VOA常速英语:Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending Feb. 22

We’re spotlighting the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending February 22, 2014.

Four out of our top five positions change hands this week - that’s an 80 percent turnover!

2. "Happy" Pharrell Williams
3. "Talk Dirty" Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz
4. "Say Something" A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
5. "Let Her Go" Passenger
We begin at the beginning: in fifth place, where Passenger rises a slot with “Let Her Go.” British singer-songwriter Mike Rosenberg records as Passenger. This song has already topped the charts in more than a dozen countries while going seven times platinum in Australia. That means it’s sold nearly half a million copies - in a country of about 24 million people. Not too shabby!

Back into contention in fourth place comes A Great Big World and “Say Something,” featuring Christina Aguilera. Christina is saying “goodbye” to a popular U.S. TV show. Next week sees the start of the sixth season of The voice in the United States. For a second time, Christina and Cee Lo Green will leave their judges’ chairs to concentrate on their own careers…and once again, Shakira and Usher will replace them.

It’s an “up” week for Jason Derulo and 2 Chainz, as “Talk Dirty” rises a notch to number three. Is One Direction to thank for Jason’s good fortune? Last November, the members of One Direction released a YouTube video of themselves dancing to the song, which was already a hit in Europe, but practically unknown in the United States. The clip went viral…and “Talk Dirty” began bounding up the Hot 100 chart.

Speaking of fast movers: Pharrell Williams rockets from eighth to second place with “Happy.” It’s also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song…and we’ll find out how it fares on March 2. “Happy” first turned up in the hit movie Despicable Me 2.

Taking the trophy in the Hot 100 race for a third week are Katy Perry and Juicy J from three 6 Mafia with “Dark Horse.” Katy celebrated Valentine’s Day with her boyfriend John Mayer, and while they’re rumored to be engaged, Katy’s people are denying it…for now, anyway.

But there’s no denying the power of the Top Five - we'll return next week and hope you will, too.