232. "Guilty" The Rasmus (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 26 July 2004

UK Chart Peak: #15

 

And that makes three consecutive #1s for The Rasmuys in my chart. The chain was broken when "In my life" only made it to #4.

 

The Rasmus would have then three more top 20 hits in my chart, the last one from 2008.

 

233. "My happy ending" Avril Lavigne (4 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 9 August 2004

UK Chart Peak: #5

 

This one entered at #2 in my chart in the week that The Rasmus' "Guilty" entered at #1 and stayed there for another week but then the two reversed positions and "My happy ending" stayed on top for four weeks, becoming her third and longest-running #1 in my charts.

 

Despite making to the top 10 in several countries, the UK was the only country where it reached top 5. Lavigne hasn't yet topped my chart again but she had plenty more top 10 hits ever since.

 

234. "Somebody told me" The Killers (3 non consecutive weeks)

 

Reached #1: 6 September 2004, 4 October 2004

UK Chart Peak: #3

 

For me one of the songs that defined the mid-noughties, "Somebody told me" has such a staying power in my chart that it claimed a third week at #1 after two week behind the following #1 in this list and stayed in the top 20 well into December.

 

Among the fans of this song there is Mitt Romney, 2012 US presidential candidate, who claimed this is one of his favourite top 10 songs of all time.

 

Edited October 15, 201410 yr by N-S

235. "Afrodisiac" Brandy (2 consecutive weeks)

 

Reached #1: 20 September 2004

UK Chart Peak: #11

 

A surprise second #1 for Brandy Norwood, a whole six years after "The boy is mine", in what was easily her edgiest phase, although she says she now regrets going all sexy in this video (one of the dancers in it is actor Columbus Short). But for me, it's easily one of her best songs.

 

However Brandy would only have two more entries in my chart ever since, follow-up single "Who is she 2 U" and 2008's "Right here".

 

236. "Te comere a besos" Sara (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 11 October 2004

 

The ultimate one hit wonder in my chart: it entered at #1 and was out of it few weeks later and I couldn't find anything about this chick other than she was from Spain.

 

Ten years later, after a little more research, I found out that Sara had been previously active as a backup and session singer and was offered a deal after singing a Tampax commercial jingle and that she had another song: "No somos de piedra". But such was the appeal of a pretty girl saying that she would "eat me with kisses" was too hard to ignore and she was allowed a brief moment of glory.

 

237. "She will be loved" Maroon 5 (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 18 October 2004

UK Chart Peak: #4

 

"Harder to breathe" and "This love" had been top 20 hits in my chart but this was the one song that really made me enjoy Maroon 5 and for me remains their best, and their sole #1 in my chart.

 

"She will be loved" was also #1 in Australia, Wallon Belgium and Israel.

 

 

238. "My prerogative" Britney Spears (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 1 November 2004

UK Chart Peak: #3

 

Britney was making news due to the marriage (her second of the year!) to Kevin Federline and shortly after she released her first greatest hits album, which among the new tracks there was this cover of Bobby Brown's 1988 hit. Britney became thus the first artist to have 10 #1 hits in my chart.

 

It's not among the most remembered of her songs, but it still made to #1 in Ireland, Italy, Finland and Norway.

 

 

 

 

239. "Lose my breath" Destny's Child (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 15 November 2004

UK Chart Peak: #2

 

All three ladies from Destiny's Child had been busy with their well-received solo careers that the group's reunion for another album was surprising for many.

 

"Lose my breath" gave them their second #1 in my chart as a group, also hitting #1 in Ireland, Flemish Belgium and Switzerland.

 

240. "Do they know it's Christmas" Band Aid 20 (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 6 December 2004

UK Chart Peak: #1

 

Twenty years after the original Band Aid single, a whole new array of stars got together to record a new version. Whereas the final was rather underwhelming and far from the brilliance of the original, it was still a good effort. Heck, I bough it (in February 2005).

 

The original Band Aid version has entered my top 40 three times (2008, 2010, 2011) during the Christmas period.

 

241. "Fairytale of New York" The Pogues & Kirsty McColl (2 non-consecutive weeks)

 

Reached #1: 27 December 2004, 16 December 2007

UK Chart Peak: #2

I actually did not remember this song back in 1987. However in 2004 I was friends with a guy who was obsessed with The Pogues and he got me into their repertoir and I soon began loving "Fairytale Of New York" and I had it entering my chart sitting two weeks #2 and even hitting the topspot in the week after Christmas. In the following year the record was re-released and has since confirmed its status as a Christmas classic.

 

Moreover, it has re-entered my chart virtually every year in December ever since, even topping my chart again in 2007, making it the longest wait for a song to return to #1 in my charts. Kirsty McColl had been then deceased for five years (who'd have thought Shane McGowan would outlive her, let alone for so long?), thus becoming the first female artist with a posthumous #1 in my chart.

