As previously reported, “Harlem Shake,” the viral smash from Baauer, spends a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, although its massive streaming totals weaken almost by half. Who else shakes things up this week on the Hot 100 and other song charts?
— Demi Lovato: “Heart Attack” blasts in as the Hot 100’s top debut at No. 12, spurred by first-week sales of 215,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, as it launches at No. 4 on Hot Digital Songs. The sum is the second-best this year for a song in its first week of release, trailing only Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie,” which arrived with 315,000 (Feb. 2). The lead single from her forthcoming fourth album also starts at No. 70 on Radio Songs (15 million, according to Nielsen BDS) and just below Streaming Songs (953,000, which includes plays of the song’s audio and lyric videos).
— Taylor Swift: As it holds at No. 4 on the Hot 100, “I Knew You Were Trouble.” becomes her first Adult Top 40 No. 1 (3-1). She’d previously peaked as high as No. 2 on the genre airplay chart with “You Belong With Me” in 2009. “Trouble” tallies a fourth week at No. 1 on the all-format-based Hot 100 Airplay (126 million, down 4%) and a seventh frame atop Mainstream Top 40.
— AWOLNATION: “Sail” enters the Hot 100’s top 40 (49-30) with top Streaming Gainer honors in its 26th chart week, marking one of the seven longest climbs to the region in the chart’s 54-year history. It jumps 20-11 on Streaming Songs with 2.9 million U.S. streams (up 38%). YouTube is leading the way, as the majority of its views are driven by a fan-created video that has received 25 million worldwide views to date, which is well more than the act’s official version (15 million).
— Kacey Musgraves: The singer/songwriter becomes the first new female artist this year to reach the Country Airplay top 10 with a first charted solo song, as “Merry Go ‘Round” spins 11-10 in its 27th week (and ranks at No. 67 on the Hot 100). The song is the first such hit since Jana Kramer’s “Why Ya Wanna” entered the Country Airplay top 10 the week of Aug. 18, 2012; it peaked at No. 3 eight weeks later. Kramer’s song remains the highest charted debut title by a female artist since Gretchen Wilson spent four weeks at No. 1 with “Redneck Woman” in 2004.
— Britt Nicole: Charting on Christian Songs since 2007, Nicole makes her maiden Hot 100 appearance, as “Gold” enters at No. 90. The track lifts 19-18 on Christian Songs and reaches a new peak in weekly plays on Mainstream Top 40 (No. 29).
— Michael Bublé: “It’s a Beautiful Day,” the first single from the crooner’s April 23 album “To Be Loved,” bows on the Hot 100 at No. 94 and launches as his record-extending ninth No. 1 on Jazz Digital Songs (34,000). Since the latter chart’s origin three years ago, only Norah Jones has also logged multiple No. 1s (two).
— Hadouken!: “Levitate” debuts on Streaming Songs at No. 36 with 1.2 million U.S. streams (up 92%), a decisive factor in the song’s No. 99 debut on the Hot 100. 92% of its Hot 100 activity, in fact, is being driven by streams. The song’s popularity on YouTube is fueled by a video created by using clips of people performing extreme athletic feats, entitled “People Are Awesome 2013,” which features “Levitate” as background audio. The video has drawn 30 million global YouTube views.
— David Bowie: The rock icon sends a second track from his March 12 album The Next Day onto Hot Rock Songs, as “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” begins at No. 29. Lead single “Where Are We Now” spent a week at No. 20 (Jan. 26). “Stars” launches largely due to streaming (419,000 first-week streams). A highlight of Its video? Bowie and Academy-Award winning actress Tilda Swinton star as a married couple. [Billboard.biz]