This is the annual post-Brit Awards chart, in which, as is by now traditional, the general non-music-buying public are suddenly alerted to some records that have been out for ages, and they stumble zombie-like up the chart for a week.  Naturally, very few acts release major new singles in such a week, so once again, we’ve got the now familiar pattern of a moderately big release at the low end of the top 10, and some scattered new entries way down at the bottom of the chart.

But first, look who’s back at number one.

“Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye ft Kimbra was number 1 two weeks ago, and got shunted down by last week’s new entries from DJ Fresh and Emeli Sande.  In fact, its sales actually went up that week, and they’re still climbing now, as it returns to the top.  The midweek charts say it could be sticking around, despite the release schedule finally waking up for spring.

Elsewhere in the top 10, “Starships” by Nicki Minaj climbs from 16 to 7, and “Turn Me On” by David Guetta & Nicki Minaj climbs from 11 to 8.  Since Guetta’s previous single “Titanium” is still at number 5, that gives them both two slots in the top 10.  Oh, and “Titanium” features Sia, who also appears on Flo Rida’s “Wild Ones” at number 4.

This week’s highest new entry is “Ass Back Home” by Gym Class Heroes featuring Neon Hitch, though the chart is choosing to list it as “Get Yourself Back Home”.  (There’s a rather more glaring example of this coming further on.)  It’s their fifth straight top ten hit, and I have to admit that it’s one of the better examples of their formula.  That said, the midweeks show it going no further, in which case it’s also going to be their smallest UK hit to date.

Neon Hitch is an English singer who’s been floating around for a few years and started out on the Streets’ label.  (Here’s her obscure 2007 single “Derek”.)  She’s now popping up on records by the likes of 3OH!3 in anticipation of having her own album out later this year.

Number 25 is a re-entry for “Want U Back” by Cher Lloyd featuring Astro.  This one originally charted at 26 as an album track download when the promotion began.  The release of the single version has given it a second wind, but barely.  Strangely, it seems not that many people were bothered about waiting to get the version with Astro, a rapper who came seventh in the US version of X Factor.   Putting that irritating grunting noise all over the record can’t have helped its appeal, either.

Number 30 is “Charlie Brown” by Coldplay, which now has a video and is being promoted as a single.  You’ll probably recognise the hook.  The midweeks don’t show it going much further.  That’s not unusual; Coldplay albums tend to spawn one huge hit before the sales shift to the album.

Number 35 is “Breathing” by Jason DeRulo, which is probably going to climb.  The record itself is a pretty decent Europop track, though it does feature an unlikely sample – “Pilentze Pee” by the Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir, most probably sourced from the mid-70s compilation album “Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares”.  The Choir were actually a six-piece folk/acapella outfit, and a later incarnation won a Grammy in 1990.

Number 37 is a track which the chart coyly lists as “Paris” by Jay-Z & Kanye West, though the artists’ preferred rendering of the radio edit title is “Ni**as in Paris”.  This album is aimed more at the rap hardcore audience, so the chart place is much as you’d expect.  It’s got one of the best performance videos I’ve seen in years.

Finally, number 40 is “Rapture” by Nadia Ali.  This is a remix of a (rather better) original version which reached number 2 in 2001 credited to iiO – Ali was the original singer.

This week’s catalogue of mostly Brit-inspired lower-chart resurgences: Ed Sheeran’s “Drunk” climbs 17-11, “Lego House” climbs 3-17, and “The A Team” re-enters at 33.  “Sexy & I Know It” by LMFAO rebounds 25-16.  “We Found Love” by Rihanna ft Calvin Harris rebounds 34-22.  “Heaven” by Emeli Sande rebounds 35-27.  And, yes, believe it or not, there are still people who don’t own Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” (39-28) and “Someone Like You” (re-entry at 32).

Next week, for the first time this year, a full slate of new releases…