A lesser good in week 4, huge bops from P!nk and Christina M, hadn't heard the Mercury Rev song until recently and it's one that has continued to grow on each listen and did very well of course via you sending it to Bop Idol, 'Star Guitar' is also pretty good too and I'm a fan of both versions of TLOMB but admittedly and I guess obviously in some way heard the Allstars cover first and was very into their kids show too. Not super crazy on the rest here but the Super Furry Animals song is fine.

Get The Party Started > AM to PM > The Dark Is Rising > Star Guitar > The Land Of Make Believe > It's Not The End Of The World > This Train Don't Stop There Anymore > Be Free > Leroy > Wannabe Gangsta > Diddy

8 hours ago, Jessie Where said:

I remember all these charts so vividly, I can't believe it's 23 years ago! 😳

'Drifting Away' is a particular highlight, and bloody hell I forgot that 'Whistle Song' thing existed.

Yeah the chart trance and big room dance music of 2002 is interesting, I like comparing it to the big room progressive house phase in the charts that it influenced ten years later in 2012!

Again your second place pick is my favourite as I'm a huge fan of 'Star Guitar'! I agree that this post-disco sound from them is really warm. I particularly love when the production grinds to a halt to reveal the soothing, hypnotic lyrics. I also adore the video with its similar concept to Daft Punk's classic 'Around The World' visuals. 'The Dark Is Rising' is still a strong winner though, it got my bronze medal in the relevant Bop Idol contest. 🖤

Another enjoyable bunch overall: “Cherry Lips” must be one of Garbage’s poppier hits but it’s such a joyous little anthem.

9	Garbage	Cherry Lips	The 2nd single from "Beautoful Garbage" outperforming "Androgyny": this is such a bubblegum anthem and I love it
8	Dirt Devils	The Drill	Only Top 40 for this DJ duo with an excellent anthemic sounding and infectious club track in the "Kernkraft 400" style
8	A1	Caught In The Middle	Their best hit: a really mature and sophisticated track performed with real emotion, but the last of their 8 straight Top 10s
8	Black Rebel Motorcycle Club	Love Burns	An excellent 1st hit for this US rock band: this has really dark lyrics and it's raw and conveys being stick in an emotional rut
7	Sarah McLachlan	Angel	Only the 2nd solo hit for the Canadian singer with a personal stripped back ballad that's more streamed than "Silence"
7	Britney Spears	Overprotected	This is a classic Britney song with the same structure as "Baby One More Time" and others: my favourite from this album
7	Spiller	Cry Baby	Their only follow up hit to "Groovejet": shame it only scraped the Top 40 as it's fun and I enjoy the quirky muffled vocals
6	Haven	Say Something	1st of a couple of Top 40s for this long standing English rock band: this is a very nice tune but nothing out of the ordinary
6	Ja Rule Featuring Ashanti	Always On Time	A devilish 6-6-6 run for this US chart topper: it is a good and catchy track; the rapped verses progress well and the Ashanti chorus is strong
6	P.O.D.	Alive	The acronym means "payable on death": the biggest hit for this Christian rock band and it's a well constructed metal track
5	Nas	Got Ur Self A	The full title is "Got Ur Self A Gun": I'm not keen on the sentiment but it is a strong hip hop track and well used sample
5	Incubus	Wish You Were Here	Their 2nd Top 40 outdoing last year's "Drive" which grabbed me more: this is decent but I'm not convinced by the chorus
4	Kaci	I Think I Love You	Her only Top 10 and last Top 40 with a cover of the 1971 US #1 for The Stylistics: it's nicely performed but unremarkable
4	E'Voke	Arms Of Loren 2001	Last hit for this female duo and it's a Ferry Corsten remix of their 1996 track: I think the original track is more interesting
3	Enrique Iglesias	Hero	918th #1: something of a classic as soaring ballads go and he performs it well but for me it's too saccharine and lacks flow
2	Afroman	Crazy Rap	His 2nd and last hit: a nice enough tune but lacks the novelty fun of "Because I Got High" and overall quite nondescript

