Britney’s new single, “Womanizer,” has made a record-breaking leap from #96 to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week. No doubt the single, which sounds a lot like Alvin and the Chipmunks on asthma medication, is getting a major boost in popularity thanks to the racy video for the song, in which BritBrit writhes around nude in a sauna.

Another week, another record-breaking jump to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Britney Spears makes a near-maximum 96-1 rise with “Womanizer,” returning to the top of the list for the first time since her debut single “…Baby One More Time” hit No. 1 in January 1999.

This is the third time in the past two months that the mark for the biggest jump to No. 1 has been shattered. On the Hot 100 dated Sept. 6, T.I. soared 71-1 with “Whatever You Like” and last week he sprinted 80-1 with “Live Your Life.”

Spears’ single is spurred by first-week download sales of 286,000, the biggest opening-week tally by a female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital downloads in 2003, besting Mariah Carey’s take for “Touch My Body” by just over 200 units.

In between her nearly 10-year gap between No. 1s, Spears has placed four other top 10s on the Hot 100, the last being “Gimme More,” the first single from her last set, “Blackout.” That song jumped 68-3 last October with first-week download sales of 179,000.

[From Billboard.com]

I’ll give Brit a congrats for the achievement, given the last couple of years and how far she had to climb to get back to the top. Look, I’m glad Britney’s not vag-flashing, shaving her head and dragging her kids around Robertson anymore- but let’s get real here: Britney is a product; a commodity – NOT a talented vocalist. The first time I heard this drivel, I moaned, “Dear God, my ears!” and hit the mute button. Don’t get me wrong: I’m thankful that churning out these singles is keeping her out of trouble. What baffles me is that there are lots of people out there who like this stuff enough to actually buy it. But I guess that’s the power of Britney, isn’t it? At this point, she could probably put out a recording of her making fart sounds with her mouth and people would buy it.

Britney Spears is shown out in LA shopping with her mom on 10/15/08. Credit: Fame