I enjoyed several songs in last night's episodes but also there was just as much filler. That OTT cover of All Out Of Love with the audience all sat on the floor (at the floor manager's request I guess) made me realise that mid-'97 was really the end of the cool part of the 90s, which stretched from about 1993/4 to maybe halfway through 1997. Ironically, when the term 'Cool Britannia' was starting to be mentioned everywhere was exactly the point that the country was becoming less cool. Some of the stuff in these charts was just horrendously dire, pointless covers and unenjoyable to listen to.

I did enjoy how much the crowd got into Tubthumping, but read somewhere that the band were dismayed at the cheesy dance routine the audience were doing (this is hardly a surprise knowing their background but that's on the band for pivoting and releasing such a commercial/singalong anthem). I would have liked to have seen it get a week at the top but Men In Black was clearly a huge track.

Dance music definitely suited Dannii for sure, I loved how futuristic the video was too, with her accessing her website 😂 This was probably the only time in her career (in the UK at least, I know she was famous first in Australia) that Dannii was more popular commercially than Kylie. The Republica style breakdown halfway through the song was great.

It came to me halfway through the first episode that the presenter was Sarah Cawood, I couldn't place her for ages but she mainly presented kids TV from what I recall. I think Jayne Middlemiss was the best presenter of this late 90s era, although Jamie Theakston was good when he came in.

I wasn't overkeen on the Shola Ama song but it's nice that she got a top three hit off the back of her long-running previous single. Really disliked the Jon Bon Jovi song personally. I had no memory of the Mark Owen song that was on last night either, but found that pretty weird, he was putting on a strange vocal inflection in that.

But Never Gonna Let You Go is a garage classic, I'm glad they cut off the intro for the TOTP performance, as that's the only bit I don't enjoy of the single.

I noticed N-Trance pop up at No.15 in the chart countdown (nice that the Mark Goodier voiceovers are in by this point). The Mind of the Machine is SO much better than all of their dreadful disco covers, Kelly sounded great on it and looked cool in the video, the lyrics in the unnerving spoken intro, and the breakbeat/piano production is brilliant, worth checking out although it's not that commercial so I'm not surprised it didn't get any higher. They were probably the most hit and miss musical act ever for me, always either amazing or awful.

All I Wanna Do was such a huge step up for Dannii, I really liked it at the time and I hadn't really liked anything she'd put out before.

Tubthumping! Such a shame this didn't make #1, although obviously it still did amazingly for a band like them. I definitely went off it through overplay but it's grown on me a lot again since and is a very unique 90s hit.

Filmstar is another decent track from Suede, the lyrics are a bit basic but it does have a strong enough melody and production.

Which leaves us with Men in Black... I really liked it at the time, but it definitely hasn't aged that well. Culturally the film and the single felt like a pretty big deal though. Still not bad, just disappointing that it blocked Tubthumping. Still miles better than I'll Be Missing You though so still very happy it came along to get rid of that

Who was on the presenter roster on TOTP by this stage? I know they had loads of guest presenter this era and Nicky Campbell did his final show in mid 1996 but did Goodier do any or was he just counting down as the sole chart presenter by this time?

So is another week skipped next week? I was telling my friends daughter who I watch TOTP with about Princess Diana’s week of mourning and I can’t remember if there was a TOTP that week or not? Most things were cancelled iirc.

9 minutes ago, Jester said:

So is another week skipped next week? I was telling my friends daughter who I watch TOTP with about Princess Diana’s week of mourning and I can’t remember if there was a TOTP that week or not? Most things were cancelled iirc.

Doesn't look like it, this week concluded with 29/08/97 and next Friday the scheduled episodes are 05/09/97 and 12/09/97!

1 hour ago, Steve201 said:

Who was on the presenter roster on TOTP by this stage? I know they had loads of guest presenter this era and Nicky Campbell did his final show in mid 1996 but did Goodier do any or was he just counting down as the sole chart presenter by this time?

From memory around this time it was Jayne Middlemiss, Kate Thornton, Jamie Theakston, Gail Porter and apparently Sarah Cawood (although I'd forgotten she did it). So moving into an era of proper dedicated presenters rather than having celebrities and Radio 1 DJs hosting. Goodier as far as I know just narrated the top 20 rundown.

3 minutes ago, Jade said:

Doesn't look like it, this week concluded with 29/08/97 and next Friday the scheduled episodes are 05/09/97 and 12/09/97!

Will be interesting to watch. No doubt all of the most MOR songs in the chart highlighted, with the presenters striking a suitably dour tone.

Always remember my 14 yo self being outraged the Liverpool Newcastle game was called off!

