While Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger,” featuring Christina Aguilera, spends a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Rihanna and LMFAO make strong cases for future chart domination with their latest singles.
Rihanna charges onto the Hot 100 at No. 16 with “We Found Love” (featuring Scottish DJ Calvin Harris), the first single from her forthcoming sixth studio album. Island Def Jam has not yet confirmed the title of the set, due Nov. 21.
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The club-thumping “Found” enters Hot Digital Songs at No. 7 with first-week download sales of 117,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and Hot 100 Airplay at No. 75 with 14 million out-of-the-box impressions, according to Nielsen BDS. With the song having been released digitally and to radio Thursday (Sept. 22), next week’s charts will reflect the song’s first full week of sales and airplay activity.
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“Found” ties for the second-highest debut of Rihanna’s 31 career Hot 100 entries. She started at a loftier rank only as a guest on Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie,” which soared in at No. 2 the week of July 10, 2010, before spending seven weeks at the summit. Rihanna’s “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour),” with Jay-Z and Bono, also opened at No. 16 (Feb. 6, 2010).
LMFAO concurrently rockets 25-10 as the Hot 100’s Greatest Gainer/ Digital with “Sexy and I Know It.” The song bounds 15-6 on Hot Digital Songs with 139,000 downloads sold (up 97%). Early radio support is likewise encouraging, as “Sexy” blasts 67-45 in its second week on Hot 100 Airplay (27 million, up 55%).
The pair’s previous single, “Party Rock Anthem,” featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock, led the Hot 100 for six weeks (this week holding at No. 4). At just four chart weeks, “Sexy” surges to the Hot 100’s top 10 in less than half the time (nine weeks) it took “Anthem” to reach the top tier.
Rihanna and LMFAO share a degree of separation: “Found” featured artist Harris also guests on “Reminds Me of You” on LMFAO’s “Sorry for Party Rocking” album.
As Rihanna sets up her next album, “Cheers (Drink to That),” from her most recent release “Loud,” reaches a new Hot 100 peak, rising 8-7. The song dips, however, in digital sales (114,000, down 5%) and airplay (60 million, down 6%).
“Jagger,” meanwhile, maintains its command over the Hot 100. The track strengthens its stronghold by posting gains atop Hot 100 Airplay (131 million, up 6%) and Hot Digital Songs (233,000, up 5%), marking the song’s best weekly audience and sales sums to-date.
Former Hot 100 No. 1 “Someone Like You” by Adele places at No. 2 for a third week with Greatest Gainer/Airplay honors for a third time in four weeks. The piano ballad (also being played in remixed form) rockets 9-2 on Hot 100 Airplay, improving by 26% to 106 million. The cut’s seven-spot jump on the radio ranking is the greatest to the top two in the chart’s 21-year history; only Kanye West’s “Stronger” (7-1, Oct. 6, 2007) had risen as many as six positions to the top two.
On Hot Digital Songs, “Someone” tallies a third frame at No. 2 (201,000, up 1%) after ruling the chart three weeks ago.
Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” holds at No. 3 on the Hot 100 for a fifth week. The song pushes 8-6 on Hot 100 Airplay (96 million, up 6%) and remains at No. 3 on Hot Digital Songs (177,000, down 5%).
Below LMFAO’s “Anthem,” Gym Class Heroes’ “Stereo Hearts,” featuring Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine (5-5), and, Bad Meets Evil’s “Lighters,” featuring Bruno Mars (6-6), round out the Hot 100’s static top six.
Between Rihanna’s “Cheers” at No. 7 and LMFAO’s “Sexy” at No. 10 on the Hot 100 are Lady Gaga’s “You and I” (10-8) and Cobra Starship’s “You Make Me Feel…,” featuring Sabi (7-9).
All charts, including the Hot 100, Hot Digital Songs and Hot 100 Airplay, will be refreshed tomorrow (Sept. 22) on Billboard.biz.