Pop Sweep: August 31, 2013...

Hey gang, since I was away last weekend, I didn't have the chance to catch up on my "chart sweeps", but since it was a big week release-wise, I can't let it go (OCD that I am)...so here's part one, sampling the pop hits making the charts at Billboard magazine...

On the "big" chart, the Billboard Hot 100, Robin Thicke holds tight to #1 for an eleventh week with "Blurred Lines". It's the longest stay on top since the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" racked up 14 weeks at #1...

Well, technically, this was the week of the "battle of the rabid fangirls", as both Katy Perry and Lady GaGa's new records saw their first week of sales. But even though Katy sold over twice as much as Mother Monster, since her record leaked to radio and slipped on the chart last week, "Roar" growls from #85 to #2, while GaGa claims this week's top debut on the chart and takes my "Pop Pick of the Week" with "Applause" at #6. This makes an even dozen top-10 hits for the singer, who topped the Hot 100 with "Just Dance", "Poker Face", and "Born This Way"....

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Lost amidst the high profile female releases this week is the respectable debut at #16 for country singer Luke Bryan at #16 with the second single from his #1 album Crash My Party, "That's My Kind Of Night". It's his ninth single to make the Hot-100 top-40 (once as a guest), and third to go to the top half of that along with "Drunk On You" (which it ties now for highest rank) and "Crash My Party"...

The second promo track from modern rock band Panic! At The Disco's upcoming Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! arrives at #87 with "This Is Gospel". The first, "Miss Jackson", came in at #68 a few weeks ago...

British vocal group The Wanted continue to play second fiddle in the UK boyband wars as the fourth single from their upcoming third album Word Of Mouth album "We Own The Night" enters at #94. The first two, "Chasing The Sun" and "I Found You", missed the top-40 as well, and a third, "Walks Like Rihanna", failed to make the Hot 100 altogether. However the quality of their sugar is a bit better that the One Direction boys...

English alternative rock group Bastille score their first American pop hit as their top-10 rock single "Pompeii" comes in at #95...

Country quartet Little Big Town are at #96 with the third track from their latest Tornado album to make the Hot 100, "Your Side Of The Bed". The first, "Pontoon", became their first to make the top-40 on this list at #39 last year....

The last new entry on the "big" chart is middle-age rockers Train with their country crossover hit "Bruises" featuring 1/3 of Pistol Annies Ashley Monroe. It's the third from their California 37 album to make the Hot 100; "Drive By" went to #10, while "50 Ways To Say Goodbye" climbed to #20...

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

On the Mainstream Top-40 pop radio panel, "Blurred Lines" reigns for a seventh week, while the aforementioned "Applause" by GaGa rockets in as the big entry at #20...

"Bieber-ish" Australian singer Cody Simpson comes in at #37 with "Pretty Brown Eyes". It's the second to make this format's top-40 for the sixteen-year-old after 2011's "On My Mind" went to #39...

Chicago-based dance act Krewella is in at #38 with their second hit "Live For The Night". It's the followup to "Alive" which went to #9 here earlier this year...

Well I'm tickled pink that New Zealander Lorde is having the Gotye-like breakout hit of the season with her record "Royals", a song and artist that doesn't rely on gimmicks or a scandalous act. It's debuting at #39...

...but speaking of gimmicks and scandal, on the other end of the spectrum is Robin (son-of-Alan) Thicke fresh from his talked-about VMAs performance at #40 with "Give It 2 U" featuring rapper Kendrick Lamar, throwing everything and the kitchen sink (with hashtags) in this video. Who else would bring you an "ass float"?...

Meanwhile, over on the older-skewing Adult Top-40 chart, Thicke's "Blurred Lines" also takes a second week at #1, while "Applause" is the high entry at #35...

The other debut at #40 is punkers gone soft Goo Goo Dolls with "Come To Me", the second single from their album Magnetic. The first, "Rebel Beat", topped off at #16 earlier in 2013..

Lastly, on the Adult Contemporary (or "easy-listening") format, Pink's "Just Give Me A Reason" is on top for an eighth week...

The sole entry at #30 is Taylor Swift with her collaboration with British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran on "Everything Has Changed". Her "22" also re-enters at #24...

That's it for the start of today's musical journey...I'll return with the latest on rock radio...