Who will win out in the epic mega-battle when all the top stars release new singles at the same time?
Who could forget the Oasis and Blur battle to top the singles chart in 1995? Or Victoria Beckham versus Sophie Ellis Bextor in 2000? OK, perhaps not that one. But the race to No 1 was once the epitome of pop excitement. In these days of downloads we witness fewer showdowns for top of the pops.
Until now. Step forward four of the biggest female pop artists in the world - and cue those cat-fight clichés. Next week, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé will release singles and albums in an almighty battle for the top of the UK charts.
It might seem strange for these artists to put out music at the same time. But Radio 1 DJ Greg James says the November releases are to cash in on US Thanksgiving holiday, while also leading into the worldwide Christmas market.
Britney Spears, whose career many wrote off after spells in hospital, is the favourite to win the singles battle. Not that she needs any more publicity. Her new single, "Womanizer", has garnered notice for its racy video displaying Spears in various states of undress. But what of her song? It sounds like everything she has done recently: a danceable beat, driving ultra-slick electro pop with some forgettable words.
However, don't rule out an upset from Lewis. The success of her debut album was built on big ballads, but her new single, "Forgive Me", is more upbeat. With warbling vocals, jaunty R&B tinged pop and a video featuring a girls-versus-boys dance-off, it's the sort of product Christina Aguilera made her own in the Nineties. Greg James suggests, however, there is little buzz around Lewis's effort, with limited play on Radio 1.
Now to contender number three. Back in the game after a quiet couple of years, Aguilera's "Keeps Getting Better" is an unremarkable slice of dance pop, and without the freshness of Lewis and car-crash appeal of Britney, she is going to struggle.
Finally, for her new album, I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé has taken the route of the prog-rock-style double-sided concept album, complete with an alter-ego, "Sasha Fierce". The first single, "If I Were a Boy" is a ballad stuck in second gear, but according to James, it's the song receiving the most airplay. "Overall, Beyoncé will win the battle," he tips. "She's got a massive new album, with a broader pop appeal and a great new single." Shorter term, Spears the publicity dynamo is likely to top the singles chart.
"Never underestimate the power of Britney. People are fascinated by her, but Beyoncé is a pop machine," says James.
Despite the merits of the songs, you can raise a cheer for a few stars trying to revive the long-neglected charts with a bit of competitive releasing. "You used to get a lot of this sort of thing in the Nineties, with tabloid-friendly bands such as Take That and Spice Girls releasing singles at the same time," says HMV's spokesman. "But you don't normally get a four-way battle." Larry Ryan
Who could forget the Oasis and Blur battle to top the singles chart in 1995? Or Victoria Beckham versus Sophie Ellis Bextor in 2000? OK, perhaps not that one. But the race to No 1 was once the epitome of pop excitement. In these days of downloads we witness fewer showdowns for top of the pops.
Until now. Step forward four of the biggest female pop artists in the world - and cue those cat-fight clichés. Next week, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé will release singles and albums in an almighty battle for the top of the UK charts.
It might seem strange for these artists to put out music at the same time. But Radio 1 DJ Greg James says the November releases are to cash in on US Thanksgiving holiday, while also leading into the worldwide Christmas market.
Britney Spears, whose career many wrote off after spells in hospital, is the favourite to win the singles battle. Not that she needs any more publicity. Her new single, "Womanizer", has garnered notice for its racy video displaying Spears in various states of undress. But what of her song? It sounds like everything she has done recently: a danceable beat, driving ultra-slick electro pop with some forgettable words.
However, don't rule out an upset from Lewis. The success of her debut album was built on big ballads, but her new single, "Forgive Me", is more upbeat. With warbling vocals, jaunty R&B tinged pop and a video featuring a girls-versus-boys dance-off, it's the sort of product Christina Aguilera made her own in the Nineties. Greg James suggests, however, there is little buzz around Lewis's effort, with limited play on Radio 1.
Now to contender number three. Back in the game after a quiet couple of years, Aguilera's "Keeps Getting Better" is an unremarkable slice of dance pop, and without the freshness of Lewis and car-crash appeal of Britney, she is going to struggle.
Finally, for her new album, I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé has taken the route of the prog-rock-style double-sided concept album, complete with an alter-ego, "Sasha Fierce". The first single, "If I Were a Boy" is a ballad stuck in second gear, but according to James, it's the song receiving the most airplay. "Overall, Beyoncé will win the battle," he tips. "She's got a massive new album, with a broader pop appeal and a great new single." Shorter term, Spears the publicity dynamo is likely to top the singles chart.
"Never underestimate the power of Britney. People are fascinated by her, but Beyoncé is a pop machine," says James.
Despite the merits of the songs, you can raise a cheer for a few stars trying to revive the long-neglected charts with a bit of competitive releasing. "You used to get a lot of this sort of thing in the Nineties, with tabloid-friendly bands such as Take That and Spice Girls releasing singles at the same time," says HMV's spokesman. "But you don't normally get a four-way battle." Larry Ryan
