2011 Hasn't Been Half-Bad on Billboard Charts



Just ahead of the calendar flipping to the second half of 2011 this week, how about a look back at 11 notable Billboard chart records set in the first six months of the year?


Jan. 1
On the first Billboard Hot 100 of '11, Michael Jackson's "Hold My Hand," featuring Akon, roared 65-39, granting the late King of Pop the longest span of top 40 hits in the chart's 52-year history. At 39 years and two months, Jackson passed the 38-year, one-month span of top 40 hits logged by Santana. Jackson first reached the top 40 as a solo act the week of Nov. 6, 1971, when "Got to Be There" rocketed 50 spots to No. 39. (He had already banked seven top 40 entries with the Jackson 5 by then).


Feb. 26
Lady Gaga scored the landmark 1,000th No. 1 in the Hot 100's history, as "Born This Way" blasted in at the summit. The song arrived by setting the marks for highest audience total (78.5 million, according to Nielsen BDS) for a debuting title and opened as the best-selling first-week download (448,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan) by a female artist. "I'm humbled and overwhelmed at the reception to 'Born This Way'," Lady Gaga told Billboard. "Between Billboard and the radio numbers, I couldn't be more blessed to have the fans I have."


Feb. 26
The same week, the "Glee" cast dethroned the King of Rock and Roll for most Hot 100 entries. Despite having first graced the chart as recently as June 2009, the Fox TV troupe passed Elvis Presley's 108 appearances. (Presley's career predated the Hot 100's 1958 launch; he had scaled numerous Hot 100 predecessor song charts beginning in 1956). By the end of its sophomore season, the cast's Hot 100 haul stands at 156 charted titles.


March 26
Lady Gaga's "The Fame" became the first album to spend 100 weeks at No. 1 on Dance/Electronic Albums, eventually tallying 106 frames in charge. With the chart having launched June 30, 2001, "The Fame" has reigned for 20% of the list's history.The set first reached summit the week of Nov. 15, 2008. Gnarls Barkley's "St. Elsewhere" ranks second with 39 weeks at No. 1 in 2006-07.


April 16
Gnarls Barkely member Cee Lo Green's "F**k You (Forget You)" reached the Pop Songs radio airplay chart pinnacle in its 25th week, completing the longest journey to the summit in the ranking's 18-year history.The song passed the 23-week climb to No. 1 for P!nk's "U + Ur Hand" in 2006-07. "The key was that 'F**k You' never stopped selling, so we couldn't just walk away," Roadrunner Records senior VP/promotion Mike Easterlin told Billboard. "I am proud of our staff for never giving up (and) we're thankful to radio."


April 23
For the third time in four weeks, the lead for the most No. 1s in the history of Pop Songs changed hands, as Rihanna's "S&M" whipped 2-1 to become her record eighth topper on the tally.The coronation broke a tie with Lady Gaga and P!nk. The three-way deadlock between the female superstars didn't last long. Lady Gaga had notched her seventh No. 1, "Born This Way," two weeks earlier. That track had displaced P!nk's "F**kin' Perfect," which had reigned the prior two weeks.


April 30
Despite a fall to No. 2 for "E.T.," featuring Kanye West, Katy Perry rewrote the record for most consecutive weeks - 49 - in the Hot 100's top 10. Perry passed Ace of Base, which logged 48 straight weeks in the top tier in 1993-94. As of last week, Perry had upped her streak to 58 weeks, with "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," the fifth single from "Teenage Dream," zooming 31-4 and likely securing Perry several more record-extending frames in the top bracket.


May 14
Taylor Swift is having the last laugh on the brand of critic she skewers in her latest Country Songs top 10, "Mean." When the song lifted 12-9, Swift had reached the chart's top 10 with all 13 of her singles (excluding holiday fare) promoted to country radio. She joined Carrie Underwood as the only women to begin their chart histories with as many consecutive top 10s dating to the survey's 1944 launch. Prior to the pair, Connie Smith had held the record among women with 12 straight career-opening Country Songs top 10 singles in 1964-68.


