This week's Official UK Singles Chart
This week's Official UK Albums Chart
It is one of those weeks where a flood of big name new releases results in a glut of new singles invading the UK charts, the net result of that this time around being an extraordinarily busy Top 10 which hosts four new entries amongst the Top 6 singles.
Leading the way and debuting with some style at Number One is Katy Perry with brand new single Part Of Me. To the frustration of those waiting for a brand new album from the star, this single is instead the first new track to be taken from the re-released Complete Confection edition of her 2010 album Teenage Dream but it does at least maintain her record of topping the UK charts every time she puts a (nearly) new album out - previously hitting the top with I Kissed A Girl in 2008 and California Gurls in 2010. Presuming therefore that we can consider this new track a companion to previous lifts from the album, it is now no less than the fifth Top 3 hit to be taken from Teenage Dream, a total which is now close to the six in a row which George Michael took from his Older album in 1996 and 1997.
Drifting in at the runners up slot is the heavily promoted brand new single from Sean Paul She Doesn't Mind. A follow-up to Number 11 hit Got 2 Luv U from the tail end of last year, the track marks a dramatic return to chart form for the Jamaican star as he has missed the Top 10 with every one of the nine chart singles he has either made or been credited on since We Be Burning also landed in the runners up slot in September 2005. This new track is his seventh Top 5 hit in total, although his only Number One single to date remains his guest starring role on Blu Cantrell's Breathe which spent four weeks at the top in the summer of 2003.
With former Number One Somebody That I Used To Know dipping to Number 3, the next new entry arrives at Number 4 as singer and rapper Labrinth debuts with new single Last Time. One of the few current chart acts on Simon Cowell's SyCo label, the star now can boast his fourth Top 5 hit although this new single is the first of these to debut outside the Top 3. This new hit, the follow-up to Number 2 smash hit Earthquake heralds the long-awaited release of his debut album Electronic Earth which is due for release next week (April 2nd).
Finally to complete the run of new hits, landing at Number 6 are JLS with brand new track Proud, a single which is indeed proud to correct the minor blip in their chart form which saw their last release Do You Feel What I Feel? stall at Number 16 back in January. Proud had its fair share of exposure last week as the official anthem of the biannual Sport Relief charity appeal and telethon. Past Sport Relief-associated singles have included Rachel Stevens' Some Girls in 2004 and McFly's Don't Stop Me Now in 2006. This single is the tenth Top 10 hit for JLS which for now maintains their lead as the most-charted former X Factor contestants.
Over on the UK album chart the top honours go to Paul Weller who storms to Number One with his brand new solo offering Sonik Kicks and at the age of 53 joining Bruce Springsteen as the latest veteran performer to top the album chart this year. The album is Weller's fourth solo offering to go to Number One, following Stanley Road in 1995, Illumination in 2002 and 22 Dreams in 2008. Weller only ever topped the album charts once as a member of each of his previous bands, as a member of The Jam in 1982 with The Gift and as one half of the Style Council with Our Favourite Shop in 1985.
Meanwhile as you may have read elsewhere, the all-conquering 21 continues to creep ever higher in the all time bestsellers list. Last week it surpassed the total of Dire Straits' Brothers In Arms to become officially the sixth biggest seller of all time on the shores. She's now within an ace of the 4.72 million total of Michael Jackson's Thriller to force her way into the Top 5.