UK Top 10 Singles Archives

Yeah, nothing to see here but even so LA DJ Deorro nails it dead to rights with “Five More Hours” -a nearly perfect dance pop confection. I’ll take it over just about everything and it may be too late but I can see it contending for summer song of the 2015.

UK Top 10 Singles 6-21-15

By Iman Lababedi | June 14, 2015

Not to be a reactionary, but this week has been the least reactionary chart of all time. The only new song here is the less than earth shattering “Shut Up And Dance” and everything else is mediocre jockeying for position. This is like a very warm Sunday afternoon -time for a snooze.

UK Top 10 Singles 6-14-15

By Iman Lababedi | June 8, 2015

After not much caring for the Miike Snow offshoot Galantis last week, this week it sounds much better. But it is Natalie La Rosa’s cover of Whitney Houston’s huge single that makes me less than surprised at the chance of it being a song of summer 2015.

UK Top 10 SIngles 6-7-15

By Iman Lababedi | May 31, 2015

this is the blandest of bland charts, there is nothing, not even the Tay remix, that isn’t product and not great product either. Maybe, MAYBE Lunchbox Lewis is the real thing, MAYBE Omi, but everything else here is way too manufactured even for a manufactured cult.

UK TOP 10 SINGLES 5-31-15

By Helen Bach | May 24, 2015

Seems this weeks singles have the combined appeal of bananas and sardines. Leave it to the UK to show us Americans what theyre made of.

UK Top 10 Singles 5-24-15

By Iman Lababedi | May 17, 2015

If I was a betting man, I’d go with Jess Glynne for song of the summer, but it ain’t over till Lunchmoney Lewis, who you probably remember from The Pinkprint, says it is. His dad is Ian Lewis, of reggae band Inner Circle, but “Nills”, a contender for song of the summer, is a bouncy and joy piano romp that should do him well here as well.

UK Top 10 Singles 5-17-15

By Iman Lababedi | May 10, 2015

This is the sound of modern pop music and it sounds like electronic dance beats plus melody, in other words, it sounds a helluva lot like trance, doesn’t it? Blonde is r&b trance, Bieber adds soul to EDM for the post-party heavy duty druggies.

UK Top 10 Albums 5-10-15

By Iman Lababedi | May 3, 2015

How did Tay get back to # 2 five months after 1989 dropped? No new song on the charts, sure she has three dates in June but that is three dates and it is in June. No surprise to see Blur at # 1… every album since Parklife has done the exact same thing. Ps: remember how they didn’t put “Popscene” on the UK version of Modern Life Is Rubbish because they were pissed it didn’t chart? They are doing the exact same thing with the US.

UK Top 10 Singles 5-10-15

By Iman Lababedi | May 3, 2015

The only excuse for “I Really Like You” is if it is a hit, then you forgive it for being irritating before you finish it once. Really, really, really… The Iggy is a goodie that improved off the other, and Alesso? A talented fellow going nowhere with this one.

UK Top 10 Singles 5-3-15

By Iman Lababedi | April 26, 2015

A slightly below average week with plenty of immensely shruggable music, majoring with Major Lazer, though even Clean Bandit, a band you’d think would always be a joy on the charts, dollop up more of the same. Disappointing without being a big shocker.

UK Top 10 Singles 4-26-17

By Iman Lababedi | April 19, 2015

England is a different country, they do things differently, which is the only explanation I have for reggae singer Omi’s catchy “Cheerleader” hitting the charts three years after the fact. The “deep and chilly” German DJ’s Felix Jaehn remix is certainly a beauty, and it caught on fast forcing the remix to be rush released. No kick from this quarter.

UK Top 10 Singles 4-19-15

By Iman Lababedi | April 13, 2015

I hated “Crossed Stars” when Kiera sang it, I hated it when Levine sang it both acoustic and electric, and I hate this terrible The Voice UK winner Stevie McCrorie’s version . The good news is there isn’t a chance in hell we will have to hear it Stateside, unless we’re dumb enough to follow the UK Charts.

UK Top 10 SIngles 4-12-15

By Iman Lababedi | April 6, 2015

Wow, Sam Smith is out of the top ten! I didn’t think it would ever happen! As for Sia, after years of saying all she had in her was “Titanium”, her vocal on “Wolves” thrilled me and left my defenses down for this track off her last album.

UK Top 10 Singles 4-4-15

By Iman Lababedi | March 30, 2015

You know Jess Glynn, right? She was the voice on Clean Bandits humongous “Rather Be”, as well as their less exalted but pretty great “Real Love”. This solo shot is almost the equal as well, with a gorgeous choppy intro and a typically tasty disco beat

UK Top 10 Singles 3-28-15

By Iman Lababedi | March 23, 2015

An uneventful week on the singles charts, James Bay is this years Hozier, Sam Smith is this years Sam Smith, but what else? Nothing. All quiet in the UK!

