By Roger Nead
August 31, 2004
CHART TOPPING IS BECOMING A “HABIT”:
Despite the fact that they...well...suck! (uh-oh, I’m gonna hear a bunch of shit for that remark!) LINKIN PARK none the less has what it takes to break chart records. “Breaking The Habit,” which holds the number one spot on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart for the second week, is the fifth chart topper from the band’s latest CD, METEORA. If the song can keep it’s grip on the top spot one more week, it will tie the record for most weeks at #1 on the Modern Rock chart from one album (which is currently held by the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS for their 1999 release CALIFORNICATION.
The Modern Rock #1’s from the album, which debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart well over a year ago, are:
“Somewhere I Belong” (April 2003)
“Faint” (August 2003)
“Numb” (November 2003)
“Lying From You” (May 2004)
and “Breaking The Habit” (August 2004)
”LEAN ON” TERROR SQUAD:
By holding down the #1 spot for a third consecutive week, “Lean Back” by TERROR SQUAD has matched or succeeded the amount of weeks at the top by the only other two #1 hits to begin with the word “Lean.” Of course, they were the same song!
“Lean On Me” was first a Hot 100 chart topper in 1972 by BILL WITHERS, and it matched “Lean Back” with three weeks at #1. In 1987 a cover of Withers’ hit by CLUB NOUVEAU held the top for only two weeks.
“Lean Back” has also now become the longest running #1 hit of 2004 NOT to feature USHER! Here’s a break down of the Hot 100 Chart Toppers of ’04:
“The Way You Move” by OUTKAST Featuring SLEEPY BROWN (1 week)
“Slow Jamz” by TWISTA Featuring KANYE WEST & JAMIE FOXX (1 week)
“Yeah!” by USHER Featuring LIL JON & LUDACRIS (12 weeks)
“Burn” by USHER (8 weeks)
“I Believe” by FANTASIA (1 week)
“Confessions Part II” by USHER (2 weeks)
“Slow Motion” by JUVENILE Featuring SOULJA SLIM (2 weeks)
“Lean Back” by TERROR SQUAD (3 weeks, so far)
I GUESS THEY GOT HER NUMBER:
The sudden death of 80’s pop singer LAURA BRANIGAN from a brain aneurysm last week, was just another nail in the coffin of that long-ago decade. Branigan had several pop hits and was best known for the song “Gloria” which spent 3 weeks at #2 in December of 1982, stuck behind LIONEL RICHIE’S “Truly,” and then TONI BASIL’S “Mickey.” In fact, for the week of December 4th, 1982, Laura helped pull off a Top 5 first, as it was the first time in the history of the Hot 100 that the entire Top 5 was made up of one-word titled songs. At #1 was “Truly,” “Gloria” was at #2, “Mickey” at #3, “Maneater” by DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES was at #4, and “Heartlight” by NEIL DIAMOND was at #5.
Branigan also had a knack for picking future super hits. In 1983, she hit #12 with her version of “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You,” which went on to be a #1 smash for the song’s writer MICHAEL BOLTON in 1990, and she was the first artist to have a Top 40 hit with the much covered “Power Of Love,” which was originally recorded by AIR SUPPLY and then JENNIFER RUSH. Laura’s version reached #26 in the winter of 1988, and six years later the song would finally reach the top by CELINE DION. LAURA BRANIGAN was also the first artist to chart with Bolton’s “I Found Someone,” in 1986, which would go on to spark CHER’S first big come-back in 1988.
Branigan’s other Top 40 hits were: “Solitaire,” #7 1983, “Self Control,” #4 1984, “The Lucky One,” #20 1984, and “Spanish Eddie,” #40 1985.
