1 minute ago, Jester said:

Try Bodyshakin’ - that’s a good one!

Thanks, I'll check it out. 🙂

Just listened to Bodyshakin’ at the suggestion of @Jester. It's quite good, it reminds me of early NSYNC or early Backstreet Boys. Far and above A little Bit More.

3 hours ago, dandy* said:

Just to add to this, I'm not sure we need the same years covering again in quick succession just because you have a different view on things - many of us do have different choices as favourites of each year and there's room in the existing threads for you and everyone else to demonstrate their difference of opinion - indeed I'm sure it's welcomed to generate discussion.

That said, we do want to continue to with these and there is scope for you to cover some of the years that haven't already been assigned - although I think they are mostly in the 70s and potentially some of the 80s, but I think that may suit you as some of the years to cover? The only one I'd like to do myself from that period is 1979 as that's my year of birth and I'm keen to revisit those to see what I make of the music back then.

Maybe drop us a line with the years that you're most interested in doing and we'll see how that compares to the ones that people have already requested?

Hopefully it's ok to add my 2 cents. With this covering the 20th and 21st century 1970-2009 would it be better placed in the Music Lounge Forum? As one in this forum would need to end at 1999 and a seperate one for 2000-2009 in the 21st Century Throwback forum. They could all be in the one thread in the Music Lounge.

Anyway that's just my thought.

911 did they appear in ITV2's The Big Reunion from the early 2010s??

7 hours ago, Mack. said:

911 did they appear in ITV2's The Big Reunion from the early 2010s??

Yes, in the first series I believe.

I may have mostly recycled this post from the 2000 thread, but let's get it out of the way. Apparently I've softened to it since the summer as I rated it 3/10 in 2000.

32. Westlife - I Have A Dream / Seasons In The Sun

Rate: 4/10

Reason: I get why Westlife's management took the winter cover ballad route to get an easy Christmas No.1 (or so they thought, a certain prayer put up a good fight), but both of these sides are naff for me. They opened their career with three half decent original pop singles, looking back, so it was a shame to see them move very quickly into pedestrian cover territory.

The ABBA cover is fine and has some nice festive touches to the production but it's very twee and not one of my favourite ABBA singles in the first place, and Seasons In The Sun (the original of which I like) I would rate even lower individually. Brian put it best himself when he said something along the lines of singing this track in turtleneck sweaters in the video, it felt like the label was trying to turn them into Val Doonican.

For a band aimed so squarely at the teen market with their first few singles, it's alarming how quickly they moved on to trying to futureproof their career by shifting to much older audiences with kitsch releases like this. A very wet Christmas No.1 and end to the millennium unfortunately, but it could have been worse (Cliff was No.2).

Edited December 9, 2025Dec 9 by gooddelta

I agree with your summary of Westlife. Flying Without Wings remains on of my favourites from them. It was a little disappointing both these sides were covers. I really like the original Seasons In The Sun too.

Horrible release, but I also dislike their previous releases - only "If I Let You Go" was a bit better imo. "I Have A Dream" on the other hand is even weak for Westlife.

My bottom three of 1999 are:

34 Cliff Richard - The Millennium Prayer (1/10)

33 Westlife - I Have A Dream (1/10)

32 Westlife - Swear It Again (1.5/10)

I already counted the Steps one for 98, so have one song less.

I Have A Dream is a guilty festive pleasure for me and I actually really like it!

31. Geri Halliwell - Lift Me Up

Rate: 5/10

Reason: It was coming up to Christmas and it was time for single number three, so as Jim pointed out in the 1998 thread, in the world of 90s and early 00s pop this meant it was time for a ballad. Geri went head to head with former band member Emma Bunton for No.1 - Emma teaming up with Tin Tin Out for a cover of What I Am. The much hyped chart battle saw Geri embark on a major press tour, and she even had a whirlwind romance with Chris Evans at this exact time which I'm sure was in no way connected.

