown (NEW) (CR-17)
18. Ola - Carelessly Yours (10) (CR-1-2-4-5-7-9-10-18)
19. Avicii - True (16) (CR-3-4-4-1-1-1-1-1-2-3-5-7-8-8-10-12-13-12-14-11-7-6-8-11-12-13-14-15-16-19)
20. Leddra Chapman - My Mother's Mind (15) (CR-1-1-1-2-5-8-9-8-11-13-15-20)

Commentary

No change in an incredibly close top three as Sanna Nielsen spends a second week on top with her Eurovision entry Undo! Alcazar stay put at No.2 with Blame It On The Disco and Molly's Children Of The Universe is at No.3 for a second week! Martin Garrix & Firebeatz climb a place to No.4 with Helicopter and Route 94 and Jess Glynne's UK No.1 My Love climbs to No.5 here! 

Kylie Minogue goes straight in at the top of the album chart with 12^th studio album Kiss Me Once, knocking Melodifestivalen 2014 down a place to No.2! Girl Thing's eponymous debut album may have taken 14 years to enter, but it finally arrives at No.3 off the back of The Big Reunion! Katy B dips to No.4 with former chart topper Little Red and Paloma Faith debuts at No.5 with third album A Perfect Contradiction!

Going Dutch

The last couple of years has seen a bit of a renaissance for Dutch artists in the UK (and indeed, international) charts. Holland were responsible for some of the biggest hits of the 90s with acts such as 2Unlimited, Doop, Alice Deejay, Vengaboys and DJ Jean hitting the charts regularly. But then there was a decade of quiet. A country so musically talented seemed to disappear off the international radar almost completely. 



Fast forward to this decade and the Dutch seem to have found their way again. Legendary DJ's Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren have finally scored their first UK top ten hits, with Red Lights and This Is What It Feels Like, while other major emerging Dutch dance stars have hit the big time recently too - Martin Garrix, Bingo Players, Afrojack and Nicky Romero have all had recent UK No.1 singles while Hardwell was voted the World's No.1 DJ. 

Aside from the dance music that the country are so famous for, the recent success doesn't end there. Pop-jazz starlet Caro Emerald has achieved huge UK success. Her debut album, Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor, went platinum while follow-up The Shocking Miss Emerald was a No.1 success here last year. Violinist and conductor Andre Rieu has sold millions of albums in the past few years while legendary symphonic rock act Within Temptation finally scored their first UK top ten album a few weeks ago with Hydra.

The latest Dutch star is hip hop artist Mr Probz. The 29-year-old singer and rapper has achieved a huge international hit with Waves which has gone top five in his homeland, Austria, Denmark and Switzerland and to No.1 in Germany. The UK will soon follow suit, the song is already rocketing up the iTunes chart based on pre-orders alone, and airplay is yet to even kick in here. It seems that the Dutch have once again found the formula for success after more than a decade in the wilderness. They even managed to rediscover their Eurovision mojo, Anouk taking them back to the top ten with Birds last year after they managed to miss the final completely the eight years prior to that!

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 10/3/14

Top 20 singles



1. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (2) (CR-3-3-2-1)
2. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco (1) (CR-5-1-2)
3. Molly Smitten-Downes - Children Of The Universe (NEW) (CR-3)
4. Helena Paparizou - Survivor (5) (CR-10-9-16-5-4)
5. Martin Garrix & Firebeatz - Helicopter (8) (CR-8-5)
6. John Martin - Anywhere For You (4) (CR-5-2-4-6)
7. Helene Fischer - Atemlos Durch Die Nacht (3) (CR-19-6-2-3-2-1-3-7)
8. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothin' (9) (CR-12-9-8)
9. Route 94 feat Jess Glynne - My Love (Re-entry) (CR-19-18-OUT-9)
10. Tove Lo - Not On Drugs (15) (CR-15-10)
11. Manda - Glow (12) (CR-10-7-12-11)
12. Katy B - Crying For No Reason (7) (CR-11-4-2-1-4-7-12)
13. The Pierces - Believe In Me (16) (CR-16-13)
14. Sigma - Nobody To Love (19) (CR-19-14)
15. Anton Ewald - Natural (6) (CR-9-6-15)
16. Shakira - Empire (14) (CR-14-16)
17. Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue (10) (CR-9-5-6-4-8-8-10-17)
18. Christina Perri - Human (Re-entry) (CR-19-OUT-18)
19. Kiesza - Hideaway (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Coldplay - Magic (NEW) (CR-20)

