107. TONIGHT- New Kids On The Block (219,500)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Tonight_(song).jpg

 

RELEASED: 1990

PEAK POSITION: 3

WKS ON CHART: 10

 

Following up “Step By Step” (No 168) was this 1960’s pastiche which proved to be one of their longest running tracks chartwise. Being one of those tracks which addresses the fans directly and name checks many of their previous hits, the video is naturally full of tour footage and screaming girls, a bit like a victory parade for how successful they had become by this point. It became their 6th top 10 of 1990 and the final one (chronologically speaking) to make our rundown.

 

106. HANGIN TOUGH- New Kids On The Block (220,500)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/72/Hangin'_Tough_single.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1989

PEAK POSITION: 1

WKS ON CHART: 14

 

Back to back NKOTB time. This was the first single to be released in the UK by the band who had by this time conquered their homeland, but it limped to No 52 in 1989 and was only re-issued in light of “You Got It” making the top here. The song did however become the first No 1 single of the 1990s here, doing so just 5 weeks after the latter track vacated the position! It’s also equally infamous for becoming the lowest selling No 1 single ever (at that point) when it turned in a sales figure of just 28k to hit the top, a record that would stand for 12 years.

 

105. JESSE HOLD ON- B*Witched (220,600)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Jesse_Hold_On.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1999

PEAK POSITION: 4

WKS ON CHART: 12

 

Remember that record that Atomic kitten almost achieved (No 109)? Well one of the groups who did manage to get 4 straight No 1 singles (which all debuted there- a new record) were B*Witched. “Jesse Hold On” was the comeback single for the second album which was widely tipped to follow suit and give them a 5th chart topper but surprised us all by only making No 4, it was unfortunate to be up against three songs that were still selling exceptionally well, and though posting an opening week figure of almost 90k it couldn’t overcome Eiffel 65, Ann Lee or Christina Aguilera.

 

90k is a much higher opening for Jesse Hold On than I'd realised it had, it always seemed like a bit of a flop when it went in at #4. For the record, Genie In A Bottle, 2 Times and Blue (Da Ba Dee) is one of my all time favourite top 3's :wub:

90k is a much higher opening for Jesse Hold On than I'd realised it had, it always seemed like a bit of a flop when it went in at #4. For the record, Genie In A Bottle, 2 Times and Blue (Da Ba Dee) is one of my all time favourite top 3's :wub:

It was a steller week, it sold as much as BIOTW did earlier in the year. Not that big a fan of Ann Lee but the other two are clearly certified classics! :D

Gezza, what were the sales for that particular weeks top 4 when 'Jessie Hold On' debuted at #4? I know single sales were really strong throughout 1999 - iirc, the top 20 biggest selling singles of 1999 all sold over 500k.

Surely B*Witched weren't expected to beat Christina Aguilera? :o Maybe I had an advantage being closer to the age of the kind of markets they were aimed at, but I clearly remember the huge trail of hype Christina had behind her. Smash Hits were going on about her for months before I had even heard the song, all the comparisons to Britney in the media, the video seemed to be all over the place, everyone I knew loved it, etc. Plus the hip urban production and electro-stylings made it far cooler and with wider appeal than anything B*Witched could muster (although this one I only say in retrospect). :D It was easily the most popular song of the last few months of 1999 at my school anyway. To be honest, B*Witched seemed to diminish in popularity VERY rapidly among people I knew after Rollercoaster so I wasn't too surprised at them missing #1... even I had stopped caring by this point.

 

It was a pretty weak track to be honest. Not bad, just flat and losing the spark that made them popular in the first place a bit. I Shall Be There was a bizarre trend-jumping collaboration, roping in The Soup Gang when any casual interest from that advert had long since evaporated. However, I did like Jump Down ("you ran away with my spoon, you've stolen my heart"). :)

Gezza, what were the sales for that particular weeks top 4 when 'Jessie Hold On' debuted at #4? I know single sales were really strong throughout 1999 - iirc, the top 20 biggest selling singles of 1999 all sold over 500k.

I can't really say- and that's all to do with the next thread?! :o

What are you trying to do to me Gezza , two NKOTB videos on the same page? :cheer: I guess I got an answer to my question earlier the thread that Tonight outsold Step by Step even though it charted lower. Good Times :wub:

 

I never really got Bewitched but they were everywhere for a year or so!!

I can't really say- and that's all to do with the next thread?! :o

Biggest sum totals of the top 3/4/5 singles in a week?

 

There was that other classic top 3 earlier in 1999 where Whitney sold something ridiculously high to debut at #3, with Britney spending a second week at #1 and Blur debuting at #2. I think it was 160k off the top of my head.

IIRC correctly, and bear in mind this is a very dark corner of my memory from 13 years ago, the Asda chart (almost as influential as the Woolies chart!) had Jesse Hold On at #1, Christina at #2 and Ann Lee at either #3 or #4. I recall thinking that they were wrong and that Christina would get the #1 but I never expected Ann Lee to come in ahead of B*Witched who I thought were a dead cert for #2! Needless to say, the two singles that I bought in Asda on that day were Genie In A Bottle and 2 Times.

158. BE ALONE NO MORE- Another Level (165,300)

 

http://www.roxcalibur.com/pix2/e29722.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1998

PEAK POSITION: 6

WKS ON CHART: 9

 

So good they released it twice. This was their first single ever making the top 10 in early 98 before being remixed and hooking Jay Z in for a rap in 1999, the sales here incidentally reflect the 98 release only. The band sent a tape to Jay Z Roc-a-fella label in the states who passed it onto his UK label who signed the band up and the rest is, as they say, history.

