8 minutes ago, gooddelta said:

True, but also that was the fourth single from an established album so many may not have even expected it to get to No.1 at all.

I think the real test was the next lead single but they flunked it with Jesse Hold On. The gap between first and second eras was too long for a pop band in the 90s - they should have released a summer tide over single as people were fickle. Plus the whole Irish jig sound felt tired by late 1999 I think when Europop and boybands ruled the day by this point. The girlband peak was over by then, the likes of Precious, Thunderbugs and Hepburn had top ten singles but All Saints and Spice Girls were on a break. I just think it was bad timing and not the right song and that hastened the decline. Not that I Shall Be There or Jump Down would have done any better as a lead single. They needed something different, but what that was I'm not sure.

True, I completely ignored the fact the Blame It On The Weatherman was the fourth single from a big album.

Seven months doesn’t seem like a big gap between eras but your right so much changed in the pop landscape by the time Jesse Hold On was released. They should’ve come back with a single in July/August like Steps did with Loves Got A Hold On My Heart. Saying that though I don’t know if anything from their second album would’ve worked. Maybe If It Don’t Fit could’ve worked as a lead single.

Edited November 29, 2025Nov 29 by Paddington James

Frozen would have to be my favourite Madonna song, it’s such an epic masterpiece. It was the first song I can truly ing from her. Thought I knew who she was as my aunty was a big fan of hers, I just had y heard anything from her. Or at least that was what I thought.

Frozen is a classic - it was quite a departure at the time, and didnt quite top my chart with its low-key New Age vibes, but the subtlety is long-term and madonna was on a creative up - but I didnt buy the album, her previous 2 had been disappointing and Evita I just didnt bother with, so I was wary about forking out dosh on a third disappointment. I bought Beautiful Stranger and Ray Of Light instead as CD singles, but bought it later on as I got back on board with Music. It's a classic.

'Frozen' is the first song that introduced me to Madonna and I remember being wowed by it right away, an iconic track, not to mention the video is superb too. Her look in it is superb also. Would come out on top for me which you'd probably expect lol. 'The Power Of Goodbye' is beautiful as well though and is on a nearly equal level to it!

I was not expecting Manics to rank that high for you, but I'm really pleased to see it. It would be my number 1 of the year, I agree it's got excellent lyrics and the haunting, hazy guitars add to the atmosphere (and that pretty terrifying video), it definitely seemed to be an opportune fanbase buy to get to number 1 with a song about the Spanish Civil War in 1998 of all times, but hey, it's quite a story getting a song like that to knock Boyzone off number 1 (possibly relying on a similar tactic with The Masses Against the Classes knocking off Westlife in the new millenium) and I think it's aged pretty well amongst their back catalogue.

Frozen is fantastic from Madonna, her William Orbit era was one of her best reinventions. I do really need to get round to this album as everything I've heard from it is really good. I think that, Manics and Cornershop would be my top 3 here, but the other three left are all worthy classics to be there too.

…and there goes my second fave, Frozen is such a standout #1. I didn’t realise it at the time but it really is so different for a trip hop inspired production to do that well. It’s an instance of an entire package being perfection as the video was wonderful too. This and Brimful of Asha get regular plays almost 30 years later in our house.

I don’t have a strong view on what I’d like to win from the 3 that remain. All are good but none are things that I choose to play very often.

'Frozen' is my favourite Madonna song

It's an instance where everything comes together so perfectly for me. Madonna has fresh lyrical perspective as a new mother, her vocals have scaled new heights after training for Evita, the ambient William Orbit production is a beautiful backing and the music video is incredibly striking, Madonna looks otherworldly in it and I love that she felt inspired by Aphex Twin's visuals at the time. No notes, what an incredible chart-topper and indeed album on the whole that still influences to this day.

'Frozen' makes my hairs stand up every time I listen to it. ❤️

Frozen is superb - so unlike anything else. Right up there with my favourite Madge songs.

3. All Saints - Never Ever

Rate: 10/10

Reason: Into the top three with the first song I consider, basically, to be perfect. 1998 had about five songs of this nature, although this wasn't one of them...because it was released in November 1997! All Saints had launched their chart career with the cool I Know Where It's At, which hit No.4 right at the end of summer 1997, although Shaznay Lewis and Melanie Blatt had a minor top 100 hit a few years earlier when the group featured another member alongside the pair and was called All Saints 1.9.7.5. Anyway, fast forward to winter 1997 and it was, of course, time for a ballad.