Top 20 albums



1. Melodifestivalen 2014 (1) (CR- 2-1-1)
2. Katy B - Little Red (2) (CR-1-1-1-2-2)
3. Katie Cole - Lay It All Down (NEW) (CR-3)
4. Melodifestivalen - 1958-2013 (3) (CR-1-2-2-3-3-4)
5. Pharrell Williams - G I R L (10) (CR-10-5)
6. Melodi Grand Prix 2014 (6) (CR-5-6-6)
7. Helene Fischer - Farbenspiel (4) (CR-7-5-6-3-6-4-7)
8. The Big Reunion 2014 (NEW) (CR-8)
9. Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (7) (CR-10-1-2-3-2-3-4-7-10-7-9-7-9)
10. Ola - Carelessly Yours (9) (CR-1-2-4-5-7-9-10)
11. Ellie Goulding - Halcyon Days (8) (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-12-5-1-3-6-8-6-8-8-11)
12. Nina Nesbitt - Peroxide (5) (CR-4-5-12)
13. Lea Michele - Louder (11) (CR-11-13)
14. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Wanderlust (12) (CR-2-3-3-4-10-12-14)
15. Leddra Chapman - My Mother's Mind (13) (CR-1-1-1-2-5-8-9-8-11-13-15)
16. Avicii - True (15) (CR-3-4-4-1-1-1-1-1-2-3-5-7-8-8-10-12-13-12-14-11-7-6-8-11-12-13-14-15-16)
17. Katy Perry - Prism (16) (CR-1-1-3-5-6-8-14-16-17-18-13-11-9-13-14-17-18-18-16-17)
18. A Great Big World - Is There Anybody Out There? (Re-entry) (CR-9-13-16-OUT-18)
19. Lady Gaga - ARTPOP (18) (CR-1-1-1-3-5-7-9-10-9-10-10-10-12-13-15-17-18-19)
20. The Fray - Helios (19) (CR-19-20)

Commentary

The Melodifestivalen battle continues as contest winner Sanna Nielsen climbs a place to No.1 with Undo, her second chart topper after I'm In Love in 2011! Alcazar slide one spot to No.2 with Undo and the UK Eurovision entry, Children Of The Universe by Molly Smitten-Downes, debuts at No.3! Helena Paparizou's Survivor moves up to a new peak of No.4 and Martin Garrix & Firebeatz jump to No.5 with the trance stormer Helicopter! 

The Melodifestivalen 2014 compilation holds firm at No.1 for a second week ahead of Katy B's Little Red. Australian singer Katie Cole's long awaited début album Lay It All Down enters at No.3, Melodifestivalen 1958-2013 dips a place to No.4 and Pharrell Williams climbs to No.5 with G I R L!

