Back at the top he is! After his performance live at TV show Wetten dass…? (Wanna bet that…?) on Saturday 20th March Bruno Mars sees grenade flying back to No. 1 disqualifying Lady Gaga’s Born This Way to the runner’s up position. The popular Saturday night show is still one of the most successful marketing tools in Germany. More than 9 millions were watching the recent issue – or 27,6 %. Just for comparison: DSDS the big casting event tumbled down last episodes to 18,7 %.
Another star of the show right now tops the album charts. As media control informsHerbert Grönemeyer lands his recent release Schiffsverkehr at No.1 in ist first chart week. Since 1984 all his album with original and new material topped the list – Schiffsverkehr is the ninth. Also Bruno Mars gets a album sale boost landing at No.2 with Doo-Wops & Hooligans.
The performance in the show
Bruno Mars is spending a fifth week at the top. He is by now the artist with most weeks at the top spot. Las track staying five weeks or longer was Over The Rainbow by Israel „IZ“ Kamakawiwo’ole which collected 12 weeks at the top at the back end of 2010. It was also the last track who managed to rebound to the top after falling down first. The last track taking a break of leading the list for more than one week was Satellite by Lena in spring last year.
Belgian singer MILOW is back with a new release. You And Me (In My Pocket) enters the German chart at No.3 and is the best new CD release of the week. It’s the artist’s second big hit here after his very acoustic ballade version of Ayo Technology went No.2 two years ago. You And Me (In My Pocket) continues in sound and success. The track combines the well known voice and guitar play with a midtempo rhythm making the record kind of a sing-a-long song. German Telekom realized that quality at first and uses the song for its marketing campaignMillion Moments aired right now in German TV. Lucky MILOW – Germany is indeed the region where the new track reaches a top position …
The full video
The TV spot of Telekom
Other successful CD releases: S & M by Rihanna No.5 and E. T. by Katy Perry ft. Kanye West
An almost static Top 5 except No.5 which is occupied now by the steadily rising Hello by Martin Solveig + Dragonette. The track reaches its peak so far in the 20th chart week. Peaking inside the really top of the charts after 20 weeks or more is a feat not gained very often. The last two years saw ittwice happens. In last November Leona Lewis shot with her Run straight to No.2 after a performance of the track by a contestant in a casting show. It was the 35th chart week. Last track peaking in its origin chart run inside the top 5 that late was Gossip’s Heavy Cross which gained No.2 a year before in November 2009.
8 weeks inside the list – finally shooting to Top 10 status – that’s Flo Rida who can jump up 16 places right to No. 8 after his performance at Stefan Raab’s Wok WM aired on 12th March. It is the third time the US American rapper can invade the German Top 10. In his home country he had hit the top spot twice, in the UK three times and in Ireland already four times. Producing DJ Frank E hits the top 10 for a second time. Predecessor Airplanes performed by B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams rose to No.8 also five months ago. His most recent production Tonight (I’m Loving You) on which he is credited properly alongside Enrique Iglesias holds firm at No.12 waiting for its rise to the Top 10. Seems we’re just facing a new super producer …
Hard times for German productions. The highest German track sits at position 15 in the face of Lena and her Taken by a Stranger (falling 8 – 15 ... oops).
Best new German track and probably soon the most successfull German one enters the list at No.20 by Die Atzen mit NENA celebrating Strobo Pop. (I talked about the track in the midweek’s chart flash). The track narrowly outsells tumbling Milk&Sugar vs. Vaya Con Dios’Hey (Nah Neh Nah) which probably disappears out of the list.
Bad times for German offerings does not mean there aint no … Not at all. Right now some releases of German artists are in shops. Let’s have a look:
CLUESO has made his way becoming a solid artist selling albums in respectable amounts, having a few medium hits played often in radio programmes and staying acceptable and upright for his fans. His sixth album An und für sich (Actually / In and of itself) is scheduled for 25th March. Following the classic release plan the first single is available two weeks ahead. Zu schnell vorbei (Over to fast) is a soft ballad talking bout precious moments and the search for the ability enjoying them. The single is the successor of Gewinner (Winner) which spent a whole 32 weeks in the charts. Listening to the track I guess it could become a similar slow burner. No.38 in the first week could lead much higher.
