#516. The Script feat. will.i.am - Hall Of Fame

2 weeks at #1 in 2012 (#33 of 36 for '12)

 

 

I think the Olympics had a lot to do with why this did so well. Another song attempting to be inspirational that doesn't do anything for me. This song is basically nothing but a list. You can be this, you can be that. It's like: I get, I can be anything. It reminds me of “The Fighter” by Gym Class Heroes.

#515. Gareth Gates - Unchained Melody

4 weeks at #1 in 2002 (#25 of 29 for '02)

 

 

Oh, it's “Unchained Melody” again. Simon Cowell's favourite song to cover! And not the last song you'll be seeing twice in this list. I've read that Simon always wanted Gareth to win, and he pulled whatever strings to ensure that Gareth got more weeks at #1 than Will Young. lol. Gareth continued to one-up Will until their album releases. Gareth's time in the limelight was short lived, so I guess Will had the last laugh. I find most of Gareth's material to be pretty lousy, though, and maybe that's partly why he didn't last long. I don't know.

 

Anyway. I do like the Righteous Brothers version of this. And this is better than Robson & Jerome's, but that's not really saying anything. I think Gareth does a decent enough job, but it's far from being memorable. Part of what makes the Righteous Brother's version great is the way they belt out the “hunger” and the “I need your love” parts. Gareth makes those parts pretty tame. It is what it is, and I like it more than Will's winner's single, but it's still not something I'd actively want to listen to.

A lot of people seem to dislike 'Hall of Fame' on here! I agree with the whole list thing, but I actually do find it quite motivational/inspiring when listening to it.

 

By the way, fantastic job, I'm loving watching all the videos and reading your fab, in-depth commentaries! :D

#514. Busted - Who's David

1 week at #1 in 2004 (#26 of 29 for '04)

 

 

So this is about a girl they're into, but she's sleeping around with everyone in school. So screw her. And that's pretty much it. It's a basic storyline. Maybe too basic for me. Maybe my age is showing. I don't know. Most Busted songs just don't do anything for me. I don't find this song particularly catchy, either.

A lot of people seem to dislike 'Hall of Fame' on here! I agree with the whole list thing, but I actually do find it quite motivational/inspiring when listening to it.

 

By the way, fantastic job, I'm loving watching all the videos and reading your fab, in-depth commentaries! :D

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it! :D

 

 

#513. Martine McCutcheon - Perfect Moment

2 weeks at #1 in 1999 (#29 of 35 for '99)

 

 

Yawn.

 

Wish I had to more to say on this one. I just find it incredibly boring.

#512. Take That - How Deep Is Your Love

3 weeks at #1 in 1996 (#20 of 24 for '96)

 

 

Ugh; of all songs to end such a flawless career on, they end on this? An utterly pointless nothingy Bee Gees cover? And without Robbie in the group? “Never Forget” would've been more apt. This is definitely a single too far. Though it did give them another #1, so I guess it served its purpose. At least their legacy doesn't truly end with this song. :P

#511. Eamon - F**k It (I Don't Want You Back)

4 weeks at #1 in 2004 (#25 of 29 for '04)

 

 

A song that became a hit because of how many swears are in it. The story in this song is self-explanatory. There's no deep meaning here. It's an angry “f**k you” song with obnoxiously whiny vocals; set to a slow smooth (almost sensual) R&B production. The song is built on creating shock factor through its expletives, whether intentional or not. But I find that shock factor wears off pretty quickly, and I'm left with a song that feels rather tedious.

Eamon ahead of Frankee?

 

Forgot about 'Queen Of My Heart', I like that one. I think that bagpipe you hear is an accordion :D

 

Thank goodness Dirtee Disco's gone, what a mess.

 

Steps! I like 5, 6, 7, 8 too! Can't believe it missed the top 10!

 

And I'm definitely surprised at 'The Monster' being the lowest of Eminem's songs, for me 'Just Lose It' and 'Smack That' are his worst #1s by a huge margin.

 

This is a terrific thread, too much negativity for my liking but what can you do :lol:

Eamon ahead of Frankee?

 

Forgot about 'Queen Of My Heart', I like that one. I think that bagpipe you hear is an accordion :D

 

Thank goodness Dirtee Disco's gone, what a mess.

 

Steps! I like 5, 6, 7, 8 too! Can't believe it missed the top 10!

 

And I'm definitely surprised at 'The Monster' being the lowest of Eminem's songs, for me 'Just Lose It' and 'Smack That' are his worst #1s by a huge margin.

 

This is a terrific thread, too much negativity for my liking but what can you do :lol:

I have my reasons for Frankee, which I'll obviously get to later. :P

 

I love how 5, 6, 7, 8 went #1 in Australia though. So random! :lol:

 

Yeah, I'm starting to get tired of being so critical. :lol: But like you said, what can you do. I'd probably rate Eamon 3/10, so I'm making progress! :P

Edited June 23, 201411 yr by n4yr

Eamon and Frankee are one of my favourite #1s since my birth, I love them :lol:

#510. Will Smith - Men In Black

4 weeks at #1 in 1997 (#23 of 24 for '97)

 

 

This song just feels like an advertisement for the film itself. Like I said before, I don't really like Will Smith that much. I think I find that he just tries too hard to be “cool.” “Gettin' Jiggy With It” and “Wild Wild West” have always made me cringe, mostly for that reason. “Men In Black” is one of those songs where it's like: they struck gold with a catchy chorus; but then had no idea how to fill the verses. I mean really, how many times does he have to clarify what colour suits they wear and what their jobs are?

