Scottish singer/songwriter Amy Macdonald’s debut set “This Is the Life” (Vertigo) moved to the top of the U.K. album chart for the first time yesterday, five months after opening on the survey at No. 2.
Meanwhile, Basshunter, the recording name of Swedish DJ/producer Jonas Altberg, soared to No. 1 on the singles list with “Now You’re Gone” (Hard2beat).
Macdonald arrived on the chart scene last summer with the No. 12 hit “Mr. Rock and Roll,” and hit the album bestsellers soon afterwards. “This Is the Life” has increased its sales and profile in recent weeks with the top 10 airplay success of its title track. Although that single has not gone higher than No. 28 (a position to which it returned yesterday), it has revitalized the album, which has been a best-seller in her native Scotland.
Macdonald replaced Radiohead at No. 1, as “In Rainbows” (XL Recordings) fell to No. 2 and Take That’s “Beautiful World” (Polydor) dipped 2-3. Scouting For Girls felt the benefit of another singles success, rising 12-4 with their self-titled Epic album as “Elvis Ain’t Dead” rose 17-10. Their previous hit, “She’s So Lovely,” also improved 33-24 in its 20th chart week. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were also on the rise with “Raising Sand” (Decca/Rounder), up 22-6, and Newton Faulkner’s former chart-topper “Hand Built By Robots” (Ugly Truth/Sony BMG) bounced back 13-7.
There was also a notable debut at No. 12 for English singer/songwriter Tom Baxter’s “Skybound” (Charisma/EMI). The self-financed album, released on Baxter’s own Sylvan label last year, was subsequently licensed to EMI’s revived Charisma label and hits the chart some three and a half years after his sole album for Sony, “Feather & Stone,” peaked at No. 65.
As for Basshunter, his single is an English version of his European hit “Boten Anna,” which among other achievements was the first Swedish-language single to top the Dutch charts. It raced 14-1 on the new U.K. chart as Britney Spears soared 19-2 with “Piece of Me” (Jive), beating the No. 3 peak of October’s first single from her “Blackout” album, “Gimme More.” That track rebounded 45-34 on the new chart.
With Soulja Boy’s “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” (Interscope) steady at No.3, Nickelback’s “Rockstar” (Roadrunner) climbed again 8-4, as Leon Jackson’s chart-topper of the last three weeks, “When You Believe” (Syco Music/Sony BMG), fell to No. 5. Rihanna climbed 12-6 with “Don’t Stop the Music” (Def Jam) and the top new entry was “Superstar” (Atlantic) by Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos, at No. 7. Kanye West’s “Homecoming” (Def Jam) climbed 41-15.
On Billboard’s pan-European album chart, Amy Winehouse restricted “In Rainbows” to a No. 2 debut, as she retained top spot on Top 100 Albums for a third week with “Back To Black” (Universal Island). “Apologize” (Mosley/Blackground/Interscope) by Timbaland presents OneRepublic is in its eighth week atop Eurochart Top 100 Singles.