Feb 10th 17: Ed Sheeran Under Pressure

First Ed Sheeran gains the crown a fifth week with Shape Of You. So far the list seems stable and quiet. As long as we don't look at #2. There the signature song of the second Fifty Shades Of Grey movie jumps. I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker) is the highest peaking release of both artists involved so far. ZAYN had his highest appearance a year ago with his solo debut Pillowtalk peaking at #5 (and immediately dropping out of the top10 the next week)–well as part of the Band Aid 30 cast he had a disguised #2 visit in the end of 2014 already. Taylor Swift herself really never touched the top 3 before. Her best selling single Shake It Off peaked at #5 for three weeks in autumn 2014. With her ninth chart entry she finally can come close to real chart honours.
The growing interest for the song comes exactly a week before the movie is in cinemas. Just today it is released–so there might some trouble take place at the very top of the charts.

At #9 a new entry inside the top 10 arrives with a 21 places jump. It is Steady 1234 and it brings Jasmine Thompson a third time to top 10 status. Again she appears as featured artist alongside the US-American producer VICE. She already has a #1 hit under her belt with 2015 massive hit Ain't Nobody (Loves You Better). Her solo releases did not catch any fire–the best selling Adore only managed to reach a #91 in 2014.

Again it is a week without any German production inside the top 10. The highest German still ist Mark Forster sliding down with Chöre two ranks to #13. It is this the lowest presence of German songs since October 2013 when Willst du by Alligatoah was the highest performing song at #14.

Jumping 19 places in its third chart week Loin by Maitre Gims enters the top 20 at #18 and surprisingly performs better in Germany as in all French speaking countries including Switzerland.
A further new top 20 hit comes in two places deeper. And it also is an ethno inspired song as Chantaje by Shakira Feat. Maluma presents a pure raggaton beat. It is Shakira's first top20 performance after more or less three years. Back in 2014 she had two hits: Can't Remember To Forget You (featuring Rihanna #8) and Dare (La La La) (#12).


The highest new entry this week comes in at #29. It is the leading single from upcoming album Spirit by Depeche Mode–the 14th album. For Depeche Mode the anouncement of a new album always caused some rush. Where's The Revolution in contrast completely fails. It is the first time since 1983 (album Construction Time Again) that a pre-release of an Depeche Mode album misses the top 20. Maybe it will change in next weeks time when the full effect of the video release drops some more demand in the song. So far it is the 52nd chart entry for the band–a feat done by only a few acts in chart history.

The gainers of the week are:
Despacito by Luis Fonsi Ft. Daddy Yankee going up 46 places (second biggest jump this year so far) to #47
Weak by AJR leaping 26 places to #52 in its second week
Dancing On My Own in the version of Calum Scott rising 16 places to a new peak at #64 in its sixth chart week

Jan 13th 17: New Superstar Ed Sheeran

Bam–there he comes! With two new entries directly at the top Ed Sheeran sets himself as one of the most successful acts of these days. Within the past five years he launched six top songs the highes peaking at #2. Now he adds his first #1 song and a runners up and simultaneously adds a chart record. Never before an act charted with two songs at #1 and #2. So far it was Lena who launched three hits in one week at #1, #3 and #4.

Having the same artist at #1 and #2 is a feat seen already a few times. Last appearing in June 2013 when Pharrell Williams was featured on both. Showing exactly the same act on both ranks only once happened before: in July 1970 Simon & Garfunkel had a double with El Condor Pasa (If I Could) and Cecilia.

A third story can be told about the new #1 song. As Steve Mac appears as producer and writer on Shape Of You and Rockabye he is the first musician dethroning itself since Pharrell Williams in 2013.


At #9 a third song enters the top 10. It is I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker by ZAYN & Taylor Swift that goes up five places. It is the second top 10 hit for ZAYN as he achieved #5 with his debut Pillowtalk a year ago. Taylor Swift reaches the top 10 after a two years break again with her fourth top 10 entry.

Feb 5th 16: Zayn Arrives - Rihanna Fails - Carnival & SSIO Invades

2016 counts six chart issues–three of them Stimme by EFF were the most sold single. Meaning this is the best performing #1 of the current year so far.
More spectacular it is this the 40th consecutive week with a European at the top of the list. That is a feat not seen since 25 years.
A further statistical story from the top is the static Top 4 which is the first time since November past year.

At #5 the highest new entry comes in. It is former OneDirection member Zayn Malik with his first solo single. Pillowtalk directly shoots into the top 5–a feat the boy group never managed to do. Indeed their only #10 entry with Drag Me Down came after the split with ZAYN.

New inside the top 10 also is Jonas Blue Feat. Dakota and their take on Fast Car. The remake lands at #7 in its third chart week. One week more inside the list and now landing inside the top 10 Alan Walker lands his Faded at #8.
These new arrivals kick out long selling German productions like Robin Schulz and Glasperlenspiel which brings a situation last seen in early March past year with only one German production inside the top 10. Most time of 2015 we had four, five or even six and seven German productions there.

One of the stories of the week is a story about a fail. Rihanna's new album Anti clearly misses the taste of the masses. #7 in the UK and #12 in Germany in its first week is far and away from what could be expected. Single Work (featuring Drake) also clearly misses the top with stopping at #23. Is that the result of her very ambitious campaign for the album?

Youtube-Star Lamiya launched her first single Glow. It starts chart life at #26.

Carnival season launches its hits since a few weeks. The week before the ultimate party the amount increases as there are:
Warum hast du nicht nein gesagt by Roland Kaiser & Maite Kelly re-enterin #56
Jeck Yeah! by BRINGS new at #59
Leev Marie by Paveier new at #75–after an eight years long abstinence the band is back with a second chart entry
Kölsche Jungs by BRINGS re-entering #80
Polka, Polka, Polka by BRINGS re-entering #95

Leader of the album list is SSIO with 0,9. He also is the first living artist in 2016 who can launch simultaneous new entries on the song survey. Leading the bunch of six is Ich fibicke jeden at #61.