July 31st 15: Continuity at Top Position

Lost Frequencies Feat. Janieck Devy hold firm at no.1 with their Reality. It is the second week as best selling single. In next week's time we probably will talk which Belgian track had a longer stay at no.1 before.

This week I can tell you about that: Reality is the sixth track in a row which hold at least a fortnight on top. Sounds less spectacular as it is. Last time we had a 12 weeks period with continuing no.1s was back in 2011. From January till end of June there were seven songs invading the top for 25 weeks and every single one had at least a two weeks stay. Than on July 1st On The Floor by JLO Feat. Pitbull returned to the top and broke the continuity which was an exception as the following no.1 in the face of Alexandra Stan's Mr. saxobeat had a seven weeks turn at the top as well.

Actually it might be possible that we have a new no.1 next week as Sugar the new single of Robin Schulz is sneaking up a place to no.2. On download lists this track already led the race the past week. Well–featuring Canadian Francesco Yates the track already now sets a mark. It is the highest ranking single track involving a Canadian singer since August 2009. Back than that were the heydays of Nelly Furtado. Her last top 3 hit so far was Manos Al Aire starting chart life directly at no.2.


Biggest gainer into the top 10 is So wie du bist by MoTrip featuring Lary. After the success it acclaimed due to its use in a commercial with Bastian Schweinsteiger the company added a video with guest appearance of Lena Meyer-Landrut which pushes the track further up the list stopping at #5.
This arrival pushes the total of German productions inside the top10 to six–which is an impressive figure at all.

Probably much more impressive is the presence of German productions inside the top 20 too. As there are Joris with Herz über Kopf going 17–14 and Namika with Lieblingsmensch landing at 17 which brings the total to 10 productions–six of them in German.


As this is the time of slowly growing hits it is worth having a look further down the list to some medium hits:
This Summer's Gonna Hurt Like a Motherf__ker by Maroon 5 goes 64–45 in its seventh chart week
Shine by Years & Years goes 57–47 in its fifth chart week
Good To Be Loved by M22 74–49 in its fifth week
Watch Me by Silentó 77–60 in its sixth week
Matching the pattern of slowly rising hits the highest new entry comes in only at #75. It is the new offering of Swiss German duo BOY that released we were here as a teaser single to same titled album. Starting short before the end quarter of the list is the worst performance of the best new single of the week in 2015. Still it does better then the weakest "Hot new entries" in 2014 and 2012–well, these both started chart life in weeks when at least one re-entry returned to the survey much higher. So we were here actually is the fifth lowest start as best song not charted the week before of all times. What a special gimmick!

Seeing the decelerating of charts right now it is obvious that we have some very very long time runner inside the current list as they are still:
Atemlos durch die Nacht by Helene Fischer spending a 90th consecutive week on the list which makes it the third longest running hit without a break
All Of Me by John Legend in its 76th consecutive week valid as #8 on the list of consecutive chart appearances
and Auf uns by Andreas Bourani which spends a 66th week on the list.
The two first just rise up the survey again…

A long living and classic tune reappears at #91. Insomnia by Faithless first appeared in 1995 on CD. It became a club hit and started its way through the charts peaking at #2 in Germany in 1996. As a remix version done by Armand van Helden the recording had a second impressive chart run in 2005/06 spending 24 weeks inside the list peaking at #37. Also two cover versions released by Nightwatchers (2002) and Mike Candys & Jack Holiday had some minor chart success. Now it is Swedish AVICII who officially was pleased to remix the club classic. The result now is available as Insomnia 2.0 AVICII remix which immediately enters the list and probably will become the third chart life of the hit at all.
Meanwhile the recording is on the way of getting a track with impressive longevity as it now spans a period of 19 years as a chart hit.

Another classic returns at #92. Ginuwine's Pony seems to have a renaissance as it appeared the last weeks on Magic Mike XXL and on Glee. Additionally Rustie released a remix a few days ago. That all is enough to bring the track back to charts after 18 years. In 1997 the song peaked at #22.

July 24th 15: Third Act Achieving Second No.1 in 2015

Deep house beats Raop as Lost Frequencies Feat. Janieck Devy change places with CRO. So the new #1 is Reality–probably the coolest track for summer 2015.

By switching to #1 Lost Frequencies becomes the third act in 2015 with two no.1 hits. First we had Ellie Goulding managing the double in February followed by Felix Jaehn who entered the top in May for a second time. And now the Belgian DJ. He of course is the slowest act as it took him more than three months to return on top. On the other hand featured singer Janieck Devy is the fastest new name in 2015 that rose to #1. Remember it is only the fourth chart week for Reality–Charlie Puth had to wait a week longer before getting the crown alongside Wiz Khalifa.