Jayne Middlemiss, Zoe Ball, Mark Lamar, Jo Whiley, Mary Ann Hobbs, and the first episode presented by Jamie Theakston make up the rest of 1997 presenter wise.

I remember I liked this song a lot, Connor Reeves-my Father's Eyes,

which peaked at #12 this week

really liked him a lot back then, his voice, his songwriting,

not sure what happened to him, he had a few top 40 hits in a trot then disappeared

Also like the first singles charting from Travis and Stereophonics

Travis and Stereophonics had a couple of charting singles before these weeks, although these were first Top 30s for each - in Travis' case, their next 7 Top 30 hits each peaked higher than the one before it - and I bought both of those debut albums, Stereophonics were at their best back then.

Entering at #18 in the second week, Foo Fighters - Everlong, these days one of the 1bn+ Spotify streams club.

That's quite low for. such an indie rock classic like Everlong

but I guess it was a post album single

and Foo Fighters were not as popular as they'd become later in the 00s

Madness at Everlong being in there, little did people know how much of a legacy the song would have!

6TH SEPTEMBER





The tragic events in Paris on Sunday morning meant that there was no chart show as usual on Radio 1 understandably. Far less dramatic events on the singles chart with Will Smith’s “Men In Black” completing its month on top and selling 105,000 in the process. It will cross the half million mark sometime this week but it may not be No 1 as “Tubthumping” increased its sales last week to 95,000 and continues to embed itself into the nation’s hearts. Incidentally “Men In Black” becomes the first record in a year to score 4 consecutive weeks at the top though of course the record it took over from, “I’ll Be Missing You”, spent six non consecutive weeks there and this week drops 4-6 (42,000) itself.

Talking of Puff Daddy he’s back as producer on the new Mariah Carey single, “Honey” marks a departure for Carey into more urban music, although previous remixes of her tracks have been made in the genre but never the main version of a single. It comes at a time when Carey’s marriage to Tommy Mottola is heading to divorce caused in some part by her new much more overly sexual image as you can witness in the promo for this single. There are actually two official videos the second one features the “bad boy” remix and comes with raps by The Lox and Ma$e for those inclined to prefer the genre of music. Debuting at No 3 (81,000) it becomes Carey’s 12th consecutive top 10 single in a run dating back to 1992 and the only women to piece together longer runs were Kylie Minogue (13) and Madonna (32).

They aren’t the same as The Spice Girls! If you’ve seen any interviews with new all girl group All Saints then you’ll know they certainly don’t believe they are Spice clones and indeed the foursome were formed in 1993 pre dating the Spices. Originally called All Saints 1.9.7.5 they were a trio who were signed to ZTT without success (a No 92 hit), when one of the girls left the duo of Shazney Lewis and Melanie Blatt were dropped by ZTT but in 1996 found sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton and got picked up by London records, we now get “I Know Where’s It’s At”. The song samples Steely Dan’s “The Fez” and gets them off to an impressive start crashing in at No 4 (48,000). Expect an album before Christmas.

Only a few weeks away is the release of Ocean Colour Scene’s third album “Marchin’ Already” which is widely tipped to make the top. As a prelude “Travellers Tune” becomes their 5th straight top flight hit arriving at No 5 (46,000).

DJ Quicksilver’s “Bellissima” turned into a major hit earlier this year shifting over 430,000 copies. Follow up “Free” gets off to a bright start at No 7 (39,000) only time will tell if it can turn into a similar sized seller.

11 weeks after release Radiohead’s “OK Computer” has still to drop out of the top 5 and is well on its way to sales of 500,000. Second single from it “Karma Police” comes with a memorable promo and wastes no time in becoming their third top 10 on the trot entering at No 8 (37,000).

The latest US R&B sensation Ginuwine is up lastly on the new entries this week. Real name Elgin Lumpkin (you can see why the name change was necessary), his first two hits both peaked at No 16 here but re-working Prince’s “When Doves Cry” was all he needed to have a top 10 single. It comes in at No 10 (29,000) and is produced by Timbaland.

Gala completes our rundown falling 5-9 (32,000).


