7th of March 2014: The power of TV

Back at the Top Pharrell Williams is adding a seventh Nr.1 week to the account of his hit Happy after he performed it at Wetten dass...?. Last weeks No.1 Waves by MR PROBZ has to step beside and sits now at number 2.

Looking up the history Pharrell is the first male solo artist since Michel Teló in early 2012 who rests at least seven weeks at number 1 (of course I don’t count here AVICII who always colaborates with uncredited singers.)

Wetten dass...!? more and more looses its audience–in Germany a heated debate is going on about that fact. But the show still boosts music sales. So Adel Tawil’s Lieder goes 16–10 after it was performed live at the show. The track already spent 17 weeks inside the list–most of them inside the Top 10. Now it is back for a further week.


Highest new entry comes from an Norwegian act. Nico & Vinz had some first success in Scandinavia under the name Envy. Her single Am I Wrong is the first one released outside the northern countries and immediately lands at number 3 in Germany. It is the highest Norwegian production since five years when a-ha hauled up their Foot Of The Mountain to number 3 also.


New inside the Top 10
As expected Rather Be by Clean Bandit goes 12–6 and breaks the Top 10 after the full CD version is released. Also AVICII gets his Addicted To You inside the Top 10. The track lands at number 8 ten days ahead of the relaese of new remixes. It is the third Top 10 hit from hi album True.

Stopping short of the big 10 Liar Liar by Cris Cab improves being a hit. It goes 28–13 in its fifth chart week and features master of the moment Pharrell Williams as producer. So after three number 1 hits PW is on the way for the next step. In next weeks time also physical sales count into the list.

The fast rise of LORDE comes to a halt slowly. Team only rises one further place reaching exactly number 20. It's her second Top 20 hit. Predecessor Royals slides to number 35 this week.


Carnival hits
This issue covers sales from 21st of February to 27th. It is the week just before the crazy days of Shrove Monday and Tuesday. As every year this time generates its own hits–some of them returning for several years. The leap made by Cologne BRINGS is most significant for increasing interest in carnival hits this week. Kölsche Jung lands at number 41 which is a new peak for the song and the highest rank the band can achieve since four years.

Jürgen Drews also offers a new single. Und wir waren wie Vampire lands at number 48. It is his 27th chart hit as a solo performer. If you count his chart career as a member of Les Humphries Singers too he is an artist having chart success since the weekly charts were enabled. From still active artists only Peter Maffay's career spans a longer time started in April 1970.

Back on the list are: Cat Ballou with Es jitt kei Wood (#62), voXXclub with Rock mi (#100–63), Peter Wackel with the carnival edition of his song Scheiss drauf! (#67), Kasalla with Pirate (#77), HÖHNER with Das geht nie vorbei (new peak at #85).


An elder track becomes a new hit by its use for a viral campaign–that's the story written often enough but still has the power to surprise people. Latest chapter is the story around Supergeil by Der Tourist Feat. Friedrich Liechtenstein. Latter one is a semi known actor in Berlin who had started producing electronic music 10 years ago. By doing this he got to know some other producers and was featured on some tracks with his voice or just for acting in video clips. So he did last year for Der Tourist. The track incidently reached the marketing department of supermarket seller EDEKA. Two weeks ago a new video version of the track was released becoming immediately popular and now starting to sell even the official release of the track is scheduled for 8th of March yet. Starting its chart life at number 59 also means: this thing might become big.

31st of January: Lily Allen is back

No change at the Top: Pharrell Williams still holds firm with Happy and equals the result of the predecessor with three consecutive weeks at number 1. It’s again a calm January.

Heavy action goes on at number 2 with Lily Allen landing there her current single Hard Out Here. It is her biggest hit to date and her first release as a solo artist in four years. The huge success is a result of the track’s use on the so called Dschungel-Camp TV Show. Every January the show generates a (flashlight) hit as the first musical input of every new year. Last year it was Troublemaker by Olly Murs feat. Flo Rida which also peaked at number 2 and had a real hit career afterwards. Will Lily Allen match that success?

Another winner of being connected to the Dschungel Camp is (Michael) Wendler who moved in but very early left the show. Probably that made some fans kind of disappointed. His new single Unser Zelt auf Westerland starts at a mere number 55–the worst result for a Wendler track so far.


Further growing hits climb up the list: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis do have a third Top 20 entry with White Walls stopping at number 17. Katy Perry’s Dark Horse already peaked at number 32 in December right after her performance on The Voice Of Germany. Than the song tumbled down the list–but since two weeks again starts catching fire and landing now at number 33. A video for the track is announced so we can assume it will rise some further. So far the commercial success of the song isn’t that impressive.

Still climbing is Stay The Night by ZEDD Feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore. Landing at number 45 it gives the producer and DJ his biggest hit so far.

LORDE has yet some way to go for having a next big hit. Royals still looks good at number 18. Succeeder Team goes 86–65.

OneRepublic seems launching a next hit: Something I Need goes 99–74.