Back to the historical dimension of the moment and there is one indeed. Three acts with at least two #1 hits in one calendar year–that's a feat only seen twice in whole chart history. Back in 1977 there were ABBA, Smokie and Baccara with two #1s and Boney M serving with three. Nine years before in 1968 we had the same figure as Tom Jones, Heintje and The Beatles had two #1 hits and the Bee Gees three. So in 2015 we are still far away from such a situation although we are as close as never in between. Keep fingers crossed!

With Janieck Devy there is another Dutch singer at the German top. The last one doing so was Mr Probz back in March 2014 thanks to a deep house remix of his recording. Seems that history repeats somehow. Well–Reality is the fourth deep house #1 this current year, in 2014 we only had three...

The question now is: Who will become the biggest deep house star. With Felix Jaehn and Lost Frequencies there are two new and shiny stars on the scene. A year earlier Robin Schulz appeared and propelled the sound to absolute heights. Right now he got his latest offering on sale. Sugar starts right at #3 giving him a third top10 hit in 2015 and a fifth at all. That's so far the best statistic of all three DJs.

Alongside Robin Schulz 19 years old Canadian Francisco Yates is featured. He immediately becomes the best performing Canadian act since ... no–not Justin Bieber, but Carly Rae Jepsen. Back in early summer 2012 she landed her Call Me Maybe at #3.

Also new inside the Top 10 Ed Sheeran is. His latest single is Photograph already available for a year. Due to a remix by Felix Jaehn the original recording now lands at #8 giving the singer his third Top10 entry in 2015 and his sixth at all.


MoTrip is still on the way up. So wie du bist lands at #16 after huge download success during last week. The song still benefits from the commercial with Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Also USAmerican indie rock band Walk The Moon still rises and reaches the Top 20 with Shut Up + Dance in its 7th chart week. At #19 it is the second highest production made only by US acts.


Further down the list we find at #60 a sleeper hit as Runaway (U & I) by Swedish Galantis sets a new peak in its 17th chart week. Follow up single Peanut Butter Jelly slides 83–91 in its fourth week so far.
British-German M22 (consisting of Matt James and Frank Sanders–the latter one known as one half of the Michael Mind Project) slowly gains attention with Good To Be loved. The track steadily rises now reaching #74 in its fourth chart week.

July 17th 15: Stable No.1s

Well–CRO sits pretty at #1 with his single Bye Bye. Meanwhile the MTV-Unplugged album gives way for another new CD.
A third consecutive week at the Top means: this is the third #1 hit lasting for at least three weeks at the very Top. Quite an unusual feat las seen in early 2013 when Rihanna had her Diamonds teen weeks at the top followed by will.i.am & Britney Spears and their nine weeks run with Scream & Shout and the five weeks leadership of Let Her Go recorded by Passenger. The current run of #1 hits ain't that excessive: See You Again spent five weeks at the top, Ain't Nobody (Loves Me Better) had an eight weeks trip and CRO so far his third week. Well, there might something more follow.

The album which sits pretty at #1 comes from K.I.Z. Title track Hurra die Welt geht unter ranks on the singles list at #31, the intro song Wir lands at #47. Also first single Boom Boom Boom pre-released in May returns at #53. Finally Geld sneaks in at #80, Ariane at #90, Glücklich und satt at #93 and AMG Mercedes at #96.


Back to the singles chart. Once again the first six songs hold firm at their rank–so it is a third week for all the first six that they don't change. First significant movers come in at #13 with Photograph by Ed Sheeran which rises up 6 places and reaches a new peak more than a year after its first chart appearance. At #14 there lands German JORIS with his debut Herz über Kopf. The song already spent 18 weeks on the survey–on July 11th the singer had an appearance on TV at Ina's Nacht which featured him to a complete new audience. The effect is an impressive eight place rise.

The highest new song comes in at #24. It is the debut single of Frankfurt Namika named Lieblingsmensch. The album Nador follows in a few days.

One of the most commented news of the past days was Bastian Schweinsteiger's move to Manchester United. The fact was reported on July 11th, a few days later a commercial spot for Beats by Dre featuring the football star was launched. Used as background music So wie du bist by MoTrip Feat. Lary is featured in the clip. The track immediately jumps 67–26 and gives the artist a new career peak.

Season's final of Empire aired on July 14th on German TV brings some songs into the list that are not included on the official soundtrack album. So there are You're So beautiful at #42 and Drip Drop (feat. Serayah McNeill, Yazz) at #73, Conqueror (feat. Estelle and Jussie Smollett) at #87, Keep Your Money at #91 and Money For Nothing at #94.


