ADAM’S TOP 40 FLASHBACK: November 25, 2012

“Hall” to the chief.

It’s the start of another weekend, which means it’s time for another trip back into the archives on Adam’s Top 40 Flashback! Every Saturday, the day before my latest top 40 goes up for the week, I feature the highlights of a past countdown. They’re all here — the hit songs, the songs that flopped, and the songs that may be a little embarrassing to reflect on.

This week, we stroll back seven years and find out what was topping my chart for the week of November 25, 2012:

Debuts:
40. MATT CARDLE, “Anyone Else”
39. KYLIE MINOGUE, “On A Night Like This (Abbey Road Sessions)”
37. TRAIN, “Mermaid”
34. ONE DIRECTION, “Little Things”

Biggest Mover(s):
MATCHBOX TWENTY, “Overjoyed” (29-19, ten spots)

10. JASON MRAZ, “93 Million Miles” (up 3)
Album: Love Is A Four Letter Word (2012, Atlantic Records)
Peak: #5 for three weeks

09. TAYLOR SWIFT, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” (down 3)
Album: Red (2012, Big Machine/Republic Records)
Peak: #4 for three weeks

08. ONEREPUBLIC, “Feel Again” (down 1)
Album: Native (2013, Mosley/Interscope Records)
Peak: #7 for three weeks

07. P!NK, “Try” (up 5)
Album: The Truth About Love (2012, RCA Records)
Peak: #2 for four weeks

06. ROBBIE WILLIAMS, “Candy” (up 2)
Album: Take The Crown (2012, Farrell Music/Universal Records)
Peak: #4 for four weeks

05. THE SCRIPT featuring WILL.I.AM, “Hall Of Fame” (steady, third week)
Album: #3 (2012, Epic Records)
Peak: #1 for four weeks

04. ANDY GRAMMER, “Miss Me” (down 2)
Album: Andy Grammer (2011, S-Curve Records)
Peak: #1 for two weeks

03. ONE DIRECTION, “Live While We’re Young” (down 1)
Album: Take Me Home (2012, Syco/Columbia Records)
Peak: #2

02. FUN., “Carry On” (up 2)
Album: Some Nights (2012, Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic Records)
Peak: #1 for eight weeks

01. ADELE, “Skyfall” (steady, third week)
Album: Skyfall – Single (2012, XL/Columbia Records)
Peak: #1 for three weeks

Check back next Saturday for another Adam’s Top 40 Flashback countdown and don’t forget to follow the blog by using the tab below or find PGTC on social media by clicking the “Get Social!” tab at the top of the page.

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY: Releases For The Week of November 22, 2019

Champions of the chart world.

If you want something hot to play, we suggest looking at our updated release schedule. After all, there’s plenty of great music to discover from both new and established acts. These albums and singles hit stores this Friday:

COLDPLAY – Everyday Life (iTunes)
Features: “Orphans”, a top five song on the Alternative radio chart

JASON ALDEAN – 9 (iTunes)
Features: “We Back”, a top 20 song on the Country radio chart

Notable albums out this week: Beck‘s Hyperspace (iTunes), Bing Crosby & London Symphony Orchestra‘s Bing At Christmas (iTunes), Davido‘s A Good Time (iTunes), Delaney Jane‘s Dirty Pretty Things (iTunes), Hannah Diamond‘s Reflections (iTunes), Labrinth‘s Imagination & The Misfit Kid (iTunes), Leonard Cohen‘s Thanks For The Dance (iTunes), Lewis Capaldi‘s Divinely Uninspired To a Hellish Extent (Extended) (iTunes), Nina Nesbitt‘s The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change & The Flowers Will Fall (iTunes), Robbie Williams‘s The Christmas Present (Deluxe) (iTunes), Rod Stewart & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra‘s You’re In My Heart (iTunes), Scarypoolparty‘s Exit Form (iTunes), Tinashe‘s Songs For You (iTunes), Trippie Redd‘s A Love Letter To You 4 (iTunes), X Lovers‘s Virgin (iTunes)

Notable EPs out this week: Billy Lockett‘s Reset (iTunes), Des Rocs‘s Martyr Parade (iTunes), Emily Burns‘s My Town (iTunes), Grace VanderWaal‘s Letters: Volume 1 (iTunes), Nasty Cherry‘s Season 1 (iTunes), Phangs‘s A Flash_ (iTunes), PRETTYMUCH‘s INTL (iTunes), Ruelle‘s Exodus (iTunes)

