Amazing debut for Bruno Mars and Phil Collins is back at number one

26/09/2010

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and producer Bruno Mars storms to the top of the Official Singles Chart with his debut release Just The Way You Are (Amazing) selling almost double that of nearest rival Taio Cruz’s Dynamite, the Official Charts Company confirms today.

Hailing from Honolulu, Hawaii and born into a musical family (his father, a Latin percussionist and mother, a talented vocalist) Mars draws on an eclectic mix of influences from reggae and R&B, to folk and rock ‘n’ roll.  Says Mars, “Hawaii is basically in the middle of the world, so you’re exposed to every type of music over there.”

Mars (born Peter Hernandez) moved to Los Angeles straight from high school to pursue his musical career and teamed up with friends Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine to form the sought after production/songwriting team, The Smeezingtons.  The trio went on to craft a number of worldwide hits including Flo Rida’s Right Round (Official Singles Chart number one, 2009) and K’NAAN’s Fifa World Cup song, Wavin’ Flag (Official Singles Chart number two, 2010).  Mars has also previously lent his vocals to the international number one B.o.B’s Nothin’ On You (Official Singles Chart number one, May 2010) as well as Travie McCoy’s summer anthem Billionaire (Official Singles Chart number three, July 2010)

Mars supports Travie McCoy on his upcoming UK tour which runs from October 18th -25th.  Mars’ debut album will be released next year.

There are two other new entries in the Official Singles Chart Top 10 this week: Must Be The Music Winner Emma’s Imagination (aka Emma Gillespie) is straight in at number seven with Focus, her second Top 10 single this month and Italian DJ Alex Gaudino is straight in at number ten with I’m In Love (I Wanna Do It).

In the Official Albums Chart, veteran Phil Collins climbs to number one from last week’s number four with Going Back, his first studio album for eight years.

Going Back is Collins’ tribute to the songs, songwriters and performers who first inspired him and includes tracks such as the Temptations’ Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue), Stevie Wonder’s Uptight (Everything’s Alright) and Martha and The Vandellas’ (Love Is Like A) Heatwave as well as title track Going Back written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and made famous by Dusty Springfield.

“It shouldn't really be a surprise to anyone that I've finally made an album of my favourite songs,” says Collins.  “These songs – along with a couple of Dusty Springfield tracks, a Phil Spector/Ronettes tune, and one by the Impressions – make up the tapestry, the backdrop, of my teenage years. I remember it as if it was yesterday, going to the Marquee Club in London's Soho and watching The Who, The Action, and many others, playing these songs. In turn I'd go out the next day to buy the original versions.
 
“My idea, though, was not to bring anything ‘new’ to these already great records, but to try to recreate the sounds and feelings that I had when I first heard them.  My intention was to make an ‘old’ record, not a ‘new’ record.”

Phil Collins’ musical career spans four decades, 100 million album sales (which rises to 250 million if you count his work with Genesis), eight Grammy Awards, an Oscar and a Golden Globe. He has had five previous solo UK number one albums; Face Value (1981), No Jacket Required (1985), …But Seriously (1989), Both Sides (1993) and Hits (1998) and three number one singles; You Can’t Hurry Love (1982), Easy Lover (1985) and A Groovy Kind Of Love (1988) plus another five Top 10 hit albums and ten Top 10 hit singles.  Collins notched up another six number one albums as part of Genesis.

There are two new entries in the Official Albums Chart Top 10; Manic Street Preachers are straight in at number three with Postcards From A Young Man, their tenth studio album and seventh Top 5 hit (including the greatest hits package Forever Delayed), and Maroon 5 are straight in at number six with Hands All Over. Mumford & Sons re-enter the Official Albums Chart Top 10 with the evergreen Sigh No More, up to number nine from last week’s number eleven.

Notes to Editors
 
1.   Chart information quoted from this release must be credited to The Official Charts Company
 
2.  The Official Charts Company (OCC) is a joint venture between record labels’ body the BPI and ERA, the Entertainment Retailers Association.   The OCC is responsible for the commissioning, marketing, distribution and management of the UK’s industry standard music and video charts and is endorsed by the BVA (British Video Association).
 
3. The Official Charts Company compiles its charts from sales information gathered across all key distribution (or entertainment) channels including all major high street retail chains, independent stores, supermarkets, mail order internet retailers and digital music service providers. This market research sample equates to 99% of the total UK Singles market; 98% of the total UK Albums market and 90% of the total UK DVD market.
 
For further information contact:
Amy Howard, Official Charts Company.
T: 01480 860 530  M. 07768 891 264
E: amy@theofficialcharts.com
W:  www.theofficialcharts.com
The Official Chart Update with Greg James, 3.30pm-4pm, BBC Radio 1
The Chart Show with Reggie Yates, Sunday 4pm-7pm, BBC Radio 1.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/

Ends.                          

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