Top Songs of 2009... at the halfway point

We are halfway through the calendar year, so we thought it would be fun to see what the top songs of 2009 are up to this point. Our rankings are based on performance on the THO 100 only. It is probably no surprise that "Poker Face" is #1, having spent seven weeks atop the chart. Lady GaGa has two songs in the top five, the other being "Just Dance" which has been around since June of 2008. Several other songs on the list are 2008 hits that extended their chart run well into 2009. Britney Spears, Beyonce, The Killers, and Pink are the other artists to have two songs in the top 20. And as it often is with the THO 100, which is based on individual personal charts published on the web, women rule the list, leading each of the top 10 tracks.

1. Lady GaGa - Poker Face
2. Kelly Clarkson - My Life Would Suck Without You
3. Beyonce - Halo
4. Lily Allen - The Fear
5. Lady GaGa f/ Akon & Colby O'Donis - Just Dance
6. Britney Spears - Circus
7. Taylor Swift - Love Story
8. Britney Spears - If U Seek Amy
9. Pink - Sober
10. Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
11. The Killers - Spaceman
12. The Fray - You Found Me
13. Flo Rida - Right Round
14. Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody
15. The Killers - Human
16. T.I. f/ Justin Timberlake - Dead And Gone
17. The Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow
18. James Morrison f/ Nelly Furtado - Broken Strings
19. All-American Rejects - Gives You Hell
20. Pink - Please Don't Leave Me

- Current THO 100
- Week-by-week THO 100 charts
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THO 100 Update for week ending May 2, 2009

Earlier this year Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" (featuring Colby O'Donis) spent four weeks atop the THO 100. But now it is GaGa's "Poker Face" spending a fourth week at #1, easily holding off Kelly Clarkson (#2) and Beyonce (#3). The next new number one song may very well come from another artist with #1 experience. Late last year Pink was #1 for six weeks with "So What," the lead single from her Funhouse album. This week "Please Don't Leave Me" creeps into the top 10 and appears destined to climb even higher. Pink has now had 15 top 10 hits in her career, starting with "Most Girls" in 2000 which went to #1. Enjoy the chart this week!

- Current THO 100 Chart
- Chart Archive
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THO 100 Update for week ending April 18, 2009

This week "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz falls off the THO 100. It is the first time since the May 3, 2008 chart the song has been missing, which amounts to 49 weeks. It becomes one of many songs to fall just shy of one full year (52 weeks) on the chart. In the last two years several songs have suffered the same fate, including "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse (51 weeks), "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood (51 weeks), "How To Save A Life" by The Fray (50 weeks), "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles (49 weeks), "U + Ur Hand" by Pink (49 weeks), and "Over My Head (Cable Car)" by The Fray (49 weeks). The last song to visit the chart for a full year was "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter (52 weeks). The all-time record (starting with THO's first chart in 1993) belongs to Alanis Morissette's "You Learn," which spent a remarkable 85 weeks on the chart.

Oh and by the way, Lady GaGa's "Poker Face" spends a second week at #1 on this week's chart.

- Current THO 100 chart
- THO 100 Archive
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THO 100 Update for week ending February 7, 2009

It has been nearly two years since we last heard from one of the biggest bands in the world, U2. But they are back with a new single "Get On Your Boots," which is the highest chart entry on the THO 100 this week. "Boots" is their 24 THO hit, although the THO chart began in late 1993, long after some of U2's greatest successes. "Beautiful Day" is their only chart topper, but they've had seven songs enter the top 10. The initial success of "Boots" is good, but not what we might expect from such a huge band with a two-year layoff. Feedback across the web appears to be the same... good but not great. Meanwhile, Lady GaGa continues her domination of the chart for a fourth consecutive week, leaving Beyonce, Britney, and Pink in the #2-4 positions, respectively. Enjoy the chart this week!

