On 30/01/2026 at 00:54, Padamic_Tension said:

I knew Britney had high debut sales that week but didnt realiase they were that high. In the streaming era can you imagine how high those numbers would be.

Probably a lot less I'd imagine! You don't really get those kinds of numbers out of the gate anymore, especially as it would've had pre-release build-up. I imagine it'd probably spent like 25+ weeks in the top 10 instead though.

Whew, I've got some catching up to do here.

What a bumper week of top 10 new entries the week of 'Tender's debut (and what an epic song!) That's probably also my favourite Stereophonics song, and I love 'Erase/Rewind' too. I adored 'Believe' but always found 'Strong Enough' quite annoying.

Classic from Steps, and I think that's my favourite Manics single from the era - a stormer!

Hugely impressive for B*Witched, but it does feel somewhat like they got incredibly lucky there. GREAT song from Robbie too!

'At My Most Beautiful' is a great R.E.M. song, it was a pleasant surprise to see them get another Top 10 single from the album, and unusual to hear that type of love song from them. Looks like Britney wasn't far away from a return to #1 when B*Witched took it then!

22 hours ago, jimwatts said:

'At My Most Beautiful' is a great R.E.M. song, it was a pleasant surprise to see them get another Top 10 single from the album, and unusual to hear that type of love song from them. Looks like Britney wasn't far away from a return to #1 when B*Witched took it then!

I have been listening to a good R.E.M as of late they had quiet a few great songs and its a pitty they havnt been one of the artists having their greatest hits chart for ages in the streaming era like so many other acts.

Just had a bit of a catch-up - that bumper sales top 3 with Britney, Blur and Whitney was an impressive snapshot in chart history! I've already expressed my fondness for '...Baby One More Time' but 'Tender' is a worthy runner up too. It would've been great for Blur to get a turn at the top but it was still no mean feat for a song like that to sell so well. Love the introspective lyrics, choral influences and effective lengthy runtime. I do enjoy the Whitney song as well but am a bit sick of it at the moment as it keeps getting played on the TOTP repeats! I guess Whitney in the studio was quite the coup so they were milking it for all it was worth.

It was unsurprising but sad to read about why 'As' was pulled in the U.S. :( good on George for always defying the stigma though, he is still sorely missed.

'Erase/Rewind' and 'Nothing Really Matters' are also highlights of those top 10s for me Addison Rae's 'Aquamarine' sounds heavily inspired by the latter.

I much prefer the moodier B*witched chart-toppers to the more cheesy, in-your-face first two, so not complaining about them dislodging Boyzone.

I quite like 'Strong' but the Manics stole my heart the most from those latest two top 10s.

3RD APRIL




This was rather predicable but those boys at Levi’s have done it again and promoted a song to the top of the charts. Ever since the recent commercial featuring a yellow gopher puppet aired it took on a life of its own and the director of the promo Quentin Dupieux found the track that he used (and wrote) in the ads “Flat Beat” was in high demand. Naturally a release followed and the song sold a mighty 283,500 copies last week to easily land at the top spot under the guise of Mr Oizo, it makes Dupieux the first French act to top the UK singles chart since Charles Aznavour back in 1974 and the 7th chart topper to be associated with the Levi brand. The song samples a base and drum loop from the Fatback Band’s “Put Your Love In My Tender Care” and was reported recorded in just 20 minutes.

Indeed for the first time ever the top two are new entries from completely new acts, runners up this week are The Cartoons who are reportedly Danish Technobillies! Their version of the Ross Bagdasarian Sr’s “Witch Doctor” is the song but it was originally released in 1958 using the name David Seville and introduced his new creations the Chipmunks (yes you can thank him) via the track. His version competed with a rival version by Don Lang & His Frantic Five in the UK charts the latter ironically winning out peaking at No 5 Vs The Chipmunks No 11. Now the Cartoons score the biggest hit of all with their version registering impressive sales itself of 156,000.

