Pop Sweep: September 14, 2013...


Hey gang, it's time to kick off today's five-part "chart sweeps" where I serve up the songs reaching the singles charts in Billboard magazine this week. As always, I'll start out on the pop side of things...

On the "big chart", Billboard's Hot 100, after twelve weeks there finally is a new winner as Katy Perry's "Roar" climbs a notch to the #1 spot. It's her eighth chart-topping hit in the US - six of those were from the expanded configuration of her Teenage Dream album...

Close behind as the top debut of the week at #3 is Eminem, with the preview of his upcoming Marshall Mathers 2 album, "Berzerk". He's gone to the top on the Hot 100 four times so far, from 2002's "Lose Yourself" to "Love The Way You Lie" in 2010...


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Next up, on the completely other end of the musical spectrum at #42 is a song written by and partly credited to 96-year-old Fred Stobaugh, who wrote "Oh Sweet Lorraine" to honor his recently-passed wife of just about 73 years, and submitted it to a local songwriters contest. The studio who ran the contest, Green Shoe enlisted its in-house musician Jacob Colgan to finish up the track for him, and the resulting tear-jerker story has become a viral sensation, and sales to help Fred out warrant you to get this, but the quality of the song is a no-brainer in itself. But before that, this is ten minutes you must give to watch this. A rarity for "novelty"-type items, it's my "Pop Pick Of the Week"...



I was surprised on the announcement of the rather course-worded "Gorilla" as the fourth single from Bruno Mars' Unorthodox Jukebox; I would've gone with the slick Alan Parsons-ish "Moonshine". But nevertheless, the record does make an entrance at #60...


Enrique Iglesias' English-language fist-pumper "Turn Up The Night" drops to #75 this week in its fifth, while his Spanish single "Loco" featuring newcomer Romeo Santos arrives at #87...


The second single from Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne's self-titled fifth album, "Rock N Roll", enters at #91. It follows "Here's To Never Growing Up", which made it to #20 earlier in the year...


Rapper and former Three 6 Mafia member Juicy J lands the third Hot 100 hit from his Stay Trippy album, "Bounce It", at #96. The track features rapper Wale and singer Trey Songz as well. His lead-off track "Bandz A Make Her Dance" tricked out at #29 last year...


The last debut on the big chart belongs to country singer Joe Nichols, with the first release from his upcoming Crickets set, "Sunny and 75" at #98. The track is already up to #22 on the country airplay chart. Joe had seen four of his hits make the top-40 on the "big" chart, with the second, "Brokenheartsville", so far his highest going to #27 in 2002...


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

On the Mainstream Top-40 pop radio panel, the former Hot 100 champ "Blurred Lines" still hangs in on top for week number nine, while the aforementioned "Berzerk" by Eminem is the top entry at #32....

Dancing in at #38 is trance artist Armin van Buuren from the Netherlands with "This Is What It Feels Like" featuring vocals by Trevor Guthrie, formerly of the Canadian pop group SoulDecision ("Faded")...


And at #40 is Demi Lovato is back with "Made In The USA". It follows "Heart Attack", which made it to #4 earlier this year...


Meanwhile, on the older-skewing Adult Top-40 format, "Blurred Lines" also holds tight on top for a fourth week.

The big debut at #31 is emo chick Lana Del Rey with the Cedric Gervais treatment of her "Summertime Sadness". The record is already in the top-10 on the Hot 100...


One rung under that at #32 is another EDM crossover success, Swedish DJ/producer Avicii with "Wake Me Up!". It's holding at #7 on the big list...


Another crossover from a different genre arrives at #38 as the Neighbourhood take their alternative rock #1 hit to this format...


At #39 is Las Vegas modern rock heroes Imagine Dragons with "Demons", as their megasmash "Radioactive" still is doing business at #3...


And twerking in at #40 (you know I couldn't let that go) is Miley Cyrus with her Hot 100 #2 hit "We Can't Stop"...


Finally, on the Adult Contemporary (easy-listening) chart, American Idol Phillip Phillips stays on top for a second week with "Gone, Gone, Gone"...

Pink, who had the last #1 on this chart with "Just Give Me A Reason", is back at #29 with "True Love" featuring British mate Lily Allen...


...and rounding things out at #30 is the master himself, Paul McCartney, with "New", the first glimpse into his first album of all new material since 2007...





That's it for the beginning of today's musical journey...I'll be back in 90 minutes with the newest on rock radio....

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