Ray's weekly charts

[crystalphoenix]

Back in the late 80s it was really hard to get hold of the Japanese import CD's. And when you did find them, they were very expensive. But the one I really wanted more than any other was La Isla Bonita as it had Crazy For You and Gambler as part of the tracklist.

Ah, makes sense! Yeah, it's wild that they expected people to buy the whole Vision Quest Soundtrack just for two Madonna songs (especially in places where "Gambler" wasn't even made available as a single. To this day, I don't think it's been included on any Madonna album/hits collection either - which is a shame, since it's such energetic 80's fun).

• A pretty stable week! That works in Meghan's favor, though
• RIP Maxine and Mariah. "Voor Altijd" hype has been dying down for me too, but its chart run was strong enough that it should rank among my Top 50 of 2022 (when it comes time for Year-End Countdowns)

Yet another chart that turns a bad day good, RayRay!

[RayRay]

Ah, makes sense! Yeah, it's wild that they expected people to buy the whole Vision Quest Soundtrack just for two Madonna songs (especially in places where "Gambler" wasn't even made available as a single. To this day, I don't think it's been included on any Madonna album/hits collection either - which is a shame, since it's such energetic 80's fun).

To this day, La Isla Bonita (Japanese edition) is still the only Madonna CD to feature Gambler. And although it was a Top 10 hit here in the Netherlands (and the UK), it is not even on streaming platforms. Shame really.

[RayRay]

Most streamed: 22 - 29 July 2022

01. (ne) Harrison Dean | (Let Me) Pick You Up (1 week) peak #1
02. (02) Calum Scott | The Way You Loved Me (5 weeks) peak #2
03. (01) Meghan Trainor feat. Teddy Swims | Bad For Me (5 weeks) peak #1
04. (ne) Years & Years | Immaculate (1 week) peak #4
05. (06) Regard, Years & Years | Hallucination (3 weeks) peak #5
06. (ne) Madonna | Holiday (7" Version) (1 week) peak #6
07. (05) Jaap Reesema x Lea Rue | Code Rood (6 weeks) peak #3
08. (re) Soft Cell and Pet Shop Boys | Purple Zone (10 weeks) peak #2
09. (04) Willem & Jan | Tussen Jou en Mij (5 weeks) peak #3
10. (07) Dany | Het Komt Wel Goed (4 weeks) peak #6



OUT:
03. (04) Suzan & Freek | Honderd Keer (13 weeks) peak #2
08. (09) Emma Muscat | I Am What I Am (10 weeks) peak #1
09. (10) MEAU | Als Jij Maar Bij Me Bent (13 weeks) peak #3

[crystalphoenix]

To this day, La Isla Bonita (Japanese edition) is still the only Madonna CD to feature Gambler. And although it was a Top 10 hit here in the Netherlands (and the UK), it is not even on streaming platforms. Shame really.

Yeah it looks like the only way to get it digitally is to buy the entire Vision Quest Soundtrack on iTunes This must be the doing of the Geffen Label that released the soundtrack, but hopefully Madonna's team can do more with the song someday (unless she's glad it got swept under the rug) #justiceforgambler

• An interesting/unexpected new No. 1: a Dutch man's take on Country music! How'd you discover Harrison?
• Y&Y doubling-up inside your Top 5 now!
• Another great Madonna throwback as we inch closer to the full Finally Enough Love release

Yet another chart that picked me right up, RayRay!

[RayRay]

An interesting/unexpected new No. 1: a Dutch man's take on Country music! How'd you discover Harrison?

I wrote a song for our school. Like an anthem we can sing when we have a celebration or when when there is a match and the children have to compete against another school.

I wrote this school song with the producer/bass player of Harrison Dean. So when I was in his studio he let me hear some songs he had been working on and this was one of them.

[RayRay]

Most streamed: 29 July - 5 August 2022

01. (ne) Todrick Hall | GAY EXCELLENCE (1 week) peak #1
02. (01) Harrison Dean | (Let Me) Pick You Up (2 weeks) peak #1
03. (09) Willem & Jan | Tussen Jou en Mij (7 weeks) peak #3
04. (02) Calum Scott | The Way You Loved Me (6 weeks) peak #2
05. (03) Meghan Trainor feat. Teddy Swims | Bad For Me (6 weeks) peak #1
06. (04) Years & Years | Immaculate (2 weeks) peak #4
07. (05) Regard, Years & Years | Hallucination (4 weeks) peak #5
08. (07) Jaap Reesema x Lea Rue | Code Rood (7 weeks) peak #3



OUT:
06. (ne) Madonna | Holiday (7" Version) (1 week) peak #6
08. (re) Soft Cell and Pet Shop Boys | Purple Zone (10 weeks) peak #2
10. (07) Dany | Het Komt Wel Goed (4 weeks) peak #6

[crystalphoenix]

I wrote a song for our school. Like an anthem we can sing when we have a celebration or when when there is a match and the children have to compete against another school.