1- MEN IN BLACK- Will Smith (105,000)
2- TUBTHUMPING- Chumbawamba (95,000)
3- HONEY- Mariah Carey (81,000)
4- I KNOW WHERE IT’S AT- All Saints (48,000)
5- TRAVELLER’S TUNE- Ocean Colour Scene (46,000)
6- I’LL BE MISSING YOU- Puff Daddy & Faith Evans (42,000)
7- FREE- DJ Quicksilver (39,000)
8- KARMA POLICE- Radiohead (37,000)
9- FREED FROM DESIRE- Gala (32,000)
10- WHEN DOVES CRY- Ginuwine (29,000)

13TH SEPTEMBER





Most chart watchers got it right this week with the predicted new Verve single easily deposing Will Smith after 4 weeks. The song has somewhat fitted in with the general mood of the nation at present with the funeral of Princess Diana last weekend and sold 105,000 copies to take the chart throne. It did at least not repeat the path of “Bittersweet Symphony” in losing the midweek chart lead and sets the group nicely for the release of the album “Urban Hymns” next month. The song incidentally deals with lead singer Richard Ashcroft’s relationship with drugs and dates back in composition to 1995- these things take time!

The Will Smith/ Chumbawamba duel continues both singles slip a place to accommodate The Verve, both tracks are still selling well Smith on 87,000 and “Tubthumping” on 79,000 though their album also debuts in the top 20 to detract sales. In terms of total sales “Men In Black” is now on 629,000 whilst Chumbawamba are on 379,000- both should end up high on the year end chart in 4 months.

Also on that list and currently No 3 on the YTD is Hanson’s “MMMBop”- that difficult follow up arrives and it’s more of the uplifting pop that made them famous. “Where’s The Love” is straight in at No 4 (73,000) with the No 1 looking beyond them especially with Elton John out on Saturday!

There’s no stopping Cast it seems, eight singles in and they’ve yet to miss the top 20 and now they have six of them making the top 10. “Live The Dream” is the most recent offering and the fanbase is enough to send it to No 7 (38,000), their last single plummeted 9-24 so all eyes on this for next week.

The son of a jazz musician and coming from a musical family gave Finlay Quaye a good backing in the industry, being related to Tricky hasn’t done him any harm at all either. First single “Sunday Shining” saw him make No 16 but second release “Even After All” does much better as it cruises in at No 10 (31,000), his debut album “Maverick A Strike” is out in 3 weeks if you like the sound of the single.

Back at the top in airplay was the appropriately titled “I’ll Be Missing You” which some thought may surge back to No 1, in the end it did rise but only 6-5 (61,000) despite a 46% sales increase, its tally is now an impressive 1,257,000. All Saints fall 4-6 (47,000) and Mariah Carey tumbles 3-8 (37,000) but does debut at No 1 stateside to give her a 12th No 1 there and moves her ahead of Madonna and Whitney Houston in chart topping status. Tina Moore returns 11-9 (34,000) proving the strength of the track.

This week sees the release of two of Diana’s favourite acts George Michael and Elton John- expect massive sales!

1- DRUGS DON’T WORK- The Verve (105,000)
2- MEN IN BLACK- Will Smith (87,000)
3- TUBTHUMPING- Chumbawamba (79,000)
4- WHERE’S THE LOVE- Hanson (73,000)
5- I’LL BE MISSING YOU- Puff Daddy & Faith Evans (61,000)
6- I KNOW WHERE’S ITS AT- All Saints (47,000)
7- LIVE THE DREAM- Cast (38,000)
8- HONEY- Mariah Carey (37,000)
9- NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO- Tina Moore (34,000)
10- EVEN AFTER ALL- Finlay Quaye (31,000)

Oh 'Karma Police' is certainly my pick of the week

I do like 'Honey' and 'I Know Where It's At' too though, great to have All Saints now. Fellow girl-group N-Tyce were also on TOTP this week but not quite making the same impact.

That version of 'When Doves Cry' sounded extremely naff. Will be sticking to the excellent original unsurprisingly!

Edit: oh this was written before the second post appeared - 'The Drugs Don't Work' is a great new chart-topper, even if I find it hard to listen to as it makes me quite emotional. ❤️ 105k sales at the top two weeks in a row!

A couple of truly amazing songs, Karma Police and The drugs don't work,

indie bands don't make songs like this anymore, but yes, bands like Lottery Winners are hardly Radiohead...

Also really like Traveller's Tune and All Saints were generally great, that was a good debut single, really liked it back then.

Finley Quaye I also liked him but prefer Sunday Shining. What happened to him? He really disappeared without a trace but this album did pretty well.

not a fan of Honey, Mariah going too much rnb for me. Also never liked Cast.

Songs seemed to rarely climb in the chart after Q1 1997 I noticed but we did have a lot of huge selling long running no1s still, was this just huge songs being released or had the continuous weekly turnover not been perfected until 99/2000?

The Verve and Karma Police in the same top 10, doubt that would happen in 2025!

Not sure which one is better out of Karma Police and The Drugs Don’t Work, but luckily I dont have to pick!

The latter is easily one of the best number 1s of the 90s.

if forced to choose one, Karma Police easily for me :)