Lily Allen and Bruce Springsteen were the new champions on the U.K.
singles and album charts yesterday (Feb. 1). Allen's "The Fear"
(Regal/Parlophone/EMI) debuted atop the singles chart, while
Springsteen's "Working on a Dream" (Columbia/Sony BMG) entered the
album survey at No. 1.
"The Fear" is Allen's second U.K. No. 1 single, and first since her
debut hit "Smile" in the summer of 2006. Her sophomore album "It's
Not Me It's You" follows next Monday. Lady GaGa's three-week spell
at No. 1 with "Just Dance" (Interscope/Universal) ended as she
slipped a place, as did "Day 'N' Nite" (Data) by Kid Cudi vs.
Crookers at No. 3, Tinchy Stryder's "Take Me Back" (4th &
Broadway/Universal) at No. 4 and James Morrison's "Broken Strings"
(Polydor/Universal) featuring Nelly Furtado at No. 5.
Alesha Dixon jumped 13-6 as "Breathe Slow" (Asylum/Warner Music)
became her second consecutive top 10 hit, while her album "The
Alesha Show" rebounded 44-21. Jason Mraz improved 22-11 with "I'm
Yours" (Atlantic/Warner Music) and Britney Spears 17-13 with
"Circus" (Jive/Sony BMG). 19-year-old Scottish singer-songwriter
Tommy Reilly, the winner of Channel 4's recent TV talent contest
"Orange Unsigned," debuted at No. 14 with "Gimme a Call"
(A&M/Universal).
Springsteen's triumphant debut is his seventh U.K. No. 1 album, a
run that began with 1980's "The River." His new success upstaged
Franz Ferdinand, whose album "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand" (Domino)
opened at No. 2. Last week's No. 1 debutants White Lies fell
sharply to No. 8 with "To Lose My Life" (Fiction/Polydor). The
Killers' "Day & Age" (Vertigo/Universal) moved back into the
top ten, 14-10, and easy listening singer Roger Whittaker climbed
again, 13-11, with "The Golden Age of Roger Whittaker -- 50 Years
of Classics" (UMTV/Universal).
Antony & the Johnsons' "The Crying Light" (Rough Trade) made a
dramatic debut at No. 1 on Billboard's European Top 100 Albums
chart, as Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" (Virgin/EMI) scored a fourth
week atop Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.