Dynamit-ee-ee is so catchy and I liked it at the time! Didn't know any other Ms Dynamite songs at the time sadly. It is her signature track from the early 00s (although 'Lights On' and 'Neva Soft' were great too from her in the early 10s.

The Enrique track is quite good. Never liked Atomic Kitten much and found them a bit boring at the time.

Edited May 3May 3 by TheSnake

Nothing show-stopping here but I love that Paul Weller could still get a Top 10 hit and this has such a vintage quality to it.

8	Paul Weller	It's Written In The Stars	His 1st hit for a while: a really beautiful song and I love its classic feel with the trumpet fanfares and the poetic lyrics
8	Underworld	Two Months Off	A great track with effects to be used later in "Caliban's Dream" and the stream of consciousness style of "Born Slippy"
7	Jurgen Vries	The Theme	1st hit for UK producer Darren Tate with a more exotic alias, which lives up to its name as a very anthemic dance track
7	The White Stripes	Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground	It's their usual very enjoyable style with a thumping beat, a bit like their more well known hit to come "My Doorbell"
6	Appleton	Fantasy	Debut solo hit for the All Saints twins with a fun swampy sounding looping guitar accompaniment: it's a very nice track
6	Weezer	Keep Fishin'	Featuring a video of them with The Muppets, this isn't their most memorable but a very serviceable power pop song
5	N-Trance	Forever	Their last big hit and it fits well into the dance pop sound of the moment with its big emotive melody: a decent track
4	Incubus	Are You In	A fan favourite of theirs but I find it slightly pedestrian and it doesn't grab me: apparently the lyrics are about an orgy
4	Tweenies	Have Fun, Go Mad!	Last of their 5 Top 20 hits: they've been surprisingly fun and this is not a bad cover of a '90s Blair MacKichan pop tune
3	4 Strings	Diving	They won't have any Top 40s after this: this type of hit needs a soaring melody to work and this one isn't strong enough

2002 Week 38:

#1479 21/09/2002 Liberty X Got To Have Your Love 2 {2}-6-11-20-24-27-37-38-49-56-65-70->12

#1480 21/09/2002 Kelly Osbourne Papa Don't Preach 3 {3}-11-15-30-34-46-59-70-68R(2)-72->10

#1481 21/09/2002 Scooter Nessaja 4 {4}-8-10-17-22-26-40-47-70->9

#1482 21/09/2002 Ronan Keating I Love It When We Do 5 {5}-18-29-46-61-65-72-62R(2)-46-75R(6)-72->11

#1483 21/09/2002 Sarah Whatmore When I Lost You 6 {6}-12-12-19-21-24-34-43-63->9

#1484 21/09/2002 Milk Inc Walk On Water 10 {10}-21-23-36-50-63->6

#1485 21/09/2002 N.O.R.E. Nothin' 11 {11}-27-38-47-59-66-74-72R(81)->8

#1486 21/09/2002 Anastacia Why'd You Lie To Me 25 {25}-57-67-73R(3)-73->5

#1487 21/09/2002 Hampenberg Duck Toy 30 {30}-54->2

#1488 21/09/2002 Sean Paul Gimme The Light 32 {32}-47-56-64-62-73R(3)-74->7

#1489 21/09/2002 Death In Vegas Hands Around My Throat 36 {36}->1

#1490 21/09/2002 Korn Thoughtless 37 {37}-65->2

Week 37

'Fantasy' is a superb debut for the All Saints twins and 'Forever' is another euphoric banger from N-Trance. Weezer, Paul Weller, Underworld and Jurgen Vries are all great offerings too.

Incubus and White Stripes tracks are alright but not feeling them overall. Agreed on the 4 Strings, it's fine but rather inessential and doesn't seem to go off anywhere exciting. Some of the Tweenies stuff have been nostalgic fun but this is a miss for me.

'The Theme' is fab. Used to assume Jurgen Vries was German or Dutch too.

'Forever' is a bit cheesy lyrically but I like it. The style of piano in the intro reminds me of the first #1 of a certain French DJ.

Catching up on the last two sections!

I'm not crazy about 'The Tide Is High (Get The Feeling)' either but I do agree that the added bridge is a redeeming feature, so helps it stand out more than their 'Eternal Flame' cover. "I'm gonna be your number 1" proved to be an apt lyric chart-wise over time with both Blondie and Atomic Kitten getting there!

