'Stay With Me' is an absolute horror. Torturous. I'm so glad I've not heard it in years when it was so big at the time.

'All About That Bass' really annoys me, but I rather love 'Lips Are Movin'

Cheryl's song is objectively terrible, but I quite like it in all its Simpsons-esque saxophone glory 🎷

I didn't mind Crazy Stupid Love at the time but never go back to it at all now. I feel like 2014 didn't need any Cheryl (or Tinie) No.1s.

Ah, I do still enjoy 'All About That Bass'! Are the lyrics empowering or a bit cringe, I don't really care, it makes its point and all flows so well in a unique sound for its era - it would be close to the top for me. I don't particularly rate anything else Meghan has put out though.

Not bothered about the other losses. I'd have 'Stay With Me' as the lower of the two Sam Smith songs - for such a long-running hit it's astonishingly devoid of any kind of dynamics, just the same few notes over and over. 'Money On My Mind' starts promisingly but likewise doesn't really go anywhere as a song - although "when I go home, I tend to close the door" is nothing if not relatable 'Rude' and 'Crazy Stupid Love' (what a Top 2 that was on those weeks, in either order) are both songs I find annoying - these were strange times when some marriage permission shtick could take off in a cod reggae stylee, and although I think Cheryl's worst #1 is still to come, that honking horn or sax break derails wherever this song might have been going, and Tinie's cameo doesn't rescue it.

Really love All About That Bass - such a unique song. Ranked it at #4. Stay with Me is the by far weaker #1 song from Sam in 2014 - this is my #18. Crazy Stupid Love is OK but nothing special - #29. However, Cheryl's other #1 from 2014 is my favourite from her - much better than her earlier stuff.

02. Sam Smith - Money On My Mind (34)

04. Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass (32)

18. Sam Smith - Stay With Me (31)

22. Magic! - Rude (33)

29. Cheryl Cole ft. Tinie Tempah – Crazy Stupid Love (30)

35. Gareth Malone’s All Star Choir – Wake Me Up (36)

36. Will.i.am ft. Cody Wise – It's My Birthday (37)

37. Ben Haenow – Something I Need (38)

38. Band Aid 30 – Do They Know It's Christmas? (35)

Got a soft spot for Crazy Stupid Love, yes the saxophone is objectively very jarring but it has a ridiculous kinda fun sound to it that is enjoyable. Tinie Tempah is one of the best UK rappers so always appreciated his contribution to whatever song came.

All About That Bass was a moment in time and was good back then, certainly a trend setter and she’s released a few more good ones since even if inconsistent.

The rest aren’t getting listened to anymore! Didn’t realise I don’t particularly rate Money on My Mind anymore either. Definitely one to reach #1 based on hype for Sam’s solo career more than anything.

Are all the non-dance songs out now, lol?!

8 hours ago, TheSnake said:

Are all the non-dance songs out now, lol?!

Considering the number of number 1s this year, that is not likely :P I guess you see where my 2014 number 1 taste lies already, probably in contrast to most of Buzzjack.

29. Cheryl – I Don't Care

Chart run: 1-4-13-23-37-62-75-71R(2) (8 weeks)

Sales at number 1: 82,346

Year End: N/A outside the top 100

Number 2 peaks behind the chart topper: None

Who doesn’t Cheryl care about? Critics! Previous lovers! Your mum! (erm…) You tell ‘em Mrs Fernandez-Versini!

This rather more relaxed and carefree sounding song was Cheryl’s 5th solo number 1 (and second single from the album Only Human), putting her ahead of Rita Ora and Geri Haliwell/Horner for solo female number 1 kudos. She would lose out later to a certain someone else who has yet to appear on this countdown.

I like the message of this song, Cheryl certainly attracted criticism of not just her personal life, but her music as well and it’s a decent f*** You song. It’s quite breezy sounding, lighter touch and inoffensive despite the message of the lyrics but in a very busy year for number 1s it doesn’t stand out at all for me and I feel it got to number 1 on name alone instead of any real musical merit.

Maybe I am wrong given the 82,000 first week sale although this was pretty much just a hit in the UK and Ireland so perhaps not. This would be Cheryl’s last number 1 and last big hit, with the follow up barely reaching the top 20 and her last charting single after flopping. This didn’t trouble the Year End top 100 making it one of the lowest selling number 1s of the year.

Of course, I still find her a national treasure but she has vastly better songs to her name.

Not very memorable and I suppose the year end position reflects that. Cheryl definitely had better

5 hours ago, Jester said:

Considering the number of number 1s this year, that is not likely

Yeah but there were loads of dance songs at UK #1 in 2014 more than any other year!

Completely forgot about that Cheryl song going to #1.

Edited Sunday at 14:372 days by TheSnake

Not really a fan of this, it just sounds so incredibly cheap and the lyrics don't even make sense, like it was written in 5 minutes with the aid of a rhyming dictionary.

Worse for me than Crazy Stupid Love and the only Cheryl No.1 I don't care for at all. The verses are ok, the chorus is too garbled and just rubbish, and the production too one note and cheap sounding.

The album had less going for it than the first two as well (which weren't exactly great to begin with), it wasn't an era that deserved two No.1 singles.

59 minutes ago, TheSnake said:

Yeah but there were loads of dance songs at UK #1 in 2014 more than any other year.

