My choice is Busted - Crashed The Wedding, because was sure in # 1 for Madonna and Britney duet.

McFly - Baby's Coming Back / Transylvania. I feel like this just came out of nowhere to swoop in, especially considering the tumble it then had down to #20 the next week. Had Rihanna released a week earlier Umbrella would've had it easily.

Yeah McFly would definitely class as that for sure

 

Would 'Welcome To The Black Parade' count as I wasn't following the mids closely that week as so I wouldn't have predicted that would get to #1. Possibly was expecting a top 10 perhaps but certainly not a #1 and it surprised me and looking back now it sticks out amongst those #1's from 06 but in a very good way of course.

 

'No Tomorrow' by Orson the same year would be one as well. Debuted at 5 and became the lowest selling #1 for ages I recall plus I didn't expect it to go to #1 despite it climbing and not sure it was predicted to reach the top either!

Yeah McFly would definitely class as that for sure

 

Would 'Welcome To The Black Parade' count as I wasn't following the mids closely that week as so I wouldn't have predicted that would get to #1. Possibly was expecting a top 10 perhaps but certainly not a #1 and it surprised me and looking back now it sticks out amongst those #1's from 06 but in a very good way of course.

 

Exactly the same as me re: MCR. Also Meet Me Halfway as all the prediction polls on here said Happy would be an easy #1.

Whole Again by Atomic Kitten!

 

A week before release I think I’d have predicted it to debut at No.15 perhaps? I’m sure Woolies had it around the same area in their chart, which was usually a level of pre-orders and advance hype something had received. There was no real evidence it would be much bigger than the preceding few singles they had released, and I was gobsmacked when I saw those initial midweeks. I have no idea where those first week buyers came from, the song was hardly a major staple on TV or radio before release.

 

Clearly it took off from there and deserved its success but I will never get how that first week debut happened.

Exactly the same as me re: MCR. Also Meet Me Halfway as all the prediction polls on here said Happy would be an easy #1.

 

Oh yeah this is another good shout! Was good for them to nab a 3rd straight #1 though.

Whole Again by Atomic Kitten!

 

A week before release I think I’d have predicted it to debut at No.15 perhaps? I’m sure Woolies had it around the same area in their chart, which was usually a level of pre-orders and advance hype something had received. There was no real evidence it would be much bigger than the preceding few singles they had released, and I was gobsmacked when I saw those initial midweeks. I have no idea where those first week buyers came from, the song was hardly a major staple on TV or radio before release.

 

Clearly it took off from there and deserved its success but I will never get how that first week debut happened.

 

I never knew this - thanks for sharing! Do you remember it’s midweek figure out of curiosity? It must have been fun being a Kitten fan back then.

 

Oh yeah this is another good shout! Was good for them to nab a 3rd straight #1 though.

 

To think them and Gaga both scored three #1s that year. What a time to be alive. :wub: (still hate IGF though :kink:)

 

I disagree with that McFly example. It was an obvious no.1. In fact, people on here predicted it would do exactly what it did.

 

For me, these count:

 

Gabrielle-Rise-not too surprising but I think other new entries were favoured to get there such as REM and Andreas Johnson.

Oxide & Neutrino-Bound 4 Da Reload-I just didn’t really know this until it got there.

Destiny’s Child-Independent Women-I couldn’t see past Craig David vs Roman Keating that week.

Atomic Kitten-Whole Again-as Gooddelta says, there were on the way out with U2 seemingly the obvious no.1. It had a lot of airplay but I thought it’d be top 5 at best.

P!nk-Just Like A Pill-a very predictable year for no.1s and I loved this track but I’m pretty sure everyone thought it’d be Eminem or Busted.

Daniel Bedingfield-Never Gonna Leave Your Side-just didn’t think it would get there.

Ozzy & Kelly Osbourne-Changes-again, something that passed me by until release week.

Michael Andrews Feat Gary Jules-Mad World-thought it’d be the Darkness.

Ja Rule Feat R Kelly & Ashanti-Wonderful-sales were very low but I thought Daniel Bedingfield would have a triumphant return and I wasn’t too familiar with this.

Stereophonics-Dakota-despite low sales and being desperate for a non Elvis no.1, it just didn’t occur to me that they’d have a chance.

Arctic Monkeys-I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor-hadn’t heard of them until the release, thought McFly had it in the bag.

My Chemical Romance-Welcome To The Black Parade-another that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Robyn-With Every Heartbeat-not so much that it got to no.1 but I hadn’t heard it until the midweeks came in the week before and it was random to see her come back at the time!

Eva Cassidy & Katie Melua-What A Wonderful World-honestly still can’t quite believe this happened.

Black Eyed Peas-Meet Me Halfway-I think we all assumed Leona would get it.

 

I disagree with that McFly example. It was an obvious no.1. In fact, people on here predicted it would do exactly what it did.

 

You're right! It just feels unpredictable now in retrospect or should that say ridiculous instead :kink:

Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name, outside of the fact that with weeks to go no one could've called it, but even at the timem though the campaign was definitely gaining traction and had a big lead at first, it looked like it was dwindling as the week went on and I'd say most going into Sunday, weren't quite expecting that result.

I was quite shocked with Kelly Clarkaon scoring a number one with My Life Would Suck Without You. Especially as #5 was her highest peak in the UK until that point.

I was genuinely surprised when The Darkness didn’t get Christmas Number 1.

I think Darkness were #1 in the mids until the last day or so but can't remember as wasn't even following the charts at that time!

For those old enough back in the day to remember, were Girls Aloud the favourites to get #1 with SOTU before the first midweek flashes? Even though they clearly had the better song, I expect back then for the boyband to be favourites regardless.

That might be one for Jay to answer?

The OCC commented that One True Voice were the initial favourites

 

History, of course, is written by the winners, but before the campaigns kicked off, it was widely believed the guys would be the victors. Why? Well, in the pop climate of 2002, boybands were big business. Plus, it was assumed a Saturday night TV audience would be more likely to support – and swoon over – the traditional style of One True Voice's cover of the Bee Gees' Sacred Trust.

Meet Me Halfway beating Happy deep into its chart career (albeit X Factor boosted itself) was quite the moment.

Re: Whole Again - wasn’t it boosted initially by Westlife fans giving support as they were about to be dropped?

 

99% sure I read something about that at the time.

Nizlopi - JCB Song kinda came out nowhere after flopping upon initial release. Can't remember how or why it eventually took off to the extent that it did.

Edited March 24, 20241 yr by Dobbo

For those old enough back in the day to remember, were Girls Aloud the favourites to get #1 with SOTU before the first midweek flashes? Even though they clearly had the better song, I expect back then for the boyband to be favourites regardless.

 

One True Voice were sort of assumed to win the battle before the mids. The year had been quite boy band/young male singer heavy with Westlife, Blue, Will and Gareth, etc. and it was a wintery cover ballad-it probably would have worked for Westlife.