New digital singles that you can buy this week include:
“(It Wouldn’t Be) Christmas Without You”, Wrabel (iTunes)
“Aliens”, The Griswolds (iTunes)
“Bad News Baby”, ALMA (iTunes)
“Be Okay”, Jordan Fisher (iTunes)
“Be Yours”, Deepend (iTunes)
“By Your Side”, Crystal Fighters featuring Dagny (iTunes)
“Can’t Explain It”, Chika featuring Charlie Wilson (iTunes)
“Can’t Fight This Feeling”, Bastille (iTunes)
“Chewing Cotton Wool”, The Japanese House (iTunes)
“Christmas In The Country” and “The Christmas Song”, Thomas Rhett (iTunes)
“Close Your Eyes”, Felix Jaehn & VIZE featuring Miss Li (iTunes)
“Consider Me Yours”, MKTO (iTunes)
“Crying My Eyes Out”, Stephen Puth (iTunes)
“Die Young (Oliver Nelson Remix)”, Sheppard (iTunes)
“Dirty Dirty”, Smokepurpp featuring Lil Skies (iTunes)
“Doin’ Too Much”, SAYGRACE (iTunes)
“Don’t Start Now (Dom Dolla Remix)”, Dua Lipa (iTunes)
“Evergreen”, Scott Helman (iTunes)
“Fall On Me”, A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera (iTunes)
“Flying So Far”, Tyde Levi (iTunes)
“Future Pain”, Vanessa Carlton (iTunes)
“Hallelujah”, HAIM (iTunes)
“Here To Love (#FightRacism)”, Lenny Kravitz (iTunes)
“Home Tonight” and “In A Hurry”, Paul McCartney (iTunes)
“I Choose You”, Adam Melchor (iTunes)
“I Don’t Wanna Get Wise”, The Who (iTunes)
“I’m Fine”, Spencer Barnett (iTunes)
“If That’s Alright”, Dylan Dunlap (iTunes)
“Jackboot Jump (Live)”, Hozier (iTunes)
“Leading The Pack”, Sam Tinnesz (iTunes)
“Loneliest Time Of Year”, Mabel (iTunes)
“Love You For A Long Time”, Maggie Rogers (iTunes)
“Make It To Heaven”, David Guetta, MORTEN & Raye (iTunes)
“Massacre, The New American Dream”, Palaye Royale (iTunes)
“Million Ways (Tobtok Remix)”, HRVY (iTunes)
“Money Diamonds Roses”, Lolo Zouaï (iTunes)
“My Own Dance”, Kesha (iTunes)
“Never Be Another Like You”, Billy Raffoul (iTunes)
“Not Around”, Zac Pajak (iTunes)
“On & On”, Alok & Dynoro (iTunes)
“One I’ve Been Missing”, Little Mix (iTunes)
“Own It”, Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy (iTunes)
“Popular Monster”, Falling In Reverse (iTunes)
“Same Love”, Prince Fox (iTunes)
“Shut Up And Kiss Me”, Echosmith (iTunes)
“Side Effects”, Carlie Hanson (iTunes)
“Silent Night (Christmas Is Coming)”, Sting & Shaggy (iTunes)
“Sinning With You”, Sam Hunt (iTunes)
“Something Real”, Summer Walker featuring London On Da Track & Chris Brown (iTunes)
“Stay”, Alt Bloom (iTunes)
“Stay”, Gracie Abrams (iTunes)
“Stay” and The Wrong Ones”, JC Stewart (iTunes)
“Still Fighting For It”, ZAYDE WØLF (iTunes)
“Straight To Hell”, Ozzy Osbourne (iTunes)
“Sunday Morning”, Mitch James (iTunes)
“Tapestry”, Bruno Major (iTunes)
“Tears Of Gold”, Faouzia (iTunes)
“Teenage Heartbreak”, Yuna featuring MadeinTYO & MIYAVI (iTunes)
“The Chain”, Evanescence (iTunes)
“Then There Were Two”, Mark Ronson & Anderson .Paak (iTunes)
“Time Machine”, Alicia Keys (iTunes)
“Unfaithful”, Dennis Lloyd (iTunes)
“Unstoppable”, AJ Mitchell (iTunes)
“What I Do…”, Taylor Janzen (iTunes)
“You & I (Acoustic)”, Harrison Storm (iTunes)
“Youth”, Swim Mountain (iTunes)

Next week, look out for new albums like the Jagged Little Pill soundtrack and more. For Adam’s personal picks of the week, listen to the PGTC Friday Faves list on Spotify!

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY: Releases For The Week of December 28, 2018

Not many releases to “wow” you this week.

