Getting to the business end of 1998 where I was fully obsessed with the music in the charts, especially Believe. I got the cassette single for Christmas and then bought Hits ‘99 on CD with money I got for Christmas to own the song on that format too but up to that point I was just listening to the radio to hear it as much as possible, an iconic single and I love that it grew in sales as more people heard it.

It must have been rather surprising at the time that it beat Outside as I fully remember the mass amount of hype around that, especially the video - such a shame it wasn’t released a week earlier as it would have been a great No.1

I love that the top four had an average age over 40 - the 1980s (or older in terms of Cher) legends all coming out strong on the same week. The Sweetest Thing is a great single by U2, I very fondly remember that and the accompanying Best Of album.

Not quite as keen on the Culture Club song but it was nice to see them top five again. And Thank U is absolutely wonderful indeed, my favourite Alanis song which is no mean feat considering all the classics on the previous album.

Happy memories of hearing all of these on the radio on the way to do Christmas shopping that year.

That Kele Le Roc song is so lovely too, the single version is slightly pitched up compared to the album version that is on Spotify, so I hope to see that added one day.

The second week debuts were less to my taste. I always found this Another Level song a complete bore, and the Pras song wasn’t a great follow up either. Would You is fun though - this song seemed to soundtrack every fashion type TV show for the next five years at least.

It’s a shame they didn’t play Tell Me Ma by Sham Rock which arrived in the top 20!

Yeah I remember it was pretty much expected that George would get the no.1. I don’t even think I heard Believe until the chart show it was announced at the top. I remember my Nan thinking it was wonderful that someone nearer her age got to no.1 😂

I was definitely expecting to hear Outside at number one, George Michael just seemed to have so much publicity and also the song felt quite the moment directly addressing what had happened to him in the USA. Like T Boy, I'm not sure I'd heard Believe before I heard it on the chart show but I went out and bought it the following week as it was a really strong return from Cher - plus I always loved it when something unexpected smashed its way to #1 like this did. When I read it had increased sales in week 2, I was definitely hoping it would hold on for a few weeks as I didn't care for any of the songs that were likely to challenge it in the coming weeks.

The U2 track was really good, far too good to only be a b-side so I'm glad they resurrected it for their best of. I wasn't a huge fan of the Culture Club song and was a bit disappointed that it outsold the Alanis comeback, Thank U is a fantastic song that was a different and worthy follow up to a huge selling previous era. It's still a song I consider to be among her very best and one I listen to regularly <3

I had heard the Cher track before the chart came out, and was highly excited that it seemed so ahead of its time, especially for someone I loved in 1965 - so I knew there was a buzz about it, but that top 5 announcement was really exciting the closer we got to 2 - much as I loved George's (and bought it) I loved Cher's even more and bought that too. Icon!

The Top 5 of new entries was extraordinary - there hadn't even been a Top 4 of new entries up to that point, although the low selling #1 the week before shows it wasn't too far fetched to happen then, but you wonder how all those singles ended up being released in the same week. Cher taking the #1 was certainly a surprise to me, but I'd barely heard it before release whereas the George, U2 and Alanis songs were on Radio 1 a lot. 'Sweetest Thing' is a great U2 song and a genius move from them to resurrect an old B-side while promoting a greatest hits album including B-sides - it worked a treat for me as I only had their albums Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree at that point, while their most recent studio album Pop hadn't hugely been to my taste, so that Best Of was my route into most of their older material.

Yes, who on earth let Spacedust in for a week when all of these great singles were primed and ready to go the following week. Surely one of them could have moved forward

Was the Culture Club song a surprise top five hit, or was it expected to go in around the mid top ten and it just overperformed a little? As much as I like seeing a successful revival, I definitely don't remember hearing it anywhere near as much as those other four songs.

There was a buzz around some 80's acts getting back together, notably Culture Club and Madness, when it had seemed that they were done, and they went on tours to promote it (I went to both). Fond memories of reports of a disco ball falling on Boy George (overstated) and him getting pissed at a fan throwing coins at him, and a strong smell of grass from the bad "lads" at Madness' gig at the back obviously out of it and lager getting thrown about while nutty boy dancing.

14TH NOVEMBER

“Believe” appears to be turning into a major hit as it scores an easy third week at No 1 though sales do relent albeit by 9% to a still mighty 186,768 bringing its 21 day haul to 559,755, that makes it already Cher’s biggest selling solo single ever as it leaps over “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s His Kiss)”. That title spent 5 weeks at the top in 1991 so “Believe” still has some legwork to put in to overtake it in terms of weeks at No 1.

