Charts – 11 August 2017
Movement!
1. Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean – “Feels”
We’re a good way into August, and here’s the eighth number one of 2017. And for the second time in a month, it’s number one with an asterisk, because “Despacito” remains number 1 on both the sales and the streaming charts. It’s purely the downweighting of “Despacito” streams (under the rule that applies to long-running hits which have passed their peak) that allows “Feels” to be number one. But since “Despacito” drops to 4 this week on the main chart, it does looks like we’re finally rid of it. “Feels” probably isn’t going to be here long either – it’s been out for two months, and it climbed 21-21-6-4-4-4-3-1 to get here, so it seems unlikely that a long run lies ahead of it. But who knows, these days?
Generations: Phoenix & Jean Grey
What is Generations? I partly know the answer, I guess. It’s a series of one-shots in which “legacy” versions of characters meet earlier versions of themselves, and it’s meant to set up new directions, or something along those lines. But as a story, what is it? Does it even have a plot?
If you’re not following the wider series (I’m not), and you’re buying this simply because it’s effectively a Jean Grey special (I am), then the set-up here is curious to say the least. The recap page has some cryptic stuff about “the Vanishing Point”, but what actually happens is that the present-day Jean Grey (the time travelling teenager) randomly finds herself in Claremont/Byrne X-Men during the period when Jean Grey was holidaying in Europe while she thought the X-Men were dead. And then at the end of the issue she goes home.
Watch With Father: PJ Masks
Not all of Disney’s superheroes are in the Marvel Universe. Meet the PJ Masks, six-year-old protectors of the Disney Junior channel. When night falls, Connor, Amaya and Greg become Catboy, Owlette and Gecko, and they fight villains. Specifically, night-time villains.
Charts – 4 August 2017
So, how’s that effort to speed up the charts coming along? Well, not brilliantly. True, there’s often a lull at this time of year – there seems to be a theory that promoting new music should go on hold over the holiday season – but strap in for the skull-shuddering excitement of an eleven-week number one and a chart with one new entry!
1. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber – “Despacito”
Even after three weeks of downweighting, “Despacito” is still – just – clinging on at number one. So I suppose it’s time to start flagging up the records. With two interruptions to its run, we’re only concerned here with total weeks at number one, and right now, “Despacito” is joint seventh on that list, level with Slim Whitman’s “Rose Marie” from 1955. The next target is 14 weeks, shared by Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, but that’s a lot to ask of a record which is only marginally still at the top.
House to Astonish Episode 157
It’s our first podcast following SDCC, and unusually, there’s actually quite a lot of comics news to talk about. We discuss the mooted Doctor Doom movie, the newly-released details about Doomsday Clock, Jeff Smith’s upcoming Bone picture books, Arkham Asylum 2, The Terrifics, Spider-Man vs Deadpool, The Signal, Sonic the Hedgehog‘s move to IDW, the three newly-announced Black Crown series, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee on Captain America, the new Unicron and Visionaries books, Marvel’s digital-first deal with Comixology, Ed Piskor’s X-Men: Grand Designs, the new creative teams on Doctor Strange and Thanos, Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larocca taking over Star Wars, the final volume of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and the sad death of Flo Steinberg. We’ve also got reviews of Mech Cadet Yu and Lark’s Killer, and the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook just can’t wait to be king. All this plus a horse escalope, the Marvel Legacy Virus and the Batman of Christmas Yet To Come.
The podcast is here, or here on Mixcloud, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think, in the comments, on Twitter, via email or on our Facebook fan page.
We’ve also got really swish T-shirts that you can buy at our Redbubble store. If you don’t have one, we recommend you get one. If you do have one, we recommend you get another.
Charts – 28 July 2017
Ah. This looks familiar.
1. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber – “Despacito”
Returning to number one for a third run, giving it a total of ten weeks. Last week, “Despacito” was hit by the new chart rule which downweights the streams of records which have been on the chart for at least ten weeks (“Despacito” has now been here for 15) and which peaked at least three weeks previously. Even with that handicap, it was only marginally beaten by DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts”, and now it regains the top spot. This is a bit embarrassing all round. If “Wild Thoughts” didn’t have an asterisk next to it as a legitimate number one before, it certainly does now. Returning to number one twice is rare, but not totally unheard of in the modern era; Justin Bieber did it in 2015 with “What Do U Mean”, and “Happy” by Pharrell Williams managed it too.
Nothing of note in the rest of the top ten. “Power” by Little Mix climbs from 8 to 6; “Pretty Girl” by Maggie Lindemann climbs 9 to 8. “Sun Comes Up” by Rudimental featuring James Arthur climbs 16-10, which makes it Rudimental’s biggest hit since “Bloodstream” in 2015. And “Crying in the Club” by Camila Cabello is up from 13 to 12.
13. Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha & The Digital Farm Animals – “Back To You”
X-Men Gold #7-8: “Secret Empire”
I am not interested in the Secret Empire crossover. You might well think that you are not interested in the Secret Empire crossover. But to judge by this two-parter, our indifference is as nothing compared to Marc Guggenheim’s. These two issues pretty much consist of him ignoring it and hoping it goes away.
Now, Secret Empire seems like a pretty a bad idea for a crossover. Leave aside the question of whether it’s a good idea for a Captain America story; that’s a whole other argument for another day, and it certainly has nothing to do with these issues. Marvel has a template for these line-wide events, which is to confine the core plot to a central miniseries and maybe a couple of tie-ins, and pretty much ask everyone else to do stories written in the margin for a few months. So what you’re looking for is a set-up that everyone else can drop into. The likes of Civil War II and Secret Invasion, for all their flaws, at least had a central premise that most books could do something with.
Charts – 21 July 2017
Well, it didn’t take long for this to cause problems. This week’s top seller is “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee. And this week’s most streamed record is “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee. And yet…
1. DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
This entered at number 3 at the end of June, and spent the last three weeks at number 2. This week, it is the second-most purchased and the second-most streamed single. So why is it number one?
X-Men Blue #4-6
Here we are already, at the end of the first trade paperback. Doesn’t time fly when you’re bi-weekly? I didn’t immediately pick up on this being the break point, because it’s not particularly defined as a story arc. This seems to be coming back into fashion again; issues #4 to 6 seem largely concerned with getting some pieces into play so that they can be used in future issues.
Cullen Bunn’s task in getting his book up and running can’t have been helped by the fact that the next issue starts a Secret Empire tie-in, which feels like it’s doomed to wind up as a pointless and unwelcome diversion. That might explain why we have two stories here that seem too busy introducing new elements to actually tell much of a story with them.
Charts – 14 July 2017
If the recent rule changes were intended to speed up the chart, then it doesn’t seem to be working yet…
1. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber – “Despacito”
That’s a total of nine weeks at number one. I mean, it’s not all been long-running number ones lately. This year has seen four single-week number ones: Harry Styles, Clean Bandit, DJ Khaled and Artists For Grenfell. But juggernauts like this are becoming a regular feature. “Despacito” has peaked, so it’s possible that the new rule (which downgrades the streams of records at least ten weeks old and at least three weeks past their peak) will kick in while it’s still at number one. If so, it may not be here much longer.
“Feels” by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean climbs to 4. That’s enough to overtake “Chained To The Rhythm” and make it Katy Perry’s biggest hit since “Dark Horse” back in 2013. It’s also Big Sean’s biggest hit ever, overtaking his guest appearance on Jessie J’s “Wild”, also back in 2013. Further down the chart, the previous single “Slide” rebounds 33-21, which strangely makes it this week’s higher climber. “Came Here For Love” by Sigala & Ella Eyre moves 12-6. “Crying In The Club” by Camilla Cabello moves 16-14.
18. Rudimental featuring James Arthur – “Sun Comes Up”
