Thursday 7 November 2019

ARIA Singles Chart Top Ten/ Chart Review: 4th November

I am switching things this week, normally I do Charting 1996 first but because I want to get in and deal with this pain in the neck of a crappy Jesus is King album bomb from Kanye West, I wanted to get this week's ARIA chart wrap up done first and Kanye isn't even the only one with a new arrival in the top ten so speaking of the top ten, let's start at the very top where for a fourteenth week, "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I reigns supreme at number one making it the longest number one of the year surpassing Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" and leaving it a week away from equalling Ed Sheeran's 2017 smash "Shape Of You" for the record of longest number one of the decade.

I would normally say the closest challenger is at number two but that isn't the case with that number two being a new entry from Selena Gomez called "Lose You to Love Me" and the reason I say I don't believe the song can challenge for number one, it's already losing ground to other songs on both streaming and sales. I'm not even sure anyone will remember this song in a week or two, it's that bland and boring.

It's in a vulnerable position to Post Malone's "Circles" which got pushed back to number three this week but it's still very strong on sales and streaming and will possibly return to number two next week.

"Ride It' by Regard remains at number four this week and I actually see this song making a run for number two soon as it's got strength across the board.

"Memories" by Maroon 5 dropped two places to number five but I suspect that may have been due to the strength of above songs rather than any weakness so this song ain't going away any time soon.

What was a nice surprise was the arrival of Lizzo's "Good As Hell" to the top ten as the biggest gainer of the week up from 15 to 6 following the release of a remix with Ariana Grande however Ariana is not credited on the song by ARIA this week.

We've reached the second of the new entries to the top ten and the first of ten new Kanye West songs debuting in the ARIA top 50 this week, "Follow God" at number seven and really I'd be surprised if this song stayed in the top ten, I expect it to be replaced by Dua Lipa's new single "Don't Start Now" when that song arrives on the chart next week. Hey, it'd be a great song replacing a god damn shit one.

"10,000 Hours" by Dan and Shay feat. Justin Bieber drops three places to number eight (I hope people are growing tired of that nauseating load of trash. Dan and Shay are capable of so much better. I've given up on expecting better from Bieber)

Travis Scott also suffered a three place fall to number nine with "Highest in the Room" mostly due to the song being underwhelming in the first place.

Finally "Hot Girl Bummer" by Blackbear fell two places to number ten but because it's holding steady on streaming, this junk won't be leaving the top ten any time soon. Ewww.

Gains

Apart from Lizzo's "Good As Hell" jumping into the top ten, there were very little in the way of gains this week which is the norm in an album bomb week.

Losers

While not many gains there were some massive losers with the biggest being "Goodbyes" by Post Malone and Young Thug which plunged from 31 to 47 while "Panini" by Lil Nas X stumbled hard from 33 to 48. "Slide Away" by Miley Cyrus lived up to its name by sliding from 35 to 49 and Kygo and Whitney Houston's "Higher Love" just went lower as it hit 50 from 34.

However there were more big losers with "Motivation" by Normani dropping from 28 to 41...ouch.

"Sunflower" by Post Malone and Young Thug finally dropped off the Billboard Hot 100 in the US this week after a full year on the American charts, it's still hanging on in Australia despite falling 11 places to 38.
Finally "It's You" by Ali Gatie dropped ten places to 35.

Drop outs

So while Kanye in flicked a lot of crummy music on the chart this week he also did a good job cleaning out crap that won't make year end list like "Harleys in Hawaii" by Katy Perry, "Takeaway" by The Chainsmokers feat. Illennium and Lennon Stella, "F*** I'm Lonely" by Lauv and Anne-Marie,  "Only Human" by Jonas Brothers and "Bandit by Juice WRLD and Young Boy Never Broke Again (although "Bandit" could return but I sure as hell hope not)

Also utter crap but will make the year end list and most likely my worst hits of the year list "No Guidance" by Chris Brown and Drake and "Lalala" by Y2K and bbno$

Songs gone that I really don't care about or are underwhelming: "Don't Call Me Angel" by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey and "Post Malone" by Sam Feldt and Rani

Long time hits that finally took their exit but will make year end: "Eastside" by Benny Blanco feat. Halsey and Khalid, "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

Finally the only song that I am sad to see gone is "Lover" by Taylor Swift, its genuinely a good song, who knows, it might make the year end list.