2002 Weeks 6 and 7:

#1137	09/02/2002	Mary J. Blige Featuring Common	Dance For Me	13	{13}-22-37-50-58-73-69->7
#1138	09/02/2002	The Cooper Temple Clause	Film Maker/Been Training Dogs	20	{20}-34-62->3
#1139	09/02/2002	De Nada	Bring It On To My Love	24	{24}-35-71->3
#1140	09/02/2002	Jimmy Eat World	The Middle	26	{26}-36-54->3
#1141	09/02/2002	A.T.F.C. Featuring Lisa Millett	Sleep Talk	33	{33}-52->2
#1142	09/02/2002	Signum	What Ya Got 4 Me {2002}	35	{35}-48-74->3
#1143	09/02/2002	Mull Historical Society	Watching Xanadu	36	{36}-67->2
#1144	16/02/2002	No Doubt	Hey Baby	2	{2}-7-16-25-43-48-57-53-70->9
#1145	16/02/2002	Alien Ant Farm	Movies {2002}	5	{5}-13-20-31-49-64-69-73->8
#1146	16/02/2002	Jakatta	So Lonely	8	{8}-19-28-44-72->5
#1147	16/02/2002	Elbow	Asleep In The Back/Coming Second	19	{19}-48-74->3
#1148	16/02/2002	Joe	Let's Stay Home Tonight	29	{29}-52->2

'The Drill' is a good track, the last time anything like it in style charted in the UK was the big room days of 2014.

I actually prefer the Ferry Corsten remix of the E'voke song.

Ashanti has better/more emotive songs! Also I prefer RAYE and Mr Eazi's 'Decline' which sampled it to 'Always On Time'

The Kaci song is a bit too bubblegum even for my pop tastes back then as a child!

I like most early Enrique but 'Hero' is overplayed on radio and boring.

Assumed until a few minutes ago that the Incubus song was a Pink Floyd cover.

The Dark Is Rising is indeed a very nice track, I hadn't heard it for a long time before you used it in Bop Idol.

Get The Party Started was a definite step up for P!nk in every respect although she outclassed it with other singles from the same (classic) album for me.

AM To PM was decent too, Christina Milian had a very solid run of catchy singles.

The Land Of Make Believe cover was very by numbers, but it got allSTARS* their only top ten hit so I guess they felt it was what they needed to boost their profile, and it worked in that respect. I probably would have built on the slight credibility boost of Things That Go Bump In The Night and tried to carve out a slightly edgier image rather than releasing something so cheesy (when pop in 2002 was moving away from the cheesiness of 1998-2000 particularly).

Had forgotten about that Belinda Carlisle sampling track - it was just ok for me, as are much of the others from that week although Star Guitar is a nice, chilled listen.

Of that next batch, Angel is definitely my favourite - unsurprisingly. It was pushed again in 2002 here because Westlife were circulating a cover of it on the music channels (it had a music video but it wasn't released as a single by them). Sarah's original was released in 1997 and was a global hit, and her signature song.

Caught In The Middle is a fantastic track and agreed, easily A1's best. A very good example of a pop band moving with the times to continue to score big hits in a changing musical climate that valued more authenticity (surprising that reality TV pop shows were just coming in at this stage, that said). It's just so odd that they released only one more single and then it was all over as this felt like they had a lot of momentum behind them.

I really dislike Cry Baby, it's pretty headache-inducing all round for me and it was such a major step down from Groovejet, I don't think its No.40 peak was much of a surprise.

Always On Time was a good song, definitely the best Ja Rule and Ashanti pairing, and deserved to be a No.1 over the terrible 2004 song with R Kelly.

I didn't remember the E'Voke remix, or know why they were pushing a 2001 remix in 2002, but I still like the original a lot.

