Pop Sweep: May 9, 2015...


I'm ready to kick off the first of today's five "chart sweeps", checking out the songs making their way on to the various charts in Billboard magazine this week. As usual, I'll start off on the pop side of things, then later in the day roll out the latest in rock, R&B, country, and dance music....

On the "big" chart, Billboard's Hot 100, which combines tallies of radio airplay from all formats, sales from sites like iTunes and Amazon MP3 (and rare physical sales), and internet streaming (on places like Spotify and YouTube), Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth spend a third week at #1 with "See You Again"...

Leaping on to the chart all the way up at #40 is modern rock band Panic! At The Disco with their new single "Hallelujah". It immediately becomes their second top-40 pop hit; they went to #7 back in 2006 with their crossover hit "I Write Sins Not Tragedies". This new one samples jazz-rock veterans Chicago's 1969 single "Questions 67 & 68", which peaked at #24 in 1971...


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Nate Ruess, lead singer of another modern rock act, fun., makes his first solo appearance on the Hot 100 at #77 with "Nothing Without Love". He previously topped the chart as a featured guest on Pink's "Just Give Me A Reason". This new song also moves up to #16 on the Adult Top-40 format list...


Rapper Bandit Gang Marco debuts at #83 with "Nasty" featuring Dro...


Two finalists from The Voice make the Hot 100 in its second week of live shows; first up is Koryn Hawthorne (from Pharrell's 'team') with her version of "Make It Rain", which Ed Sheeran went to #34 in the US with...


 Jamaican reggae singer OMI brings his sunshine-filled international smash "Cheerleader" with its remix from German DJ Felix Jaehn on to the chart at #95. It's my "Pop Pick of the Week", and has already made the top ten in Germany, England, and France. Can he do so here?


Rich Homie Quan lands at #96 with "Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh)". The rapper moves up to #41 on the R&B/Hip Hop Airplay list. It's his fourth appearance as a lead artist on the Hot 100; he climbed to #50 with his first, "Type Of Way", in 2013. (He went to #16 as a guest on the Rich Gang's "Lifestyle".)


New Orleans rapper Kevin Gates glides in at #99 with his first charting hit, "I Don't Get Tired (#IDGT)" featuring singer August Alsina...


At #100 is the second performance from The Voice as Sawyer Fredericks (also from "team Pharrell") makes it two for two with his take on the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris". The original topped Billboard's Airplay chart for eighteen weeks right before the mag allowed non-physical tracks to appear on the Hot 100...


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

 On the Mainstream Top-40 radio panel, Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do" is on top for a second week...

Dubstep king Skrillex and EDM star producer Diplo manage to bring Justin Bieber back to the pop radio list at #34 with "Where Are U Now"...


Another dance remix tweaker, Dutchman Martin Garrix, recruits Usher for his song at #39, "Don't Look Down". Garrix previously went to #12 on this chart with his mostly-instrumental "Animals"...


Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen returns at #40 with "I Really Like You". She topped this chart in 2011 with "Call Me Maybe"...


Meanwhile, on the older-skewing Adult Top-40 format, Maroon 5's "Sugar" remains at #1 for a third week, while there are no debuts on the chart....

Lastly, on the Adult Contemporary (or "easy listening") radio chart, Ed Sheeran reigns for an eighth week with "Thinking Out Loud", as no newbies appear on the list...

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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