Now in its 10th week, Rihanna's "Umbrella" (Def Jam) featuring Jay-Z has become the U.K.'s longest-running No. 1 single since Wet Wet Wet's "Love Is All Around" spent 15 weeks at the top in 1994. Meanwhile, operatic singer Paul Potts, the recent winner of the latest talent-spotting series on ITV, "Britain's Got Talent," saw his self-titled debut album for Syco Music/Sony BMG debut at No. 1.
The Rihanna single stayed ahead of Kate Nash's "Foundations" (Fiction/Polydor), which edged back 3-2, and Timbaland's "The Way I Are" (Interscope) featuring Keri Hilson, up 4-3. Enrique Iglesias' "Do You Know (The Ping Pong Song)" (Interscope) moved back 7-5 and the Hoosiers' "Worried About Ray" (RCA) rebounded 8-6.
The one song new to the top 10 was Mark Ronson's interpretation of the Kaiser Chiefs' "Oh My God" (Columbia) featuring Lily Allen, which climbed 12-8. It was a good week all round for Ronson, as the parent album "Version" raced 38-12 and Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" (Universal Island), which he also produced, improved 14-8 in its 38th chart week.
Scottish singer/songwriter Amy McDonald scored a debut hit as "Mr. Rock and Roll" (Mercury) entered at No. 12. Groove Armada's "Song 4 Mutya (Out Of Control)" (Columbia), featuring former Sugababe Mutya Buena, rose 16-13 and Mika's "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" (Casablanca/Universal Island soared 69-14, as his album "Life in Cartoon Motion" rose again 13-4. Also new in the top 20 was Biffy Clyro's "Folding Stars" (14th Floor) at No. 18.
Potts' debut album success was, remarkably, the only new entry on the entire top 75 chart. It pushed the Enemy's "We'll Live and Die In These Towns" (Warner Bros.) down to No. 2 as the Traveling Wilburys' "Collection" (Rhino/Warner Bros.) stayed steady at No.3. Timbaland's "Shock Value" (Interscope) rose 17-5 and Kings Of Leon's "Because of the Times" (Hand Me Down/Sony BMG) jumped 10-7. "The Essential Barbra Streisand" (Columbia) rose 25-13 in the wake of her U.K. concert dates.
In its 57th week on European Top 100 Albums, Nelly Furtado's "Loose" (Mosley/Geffen) made a remarkable surge back to No. 1, while "Umbrella" is in its seventh week at No. 1 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.