Hero is fine, a bit overwrought and overdramatic and not sure it deserved to be as huge as it was, but I can see the appeal I suppose, and it was released around Valentine's Day and people always used to latch onto one ballad or another around then (e.g. Whole Again the year before).

Crazy Rap was really bad, he should have stayed a one-hit wonder!

I didn't mind the Kaci cover, nice that she got a top ten out of it (and climbed into the top ten after debuting at No.11, which was rare in 2002).

Overprotected was a srong Britney single for sure (and another that climbed to its peak!). I liked it more than the other singles from this album.

Edited March 10Mar 10 by gooddelta

The single picks for Britney were a mixed bag but agree that 'Overprotected' was a stronger effort from the campaign. It's sad to look back on some of her lyrical themes now knowing the darker side to her career. The Max Martin/Rami production packs a punch but I wasn't a huge fan of the Darkchild remix also promoted. Each Britney album got progressively better for me up to In The Zone - I remember 'Anticipating' (a French-only single) and 'Cinderella' (initially a good AF Idol discovery) being big Britney highlights; I wish full-blown releases for those had replaced a couple of the actual singles.

Unfortunately agree with Rich that 'Cry Baby' was a baffling follow-up to the sublime 'Groovejet'. Well, at least Spiller got to experience peaking at both ends of the top 40!

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club completely passed me by until I heard 'Beat the Devil's Tattoo' during a Peaky Blinders binge a couple of years ago and I immediately had to know what it was. 'Love Burns' is sounding strong too so I clearly need to explore more of their material.

I didn't care much for 'Caught In the Middle' in the past but I think I'm starting to soften towards it, reminds me a bit of Natalie Imbruglia - 'Torn' sonically.

I remember this being an odd couple of weeks as there weren’t many new entries while “Hero” was sitting pretty at #1. There are some big songs on the horizon though. Some of the smaller hits here are great though, and “The Middle” is such a feel good anthem.

9	Jimmy Eat World	The Middle	1st Top 40 for this US rock band formed in 1993: their signature song and an utterly joyous powerful piece of pop rock
8	Mull Historical Society	Watching Xanadu	1st Top 40 for Scottish singer Colin McIntyre: hits involving "Xanadu" always seem to be great and this is a lovely number
8	Signum	What Ya Got 4 Me {2002}	This reached #70 in 1998; now becoming the only Top 40 for this pair of Dutch producers: it's a stonking trance banger
7	Elbow	Asleep In The Back/Coming Second	Their 1st Top 20 with a double A: "Asleep In The Back" is a gentle waltzy track while the other has a more ominous sound
7	The Cooper Temple Clause	Film Maker/Been Training Dogs	Their debut single reached #41 and this double A improves on that: both great sprawling guitar tracks with raspy vocals
6	Alien Ant Farm	Movies {2002}	This enjoyable but not remarkable track had missed the Top 40 but now hits the Top 5 on the back of "Smooth Criminal"
5	De Nada	Bring It On To My Love	2nd and last hit for them: this is nothing ground breaking but it's quite a sweet and nicely performed piece of garage pop
5	No Doubt	Hey Baby	Surprisingly they only had 3 Top 10s and this reached #2: I appreciate it's clever but also find it slightly headache inducing
4	Mary J. Blige Featuring Common	Dance For Me	Very unusual for the highest new entry to be as low as #13: I enjoy the opening riff but beyond that it's all a little feeble
3	Jakatta	So Lonely	A cover of Monsoon's 1982 hit "Ever So Lonely": it's fine but I can't see that this achieves much which the original doesn't
3	A.T.F.C. Featuring Lisa Millett	Sleep Talk	Last hit for the DJ Aydin The Funki Chile, based on Donna Summer's 1979 "Bad Girls": I find this a bit brash and repetitive
2	Joe	Let's Stay Home Tonight	Amazingly this dreary effort was the lead single from his latest album; a plodding RnB track without any distinct features