Who can forget the spectacular way that East 17 fell apart in early 1997 after Brian Harvey’s drugs outburst. Well shortly after he quit the band (or got fired) main songwriter Tony Mortimer also decided he’d had enough and not long after that Harvey was back in the fold. The band have re-marketed themselves now as E-17 and with sufficient time passed we get a comeback single “Each Time”. Seems like the UK public were missing them as it debuts at No 2 (72,000)- their 12th top 10 single but funnily enough their 17th hit from 17 releases coming 17 months after their last single left the charts. A statistician’s dream. The album “Resurrection” is out in a fortnight which will be the real test.

It’s not the catchiest of titles but The Tamperer Featuring Maya’s follow up to the No 1 “Feel It” wastes no time in smashing in at No 3 (64,000). It borrows the melody of Madonna’s “Material Girl” this time around and before you write it off remember this is the same position that “Feel It” entered the charts.

Last week we got Pras’ new single “Blue Angels” which falls out of the top 10, this week it’s Wyclef’s turn. “Another One Bites The Dust” is his take on the Queen 1980 #7 UK hit and features a rap by Pras himself, the song appears in the new film “Small Soldiers” which is currently in cinema’s and helps to explain why his US single “Cheated (To All The Girls)” gets pulled here in its favour. It beats the peak of the original by entering at No 5 (46,000) and indeed such is the use of the original track that Queen get equal billing with Wyclef. Incidentally Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop” debuts at No 1 in the US so all in all they’re all doing well outside the Fugees umbrella.

Former co-star with Will Smith on “Fresh Prince Of Bel Air” Tatyana Ali played Ashley Banks on the show and once filming had shut down she turned her eye chartward. First track “Daydreamin’” cruises in at No 6 (43,000) matching exactly its US peak back in September.

Eagle Eye Cherry is back in the top 10 too just a few months after “Save Tonight” made No 6. New single “Falling In Love Again” slips in at No 8 (37,000) though it can’t prevent the parent album “Desireless” falling 48-51, it’s sold over 100,000 since it was released 16 weeks ago.

Touch And Go slide 3-4 (48,000) while George Michael gives up his challenge 2-7 (41,000), Aerosmith dip a notch 8-9 (34,000) but go gold with “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing”. U2 tumble 4-10 (31,000) explained by the fact that their greatest hits set (“The Best Of 1980-1990 & B-Sides”) debuts atop the album charts beating albums by M People, Alanis Morissette, and Oasis.


1- BELIEVE- Cher (186,768)
2- EACH TIME- E-17 (72,000)
3- IF YOU BUY THIS RECORD YOUR LIFE WILL BE BETTER- Tamperer (64,000)
4- WOULD YOU- Touch And Go (48,000)
5- ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST- Queen/ Wyclef Jean (46,000)
6- DAYDREAMIN- Tatyana Ali (43,000)
7- OUTSIDE- George Michael (41,000)
8- FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN- Eagle Eye Cherry (37,000)
9- I DON’T WANNA MISS A THING- Aerosmith (34,000)
10- SWEETEST THING- U2 (31,000)

Did anybody here buy the Tamperer record at the time to test it's claim out?!

Not really a fan of 'Material Girl' by Madonna anyway so it is an improvement.

E-17 record doesn't sound that memorable or interesting on first listen.

The Wyclef - Another Bites The Dust song is interesting.

Edited December 5Dec 5 by TheSnake

21ST NOVEMBER



Head and shoulders above the competition for another week Cher’s “Believe” completes its month at No 1 shifting another 164,642 in the last week which puts its total at almost 750,000 enough for No 5 on the YTD chart.

Runners up this week are Steps who grab their 4th hit and second No 2 peaker with double A-Side “Heartbeat/ Tragedy”. The former is on their “Step One” album and comes with a festive video which sees the group rescue H from the snow queen whilst “Tragedy” is another track to be lifted from the same Bee Gees tribute album as 911’s “More Than A Woman”. It has a promo which features Pete Waterman as a wedding DJ spinning the discs after the boys sabotage the girls wedding days- not quite so festive. It sold 66,567 last week to be comprehensively deprived of their first No 1.

If you’re a fan of the film “Apocalpse Now” then check out the new promo for the Stereophonics single “The Bartender And The Thief” which is the first single from an as yet unnamed new album. The band scored 4 top 40 singles from their debut era “Word Gets Around” helped by picking up a BRIT award in February for best new group and a critically applauded tour which ultimately results in this crashing in at No 3 (59,000) for the Welsh boys.

James’ “Best Of” topped the charts back in April and at the end of a year spend touring their greatest hits it’s only fitting that they release one of their biggest hits “Sit Down”. The original missed the charts in 1989 but two years later was remixed into a No 2 single and an indie classic ever since, now the song gets a second remix at the hands of Apollo 440 who steer it back into the top 10 at No 7 (39,000).

The Tamperer Featuring Maya dip 3-4 (52,000) still an exact mirror of their last singles chart run- top 3 again next week? No way back for E-17 though who dive 2-5 (46,000) and who at least stay above Touch & Go 4-6 (43,000). Further down Aerosmith refuse to leave the top flight re-climbing 9-8 (37,000) and swapping places with Eagle Eye Cherry 8-9 (36,000), Queen & Wyclef Jean complete the top 10 doubling their position 5-10 (34,000).



