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 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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THO 100 Update for the week ending January 10, 2009

The Killers overtake Britney Spears for the #1 position on the THO 100, ending her 7-week run at the top with "Womanizer." The Killers' "Human" therefore becomes the first new #1 song of 2009. It is not their first #1 hit, as "When You Were Young" made it to the top in late 2006. "Human" is their eighth top 10 hit to date. They should enjoy their top billing now, because the chart's greatest point gainer sits at #3 not far behind. That would be Beyonce's red-hot "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)." Beyonce also has the #4 song with "If I Were A Boy," although it retreats this week. Enjoy the chart!

- Current Chart
- THO 100 Archive
- THO #1 History
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New Album Releases for November 25, 2008

Many of these albums will be released Monday Nov 24th, due to the Thanksgiving holiday this week.

Guns N Roses - Chinese Democracy [Sold at Best Buy only]
Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
Ludacris - Theater Of The Mind
The Killers - Day & Age
Coldplay - Viva La Vida / Prospekts March [2 CDs]
Linkin Park - Road To Revolution - Live at Milton Keynes [CD + DVD]
Barry Manilow - The Greatest Songs of the Eighties
Scott Weiland - Happy In Galoshes
Trace Adkins - X
Original Broadway Cast Recording - 13
Tom Jones - 24 Hours
Jeremy Camp - Speaking Louder Than Before
Paramore - The Final Riot! [CD/DVD]
Death Cab For Cutie - Something About Airplanes [Deluxe Edition]
Kevin Rudolf - In The City
Cynic - Traced In Air
David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Daryl Hall & John Oates - Live At The Troubadour [Live CD/DVD]
International Noise Conspiracy - The Cross Of My Calling
Rivers Cuomo - Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo
Fireman - Electric Arguments
Tom Jones - 24 Hours
Kid Sister - Dream Date
Jon Anderson - 3 Ships
Supersuckers - Get It Together!
Tommy James - 40th Anniversary Singles Collection [2 CDs]
Soundtrack - Punisher: War Zone
Soundtrack - Gears Of War 2
Soundtrack - Fable 2
Return To Forever - Returns [2 CDs]
Hollyridge Strings - Christmas Favorites
Linkin Park - Road To Revolution - Live at Milton Keynes [Live CD/DVD]
White Zombie - Let Sleeping Corpses Lie [4 CDs]
Paramore - The Final Riot! [Live]

- Full list of new and future releases
- 2008 Holiday Albums
- All 2008 album releases
- New Album Google Gadget
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The Killers

If not for Britney Spears, The Killers would have easily had the highest debut on last week's THO 100 chart. "Human" debuted at #31 and became The Killers' 12th chart entry. Their first hit was "Mr. Brightside," which debuted in July of 2004 and enjoyed a chart run of 43 weeks. "When You Were Young" from 2006 is their lone #1 hit. But after their first seven singles hit the top 10, the past three have squandered outside the top 20. We predict "Human" will break that trend, but you never know. We've created a Killers poll to vote on the best Killers track to date.

- The Killers poll
- "Human" on YouTube
- "Human" lyrics
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2008 Brit Awards - Part 2

Yesterday we highlighted the 2008 Brit Awards, but only the awards for British artists. The Brit Awards also hand out 4 awards for the best international male solo artist, female solo artist, group, and album. Last year the winners were Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, The Killers, and "Sam's Town" by The Killers. Below are polls we've created for each of the 2008 international awards:
International Male Solo Artist
International Female Solo Artist
International Group
International Album
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