For a song that was so massive, you never hear 'Perfect Moment' anywhere now! Although it's often referenced by people in conjunction with her name.

I like 'Electricity' a lot more these days than I did then, but it doesn't hold a candle to any of the Coming Up singles.

Oh and must give a shout-out to 'Out Of The Blue' as it was mentioned

I do quite like Perfect Moment.

I remember being very excited for that world exclusive Geri video at the time. Unfortunately that was her only really decent solo song.

Witch Doctor was and still is such a guilty pleasure song for me.

1ST MAY




Another week, another boyband, well not quite, Westlife are the newest Irish boyband who have been getting considerable press in the teen mags and come co-managed by Louis Walsh and Boyzone’s Ronan Keating, a fact that will only speed up those “Boyzone Split” stories. The five piece were only put together last year though three members had been in the band IOYOU who released one flop single before being overhauled into their current line up using the name Westside but had to rename after another band using that name threatened to sue.

The band opened for Boyzone and Backstreet Boys in Dublin and premiered their debut single “Swear It Again” at last year’s “Smash Hits Awards” where they picked up the roadshow award previously picked up by Five. Well the single justifies the hype by entering at No 1 (102,000) and contains a version of Damage’s “Forever” on the flipside, it’s also been atop the Irish chart for the past month.

Man of the moment Fatboy Slim has had a great 1999 with a chart topper last time out with “Praise You” and No 1 album with “You’ve Come A Long Way Baby” which is currently the 3rd biggest selling album of the year. Fourth single “Right Here, Right Now” takes a sample of James Gang “Ashes, The Rain & I” (1970) and lifts a line from Angela Bassett in the film “Strange Days” to give us the song, the video meanwhile tells the story of man’s evolution! All told 83,000 people bought the track to send it straight into the No 2 slot, a fourth top 10 single on the trot for Cook. It’s use on a series of Adidas adverts this year has made it already familiar to many before single release.

The anticipated return of Texas was touted as one of the events of the year way back in January and finally we get the first single “In Our Lifetime” new at No 4 (78,000) in an especially tightly packed top 4. It’s a 6th top 10 single in a row for the Scots who will be releasing new album “The Hush” later this month.

Garnering a cult following on the dance scene for some years now, Basement Jaxx (duo Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe) supported Daft Punk on tour back in 1997 which helped push single “Fly Life” to No 19. They’ve been busy at work on that debut album ever since and now we get a new single “Red Alert” which enters at No 5 (60,000), the song is based around a sample of Lockdown’s “Chinese Funk Song” which was a B-side to their only UK hit “Unlock The Funk” (No 42, 1980), the album “Remedy” is out in 3 weeks.

Janet Jackson may have failed to make the top 10 with her last solo single (“Everytime” flopped at No 46) or with her last featured hit (Blackstreet’s “Girlfriend/ Boyfriend” which made No 11) but her new feature does the trick. “What’s It Gonna Be” is actually a Busta Rhymes single which features the lady herself and piles in at No 6 (58,000) this week to give Busta his 4th top 10 single and Jackson’s 13th (or 14th depending on how you count the remix of “Best Things In Life”). Catch the promo if you can, it reportedly cost over £2 million to make and is rather sexual, hard to believe from the woman who once gave us abstinence advice in “Let’s Wait Awhile”.

His album “They Never Saw Me Coming” hits the shops today but it can now boast two top 10 singles with TQ’s new single “Bye Bye Baby” crashing in at No 7 (53,000) and proving as popular as his first hit “Westside” (No 4 back in February).

Not many survivors from last week but Martine McCutcheon slips 1-3 (80,000) going gold in the process, Phats & Small collapse 2-8 (49,000), TLC retract again 6-9 (47,000) and Cartoons fall 7-10 (35,000). TLC had their best week ever at retail and remain No 1 Stateside for a 4th week!


