New Picks of the Week January 9, 2011

It’s hard to believe that the Toronto Christian rock band Manic Drive has been around for 15 years now. They just came across my radar a couple years ago. Last year, they had one of my picks of the week with “Walls”. Their latest to make the cut is “Music”. It has a fun ascending scalar hook line along with strings and horns. The message is basically how worship is not about the music, it’s about our Lord God. As musicians, we struggle with this probably more than anybody listening to the music. And even though we love making the music, it’s more about making the music for God than anything else. Way to go Manic Drive!

Chart Highlights:


It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve done my usually-weekly chart highlights column. But Katy Perry is still holding down the #1 spot with “Firework”. Actually she gave up the spot for a week last week when Bruno Mars soared to the top with “Grenade”. But this week, the two flip flop back. Three other former #1 songs wrap up the Top 5 this week. Holding at #3 is “We R Who We R” by Ke$ha. Rihanna is still at #4 with “What’s My Name?” featuring Drake. And P!nk makes it two straight weeks at #5 with “Raise Your Glass”.

So who is going to have the next make #1 hit. Look out for Enrique Iglesias who inches up from 7-6 a week after a big 6-notch move with “Tonight (I’m Lovin‘ You)” featuring Ludacris & DJ Frank E. The Black Eyed Peas might still make a run as well as they move from 9-7 with “The Time (Dirty Bit)”.

The chart is usually slow moving the first couple weeks of the year. And it’s no different here in 2011. The biggest jump in the Top 20 is actually from one of the biggest hits of 2010, “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz which moves from 16-13. Katy Perry also makes a 3-notch move from 21-18 with “Teenage Dream”.

Two other older songs also tie for the biggest move in the Top 40. Flo Rida is up from 36-30 with “Club Can’t Handle Me” featuring David Guetta. Enrique Iglesias is up from 38-32 with “I Like It” featuring Pitbull.

There are no debuts this week, just one re-entry. Taylor Swift is back in at #31 with “Mine”.