Billy T - number one gold
Posted Wed 17 Dec 2008 4:09PM NZDT by Andrew Miller in Chartalec
It's never happened before so it's a big week for the late William Taitoko.
Going by his stage name Billy T James, he becomes the very first local act to land a posthumous number one album.
"The Comic Genius Of Billy T James" jumps five points to become the best-selling album in the country this week.
In the process Billy T is just short of selling Gold over the counter - that's almost 7,500 units in a single week!
Generally if an artist experiences a sales spike following their passing it's in the weeks following their death, not so in Billy T's case.
It's been 17 years and now the prophet is honoured in his own land with his third charted album and first number one.
"The Comic Genius Of Billy T James" is also the fifth Kiwi release to make number one in 2008.
Lady Gaga reigns supreme again on the Singles chart, as "Poker Face" makes it for a sixth consecutive week.
There are four newcomers to the singles top 40, three of which are local.
First up highest new entry honours go to Anika Moa and OpShop, hooking up for a Dave Dobbyn cover. The song "Beside You" debuted in public last Thursday night at Yellow's Homemade Jam gig at Vector Arena.
The track gains strong first week radio play and download sales to land at number 20. That's nine points higher than the peak of the Dobbyn original in 1999. The track is a fundraiser for Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre. It gives Anika her sixth hit and OpShop their fifth.
The uke is not that common an instrument in the pop chart, but thanks to the capital collective the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra it is now. Their sophomore EP recording "A Little Bit Wonderful" becomes their first chart entry at number 32.
It includes a uke version of Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" (number four in 1970).
The third hit of '09 for Nesian Mystik is fresh at number 36. "Mr Mista" is hit number three from the group's third album "Elevator Musiq", making their hit tally 10 exactly, all bar two of which have gone Top 10.
Rounding out the new entries is NY duo MGMT who land a second hit from their number 22 "Oracular Spectacular" debut set with "Kids".
It follows Top 10er "Electric Feel" from August. Back in 2000 a different track titled "Kids" was a number five duet for Robbie Williams and recent visitor Kylie Minogue.
The albums list is quieter new entries-wise with just the one - Fall Out Boy’s “Folie A Deux”. Issued on Saturday and with just two days sales, the band’s third long-player lands at number 37.
It would've placed higher had it not been before the peak Christmas retail season. It is the American band's lowest debut thus far; however expect it to go higher closer to their 2009 shows.
Debut set "Under The Cork Tree" opened at number 35 prior to peaking at number 29. Sophomore "Infinity On High" opened in the pole position 22 months back, remaining on top for six straight weeks.
Now that the festive season is staring us down the barrel and with the download age, some classic Christmas songs look set to rechart.
There's a very strong possibility that next week's singles list will feature one or more former yuletide hits. Will it be Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You", Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", The Pogues' "Fairytale Of New York" or The Royal Guardsmen's "Snoopy's Christmas"?
Xmas time will tell.
Going by his stage name Billy T James, he becomes the very first local act to land a posthumous number one album.
"The Comic Genius Of Billy T James" jumps five points to become the best-selling album in the country this week.
In the process Billy T is just short of selling Gold over the counter - that's almost 7,500 units in a single week!
Generally if an artist experiences a sales spike following their passing it's in the weeks following their death, not so in Billy T's case.
It's been 17 years and now the prophet is honoured in his own land with his third charted album and first number one.
"The Comic Genius Of Billy T James" is also the fifth Kiwi release to make number one in 2008.
Lady Gaga reigns supreme again on the Singles chart, as "Poker Face" makes it for a sixth consecutive week.
There are four newcomers to the singles top 40, three of which are local.
First up highest new entry honours go to Anika Moa and OpShop, hooking up for a Dave Dobbyn cover. The song "Beside You" debuted in public last Thursday night at Yellow's Homemade Jam gig at Vector Arena.
The track gains strong first week radio play and download sales to land at number 20. That's nine points higher than the peak of the Dobbyn original in 1999. The track is a fundraiser for Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre. It gives Anika her sixth hit and OpShop their fifth.
The uke is not that common an instrument in the pop chart, but thanks to the capital collective the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra it is now. Their sophomore EP recording "A Little Bit Wonderful" becomes their first chart entry at number 32.
It includes a uke version of Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" (number four in 1970).
The third hit of '09 for Nesian Mystik is fresh at number 36. "Mr Mista" is hit number three from the group's third album "Elevator Musiq", making their hit tally 10 exactly, all bar two of which have gone Top 10.
Rounding out the new entries is NY duo MGMT who land a second hit from their number 22 "Oracular Spectacular" debut set with "Kids".
It follows Top 10er "Electric Feel" from August. Back in 2000 a different track titled "Kids" was a number five duet for Robbie Williams and recent visitor Kylie Minogue.
The albums list is quieter new entries-wise with just the one - Fall Out Boy’s “Folie A Deux”. Issued on Saturday and with just two days sales, the band’s third long-player lands at number 37.
It would've placed higher had it not been before the peak Christmas retail season. It is the American band's lowest debut thus far; however expect it to go higher closer to their 2009 shows.
Debut set "Under The Cork Tree" opened at number 35 prior to peaking at number 29. Sophomore "Infinity On High" opened in the pole position 22 months back, remaining on top for six straight weeks.
Now that the festive season is staring us down the barrel and with the download age, some classic Christmas songs look set to rechart.
There's a very strong possibility that next week's singles list will feature one or more former yuletide hits. Will it be Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You", Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", The Pogues' "Fairytale Of New York" or The Royal Guardsmen's "Snoopy's Christmas"?
Xmas time will tell.
