UK Chart Roundup: The Saturdays Sound More Like The Mondays, Lady Gaga Is #1

I'm not quite sure what it is that happened to The Saturdays over time to make them so utterly bland — too many cooks in the kitchen, perhaps, following their initial success with rad debut album Chasing Lights — but whatever it is, it started when the ho brigade released their hodge podge of a second album Wordshaker two years ago. Last year's EP Headlines! was even more abysmal.

So now we have "Notorious," the lead single from the broad squad's upcoming third album. There's been much squawking about the song being so different from anything they've done before, but really it just sounds like it could be any pop tart's latest "boink me on the dancefloor, luv" track.



Sorry, Sats — it's dime a dozen tripe, I'm afraid.

Nevertheless, "Notorious" debuts at #8 on this week's UK chart on the strength of downloads alone (the CD single version doesn't arrive for another month), and becomes their ninth single (out of 10) to land in the Top 10 in their home country. Personally, I just wish they'd return to the fun sound of "If This Is Love" and "Up," rather than marauding through Britney/Rihanna-lite territory.

Over on the UK album chart, Lady Gaga is the one to finally unseat Adele (following the latter's 16-week reign with 21) from the top, as Born This Way posts the biggest first week sales for an LP this year. The Official Charts Company reports that Gaga's third release has sold just over 215,000 copies. (Adele's sophomore album debuted with 208,000.) Here in the States, the album is expected to wind up with over a million copies sold when the Top 200 chart is tallied up this week.

So far, Born This Way has also topped the Australian, Irish and Swedish album charts.

The UK Top 10:

1. "Give Me Everything" - Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, AfroJack & Nayer 2 weeks*
2. "The Lazy Song" - Bruno Mars
3. "I Need A Dollar" - Aloe Blacc
4. "Party Rock Anthem" - LMFAO
5. "Mr. Saxobeat" - Alexandra Stan
6. "Beautiful People" - Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi
7. "Sweat" - Snoop Dogg
8. "Notorious" - The Saturdays *new*
9. "Judas" - Lady Gaga
10. "Save The World" - Swedish House Mafia