VOA常速英语:Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending July 12

We’re lighting up the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending July 12, 2014.

Much of the United States is now afflicted with hot summer weather - which may explain why our songs haven’t moved much.

Let’s open in fifth place, where Sam Smith relaxes with “Stay With Me.” Sam just did something we haven’t seen on the U.S. chart in 21 years…His debut album In The Lonely Hour occupies second place on the Billboard pop album chart, while his UK countryman Ed Sheeran holds first place with x (“Multiply).” This is the first time two solo UK acts have ruled the Stateside album chart since 1993…when Eric Clapton and Sting did it.

Shaping up as one of the top songs of this North American summer, is “Am I Wrong” from Nico & Vinz. It holds at number four. Last month, the Norwegian duo signed a global co-publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell Music. Their debut U.S. album Black Star Elephant will hit the market later this year.

It’s a good news-bad news week for Ariana Grande: she dips a notch to third place with “Problem,” featuring Iggy Azalea. Over in the United Kingdom, however, it’s a different story. “Problem” is the first single to reach number one on the British chart, based on both sales and streaming data. It had 106,000 sales combined with 712,000 audio streams.

Taking Ariana’s place at number two is MAGIC! with “Rude.” The band may be new, but the leader knows his way around a hit - Nasri Atweh has several prior pop hits under his belt: he co-wrote “Feel This Moment” by Pitbull; “Don’t Judge Me” from Chris Brown; and Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never.”

Holding the title for a sixth big week are Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX with “Fancy.” This puts Iggy in the record books - it’s now the longest-running number one single by a female rapper. Iggy passes Lil’ Kim, who ruled the list for five weeks back in 2001 with her all-star collaboration “Lady Marmalade.”

That’s all for now, but a new chart is forming. Drop by next week for all the action.