VOA常速英语:Top 5 Songs for Week Ending Feb. 8

We’re counting down the five most popular songs on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending February 8, 2014.

We get a new singles champ this week, who’s no stranger to the throne. That’s still to come; for now let’s start in fifth place, where Eminem and Rihanna hold steady with “The Monster.” Both artists just made it onto a high-powered list. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry just issued its list of the 10 most popular acts in the world - and both Eminem and Rihanna made the cut. He’s in second place, she’s in eighth. In case you’re wondering, One Direction took first place.

A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera tread water in fourth place with “Say Something.” A Great Big World also debuts on this week’s album chart. On January 21, the group released its debut album Is There Anybody Out There? The answer is definitely “yes” - because it opens at a healthy number three on the latest Billboard album chart.

It looks like OneRepublic will fall short of achieving a chart milestone. They stay put in third place with “Counting Stars.” Although this song hit number one in the United Kingdom, it stopped at second place in the United States. To date, OneRepublic has never topped the Hot 100 chart - but of course, that could all change next week.

Speaking of changes, Pitbull and Ke$ha end their reign atop the hit list, as “Timber” falls to number two. Ke$ha was not the first choice for this song. Pitbull initially wanted Rihanna; however, she was busy recording her duet with Shakira, “Can’t Remember To Forget You.”

Jumping a slot to number one is Katy Perry with "Dark Horse" featuring Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia. This is her ninth U.S. number one pop single in only five years.... pretty impressive. Katy also places fifth in the aforementioned list of the world’s most popular recording stars.

Can “Dark Horse” win the race again next week? Join us in seven days to find out.