Brit Sweep: January 20, 2013...

Hey folks, the end of the weekend is finally here, and it's time to check out the new songs spending their first week on the top-100 of the Official UK Singles chart this week, as will.i.am and Britney Spears' "Scream & Shout" spends a second week at #1...

The top debut at #2 is by American rapper 50 Cent, who matches his best showing in this country with "My Life" featuring Adam Levine and Eminem. He previously went to the runner-up spot with "Ayo Technology" in 2007. Grade: C+

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


Right under "Fiddy" is his collaborator from "Ayo Technology", Justin Timberlake, with his return to the charts with "Suit & Tie" featuring Jay-Z at #3. Apart from his stint in N-Sync, Justin topped the British chart one as a lead artist in 2006 with "Sexy Back" (he was a featured artist on two #1 hits from Nelly Furtado and Timbaland).  Grade: C

The next entry at #14 is a band I'm happy are returning. Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro's excellent last album, Only Revolutions managed to place six singles in the UK top-40, including the #5 hit "Mountains". Their new set is coming out next week, and the first single is "Black Chandelier". Grade: B+

 
London-based group Lawson score the fourth top-40 hit from their debut album Chapman Square as "Learn To Love Again" arrives at #28. Their biggest so far is "Taking Over Me", which reached #3 last year. They are a bit more mature than the usual boy-band fare coming from the country. Grade: B

The Oscar-Nominated Les Miserables now has three top-100 hits in the UK, as Anne Hathaway's "I Dreamed A Dream" jumps from #80 to #22, and Samantha Barks' show-stopping "On My Own" leaps into the top-100 at #43. Another one is coming in a bit..Grade: A+

British indie-pop act Everything Everything are at #48 with "Kemosabe", the followup to their first top-40 hit here from last year, "Cough Cough". Grade: B

As American rapper A$AP Rocky's second charting single "F**kin' Problems" moves to a new high at #50, he passes it at #48 with the album cut "Wild For The Night" featuring dubstep king Skrillex and French DJ crew Birdy Nam Nam. (NSFW) Grade: D+

British/Kosovan singer Rita Ora's debut album Ora includes three #1 singles, with "R.I.Phttp://youtu.be/L1l9WST5lXM", "How We Do (Party)", and her collab with DJ Fresh, "Hot Right Now". The fifth single from the set, "Radioactive", comes in at #60. Her CD is worth a look if you want to check an upcoming voice in dance music.Grade: B+

The third track from the Les Miserables soundtrack, "One Day More", is the one that follows "On My Own" chronologically. Featuring most of the casr including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Amanda Seyfried.. Grade: B

Birmingham rock outfit Peace, who are nominated for BBC's prestigious Sound of 2013 award, claim their first hit at #75 with "Wraith". (NSFW for major stripper action) Grade: B

Rapper Kendrick Lamar is at #79 with his second hit single in the UK, "Backseat Freestyle". It follows "Swimming Pools", which went to #63. Grade: C- (NSFW)

 
England's finally caught up to the Macklemore train, and his and collaborator Ryan Lewis' #2 US hit "Thrift Shop" comes in at #81. I expect this to jump to the top quickly. Grade: A

Sheffield-based metalcore band Bring Me The Horizon rock in at #82 with "Shadow Moses", the first single from their third album, There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret. Grade: D+

Well, that's a wrap for this week's British recap....I'll return tomorrow with another Song of the Day, candletime, part two of this week's "album sweep", and this week's "Robbed Hit". Cheers!