1- SWEAR IT AGAIN- Westlife (102,000)
2- RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW- Fatboy Slim (83,000)
3- PERFECT MOMENT- Martine McCutcheon (80,000)
4- IN OUR LIFETIME- Texas (78,000)
5- RED ALERT- Basement Jaxx (60,000)
6- WHAT’S IT GONNA BE?- Busta Rhymes Ft Janet Jackson (58,000)
7- BYE BYE BABY- TQ (53,000)
8- TURN AROUND- Phats & Small (49,000)
9- NO SCRUBS- TLC (47,000)
10- WITCH DOCTOR- Cartoons (35,000)

8TH MAY



TOTP may not be the force it was once but just sometimes it can still make the difference. All week the new Offspring single “Why Don’t You Get A Job” tracked Westlife’s “Swear It Again” never more than a few thousand behind until the end of the week when Westlife’s appearances on both TOTP and CD:UK helped it secure a second week at the top with an advantage of 6,000 copies.

The Offspring were narrowly denied a second chart topper on the trot then but after selling 72,000 copies they’ve proved they are more than a one hit wonder (or certainly one big hit wonder at any rate). The promo for “Why Don’t You Get A Job?” was shot at universal studios and uses the sets from some famous movies including “Back To The Future”, and if the track reminds you of the Beatles “Ob-La-Di” then you wouldn’t be alone.

After a wait of 18 months Cast are back with their third album “Magic Hour” out in 3 weeks and new single “Beat Mama” scorching in at No 9 (31,000). It’s the band’s 10th single release and the 7th to make the top 10 and the other three going top 20- an impressive track record.

A rather quiet week for new releases means we get some erratic moves in the top 10 none more so than TLC who leap 9-3 (53,000) with a new best week sale to date improving just 13%. It’s enough to overcome Fatboy Slim 2-4 (48,000) and Martine McCutcheon 3-5 (47,000), also falling are Basement Jaxx 5-6 (42,000) but Phats & Small continue their yo-yo’ing 8-7 (38,000) though sales are off week on week.

Texas fall 4-8 (34,000) and Busta Rhymes and Janet Jackson complete the top tier 6-10 (29,000).


1- SWEAR IT AGAIN- Westlife (78,000)
2- WHY DON’T YOU GET A JOB?- Offspring (72,000)
3- NO SCRUBS- TLC (53,000)
4- RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW- Fatboy Slim (48,000)
5- PERFECT MOMENT- Martine McCutcheon (47,000)
6- RED ALERT- Basement Jaxx (42,000)
7- TURN AROUND- Phats & Small (38,000)
8- IN OUR LIFETIME- Texas (34,000)
9- BEAT MAMA- Cast (31,000)
10- WHAT’S IT GONNA BE- Busta Rhymes Feat Janet Jackson (29,000)

Why Don't You Get A Job? was closer to getting to #1 than I thought. Would've loved it to have made it.

'Swear It Again' blocking 'Right Here Right Now' is criminal 🥺 the latter is my favourite song of 1999 and I love the evolution themed video too, so wasn't mad when that got a play on the TOTP repeats this week instead of a studio performance.

Westlife were really going all in with that Ronan connection as the CD single even has a 'Ronan Keating interviews Westlife' track on it lol.

'Red Alert' is another big dance favourite this week too, funky chaos sadly no TOTP play so far.

On 01/03/2026 at 22:38, Jade said:

'Swear It Again' blocking 'Right Here Right Now' is criminal 🥺

SO criminal! Ugh, this is where their reign of terror begins

Loving Fatboy Slim, Texas AND Basement Jaxx having new entries in that top 5!

15TH MAY





If there’s ever going to be a “high watermark” for Boyband’s then this could be the week for it! The entire top 3 are made up of them but it's no victory for for Westlife who drop 1-2 (59,000), instead their US counterparts Backstreet Boys take the crown. After three #3’s and two #2’s they finally have a No 1 in “I Want It That Way” after selling 93,000 copies to do so, it is the first single from their forthcoming third album and in making the top ends a 9 year wait for a US boyband to top our charts (New Kids On The Block were the last). You only need to wait a fortnight for the album “Millennium”- you lucky things.