U.S. Singles Chart:
Here are this week’s Top 10 singles:
1) Lean Back by TERROR SQUAD
2) Sunshine by LIL’ FLIP Featuring LEA
3) Goodies by CIARA Featuring PETEY PABLO
4) My Place by NELLY Featuring JAHEIM
5) Turn Me On by KEVIN LYTTLE Featuring SPRAGGA BENZ
6) Slow Motion by JUVENILE Featuring SOULJA SLIM
7) Dip It Low by CHRISTINA MILIAN
8) Pieces Of Me by ASHLEE SIMPSON
9) Move Ya Body by NINA SKY Featuring JABBA
10) If I Ain’t Got You by ALICIA KEYS
U.S. Album Chart:
Here are this week’s Top 10 albums:
1) Now 16 by VARIOUS ARTISTS
2) Autobiography by ASHLEE SIMPSON
3) Musicology by PRINCE
4) The Hard Way by 213
5) Confessions by USHER
6) Songs About Jane by MAROON5
7) Godfather Buried Alive by SHYNE
8) Take It All Away by RYAN CABRERA
9) Under My Skin by AVRIL LAVIGNE
10) Horse Of A Different Color by BIG & RICH
Top 10 Most Downloaded Tracks:
Here is this week’s Top 10 Hot Digital Tracks:
1) She Will Be Loved by MAROON5
2) My Place by NELLY Featuring JAHEIM
3) Let’s Get It Started by BLACK EYED PEAS
4) Pieces Of Me by ASHLEE SIMPSON
5) Breakaway by KELLY CLARKSON
6) My Happy Ending by AVRIL LAVIGNE
7) Yeah! by USHER Featuring LIL’ JON & LUDACRIS
8) Turn Me On by KEVIN LYTTLE
9) Goodies by CIARA Featuring PETEY PABLO
10) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
Modern Rock Tracks:
Here are this week’s Top 10 Modern Rock tracks:
1) Breaking The Habit by LINKIN PARK
2) Just Like You by THREE DAYS GRACE
3) American Idiot by GREEN DAY
4) Take Me Out by FRANZ FERDINAND
5) Somebody Told Me by THE KILLERS
6) Duality by SLIPKNOT
7) Vindicated by DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL
8) So Cold by BREAKING BENJAMIN
9) Vitamin R (Leading Us Along) by CHEVELLE
10) Wake Up (Make A Move) by LOSTPROPHETS
U.K. Singles Chart
Here are the Top Ten singles in the UK:
1) These Words by NATASHA BEDINGFIELD
2) Baby Cakes by 3 OF A KIND
3) Guns Don’t Kill People, Rappers Do by GOLDIE LOOKIN CHAIN
4) Thunderbirds/3 am by BUSTED
5) Dry Your Eyes by THE STREETS
6) Put Em High by STONEBRIDGE
7) Lola’s Theme by SHAPESHIFTERS
8) Sick & Tired by ANASTACIA
9) My Happy Ending by AVRIL LAVIGNE
10) Bedshaped by KEANE
My Own Personal Top 30 Chart:
1) P.J. Soles by LOCAL H
2) Experimental Film by THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
3) The Fold Out by THE JEALOUS SOUND
4) Tits On The Radio by SCISSOR SISTERS
5) Maggie Doesn’t Blink by DEATH RAY DAVIES
6) How We Know by THE THERMALS
7) Nowhere Again by SECRET MACHINES
8) You Were The One by KING RADIO
9) Fever by PINK GREASE
10) Gotta Go Through It by BLINKER THE STAR
11) Let It Go by YEAR OF THE RABBIT
12) Can’t Get Your Face Out Of My Head by GOLDEN DOGS
13) Bewfre The Dog by THE HENTCHMEN
14) Gray Ghost by THE FEVER
15) Be With You by OWSLEY
16) Not For All The Love In The World by THE THRILLS
17) One More Day by DYKEHOUSE
18) Break by GOB
19) 1985 by BOWLING FOR SOUP
20) You’re The Only One by MARIA MENA
21) Pressure Points by THE ZUTONS
22) She Will Only Bring You Happiness by McLUSKY
23) Uncorrected Proofs by THE WEAKERTHANS
24) The Getaway by HIGH HOLY DAYS
25) Down Here In Hell (With You) by VAN HUNT
26) Unresponsive by ONE TRICK PONY
27) Kill Them With Kindness by SATELLITE RIDES
28) Moonshine by LIT
29) Latchkey Princess by THE VANISHED
30) She Can Play Me Like A Drum Machine by DEATH RAY DAVIES
FUN & GAMES:
LISTEN TO THE MUSIC:
THE ‘70S
Hear the official weekly Billboard Top 50 chart from 28 years ago August 31st, 1976!
THE ‘80S
Hear the official weekly Billboard Top 50 chart from 18 years ago
August 31st, 1986!
TOP O’ THE CHARTS:
Let’s go through time and see what was at #1 this week on the various popular music charts!