...'Call Me' not quite a Blondie cover version though! I agree that the Timbaland production stands out positively, shame it barely dented the top 40.

'Dy-Na-Mi-Tee' would be my best of the week pick too. I love the trip-hop influences in the production and the delivery of the hook is really memorable.

I'm currently being reminded of the N-Trance version of 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?' on TOTP repeats and 'Forever' is a palette cleanser in comparison to that formula, even if nothing groundbreaking.

I heavily associate the instrumental of 'Fantasy' with the Now! That's What I Call A Music Quiz DVD if anyone else remembers this game that, 'Make Luv' and 'Year 3000' were used a lot. I remember getting that, on top of my parents picking up a Telly Addicts quiz DVD, in an airport - I see both of them were released in 2005 so probably that year. Not a bad start for Appleton as a duo anyway although I feel like the follow-up single has been a bit more enduring.

I only discovered 'Two Months Off' about a year ago but it's great, Underworld rarely put a foot wrong for me! "You bring light in" is a lovely central lyric amongst the spoken word parts and their thrilling production style.

I also have the Now! That's What I Call A Music Quiz DVD!

'Forever' is my favourite from the last section, not quite of the same classic status as 'Set You Free', but Kelly still sings the hell out of it and there's a euphoric build through the chorus. 'Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground' is great too from The White Stripes, I think they recorded that album entirely with analogue means such as valve amps, creating a harsher sound that's more noticeable here than the faster earlier singles.

All the hits from Death In Vegas I’ve reviewed have been hypnotic in different ways, but this is the first time they’ve won a group.

8	Death In Vegas	Hands Around My Throat	Featuring French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, a very captivating and retro styled dance track with nice synth effects
8	N.O.R.E.	Nothin'	Only hit for this US rapper and a mesmerising Neptunes produced track: I love the whispered chorus and "la la la" bridge
7	Sean Paul	Gimme The Light	1st hit for the Jamaican dancehall rapper which will reach the Top 5 on re-issue: an infectious and effervescent debut
7	Sarah Whatmore	When I Lost You	1st hit for this UK singer songwriter who appeared on "Pop Idol": a mature well written song that still sounds really good
6	Korn	Thoughtless	I find this slightly more laboured than "Here To Stay" but it's another emotion filled and very effective track from them
6	Milk Inc	Walk On Water	The style of this couldn't be more similar to "In My Eyes" and it's simple, but still enjoyable and giving euphoric energy
5	Scooter	Nessaja	A high pitched sung chorus juxtaposed with techno parts is their usual pattern, but I do think this one works quite well
5	Hampenberg	Duck Toy	Only hit for this Danish DJ featuring bizarre rubber duck noises, but aside from that quirk it is quite a strong club track
4	Liberty X	Got To Have Your Love	A very similar sounding version of the 1990 Mantronix hit here, so not much originality but it is a great song well sung
3	Kelly Osbourne	Papa Don't Preach	A 1986 Madonna cover: she does give this welly and it could be far worse, but it lacks the polish of the Liberty X effort
2	Ronan Keating	I Love It When We Do	Another "Life Is A Rollercoaster" style hit but that well is very much running dry: the "do what we do" lyric is a bit grating
2	Anastacia	Why'd You Lie To Me	Her worst hit so far: the less appealing aspects of her vocal style seem to be on full show and I find the lyrics a little silly

2002 Week 39:

#1491 28/09/2002 Pink Just Like A Pill 1 {1}-4-5-6-11-8-15-22-30-42-65->11

#1492 28/09/2002 Busted What I Go To School For 3 {3}-7-10-14-18-17-22-31-43-57-66-73->12

#1493 28/09/2002 Eminem Cleanin' Out My Closet 4 {4}-8-13-16-21-25-30-38-39-46-71-75R(2)-67R(2)->13

#1494 28/09/2002 Bon Jovi Everyday 5 {5}-16-40-48-58R(4)-47->6

#1495 28/09/2002 Aqualung Strange And Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You) 7 {7}-9-21-33-52-69->6

#1496 28/09/2002 Beenie Man Featuring Janet Feel It Boy 9 {9}-13-23-31-42-61-75R(3)->7

