RSS Feed
Dec 9

Charts – 8 December 2017

Posted on Saturday, December 9, 2017 by Paul in Music

Oh, here we go.  Christmas time.

1.  Ed Sheeran – “Perfect”

In case you were in any doubt that Ed Sheeran would like to be Christmas Number One please, here’s the audio for the Beyonce version, now on YouTube with snowfall throughout.  It’s not an especially good version of “Perfect”, mind you – Ed Sheeran trades in unassuming sentimentality, and there’s something wonkily incongruous about Beyonce wrestling with his run-on sentences.  But here it is anyway.

This is Ed Sheeran’s fourth number one, following “Sing” and “Thinking Out Loud” in 2014, and the interminable run of “Shape of You” at the start of the year.  “Perfect” got to number 4 as an album track back in March and would probably have stayed on the top 100 ever since, if it wasn’t for the fact that they changed the chart rules in July to limit an act to three concurrent hits.  Now re-promoted as a single – and it does have a proper video too, which is also big on the snow – it’s got a pretty good shot of staying there until Christmas.  It’s only got to last three weeks, after all.  Meanwhile, the album climbs back to 2.  It’s been out for 40 weeks now and has still yet to drop below 6.

Even though she’s probably responsible for putting it over the top, the Beyonce version is officially an alternative take (it’s not the one used in the video, after all), so the chart company doesn’t give her a credit.  We’ll see how long that lasts.  It would have been her sixth UK number one, following “Crazy In Love” (2003), “Deja Vu” (2006), the Shakira collaboration “Beautiful Liar” (2007), “If I Were A Boy” (2008), and her guest vocal on Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” (2010).  Which means, yes, it’s now been seven years since Beyonce had a number one single.

2.  Rak-Su featuring Wyclef & Naughty Boy – “Dimelo”

This is the X Factor winners’ single, which means it came out halfway through the chart week – so number 2 isn’t bad at all.  Rak-Su are only the second band to win; the others were Little Mix, who were assembled from solo auditionees.  These guys actually auditioned as a band.

The fact that their record is coming out this far from Christmas would be a clear indication on its own that they’re re-thinking the winner’s single as a gimmick.  But the change of approach goes further.  This isn’t a maudlin cover for people to buy at supermarket checkouts; it seems to be a bona fide attempt to launch the band with one of their own songs.  “Dimelo” is a stab at the 2017 sound of Latin pop, which means they keep mentioning Cuba, Puerto Rico and Shakira, even though they’re from Watford.  But it’s genuinely decent, and much more like the sort of thing that used to be held over for the first “proper” single by an X Factor winner.  This thing could plausibly have charted on its own merits.

God knows where they dug up Wyclef Jean, who hasn’t charted since his guest appearance on “Hips Don’t Lie” in 2006, and hasn’t had a hit as a lead artist for over fifteen years.  It’s been a while since we were hearing regularly from Naughty Boy either; “Runnin’ (Lose It All)” reached number 4 in 2015, and then you have to go back to 2013 for another hit.

The Spotify Christmas playlists are in full force, as “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey climbs 22-5, matching its peak from last year.  “Last Christmas” by Wham climbs 29-6, its highest position since it was first re-issued back in 1985.  And what do you know…

10.  The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl – “Fairytale of New York”

Here we go again.  Originally a number 2 hit in 1987, a festive staple, and now returning to the top 10 for the first time in a decade.

“Let You Down” by NF climbs 16-13, and…

16.  Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas”

Band Aid’s 1984 famine fundraiser has not been a regular feature this far up the charts in recent years – in fact, it hasn’t been this far up the chart since its reissue in 1985 – which does suggest that there’s a shift going on in the streaming market.

21.  Shakin’ Stevens – “Merry Christmas Everyone”

Are you spotting a theme?  This was the Christmas Number One in 1985, and it’s been returning fairly regularly in the digital era; it got to 17 last year.

24.  Wizzard – “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday”

(Yes, that is the video.  No, I don’t know why the still looks like that.)

Originally a number 4 hit in 1973 – and not even Wizzard’s biggest hit in their heyday – this one comes back every year.  It got to 23 last year.  That’s all the Christmas singles for this week, but there are more hovering further down the top 75 which must have a decent shot.  On the other hand, there was a surge of Christmas listening on Spotify right at the start of the month, which was caught by this week’s chart, but might not be sustained for the whole run-up to Christmas.

“Decline” by Raye featuring Mr Eazi climbs 34-28, and …

29.  Pink – “Beautiful Trauma”

The title track from her last album, now promoted to a single.  For some reason the previous single “What About Us” rebounds 36-31 at the same time.  Seems a strange time to try and promote a regular single but it could benefit from a clear run in the post-Christmas lull.  The album rebounds to 4.

39.  Louis Tomlinson – “Miss You”

Another entry in the genre of lesser One Direction solo singles (sweary category).  Louis Tomlinson’s chart record reads like the work of a song title creation robot armed with only ten words: “Just Hold On”, “Back To You”, “Just Like You”, and now “Miss You”.

On the album chart:

  • “The Thrill of it All” by Sam Smith returns to 1 for a second week (after a three week hiatus at 2).
  • “Songs of Experience” by U2 at 5.  Yes, it’s a studio album – a companion piece to “Songs of Innocence”, in theory.  U2 are in the phase of their career where they sell albums to an ageing fanbase who want more of the same, and that’s what “You’re The Best Thing About Me” delivers.
  • “Ibiza Classics” by Pete Tong, the Heritage Orchestra and Jules Buckley at 17.  You liked the orchestra-assisted covers album of rave classics earlier in the year?  Here’s another one for Christmas.  Sample track: “Sing It Back”.
  • “On Air” by the Rolling Stones at 27.  Basically a collection of BBC sessions from the 60s.  Sample track: “Come On”.
  • “Orchestrated” by Midge Ure at 33.  Exactly what you’re imagining (and wondering who would commission such a thing) – an orchestral retrospective of the career of Midge Ure.  Sample track: “Vienna”.
  • “Life & Soul” by Tommy Blaize at 34.  The lead singer on Strictly Come Dancing.  Single: “Let’s Stay Together”.
  • “Versatile” by Van Morrison at 38.  It’s an album of jazz standard covers.  Sample track: “I Get A Kick Out Of You”.

Be the first to comment.

Leave a Reply