At the end of January the Aprés-Ski and carnival season leaves clear traces in the list. A still strong performing Helene Fischer (number 5 with Atemlos durch die Nacht and number 50 with Ich will immer wieder ... dieses Fieber spür'n) Wendler's new single at number 55 and the VoXXclub song Rock mi bouncing back to 67 are more or less a sign for that. More significant is the re-entry of BRINGS' lates single Kölsche Jung at number 82 and the comeback to the singles charts after 10 years of Wolfgang Petry at number 90. And also the hit of the past two seasons I sing a liad für di by Austrian Andreas Gabalier re-enters–so far at number 94. It is already the track with the most chart runs in this decade and it collected 69 chart weeks.

Hot Spot 11-15-13

A third week for Klingande and their Jubel at number 1. Last French act occupying the Top spot for at least three weeks was Bob Sinclar and his inofficial WM anthem Love Generation that spent five weeks at the very Top in spring 2006.

King of the week is EMINEM. His latest album The Marshall Mathers LP 2 goes straight to number 1 inside the album list. Current single The Monster featuring Rihanna rises 7–3 giving the rapper his sixth Top 3 hit in Germany. Accompanying Rihanna is a little more succesfull. The Monster already is her 12th Top 3 song. Seven of them she had within the past four years – so she is by now the most succesful artist of the current decade. Not alone that. With 170 weeks inside the Top 10 she now overtakes Madonna's record as the female artist with most Top 10 weeks. Now Rihanna is heading for the record of The Beatles. The fab four stand with 227 weeks at the Top of the All Time List.

Once we're talking 'bout Rihanna one should recognize her latest single What Now climbing up the list also due to it's release in some more remix versions. The first edition of remixes brought her to a mere number 83. With the new release she achieves number 49. Predecessor Right Now (featuring DJ David Guetta stopped at number 43 five months ago.

Back to EMINEM once again and for very short: also single Survival rises and lands at number 20 while Berzerk goes 28–24 again after being Nr.10 back in September. Rap God goes 44–33. – Propelled by the new album also Lose Yourself from 2002 can made it back to the list. It sits pretty this week at number 85 almost exactly 11 years after it appeared first in the survey.


Pitbull Feat. Ke$ha are entering the Top 10 with their single Timber. The song enters the stores as physical release today – so we will see it higher than number 7 in 14 days. By entering the area Pitbull gains his third Top 10 hit in 2013 – he is only the third main artist doing so. KE$HA only manages a third Top 10 hit at all. This weeks she ends a three years long abstinence.

LORDE finally also becomes a Top 10 artist by entering Nr.9 with Royals. Since Kimbra almost two year ago no act from New Zealand was seen that high. The last main artist from New Zealand inside the German Top 10 was Brooke Fraser in June 2011.

British X Factor winner 2012 – James Arthur – gains some more attention this week by releasing his debut album. In his home country he proves to be a superstar by landing at number 2. In Germany the album lands only at number 25. As an effect his two singles rise up the list once more. Impossible climbs back to number 45, follow up single You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You bounces back 77–55.

Damien Rice already is a secret star. His (or his band's) tunes were used in several TV serials or public events. But nobody knew the man and his band so far. Now the label 14th floor released one of his most popular recording 9 crimes again. And finally it can make it into the charts as a single hit landing at number 61.

By releasing a new song every single week Canadian teen star Justin Bieber now became the artist with most charting songs in one year. This week's Bad Day is already the 9th song in 2013 that can appear on the list. The man now overtakes such big names like Pitbull, Flo Rida and Helene Fischer who stuck with "only" eight different songs. To get some better impressions of what this feat means: David Guetta had 14 charting tracks in 2012 and even 16 in 2011. So there is some more to do for becoming a real super star.

Also Avril Lavigne offered a new album. According to critics and sales figures the collection of songs is much less than retro. Number 15 means this is the worst performing album ever for the lady. Also re-entering single Let Me Go (alongside with husband Chad Kroeger) only can reach number 70. Never a charting single stopped lower.



Casting show effects
As always one can find some tracks in the list that benefit from the performance of hopeful aspirants. Mostly the songs disappear after a single week – so one could ignore them very well. But very often well known tunes appear on stage - so we could call them classics also. Recognizing them might tell some stories 'bout the current cultural mood in Germany.

This week we can watch Korean YIRUMA returning to the list with his composition of River Flows In You. It was written and recorded in 2001 but had a long long wait to become famous. First wider recognition came with the use of the melody within a Twilight fan video. Some months later DJ Jasper Forks recorded an own version. Than also the original by YIRUMA had a chance to chart as a single track too. Now it belongs to one of the most loved pieces for all who study classic instruments like piano. The track lands this week according to a performance on Das Supertalent by young piano player Thomas Krüger. I guess we will watch the song again when the show airs its final.

Song number 2 is Under by Alex Hepburn. The song was performed on The Voice Of Germany on October 31st by Yvonne Rüller. In March this year it had a 14 weeks long chart career peaking at number 34. Now it re-enters at number 79.