#1497 28/09/2002 Oxide And Neutrino Featuring Kowdean Dem Girlz (I Don't Know Why) 10 {10}-17-32-41-75-64R(4)->6

#1498 28/09/2002 Supergrass Grace 13 {13}-30-53-65->4

#1499 28/09/2002 Puddle Of Mudd She Hates Me 14 {14}-14-22-28-32-42-58->7

#1500 28/09/2002 Suede Positivity 16 {16}-60->2

#1501 28/09/2002 David Bowie Everyone Says 'Hi' 20 {20}-46-72->3

#1502 28/09/2002 Disturbed Prayer 31 {31}-63->2

#1503 28/09/2002 Ryan Adams Nuclear 37 {37}->1

#1504 28/09/2002 Hundred Reasons Falter 38 {38}->1

The style of minimalist organ production in the verses of Milk Inc's 'Walk on Water' has been used quite a bit in dance hits over the last few years now (including after the chorus of the recent Morgan Seatree/Florence track).

'Nessaja' is good fun.

The debut Sean Paul hit is good!

Edited May 5May 5 by TheSnake

Ms Dy-na-mi-hee-tee is more memorable than my 7/10 might suggest at the time. I presume Tweet just got the one chart show play, as it's single week at 75 in my charts suggests I never heard it again. 3/10 based on that alone but it could easily be better. Mint Royale did one better, 2 weeks on my chart and peaked at 44, so it's likely a 6/10 for me too. Ash, though, tickled my fancy enough for an 8/10 and the top track so far.

Atomic Kitten's cover, yeah a 5/10 and not as good as the original/hit version. There's a traditional 3/10 for Nickelback, but my top marks go to Enrique, I was an early adopter of Snr Iglesias before he properly caught on in the UK, and his latin-tinged upbeat pop went down well in Florida and in my charts, so 9/10. 3SL also did pretty well for me too, 7/10, though I dont remember it.

I'm in agreement about Written In The Stars, Weller could occasionally bung out a gorgeous ballad, and this was his best since Wild Wood, 9/10. Underworld popped briefly into my chart for a 4/10, and so did The White Stripes for the same, but Jurgen Vries more to my taste, a solid 8/10 bop.

Appleton got off to a good start, 8/10, yet I have never heard it on the radio since, which is a shame, as I expect I will still rate it, I usually did with Appleton and anything All Saints/Shaznay. Weezer are another act I generally rate, from mid-90's Buddy Holly through to 2022's A Little Bit Of Love. Keep Fishin' was a more modest offering though, 4/10. N Trance and Kelly Llorenna grabbed a decent-ish 7/10, Forever. 4 Strings also rated a 4/10 and The Tweenies failed to go where the much-better Blair went first. A generous 2/10.

I don't know how I missed Death In Vegas' but I did. Hands Around My Throat rings no bell, but it's good. Certainly worth a 5 or 6 out of 10 based on one play. N.O.R.E. too MIA, so I may well have been in Florida as N.O.R.E. charted 2 years later and I generally liked The Neptunes stuff. Sean Paul ditto absent underlining the theory, though Sarah Whatmore does a spoiler by popping in for a 4/10. Scooter also grab a very surprising 7/10 from me, and their highest-placed track ever. It really must have been good!

Song of the week is the decent Liberty X mantronix cover, though, 8/10. Kelly Osbourne's Madonna cover also decent enough 7/10, though neither of them match the originals. Ronan's pop rollercoaster ride is preferable to his ballads, and I really didnt mind this chirpy choon, 7/10. Anastacia doing the biz in gay bar background music of the time, her blasting vocals not to everyone's taste though, but I liked this one for yet another 7/10. Nothing classic this week though, nor even "great".

Madonna covers have been en vogue recently with 'Like A Prayer' and now 'Papa Don't Preach'! I find Kelly's version a bit messy unfortunately. Agreed that the original 'Got To Have Your Love' is a great song, plus competently sung by the Liberty X members, but their take doesn't particularly excite me - unlike another cover they'll later have up their sleeve!

