HOME RUN FOR ‘HOUSETOP’: As predicted here last week, there is a new No. 1 song on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Kimberley Locke’s seasonal “Up on the Housetop” (Curb) advances 5-1 in its third chart week, becoming the fifth song in the history of this chart to reach the top in just three weeks.
Four of the five songs that have raced to pole position in three weeks are holiday tunes. The exception is Bob Carlisle’s “Butterfly Kisses,” which flew to No. 1 the week of May 24, 1997. The other songs that rushed to No. 1 before “Housetop” are NewSong’s “The Christmas Shoes” (Jan. 6, 2001), Josh Groban’s “O Holy Night” (Dec. 28, 2002) and Groban’s “Believe” (Dec. 11, 2004).
“Housetop” is the first No. 1 for the Curb label in eight years. LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live” began an 11-week reign on the chart dated Sept. 6, 1997.
This is Locke’s first AC No. 1, after peaking at No. 6 with “8th World Wonder” and No. 8 with “I Could.” It’s her third No. 1 in Billboard, following chart-topping success with “8th World Wonder” on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales and Hot Dance Singles Sales charts.
“Housetop” is only the fourth song to advance to No. 1 on the AC tally in 2005. The four songs that have ruled the AC list this calendar year are:
“Breakaway,” Kelly Clarkson (21 weeks)
“Lonely No More,” Rob Thomas (17 weeks)
“Home,” Michael Buble (two weeks)
“Up on the Housetop,” Kimberley Locke (one week to date)
That means only two female artists have been No. 1 on the AC chart in 2005, and both have been singers who first came to the public’s attention when they competed on “American Idol.”
Counting all charts compiled by the Billboard Information Group, this is the 80th No. 1 for the “American Idol” franchise. Eleven different solo contestants have reached the No. 1 spot on a Billboard chart, along with season ensembles. The breakdown is:
Kelly Clarkson, 27
Fantasia, 11
Ruben Studdard, 10
Clay Aiken, 8
Josh Gracin, 6
Carrie Underwood, 5
Kimberley Locke, 3
Bo Bice, 2
Diana DeGarmo, 1
Tamyra Gray, 1
William Hung, 1
American Idol Finalists, 5
‘DRUMMER’ BEATS ALL: Kimberley Locke’s “Up on the Housetop” isn’t the Curb label’s only holiday song making news on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart this week. “Little Drummer Boy” by Asbury Park, N.J.-based Latin rock group deSol enters the tally at No. 6. That’s the highest debut in AC history, beating the record set exactly one year ago when James Taylor bowed at No. 9 with “Deck the Halls.”
One major difference: “Deck the Halls” was Taylor’s 35th entry on the AC survey. “Little Drummer Boy” is the first deSol title to appear on this list.
BIG ‘WHEEL’ KEEPS ON TURNING: The “American Idol” franchise is also doing well on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, where Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” (Arista) is the seventh song by an “Idol” contestant to chart, and the fourth to reach the top 10.
“Jesus, Take the Wheel” drives 11-8 this week. The other three top 10 country “Idol” songs were all by Josh Gracin. “I Want to Live,” “Nothin’ to Lose” and “Stay With Me (Brass Bed)” all reached the top 5. “Jesus, Take the Wheel” is Underwood’s third song to chart on the country tally, following “Bless the Broken Road” with Rascal Flatts and “Inside Your Heaven.” The seventh “Idol” song to appear on the country survey was Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This.”
CHAMPIONSHIP DANCING: Madonna’s “Hung Up” (Warner Bros.) is No. 1 for the sixth week on Billboard’s Hot Dance Airplay chart. That puts “Hung Up” into a four-way tie for the longest-running chart-topper of the calendar year.
Of the songs that advanced to No. 1 during 2005, three others also managed six-week runs at No. 1. They are: “Since U Been Gone,” Kelly Clarkson; “One Word,” Kelly Osbourne and “Don’t Cha” by the Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes.
HAT TRICK: A 12-7 move on the Billboard Hot 100 for “Don’t Forget About Us” (Island) gives Mariah Carey a third top 10 hit from her album “The Emancipation of Mimi” (“Forget” comes from a revised version of the CD), following “We Belong Together” and “Shake It Off.”
This is the first time that Carey has had three top 10 hits from one album in more than nine years. The “Daydream” CD yielded three top 10 hits in 1995-1996: “Fantasy,” “One Sweet Day” (recorded with Boyz II Men) and “Always Be My Baby.”
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