 

Edited October 16, 201410 yr by N-S

242. "Driving you slow" The Gift (4 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 3 January 2005

 

The Gift established themselves as one of Portugal's biggest bands with the release of their third album, the double-disc "AM/FM", winning the MTV EMA Award for Best Portuguese Act in 2005.

 

The first single "Driving you slow" gave them their second #1 in my chart. (No, that "lady" in the video is not the actual lead singer!)

 

 

 

243. "Get right" Jennifer Lopez (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 31 January 2005

UK Chart Peak: #1

 

After two #1s in my chart back in 1999, J.Lo finally claimed her third in 2005 with the lead single from her "Rebirth". Likewise, it would take her another six years to achieve her next chart-topper.

 

"Get right" is heavily based on a sample of "Soul power 74" by Maceo and The Macks. It topped the charts in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Hungary.

 

Edited October 16, 201410 yr by N-S

244. "Nothing hurts like love" Daniel Bedingifield (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 21 February 2005

UK Chart Peak: #3

 

Diane Warren-penned ballad "Nothing hurts like love" was the first single from Bedingfield's sophomore album and his second #1 in my chart. His hit "If you're not the one" was still so heavily played on Portuguese radio, that it was included as a bonus track in the album version that was released here.

 

It entered my chart on December 2004 at #10 and remained hovering around it until it finally stormed back to #1 due to Valentine's Day and my purchase of NOW 59. By leaping from #23 to #1, it was at the time the biggest climb ever to #1 in my chart.

 

 

245. "Lift me up" Moby (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 28 February 2005

UK Chart Peak: #18

 

The first single from his album "Hotel", Moby achieved his second #1 in my chart with "Lift Me Up", which was particularly successful in Italy and Spain where it was top 3.

 

The song was originally supposed to be sung by Sisters Of Mercy's Andrew Eldritch. It was used in a Vodafone comercial, ITV Sport's coverage of Formula One and in the soundtracks of Doctor Who and The Devil Wears Prada.

 

246. "My explanation" EZ Special (4 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 14 March 2005

 

Funny, I haven't heard this in ages, which is quite strange for a song that spent 4 weeks at #1 in my chart. Portuguese band EZ Special had hit national fame in 2003 with their debut album and this was sophomore album time , with "My explanation" as the first single.

 

Lead singer Ricardo Azevedo pursued a solo career in 2006 and the band followed on with another vocalist. Both Azevedo as a solo artist and the new EZ Special ditched singing in English for Portuguese and achieved some moderate success but never hit the top 10 in my chart again.

 

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by N-S

247. "Shiver" Natalie Imbruglia (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 11 April 2005

UK Chart Peak: #8

 

Seven years after "Torn" and "Big Mistake", Natalie Imbruglia managed to claim her third #1 in my chart with "Shiver", which was a chart-topper in Hungary.

 

Imbruglia's last entry in my chart was with 2009's "Want" that hit #12.

 

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by N-S

248. "Bad day" Daniel Powter (4 non-consecutive weeks)

 

Reached #1: 25 April 2005, 9 May 2005

UK Chart Peak: #2

 

One of the songs I imediately think of when I think of 2005. Canadian singer Daniel Powter had a worldwide hit with "Bad Day", that topped the charts in Ireland, Czech Republic and USA, where it was the #1 Billboard song of 2006 and the first one to sell two million digital copies. And of course, the video is one of my all-time favourites.

 

In 2009, Billboard named this the biggest one-hit wonder of the 2000s but in my chart Potwer was no-one hit wonder, as he chalked three more top 20 hits. I saw him perform live in 2009.

 

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by N-S

249. "Mockingbird" Eminem (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 2 May 2005

UK Chart Peak: #4

 

Having topped the chart first time with one of his signature songs "Without me", Eminem also joined the list of acts who were #1 chart with one of their least obvious hits. Case in point, "Mockingbird" one of the several songs he dedicates to his daughter Hailie.

 

He has yet to claim a third #1 in my chart, but his two collaborations with Rihanna came very close hitting #2.

 

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by N-S

250. "Speed of sound" Coldplay (5 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 30 May 2005

UK Chart Peak: #2

 

It was great that the 250th #1 song in my chart was that significant. Coldplay scored their first #1 with "Speed of sound", the first single from the "X & Y" album. Although it only topped the charts in country (Poland), it's one of their biggest hits.

 

It won the Best Song award at the 2005 MTV EMA awards and Best British Single at the 2006 Brits. It was also considered the Song Of The Year by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

 

251. "Be yourself" Audioslave (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 4 July 2005

UK Chart Peak: #40

 

Now this was quite a surprise at the time. Not only Audioslave had only claimed one top 40 hit in my chart before this one (#36 "Like a stone"), it started its run in 16-19-15-19 before rocketing all the way to #1.

 

Audioslave had two more top 40 hits in my chart but would never be that high again. Chris Cornell has also chalked three top 40 solo hits in my chart whilst Rage Against The Machine, for all their fame, have only one.

 

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by N-S