Today I learned that the rubber duck ringtone I used to have in secondary school was identical to part of 'Duck Toy'

Great to see Sean Paul making a splash on the charts now! Albeit a smaller dent than I realised to begin with - 'Gimme The Light' only making #32 originally is crazily low 😮 glad it achieved a better peak later down the line, that dancehall sound feels really fresh and fun amongst the landscape of the time.

Fantastic Neptunes production on 'Nothin' indeed and I love the absurdity of the lyrics breaking out into 'All Star' at one point sample-ception as 'Nothin' was used on 'Billie Eilish' by Armani White 20 years later, although that ended up stalling at only #65 here.

Oh 'Hands Around My Throat' is a really good discovery love that alt dance production and the equally intense atmosphere of the lyrics.

It’s close between the top 2 here but I really see “Jist Like A Pill” as up with some of the best gritty storytelling pop tracks of the decade.

9	Pink	Just Like A Pill	934th #1: a wonderful pop record with authentically delivered angst, a fab chorus in octaves and a superb opening riff
9	Aqualung	Strange And Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)	Only big hit for Matthew Hales after an advert feature: the whole sound world of this glorious track is like a warm hug
8	Hundred Reasons	Falter	Much smaller than their last couple of singles but it's one of their best songs, with big emotional multi layered vocals
7	David Bowie	Everyone Says 'Hi'	He won't have another Top 40 for more than a decade: this is lovely with charming lyrics and quite an innocent feel
6	Suede	Positivity	Their 1st hit this century: it's a very warm and calm track with a dreamy riff, but without anything that exciting about it
6	Disturbed	Prayer	Only Top 40 for this US metal band apart from a certain '60s cover; I enjoy this but it lacks a really memorable chorus
5	Oxide And Neutrino Featuring Kowdean	Dem Girlz (I Don't Know Why)	Last of their 6 Top 20 hits: I really like the production which samples Kraftwerk, though the lyrics are a bit of a mess
5	Bon Jovi	Everyday	A similar style to "It's My Life" with the lyrics about living in the moment and anthemic chorus, but not special like that
5	Beenie Man Featuring Janet	Feel It Boy	It's his usual dancehall style and quite a successful hit: Janet's chorus here is lovely but the rest doesn't really grab me
4	Supergrass	Grace	Their 1st Top 40 this century: it's their usual style with the bouncy instrumental style and a decent tune, but quite safe
4	Ryan Adams	Nuclear	Another folk rocky number from him: there's nothing wrong with it but I find it all a bit insignificant and not memorable
4	Busted	What I Go To School For	1st hit for this band who will have 8 straight Top 3s: it's amusing lyrically and endearing though musically fairly basic
3	Puddle Of Mudd	She Hates Me	Their last Top 40: this is quite fun for a couple of listens but it doesn't have the musical quality of their first two hits
3	Eminem	Cleanin' Out My Closet	A more personal 2nd single like "The Way I Am": it  has good production and the rap flows well but the lyrics are horrid

2002 Week 40:

#1505 05/10/2002 Will Young And Gareth Gates The Long And Winding Road/Suspicious Minds 1 {1}-1-3-10-13-18-26-37-49-62-57-61-64-50-48-54-63-73->18

#1506 05/10/2002 Oasis Little By Little/She Is Love 2 {2}-7-10-17-27-32-47-65->8

#1507 05/10/2002 Avril Lavigne Complicated 3 {3}-3-4-4-7-11-17-31-58->9

#1508 05/10/2002 Eve Featuring Alicia Keys Gangsta Lovin' 6 {6}-12-15-19-30-37-52-71->8

#1509 05/10/2002 Garbage Shut Your Mouth 20 {20}->1

#1510 05/10/2002 The Datsuns In Love 25 {25}-70->2

#1511 05/10/2002 The Strokes Someday 27 {27}-74->2

#1512 05/10/2002 Ludacris Saturday (Oooh Oooh) 31 {31}-62->2

#1513 05/10/2002 Cosmos Take Me With You 32 {32}-57->2

#1514 05/10/2002 Trucks It's Just Porn Mum 35 {35}-61->2

#1515 05/10/2002 Felix Da Housecat Silver Screen Shower Scene {2002} 39 {39}-65->2

#1516 05/10/2002 Puressence Walking Dead 40 {40}->1

'Nessaja' is fun with the same sped-up vocal formula as their previous hit, plus all its references to The KLF, "Dave who's on the train", "Join the caravan" and the rest.