UK Top 10 Singles 3-21-15

By Iman Lababedi | March 16, 2015

A mediocre snooze of a chart with Sam Smith ascendency AGAIN, with a snooze of a remix I might add. If they took it any slower it could never have reached the top of the charts. Truly, a well known drag

UK Top 10 Singles 3-14-15

By Iman Lababedi | March 9, 2015

Now this is a fun list of songs, I will never like the Ellie song any more but I don’t hate it as much since watching that movie, and just about everything else is at least ok. Of the two new arrivals, Marlon is middling House pop and Years & Years is slightly above average synthpop.

UK Top 10 Singles 3-7-15

By Iman Lababedi | March 2, 2015

Emeli Sande sucked so bad when I saw her at Central Park a coupla years ago, but she has a terrific voice and before she turns into Adele or Amy Winehouse (I know, Amy has a good excuse…). Still, as house disco ballads, this is pretty hot stuff.

Uk Top 10 Singles – 3-1-15

By Iman Lababedi | February 23, 2015

Give young Eddie something, he sure has staying power, Is this eight months in the charts now? Plus he has a coupla more where that comes from, “”Even My Dad Does Sometimes” is patiently awaiting its close up. Meanwhile, I don’t see the charm on the Ellie track. Sounds awful lame to these ears. Her photography is another question…

UK Top 10 Singles Week Of 2-21-15

By Iman Lababedi | February 16, 2015

ot the greatest charts you’ll ever see but you can’t have everything, what it lacks in bang zoom it makes up with the Weeknd inching its way up the charts with the best 50 Shades track. Otherwise, the UK is reading more like the US charts every day, the only oddity here is Ella.

US Top 10 Singles 2-21-15

By Iman Lababedi | February 12, 2015

The story is McCartney’s return to the top ten for the first time (as a solo artist, remember “Free As A Bird”) in a mind bending 29 years. Proof that hard work is its own reward, or at least if you insist on remainig contemporary at whatever the cost huess what will happen? You’ll remain consistent. McCartney is the antithesis of his fan base, he absolutely insists upon being part of the contemporary conversation. All those folks who didn’t know who McCartney was, the entire rap demographic give or take, sure does now.

UK Top Singles 2-14-15

By Iman Lababedi | February 9, 2015

Man, that Ellie Goulding song is crappy. I can’t remember the last time an album has inspired so many astoundingly terrible songs and is Ellie’s the very worst? You know it may well be. This list makes me sleepy just reading it.

UK Top 10 Singles 2-7-15

By Iman Lababedi | February 2, 2015

They have a nice line of patter on Karen Harding: the Whitney Houston of House, and while that might well be oversell, this is a goodie, the beats thump and Karen has a powerful and beautiful voice. This should break US, no reason not to , except for its purity as form, which might not matter, right?

UK Top 10 Singles 1-23-15

By Iman Lababedi | January 19, 2015

Another hit off Smith’s debut album, so good because it is one of the best of a great bunch and I can’t wait for the new Olly to get released here, it is much better than the other picker Upper. But it is hard to write about these songs again. Really, will seem be hit refresh, how many times can we discuss starbucks lovers? Let’s move on till August…

UK Top 10 Singles 1-17-15

By Iman Lababedi | January 12, 2015

I once spent my Christmas holiday in the UK island Jersey, and it was a small hotel and for a week all the guests were best of friends but then it was over and everyone went their own way. But I ran into the couple purely by accident a couple of weeks later at home, and that’s exactly what the charts feel like in the third week of January. People you’re over.

UK Top 10 Singles 1-10-15

By Iman Lababedi | January 5, 2015

something of a holding pattern though the more I hear the Ronson-Mars collab the more it sounds like a major rip off, I guess it might be considered something like the way “Let’s Dance” ripped off “Twist And Shout” but all of it is a 70s rip off with James Brown on top. It’s OK but really, are we at the place where we need James Brown interpreted for us?

UK Top 10 Singles 1-3-15

By Iman Lababedi | December 29, 2014

The return of Mark and Mars to # 1 makes you wonder if XFactor have been spiking the ball a little. The battle for Christmas single is pretty darn vicious and you gotta think… it wouldn’t take that many downloads, certainly $50K would do it… I wonder.

UK Top 10 Singles 12-27-14

By Iman Lababedi | December 22, 2014

“The Wealdstone Raider, real name Gordon Hill, has found a cult following since a video emerged of him mocking a rival football team. He’s since had six million views on Youtube.”

UK # 1 Christmas Single For 2014 Is Ben Haenow… Who?