Songs To Watch
Might be an upcoming hit: Strong by the London Grammar. The band released its album digitally in October. A full physical release is available right now. In between the single can gain some attention and enters the charts at number 83.

Full three weeks before its release on CD Unconditionally by Katy Perry starts its chart life at number 86.

Hot Spot 10-18-13

There is a brand new Number 1: James Blunt's Bonfire Heart – it is the first time the British singer can launch a single at the Top in Germany. His breakthrough and worldwide hit You're Beautiful stalled at number 2 in 2005. And also his 1973 stopped there two years later. Now the history is re-written and James Blunt becomes finally a Number 1 act in Germany too.

The man behind Bonfire Heart is Ryan Tedder. He already knows how it feels being the most sold artist. In late 2007 he started his career with his band OneRepublic - its debut Apologize heavily featured by Timbaland had an impressive 9 weeks run at the top. That was stopped by another Tedder penned and produced song Bleeding Love recorded by Leona Lewis. Now - 5 and a half year later - the man is back at the Top. Of course "only" as the hidden on in the behind. Anyway - with having three songs going Top 10 in 2013 seeing him as an musician Ryan Tedder now matches the result of will.i.am.

Wetten dass effect is seen at number 9. John Newman returns to Top 10 with Love Me Again after his performance on the show. The Saturday night event still is a hit factory for the whole family.

AVICII brings a next hit to German music lovers. While Wake Me Up! slowly fades to number 7 and follow up single You Make Me sneaks around number 50 the album track Hey Brother turns into a number 10 success. It is the third Top 10 track for the Swedish DJ - all achieved within two years.

With a new distribution deal Milky Chance's Stolen Dance gets more attention and can jump to number 18 in its 11th chart week. The young man continues the sound of Wankelmut being enormously successful in summer 2013.

A look at the current number 1 of the US Royals by Lorde still is on her way up also in Germany. This week she stops at number 39.

Canadian Drake also still is rising with Hold On, We're Going Home. The song can reach number 41 this week which is the highest position Drake achieved as a leading artist. In February 2011 he climbed to number 12 alongside Rihanna on her single What's My Name.
Some news portals and papers hype YLVIS' The Fox as the new Gangnam Style. Well, the video might be crazy enough, the click rates are high as well - the song itself only sells slowly. This week it reaches the upper half of the survey stopping at number 45.

German Schlager queen Helene Fischer starts her new album Farbenspiel at number 1 of the album list. Leading single Fehlerfrei goes 39–23 and cherry pickers chose dancefloor inspired Atemlos durch die Nacht as the second favourite of the album. The track enters at number 46 as an single album cut.
Her so far longest running hit Ich will immer wieder dieses Fieber spürn also can re-enter the list. It sneaks in at number 85 and very certainly it is outside the Top 100 next week again.

48 years after she appeared for the first time in the German charts Cher does have a come back. After 11 and a half year abstinence from the list her single I Hope You Find It enters at number 49. With this Cher is the act with the longest career in 2013 – The Bee Gees and Heino both present in 2013 too fall three years short behind the lady. In the list of all time careers Cher now sits pretty at number 5 of the longest chart careers. Paul Kuhn (53,5 years), Bing Crosby (almost 53 years), Udo Jürgens (52,5 years) and Johnny Cash (48 years) are the four being successful a longer time span. Of course one could also count John Lennon who started as a member of The Beatles in 1963 and appeared last with his Happy X-mas War Is Over in December 2011 which makes 48 years of chart presence too.
The second track of the physical CD release Woman's World also can enter the list on digital downloads. It is number 66.

Songs to come: Lifted by Naughty Boy Feat. Emeli Sandé 88–64

Hot Spot 10-11-13

Jason Derulo really becomes an A-star. His Talk Dirty (feat. 2 Chainz) holds firm for a third week at the very Top of the singles charts in Germany. It is only the fifth track this year that can keep the Top spot for at least three weeks. So one could call it right now one of the biggest hits in 2013.

French Klingande see their neo-hippie anthem Jubel rising into the Top 10. The "original" Sonnentanz by Austrian Klangkarussell also returns to the Top 10 and lands at number 10 in its 60th chart week. Last the track was seen that high was back in January this current year.

Folk pop ballad Hero by Family Of The Year is the third very romantic track invading the Top 10 – the longing for simple answers and easiness seems very strong these days.


After Willst du was released on single CD too rapper Alligatoah becomes the most sold German artist with his Schlager hiphop song landing at number 14.

After winning the Bundesvision Song Contest on 26th September bosse jumps 96–25 with So oder so celebrating his biggest chart success so far. Second winner in terms of sales are Max Herre + Sophie Hunger with Fremde rising to number 32. Within the contest they landed at number 8. The runners up of the contest Johannes Oerding comes in at number 43 after the show with his Nichts geht mehr.

Surprising newcomer from New Zealand and current No.1 in the US Lorde also raises attention in Europe. Royals this weeks jumps 88–57 in Germany, Switzerland already reports a number 25.