U.S. Chart Roundup: No, Katy Perry, We Really Don't Need Yet Another #1 Single From Your Ass

Let's be honest, Katy Perry wore out her welcome after "Teenage Dream"—great hook, very of-the-moment, total case of "when good music happens to bad people." But this "Firework" shit is just trying too hard. And anything following "TD" was always going to be anticlimactic.

But no matter! Even after all the godawful live performances of the tune, Katy Puxxy has taken it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, which now gives her three straight chart-topping singles off her somewhat flop-esque Teenage Dream album. If "Peacock" really is her next single, my fingers are crossed that it peaks at #74 or something, because that one SUCKS. I'd go with "Last Friday Night", personally.

Anyway, Billboard points out that six different songs have been #1 over the past six weeks, which is a turnover that hasn't happened on the Hot 100 in more than 20 years. (And all six are still in the Top 10.) Indeed, in 2009 there were a total of 13 songs that reached the top of the chart (let's not forget the Black Eyed Peas clogged things up for 26 weeks straight with "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling"), yet there have been 17 #1 singles in 2010 to date.

Meanwhile, Coldplay's "Christmas Lights" debuts at #25 this week, giving the UK band their sixth Top 40 hit here in the States. (In their home country it reached #18 this past week.)

Likewise, The Killers enter at #79 with their own holiday single "Boots", the video for which had me a tad misty-eyed I must admit.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Firework" - Katy Perry *1 week*
2. "Raise Your Glass" - Pink
3. "What's My Name" - Rihanna feat. Drake
4. "The Time (The Dirty Bit)" - The Black Eyed Peas
5. "Grenade" - Bruno Mars
6. "Only Girl (In The World)" - Rihanna 
7. "Just The Way You Are" - Bruno Mars
8. "We R Who We R" - Ke$ha
9. "Just A Dream" - Nelly
10. "Bottoms Up" - Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj

Two Songs To Spend Cash On For World AIDS Day

Today is December 1, which means it's World AIDS Day. The video for The Killers' fifth annual holiday Product RED campaign charity single "Boots"—which was lensed by Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess—is due to premiere today over on the Starbucks site (the coffee company will donate 5 cents for each view of the clip today to the campaign).

UPDATE: here's the video (direct from Starbucks, so the views count toward the donation). This actually brought a tear to my eye. 



You can purchase the "Boots" single from iTunes. Also available for purchase is Annie Lennox's "Universal Child" single off A Christmas Cornucopia, the proceeds of which go toward AIDS charities.

Today Lennox wrote the following on her site:

"Today is a special day - It is World AIDS Day and the 3rd Anniversary of The SING Campaign. I'm happy to tell you that we have come a long way in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The new Global Report from UNAIDS shows that fewer people are becoming infected with HIV and that we have broken the trajectory of the AIDS epidemic."

You can read the full thing here.

Brandon Flowers Aims To Be Pop-Rock's Golden Boy On His 'Flamingo' Album Cover

I have to say, I'm getting more and more into this idea of Brandon Flowers as a solo artist after seeing his music video for "Crossfire" and now the Flamingo album cover art. (Album out September 14.)

Longtime Chart Riggers will know that this blog's first year revolved around mucho fandom for Hot Fuss and B-Flo himself. By Sam's Town, my (as well as a multitude of others') patience had worn a bit thin for the band. And while Day & Age was a return to synthy form for the Vegas quartet, the magic sparkle shooting out of Brandon's shorts seemed to have faded.

I guess I'm open to the idea of a full-on Flowers renaissance. While it doesn't seem like solo material is necessary from him, what can it possibly hurt? ("Crossfire," if anything, proves that the guy still has some decently-melodic asexual angst left to croon about.) So far, so good.

It's Brandon Flowers' "Crossfire" Music Video

Brandon Flowers' music video for "Crossfire," his sensitive grower of a first solo single, premiered today. You know, this song took a few listens to work its way under my skin. But under there is where it's at.

Anyway, the vid features B-Flo being beaten and tortured by a pair of ninjas throughout the four+ minutes. Naturally, the first person to jump to his rescue is a butt-kicking Charlize Theron. Too bad she wasn't decked out in her Monster garb. That would have been hot.

The clip ends with them driving off in a beat-up pickup truck into the sunset. Charlize is at the wheel and she puts an arm around poor, fragile Brandon. She's such a dude.



Brandon Flowers' Stuart Price/Daniel Lanois/Brendan O'Brien-produced solo album Flamingo is due out September 14.