CHART: The Official NZ Music Chart - 14 June 2010

Chartbitz, Wednesday, June 16 2010, by Andrew Miller

Now Famous, Still Naked

The big news of the week is the number of firsts racked up by Auckland five-piece band The Naked And Famous. Out of the box their single Young Blood knocks all other comers aside and claims the top slot on the Singles Chart with their first ever chart appearance.

Not only is the tune #1, it’s the first #1 debut in nearly three years. Jamaican Sean Kingston’s Beautiful Girls was the last to open in the penthouse spot in July 2007 for a six-week dash. Young Blood is also the first #1 debut by a local act since the last NZ Idol Matt Saunoa’s Hold Out ruled for a solitary frame in November 2006. That was before the digital download era.
The Naked And Famous is the first local group to make the top first week since October 2006 when radio station The Edge’s survey contest-manufactured Boyband ruled for a week with the Kinks’ remake You Really Got Me. Leaving the marketing department bands out of the equation, it's a remarkable 16 years since a New Zealand band had a #1 single debut - the Don MacGlashan-led The Mutton Birds jumped straight to the summit week of issue in February 1994 with The Heater.

“To be honest at first I wondered what does this #1 mean?” says TNAF vocalist Alisa Xayalith. “I was really surprised. There’re a lotta smiles. We’re over the moon, a bit shocked and glad.”

The band began as a duo – Alisa and Thom Powers – a couple of years back and have been regulars on the b.net stations for some time. Young Blood is the first song to break through onto commercial radio, and now into the sales stats in a big way. They’ve since added Aaron Short, Jesse Wood and David Beadle to the line-up and are putting the finishing polish to their debut album. It’s due August with a tour to follow in September.

Now the question is can The Naked And Famous maintain the momentum and continue their chart-topping run?