July 16,2014
We’re counting down the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending July 19, 2014.
We need a song transfusion, and fast…absolutely nothing changes in this week’s lineup.
We start out in fifth place, where Sam Smith holds steady with “Stay With Me" his former British chart-topper. A remix features Mary J. Blige, and the U.S. soul great has high praise for Sam: she says she loves his talent and sincerity. Sam, 22, says working with Mary was a dream come true, and he remembers holding her album in his hand as a young boy.
Staying put in fourth place is Nico & Vinz, with “Am I Wrong.” The members of this Afro-Norwegian duo - Nico Sereba and Vincent Dery - grew up in Norway, and both say they were influenced by the popular 1990s U.S. TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. A mutual friend introduced them in 2009, and they called themselves Envy before changing their name early this year.
Ariana Grande just lost her TV show…which may not be as much of a “problem” as it sounds. Ariana and Iggy Azalea hold in third place with “Problem.” Her TV series Sam & Cat has been cancelled after only one season. Web site Deadline reports that despite drawing high ratings, the Nickelodeon network show was plagued with behind-the-scenes conflicts.
It’s a big week for MAGIC! Not only does “Rude” hold in the runner-up slot, the Canadian band just released its debut album "Don’t Kill The Magic." It opened in sixth place in the United States, and fifth place in its native Canada.
This week’s lineup is a regular United Nations: of all the artists in the Top Five, only Ariana Grande is a U.S. native. Australian rapper Iggy Azalea and British singer Charli XCX spend a seventh big week atop the Billboard Pop Singles chart with “Fancy.”
During this decade, only four female artists have enjoyed longer reigns at the top: Rihanna at 10 weeks with “We Found Love,” while Lorde, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Ke$ha all held the title for nine weeks.
That’s it for now, but who knows what next week holds? Join us in seven days to find out.