Weekly Chart Notes: Kimbra, One Direction, Rascal Flatts

by Gary Trust  |   May 04, 2012 4:05 EDT

Get ready to feel old, thanks to the young artist featured on the Billboard Hot 100's top song.

As Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" rules the chart for a third week, guest vocalist Kimbra, as Chart Beat reader Mark Harris of Cleveland notes, is the first female artist born in the '90s to top the Hot 100. Kimbra (last name: Johnson) was born in New Zealand on March 27, 1990.

(The chart's No. 1 song that week? Alannah Myles' "Black Velvet." Tommy Page, meanwhile, soared 14-6 with his future No. 1, "I'll Be Your Everything." Twenty-two years later, he's now Billboard's publisher. "Wow, Kimbra was a fetus when I was on the chart," Page muses.)

Until this week, Miley Cyrus held the distinction of highest Hot 100 rank for a female born in the '90s. Cyrus, who was born on Nov. 23, 1992, rose to No. 2 in 2009 with "Party in the U.S.A."

Among women who've reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, Dev had previously boasted the most recent birthday until Kimbra's reign. Dev, who spent three weeks at No. 1 in 2010 as a featured act (with Cataracs) on Far*East Movement's "Like a G6," was born on July 2, 1989.

Prior to Kimbra, two other artists born in the '90s, both male, have led the Hot 100, and both in 2007. Sean Kingston became the first when "Beautiful Girls" began a four-week command the week of Aug. 11, 2007. Soulja Boy Tell'Em followed with "Crank That (Soulja Boy)," which logged seven weeks on top beginning Sept. 15, 2007.

As "Somebody" stays at the Hot 100's summit, Kimbra is preparing her U.S. debut album, "Vows" (featuring the song "Warrior," a collaboration with Mark Foster of Foster the People), due May 22.

"('Somebody' has) allowed me to be part of an exciting time for pop music," she recently told Billboard. "Seeing such a vulnerable, reflective and non-formulaic song shoot so high on the charts has been really encouraging.

"It creates a fantastic pathway for an artist like myself to follow."

'NIGHT' TIME: You're not seeing double. There really are two albums titled "Up All Night" in the Billboard 200's top 10. One Direction's former No. 1 rebounds 5-4, while Kip Moore's debuts at No. 6.

This week marks the first time that two identical titles rank in the top 10 simultaneously since March 24, 2007. That week, two "Greatest Hits" debuted: the Notorious B.I.G.'s (at No. 1) and Gary Allan's (No. 5).

If counting albums named "Greatest Hits" seems like a bit of a cop out, however, considering the title's common usage, how long had it been since more original like-titled sets had shared space in the top tier until this week? More than four decades. In 1971, Andy Williams' "Love Story" and a soundtrack of the same name cohabitated in the top 10 for nine weeks.

Poor One Direction: the U.K. boy band keeps having to share the spotlight, as both the group's name and debut album title have now been co-opted and appeared on Billboard charts. Unrelated California rock band One Direction entered Heatseekers Albums two weeks ago with its release "The Light."

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Nicki Minaj, Rascal Flatts Aiming for Top of Billboard 200

by Keith Caulfield, L.A.  |   April 06, 2012 8:23 EDT

Nicki Minaj is on track to score her second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, while Rascal Flatts is heading for its eighth top 10 set.

Industry sources suggest Minaj's "Roman Reloaded" will sell around 215,000 to 235,000 and easily debut at No. 1 while Rascal Flatts' "Changed" may start in the No. 3 slot with around 100,000 to 120,000. (The sales tracking week for next week's Billboard charts ends on Sunday, April 8.)

The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on the morning of Wednesday, April 11.

Rascal Flatts should also debuted at No. 1 on our Country Albums chart, netting its seventh leader. All of the band's studio sets have bowed at No. 1, save for its self-titled 2000 debut. It bowed at No. 14 on the Country tally, on its way to a No. 3 peak.

Lionel Richie's "Tuskegee," which opened at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 this past week with 199,000 sold (according to Nielsen SoundScan), should see a relatively slight second-week decrease in sales. It will probably sell around 100,000 copies and end up in the top five. Easter week shopping is likely helping its sales, as is a solid slate of promotional activities. This week, Richie was interviewed on NPR's "All Things Considered" (April 2), played "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" the same day, performed on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (4) and sang on "The Talk" (5).

However, the woman who beat him for the top of the chart -- Madonna -- will likely take a significant tumble with her No. 1 set "MDNA." It will perhaps move 50,000 copies this week and may end up around Nos. 10 or 11 next week. It bowed at No. 1 with 359,000. Her first week was bolstered by sales gained from a concert ticket/album promotion as well as banked pre-orders from iTunes. So, a sizable second-week drop was expected.

On Nielsen SoundScan's Building chart (below), Minaj's "Roman Reloaded" is No. 1, Adele's "21" is No. 2 and Rascal Flatts is No. 3. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week as reported by six major merchants.

One Direction's "Up All Night" in in fifth place, Of Monsters & Men's "My Head is an Animal" is sixth and the soundtrack to "The Hunger Games" is seventh. Marvin Sapp's new "I Win" is at No. 8, Alabama Shakes' "Boys & Girls" is No. 9 and Shinedown's "Amaryllis" is at No. 10.

Nielsen SoundScan Building ChartThe Building Chart reflects the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week (which ends Sunday) as reported by six major merchants: iTunes, Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Starbucks, Target and Anderson Merchandisers. Billboard estimates that they make up about 85% of all U.S. album sales.

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Surprise! Rascal Flatts invited to join Opry (AP)

By CHRIS TALBOTT, AP Entertainment Writer Chris Talbott, Ap Entertainment Writer – Wed Sep 28, 1:36 am ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country music super group Rascal Flatts is the latest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The trio was surprised with the news Tuesday night during their performance on the Opry. Twenty-year Opry member Vince Gill made an unscheduled appearance, interrupting singer Gary LeVox, bassist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney mid-performance.

After starting with a joke about an unpaid golf debt, Gill extended an invitation to join the Opry. The men had tears in their eyes and the crowd gave them a standing ovation. They will be formally inducted Oct. 8.

Rascal Flatts is the top-selling country group of the last decade. The trio joins a recent slate of longtime stars invited to join, including Blake Shelton and The Oak Ridge Boys.

Opry membership is among the highest honors for a country musician. It comes with an ambassador-like commitment to the history of the genre and a requirement to perform at least 10 times a year.

Rascal Flatts has sold tens of millions of albums and is one of country music's largest touring acts, but DeMarcus said Opry membership probably surpasses it all.

"I used to vacation here with my family and I can remember being a little kid sitting in the very back at the very top of the Opry house and looking down at that stage and that circle and wanting so bad to hopefully someday be on that stage, so for it to come full circle like it has tonight is very emotionally overwhelming," he said.

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Online:

http://www.opry.com

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AP writer Caitlin R. King in Nashville, Tenn., contributed to this report.

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