5 hours ago, vibe said:

Christina nearly stopped Westlife's No 1'S right at the beginning!

Not as nearly as Alice Deejay did with the previous single! Another slice of absolute shite from them.

One of my favourite Backstreet Boys songs, what a bop!

Go Tina Turner! And a rare studio performance to boot!

Will Smith sampled 'Rock The Casbah' by The Clash on 'Will 2k', okay..

ATFC stands for Aydin The Funki Chile.

In And Out Of My Life is based around the vocal of In And Out Of My Life by Adeva from 1989 and the instrumental sample of Right Here Right Now by Fatboy Slim from 6 months previously.

Quite a few pop underperformances in the last few weeks. Following Jesse Hold On, both After The Love Has Gone and Larger Than Life had certainly been expected to go top three too!

I would say that the top four in that first week is one of my favourite top fours of all-time, and certainly the first chart where I had bought all four on single. Loved how Christina and Ann Lee both held up and I just adore Don’t Stop. I bought the album in the summer on import as I’d heard the original version was desperate to have a copy but the X-Cabs remix for the UK as Jester says, was just wonderful. A very impactful song that deserves more attention.

I also loved that Honeyz track, a very sweet song. I wasn’t so keen on After The Love Has Gone at the time as it felt like a retread of One For Sorrow, both obviously copying The Winner Takes It All. However I’ve come around to it since and it worked absolutely beautifully in the Here and Now musical. It really suits that setting. It’s funny that Steptacular was so huge in the end despite the relative failure of this single, just a misstep of a song choice for the public I guess!

I do remember this first week is the week we went to Disneyland Paris as I was trying to hear the chart with a very poor radio signal going over on the ferry to France. I managed to tune in just in time to hear 911 go in at 13 with Wonderland and was gobsmacked a brand new single by them had done so badly - then it ended up being their final hit altogether! Quite a catchy and jolly track too, crazy how fast they faded after finally getting to No.1.

On paper it feels like that first Liam Gallagher featuring single outside of Oasis should have done better? I vaguely remember hearing it at the time.

Flying Without Wings was one of Westlife’s better singles so I can’t deny them No.1 for this, would have felt slightly odd of all songs this one not getting to the top. Shane and Mark really give it their all on this track.

Looks like we were lucky to avoid an R Kelly performance and skipped episode. I actually didn’t mind that song at the time, but don’t care to hear it again now particularly. Surprised to hear Scott Mills’ voice reading out the chart countdown after they pulled all his episodes.

Pretty good although fairly forgotten song in the scheme of things by Destiny’s Child, I love that they’re singing about pagers a couple of years before they pioneered the art of dissing people on the internet. Truly ahead of their time with technology.

The Tina Turner song was good too - the chorus was later used as the basis for part of Love On My Mind by Freemasons!

Also not a bad song by Eternal in the top 20 but I think all their goodwill had gone after sacking Kelle, I’m glad her single peaked higher a few weeks earlier.

ATFC was a great sample use but a little premature! Still, it meant the Ministry of Sound Annual could mix the two songs together very effectively on that release.

Late 1999 feels like the changing of the guard a bit. Lots of big 80s and 90s acts were finally starting to fade or have lower peaking lead singles. And acts that would come to define the early 00s like Eminem, Christina and Britney had emerged this year. A really interesting period in so many ways.

Edited May 15May 15 by gooddelta

'Larger Than Life' is a bop.

'When The Heartache Is Over' I recognised from being sampled by Freemasons - Love On My Mind in 2005!

I prefer Westlife's first two #1s to 'Flying Without Wings'.

Sad the 90's on this thread are nearly over :(

Good set of episodes last night. Shame that B*Witched fell off as swiftly as they did on their second album. The trouble is is that "Awake and Breathe" was a good album but possibly not a great album where singles for them were concerned, there was nothing like a "C'est La Vie" or "Rollercoaster" on their debut to really sell it. I do still love "Jesse Hold On" though, it's one of my favourites.