Keep in mind some of these drop outs will likely be back next week.

New Entries

Let's blow through the other nine Kanye West songs to hit the chart this week beginning with "Selah" at 19, "Closed on Sunday" (his garbage dedication to Chick Fil A) at 19, "On God" at 21, "Everything We Need" at 26,  "Every Hour" at 33, "Use This Gospel" at 36, "Water" at 37, "God Is" at 39 and finally, "Hands On" at 46. I expect most of this to be gone next week and good riddance to all of it.

Kanye wasn't the only one with new music on the chart this week with Selena Gomez second release in this cycle "Look At Her Now" debuting at 29 (that song isn't good at all).

It's saying something that "Total Control" by Meduza feat. Becky Hill and Goodboys is the best of the new entries at number 42.

That wraps up a pretty crummy album bomb week, hopefully not much of this Kanye mess sticks around and we see Dua Lipa land a top ten debut for "Don't Start Now" next week. ARIA will update the chart at 5pm on Saturday
















Friday 1 November 2019

ARIA Singles chart review: October 28th. Top ten turns to pot.

So for the last couple of weeks I have been ignoring the signs that the top ten is starting to look really awful especially as what has been arriving in the top ten has been...yikes...the issues aren't at number one where "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I spends a thirteenth week at number one however there's signs that this song's time at number one might soon be over as it wavered on digital sales this week and that gap on streaming is closing that said it did equal "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X for most weeks spent at number one this year.

"Circles" by Post Malone is that song closing the gap on streaming as it remained at number two this week. I wouldn't mind if this song went to number one...just a pity the digital sales aren't better.

"Memories" by Maroon 5 keeps its bland and boring presence at number three, we really want a "Girls Like You" retread in the top 5, Australia?

"Ride It" by Regard, a song I think could be a future number one, rose two places to number four this week as it got boosts on streaming, it pushed "10,000 Hours" by Dan and Shay feat. Justin Bieber back to number five (Such a shame this nauseating mess of a song is Dan and Shay's breakthrough hit in Australia), I suspect given Selena Gomez looks on track for at least a top five debut and is likely to bring Kanye with her that this song will fall out of the top five which given what Selena and Kanye are bringing, I'll take the nauseating over the plain bad.

Speaking of plain bad and awful we have a trifecta of absolute garbage infectng positions seven through nine with "One Thing Right" by Marshmello and Kane Brown one place to seven, "Hot Girl Bummer" by Blackbear up two to number eight and "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi returning to the top ten at number nine.

Our biggest gainer of the week is the new arrival tno the top ten that being "Never Seen The Rain" by Tones and I which jumped from twenty one to ten most likely on the back of "Dance Monkey" being number one and people curious about what other music Tones and I has released.

Gains

Already mentioned our biggest gainer so what else gained big? Well, "Castles" by Freya Ridings jumped from thirty six to twenty nine as that song seems to have plenty of traction right now but that's about it for the big gains.

Losers 

So the Charlie's Angels movie soundtrack got released today which means "Don't Call Me Angel" by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey should get a boost soon and boy it needs that boost because it fell ten places to forty nine although I do suspect people feel Ariana is a little over exposed this year.

Also joining the crap that lost hard this week is "F*** I'm Lonely" by Lauv and Anne-Marie which feel from thirty five to forty four.

The big news in terms of losses was that former chart topper "Senorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello finally fell out of the top ten to number fourteen.  "Lights Up" by Harry Styles which fell from seven to fifteen (not surprising, Songs from One Direction members don't stay high post debut)

Drop Outs

Four drop outs and honestly I am really only sad to lose "Johnny Run Away" by Tones and I, it might ust snare a place on the year end list and maybe a place on my best hits of the year list.

