The Goo Goo Doll’s ‘Iris’ Returns


CHART REWIND. John Rzeznik wrote “Iris” for the soundtrack to the 1998 film City of Angels starring Nicolas Cage. Rzeznik’s group The Goo Goo Dolls chose to include it on its sixth album Dizzy Up the Girl which amassed more than 3m in worldwide record sales.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdYWuo9OFAw

“Iris” was no less than a chart sensation as it spent a record 18 weeks at No.1 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart in 1998. That beats No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” (1996-1997) and Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” (2005) who spent 16 weeks atop the airplay chart.

So, how come it never made it higher than No.9 on the Hot 100? That’s because it wasn’t allowed to chart on the Hot 100 as it was never released as a physical single (that was long before the legal downloads). It bowed on the chart and peaked at No.9 when Billboard revised its chart policy in 1998. It, however, managed to top the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Despite becoming such a huge US hit, it never reached the UK top 20 peaking at No.26.  WelcheMusic still hasn’t figured out why. Boyzone lead singer  Ronan Keating took “Iris” to No.12, thus beating the original peak of Goo Goo Dolls.

And now, another boy band has covered the track. The Wanted performed “Iris” on The Sun’s concert sessions the other week.

Read more about The Wanted and watch the clip:

Boy Bands Return with a Vengeance as the UK Welcomes The Wanted

CHARTS SPOTLIGHT. Who said boy bands were out of fashion? The British boy band The Wanted debuted atop the UK singles chart on Sunday with the help of producer Steve Mac, who certainly knows the genre. The debut hit “All Time Low” has already been a Top 20 airplay hit in the UK and reached No.19 in Ireland upon its release. In true boy band style, the group was formed through massive auditioning.

The physical CD single features a rendition of Cheryl Cole’sFight for this Love.” This means that The Wanted knocks Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP off the No.1 spot. Expect the track “Heart Vacancy” as the follow-up single.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0LV_bETEzs

Steve Mac debuted as a producer in the early ‘90s, producing artists such as Chad Jackson, Nomad, Undercover and Lindy Layton. His boy band list of merits began with the German group Caught In The Act, whom Mac produced a string of hits from 1993-1996. Come 1996 and the introduction of Boyzone, with lead vocalist Ronan Keating.

In 1999, Steve Mac launched another Irish boy band together with Ronan Keating – Westlife. Throughout the ‘00s, Mac produced a string of hits for both bands – including No.1 hits such as “Flying without Wings” and “Queen of My Heart.”


Tinie Tempah Vaults To No.1 in the UK

This week, a 22 year old rapper called Tinie Tempah knocks Jason Derulo off the top with his debut single “Pass Out.” The track got heavy support from BBC Radio 1 and Zane Lowe declared it the “Hottest Record in the World Today.” A debut album is expected to reach stores this July.

According to an interview in The Sun, the song “is about getting so out of it that you pass out.” In addition to the singles chart, Tinie Tempah also tops the UK r’n’b chart this week.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddQ-zLP4bJY]

Jason Derulo drops to No.3 after a sole week on the top. He’s surpassed by Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” at No.2. Wiley returns to the top ten with “Never Be Your Woman,” featuring vocals singer Emeli Sandé. Wiley  peaked at No.2 with “Wearing My Rolex” back in May 2008. That track was later sampled in Ironik’s song “I Wanna Be Your Man.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n8fxrejX78]

Boyzone is also back with their 18th UK Top Hit “Gave It All Away,” with Ronan Keating and the late Stephen Gately on lead vocals. The song enters at No.9 and is written by singer Mika and produced by Ray Hedges. This is far better than the No.22 peak of “Better,” which was issued back in December 2008. “Gave It All Away” was able to bow atop of the Irish singles chart, knocking Jedward’s “Under Pressure” off the top. Boyzone made their debut in Ireland with “Working My Way Back to You.” It peaked at No.3 in native Ireland back in 1994 and was later released in French as “Te garder pres de moi” in 1997. It didn’t chart elsewhere. Their first UK No.1 came with The Osmonds’ hit “Love Me for a Reason.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PULdPep_xfs]

The singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding won a BRIT Award and sits firmly at No.4 on the singles chart with “Starry Eyed.” The track is included on her debut set Lights which debuts atop of the album chart this week. Lady Gaga’s The Fame falls 1-2 and spends its 60th week on the chart. WelcheMusic recently pointed out that the album turned 70 weeks in the US this week. Alicia Key’s The Element of Freedom remains at No.3, while the Glee Cast falls 2-4. Fueled by the success of “In My Head,” Jason Derulo bows at No.8 with his self-titled album.

Orianthi’s the Aussie Guitarist Racing the US Charts with Danish Eurovision Entry

Born in 1985, Australian Orianthi Panagaris has already spiced up her resume. Not only has she cracked the US market, she is also the guitarist in Michael Jackson’s concert movie This Is It. Her debut single “According to You” peaked at No.6 in Australia and is currently sitting at No.20 on the Billboard Hot 100. To be fair, the track has reached No.4 on the Billbord Pop Songs chart.The track is included on the latest WelcheMusic compilation which can be found here.

As this wasn’t odd enough, the title track of her current hit album Believe is none other than Niels Brinck’s “Believe Again” – Denmark’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. A track that was penned by Boyzone singer Ronan Keating.  Watch the original below:

Swedish song-writer Andreas Carlsson has also submitted songs to the album. “Bad News” was written by Carlsson with the help of Desmond Child and Orianthi herself.

Expect Orianthi to get her breakthrough in Europe as well.

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