Completing an all new top 3 this week is the new Billie single “Honey To The Bee”, it’s her fourth release and a fourth top three smash making a pretty impressive start to her career. Parent album, also called “Honey To The B”, hasn’t done badly with sales of almost 400,000 to date, it only lifts 66-61 this week however and compares badly to the B*Witched album (which is probably a good comparator market wise), that album is already racing toward the 700,000 mark. Incidentally B*Witched were No 1 last week but hurtle 1-9 (33,000) this week, that’s the biggest fall from the top since Iron Maiden experienced the same drop 9 years ago.

One of the more infectious records around at present is the New Radicals “You Get What You Give” new at No 5 (64,000). A minor top 40 hit stateside, it contains within its lyrics a few less than kind remarks about other singers including Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson and was co-written by Rick Nowels who himself has written hits for Madonna, Belinda Carlisle, and Stevie Nicks among others.

TLC released their third album “Fanmail” 5 weeks ago with no hit single to promote it, allegedly that was to stop copies being imported into the country or pirate copies being made, so far it has spent all 5 weeks on release in the top 40 peaking at No 25 (it’s No 33 this week) but has at least a top 10 single to help it now. “No Scrubs” peaked at No 6 in the US last week before retreated to No 8 at present whilst here it arrives at No 7 (44,000) to mark only their third top 10 hit of a 6 year long career.

Des’ree’s rise to fame has long been known, just 12 weeks after getting signed she released her debut single “Feel So High” in 1991 which eventually made No 13 on re-release a year later. That remained her highest peaking hit until 1998 though “You Gotta Be” is probably her signature tune, a No 20 hit in 1994 it got re-issued a year later after the song found fame in the US making No 5 there and No 14 here at the second time of asking in 1995. Now 4 years later it gets a third bite at the cherry thanks to its use in the current Ford Focus Ad and becomes her second top 10 single following “Life” (#8, 1998) by entering at anchor position on a sale of 32,000.

Britney Spears continues her descent 3-4 (74,000) whilst Boyzone do indeed find the going tough dropping 2-6 (54,000) and Vengaboys continue to party 5-8 (36,000).

1- FLAT BEAT- Mr Oizo (283,500)
2- WITCH DOCTOR- Cartoons (156,000)
3- HONEY TO THE BEE- Billie (81,000)
4- BABY ONE MORE TIME- Britney Spears (74,000)
5- YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE- New Radicals (64,000)
6- WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH- Boyzone (54,000)
7- NO SCRUBS- TLC (44,000)
8- WE LIKE TO PARTY- Vengaboys (43,000)
9- BLAME IT ON THE WEATHERMAN- B*Witched (33,000)
10- YOU GOTTA BE- Des’ree (32,000)

10TH APRIL





Three new entries in the top 4 this week but nothing can move Mr Oizo, “Flat Beat” romps to an easy second week victory after selling another 184,000 copies and raising the total to 467,000 after a fortnight. That tally places it in the top ten for the year which, with the first quarter gone, we can see here:

1- BABY ONE MORE TIME- Britney Spears 1,231,000
2- WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH- Boyzone 587,000
3- HEARTBEAT/ TRAGEDY- Steps 474,000
4- FLAT BEAT- Mr Oizo 467,000
5- PRETTY FLY (FOR A WHITE GUY)- The Offspring 456,000
6- MARIA- Blondie 405,000
7- IT’S NOT RIGHT, BUT IT’S OKAY- Whitney Houston 392,000
8- WE LIKE TO PARTY(THE VENGABUS)- The Vengaboys 364,000
9- TENDER- Blur 353,000
10- YOU DON’T KNOW ME- Armand Van Helden Feat Duane Harden 335,000

Mr Oizo’s rapid climb to No 4 on the YTD would suggest that he may climb as high as No 2 next week depending on his performance, he’s unlikely to catch the current leader Britney Spears who has sold double anything else so far and only drifts 4-6 (86,000) this week.

Buoyed by the Easter week and the kids being off school sales are lifted generally by 14% spearheaded by those new entries.