Next week with the festive season upon us we’ll review those Christmas No 1 contenders!


1- BELIEVE- Cher (164,642)
2- TRAGEDY/ HEARTBEAT- Steps (66,567)
3- THE BARTENDER AND THE THIEF- The Stereophonics (59,000)
4- IF YOU BUY THIS RECORD YOUR LIFE WILL BE BETTER- Tamperer (52,000)
5- EACH TIME- E-17 (46,000)
6- WOULD YOU?- Touch and Go (43,000)
7- SIT DOWN (REMIX)- James (39,000)
8- I DON’T WANT TO MISS A THING- Aerosmith (37,000)
9- FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN- Eagle Eye Cherry (36,000)
10- ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST- Queen/ Wyclef Jean (34,000)

BTW BBC4 are only showing 1 episode tonight and 3 next week so you're a week ahead of the programme!

I don’t think they are showing any tonight as the snooker is still on?

'Tragedy' chimes definitely influenced by Tamperer ft Maya - Feel It. Great energetic version.

The other side 'Heartbeat' is nice enough but Steps have a lot better/more euphoric songs.

I remember hearing James - Sit Down a lot on the radio in the late 90s although it seemed to be the original not the remix.

Oh it’s ok, the first episode is just on late!

Wow, I didn't realise that Steps were close to 100k behind Cher at #1. Cher really blew them all out of the water that week.

Edit - Oh she was 114k ahead of E-17 the week before. She really is racing up the year end chart.

Edited December 5Dec 5 by Paddington James

I absolutely hated Heartbeat and thought it was such a dire single from Steps... who would have guessed that I'd go on to buy it haha!!

I liked that Stereophonics single, probably my favourite of theirs to date so was really happy when it made top 3 for them. Not really a fan of anything else in that top 10 that's appeared since I last commented, the Eagle Eye Cherry track is okay though.

Just reading over the past several charts. 'Thank U' is excellent, my fave Alanis track <3 also big fans of 'I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing' and of course 'Believe'. A great era for being introduced to Cher's music.

Also like 'Sit Down', 'I Just Wanna Be Loved' and 'Heartbeat' from Steps which I think is nice from their standards.

Edit: 'Outside' and 'Sweetest Thing' are great as well!

I love Heartbeat - it’s another festive song that reminds me of Christmas.

More of my late 1998 favourites coming up here. I really love Each Time a lot, I know that's not a popular opinion but it really takes me right back to that time and I thought E(ast)-17 looked pretty slick and modern in this new lineup, into fashion of the era and out of the big hats and baggy trousers that they seemed to carry on with past the early 90s. It's a really smooth R&B track with great production, a nice melody, especially the middle eight, and a strong vocal from Brian Harvey.

A Madonna sample is a hard thing to use well but I thought The Tamperer and Maya nailed it, I far prefer this to Feel It myself. The chorus is always in my head, and the 'f-f-f-f-f-f-f-fabulous'. She was a great performer.

The other top ten entries on the week TOTP showed are just ok, Eagle-Eye's was a lesser retread of Save Tonight, Tatyana Ali was nice enough although cool to see her on the charts as I used to watch Fresh Prince, and the Queen/Wyclef song is a no from me, but I remember seeing Small Soldiers at the cinema at the time. Shame they didn't play Faith Hill from the top 20 but we got a double dose of Faith that week with Faith Evans, a brilliant song in its original version minus Fatman Scoop. I also loved her hit Again in 2005.

Crazy that Cher was still selling that many each week, clearly it was reaching new audiences quickly. For Heartbeat/Tragedy to start off 100k behind is quite mad. Only about half of One For Sorrow's first week too isn't it? I do remember Heartbeat being everywhere at this point, maybe a lot of people weren't aware of Tragedy being on the other side for a while, although I see that is what they performed on TOTP on the first week. I think it's a lovely festive ballad, my favourite Steps ballad and the only one that tends to keep its slot in their tour setlist. This wintery 1998 music just makes me want to turn on Banjo-Kazooie again and play Freezeezy Peak!

The Stereophonics song was a strong lead single from a classic album, and I don't think the James remix was massively necessary - the song was hardly that old - but it was a good version.

Steps were promoting Heartbeat everywhere. I remember seeing them on Blue Peter for sure and in the pop magazines Heartbeat seemed to be getting the push. I didn’t actually hear Tragedy until Mark Goodier played it entering at no.2 on the chart show. Then they performed that before Heartbeat on TOTP and everyone at school was obsessed with Tragedy. I remember having a Christmas party at school and one of the girls brought in her cassette single and we just kept playing Tragedy over and over 😂