Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Monotony, thy name is iTunes Chart Watch, singles' chart. For weeks it was the Black Eyed Peas on top. We now enter our third week with Miley Cyrus' “Party in the U.S.A.” topping the singles chart and for kicks the Black Eyed Peas are still in at #2. This is why radio stations – remember those? – played the same six songs every hour. We like what we like and apparently we like it a lot and for weeks at a time.
The newbie in this week's singles chart is Jason DeRulo and “Whatcha Say.” It's a new song but not a new idea. It's AutoTune vocals and the same Casio synthesized high hat you hear on damn near every other song on the chart this week. Well, at least that's what I heard in the 30 second clip. Someone leave a comment if my sample missed out on the interesting, inventive, original idea in the song and I'll go check it out in its entirety.
iTunes' top 10 selling singles of the week ending Aug. 31, 2009:
1. "Party In the U.S.A." – Miley Cyrus
2. "I Gotta Feeling" – Black Eyed Peas
3. "Down" – Jay Sean
4. "Run This Town (feat. Rihanna & Kanye West)" – Jay-Z
5. "Whatcha Say" – Jason DeRulo
6. "Use Somebody" – Kings of Leon
7. "Good Girls Go Bad (feat. Leighton Meester)" – Cobra Starship
8. "Hotel Room Service" – Pitbull
9. "She Wolf" – Shakira
10. "You Belong With Me" – Taylor Swift
As usual, there's something in the album chart that brings a smile to my face. For starters, pre-sales of Pearl Jam's upcoming album Backspacer already have it in the Top 10. I've not listened to a note of this upcoming record even though some of it has leaked and been played live. I'm remaining in the dark so I can experience the record in full on release date. It won't take long. This one's clocking in at roughly 38 minutes. Apparently this is their Accelerate.
In other album news, your friends the Arctic Monkeys have debuted at #5. I'll admit some surprise at this. The historic hype in Britain did reach American shores and American audiences have paid them moderate mind. The hype has now died down but Arctic Monkeys seem to have maintained something of a U.S. audience.
iTunes' top 10 selling albums of the week ending Aug. 31, 2009:
1. Breakthrough – Colbie Caillat
2. Ellipse – Imogen Heap
3. Awake – Skillet
4. Only By the Night – Kings of Leon
5. Everybody – Ingrid Michaelson
6. Humbug – Arctic Monkeys
7. The Outsiders – Needtobreathe
8. Light – Matisyahu
9. Backspacer – Pearl Jam
10. One Love – David Guetta