Loved Honeyz and Steps as well, "After The Love Has Gone" in particular has always been one of my favourite singles of theirs. Ditto I was surprised re: 911 failing to go top 10 at least with their last single before they split. Maybe it was just they'd fulfilled their purpose once they'd had their number one earlier in the year. Again, I thought it was a good song "Wonderland" but I was clearly in the minority.

Mind you the same could also be said of Eternal on the second episode. If anyone hasn't read Jazz Summers' book (renowned music manager in the 80s and 90s) I would highly recommend you do, as there is a rather interesting chapter in there about when he managed them in this period, post them sacking Kelle by fax. Eye opening / amusing to say the least. Hot chocolate was involved 🤣

Tina Turner being the first of multiple divas we'll see in the next few weeks all working with Brian Rawling / Metrophonic in hopes of having a Cher "Believe" moment. Good song (and what turned out to be her last major UK hit of her lifetime) but again, "Believe" was a lightning in a bottle moment that could only be truly captured once in terms of its success and impact.

Never got the point of that Liam Gallagher / Steve Craddock / Jam tribute thing that's been on the last two weeks. Like a duller indie version of ABBAmania.

Westlife were again, incredibly lucky to make number one when they did, but at least in the case of "Flying Without Wings" it did, in hindsight, feel worthy of it, it's a great song, their signature tune where their ballads are concerned. Plus it also always reminds me of this sketch from SMTV Live 🤣

That is the greatest SM:TV moment!

1 hour ago, Jester said:

That is the greatest SM:TV moment!

"HE WINKED AT US!!!" 🤣🤣🤣

I'm also gonna shout out 'Wonderland' by 911, I absolutely love it!

There are so many acts that fell off immediately after getting a long-awaited #1 (911, Eternal, The Saturdays...)

6TH NOVEMBER



1998 had 30 UK No 1 hits, this week the country gets its 31st chart topper of 1999 putting the year in the record books. As expected Westlife get dethroned 1-4 (63,000) and just like they did with their debut “Swear It Again” they get replaced by another boyband at the top! Congratulations to Five who finally get a UK No 1 at the 7th time of asking and completes the cycle for the band of every single equaling or bettering their previous peak, so far their discography reads 10-4-3-2-2-2-1 with “Keep On Movin’” their crowning moment. The CD single features the group’s interpretation of the “Inspector Gadget” theme from the forthcoming film of the same name out at Christmas which has some novelty value for those of us old enough. Sales of 137,000 last week is their biggest opening tally beating the 114,000 opening of “Got The Feelin” and means that their second album “Invincible” (out in a fortnight) should be a big seller for Christmas. It also gives RCA three chart toppers in a row- the first time any label has done that since PWL back in 1989.

R Kelly fought back from a midweek slump to become Five’s nearest challenger 3-2 (82,000), whilst Christina Aguilera continues a slow descent 2-3 (68,000).

The remaining two new entries in the top 10 are from long standing US female hitmakers who rank 2nd and third in the all time list of most UK top 10 singles by female acts. First up is Mariah Carey with “Heartbreaker” a lead singer from her 7th studio album “Rainbow” which is out this week, and was co-written and features a rap from Jay Z and a sample from Stacy Lattisaw’s “Attack Of The Name Game”. Incredibly this has already become Carey’s 14th US chart topper and spent a fortnight at the top spot, here it slides in at No 5 (61,000) to register her 16th top 10 hit. Following on from Backstreet Boys $2.1 million video the promo for this song allegedly cost $2.5 million- yes we are in the age of the mega buck video kids.

Which women have had more top tenners than Carey?- Obviously Madonna leads the list with 45, and in second place is a certain Diana Ross who scores her 20th top 10 hit with “Not Over You Yet” (that tally only includes tracks on which she is specifically credited). Last week it was Tina Turner getting a “Cher” makeover and this week it is Ross with the track being her most obvious attempt at positioning her on the dancefloor, it’s her first top 10 single in 7 years and will be helped by the forthcoming “An Audience with….” next month. The song sold 51,000 to arrive at No 9.