Top 20 singles/albums - Week Beginning 3/3/14

Top 20 singles



1. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco (5) (CR-5-1)
2. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (3) (CR-3-3-2)
3. Helene Fischer - Atemlos Durch Die Nacht (1) (CR-19-6-2-3-2-1-3)
4. John Martin - Anywhere For You (2) (CR-5-2-4)
5. Helena Paparizou - Survivor (16) (CR-10-9-16-5)
6. Anton Ewald - Natural (9) (CR-9-6)
7. Katy B - Crying For No Reason (4) (CR-11-4-2-1-4-7)
8. Martin Garrix & Firebeatz - Helicopter (NEW) (CR-8)
9. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothin' (12) (CR-12-9)
10. Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue (8) (CR-9-5-6-4-8-8-10)
11. Shakira feat Rihanna - Can't Remember To Forget You (6) (CR-2-2-1-1-4-6-11)
12. Manda - Glow (7) (CR-10-7-12)
13. The Pierces - Kings (10) (CR-17-13-10-13)
14. Shakira - Empire (NEW) (CR-14)
15. Tove Lo - Not On Drugs (NEW) (CR-15)
16. The Pierces - Believe In Me (NEW) (CR-16)
17. Katy Perry feat Juicy J - Dark Horse (13) (CR-19-19-OUT-19-17-13-17)
18. Can-Linn feat Kasey Smith - Heartbeat (NEW) (CR-18)
19. Sigma - Nobody To Love (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Emmelie De Forest - Rainmaker (NEW) (CR-20)

Top 20 albums



1. Melodifestivalen 2014 (2) (CR- 2-1)
2. Katy B - Little Red (1) (CR-1-1-1-2)
3. Melodifestivalen - 1958-2013 (3) (CR-1-2-2-3-3)
4. Helene Fischer - Farbenspiel (6) (CR-7-5-6-3-6-4)
5. Nina Nesbitt - Peroxide (4) (CR-4-5)
6. Melodi Grand Prix 2014 (5) (CR-5-6)
7. Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (9) (CR-10-1-2-3-2-3-4-7-10-7-9-7)
8. Ellie Goulding - Halcyon Days (8) (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-12-5-1-3-6-8-6-8-8)
9. Ola - Carelessly Yours (7) (CR-1-2-4-5-7-9)
10. Pharrell Williams - G I R L (NEW) (CR-10)
11. Lea Michele - Louder (NEW) (CR-11)
12. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Wanderlust (10) (CR-2-3-3-4-10-12)
13. Leddra Chapman - My Mother's Mind (11) (CR-1-1-1-2-5-8-9-8-11-13)
14. Indila - Mini World (NEW) (CR-14)
15. Avicii - True (14) (CR-3-4-4-1-1-1-1-1-2-3-5-7-8-8-10-12-13-12-14-11-7-6-8-11-12-13-14-15)
16. Katy Perry - Prism (18) (CR-1-1-3-5-6-8-14-16-17-18-13-11-9-13-14-17-18-18-16)
17. SOHN - Tremors (NEW) (CR-17)
18. Lady Gaga - ARTPOP (17) (CR-1-1-1-3-5-7-9-10-9-10-10-10-12-13-15-17-18)
19. The Fray - Helios (NEW) (CR-19)
20. Neneh Cherry - Blank Project (NEW) (CR-20)

Commentary

The first Eurovision related song of the year hits the top of the singles chart as Swedish pop legends Alcazar jump to No.1 with Blame It On The Disco. It is their second No.1, after Stay The Night managed eight weeks on top in 2009! Sanna Nielsen climbs a place to No.2 with her Melodifestivalen entry Undo and Helene Fischer's Atemlos Durch Die Nacht dips two places to No.3. John Martin's Anywhere For You slides back two spots to No.4 and Helena Paparizou scores her first top five hit in nine years with Survivor, which leaps from No.16 to No.5! New entries in the top 20 come from Martin Garrix & Firebeatz, Shakira, Tove Lo, The Pierces, Can-Linn feat Kasey Smith, Sigma and Emmelie De Forest!

The Melodifestivalen 2014 compilation follows its six predecessors to the top of the album chart, pushing Katy B's Little Red down a place to No.2 after three weeks on top. The Melodifestivalen 1958-2013 comprehensive sticks at No.3, Helene Fischer returns to the top five at No.4 with Farbenspiel and Nina Nesbitt falls a place to No.5 with Peroxide. New entries in the top 20 come from Pharrell Williams, Lea Michele, Indila, SOHN, The Fray and Neneh Cherry!