2002 Week 8:

#1149	23/02/2002	S Club 7	You	2	{2}-6-9-20-28-34-39-46-50-38-49-62-62-69->14
#1150	23/02/2002	DB Boulevard	Point Of View	3	{3}-7-12-14-18-24-28-38-44-52-54-72->12
#1151	23/02/2002	Brandy	What About Us	4	{4}-10-16-27-33-37-43-58-61-70-71R(2)->11
#1152	23/02/2002	Victoria Beckham	A Mind Of Its Own	6	{6}-17-27-31-46-67-72->7
#1153	23/02/2002	Alizee	Moi... Lolita	9	{9}-15-23-36-40-51-65-72-71->9
#1154	23/02/2002	Timo Maas	To Get Down	14	{14}-22-34-52->4
#1155	23/02/2002	Puddle Of Mudd	Control	15	{15}-26-40-53-75R(4)->5
#1156	23/02/2002	LeAnn Rimes	But I Do Love You	20	{20}-30-41-61->4
#1157	23/02/2002	The Hives	Hate To Say I Told You So	23	{23}-37-53->3
#1158	23/02/2002	Ana Ann	Ride	24	{24}-46->2
#1159	23/02/2002	Dilated Peoples	Worst Comes To Worst	29	{29}-39-54->3
#1160	23/02/2002	Spiritualized	Do It All Over Again	31	{31}-57->2
#1161	23/02/2002	Ian Brown	Whispers	33	{33}-58->2
#1162	23/02/2002	O-Town	Love Should Be A Crime	38	{38}-71->2

hopefully some high scores incoming for DB Boulevard and Alizee!

Week 5

Caught In The Middle > I Think I Love You > Always On Time > Hero > Angel > Alive (wasn't sure if this sounded like something I heard before or not but must have done. it's a solid rock anthem anyhow) > Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go) > The Drill (sounding good on couple of listens) > Overprotected > Arms Of Loren > Got Ur Self A... > Wish You Were Here > Love Burns > Say Something > Cry Baby > Crazy Rap (my word is this terrible)

Week 6 + 7 first 4 are ahead of the rest from these two weeks worth.

The Middle > Movies > Hey Baby > So Lonely > Dance For Me > Bring It On To My Love > What Ya Got 4 Me > Asleep In The Back > Coming Around > Watching Xanadu > Film Maker > Been Training Dogs > Sleep Talk > Let's Stay Home Tonight

Crikey I'm behind already!

Batch 1:

my clubbing at the Magnum in Southampton firmly a thing now, and Puretone, Aaliyah, Goldtrix all fit into that era. I was sad about Aaliyah still and a definite 9/10, Addicted To Bass a bit of a club anthem 8/10, and Goldtrix for me was a strong 9/10, albeit marginally less than More Than A Woman. Shimon & Shandy She mean nowt to me, didn't chart, so that'll be a 2/10 then and ditto Lange & Skye. Ash is an OK 5/10, and ditto Dr Dre. Haters, well it IS So Solid Crew...but it grabbed an actual 4/10 from me.

So, it seems as though a batch of club tracks didnt get onto the pop dancefloor, I wasnt fussed about the upstairs Trance/Chill-out floor so blame that on me not knowing or charting most of the rest of the dance/club-ish tracks. Of the tracks I do actually like, Jay-Z was a 5/10 along with Backstreet Boys, Mr Pink does Joan Armatrading, and El Capitan was a 4/10. Two big faves for me, though in the Love Is In The Air remix, and the Nelly Furtado hit 8/10 each.

Batch 2:

The Dark Is Rising topped my chart in December so I consider it a 2001 hit, but I agree it's a total 10/10 masterpiece, and it's a crime it wasn't a huge hit!! Pink's Get The Party Started was a big one for getting the dancefloor going and a 9/10, AM to PM is fab, 9/10, and Star Guitar just about scrapes a 9/10 too. Those are the top league.