Do you know SpongeBob? Probably you’re not the main target group of that comic character but you might recognized the popularity the character has between children. Nine TV seasons plus ten movies were produced since 1999. It is aired almost all over the world, computer games exist and a whole merchandise industry is working around the character. Well – time to have a CD with hits as well. In 2009 there was a CD released including the original score of the serial. I can’t remember this had a huge impact. Now sonymusic decided to release a CD full with cover version of well known pop hits for the German speaking area especially. The album named BOB Musik – Das Gelbe Album (The Yellow Album) enters the album list straight at position 17. That’s not all. Lecker Lecker (Yummy Yummy) – a cover of Shakira’s hit Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) – charted as an digital album cut in the singles’ list also. No. 43 on downloads only. Is that caused by kids only?
Bad timing for DJ Ötzi. His company Polydor decided releasing the new single Lieb ich dich right after the big run of Après Ski and Discofox hits. I really would love to know why. It is the second single off his album Du und ich. It is completely the style of all its predecessors. It should have a huge support for becoming a hit. Why do they release it after the carneval season? What was the secret plan behind that schedule?
As always Lieb ich dich (Love you) is a song about the never ending love. It’s a frank confession as one would say in emotional situations. Maybe at Oktoberfest after 3 beers. Or while dancing in stupid costumes around a truck rolling slowly through the streets plus hammering discofox beat against the crowd. Well – a few people like the song as well. Maybe they are just in love. Lieb ich dich enters the chart at a very low No.79. – And please, don’t call me a cynic.
Finally a short look at recent European Connections within the chart:
Dutch symphonic rock band Within Temptation offers a new album. The Unforgiving is the first new material since four years. Leading single Faster was available as CD two weeks earlier. The track enters the chart right at No.48. It is the first time in four years that the band could reach the upper half of the German list.The last track doing so was leading single of predeceding albumWhat Have You Done which rose up to position 32.
This is the chart update covering the week 11th to 17th March – the week which saw the world somehow stopping shocked by the occurences going on in Japan. Indeed the very polemic mainstream chart site oljo.de paused publishing – and critisized TV shows like DSDS for continuing their scandalizing performance without any hesitation. Well – pop music hardly stops. There is no evil or accident which really could make people not consuming music and have some entertainment and fun. Or am I wrong?
A look at the actual preview of this weeks chart given by media control tells you the show’s going on. No news at the Top. Lady Gaga still holds firm at No. 1 with Born This Way. It is the second longest stay at the top spot for the Lady as both its predecessors Paparazzi and Bad Romance spend a single week at the top. Lady Gagas very first No.1 hit Poker Face spent there whole 13 weeks in 2009. Will the new single have the power breaking this feat?
The actual statistic sees Lady Gaga collecting 17 weeks at No.1 – she approaches the top 10 of artists with most weeks spending at the top. Right now she is joining acts like Bee Gees and Petula Clark.
The highest new entry in the list is an old one coming in the like of jay sean ft. Lil Wayne. Their Down was performed at DSDS (German’s take on Idols) by what looks like the next winner Pietro Lombardi which gives the track a huge boost in online sales shooting it up to No.9. What makes this rise spectacular is the fact that Pietro Lombardi performed the song a month before at the recall show making the track reentering at position 51. It spend three weeks within the charts cause of its circulating youtube video. Now Pietro Lombardi and the track had much more presence in the show – and the fan crowd of the contestant is growing obviously.
Jay Sean finally sets his one and only chart track in Germany to a proper hit. His companion on the track Lil Wayne knows already how it feels in the upper regions of the charts. In early 2009 he accompanied Kevin Rudolf for the crossover track Let It Rock which spent three weeks at No. 10. Down is for now the highest charting track he is credited to.
The highest really new entry is not at all the most successful CD release of the week. That crown goes again to Lady Gaga … but well No.1 is No.1 with or without a proper physical release. A full release after a three years break should called a comeback. Well here it is: the lady used to be a superstar at the very beginning of this century Jennifer Lopez or shortly called JLO. Between 1999 and 2007 she topped the US charts four times and having five Top 10 hits additionally. Germany was not really the region of big success. JLO have had only six Top 10 hits none of them rising higher than position 5. The american RnB sound was featured everywhere on TV and radio but the real life was slightly different. Five years later the world seems different: Europop is crowding the US charts. Me as an European do not really understand what is so interesting with cheesy sounds and stamping beats. Well it works. Right now in the US also. No wonder the big RnB diva chose an old European hit from 1989 to rework. Lambada by French project Kaoma was the sound of the late 80ies giving the longing for a hot holiday affair a musical interpretation. The song topped the charts in almost every European country. Originally Lambada bases upon a Bolivian track – maybe that link made the single a minor hit in the states as well. No.46 – meaning a small fan crowd took notice of it.