'Strange And Beautiful' is certainly the latter of those things, and stood out in the chart around this time.

Just Like A Pill is a good pop record, 7/10 from me, always preferred Party Started but Pink was getting increasingly consistently good as she went on through the decade. Strange And Beautiful also a 9/10 for me, always liked Aqualung, not heard this one in 23 years 😮 still sounds lovely. Falter grabbed one week on my chart, so a basic 3/10 rating but I doubt I heard it much.

Everyone Says Hi was one of my fave Bowie tracks of the 2000's, back on form for me - 9/10. Suede remain hugely popular, but have always been a bit hiss and miss for me - Positivity being one of the hits, and a 7/10. Crikes, Disturbed were having hits before Sound Of Silence?! Who knew! Not me, not one I charted. Oxide & Neutrino is a name I expect to not crop up in my database much, in fact just the once. Not this one.

Bon Jovi, Everyday not nearly as memorable as It's My Life, but still grabbed a 7/10 from me. Beenie Man, not a fave, Janet Jackson a fave, so will come out on top in my rating? Err, neither, so obv more Beenie than Janet. Grace I remember well, though, Supergrass were never ever less than good, and this one was a very decent 7/10. Ryan Adams I recall getting big Elton John kudos, but left me largely indifferent - a mere 3/10 here.

Busted, well kiddiepop from my point of view at the time, but catchy and there's no chance of forgetting this song 2 decades on, which must count for something. I speak as someone that didn't chart it and found it annoying at the time. It's better than that with hindsight though. 4 or 5 out of 10 surely? Puddle Of Mudd back again, She Hates Me I actually liked, a 6/10, though unlike Busted's, it doesn't stick in the memory. The Eminem track I have vague recollections of, but as I didn't bother to chart it, I'm assuming I also had issues with the lyrics. Happily he no longer has anything to do with it and recorded an apology song for his mum.

Plenty of good stuff here across different genres but the winner has me completely hooked.

9	Felix Da Housecat	Silver Screen Shower Scene {2002}	Only Top 40 for this US DJ: an utterly enchanting electronic track with a deadpan spoken part and minimalist production
8	The Strokes	Someday	One of my favourites of theirs: the usual bouncy accompaniment and melodic expressive vocal, but this has real oomph
8	Avril Lavigne	Complicated	Debut single for this Canadian singer and it's a very strong track but also feels at the forefront of the pop rock genre
7	Oasis	Little By Little/She Is Love	Their 3rd Top 2 of the year: the 1st side is a soaring ballad delivered excellently by Noel; the other is less remarkable
7	Puressence	Walking Dead	A US rock band' only Top 40 of the century: quite a dark sound world with vocal scatting and swirling guitars: intriguing
6	The Datsuns	In Love	1st hit for this New Zealand rock group: it feels quite '70s with it's quite simple, unrestrained style and it's enjoyable
5	Eve Featuring Alicia Keys	Gangsta Lovin'	Quite a nice double act here: nothing to write home about but a nice RnB track with a warm l classic feeling sung chorus
5	Cosmos	Take Me With You	Only hit for UK DJ Tom Middleton, sampling "Everybody" by Madonna and indeed it has an '80s sound; not a bad track
4	Garbage	Shut Your Mouth	The 1st ever Top 20 hit to only spend 1 week in the Top 100: I like the verse but the chorus is quite lacklustre for them
3	Ludacris	Saturday (Oooh Oooh)	The "sticky icky icky" refrain sounds like chipmunks: it's a catchy track in its way but I can't say it's particularly enjoyable
2	Will Young And Gareth Gates	The Long And Winding Road/Suspicious Minds	935th #1: Gareth's "Suspicious Minds" version isn't too bad but the main side is very over-sung and perhaps competitive
1	Trucks	It's Just Porn Mum	Only hit for this pop punk band possibly trying to emulate Busted, but it's musically very basic with embarrassing lyrics