Eminem (real name Marshall Mathers, initials M & M) is one of the most talked rappers of the last year stateside and now finds a place in the UK charts. His first album and EP failed to find him success but did bring him to the attention of Dr Dre who signed him up quickly and produced his first major label album “The Slim Shady LP”- Slim Shady being the alter ego of Eminem. First single from it “My Name Is….” Which contains all the lyrics you’d expect from one of the most controversial acts around arrives at No 2 (143,000) and contains a sample of Labi Siffre’s “I Got The…”

One place below Eminem is one of the hottest dance records of the past few months from Phats & Small, they are production due Russell Small and Jason Hayward who have meshed together Change’s 1980 #14 single “Glow Of Love” with Toney Lee’s 1983 #64 hit “Reach Up” to give us “Turn Around”. They drafted in their friend Ben Ofoedu to front, mime, and promote the track and it is now a No 3 hit after moving a healthy 116,000 copies last week.

Hurriedly cobbled together for a BRITS performance in February Steps, Cleopatra, Tina Cousins, Billie, and B*Witched’s ABBA tribute “Thank ABBA For The Music” is new at No 4 (99,000). It’s taken a while to release as it has been held back to coincide with the opening of “Mamma Mia” on the West End in late March but if it progresses no further it will mark the first relative failure for B*Witched who are on a run of 4 chart toppers, it has however done considerably better than the original which made No 33 in 1983. All proceeds to the BRITS trust though, and special mention to Steps who have three songs in the top 30- a feat not seen since Madonna in August 1985.

Catatonia’s third album “Equally Cursed And Blessed” is almost ready to hit the shops and lead single “Dead From The Waist Down” does it job in becoming their third top 10 single as it moves into the No 7 slot (60,000). Don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s a lesser hit than might have been expected, that opening tally is more than either “Road Rage” or “Mulder & Scully” managed in their opening weeks, the chart at present is simply the strongest it has been for some time.

Elsewhere the threat from The Cartoons subsides 2-5 (91,000) and the New Radicals slump 5-8 (52,000), Billie is off 3-9 (47,000) and the Vengaboys mirror their YTD placing by falling 8-10 (43,000).

1- FLAT BEAT- Mr Oizo (184,000)
2- MY NAME IS- Eminem (143,000)
3- TURN AROUND- Phats & Small (116,000)
4- THANK ABBA FOR THE MUSIC- Various Artists (99,000)
5- WITCH DOCTOR- Cartoons (91,000)
6- BABY ONE MORE TIME- Britney Spears (86,000)
7- DEAD FROM THE WAISTDOWN- Catatonia (60,000)
8- YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE- New Radicals (52,000)
9- HONEY TO THE BEE- Billie (47,000)
10- WE LIKE TO PARTY- Vengaboys (43,000)

Blame It On The Weatherman dropping from 1 to 9 was , at the time , one of the biggest ever drops from number 1.

Biggest Drop From Number 1 ( up to April 1999 )


1 - 12 - Mary's Boy Child - Harry Belafonte ( 10 / 1 /1958 )
1 - 10 - Only You - Flying Pickets ( 14/1/ 1984 )
1 - 9 - Christmas Alphabet - Dickie Valentine ( 6/1/1956 )
1 - 9- You're Driving Me Crazy - Temperance Seven ( 1/6/1961 )
1 - 9 - These Boots Are Made For Walkin - Nancy Sinatra ( 19/3/66 )
1 - 9 - Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter - Iron Maiden ( 19/1/1991 )
1- 9 - Blame It On The Weatherman - B*Witched ( 3/4/1999 )
1 - 8 - Hello Goodbye - Beatles ( 24/1/1968 )
1 - 8 - Lonely This Christmas - Mud ( 18/1/1975 )
1 - 8 - Block Rockin Beats - Chemical Brothers ( 12/4/1997 )
1 - 8 - Blood On The Dancefloor - Michael Jackson ( 10/5/1997 )
1 - 7 - Wayward Wind - Frank Ifield ( 14/3/1963 )
1 - 7 - Young Love - Donny Osmond ( 22/9/1973 )
1 - 7 - Knowing Me Knowing You - Abba ( 7/5/1977 )
1 - 7 - Beetlebum - Blur ( 8/2/1997 )
1 - 7 - Bootie Call - All Saints ( 19/9/1998 )

The list today looks completely different with the number 1 dropping to outside the top 10 on 26 occasions this century.

