Week Ending Aug. 26, 2012. Songs: Taylor vs. Gaga, Week 2

Taylor Swift's

"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" tops the Hot 100 for the second straight week, though its sales dropped by 51% from last week's record-setting pace. Last week the song broke a record formerly held by Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" for the largest first-week digital sales for a song by female artist. Swift's song sold 623K in its first week, compared to 448K for "Born This Way." But the saga doesn't end after just one week. Sales of Gaga's song actually increased in Week 2 (jumping by 14%), while sales of Swift's song dropped by more than half.

In the first two weeks combined, "Born This Way" sold 957K, compared to 930K for Swift's hit. So Gaga is ahead if you look at the first two weeks, rather than just the first week. (Both songs trail Flo Rida's "Right Round," which sold a record 1,096,000 copies in its first two weeks.)

Even with the slippage, "We Are Never Ever…" is the first song to top 300K in weekly sales twice since "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra (which did it six times). Amazingly, Carly Rae Jepsen's monster hit "Call Me Maybe" topped 300K in weekly sales just once.

Three other songs have topped 300K in weekly sales more than once so far this year. "We Are Young" by fun. featuring Janelle Monae topped that threshold a record-setting seven times. LMFAO's "Sexy And I Know It" and "Payphone" by Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa each did it twice.

"We Are Never Ever…" is the first song by a core country artist to top the Hot 100 for more than one week since Lonestar's "Amazed" had two weeks on top in February 2000. Notice I didn't call it a country song. Country radio is pulling back on the song, even though it's gaining at pop and adult contemporary radio. The song drops from #13 to #19 in its second week on Hot Country Songs.

Flo Rida's

former #1 hit "Whistle" holds at #2 for the second week. The song tops the 2 million mark in digital sales this week. It's Flo's second song to reach that level so far this year. "Wild Ones' (featuring Sia) has sold 3,203,000. Flo is only the third artist (following Katy Perry and Wiz Khalifa) with two songs at or above the 2 million mark in digital sales in 2012. Perry's "Part Of Me" has sold 2,331,000. "Wide Awake" is at 2,204,000. "Young, Wild & Free," on which Wiz Khalifa is co-lead with Snoop Dogg, has sold 2,128,000. Maroon 5's "Payphone," on which Khalifa is featured, has sold 4,020,000.

Ellie Goulding's "Lights" holds at #3 for the second week. The song tops the 3 million mark in digital sales this week.

Maroon 5's "One More Night" vaults from #9 to #4 this week. It's the group's sixth top five hit. (Maroon 5 doesn't mess around with "pretty big" hits. All six of the band's top 10 hits have gone on to hit the top five.)

Maroon 5's previous hit, "Payphone" (featuring Wiz Khalifa), dips from #7 to #8. The song reached the 4 million mark in just 19 weeks. Only one song in digital history has reached 4M faster. "E.T." by Katy Perry featuring Kanye West was in its 18th week on Hot Digital Songs when it topped 4 million. Two other songs crossed the threshold in their 19th week: "Somebody That I Used To Know" and "Call Me Maybe."

"Payphone" is the fourth song to top the 4 million mark in 2012. This is the fourth year in a row that four or more songs have topped 4 million in sales during the year, but this is by far the earliest in the year that this has happened. In each of the last three years, it took the Christmas holiday season to push the tally of 4-million-sellers for the year to four or more.

fun.'s "Some Nights" jumps to #5. It's the band's second straight top five hit, following "We Are Young" (featuring Janelle Monae). And here's my loopy item of the week: "Some Nights" has now climbed as high as "Summer Nights" by John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John & the Cast of Grease. That smash spent two weeks at #5 in the fall of 1978.

"Good Time" by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen jumps from #13 to #9. It's the second top 10 hit for both acts. The song also tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. "Good Time" is an appropriately positive title for a song that guarantees that neither act can (fairly) be referred to as a one-hit wonder. Jepsen is one of two acts with two songs in this week's top 10. Maroon 5 is the other.

Here's the low-down on this week's top 10 songs.

The Top Five: Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" holds at #1 for the second week in its second week on the chart. Digital sales rank: #1 (307K)…Flo Rida's "Whistle" holds at #2 for the second week its 15th week on the chart. This is its seventh week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #3 (180K)… Ellie Goulding's "Lights" holds at #3 for the second week in its 36th week on the chart. This is its 10th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #13 (84K)… Maroon 5's "One More Night" jumps from #9 to #4 in its 10th week on the chart. This is its second week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: 2 (195K)… fun.'s "Some Nights" jumps from #6 to #5 in its 27th week on the chart. This is its third week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #4 (169K).