Super Furries get an 8, Wheatus a 7, the cheap Bucks Fizz cover got a 6/10 cos of the song, Elton a generous 5, and Be Free a 4. The rest troubled my charts not a jot.

Batch 3:

A1 is another 10/10 for me, one of the songs of the year and their greatest record by a country mile. Just as they got good they split up, tch! Garbage as consistently fab as always, 9/10, Overprotected was Britney's best track of album 3, 9/10, and the dance remix of Hero was pretty good 9/10, the ballad version less so, but memories of my nephew amusingly dancing to it solo on a packed dancefloor at his sister's 21st party. The Drill passed me by, as did Incubus' but oddly they had a monster number 2 hit which I assume will be along later in the year.

Love Burns is a goodie, 7/10, as is Angel also 7/10, back for a second run in my charts. Ja Rule 5/10, s'OK, POD a 3/10, Kaci a 3/10, and Haven a 4/10-ish I think. The rest, as I say, floated on by in ethereal clouds of obscurity or downright lack of interest. Hi Afroman, Nas...

Batch 4:

At first glance, my reaction is, eh wot?! A couple or 3 I know I like and a lot I have forgotten if I ever knew them. Let's explore what the mystic orb says (eg my A to Z of chart hits): No Doubt easily track of the batch, Hey Baby a pop 9/10! Mull Historical and Elbow are indie 7/10's, Dance For Me also a Mary J. 7/10 as I do likes me r'n'b, always have always will, while ditto Joe gets a 5/10, Jakatta get a modest 4/10 for daring to cover the fabulous 1982 Monsoon 10/10 original, and the rest confirm my initial reaction.

'The Dark Is Rising' is my favourite to be reviewed so far in 2002, and made my top 10 of the year. The Chemical Brothers, Aaliyah and Puretone songs are my other highlights.

'It's Yours' is one of those dance tracks I'd heard for years after (and probably before) without knowing either the title or artist. Similarly I kept hearing one which sampled what I much later found out to be Change - Let's Go Together (from an 80s compilation) and I've just got around to looking it up on whosampled - turns out it's Jazzy M - Jazzin' The Way You Know and reached #47 in 2000.

Amused to see 'Crazy Rap' described as "nice enough" and nondescript - I'd never heard the uncensored version before, oh my 🙈

I was unfamiliar with 'So Lonely' until someone called into a Scott Mills feature named "the music police" (where you hum bits of a song that you don't know and the viewers help identify it) and it turned out to be their mystery song in question. I definitely rate the original a lot more as well, gave it 10 points in the relevant Retro Song Contest, only behind Portishead. I adore Jakatta's 'American Dream' but nothing else really came close from what I know.

Aw I enjoy 'Hey Baby' but it does seem to be copping quite a bit of flack on the forum at the moment! I can see why people might find it annoying to be fair but the chorus is a lot of fun for me and I like the electropop-meets-dancehall sound for the production.

Glad 'Movies' got a second chance post-'Smooth Criminal', both are good efforts.

'Coming Second' may be giving off silver medal with that title but it's my favourite of those two Elbow tracks! Ominous is a good way to describe it.

Excited to hear your thoughts on the next batch as there are a couple of favourites in the mix for sure. 🩷

Alizée’s follow up single “J’en Ai Marre” earned me a bronze medal in the first edition of Bop Idol. In researching that I found she has quite the discography of excellent pop songs, but this probably remains the best.

