Billboard Hot 100
Time for a new music blog look at the top 100 records in the USA and see if our American friends are listening to anything decent, Katy Perry is at number one with ‘Roar’ so we can ignore that and that terrible ‘Blurred Lines’ track is number two – not a great start! Interestingly Lorde with ‘Royals’ is number three, the 16 year old new zealander has already been featured on this blog but it’s clear to see she’s making a big splash everywhere. Jay Z and Justin are in at four with ‘Holy Grail’ which is okay I suppose, whilst at number five is Avicii with ‘Wake Me Up’ – I’ve never heard of this artist but a quick check of youtube shows that the video has been watched a mere 78 million times, quite popular then but doesn’t mean it’s any good! The next of the latest music releases in the hot 100 is Lana Del Rey in at number six with ‘Summertime Sadness’, another lady is at seven and that is Gaga with ‘Applause’. Change of pace for the top ten as Drake and ‘Hold On we’re going home’ bring some rap into the mix at number eight, with another band we’ve never heard of at number nine – Capital Cities and ‘Safe and Sound’ – finally a poor quality top ten is rounded off by our old mate Eminem with ‘Berzerk’. Quite hard to pick a recommended track out of that dross but we’re going with Lorde and ‘Royals’ – a catchy little number!
Billboard Alternative top 10
So, not much love from the Billboard Hot 100 – instead we focus on the Billboard Alternative top 10 which should surely be more our bag, Lorde is there at number one which is a good sign I suppose, looking forward to her new album release, whilst the Imagine Dragons have made it to number two with ‘Demons’ – not for me though I’m afraid. In at number three is Fitz and the Tantrums with ‘Out of My League’ – it’s a new one for us, but sounds inoffensively camp! Grouplove are at number four, new music blog saw them live about a year ago, good to see them doing well. Elsewhere in the Alternative chart – The Neighbourhood and ‘Sweater Weather’ stood out a bit for us, sound a little bit like One Republic and without being rude they are the best of a bad bunch – no wonder our American cousins look to us for their music as if this is all they’ve got to go on then they’re struggling! More news from our USA chums next month.