‘BOW’ WOWS: It’s getting to be a habit with Rihanna. Her “Take a Bow” (SRP/Def Jam) rockets 53-1 on the Hot 100, the third giant leap on that tally in her career. That’s the second-biggest jump to the top in Hot 100 history.
The record was set one year ago, when Maroon 5 flew 64-1 with “Makes Me Wonder.” Coincidentally, Maroon 5 has a new single debuting on this week’s chart — with featured artist Rihanna. Their collaboration on “If I Never See Your Face Again” (A&M/Octone) is new at No. 57.
The steep arc of “Take a Bow” bests Rihanna’s two previous journeys to the penthouse. In May 2006, “SOS” dashed its way from 34-1. In June 2007, “Umbrella” flew 41-1.
Here is a list of the songs that have jumped from below No. 30 to No. 1 in a single powerful bound:
64-1 “Makes Me Wonder,” Maroon 5 (May 12, 2007)
53-1 “Take a Bow,” Rihanna (May 24, 2008)
52-1 “A Moment Like This,” Kelly Clarkson (Oct. 5, 2002)
42-1 “Give It to Me,” Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake (April 21, 2007)
41-1 “Umbrella,” Rihanna featuring Jay-Z (June 9, 2007)
34-1 “SOS,” Rihanna (May 13, 2006)
32-1 “This Is Why I’m Hot,” Mims (March 10, 2007)
31-1 “SexyBack,” Justin Timberlake (Sept. 9, 2006)
Including “Take a Bow” and “If I Never See Your Face Again,” Rihanna has had 11 chart entries. Her career began with “Pon de Replay,” which entered the Hot 100 the week of June 11, 2005.
FLYING HIGHER THAN ‘SEAGULL’: Almost 42 years after making his Billboard album chart debut, Neil Diamond has his first No. 1. “Home After Dark” (Columbia) goes where no Diamond album has gone before, entering The Billboard 200 at the apex. That bests Diamond’s previous highest position; he peaked at No. 2 in 1973 with the soundtrack to “Jonathan Livingston Seagull.”
The Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter made his album chart debut the week of Oct. 29, 1966, with “The Feel of Neil Diamond,” which featured his first three chart singles, “Solitary Man,” “Cherry, Cherry” and “I Got the Feelin’ (Oh No, No).” “Feel” peaked at No. 137. Diamond didn’t crack the top 10 until 1970, when a greatest hits collection, “Neil Diamond/Gold,” checked in at No. 10. In 1972, “Moods” became his first top-five title, peaking at No. 5, as did the follow-up, the classic live double-LP “Hot August Night.” Diamond’s next turn in the top 10 was the “Seagull” album.
In November 2005, Diamond had his first top 10 album in 13 years, when “12 Songs” went to No. 4. “Home After Dark” thus gives Neil two consecutive top five albums for the first time since the mid-’70s, when “Serenade” peaked at No. 3 and “Beautiful Noise” registered at No. 4.
NEW KIDS IN TOWN: They’re back on the block. Almost 20 years after making their Billboard chart debut, the New Kids On The Block return. “Summertime” (Interscope) enters the Pop 100 at No. 81. The group was last on the music charts with the album “Face the Music,” which debuted and peaked at No. 37 in February 1994.
If “Summertime” heats up enough to debut on the Hot 100, it will be the first New Kids On The Block single to chart since “Dirty Dawg” settled for No. 66 in 1994.
DOUBLE PLAY: Back in 1989, New Kids On The Block pulled off a rare chart feat when two singles debuted on the Hot 100 in the same week. That’s not so unusual now, but when their remake of the Delfonics’ “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” and the original “Cover Girl” entered at Nos. 62 and 68, respectively, the week of Sept. 16, 1989, it hadn’t been done a lot.
It’s still rare today to have two songs debut inside the top 40 portion of the Hot 100 in the same week, but not impossible, as Coldplay proves with the No. 15 debut of “Viva La Vida” (Capitol) and the No. 40 entry of “Violet Hill.” It’s reminiscent of another double–top 40 entry that took place when the Beatles’ “Something” opened at No. 20 and “Come Together” bowed at No. 23 the week of Oct. 18, 1969. The two songs were on the same Apple single, and with a change of chart policy, were combined as one title the week of Nov. 29, 1969.
So far in 2008, 10 songs have debuted in the top 40 portion of the Hot 100. Coldplay is the only act to have more than one of those 10 debuts. Here is a list of those titles:
No. 9 “New Soul,” Yael Naim (Feb. 16)
No. 9 “Forever,” Chris Brown (May 10)
No. 14 “Leavin’,” Jesse McCartney (May 10)
No. 15 “Viva La Vida,” Coldplay (May 24)
No. 18 “What About Now,” Daughtry (April 26)
No. 22 “Beat It,” Fall Out Boy featuring John Mayer (April 12)
No. 23 “Bye Bye,” Mariah Carey (May 3)
No. 27 “Praying for Time,” Carrie Underwood (April 26)
No. 37 “Nude,” Radiohead (April 19)
No. 40 “Violet Hill,” Coldplay (May 24)
While a No. 15 debut is impressive, “Viva La Vida” is not Coldplay’s highest new entry. In May 2005, “Speed of Sound” arrived at No. 8.
177 AND COUNTING: It might not be long before the Davids — Archuleta and Cook — have their own No. 1s on the Billboard charts, adding to the grand total of “American Idol” No. 1s racked up since 2002. But even without their contributions, the total increases by one this week, as Clay Aiken’s “On My Way Here” (19/RCA) debuts at No. 1 on Top Internet Albums. That is the 177th No. 1 for the “Idol” franchise, counting all national, domestic charts compiled by the Billboard Information Group.
The 176th No. 1 is still topping a chart — Daughtry’s “Feels Like Tonight” still leads the Adult Top 40 list.
ALL BY MYSELF: Take a careful look at the top 10 albums on The Billboard 200. Notice anything? No? All right, here are the 10 artists in this week’s top 10: Neil Diamond, Toby Keith, Madonna, Clay Aiken, Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, Gavin DeGraw, Josh Groban, Dierks Bentley and Luis Miguel.
How about now?
Sharp-eyed Chart Beat readers will have noticed that every album in the top 10 is by a solo artist. There are no groups, soundtracks or multi-artist collections.
How rare is it for the top 10 albums to be by 10 different solo artists? So unique that our chart department hasn’t been able to find any other album chart like this one yet, and they’ve already checked back to 1963.
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