Thursday, 28 May 2020

Top of the Pops, 28th May 2020

Some big names (working from home still) appear on the show this week: Katy Perry has the highest new entry, and Nicki Minaj reprises her guest spot on Doja Cat's track as part of a two-song medley. Ava Max is back too, and the likeable Simba pounces into the top five.

DaBaby holds firm at number 1, but there's yet more fresh material from RAYE (acoustic version of her track with Regard) and Topic lower down. Lots going on.

Debuts: Topic, A7S

RAYE - Secrets

High Climber - Up 13 to number 30

Katy Perry - Daisies

Highest New Entry - In at number 37

Simba ft DTG - Rover

Up 4 to number 4

Topic ft A7S - Breaking Me

Up 9 to number 15

AJ Tracey ft Mostack - Dinner Guest

Up 1 to number 9

Doja Cat ft Nicki Minaj - Say So / Boss Bitch

Up 1 to number 2 / Up 7 to number 24

Ava Max - Kings & Queens

Up 4 to number 25

DaBaby ft Roddy Ricch - Rockstar

Second week at number 1

PRESENTER: JB Gill (from the chicken coop)

Thursday, 21 May 2020

Top of the Pops, 21st May 2020

We've got quite a surprising number 1 this week: DaBaby takes a five place bounce to pip Drake, Doja and the rest. He and Roddy Ricch give an ebullient splitscreen performance to celebrate.

We've also got another new chart peak for Sam Fischer, a big-news new entry from Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, and new indoors versions of evergreen hits from Dua Lipa, Harry Styles and Saint JHN. Sweet Female Attitude even pop up to get the credit they are due for the fairly low rent Nathan Dawe hit. And look at Tones and I - 41 weeks now for her.

Debuts: None

Sam Fischer - This City

Up 4 to number 20

Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber - Stuck With U

Highest New Entry - In at number 4

Harry Styles - Adore You

Up 5 to number 18

Saint JHN - Roses

Up 1 to number 13

Tones and I - Dance Monkey

Long Runner - Up 1 to number 21 after 41 weeks

Dua Lipa - Break My Heart

Up 1 to number 11

Nathan Dawe ft Jaykae and Sweet Female Attitude - Flowers

Up 4 to number 17

DaBaby ft Roddy Ricch - Rockstar

Up 5 to number 1

PRESENTER: Kimberley Walsh (from the Royal Albert Hall, with nobody in it)

Thursday, 14 May 2020

Top of the Pops, 14th May 2020

There's not as much variation in genre as usual here: Drake's album release and high-profile guest star remixes by Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion spearhead the hip-hop charge and don't leave room for too much else. On the plus side, the ritzy cameos from Beyonce downwards are all happy to Zoom-chat on to the show - it's not like they're doing much else.

On the British side of things the likeable Simba reaches a new chart peak and friends of the show Little Mix are on call with hairbrush mics and lippy. JP Saxe and Julia Michaels's lockdown-friendly anthem continues to climb as well.

Debuts: None

Simba ft. DTG - Rover

Up 6 to number 7

Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyonce - Savage

Up 19 to number 3

JP Saxe ft. Julia Michaels - If The World Was Ending

Up 9 to number 25

AJ Tracey ft. Mostack - Dinner Guest

Highest New Entry - In at number 8

Little Mix - Break Up Song

Up 2 to number 18

DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch - Rockstar

High Climber - Up 21 to number 6

Doja Cat ft. Nicki Minaj - Say So

Up 8 to number 2

Drake - Toosie Slide

Up 3 to number 1

PRESENTER: James Masterton (from his utility room)

Thursday, 7 May 2020

Top of the Pops, 7th May 2020

In what is being billed as Radio 1's first ever number 1 hit, the Live Lounge Allstars leap four places to hit the top, all in aid of a good cause of course. The lockdown isolation vibe is carried on with downbeat solo performances from Powfu's samplee Beabadoobee and Joel Corry's collaborator Harlee, plus a Zoom chat version of the 1975.

There are also big hip hop entries (in video form) from KSI and the Scotts and dance from the 220 Kid, and Sam Fischer gets his TOTP debut at last after months in the lower reaches of the chart.