Geri won out with her second consecutive No.1, Lift Me Up, which is a dated but ok ballad with a very corny key change and the kind of chorus and production that could only have made No.1 in the late 90s. One thing I will say is that I enjoy the verses, where Geri sings more restrained, and some of the backing vocals almost make it sound like a Carpenters track (and this encouraged my Mum to buy the album as she enjoyed the track).

In the video Geri meets some aliens in a broken down spaceship who she makes friends with which, for a kitsch ballad, was a very odd treatment. The track wasn't much of a hit elsewhere, but charted low down in a few countries.

Edited December 9, 2025Dec 9 by gooddelta

Reasonable placing for this Geri song. I liked it at the time, but it is a bit of a come down after the previous single Mi Chico Latino. I do prefer it over it's follow up, Bag It Up.

Three pretty unremarkable tracks there. Geri's is very dull, and in terms of songs is easily Bottom End of the list stuff. The other two were poor covers of great originals, so they at least have the plus side in the case of ABBA and Dr Hook of being able to refer back to two originals that were blocked from the top spot by bad timing behind monster hits. 911 I never minded, light and fluffy, nothing essential, but nothing to get annoyed about either. Westlife OTOH got annoying by virtue of endless chart-toppers, but the covers especially in between better originals. I'm quite OK with them these days, and as Ive said already their Radio 2 playlisted current track is really a good 'un, catchy, upbeat, celtic-ish and charming - Chariot is way better than this double B side.

Yes, I don't really mind Westlife generally nowadays, and actively enjoyed the 2019 comeback hit Hello My Love. They have four appearances in this countdown and not all of them are very low, but this double a-side I wasn't overly fond of. The charts in late 1999 were absolutely packed full of variety and shock underperformances as everyone battled to have a say in the millennium charts, I just wish something more interesting had come out on top.

Still no complaints, every cover to drop out so far is boring and 'I Have A Dream' is far from my favourite ABBA song in its original form anyway.

'Lift Me Up' has always rubbed me the wrong way as I really don't enjoy Geri's vocal performance on it, especially the strained key change. That aside, it's a pretty dull song anyway. I really liked her more theatrical debut solo single 'Look At Me' so it's a pity that one didn't make it to #1, when she achieved many chart-toppers elsewhere.

Wow - Geri's appearence that early surprises me. For me, her songs are somewhere in the lower midfield.

Awwww no

Have a soft spot for Lift Me Up

I’ve been watching a lot of Spice Girls vids recently and I actually find it remarkable how successful Geri’s solo career was. She is a great songwriter but arguably the weakest singer in the group (and yes I am including VB)

Lift Me Up is 9.5 / 10 lovely and cute masterpiece.

My # 2 in Year-End chart (only behind Steps - Say You'll Be Mine)

Both Westlife tracks dire. 'If I Let You Go' is the only one I kind of like from their first few releases.

37 minutes ago, Herbs said:

Awwww no

Have a soft spot for Lift Me Up

I’ve been watching a lot of Spice Girls vids recently and I actually find it remarkable how successful Geri’s solo career was. She is a great songwriter but arguably the weakest singer in the group (and yes I am including VB)

True although she had the X factor, to use a cliche. I really think the Spice Girls felt more boring as a group without her and not sure they'd have been half as big if she wasn't ever in the band. Each of them had their own strengths, and Geri's was her personality and charisma and ability to make the headlines (and get the band further into them).

So it's not altogether surprising to me that she managed a string of hits when she was so good at the PR game and knew how to appeal to the public and be memorable, but that said the only single of hers I ever listen to out of choice is the one still to come later. Although I didn't mind Scream If You Wanna Go Faster too.

Victoria was a bit underrated and underused, she wasn't a powerhouse like Mel C or as strong as Mel B and Emma vocally, but she had some lovely moments, like the middle eights on Viva Forever and Goodbye.

25 minutes ago, Last Dreamer said:

Lift Me Up is 9.5 / 10 lovely and cute masterpiece.

My # 2 in Year-End chart (only behind Steps - Say You'll Be Mine)

I thought it would be your favourite UK No.1 of the year.

Say You'll Be Mine would be high for me if it had got to No.1.