The new take on the hook line attracts much more people. JLO combined the caribbean sound with club appeal and a guest rap by playboy of now Mr. Pitbull. The melange works – On The Floor by now reached No.5 in the US. In Europe the hedonistic anthem just started catching fire. Austria and Switzerland see the track rising to No.3. Germany by now is a little more reserved. The single starts its chart life at No.10. It is the first time in four years JLO reaches the Top 10 in Germany. Pitbull does have his third track inside the German Top 10 – or if you count his appearance on Enrique Iglesias’I Like It this is his fourth Top 10 hit.
The best new CD start offered by German artist is the new recording of Die Atzen (sorry, that term is really not translatable). The last three years they had two huge hits with Das geht ab (That rocks) and Disco pogo followed by two minor releases. Now they try to continue their success with their latest album Party Chaos announced with the single Strobo Pop. The formula of the sound is well known – what is new is the featured artist they asked for help. It is nobody else than NENA. She is one of the female German artists recording for almost 30 years and still very popular. The other one is Anette Humpe who just take a pause from her work with Ich + Ich. Well – NENA had a lot of transformations in her carreer. Now she is in her fifties and still can attract an audience of teenagers. In fact NENA probably has more fans within the group of underaged than amongst the more serious adults. The actual collaboration clearly underlines that. One could argue and discuss now about the strength of pop and its ability of undergoing every commitment. Four years ago Die Atzen were famous for being the nasty and rude rap boys – NENA more or less tried to keep 80ies icons alive like Kim Wilde. In 2011 both together appear on an electro club track taking some 90ies power combining it with the toughness of today and talking about only ones: party party party. Strobo Pop for me is the straight consequence of tracks like JLOs On The Floor – more hedonistic, more reckless and much more complicated to sell. In Germany that new youth culture still have power – No. 20 in the first week is a statement.
A chart week serving us with a few surprises. The biggest ones are told already. But there are still some more left. One of the most impressive chart runs finally ends up within the Top 10 this week. Martin Solveig + Dragonette lift up their Hello to #7. It is an unbelievable seven places jumps. The last weeks it was rising much softer – now the track ultimately catched fire. No wonder – you can hear the catchy hookline everywhere you go: in super markets, on the radio, on the streets … And the song is used within the recent commercial spot for the new Nokia E7 smartphone.
Internationally the track topped the charts in Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. And it went to #13 in the UK. In Germany it took the Canadian band and the remixing DJ full 19 weeks to reach their so far highest position. Meaning they entered the charts in November last year at an underrated #44.
The last track having such a long run to reach its peak was Alicia Keys’ solo take on Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Hearted. It occupied #35 in its 21st chart week at the end of November last year.
The best CD release is done by Chris Brown. But Yeah 3x shows a pretty untypical chart move as it looses one place landing at #9. Usually a newly available CD issue boosts the sales summit. Probably we’re facing here a completely new kind of star, whose audience is more related to the digital use of music.
A look at the German tracks within this week’s list.
Allthough five of the ten new entries this week come from Germany there is on top nothing new. As the last two weeks Lena and her Eurovision track Taken by a Stranger is earning the crown for being the most sold German production. The track dips 7 – 8 … probably it will have its second rise when the big Eurovision show arrives. Also the runners up of the inofficial national list are holding place with decreasing sales: Milk&Sugar vs. Vaya Con Dios are with Hey (Nah Neh Nah) still the German #2 sliding down 13 – 14 meanwhile culcha candela’s Berlin City Girl as the third highest German track (and the first with German lyrics) moves 17 – 16.
The most successful new German production entering the charts this week comes from Jupiter Jones. The band exists already for nine years. They released four albums on the independent label Mathilda and Titus’ Tonträger. Last summer they signed a contract with Columbia Berlin /Sony. Now a new self titled album and a single Still (Silent) were released. It is a soft guitar rock song with a clear romantic note.The track enters the list at #32.
