Category: Tim’s Top 20

So there’s no change at the top tier. Madonna remains at the top for a 2nd week with “Medellin”, helped no end by the release of the $5 million performance the Queen of Pop paid for at the Billboard Music Awards. There are 4 more tracks to be released from “Madame X” before its full release on 14th June, including “I Rise”, which was released on 3rd May. Will Madonna manage to replace herself at the top of next week’s chart?

Although I slated Pink’s new album in last weekend’s review section, for being too bland or too crass, never knowing quite what it wants to be, the lead single is still a great stand-out track. It’s the runner-up for a 2nd week in a row. Her collaboration with Cash Cash also amazingly manages a 3rd week down the bottom end, clinging on for dear life.

Unperfect released their debut EP last week and their single “Gots To Give The Girl” benefits the most on this chart, following the inclusion of a new mix on the 5-track collection. The track is the current record holder for most returns to the chart after dropping out of it, with 3 returns since its initial release in January. The girl group also holds this week’s most entries with Marina, at 3 apiece. Marina hit #5 on the album chart with “Love + Fear” which is excellent as the album is gorgeous.

Now, here’s something I never thought I’d type. Bruce Springsteen has the highest new entry on Tim’s Top 20 this week with “Hello Sunshine”. It received a glowing review on the Smash or Gash page I posted last weekend.

That’s all for this week. Just before I sign off though, please tune in to my brand new programme “The Super Sunday Show” on Rhondda Radio. You can tune in on 106.1FM in the Rhondda Fawr, online at http://www.rhonddaradio.webeden.co.uk or through the Tune In app from Sunday 12th May 7pm BST.

So this week there are 3 new entries, 5 climbers, 11 droppers and 1 non-mover.

Following the release of the video, the shambles of an MTV interview and a full week of plays, Madonna and Maluma’s “Medellin” climbs 9 places to the top spot. In contrast, the single has hit the UK charts at her lowest ever entry position, #88. At least it hit #32 on the sales component chart, for what it’s worth.

All things considered that isn’t too bad at all. How many other 60 year-olds can say they are entering the singles chart in the first place? I can only think of Cliff off the top of my head. Even McCartney couldn’t shake the charts up last year when he released “Egypt Station” and nobody said anything bad so, all the people who say she’s flopping are just buying into misogynistic propaganda still strong in 2019. Bravo Madame X!

Pink’s album Hurts 2 B Human was released yesterday. I’ll be reviewing it on my next blog post, Smash or Gash. While the other promo singles have not been big hitters on the chart yet, “Walk Me Home” now hits its highest position to date, up to #2 in its 10th week. This has been helped by the release of a remix by R3hab.

Marina’s album has finally been released in full after half of it was unleashed online 2 weeks ago. Yet another track from it, “Orange Trees” is the highest new entry on Tim’s Top 20. The album will be reviewed in this week’s Smash or Gash blog post.

Daddy Yankee enters the chart with the help of Katy Perry, who also helps Zedd spend a 6th week on the chart this week. It’s a clever strategy considering her last album “Witness” was a bit of a blemish in her career.

Finally, Beyonce’s “Formation” enters the chart 3 years after its physical release after it was unleashed onto digital streaming services as an Easter treat. Its parent album “Lemonade” has also re-entered the UK chart at #11. Who run the world? This has clearly been answered now.

It’s a very good Friday on this week’s chart, with the return of the Queen of Pop as well as the biggest supergroup since The Travelin Wilburys. 7 new entries, 2 re-entries, 1 non-mover, 3 climbers and 7 droppers make up this week’s chart.

After a 45-week absence, Labrinth, Sia and Diplo’s supergroup return to the chart and back on top as supergroup LSD following the release of their 10-track long player last week. “Genius” is the highest entry of the album’s 3 that appear on this week’s top 20, the other 2 being the album’s title track and the album’s 2nd single, released originally at the tail end of 2018. The album is a perfectly colourful fusion of pop, soul and electronic squelchiness you’d expect from the coming together of these 3 music powerhouses in their own right.

Sadly, the album is likely to miss the UK top 40 altogether. Another example of the project’s record label, Syco, losing the plot when it comes to promotion…or lack of.

Also re-entering due to the release of an album I’m glad I didn’t buy in the end, is the first single from Emma Bunton’s “My Happy Place” album, which is set to appear in the top 20 of the UK chart this week. Had 8 of the 10 tracks not been pound shop PA cover versions of random songs, and she’d done a whole album of original songs in the same vain as “Baby, Please Don’t Stop” we may be having a completely different narrative here now.

Madonna is BACK!!!! “Medellin” sounds like a natural progression from 2015’s “Rebel Heart”, fused with a more mature and refined take on radio of the last 2 years, making the release of the album “Madame X” on June 14th very exciting indeed. It won’t be a hit in its own right in the long run but, how many 60 year-olds can say their new single hit #2 on the global itunes chart within 48 hours of release? Bow down, bitches!

Also back is the Swindon songstress whose affected whine normally makes me switch off. However, like the Fifty Shades song before it, the production behind “Sixteen” gives Ellie Goulding a very strong start on the top 20. There are a lot of songs that are coming out at the moment that are blending EDM with 4/4 rhythms and banishing the minimalist plinky plonky bullshit of the last few years (refer to Justin Bieber or Ed’s “Shape Of You” etc.) to the pop dustbin hopefully forever. I wouldn’t be surprised if Max Martin had something to do with “Sixteen”, it’s very well produced.