Debuts: Kid Cudi, Swarmz, Sam Fischer, 220 Kid, Gracey, Harlee (on her own)

Travis Scott and Kid Cudi - The Scotts

In at number 11

The 1975 - If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)

In at number 14

KSI ft Swarmz and Tion Wayne - Houdini

Highest New Entry - In at number 6

Sam Fischer - This City

Up 2 to number 31

220 Kid and Gracey - Don't Need Love

High Climber - Up 11 to number 38

Beabadoobee - Coffee For Your Head

Up 2 to number 5

Harlee - Lonely

Up 2 to number 8

Live Lounge Allstars - Times Like These

Up 4 to number 1

PRESENTER: Paije from the X Factor (from his sofa)

Thursday, 30 April 2020

Top of the Pops, 30th April 2020

It's a very quiet chart in some ways, but there's a decent number of new entries stretching from the top to the bottom of the top 40. From slow-burning new arrivals like Gerry Cinnamon, to new stuff from established stars like Sam Smith, to a double bill of blockbuster reactions to the pandemic from the Live Lounge Allstars and the thoroughly good egg Captain Tom Moore.

In fact the only non-new entry comes from friends of the show Little Mix, performing a lovely exclusive version of Break Up Song in split-screen acapella.

Debuts: M Huncho, Beth Porch, Gerry Cinnamon, Captain Tom Moore.

Sam Smith and Demi Lovato - I'm Ready

In at number 20

Live Lounge Allstars - Times Like These

In at number 5

Nafe Smallz ft. M Huncho - Part Of The Plan

In at number 38

Beth Porch - You Taught Me What Love Is

In at number 25

Gerry Cinnamon - Where We're Going

In at number 39

DaBaby - Rockstar / Find My Way

In at number 29 / Up 7 to number 64

Little Mix - Break Up Song

Up 2 to number 18

Michael Ball ft. Captain Tom Moore - You'll Never Walk Alone

Straight in at number 1

PRESENTER: Dannii Minogue from her private beach

Thursday, 23 April 2020

Top of the Pops, 23rd April 2020

The Weeknd is still at the top, quietly getting closer to having one of the all-time runs at number 1. How long can he hold it? Without much new material appearing to challenge him, maybe quite a long time.

We do have new-to-TOTP songs from Jones and Solveig's Europa project, Khalid and Disclosure, and the lockdown-appropriate hit from JP Saxe, one of three TOTP debuts this week. And Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion continue to make chart inroads.

Debuts: JP Saxe, Simba, DTG

Khalid and Disclosure - Know Your Worth

Up 1 to number 27

Jax Jones and Martin Solveig ft RAYE - Tequila

Up 11 to number 21

JP Saxe ft Julia Michaels - If The World Was Ending

Up 4 to number 31

Simba ft DTG - Rover

High Climber - Up 25 to number 23

Megan Thee Stallion - Savage

Up 5 to number 17

Harry Styles - Falling

Up 1 to number 15

Doja Cat - Say So / Boss Bitch

Up 1 to number 8 / Up 1 to number 28

The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

Eighth week at number 1

PRESENTERS: Peter Kay and Paddy McGuinness as Max and Paddy doing a bit

Thursday, 16 April 2020

Top of the Pops, 16th April 2020

Still in lockdown, blah blah blah. We've got some great work-from-home performances though, including Powfu from his actual bed (not a death bed) and Harry Styles continuing to do his best Olly Murs-alike from his home swimming pool.

Nathan Dawe is new this week, and although his chart position doesn't strictly merit it, Matt Lucas is allowed on as a public service.

Debuts: Nathan Dawe, Jaykae, Matt Lucas

Powfu - Death Bed

Up 6 to number 8

Drake - Toosie Slide

Highest New Entry - In at number 2

Matt Lucas - Thank You Baked Potato

In at number 34

Nathan Dawe ft Jaykae - Flowers

High Climber - Up 11 to number 23

Harry Styles - Adore You

Up 3 to number 13

From The Vault: Bill Withers - Lovely Day

Back in at number 73

Lady Gaga - Stupid Love

Up 1 to number 21

The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

Seventh week at number 1

PRESENTER: Abz Breen (from a van somewhere)