Paper: Poleman Made Rihanna, Katy Perry Famous

12-10-13

The Daily News has a feature piece on Clear Channel's President of Programming Tom Poleman which says as the guy who decides what songs are played on Clear Channel's 850 stations Poleman has made Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Katy Perry famous. Of course, with so many different formats, not all of those stations play these artists. The News says in Poleman's powerful position he's also responsible "for making Justin Timberlake?s ?20/20? get major airtime, and gave Rihanna her first radio play." And Poleman tells the paper, he?s been wrong in the past, but that overall, he can make a star when he hears a hit. Read the full story HERE

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Rihanna Roars Onto Hot 100 as LMFAO Get 'Sexy' in Top 10

While Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger," featuring Christina Aguilera, spends a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Rihanna and LMFAO make strong cases for future chart domination with their latest singles.

Rihanna charges onto the Hot 100 at No. 16 with "We Found Love" (featuring Scottish DJ Calvin Harris), the first single from her forthcoming sixth studio album. Island Def Jam has not yet confirmed the title of the set, due Nov. 21.

The club-thumping "Found" enters Digital Songs at No. 7 with first-week download sales of 117,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and Radio Songs at No. 75 with 14 million out-of-the-box impressions, according to Nielsen BDS. With the song having been released digitally and to radio Thursday (Sept. 22), next week's charts will reflect the song's first full week of sales and airplay activity.

"Found" ties for the second-highest debut of Rihanna's 31 career Hot 100 entries. She started at a loftier rank only as a guest on Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie," which soared in at No. 2 the week of July 10, 2010, before spending seven weeks at the summit. Rihanna's "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)," with Jay-Z and Bono, also opened at No. 16 (Feb. 6, 2010).

New Rihanna Album Will Drop Nov. 21

LMFAO concurrently rockets 25-10 as the Hot 100's Digital Gainer with "Sexy and I Know It." The song bounds 15-6 on Digital Songs with 139,000 downloads sold (up 97%). Early airplay is likewise encouraging, as "Sexy" blasts 67-45 in its second week on Radio Songs (27 million, up 55%). The pair's previous single, "Party Rock Anthem," featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock, led the Hot 100 for six weeks, subsequently earning the honor of Billboard's top song of the summer.

At just four chart weeks, "Sexy" surges to the Hot 100's top 10 in less than half the time (nine weeks) it took "Anthem" to reach the top tier.

Rihanna and LMFAO share a degree of separation: "Found" featured artist Harris also guests on "Reminds Me of You" on LMFAO's "Sorry for Party Rocking" album.

As Rihanna sets up her next album, "Cheers (Drink to That)," from her most recent release "Loud," reaches a new Hot 100 peak, rising 8-7. The song dips, however, in digital sales (114,000, down 5%) and airplay (60 million, down 6%).

"Jagger," meanwhile, maintains its command over the Hot 100. The track strengthens its stronghold by posting gains atop Radio Songs (131 million, up 6%) and Digital Songs (233,000, up 5%), marking the song's best weekly audience and sales sums to-date.

LAST WEEK: Maroon 5, Christina Atop Hot 100 For Third Week

Former Hot 100 No. 1 "Someone Like You" by Adele places at No. 2 for a third week with Airplay Gainer honors for a third time in four weeks. The piano ballad (also being played in remixed form) rockets 9-2 on Radio Songs, improving by 26% to 106 million. The cut's seven-spot jump on Radio Songs is the greatest to the top two in the chart's 21-year history; only Kanye West's "Stronger" (7-1, Oct. 6, 2007) had risen as many as six positions to the top two.

On Digital Songs, "Someone" tallies a third frame at No. 2 (201,000, up 1%) after ruling the list three weeks ago.

Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" holds at No. 3 on the Hot 100 for a fifth week. The song pushes 8-6 on Radio Songs (96 million, up 6%) and remains at No. 3 on Digital Songs (177,000, down 5%).

LMFAO's "Anthem" (4-4); Gym Class Heroes' "Stereo Hearts," featuring Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine (5-5); and, Bad Meets Evil's "Lighters," featuring Bruno Mars (6-6), round out the Hot 100's static top six.

Between Rihanna's "Cheers" at No. 7 and LMFAO's "Sexy" at No. 10 on the Hot 100 are Lady Gaga's "You and I" (10-8) and Cobra Starship's "You Make Me Feel...," featuring Sabi (7-9).

In addition to Rihanna's bow with "Found," eight other songs enter the Hot 100, three by the "Glee" cast and two by Demi Lovato.

With school back in session, i.e., Fox's "Glee" returning for a third season last Tuesday (Sept. 20), three titles from the season premiere debut: "It's Not Unusual" (No. 65), originally Tom Jones' first Hot 100 hit (No. 10) in 1965; "Hairspray" cut "You Can't Stop the Beat" (No. 67); and, "We Got the Beat" (No. 83), a No. 2 smash for the Go-Go's in 1982. "Unusual" leads the way with sales of 40,000; by comparison, the top-selling track from last year's second-season opener, the troupe's cover of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind," began at No. 21 on the Hot 100 with sales of 106,000.

Lovato debuts on the Hot 100 at No. 69 with "Fix a Heart" (37,000 downloads) and No. 98 with "Unbroken" (24,000). The latter song is the title cut from the singer's third album, which, as previously reported, begins on the Billboard 200 at No. 4. The set's first proper single, "Skyscraper," elevates 61-55 on the Hot 100 after debuting and peaking at No. 10 in July.

All charts, including the Hot 100, Digital Songs and Radio Songs, will be refreshed tomorrow (Sept. 22) on Billboard.com.

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Gomez's Ben Ottewell Covers Rihanna

by Jessica Letkemann, N.Y.  |   May 30, 2011 10:15 EDT

In this week's Mashup Monday, Britain meets Barbados and rock meets R&B as Gomez singer/guitarist Ben Ottewell takes on Rihanna's "Only Girl (In The World)," armed with only an acoustic guitar.

Photos: Ben Ottewell's Mashup Behind-The-Scenes

Gomez's Ben Ottewell at Billboard

Covering "the Rihanna song came about because I thought, 'What would put me out of my comfort zone the most,' basically," the dusky-voiced Ottewell laughs about choosing the pop star's hit for his turn at the Mashup Mondays mic. "It's a very well written song, so I'm glad I did it and found that out."

Ottewell worked hard to find his own voice in the midst of Rihanna's pop. "I had to do the tune acoustic, but I had to convey the rhythm as well, so I just came up with a mellow little rif and put a little groove on it," he says.

Ottewell's usual sound and Rihanna's may be worlds apart, but both artists have spent time collecting awards and enjoying the upper reaches of the Billboard charts. Rihanna's "Only Girl (In The World)" reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 last December, while Gomez's "A New Tide" rose to No. 5 on the Independent Albums chart in 2009. Gomez kicked off its career in the late 90s, earning a coveted Mercury Music Prize for debut album "Bring It On," while just this month, Rihanna grabbed her share of Billboard Music Awards.

Covering Rihanna comes amidst a busy 2011 for Ottewell. Earlier this spring, he released his solo album "Shapes And Shadows," and now Gomez is prepping its next record, "Whatever's On Your Mind," which is due June 21.

See All Of Our Mashup Mondays Videos

MORE VIDEO FROM BEN OTTEWELL'S BILLBOARD VISIT:

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