Thursday 30 March 2017

Top of the Pops, 30th March 2017

At one third Sheeran, one third Drake, the chart's looking more broken than ever. Luckily Top Of The Pops just about manages to put together a viable line-up and there's actually plenty to get excited about, even aside from this very historic period in singles chart terms.

Top billing has to go to man of the moment Drake, who appears to perform three of his twenty-two current hits. British rapper Giggs joins him to feature on two of those tracks. Also new is the massive friend of the show team-up from Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson, who never disappoint on the TOTP stage.

We also have transatlantic stars Ariana Grande and John Legend with a charming performance of the Beauty and the Beast theme, long-running hits from Anne-Marie, Bruno Mars and Martin Jensen, and the return of the slow burner from Julia Michaels. Captain Ed is still top; he plays Shape Of You on the banjo this week for a bit of variety.

Debuts: Giggs.

Clean Bandit ft. Zara Larsson - Symphony

In at number 6

Anne-Marie - Ciao Adios

Up 10 to number 10

Julia Michaels - Issues

Up 8 to number 28

Bruno Mars - That's What I Like

Up 10 to number 25

Drake ft Giggs - Passionfruit / KMT / No Long Talk

Highest New Entry - In at number 4 / In at number 9 / In at number 17

Martin Jensen - Solo Dance

Up 4 to number 8

Ariana Grande and John Legend - Beauty And The Beast

Back in at number 72

Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You

Eleventh week at number 1

PRESENTER: Heidi Range

Wednesday 22 March 2017

Top of the Pops, 23rd March 2017

The post-Sheermageddon era, week 1. As demand for Divide eases somewhat, the more popular non-Ed tracks regroup and make modest rises, so this week's show is a bit of a showcase for most of the main current hits. That means Rag 'n' Bone Man, Coldplay and the 'Smokers, Jax Jones and the newish one from Zedd and Alessia Cara.

It also means Kygo and Selena Gomez, but Selena is elsewhere so who better to fill in than Captain Ed himself? He also closes the show with another album sampler - eight tracks from Divide have now been featured.

However, the biggest news for long-time fans is the return of the mighty Steps. They have this week's highest new entry, which is good for one more TOTP appearance.

Debuts: None.

Zedd ft. Alessia Cara - Stay

High Climber - Up 15 to number 23

Jax Jones ft. RAYE - You Don't Know Me

Up 5 to number 17

Steps - Scared of the Dark

Highest New Entry - In at number 37

Calvin Harris ft. Migos - Slide

Up 4 to number 19

Rag 'N' Bone Man - Human

Up 2 to number 14

Chainsmokers vs Coldplay - Something Just Like This

Up 3 to number 4

Kygo ft. Ed Sheeran - It Ain't Me

Up 3 to number 18

Ed Sheeran - Supermarket Flowers / What Do I Know / Shape Of You

Up 1 to number 8 / Up 1 to number 9 / Tenth week at number 1

PRESENTER: James Masterton

Thursday 16 March 2017

Top of the Pops, 16th March 2017

It's the moment we'd all awaited with bated breath: Captain Ed Sheeran releases his album and dominates the top 20, leaving little room for anything else and in particular making it very hard for other songs to climb the chart. But it's certainly historic. We're pretty restrained here on TOTP and stick to just four Ed songs, viz, his still-dominant number 1 and his three highest entries. These form a fun triptych where he meets a girl in the world's most authentic Irish bar, falls head over heels in love, then gets dumped and loveably slags off her new fella.

Aside from that, we've actually managed to cobble together a fairly watchable show. There are biggish new entries from Lorde (hugely anticipated) and Little Mix (friends of the show), plus lower-down climbers from Julia Michaels, J Hus, Bruno Mars and Martin Jensen's unkillable dance track. Fresh, diverse, what more could you ask for?

Debuts: None.

Little Mix - No More Sad Songs

In at number 39

Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl / Perfect / New Man

Highest New Entry - In at number 2 / In at number 4 / In at number 5

Julia Michaels - Issues

Up 10 to number 44

J Hus - Did You See

In at number 63

Martin Jensen - Solo Dance

Up 14 to number 25

Bruno Mars - That's What I Like

Up 5 to number 42

Lorde - Green Light

In at number 28

Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You

Ninth week at number 1

PRESENTER: Ellie Goulding

Thursday 9 March 2017

Top of the Pops, 9th March 2017

So far this year it's mostly been the Ed Sheeran show, but while this week's TOTP contains a certain amount of Ed, the week really belongs to Stormzy. His entire album has invaded the chart so he treats us to three tracks here, and also pops up at the end of the show for his feature on the Sheeran remix.

It's a little surprising that a new Calvin Harris track is the week's second or third biggest story, but he's here, undaunted, with all his collaborators (including a low-key TOTP debut for the feted Frank Ocean). We also have friends of the show Little Mix and Dua Lipa, another appearance from Rag 'N' Bone Man, and some solid numbers-making-up from Maroon 5.

Debuts: Frank Ocean, Ghetts, J Hus

Calvin Harris ft. Frank Ocean and Migos - Slide

In at number 10

Stormzy ft. Ghetts and J Hus - Big For Your Boots / Cold / Bad Boys

Up 11 to number 6 / Highest New Entry - In at number 21 / In at number 22

Rag 'N' Bone Man - Skin

Up 2 to number 18

Zedd ft. Alessia Cara - Stay

In at number 33

Little Mix - Shout Out To My Ex

Up 4 to number 32

Maroon 5 - Cold

Up 8 to number 24

Martin Garrix ft. Dua Lipa - Scared To Be Lonely

Up 1 to number 15

Ed Sheeran ft. Stormzy - Shape Of You

Eighth week at number 1

PRESENTERS: Dappy and Fazer

Thursday 2 March 2017

Top of the Pops, 2nd March 2017

There's a bit of a Brits effect this week, with Coldplay and the Chainsmokers being the most obvious winners, but Take That also reminding us that they still mostly exist. Aside from that, Kygo and Selena Gomez have the biggest new track, and a slight lack of chart climbers allows rare TOTP appearances from actual bands The 1975 and Imagine Dragons.

Ed Sheeran is really something else, though. He's just dominating the chart at will at the moment, releasing another (de facto) single that shoots to join its older sister Shape Of You at the top of the chart. Sheeran appears again with a medley that gives us most of both tracks.

Debuts: Martin Jensen

Chainsmokers vs Coldplay - Something Just Like This

In at number 30

Kygo ft. Selena Gomez - It Ain't Me

In at number 9

James Arthur - Safe Inside

Up 5 to number 31

The 1975 - The Sound

Back in at number 68

Martin Jensen - Solo Dance

Up 2 to number 40

Imagine Dragons - Believer

Up 6 to number 47

Take That - Giants

In at number 13

Ed Sheeran - Shape of You / How Would You Feel (Paean)

Seventh week at number 1 / Highest New Entry - In at number 2

PRESENTER: Craig David