The Second Five: Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" drops from #4 to #6 in its 27th week on the chart. This is its 22nd week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #7 (122K)…Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" drops from #5 to #7 in its 14th week on the chart. This is its 12th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #16 (78K)…"Payphone" by Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa dips from #7 to #8 its 19th week on the chart. It has been in the top 10 the entire time. Digital sales rank: #18 (71K)… "Good Time" by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen jumps from #13 to #9 in its ninth week on the chart. This is the second top 10 hit for both acts. Digital sales rank: #5 (144K)…"As Long As You Love Me" by Justin Bieber featuring Big Sean drops from #8 to #10 in its 10th week on the chart. This is its second week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #6 (131K).

"Titanium" by David Guetta featuring Sia drops from #10 to #13, ending an eight-week run in the top 10.

Neon Trees

lands its biggest hit to date as "Everybody Talks" jumps from #14 to #11 in its 24th week. "Animal" hit #13 in November 2010. Digital sales rank: #10 (99K)…P!nk's "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" holds at #12 (with a bullet) in its eighth week. The song has climbed as high as #9…Cher Lloyd's "Want U Back" holds at #16 in its 11th week. The song has climbed as high as #12. Digital sales rank: #9 (107K)…Demi Lovato's "Give Your Heart A Break" jumps from #18 to #17 in its 21st week. The song has climbed as high as #16…Alex Clare's "Too Close" jumps from #20 to #18 in its 22nd week.

Nicki Minaj

lands her sixth top 20 hit (as a lead artist) as "Pound The Alarm" jumps from #22 to #20 in its fifth week… Little Big Town's "Pontoon" inches up from #23 to #22 in its 12th week. The song tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. It's the group's second million-seller. "Boondocks" has sold 1,168,000 copies…Phillip Phillips' "Home" drops from #17 to #23 in its ninth week. The song has climbed as high as #9. Digital sales rank: #8 (109K).

"No Lie" by 2 Chainz featuring Drake jumps from #28 to #24 in its 16th week. The song holds at #1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for the fourth week. Another 2 Chainz song, "Birthday Song" (featuring Kanye West) jumps from #100 to #91 on the Hot 100 in its third week. Both songs are from the rapper's debut album, Based On A T.R.U. Story, which dips from #1 to #2 on this week's Billboard 200.

Chris Brown

lands his 17th top 30 hit (as a lead artist) as "Don't Wake Me Up" jumps from #41 to #29 in its ninth week…Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" dips from #30 to #31 in its eighth week. The song tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. It's Underwood's 10th million-seller, a total topped by only one country artist in digital history. Taylor Swift has had 16. Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, who co-wrote Underwood's best-selling hit, "Before He Cheats," also did the honors on "Blown Away"…Jason Aldean's "Take A Little Ride" jumps from #38 to #33 in its sixth week. The song has climbed as high as #12.

Train lands its eighth top 40 hit as "

50 Ways To Say Goodbye" jumps from #52 to #34 in its seventh week. Five of these hits have come in the last few years…The Lumineers' "Ho Hey" jumps from #48 to #42 in its 12th week...Blake Shelton's "Over" holds at #43 for the second week. The song holds at #1 on Hot Country Songs for the second week.

"2 Reasons" by Trey Songz featuring T.I. jumps from #54 to #45 in its eighth week. "Dive In" debuts at #93. Both songs are from Songz's Chapter V, which enters The Billboard 200 at #1 this week.

Josh Turner's "Time Is Love" jumps from #53 to #46 in its 22nd week…"Pop That" by French Montana featuring Rick Ross, Meek Mill & T-Pain jumps from #61 to #48 in is seventh week…Dustin Lynch's "Cowboys And Angels" jumps from #65 to #51 in its 15th week. The song is from Lynch's eponymous debut album which enters Top Country Albums at #1 this week…Miguel's "Adorn" jumps from #68 to #58 in its fourth week…Future's "Turn On The Lights" jumps from #78 to #68 in its third week.

Ne-Yo's "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)" jumps from #88 to #74 in its fourth week…"I Can Only Imagine" by David Guetta featuring Chris Brown & Lil Wayne jumps from #90 to #75 in its third week.

Muse's

"Madness" is the week's top new entry at #84. The song is from the band's sixth studio album The 2nd Law, which is due Oct. 1… Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" jumps from #99 to #86 in its second week…"Hall Of Fame" by The Script featuring will.i.am debuts at #87. The song is from the group's third album, #3, which is due Sept. 10.

Luke Bryan's "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" debuts at #92. The song is from his long-running album Tailgates & TanlinesEric Church's "Creepin'" debuts at #95. The song is from his former #1 album Chief.

"Throw That" by Slaughterhouse featuring Eminem debuts at #98. The song is from the group's second album, Welcome To Our House, which is vying for #1 on next week's Billboard 200…"I Wish You Would" by DJ Khaled featuring Kanye West and Rick Ross re-enters the chart at #99. It has climbed as high as #78. It's from Kiss The Ring, which enters The Billboard 200 at #4 this week…"I Don't Like" by Chief Keef featuring Lil Reese debuts at #100. It's from Chief Keef's mixtape Back From The Dead, which was released in March. An album is due in 2013.

Avicii's "Levels" tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week.