Hello and welcome to this countdown.

 

As my Personal Chart is now 20 years old, I thought I’d count down my top 100 acts of this period based on chart success, which is why this somewhat random two-decade period of 2003-2022 has been chosen.

 

Some geeky historical context first… As a kid in the mid-late 90s I became obsessed with the chart and would write down the top 40 each week, hopefully when listening to it but if not, getting it from Ceefax on Monday morning. After a while I started to re-order the top 40 in order of how much I liked the songs, an early version of what was a Personal Chart. This then morphed into my own chart in about 2001 where I only added the songs I liked and recorded them in stolen school textbooks. I'd only kept from 2003 onwards though so my database starts on January 6th 2003.

 

For the first few years my new entries matched the release schedule and, just like the actual chart, the majority of songs peaked in week 1 as I’d been hearing them for a while already. I changed this in 2007 when I started charting songs once I begun to like them. I’ve always only tried to only chart singles but trying to determine what is or isn’t a single has become more difficult in recent years.

 

In total there have been 5,166 charting songs which have featured around 2,185 different acts. Each song that’s ever charted is detailed in this thread. For this countdown a number of points have been given to each song, ranging from 80 (for reaching #1) to 11 (for a #40), as well as a point for each week spent on the chart. The minimum number of points an act can therefore have is 12, an ‘accolade’ shared by three; Ben Folds, Maria Haukaas Storeng and 65daysofstatic.

 

For songs which have more than one featured artist, I have awarded equal full points to each act involved. I have combined some acts totals together where I’ve felt that has made sense (e.g. Kieran Hebden releasing music as Four Tet & KH), although they’re not all quite that clear cut.

 

This will begin properly after I compile my last chart of the year (Saturday December 31st) where I shall post two acts per day, lasting until the middle of February. This target should be feasible a significant chunk is already written, I decided I wanted to do this some time ago so have been prepping since the summer. In the meantime, I will spend December warming up by posting something each day from acts outside the top 100.

 

I hope you enjoy, all contributions welcome so I’m not just talking to myself!

Edited April 2, 20232 yr by RabbitFurCoat

Complete List (with links to posts)

 

100 - Fontaines DC

99 - The Coral

98 - HEALTH

97 - The Mysterines

96 - How To Dress Well

95 - Santigold

94 - Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

93 - Phoebe Bridgers

92 - Lily Allen

91 - Snow Patrol

 

90 - Animal Collective

89 - Guillemots

88 - Mystery Jets

87 - Beyoncé

86 - Jamie xx

85 - Little Boots

84 - Belle and Sebastian

83 - Alpines

82 - Bicep

81 - The Vaccines

 

80 - The Shins

79 - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

78 - Editors

77 - Bloc Party

76 - CHVRCHES

75 - The Naked and Famous

74 - Jamie T

73 - Feeder

72 - alt-J

71 - London Grammar

 

70 - Sleigh Bells

69 - Christine and the Queens

68 - Noah and the Whale

67 - M.I.A.

66 - George FitzGerald

65 - Basement Jaxx

64 - The Fratellis

63 - Poliça

62 - Public Service Broadcasting

61 - Grimes

 

60 - The Maccabees

59 - Crystal Castles

58 - Goldfrapp

57 - Calvin Harris

56 - Slaves

55 - iamamiwhoami / ionalee

54 - The Horrors

53 - The Go! Team

52 - The Joy Formidable

51 - Vampire Weekend

 

50 - Blood Red Shoes

49 - Caribou / Daphni

48 - The Streets

47 - White Lies

46 - LCD Soundsystem

45 - School of Seven Bells

44 - Jessie Ware

43 - Jay-Z

42 - Hatchie

41 - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

 

40 - Everything Everything

39 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

38 - Courteeners

37 - Dizzee Rascal

36 - Metronomy

35 - Stereophonics

34 - Tame Impala

33 - Bon Iver

32 - Foo Fighters

31 - Real Lies

 

30 - Los Campesinos!

29 - Gorillaz

28 - The National

27 - Franz Ferdinand

26 - Biffy Clyro

25 - Kings of Leon

24 - Death Cab for Cutie

23 - Bombay Bicycle Club

22 - Ash

21 - Röyksopp

 

20 - Muse

19 - Purity Ring

18 - The Drums

17 - Hot Chip

16 - DMA's

15 - Ben Howard

14 - Bat For Lashes

13 - Maximo Park

12 - Foals

11 - Coldplay

10 - James Blake

09 - Wolf Alice

08 - Kasabian

07 - The Futureheads

Edited March 23, 20232 yr by RabbitFurCoat

I'm going to start with the dozen most successful songs by acts who didn't reach the top 100.

