Official Charts Flashback 2013: Justin Timberlake – Mirrors

This time last year, Justin Timberlake scored his second solo Number 1 and the bestselling single of his career.

Everybody loves a bit of a comeback. After a few years off, popstars hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Thanks to a series of collaborations and acting roles, Justin Timberlake wasn’t entirely off the radar between the release of his second solo album FutureSexLoveSounds and the release of promo track Suit & Tie in early 2013, but it was his first proper stab at solo material in around six years. Although Justin had less reason to be nervous than most popstars releasing a comeback album, the next single was about to give him the biggest success of his career. And breathe…

When Mirrors was released, it leapt from Number 28 into the Top 5 before claiming the Number 1 spot the following week, spending three weeks there. Mirrors, the kind of older, wiser, less bitter brother of Justin’s 2003 mega-ballad Cry Me A River, got a big boost from his performance at the 2013 BRIT Awards:

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It wasn’t just his hair that was slicker – Justin’s new look was self-assured, mature and dressed for success. And he certainly found it: Mirrors took only nine weeks to become Justin’s bestselling single in the UK, overtaking his 2006 Number 1 SexyBack and chart-topping 2008 Madonna collaboration 4 Minutes. Mirrors has sold almost 725,000 copies in the UK to date.

Justin has topped the charts four times altogether. His first Number 1 was SexyBack, next came his collaboration with Timbaland and Nelly Furtado, Give It To Me, in 2007. 4 Minutes was next, and then, five years later, came Mirrors. His first three albums all went to Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart, and he’s scored 21 Top 40 hits. Justin: cool name, cool guy.

Watch the video for Cry Me A River before we count down the rest of this week’s Top 5 from 2013.

2: Bruno Mars – When I Was Your Man

Snake-hipped Hawaiian sensation Bruno Mars celebrated his eighth Top 10 hit with this second single from his sophomore effort Unorthodox Jukebox. When I Was Your Man would peak right here at Number 2, denying Bruno a fifth Number 1. His first chart-topper was Nothin’ On You with B.O.B. in 2010. Just The Way You Are (Amazing) followed later that year, and 2011 produced two Number 1s: Grenade and The Lazy Song.

3: Bastille – Pompeii

Dropping one spot after just a week on the charts was Bastille’s second Top 40 hit but first Top 10, Pompeii. Bastille would go on to have a pretty good year. Pompeii would remain in the Top 10 for eight weeks, and still hasn’t left the Top 100 a year after release, plus their debut album Bad Blood went straight in at the top of the Official Albums Chart this week too – it would even hit Number 1 again almost a year later after their BRIT Awards 2014 win for Best British Breakthrough. Pompeii never bettered its Number 2 position, but has sold over 770,000 copies. Not bad for a runner-up!

4: Pink FT Nate Ruess – Just Give Me A Reason

You’ve got to love a slow burner, especially one that fades equally as glacially, like this one. Pink was on her way to a peak of Number 2 with this heartfelt duet with fun frontman Nate Ruess. The song took eight weeks to get there, after re-entering the Top 75 on its proper release. Pink was held off the top for two weeks – first PJ & Duncan’s surprise return to the Official Singles Chart headed her off, then Duke Dumont’s Need U (100%) FT AME snuck in and denied Pink her fourth Number 1 single.

5: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis/Wanz – Thrift Shop

The former Number 1 and debut hit for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis dropped a place this week in 2013. Two more Top 10 hits awaited them: Can’t Hold Us (3) and Same Love (6).

See full Top 40 for this week in 2013.