I hate that Sandi Thom song. Would probably put it lower!

Aww I really like Punk Rocker, I get why it divides opinions but I think it progresses really well with the drums, she sings it well and I'm always up for a bit of nostalgia in music, even as rose-tinted as this one is.

'A Moment Like This' is just The X Factor by numbers to me - I'll have plenty more of that to write about in 2009. When we did the #1 sessions, I thought it was telling how it had a relatively short chart run compared to the #1s either side of it.

I maybe liked '...Punk Rocker...' for about 5 minutes at the time, and I have a penchant for these sort of 'list' songs, but I quickly found the lyrics rather cloying and rose-tinted. It didn't help that I bought the Gnarls Barkley song that week as I had hoped it would make it to 10 weeks at #1.

Sandi Thom is the first one here that I'd rank a good bit higher myself / am surprised to see it so low, I didn't realise it evoked so much ire, admittedly I don't think too deeply about the lyrics as per but it's a catchy and pretty unique song and the background of it being one of the first 'viral' hits is some fun nostalgia. Also as Rich already mentioned, the fact she released a greatest hits album is pretty iconic, I remember using that for a round of Album Cover Puzzle I think I'd rank it somewhere near the top 10 of the year myself.

Almost all of the XF winner songs just blend into the same formulaic inessential mess to me and Leona is no different, the fact it was a cover of a song used as an American Idol winner's single just cheapens it further. Leona had some good songs later on though ofc.

I despised “…Punk Rocker” at the time (partly I was upset that it brought the previous #1’s run to an end), but I’ve mellowed to it a bit. I suppose it is a breath of fresh air at the top of the charts to a point.

The whole message is a bit silly though - I mean if that’s how you feel at least you can do a punk rock style song rather than some drab pop, admittedly with quite a cool accompaniment. Oh and in the phrase “punk rocker” the stress definitely shouldn’t be on “-er”! All in all I agree with Jade’s placing.

Side note: as there are 24 #1s in this countdown, I take it 'That's My Goal' isn't included? If up to me I'd be excluding carryover #1s myself too (and I don't think the X Factor winner's song #1s for the remaining years are particularly worthy of a second review each), but I notice they have been included in previous years in this forum's series, so thought I'd mention it.

Yeah I only included the carryover because Robin did before me, but I think it’s fine if each host does it their own way. We’ve already had inconsistency as John split the double As and others didn’t, but I’ve decided not to have any meltdowns! 😅

Yeah I assumed it was down to host discretion so am freshly reviewing the songs not already covered if that's okay.

The all important Ablisa lore already covered in my response to Chez's 2005 placement.

Top 20 kicking off later

You can blame me for the carryover thing as I carried over Westlife's double a right at the start in 2000. Mainly because so much fuss was made at the time of them opening the century/millennium at No.1. But Manics were the first new No.1 ofc.

Awww no I love the Punk rocker song, but I get it’s a bit of a marmite song

I loved this in 2006, but maybe not so much in 2025. It was a moment in time though.

The follow-up was definitely better.

Nah, never liked that Punk Rocker song much, rose tinted glasses are all very well for people who were there and have fond memories of being young, but UK society in general was better off in the 90's than earlier decades - even if the pop music might arguably have been better (a matter of opinion that). For me, the song wasnt Punk and it wasn't Flower Power, it was folkie-pop-wannabe which was very much not Punk (a reaction against what had gone before and nihilistic), and not much hippie. Though, in terms of battling for the environment and peace and love, hippies were right-on, man!

Good to know re: the carryover - I'll shelve my review of 'Hallelujah' (that I hadn't committed to text as yet) for 2009 then. I'll be writing enough about The X Factor as it is, including Alexandra's second #1.

Oh I absolutely demand to see a “Hallelujah” review from @jimwatts ! Especially as @Scene ’s will probably be too complimentary. 😝

2 minutes ago, Julian_ said:

Oh I absolutely demand to see a “Hallelujah” review from @jimwatts ! Especially as @Scene ’s will probably be too complimentary. 😝

I'll shoehorn in a mention of where and why it would have ranked for me, don't worry!

36 minutes ago, Julian_ said:

Oh I absolutely demand to see a “Hallelujah” review from @jimwatts ! Especially as @Scene ’s will probably be too complimentary. 😝

Cheeky bitch. 😋 also FYI I’m doing 2007, not 2008 right? 😅 so I’ll have the joy of reviewing Leon. 😎

4 minutes ago, Scene said:

Cheeky bitch. 😋 also FYI I’m doing 2007, not 2008 right? 😅 so I’ll have the joy of reviewing Leon. 😎

Sorry yes 2008 is @Herbs !

Think I get to rank Leon/Alexandra right! The suspense!

Neither of them will be my bottom placing! But I will be doing listen throughs so rankings may change

20 Chico - It's Chico Time

Kept off #1: Pussycat Dolls - Beep (feat. will.i.am)

Next up is the true rebellion anthem.

Firstly, I must point out that this is what topped the chart on the day BuzzJack was born, 7th March 2006! *.* So, no matter what you think of it, the song has a place in our very own forum's history. The release strategy of 'It's Chico Time' fascinates me. Welsh singer Chico Slimani was a contestant on the sophomore series of X Factor U.K. in 2005, finishing in fifth place, while Shayne Ward was later crowned the champion. This song quickly established that it wasn't just the winner of the show who could achieve a #1 hit. Original composition 'It's Chico Time' was first performed on week 7 of the live shows, keeping him in the contest in the process, following weeks of press scrutiny. My most vivid memory of him on the show was pulling a stunt at Judge's Houses, where he jumped into the pool while holding a microphone that was still plugged in. You know you've made a mark when even Ozzy Osbourne was shocked.

Chico contributed lyrics to 'It's Chico Time' alongside Mark Hudson, who also produced the song. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall during the talks that birthed the idea of 'It's Chico Time'. It was decided to wait until late February to release this song despite gaining exposure on ratings winner X Factor U.K. back in November. However, somehow the momentum was still there and Chico spent not one, but two weeks at #1 - knocking Madonna off in the process! The studio version of 'It's Chico Time' received its premiere on Radio 1's The Chris Moyles Show and I unintentionally heard that episode recently on Mixcloud when looking for old 2000s radio shows to put on in the background. Let's just say they were stunned into silence for a bit! Chico would achieve one more top 40 hit and later released a 2010 World Cup tie in called 'It's England Time', which also got a Chris Moyles premiere.

8-year-old me ate up this catchy number but it was an interesting one to rank nearly two decades on! I ultimately decided that this song and its accompanying low budget video are so deeply unserious that I couldn't tank it too hard, but at the same time, this is about as generous as I could be - as it's still pretty naff and gimmicky, even if more joyful and camp than the standard winner's single schmaltz. Today's kids may never come across this, but as a child of the 2000s, it has made enough of a deep imprint on my life to think of Chico when someone asks what time it is.

Chico's impressive multi-week stint at the top blocked 'Beep' by Pussycat Dolls featuring will.i.am from #1. I don't think I cared for that team-up at the time but it's grown on me a lot over the years and nowadays I appreciate what was done with the ELO sample. So in retrospect I would've appreciated one of Chico's weeks going to that.

Oh I’d never heard this before. As far as novelty songs go I’ve heard better but it’s also not he worst. Still Way better than the Sandi Thom song.