By Iman Lababedi | December 21, 2014

The X Factor winner Ben Haenow may have never hurt any one and since he is a former truck driver may be you can go further and say it is a better daydream than Billy, but I just wish the song was better. It is truly terrible, not the verses, but the chorus, which is like being lifted up by a crane against your will

UK Top 10 Singles 12-13-14

By Iman Lababedi | December 8, 2014

On the album charts boy band rules, here it is the world of dance on the top of the charts to less telling effect. Though the Ed Sheeran is one of the years best, along with the brilliant “Even My Dad Does Sometimes” it makes X a better album that I thought it was. It lifts it.

UK Top 10 Singles 12-6-14

By Iman Lababedi | December 1, 2014

Labrinth is a Simon Cowell find, and the soulful guy? You can hear the ching ching going though this is his breakthrough in the UK. A good soul ballad, a little later than planned. But Take That with a typical dance pop track win the top spot… their 12th since 2008.

UK Top 10 Singles: 11-30-14

By Iman Lababedi | November 24, 2014

I have two songs this year I’d include in the “A++ List” -one is “Blank Space”. But at the top? This insanely lousy song should be taken out and shot and dawn. Turn it off and listen to Chipmunk contemporary Wretch 32, the excellent rapper from the London projects.

UK Top 10 SIngles 11-22-14

By Iman Lababedi | November 17, 2014

“When we started singing, getting a number number one seemed an impossible dream, so to see this group of unlikely choristers at the top of the charts today is amazing. I’m so grateful to the British public for getting behind it. “

UK Top 10 Singles: 11-15-14

By Iman Lababedi | November 10, 2014

I never much liked Girls Aloud or Cheryl Cole as a solo act but “I Don’t Care” is a pop masterstroke. How Is this possible? It was co-written by Bonnie McKee. who is Bonnie? She had a hand in “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” “Part of Me,” “Wide Awake,” and “Roar” . Any questions? Class dismissed.

UK Top 10 Singles 11-1-14

By Iman Lababedi | October 27, 2014

Pretty good list, Megan better be careful or she will be a one hit wonder before she gets started and she is better than that. And note that three of the top five are among the best of the year and the fourth is in the running.

UK Top 10 Singles 10-25-14

By Iman Lababedi | October 20, 2014

This may well be the best singles charts I’ve seen since I started seriously monitoring the charts; Trainor followed by Taylor we have been used to for the past month, but than a good 1D and then a GREAT Ed Sheeran, the best on his current album, and it doesn’t really end, the Paloma and Jeremih I can live without but they aren’t that bad, and the Vamps S&G cover is awesome.

UK Top Ten Singles 10-18-14

By Iman Lababedi | October 13, 2014

Good for Meghan beating out Nicki not once but twice, but X Factor Ella finally hit my pleasure zone, which is sad for a song a year old but what is worse? Ryan Bloody Tedder co-wrote it. proof that listening to the charts on a consistent is bad for your mental health., no to mention your taste.

UK Top 10 Singles 10-11-14

By Iman Lababedi | October 6, 2014

The thing to keep in mind about Trainor is that not only is she not a one hit wonder, she already has three more potential hits on her new EP and a handful of excellent tracks on her debut album from three years ago, Only 17. I mean, you haven’t even heard “Out The Window” have you?

UK Top 10 Singles 10-4-14

By Iman Lababedi | September 29, 2014

Has “Bang Bang” just been released in the UK? Well, at least I can understand why it is at # , what I want to know is why will “Booty” (or as I know and love it: started from the bottom now we’re here) will be joining it in a coupla weeks.

UK Top 10 Singles 9-19-14

By Iman Lababedi | September 15, 2014

Wait a second, Brown, Usher and Ross? Personally, I am amazed Ross is still kicking but he really is a great rapper and this is a soulful, more Usher than Brown track. Personally, I was disappointed by “Blame” -relatively speaking of course. I’m guessing John Newman gave it the magic juice.

UK Top 10 Singles 9-13-14

By Iman Lababedi | September 8, 2014

A coupla biggies but mostly a whatever collection of EDM pop moves, the mainstreaming of everything if you like. Taylor and Sam tower over it but otherwise there is nothing to excite and you and some stuff, The Script for instance, to simply annoy you.

US Top 10 Singles 9-13-14

By Iman Lababedi | September 4, 2014

If you are a pop music fan circa 2014 there should be no second guessing this list, half of the songs are in my best of 2014 list already and another three might slip their way in. This feels like a golden age of pop music, and while I know my peers will laugh themselves sick at the prospect, still you show me a playlist with Tay, Sam, Minaj and Jessie J and I will show you some very strong state of the pop art stuff.

UK Top 10 Singles 9-6-14

By Iman Lababedi | September 1, 2014

“Rariworkout” is awesome, Grime meets EDM, the raps are very English, very Brixton or wormwood scrubs but the beats are international and very dance steadying, very House, not dub at all, nothing deep more like a chattering mail biter. Excellent song, hope it hits the US charts.