Pop Sweep: January 12, 2013...

Hey gang, it's time to kick off today's five-part "chart sweeps" of the latest songs making their way on to the weekly singles charts in Billboard magazine. This time out it's the newest on the "pop" side of the house...

On the big chart, Billboard's "Hot 100", which combines sales figures, radio airplay, and streaming internet subscriptions, Bruno Mars marks up a fourth week at #1 with "Locked Out Of Heaven".

Since the week after the holiday is pretty dead in terms of new releases, it's not surprising that the majority of the debuts on the chart are because of movies that were hot either in the theaters or on DVD. The top entry at #69 is "I Dreamed A Dream" from the film version of the Broadway musical Les Miserables, which opened on Christmas Day (I saw it the following Sunday). This is the third time the song made the Hot 100, and none of the times were from the stage, but by Britain's Got Talent viral sensation Susan Boyle and again by the cast of Glee (featuring Broadway vets Idina Menzel and Lea Michele), who took it to #31. As for the film version, Anne Hathaway did a spectacular job with the song, putting it in the context of an intimate moment in the film and not having to project to a live audience. And she's "dying". So hence the sobbing. While it wasn't my absolute highlight of the movie (that goes to Samantha Barks' "On My Own", which just missed the chart), that performance alone grant her boasting rights to the real cinematic Fantine. Grade: A-

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The next two debuts are due to the DVD release of the Glee-ish musical film Pitch Perfect, which went to stores on December 18th. The first, by star Anna Kendrick, is "Cups (When I'm Gone)", which recreates a cover of British band Lulu & The Lampshades that was a huge viral video by YouTube star Anna Burden in 2011. At just a minute and a half long, it's amazing that enough people adore it to buy enough of it to put the ditty on the charts, and I like it for the fact that you don't need overproduction to make an impact on young music buyers. Grade: B+

The other newbie from Pitch Perfect is the medley sung at the climax of the film during the competition, and is named "Bellas Finals", and it mashed six different songs from acts like Simple Minds and Miley Cyrus into less than four minutes. And it's everything the Glee is totally not these days, much more representative of the glee club and acappella tradition. Grade: B+

The sole non-film new arrival on the big chart is by British boyband kings One Direction, with the fourth track from their #1 album Take Me Home to make the Hot 100, "Rock Me" at #98. The first, "Live While We're Young", has climbed the highest of any of their singles (#3), but it didn't stay long in the top-10. All four are still on the chart, but this is the worst of the lot. Massive crap. Adding the lyrics "heavy metal" doesn't make it any better. This makes "Hangin' Tough" sound like Mozart. Grade: F

Meanwhile, over on the radio-monitored Hot Adult Top-40 Pop Chart, indie-folk trio the Lumineers remain on top with "Ho Hey" for a second week.

The only debut this week at #39 is by the Swedish House Mafia with their club anthem "Don't You Worry Child", demonstrating the impact dance music is making on the chart. It's no surprise, being their most accessible track yet, with John Martin's vocals conveying such a positive message that's a warm welcome in these cold months. Grade: A-

 On the Adult Contemporary ("easy-rock") chart, the Christmas rush is finally over and Gotye returns to the #1 spot with "Somebody That I Used To Know" for a 17th week, putting the record in seventh place amongst the longest stays on top of this chart.

Two "new" songs make it on this chart - first is Kelly Clarkson's "Catch My Breath" from her Greatest Hits: Chapter One set at #27...Grade: B

and at #30 is one of my favorite songs of the year, British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran's "The A Team"..Grade: A+

Finally, on the Mainstream Top-40 radio format, Bruno Mars spends a third week at #1..

The higher of the two debuts is another fave of mine in a more lighthearted nature, British X Factor runner-up Olly Murs with "Troublemaker" featuring rapper Flo Rida at #38. It's a perfect pop confection to break him to an American audience, with it's Maroon 5 colors flying high (like "Misery"'s younger brother). Grade: A

The other entry at #40 is John Hart featuring iamSU with "Who Booty", a nearly-four minute ode to the butt. Classy. Nice late-80s-like sonics, though. (NSFW) Grade: C-

That's it for now...I'll return in 90 minutes with the latest on rock radio....