9	Alizee	Moi... Lolita	Only hit here for this French singer and it was big across the continent: it's a beautifully atmospheric piece of electropop
8	The Hives	Hate To Say I Told You So	1st hit for this Swedish rock band who had been active a while: this is their signature song and a delightfully punchy track
8	DB Boulevard	Point Of View	Only hit for this Italian dance group fronted by lovely Moony who we'll hear from again: a gorgeous fresh sounding track
7	Timo Maas	To Get Down	Biggest directly credited hit for him featured in "The Italian Job": this track is hypnotic and reminds me of the Stereo MCs
7	Ian Brown	Whispers	Another very enjoyable and atmospheric track from Ian in a similar style to "F.E.A.R." with a rich orchestral arrangement
7	Dilated Peoples	Worst Comes To Worst	1st hit for this US hip hop trio with a track that's different and works well: I really enjoy the warm orchestral production
6	Spiritualized	Do It All Over Again	I found their last hit rather a dirge but I enjoy this one far more, and it has a Phil Spector style wall of sound production
6	Puddle Of Mudd	Control	1st hit for this US rock band who had been active 10 years: it's nothing groundbreaking but a strong gritty rock number
5	S Club 7	You	A little on the sugary sweet side but all in all this is a well written pop song that they carry off in their happy, carefree style
5	LeAnn Rimes	But I Do Love You	Other than "Can't Fight The Moonlight" it's been slightly pedestrian ballads from her lately, but she performs this soulfully
4	Brandy	What About Us	The album lead and an aggressive, hard edged sounding track with highly processed vocals: bold but not quite to my taste
3	Victoria Beckham	A Mind Of Its Own	Her 2nd #6 hit: I do slightly prefer this to "Not Such An Innocent Girl" and it's a pleasant tune but quite underpowered
2	Ana Ann	Ride	Only Top 40 for this UK singer though she will later reach #44 with a UNICEF record: it's a forgettable pop RnB number
2	O-Town	Love Should Be A Crime	Their last hit: they seem to be impersonating Bon Jovi and it's not as poor as some of their singles but highly forgettable

2002 Weeks 9 and 10:

#1163	02/03/2002	Westlife	World Of Our Own	1	{1}-6-7-14-22-30-42-47-46-47-48-60-74->13
#1164	02/03/2002	Kylie Minogue	In Your Eyes	3	{3}-7-13-22-28-34-41-46-42-40-43-50-55-62-65-67-70->17
#1165	02/03/2002	R. Kelly	The World's Greatest	4	{4}-8-10-12-15-20-26-29-39-38-44-59->12
#1166	02/03/2002	Mis-Teeq	B With Me	5	{5}-11-17-24-30-35-50-64->8
#1167	02/03/2002	A	Nothing	9	{9}-19-29-36-46-66->6
#1168	02/03/2002	Princess Superstar	Bad Babysitter	11	{11}-17-25-32-38-48-68->7
#1169	02/03/2002	Alanis Morissette	Hands Clean	12	{12}-22-39-51-63-57-63->7
#1170	02/03/2002	Junior Jack	Thrill Me	29	{29}-48-75->3
#1171	02/03/2002	Jam And Spoon Featuring Rea	Be Angeled	31	{31}-49->2
#1172	09/03/2002	Will Young	Anything Is Possible/Evergreen	1	{1}-1-1-2-4-8-12-19-20-21-32-42-40-49-54-61->16
#1173	09/03/2002	Shakira	Whenever, Wherever	2	{2}-2-3-4-3-3-3-6-6-8-11-18-25-30-28-38-51-68-67->19
#1174	09/03/2002	Lasgo	Something	4	{4}-5-6-10-10-11-14-14-19-22-31-36-49-63-70->15
#1175	09/03/2002	Nickelback	How You Remind Me	4	5-{4}-5-9-6-5-4-7-5-7-8-14-19-22-22-33-47-48-50-65-73->21
#1176	09/03/2002	Beverley Knight	Shoulda Woulda Coulda	10	{10}-15-19-25-32-44-54-64-75->9
#1177	09/03/2002	Jamiroquai	Love Foolosophy	14	{14}-22-34-41-61-75R(2)->6
#1178	09/03/2002	Distant Soundz	Time After Time	20	{20}-33-38-49->4
#1179	09/03/2002	The White Stripes	Fell In Love With A Girl	21	{21}-54->2
#1180	09/03/2002	Bubba Sparxxx	Lovely	24	{24}-50->2
#1181	09/03/2002	Lighthouse Family	Run	30	{30}-51-63->3
#1182	09/03/2002	Gorillaz	Tomorrow Comes Today	33	{33}-64-74R(3)->3
#1183	09/03/2002	Angie Stone Featuring Alicia Keys And Eve	Brotha Part II	37	{37}-58->2

