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[ThePensmith]

Hello one, hello all. Fizzing into a view like a Catherine wheel on Bonfire Night, it's my personal top 20 singles for you this week. Last week was a busy old chart, as DJ Spoony and his Garage Classical orchestra teamed up with the original lineup of Sugababes and took 'Flowers' to number one two whole decades after the original was released. But are they still there today? Have a returning Coldplay and new singles from Westlife and Ed Sheeran proved too strong a challenge? Let's find out...

THEPENSMITH'S TOP 20 SINGLES CHART
Week ending 1st November 2019
© AM LIMITED 2019

1. (HNE) COLDPLAY - Orphans / Arabesque
2. (1) DJ SPOONY PRESENTS GARAGE CLASSICAL FEAT. SUGABABES - Flowers
3. (2) NIALL HORAN - Nice To Meet Ya
4. (NE) MCFLY - Those Were The Days
5. (NE) WESTLIFE - My Blood
6. (4) MCFLY - Touch the Rain
7. (3) PAIGE CAVELL - Red Is The Way
8. (5) CAMILA CABELLO - Liar
9. (7) DIPLO FEAT. JONAS BROTHERS - Lonely
10. (NE) ED SHEERAN FEAT. CAMILA CABELLO - South of the Border

11. (6) MCFLY - Corner Of My Mind
12. (NE) KATY PERRY - Harleys in Hawaii
13. (9) MCFLY - Something About You
14. (10) MCFLY - Break Me
15. (NE) WARD THOMAS - I Believe In You
16. (11) ALPHABEAT - I Don't Know What's Cool Anymore
17. (13) THE SCRIPT - The Last Time
18. (12) RUTHANNE - Take What I Can Get
19. (8) B*WITCHED - Hold On
20. (14) LAUV - Feelings

Compiled from my own personal listening in the last seven days across streaming, digital and physical formats.

KEY

(1) - last week's position
(HNE) - highest new entry
(NE) - new entry
(RE) - re-entry

CHART COMMENTARY



New month, and it starts with another new chart topper, and a hearty welcome back to one of our most consistent names of the last 20 years. Yes, we did say 20 years. Because that's how long it'll have been next year since Coldplay had their first hit on my chart, with 'Shiver', a single which went no further than #33 on my chart, but has so far set them off on a career spanning seven albums, many hit singles, sold out tours and three number ones on my chart. Although that's up for debate slightly, as Chris Martin and chums were at the top of my chart under their Los Unidades alias with Pharrell Williams and Jozzy on 'E-Lo' right at the very beginning of this year.





They announced their return to music last week with - a very archaic concept in this day and age, unless you're of the stature they are - the double-a-side single 'Orphans / Arabesque', which serves as the first taster from their eighth studio album 'Everyday Life', out on 22nd November. Regardless, it gives them their fourth number one hit as Coldplay, and first since 'Hymn for the Weekend' in January 2017, pushing last week's number one from DJ Spoony's Garage Classical with Sugababes and 'Flowers' down to #2 after just one week on top.

After a brief sejourn from top 5 status seven days ago when 'Corner of My Mind' and 'Something About You' debuted at #6 and #9 (they fall to #11 and #13 respectively), this week's new MLS (McFly Lost Song), 'Those Were The Days', debuts at #4. The track is a collaboration (albeit uncredited) with the Brazillian chanteuse Ximena Sariñana, who thus claims her first top 10 hit on my chart. The likelihood of another one from her however, is pretty much a non-starter.



Westlife have reached #2 with each of the first three singles from their forthcoming new album 'Spectrum' (out two weeks today). 'Hello My Love' debuted in runners up slot in January, then 'Better Man' followed it in April, and 'Dynamite' joined our chart in silver honours back in July. But unless there is a climb in store for fourth single 'My Blood' next week, then it's #5 entry point today will mean that run (albeit a frustrating one) has been broken.



As 'Liar' continues on inside the top 10 for Camila Cabello this week (down three places to #8), it's joined in the upper echelon by the former Fifth Harmony starlet's fourth chart appearance in five months, as she appears on 'South of the Border', the latest single from Ed Sheeran, which debuts at #10. Hits from Ed's current album 'No 6 Collaborations Project' have been few and far between this time on my chart, but at the very least it gives him a second top 10 hit after 'Beautiful People' with Khalid peaked at #6 in June.



Katy Perry just misses out on a top 10 debut this week. Her last single 'Never Really Over' was a top 5 hit back in June, but 'Harleys in Hawaii' has to be content with a #12 entry point. However, it's worth pointing out that 'Never Really Over' started it's chart life at #9 before climbing to its peak, so don't write off its chances completely just yet.



Lastly this week, sisterly UK country duo Ward Thomas are back inside my chart this week. 'I Believe In You' is not a cover of the Kylie song of the same name, but debuts at #15. It's their third hit of the year, following 'Breathe In' (#8 in July) and 'No Filter' (#10 in January).



FLASHBACK TOP 10

Your chance to see how my personal top 10 was looking on this week in the last 20 years. This week in 2000: Spice Girls return to the top with their double-a-side single 'Holler / Let Love Lead The Way', plus classic hits from Martine McCutcheon, Steps and Ricky Martin



1. (HNE) SPICE GIRLS - Holler / Let Love Lead The Way



2. (NE) MARTINE MCCUTCHEON - I'm Over You
3. (1) STEPS - Stomp
4. (NE) RICKY MARTIN - She Bangs
5. (2) ALL SAINTS - Black Coffee
6. (3) ROBBIE WILLIAMS & KYLIE MINOGUE - Kids
7. (4) DELERIUM FEAT. SARAH MCLACHLAN - Silence
8. (5) SAMANTHA MUMBA - Body II Body
9. (NE) COLDPLAY - Trouble
10. (6) ARCHITECHS FEAT. NANA - Body Groove