The rest gone are probably no chance of year end with "Boyfriend" by Social House and Ariana Grande, "Writing on the Wall" by French Montana feat. Post Malone and Cardi B and "Saint-tropez" by Post Malone all gone...thank goodness.

New Entries

So the highest debut of the week belongs to Katy Perry's "Harleys in Hawaii" - a song I expect to be gone next week when Kanye West's likely but unfortunate album bomb swings in next week, but anyway it debuted at thirty six.

A song that has been huge in Europe but took it's sweet damn time in reaching the Australian charts has finally entered the ARIA singles chart at forty five that being "Post Malone" by Sam Feldt and Rani

Shaed's "Trampoline" is new in at 47 after becoming the surprise indie pop hit in the US.

Finally, the worst of the new debuts is "Bandit" by Juice WRLD and Young Boy Never Broke Again at number forty eight. Kanye will likely sweep this shit off the chart and while Kanye's album isn't good, getting rid of this crap can only be a good thing.

The chart updates at 5pm AEDT on Saturday, I am expecting a "Jesus is King" album bomb and at least one new song from Selena Gomez.
















Travis Scott's "HIghest in the Room" fell back to number six as people forget this song exists.


Charting 1996; October 27th

It feels like the chart is on the verge of something changing at the very top of the chart because as I look this week, our current number one "MacarTHena" by Los Del Rios is looking vulnerable to challengers for the first time in awhile.

The first of those challengers is :"I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis which held steady at number two thi as it is doing consistently well on sales as is "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls which rose two places to number three, this song has some solid momentum behind it and looks the mostly liely challenger for number one, it pushed back "You're Makin' Me High" by Toni Braxton to number three and "I'll Be There for You" by The Remembrandts back to number five.

Then we hit the first of two songs new to the top ten this week and unfortunately the first is Newton's "cover of Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch" which jumped five places to number six because we need something painfully tepid and sappy in the top ten right now.

Jimmy Barnes top ten hit "Lover Lover" dropped one place to number seven and is showing signs that it may well collapse, it's facing a challenge from "Let's Make A Night to Remember" by Bryan Afams which rose two places to number eight.

The second song arriving in the top ten and is the latest hit for Celine Dion, "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" jumped from sixteen to nine this week.

Finally heading out of the top ten is Savage Garden's "I Want You" after dropping from seven to ten.

Gains

A massive gain for Warren G and Adina Howard's "What's Love Got to Do With It" sky rocketing to thirteen from forty eight! WOW.

Alanis Morissette got a nine place gain with "Head over Feet" to fourteen.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony break into the top twenty up to eighteen from twenty five while B.B.E gained eleven places to twenty one.

Re Entry

Republica return at number forty with "Ready to Go" while 3T's underwhelming collaboration effort "Why" with Michael Jackson is back at forty seven.

Losers

So we have a slew of big losers but let's start with the surprise drop from twelve to twenty three for Tracy Bonham's "Mother Mother". Would have thought this would have more staying power.

George Michael's "The Spinning Wheel EP" drops ten places to thirty two while Kulcha's "Do You Like it?" slips to thirty one from twenty four and "Who Will Save Your Soul" by Jewel drops six places to thirty seven.

"Woman" by Neneh Cherry dropped nine to twenty nine.


New Entries

All the new entries this week are in the 40s this week with the highest debut of the week going to Human Nature with their new single from "Telling Everybody" called "Wishes" at number forty three.

The Corrs are looking to follow up the success of previous singles with "Love to Love You" in at forty four.

Underworld's "Born Slippy" enters at number 45 and finally, Michael Jackson's "Stranger in Moscow" is in at number forty nine.



Tuesday 22 October 2019

ARIA Singles top ten/Chart Review: 21st October. Short week as Harry Styles lights up the top ten

Really not sure what to say about this week, there was plenty of movement across the chart but only the one new entry this weerk which we will get to because it comes in the top ten speaking of which let's start right at the top where for a twelfth week, it's "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I riding in at number one and only has to spend one more week at number one to equal the 13 weeks spent at number one by "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X and unless Adele or Drake drop their lead singles, I can see this song going seriously close to challenging Ed Sheeran's 15 weeks at number one in 2017 with "Shape of You" because there is nothing challenging it right now.

