Justin Bieber vs Britney Spears on Billboard Hot 100

As reported yesterday, Britney Spears becomes the first artist in over three years to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as her new single, “3,” begins its chart life at the top. The track’s arrival is fueled by 255,000 first-week digital downloads.
“3″ is Spears’ third No. 1, following her 1999 debut single “…Baby One More Time” and last year’s “Womanizer.” The latter set a then-record jump to the top when it soared 96-1 on the Hot 100 chart released exactly one year ago this week. That mark was later bypassed by Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You,” which flew 97-1 in February.

15-year old Canadian singer Justin Bieber has this week’s second best Hot 100 debut, at No. 16 with “One Less Lonely Girl.” The track immediately surpasses Bieber’s current radio single “One Time,” which itself reaches a new peak (26-21). Opening week sales of 113,000 downloads propels “Lonely Girl” to its impressive entry.