My reshuffle top 10:

01 BABY ONE MORE TIME- Britney Spears

02 TURN AROUND- Phats & Small

03 MY NAME IS- Eminem

04 FLAT BEAT- Mr Oizo

05 DEAD FROM THE WAISTDOWN- Catatonia

06 YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE- New Radicals

07 WE LIKE TO PARTY- Vengaboys

08 THANK ABBA FOR THE MUSIC- Various Artists

09 HONEY TO THE BEE- Billie

10 WITCH DOCTOR- Cartoons

A strong top 10. "Turn Around" is such a feel-good house anthem. "My Name Is" is one of my favourite Eminem songs. Catatonia had a brilliant output in the 90s. Just don't know what people thought buying this Cartoons rubbish.

'Flat Beat' is such an idiosyncratic chart topper, let alone multi-week one, with those kind of sales. The power of advertising back in the day.

I am partial to a bit of electro house loopiness and Flat Eric myself.

We had Scott Mills' first appearance as a TOTP presenter on the repeats this week! He looked so young. I feel like this week's episodes were the strongest in a while and packed with recognisable songs, from New Radicals to TLC to Eminem - 'No Scrubs' has got to be my favourite new entry from these last couple of top 10s

'Witch Doctor' was a kids disco favourite.

'You Get What You Give' is very good, I remember being on the radio a lot. Des'ree 'U Gotta Be' similarly.

'Turn Around' is a bit overrated and its production is not that interesting compared to other disco house tracks like 'You Don't Know Me', I like the message of encouragement in the lyrics though.

'No Scrubs' iconic of course! Sent people to the dictionary wondering what a 'scrub' was in this context!

'Flat Beat' was early electro and bassline garage wrapped into one. Don't remember it from the time though.

Edited February 15Feb 15 by TheSnake

Honey To The Bee is my favourite of the 4 singles from Billie Piper's debut album.

It was also her biggest hit from that album here too.

Can't believe No Scrubs managed only one week inside Top 10

And I really thought it peaked higher than #7!!!

25 minutes ago, Addy! said:

Can't believe No Scrubs managed only one week inside Top 10

And I really thought it peaked higher than #7!!!

Maybe it will be back... you never know!

I thought No Scrubs was much bigger than a #7 peak in the UK so I’m guessing it’ll be back.

It spent 7 weeks at #1 in Australia.

17TH APRIL



Wendy Richard in 1962, Martin Kemp in 1983 and Nick Berry in 1986, all regular Eastenders characters who have made No 1, add to that list now Martine McCutcheon who played Tiffany Mitchell in the soap until last Christmas when the character was killed off by Frank Butcher. In real life it was McCutcheon’s cue to leave the soap and launch herself as a popstar, kind of, she’s already been in a few pop outfits and a TV actress since her early teens. You can catch a young McCutcheon in Enya’s promo for “Caribbean Blue” before she became part of girl group Milan (scoring a #82 hit with “Lead Me On” in 1994) and before featuring on Uno Clio’s #62 track “Are You Man Enough” a year later but it was Eastenders that launched her.

BBC1 dedicated a whole hour to the singer last Monday to launch her new single “Perfect Moment” (itself a cover of an Edyta Gorniak 1997 single) and is rewarded with an opening sale 200,287 to easily take the title and give her the perfect start, it’s the first chart topper from a UK act since 911 eight chart toppers ago- the longest home grown drought since 1958!

The other new entry in the top flight is at the other end of the rundown from UK rapper Glamma Kid (Iyael Constable) who first appeared as an uncredited vocalist on Basement Jaxx’s “Flylife” (#19, 1997) before hitting No 49 last year with “Fashion 98” and grabbing a MOBO award. He’s now roped in Shola Ama to sing the chorus from Sade’s “The Sweetest Taboo” (#31, 1985) on his new single simply called “Taboo”. It’s new at No 10 (36,000)- Ama’s third top 10 single.

Everything else in the top 7 moves down a slot to make way for McCutcheon so Mr Oizo slides 1-2 (79,000), Eminem falls 2-3 (67,000), there’s no turning around for Phats & Small 3-4 (66,000) and the ABBA tribute dips 4-5 (53,000) for Steps, Billie, B*Witched, Tina Cousins and Cleopatra, Cartoons are cursed 5-6 (48,000) and Britney delves 6-7 (45,000). New Radicals also slump 8-9 (38,000) but their new album is in at No 11 to give them a good week.

