Chicago's DJ Casper went to No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart yesterday (March 14), an especially notable achievement as his "Cha Cha Slide" (All Around The World) was not a new entry but a climber from No. 2. Katie Melua continued to lead an increasingly adult contemporary-dominated album chart with "Call off the Search" (Dramatico).
The feat of moving up to No. 1 has only been achieved twice in the last five years of British singles chart history, most recently by DJ Otzi's "Hey Baby" in 2001. "Cha Cha Slide" began life as an aerobic workout song before becoming a dance hit for Casper, whose real name is Willie Perry. It traded places with last week's No. 1, Britney Spears' "Toxic" (Jive).
Jennifer Lopez's "Baby I Love You" (Epic) entered at No. 3, followed by "Not in Love" by Enrique Iglesias featuring Kelis (Interscope/Polydor) at No. 5. "Hey Mama," the latest single from Black Eyed Peas' multi-platinum "Elephunk" album (A&M), opened at No. 6.
There was also a career-best No. 11 entry for "Stacy's Mom" (Virgin) by Fountains Of Wayne, whose previous U.K. best was the No. 32 peak of their 1997 single "Radiation Vibe." U.K. jazz sensation Jamie Cullum, whose double platinum "Twentysomething" album (UCJ) moved up 5-4, enjoys his first substantial hit single, as "These Are the Days" debuted at No. 12.
Melua's album still holds off Norah Jones' "Feels Like Home" (Blue Note/Parlophone), as five prominent new entries give the album chart an even more pronounced older-demographic flavor. Irish crooner Daniel O'Donnell, who continues to sell vast quantities of albums and concert tickets despite being shunned by almost all mainstream U.K. media, opened at No. 3 with "The Jukebox Years" (DMG TV). Lionel Richie, new at No. 20 on the singles list with "Just for You," arrived at No. 5 with the Mercury album of the same name.
Harry Connick Jr.'s latest set of standards, "Only You" (Columbia), entered at No. 6, his best-ever U.K ranking, beating the No. 7 peak of his first chart album in Britain, "We Are in Love." Just shy of his 68th birthday, Engelbert Humperdinck came in at No. 7 with "His Greatest Love Songs" (UMTV). His second top 10 album of the decade following the No. 5 success "At His Very Best" in 2000, the compilation was prompted by Humperdinck's recent appearance in a popular, lighthearted TV beer commercial, in which he sings his 1967 smash "Release Me."
Also turning up the adult contemporary feel on the new British chart was Barry Manilow, whose "Ultimate Manilow" (Arista) came in at No. 11. That's his best showing since "A Touch More Magic" reached No. 10 in 1983.
Jones' current and previous releases maintain their lock on the European Top 100 Albums chart, with "Feels Like Home" at No. 1 and its predecessor "Come Away With Me" at No. 2, although in Ireland, the previous album notably replaces the new set at the top. Spears' "Toxic" (Jive) is new at the top of the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles survey.
The feat of moving up to No. 1 has only been achieved twice in the last five years of British singles chart history, most recently by DJ Otzi's "Hey Baby" in 2001. "Cha Cha Slide" began life as an aerobic workout song before becoming a dance hit for Casper, whose real name is Willie Perry. It traded places with last week's No. 1, Britney Spears' "Toxic" (Jive).
Jennifer Lopez's "Baby I Love You" (Epic) entered at No. 3, followed by "Not in Love" by Enrique Iglesias featuring Kelis (Interscope/Polydor) at No. 5. "Hey Mama," the latest single from Black Eyed Peas' multi-platinum "Elephunk" album (A&M), opened at No. 6.
There was also a career-best No. 11 entry for "Stacy's Mom" (Virgin) by Fountains Of Wayne, whose previous U.K. best was the No. 32 peak of their 1997 single "Radiation Vibe." U.K. jazz sensation Jamie Cullum, whose double platinum "Twentysomething" album (UCJ) moved up 5-4, enjoys his first substantial hit single, as "These Are the Days" debuted at No. 12.
Melua's album still holds off Norah Jones' "Feels Like Home" (Blue Note/Parlophone), as five prominent new entries give the album chart an even more pronounced older-demographic flavor. Irish crooner Daniel O'Donnell, who continues to sell vast quantities of albums and concert tickets despite being shunned by almost all mainstream U.K. media, opened at No. 3 with "The Jukebox Years" (DMG TV). Lionel Richie, new at No. 20 on the singles list with "Just for You," arrived at No. 5 with the Mercury album of the same name.
Harry Connick Jr.'s latest set of standards, "Only You" (Columbia), entered at No. 6, his best-ever U.K ranking, beating the No. 7 peak of his first chart album in Britain, "We Are in Love." Just shy of his 68th birthday, Engelbert Humperdinck came in at No. 7 with "His Greatest Love Songs" (UMTV). His second top 10 album of the decade following the No. 5 success "At His Very Best" in 2000, the compilation was prompted by Humperdinck's recent appearance in a popular, lighthearted TV beer commercial, in which he sings his 1967 smash "Release Me."
Also turning up the adult contemporary feel on the new British chart was Barry Manilow, whose "Ultimate Manilow" (Arista) came in at No. 11. That's his best showing since "A Touch More Magic" reached No. 10 in 1983.
Jones' current and previous releases maintain their lock on the European Top 100 Albums chart, with "Feels Like Home" at No. 1 and its predecessor "Come Away With Me" at No. 2, although in Ireland, the previous album notably replaces the new set at the top. Spears' "Toxic" (Jive) is new at the top of the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles survey.
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