Adele Top Hot 100, But Kelly Clarkson Getting 'Stronger' at No. 2

Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" spends a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, just holding off a furious push from Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)," which bounds from No. 8 to No. 2. 



As Adele's set 21 leads the Billboard 200 album chart for an 18th week, "Fire" tallies a second frame atop the Hot 100, fueled largely by its 5-4 advance on the Hot 100 Airplay chart (118 million audience impressions, up 12%, according to Nielsen BDS). 


On the Hot Digital Songs survey, "Fire" remains at No. 2 after topping the chart two weeks ago. The song sold 167,000 downloads (down 10%) in the list's tracking week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. 
  
As announced yesterday, Adele will perform at the 54th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles Feb. 12, marking her first live performance since undergoing vocal surgery late last year. 
  
Clarkson's "Stronger" is aptly titled, as the second single from her album Stronger vaults 8-2 with Greatest Gainer/Digital honors. The song surges by 29% to 225,000 downloads sold andascends 3-1 on Hot Digital Songs, marking Clarkson's second leader on the sales ranking. Her "My Life Would Suck Without You" spent two weeks at No. 1 on Hot Digital Songs three years ago this month. 


Radio support is likewise swelling for "Stronger," as the track charges 44-33 on Hot 100 Airplay (39 million, up 32%), aided by advances on the Mainstream Top 40 (24-20) and Adult Top 40 (16-14) radio format charts. 


As previously reported, Clarkson is set to sing the national anthem before the Super Bowl at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Sunday (Feb. 5). The expected monster national TV audience could give the original "American Idol" champion the final boost needed to douse Adele's "Fire" atop next week's Hot 100. 

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