Ann Lee drifts 4-6 (58,000) just above the still climbing Macy Gray who has so far moved 10-10-9-8-7 selling 57,900 in the latest frame, a best yet, and her album leaps 6-3 to get a new peak. Eiffel 65 fall 5-8 (53,000) but sell their 800,000th copy and move to No 3 on the YTD, and Backstreet Boys relax 5-10 (41,000).

So we’ve reached the big week then who will win the battle of the former Spice Girls- Baby or Ginger?

1- KEEP ON MOVIN- Five (137,000)
2- IF I COULD TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME- R Kelly (82,000)
3- GENIE IN A BOTTLE- Christina Aguilera (68,000)
4- FLYING WITHOUT WINGS- Westlife (63,000)
5- HEARTBREAKER- Mariah Carey (61,000)
6- 2 TIMES- Ann Lee (58,000)
7- I TRY- Macy Gray (57,900)
8- BLUE (DA BA DEE)- Eiffel 65 (53,000)
9- NOT OVER YOU YET- Diana Ross (51,000)
10- LARGER THAN LIFE- Backstreet Boys (41,000)

13TH NOVEMBER




The race for No 1 again grabbed the nation’s attention as it does from time to time, this time around it centered round former bandmates Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton and their respective attempts to beat each other to the top. It was decided, pretty decisively, in favour of ginger Spice, “Lift Me Up” becomes Halliwell’s second No 1 single from 3 releases, it was helped considerably by the “are they/ aren’t they dating” relationship between Halliwell and Chris Evans which has been in the papers all week, though conveniently it was revealed on Monday and they split on Friday. Regardless it helps the single to a sale of 139,000, a better opening tally than “Mi Chico Latino”.

Halliwell’s victory put paid to the hopes of Emma Bunton who lest we forget is only a guest vocalist on Tin Tin Out’s “What I Am”. The song is a cover of the Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians #31 hit from 1989 and features on the Tin Tin Out album “Eleven To Fly” which is out next week. Sales of 106,300 aren’t shabby at all but proved far too little to overhaul Halliwell who extended her slender lead as the week rolled on, it does mean however that four of the five members of the Spice Girls have now had solo top 5 singles something matched only by the Beatles.

Smashing in at No 5 (62,000) is the second single from Jennifer Lopez, “Waiting For Tonight” was originally recorded by flop girl group 3rd Party in 1997 for their debut album “Alive” but is turned into a hit by the far more high profile Jennifer Lopez whose relationship with Puff Daddy has helped keep her in the headlines.

Rapidly acquiring the hits, Another Level’s new single “Bomb Diggy” becomes their 7th top 10 hit in under 2 years. A third cut from “Nexus” the album has been a disappointment so far despite entering at No 7 it slumps 30-36 this week and has yet to breach the 100,000 mark. Nonetheless the single debuts at No 6 (48,000)

The #16 peak of their last single “The Animal Song” must have caused worry in the Savage Garden camp but with second album “Affirmation” hitting the shops this week it has been helped by the new single “I Knew I Loved You” arriving at No 10 (38,000). It’s a third top 10 hit for the Aussies.

The arrival of the solo Spices pushes last week’s top 2 down a couple so Five fall 1-3 (83,000) and R Kelly drops 2-4 (69,000), further down former chart toppers Westlife and Christina Aguilera remain in battle sliding 4-8 (41,000) and 3-9 (39,000) respectively, incidentally Westlife’s album debuts at No 2 unable to unseat Steps despite a midweek lead. Macy Gray seems finally to have peaked, “I Try” remains at No 7 but only sold 44,400, the first time its sales have fallen.

1- LIFT ME UP- Geri Halliwell (139,500)
2- WHAT I AM- Tin Tin Out Ft Emma Bunton (106,300)
3- KEEP ON MOVIN- Five (83,000)
4- IF I COULD TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME- R Kelly (69,000)
5- WAITING FOR TONIGHT- Jennifer Lopez (62,000)
6- BOMB DIGGY- Another Level (48,000)
7- I TRY- Macy Gray (44,400)
8- FLYING WITHOUT WINGS- Westlife (41,000)
9- GENIE IN A BOTTLE- Christina Aguilera (39,000)
10- I KNEW I LOVED YOU- Savage Garden (38,000)

Love 'Keep On Movin' and the Savage Garden song!