 

12 Tokyo Police Club - Argentina (Parts I, II, III)

Date Charted: 13/01/2014

Chart Run: 24-11-04-01-01-01-01-01-01-01-01-01-03-04-06-08-12-17-24-29-37 (21 weeks)

 

There have been 373 songs reach number one in this almost 20 years, of which just eight of those have spent more than 6 weeks at the top, all but one of them getting just a 7th week, but in February and March of 2014 one song went two weeks further, with Tokyo Police Club spending 9 weeks at the summit with their 8 minute epic Argentina (Parts I, II, III), the lead single from their 5th album.

 

They were a band who I had a bit of familiarity with previous work, this was their fourth chart entry and their previous peak was Tessellate reaching #9 in 2008, but never been that into. As the title suggests, the song is split into three distinct parts which are roughly 4:30, 1:30 and 2:30 in length. The first part is a classic upbeat sing-a-long indie anthem that on its own would almost certainly have been a multi-week number one, the second slows it right down before the third picks it up again. I've always enjoyed a good long song, but they have to keep you entertained for the full length and many don't, but Argentina really does and never feels like it's that long. A complete triumph of a song.

 

At the end of 2014 I ranked this as my number one single of the year, and looking at the list I'd say it's still my favourite of it, and definitely a contender towards the top songs of the last decade. At 8:32 in length, it's the third longest song to hit the top.

 

Tokyo Police Club Overall Rank: 306th

 

11 The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

 

Date Charted: 09/08/2004

Chart Run: 01-01-01-02-03-07-07-09-11-11-16-22-22-23-26-27-33-34-38-36-34-36 (22 weeks)

 

I'd become a huge fan of The Libertines a year earlier with their release of Don't Look Back Into The Sun which had an almost identical chart run (3 weeks at the top, 21 overall) so more music was always likely to go down well and Can't Stand Me Now didn't disappoint, an amazing intro, superb riff and an easy sing-a-long anthem. Pete and Carl were both still on top form for their second album, and this was a great lead single which is still one of their best.

 

The Libertines Overall Rank: 140th

 

10 Green Day - American Idiot

 

Date Charted: 13/09/2004

Chart Run: 01-01-01-02-02-04-08-06-08-10-10-14-14-15-17-14-17-24-30-32-35-40 (22 weeks)

 

Prior to the release of American Idiot, Green Day weren't a band I knew much of, just their 3-4 most well known previous hits, so a comeback wasn't something I was anticipating but I did love. I was more unto this US style rock back in the early 00s and this was a shining example of it, a great song from an album that was also excellent. I was immediately hooked and it deservedly bought them huge amounts of success. Neither the song or the album are things I listen to a great deal now, but it's still excellent to hear American Idiot when I do.

 

Green Day Overall Rank: 223rd

 

 

09 Good Charlotte - Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous

 

Date Charted: 03/02/2003

Chart Run: 01-01-01-01-02-03-03-06-05-06-06-07-08-11-13-13-18-22-26-31-37-40 (22 weeks)

 

Speaking of early 00s US rock, next up are Good Charlotte. This kind of music was absolutely everywhere at the time and hugely popular with many of us who were entering our teenage years. Its parent album The Young and Hopeless was one I listened to loads at the time, and this lead single was about as good as early 00s pop-punk came, scoring an easy 4 week run at the top and another 9 weeks in the top 8. It definitely remains one of few the tracks of its type from that era I still have a lot of time for. They had an amazing 2003 for me with their next two singles both reaching #3, but their singles from their 2005 follow-up barely charted so it was game over, until a surprising entry 15 years later as they covered Lil Peep's Awful Things following his death. That an Actual Pain put them back in the top 100, but nothing since so they end this 20 years at #123.

 

Good Charlotte Overall Rank: 123rd

 

 

 

Can't promise that I will post too much in here but I shall try and follow along whenever I remember to check this sub-forum! It feels a little odd seeing you praising songs that were actual chart hits haha but 'American Idiot' and 'Can't Stand Me Now' are both really good and I do have some nostalgia for the Good Charlotte song too.

