Pop Sweep: September 20, 2014...

I'm ready to kick off the first of today's five-part "chart sweeps", checking out the songs making the various singles charts in Billboard magazine. As usual, I'll start out on the pop side of things, then later in the day move on to what's new on rock, R&B, country, and dance radio...

On the "big" chart, Billboard's Hot 100, which combines tallies of radio airplay of all genres as well as sales and internet streaming (like Spotify or YouTube), Meghan Trainor finally claims the #1 spot with her debut single "All About That Bass"...

In a week without many big releases, the top debut of the week doesn't come until down at #71. It's the second preview track for sale from country singer Jason Aldean's upcoming Old Boots, New Dirt album, "Sweet Little Somethin'". The first, and the official radio single, "Burnin' It Down" (I guess he has a thing about g's), moves up to #20 in its seventh week. It so far reached a high of #12 in its debut frame. I'm sure the "country establishment" will grumble about the new-fangled technology sound, but isn't this what ZZ Top were doing in 1985?

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Rapper Jeezy returns at #85 with "Seen It All", the title track from his just-released seventh album. The track features a cameo from "old guard" Jay-Z. He's been the lead artist on five top-40 pop hits so far, with "Soul Survivor" going to #4 in 2005 (back when he had "Young" in front of his moniker). Meh.

Mary Lambert, the singer/songwriter and "out" lesbian that was featured in Mackemore & Ryan Lewis' #11 pop hit "Same Love", makes her own solo debut at #92 with "Secrets", which is already in the top-20 on the Adult Top-40 radio chart. It's a very cute song in the "feel good about yourself" had that's going on right now in pop, but I admit whomever is getting this played on EVERY SINGLE GODDAM YouTube video as a preview needs to be strung up by their taint. For Realz. But beyond that, it's my "pop pick of the week"...

R&B/hip-hop singer/songwriter Trey Songz comes in at #95 with "Touchin, Lovin", the third single to make the chart from his sixth album Trigga. The first, "Na Na", went to #21 earlier this year. As I mentioned when this made my R&B sweep, this one sounds too much like a demo for a Chris Brown record. I prefer his smooth "What's Best For You" (which is hot on urban AC) more...

Palestinian-American radio DJ, producer, and rapper DJ Khaled is back at #98 with "Hold You Down", from his forthcoming eighth album I Changed A Lot. The track features vocals from Jeremih, August Alsina, and Chris Brown, along with a rap break from Future. Khaled's accrued six top-40 pop hits in the past seven years, with one, "I'm On One", going up to #10 in 2011...

Rounding it out at #100 is country/rock duo Big & Rich with "Look At You". They made their name with a refreshing blend of soul, country, and fun songwriting, but since John Rich's right-wing ramblings turned off most of their progressive audience, they've struggled to stay relevant, which is why they've rewrote the by-the-numbers ballads that are safe shots, like their "Lost In This Moment" from 2007, which remains their sole top-40 pop hit so far...

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

On the Mainstream Top-40 radio panel, Charli XCX spends a second week at #1 with "Boom Clap"...

The sole entry on this chart at #39 is "Bend Ova" from crunk rapper Lil' Jon. With his revived profile from his spot on DJ Snake's "Turn Down For What", which climbed to #5 earlier this year, his EDM-paced booty call finds a more welcome. I guess this would make good strip-club fodder...

Meanwhile, on the older-skewing Adult Top-40 format, Maroon 5 climb to #1 with "Maps". It's their ninth single to make it to the top here...

Singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw flames in at #38 with "Fire", a new track from his upcoming greatest hits album. Back in 2011 he topped this chart with "Not Over You". This sounds like he was trying to write a OneRepublic song and sing it like Adam Levine, but hey, whatever works....

Tove Lo, the alternative rock singer/songwriter from Sweden, crosses over to this format with "Habits (Stay High)" at #39. The single is already top-20 on the rock chart as well as the Hot 100..

Lastly, on the Adult Contemporary (or "easy-listening") radio chart, Sam Smith is on top for a fifth week with "Stay With Me"...

Proving that the song has infiltrated all audiences up to your parents, Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass" marches on to the list at #27...

That's it for the start of today's musical journey...I'll return in 90 minutes with the latest on rock radio..