- Current THO 100
- Chart Archive
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THO 100 Update for the week ending January 24, 2009

After a disappointing follow-up to her smash album "Breakaway," Kelly Clarkson is back again with a new single from her upcoming album "All I Ever Wanted." The single is "My Life Would Suck Without You," and this week it is the highest debut on the THO 100. It is more reminiscent of her earlier hits, with a soaring vocal chorus set to a dance beat. Is it too early to predict another #1 hit in Clarkson's future? Probably not. For now, Lady GaGa holds on to #1 for a second week with "Just Dance." It now holds a comfortable lead over the Killers' "Human" and big singles by Beyonce, Britney, and Pink. Lady GaGa also has the #12 song on the chart with "Poker Face," which is just now beginning to see significant airplay in the U.S. Please enjoy the chart this week...

- THO 100 Chart
- THO 100 Archive
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THO 100 Update for week ending January 17, 2009

Lady GaGa makes a surprising jump from #6 to #1 on the THO 100 this week. Her smash hit "Just Dance" (featuring Akon & Colby O'Donis) benefits mostly from increased airplay and single availability in the UK, although radio airplay in many parts of the U.S. is still growing too. This is Lady GaGa first THO #1, and in fact her first THO hit. It replaces The Killers "Human," which ends up spending only a single week at the top. "Human" is just barely behind "Just Dance," so a re-entry into the top position next week would not be a surprise. Elsewhere on the chart, Pink and Girls Aloud have new songs enter the top 10, and Ne-Yo and The Fray move inside the top 40 with new singles.

- Current THO 100
- THO Archive
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Pink

Pink's huge hit "So What" recently fell from the top position on the THO 100. But now she is back with the follow-up single "Sober." This week it becomes Pink's 20th song to appear on the chart (with "Who Knew" counting twice because of two chart runs separated by more than six months). Her first hit was "There You Go" back in April of 2000. It was followed by her first #1 song, "Most Girls" later that year. After a modest hit with "You Make Me Sick," Pink recorded four consecutive #1 songs. In total she's had six number ones and 13 top tens. We've created a poll for you to vote for your favorite Pink song and view the results.

- Pink poll
- Pink's chart history
- Pink Wikipedia page
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THO 100 Update for the week ending November 15, 2008

Pink's six week run at #1 ends this week as "So What" drops to the runner-up slot. Taking its place is "Hot N Cold," the second #1 single from Katy Perry. Earlier this year "I Kissed A Girl" spent three weeks atop the chart. "I Kissed A Girl" is still hanging around the chart at #42 after 24 weeks. Perry will certainly be one of the top artists of 2008 when our year-end artist chart is published at the end of December. Perry's real name is Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson. She was born in Santa Barbara, California, the daughter of two pastors. In fact, her first CD released in 2001, called "Katy Hudson," was a Christian gospel album. Now her music and her outfits are pretty far removed from gospel... Enjoy the new chart this week!

- Current THO 100
- Katy Perry on Wikipedia

THO 100 Update for week ending November 8, 2008

This week on the THO 100 Pink spends a sixth week atop the chart with "So What." It becomes the third song in 2008 to spend as many weeks on top, following Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" and Madonna's "4 Seconds" (featuring Justin Timberlake). But with the song showing signs of fading, there might be a new #1 next week. The question is who? Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" and Britney Spears' "Womanizer" seem to be the most likely candidates, but Beyonce's "If I Were A Boy" just bounced into the top 10 in only its third week on the chart. A little further down the chart, the largest point gain belongs to English band Razorlight. Their hit "Wire To Wire" sits at #27 after only two weeks and is #15 on the official UK chart.

- Current THO 100
- Chart Archive
- Official UK Chart
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THO 100 Update for the week ending October 25, 2008

Pink holds on to the #1 position on the THO 100 this week with "So What." The top five spots are held by solo female artists, three of which will be major challengers for #1 in the coming weeks. At #3 is Katy Perry, who already scored a #1 hit earlier this year with "I Kissed A Girl." At #4 is Britney Spears, who is the greatest point gainer for the second consecutive week. At #5 is Christina Aguilera, who already has five #1 hits to her credit on the THO chart. How can men compete with female superstars like these?

