The latest news in the world of Billboard's definitive sales and airplay charts.
Chart Beat now offers a sneak peak at chart action with a first-look edition on Wednesdays. On Thursdays, when all of our online charts are refreshed with the latest data, Chart Beat appears as always in its full form, spotlighting achievements from among our entire menu of charts.
HE WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR: Eminem earns the best Billboard Hot 100 debut of his career, as "We Made You" enters at No. 9. The song, which starts on Hot Digital Songs at No. 3 and Hot 100 Airplay at No. 59, bests the rap superstar's previous top bow, a No. 12 launch for "You Don't Know," with 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and Ca$his, on the Hot 100 dated Dec. 23, 2006.
"We Made You" instantly becomes Eminem's 10th Hot 100 top 10 dating to his first, the No. 4-peaking "The Real Slim Shady," in 2000. Having reached No. 1 with his previous single "Crack a Bottle," Eminem now strings together back-to-back top 10s as a lead artist for the first time in seven years. In 2002, "Without Me" (No. 2), "Cleanin' Out My Closet" (No. 4) and "Lose Yourself" (No. 1) all reached the upper tier consecutively.
Eminem becomes one of 13 artists this decade whose top 10 total reaches double-digits. Here is the full list, ranked by most top 10s:
13, Ludacris
13, T-Pain
12, 50 Cent
12, Akon
12, Jay-Z
12, Nelly
11, Beyonce
11, Justin Timberlake
11, Usher
10, Ashanti
10, Eminem
10, Rihanna
10, T.I.
Eminem's new song, whose celebrity-skewering video is ranked No. 1 on MTV2, marks the second top 10 arrival on the Hot 100 this year. Only Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" debuted at a higher spot, opening at No. 6 on the March 21 chart.
Speaking of Miley Cyrus ...
KEEP ON CLIMBING: In its fourth week on the Billboard 200, the soundtrack "Hannah Montana: The Movie" reaches No. 1 for the first time. The new No. 1 is the third soundtrack from the Hannah Montana franchise to reach the top of the chart, after the first and second volumes of the TV show's soundtracks hit No. 1 in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
All told, "Hannah Montana: The Movie" is the eighth Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus-related title to grace the Billboard 200. Here is a look at the chart performances of all eight sets:
2006:
No. 1, "Hannah Montana" (Soundtrack)
2007:
No. 1, "Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus" (Miley Cyrus)
No. 84, "Disney Karaoke Series: Hannah Montana" (Hannah Montana)
2008:
No. 7, "Hannah Montana 2: Non-Stop Dance Party" (Hannah Montana)
No. 3, "Hannah Montana 2/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" (Miley Cyrus)
No. 1, "Breakout" (Miley Cyrus)
No. 103, "Hannah Montana: Hits Remixed" (Hannah Montana)
2009:
No. 1, "Hannah Montana: The Movie" (Soundtrack)
The chart's current leader is the first soundtrack to top the Billboard 200 this year. Last year, three such sets managed the feat: "Juno," "Mamma Mia!" and "Twilight."
Miley Cyrus also scales the Billboard Hot 100 with the focus radio track from "Hannah Montana: The Movie," "The Climb." With the song living up to its title, pushing 8-4, Miley not only reaches a new career-best peak on the chart, but she also matches the highest rank that dad Billy Ray has achieved. His "Achy Breaky Heart" hit No. 4 on the Hot 100 in July 1992 (four months before Miley was born).
GREAT BRITON: "Britain's Got Talent" contestant and sudden YouTube sensation Susan Boyle triggers waves on the Billboard charts.
The unassuming 40-something's stunning rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY) from "Les Miserables" on the April 11 episode of the U.K. reality show drove consumers to their wallets, as three different "Les Miserables" cast recordings impact the 15-position Top Cast Albums chart, including the debut of the Original London Cast Recording at No. 1.
Collectively, all the versions of "I Dreamed a Dream" tracked by Nielsen SoundScan sold 43,000 downloads in the week ending April 19. The week before, the song's versions sold slightly less than 1,000 downloads.
The Original London Cast rendition of "Dream" concurrently debuts on Hot Digital Songs at No. 61. It's just the second Billboard appearance for the ballad. Neil Diamond reached No. 13 on the Adult Contemporary chart with his live version on the list dated Nov. 21, 1987.
BERN, BABY, BERN: As a cornerstone of the New York Yankees lineup for 16 years, Bernie Williams collected 2,336 hits. This week, he ups his count of Billboard chart hits.
The saxophonist/composer's new album "Moving Forward" enters Top Contemporary Jazz Albums at No. 2, Top Heatseekers at No. 6 and the Billboard 200 at No. 178. The set's leadoff cut "Go For It" concurrently steps up to the plate at No. 22 on Smooth Jazz Songs.
Williams previously charted on the Billboard 200 with "The Journey Within," which reached No. 157 in 2003. That release peaked at No. 3 on the Contemporary Jazz tally.