Just ahead of the new year, and plenty of new releases, here are all the notable albums and singles hitting the market this Friday:

Notable albums out this week: Bad Bunny‘s X 100PRE (iTunes), Palisades‘s Erase The Pain (iTunes)

Notable EPs out this week: 24hrs‘s B4 Xmas (iTunes), DeJ Loaf‘s Go DeJ Go (Vol. 1) (iTunes), Jaryd Lane‘s Dust N Bones (Vol. 1) (iTunes), Jill Martin‘s The Locals (iTunes), Russ‘s Just In Case (iTunes)

Notable remix packages out this week: Martin Garrix‘s “Dreamer” (Vol. 2) (iTunes), R3HAB x Conor Maynard‘s “Hold On Tight” (iTunes)

New digital singles that you can buy this week include:
“Beach House (Ashworth Remix)”, The Chainsmokers (iTunes)
“Before We Knew”, Jason Reeves (iTunes)
“Block Party”, New Kids On The Block (iTunes)
“Cry Like Kim K”, Davai & Call Me Loop featuring Lisa Ajax (iTunes)
“Don’t Know You (Dzeko Remix)”, Justin Caruso featuring Jake Miller (iTunes)
“Fire In My Soul (Gil Sanders Remix)”, Oliver Heldens featuring Shungudzo (iTunes)
“Forever”, Johnny Mac (iTunes)
“I Just Want People To Like Me”, Robbie Williams (iTunes)
“In The Morning”, Christian Rich featuring Yoshi Flower (iTunes)
“Lay By Me”, Ruben (iTunes)
“Love Me Back To Life”, High Dive Heart (iTunes)
“Make You Forget”, Luke Christopher (iTunes)
“No Complaints No Conversation”, Watsky (iTunes)
“Nothing Breaks Like A Heart (Dimitri From Paris Remix)”, Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus (iTunes)
“Say My Name (Lucas & Steve Remix)”, David Guetta featuring Bebe Rexha & J Balvin (iTunes)
“Summer Lover”, Cub Sport (iTunes)
“Way Too Good”, Lucas Estrada (iTunes)
“When The Party’s Over”, Kina Grannis (iTunes)
“Wow.”, Post Malone (iTunes)

For Adam’s personal picks of the week, listen to the PGTC Friday Faves list on Spotify!

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY: Releases For The Week of November 4, 2016

House hunters.

What’s new in November? Mix some rockers and R&B stars, some pop singers and producers, and you’ll get a healthy hit mix for this weekend. Here are the notable albums and singles released this week:

BON JOVI — This House Is Not For Sale (iTunes)
After a “fan album” release in 2015, which you likely forgot about or didn’t realize happened, the iconic New Jersey rockers have a new set out this week. Once again, it was produced by leader Jon Bon Jovi and John Shanks. Songwriter Billy Falcon returns as well. The title track is a solid top ten single on the AC chart, while it continues to slowly rise into the top 30 on Hot AC radio. (It’s also in the top ten on my personal chart!) Look for a top ten debut next week.

ALICIA KEYS — Here (iTunes)
This is Keys’s first studio album in four years, but the radio singles from it haven’t done nearly as well as her past material. On a deluxe version of the set, you’ll find “In Common”, which was a moderate Urban hit, as well as a top ten song at Urban AC. Now, “Blended Family (What You Do For Love)” (featuring A$AP Rocky) is trying to find its footing. Though it’s been a messy era, a top ten bow on the Billboard 200 is probably a safe bet.

KUNGS — Layers (iTunes)
This French DJ and producer’s single “This Girl”, a remix of a song originally performed by Australia’s Cookin’ On 3 Burners, hit the top 15 on CHR/Top 40 radio recently. However, it fell short of the huge success it experienced in Europe, including #1 peaks in France, Germany and Scotland. Don’t expect this set to do huge numbers in the U.S., but it could do well digitally.

Christmas albums out this week: Kris Allen‘s Somethin’ About Christmas (iTunes)

More albums out this week: Birds Of Tokyo‘s BRACE (iTunes), Common‘s Black America Again (iTunes), Jim James‘s Eternally Even (iTunes), Lions Head‘s LNZHD (iTunes), Mother Love Bone‘s On Earth As It Is: The Complete Works (iTunes), Robbie Williams‘s Heavy Entertainment Show (iTunes), Susan Boyle‘s A Wonderful World (iTunes), The Fray‘s Through The Years: The Best Of The Fray (iTunes), ZAYDE WØLF‘s Golden Age (iTunes), NOW That’s What I Call Music!, Vol. 60 (iTunes)

More EPs out this week: Badflower‘s Temper (iTunes), Beach Weather‘s Chit Chat (iTunes), Cape Cub‘s 6AM (iTunes), Keke Palmer‘s Lauren (iTunes), TENDER‘s III (iTunes), The Chainsmokers‘s Collage (iTunes), The New Coast‘s Paraga Beach (iTunes)

