This week sees the Ash A to Z series rumble on to the letter U with 'Summer Snow'. The series was designed as a new way to distribute music in reaction to the trend to fans downloading particular tracks rather than purchasing complete albums. The series has been a success in respect that the 1,000 vinyl pressings of each single have sold out but additional downloads to non subscribers have not been enough to secure them a nineteenth top forty hit. So far only 'Dare To Dream' (#87), 'Physical World' (#96) and 'Insects' (#99) have made the top 100. The A-Z theme continued through their UK tour which saw them play a different venue for each letter ranging from Dundee to Hastings to Plymouth to Zennor in Cornwall. There are five releases to go in the series though what the band will do after that remains to be seen. All releases are on their own label and hence any profits can be directed straight into supporting new releases.

Kieran Hebden is perhaps better known as Four Tet who in turn are best known for their remix work. That said, this year saw the release of the seventh Four Tet album 'There Is Love In You' on the Domino label which made no.35 in the UK charts. 'Love Cry' was released as a limited edition 12" single to promote the album while this week sees the release of 'Angel Echoes'. Remixes credited to Four Tet have crossed acts as diverse as Thom Yorke, Bloc Party, Heavy Metal veterans Black Sabbath, Radiohead and Beth Orton. He has a series of appearances planned for this Summer including T in the Park, the Leeds / Reading festival and the Bestival in Isle Of Wight before returning to play Coronet in London in late November. With many fans already owning this on the album I can't see this securing the required number of sales to make it into a crossover hit.

Diana Vickers has perhaps been the surprise success of the year.  While few doubted her talent, a 4th place finish on X Factor rarely generates a lasting career. Rather than go up against the winners of that series Alexandra Burke and JLS she opted to go to the theatre where she starred in The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice and received great critical acclaim. She also finished behind Eoghan Quigg on the show but he has only managed a no.14 album of covers whereas she has already enjoyed a number one single 'Once' and album 'Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree'. She also now has a UK tour under her belt which saw her overcome her stage fright to delight her fans. This week sees the release of 'The Boy Who Murdered Love' as the second single and it should do well for her and 2010 is already looking like being a memorable one for her. 

Australian based drum and bass group Pendulum have continued to move from strength to strength in 2010. This week sees the release of their self penned track 'Witchcraft' as a single, the follow up to their massive top five hit 'Watercolour'. Both tracks are taken from the bands third studio album 'Immersion' which went on to top the charts upon its release earlier this year. This will be the bands fifth top forty hit since they first charted back in 2004 with the double a side 'Slam / Out Here'. They have also enjoyed success as producers and most famously remixed The Prodigy's 'Voodoo People' which returned to the top twenty as a result. This track received its first play on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show and it charted at no.62 following the release of the album, such was the interest in the track.  This weeks official single release should serve to further boost its chart position. 

Renowned Swedish DJ and Producer Basshunter was last seen on our screens appearing on this years Celebrity Big Brother where he finished fourth but this week he returns to his music career with his brand new single 'Saturday'. So far he has enjoyed six top forty hits but has struggled to meet the number one success achieved by 'Now You're Gone' and the no.2 follow up 'All I Ever Wanted'. His last hit came with the single 'Every Morning' which peaked at no.17 last year.  That was the only top forty hit to come from his 'Bass Generation' album, and 'Saturday' is the first new material to be released since then. The track has disappointed some fans who preferred his older more hardcore material. It's hard for an act such as him to break new ground and there has to be a feeling that his best times may now be behind him. As such I suspect that this may miss out on the top ten. 

Scouting For Girls scored their first number one earlier this year with 'This Ain't A Love Song' and now face the task of following that up.  They have decided to go with 'Famous', the second track to be lifted from their second album 'Everybody Wants To Be On TV'. That album failed to match the number one success of their self titled debut album and was beaten into the no.2 spot by Plan B's 'The Defamation Of Strickland Banks'. They formed as a trio back in 2005 and this will be their seventh top forty hit over that period. The track is one of their shortest, and weighs in at just 2 minutes 35 seconds. Next week sees them play live at Tamworth Castle and then in August they are due to play at Doncaster Race Course and the V Festival at Chelmsford. For me I still don't quite see the appeal as so many of their songs seem to sound exactly the same, but that won't stop this being a big hit. 

'Call Me' is the latest single release by The Pipettes who enjoyed two top forty hits in 2006 but have since undergone significant line up changes.  Back then they consisted of Julia Clarke-Lowes, Rose Elinor Dougall and Rebecca Stephens. Gwenno Saunders replaced Clarke-Lowes ahead of their debut album release and now she is the only survivor with sister Ani now joining her as the groups other member. This new single is released on limited edition 7" blue vinyl and comes backed with the new track 'Over Heels'.  It is taken from the bands new album 'Earth vs Pipettes' although that will feature a different mix of the single.  To celebrate the release of 'Call Me' the band are playing a one off gig at the Lexington in London.  It's great to have them back although it does always seem a bit of a farce when a band does not feature any of its original members.  

American r'n'b superstar Usher follows up his no.1 hit 'OMG' this week with his excellent new single 'DJ Got Us Falling In Love'.  It's the latest track to feature Cuban rapper Pitbull following on from his appearances on 'All Night Long' by Alexandra Burke and 'I Like It' by Enrique Iglesias. He has also enjoyed two top ten hits as a solo artist and a further hit through a collaboration with Akon. This comes from 'Versus', a remixed update to Usher's sixth studio album 'Raymond v Raymond' which made no.2 earlier this year and has sold over 900k copies in America alone. He has enjoyed thirteen top forty hits in the UK including four number ones, the first of which came as long ago as 1997 with 'You Make Me Wanna'. This should certainly do enough to add to that tally and as such it has to be a serious contender for next weeks top spot.

Sandi Thom continues her battle this week to avoid the label of one hit wonder. Her main single was 'I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)' which topped the charts in the UK, Ireland and Australia. The follow up was 'What If I'm Right' which made no.22 but since then she has slowly faded with second album 'The Pink & The Lily' peaking at no.25 while her latest release 'Merchants & Thieves' has only got to no.118. New single 'Gold Dust' is the second to be taken from that album and follows on from 'This Ol' World' which also failed to chart. She has a low key tour of UK venues schedule for September where she will take in less well known towns such as Tavistock, Poole and Bury before concluding with a session at the Jazz Cafe in Camden.  It seems that her popularity has wained and as such I can't see this being the single to return her to the top forty.