Additional information
The small number of number one Hot 100 singles (one) on the 43rd volume of the U.S. Now series is due to the grip of Gotye's "Someone I Used to Know" and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe," two songs that clung to the top spot for much of 2012. The Gotye song, included on Now, Vol. 42, perched at the top from late April through late June. "Call Me Maybe," included here, took over on June 23 and was still number one when this volume was released. Not that additional proof was required, but this volume stresses the enduring dominance of European and European-inspired dance-pop. The lone R&B artist, Usher, contributes the R&B-free, Max Martin/Shellback-driven "Scream," and there is no rap, unless you count the verses in Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" or what Pitbull is doing in "Back in Time." In fact, there's only one song without a dance beat: Luke Bryan's "Drunk On You," the token contemporary country inclusion (a number 16 hit). If it wasn't strange enough to see the veteran, left-of-center electronic act M83 cross into the Hot 100 with the downcast "Midnight City," the song is here, saxophone solo and all, even though it peaked far outside the chart's upper half. ~ Andy Kellman
