Pop Sweep: January 30, 2016...






I'm ready to kick off the first of today's "music sweeps", checking out the songs making the charts in Billboard magazine. As usual, we'll start on the pop side of things, then later in the day move on to the latest in rock, R&B, country, and dance.

On the "big" chart, Billboard's Hot 100, Justin Bieber tops the chart for a second week with "Sorry"...

After the death of David Bowie, the current single from his #1 album Blackstar, "Lazarus" lands his legacy the first top-40 pop hit in America since 1987's "Never Let Me Down". Also two other of his tracks, "Space Oddity" and "Under Pressure", re-enter the charts at #42 and #45 respectively. As for "Lazarus", it's an amazing piece of work; obviously this would never have had a shot at the top-40 save for the circumstances, but sadly it's good that it did happen, and this song should end up in the same regard as his best work.


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The title track to Blackstar, which was released as the first single back in November, enters the chart at #78. Even more experimental than "Lazarus" and nearly ten minutes long, this opus again isn't "mainstream pop" in any fashion, but simply essential music, and the pair are a worthy swan song for the musical legend.



Country singer Brett Eldredge comes in at #94 with "Drunk On Your Love", the second single from his Illinois album. The first, "Lose My Mind", was a #1 country hit that climbed to #48 on the Hot 100...


The last newbie on the big chart at #98 is "Bang My Head" from French DJ/producer David Guetta with Australian singer/songwriter Sia along with rapper Fetty Wap. It's the third Hot 100 hit from Guetta's Listen album; his "Hey Mama" with Nicki Minaj reached #8. Guetta and Sia previously hit the top 10 with "Titanium" (#7)...


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

On the Mainstream Top-40 radio panel, Selena Gomez remains on top for a second week with "Same Old Love"...

As Ellie Goulding's "On My Mind" falls out of the top 10, her new single "Something In The Way You Move" leaps in at #29...


The aforementioned "Bang My Head" from Guetta, Sia, and Fetty drives in at #34...

"Me, Myself & I" from rapper G-Eazy with Bebe Rexha comes in at #35...


Justin Timberlake returns to the chart at #38 with "Drink You Away", from his 2013 album the 20/20 Experience Part 2. It's the fourth single from the record to reach this chart; the last, "Not A Bad Thing", went all the way to #1 in 2014...


Meanwhile, on the older-skewing Adult Top-40 format,  Meghan Trainor and John Legend are at #1 for a second week with "Like I'm Gonna Lose You"...

Danish pop band Lukas Graham arrive at #36 with "7 Years", my "Pop Pick of the Week". The song hit #1 in their home country and is top-ten across much of Europe...


 New York indie-pop duo A Great Big World follow up their #12 hit "Hold Each Other" with the song at #40, "Oasis".


Lastly, on the Adult Contemporary, or "easy listening" radio chart, Adele hangs in at the top with "Hello" for a ninth week...

Elton John is back at #20 with his latest track, "Looking Up". He holds the record for the most songs on this chart as this is his 71st entry...


Rob Thomas is in at #25 with "Hold On Forever", the second single from his The Great Unknown album. The first, "Trust You", stopped at #26 on this chart...


Demi Lovato dances in at #27 with "Confident". Back in 2012 she scaled to #16 with "Give Your Heart A Break"...


The sixth radio single from Taylor Swift's 1989 album, "Out Of The Woods", falls in at #29. The first three, "Shake It Off", "Blank Space", and "Style", all went to #1...


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




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