#231. Usher - You Make Me Wanna...

1 week at #1 in 1998 (#14 of 30 for '98)

 

 

US R&B artists getting a UK #1 seemed a bit rare in the 90's, and it took low January sales for Usher to get one. This sticks out in my playlist of the #1's because of that. But it wouldn't if this was a US #1, and if I did a playlist of US #1's. Regardless, this song is a jam. The "you make me wanna leave the one I'm with; start a new relationship with you" chorus is a bit wordy, though.

#230. Oasis - The Hindu Times

1 week at #1 in 2002 (#15 of 29 for '02)

 

 

It's just Oasis being Oasis. I find this to be a return to form for them. This song is basically about rock and roll being like a drug and getting high off of that. lol.

#229. Cheryl Cole - Fight For This Love

2 weeks at #1 in 2009 (#12 of 32 for '09)

 

 

This song was made to be an anthem. No doubt about it. That "fight fight fight fight fight for this love" refrain sticks with you. The message is self explanatory. Every relationship has its ups and downs, but if it's true love, then it's worth fighting for. It's a solid song, and makes for a very solid debut single. But the main problem I have is Cheryl. I've loved a lot of her solo work, but I feel like this song is too big for her. She just doesn't have the voice to carry it, and falls a bit flat in some places. It doesn't feel as big as it could be.

Edited August 18, 201410 yr by n4yr

I love fight for this love. Loving this thread so much. Your work and effort into this is amazing

Edited August 18, 201410 yr by Ultraviolence

#228. Michael Jackson - Earth Song

6 weeks at #1 in 1995 / 1996 (#10 of 17 for '95)

 

 

A bit awkward that this is his biggest selling single. This is certainly an ambitious song. Which is something that can be said for a lot of MJ's discography. He definitely wasn't someone that "played it safe". And I do admire him for that. That said, this song is a bit over the top. And such a loooooong song at that. Much like "Scream", another single from this album, this feels like it's trying so hard to be something big. But this is way better than "Scream", which I found to be an over-hyped mess. "Earth Song" is an attempt at a socially concious anthem (about saving the environment obviously.) I think it still succeeds in doing so. There isn't really a chorus in this, which is interesting. There's a bunch of "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh Ohhhhhhhhhhhh", but that's not really a chorus.

Thanks Ultraviolence :D

 

#227. Blondie - Maria

1 week at #1 in 1999 (#14 of 35 for '99)

 

 

This is quite possibly the most random comeback I've ever seen. But in a good way. This is such a pleasant surprise of a #1. It sounds straight out of the 80's, not that that's a bad thing. It's a great pop song, though I'm unsure why there's Christmas bells in it. This was released in February afterall!

#226. Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell Williams - Blurred Lines

5 weeks at #1 in 2013 (#10 of 30 for '13)

 

 

Oh this is a fun one. This was my 21st birthday #1, and it was my personal chart birthday #1 as well. Pharrell makes this song what it is. His cow bell production and ad libs make this really infectious. So it took me a while to even realize what "blurred lines" meant in this context. Urban dictionary came to the rescue as it usually does in these situations. They represent the lines or boundaries that women won't cross when it comes to doing certain sexual acts. And they're blurred because men never know where these lines are drawn. And Robin Thicke and his friends are tired of these blurred lines, and want explore more... diverse... acts of pleasure. Which sounds really creepy and perverted, and throws feminism out the door. But somehow it all makes for a fun song. It's full of hooks ("HEY HEY HEY"; "Everybody get up"; "I know you want it") and full of quotable lines ("what rhymes with hug me?", etc.) Even though it's hard to comprehend what Robin is singing half the time. T.I. is utterly useless, but whatever. And then there's the music video! It's hilarious, in an ironic sense. So many random visuals like rolling a toy car down the girls back (like what even...) and the constant plastering of hashtags in big letters.

