Pop Sweep: February 13, 2016...


It's time to roll out the first of this week's "music sweeps", checking out the songs making their way on to the various singles charts in Billboard magazine. As usual I'll start off on the pop side of things, then move on later to the latest in rock, R&B, country, and dance music...

On the "big" chart, Billboard's Hot 100, which combines tallies of radio airplay from all formats, sales (like from iTunes and Amazon MP3), and internet streaming (like YouTube and Spotify), Justin Bieber replaces himself at #1 with "Love Yourself"...

Rihanna rockets into the top 10 in her first week with "Work". Sadly, as a "Tidal" streaming exclusive there's no video/audio clip around (boo!). This faux exclusivity kills careers, and she isn't by any means invincible (check the results of her "American Oxygen" and to a lesser extent "Bitch Better Have My Money")...

With the success of Fetty Wap mainstreaming the illicit hard drug industry yet again, rapper Wiz Khalifa is back at #56 with "Bake Sale" featuring Travi$ Scott...


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Ellie Goulding follows up her #13 hit "On My Mind" with "Something In The Way You Move", which comes in at #81, and takes my "Pop Pick of the Week" award...



 Crossover country vets Rascal Flatts (who led the wave back in the naughties) drive in at #87 with "I Like The Sound Of That". The song, co-written by Meghan Trainor, is only the second of their four singles from the Rewind album to make the Hot 100; the title track and lead single went to #38...


Country newcomer Maren Morris scores her first hit at #91 with "My Church", which is up at #21 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart...


Another crossover from the country chart is Brad Paisley at #94 with "Country Nation", the fourth single from his Moonshine In The Trunk album to make the Hot 100. The second, "Perfect Storm", topped out at #52...


Tim McGraw continues the country parade with "Humble and Kind", from his Damn Country Music album. It follows "Top Of The World", which peaked at #73...


Rapper Curren$y lands his first lead-artist Hot 100 hit at #97 with "Bottom Of The Bottle", featuring singer August Alsina and Lil' Wayne...


Dierks Bentley washes in at #98 with "Somewhere On A Beach", from his upcoming Black album. He's had eight singles reach the top-40 on this chart, with his debut entry "What Was I Thinkin'" so far his highest at #22 in 2003...


Country band Old Dominion's breakthrough single "Break Up With Him" climbed to #44 on the big chart; now they round things out at #100 with "Snapback"...


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

On the Mainstream Top-40 radio panel, "Love Yourself" also moves to the top of the chart, while the aforementioned "Work" lands at #27...

Frenchman DJ Snake slithers in at #39 with "Middle" featuring Bipolar Sunshine...


Meanwhile, on the older-skewing Adult Top-40 format, Ellie Goulding's "On My Mind" jumps from #4 to #1 with "On My Mind"...

Haley Reinhart, who came in third in the "Scotty McCreery" 10th season of American Idol, debuts at #36 with her cover of "Can't Help Falling In Love". First getting noticed from its exposure in a chewing gum ad, it's her second hit at this format after "Free" scaled to #26 in 2012...


After Thomas Rhett's "Die A Happy Man" ends its six-week reign on the country airplay chart, the single crosses over to this chart at #37...


Crossing over from the dance airplay chart is that list's leader, "Roses" from the Chainsmokers, which ends up at #38...


...and coming from the rock side is the #1 rock airplay hit "First" from the Cold War Kids which is here at #39...


Lastly, on the Adult Contemporary, or "easy listening" radio chart, Adele's "Hello" is on top for an eleventh week...

While the Hot 100 leader "Love Yourself" from Justin Bieber comes in at #23...


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





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