 

Dane Bowers used to make me go weak... embarrassing thought now in 2012!

157. BILLS BILLS BILLS- Destiny’s Child (165,400)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/62/Dc_bills.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1999

PEAK POSITION: 6

WKS ON CHART: 9

 

This was their first US chart topper and the first of 11 consecutive top 10 singles for the band over here. Lyrically it’s the same old same old from Beyonce et al, it’s actually the first of their singles to be written in part by Rowland/ Beyonce and was the first step toward greater self autonomy over the band.

 

"The Writings On The Wall" is one hell of an album, but "Bills Bills Bills" is barely nothing more than a load of moaning over a limp/half-arsed production. Even at the time is was "meh". Luckily the follow up singles would blow this right out of the water!

139. WAR OF NERVES- All Saints (181,600)

 

http://991.com/newGallery/All-Saints-War-Of-Nerves-161898.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1998

PEAK POSITION: 7

WKS ON CHART: 11

 

Often overlooked in their catalogue, “War Of Nerves” was a 5th release from their debut release and the smallest hit to be culled from it. The album had of course done a million by this point so perhaps it is small wonder that sales had slumped and the band couldn’t pull a fourth chart topper from it especially given the release date in the midst of Christmas tracks, the video incidentally is filmed in the Met Bar in London, THE place to go at the time. Three members had by this time high profile relationships with Jamie Theakston, Robbie Williams, and Stuart Zender (Jamiroquai) making them prime newspaper fodder, it would take its toll.

 

My beef with All Saints was they thought they were the absolute dogs bollocks. IMO, they were little more than a well-packaged girl group with supposedly an "edge". Though I will hold my hands up and say "Pure Shores" was a blindin track (thanks mainly due to Williams Orbits lush production).

 

Their pathetic "comeback" in 2006-ish stunk. They thought they could just comeback with minimal promotion... their arrogance sure blew up in their face eh?! :P

132. JUMP- Girls Aloud (189,000)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a6/Jump1.jpg

 

Now, I like a bit of Girls Aloud (who doesn't??!) but this is one of THE worse cover versions ever. Sounds like it was done through lunch along with their equally as bad cover of Tiffany. Yuck! :puke2:

Edited April 13, 201213 yr by ScottyEm

125. IF YOU LOVE ME- Brownstone (196,000)

 

http://www.ljplus.ru/img4/_/k/_kinkajou_/Brownstone-ifyouloveme.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1995

PEAK POSITION: 8

WKS ON CHART: 12

 

Very brief 90s girl group Brownstone were signed to Michael Jackson’s label and saw the top 20 on three occasions between 95-97 this being their only top 10 hit. Not much of a story here I’m afraid except to say that it’s largely forgotten now and peaked at No 8 both here and in the US.

 

 

This, along with En Vogues relatively brief back cat, capture the style of RnB I worship in droves. That chunky 90s-style RnB, together with those knockout vocals, are fab!

104. ALL THAT I NEED- Boyzone (222,400)

 

http://991.com/newGallery/Boyzone-All-That-I-Need-117483.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1998

PEAK POSITION: 1

WKS ON CHART: 14

 

Boyzone’s third No 1 single has a rich pedigree being penned by Sturken and Rogers, names you may not know but whose work you certainly will. In the noughties they formed SRP records and signed a 16 yr old Rihanna and introduced her to Jay Z before penning many of her hits such as “Shut Up and Drive” and “Pon De Replay” in addition to the Saturdays “Issues”. This track finally deposed Run DMC Vs Jason Nevins from the top in May 98 after they’d been there for 6 wks but ultimately sold less than a quarter of that record.

 

103. LOSE MY BREATH- Destiny’s Child (223,000)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b1/Love_My_Breath_single_cover.jpg

 

RELEASED: 2004

PEAK POSITION: 2

WKS ON CHART: 9

 

A three year break precipitated the release of DC’s fifth album “Destiny Fulfilled” during which time Beyonce and Kelly had made their bids for solo stardom. Released in a week that saw the band compete with new singles from the likes of Eminem, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears and became one of only 3 records during the first half of the 00s to spend 4 wks at No 2 without getting to No 1, the three tracks that were No 1 during those weeks were all beaten come year end of 2004 by this track- a fitting revenge.

 

102. BLAME IT ON THE BOOGIE- Big Fun (223,600)

 

http://991.com/NewGallery/Big-Fun-Blame-It-On-The-B-65500.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1989

PEAK POSITION: 4

WKS ON CHART: 11

 

So whilst 2wo Third3’s were the first openly gay boyband these were, as far we know, really the first to get that accolade. Written back in the 70s with the hope of selling it to Stevie Wonder it ended up in the Jackson’s lap who produced the most famous version of the song, and fast forward 10 years and S/A/W took a failing boy band and worked their magic on the track to give themselves another top 5 hit. The band had actually recorded a version of “I Feel The Earth Move” as a single but was pulled at the last minute in favour of this, fortunately for Martika who released her version just a few months later.

 

101. CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS/ SILENT NIGHT- Bros (224,000)

 

http://991.com/newGallery/Bros-Cat-Among-The-Pig-66008.jpg

 

RELEASED: 1988

PEAK POSITION: 2

WKS ON CHART: 8

 

The phenomenon of 1988 are back this time with their stab at the Xmas No 1 for the year. It became their second track to debut at No 2 but unlike the first (“I Owe You Nothing”) this couldn’t go any further. Lyrics were altered at the time as Goss had written a tale of teenage pregnancy, far too controversial for the teenage fan base so it was altered to a tale of spousal abuse (go figure) anyway it rounded off a perfect year for the boys.