June 11
After winning the 10th season of "American Idol" May 25, Scotty McCreery burst onto Country Songs at No. 32 with coronation track "I Love You This Big." The bow marked the highest launch for a brand new artist's first single since the chart converted to BDS data the week of Jan. 20, 1990. Among new artists (unaccompanied by established acts), another musical reality program champion previously held the mark for highest Country Songs launch on an initial try. Brad Cotter, winner of the second season of "Nashville Star," charged in at No. 42 with "I Meant To" the week of May 22, 2004.


June 11
By debuting (at No. 100) on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" became the first song by a solo female to have appeared on that survey and Rock Songs, where it reached No. 15. As the multi-format smash has also topped the Hot 100, Adult Pop Songs, Adult Contemporary and Triple A and appeared on Dance Airplay and even Latin Pop Songs, it's no surprise that parent album "21," which has totaled 10 weeks atop the Billboard 200, is 2011's top-selling set (2.3 million copies, according to SoundScan).


June 11
Michael Jackson bookended 2011's first-half chart highlights, leading Dance/Club Play Songs for the first time in almost 16 years with "Hollywood Tonight." With the rise, the late King of Pop collected his eighth solo No. 1 on the survey, tying him with Enrique Iglesias for most leaders among men in the chart's 35-year history. Since his passing June 24, 2009, Jackson's albums have sold 10.6 million copies, according to SoundScan, accounting for a third of his entire SoundScan-era (since 1991) album sales (32.3 million).

Despite a fall to No. 2 for "E.T.," featuring Kanye West, Katy Perry rewrote the record for most consecutive weeks - 49 - in the Hot 100's top 10. Perry passed Ace of Base, which logged 48 straight weeks in the top tier in 1993-94. As of last week, Perry had upped her streak to 58 weeks, with "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),"

After winning the 10th season of "American Idol" May 25, Scotty McCreery burst onto Country Songs at No. 32 with coronation track "I Love You This Big." The bow marked the highest launch for a brand new artist's first single since the chart converted to BDS data the week of Jan. 20, 1990.

May 14 Taylor Swift is having the last laugh on the brand of critic she skewers in her latest Country Songs top 10, "Mean." When the song lifted 12-9, Swift had reached the chart's top 10 with all 13 of her singles (excluding holiday fare) promoted to country radio. She joined Carrie Underwood as the only women to begin their chart histories with as many consecutive top 10s dating to the survey's 1944 launch. Prior to the pair, Connie Smith had held the record among women with 12 straight career-opening Country Songs top 10 singles in 1964-68.

2011: The Year of GaGa

Originally posted by Remixed 2011: The Year of GaGa

**** them. They didn't mention Britney not ONCE. Not even the ****ing fact that S&M would NOT have gone #1 without her. #NotHereForThat.

Originally posted by ifyouseekLEM **** them. They didn't mention Britney not ONCE. Not even the ****ing fact that S&M would NOT have gone #1 without her. #NotHereForThat.

2011 Hasn't Been Half-Bad on Billboard Charts

The same week, the "Glee" cast dethroned the King of Rock and Roll for most Hot 100 entries.

Originally posted by Remixed Did Britney break any records this year? [That weren't then shattered by someone else]

With her 27th entry on Pop Songs, Britney Spears passes Madonna and trails only Mariah Carey (29) for most chart visits all-time.

Originally posted by Michael

Originally posted by Duca She "only" became: The Youngest Artist In History to Have a #1 Album/Singles in Three Decades The Youngest Female Artist in History to Have Six #1 Albums The Third Female Artist with Most #1 Albums The Only Female Artist Whose First Seven Albums Have Debuted in the Top Two Slots on the Chart The Only Female Artist in History to Have Six Albums Debut at #1 The Female Artist with Most #1 Albums This Millennium Oh, and last week: There's more, but this isn't a thread for that. She definitely deserved a mention.

Lady Gaga's "The Fame" became the first album to spend 100 weeks at No. 1 on Dance/Electronic Albums, eventually tallying 106 frames in charge.

Originally posted by ifyouseekLEM Spill that tea boo. Not to mention HIAM debuted at #1....Britney is tied with the only other artist in history to do so, Mariah Carey.

Originally posted by Remixed Did Britney break any records this year? [That weren't then shattered by someone else]

Originally posted by Remixed Did Britney break any records this year? [That weren't then shattered by someone else]