Pop Sweep: April 27, 2013...

Hey gang, 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, and as always I'll start off on the "pop" side of things.

On the big chart, the Billboard Hot 100, Pink scores her fourth #1 hit with "Just Give Me A Reason" featuring Nate Ruess of fun (his first solo-credit #1 appearance and second overall).

There was speculation whether the new YouTube chart-rigging rule would cause the new single from K-Pop meme-master PSY to debut on top, but since his sales didn't come close to "Harlem Shake", and there aren't thousands of clone videos the magazine was (stupidly) counting towards the streaming count, "Gentleman" ends up still debuting at a respectable #12, one rung under his second-week position for "Gangnam Style". I'd say there isn't enough total momentum to go #1, but since we can't really tell the videos solely-American viewcount, there's no telling what "deal" the editors have with Scooter Braun..

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


The recent surprise winner of the ACM award for Entertainer of the Year, Luke Bryan, leaps on the chart with a new single, "Crash My Party", at #18. It's a stand-alone single, even though it sounds like it's written for his recent #1 Spring Break album comp...

The next entry at #43 is from 21-year-old country star Hunter Hayes with a single from the expanded "Encore" version of his debut album, "I Want Crazy". He took "Wanted" into the Hot 100 top 20 this year...

Jumping in at #45 is Selena Gomez who drops the Scene and is back with "Come & Get It". With her former backing band she had five consecutive top-40 hits...

In what must be another YouTube stunt, Ray J is back on the chart at #51 with the apparently Kanye-baiting "I Hit It First" featuring Bobby Brackins. The last time he was on the Hot 100 as a lead artist was back in 2007 with the #3 hit "Sexy Can I". That was right after his sex-video with Kim Kardashian went public, and before his reality show stint. I can't imagine anyone buying that, nor radio playing it. And since there's no "official" video, whatever "streaming points there are are reallly kind of bogus. Whatevs.

One rung below Ray J is Canadian singer/songwriter Avril Lavigne, who is back with "Here's To Never Growing Up" at #52. Girl, you're 28. Stahp. (In her heyday, Avril racked up five top-10 hits, including the #1 "Girlfriend" in 2007.)

And Ray J's song nor PSY's aren't even the worst "stunt" song on the chart this week, as Brad Paisley and LL Cool J's rich-guys insight into solving racism, "Accidental Racist", comes in at #77. Trash. Just trash.

The band with the #1 album in the US, Paramore, arrive at #83 with "Still Into You". They have had four previous top-40 hits...

Power-pop group WE The Kings score their third Hot 100 hit as "Just Keep Breathing" comes in at #92. In 2008 they took "Check Yes Juliet" to #70...

The first single from American Idol Scotty McCreery's sophomore album, "See You Tonight", sneaks on to the chart at #94. His first, the "winner's single" "I Love You This Big", made is to #11 in 2011...

Rapper Fabolous enters at #97 with "Ready" featuring the unavoidable Chris Brown. He's had four top-10 singles as a lead artist, along with another couple as a featured credit...

The final debut on the big chart at #99 is a song even more incendiary than "Accidental Racist". It's rapper Rocko featuring Future and Rick Ross on "U.O.E.N.O.", which has been skewered for it's glorification of rape and roofie-ing. (NSFW, natch)

...and now for the radio format charts...

On the Mainstream Pop radio chart, Bruno Mars spends a third week at #1 with "When I Was Your Man", while the two debuts are the aforementioned "Come And Get It" by Selena Gomez at #31 and Avril Lavigne's "Here's To Never Growing Up" at #34...

Meanwhile, on the Adult Top-40 format, "When I Was Your Man" climbs to the top spot for its first week.

The top entry at #33 is Justin Timberlake with his top-10 Hot 100 hit "Mirrors", as hit "Suit & Tie" still is in the top-10...

The other debut at #40 is the former #1 country hit "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line, which benefits from a "pop" remix featuring rapper Nelly...

Lastly, on the older-skewing "Adult Contemporary" chart, Pink moves to #1 with "Try"...

 The single debut of the week here at #29 is singer and star of Smash Megan Hilty with "No Cure", which is my 'Pop Pick of the Week'...

That's it for part one...I'll be back in 90 minutes with the latest on rock radio...