New digital-only singles that you can buy this week include:
“Back Around”, Olly Murs (iTunes)
“Ballroom Blitz”, The Struts (iTunes)
“Dog Years”, Maggie Rogers (iTunes)
“dopemang”, Kiiara featuring Ashley All Day (iTunes)
“Easy”, Kingsbury (iTunes)
“F.U.”, Little Mix (iTunes)
“Faith”, Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande (iTunes)
“Find Me”, Sigma featuring Birdy (iTunes)
“Good Day”, DNCE (iTunes)
“Jericho (Recycle Jordan Remix)”, Marc Scibilia (iTunes)
“Kisses Back”, Matthew Koma (iTunes)
“Let Me Know”, Lonely Benson (iTunes)
“Memory Makin’”, High Valley (iTunes)
“Numb”, David Archuleta (iTunes)
“Old Souls, Young Bodies”, Whissell (iTunes)
“Petrol Head”, Sting (iTunes)
“Queen Elizabeth”, Cheat Codes (iTunes)
“Ritual”, Marshmello featuring Wrabel (iTunes)
“The First Thing You See”, Bruno Major (iTunes)
“The Only One”, Bobby Bazini (iTunes)
“Therapy”, Kim Cesarion (iTunes)
“Versace On The Floor”, Bruno Mars (iTunes)
“Wasting Time”, Day Wave (iTunes)

We’ll see you next week for new releases from Emeli Sandé, Ronnie Dunn, Sting and more.

Adam’s Top 100 of 2013: 60-41

They’re here…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… no, forget about Christmas, it’s time for another Top 100 of the year based on my personal charts for the 2013 chart year! It’s everything from the year that was, from “Crazy All My Life” to “I Want Crazy” to “Keep Me Crazy”. We had passengers, pits and punks all rank among the top 40 this year, as well as dolls, dragons and more. We travelled to “Pompeii” and “St. Croix”, and now we’re on our way to the “Best Song Ever” on the “Best Day Of My Life”. It could very well be the “Best I Ever Had”. Alright, enough of my yapping, now.

Peak positions listed are as of the last chart included in the year dated November 24, 2013. Those marked with a plus had not yet reached their highest position as of that date. Ties in points were broken based on peak, number of weeks at peak and number of weeks in the top 40.

Now, let’s get back to the countdown and pick it up at #60 with the original American Idol…

060. Kelly Clarkson – “Catch My Breath” (#9)
Writers: Kelly Clarkson, Jason Halbert, Eric Olson / Producers: Sound Kollectiv

**First of two songs in the top 100

059. Lawson – “Learn To Love Again” (#12)
Writers: Joakim Berg, Andy Brown, Carl Falk, Eric Turner, Rami Yacoub, Michel Zitron / Producer: Falk, Yacoub

Related Posts: Single Review (January 1, 2013)
**Third of three songs in the top 100

058. Passenger – “The Wrong Direction” (#1 for two weeks)
Writer: Mike Rosenberg / Producers: Mike Rosenberg, Chris Vallejo

Related Posts: Profile on Passenger (March 22, 2013), “The Wrong Direction” Hits #1 (November 24, 2013)
**First of three songs in the top 100

057. One Direction – “Little Things” (#10)
Writers: Fiona Bevan, Ed Sheeran / Producer: Jake Gosling

Related Posts: Kids These Days (December 4, 2012)
**Fourth of four songs in the top 100

056. Mayer Hawthorne – “The Stars Are Ours” (#11)
Writers: Andrew Cohen, Pharrell Williams / Producer: Williams

Related Posts: Album Review of Where Does This Door Go? (July 8, 2013)
**First of two songs in the top 100

055. Robbie Williams – “Candy” (#4)
Writers: Gary Barlow, Terje Olsen, Robbie Williams / Producer: Jacknife Lee

054. Emeli Sandé – “My Kind Of Love” (#7)
Writers: Emile Haynie, Emeli Sandé / Producers: Alex P, Haynie, Danny Keyz, RedOne

Related Posts: Emeli’s “Next” Move (December 8, 2012)

053. Adele – “Skyfall” (#1 for three weeks, 2012)
Writers: Adele Adkins, Paul Epworth / Producer: Epworth

052. Mika featuring Ariana Grande – “Popular Song” (#8)
Writers: Mathieu Jomphe, Mika, Priscilla Renea, Stephen Schwartz / Producers: Mika, Greg Wells

Related Posts: Pushing For “Popular” (May 1, 2013)

051. American Authors – “Best Day Of My Life” (#1 for one week)
Writers: American Authors (Zachary Barnett, James Shelley, Dave Rublin and Matt Sanchez) / Producers: Aaron Accetta/Shep Goodman

Related Posts: Profile on American Authors (August 9, 2013), “Best Day Of My Life” Hits #1 (November 17, 2013)

050. Britt Nicole – “Gold” (#10)
Writers: Jess Cates, Dan Muckala, Britt Nicole / Producer: Muckala

Related Posts: From Christian To Crossover (February 3, 2013)

049. Matchbox Twenty – “Overjoyed” (#10)
Writers: Kyle Cook, Paul Doucette, Rob Thomas / Producer: Matt Serletic

**Second of two songs in the top 100

048. Jason Mraz – “93 Million Miles” (#5)
Writers: Jason Mraz, Michael Natter / Producer: Joe Chiccarelli

047. Taylor Swift – “22” (#12)
Writers/Producers: Max Martin, Shellback, Taylor Swift

**Two of three songs in the top 100

046. Justin Timberlake – “Take Back The Night” (#8)
Writers: James Fauntleroy, Jerome “J-Roc” Harmon, Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley, Justin Timberlake / Producers: Harmon, Mosley, Timberlake