Moi Lolita is fab thats a 9/10 from me, The Hives' hit was a 7/10 for me at the time but that might well be an upgrade to 8 if I play it again. DB Boulevard was a clubbing fave of the time, a regular at the Magnum, 9/10, Timo Maas a decent 5/10. Ian Brown, as per is my wont, I tend to marginally prefer the solo stuff to Stone Roses stuff, yes I know that's sacrilege in some quarters, but that said Whispers is a modest 5/10.

Spiritualised are generally likeable and I liked this as an 8/10 while Puddle Of Mudd were largely OK and I largely rated Control a 6/10. I dont recall that S Club 7 track but it did pop into my chart for 2 weeks as a 4/10. LeAnn Rimes occasionally, and another I've forgotten with a single week on my chart for a 4/10 too.

Brandy = r'n'b on the sweeter side generally, but this rootsier one hit the spot for me and a sweet 9/10. Havent heard it since though so I'm assuming I'm in a minority there. Victoria Beckham, another one Ive forgotten, but I actually rated an 8/10 top 20 hit with a decent chart run, so that one I'm curious to hear again. O Town let's call it a 5/10 though a 2 week run only, no memory of it but I guess the Bon Jovi vibe appealed to me a bit.

'To Get Down' is certainly catchy and I remember it from the time.

'Point of View' I also remember a lot from the time it's a really nice song that probably had big crossover and MOR appeal.

'Hate To Say I Told You So' is fantastic, especially the third verse which is basically gibberish but the energy is undeniable - it made my top 10 of the year, as did a couple from the next batch.

Radio 1 would do a recap rundown of the Top 10 on the Monday breakfast show, and the few songs which weren't on their playlist (typically one per week) were generally announced with 'what the hell is this' contempt - so it was for "Moy, Lolita!?", but a non-English language song crossing over to the UK Top 10 was a rare achievement around this time.

One rock classic, two sensible pop classics, two cheesy pop classics, one forgotten dance classic in that next batch.

The links for the songs aren't working for me, please consider switching to youtube page links for next batch. :)

A very stacked couple of weeks here! We had the only single ever to sell more than a million in its debut week, though it isn’t one of the musical highlights.

I know Nickelback’s hits are a mixed bag overall but I still think “How U Remind Me” is an all time great of its genre. We have an incredibly influential White Stripes track. And and the top we have one of my favourite pop songs ever and my second 10 of the year. Shakira was such a different emerging pop star, and like with ABBA I think there’s a real second language charm to her lyrics.

