Pop Sweep: September 27, 2014...


It's time to kick off the first of today's "chart sweeps", checking out the songs making their way on to the singles charts in Billboard magazine. As always, I'll start on the pop side of the house, then later move on to the newest in rock, R&B, country, and dance music. And away we go...

On the "big" chart, Billboard's Hot 100, which combines tallies of sales, internet streaming (like Spotify and YouTube), and radio airplay from all formats, Meghan Trainor stays on top for a second week with "All About That Bass"...

There are two big debuts in the top-40 this week. The winner is the first single from the upcoming sixth album from emo-pop-punk group Fall Out Boy, as "Centuries" comes in at #22. Yes, that's Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner" you hear at the beginning, leading to another rock-out from the band trying to compete with the glut of metalcore thrash as well as the bands imitating their early stuff while they delved into pop/dance hybrids. It becomes their eighth top-40 pop hit; in 2007 they made it to #2 with "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race"...


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The other big debut is from Scottish DJ and producer Calvin Harris, who places at #31 with "Blame" featuring John Newman on vocals. It follows up Calvin's "Summer", which went to #7 in the summer (natch) and now sits at #50. It's now his seventh top-40 pop hit in the U.S., while it's Newman's second after "Love Me Again" went to #30 last year. I'm a big fan of Newman's voice, but here it does seem a little rushed, but I'm glad to see him back on American radio again...


As Jason Aldean's sixth studio album Old Boots, New Dirt gets ready for release in October, the third preview from the set, "Two Night Town", makes its entry at #76. The official radio single, "Burnin' It Down", holds at #20...


Nick Jonas, one-third of the Jonas Brothers, returns at #78 with his latest solo offering "Jealous". Previously, apart from his siblings he scored a charting single with 'Introducing Me", a song from Camp Rock, which he appeared in, which peaked at #92 in 2010. Four years later, and here he is trying to usurp the Robin Thicke crown, and it's the most listenable thing from either Nick or his brothers in a long time...


Mid-aged rockers Train are back at #91 with "Angel In Blue Jeans", the first single from their seventh studio set Bulletproof Picasso. With drummer Scott Underwood departing, it leaves only lead singer Pat Monaham and guitarist Jimmy Stafford from the original lineup. The single is already at #8 on the Adult Top-40 radio chart. Since 1998 the band has accrued eight top-40 pop hits, with "Hey Soul Sister" reaching #3 in 2009. Of course, this sounds like most of all their hits since that one, combining hip catch-phrases with slight Latin undertones...


Rapper Lil' Jon attempts to capitalize off his featured role in DJ Snake's top-5 hit "Turn Down For What" with the song at #92, "Bend Ova" featuring rapper Tyga. He's had nine top-10 pop hits, with his cameo on Usher's "Yeah" going all the way to #1 in 2004. Of course, this is a trap carbon copy of "Turn Down..."


 As Meghan Trainor rules this chart, another cut from her EP Title, "Future Husband", arrives at #94. With the success of her "Bass", the retro party rolls on, like a suburban girl obsessed with Amy Winehouse...


And now on to the pop radio format charts....

On the Mainstream Top-40 radio panel, Charli XCX is on top for a third week with "Boom Clap", while the aforementioned Calvin Harris and Nick Jonas tracks come in at #34 and #37 respectively...

The third entry at #40 is the second single for British "boy-band" Rixton with "Wait On Me". It follows "Me And My Broken Heart", which made it to #6 on this list. Here they put on their best Maroon 5 impression...


Meanwhile, on the older-skewing Adult Top-40 format, the Maroon 5 boys themselves top the list for a second week with "Maps"...

German indie-folk duo Milky Chance jump in at #31 with "Stolen Dance", a song that's been to #1 at two different rock formats already...


The song that "Stolen Dance" replaces at #1 on the Modern Rock chart, "Riptide" from Australian singer/songwriter Vance Joy, also moves in at #37...


The third debut of the chart is a former #1 hit on the British singles chart. Ella Henderson, a former finalist on the X Factor UK, enters at #40 with "Ghost", the song that topped the list there for two weeks. Here's hoping she repeats the success of Leona Lewis and Olly Murs here, and it nabs my "Pop Pick of the Week"...


Lastly, on the Adult Contemporary (or "easy -listening") radio chart, Swedish duo Nico & Vinz move to #1 with "Am I Wrong"...

British pop songwriter Charli XCX crosses over to this format at #27 with her mainstream pop #1 "Boom Clap"...


Irish rockers the Script come in at #28 with "Superheroes". They went all the way to #1 on this list with "Breakeven"...


The last of the newbies here (all of which are top-20 hits on the Adult Top-40 list) is singer/songwriter Mary Lambert with her "Secrets"...


That's it for the beginning of today's musical journey...I'll be back in 90 minutes with the latest on rock radio....



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