Jedward: Don't write us off just because we didn't take No.1 spot

JEDWARD failed to clinch the No1 spot in the charts yesterday but pleaded: "Don't write us off yet."

Dublin twins John and Edward Grimes' debut Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) was more than 27,000 copies behind Owl City's Fireflies, which spent a third week at the top of the British charts.

But rather than feeling under pressure, they reckon they can still get to the top when the single is released in shops next Monday.

An insider said: "Far from being a disappointment, getting to No 2 on downloads alone is a great achievement.

"The physical copies of the single don't go on sale until February 15 and there will be lots of people wanting one.

"They kept Timbaland's new single at No3 and did well to fend him off. It's far too early to be writing them off yet."

Owl City stayed at the top with 77,669 copies sold while Jedward's single sold 50,468 copies. At No 3, Timbaland netted 47,494 copies.

The big lead by Owl City is a surprise given the mid-week figures, which had the US synthpop musical project by Adam Young ahead of the Irish lads by only 24 sales.

Perhaps Jedward have fallen victim to the same anti-X Factor buying that saw 2009 winner Joe McElderry defeated by Rage Against The Machine in the hotly contested Christmas No1 battle.

The 18-year-olds, managed by X Factor judge Louis Walsh, have had almost blanket coverage since they performed their debut single with Vanilla Ice at the National TV Awards last month.

Maybe the class of X Factor 2009 are cursed. Joe's failure to go straight to the top was the first time since 2004 that a winner of the contest hadn't had the Christmas No 1.

And Simon Cowell has decided not to offer record deals to runners-up Olly Murs, Stacey Solomon and Danyl Johnson.

Jedward's dreams of bagging the No1 spot could be hampered by the release of the Haiti charity single Everybody Hurts, out now, which is expected to top the charts.

But the duo will be hoping their tour will help the cause. They kick off The X Factor 2010 Live Tour in Liverpool on February 15 - the day their single hits the shops.

They will reportedly do four songs, the same number as winner Joe, in the live shows.

The tour hits Aberdeen in March and will be in Glasgow in March and April.

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