In fact, "Circles" by Post Malone rebounded back to number two but it's got some competition coming in the form of "Memories" by Maroon 5 which got a four place jump to number three, yeah, no, I have no idea why this bland nonsense is at number three...seriously. Australia?

"Memories" might be boring but at least it isn't nauseating which is where we find "10,000 Hours" by Dan and Shay feat. Justin Bieber spending another week at number four.

Travis Scott's "Highest In the Room" dropped back two places to number five this week which isn't surprising.

Regard has ridden up five places to enter the top ten with "Ride It' at number six, I think there's potential for this song to be a number one hit.

We get to our one new entry at number seven with Harry Styles and his new single "Lights Up", now I don't expect this song to remain in the top ten, generally songs by the guys from One Direction while they debut high, they usually fall off pretty hard which is not good news because despite a three place fall this week, there's opportunity for "One Thing Right" by Marshmello and Kane Brown  at number eight to regain ground.

Same can't be said of "Senorita" by Shawn Mwndes and Camila Cabello as the streaming titan of a song starts to fall away gracefully, I expect this song will be in the top ten come year end list time.

Most regrettably, "Hot Girl Bummer" by Blackbear rounds out the top ten at number ten this week after a seven place gain...thanks to people streaming this misogynist garbage on Apple Music and Spotify. JUST DANDY.

Gains

The biggest gain this week belongs to United Kingdom songstress Freya Ridings with "Castles" up nine places to thirty six.

We've already talked about the seven place gain for Blackbear but speaking of utter rap regaining ground "Ran$om" by :Lil Tecca jumped from thirty four to twenty seven while "Graveyard" by Halsey jumped from thirty one to twenty six, I expect to see this get even higher given Halsey's ARIA Awards performance.

Oh and also gaining seven places to forty three is "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper which along with "Eastside" by Benny Blanco feat. Khalid and Halsey remain the only 2018 songs on the chart in OCTOBER 2019.


Losers

The biggest losing song this week was Tones and I's "Johnny Run Away" which fell ten places to fifty.

"Don't Call Me Angel' by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey continued it's slow exit from the chart as it tumbled to thirty nine.

There was an eight place loss for "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X which dropped eight places to eighteen. Speaking of Lil Nas X, "Panini" fell to thirty two.

Drop Outs

So with just the one new entry, there's only the one drop out with that being "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift which will likely end up making the year end list.

New Entries

We only have the one new entry this week and I mentioned it earlier in the top ten with Harry Styles at number seven with "Lights Up"

Pretty short week this one, the top ten seems fairly turbulent apart from number one right now so will be interesting to see what unfolds, the chart updates on Saturday at 5pm AEDT









Monday 21 October 2019

Charting 1996: October 20th.

So this week was interesting to say the least especially as there's turbulence in the air within the top ten, there's signs that the current number one is starting to look shaky so let's talk about that top ten where "Macarena" by Los Del Rios keeps the number one spot for another week but that margin on sales is narrowing and while it may hold on for another week, it maybe close.

This could fall to the advantage of Donna Lewis who moved up two places to number two this week with "I Love You Always Forever", it's making major gains on sales but whether or not it's enough to dislodge "Macarena" from number one remains to be seen but it was enough to dislodge "You're Makin' Me High" by Toni Braxton which fell back to number two and "I'll Be There for You" by The Remembrants back to number four.

All of this however ignores that Spice Girls have climbed five places to number five this week with "Wannabe" and I guess of any song in the top five that looks likely to take down "Macarena", it's this slice of in your face Euro dance pop.

A one place gain to number six for Jimmy Barnes "Lover Lover" as it moved past Savage Garden's "I Want You" which fell back to number seven.

The first of two songs arriving in the top ten is at number eight and I actually think this is an excllent song, it's Eric Clapton's "Change The World" which moved up five spots. Nice.