08 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Fortune Faded

 

Date Charted: 10/11/2003

Chart Run: 01-01-02-03-04-06-07-03-04-04-06-07-07-09-11-12-15-18-21-25-28-34-38 (23 weeks)

 

The Chili Peppers By The Way album in 2002 was something I really got into and their Greatest Hits album the year after was something I bought straight away to discover them further, with Fortune Faded being the lead single from it, though not one of their remembered songs, was always a likely big hit for me. Whilst I was really into RHCP at the time, this song feels like a bit of an outlier in this selection of 12, it's perfectly fine but doesn't feel like something I ever loved as much as the others here, and not really near their best work. The early years have certainly dominated so far, but that doesn't continue... They were top 5 for points scored in 2003 but only had two more chart entries after this so don't come anywhere close to the top 100.

 

Red Hot Chili Peppers Overall Rank: 219th

 

 

 

Can't promise that I will post too much in here but I shall try and follow along whenever I remember to check this sub-forum! It feels a little odd seeing you praising songs that were actual chart hits haha but 'American Idiot' and 'Can't Stand Me Now' are both really good and I do have some nostalgia for the Good Charlotte song too.

Thanks Bre, will be good to have you follow some of it. Yes it has been quite a chart-y start haha. Summer 2004 of joining a chart forum and starting to listen to Zane Lowe's show were definitely the catalysts for me broadening my musical horizons. Long(er) runs were more common back then, as I listened to less music I obviously enjoyed less so songs would hang around for longer, and those end few weeks of The Libertines run really sums up the old schedule of very few releases around Christmas!

I always forget to check this part of the forum but I'll definitely also try to keep up with this... will be interested to see who features.

 

 

Count me as one that had all but forgotten Fortune Faded, I may have to add it to my phone as I also liked it back when it was released

07 Blur - Under The Westway

 

Date Charted: 09/07/2012

Chart Run: 24-17-05-01-01-01-02-02-04-05-06-06-08-11-16-19-22-26-28-36-39-40-40 (23 weeks)

 

During Blur's hiatus years they were the act from pre-2000 who I got into most, buying all of their albums and enjoying most of them. When they released their first music in 9 years in 2012 I was always likely to obsess over it if it was any good, and Under The Westway was. My favourite Blur songs were typically their more slower, gentle ones so this went down well. I'm not sure it completely stands up to the likes of To The End or This Is a Low a decade on, but it remains a great song. It was their second number one after Out of Time in 2003, and they nearly made it a hat-trick as their next single Lonesome Street spent a fortnight at #2 three years later.

 

Blur Overall Rank: 118th

 

 

 

I always forget to check this part of the forum but I'll definitely also try to keep up with this... will be interested to see who features.

Count me as one that had all but forgotten Fortune Faded, I may have to add it to my phone as I also liked it back when it was released

Thanks Dandy, looking forward to you following!

I will try to catch up on this thread now and again.

Time to get properly recent now...

 

06 Metric - Doomscroller

 

Date Charted: 18/06/2022

Chart Run: 39-22-09-04-02-01-01-01-01-02-04-05-05-07-10-13-19-22-28-33-36-37-40 (23 weeks)

 

Perhaps a surprise omission from the top 100, however Metric were a band I never really paid much attention to and only knew the odd song by them, with Monster Hospital (#5) and Help, I'm Alive (#11) being their only hits prior to 2018 when Dressed To Suppress entered and spent 7 weeks at number one, which would be the next song on this particular list ranking 13th. Since then I've got into them more but they still fall 40 points short of the top 100.

 

At 10:29 in length Doomscroller is almost a minute and a half longer than any other number one, and every second of it is superb. Like Argentina, it's a song with multiple parts to it and grabs you instantly with the synths and percussion, before Emily Haines begins a set of lyrics so relatable to most people about the last three years, a constant cycle of bad news that you can't help but pay attention to, and becomes an absolute whirlwind of sounds and tempos. It's been a while since I ended a year where the number one song was quite so clear cut as this. It's too soon to say this is the best song of the last X years, however looking at the last decades worth of end of year top 3s I'm not sure any of those thirty songs are this good, a true masterpiece.

