Eminem Tops iTunes Charts; Strong Debuts for Sting and Korn

The well has been a bit dry this week on the writing front so I’m summoning all strength and enthusiasm within me to once again bring you the Top 10 selling songs and albums for the past week at the iTunes Music Store.

Looking at this from a “glass half-full” perspective, we can celebrate that Ke$ha is completely absent this week on both charts.  I kind of hate that Eminem decided to take the high road with this new album because I’m sure he would have taken time to mock her in a malicious, tasteless way for his own entertainment.  He would have crushed her.  Speaking of our boyo, he’s once again two songs in the Top 10 and his album is again #1. 

The biggest surprise among this week’s listings has to be Sting’s Symphanicities.  We finally get him to put down the f*cking lute and reunite with The Police and the first thing he does is put out an orchestral version of his songs.  I oppose mandatory retirement age for musicians because guys like Pinetop Perkins can keep it going strong at age 97 but then I see something like this and I want Sting not only retired but quite possibly executed for my namesake.  Someone should at least throw a brick at him for this.

Continuing with the Department of Unwelcome Returns, we have a new album from Korn.  I’ll confess my ignorance to all things Korn because I don’t get how this album carries the Roman numeral III in the title.  I don’t know if this the third in a trilogy of concept albums or if this is some kind of new math but they have more than three records, all released against my will.  Someone is happy about it though because it did solid numbers for its debut this week.

With that, I turn over to you the Top 10 Singles and Albums of the past week at iTunes; yours if you want them.

iTunes’ top 10 selling singles of the week ending July 19, 2010:

1. “Love the Way You Lie”- Eminem
2. “Dynamite”- Taio Cruz
3. “California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg)”- Katy Perry
4. “I Like It”- Enrique Iglesias
5. “Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore)”- B.o.B.
6. “Billionaire (feat. Bruno Mars)”- Travie McCoy
7. “Cooler Than Me”- Mike Posner
8. “Ridin’ Solo”- Jason Derulo
9. “Not Afraid”- Eminem
10. “OMG (feat. will.i.am)”- Usher

iTunes’ top 10 selling albums of the week ending July 19, 2010:

1. Recovery – Eminem
2. Symphonicities – Sting
3. Maya – M.I.A.
4. An Airplane Carried Me to Bed – Sky Sailing
5. Korn III: Remember Who You Are – Korn
6. Thank Me Later – Drake
7. Black & White – The Maine
8. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Various Artists
9. To the Sea – Jack Johnson
10. The Fame – Lady GaGa