US Chart Roundup: Capital Cities, Lorde & Justin Timberlake Are Royals

Two songs I honestly never anticipated becoming major US hits have cracked the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week: Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding's "I Need Your Love," which is up to #17, and Capital Cities' "Safe And Sound," now at #20. I like to think that my interview with Capital Cities back in May is what helped propel their single to such great heights. You know — Robbie Daw, hitmaker.

Just outside of the Top 40, Justin Timberlake's controversial, disco-fied new single, "Take Back The Night" — off the upcoming The 20/20 Experience - 2 Of 2 (out September 30) — debuts at #47 after being made available as a download with pre-orders of the new album.



Moving along, Britney Spears' trashy Smurfs 2 track "Ooh La La" is $omehow up to #54, while the Cedric Gervais remix of Lana Del Rey's "Summertime Sadness" debuts at #72.



On a final note, 16-year-old New Zealand native Lorde — somewhat of a Lana Del Rey for the tween set — sees her debut single "Royals" climb from #90 to #74 in its second week on the chart.

Sexy.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell *6 weeks*
2. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams 
3. "We Can't Stop" - Miley Cyrus
4. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons
5. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton
6. "Cruise" - Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
7. "Treasure" - Bruno Mars
8. "Holy Grail" - Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake *new*
9. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake
10. "Cups" - Anna Kendrick

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US Chart Roundup: Miley Cyrus & Her Ass Have A 7th Top 10 Hit With "We Can't Stop"

With Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" clogging up the top of every chart in the world yet again (it's not that sexy, everyone), it's best that we instead turn our eyes to Miley Cyrus' twerking, gyrating ass. It's hard to believe that five-and-a-half years have gone by since the onetime squeaky clean Disney chirpstress initially charmed her way into the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with "See You Again." Her last foray into the upper tier of the chart was three years ago, when "Can't Be Tamed" was a minor blip on the radar at #8. But here we are, seeing Miley again, as "We Can't Stop" grinds its way to #5 this week.

I can't say that I'm not still a little burned to see Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" continuing its descent, after peaking #2 a few weeks back. (Sigh. The song is now down to #7.) But sometimes life comes along an sticks your tits in a deep frier. What can you do?

This brings us to the other two songs on the Hot 100 worth championing this week: Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding's "I Need Your Love," now up to #24, and Capital Cities' "Safe And Sound," which, at #43, is close to finally cracking the Top 40.

All in all, as we reach the halfway point in 2013, it's been a pretty solid year for pop so far, no?

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell *3 weeks*
2. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams 
3. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons
4. "Cruise" - Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
5. "We Can't Stop" - Miley Cyrus
6. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton
7. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake
8. "Treasure" - Bruno Mars
9. "Come & Get It" - Selena Gomez
10. "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink feat. Nate Ruess

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US Chart Roundup: Miguel Might Need That "#Beautiful" Money For Legal Fees

Jesus, ascending the Billboard Hot 100 can be a slow-moving process, no? Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors," which was released in February (and stuck at #3 for the past month) finally ekes its way to #2, now that Pink's "Just Give Me A Reason" is taking a tumble. Just behind, at #3, is Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," a song that seems inevitably destined to reach the top, if not become one of those annoying "Song Of The Summer" things.

Anyway, Mariah Carey announced yesterday that her new album (no title yet, the teasing minx) will be out on July 23. Lead single "#Beautiful" is up to #17, and that's a good thing — because her duet partner Miguel is gonna need some cash if that broad he decapitated at the Billboard Music Awards last month does indeed sue him.

Elsewhere, keeping with the "slow crawl up the chart" theme, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding's "I Need Your Love" moves up to #42. Quite the opposite, however, is Lana Del Rey's"Young And Beautiful," as it rapidly plunges from #33 to #50.

On a finale note, Capital Cities' "Safe And Sound" is up to #74. I'm going out on a limb and saying this might just be the sleeper hit no one expected this summer. You can catch my interview with the electro-pop duo here.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray *5 weeks*
2. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake
3. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams
4. "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink feat. Nate Ruess
5. "Cruise" - Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
6. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell Williams
7. "Come & Get It" - Selena Gomez
8. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons
9. "I Love It" - Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX
10. "Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko 

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My Capital Cities Interview

I interviewed electro-pop duo Capital Cities, whose single "Safe And Sound" is currently climbing the Hot 100. You can watch the video from our chat at Idolator.

Their debut album In A Tidal Wave Of Mystery is out next week, on June 4, and you can stream it now at the New York Times.

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US Chart Roundup: Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" Becomes Their First Top 10 Hit

Outside of the the sample on Kanye West's "Stronger," this marks the first week where Daft Punk are in the Top 10. "Get Lucky," a song that's already topped several countries' charts, has jumped up to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's a far sexier position than #61, which is where both "Around The World" and "One More Time" (the duo's only other Hot 100 entries to date) peaked.

Yes, it's a week for pop miracles, as even Mariah Carey manages to move into the Top 20 — albeit at #20 — with her Miguel pair-up "#Beautiful." Whistle-shriek that shit to the bank, Mimi.



Another one I wouldn't have predicted: now that The Great Gatsby is a box office hit, Lana Del Rey's "Young And Beautiful" flies up from #59 to #22. Like Daft Punk, Lana is now experiencing her first Top 40 hit, stateside.

On a final note, Capital Cities' "Safe And Sound," a single I've been championing forever, inches up to #90. Below is their latest video for the song. (This one has a nice budget.)



The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray *3 weeks*
2. "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink feat. Nate Ruess
3. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake 
4. "When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
5. "Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko 
6. "Cruise" - Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
7. "Come & Get It" - Selena Gomez
8. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons
9. "I Love It" - Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX
10. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams

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I Finally Like Capital Cities' "Safe And Sound" After All This Time

I first heard Los Angeles duo Captial Cities' song "Safe And Sound" about a million years ago when I visited my friend Alex in Austin. He played it for me and I said it sounded like New Order circa 1985.

But when I heard it on the radio for the first time this week, something clicked, and it didn't sound so derivative. It just sounded kind of joyous.

Here's the music video from, as I said, a million years ago (basically, 2011):



The band's five-track self-titled EP is available on iTunes.

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