The late legend brings the song back to the summit after it first led in 1978. Plus, Neon Jungle and Hardwell debut, while Avicii continues to climb.
Donna Summer returns a classic to the top of Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart, as “MacArthur Park 2013” rises 2-1. Summer’s “MacArthur Park Suite” first hit No. 1 on what was then known as the National Disco Action Top 40 ranking the week of Oct. 21, 1978, remaining in charge for five weeks. On Nov. 11, 1978, “Park” became Summer’s first of four career No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100, enjoying three weeks at the top.
While her version is well-known, the song wasn’t originally a Summer smash: “MacArthur Park” first became a hit for Richard Harris, who carried it to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1968. (Harris is likely best known for his acting roles, including the part of Albus Dumbledore in the first two “Harry Potter” films, prior to his death in 2002.) “Park” later yielded hits for Waylon Jennings (No. 23 on Hot Country Songs, 1969), the Four Tops (No. 27 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, 1971) and Andy Williams and Tony Bennett (No. 26, 1969, and No. 39, 1972, respectively, on Adult Contemporary). The song has also been covered by Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Chet Atkins, Liza Minnelli and Glen Campbell. “Weird Al” Yankovic even offered his mock version in 1993, reworked as “Jurassic Park,” in honor of that year’s box office blockbuster.
“MacArthur Park 2013” is Donna Summer’s 15th career No. 1 on Dance Club Songs, lifting her ahead of Jennifer Lopez into seventh place on the tally of artists with the most leaders in the chart’s history. From the chart’s Aug. 28, 1976, start as a national survey through this week, here are the artists with the most No. 1s on Dance Club Songs:
43, Madonna
21, Rihanna
19, Janet Jackson
18, Beyonce
16, Mariah Carey
16, Kristine W
15, Donna Summer
14, Jennifer Lopez
13, Whitney Houston
13, Lady Gaga
“MacArthur Park 2013” is the lead single from Summer’s new career-spanning remix album “Love to Love You Donna.” The track was remixed by Laidback Luke, Rosabel and Frank Lamboy.
While the song is Summer’s fifth consecutive Dance Club Songs No. 1, it’s her first since her May 17, 2012, passing. She becomes the first act to top the chart posthumously since Michael Jackson led on June 11, 2011, almost two years after he died, with “Hollywood Tonight.”
ALL AVICII: As his “Wake Me Up!” tops Dance/Electronic Songs for a record-extending 15th week, Avicii continues to gain on all fronts with follow-up “Hey Brother,” the top Digital and Streaming Gainer on the chart (9-8). Vaulting into the top 10 on Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs (14-9), “Brother” tallied 1.1 million U.S. streams last week (50% from Spotify and 41% from YouTube Vevo, according to Nielsen BDS). Sales of 25,000 downloads (up 5%) keep “Brother” bulleted again at No. 4 on Dance/Electronic Digital Songs, while the cut leaps into the top five on Dance/Mix Show Airplay (8-4, up 38% in plays).
With remixes from Syn Cole recently serviced to club DJs, the song could debut on Dance Club Songs soon.
JUNGLE LOVE: Neon Jungle snares the top debut on Dance/Electronic Songs, as “Trouble” enters at No. 18. Powered by sales of 11,000, it begins at No. 9 on Dance/Electronic Digital Songs.
Also new on Dance/Electronic Songs is “Dare You” from DJ Hardwell and vocalist Matthew Koma (No. 27). Koma was the voice behind Zedd’s “Spectrum,” a No. 1 Dance/Mix Show Airplay and Dance Club Songs hit