Related Posts: Single Premiere (July 12, 2013), Whose “Night” Is It Anyways? (July 15, 2013), Album Review of The 20/20 Experience, 2 of 2 (September 24, 2013)
**First of three songs in the top 100

045. New Politics – “Harlem” (#2)
Writers: New Politics (David Boyd, Søren Hansen and Louis Vecchio), Jake Sinclair, Mike Viola, The Dudes (Jack Ploch, Nelson Ploch, Roger Ploch, Sam Ploch and Sadler Vaden) for sample of “Saturday” / Producers: Hansen, Sinclair

044. Ed Sheeran – “Lego House” (#7)
Writers: Jake Gosling, Chris Leonard, Ed Sheeran / Producer: Dea Hamilton

Related Posts: All Dolled Up (February 27, 2013)
**Second of two songs in the top 100

043. Sheppard – “Hold My Tongue” (#1 for two weeks)
Writers: Jay Bovino, Amy Sheppard, George Sheppard / Producer: Stuart Stuart

Related Posts: Profile on Sheppard (April 27, 2013), CMJ Wrap Up (October 21, 2013), “Hold My Tongue” Hits #1 (November 3, 2013)
**First of two songs in the top 100

042. Coldplay – “Atlas” (#1 for three weeks)
Writers: Coldplay (Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin) / Producers: Coldplay, Daniel Green, Rik Simpson

Related Posts: Single Premiere (September 5, 2013), “Atlas” Hits #1 (October 13, 2013)

041. Imagine Dragons – “On Top Of The World” (#4)
Writers/Producers: Imagine Dragons (Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon), Alexander “Alex Da Kid” Grant

Check back tomorrow for 40-31 on the year-end chart and let me know what you’re liking so far below!

ADAM’S TOP 40 FLASHBACK: November 11, 2012

Setting fire to the reign.

Welcome back for another edition of Adam’s Top 40 Flashback! Every Saturday, the day before my new top 40 goes up for the week, I’ll be featuring a past countdown straight from chart files of Adam’s Top 40. They’re all here — the hit songs, the songs that flopped, and the songs that may be a little embarrassing to reflect on. This week, it’s journey back to a time not far ago. In fact, it’s been just one year since these songs were making moves on the chart. Here’s a look at my top 40 from November 11, 2012:

Debuts:
40. CONOR MAYNARD featuring NE-YO, “Turn Around”
39. MAROON 5, “Daylight”
38. TAYLOR SWIFT, “I Knew You Were Trouble”

Biggest Mover(s):
THE SCRIPT, “Six Degrees Of Separation” (37-29) (8 spots)

10. ROBBIE WILLIAMS, “Candy”
Virgin America may have stopped promoting his new music here by 2003, but that doesn’t mean Mr. Williams wasn’t enjoying his usual successes over in Europe. The now 39-year-old singer scored his first #1 single in eight years in his native United Kingdom, selling 137,000 copies in its first frame. On my top 40, it spent four weeks at #4 and was my #68 song on the year-end survey of 2012.

09. KEANE, “Disconnected”
After spending a week at #8, this British band was down to #9 on this particular chart. It was the third release taken from the group’s Strangeland album, though it wasn’t a particularly big hit in any territory. It would be the last release of the era to enter my chart. The group is currently climbing my top 40 with a song called “Higher Than The Sun”, the first single from compilation The Best Of Keane.

08. FUN., “Carry On”
What a year 2012 was for this trio. After two #1 songs in a row on my chart, “We Are Young” (two weeks) and “Some Nights” (eight weeks), “Carry” was also bound for that top spot, up to #8 in its fifth week on. It would also lead for eight weeks and I have a good feeling that the song will be doing particularly well on my forthcoming 2013 year-end chart. You’ll have to wait and see what happens.

07. ONEREPUBLIC, “Feel Again”
Used in Save The Children‘s Every Beat Matters campaign, a portion of the song’s sales were donated to the charity. With a Platinum certification, topping 1 million copies, that was a whole lot of money going to a good cause. Unfortunately, its chart results weren’t so good — it barely reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. Now, the band is “Counting Stars” and soaring upward.

06. WALK THE MOON, “Anna Sun”
From the Queen City of Cincinnati, Ohio, the indie pop quartet was holding steady at #6 for a third week with a song that went top ten on Alternative radio. It was taken from the band’s self-titled album, their first release on a major label: RCA Records. Followup single “Tightrope” missed my chart, but would also break the top 20 on Alternative. The band’s next album should be released early next year.

05. THE SCRIPT featuring WILL.I.AM, “Hall Of Fame”
This former chart-topping single from the Irish trio and the California-born singer was just coming off a four-week run at the top, which marked the band’s fourth time there following “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”, “Breakeven” and “Nothing”. Though it went to #1 in the United Kingdom, “Hall” was only a moderate hit in the States. They’re set to release their fourth studio album in 2014.

