Whilst checking out a few of the European iTunes singles charts I couldn't help but notice the cross-continental popularity of "Ai Se Eu Te Pego!" by popular Brazilian singer Michel Teló. At first I wondered why it was turning up in all the charts. It's the wrong time of year for a "holiday hit" so it couldn't be that. So off I went to do some research and found out that the song became popular after Brazilian footballers danced to it after scoring goals. The song was launched in Europe and off it went up the charts. Everywhere of course except here in the UK, but that's no surprise really *exasperated sigh*Anyway I love the concept of a pan-European hit, especially one that isn't in the English language!
Another song which has taken forever to reach British ears, but is finally here at last is Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know". Gotye was born Wouter De Backer in Belgium but moved to Australia as a child. The song was initially a massive hit in Australia and I heard it a few months ago, and at that time thought it was so unusual and so different from everything else around at the time. It's also been a big hit in Europe and still doing very well.
One British artist doing better "over there" than "over here" is Marlon Roudette, although hopefully that's due to change. His old band Mattafix were very popular on the continent, especially in Germany, and his solo single "New Age" was a big hit over there some months back. Again, it's the kind of song which eats its way into your brain and given the chance, I think it could become a daytime radio staple.
Over in Norway, MGP contestants Plumbo - who sound like a Norwegian equivalent of Nordman with their mix for rock and folk - are no.1 in the iTunes chart with M*******n (?) whilst their MGP entry, the appropriately titled "Ola Nordmann" is also in the top 10. If this is any indication of their popularity, we just might be seeing them in Baku.
On first listen I was a bit unkind about Donkeyboy's comeback single "City Boy" but I should know by now never to judge a song on first listen as it takes a lot of songs a long time to grow on me. I like it now, although still not as much as "Ambitions" or "Sometimes". The song's still doing very well in their native Norway.
In Sweden, the P3 Guld-effect has taken "The Lion's Roar" by First Aid Kit (Salem Al Fakir's favourite Swedish act of the moment, by the way!) all the way into the iTunes top 10. It's certainly a very different and distinctive song, and for some reason reminds me of late 60s/early 70s folk-singers. (!)
She may not have won the final series of Swedish Idol, but Moa Lignell has her moment in the spotlight this week as her own song "When I Held Ya" is no. 1 in the Swedish iTunes chart. Takida are still very popular and getting lots of airplay so it's no surprise to see their latest single "You Learn" doing well, although for me it's a bit weaker than some of their previous hits. It's not the only song in the charts featuring the distinctive voice of Robert Pettersson though, as he (along with Helena Josefsson) sings the theme to the new Swedish movie "Hamilton: I Nationens Intresse". I've only heard the song a couple of times but I've got a feeling it's going to be popping up on my playlist. Check out this post by Damian about the song over at Swedish Stereo: http://swedishstereo.blogspot.com/2012/01/robert-pettersson-feat-helena-josefsson.html
