Weekly Chart Notes: Bruno Mars, Black Eyed Peas, Tim McGraw
What does Mars have in common with the likes of Andy Gibb, Rick Astley ... and Diddy? Read on for more about their places in Hot 100 history.
MARS’ RETURN TRIP: Bruno Mars becomes the sixth solo male in the Billboard Hot 100‘s 52-year history to send his first two radio singles as a lead act to No. 1, as “Grenade” ignites 2-1.
Mars first topped the Hot 100 as a lead artist with “Just the Way You Are” for four weeks in October.
He had arrived as a featured singer on B.o.B‘s “Nothin’ On You,” which spent two weeks at No. 1 in May, and Travie McCoy‘s “Billionaire,” which reached No. 4 in June.
Here is a look at the select six lead male artists to storm the Hot 100’s top spot with their first two radio tracks:
Andy Gibb (the only member of the exclusive club to reign with his first three chart entries)
“I Just Want to Be Your Everything,” four weeks, 1977
“(Love Is) Thicker Than Water,” two weeks, 1977
“Shadow Dancing,” seven weeks, 1977
Lionel Richie
“Endless Love” (Lionel Richie & Diana Ross), nine weeks, 1981
“Truly,” two weeks, 1981
Peter Cetera
“Glory of Love,” two weeks, 1986
“The Next Time I Fall” (with Amy Grant), one week, 1986
Rick Astley
“Never Gonna Give You Up,” two weeks, 1988
“Together Forever,” one week, 1988
Diddy
“Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” (Puff Daddy featuring Mase), six weeks, 1997
“I’ll Be Missing You” (Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112), 11 weeks, 1997
Bruno Mars
“Just the Way You Are,” four weeks, 2010
“Grenade,” one week to-date, 2010
Of the six artists, two first famously built their Hot 100 resumes as lead singers of iconic groups. Richie charted 19 titles, including two No. 1s, with the Commodores from 1974 to 1982. Cetera made 19 Hot 100 appearances with Chicago, also notching two No. 1s, between 1969 and 1985.
‘FIREWORK’ DISPLAY: Though “Grenade” takes out Katy Perry‘s “Firework” on the Hot 100, the latter combustible composition shoots 2-1 on Pop Songs.
“Firework” is the fifth No. 1 on the Nielsen BDS-based mainstream top 40 radio airplay chart for Perry (aka, Moe Szyslak’s new galpal on “The Simpsons”). She banked two leaders from “One of the Boys”: “Hot N Cold” (three weeks, 2008) and “Waking Up in Vegas” (two, 2009).
“Firework” is the third No. 1 from her follow-up, “Teenage Dream,” following “California Gurls,” featuring Snoop Dogg (seven weeks), and the title cut (four).
“Teenage Dream” is the seventh album since the Pop Songs chart launched in 1992 to yield at least three No. 1s. The set joins Justin Timberlake‘s “FutureSex/LoveSounds” (2006-07), Lady Gaga‘s “The Fame” (2009) (four leaders each), Ace of Base‘s “The Sign” (1993-94), Alanis Morissette‘s “Jagged Little Pill” (1996), Jennifer Lopez‘s “J. Lo” (2001-02) and Avril Lavigne‘s “Let Go” (2002-03).
‘TIME”S UP: Bookending the top 10 on Pop Songs, the Black Eyed Peas‘ “The Time (Dirty Bit)” advances 11-10.
With the jump, the quartet collects its 10th top 10 on the tally, the highest sum among groups in the chart’s archives. The act, which first reached the top 10 with the No. 1 “Where is the Love?” in 2003, passes Backstreet Boys‘ and ‘N Sync‘s nine Pop Songs top 10s apiece.
‘GOOD’ NEWS: A week after Reba McEntire collected her 24th No. 1 on Country Songs, “Turn on the Radio,” Tim McGraw does the same, as “Felt Good on My Lips” lifts 3-1.
McEntire and McGraw share the 10th-highest total of toppers in the 67-year archives of Country Songs:
44, George Strait
40, Conway Twitty
38, Merle Haggard
35, Ronnie Milsap
32, Alabama
29, Charlie Pride
28, Eddy Arnold
26, Alan Jackson
25, Dolly Parton
24, Reba McEntire
24, Tim McGraw
With “Southern Voice” having reigned the week of Jan. 30, 2010, McGraw completes his quickest span of Country Songs leaders since “Live Like You Were Dying” and “Back When” ruled five months apart in 2004.
JIMMY JAMS: While “Saturday Night Live” cast member Andy Samberg enters the Hot 100 as one-third of Lonely Island, whose “I Just Had Sex,” featuring Akon, soars in as the chart’s Hot Shot Debut at No. 30, a fellow late night NBC star, and “Saturday Night Live” alum, bows on Comedy Digital Songs.
“Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon’s “Drunk on Christmas” stumbles onto the tally at No. 3. The live recording features accompanying vocals by country singer John Rich.
The song marks Fallon’s first charted recording since his debut album of songs and stand-up, “The Bathroom Wall,” peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard 200 in 2002.
The top six spots, in fact, on Comedy Digital Songs belong to current or former “Saturday Night Live” funnymen. The Lonely Island places at Nos. 1 (“I Just Had Sex”), 2 (“I’m on a Boat,” featuring T-Pain), 5 (“J**z in My Pants”) and 6 (“Like a Boss”) and Adam Sandler‘s “The Chanukah Song” ranks at No. 4.
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