04. TAYLOR SWIFT, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
Well, that’s a mouthful. The Swifties were out in full force when this song hit iTunes, taking it to #1 in just under an hour. On the Hot 100, “Together” vaulted from #72 to #1 in its second week on, one of the largest jumps ever into the top spot. On my survey, it was spending its third non-consecutive week at #4. Followup single “I Knew You Were Trouble” would do one better, peaking at #3 in 2013.

03. ONE DIRECTION, “Live While We’re Young”
It was the hyped-up lead single from the band’s second album, Take Me Home, and it did not disappoint on the charts. During a quick rise, quick fall run, “Young” managed top 3 placement in many countries, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. It would peak at #2 on my survey before falling. They are currently climbing on my top 40 with “Story Of My Life”.

02. ANDY GRAMMER, “Miss Me”
Third time was the charm for Grammer on my survey. Lead single “Keep Your Head Up” spent a painful eight weeks at #2, which was followed by two weeks at #4 for single “Fine By Me”. However, the singer-songwriter led my chart for two frames with this song, which also became a moderate hit on Hot AC radio. The singer is currently in the studio laying down tracks for his sophomore album.

01. ADELE, “Skyfall”
What hasn’t been said about the singer born in Tottenham, England? She saved the music industry with Diamond-certified album 21 and hit singles like “Rolling In The Deep” and “Someone Like You”. Taken from the James Bond film of the same name, “Skyfall” was yet another smash, peaking at #8 on the Hot 100 and at #1 on my chart for three weeks. The song also won her a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Original Song, which means EGOT, here she comes. Will we see new music from her in the new year? I sure hope so.

Check back next Saturday for another Adam’s Top 40 Flashback and don’t forget to follow the blog by using the tab below or find PGTC on social media by clicking the “Get Social!” tab at the top of the page.

Take That! Barlow and Williams “Go” Their Own Ways This Fall

If you’re a child of the 90’s and you grew up in Europe, then you know how huge Take That were and are, dominating the charts and selling out massive tours. In 2010, their Progress album in which all five original members reunited became one of the fastest-selling albums of all-time in the U.K., with sales close to, if not over, 3 million copies. While the band isn’t putting out any new material until 2014, fear not. Both lead vocalists, Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams, are each putting out solo singles and albums in November for what’s sure to be a very exciting Q4 race in the industry. Are you prepared for the mania? Check out this preview of what’s to come from the band mates on the battlefield:

Not setting the bar low.

GARY BARLOW – “Let Me Go”
Release Date: November 18 (?) (U.K.)

Given how much he’s been in the public eye in the United Kingdom in the last few years, it’s hard to believe that Barlow hasn’t put out a solo album full of original material since 1999. After a largely successful era with 1997’s Open Road, his first solo album after the breakup of Take That, it was another two years before Twelve Months, Eleven Days reached stores and unfortunately, it was one of the low points of his career as both the singles from it and album itself failed to achieve significant peaks. You can blame it on the musical tides shifting and a so-so crossover into the States for the loss of momentum in his home country. He did go on to lead a successful reunion of Take That in 2005, then gained prominence as a songwriter, and now finds himself judging another season of The X Factor in the U.K. and promoting this new single of his. It’s the leadoff release from Future, due on November 25, just in time for the holiday rush. Barlow last made it onto the charts with a #1 single, “Sing”, a song to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee which was performed with a collective group of musicians, The Commonwealth Band. Can his foray back into pop music connect with the British public as he did in the 90’s? Look for it to premiere in early October with a potential release date of November 18, the week before the album. However, there’s no been confirmation of it; it’s just my expectation given the schedule right now.

Swingin’ on by.

ROBBIE WILLIAMS – “Go Gentle”
Release Date: November 4 (U.K.)

Coming off a huge summer tour and his first #1 album in six years, Take The Crown, Williams is back on top of the British music scene again and looking to maintain that presence with his latest release. However, he won’t be doing it with his usual mainstream pop material; he’ll be going to back to the swing era once again with Swings Both Ways, on Island/Universal Records. It’s out on November 18, also cashing in on Christmas sales. The album features seven original songs and six covers and features a number of duets with popular acts like Kelly Clarkson, Lily Allen, Michael Bublé and Olly Murs. It’s now been 12 years since his first fully swing album, Swing When You’re Winning, was released and certified 7x Platinum in the United Kingdom alone. A collaboration with actress Nicole Kidman, a cover of “Somethin’ Stupid” (originally recorded by Frank and Nancy Sinatra), went to #1 there for three weeks. Preview track “Shine My Shoes” from this album, not promoted as an official single, made the lower rungs of U.K. Singles Chart recently. “Gentle” was co-written by Williams along with Guy Chambers, a longtime collaborator with him on his first few albums like 1998’s I’ve Been Expecting You and 2002’s Escapology. Will the reunion of good friends and shift in sound give the superstar his eighth #1 single in the U.K.? We shall see as the track premieres tomorrow, September 27, on radio outlets there.