Bullmeister is a young trio originally based in Heidelberg now living in Berlin which offers fresh electro dance pop. Their song Girls Beautiful was chosen by TV channel Pro7 to promote the sixth season of Germany’s Next Top Model.The first episode was aired on 3rd March – one day later the CD was available. It enters the list now at #39. The show itself had caused bigger hits already.
One of the prototypes of German synthie sound is Alphaville. They released a second single from their comeback album Catching Rays On Giant. That album indeed is the second successfull release of the former trio. The released single did not have the massive impact other tracks of the band had. And so Song For No One also creeps only up to #50. Although Alphaville could count as one of the most influential bands in Germany the new single is only their 11th chart hit.
The hope of German hiphop MARTERIA sets out a second attempt of entering the mainstream. Although the artist is recording tracks since years the commercial breakthrough came last summer first when his album Zum Glück in die Zukunft (For Happiness To The Future) was released by company Four Music. Leading track Verstrahlt (play on words for stoned / lucky also radiated) became a medium hit but different to the usual life of German hiphop tracks it was kind of a long seller entering the list again four months after its release. Sekundenschlaf (Microsleep) is the second release from the album. It is a collaboration with Peter Fox which merges dancehall-reggea-style with hiphop and pop. On this melange MARTERIA is reflecting about the shortness of life, the way of getting older, of passing by youth and the loss of wildness and dreams. Like a lot of German hiphop lyrics these are kind of depressiv and surrendering too. In difference to other artists MARTERIA does not believe in violence or hedonism as a solution. That very grounded attitude might be the reason why he is attractive for a lot of people – but not for typical hip hop fans. Sekundenschlaf enters the list at #64 – in comparison to its predecessor it is very low down and will probably leave the charts very soon again.
A band still waiting for the big breakthrough is JENIX. They earned some publicity by touring with Silbermond and releasing together a charity single for Haiti in summer last year . The CD featured two cover songs by the bands – on that release Here We Go Again found its way to the charts for the first time. Now the original recording by JENIX was released again as a solo CD single. It enters the list at #95.
Carnival caused a small invasion of rising German tracks further down the chart this week. The biggest seasonal seller comes from Cologne band HÖHNER. (dialect for Chicks). Their Schenk mir dein Herz (Give Me Your Heart) jumps 53 – 33. It is a somehow new carnival hit as it was recorded in autumn 2009 and collected only 17 chart weeks so far.
Also No.2 on the list is a new one: entertainer and singer Mickie Krause offered in January his Schatzi, schenk mir ein Foto (Honey, Give Me A Photograph). It entered low down at #77 in its first week dipping in and out the charts the following weeks. Finally it becomes a medium hit jumping to #46 this week. It is the highest position for Mickie Krause since his FIFA world championchip related Orange trägt nur die Müllabfuhr (Only the refuse collection service is wearing orange) went to #31 in 2008.
Most successfull „classic“ carnival hit is So ein schöner Tag (Fliegerlied) (What a beautiful day – Song of the pilot). In 2008 the children song was released by Bavarian DONIKKL finding a lot of fans at Munich Oktoberfest and finally became a chart hit – there are several versions available, most popular became the one by Tim Toupet reaching position 6 in February 2009.
Finding its way back to the upper half of the German chart is caused not only by the regular carneval events. It had big support by the DSDS show (Germany’s version on Idols) featuring Après Ski Hits – which is very close to carnival hits. Marco Angelini performed the Fliegerlied. Well –the track sits pretty this week at #49 in its 50th chart week. It is the highest position since March 2010 – all versions together spent 76 weeks within the charts so far.
The DSDS show helped a lot of further tracks to a boosted chart performance. First of all the new #1 Born This Way by Lady Gaga is a direct effect of the show performance by Zazou Mall. Also the highest new entry Tonight by Enrique Iglesias feat. Ludacris & DJ Frank E had its airing. It was performed by Ardian Bujupi. The Norwegian duo MADCON sees their Freaky Like Me jumping back 17 places into the Top 20 after a performance of DSDS favourite Pietro Lombardi. It is the 16th week of the track and the highest position since beginning of January. And even the track spending most weeks within the German charts – Ein Stern (der deinen Namen trägt) (A Star – which is named after you) by DJ Ötzi & Nik P. – manages to reappear at #81 after a performance in the show.
