Donkeyboy Claims the Top Spot in Sweden

Donkeyboy makes it all the way this week as “Ambitions” claims the top spot on the Swedish singles chart. The track climbs 3-1 and pushes former chart-topper Owl City to No.3. Meanwhile, the album Caught in a Life races 16-6. Play returns to the charts this week with “Famous.” The group broke in the early 2000’s, and climbed the US charts with “Us Against the World.”  Today, it has reformed thanks to the docu-soap Made in Sweden. A new career has been forged by demon producers Anders Bagge and Andreas Carlsson, and this week “Famous” is the highest new entry at No.5.

“We Are the World 25: For Haiti” debuts at No.17 this week, still ahead of Simon Cowell’s charity project Helping Haiti which moves 36-25 this week. Sade shoots to No.1 on the album chart with Soldier of Love.

Rod Stewart, Susan Boyle and Mariah Carey Join Forces on New No.1

As expected, charity constellation Helping Haiti easily grabs the UK No.1 position this week with the rendition of R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts.” The track entered the Swedish singles chart at No.36. As previously reported, Simon Cowell has assembled Leona Lewis, Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue, Susan Boyle and Miley Cyrus among others to re-record the track to benefit the Haitian victims. Expect “We Are the World” to appear on European charts in due course.

This means that Owl City falls 1-2 with “Fireflies,” while Timbaland and Katy Perry remains at No.3 with “If We Ever Meet Again.” This is better than the No.6 peak of the previous hit “Morning After Dark.” The Drake collaboration “Say Something” hasn’t been released in the UK, while the Justin Timberlake duet “Carry Out” has reached No.33 on the UK r’n’b singles chart.

Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind (Part II)” moves 5-4 in its ninth week, switching places with the Glee Cast’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The stars of the highly succesful TV-series enters the chart at No.9 with the double-sided single  “Halo” and “Walking on Sunshine” and at No.14 with “It’s My Life” coupled with “Confessions Part II.” Add that “Somebody to Love” falls seven places to No.33.

Rihanna rises 20-10 with “Rude Boy,” while Jedward’s novelty hit “Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)” falls 2-12. Sade is the highest new entry on the album chart at No.4. Soldier of Love was, however, unable to challenge Alicia Keys, André Rieu and Paolo Nutini who remains in the top three. Massive Attack’s new album Heligoland is new at No.6 and it’s interesting to note that pop act Peter Andre manages to climb 9-7 with Unconditional Love Songs, a romantic cover collection.

Dion, P!nk, Kanye Sing “We Are the World” 2010

Only a week after Simon Cowell’s feat to assemble Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart and Leona Lewis in the same room, comes the anniversary of “We Are the World.” Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie had already plans on making a re-record the track to commemorate the 25th anniversary in benefit for Haiti. Swedish producer RedOne has produced the track alongside Wyclef Jean and legendary Quincy Jones.

The new version was recorded on Feb.1 this year and luckily many of the artists were already in L.A. to attend the Grammy awards.  More than 75 musicians participated and the song was recorded at the same place as in 1985. The 2010 line-up is a walk of fame. Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion sing alongside Vince Vaughn and Jeff Bridges. Newcomers Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber contributes as well as the hip-hop stars Kanye West, Akon, Drake and Cudie.

The new video premiered during NBC’s coverage of the Opening Cermony of the WinterOlympics last night and the video has been directed by Paul Haggis of Crash and Million Dollar Baby fame.

Carey, Minogue, Boyle and Bon Jovi Cover R.E.M. for Haiti

R.E.M. issued “Everybody Hurts” in April 1993 as the fourth single from the Automatic for the People album. Little did they know that come February 2010, Mariah Carey, Jon Bon Jovi, Kylie Minogue and Rod Stewart would cover the track in attempt to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake. Less surprisingly, music entrepreneur Simon Cowell is responsible for the initaitive which could be described as the Idol generation’s Band Aid. Cowell’s “own” artists such as Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke, Susan Boyle and JLS collaborate on this charity single. The song has already sold 205,000 copies in the UK and is set to reach the singles chart this Sunday.

A Decade of Hits

As we’re approaching the end of the decade, there’s no better time than to sum up what happened in the 00’s. In the UK, the decade started off with Westlife’s  ABBA rendition of “I Have a Dream.”  So please just watch out, this blog will be dedicated to a decade of hits. The group actually made their breakthrough in 1999, becoming one of the few acts who continuously delivered hits throughout the decade. They were signed by Simon Cowell (the inventor of Idol and X-Factor) and their debut hit “Swear It Again” was actually only issued in Asia at first.

It became the act’s first UK No.1 hit back in April 1999, and was the start of a hugely successful career. To date, the act’s achieved 14 UK No.1’s – but they haven’t reached the top spot since 2006 with Bette Midler’s “The Rose.”  But to be fair, the lads are still going strong as “What About Now” did reach the runner-up spot this October.