• The Purge is back (tentatively) for your Saturday morning’s reading pleasure, with big news for fans of Ed Sheeran; brand new music to kick-start the year. The global superstar yesterday released two new singles (‘Castle On The Hill’ and ‘Shape Of You’), both of which are lifted from Ed’s forthcoming third album. “Hello 2017! I’ve been working hard on the new material and I hope you can be as excited about it as I am,” he said in a statement. “I really wanted to show two different sides to my music that I’m equally as passionate about and I just knew I wanted to roll with two songs at the same time. I’m absolutely buzzing to be back.” Further details on album number three will no doubt appear within the next couple of months.
• Lupe Fiasco is another artist who’s confirmed new music this week; the US rapper and producer will release his new LP ‘Drogas Light’ early next month, with three new tracks (‘Pick Up The Phone’, ‘Wild Child’ and ‘Made In The USA’) available with the album pre-order. Look for the LP dropping on Friday February 10.
• Speaking of US rappers, T-Pain has confirmed he’ll be in the country from later this month for a national DJ/PA tour. He kicks off proceedings at Game Bar in Perth on Saturday January 21 before making stops in Broome, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Alice Springs, Darwin and Brisbane. No doubt he’ll be giving fans a little sneaky listen at tracks from his upcoming album release ‘Stoicville: The Phoenix’. Tickets are on sale now.
• The UK charts enter the new year in much the same way as they ended the old one; with Clean Bandit still rocking the No.1 position on the singles chart with their smash ‘Rockabye’. Rag’N’Bone Man improves to No.2 with ‘Human’ (swapping places with Zara Larsson’s ‘I Would Like’), while Neiked’s ‘Sexual’ is into the top ten (No.11 to No.6). In a bigger hurry this week, however, are JP Cooper’s single ‘September Song’ (No.45 to No.16), John Legend’s ‘Love Me Now’ (No.38 to No.17), Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ (No.39 to No.21) and Robbie Williams’ ‘Love My Life’ (No.55 to No.22).
• Albums chart-wise in the UK this week, Little Mix are shining brightly in the top spot with ‘Glory Days’, but the Pete Tong/Heritage Or/Buckley release ‘Classic House’ almost knocks them off, leaping from No.24 to No.2. The rest of the top ten is relatively benign, apart from a seven place improvement for Adele’s ’25’ (No.14 to No.07), no doubt thanks to her UK tour. Christine & The Queens start the new year off right; the French songstress’s album ‘Chaleur Humaine’ rocketing from No.71 to No.19.
• Having lost the No.1 mantle over the Christmas/New Year break to The Weeknd’s single ‘Starboy’, Rae Sremmurd are back on top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US with their smash single ‘Black Beatles’. The Weeknd drops to No.3 this week, with Migos ftg. Lil Uzi Vert bulleting from No.13 to No.2 with ‘Bad And Boujee’. D.R.A.M. ftg. Lil Yachty gets a fresh hit of ‘Broccoli’ in for the new year (up five places to No.10), while Jon Bellion’s ‘All Time Low’ bullets from No.24 to No.16. Shawn Mendes bullets with ‘Mercy’, as does Niall Horan’s single ‘This Town’. Wham’s ‘Careless Whisper’ is into the countdown at No.33 as the US charts finally react to George Michael’s passing. ‘Last Christmas’ is up from No.50 to No.41 and ‘Faith’ re-enters at No.47.
• ‘A Pentatonix Christmas’ is still flying high in the No.1 spot on the Billboard 200 Albums chart to kick off the new year. The Weeknd’s ‘Starboy’ and Bruno Mars’ ’24K Magic’ swap places (the latter down from No.2 to No.3), while 2016 releases from Twenty One Pilots and Drake, as well as the ‘Suicide Squad’ soundtrack, are back in the top ten. Shawn Mendes’ ‘Illuminate’ bullets from No.37 to No.11, just ahead of a re-entry – and a new peak – for George Michael’s ‘TwentyFive’ (No.12). Yo Gotti’s ‘White Friday (CM9)’ is new at No.16, George Michael’s ‘Faith’ album re-enters at No.18 and there’s more George love at No.84 with a re-entry for ‘Ladies & Gentlemen : The Best Of George Michael’.
• Nothing to report with regards ticket sales on this week’s truncated first edition of The Purge for 2017, so we leave you with warning not to plan too much tonight. We will, after all, be back with our regular look at the ARIA charts with Chart Watch, live at 6pm AEDT.
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