17-12: Long selling casting show tracks

There is a new number 1 single in Germany. Alex Clare rises two places and sees his Too Close shining at the top spot. The soundtrack of the Internet Explorer commercial is the first dubstep number 1 in Germany. So it took the style more than two years to achieve the success it has already in his home country Britain.

Having a new number 1 means Olly Murs & Rizzle Kicks have to clear the way. Heart Skips A Beat tumbles impressive six places to number 7. It is the deepest fall off the number 1 position since Pietro Lombardi did so in June last year after his Call My Name occupied the top spot for four weeks.

Further Top 10 action
Now they are 30. Die Toten Hosen had their very first performance on 10th April 1982. Of course a lot of papers, radios and TV stations celebrated that anniversary with stories and specials. The huge media presence helps lifting the actual Hosen single to number 2. It is the biggest jump inside the Top 10.

The hot phase of the DSDS casting started on 14th April when the last four aspirants performed for qualification to the next round. The most succesful performance in chart terms actually was again the one of Jesse Ritch who offered a version on She doesn’t Mind which is a recent hit by Sean Paul. After the Saturday night show the single got a sales boost landing again at number 3 in its 11th week inside the Top 10. Poor Jesse had to leave the show a week later.

Of course also other DSDS candidates made their impact on the charts. Again a Top 20 hit is Eiserner Steg by Philipp Poisel. Luca Hänni–one of the big favourites and finally the winner–performed the song and caused the second big demand for the original single. Back in January the song reached number 4 after Benny Fiedler performed the song on The Voice of Germany. A week later the contestant was voted off the show … Luca Hänni had a completely different destiny.

Also the songs chosen by Luca for the category pop and rock reach the list after his performance. Beautiful People originally recorded by Chris Brown & Benny Benassi so far collected 25 chart weeks with a peak at number 30. Now it is back at number 42. Respect! The rock song Chasing Cars already collected 64 weeks in 14 chart runs. For sure that’s the reason why we see the original recording by Snow Patrol only sneak in the list at the lowest end.

Speaking about songs with many chart runs we can switch to the next contestant. Daniele Negroni helps the Kings_Of_Leon back in the charts. Sex_On_Fire charted a month ago last when Use Somebody re-appeared after a performance by combatant Luca Hänni. After Daniele staged with Sex_On_Fire the song jumps back to number 41 which is the highest position since three years. All in all the track now enters the list for the 13th time and slowly approaches the all time record set by Last Christmas in the version of Wham! which charted 16 times in its career. Another song joins the drop in drop out statistic at the top: Das Beste by Silbermond had 14 chart runs.

German productions
Best new single start this week comes from Monrose singer Mandy Capristo. First she appeared at the end of last year alongside Peter Maffay on his sixth Tabaluga album. Now she comes with an own song collection from which The Way I Like It is the first single. It is a well penned pop song written and produced by David Jost who also is the man behind number 1 singles Geronimo by Aura Dione and I Like by Keri Hilson. The Way I Like It is much softer and fits perfectly the mainstream radio sound. So it probably has chances of becoming a real hit. Mandy Capristo might have some hopes for a longer solo career after this start.



Next significant move comes from German Baku star Roman Lob. The song Standing Still so far performed … annoying. After a good start at number 3 it tumbled out of the Top 20 sliding down to number 45. That drop was “supported” by the strange release policy for the video. Some days it was blocked – a few days it was available only on some special platforms … A month before the Eurovison contest his debut album Changes is in stores and can reach number 9 on the album list. The album gives the single a boost again and that jumps to number 19 which is the second highest ranking so far for the song. Let’s wait another four weeks when the contest is over and we’ll see the single flying to better heights probably.

Also Die Ärzte (The Doctors) have a new album in stores. auch (also) storms to Number 1 directly and lifts the single zeiDverschwÄndung (Waste of Time) back into the upper half of the survey.

A pre prime time serial gets more and more attention. Berlin – Tag & Nacht (Berlin–Night & Day) is something in between Big Brother and a regular daily soap. It is the story of people who share a flat in Berlin. The soap started back in September past year achieving only low rates. Already at the end of the year the interest was pretty high and even now the amount of followers rises staedily. There are actual reports seeing the soap overtaking such formats like the soft science magazine Galileo and the long time soap Alles was zählt (All That Matters). One of the song featured on Berlin – Tag & Nacht is ECHT by duo Glasperlenspiel. Since the start of the soap the track sneaks through the list peaking at number 9. This week it jumps again 95–73 in its 32nd chart week.



European Stuff
What works for German productions also does for international ones. Morten Harket offered his single Scared Of Heights which entered the list two weeks ago at number 48. Then it dropped as low as number 92 for bouncing back now to number 60 cause of the release of his album Out Of My Hands which debuts at an overwhelming number 3.

Spanish Sak Noel comes with part II of his Crazy Society trilogy. The formula does work in clubs. The mainstream isn’t that much infected as Paso (The Nini Anthem) starts its chart life at number 66.