'Waiting For Tonight' is one of the greatest pop songs ever (I kind of always think of it and 'On a Night Like This' as being sister songs)

I always felt there's a good song in 'Lift Me Up' if somebody else was singing it, those strained vocals are utterly painful. Baby definitely had the superior one here.

"I Try" really was the little single that could that autumn, wasn't it? It was to 1999 what "Torn" was to 1997.

Loved Diana Ross on the first episode, deservedly her biggest hit for a few years and probably the best of the divas who turned to the same team as Cher for a hit post-"Believe".

So good to see Five get their first number one. "Keep On Movin'" is still such a banger, it was deservedly their first chart topper too I felt, especially after having to settle for number twos for so long.

That Geri vs Emma chart battle is largely forgotten now but my God it was absolutely unhinged - more so from Geri's part than Emma's with the frantic promotion and the whole Chris Evans saga. "Lift Me Up" is the weakest of her Schizophonic singles for me. Always preferred "What I Am" more, in fact you're more likely to hear that these days on the radio than you are "Lift Me Up".

Loved Savage Garden, Jennifer Lopez and Beck on the second episode as well, great song from the latter. I do remember however there was one stage where he was always up for Best International Male at the BRITs every year regardless of whether he'd actually released anything the previous year 🤣

Also. What was that Children's Promise thing about? An absolute noise. Can't think why it was touted as Christmas number one. It was certainly no "Perfect Day", that's for sure.

Edited Friday at 19:192 days by ThePensmith

I guess as a 10 year old, Bomb Diggy kinda went over my head but listening / watching it now, it actually is ludicrous. (Kinda a bop tho) 🫣

Was always a big Emma fan and I was rooting for her at the time, but on reflection, What I Am is pretty sh!t isn’t it 😂 Geri’s effort isn’t much better mind!

Waiting for Tonight remains truly iconic ❤️ and Diana was a pleasant delight for an old bird!

Edited Friday at 19:222 days by Lee_J11

'Waiting For Tonight' such a good Latin-house song. I liked it at the time.

I also like Emma Bunton's song about 'philosophy and religion'. Tin Tin Out still really popular producers in '99.

That Savage Garden song is pure cheese but still a pleasant listen.

Edited Friday at 19:282 days by TheSnake

Five and Jennifer Lopez are the highlights from these 2 episodes. The former with their best song by far.

Emma B and Tin Tin Out is a sweet song, far better than the less than average effort from Geri.

Diana selling 51000 only for number 9 😮😮

All up to date on the last couple of weeks of this thread and the TOTP episodes now!

As Rich touched upon, I was curious to see how they'd handle Scott Mills' voiceovers for the top 20 rundowns, but on this occasion it was left in as normal. Glad that hasn't resulted in a mass cull of more episodes like the ones he fully presented then, phew. Double awkward that he had to read out an R Kelly position.

It doesn't quite touch the brilliance of Fatboy Slim's 'Right Here Right Now' but the ATFC/OnePhatDeeva song at #11 that swiftly sampled it was good fun. Sadly I noticed it was pulled from streaming at some point last year, boo.

'Larger Than Life' and 'Keep On Movin' are both great feel-good boyband moments, especially the latter. Shame BSBs didn't get a TOTP play!

Not much love for 'Heartbreaker' so far but I'm a fan ❤️ Mariah's Daydream -> Butterfly -> Rainbow period is my favourite stretch of her career.

I completely agree that 'Lift Me Up' is really marred by its poor vocals. Team Emma even if it was a cover.

Elsewhere in the top 20, 'Buddy X '99' is one of those songs I recognised but didn't know the name of until recently, after listening to an old garage compilation from 2000. What a banging Neneh Cherry remix!

The impakt of these repeats-I just bought Gabrielle’s Rise and Macy Gray’s On How Life Is at a second hand shop today 😂