Here we go...Full Steam ahead

After a prelude of the 2009 EGGIES to help settle into this blogging lark, now comes the real business...weekly charts, retro charts, chart stats and, well...chart stuff in general.

My very first Top 40 was compiled in January 1984, when I ought to have been doing homework. Instead, with a copy of the latest No.1 Magazine (the short-lived rival to Smash Hits) opened to the full-colour chart page as inspiration, I started something that - after 26 years and almost 600 different records at the top - has now found a home on here.

To kick off, it's the first Weekly Top 40 of 2010. A new decade....

TOP 40 SINGLES CHART (WEEK ENDING 2/1/2010)

 1  3  2  1   TO KINGDOM COME, Passion Pit
 2  --  1  2   FULL STEAM, David Gray & Annie Lennox
 3  1 10  1   EMPIRE STATE OF MIND, Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys
 4  --  1  4   DOUBT, Delphic
 5  2  6  2   EARTHQUAKE, Little Boots
 6  4  6  4   YOU'VE GOT THE LOVE, Florence + The Machine
 7  7  4  7   BODIES, Robbie Williams
 8  6  14  1  FUGITIVE, David Gray
 9  9  2  9   DECEMBER SONG, George Michael
10 5  5  3   JUST SAY YES, Snow Patrol
11  8  7  3   THIS MUST BE IT, Royksopp
12 12 16  1  DRUMMING SONG, Florence + The Machine
13 10  5  8   SOUL CAKE, Sting
14 14  5  7   CHASING PIRATES, Norah Jones
15 11  4 11  SUGAR AND SPICE, Madness
16 15  6 10  RAINDROPS, Basement Jaxx
17 22 26  1  RABBIT HEART (RAISE IT UP), Florence + The Machine
18 13  4 13  I'M ALL OVER IT NOW, Jamie Cullum
19 16  5 16  SINK OR SWIM, Bad Lieutenant
20 23  2 20  BEYOND HERE LIES NOTHIN', Bob Dylan
21 19 10  4  STELLIFY, Ian Brown
22 17  5 11  WHEELS, Foo Fighters
23 20  7  7  HAVEN'T MET YOU YET, Michael Buble
24 25  2 24  FRENCH NAVY, Camera Obscura
25 29  2 25  PENCIL FULL OF LEAD, Paolo Nutini
26 21 12  8  CRYSTALLISED, The XX
27 18 18  3  POPPIHOLLA, Chicane
28 24 12  4  SWEET DISPOSITION, The Temper Trap
29 27 23  1  REMEDY, Little Boots
30 26 14  6  NEW YORK, Paloma Faith
31 28  7  9  SOON YOU'LL GO, Howard Jones
32 30 10 14 TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL, The Prodigy
33 32 11  5  REAL LATE STARTER, Nerina Pallot
34 31 11  9  CANDY, Paolo Nutini
35 33 11 10 ONCE MORE, Spandau Ballet
36 36 18 18 I GOTTA FEELING, Black Eyed Peas
37 34 22  5  BEGGIN', Madcon
38 RE 26  1  WE ARE THE PEOPLE, Empire Of The Sun
39 RE 61  3  PARIS IS BURNING, Ladyhawke
40 35 14  5  DUST DEVIL, Madness


In-brief: Passion Pit ends the 7-week reign of Empire State Of Mind. A third consecutive No.1 appears to have eluded Florence + The Machine. The traditional end-of-year retrospection sees a few of 2009's favourites rebound or re-enter.