The new album includes a pair of baseball-themed songs: "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," introduced by legendary Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppard, and a live version of "Glory Days," featuring vocals from Bruce Springsteen. It was recorded at the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation Gala Event Nov. 9, 2007.
The set also features another athlete-turned-musician: former NBA star Wayman Tisdale plays lead bass on the title track.
Not surprisingly, "Moving Forward" is selling best where Williams made his mark on the diamond. The album ranks No. 1 on the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Heatseekers tallies.
And considering the long-standing baseball rivalry between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, who should keep Williams from No. 1 on Top Contemporary Jazz Albums? Chris Botti, whose reigning set is entitled "Live in Boston."
COUNTRY BACK ON ATKINS DIET: After posting four No. 1s on Hot Country Songs from his last album, "If You're Going Through Hell," Rodney Atkins continues his winning ways with "It's America." The title cut from his newly-released set soars 4-1, becoming his fifth career leader. Here is a look at Atkins' five front-runners, their total weeks at No. 1, and the dates they reached top:
"If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)," four, Aug. 12, 2006
"Watching You," four, Jan. 27, 2007
"These Are My People," one, Sept. 8, 2007
"Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)," two, March 1, 2008
"It's America," one, May 2, 2009
MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Two of rock's marquee acts return in grand fashion.
Green Day earns its highest career bow on the Hot 100, as "Know Your Enemy" debuts at No. 40. That tops the No. 53 start of "Working Class Hero" in 2007.
The new song is the trio's fourth top 40 hit, following "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (No. 2 peak), "Holiday" (No. 19) and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" (No. 6), all from "American Idiot" in 2005.
"Enemy" also opens on Modern Rock at No. 8 and Mainstream Rock at No. 19. Green Day releases "21st Century Breakdown," Friday, May 15.
On the Triple A airplay chart, Dave Matthews Band launches at No. 7 with "Funny the Way It Is." The group's "Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King" drops June 2.
'FEEL GOOD' STORY: The top of the Modern Rock chart boasts its own news, as Anberlin completes the longest journey to the summit dating to the chart's 1988 inception.
"Feel Good Drag" rises 2-1 in its 29th chart week to become the Florida-based quintet's first No. 1. The odyssey passes the 27-week trek that culminated in a No. 1 ranking for 10 Years' "Wasteland" in February 2006.
'LUCKY' STARS: Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat pair up for the Adult Top 40 airplay chart's first top 10 duet in 13 years, as "Lucky" lifts 11-10.
The only other top 10 title to sport a shared lead credit (as opposed to a lead billing and a featured appearance) was the song that led the list upon its March 16, 1996, launch: Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day."
One song missed the honor by a single chart position: Sheryl Crow and Sting peaked at No. 11 in 2006 with "Always On Your Side." Another pairing came close: Jordin Sparks' duet with Chris Brown, "No Air," peaked at No. 12 last year. The only other top 20 duet in the chart's archives is "I Finally Found Someone," which Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams took to No. 19 in 1996.
"Lucky," which also bullets at No. 28 on Adult Contemporary, marks Mraz and Caillat's third Adult Top 40 top 10 apiece.
CHART BEAT BITS: "American Idol" spurs the latest re-entry of an older track onto Hot Digital Songs. After Kris Allen performed "Falling Slowly" on the show's movie-themed night April 14, the Swell Season's original version from "Once" returns at No. 51. Last year's Oscar winner for Best Original Song reached No. 20 on the list a year ago ...
Former "Idol" finalist Jennifer Hudson earns her second top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, as "If This Isn't Love" rises 11-10. "Spotlight" reigned for two weeks in the fall. Hudson performed her current hit on the "Idol" results episode April 15 ...
Made-on-MTV group Day26 notches its second No. 1 in as many tries on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, as its sophomore set "Forever in a Day" bows at No. 1. On the Billboard 200, it arrives at No. 2. Its self-titled set debuted atop both charts last April ...
Jackiem Joyner collects his first No. 1 on Smooth Jazz Songs, as "I'm Waiting for You" ascends 2-1. The saxophonist/composer/producer released his new album, "Lil' Man Soul," this week ...
Profiled as one of Billboard's "Faces to Watch" in the Jan. 24 issue, Alexander Acha continues to prove our prognostication, as "Te Amo" charges 14-10 on Latin Pop Airplay to become his first top 10 on any Billboard chart. Acha adds to his family's musical legacy: his father, veteran pop star Emmanuel, has notched 24 entries, including three No. 1s, on Hot Latin Songs ...
Solange makes it a perfect three-for-three atop Hot Dance Club Play, as "T.O.N.Y." travels 2-1. The song follows her prior No. 1s "Sandcastle Disco" in December and "I Decided" in August. She's gaining on Beyonce, but her big sister will retain bragging rights for the foreseeable future. Beyonce has sent nine songs to the Club Play summit. She could soon notch her 10th: "Halo" zooms 14-6.
