Lily Allen's Allen's "The Fear" (Regal/Parlophone/EMI) and Bruce
Springsteen's "Working on a Dream" (Columbia/Sony BMG) retained the
No. 1 spots on the new U.K. single and album charts respectively
yesterday (Feb. 8).
Allen's single started a second week at the summit ahead of Lady
GaGa's former chart-topper "Just Dance" (Interscope/Universal), as
grime star Tinchy Stryder's "Take Me Back" (4th &
Broadway/Universal) featuring Taio Cruz, rebounded 4-3. "Crack a
Bottle" (Interscope/Universal) by Eminem featuring Dr. Dre and 50
Cent debuted at a robust No. 4 and Alesha Dixon's "Breathe Slow"
(Asylum/Warner Music) improved 6-5.
Australian vocalist Daniel Merriweather, best known to date for his
starring role on Mark Ronson's No. 2 U.K. hit of 2007, the Smiths
cover "Stop Me," scored a solo hit of his own as "Change"
(Columbia/Sony BMG) entered at No. 8. Also doing well on the new
singles survey were Barbados-born singer-rapper Shontelle, whose
"T-Shirt" (Universal) climbed 25-13, Pussycat Dolls' "Whatcha Think
About That" (Interscope/Universal), up 36-16, and All-American
Rejects' "Gives You Hell" (Geffen/Universal), 38-20.
Springsteen's second week atop the album chart saw off last week's
challenge by "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand" (Domino), which slipped
dramatically from No. 2 to No. 21. Kings Of Leon's "Only by the
Night" (Hand Me Down/Sony BMG) moved back 3-2 and Fleet Foxes'
self-titled album (Bella Union) reached a new peak with a 23-3
climb. The View, the Scottish quartet whose debut album "Hats Off
to the Buskers" was an instant U.K. No. 1 in February 2007, opened
at No. 4 with the follow-up "Which Bitch" (1965/Sony
BMG).
Elbow's "The Seldom Seen Kid" (Fiction/Universal) climbed 17-6 in
its 41st chart week, Alesha Dixon's "The Alesha Show" rose 21-12,
and UMTV/Universal's "The Very Best of Buddy Holly and the
Crickets," released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of his
death, entered at No. 13. Luciano Pavarotti's "Duets"
(Decca/Universal) debuted at No. 15 and UB40's "Love Songs"
(Virgin/EMI) at No. 19.
"Working on a Dream" also made a victorious debut on Billboard's
European Top 100 Albums chart, while Eurochart Hot 100 Singles is
led for a fifth week by Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" (Virgin/EMI).