UK Chart Run: 1-1-4-4-3-3-4-6-9-11-16-19-21-25-30-37-41-59-73 (19 weeks)

 

Finishing in third are Irish girl group B*Witched with their debut single. The late 90s onwards saw an influx of many pop groups of which many were regularly topping the charts. B*Witched became the youngest girl group to score a #1 single with this song then in 1999 would become the first ever charting act to have their first 4 singles all debut at #1. This feat would be matched by Westlife only 8 months later then eclipsed the following year. B*Witched released 2 studio albums before splitting in 2002 but reunited 11 years later then released an EP and are still currently active.

 

We got here at last, it's the final round for 1998.

Edited May 25, 20232 yr by Dobbo.

Both great tracks but Believe edges for me, a perennial pop anthem.

Do you Belieeeeeeeve in a Cher win.. I do :P

Gotta be Cher

Cher, the song that made me fall in love with pop music.

Don't think it has much chance, but It's Like That...

Oh surprised at Run DMC making it - voting for that

Cher

I like both of this top 2 but rooting for 'It's Like That' to win!

And that’s the way it is!

It has to be 'It's Like That'.

Both classics, but going for It's Like That, pleased it's made it this far when it was looking like going in the first few rounds!

Cher

Given this is BJ it probably doesn’t have much chance but Run DMC!

I believe that Believe should win this!

Not a fan of any of those, rather vote for the underdog aka It's like that

Cher, a global monster and a Buffy moment. It has a lot to answer for - Autotuning has become a career for some - but thats not her fault.

Run DMC

RESULT

 

 

UK Chart Run: 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-3-4-7-14-21-23-28-29-30-35-38-37-48-62-61-68-72-X-59-61 (28 weeks)

 

It was seldom in doubt throughout the whole survivor but Cher is victorious for 1998. The California singer was already a chart veteran prior to Believe, first appearing way back in 1965 alongside Sonny on their #1 song I Got You Babe. Despite sporadic hits thereafter it wasn't until the start of the 90s where she achieved her second #1. Cue several more decent-sized hits (and another #1 in 1995) before the immortal Believe came along. The single, which helped bring the use of auto-tune to the mainstream, was an instant mega-smash and topped the UK chart for 7 consecutive weeks. It also gave Cher the record for oldest female to top the UK charts up until last year when this was broken by Kate Bush. It is the best-selling single of all time by a female solo artist.

 

 

UK Chart Run: 1-1-1-1-1-1-2-5-13-17-23-26-35-36-48-66 (16 weeks)

 

A valiant effort by the underdogs but alas, second place it is. New York hip hop group Run-DMC's career began back in in 1983 but they'd enjoyed relatively modest chart success with just 2 top 20 singles before 1998. It's Like That was in fact released as their debut single however did not experience any commercial success. That was until 15 years later when underground Californian producer Jason Nevins gave it a house makeover which exploded in popularity. It vaulted straight to #1 in the UK, infamously denying the Spice Girls a 7th consecutive #1 single. Interestingly Run-DMC would only have one further hit after this which was a 2003 remix of their previous top 20 single It's Tricky. That same year, Nevins achieved his only other top 10 single.

 

 

Thanks for the patience with this year, been a busy month for moi! 1999 coming right up...

:cheer: