VOA常速英语:Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending May 31

This is the Top Five Countdown! We’re hitting the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending May 31, 2014.

Author Tom Robbins once wrote, “Mediocrity is a hairball coughed up on the Persian carpet of Creation.” Tom may want to avoid this week’s show, where only song enters the list. It happens in fifth place, where Katy Perry leaves, and DJ Snake returns.

The French DJ and his pal Lil Jon rebound a slot with “Turn Down For What.”
DJ Snake says he was surrounded by electronic dance music growing up in Paris. He joined the French military and got the nickname Snake on his second day of basic training. He thought it was cool, so he kept it.

Pharrell Williams begins his slow disappearing act, as his former champ “Happy” dips two slots to fourth place. Away from the charts, however, Pharrell is more visible than ever. On June 3, he’ll make his stage debut at an American landmark - Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater. Filming the show will be Pharrell’s friend, Oscar-nominated director Spike Lee.

Ariana Grande is back where she started two weeks ago as “Problem,” featuring Iggy Azalea, rebounds a slot to third place. This song is already a huge success. It moved 438,000 downloads in its first week, making it the fourth best-selling debut ever by a female artist. Ariana says she wasn’t sure the song was right for her style. She says her friend, rapper Big Sean, persuaded her to take the risk. It’s definitely paid off!

Meanwhile, Iggy Azalea moves one step closer to a one-two finish on the Hot 100. She moves into second place with “Fancy,” featuring British singer Charli XCX. Iggy grew up in a tiny Australian town named Mullumbimby. She traveled to the United States just before her 16th birthday - and has been here ever since. She worked her way into the Atlanta hip hop scene before relocating to Los Angeles in 2010.

Up at number one, we have no surprises: John Legend wears the crown for a third week with “All Of Me.” Last weekend, John gave a special performance of this very song. He sang it live at the Italian wedding of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. John wasn’t the only singing star present: Lana Del Rey performed at the May 23 rehearsal dinner, while opera star Andrea Bocelli sang at the ceremony itself.

The curtain’s coming down now, but we’ll have a whole new lineup for you next week. Thanks for stopping by!