Author Topic: Rihanna, Linkin Park Take Control Of U.K. Charts (Read 342 times)

Damien J. · « **on:** May 21, 2007, 11:54:42 AM »

There were new entries at No. 1 on both the U.K. singles and album charts published yesterday (May 20). "Umbrella" (Def Jam) by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z went straight to the top of the singles survey, while Britain's new best-selling album is "Minutes to Midnight" (Warner Bros.) by Linkin Park.

The Rihanna single hit the top on download sales alone, and recovered from its position behind Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" (A&M/Polydor) in midweek sales data. That track had appeared set for No. 1 but had to be content with a 19-2 climb.

Last week's No. 1, McFly's "Baby's Coming Back"/"Transylvania" (Universal Island), saw its sales collapse, producing a dramatic fall to No. 20. That equals the sharpest-ever descent from No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart, endured by Elvis Presley's reissue of "One Night"/"I Got Stung" in February 2005, but that track at least had the "excuse" of having been deleted.

Snow Patrol's "Signal Fire" (Fiction/Polydor), from the "Spider Man 3" soundtrack, climbed 17-4 and Hellogoodbye's "Here (In Your Arms)" (Epic), which dipped 10-11 last week, rebounded to No. 5. There was also a 25-10 jump for Booty Luv's cover of Luther Vandross' "Shine," on Hed Kandi, and a No. 11 start for former Sugababes member Mutya Buena's "Real Girl" (Fourth & Broadway/Universal Island).

Rock was represented among the top 20 by the Cribs' "Men's Needs" (A&M), a new entry at No. 17, and Biffy Clyro's "Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies" (Warner Bros.), which jumped 72-19.

Linkin Park's album repeats the No. 1 debut of its 2003 predecessor "Meteora" and leads a trio of new entries at the top of the U.K. chart. Rufus Wainwright debuted at No. 2 with "Release the Stars" (Geffen) and Funeral For A Friend opened at No. 3 with "Tales Don't Tell Themselves" (Atlantic).

Arctic Monkeys' three-week run at the top with "Favorite Worst Nightmare" (Domino) ended with a fall to No. 4, while Joe Cocker made his best U.K. chart showing in 13 years as "Hymn for My Soul" (EMI) debuted at No. 9. That equals the veteran vocalist's best-ever ranking for a new studio set in his home country, when "Have a Little Faith" reached No. 9 in 1994.

On Billboard's pan-European charts, Michael Buble is in his second week at the helm of European Top 100 Albums chart with "Call Me Irresponsible" (Reprise). On the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles survey, "Beautiful Liar" (World Music/Columbia) by Beyonce & Shakira is in a third week at No. 1.

This report is provided by Billboard.com