How British acts are released in Germany is always a thing very hard to understand. example had a hit in Germany with Changed The Way You Kiss me in autumn 2011. It was the first appearance in German charts for the producer. Now Kickstarts was released as a single. It is a convincing and cool song of course. Anyway I don’t understand why Vertigo/UNIVERSAL decided to promote this track as the next single. Well, it was the most successful track of the 2010 album Won’t Quietly in Britain. Releasing older singles after a hit is quite common–but does this decision really makes sense? Wouldn’t it be much better to release the second British number 1 hit Stay Awake? A&R people for sure know what they do. example so far sees his second chart hit enter at a very low number 72. Hopefully soon the label will find a better strategy for promoting his tracks.



French DJ and producer Martin Solveig has a new offering available. After he had produced for Madonna some tracks he should be counted as one of the big players in business. His E.P. The Night Out does not fully match that expectation. After two weeks on sale as download album it sneaks in the list at number 99.

09-12: Baku Contest at Carnival Season

Seems that Brazilian Michel Teló starts writing chart history. A fifth week at the Top makes Nooosssaa! Ai Se Eu Te Pego! the third most successful Number 1 hit coming from an act of South America. Only 2010 football anthem Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) and 2001 Whenever, Wherever–both recorded by Columbian Shakira–sold a longer span most copies in Germany. Equalling the 5 weeks run at the Top of predecessor Somebody That I Used To Know the survey repeats a situation last watched in summer 2010 when We No Speak Americano by Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup was the most sold track for seven weeks after dethroning six weeks queen Shakira and her (again) Waka Waka.


Biggest impact of the week was the final of die national selection casting for the Eurovision Contest. The two finalists are swashing up the list. It is Our Star For Baku winner Roman Lob who naturally performs better. He enters at Number 3 with his winning song Standing Still. It is a powerfull rock ballad–probably well done for the western Europe market. Whether the eastern part will catch fire …?



Also the two other songs presented at the final show are in the list. Alone lands at Number 42 and Conflicted at 51. Runner’s up at the show Ornella de Santis brings her three songs into the survey too. Best–of course–her pre-chosen track Quietly at 24. Alone stops at 69, Standing Still at 77.


Another Top 20 story: entering at number 6 with his new single Wild Ones Flo Rida is right now the most successful chart act at all. He has three singles inside the Top 20. His closest combatant still is Taio Cruz holding two singles inside the Top 20.


German releases:
The one and only truly new release in German comes from a rapper: KAY ONE–known as one of the pupils of Bushido–announces a second album. On the first lifted single a big name as duetting partner appears: Mario Winans. Both together confess I Need a Girl–it is already part 3 of the story. Certainly the need is very deep. Why it is so hard to find the right girl is answered in the song itself. KAY ONE ultimately says: “Most of the girls just wanna have my money. I need a girl without LV bag or Cavalli top.” – All that is offered within a luxury setting of champaign and Versace interior. Hmmm – KAY ONE needs luxury but his girl should abstain from all that blingbling? Wish him good luck for his search.



KAY ONE’s Austrian colleague RAF 3.0 tries a very similar way. His new album is out now–leading track Wie kannst du nur (How could you) reaches the single’s list by itself. It is a classic frustration speech of a macho who ditched his girlfriend for whatever reason. Of course there is no doubt left that the girl was the bad one. With number 91 Wie kannst du nur performes five places better than it’s first track Fallen four weeks ago.





This recent issue of the charts reflects sales between February 17th and 23rd–so it includes the peak time of carnival season. Due to that fact the German hit of the season Schatz, schenk mir ein Foto by Mickie Krause reaches a new peak with number 27. It is again 12 places higher than the week before . By the way the track reaches it in its 37th chart week which is the fourth longest run in chart history (counted by chart weeks).

A new hit arrives finally at number 56. Kasalla is a Cologne band founded by Florian Peil. Their Pirate (Pirates in Cologne dialect) is the first track from the debut album Et jitt Kasalla! (literally: It got trouble / more common: You’ll Be In Trouble)–as I found out the track wasn’t planned asa full single release. Probably that will change next season. Founder Florian Peil and band member Sevastian Wagner had two chart hits before with their band Peilomat. Their biggest success so far was Allemann (All Together) that climbed to number 26 in early summer 2008.



Cologne band BRINGS launches its 12th chart hit with latest single Dat is geil (It’s wicked). It is the title track of their last album released in 2011. 2010 hit halleluja also re-appears for a week at number 87.



Of course a carnival classics is back in the list too. Viva Colonia entered the list for the first time nine years ago. It reached its peak at number 20 in 2007. Now it is listed at number 96 again.



