I know I was critical of the #1s of 2003, but 2004 really was the pits.

Remembering a couple of what's to come I sort of can't believe haven't appeared, but the quality has been so poor no real complaints. I'd have Call on Me in the top 10, but it's not a particular favourite. The two McFly tracks I'd put top 20 too. Certainly no arguments with the bottom 3.

The hypersexualised dance videos of the 2000s haven't aged well but musically 'Call On Me' is one of the better ones to drop out.

However... 'Just Lose It' may be my least favourite of the lot so far. That hook is supremely irritating.

17

Sam & Mark - With A Little Help From My friends (1 week - 21st Feb) 7/10

Not heard it in 21 years, and it's much better than my vague recollection, better than Wet Wet Wet's dreary charity cover effort. But it's no Joe Cocker! Outrageous that the Beatles decade-late release fell short of the top 40, while covers like this top the chart though. Honestly, though, it's quite reasonable, nice fun production and they sing it decently and I had no idea they were runner-up to Michelle McManus on Pop Idol. It's certainly the most-Beatles-esque in vibe of the three number one covers, and I really don't mind it all. Joe Cocker is the greatest version of all, though, bit of a show-stopper and nobody has ever tried to ape that version in any way. It would be a losing attempt! I expect everyone can breathe a sigh of relief this has finally dropped in, and I was really expecting it to be bottom 5 or 10. Who knew?!

16

Ja Rule featuring R. Kelly & Ashanti - Wonderful (1 week - 6th November) 7.1/10

I usually liked Ashanti stuff, so that's a plus. I like moody r'n'b, so that's a plus too. Ja Rule I can take or leave by and large due to his elephant seal vocal style, and Kelly sounds the better of the male vocals on this OK groove, though that's usually a good reason to drop a track a few notches. I wouldnt call it catchy or memorable, but neither would I call it bad, it coccupies some sort of pleasant hinterland. Checking out my charts of the time it peaked at 36 which sounds about right, I like it but don't love it. Ja Rule and Ashanti get a number one spot so thats nice enough, as Kelly makes it 3, is my count. Hey ho.

15

Natasha Bedingfield - These Words (2 weeks - 28th Aug) 7.2/10

Natasha's been back in vogue of late courtesy of that Netflix movie, but this was the one I remember better as she started off being a bit more fun than brother Daniel's later records. These Words was a fairly decent pop track at the time, I liked it well enough to go top 10 for me, but I'm less fussed these days. I cant quite put my finger on why I'm not as big on her first 2 hits quite as much as I was, but it's not bad by any means. The chorus is quite jolly, but the rest of it has that annoying pah-pah-pah background brassy-synth sound interjecting constantly, and her bridge-wailing I can do without, so I think that's maybe why it's dropped in my affections. Calling out for a banging remix I think.

'Wonderful' is forgettable garbage, I still can't believe in such a busy week this was the one that actually made it to the top. Their other two collabs were definitely superior.

'These Words' is great, although the questionable pronunciation of "hyperbole" 🤭 I absolutely stanned her album in 2004. I wouldn't have called 20 years later 'Unwritten' being her much bigger song over it!

5 minutes ago, Popchartfreak said:

Natasha Bedingfield - These Words (2 weeks - 28th Aug) 7.2/10

Calling out for a banging remix I think.

It got given a remix last year that actually spent time in the chart, although it was an entirely pointless and basic dance version.

Edited October 13Oct 13 by Jessie Where

My bottom two out in tandem. Not a fan of the bland Sam and Mark karaoke but much worse is Wonderful, which was always my least favourite No.1 of 2004 even at the time.

It’s super forgettable and boring compared to the prior output from both Ja Rule and Ashanti that peaked much lower and for me was a real surprise No.1 at the time. And with R Kelly involved - and unfortunately with the only half memorable hook in the track - I want to listen to it even less.

Love These Words though, and that surprised me at the time as I wasn’t really into Single, but I thought this was great and very creative pop, despite some clunky lyrics, and then I loved the whole album too. I still always see Unwritten as a strong album track (which it was to me at the time, when it topped my chart before it got a single push) which became an unexpected legendary song due to TV exposure, and then internet fame.

Sam & Mark were indeed the second of my trio of doom. It just feels such a lazy song choice and while I actually agree the jolly production isn’t bad I don’t think they had anything. Joe Cocker’s version is good but for me it will always be a Ringo track that only makes sense when played straight after “Sergeant Pepper’s…”. They introduce their star act and then it just turns out to be Ringo warbling haplessly, but that’s where the song’s charm lies.

