There are six milestones to report this Monday Morning.
James Arthur becomes the latest contestant from X-Factor UK to top a radio airplay chart. James won the 9th season of X-Factor back in 2012. While on the show, he was on Nicole Scherzinger’s “Boys” team (he had previously auditioned for The Voice UK, but luckily did not advance beyond the round of 200). He went on to have the best selling single, “Impossible”, of any UK X-Factor winner. In 2013, a controversy erupted (including a twitter war), iTunes offered refunds on his album and he “parted ways” with Syco. After a chilling off for a few years and releasing an independent mix-taped, James re-signed with Syco. “Say You Won’t Go” reaches number one on the HAC chart.
Also from the UK X-Factor is Harry Styles. His “Sign of the Times” goes top 30 on AAA this week. This debut single from the former One Direction singer is top 15 on Pop and HAC and top 40 on AAA. His album is number one (more later).
The final entry from the X-Factor UK franchise achieves three milestones this week in each of the mainstream formats. Niall Horan is getting strong radio support for his second single, “Slow Hands”. The song debuted two weeks ago and enters the top 30 on both Pop and HAC this week. Meanwhile, his debut single “This Town” reverses a downward trend to regain its bullet and slide into the top 10 on AC.
Jennifer Hudson, 7th place on Season 3 of Idol (remember how mad Elton John was?), achieves top 40 on UAC this week. “Remember Me” is the debut single from Jennifer’s TBA 4th studio album. Jennifer co-wrote the song. Epic, her label, recently “parted ways” with former X-Factor judge L.A. Reid. Jennifer is currently a coach on the UK version of The Voice and will move over to the US version for their next season (Season 13).
Billboard officially reported what everybody predicted last week – Harry Styles tops the B200 with “Harry Styles”. The album also tops the sales chart earning the biggest debut sales week for a debut album from a UK artist in the Soundscan era (1991 – when sales data began being collected at point-of-sale). This eclipse’s Sam Smith’s “In the Lonely Hour” which held the previous record with 166K units moved. Zayn opened with 157K to become the first UK male to debut their debut album at the top of the BB200. Other groups that have spawned number one solo albums are The Beatles, Blind Faith and Destiny’s Child.
1 (NEW) Harry Styles “Harry Styles” 230K, 193K in sales
2 (NEW) Zac Brown Band “Welcome Home” 146K, 139K in sales
3 (3) Kendrick Lamar “DAMN” 117K (-13%
4 (2) Chris Stapleton “A Room: Volume 1” 75K (-66%)
5 (4) “The Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2” Soundtrack 69K (-21%)
6 (NEW) Paramore “After Laughter” 67K, 53K in sales
7 (5) Drake “More Life” 58K (-7%)
8 (NEW) Machine Gun Kelly “Bloom” 57K, 38K in sales
9 (6) Ed Sheehan “÷” 47K (-5%)
10 (8) Bruno Mars “24K Magic” 41K (-2%)
Carrie Underwood:
featured on Keith Urban’s “The Figher”: ^12 Country (11); 47 HAC (48)
Colton Dixon:
“All That Matters”: ^18 CAC (19)
Danny Gokey:
“The Comeback”: ^22 CAC (24)
Harry Styles:
“Sign of the Times”: ^12 Pop (15); ^14 HAC (16); 34 AC (33); ^28 AAA (33)
James Arthur0
“Say You Won’t Let Go”: ^6 Pop (6); ^1 HAC (2); ^8 AC (8); 24 AAA (18)
Jasmine Murray:
“Fearless” ^12 CAC (13)
Jennifer Hudson:
“Remember Me” ^34 UAC (41)
Lauren Alaina:
featured on “What Ifs” by Kane Brown: ^41 Country (41)
Mandisa:
“Unfinished”: ^7 CAC (9)
Niall Horan:
“Slow Hands”: ^25 Pop (31); ^26 HAC (32)
“This Town”: ^10 AC (11)
Zayn
with Taylor Swift “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever”: 29 AC (18)
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