Finally, I’m late to the party when it comes to Billie Eilish. I heard 10 seconds of “Wish You Were Gay”, thought I summed her up already and didn’t listen to her anymore. But, a colleague at work recommended “Bad Guy” to me and I’m now hooked. I haven’t given the album a listen yet. That will probably be later in the week.

COMING SOON:

There’s no Smash or Gash this week as there’s nothing new out worth mentioning.

I’ll be on the radio every Sunday very soon! More information as soon as I know.

Happy Easter!

Let’s start with the number 1 then. It suffered a false start upon release of the comparatively plain original mix, spending just a week in the chart albeit at #3. The remixes of Zedd and Katy Perry’s collaboration have slowly but surely got it to the summit after a 3-week climb up the chart once again.

The song that just won’t go away- Heat by Kelly Clarkson was released on her 2017 album and now spends it’s 13th week of yo-yoing about the chart. It ties for the longest chart run of the week with last week’s number one artist Westlife. While “Hello My Love” lingers around the bottom end after a successful run up the top, “Better Man” quickly slips from 1 to 5 this week. Their new album “Spectrum” now has a release date of 6th September.

Marina of the Diamond variety surprise-released half her new album a week ago and as a result, she has the most entries on this week’s chart. “Love” is likely to be a contender for album of the year.

Calvin Harris marked the 10th anniversary of his first UK charttopper “I’m Not Alone” with the release of a remix package last week. With minimal help from the mixes but a large number of plays of the remastered original mix, it enters at 3.

The Dido and Francis Rossi strangleholds are almost over with just one entry between them in this week’s rundown.

COMING SOON:

Smash Or Gash- reviews of new releases from Sia, Labrinth & Diplo, plus Avicii and Emma Bunton.

Record Store Day aftermath.

So this week there are 4 new entries, 7 re-entries from the top 10 format, 3 climbers, 2 non-movers and 4 droppers.

Kelly Clarkson remains on top with the remix collection for “Heat” still making a great impact.

Further down, the brand new girl group from Xenomania (Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Cher) Unperfect, make a great start with something so anti-Xenomania yet at the same time has an unusual structure for a pop song. There are lots of things to love about Gots To Give The Girl: The lead vocals, the low harmonies in the last passage which, in any other song would be a middle-8, the subtlety of every element of the song.

Dido has released a trio of brilliant singles from her forthcoming album. It feels like she’s really going for a commercial return to her sound, that has been missing since Sand in my Shoes, the final single from 2003’s Life For Rent album.

Little Mix hit 10 weeks on the chart with Woman Like Me. The LM5 era hasn’t connected with the general public the way their previous 2 eras did. Maybe a break would be good for them…saying that, their best singles came from before their commercial peak. Perhaps there’s another Wings or Move in them yet…If they want one.

1(RE) Kelly Clarkson Heat (2 weeks) (4-OUTx24-1-)
2(1) Westlife Hello My Love (3 weeks) (9-1-2-)
3(8) That Kid Take It Off (2 weeks) (8-3-)
4(RE) Emily Blunt A Cover is Not the Book (3 weeks) (3-10-OUTx1-4-)
5(4) Calvin Harris & Rag ‘n’ Bone Man Giant (2 weeks) (4-5-)
6(6) Kyunchi Regina George (4 weeks) (2-1-6-6-)
7(RE) Dido Friends (2 weeks) (6-OUTx3-7-)
8(NE) Ariana Grande 7 Rings **HIGHEST NEW ENTRY**
9(3) Little Mix Think About Us (2 weeks) (3-9-)
10(5) Little Mix Strip (2 weeks) (5-10-)

Commentary

Tim’s Top 10 has been a self-indulgent chart I’ve published on and off for 18 years. It’s been used as a feature on numerous radio shows I’ve hosted or co-hosted and is currently contributing to Buzzjack.com and its weekly forum members’ collaborative top 75.

The top 10 is based on Spotify streams of songs released within the last 12 months or, newly promoted in the form of a new release campaign or remix package. From the first chart on my blog (this one) I’m allowing re-entries which I hadn’t before. This will help slow-burners have the eventual exposure it may have missed otherwise from my attempts at keeping it as fresh as possible. I’ve also scrapped my previous rule of 2 tracks per artist per week. If someone releases 10 bangers that all get enough plays then that someone will now have all 10 positions though I can assure you Ed Sheeran or Drake domination it will not be!

Kicking off my commentary for this week’s chart, Kelly Clarkson’s HEAT originally made the chart for one week in September on the back of a funky remix by Luke Solomon. 2019 starts with a deluge of wicked mixes which has helped boost interest in the original mix, first released in 2017 but first promoted as a single in summer 2018. HEAT has received 9 plays this week and re-enters the chart right on top!

Westlife climbed fast to #1 last week and a further 8 plays of their new song this week help it only drop 1 place. A new acoustic version, more akin to their stools and key change era, should help keep it at least top 5 for next week too.

Allowing re-entries has led Ariana’s UK #1 single 7 RINGS to enter TT10 at a relatively lowly #8. Prior rules would have enabled it to enter at #5 after 3 curiosity plays on the back of her name. Sadly, I think she will not be in the chart for a 2nd week. This song is certainly not one of my favourite things.

Some songs that will likely receive a look-in next week include Adelphi Music Factory’s 90s throwback JAVELIN and Xenomania’s new girl group proteges Unperfect’s debut single GOTS TO GIVE THE GIRL.

But that’s next Friday 1 February.

Thanks for reading.