05/08/00: Bomfunk MCs - Freestyler (3 weeks)

 

 

The second number 1 from Finland in the space of just two months! Could they join the Dutch as a future musical powerhouse of the 21st century? From hard trance to hip hop here as this wonderfully catchy, garage-influenced hit makes it way to these shores after hitting #1 pretty much everywhere else that, as ever, isn't America. Little have any idea what the hell the lead rapper's going on about but I'm fairly confident the chorus is "Yeeeesss! Craig from the top of my dome!" whoever he is (David?), and mention has also been made of the line "Who the f*** is Alice, is she from Buckingham Palace?" which I've heard isn't in the version released in the UK but it's present and correct on my copy.

26/08/00: Britney Spears - Lucky

 

 

Since that first number 1 early last year, it's safe to say that Britney (I don't even need to write the surname) is today one of the biggest popstars on the planet - chances are there's a host of babies born today who share her first name. Her second album was released in the summer and lead single was the slightly underwhelming 'Oops I Did It Again', essentially a huge Baby One More Time retread and leading to lots of 'Oops, The Same Song Again' jibes. Second single is much better, another Max Martin-penned song but a very clever one about the dangers of mega stardom and fame. Hopefully now she's recorded this, the fictional story as given in the song won't affect Britney herself and any future potential meltdowns are not forthcoming.

02/09/00: Madonna - Music (2 weeks)

 

 

It is almost unthinkable that the woman who has recorded this song is 42 years old. Not old agewise, but ancient in today's teen-pop world. 'Ray of Light' and its associated singles may have put her back on the pop map, but they sound like a lifetime ago in comparison to this minimal techno brilliance - indeed I'd go as far to say it's the best thing she's released since 'Vogue' similarly set the world alight ten years ago. It really makes you wonder how many popstars of today will be making music *this* good at the age of 42 - Britney? Billie Piper? The Bomfunk MCs? Who knows. For now this is definitely worth a buy, and you have to wonder what the hell the same titled-album is going to sound like when it comes out in a couple of weeks.