April 29th 16: In memoriam Prince

It is a second week at the top for SIA Feat. Sean Paul and their Cheap Thrills. It makes SIA the most successfull Australian act since Gotye topped the German list for five weeks in January 2012 with his Somebody That I Used To Know. Sean Paul beats an even longer mark. He is now the first Jamaican artist spending at least two weeks at the German top since 40 years. In November/December 1974 it was Carl Douglas who spent seven weeks at #1 with his Kung Fu Fighting. In between Shaggy and OMI only had one week peaks at the very top.

Talking 'bout nationality of artists #2 sets new marks as well. It is One Dance by Kanadian DRAKE featuring Nigerian Wizkid and British Kyla that rises further four places and serves as a big candidate for #1 next week. It is the biggest hit for DRAKE anyway and the best performance for an artist coming from Nigera since summer 1992 when Dr. Alban hit the top with It's My Life. Of course latter one had his center of life already in Sweden–so one could count that song as a European as well and WizKid the first Nigerian artist hitting the runners up position in Germany ever.


Highest new entry comes of course due to the sudden death of Prince. Celebrated as one of the most genius artists of the 80s (and later) his mainstream success on the singles market ain't that impressive. 35 chart hits (including six as The Symbol), the highest peaking at #4 and a total of 348 chart weeks (including 67 as The Symbol) in a little more than 30 years–well, it is a feat although still far and away from the likes of Michael Jackson or Madonna. Anyway Prince is one of icons of 80s pop music. Exactly 10 years after his last chart appearance his signature song Purple Rain re-enters the list at #13–in November 1984 it peaked at #5.
His biggest hit Kiss comes in at #29 again–in 1986 it achieved #4 spending 17 weeks inside the list and was covered two years later by Tom Jones adding further 18 weeks peaking at #16.
The first song of Prince ever inside the German list was when doves cry entering in August 1984 at #54–it rose up to #18 after a few weeks. Now it is back at #49.
The eldest Prince song re-entering this week is 1999. Originally released in 1982 it became a #2 hit in Britain two years later and first entered the German charts in (sic!) January 1999. This week it lands at #75 which is the highest place it ever achieved.


One fact has to be told here yet: With only 61 songs appearing European artists this is the lowest presence since October 31st 2014. It stands in total contrast to the high presence of past summer. How fast things change!