German Chart Comments - Issue Date 24.05

No one should be surprised by the new number one in Germany as the latest winner of Deutschland sucht den Superstar, or DSDS, or the German Music Idol, debuts directly at the top. The difference this year is that we have only for a second time in DSDS' history a female winner (next to the long forgotten Elli, who even didn't get a #1) and for the first time it is a schlager singer. And as schlager music is so hot right now, especially in the album charts where Helene Fischer and Andrea Berg are selling huge amounts of CDs, it was expected this trend to influence the single countdown as well. Over the last 10-15 years it were only DJ Ötzi and Die Höhner who scored #1 singles with schlager songs. So, congratulations for Swiss Beatrice Egli, whose "Mein Herz" (a typical Helene Fischer song, but unlike Egli, Fischer has no top 20 single on her account) has no problems entering at the summit. 
Short Video  

In another DSDS-related news, the show's runner-up this year, the somewhat surprisingly successful Lisa Wohlgemuth, debuts with her finale song "Heartbreaker" at #8. 
Audio 

Last week's #1 single "Safe and Sound" of Capital Cities slips this week to #2, while Daft Punk's "Get Lucky", which is extremely successful in the UK, moves up one to #3.
Video - Capital Cities
Audio - Daft Punk 

It's also a new peak for James Arthur's "Impossible", which advances four to #5. Once again Arthur should be thankful to DSDS contestant Ricardo, whose music career, if such ever appear, would be interesting to be observed. 
Video
 
As German music is definitely on the rise currently (which is always welcomed by me), Tim Bendzko's pilot single from his sophomore album debuts just outside the top 10. As "Am seidenen Faden" is a great song, it definitely deserves to be a big hit such as "Nur noch kurz die Welt retten" and "Wenn Worte meine Sprache wären", Bendzko's top ten singles from 2011. 
Video
 
At #13, up from #19, Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" is undoubtedly becoming one of the hits of the approaching summer, while at #14 we have comedy star Fresh Torge with a new entry. "Superstar" acts as a parody for all the casting "stars" for whom I've talked at the beginning, and is the first single of the YouTube comedian in the chart. Oh, and the credited Sandra is not the 80s legend...
Video - Thicke
Video - Fresh Torge

It's also great to see Depeche Mode, whose recent concert in Sofia was simply amazing, following the #2 debut of "Heaven" scoring another top 30 track with "Soothe My Soul", the second single taken from the "Delta Machine" album, which enters at #22. Yes, Germany's single buyers still love them.
Video

The next new entry is the latest offer of Jennifer Lopez and (of course) Pitbull as "Live It Up" makes an early debut at #43. 
Video 

Also entering the top 50 this week is "Pompeii" by British band Bastille. The UK hit has been slowly gaining in momentum in Germany as well and in its four week moves nine to peak at #46. This is the first song of the group in the German countdown.
Video 

French singer Zaz has been absent from the charts after her debut "Je veux" peaked at #22 in 2011. Now she is back with a new material and her latest singer "On Ira" shoots itself to #47, up from #91.
Video

And the other new entries this week:  


#52 Hurts - Blind
Video
#54 R.I.O. ft. U-Jean - Ready or Not
Video
#70 Gleis 8 - Wer ich bin
Video
#81 Andrea Berg - Ich liebe das Leben
Live
#82 OneRepublic - Counting Stars
Audio
#83 Helene Fischer - Und morgen frueh kuess ich dich wach
Live
#93 Carlprit - Fiesta
Video
#96 Youthkills - Time Is Now
Video

The Album Chart

The album chart this week has a completely new top three plus Helene Fischer bringer three titles back in the top ten following the exposure made by Beatrice Egli. The #1 however belongs to German band Santiano, who are fast to release their sophomore album "Mit den Gezeiten" after last year's "Bis ans Ende der Welt" also reached #1 selling in platinum quantities. At #2 French singer Zaz brings her second album "Recto verso", which beats the #3 peak of Zaz' self-titled debut from 2011. Also new at #3 is Agnetha Fältskog and her album "A", which turns the most successful solo project of the former ABBA singer in Germany. And as Helene takes the positions 5, 7 and 10, German duo Glasperlenspiel manage to beat the #15 peak of their debut album with second effort "Grenzenlos", which comes new at #8.