 

Metric Overall Rank: 118th

 

05 Daughter - Poke

 

Date Charted: 20/07/2019

Chart Run: 32-22-12-05-01-01-01-01-01-01-02-03-02-04-06-10-14-18-23-29-34-38-40 (23 weeks)

 

Frightened Rabbit were a band I was late to get into, but in The Midnight Organ Fright and Painting of a Panic Attack had a couple of exceptional albums. The suicide of their singer Scott Hutchison in 2018 affected me more than deaths of famous people usually do, and I listened to a lot of Frightened Rabbit in the following days and weeks. The project Tiny Changes, where a selection of bands and acts they were close to and had worked with each covered a track from their breakthrough album Midnight Organ Fright, was already completed and was due to be part of a celebration of its 10th anniversary. Instead, it was delayed and took on greater significance as it became a tribute to Scott too and proceeds went to the charity set up in his name. There were some excellent versions of it from the likes of Biffy Clyro, Julien Baker and The Twilight Sad, all putting their own spin on great songs.

 

The standout song, however, came in the form of the only song I'd no real affection for in its original form as I found Scott's voice grating on it, as Daughter covered Poke. It starts off in a style very typical of them, low key indie-folk with the beautifully haunting vocals of Elena Tonra giving everything to some incredible lyrics, before the synths kick in after 90 seconds and the hook sounds like it's from an absolute banger. It's repeated for the second verse and second hook, an exceptional version of a great song.

 

This was the last song of theirs which was released as they've been on hiatus since 2018 as Elena has released music as Ex:Re, but I've listened to them a lot more in the years since, and found new appreciation for songs I enjoyed, largely their debut album If You Leave, and really got into their most recent album Not To Disappear.

 

Daughter Overall Rank: 202nd

 

04 OutKast - Hey Ya!

 

Date Charted: 10/11/2003

Chart Run: 10-08-05-05-03-02-01-01-02-05-07-10-12-11-13-14-16-15-16-20-24-29-35-40 (24 weeks)

 

Similar to the UK chart, a rarity of a song which entered and then climbed to its peak, as it seemed to come out of nowhere and continued to grow over the Christmas and New Year period. An absolute banger of a party song which has stood up to the test of time. A song which I've heard so often and just don't get bored of. Later singles did make me invest in their big double album Speakerboxx /The Love Below, but there was ultimately way too much on there for me to ever fully get into it.

 

OutKast Overall Rank: 269th

 

Edited December 9, 20222 yr by RabbitFurCoat

Great mix of songs throughout here, Doomscroller showing up so soon is awesome and I can say that I enjoy the other songs you're posting about quite a bit - haven't thought about Argentina in years but I loved it at the time, I'll be sure to follow where this goes.

03 The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

 

Date Charted: 27/07/2009

Chart Run: 32-20-13-08-02-01-01-01-01-01-02-02-02-02-03-04-05-11-15-18-23-27-31-38 (24 weeks)

 

A song which ended up being an unlikely sizable UK chart hit, climbing all the way to #6 three months after release. It was a song I loved pretty quickly, the voice of singer Dougy Mandagi being infectious and the song incredibly anthemic, a huge hit with 5 weeks at the top and another 5 in the runners-up position. The album it's from, Conditions, was something I enjoyed a lot but latter material less so. They did go on to have 6 more top 40 singles, but most of them have been very minor - close to being a one hit wonder.

 

The Temper Trap Overall Rank: 262nd

 

Great mix of songs throughout here, Doomscroller showing up so soon is awesome and I can say that I enjoy the other songs you're posting about quite a bit - haven't thought about Argentina in years but I loved it at the time, I'll be sure to follow where this goes.

 

Thanks Iz, glad you're enjoying. Doomscroller is just so perfect, still sounds incredible each time I listen to it now 6 months on.

02 Jagwar Ma 'The Throw'

 

Date Charted: 28/01/2013

Chart Run: 31-21-12-05-02-01-01-01-01-01-01-01-02-03-06-06-08-10-13-15-19-24-29-32-34-38 (26 weeks)

 

There have been 10 songs which have spent at least half a year on my chart, 9 of which reached number one, and 7 of those I'll get a chance to discuss in my top 100. The other two are therefore the top 2 here, the first of which being Jagwar Ma's The Throw. Hailing from Australia, their brand of psychedelic indie-dance was reminiscent of British bands two decades previous, a stunning 6 and a half minutes which still sounds incredible a decade on.

 

Their second album was also excellent, and they've had four top 5 hits, with Man I Need and O B 1 making their mark, and Give Me a Reason also being a long running number one single. A return would be most welcome, given it's been over 6 years since they last released anything.

 

Jagwar Ma Overall Rank: 137th