“Wonderful” is the ultimate non #1 - only did just over 20k to get there and vanished pretty quickly. If Ja Rule had to have a #1 it should have been “Always On Time” or “Livin’ It Up”.

“These Words” on the other hand is my favourite out so far. I think the lyrics are very sweet and unusual and the whole thing is a really tender and heartwarming expression of love. And it helps that I haven’t had to listen to it about 75 times in the last couple of years like the follow-up.

I thought 'Wonderful' might be one of Julian's trio of doom, so now that's dropped out I'm fairly sure of what the last one is.

[drinks some English tea]

2 hours ago, Jessie Where said:

'Wonderful' is forgettable garbage, I still can't believe in such a busy week this was the one that actually made it to the top. Their other two collabs were definitely superior.

'These Words' is great, although the questionable pronunciation of "hyperbole" 🤭 I absolutely stanned her album in 2004. I wouldn't have called 20 years later 'Unwritten' being her much bigger song over it!

It got given a remix last year that actually spent time in the chart, although it was an entirely pointless and basic dance version.

I must have missed that remix, thats a shame it was basic, something a bit inventive could have worked nicely! I also would never have seen Unwritten coming back huge like it did! These Words would have been my bet 😯

1 hour ago, Julian_ said:

Sam & Mark were indeed the second of my trio of doom. It just feels such a lazy song choice and while I actually agree the jolly production isn’t bad I don’t think they had anything. Joe Cocker’s version is good but for me it will always be a Ringo track that only makes sense when played straight after “Sergeant Pepper’s…”. They introduce their star act and then it just turns out to be Ringo warbling haplessly, but that’s where the song’s charm lies.

“Wonderful” is the ultimate non #1 - only did just over 20k to get there and vanished pretty quickly. If Ja Rule had to have a #1 it should have been “Always On Time” or “Livin’ It Up”.

“These Words” on the other hand is my favourite out so far. I think the lyrics are very sweet and unusual and the whole thing is a really tender and heartwarming expression of love. And it helps that I haven’t had to listen to it about 75 times in the last couple of years like the follow-up.

Oh lazy choices are par for the course for TV reality star covers, the only question is how far down the scale from OK to terrible they will rank. Girls Aloud excluded o/c! 😄

14 hours ago, Jessie Where said:

'These Words' is great, although the questionable pronunciation of "hyperbole" 🤭

Wow, I'm just now learning that that's the lyric!

1 hour ago, Riser said:

Wow, I'm just now learning that that's the lyric!

Yeah, I’m the same. Didn’t even notice at the time.

14

The Streets - Dry Your Eyes (1 week - 31st July) 7.3/10

An oddity, this one was largely a spoken-word verse with strings and slow-beat, and a hook-sung chorus for the Dry Your Eyes mate bit. The Streets is the band name of what is essentially a pseudonym for rapper/producer Mike Skinner. The money-moment is the sudden stop of the beats, just strings and a short spoken bit, before back to the previous template. It's a sad story of self-advice as he's getting dumped by his girlfriend and that makes it real. Dumped songs tend to be about bitterness or self-pity, but this one lyrically works brilliantly in the present tense and incorporating a range of crushing emotions. That said, I've always found it a tough listen, there's not really much of a song so much as a monologue with background support. The basic beat is fairly plodding, I'm sure deliberately, and it's not one I would choose to play unless I was in a very very downbeat frame of mind. I reckon I could do it at Karaoke though! If I wanted to bring down the mood.

13

DJ Casper - Cha Cha Slide (1 week - 20th March) 7.5/10

Not one I was into that much, but I can see why this one-hit wonder works when folks rush onto the dancefloor to do the line-dancing actions, which I saw at a 40th birthday t'other year. It's more of a dance instruction video than a song though. The House beats are fine, is doesn't get boring, thanks to the ongoing lyrics. OK, I'm going to say I like this, and I'm surprised! Fun! Another oldie getting a look-in, out originally in 2000 and not a US hit of any size.

I quite love it! Sorry

I can quite happily go without hearing Cha Cha Slide ever again.

I don’t recall either of these two, so they’re no real loss for me.

Dry Your Eyes would comfortably take my top spot in this, absolutely delighted that he was able to have a #1 single. For what it is, Cha Cha Slide is fine really.

I've come to appreciate 'Dry Your Eyes' more over time - a heartfelt break-up song and the aforementioned sudden emphasis on the strings gives me chills.

'Cha Cha Slide' must've been present at every school disco I went to as a child of the 2000s and still hasn't died out at weddings and parties in more recent years. I'd never seek it out but it can be good fun in the right setting.