X Factor winner still top of revamped UK charts

X Factor winner Leona Lewis has held onto the number one spot in the revamped UK singles charts released last night.

The 21-year-old’s debut single A Moment Like This has the top position for the second week in a row.

Eric Prydz Vs Floyd’s Proper Education jumped to the number two spot, while Take That’s comeback Patience slipped to third place.

New chart rules which came into force this week mean old favourites are making a surprise comeback.

Hailed the biggest shake-up in the charts since its inception in 1952, the changes mean any song available as an internet download is eligible for the chart regardless of when it was released.

Previously, songs could only be included if a physical copy of the single was also available in the shops.

So Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars – released back in July – is at this week’s number nine.

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley, the monster hit of 2006, is at number 30, and Maneater by Nelly Furtado is at number 38.

Until now songs were automatically removed from the chart two weeks after the physical copy of the single was deleted.

The rule change means songs which appear in adverts or on film soundtracks are likely to make a comeback.

Mad World, the 2003 Christmas number one from the Donny Darko soundtrack was tipped to make a return but failed to reappear.

The song has seen an upsurge in downloads because it is currently appearing on a trailer for the Xbox computer game Gears of War.

Industry experts say the charts will never be the same again.

“Under the new rules, anything and everything is eligible,” said HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo.

“The charts will now offer a much broader representation of the nation’s music tastes.

“January is always the quietest month for singles sales so these older songs are benefiting from that.

“But old releases are likely to feature heavily from now on. The nature of the charts is changing entirely.”

The shake-up also raises the intriguing possibility of the Beatles staging an almighty chart comeback.

There are rumours that EMI is negotiating to release the band’s back catalogue as downloads for the first time.

Castaldo said: “If the Beatles’ songs were made available digitally, there would be such a rush to download them that a top 10 made up entirely of their music would be almost guaranteed.”

In the album charts, Take That’s Beautiful World has the number one position. Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black has shot to number two from 16, while Snow Patrol remains steady at number three with Eyes Open.

The singles top 10 is:

1. Leona Lewis, A Moment Like This

2. Eric Prydz Vs Floyd, Proper Education

3. Take That, Patience

4. U2, Window In The Skies

5. Akon Ft Eminem, Smack That

6. Booty Luv, Boogie2Nite

7. Cascada, Truly Madly Deeply

8. Sharam, Patt (Party All The Time)

9 Snow Patrol, Chasing Cars

10. Chris Cornell, You Know My Name.