Syco Music/Sony Music Entertainment's star-packed charity cover of R.E.M. [1]'s "Everybody Hurts," rush-released under the name Helping Haiti to raise funds for victims of the Haiti earthquake, stormed to No. 1 on the new U.K. singles chart.
Alicia Keys [2]' "The Element of Freedom" (J/Sony) started a second week atop the album chart last night (Feb. 14).
Helping Haiti, hastily convened by Syco supremo Simon Cowell, sold 453,000 copies last week to become the U.K.'s fastest-selling charity single of this century.
It features the vocals of Syco artists Alexandra Burke [3], Leona Lewis [4], Susan Boyle [5] and Joe McElderry, Cowell's fellow "X Factor" judge Cheryl Cole, plus Kylie Minogue [6], Robbie Williams [7], Rod Stewart [8], Mariah Carey [9], Miley Cyrus [10], Gary Barlow and Mark Owen of Take That [11], Mika [12], Michael Bublé [13], James Morrison [14], Jon Bon Jovi [15], James Blunt [16] and two members each of JLS [17] and Westlife [18].
R.E.M.'s original version of the song reached No. 7 in the U.K. in 1993.
After three weeks at the singles summit, Owl City [19]'s "Fireflies" (Universal Island) thus fell to No. 2, as "If We Ever Meet Again" (Interscope/Universal) by Timbaland [20] featuring Katy Perry [21] held at No. 3. Keys climbed again, 5-4, with "Empire State of Mind Part II."
As their cover of Journey [22]'s "Don't Stop Believin'" (Epic/Sony Music Entertainment) fell 4-5, the cast of hit TV series "Glee [23]" scored two more substantial hits, as "Halo"/"Walking on Sunshine" debuted at No. 9 and "It's My Life"/"Confessions Pt II" at No. 14.
Beneath Keys on the album chart, Andre Rieu [24]'s "Forever Vienna" (Decca/Universal) held at No. 2 and Paolo Nutini [25]'s "Sunny Side Up" (Atlantic/Warner Music) at No. 3. Two heavy-hitting British acts made top ten debuts, Sade [26]'s "Soldier of Love" (RCA/Sony Music Entertainment), new at No. 4 and Massive Attack [27]'s "Heligoland" (Virgin/EMI) at No. 6.
George Benson [28]'s "Classic Love Songs" (Rhino/Warner Music) made an eye-catching 30-13 climb.
- News [29]
