Britney Spears (Second Version)

A HIT, ONE MORE TIME: For the second week in a row, the record for the biggest leap to No. 1 on The Billboard Hot 100 has been broken.

That new record set by “Live Your Life” only lasted one week, as Britney Spears’ “Womanizer” blasts 96-1, almost - but not quite - the biggest jump to pole position possible.

There are only four other positions on the chart from which an artist could make a greater bound to the top. Once a single does take the inevitable 100-1 ride, we can all be assured the record will never be broken again.

Looking at this week’s Hot 100 might make you wonder if that 100-1 jump is going to happen next week. Debuting in the anchor slot is a new Beyonce single, “If I Were a Boy”. But don’t look for a new record to be set when you read the next edition of Chart Beat. “If I Were a Boy” is charting based on early airplay - that’s the same way Spears’ “Womanizer” entered at No. 96 last week. The difference is that a digital single of “If I Were a Boy” wasn’t released this week, so there isn’t going to be an injection of sales to fuel a big “Boy” move. Additional airplay will allow the Beyonce track to move up, and an eventual digital release could result in an impressive jump to first place, but not a record-setting move.

Since we have a new record-holder, here is an update of the list published last week, summarizing the dozen songs that have leapt to No. 1 from No. 31 or below:

96-1: “Womanizer,” Britney Spears (Oct. 25, 2008)
80-1: “Live Your Life,” T.I. featuring Rihanna (Oct. 18, 2008)
71-1: “Whatever You Like,” T.I. (Sept. 6, 2008)
64-1: “Makes Me Wonder,” Maroon 5 (Sept. 12, 2007)
53-1: “Take a Bow,” Rihanna (May 24, 2008)
52-1: “A Moment Like This,” Kelly Clarkson (Oct. 5, 2002)
51-1: “Love in This Club,” Usher featuring Young Jeezy (March 15, 2008)
42-1: “Give It to Me,” Timbaland featuring Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado (April 21, 2007)
41-1: “Umbrella,” Rihanna featuring Jay-Z (June 9, 2007)
34-1: “SOS,” Rihanna (May 13, 2006)
32-1: “This Is Why I’m Hot,” Mims (March 10, 2007)
31-1: “SexyBack,” Justin Timberlake (Sept. 9, 2006)

“Womanizer” puts Britney back in control of the Hot 100 for the first time in nine years and nine months, since her first chart entry, “…Baby One More Time” ruled the list. That’s the longest gap between No. 1 songs since Cher’s “Believe” moved into the penthouse 10 days shy of 25 years after “Dark Lady.”

“Believe” began its reign in March 1999, just four weeks after “…Baby One More Time” ended its run at the top.
“Womanizer” is Spears’ 18th chart entry and sixth top 10 hit. Two of her three biggest hits have occurred in the last 13 months. Here’s how those half-dozen top 10 songs fared:

No. 1: “…Baby One More Time” (1999)
No. 1: “Womanizer” (2008)
No. 3: “Gimme More” (2007)
No. 9: “Ooops!…I Did It Again” (2000)
No. 9: “Toxic” (2004)
No. 10: “(You Drive Me) Crazy” (1999)

Finally, Spears is one of just a small group of artists who have spent time at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in the 20th and 21st centuries.