Carly Rae Jepsen debuts at Number 1 with second fastest selling single

This time last week Carly Rae Jepsen was probably, for most people in the UK, a complete unknown, but having already scored Number 1s in Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, Carly can now add a UK Official Number 1 smash hit single to her musical CV. 

The former Canadian Idol contestant’s infectious track, Call Me Maybe, today comes out of nowhere to land a debut Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart, and also becomes the second fastest selling single of 2012 to date with a week 1 opening sale of nearly 107,000 copies.  The fastest selling single of the year currently stands with DJ Fresh and Rita Ora whose track Hot Right Now cleared 128,000 units in its first week of sale back in February.

Call Me Maybe became an internet phenomenon last month when Justin Bieber, Selina Gomez, Ashley Tisdale and Big Time Rush recorded their own spoof video and uploaded it to YouTube. To date the clip has nearly 30 million views.

Carly today becomes the 11th recipient of the Official Singles Chart Number 1 Award, the new award scheme supported by Radio 1 and OfficialCharts.com, launched in the 60th anniversary year of the Official Singles Chart. The brushed aluminum trophy is now presented to every new track that reaches Number 1.

Jamaican pop and dancehall star Sean Paul holds steady at Number 2 with She Doesn’t Mind, while Gotye FT Kimbra’s Somebody That I Used To Know which was revealed earlier this week to be the biggest selling track of 2012 so far, climbs two places to Number 3.  Nicki Minaj’s Starships finishes the week in fourth place, while last week’s chart topper, Chris Brown’s Turn Up The Music, slips down four to Number 5.

New entries and climbers

The week’s highest climber comes courtesy of The Script, whose track The Man Who Can’t Be Moved climbs a massive 43 places to Number 18.  Script frontman Danny O’Donoghue is currently starring in new BBC talent show The Voice, alongside fellow judges Jessie J, Will.I.Am and Welsh legend Tom Jones.  The Man Who Can’t Be Moved was originally released back in 2008, peaking at Number 2, the track today increases sales week on week by 276% in its 91st week on the chart.  The Script’s self-titled album also climbs 22 places this week, landing back inside the Top 40 at Number 31.

There is only one other new entry in today’s Official Singles Chart – Alex Day with Lady Godiva.  Unsigned musician Day shot into the national consciousness in December when his track, Forever Yours, debuted at Number 4 in the week of the all-important Christmas Number 1 race. The YouTube blogger who has amassed more than 78 million views and over 500,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, finished behind Military Wives, Little Mix and Chris Moyles-championed Lou Monte’s Dominick The Donkey in the race to be last year's Official Christmas Number 1. Day’s second offering Lady Godiva scores him a second Top 20 single, entering today at Number 15.

OfficialCharts.com caught up with Alex earlier this week to hear all about life after the Christmas triumph and the making of the new video.  Watch the interview:

To see the Official Singles Chart Top 100 in full, click here after 7PM.