The Proclaimers, Avril Lavigne make chart history

As predicted, The Proclaimers, Peter Kay and Matt Lucas whip into the top spot on the UK chart with their remake of their 1988 hit ‘I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)’. While it’s hard to knock a number one track – this one gets mighty old after several listens. After the initial humour wears off, you’re left with a longing for the original.

That said, the track sold 120, 000 copies this week and claims the title of biggest selling track so far this year. Better still, on its tail, the original moves up 11 notches to number 26 this week. With that move, The Proclaimers make chart history as one of only a handful of groups with two versions of their same song in the top 30.

Sugababes vs Girls Aloud must therefore settle for a lone week at the top of the heap with their version of ‘Walk this way’. There is justice after all, it seems, as the girls bounce Gwen Stefani from the runner up position with “The Great Escape”, which slides to number four.

Another history making record rockets in at number three. Canadian rocker-wife, Avril Lavigne, claims top debut this week with ‘Girlfriend’. Her track originally debuted on the survey several weeks back at number 73 in the week of March 7, and then mysteriously disappeared.

iTunes suppressed the track and its physical release was pushed back ultimately giving the track a low peak outside the top 40. But with the re-release of the digital track, the song becomes eligible to chart once more making this song the highest re-entry on the survey in history.

Call it marketing, call it what you like – the song, (essentially sk8ter girlfriend,) jumps into the top three poised to take over the top spot next week.

‘Destination Calabria’ by Alex Gaudino featuring Crystal Waters swims up from 18 to five while Maximo Park zooms in at number nine with ‘Our velocity’ to round out the biggest movers inside the top ten.

Otherwise, the chart sees little action. With no less than ten debuts outside the top 40, things should heat up next week.