VOA标准英语2014--Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending July 12

 

Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending July 12

We’re lighting¹ up the five most popular songs in the Billboard² Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending July 12, 2014.

Much of the United States is now afflicted³ with hot summer weather - which may explain why our songs haven’t moved much.

Let’s open in fifth place, where Sam Smith relaxes with “Stay With Me.” Sam just did something we haven’t seen on the U.S. chart in 21 years…His debut⁴ album In The Lonely Hour occupies second place on the Billboard pop album chart, while his UK countryman Ed Sheeran holds first place with x (“Multiply).” This is the first time two solo UK acts have ruled the Stateside album chart since 1993…when Eric Clapton and Sting did it.

Shaping up as one of the top songs of this North American summer, is “Am I Wrong” from Nico & Vinz. It holds at number four. Last month, the Norwegian duo signed a global co-publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell Music. Their debut U.S. album Black Star Elephant will hit the market later this year.

It’s a good news-bad news week for Ariana Grande: she dips a notch⁵ to third place with “Problem,” featuring Iggy Azalea. Over in the United Kingdom, however, it’s a different story. “Problem” is the first single to reach number one on the British chart, based on both sales and streaming data. It had 106,000 sales combined with 712,000 audio streams.

Taking Ariana’s place at number two is MAGIC! with “Rude.” The band may be new, but the leader knows his way around a hit - Nasri Atweh has several prior pop hits under his belt: he co-wrote “Feel This Moment” by Pitbull; “Don’t Judge Me” from Chris Brown; and Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never.”

Holding the title for a sixth big week are Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX with “Fancy.” This puts Iggy in the record books - it’s now the longest-running number one single by a female rapper. Iggy passes Lil’ Kim, who ruled the list for five weeks back in 2001 with her all-star collaboration⁶ “Lady Marmalade.”

That’s all for now, but a new chart is forming. Drop by next week for all the action.

1 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

2 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

3 afflicted   

使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
• A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。

4 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

5 notch   

n.(V字形)槽口，缺口，等级

参考例句：

• The peanuts they grow are top-notch.他们种的花生是拔尖的。
• He cut a notch in the stick with a sharp knife.他用利刃在棒上刻了一个凹痕。

6 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。