The current US No 1 is TLC’s “No Scrubs” which has so far moved 7-13-8 (41,000) explained by the increase in the airplay (it finally makes the top 10 this week), the delivery of the promo, and the publicity around it making the top stateside.

1- PERFECT MOMENT- Martine McCutcheon (200,287)
2- FLAT BEAT- Mr Oizo (79,000)
3- MY NAME IS- Eminem (67,000)
4- TURN AROUND- Phats & Small (66,000)
5- THANK ABBA FOR THE MUSIC- Various Artists (53,000)
6- WITCH DOCTOR- Cartoons (48,000)
7- BABY ONE MORE TIME- Britney Spears (45,000)
8- NO SCRUBS- TLC (41,000)
9- YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE- New Radicals (38,000)
10- TABOO- Glamma Kid/ Shola Ama (36,000)

24TH APRIL




It may not command the mighty lead it had last week but Martine McCutcheon’s “Perfect Moment” isn’t moving at the top. The track sold another 140,000 copies more than double anything else and could easily wrestle a third week at the top next week.

Below lots of interesting things are happening in the charts this week. A lack of big new releases coupled with a slump in sales in general sees songs dart all over the place despite actually gaining or losing sales, so only TLC gain in sales terms to 44,000 and hit a new peak 8-6.

Therefore Phats & Small actually take a 10% sales hit to 59,000 yet climb 4-2 to also hit a new peak, Eminem is off 21% to 52,000 as he holds at No 3 and Steps, B*Witched, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, and Billie lose 5% to 50,000 but climb back 5-4.




Highest new entry time comes from a returning Suede and their new single “Electricity”. First single to be plucked from their forthcoming fourth album “Head Music” it has everything you’d expect from a Suede single and was tipped by many as a potential chart topper but disappoints by entering at No 5 (47,000). It’s their 8th top 10 single in 7 years but it could have been so much better- this was No 2 on the midweeks!

Honeyz shore up their reputation as the newest girl group on the circuit with their third single “Love Of A Lifetime”. The girls have replaced Heavenli though this contains her vocals so we’ll see how they fare so soon into their chart career, the single reactivates the album at No 73 but it has underperformed with sales of just 70,000 to date. The single becomes their third top 10 single however at No 9 (36,000).

The Cartoons slip 6-7 (39,000) and Mr Oizo’s time in the sun is definitely over as he flops 2-8 (38,000), New Radicals round us off 9-10 (32,000).




1- PERFECT MOMENT- Martine McCutcheon (140,000)
2- TURN AROUND- Phats & Small (59,000)
3- MY NAME IS- Eminem (52,000)
4- THANK ABBA FOR THE MUSIC- Various Artists (50,000)
5- ELECTRICITY- Suede (47,000)
6- NO SCRUBS- TLC (44,000)
7- WITCH DOCTOR- Cartoons (39,000)
8- FLAT BEAT- Mr Oizo (38,000)
9- LOVE OF A LIFETIME- Honeyz (36,000)
10- YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE- New Radicals (32,000)

In your summary of the 17th April, you said

"BBC1 dedicated a whole hour to the singer last Monday to launch her new single “Perfect Moment” "

Martine McCutcheon- This Is My Moment was actually made by Granada TV and was on ITV on April 5th - Easter Monday - at 6.30pm.

“You Get What You Give” was the first ever single that I bought and I still have the CD single!

My memory isn't totally clear but I think I went in to Our Price intending to buy Divine Comedy “National Express” but couldn't find it?

I do distinctly remember that chart because I was so happy that B*Witched fell hard from 1-9 as I hated that single with a passion (!!) and we also had new entries at 14 and 16 from System F “Out Of The Blue” and Aphex Twin “Windowlicker” which kind of opened my curiosity about electronic music. One thing I love so much about reflecting and reminiscing on these 90s charts is the diversity, there's also this unbound optimism that seems to permeate. *.*

Impressive that Thank ABBA For The Music was able to hang around for as long as it has/did.