Since few months European productions perform very strong on the list. US-American stars also like the hand of European producers on their tracks for some several years. This changing of the musical world map somehow is connected with a fading British influence. Counting the numbers of hits involving British acts we only have 17 this current week. In contrast there are 70 productions involving European acts–35 of them including Germans.
The strongest presence as well US-Americans have on the list. 34 productions are made by or under appearance of an US artist. This strength is impressive although it ain't that usual anymore–a month ago there were only 23 tracks counting for the US.

July 10th 15: Summer Slowliness

As CRO's MTV unplugged album shots straight to #1 on the album list single Bye Bye holds firm at the singles top as well. The album also propels some older songs back to the list as there are Traum at #74 and Einmal um die Welt at #89.

Two years ago exactly this current week CRO reached #1 for the very first time. In 2014 it is the 10th consecutive week having the top occupied by a German act. A year ago we had a very similar picture with Andreas Bourani, CRO and Robin Schulz standing at #1 between beginning of May and end July. Of course there was a tiny interruption by Polish Aneta Sablik who shot to #1 for a single week in May as the winner of DSDS. Well at least her hit The One had a German producer.

We are approaching summer holidays time. The first six ranks on the survey are non movers. And also down to number 18 there are only slight moves. One of them is AVICII who launches his sixth Top10 hit with Waiting For Love. The track goes 11–9 in this current week.
With Jason Derulo sliding down to #11 the Top10 completely comes from European acts. Of course #7 Lean On by DJ Snake feat. Mø had some support by an USAmerican named Diplo.
Watching the Top20 there are 18 tracks involving European artists. It is the 6th week in 2015 that we can say that–in 2014 we only had one single week counting that amount. So it is a real European music year.

The highest new entry lands at #18 in the face of Swiss DJ Antoine who features Akon on his new single Holiday. It is the highest chart entry for both since over two years. DJ Antoine in spring 2013 had his Bella Vita inside the Top20, Akon peaked alongside David Guetta & Ne-Yo with Play Hard at #17 in same spring.

At #19 Ed Sheeran reaches the Top 20 with Photograph. It is his 7th Top20 hit so far.

With the final show of current Sing meinen Song season Hey sung by Yvonne Catterfeld jumps back up the charts and lands at #30. A month ago her version started chart life at #17. The new demand comes due to her duet with original singer Andreas Bourani.
Also other songs performed on the past season can benefit from the final: Wenn sie diesen Tango hört in the version of WIRTZ goes 40–33.

A week before the release of the album Hurra die Welt geht unter hip hop project K.I.Z releases the title track which immediately lands at #30. Certainly we'll see the album starting very close to the top in next week's time. The single tracks probably also will benefit from the release.


Long Time Chart Records
Once again I can report a new step taken by Helene Fischer who now sees her Atemlos durch die Nacht still ranking on the survey. It is exactly #62 coming from #59 this current week which gives her a 87th consecutive week in the list. This means the song now is the third longest chart runner of all times ranking a few weeks short of Geboren um zu leben by UNHEILIG (94 weeks) and Heavy Cross by gossip (96 weeks).
According to all weeks spent on the survey (the song had a four weeks run just before it rose to ultimate fame) Atemlos durch die Nacht now enters the Top10 of longest running chart hits having 91 chart weeks on his account.

July 3rd 15: CRO's Third Number 1

We have a new #1. The teasing single to German rapper CRO's unplugged album shots straight to the Top after its release. It is the third number 1 for the rapper as a solo artist. Almost exactly two years ago he achieved the top for the first time with his Whatever, a year ago it was Traum that had a four weeks run at the top. And now the song is called Bye Bye.

Three #1 hits within two years make the artist the most successful recording act of the moment. Only Rihanna and Pharrell Williams were loved similarly in current decade. Although CRO added a fourth number 1 song to his account as part of the German Band Aid project end of 2014.

Also #2 is a completely new release. Belgian Lost Frequencies offer a new single called Reality following up the #1 hit Are You With Me .
Having both #1 and #2 occupied by new releases is not that rare as one might think. Last time we had that feat was back in Mai 2011. On 20th that month Pietro Lombardi and Sarah Engels the two last finalists of the DSDS season landed their version on Call My Name at the two highest ranks of the charts.


As I always have an eye on special issues today I can tell the story about Nigerian musicians with chart success in Germany. Most of them like Sade, Dr. Alban, Ade Bantu or Nneka are living in Europe or even Germany. So does Tony Tuklan who alongside Rico Bernasconi enters the charts at #41. Originally the raggaton song with vocals by Sean Paul was released in 2012. Now the German DJ Rico Bernasconi added some vocals by A-Class and make the song a pure club hit. It makes the song the most successful with Nigerian support since 2001 when the Brothers Keepers (with members Adé Bantu & Don Abi) hit Top5 with Adriano (Letzte Warnung).