by Andrew Miller
For just the second time a local duo hold down the ultimate chart prize, #1 on the Albums Chart. And what better way for the Official NZ Music Chart to celebrate its 33rd birthday than with the country's fourth most-popular folk comedy parody duo on top.
Yes, Flight Of The Conchords by Flight Of The Conchords has second blood in the capital derby and sends last week's #1, Beautiful Machine by Shihad, down to #4.by Andrew Miller
For just the second time a local duo hold down the ultimate chart prize, #1 on the Albums Chart. And what better way for the Official NZ Music Chart to celebrate its 33rd birthday than with the country's fourth most-popular folk comedy parody duo on top.
Yes, Flight Of The Conchords by Flight Of The Conchords has second blood in the capital derby and sends last week's #1, Beautiful Machine by Shihad, down to #4.It was 1976 that saw the very first local duo take the pole position. Bill Gate and Boyd Robertson were from the Hutt Valley and have made Australia their home for most of the last 40 years. Bill and Boyd's self-titled Bill And Boyd LP held the top for a solitary week in March that year, having charted since December 1975.
The record-setting #3 debut on the Billboard 200 in the US has given Jermaine Clement and Bret Mackenzie the momentum to land the 69th local #1 album.
While there's no specific single from the album, Hiphopoptamus Vs Rhymenoceros leads the way in downloads, though still a way from the Top 40 Singles or the RadioScope100.
For the record: There've been 69 local #1 albums thus far, almost all in the last two decades. The 1970s produced two local #1 albums, the 1980s yielded 11, the 1990s 17, and there have been 39 Kiwi #1 albums since 2000.
Usher's Third
After waiting patiently in the runners-up slot for the past seven weeks, Usher trades places with Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown's No Air to claim the top of the chart for the third time. Yeah! and Burn gave him a pair of back-to-back chart-toppers in 2004.
Love In This Club bodes well for his first studio album in four years, which drops in a few weeks.
Not to worry about Chris or Jordin though. Mr Brown's new single Forever is the biggest mover this week, rocketing 35 places to #5 (making Brown part of three Top 10 hits this week). Meanwhile Jordin has another solo hit brewing in Tattoo which lands in at #36 this week.
Maddy's 19th
Claiming the double in Oz and the UK with Hard Candy and 4 Minutes, Madonna hasn't done quite so well here. Hard Candy has a #5 start on the Albums Chart while the lead single and hook-up with Justin Timberlake holds at #3.
Madonna is still the most capped female artist in the history of the Official NZ Music Chart with 19 albums, 18 of which have been peaked in the Top 10.
The new album matches the #5 peak of her last album, Confessions From The Dance Floor, in 2005. Among her haul are three #1s - Like A Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986) and Ray Of Light (1998).
The New Singles
#4 Rihanna - Take A Bow
Double figures for Rihanna as she claims the highest new entry of the week at #4. Her 10th New Zealand hit gives her a ninth Top 10er. Take A Bow shares a title with Madonna's 1995 #9. She may have only been around 18 months or so, but Rihanna now has enough hits for a Best Of.
#12 Ray J featuring Yung Berg - Sexy Can I
Brandy's younger brother 27-year-old William Ray Norwood Jr has hit number six this week with Sexy Can I in at #12. His March 1997 #10 debut Let It Go remains Ray's sole Top 10 appearance thus far. He's joined on this track by 21-year-old rapper Yung Berg (real name Christian Ward)) who gains his first hit.
#36 Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
See story above.
The New Albums
#5 Madonna - Hard Candy
See story above.
#8 David Campbell - The Swing Sessions
Rocker Jimmy Barnes is Dad to 34-year-old South Australian David Campbell, but he was raised by his grandmother. Having made his mark in stage musicals, his The Swing Sessions album opens as the second highest of six new entries this week.
#9 Portishead - Third
Third is actually Bristol threesome Portishead's fourth albums entry here, but it is the band's third studio set and becomes their second Top 10er at #9. Both previous studio albums, 1995's Dummy (#21) and 1997's self-titled set which held the top for three weeks, have gone double-platinum here.
#26 Def Leppard - Songs From The Sparkle Lounge
Sheffield band Def Leppard's Songs From The Sparkle Lounge is their first chart-set here in 12 years. Last time round Slang made it to #14 in 1996. Of their half dozen tally both Hysteria and Adrenalize have topped the ton.
#27 Dionne Warwick - The Love Collection
The Love Collection is just the second charting album in New Zealand for 67-year-old diva Dionne Warwick. Its #27 placing betters her #32 peak with Heartbreaker, her 1982 debut.
#33 Frank Sinatra - Nothing But The Best
Ol Blue Eyes passed away 10 years back on May 14 at the age of 82. But his memory lives on through his music, including this new hits compile. Nothing But The Best gives Sinatra his seventh chart album here, the second posthumously and the first in six years when Romance made #18.
You can contact Andrew at: andrewmiller@radioscope.co.nz
The Official New Zealand Music Chart by The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand , Compiled by Media Sauce
"The Official New Zealand Top 40 premieres Friday nights at 8pm on C4"
07/05/08