#509. The Offspring - Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)

1 week at #1 in 1999 (#28 of 35 for '99)

 

 

Speaking of trying too hard to be cool. Here's a song devoted to just that! I do find this song pretty funny sometimes, but his voice is kinda annoying (and I don't really like any of their other songs). And then there's just so many random things going on. The "give it to me baby" and "UH HUH UH HUH" parts (which are really irritating), the "gobim gleebin glabum" whatever intro, the Spanish counting, the cowbell. None of it really has to do with anything, but it makes the song catchy I guess.

#508. Gareth Gates - Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake)

3 weeks at #1 in 2002 (#24 of 29 for '02)

 

 

Well, I give it credit for it being an original song. This is a "I'm sorry I cheated" song. But the problem is, is that he's claiming "it can happen to anyone of us!" Oh yes, I'm sorry, it's not my fault! Plenty of other people cheat too, it must human nature, so that makes it okay! Yeah... I don't think his girlfriend is going to buy that. It's pretty hard to empathize with Gareth here. It's a lousy excuse, and he doesn't come off very remorseful either.

Edited June 23, 201411 yr by n4yr

Great countdown. Loving reading this :)

#507. Scouting For Girls - This Ain't A Love Song

2 weeks at #1 in 2010 (#29 of 34 for '10)

 

 

Hmm can't seem to find the video on YouTube (wonder if it's blocked in Canada :rolleyes: )

 

Anyway, more like "This Ain't An Interesting Song." I'll just echo everyone's complaints of all their songs sounding the same. Actually, it's not even so much that; their songs are just so.. pedestrian.. I guess you could say. They're so inoffensive and formulaic that they could be sung by any anonymous band out there. It's a basic song with a universal message. It's not bad; it's just uninteresting.

Great countdown. Loving reading this :)

Thanks! :D

 

#506. LL Cool J - Ain't Nobody

1 week at #1 in 1997 (#22 of 24 for '97)

 

 

Starting off with the obligatory "why exactly is this a #1?" I mean, it didn't even go top 40 in the US. Maybe it had something to do with that (overused) sample. Maybe it had something to do with the Beavis & Butthead association. I don't know. As far as late 90's rap songs go; this is really forgettable. I'm not sure why I ranked it as high as this when I made my list. :lol: I guess I do like the sample (though Liberty X do it better :P )

#505. Pixie Lott - Boys & Girls

1 week at #1 in 2009 (#29 of 32 for '09)

 

 

"All the boys and the girls they got it going on.." "..All the boys and the girls, no you just can't stop.." did a 5 year old write this? This sounds like something straight out of High School Musical.

#504. Gary Barlow - Love Won't Wait

1 week at #1 in 1997 (#21 of 24 for '97)

 

 

This sounds like a Take That leftover. But apparently it's a Madonna leftover. She co-wrote this for herself, but it was scrapped and Barlow snatched it up. I can see why it was scrapped. It's pretty basic and dated, especially compared to what she was releasing at the time (I can't see this alongside the track listings of Bedtime Stories and Ray Of Light). Despite Barlow adding a certain catchiness to it, his version still sounds pretty boring.

#503. Robson & Jerome - I Believe / Up On The Roof

4 weeks at #1 in 1995 (#14 of 17 for '95)

 

 

Unsurprisingly, none of their #1's make my top 500. "I Believe" is a cover of that 1953 Frankie Laine song that spent 18 long weeks at #1. Yeah I definitely like this more than I should. Maybe cuz it's only about 2:10, so it doesn't linger around long enough to annoy me. It's another song that sounds like a church hymn. Indeed, it can be a song about reaffirming one's (religious) faith (which wouldn't surprise me for a 1953 song); but I take it as more of a song about finding the beauty of the simple things in life. It doesn't make any specific religious references, and I'm not a religious person, so I prefer my interpretation. But it's basically the exact same arrangement as "Unchained Melody". "Up On The Roof" is definitely the better track, though. Also this blocked "Wonderwall" from #1, so boo.

Edited June 24, 201411 yr by n4yr

#502. U2 - Discotheque

1 week at #1 in 1997 (#20 of 24 for '97)

 

 

I do appreciate that they tried something different and I usually love when artists do experimental stuff. But this is such a major 'wtf' moment. What a complete nonsensical mess of a song. "Discoteque" is so unclear with what it's trying to be, that I don't even know how to make sense of it. It just seems like a bunch of random pieces thrown together for the sake of it. This video is so unintentionally hilarious (like why are they imitating the Village People?)

Edited June 24, 201411 yr by n4yr