When the Official Charts Company started publishing the midweek charts, some people understandably wondered whether it might actually do more harm than good, by making it too easy to guess what would be number one on Sunday.  Fortunately, the British record buyers have turned out to be a little more erratic than that.

For example, last week, the midweeks had “Nothin’ On You” by B.o.B. returning to number 1; “Dirtee Disco” by Dizzee Rascal dropping to 2; and “Ridin’ Solo” by Jason Derulo climbing to 3.  But they’ve all been overtake by the record that placed at number 4 on the midweeks – “Gettin’ Over You” by David Guetta.

It has to be said that some of Guetta’s production tricks are getting a bit overfamiliar – compare his earlier single “Love is Gone”, for example.  Even so, he’s clearly the pop music producer of the moment.  Quite aside from his uncredited production jobs for the likes of the Black Eyed Peas, this is his seventh credited top 40 hit, and his third number 1, following last year’s “When Love Takes Over” and “Sexy Chick”.

It’s a remix of a track from his current album, which has led to some garbled credits.  The chart is presently crediting the track to “David Guetta featuring Chris Willis.”  Willis is Guetta’s regular singer, and previously appeared on “Love Don’t Let Me Go” and “Love Is Gone.”  Because the track first charted in the lower reaches of the top 75 as an album download, the chart company has apparently opted to stick with the original credit.

The single, however, is credited to “David Guetta and Chris Willis featuring Fergie and LMFAO.”  Chances are that’ll get sorted out in the end and the other two will receive their artist credit for posterity.  So, this is the first number 1 for Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas as a solo act.  Previously, her biggest UK hit was the rather uncharacteristic ballad “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, which reached number 2 in 2007.

LMFAO are an electro/rap duo from California.  Judging from Wikipedia, their major cultural impact in their native country lay in contributing the theme tune for Jersey Shore. However, they have charted before in Britain, when a mash-up of their track “I’m In Miami Bitch” reached number 9.  The original is a bit of a dirge, frankly. The mash-up (with “Let the Bass Kick” by Chuckie) is a bit more lively, though the video is the definition of cheap and nasty.

Not that there’s anything wrong with making cheap videos, mind you.  Since I can’t bring myself to embed anything by Fergie or LMFAO, and we’ve covered David Guetta’s back catalogue before, here’s the fabulously cheap video for “As Serious As Your Life” by Four Tet, a classic example of how to spend literally no money and get it right.

This week’s other new entries…

• Miley Cyrus, “Can’t Be Tamed” at number 13.  One of several records this week which benefitted from being plugged on the Britain’s Got Talent semifinals – or so I’m told, I wasn’t watching.  It’s the title track from her upcoming third album, and marks a pretty unambiguous attempt to reposition her as something closer to Britney Spears.  Obviously she was going to have to break out of her Disney image at some point, although there’s something of a credibility gap with trying to portray the star of Hannah Montana as a newfound rebel.  Still, the video director is giving it his best shot.  See if you can spot the subtle, subtle metaphor. Incidentally, Miss Cyrus is still signed to Disney’s record label.

• B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams, “Airplanes”, at number 23.  It’s only been two weeks since B.o.B. reached number 1 with his debut single “Nothin’ On You”, so this is a surprise.  They’ve apparently shot a video for this, but I’m damned if I can find it online, and it isn’t officially being promoted as a single yet.  It looks like people are cherrypicking this track from the album – presumably because it features Hayley Williams, who is the lead singer of Paramore.  It’s her first solo credit; Paramore’s have had four previous top 40 hits, the biggest being “Ignorance”, which reached number 14 last year.
• Pixie Lott, “Turn It Up” at number 25.  They’ve remixed it, but this is still the fifth single taken from her debut album, so it’s hardly a surprise that it’s tailing in some way behind the others.  That and it’s a bit forgettable.
• The Glee Cast, “Poker Face” at number 27, giving them a fifteenth top 40 hit.  Not quite as radical an overhaul as you might think.  It’s the same arrangement that Lady Gaga uses for acoustic shows – see here and numerous other examples.
• Lena, “Satellite” at number 30, the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.  I’m surprised this didn’t do a bit better, given that the 2009 winner (“Fairytale” by Alexander Rybak) made the top ten.