#225. Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee)

3 weeks at #1 in 1999 (#13 of 35 for '99)

 

 

So, I've seen so many misheard lyrics for this song. I'm probably the only one that actually hears "da ba dee". The song is about isolation and depression, but it has a very upbeat dance beat to it. Which makes the song sound a bit haunting. But it sort of becomes a novelty song, and it relies on the "blue" gimmick. With the blue aliens and the word "blue" being in the lyrics 300 times. As well as the overuse of a vocoder or auto-tune (I'm not really sure which) to create those incoherent electronic vocals, which in itself is sort of a gimmick. But those vocals make the song sounds futuristic, in a way, and that's part of the reason why I like this. I remember this song so vividly from my childhood, and I think I found it really irritating for many years. But I like it now.

#224. Chicane feat. Bryan Adams - Don't Give Up

1 week at #1 in 2000 (#19 of 42 for '00)

 

 

Much like the "Blue", the electronic vocals on this add a certain futuristic sound to it. And the production is very euphoric too, and adds to that futuristic element.

 

Ugh this is getting tough to eliminate songs now. Literally my entire top 225-ish I want to be in my top 200. :/

Edited August 19, 201410 yr by n4yr

#223. Will Young - Leave Right Now

2 weeks at #1 in 2003 (#10 of 22 for '03)

 

 

His only decent #1, and the best Pop Idol-related #1. The story of the song is that he's meeting up with his ex again; he's contemplating getting back together with them; but he knows that it's a bad decision because he'll just get hurt again. He realizes it's best to just leave before anything happens.

#222. Calvin Harris - Summer

1 week at #1 in 2014 (#6 of 16 for '14)

 

 

I'm sick of this song right now. But I was really into it when it came out. I just really loved the production for some reason, even if it's "basic"/"generic"/etc. And I loved hearing Calvin do vocals on his own song again. And I do like the "You act so innocent now; but you lied so soon" lyric.

#221. One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful

1 week at #1 in 2011 (#12 of 30 for '11)

 

 

So this 1D's debut single; and Liam, Harry and Zayn get all the solos. Sorry Niall and Louis fans. Their #1's aren't their best songs, but this is one of their better songs. I remember when this was released on UK iTunes and went straight to #1 and I had no idea who these guys were or why there was so much hype. Then I watched the video and understood. But I really liked the pop-rock sound of this; it took me back to like 2008 (and then they kept rehashing this same sound.) It was catchy, although corny, and I've never been big on these songs about "girls needing their boyfriend to boost their self-esteem". And the lyrics are a bit oddly worded. But I still enjoyed it, and still do.

#220. Duffy - Mercy

5 weeks at #1 in 2008 (#6 of 20 for '08)

 

 

Amy Winehouse brought back this retro/soul sound and sold quite a few copies of "Back To Black" in the process. Adele and Duffy (among others) ran with this sound not long afterwards. And it sort of became a short-lived trend in 2008. Interestingly, "Mercy" and "Chasing Pavements" (#2) were released around the same time. Duffy seemed to be the breakout artist of 2008 (though Adele was no flop.) But then the success (or lack thereof) of their respective second albums had such drastically different results. I just really love the bassline in "Mercy", and I love her voice on this, and I do like the retro sound. Also this blocked Nickelback's "Rockstar" from going #1, so I'll forever be thankful for that.

Edited August 20, 201410 yr by n4yr

#219. Sigma - Nobody To Love

1 week at #1 in 2014 (#5 of 16 for '14)

 

 

I don't think I've had such a major turnaround with any other song this year. When I first heard this, I found it dull, and sounded like every other drum n bass song out there. It just didn't do anything for me. But it grew on me massively, and managed to go all the way to #2 on my personal chart, and has become of the songs that's defined my summer this year. It was that line "tired of loving with nobody to love" that really just stuck with me. It just rings so true. And then I listened to the full version and I love the intro. And I grew to love the production, along with the "oooooooooooooooooooooooooh weeeeeeeooooooooooooh."

#218. Shaggy - Boombastic

1 week at #1 in 1995 (#7 of 17 for '95)

 

 

So from what I can tell, there are two versions of this song that were used. The one linked above with the more dancey beat, and the one with the Marvin Gaye sample. My radio station has only played the former, and I've never actually heard the latter outside of playing it on YouTube lol. The former is the better version anyway. That beat makes the song a jam.

