Pop Sweep: September 22, 2012...

It's time to kick off today's five-part "chart sweeps" of the newest songs making their way on to the weekly music charts in Billboard magazine. This time out it's the latest on the big one - the Hot 100, as well as the Adult Top-40 chart.

On the Hot 100, which monitors sales, airplay, and internet streaming, Taylor Swift returns for a third non-consecutive week at #1 with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", thanks to it being the biggest seller this week. In fact, Taylor also claims the second biggest selling single this week as well, and that song, "Ronan", is the highest debut this week on the big chart at #16. Swift wrote "Ronan" in response to reading a blog of a mother whose child had died of cancer at four years old. Naming it after the boy, Swift performed the song on last week's Stand Up To Cancer benefit broadcast, and all proceeds are going to cancer charities. And I have to tell you, I've always gave props to her songwriting ability, though had a big problem with her live voice, but she has really grown with the right combo of vocal chops and emotional vulnerability in her voice without becoming either too maudlin or too canned. The only thing I do have issue with is you can only get it on iTunes (at least for now)...

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There's a second new entry in the top-40, as Alicia Keys returns with her first top-40 hit since 2010's "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)". At #37, "Girl On Fire" is the lead single and title track from her upcoming album due in November. It comes in two versions, an "Inferno Version" with a march-like backdrop like a OneRepublic song and Nicki Minaj on a guest rap, and a "Bluelight Version" which mutes it down a little and leaves Minaj out. I'm leaning more towards the "Bluelight" (which I'll post on today's "Soul Sweep"), but while the song isn't horrible and her voice is still in great shape, it's rather trite compared to her earlier work. The influence of her husband, Swizz Beats, perhaps?

Coming in at #55 is rapper/singer/braggadocio/Kardashian prop Kanye West, who is releasing a collaboration record titled Cruel Summer this coming Tuesday (September 18) credited to his record label GOOD Music. Four tracks from the album, all with Kanye in a lead role, have entered the chart, with lead-off "Mercy" making the top-20 (and #1 R&B). The fourth, "Clique", features West's BFF Jay-Z with Big Sean tagging along for the ride like a younger brother. And I know this music isn't made for me, but man, I just don't get it. Just throwin' out words in repetition slurring like you're on the syrup like Big Sean starts out with is a fad I'll be happy to see gone. At least Jay-Z steps up the game a little bit, and West's delivery is fun as usual, but this is really nothing but chest-puffing fodder. (MAJOR NSFW)

And now for something completely different, what is apparently destined to be the novelty hit of the year, but if there has to be one, there's no better than a South Korean TV personality and rapper PSY, who by now even your mother knows from his appearance on the Ellen Show as he taught Britney Spears and her the dance to his hit at #64, "Gangnam Style" (he also did it on the Today Show). Named for the swanky area of his country's capital city, Seoul, the music video for this went crazy viral, with its combination of Japanese-game-show-style randomness, total lack of shame, and a synth hook brought down by the gods, it doesn't matter that most people here haven't a clue of what he's saying beyond the "oooooo.....Sexy Lady!" chant. It's right now charting at #2 on iTunes, so this will be everywhere. Now it's highly unlikely you'll see this in the opening ceremonies to the Winter Olympics in 2018 in South Korea, but for now it's pure, stupid, unadulterated fun, and if you don't smile the first time you see those elevator doors open, you have serious issues...

Debuting at #96 is Big Easy native Lil' Wayne, with a track from his mixtape Dedication 4, "No Worries". The rapper enlists Detail  who I suppose is whining the Drake-like chorus on this misogynistic drug-induced swagger track. Meh. Thought still a small step up from the Kanye track, if even for the cunni-love laugh factor. (MAJOR NSFW)

The last entry on the Hot 100 is the seventh song from Beyonce's 4 to reach the chart. That seems odd, since it wasn't a smash album on the level of the other sets in recent memory to do this (Michael Jackson's Bad, his sister's Rhythm Nation, Springsteen's Born In The USA, even Katy Perry's Teenage Dream), but that's because the biggest of all them, "Best Thing I Never Had", went to #16. The latest, "Dance For You", is available on the deluxe edition of the album. I think 4 is an underappreciated album, since most of the time ("Run The World" aside) Beyonce doesn't take the easy pop way, and the songs really grow on you, but while this song is agreeable, I can see why I didn't make the main album cut. So let's call this a good, charting "B-side"...

Meanwhile, over on the radio-monitored Adult Top-40 pop radio chart, Pink takes over the top spot with "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)", making it the first time since February there's been three different #1's on this list in three weeks.

There's only one new track coming on to this chart, and it's teen dream Justin Bieber at #39, with his Hot 100 top-10 hit "As Long As You Love Me" featuring rapper Big Sean. It's Justin's second time on this list, as the single that preceded this, "Boyfriend" made it to #34 earlier this year (it's Big Sean's first). The production is of course matured on this compared to his last, and his voice (or how they've processed his voice) has evolved, but this isn't pretending to be anything more than the Timberlake-redux it's intended to be...("My Love", anyone?). But of course you've got the epic Romeo/Juliet video, complete with Michael Madsen, who last graced (or rather stumbled around) Celebrity Big Brother UK.

That's a wrap for this installment, check back in 90 minutes for the latest on rock radio. Thanks!