Maybe even Top 15, judging by the midweeks! They're #5 in today's midweeks. It's funny but my number one reason for wanting England to win was because of Atomic Kitten's comeback. :kink:

Here's a bit of a throwback to when the original Whole Again was being promoted:

 

 

Kerry Katona announced that she was leaving on Thursday 18th January 2001. This statement was issued on that date:

 

“We can confirm that Kerry Katona is leaving Atomic Kitten after she completes promotion for the band’s current single, ‘Whole Again’ in early February. Since she decided to leave the band, Kerry has worked closely with myself, Liz and Natasha to find the right person to replace her – a tall order we know – but we do feel we have found a true star in Jenny Frost.

 

“The three Kittens have been close friends with Jenny from the very start of Atomic Kitten’s career as she is from the same school of thought and the same area as the Kittens having been born in Liverpool and brought up in St. Helens and Manchester.

 

“The Kittens’ team is a very close-knit family and we were all thrilled with the news of Kerry’s pregnancy and completely understand her decision to put the well-being of her unborn child first. Being in Atomic Kitten is a 24-hour a day hectic way of life which really wouldn’t make for a stress-free, relaxed pregnancy. All of us at Integral and at Innocent Records want to take this opportunity to wish Kerry and Bryan the best for their baby and their forthcoming marriage.”

https://www.nme.com/news/music/atomic-kitten-40-1385473

 

 

Two days later, Saturday 20th Jan: Atomic Kitten - with Kerry - performed the song on Live & Kicking, preceded by a rather awkward interview!:

 

 

Lmao at Katy Hill's overly cheerful "OH ISN'T IT SAD! :D When are you actually going? :D". Interestingly Kerry specified that she was leaving on 5th February.

 

However... one week later - Sat 27th Jan - Atomic Kitten performed Whole Again at the Childline concert, but with Jenny! This was 2 days before copies of Whole Again became available in shops. So the intention for Kerry to continue promoting during the release week must have changed, for some reason.

 

It seems that this might have been their very first performance with Jenny. I'm not sure if the Live & Kicking performance was definitely Kerry's last, but it might have been.

 

 

I don't think that Jenny vocal in the middle 8 is the same version that ended up being used in the re-recording, so I guess they rushed that vocal take so they could use it for the performance.

 

 

 

This article from Wed 31st January 2001 highlights how much of a surprise it was that Whole Again was heading for #1:

 

The band's track, Whole Again, which is just outselling U2's new single, caught their record label and retailers by surprise with extra copies having to be rushed out to shops.

 

The single sold almost 1,000 more copies than U2's Stuck In A Moment (You Can't Get Out Of) during its first day in the shops on Monday.

 

"We weren't expecting it to do this well but it's great," said a spokesman for the group.

 

'Amazingly well'

 

Chart expert Gennaro Castaldo of HMV said: "It's looking quite good for being in the frame for a number one when the charts are announced on Sunday.

 

"It's done amazingly well for the fifth single. The publicity surrounding Kerry's departure from the band can't have done any harm."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1145995.stm

Atomic Kitten have done really well with this release and I would believe they are extremely happy with the outcome.

Yeah that U2 song felt like a nailed on No.1 at the time as well, it was no mean feat that Whole Again managed to beat that first week out. I remember even discussing it with people at school when the midweeks came out, I don't think anybody was even aware of the track at that point. I'm almost surprised it didn't enter behind U2 and then climb to No.1, the way it grew in profile and sales over the weeks.

I remember how unexpected the number 1 was for them and the press reporting the rushing of production of cd singles as it was sold out. It was such a turn around for them and became an unexpected huge hit that saved their career. I also remember the re release of the album also surprising people by going to number 1. Looking back it was a strange call not to have had whole again released sooner than it was, it was their strongest song on the album.

Why do we think Whole Again was so successful from the off then?

I find that hard to answer! I think it's a fantastic song, but I think I only came to think that about it after it reached #1 - I can't remember if it was on my radar before then. Its success certainly wasn't because of radio, because it didn't enter the airplay Top 50 until the date the song spent its 2nd week at #1. Maybe TV airplay was great?

