I do like after the love has gone but it misses the sparkle of some of their other singles and i feel the same about loves got a hold on my heart.

Agreed though the video is lovely imo.

That’s a classic ❤️😱😜

26 years since Deeper Shade Of Blue was released as a single.

April 3rd 2000.

8 hours ago, Paddington James said:

26 years since Deeper Shade Of Blue was released as a single.

April 3rd 2000.

And remains one of their best known songs.

6 hours ago, Padamic_Tension said:

And remains one of their best known songs.

An absolutely shame it wasn’t released in Australia.

On 03/04/2026 at 22:43, Paddington James said:

An absolutely shame it wasn’t released in Australia.

Ya the release strategy behind some of their releases is definitely questionable.

3 hours ago, Padamic_Tension said:

Ya the release strategy behind some of their releases is definitely questionable.

In hindsight it’s absolutely baffling. The single before it Say You’ll Be Mine reach #21 and was their highest charting single here since Heartbeat/Tragedy. Why on earth they didn’t capitalise on that I’ll never know.

I still believe it would’ve got them back into the top 20 here, maybe even top 10.

They never really explained any reasons for it as I'm sure it can't be just they wanted to concentrate on the uk market.

No I don’t think they did, it’s a little disappointing we missed on some good singles here. They were a decent success over here too.

12 hours ago, Paddington James said:

No I don’t think they did, it’s a little disappointing we missed on some good singles here. They were a decent success over here too.

Outside UK and Ireland wasnt it one of their best markets until they kinda started ignoring it.

5 hours ago, Padamic_Tension said:

Outside UK and Ireland wasnt it one of their best markets until they kinda started ignoring it.

Yes, I think so. I mean they were starting to get diminishing returns with each release in a way, but Say You’ll Be Mine bucked that trend in a way.

Their chart run from 5,6,7,8 to After The Love Has Gone (Better Best Forgotten wasn’t released here)

1-5-34-10-29-47-21.

Then nothing until Stomp which got to 62. Though that was released in March 2001 here. That’s about a 15 months gap between singles here.

Your post lead me to looking at how their albums done in Australia and you can see how the success declined rapidly after Step One but very interesting to see that What the Future Holds Part 2 is their 2nd highest charting album there ( i know the sales climate is so different and probably sold far far less than Spectacular when it peaked at number 25 there.

33 minutes ago, Padamic_Tension said:

Your post lead me to looking at how their albums done in Australia and you can see how the success declined rapidly after Step One but very interesting to see that What the Future Holds Part 2 is their 2nd highest charting album there ( i know the sales climate is so different and probably sold far far less than Spectacular when it peaked at number 25 there.

Yeah that albums really dropped off, but then again they promoted in Australia with 5.6.7.8, Last Thing On My Mind and Step One, so that would've helped. I don't think they've been back here since.

Also Buzz didn't get released her until 9 months after the UK, (August 2001) after Stomp and Here And Now both missed the top 50.

I believe if Deeper Shade Of Blue & Summer Of Love as singles in 2000 here, then Stomp and Buzz in late 2000 then things would've looked better. Not to 10 or anything but continuing on charting in the top 50.

Buzz really flopped there although at that point while they were still doing well in the UK their album sales were in decline but the aussie delayed release and zero promo did them no favours at all.

11 minutes ago, Padamic_Tension said:

Buzz really flopped there although at that point while they were still doing well in the UK their album sales were in decline but the aussie delayed release and zero promo did them no favours at all.

Agreed. It was all just so baffling to me and I’m sure their fans in Australia as well.

I compare them to B*Witched and S Club (rightly or wrongly), in Australia. Probably as I was a big fan of both as those as well. For me Steps were the best performing of the three just. SnClub did have more to 3 singles but Steps had that #1 hit.

B*Witched:

Singles:

6-1-25-48-59-88 (I Shall Be There wasn’t released here)

Albums:

5-70

S Club:

Singles:

3-2-25-38-45-2-49-71-30-75 (Two In A Million was released without You’re My Number One and Never Had A Dream Come True was t released here).

Albums:

17-56-62-DNC

All three acts really deserved far better success there than they achieved but its interesting to see that in general they all really underperformed in Australia,.

12 hours ago, Padamic_Tension said:

All three acts really deserved far better success there than they achieved but its interesting to see that in general they all really underperformed in Australia,.

They all started out really strong, but that would’ve been partly due to them doing promo here. I know Steps and B*Witched visited Australia. I’m not sure if S Club did. I’m sure they did, but I have no memory of it.

I think given the lack of promotion and shift in pop music in Australia at the time they all did fairly well.

B*Witched dropped away in the UK with their second album too. So that one’s hardly surprising I guess.

Ya B*Witched is far less surprising but their decline in popularity for their 2nd era was a shock to me as it all happened so fast and they were dropped so abruptly.

Steps and S Club had far greater runs of success.

Sometimes I wonder if Steps hadn't split how the next album campaign,/era would have done for them.

Agreed, that 2nd era drop off from B*Witched was so surprising and disappointing. It all went down hill and ended so fast.

I think halve they stayed together their sound would’ve progressed a little. All Out Of Love from H & Claire seems like such an obvious Steps song.

I suppose though as that sort of pop was fading a bit by 2002 it could've easily gone the way of S Club, who at the time Steps split also seemed like they were on top of the world.

I think in hindsight ending on a high worked out better for them and allowed a greater comeback for phase 2, even if the way it ended at the time was a bit sad and unfortunate.