Dropping four places to number nine though is Los Del Mar feat. Pedro Castano's version of "Macarena"

Finally rounding out the top ten is the second of the new songs within it that being the rather lame "Let's Make It A Night to Remember" by Bryan Adams which moved up two places.

Gains

New Edition's strange run on the charts continues with "Hit Me off" leaping eleven places to 17.

"That Girl" by Maxi Priest feat. Shaggy has rebounded eight place places to eighteen.

Belinda Carlisle's "In Too Deep" enters the top twenty rising from thirty one to nineteen.

Dead or Alive's remix of "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record" moved up big this week from forty four to twenty nine.

Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy" has springboarded from forty one to thirty four off it's return last week.

Losers

So as usual we have got some big losers down the lower end of the chart like "Blue" from LeAnn Rimes hitting forty five and "Forgiven, Not Forgotten" by The Corrs dropping ten places to forty six.

BoDeans "Closer to Free" dropped from seventeen to thirty this week while former number one "Killing Me Softly" by Fugees dropped from twenty nine to thirty seven.

American chart topper "Tha Crossroads" by Bone Thug-N-Harmony took a detour from sixteen to twenty five.

New Entries

An Italian-French trance music act called B.B.E have this week's highest new entry witth "Seven Days and One Week" at number thirty two,

Australian band Spiderbait have their second ARIA charting single with "Buy Me A Pony" in at forty seven.

Finally wrapping up this week is Warren G feat. Adina Howard with
"What's Love Got to Do With It?"  which does indeed sample Tina Turner's 1984 hit "What's Love Got to Do With It?". I actually don't mind it to be honest!



Thursday 17 October 2019

ARIA Singles top ten/ Chart Review: October 14. Rough week with bad new entries

This week saw the chart get hit by a shake up with two new songs debuting inside the top ten but whether or not any of it is for the better is an open question but all of that didn't affect our number one which is "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I for an eleventh week and yet again, nothing is getting near this song on streaming and digital sales right now.

'Circles' by Post Malone remains at number two because it's not bridging the gap on streaming to "Dance Monkey" and there's a sizeable gap on sales between the two songs.

We get to the first of the two new entries in the top ten at number three that being the new US number one "Highest in the Room" by Travis Scott, this isn't Travis Scott's best work by far but hey in a week like this I'll take it.

Especially when you glance at what is at number four, the second of the new entries this week, the so saccharine its actually nauseating "10,000 Hours" by American country duo Dan and Shay feat. Justin Bieber, it's Dan and Shay's first song to reach the ARIA charts but let's face it, it only charted so high because Justin Bieber is on the track.

The only good thing is that it pushed "One Thing Right" by Marshmello feat. Kane Brown back to number five, the soon this song is gone the better, the new arrivals also caused "Senorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello to drop three places to number six although that might have happened anyway.

Maroon 5 have yet another top ten hit with "Memories" rising five places to number seven. As if we needed anymore boring turgid sludge in the top ten especially with "10,000 Hours" in it.

"The Git Up" by Blanco Brown dropped three places to number eight as did "Beautiful People" by Ed Sheeran and Khalid to number nine.

Finally "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X looks to be on it's way out of the top ten dropping three places to number ten.

Gains

The biggest gain this week belonged to "Ride It' by Regard which jumped from twenty eight to eleven this week, will likely rise to the top ten next week whch is cool as I actually don't mind that song. 

What I do mind though is "Hot Girl Bummer' by Blackbear rising from thirty three to seventeen. Seriously, what the hell, Australia? We can't even make the song that this rips off a hit yet we make the rip off which is a misogynist piece of crap a hit. Ugh.

"Graveyard" by Halsey may not be good but I'll take it over Blackbear as it went up six places to thirty one.

Losers

Thankfully the biggest loser is also the turd that is "Ran$om" by Lil Tecca which feel from eighteen to thirty four. 

Another big loser was "Goodbyes" by Post Malone featuring Young Thug which dropped from thirteen to twenty eight...yikes.