EDIT: It appears the release of “Gentle” has been pushed back. This was edited on September 22 stating that the single was meant to be out on the 27th, which has unfortunately not occurred. Apologies to all you fans out there, but it’ll be here pretty soon.

Do you have a favorite from the two singers above? Love Gary and Robbie just as equally? Still have their posters above your bed, the lunch boxes and bed spreads? Well then, you’re quite the fan, and you should still comment below and let me know what you think or find PGTC on social media by clicking the “Get Social!” tab.

Clash Of The Tourmates: Olly vs. Robbie

It takes “Two” to make a thing go right.

They both have millions of fans on social media, combined to do a tour together, but now, the heat is on as both Olly Murs and Robbie Williams release their newest singles on the same day. Drama! On March 10, both “Army Of Two” by Murs from Right Place, Right Time and “Be A Boy” by Williams from Take The Crown will be out on iTunes in the United Kingdom with new digital EPs. So, let’s put them to the test in a bit of a battle. Which single knocks the other one out of the ring? Jolly Olly or Wreck-It Robbie? Somebody ring the bell…

ROUND ONE: WHO HAS THE BETTER COVER ART?
Alright, this one’s fairly easy for me. Though I appreciate the creativity that went into building the “Army of Two” title out of the smaller “army of two” bits, I’m not a fan of the salmon-colored background and Murs, himself, just looks like a combination of bored and upset. Was that an outtake shot? I mean, would it hurt to give him a marching band leader outfit? This is supposed to be fun! I love the Williams cover, however. Yes, it’s a white base, but the paint oozing down his face and onto his neck is an awesome effect and pops really well. Oh, and he’s smiling too. At least, I think he is. It has a boyish charm about it. Even if I didn’t know who he was or what he sang, I would totally stare at it in a record shop. Good times.

Verdict: This one for sure goes to Robbie. That puts him up 1-0.

ROUND TWO: WHO HAS THE BETTER SINGLE?
Let’s start off with Williams this time around and his third single, “Be A Boy”. Williams wrote the single with Tim Metcalfe and Flynn Francis and it was produced by Jackknife Lee; that combination is pretty much responsible for much of the album. Metcalfe and Francis are relative newcomers, both from Australia, while Lee has produced for acts like R.E.M. and U2, among others. “Boy” is an 80’s-inspired effort and yes, I am a sucker for a sassy saxophone solo, so that’s a plus. The message of it is what you probably expect it to be: the dreams of youth and the “magic” that goes away when you grow older. As Williams sings, “They said it was leaving/They said it with joy/Now I can make this last forever/And be a boy.” Yet, there is also a desire to find comfort in knowing that you can still find the boy in yourself as you age: “I’m half your age and lived twice your life/Now I don’t sleep alone at night/Your time did come but it’s long gone/Takes a big man to be someone.” It’s a relatable tune, and you can still dance to it with all those fluffy pop synths and chants.

On the other side of the ring, we have the second single from Murs, “Army Of Two”. He penned the song with Wayne Hector, Iyiola Babalola and Darren Lewis while it was produced by Future Cut. Hector’s worked with a number of pop acts over the years and previously hooked up with Murs on his 2010 single, “Thinking Of Me”, which went top 5 in the U.K. in November. Babalola and Lewis are both a part of Future Cut, who previously worked with Lily Allen on hit singles “LDN” and “Smile”. It begins with a lush crescendo of strings, the tap of a drum, and, oh, hey, let this pop confection take over. The song itself is a dedication to his fans, with lyrics about staying together as a troop (“we’ll be swimming in the same direction/and we’ll never lose this connection”), the goals and standards of the mission (“Oh, faith is the bullet/Hope is the gun/Love is all we need”) and perseverance in the battle (“Now, march with the band/Raise your right hand/We’ve only just begun.”) Yes, it’s a tad cheesy, but I think the sentiment works, plus the arrangement is a nice fusion of the traditional and modern-day popular sounds. I think you’ll want to join the gang too. Those snare drums are pretty hot.

Verdict: I do like both, but I’ll give the edge to Olly; it’s a strong song and it’s already on my personal chart. Each is tied at 1.

ROUND THREE: WHO’S MORE LIKELY TO GET A HIT?
This is a hard one. Both Murs and Williams started off their respective eras with a #1 single that spent two frames at the top; “Troublemaker” and “Candy”, respectively. Williams went onto release “Different” during the Christmas Week, but it wasn’t promoted well and ended up missing the top 40. I would hope his label would rethink their strategy for this release. Murs, on the other hand, would be coming off that #1 single. Now, you may assume that this would give him the upper hand, but, he’s waited months to release a second single and he’s currently on a radio tour with some additional television performances in the States. Since his album is out here in April, he may be spending some additional time here rather than focusing his efforts across the pond. In short, it’s pretty much anyone’s guess as to how both of these releases will actually chart. (I’m rooting for both, but one has to top the other one, you know?)

