Ah well, nothing stays at number one forever.  After four weeks, “Someone Like You” by Adele finally slips to number two.  (Mind you, it’s  number one again in the iTunes chart as I write.  So you never know.  It could be back.)

And the new number one is…

…“Don’t Hold Your Breath” by Nicole Scherzinger.  Wikipedia describes this as “an empowering mid-tempo pop song”, which pretty much tells you what to expect.  It’s one of those post-break-up declaration-of-independence dance records; all pretty familiar, let’s be honest, but it’s done well enough.  The song has been doing the rounds for a while; there’s a demo version out there with vocals by Timbaland and Keri Hilson, though quite why somebody thought it was good material for him, I’ve no idea.

This is Scherzinger’s third number one, and her first as a solo artist.  She also reached the top with the first two Pussycat Dolls singles, “Don’t Cha” and “StickWitU”.  That was back in 2005, and she’s been trying to get a solo career under way ever since – unsurprisingly, since she seemed to be the only one of the Pussycat Dolls who actually did anything on the records.  She first cropped up as a guest on “Come To Me” by P Diddy in 2006, and there was an entire aborted album in 2007, but now it looks as though they’ve finally got the formula right.  Persistence pays.

Technically this is her eighth hit with a solo credit, though that includes a couple of singles from 2009 credited to “the Pussycat Dolls featuring Nicole Scherzinger”.

For a change, there are several new entries in the top ten.  Number 3 is “Gold Forever” by the Wanted, the lead single from the boy band’s second album.  They’ve always had a bit of an issue with crossover appeal beyond their core fanbase, but given the limits of the boy band format, they’re really not so bad. This record sees them trying to straddle the gap between balladry and dance, with an arrangement that lurches weirdly from Coldplay to rave, but at least someone’s trying.  It’s their fourth hit.

It’s also a charity single, with proceeds going to the biennial Comic Relief telethon – hence the video.  I assume there’s probably a regular version of the video to be used abroad or once the fundraising season is over; that’s what the Saturdays did when their version of “Just Can’t Get Enough” was used.  The telethon was on Friday, so it’s possible the exposure will boost sales next week.  There are also some novelty singles which debuted during the telethon itself, though from the look of it none of them are selling in huge quantities.

There’s another Comic Relief single at number 27 – “True Faith” by George Michael, a cover of New Order’s number 4 hit from 1987, slowed down to ballad pace, and shoved through an overenthusiastic vocoder.  The review of this have been little short of brutal, and the press has settled on the line that it’s a flop.  It’s his 35th single, and one of the smaller ones (though 2004’s “Round Here” didn’t make the top 30).  A polite description would be “bizarre and mystifying.”

Returning to the top 10, number 10 is “Louder”, the debut single by manufactured girl band Parade. If one of them looks vaguely familiar – and they probably don’t – it might be Emily Biggs, who was in Hope. Hope? No? They were one of those randomly assembled filler band from The X Factor. They’ve being doing a lot of support slots, and it seems to have paid off, since they’ve at least sold a few copies of this rather flimsy single – more than a lot of manufactured groups manage first time out. Looks like it’s going to plummet next week, though.

Further down, number 16 is “Wet” by Snoop Dogg (or “Sweat”, if you’re listening to the radio edit).  His 26th hit, featuring more heavy vocal distortion and a hook that reminds me strangely of 1990s rave track “Don’t You Want Me” by Felix.  Number 24 is “Buzzin (Remix)” by Mann featuring 50 Cent.  This guy’s been around for a couple of years without troubling the charts, so I suspect it’s 50 Cent who’s got this record into the top 30.  The sample is from “I Can’t Wait” by Nu Shooz (number 2 in 1986).

And at number 32, “All of the Lights” by Kanye West featuring the seemingly ubiquitous Drake & Rihanna.  Caution: the video carries an epilepsy strobing warning.

Hey, Hype Williams has learned a second trick! Well, technically he’s watched Gaspar Noe’s “Enter the Void” and copied a second trick… but at least he’s not trying to conceal the influence.

(And if you like the music on that, it’s the breakdown section of “Freak” by LFO. Which also has a fantastic video.)

Back at the chart, number 35 is a surprise re-entry for “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus.  Apparently iTunes put it in a 59p sale and there was more demand than you’d have expected.  The song got to number 2 on its original release in 2001.

Notable climbers this week: “I Need a Doctor” by Dr Dre is now up to 9, “Just Can’t Get Enough” by the Black Eyed Peas climbs 12 places to number 15, and “Down On Me” by Jeremih is up 10 at number 30.