February 13Feb 13 The Promise, The Fear, Fill Me In, Just A Little and Reach are my favourites so far from the recent batch.
February 13Feb 13 Author 85. AMERICAN BOY-Estelle Featuring Kanye West (513,800) YEAR: 2008PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 32 Estelle co-wrote this track with some help from Kanye West, Will.i.am and John Legend (who also provides backing vocals) and then got Will.i.am in to produce it, on reflection maybe not a surprise that it was a chart topper. The song started out as a track on the Will.i.am album “Songs About Girls” in 2007 called “Impatient” which formed the basis of the instrumental for the track with new lyrics being added, the promo has guest appearances by Legend, T.I, Danger Mouse, and LL Cool J among others.
February 13Feb 13 Author 84. LOW- Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain (515,750) YEAR: 2008PEAK POSITION: 2WKS ON CHART: 53 The song that introduced the world to Flo Rida by way of a 10 week US chart topper. It had the help of featuring in the film “Step Up 2: The Streets” and spent a whole 53 weeks in the chart (a new record for this rate) despite only peaking at No 2 funnily enough behind Estelle- so some revenge is gained here.
February 13Feb 13 Author 83. HOT N COLD- Katy Perry (517,100) YEAR: 2008PEAK POSITION: 4WKS ON CHART: 35 Another Dr Luke/ Max Martin creation (they are all over this rundown) assisted here with Perry’s second single from her “One Of The Boys” album (although it was considered as the lead at one point). It helped with the hype around Perry at the time after her previous hit and proved she was not going to be a one hit wonder.
February 14Feb 14 Author 82. SEXY CHICK/ BITCH- David Guetta Featuring Akon (517,237) YEAR: 2009PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 21 By the end of 2009 David Guetta was pretty much one of the biggest names in dance music having already scored a No 1 with “When Love Takes Over” and also producing the Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” which this replaced at the top! In doing so Guetta became the first French male artist to score multiple chart toppers in the UK and also gave Akon a third chart topper. It was another track rushed to market early after counterfeit versions were released which enabled a No 21 to 1 jump for the track which is actually titled “Sexy Bitch” but got a sanitised version for radio.
February 14Feb 14 Author 81. IF YOU’RE NOT THE ONE- Daniel Bedingfield (521,300) YEAR: 2002PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 21 This is what happens when you take Westlife as inspiration for writing a song apparently. Even Bedingfield considered it cheesy and wanted to remove it from his debut album but the record company insisted and it seemed they were right becoming a massive seller for him. It was his second chart topper and came with a promo directed by a member of boyband A1 and a “Metro Mix” with was popular in the clubs and on radio.
February 14Feb 14 Author 80. DANCE WIV ME- Dizzee Rascal Featuring Calvin Harris (521,820) YEAR: 2008PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 39 The first of a hattrick of chart toppers from Dizzee and clearly the biggest, Rascal met Harris at Radio 1’s big weekend in 2007 expressing admiration for Harris’ single “Acceptable in the 80s” and asked to work together. The track was made separately by each act and sent back and forth by phone marking a departure for the rapper in musical style, a performance of it at Glastonbury 2008 also helped to launch the single straight to the top.
February 15Feb 15 Author 79. IGNITION (REMIX)- R Kelly (524,700) YEAR: 2003PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 20 Well he’s here and we can’t change that, remixed as the album had been leaked the previous year so in a bit to salvage the era some tracks got a work over. Former Mr Mariah Carey Nick Cannon appears in the promo. Last time we’ll meet the rapper I promise!
February 15Feb 15 Author 78. HEAVEN- DJ Sammy featuring Yanou and Do (527,600) YEAR: 2002PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 24 A No 38 hit here in 1985 (but a US #1) the song was relatively well known in the UK before DJ Sammy took it and dance makeover a la 2002. It was widely expected to make No 1 and did so on release but had a prolonged shelf life after the “Candlelight Mix” became popular in the run up towards Christmas that year.