TV is actually the most proper instrument to launch hits in Germany: DSDS, Germany’s Next Top Model … and since 4th March Die Ultimative Chart-Show also supply the masses with newer and older sounds. The latter one is a very special form: host Oliver Geissen is presenting the best hits under a chosen motto. The show started in 2003 and became very popular. Compilations on CD were released . On 4th March the 90th show was aired under the device „The most successful synthie pop hits“. Within the list and on stage performed Faithless their burner Insomnia which immediately also re-enters the chart at #41. It is the 52nd chart week of the track – counted all versions and remixes since 1997 together.
Looking at the German list sees two female artists entering who are not German but from the neighbourhood and worth be mentioned here as well:
The second song of German X Factor winner Edita from Switzerland comes three months after her first success. Meanwhile she changed her nameonly called by her first name right now. The sound did not change that much – very unspecific mainstream pop. The Key starts its chart life at #51.
And finally french singer ZAZ enters the German market. After Je Veux became a hit in France in May/June last year and later on in Belgium and Switzerland it is a now a new entry at #36 in Germany aussi.
Oops – never think the music market is a boring and predictable thing. A week ago I was telling you that Bruno Mars will for sure be #1 this week again … two days ago the chart compiling institute media control announced in an extra press release a completely different story. We do have a new #1. Not only a new #1 but a #1 by digital sales only for the very first time. The artist gaining this record is Lady Gaga . Her recent track Born This Way is rising four places to the top spot in its fourth chart week after the release of the video on 2nd March in Germany (the US premiere was on 28th February). One could say MTV and the whole music television is dead – video aint. The public interest around the visual translation of the track was huge, supported by a lot of media hype. For German music companies this is a lesson: music clips are important for selling records (or music files). Hopefully the big ones now stop their stupid policy of avoiding platforms like youtube et al.
Born This Way is Lady Gaga’s fourth #1. She is the second act in this still fresh year having its fourth top hit. The Black Eyed Peas did so at the very beginning with their offering The Time (Dirty Bit). Lady Gaga might not be the first one doing so this year, but she is one of the fastest. Exactly two years ago she entered the top position for the first time with Poker Face. The last act having four #1 hits within two years was German Tokio Hotel. They needed 1 year and 5 months. Tokio Hotel also was the last act having #1 hits in three consecutive years – this feat now is matched by La Gaga.
Funny trivia beside this: Lady Gaga is the third act in a row reaching the top position in the 4th chart week. Incident or a new rule?
The week 4th to 10th March which is the actual period for the recent chart was a week of change. The second climber up to #3 comes from Finnish Sunrise Ave. Their hollywood hills finally reach the top positions now matching their success in early 2007 Fairytale Gone Bad.
Ulrike Altig of media control said due to the new digital #1: „There is a new aera beginning.“ She’s absolutely right. And finally the German companies recognise this. UNIVERSAL – one of the real big ones – tried out for the first time releasing the digital release a full month before the CD release is scheduled with the new Enrique Iglesias track Tonight (I’m Loving You). The effect: Enrique Iglesias feat. Ludacris & DJ Frank E does have the highest new entry in the German charts. The track is rising up to #12 by donwload sales only. The full physical release comes on 1st April. It is the second euro dance release by Enrique. As the predecessor I Like You the new one enters at #12 – and I guess we will have the track soon inside the Top 10.
The best new entry with a full physical release comes from USHER whose MORE enters the list at #17. After his big hit DJ Got Us Falling In Love which climbed up to #5 this track has kind of a low start.
And finally for now another „new aera“ entry. Gossip lead singer Beth Ditto released a solo EP. As a single cut one could download track number four I Wrote The Book which enters the list at #30. The holy new aera – in other countries tit began almost three or four years ago. Germany doesn’t seem to be the most innovative country right now.
Sorry for being delayed. There is so much action going on in this world right now that one could mention mainstream pop as the most unimportant topic to talk about. Even in Germany polititians and blogging journalists are arguing heavily about what the accident in Fukushima after the earthquake and tsunami means to technological development in Germany. Nuclear energy or even better the end of it is a highly discussed topic in Germany since last summer. The world of pop meanwhile does not really take notice of the event.