Unfortunately though "Lover" by Taylor Swift dropped nine places to thirty nine and "Choir" by Guy ebastian dropped ten places to thirty seven.

"Don't Call Me Angel" by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey slumped nine places to thirrty...I am amazed they remembered to place this song on the chart with how forgettable it is.


Drop Outs

The drop outs are sadly all good songs with 2018 hit and re-entry last week "Youngblood" by 5 Seconds of Summer gone (probably clinched a place on this year's year end list though)

Clinching year end spots are "Wow" by Post Malone and "Money in the Grave" by Drake and Rick Ross. In the former's case, I like it but given "Circles" is better while in the latter's, it's decent.

Sadly "Little Things" by Jessica Mauboy also dropped off, it would be surprising if that somehow made the year end list.

New Entries

So we have four new entries this week, two I have already mentioned that being 'Highest In the Room" by Travis Scott at number three and "10,000 Hours" by Dan and Shay feat Justin Bieber at number four.

The other two new entries are much lower down the chart with the first of them being "Writing on the Wall" by French Montana feat. Post Malone and Cardi B...a song that effectively wastes both Post Malone and Cardi B.

Finally the last of the new entries comes from Diplo who has teamed up with the Jonas Brothers for "Lonely" which debuts at forty eight...a bad attempted country song. Seriously Diplo, if you are going to make a country album, actually get country artists onto these songs.

Anyway hopefully we get a better week next week, the chart updates at 5pm AEDT on Saturday. 













Charting 1996: 13th October: Spice Girls Wannabe in Top Ten

So I cannot help but think the chart is on the verge of some kind of major shift soon although lately it does feel like the chart has stalled especially when you look at our top ten where for yet another week "Macarena" by Los Del Rio remains at number one.

I would say "You're Makin' Me High" by Toni Braxton, which is stuck at number two, has a chance at number one but it is losing ground on sales and is coming under threat from "I'll be There for You" by The Remembrandts which went up one place to number three this week and could well go number two next week but it's also got competition from Donna Lewis who rode up two places to number four with "I Love You Always Forever"

All of this pushed back Los Del Mar feat Pedro Castano's version of "Macarena" back two places to number five.

Savage Garden's "I Want You" regained some lost ground moving up one place to number six meanwhile in some good news Jimmy Barnes also got a two place gain for "Lover Lover" to number seven.

Metallica have stabilised at number eight with "Hero of the Day" which is not the case for Mark Morrison's "Return of the Mack" which collapsed from five to nine.

Finally in one of the biggest moves of the week, "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls moved up from twenty four to break into the top ten at number ten, this song is going to be huge, mark my words. It's a gain that also feels pretty stereotypical of 1996 as a whole.

Gains 

So outside of the Spice Girls landing in the top ten, what else gained big this week? Kulcha's "Do You Like It?" jumped from thirty nine to eighteen while "Head over Feet" by Alanis Morisette climbed to twenty two from thirty five.

Celine Dion looks set for another hit with "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" jumping from twenty nine to twenty one.

"In Too Deep" by Belinda Carlisle climbed ten places to thirty one.

Re-Entries

So the returns come from Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy" at number forty one and Fun Loving Criminals song "Scooby Snacks" at forty six.

Losers

Unfortunately "Blue" by LeAnn Rimes slipped hard from twenty one to thirty eight while The Pet Shop Boys suffered an eight place drop with "Se a Vida e (That's the Way Life is)" to thirty four.

"I Love to Love"  by La Bouche collapsed to forty, former chart topper "Killing Me Softly" by Fugees slumped nine places to twenty nine and "Hit Me Off" by New Edition smacked down twelve places to twenty eight.

Finally "That Girl" by Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy hit number twenty.

New Entries

All three new entries are down the lower end of the chart this week with the best of them being Everclear's "Heartspark Dollarsign" entering at number forty three.

Eighties band Dead or Alive are back at forty three with a 1996 remix of "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)"

Finally English alternative rock group Republica have their first ARIA charting song with "Ready to Go" entering at number forty eight