- Current THO 100
- THO 100 Archive
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New Album Releases for October 28, 2008

Pink - Funhouse
Toby Keith - That Don't Make Me A Bad Guy
Rascal Flatts - Greatest Hits Volume 1
Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns
The Cure - 4:13 Dream
John Legend - Evolver
Bloc Party - Intimacy
Celine Dion - My Love - Ultimate Essential Collection
Ryan Adams - Cardinology
Lady GaGa - The Fame
Queen + Paul Rodgers - The Cosmos Rocks
Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads
Susan Tedeschi - Back To The River
Cradle Of Filth - Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder [2 CDs]
Hank Williams - The Unreleased Recordings [3 CD Box Set]
Kurt Carr with The Kurt Carr Singers - Just The Beginning [2 CD Live]
Loreena McKennitt - A Midwinter Night's Dream
Eagles of Death Metal - Heart On
Avalon - Greatest Hits
Michael W. Smith - A New Hallelujah
Celtic Woman - The Greatest Journey: Essential Collection
Soundtrack - Quantum of Solace
Joey & Rory - The Life Of A Song
Jay Street - Jay Street
Greg Street - Greg Street Certified Worldwide
Boz Scaggs - Speak Low
Straight No Chaser - Holiday Spirits
Juliette Commagere - Queens Die Proudly
The Partridge Family - Bulletin Board
Cynic - Traced In Air
Deerhunter - Microcastle
Marillion - Happiness Is The Road Volume 1 - Essence
Marillion - Happiness Is The Road Volume 2 - The Hard Shoulder
Lee Brice - Picture Of Me

- Full list of new and future album releases
- New Albums Google gadget
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THO 100 Update for the week ending October 18, 2008

Pink and Rihanna hold on to the top 2 spots on the THO 100 this week. Katy Perry moves from #8 to #3 and looks like a serious challenger for the #1 position in the coming weeks. Further down at #58 is the highest debut of the week by T.I. (featuring Rihanna). "Live Your Life" samples from the worldwide smash hit "Dragostea din tei" by O-Zone. O-Zone's hit went to #1 in several countries and reached #3 on the official U.K. chart. In the United States it barely made a splash, and was probably more well-known for the crazy lip-synching "Numa Numa" YouTube video by Gary Brolsma.

- Current THO 100 Chart
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THO 100 Update for the week ending October 4, 2008

In its seventh week on the chart, Pink's "So What" barely takes the number one position away from Rihanna's "Disturbia." Rihanna's hit held the top spot for four weeks. This is Pink's sixth #1 song on the THO 100. The first was "Most Girls" in late 2000. That was followed by four consecutive #1s: "Lady Marmalade," "Get The Party Started," "Don't Let Me Get Me," and "Just Like A Pill." How long will "So What" last at the top? It could be several weeks, as there are no likely contenders closing in. Possibly the best bet is M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes," which currently sits at #6 but almost 40 points behind.

- Current THO 100
- THO 100 Archive
- THO 100 FAQ
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THO 100 Update for week ending August 30, 2008

Keane has probably had more success on the THO 100 than any other national chart. They may not get the radio airplay or sales to place high on other charts, but their songs are often rated high on personal charts that make up the THO 100. A new album is on the way, and the first single, "Spiralling," certainly has a different sound than previous efforts. After being the highest debut last week, this week it is the largest point gainer. This is the third week at the top of the chart for Katy Perry, and probably the last for a while. Rihanna's "Disturbia" is closing fast and could overtake "I Kissed A Girl" next week. Also on the chart this week: Lady GaGa enters the top 10 for the first time, while The Script and Pink enter the top 20 with new songs.

- Current THO 100 chart
- THO 100 Archive, including year-end charts
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