 

I barely paid any attention to Atomic Kitten in 1999 or 2000... on paper they should have been right up my street, yet I didn't connect with them. From the moment I got into Whole Again I became very loyal though, I bought every single that followed!

The fans were hoping that the ultimate version would be on the cd single, hence why they bought it:

 

I remember how unexpected the number 1 was for them and the press reporting the rushing of production of cd singles as it was sold out. It was such a turn around for them and became an unexpected huge hit that saved their career. I also remember the re release of the album also surprising people by going to number 1. Looking back it was a strange call not to have had whole again released sooner than it was, it was their strongest song on the album.

 

I do wonder if it also benefitted from being the big love song released around Valentine's Day, a bit like Enrique's Hero was the following year. I remember all the girls in my school class singing both of these songs endlessly around these periods. Ironic that the football mad lads who were in the class are now keeping the legacy of the song going now :lol: Maybe if Whole Again had been released at the time Follow Me was, without the 'make or break single' tag and the added exposure of Kerry leaving, it would have been a lot less successful, perhaps ending up in the Christmas rush behind other winter ballads like Never Had A Dream Come True, charting at like No.4/5 and then not getting restocked to the same extent or getting the same airplay support due to the time of year and so much other competing similar product. Timing is everything sometimes.

 

I find that hard to answer! I think it's a fantastic song, but I think I only came to think that about it after it reached #1 - I can't remember if it was on my radar before then. Its success certainly wasn't because of radio, because it didn't enter the airplay Top 50 until the date the song spent its 2nd week at #1. Maybe TV airplay was great?

 

I barely paid any attention to Atomic Kitten in 1999 or 2000... on paper they should have been right up my street, yet I didn't connect with them. From the moment I got into Whole Again I became very loyal though, I bought every single that followed!

 

I really don't even recall it being on TV that much either, I was only vaguely aware of how the song went when it came out, and back in the day with the six-week pre-release build up you would practically know every pop song off by heart before it charted!

 

I was the same with AK, I liked Right Now and I Want Your Love, and enjoyed Follow Me, but hadn't bought any of those singles or the album. They just became much more suited to my tastes after Whole Again.

 

The fans were hoping that the ultimate version would be on the cd single, hence why they bought it:

 

 

I'd forgetten about that, it's quite something :lol: Wasn't it on the Japanese version of the album?

 

Looking back it seems Holiday (Demo Version) was the UK b-side. A pretty sonically different affair to Whole Again, but then I guess they didn't expect to be reaching a much wider MOR leaning audience with this single!

i didn't realise whole again was the fifth single and how badly the album had performed before it was released

It did well on the music channels!

Does anyone think there is even a little chance the girls will work on new material on the back of this doing well for them, it would be nice if they got some new songs together and maybe add some b sides etc and come out with an updated Greatest Hits to test the market for themselves. Southgate will have brought interest to whole again so it would be a good time to capitalize on it.

They did attempt to work on material after The Big Reunion but the interest from labels wasn't there. Unless Columbia / Sony are actually more invested in them beyond this single, then I doubt it. It'll die out quickly now.

The single could have a second wind next November/December, when the World Cup rolls around, and as long as Gareth Southgate is in charge and England go deep into tournaments. Maybe they'll realise this and plan something more for late next year, as it would be a good in for them.

Unless Columbia / Sony are actually more invested in them beyond this single, then I doubt it.

Columbia won't invest a penny in them. This time around they were interested only because it was a sure fire hit.

I hated them before Whole Again. It eas on tv all thr time and I bought it first wee. Everyone at my school was talking about it! We knew it ess going to be mammoth.

 

It filled a gap in the market for girl band ballads, which thr Spice Girls vacated after they flopped with rnb.

i didn't realise whole again was the fifth single and how badly the album had performed before it was released

 

This. I thought it was the lead single! The music channels loved it.

Down to 8 in today’s midweek update

That's still good, I'm thinking 13 on Friday.

Yeah it’s safe for top 20 on Friday for sure with the huge streams it got on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Might even sneak top 15.