#1 Song on Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart, August 31, 1996:
Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand by PRIMITIVE RADIO GODS
#1 Song on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart, August 31, 1991:
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You by BRYAN ADAMS
#1 Song on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart, August 31, 1986:
Friends And Lovers by GLORIA LORING AND CARL ANDERSON
#1 Song on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart, August 31, 1981:
Burnin’ For You by BLUE OYSTER CULT
#1 Song on Billboard’s Country & Western Chart, August 31, 1976:
(I’m A) Stand By My Woman Man by RONNIE MILSAP
#1 Song on Billboard’s R&B Chart, August 31, 1971:
Spanish Harlem by ARETHA FRANKLIN
#1 Song on the UK Chart, August 31, 1966:
Yellow Submarine by THE BEATLES
#1 Album on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart, August 31, 1961:
Something For Everybody by ELVIS PRESLEY
REMEMBER THESE?:
Here are the official Top Ten Charts, 6, 16, 26, and 36 years ago this week:
AUGUST 31, 1998:
1) I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by AEROSMITH
2) The First Night by MONICA
3) Crush by JENNIFER PAGE
4) My Way by USHER
5) The Boy Is Mine by BRANDY & MONICA
6) You’re Still The One by SHANIA TWAIN
7) Adia by SARAH McLACHLAN
8) Daydreamin’ by TATYANA ALI
9) Never Ever by ALL SAINTS
10) When The Lights Go Out by FIVE
AUGUST 31, 1988:
1) Monkey by GEORGE MICHAEL
2) Sweet Child O’ Mine by GUNS N’ ROSES
3) Simply Irresistible by ROBERT PALMER
4) I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That by ELTON JOHN
5) I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love by CHICAGO
6) Perfect World by HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS
7) Fast Car by TRACY CHAPMAN
8) When It’s Love by VAN HALEN
9) If It Isn’t Love by NEW EDITION
10) I’ll Always Love You by TAYLOR DAYNE
AUGUST 31, 1978:
1) Grease by FRANKIE VALLI
2) Three Times A Lady by THE COMMODORES
3) Boogie Oogie Oogie by A TASTE OF HONEY
4) Hot Blooded by FOREIGNER
5) Hopelessly Devoted To You by OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
6) Miss You by THE ROLLING STONES
7) Kiss You All Over by EXILE
8) An Everlasting Love by ANDY GIBB
9) Magnet And Steel by WALTER EGAN
10) Shame by EVELYN “CHAMPAGNE” KING
AUGUST 31, 1968:
1) People Got To Be Free by THE RASCALS
2) Born To Be Wild by STEPPENWOLF
3) Light My Fire by JOSE FELICIANO
4) Hello, I Love You by THE DOORS
5) Sunshine Of Your Love by CREAM
6) You Keep Me Hangin’ On by VANILLA FUDGE
7) Harper Valley P.T.A. by JEANNIE C. RILEY
8) You’re All I Need To Get By by MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL
9) I Can’t Stop Dancing by ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS
10) Stay In My Corner by THE DELLS
ROCK & ROLL TRIVIA QUESTION:
LAST WEEKS QUESTION:
Here we go with another damn Beatle question! What is the only single released from the classic 1967 LP: SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND?
THE ANSWER:
Upon it’s initial release in June of 1967, SGT PEPPER was all the rage, but despite being a radio DJ favorite, no singles were released from the classic album until 11 years later.
In September of 1978 a medley version of the first two tracks on the LP: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band/With A Little Help From My Friends” was issued as a capitol single, and climbed all the way to #71. (The single’s flip-side was the last track on the album: “A Day In The Life.”)
The reason behind the belated single release was to capitalize on the immense popularity of the soundtrack for the notorious motion picture bomb SGT PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND, which starred the BEE GEES and PETER FRAMPTON, and featured BEATLE classics covered by such contemporary artists as: ALICE COOPER, EARTH, WIND & FIRE, AEROSMITH, STEVE MARTIN, and GEORGE BURNS? (yep, it’s true!)
THIS WEEKS QUESTION:
Below is a list of artists who have all had hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100. What distinct chart fact do they all share in common? (HINT: the order in which I’ve listed them is also relevant.)
1) BANANARAMA
2) ARETHA FRANKLIN
3) JOAN BAEZ
4) LENNY KRAVITZ
5) WILSON PICKETT
6) B.T. EXPRESS
7) THE WHISPERS
8) BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
9) MARIAH CAREY
10) BILLY PRESTON
Answer next week!
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