Twostepcublog

Billy Idol - " White Wedding " from the album Billy Idol (1982) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #36 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 3 Today's Song of the Day is by proto-pop-punker Billy Idol , who racked up his first US top-40 hit in the fall of 1982 with " Hot In The City ". The growling rock of "White Wedding" was released as a following at the end of the year, but stalled below the Hot 100. However, after lingering interest and MTV airplay of the video, the song returned to the charts, and climbed in to the US top-40, and became Billy's "signature song"... "White Wedding" also reached the top-10 on the American rock radio and dance club charts, and a couple years later, finally reached #6 on the UK singles chart. The single also made the top-10 in Australia and New Zealand. (Click below to see the rest of the chart)

Welcome back to this week's recap of the new songs making their first appearance on the top-100 singles chart in Germany this week, as will.i.am and Britney Spears' "Scream & Shout" claims the #1 spot. It's his first solo chart-topper, and Britney's third... The top debut this week is by British boyband Blue, who have placed five previous song into the top-10 in this country, with their version of " Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word " with Elton John making it to #4 in 2002. They return with their sixth at #7 with "Hurt Lovers". It's the theme to the German movie Schlussmacher ("Circuit Maker"), about a business set up to break couples up... Grade B+ (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Hey gang, it's time to check out the newest songs making their way on to the weekly music chart in France, according to their official singles charts . PSY hangs on for a sixth non-consecutive week at #1 with " Gangnam Style "... The top entry this week at #9 is David Bowie's new nostalgic single "Where Are We Now?". It's his first foray into the top-10 in this country. Grade: A- (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Today, January 22nd, marks vocal powerhouse Steve Perry's 64th birthday... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Prince - " 1999 " from the album 1999 (1982) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #12 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 10 (in 1983), 1 (in 1999) Today's Song of the Day is by Minneapolis music legend Prince, who had scored his first top-10 pop hit in the spring of 1983 with " Little Red Corvette ". That song was the second single released from his fifth studio album, 1999 . The first was the title track, which came out in the fall of 1982 and peaked just under the top-40 at #44, while at the time going to #1 on the Billboard Dance chart. After the success of "Corvette", the single was re-released to radio, and zoomed back up both the pop and R&B charts... The renewed song went to the top-20 on the pop chart, and also peaked at #4 on the R&B format chart.It also reached #2 in the UK and Australia, and top-10 in Canada and New Zealand. In 1999, renewed airplay and sales of the singles made it return back to the top-40 in America, and still no ...

New Edition - " Candy Girl " from the album Candy Girl (1983) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #46 This week's "robbed hit" was the first single by the Boston-area R&B supergroup-to-be New Edition. Started out by schoolmates Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Bobby Brown, they shuffled a couple members before settling with another friend Ralph Tresvant and Ronnie DeVoe. After getting music producer Maurice Starr's attention at a talent show, he signed them and recorded their debut album Candy Girl . With a re-write of the Jackson Five's "ABC" in mind, and the prepubescent voices of the boys in fine form, the result was like the second coming of the family act, with Ralph Tresvant in the lead... While the infectious "Candy Girl" was a huge hit in England, reaching #1 on the singles chart, and also topping the American R&B chart, the single stalled out at #46 on the pop chart (though to be fair soul music was having a hard tim...

Welcome back to part two of this week's "album sweep" where I sample the new records making their way on to the Top 200 Albums chart in Billboard magazine. You can check out part one by clicking here , and I've included links to buy anything that's available... Coming in at #66 is the first collection of songs featured on the Golden Globe-winning HBO series Girls . The CD, Girls: Volume 1: Music From The HBO Original Series , includes tracks from fun (featuring star Lena Dunham's boyfriend Jack Antonoff), Grouplove, Icona Pop, and the lead-off track "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn (which I'm thrilled is getting the exposure it deserves)... (Click below to see the rest of the post)