Co-written by Shaznay, the song owes a lot to Amazing Grace, at least in terms of the chord structure. But adds to that a captivating spoken word intro from Nicole Appleton against a piano backing and then after one minute of that, the silky smooth vocals of Mel and then Shaznay come in, while Nicole and Natalie Appleton bulk out the song with beautiful harmonies. Shaznay even teaches us the two different ways to say the letter 'Z'! And then there's a great outro that changes the dynamic of the song further too; 'you can tell me to my face...'

I doubt anybody really imagined when the song had moved 3-5-6 in its first three weeks that it would emerge as a No.1 contender after the Christmas rush in early 1998, but that's what happened, the track reaching No.1 in its 9th week when (iirc) it had already sold three quarters of a million copies - the most any track had sold prior to hitting the top. But in many ways 1998 feels more fitting a year to top the charts for the song because, while All Saints were part of the fabric of 1997, it was 1998 where they were absolutely everywhere, dominating the airwaves and newspaper front pages, and hitting the top spot with three different singles.

I was relieved that Never Ever got to No.1, because it would have been absolutely criminal for the song to have been saddled with a lower peak - it's a modern pop classic that won British Single of the Year at the 1998 BRIT Awards and set the group up for bigger things. A very cool and smooth production, its influence on music would be heard for years to come in singles like Pure and Simple by Hear'Say, as well as the launch of plenty of girlbands with a cooler vibe to them. The track also peaked at No.1 in Australia and New Zealand and reached the top ten across most of Europe. My fondest memory of it is my best friend in primary school randomly singing the word 'isolated' from the song in class during a quiet study period, me bursting out laughing while the room was silent, and the pair of us getting kicked out of class!

What an absolute classic Never Ever Is, I can still remember watching it on the Saturday morning chart show 27 years ago. It took a while for me to warm to it as it wasn't your typical 'pop' song I was into at the time. Once it grew on me though I thought it was absolutely stunning.

For sure, I think the meandering chart run and late peak is apt for this song because it's quite unusual and did take its time to grow on many.

That's a good track from All Saints, although I never liked it enough to buy it. Although I think it may have been on Now 39 (number may be incorrect?) which I think charted whilst it was still popular and I had that. I definitely preferred the singles from their second album, and indeed I prefer most of their singles since they reformed in the past decade with One Strike being particularly wonderful <3 Still I do appreciate the unusual song structure with the extended intro and it's definitely the highlight from their debut album.

'Never Ever' was my main introduction to All Saints as I don't really recall the first single before it. Remember seeing them frequently on TOTP performing it. Really strong vocals from them and a really nice song overall.

48 minutes ago, gooddelta said:

For sure, I think the meandering chart run and late peak is apt for this song because it's quite unusual and did take its time to grow on many.

I don’t remember its exact chart run but I think it debuted at #30, then climbed to #20 the following week. It did eventually reach #1 where it stayed for 7 weeks.

That’s interesting, I hadn’t imagined it was a hit outside the uk

28 minutes ago, dandy* said:

That’s interesting, I hadn’t imagined it was a hit outside the uk

I remember watching it climb the chars each week. That alongside 5,6,7,8 from Steps are the earliest memoires I have of watching songs start off minor and grow into hits.

"Never Ever" is one of my favourite All Saints songs and deserved the #1 spot.

My places 4 and 3 are:

04 The Tamperer feat. Maya - Feel It (9/10)

Eventhough this somewhat a Mash-Up of "Wanna Drop A House On That B*" with "Can You Feel It" it is well-produced and the vocals are catchy. A nice feel-good house anthem from Italy to which I danced a lot.

03 Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha (10/10)

One of the biggest indie dance anthems ever. The Fat Boy Slim Remix is massive.

Edited December 2, 2025Dec 2 by DaTilt

ooh you bad lad getting kicked out of class! 😄Never Ever never topped my charts, but it was up top 5 end and had a lot of charm, that spoken intro and the TOTP performances are what stands out for me, a quality pop record where I Know Where It's At had annoyed me. Angels is the classic ballad of that era that failed to hit the top spot around christmas time (but certainly sold enough) so I'm also happy this had a late surge. I'd have Frozen higher though...

38 minutes ago, Popchartfreak said:

ooh you bad lad getting kicked out of class! 😄Never Ever never topped my charts, but it was up top 5 end and had a lot of charm, that spoken intro and the TOTP performances are what stands out for me, a quality pop record where I Know Where It's At had annoyed me. Angels is the classic ballad of that era that failed to hit the top spot around christmas time (but certainly sold enough) so I'm also happy this had a late surge. I'd have Frozen higher though...

The only other time I got kicked out was also music related. I was caught miming to hymns in assembly (as wasn't in the mood to sing that day)! Made to stand outside the hall, the shame.