2002 Week 41:

#1517	12/10/2002	Holly Valance	Down Boy	2	{2}-7-14-19-29-44-55-55-47-52-63-66R(2)-69-74->14
#1518	12/10/2002	Irv Gotti Presents The INC Featuring Ja Rule, Asha	Down 4 U	4	{4}-9-16-24-34-50-66-73-70R(2)-74R(4)->10
#1519	12/10/2002	Jakatta Featuring Seal	My Vision	6	{6}-8-15-20-28-40-51-75->8
#1520	12/10/2002	John Otway	Bunsen Burner	9	{9}-23-43->3
#1521	12/10/2002	LeAnn Rimes	Life Goes On	11	{11}-18-20-31-39-56-63-71->8
#1522	12/10/2002	Feeder	Come Back Around	14	{14}-32-45-66-67R(4)->5
#1523	12/10/2002	Ian Van Dahl	Try	15	{15}-26-33-48-68->5
	12/10/2002	Dirty Vegas	Days Go By {2002}	16	{16}-27-40-55->4
#1524	12/10/2002	No Doubt	Underneath It All	18	{18}-25-28-44-64->5
#1525	12/10/2002	Energy 52	Cafe Del Mar {2002}	24	{24}-40-53-71->4
#1526	12/10/2002	The Wildhearts	Vanilla Radio	26	{26}-53->2
#1527	12/10/2002	JJ72	Formulae	28	{28}-60->2
#1528	12/10/2002	The Libertines	Up The Bracket	29	{29}-56->2
#1529	12/10/2002	Stamford Amp	Anything For You	33	{33}-49->2
#1530	12/10/2002	Thick D	Insatiable	35	{35}-66-70->3

'Little by Little' is very good, and Noel's voice is refreshing for a change.

I wonder how Radio 1 introduced that Trucks song in the chart?!

Edited May 10May 10 by TheSnake

I like 'Complicated' more now than I did at the time, but I think the other three singles from this era were all so much better!

Week 38

Solid effort from Liberty X again although nothing groundbreaking. A fan of 'Nessaja' too. Didn't recall 'Walk On Water' much but that's sounding really nice. The Korn, N.O.R.E. and Death In Vegas tracks are quite good too. Agreed on that being Anastacia's weakest song from that era.

Week 39

'Just Like A Pill' obviously brill and I like the Busted track but prefer the singles that followed. 'Everyday' is decent enough and the Eminem and Beenie Man songs are fine.

'Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)' is really nice. 'She Hates Me' is a stomper and the video is iconic too for comical reasons and Disturbed's is superb rock as per usual. Don't think I heard that Supergrass track at the time and it sounds a little familiar but it's okay.

Week 40

'Little By Little' a fantastic track and up there with their absolute best whilst the the other song is alright but nothing special and the same goes for the Will and Gareth collab which is not for me but Gareth's Elvis cover is quite fun.

'Complicated' is a brilliant introduction for Avril but not my fave from the debut era. Both the Datsuns and Strokes hits are really good. Eve and Alicia is decent. Not heard the 'Silver Screen (Shower Scene)' before but it's sounding cool and has a hypnotic touch to it

Kind of echoing a few people above RE: Complicated. At the time, I found it okay, then it grew and grew with each listen of an absolutely classic album of the time and the genre. However, it's now as an adult that I really appreciate it, it's held up so well and still sounds like a song that could easily be released now. Even though I love and appreciate it now, I will agree with those above, definitely not my fave from that debut era - I'm with you, Anything but ordinary, Things i'll never say, Mobile and Losing Grip all being just perfection.

Felix Da Housecat and The Strokes DNC for me 😮 Silver Screen sounds quite fresh though, from this viewpoint decades later, that backing track has sample potential if it hasnt already been nicked. Complicated one of Avril's best early tracks, 8/10. Oasis Little By Little grabbed a mere 3/10 from me at the time, and I listed My Generation as the other track, maybe they did it on TOTP or something.

The Datsuns a mere 4/10, and I am Gangsta Lovin' as Eve was rated 7/10 at the time, though as per usual I dont recall any of these tracks, bar Avril Lavigne and Oasis (which I under-rated). Sadly the rest all DNC as well, even Garbage, most likely because my mood at this time was "just got dumped" and I was playing Kosheen's Harder rather a lot feeling sorry for myself, a classic 10/10 track that should have gone top 40. A brief mention of 2 absolutely classic songs in Long & Winding Road and Suspicious Minds, it would be very hard to completely ruin them. So, well done Will Young & Gareth Gates for achieving that difficult feat.