Check out this weeks official NZ music chart. The Official New Zealand Top 40 premieres Saturday nights at 6:00pm on C4.
J’s First. Scribe’s Fourth
J.Williams makes it sixth time lucky and ascends to the Singles Chart throne, trading places this week with Timbaland and Katy Perry’s four-week chart-topper If We Ever Meet Again, which slips to #2.
Sales drive You Got Me to the top but it is also gaining airplay, moving to #7 on the RadioScope100. It’s the second Kiwi #1 of the year following Stan Walker’s Black Box and the 66th local chart-topper on the Official NZ Music Chart since 1975.
The song also sees another chart milestone achieved by the Christchurch-born rapper Scribe. He’s been credited on four #1 singles, more than any other New Zealand act. Two were solo – Stand Up / Not Many and Dreaming, while the other two are hook-ups, Stop The Music with P-Money and now You Got Me with J.Williams.
Gaga On Tour
Two sellout-headlining nights at the Vector Arena during her second New Zealand tour see Lady Gaga finally reach the pinnacle and score a New Zealand #1 album. The repackaged The Fame: Monster goes one place higher than its original #2 peak.
It had been 65 weeks since The Fame debuted at #6. So is this the longest climb to the top? Well no, not even close. The record for the period between an album debuting on the chart and topping it is 271 weeks (more than five years). And the record-holding album was at #4 on the very first Official Albums Chart in May 1975. Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd eventually reached the summit for a single frame on April 18 1993. The album had a total chart run of 289 non-consecutive weeks and last appeared in the week of June 15 2003. The set charted on 16 separate occasions.
The New Singles
#39 Ludacris – How Low
It’s just the third time 32-year-old Christopher Bridges has charted solo. Also known as Ludacris, he has the sole new Singles Chart entry this week, How Low at #39. In all, he’s been part of 10 hits including Baby with Justin Bieber currently at #6.
The New Albums
#3 Jimi Hendrix – Valleys Of Neptune
He’s been dead 40 years, but a “lost” album has legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix score his highest ever new entry in New Zealand. At #3, Valleys Of Neptune is just his third Top10er here and returns Hendrix to the chart for first time 12 years and four months. There have been eight charted albums, 1993’s The Ultimate Experience being the sole #1.
#4 Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
2-D, Noodle, Murdoc and Russel may only be animated characters but the UK-based act land their fourth chart hit with their third studio album. Previously 2001’s #2 Gorillaz and 2005 #3 Demon Days each enjoyed 38-week chart runs, yielding two hits apiece including the 2001 #1 19/2000.
#8 Andrew Lloyd Webber – Love Never Dies
Andrew Lloyd Webber is ranked the 87th richest man in the UK and this year his sequel to The Phantom Of The Opera debuts on London’s West End. Preceding it, in Lloyd Webber tradition, comes the soundtrack entitled Love Never Dies new at #8 this week. Phantom had four different versions chart over the years including a five-week #1 version. So the new show has big shoes to fill!
#9 Airbourne – No Guts, No Glory
Aussie hardrockers Airbourne’s sophomore No Guts, No Glory makes a rather impressive #9 opening. The Melbourne four-piece easily better the #39 peak of 2007 debut Runnin’ Wild.
#14 Serj Tankian & the Auckland Philharmonia – Elect The Dead Symphony
What better way to gain a second solo showing than to remake your first with an orchestra? Which is exactly what System Of A Down’s Serj Tanken has done. Recorded live at the Auckland Town Hall with the Auckland Philharmonia, Elect The Dead Symphony spookily debuts at the same #14 peak of the 2007 original.
#19 Isla Grant – The Essential
Scots songstress Isla Grant had an impressive 2009 here, racking up five chart albums including two #3s, Movin’ On and Special To Me. In 2010 The Essential, new at #19, takes her tally to seven overall.
#20 Daniel O’Donnell – The Essential
In time for St Patrick’s Day Irish crooner Daniel O’Donnell’s The Essential, new at #20, is his fifth chart album here following his highest, Peace In The Valley which reached #18 late last year.
#26 Babylon Circus – La Belle Etoile
Ten-piece French ska-reggae act Babylon Circus performed last weekend at WOMAD in Taranaki and on the back of that appearance, they land their first New Zealand chart album, La Belle Etoile, at #26.
#28 Guy Sebastian – Like It Like That
Original Australian Idol Guy Sebastian returns to the Albums Chart for just the second time following in the week of the #7 single Art Of Love with Jordin Sparks. Like It Like That betters the non-placement of Guy’s last three sets. His 2001 debut Just As I Am was the only record to impact, making #3 and including the three-week chart-topper Angels Brought Me Here.
#38 1814 – Jah Rydem
Eight-piece Northland band 1814 formed by Patu Colbert place their Jah Rydem debut album at #38 this week. The record was produced by former Invader Billy Kristian.
#39 Original Soundtrack – Crazy Heart
Golden Globe winner and four-time Academy Award nominee Jeff Bridges is Bad Blake, lead character in the movie Crazy Heart. And Bridges features on several tracks on the soundtrack new at #39.
#40 Lifehouse – Smoke And Mirrors
Ending a nine-year drought, Lifehouse return to the New Zealand Albums Chart for a third time, Smoke And Mirrors anchoring the list at #40. Their 2001 #7 No Name Face debut remains the biggest of their three charting records.