And at No 3? Well that’s the new 911 single and follow up to their first chart topper “A Little Bit More” and it’s another cover! Judy Clay and William Bell performed the original “Private Number” back in 1968 when it peaked at No 8 but it now becomes a bigger single for the boyband after shifting 57,000 copies last week. Female assistance comes from Natalie Jordan on the European releases anyway, the boys have gone with Singapore born actress Fann Wong for the Asian release of the single, either way it is their 10th straight top ten single in a sequence which dates back to 1996.

Having a great 1999 thus far, Stereophonics are back with another smash in “Pick A Part That’s New” which sees the boys sending up the pic “The Italian Job” in the promo. Their album “Performance & Cocktails” has done over 300,000 since it was released 9 weeks ago and is currently the best selling album released in 1999 in the UK which didn’t prevent 56,000 people investing in the new single this week almost nabbing No 3 at the death.

Bryan Adams continues to surprise us with his current “On A Day Like Today” release schedule, we first got an acoustic ballad, then the rock-lite “When You’re Gone” and now a dance overhaul of “Cloud Number 9” courtesy of remixers Chicane. They’re hitmakers in their own right of course (“Offshore” is their biggest hit making No 14 in 1996) but now helm this track to No 6 (49,000) to give Adams his 10th top ten hit. The album lifts back into the top 40 but those buying it for the current single will be disappointed as it contains only the original mix of the song which is substantially different to the Chicane remix.

TLC increase sales again to 54,000 but drop back 3-5 in light of the male invasion above them, The Offspring relent 2-7 (45,000) whilst Phats & Small boomerang back down 7-8 (35,000). Fatboy Slim is off 4-9 (33,000) and Basement Jaxx fall 6-10 (32,000). This week sees the first solo Geri Halliwell single go head to head with Boyzone- who’ll come out on top?

1- I WANT IT THAT WAY- Backstreet Boys (93,000)
2- SWEAR IT AGAIN- Westlife (59,000)
3- PRIVATE NUMBER- 911 (57,000)
4- PICK A PART THAT’S NEW- Stereophonics (56,000)
5- NO SCRUBS- TLC (54,000)
6- CLOUD NO 9- Bryan Adams (49,000)
7- WHY DON’T YOU GET A JOB- Offspring (45,000)
8- TURN AROUND- Phats & Small (35,000)
9- RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW- Fatboy Slim (33,000)
10- RED ALERT- Basement Jaxx. (32,000)

22ND MAY

Now and again the charts become a talking point outside of the avid chart follower and this was undoubtedly one of those weeks occasioned by the release of the first Geri Halliwell solo single which came with a much scrutinised video and a documentary and umpteen interviews and TV slots. It was up against Boyzone who were seeking a sixth No 1 and are the biggest boyband in land, and all of that meant an almost daily update in the papers about who was going to get the top slot which is normally only reserved for the Christmas chart. With Boyzone only ever ahead by a few thousand there was fevered anticipation for the chart on Sunday and it resulted in Boyzone grabbing that 6th No 1.

It marks the third successive boyband single to make No 1 (a record) and sold an impressive 142,901 to outstrip Halliwell by just 748 copies- an incredibly close race! “You Needed Me” is a cover of the Ann Murray 1978 #22 track and came in a 2cd set with different additional tracks which probably inspired fans to buy both to complete the set- in that sense it could be argued that Halliwell’s single was purchased by “more” people as both CD’s had the same tracks on (one came with postcards). However they sit atop the charts this week, a 15th top 5 single from as many releases, it extends their record start unparalleled in history and now gives more top 5 hits in the decade than any other act and pulls them level in terms of top 10 singles with Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey, only Madonna is ahead of them.