The actual list of Friday 11th March is referring to sales within the week 25th February to 3rd March. One of the significant actions going on is the rise of hollywood hills offered by Sunrise Ave. The soft rock track of the Finnish band is one of the most played at German radio stations. So the physical release on 25th February gives the track a boost in sale making it rise 11 – 6. It is the second timethat Sunrise Ave can reach the upper places within the German list. Their only Top 10 hit before Fairytale Gone Bad went #3 in early 2007 – it is one of the tracks spending most weeks in the charts by collecting 70 weeks till today.
Having a second top10 track here Germany becomes the area where the band is most popular. Even in their home country Finland they only had two top 10 tracks. hollywood hills so far did not go further than #13. Expect the song staying within the German top 10 – the iTunes list notes the track at #4 (13th March) after they performed it live at Stefan Eaab’s WOK WM 2011 on 11th March.
Another Scandinavian act is gaining increasing popularity in Germany. Swedish Roxette climb with their comeback track She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio) to #10. After 19 years they have finally a new track inside the top 10 in Germany. It is their ninth doing so. The recent album Charm School is listed at #7 in its 3rd chart week.
All in all we do have five European tracks inside the German top 10. The other half is completely occipied by US American acts.
Most popular (saying: most sold) German track is still Taken by a Stranger by Eurovision star Lena. The complete single’s ranking sees her falling 2 – 7 in its second week. Finally a video is available also:
Talking about German tracks – the most successfull new CD coming from Germany is another of the type: former GDR star gets its first commercial single hit more than 20 years after Germany’s unity. The artist I’m talking about is Ute Freudenberg. In the early 80s she was one of the most popular female artists in East Germany. In 1981 she had accompanied by her band Elefant a huge hit with Jugendliebe (Early Love). It is till today her most popular song. A voting by magazin Super Illu a few years ago proved it. In 1984 Ute Freudenberg exiled to Western Germany. She worked still as a singer but never managed to have broader success. Now in 2011 she finally can reach the masses. Accompanied with Christian Lais who had a small hit two years ago she tells the story about the life in cold war times. Auf den Dächern von Berlin (On The Tops Of Berlin) is kind of a romantic memory about youth life in East and West. Avoiding any critic look at the former times it heavily recalls the feeling of „At that time everything was much better …“ – a typical attitude of so called Schlager (the German term for soft pop songs sung in German and listened to mostly by an elder audience). After Silly one year before and Puhdys just two weeks ago Ute Freudenberg is now the third artist of the GDR who gets a first chart entry. Only Silly managed to do so on her own power (but not in original cast – cause former lead singer Tamara Danz died in 1996). The question is now: will more acts follow? Is 20 years of German unity enough to refer back to both cultures? I will keep watching it.
Next new track of a German producer comes at #45. DJ Ronny Rockstroh was creating kind of a new style in dance music. He combined electro dancefloor with German vocals – not only short screams but real lyrics. His first offering Licht (Light) gave him an entry at #75 in 2009. Last year he had success with Tanzen (Dancing) which was licensed by a major label blowing the track up to #37 as CD release. Now the new track Wolke 7 (Cloud #7) is available. As I found out the Kick Fresh label has released the track digital and on vinyl so far. A proper physical release on vinyl is not officially announced. Entering #45 this week the releae schedule will be re-written probably. Simple lyrics and a cliché serving video will help the track finding its way to the masses. The DDC dance chart lists the track at #4, the ODC dance chart show #8 and the Dance 50 have Wolke 7 at #2.
Back in German chart is band Wir sind Helden (We are Heroes). Singer of the band Judith Holofernes just had unintended promotion. Leading yellow press paper BILD requested her to give a personal statement for an ad campaign. She declined with an open letter calling the papaer a „dangerous political instrument”. Nonetheless BILD used the letter for an advertisement. That episode was discussed heavily within the German blogosphere. The mainstream market aint that impressed in contrast. New single of Wir sind Helden Alles auf Anfang (Back to square one) enters the German list at #63.
And yet another German release. To be more precise: a release under German participation. The USAmerican-Canadian-German band The Black Pony had its chart debut in December last year. Boys Are Crazy spent two weeks in the list climbing to #69.Scars And Bruises now has to promote the upcoming album Launched In The Pool scheduled for 18th March. The single enters the chart at #72.