Finally I am kind of proud to tell you that the Grammys also have a (kind of tiny) influence on German music market too. Decorated with three awards L.A. based DJ and producer Skrillex enters number 100 with his tune Weekends!!!. Yeah, there is a small crowd enjoying dubstep sound in Germany. But I guess it will take a long long march till he is as popular as in the States. In Austria Skrillex yet has a first hit under his belt with Bangarang reaching number 25.

07-12: Three Big News & A Lot Xavier Naidoo

One might call it longing for summer–the two most sold singles of the week carry a warm caribbean feeling. At number 1 still stands Brazilian Michel Teló and his Nooosssaa! Ai Se Eu Te Pego!. It is the third week at the top spot and now–after finishing the airing of Dschungelcamp–the track might loose a bit of its charme. On the other hand it is exactly now carnival time … Anyway Michel Teló is far and away the most successful male artist coming from South America. Only once a singer from there topped the charts in Germany. It was Juanes who did so in 2005 for a single week with his La Camisa Negra. Of course the most succesful act of the continent is Shakira having four number 1 hits under her belt so far.

The second “tropical” hit is new in the Top 10. It is Sean Paul who starts with his new single at runner’s up position. It is the fifth regular Top 10 hit (the sixth if you count the collaboration with Blu Cantrell in 2003) and the highest position ever for the Jamaican boy. And it is the highest entering track so far of the still young 2012. In Switzerland Sean Paul now sees his second number 1 hit in a row–seems that the new style of the star is attracting continental Europe much more than North America.

The biggest new start of a German production is provided by Silbermond (Silver Moon). Himmel auf (Heaven Open) is the leading single of upcoming same titled album. The video includes many statements of people what luck is meaning to them. A project reflecting the state of (East) German society. It gives the band a number 5 startwhich is the fourth time in an eight years long career that they can reach the Top 5.



Funny trivia at the upper end for the last of only three new entries in a week: Madonna sets her 60th chart hit with Give Me All Your Luvin’ landing at number 8. It is her 26th hit that can reach the Top 10 which equals the result of The Beatles. Only German Austrian Peter Alexander had more Top 10 hits–35 countied on him.


We only have three new entries but there are 12 songs re-entering the charts. A whole bunch is caused by the release of Xavier Naidoo’s best of album Danke fürs Zuhören (Thank You For Listening). It starts right at number 1 on the album’s list and simultanously his biggest hits swap back into the list. Best selling and most loved single track is ich kenne nichts (das so schön ist wie du) (I Don’t Know Anything That is Beautiful As You Are)–the former number 1 collaboration with rapper RZA from 2003 which a month ago attracted a new audience after the singer presented it at the TVoG show. Ich kenne nichts actually jumps back up the list 90–36 in its 41st chart week. The longest running hit of Xavier Dieser Weg (This Path) re-appears as the second most loved track at number 69 collecting an 80th chart week. His last Top 10 hit Alles kann besser werden (All Can Get Better) from 2009 is also back at 85 and his very first big hit Sie sieht mich nicht (She Doesn’t See Me) from 1999 can manage a re-appearance at number 96. At the very end of the list lands Was wir alleine nicht schaffen (What We Can’t Make Alone) finally.


As usual some casting show related hits are back in the list. This recent week it is the new season of Deutschland sucht den Superstar (DSDS) (Germany’s version of Idols) that grabs the crown of being the most influental to the list. On recall number 2 Luca Hänni, Jesse Ritch, Robin Lau and Thomas Pegram had performed Lighters–last year’s hit for Bad Meets Evil. As the DSDS marketing is slightly different than the one of TVoG the performed versions are not available as download tracks. Fans have to buy the original recording. And they do. Lighters re-appears in th elist at number 46.

A further DSDS hit was promoted by Jana Skolina. She propels A Night Like This by Caro Emerald back to number 52. It is already chart week number 49.


The semi final of The Voice of Germany on February 3rd only can launch two direct hits. Nena’s Liebe ist (Love Is) re-appears after she performed it in the show and the biggest hit of British The Verve–Bitter Sweet Symphony–appears back at number 95 after Max Giesinger and Mic Donet (both favourites at that time) duetted the song on the show. Of course one have to count Rolling In The Deep too. It was performed by Michael Schulte and Jasmin Graf and can make a little rise 43–35 afterwards. Also the signature song Heroes/Helden by the complete coaching team is back at number 76


Finally thecasting show for Eurovision Song Contest Unser Star für Baku (Our Star For Baku) launches a hit. At the fourth show final winner Roman Lob staged with Drops Of Jupiter originally recorded by USAmerican train. After that performance the song can climb back into the list at number 83.



And there is carnieval season knocking at the door visibly through the rise of typcal Schlager hits. Austrian Andreas Gaballier reaching number 30 with i sing a liad für di and the version by DJ Ötzi also climbs back up the list taking a break now at number 41. I guess these both tracks will rise much further the next days. Classic party tracks such as Alexandra Stan’s Mr. Saxobeat also benefit from the so called fifth season rising 88–73 again.