Onto the loser then and Geri Halliwell was always the Spice Girl with the most astute eye for a marketing ploy and “Look At Me” couldn’t have been more promoted or hyped. Naturally interest fitted around the promo which saw Halliwell “bury” the figure of Ginger Spice and a spot of nudity at the end, all of which led to a sale of 142,153, enough for a No 1 in any of the last four weeks.

It’s been 6 months since Shania Twain released her last single “From This Moment On” but don’t think she’s moved on from the album “Come On Over” as we now we get a fourth single “That Don’t Impress Me Much”. The song comes in two mixes, the original album version which is considerably more country orientated and the “dance mix” which aimed more at commercial radio and is the version you’re more likely to hear being played, careful which CD you buy though! It becomes her biggest UK hit to date landing at No 3 (109,000) with an impressive 6 figure tally and has helped the parent album “Come On Over” back into the top 30 though it has never made it higher than the No 15 peak it achieved in March 98 on release.

The top 3 are the only new entries in the top flight this week, last week’s No 1 from Backstreet Boys falls 1-4 (72,000) and finally TLC appear to have peaked at retail with “No Scrubs” holding at No 5 (51,000). Former chart topper “Swear It Again” from Westlife dips 2-6 (44,000) and Phats & Small are back up 8-7 (36,000), they have so far moved 3-4-2-8-7-8-7 but this is the first week sales are actually up (albeit by 3%) on its way to just shy of 400,000 copies sold. Stereophonics fall 4-8 (34,000), 911 tumble 3-9 (33,000) and Bryan Adams dips 6-10 (31,000).

1- YOU NEEDED ME- Boyzone (142,901)
2- LOOK AT ME- Geri Halliwell (142,153)
3- THAT DON’T IMPRESS ME MUCH- Shania Twain (109,000)
4- I WANT IT THAT WAY- Backstreet Boys (72,000)
5- NO SCRUBS- TLC (51,000)
6- SWEAR IT AGAIN- Westlife (44,000)
7- TURN AROUND- Phats & Small (36,000)
8- PICK A PART THAT’S NEW- Stereophonics (34,000)
9- PRIVATE NUMBER- 911 (33,000)
10- CLOUD NO 9- Bryan Adams (31,000)

Cloud Number 9 ❤️

I Want It That Way ❤️

Really quite close between numbers 2-5 there!

That was an exciting week for the charts. If LAM reached number 1 , Geri would hold the record..... The spice girls always released two cds so this was a big slip!

Poor Geri, so close to beating the awful dull Boyzone rubbish :(

I Want It That Way is such a classic, still love it.

I would've much preferred Geri to get that, it's a way better song - if only they'd done a CD2!

Although I quite like that it must have been a real bruise to her ego.

She certainly won in terms of promo as I recall her being everywhere for the few weeks leading up to the release as I suspect they thought that the name alone plus the natural interest in a first solo single would be enough.

Yeah Boyzone absolutely didn't deserve this one. They were basically on their "For fecks sake Shane, stop moving, they'll think we're a boyband" autopilot era by this point, where no one but Ronan mattered. Although that said, I recently discovered that Jewels & Stone - remixing and production team who were to have their first production for another artist chart about a month on from this - did a remix of this which improved it immeasurably. It's that remix I've got on my own 1999 playlist in place of the original mix.

Geri would probably say by her own admission that there was a lot of ego and "F-you" in "Look At Me" but that's part of why it was such a killer first solo single and video. I remember really well that TOTP video premiere they showed a couple of weeks ago on the reruns and it being the talking point of my entire year group. I think in recent years only Jade has matched anywhere near that same uncompromising energy when launching a solo career from a successful girl group.

Edited March 6Mar 6 by ThePensmith

Watching TLC's chart run is impressive going up and down each week

Oh I always thought Geri's hit #1 for some reason

That Don't Impress Me Much is such a tune. Love that song. The 'Come On Over' album was the time I can remember an album just completely taking over.

Geri and her label not releasing a CD2 for Look At Me still remains a bizarre decision for me.

I much prefer the pop mix of That Don’t Impress Me Much - the country version is awful.