Arts & Culture

Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending July 27

A woman, who lost her father in World War II, holds a dove before releasing it as she prays for the war dead at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on the 69th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.

We’re enjoying the five most popular songs in the Billboard Magazine Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending July 27, 2013.
French novelist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr once wrote “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” He must have been a countdown fan - that’s just what we face this week.

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Ray McDonald's Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending July 27


Top 5 Pop Songs for Week Ending July 27

Top 5 Pop Songs for Week Ending July 27

1. "Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring Pharrell Williams

2. "Get Lucky" Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams

3. "We Can't Stop" Miley Cyrus

4. "Radioactive" Imagine Dragons

5. "Can't Hold Us" Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton
Our sole movement occurs in fifth place, where Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Ray Dalton recover one slot with “Can’t Hold Us" - rebounding to number five with their former champ. Ray Dalton, 22, says he gave up his job as a tennis instructor to become a full-time musician once this song became a hit.
Holding in fourth place is Imagine Dragons, from Las Vegas, Nevada, with "Radioactive". Their big break involved misfortune for another band. Three years ago, Train lead singer Pat Monahan fell ill at the Bite Of Las Vegas Festival. Imagine Dragons was called in as a last-minute substitute…and performed before 26,000 people. Things really took off from there for the quartet.

Miley Cyrus hosts the iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party at the Fontainebleau Hotel, June 29, 2013 in Miami.

Holding in third place is Miley Cyrus, with "We Can't Stop". This week she had choice words for another young star. Speaking with the London Sun, Miley said fellow singing star Justin Bieber was “stupid” after becoming a tabloid fixture - but also admitted he’s not alone in making public missteps. Miley’s not kidding: she recently topped a parents’ survey of worst celebrity role models.
Holding for yet another week in second place, it’s Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams: “Get Lucky.” They threaten to take up permanent residence in second place. The mysterious French duo pops up in the August, 2013 issue of Vogue Magazine. They pose with a high-fashion model, and yes… they’re wearing their robot helmets.

Pharrell Williams, left, and Robin Thicke perform onstage at the BET Awards at the Nokia Theater, June 30, 2013, in Los Angeles.

When a song inspires parody clips online, it’s truly become a hit. Robin Thicke finds himself in that situation, as “Blurred Lines”, which also features T. I. and Pharrell Williams, holds the Hot 100 title for a sixth week. This song’s notorious video has inspired several parody clips featuring vocals from Muppet Kermit The Frog, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and others.
That’s it for now, but the Hot 100 never sleeps: join us in one week for a new lineup of hits.