February 15Feb 15 Author 77. HOW YOU REMIND ME- Nickelback (529,400) YEAR: 2002PEAK POSITION: 4WKS ON CHART: 23 A big hit at the time that rock was fading as a chart force, it topped the US charts but only made No 4 here- indeed it was the second highest peaking non top 3 hit of the decade! The track served as lead single from their third album and was written following an argument between lead singer Kroeger and his girlfriend.
February 16Feb 16 Author 76. VALERIE- Mark Ronson Featuring Amy Winehouse (532,000) YEAR: 2007PEAK POSITION: 2WKS ON CHART: 39 Written about make up artist Valerie Star by Zutons member (and her friend) Dave McCabe. She had been arrested in the states whilst suspended from driving and the song tells of how he asks her to come over to the UK to see him. It only made No 9 in the charts but was later picked up as a cover by Mark Ronson for his “Version” album which featured an alternative singer for each track and so Amy Winehouse was invited to provide vocals for this one, she was already a fan of the track having recorded a solo version for the deluxe version of “Back To Black” prior to being asked by Ronson to record it again.
February 16Feb 16 Author 75. DON’T CHA- Pussycat Dolls Featuring Busta Rhymes (536,700) YEAR: 2005PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 38 A track which started its life way back in 1988 when Sir Mix-A-Lot recorded a track called “Swass” which ultimately formed the basis for the instrumental for “Don’t Cha”. It was turned into the track we know and love by Tori Alamaze in 2004 (she was a backing singer for Outkast) and produced by then unknown Cee-Lo Green. It flopped but was kept in mind by the record label and later on in 2005 Interscope were looking for opportunities to transform the burlesque act Pussycat Dolls into the pop mainstream and this song was offered to them (after being turned down by The Sugababes and Paris Hilton). Shove in a rap from Busta Rhymes and they were away with a chart topper.
February 16Feb 16 Author 74. BECAUSE I GOT HIGH- Afroman (537,100) YEAR: 2001PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 22 Surprising at the time that this flew over the radar given how blatant the drug references are, but it was ultimately deemed that the track was more highlighting the pitfalls of drugs use than promoting it! It was No 1 on the week the iPod was launched (fun fact) and was racing up the US chart to No 13 when the events of 9/11 happened and send the song rapidly down the charts there.
February 16Feb 16 Absolutely love all 3 versions of Valerie. The Zutons, Amy's version from the Live Lounge and the Mark x Amy version.
February 17Feb 17 Author 73. I DON’T FEEL LIKE DANCING- Scissor Sisters (539,900) YEAR: 2006PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 33 Their first era was an unqualified success giving the group the biggest selling album of 2004 so you can appreciate that much was expected from a second Scissor Sisters album and the lead single did not disappoint. Elton John was drafted in to play the piano on “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” and it debuted at No 4 on downloads alone before the physical release lifted it to the top where it spent a month, job done I’d say
February 17Feb 17 Author 72. WITHOUT ME- Eminem (541,700) YEAR: 2002PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 16 Eminem’s third chart topper is up next and lead single to the “Eminem Show”. “Without Me” samples “Buffalo Gals” by Malcolm Mclaren (also giving Trevor Horn a writing credit on the hit) and once again takes aims at Eminem’s critics including Limp Bizkit, Dick Cheney and Chris Kirkpatrick along with sly digs at Elvis and Prince. Yes generating comment and provoking was always the order of the day with a new Eminem lead single at this point and to be fair, more often than not, a chart topper! He was the only rapper to score a third UK No 1 at the time.
February 17Feb 17 Author 71. NUMBER 1- Tinchy Stryder Featuring N-Dubz (547,255) YEAR: 2009PEAK POSITION: 1WKS ON CHART: 28 Another graduate of the Roll Deep collective (Like Dizzee and Wiley) Stryder’s first album failed to generate a hit but his follow up is where he struck big and in 2009 he generated two chart toppers of which only this one makes the list. Dappy from N-Dubz provides some vocals on this one and it was the first chart topper to contain the fabled “Number One” in its title!
February 17Feb 17 I don't think I've ever heard Number 1, but I like both Without Me and I Don't Feel Like Dancin'.
February 18Feb 18 Author 11 hours ago, Paddington James said:I don't think I've ever heard Number 1, but I like both Without Me and I Don't Feel Like Dancin'.You're not missing much!
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