Verdict: Gonna leave this one at a tie. Too tough to decide.

Let’s add up all the points… jeez, I was never good at math. Oh, you say they both have two points a piece? Well, well. I guess that means you’ll have to help me out. Which one do you like better: “Army Of Two” or “Be A Boy”? Or, are you stuck like me and enjoy both? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter: @AdamFSoybel.

Highlights from Adam’s Top 40: January 13, 2013

Carry on, carry on, as if nothing really matters.

DEBUTS
39. Youngblood Hawke – We Come Running
36. Pink featuring Nate Ruess – Just Give Me A Reason
35. Bon Jovi – Because We Can | HIGHEST DEBUT

TOP GAINERS
32. Taylor Swift – 22 (37)
30. Passion Pit – Carried Away (38) | BIGGEST MOVER

THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
10. Robbie Williams – Candy (06) | PEAK: #04
09. Kelly Clarkson – Catch My Breath (09) | PEAK: #09
08. Hunter Hayes – Wanted (12) | PEAK: #08
07. Train – Mermaid (10) | PEAK: #07
06. The Script – Six Degrees Of Separation (07) | PEAK: #06
05. Jason Mraz – 93 Million Miles (05) | PEAK: #05
04. Taylor Swift – I Knew You Were Trouble (08) | PEAK: #04
03. Pink – Try (02) | PEAK: #02
02. Olly Murs – Troublemaker (03) | PEAK: #02
01. fun. – Carry On (01) | PEAK: #01 for seven weeks

Top 10 Next In Line:
1. Josh Groban – Brave (2)
2. Aerosmith featuring Carrie Underwood – Can’t Stop Lovin’ You (6)
3. Of Monsters And Men – Mountain Sound (4)
4. The Saturdays – What About Us (-)
5. Bruno Mars – When I Was Your Man (-)
6. Dido – Let Us Move On (5)
7. Kenny Chesney – El Cerrito Place (9)
8. Olly Murs – Army Of Two (-)
9. Train – This’ll Be My Year (10)
10. Kelly Clarkson – People Like Us (-)

In The Mix:
Carly Rae Jepsen – Tonight I’m Getting Over You
Caro Emerald – Back It Up
Cassadee Pope – Over You
Cheyenne Jackson – Don’t Wanna Know
Conor Maynard – Animal (new)
Emeli Sandé – Clown
Maroon 5 – Love Somebody (new)
Shiny Toy Guns – Somewhere To Hide
Stefano – Yes To Love (new)
Tristan Prettyman – Say Anything (new)

See my full chart on the M4BCC message board.

Highlights from Adam’s Top 40: January 6, 2013

New year, same song at the top.

DEBUTS
38. Passion Pit – Carried Away
37. Taylor Swift – 22 | HIGHEST DEBUT

TOP GAINERS
30. Alex Clare – Up All Night (35)
29. Lawson – Learn To Love Again (39) | BIGGEST MOVER
28. Colbie Caillat featuring Gavin DeGraw – We Both Know (37)
25. OneRepublic – If I Lose Myself (34)

THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
10. Train – Mermaid (11) | PEAK: #10
09. Kelly Clarkson – Catch My Breath (09) | PEAK: #09
08. Adele – Skyfall (06) | PEAK: #01 for three weeks
07. The Script – Six Degrees Of Separation (07) | PEAK: #07
06. Robbie Williams – Candy (04) | PEAK: #04
05. Jason Mraz – 93 Million Miles (05) | PEAK: #05
04. Taylor Swift – I Knew You Were Trouble (08) | PEAK: #04
03. Olly Murs – Troublemaker (03) | PEAK: #03
02. Pink – Try (02) | PEAK: #02
01. fun. – Carry On (01) | PEAK: #01 for six weeks

Top 10 Next In Line:
1. Pink featuring Nate Reuss – Just Give Me A Reason (3)
2. Josh Groban – Brave (6)
3. Youngblood Hawke – We Come Running (2)
4. Of Monsters And Men – Mountain Sound (4)
5. Dido – Let Us Move On (7)
6. Aerosmith featuring Carrie Underwood – Can’t Stop Lovin’ You (9)
7. Ed Sheeran – Give Me Love (5)
8. Cheyenne Jackson – Don’t Wanna Know (8)
9. Kenny Chesney – El Cerrito Place (-)
10. Train – This’ll Be My Year (-)

In The Mix:
Carly Rae Jepsen – Tonight I’m Getting Over You
Caro Emerald – Back It Up
Cassadee Pope – Over You (new)
Emeli Sandé – Clown
Shiny Toy Guns – Somewhere To Hide

See my full chart on the M4BCC message board.