Eminem Charts Highest Bow Yet
LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – Eminem simultaneously earns the highest-debuting song of his career on the Billboard Hot 100 and the highest-debuting non-“American Idol” track of 2004.
“Just Lose It” (Shady/Aftermath) is a new entry at No. 17. That’s considerably higher than Eminem’s previous two highest debuts, “Lose Yourself” (which opened at No. 43 the week of Oct. 5, 2002) and “Without Me” (No. 44 the week of May 11, 2002).
“Just Lose It” eclipses the No. 29 bow of Usher and Alicia Keys’ “My Boo” (LaFace) a month ago, to become the fourth-highest new entry of the year, behind “I Believe” by Fantasia at No. 1, “Solitaire”/”The Way” by Clay Aiken (news) at No. 4 and “Dreams” by Diana DeGarmo at No. 14.
“Just Lose It” is one of two debuts in the top half of the chart. “Vertigo” (Interscope) by U2 is off to a strong start, with a debut at No. 46. It’s the highest debut for a U2 single since the No. 30 entry of “Staring at the Sun” the week of April 26, 1997. “Vertigo” is already the biggest U2 hit since “Beautiful Day” peaked at No. 21 the week of Jan. 27, 2001.
‘BOO’ ON SECOND
The high debuts of new songs by Eminem and U2 make them candidates for the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, but they’ll have to get past “My Boo” (LaFace) from Usher and Alicia Keys. That superstar duet advances 5-2, poised to become Usher’s fourth No. 1 of 2004 and Keys’ first chart-topper since “Fallin”‘ in summer 2001.
If “Boo” captures first place next week, it will end the five-week reign of “Goodies” (Sho’Nuff-Musicline/LaFace) by Ciara Featuring Petey Pablo. Other than Usher’s “Yeah!” and “Burn,” no song has been No. 1 for five weeks or more since OutKast ruled the chart for nine frames with “Hey Ya!,” which assumed pole position in December 2003.
HER PERROGATIVE
Britney Spears earns her fourth Mainstream Top 40 hit this year, as “My Prerogative” (Jive) begins its chart life at No. 28. Spears is now tied with Usher as the artist with the most chart debuts this year on this tally.
Spears also has charted the most songs on Mainstream Top 40 so far this decade, with a total of 14. With 16 charting songs in her career, Spears is in fourth place behind Madonna (24), Janet Jackson (21) and Mariah Carey (20) for the artist with the most charted titles in the history of the chart.
‘FREEK’ OUT
After 40 weeks, “Freek-a-Leek” by Petey Pablo drops off the Rhythmic Top 40 chart, but not before becoming the third-longest-running song in this survey’s history. The two songs to have longer runs on this list are “Where My Girls At” by 702 (42 weeks) and “Too Close” by Next (52).
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