Edited August 20, 201410 yr by n4yr

#217. Eminem - Like Toy Soldiers

1 week at #1 in 2005 (#10 of 25 for '05)

 

 

This song is about the feuds going on in the rap community at the time. Most notably the one between 50 Cent and Ja Rule. And how Eminem didn't want to be involved in it, but they kept trying to drag him in anyway. I like the sample of Martika's "Toy Soldiers" in this, and I like the comparison being made (a soldier fighting someone else's battle.)

#216. Melanie B feat. Missy Elliott - I Want You Back

1 week at #1 in 1998 (#13 of 30 for '98)

 

 

She was the first Spice to get a solo #1; yet she arguably had the most underwhelming solo career of them all. That's really saying something when Victoria Beckham is in that mix. Mel B's album took 2 years to be released after this song, and was overshadowed due to being released at the same time as the Spice's 3rd album. Mel B's peaked at #28 on the album chart. Though I've heard that the album was awful, and I'm wary about giving it a listen. Anyway. Missy Eliott's production is the best thing about this song. There's just something about it that fascinates me. I like her ad libs too. Mel B.. well.. she's not awful, but she's not amazing either. She was never the strongest member of the group. Actually, I don't think any of them were as strong individually as they were together. I'm not sure what it is, but each of them brought something unique to the group and it just worked so well. But I'll talk more about that when I get to their remaining #1's. The bridge is the best part of this song: "..sittin' all night at the bar".

Edited August 20, 201410 yr by n4yr

#215. Nizlopi - The JCB Song

1 week at #1 in 2005 (#9 of 25 for '05)

 

 

This song really tugs at your heartstrings, doesn't it? He's reminiscing about when he was 5 years old: he's just spending time with his dad at work, riding on his JCB, escaping school from all the bullies, not a care in the world or a care for what's going on around them. The only thing that matters is this moment together. The tone of the song makes it seem like they're no longer able to have moments like these anymore. The song never explicitly says this, but I just assume this is the case. It makes it seem much more emotional: missing the good times from your childhood. But then in the latter part of the song, it switches up into a Mumford & Sons-like jam session. It leaves the song on a positive note: not dwelling on the present situation, and just staying in this positive memory. Some of the lyrics can seem a bit cringe, but then I remember this is from the perspective of a five year old, so it's ok. I love this video too.

Edited August 21, 201410 yr by n4yr

#214. Jason Derulo feat. 2 Chainz - Talk Dirty

2 weeks at #1 in 2013 (#9 of 30 for '13)

 

 

It's interesting how Jason can put a song I like this much, yet still put out such crap like "Trumpets". I also can't stand "Ridin' Solo", "It Girl", "Fight For You", "Stupid Love", and I can probably add "Wiggle" to that list too, but I find that one sort of hilariously awful. But then I loved "Whatcha Say", "In My Head", "Breathing"; along with this song. (All his other singles are just averagely "meh".) So what is it that I love about this song? The beat, mostly. I love the clappy beat, and I love the sax breakdown. And this sounded very different from any other single Jason had released. 2 Chainz's verse is too much for me, though.

#213. LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock - Party Rock Anthem

4 weeks at #1 in 2011 (#11 of 30 for '11)

 

 

I know a lot of people hate this song, but I loved it 3 years ago for some reason. I even went as far as to declare it my favourite US #1 of 2011. I don't stand by that anymore, and this song hasn't aged on me that well, but I still enjoy it to a certain extent. LMFAO were never meant to be taken seriously, and they were just having fun. And I found their songs to be a lot of fun, too, and I liked their sense of humour. I even sort of liked Redfoo's "Let Get Ridiculous." :X Anyway. The "everyday I'm shuffling" line always amused me. And this was like the danciest dance-pop song that came about in the US charts at the time. Though this was WAY too successful in Australia. Also, slay Lauren Bennett with your flawless "get up get down put your hands up to the sun" (x643213212).