Pop Sweep: February 21, 2015...


It's time to kick off the first of today's five "chart sweeps", checking out the songs making their way on to the various radio and club charts in Billboard magazine. As usual I'll start on the pop side of things, and then later in the day cover the latest in rock, R&B, country, and dance music. And away we go...

On the "big" chart, Billboard's Hot 100, which combines tallies of internet streaming (like Spotify and YouTube), radio airplay from all formats, and sales (like iTunes and Amazon), "Uptown Funk!" from Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars spends a sixth week at #1. Also, due to her appearance as a guest on the Super Bowl half-time show, Missy Elliot brings back two of her classics into the top-40 as "Work It" re-enters at #35 and "Get Ur Freak On" lands at #40. The previous spent ten weeks at #2 in 2002, tying the record for weeks in the runner-up spot set by Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You" in 1982.

The highest "debut" on the chart at #54 comes from rapper Big Sean, whose former #1 R&B hit "I Don't F**k With You" peaked at #11 on the Hot 100 and this week falls to #19. His latest, "Blessings", features Drake and Kanye West, and comes from his upcoming third album Dark Sky Paradise, which will be released on the 24th...


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Four-time Grammy winner Sam Smith comes in at #75 with "Lay Me Down" (my "Pop Pick of the Week"), from the album that should have won Album of the Year (though I ain't goin' Kanye on this). It's the fourth hot-100 hit from In The Lonely Hour; Record/Song of the Year winner "Stay With Me" jumps back up to #14 this week and is certain to land back in the top-10 next...


Canadian neo-teen idol Shawn Mendes sends his third song into the chart as "A Little Too Much" is in at #94. Last year his "Life Of The Party" went to #24...


The second single from rapper Kid Ink's latest album, "Hotel" featuring Chris Brown, checks in at #96.  It follows "Body Language", which peaked here at #72...


Canadian electrohouse DJ A-Trak teams up with Milo & Otis and Rich Kidz at #98 with the trap music track "Out The Speakers". He previously was on the Hot 100 as one-half of Duck Sauce with "Barbra Streisand" at #89 in 2010...


 The last entry on the big chart at #100 is country quartet Little Big Town with "Girl Crush", the second single from their Pain Killer album. The first, "Day Drinking", climbed to #40 on this list..


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

On the Mainstream Top-40 radio panel "Uptown Funk!" remains on top for a third week...

Nicki Minaj lands at #36 with her house music homage "Truffle Butter", featuring Drake and Lil' Wayne. It's the second single from her Pinkprint album to make this format chart; the first, "Anaconda", reached #21...


Las Vegas modern rock band Imagine Dragons enter at #37 with their top ten rock hit "I Bet My Life". Their last hit "Demons" went all the way to #1 on this list...


Pop rapper Flo Rida returns at #38 with "G.F.D.R." (for "Get Down For Real") featuring Sage The Gemini and Lookas. It's the third pop hit from his still unreleased Perfect 10 set; the second, "How I Feel", peaked at #25...


Meanwhile, on the older-skewing Adult Top-40 format, Ed Sheeran jumps to #1 with "Thinking Out Loud". It's his first time to the top of this chart...

Singer/songwriter Andy Grammer pops in at #36 with "Honey I'm Good.". It's the follow-up to "Back Home", which made it to #21 here...



 Mid-age rockers Train are back at #37 with the third single and title track to their latest album, "Bulletproof Picasso". The first, "Angel In Blue Jeans", peaked at #8 on this format. Actors Emily Kinney (Beth from The Walking Dead) and Reid Ewing (Dylan from Modern Family) are featured in the video...


Californian indie-pop band Echosmith follow-up their top-5 HAC hit "Cool Kids" with "Bright" at #40...


Lastly, on the Adult Contemporary (or "easy listening") radio chart, Taylor Swift jumps to the top with "Blank Space"...

Selena Gomez leaps in at #18 with "The Heart Wants What It Wants". It immediately becomes her biggest AC hit out of three appearances....


Maroon 5, whose "Maps" led this chart last week, drive in at #26 with "Sugar"...


That's all for the start of today's musical trip...I'll be back in 90 minutes with the latest on rock radio...










 

 

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