Lower down between rank 80 to 100 a lot of other German releases are crowding into the chart. New tracks and older ones all are related to carnival – the so called fifth season which is very important to the German music business. You will see projects like Bläck Fööss (Black Feet) or Räuber (Bandits) rising much higher next week. This issue is with 21 tracks not listed a fortnight before the most turned around of this year so far.
Not a German production but popular right now in German speaking countries only cause of its use within the German movie Kokowäh (German transliteration of „Coq au vin“) is Snowflakes by White Apple Tree. The US American synth pop trio aint well known even in their home country. They had their album debut almost one year ago with the Velvet Mustache not including the 2008 single Snowflakes. Now – with long lasting success of the movie (in its fifth week Kokowäh still holds #2 within the movie charts) UNIVERSAL decided to release the track as a full CD single including a new remix by movie maker and actor Til Schweiger. Two weeks ahead the download only track enters the chart at #31. It seems to be certain having the track soon much higher – probably top 10. Chances of getting similar success in the US are quite small. The very 80s influenced sound attracts European music lovers much more. Snowflakes is by the way the third track of the Kokowäh sound track which enters the charts. Predecessors were HURTS and The Script.
Last story about German specific chart actions: there were a few older pop tracks re-entering the charts in the last few weeks. Most of them were caused by a performance within the DSDS – Deutschland sucht den Superstar show (Germany is searching for superstar – German version on Idols). The first proper show backing the battle of the last 10 favourites was aired on 26. February featuring the topic „Super Hits”. Although some blogs saw Sebastian Wurth as the best performer the song attracting most viewers was With You performed by 18year old Pietro Lombardi. The original version by Chris Brown was a medium hit in 2008 reaching #33. Now the track appears again at #51.
You Raise Me Up performed in the show by Sebastian Wurth is back at #75. It is the second succesfull track in Germany of Irish band Westlife. In 2006 it ranked no higher than #11. Since then it came back four times – always as an effect of interpretations in casting shows. Now the track starts its sixth chart run with a position he had not seen since two years. It is the 31st chart week for the song.
Song number three from the DSDS show is In My Head by jason derülo which can reappear after a three months break at #80. In the show the song was interpreted by Ardian Bujupi
Bruno Mars holds still the #1 spot in Germany with grenade. That’s the news of this week. He now occupies that position for a fourth week in a row and matches the feat The Black Eyed Peas did in January this year. It is almost a given thing that he will top the list next week too and gain the honour of being the most successfull track of 2011 so far. Why I’m so sure? Well – the release schedule for the recent week is not that strong. Chris Brown is the candidate with most prospects of having the best physical release start. His latest offering Yeah 3x enters the list by donwloads only at #8 as the highest new entry this week. I really doubt that the track more or less adressed to a younger fan crowd would have the power of overtaking the most mainstream hit of the moment (and here I mean mainstream as a very positive thing: almost everybody in Germany is attracted by the romantic and powerful ballad of Mr. Mars). Chris Brown so far is having a small comeback launching a third top 10 hit after a two year’s break.
Of course nobody should never say that something is given for sure … at least not concerning the chart. Or did you really believe that Taio Cruz featuring Kylie will rise much further in their 11th week? I told you the story last Friday – besides all the Lena hysteria and the almost failing Depeche mode flash mob the Taio/Kylie story was the most exciting going on last chart week. And now? – Finally they climb higher and higher reaching now #3. Higher is now for both the longest staying top 10 track within the German charts. Taio Cruz „only“ spent 11 weeks with Dynamite last September/October – Kylie did so with her last #1 hit Can’t Get You Out Of My head in 2001. It is by the way Kylie’s 50th week inside the German top 10. She now accompanies artists like Timbaland or Beyoncé. Both did in very shorter time … so Kylie Minogue benefits from her endurance in music business. She now has top 3 hits in three different decades. What is probably more exceptional: she did not have any top 10 hit in the 90s.
The best CD release last week was done by The Black Eyed Peas. Just Can’t Get Enough is the second single from their recent album The Beginning. It’s not that catchy and straight dance oriented as its predecessor The Time (Dirty Bit) was. It is viceversa a little more demanding … not that easy to consume. Does anybody wonder why the track starts at #9? Anyway it is the 12th top 10 track for the Peas.