10	Shakira	Whenever, Wherever	1st hit for the Colombian singer songwriter and a huge selling #2: to me this is perfect pop that's quirky and full of hooks
9	The White Stripes	Fell In Love With A Girl	Their 2nd hit: a wonderful punchy and frantic punk rock style track that rightly brought them wirdespread critical acclaim
9	Nickelback	How You Remind Me	Debut hit for this Canadian rock band and a US #1: this has a great flow to it and it's a very powerful and emotional track
8	Alanis Morissette	Hands Clean	Her biggest hit this century and a #1 in her native Canada: great storytelling here that's up with her '90s vintage period
8	Lasgo	Something	1st hit for this Belgian group: I love how the melody, production and soaring vocal come together to convey the emotion
8	A	Nothing	1st Top 40 for this long standing UK rock group: this has a great intensity to it and a powerful rhythmic rapped chorus
7	Jam And Spoon Featuring Rea	Be Angeled	The only hit this century for the German dance duo used for a film with the same name: it's quite a little gem of a track
7	Kylie Minogue	In Your Eyes	The follow up to "Can't Get You…" this is more in a retro disco style and nothing groundbreaking but a lovely intimate track
7	Beverley Knight	Shoulda Woulda Coulda	The 1st Top 10 in her career: it's very radio friendly but a lovely track that shows off her vocal and performance talent
6	R. Kelly	The World's Greatest	The impassioned uplifting gospel style isn't always for me but I do think it's well done here and this is one of his best songs
6	Westlife	World Of Our Own	919th #1: one of their best songs breaking the usual formula and going in a slightly retro sounding upbeat pop direction
6	Angie Stone Featuring Alicia Keys And Eve	Brotha Part II	Angie's signature track is to come but this is an interesting collaborative remix of her album track with soulful harmonies
5	Mis-Teeq	B With Me	Their 4th Top 10: it's enjoyable and high energy but very similar in style to the first couple and doesn't show anything new
5	Gorillaz	Tomorrow Comes Today	The 4th hit from their eponymous album: I like the ritualistic feel and it's a good listen but seems more like an album track
5	Jamiroquai	Love Foolosophy	The 3rd single from "A Funk Odyssey": again this is perfectly good but doesn't do much that "Little L" didn't do better
4	Junior Jack	Thrill Me	This is based on a 1981 track "The Beat Is Mine" by Vicki D: it probably works better in a club than as a track for listening
4	Will Young	Anything Is Possible/Evergreen	920th #1: "Evergreen" is a little formulaic but "Anything Is Possoble" is a very sweet track, and Will himself sounds great
3	Bubba Sparxxx	Lovely	I quite like that his 2 Top 40s are called "Ugly" and "Lovely": this one doesn't pop like the other but it's inoffensive RnB
3	Distant Soundz	Time After Time	Only hit for DJ Mark Christopher Shrimpton with a dance cover of the Cyndi Lauper hit: it doesn't leave much impression
2	Lighthouse Family	Run	The last Top 40 for them and it does feel rather like they're running out of batteries: this doesn't have a lot of energy to it
1	Princess Superstar	Bad Babysitter	Her only solo hit but thankfully she will be featured on something far better: this is lewd and quite an unpleasant listen

2002 Week 11:

#1184	16/03/2002	Rik Waller	I Will Always Love You	6	{6}-11-16-38-61-68-67R(2)-52->8
#1185	16/03/2002	Platinum 45 Featuring More Fire Crew	Oi!	8	{8}-15-21-25-40-53-61-63->8
#1186	16/03/2002	City High Featuring Eve	Caramel	9	{9}-13-17-22-31-41-49-61-74-65->10
#1187	16/03/2002	Busta Rhymes	Break Ya Neck	11	{11}-17-26-33-49-62->6
#1188	16/03/2002	Minimalistix	Close Cover	12	{12}-23-33-47-67->5
#1189	16/03/2002	Creed	My Sacrifice	18	{18}-29-36-50-71->5
#1190	16/03/2002	Hundred Reasons	If I Could	19	{19}-39-55->3
#1191	16/03/2002	The Electric Soft Parade	Silent To The Dark II	23	{23}-50->2
#1192	16/03/2002	Smoke 2 Seven	Been There Done That	26	{26}-44->2
#1193	16/03/2002	Gomez	Shot Shot	28	{28}-62->2
#1194	16/03/2002	Alcazar	Sexual Guarantee	30	{30}-54->2
#1195	16/03/2002	Steve Balsamo	Sugar For The Soul	32	{32}-56->2
	16/03/2002	The Dandy Warhols	Get Off {2002}	34	{34}-61->2
#1196	16/03/2002	Mauro Picotto	Pulsar 2002	35	{35}-53-75->3
#1197	16/03/2002	Cornershop	Lessons Learnt From Rocky I To Rocky III	37	{37}-70->2
#1198	16/03/2002	Brancaccio And Aisher	It's Gonna Be (A Lovely Day)	40	{40}-65->2

The Nickleback and Lasgo tracks are great, pity the latter has been rather forgotten.