Chart Watch: Rihanna Hits Top Ten

     The Black Eyed Peas remain No. 1 for a second week with "Imma Be" and Rihanna earns her 14th top ten single as "Rude Boy" jumps 23-8 this week.  This also makes Rihanna three for three with the singles from Rated R.  What's missing however is a No. 1.  From 2006-2008, the singer topped the charts with ease, scoring five No. 1s.  She hasn't been so lucky lately.

     "Rude Boy" has the best chance of any of her recent singles to do the job.  It's an uncharacteristically light track from a rather dark and brooding album.  It was last week's sixth most downloaded song and its growing rapidly at radio, from No. 36 to No. 18 on the radio chart.

     The third single from an album usually has a hard time topping the Hot 100.  By the time the single is released, avid fans have long since purchased the album and other consumers might have hand picked the song from the iTunes store in the weeks and months before it peaks as well.  Still, it's happens.  Jay-Z was the last to do so with Blueprint 3's third single, "Empire State of Mind" with Alicia Keys.  Rihanna still faces stiff competition from "Imma Be" and Lady Gaga and Beyonce's fast rising "Telephone".

     Expect "Rude Boy" to climb next week.  It's radio airplay is still on the rise, and it currently sits at No. 2 on iTunes behind a former British No. 1 that I'm ecstatic I can finally purchase legally in the United States, "Break Your Heart" by Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris.

1. "Imma Be" - Black Eyed Peas
2. "BedRock" - Young Money feat. Lloyd
3. "Need You Now" - Lady Antebellum
4. "Tik Tok" - Ke$ha
5. "Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga
6. "Hey Soul Sister" - Train
7. "How Low" - Ludacris
8. "Rude Boy" - Rihanna
9. "Say Aah" - Trey Songz feat. Fabolous
10. "In My Head" - Jason DeRulo