Lena is not #1 – what a shame – scandal! … these were the headlines of some blogs watching the charts. Well – Lena was the main story in week 18th to 24th February. But YES – we do have a few other chart actions too.
First of all we do have 14 new tracks in the list plus 6 old tracks re-entering the chart. That is the most for this year at all – yeah! Finally the market is alive. 14 new tracks that’s a feat we saw last in November 2009 – you see, the music industry had a very long winter break. 20 tracks which where not listed a fortnight ago – well, we had it last time in June 2010. Almost a year ago. There is something going on.
One of the further actions takes place right at #5. That’s the place where Taio Cruz & Kylie land with their single Higher. It is the 11th chart week for the track which started end of December at a somehow low #10. I had a short story about the song a few weeks ago. At this time I was really convinced that the slow burning Higher was a result of weak or even no new releases. Now this argument doesn’t match anymore. Honestly I can’t find a reason why the song is rising continously: Higher sneaks in the Nielsen airplay charts around #21, well Kylie started her Aphrodite tour – but in Denmark ,no new mixes available … The track rises up the list nonetheless entering it’s highest rank so far this recent week. Taio Cruz now matches the result he got with his very first German chart hit Break Your Heart almost 10 months ago. Kylie now collects only her 4th top 5 single in Germany – and Higher is so far her second longest running top 10 hit beaten only by Can’t Get You Out Of My Head which spent 12 weeks inside the German top 10 in 2001/02.
Two tracks enter the German charts this week promoted by commercial TV spots. The first is Young Blood from New Zealandian The Naked and Famous used by German music TV channel VIVA to support their complete re-design in 2011. The second is A Night Light This from Dutch Caro Emerald known for its use in a commercial spot for Martini.
And finally the top 3 of German productions:
1. Lena – Taken By A Stranger (#2)
2. Milk&Sugar vs. Vaya Con Dios – Hey (Nah Neh Nah) (#10)
3. culcha candela – Berlin City Girl (#14)
The story of this week is all about Lena. Winner of last year’s Eurovision contest and straight on the way to enter the contest again in Dusseldorf. In the last few weeks the German TV audience was asked to choose the song she should interprete on 14th of May. Three personality shows for Lena – that’s a lot of hype. Critical anticipation in almost all media guaranteed ... wanna have an example? Just have a look at very down to earth site oljo.de.
A lot of hype also means a lot of advertisement. W ehad the case last week seeing Lady Gagashooting to no.2 – by the way: where is she gone this week? Lena doubles that feat this week. Taken By A Stranger enters the recent list right at no.2 by donwload sales only. Also four of the five other song proposals enter the list as media control reports today. Additionally her winning song from last year Satellite re-enters the list. By this Lena does have six tracks within the top 100 list. The last act doing so was French DJ David Guetta last August/September.
Taken By A Stranger is the fourth top10 hit for Lena within 12 months. She now joins Katy Perry who did it with her last four singles – of course on one of the four she appeared as featured artist. For Lena only original tracks count.
Well – the German star for Dusseldorf has some impact on the charts. But far less than some would assume. It is not at all the record breaking feat she did. I guess the very strict policy of availibility forced more or less the fast decreasing interest . Maybe the huge impact will follow next week. Then sales of the physical CD release are taken into acount. So far I can tell the download numbers are dying down heavily right now.
Two very specific chart actions took place within the week 18th to 24th February. First one concerns the recent Britney Spears single Hold It Against Me. Finally it was released on CD also in Germany. After breaking a lot of records worldwide and shooting to no.1 in almost every country a month ago it totally fails in Germany (and Austria as well). Nobody really knows why in these two countries (and in the UK) the release schedule differed that much from all the rest of the world. And it seems that such an delay influences a lot the success of a track. It doubles btw the situation we witnessed with her latest release 3. Don’t know why but to me it looks as the German company distributing Britney’s releases has not much interest in supporting her career.
Second German anomaly this week comes due to an flash mob by fans of Depeche Mode. Exactly 30 years after they first entered the British charts with Dreaming Of Me the track does so for the first time in Germany. It is the band’s 47th chart entry in Germany. Although this download action was a worldwide activity it only lead to an chart entry in Germany meaning the band does have it’s biggest fan base here.
Posts