I wrote this school song with the producer/bass player of Harrison Dean. So when I was in his studio he let me hear some songs he had been working on and this was one of them.

What an awesome opportunity! So not only will you be a part of your school's legacy/identity, you also got to work in a studio with a professional recording artist, who gave you sneak peeks of his material?! Congrats!

• "Gay Excellence" is a fitting descriptor for a lot of UKMIXers I'm not familiar with Todrick's catalog, but your No. 1 has a great anthemic feel to it (and I love the Janet homage on his album cover)

[JSparksFan]

Not Todrick's best, but your #1 is decent.

01. (ne) Todrick Hall | GAY EXCELLENCE (1 week) peak #1
06. (04) Years & Years | Immaculate (2 weeks) peak #4
07. (05) Regard, Years & Years | Hallucination (4 weeks) peak #5

[RayRay]

Not Todrick's best, but your #1 is decent.

01. (ne) Todrick Hall | GAY EXCELLENCE (1 week) peak #1

For me, the "rap" makes it the best song he has released up to now:

Blossom homosapiens, have bloomed for generations
Phenomenally brilliant minds create interior designs
The lingo that they use is ours
We make the moves that make the stars
We photograph, we shape the hair
We make the gowns that divas wear
We fight the fight, we win the race
We paint the lips, we beat the face
Our legacy's no mystery
We leave our heels in history
Glitter running through our genes
We're done with dancing in the wings
So strut into the present tense
And bask in your gay excellence
Now work

[RayRay]

Most streamed: 5 - 12 August 2022

01. (01) Todrick Hall | GAY EXCELLENCE (2 weeks) peak #1
02. (ne) Todrick Hall | SORRY BARBIE (1 week) peak #2
03. (04) Calum Scott | The Way You Loved Me (7 weeks) peak #2
04. (ne) Helene Fischer | Liebe ist ein Tanz (1 week) peak #4
05. (02) Harrison Dean | (Let Me) Pick You Up (3 weeks) peak #1
06. (05) Meghan Trainor feat. Teddy Swims | Bad For Me (7 weeks) peak #1
07. (07) Regard, Years & Years | Hallucination (5 weeks) peak #5
08. (ne) Sophie Ellis-Bextor x Wuh Oh | Hypnotized (1 week) peak #8
09. (03) Willem & Jan | Tussen Jou en Mij (8 weeks) peak #3
10. (ne) Son Mieux | Multicolor (1 week) peak #10
11. (ne) Rosa Linn | SNAP (1 week) peak #11
12. (08) Jaap Reesema x Lea Rue | Code Rood (8 weeks) peak #3



OUT:
06. (04) Years & Years | Immaculate (2 weeks) peak #4

[crystalphoenix]

• "Barbie Girl" is tough to top as the ultimate Barbie-centric song, but Todrick's track does have a lot of fun quotable lines: "Yup, I'm finna tear his lil' plastic ass up" I also like the "plot twist" at the end when Barbie decides to give girls a try
• Glad to see "Hypnotized" debut! That unusual "hypnotiZED" pronunciation she uses definitely helps the song stick in my brain
• "SNAP" is probably my favorite discovery from this latest chart (I don't usually follow Eurovision super-closely, so this is my first time hearing it). The Fargo Remix on her SNAP PACK EP is pretty good too

[RayRay]

• "Barbie Girl" is tough to top as the ultimate Barbie-centric song, but Todrick's track does have a lot of fun quotable lines: "Yup, I'm finna tear his lil' plastic ass up" I also like the "plot twist" at the end when Barbie decides to give girls a try
• Glad to see "Hypnotized" debut! That unusual "hypnotiZED" pronunciation she uses definitely helps the song stick in my brain
• "SNAP" is probably my favorite discovery from this latest chart (I don't usually follow Eurovision super-closely, so this is my first time hearing it). The Fargo Remix on her SNAP PACK EP is pretty good too

Barbie Girl is already on my playlist since June 19 but I didn't play it often enough so it didn't make my chart. But since I discovered Gay Excellence (three weeks ago), I've started to stream Barbie Girl more and more and now I really love it.

Hypnotized is lucky that my husband likes the song as well, so I tend to stream it more when we are both listening to music.

SNAP is a song I didn't really play during Eurovision as I didn't think it was one of the better songs, but now it suddenly entered the Dutch Top 40 and I have given it another try.