Pop Rocks The Charts
May 8, 2010 by Phil Tolhurst
Acts like Lady GaGa, Cheryl Cole and the X Factor have helped Pop overthrow Rock’s domination of the UK Charts.
According to the figures 33.5% of singles sold in 2009 were classed as Pop by the Official Charts Company (OCC
A further 18.9% were RnB, including JLS, Beyonce, Dizzee Rascal under the OCC’s guidelines.
Almost 9% came from hip-hop acts like the Black Eyed Peas.
But Rock’s share slumped from 31% to 24.5% – led by Anti X-Factor fuled No. 1 from Rage Against the Machine, Kings of Leon and Kasabian.
However it was the Black Eyed Peas and Lady GaGa who were really the main acts of 2009.
The Black Eyed Peas, who have not looked back since Fergie joined their ranks in 2001, are currently playing four nights at the 02. A far cry from the days when they played the Jazz Café in London. They may have been accused of ’selling out’ to the like of Dr Pepper but the british single buying public don’t seem to care. With a blend of pop, electro and hip hop Will I Am seems to have found just the right formula for chart success.
24 year old Lady GaGa, real name: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta
(no wonder she changed it!), burst onto the scene in ‘98 with her outrageous act and the club and chart hit Just Dance. She has gone from extreme to outrageous extreme since. Her notority was not harmed by her own dolop of paparazi fever when her sexuality was called into question recently. However, it’s her music most notably Bad Romance that really prove that she has what it takes to be a long running pop success and not just a naughties phenomenom.
TOP UK SINGLES OF 2009
- Lady GaGa (above) – Poker Face (Genre: pop)
- Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling (hip-hop)
- Lady GaGa – Just Dance (pop)
- Cheryl Cole – Fight For This Love (pop)
- Joe McElderry – The Climb (pop)
- La Roux – In For The Kill (pop)
- Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow (hip-hop)
- Rage Against The Machine – Killing in the Name (rock)
- Alexandra Burke ft Flo Rida – Bad Boys (pop)
- Black Eyed Peas – Meet Me Halfway (hip-hop)
Source: BPI/Official Charts Company