That’s the main reason I wanted to rate this particular year 😁

I am opposite to most of you - really found Cheryl's early stuff so boring. "I Don't Care" is the only song of her I caome back to regularly. For me the highlight of her career. However, in a strong field of songs here it is still only #12, but absolutely love this.

02. Sam Smith - Money On My Mind (34)

04. Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass (32)

12. Cheryl Cole - I Don't Care (29)

18. Sam Smith - Stay With Me (31)

22. Magic! - Rude (33)

29. Cheryl Cole ft. Tinie Tempah – Crazy Stupid Love (30)

35. Gareth Malone’s All Star Choir – Wake Me Up (36)

36. Will.i.am ft. Cody Wise – It's My Birthday (37)

37. Ben Haenow – Something I Need (38)

38. Band Aid 30 – Do They Know It's Christmas? (35)

'Money On My Mind' wasn't a bad start to Sam's solo success although, as already referenced, the "when I go home, I tend to close the door" lyric does stick out like a sore thumb!

I remember enjoying 'Rude' at the time but it didn't really do anything for me when I last heard it in more recent years. Funny that a Maroon 5 comparison was made in this thread, as I accompanied my brother to see them back in 2015 and MAGIC! were one of the support acts

The main thing that springs to mind about 'All About That Bass' for me was Brer mentioning that he discovered the song before it blew up and considered sending it to BJSC, so that would've been an interesting moment in the Persephonia catalogue...! It was massive indeed, I remember being asked by someone if they could buy it on CD single while I was working at HMV but we only had it via Now! 89. The songwriting is very of its time, much like the "haters gonna hate" message at #2 but I don't mind it, 'Dear Future Husband' from that same Meghan era was much more annoying for me.

'Stay With Me' is my least favourite In The Lonely Hour single by far, so dull and dreary. The overplay for this at the time as a chart listener was torture!

I'm partial to a saxophone in general but I always thought the drop on 'Crazy Stupid Love' was really naff, in addition to some of the lyrics, especially "she had my D, now she dickmatised". 💀 'I Don't Care' is also pretty grating but I think you have the two songs in the right order.

I think Rude gets far too much hate

28. DVBBS & Borgeous ft. Tinie Tempah – Tsunami (Jump)

Chart run: 1-5-10-18-24-28-33-38-45-62-63-74-70 (13 weeks)

Sales at number 1: 80,476

Year End: 67

Number 2 peaks behind the chart topper: None

So, here is the first track that I had zero memory of and needed a spin to help my ailing memory. We have Tinie Tempah again this time joining with DVBBS (I assume this is a take on the word dubbs?) and one Bourgeous. DBVVS are a Canadian EDM duo and Bourgeous an American producer. Many hands clearly make light work.

Tsunami (not the Manics version) was originally an instrumental popular at EDM festivals, and is a ‘big room’ house song (apparently). It was the most played song as Belgium’s Tomorrowland festival in 2013 and the track began to be played at more festivals and was championed in the UK by Pete Tong.

Fast forward to 2014 and Tsunami was rechristened Tsunami (Jump) with wave riding lyrics when Tinie Tempah was brought in to increase the commercial appeal. This clearly worked as it was re-issued by Ministry of Sound and became an instant number 1 (Tinie’s 4th at the time).

This is an alright song, it could be better, bit also it could be a lot worse. For me, Tinie adds nothing special and I think I much prefer the instrumental and I would have had this higher if that version had got to number 1. I just feel like Tinie was cynically added to make it a hit and he’s just a rent-a-rapper instead of being organically involved in the song’s genesis.

This is still a popular song at sporting events to this day (mainly in the USA) but it just doesn’t do it for me. However, it is the higher rated of Tinie’s 2 number 1s of 2014 so kudos to that.

27. Rixton – Me and My Broken Heart

Chart run: 1-8-12-20-24-35-42-50-56-63-56-60 (12 weeks)

Sales at number 1: 63,478

Year End: 82

Number 2 peaks behind the chart topper: None

Here we have another number 1 that I had totally forgotten about and had not heard since it left the chart.

Rixton, or Push Baby (or actually push baby in lower case) as they have been known since 2019, comprise vocalist Jake Roche and instrumentalist Charley Bagnall (also Danny Wilkin and Lewi Morgan according to the pic on wiki) and they hail from Manchester. Me and My Broken Heart was their debut single and was impressively an instant number 1. They got together in 2012, Jake being familiar with the business as the son of Shane Ritchie off Eastenders and Coleen Nolan off, erm, the Nolans.

Originally known as Relics (they love a name change!), they got a decent social media and video following by covering/lampooning 2013 hits and once they signed with Scooter Braun’s management company they were poised to release their debut. Bang – straight in at the top of the pops.

The sound was a bit different to what was more popular at the time – no RnB, dance or pop, rather more softer rock in the vein of Maroon 5 and The Script. Variety is always nice at number 1.

A note on the name change – they had a ‘hiatus’ in 2016 then returned as push baby in 2019. Buy this point, the music streaming public had more than moved on and despite releasing 2 further albums they had no real success outside their debut as Rixton.

A re-listen though was a fairly pleasant surprise, perhaps I would have this a bit higher if I was much more familiar with it. Its another inoffensive song but again, one that doesn’t stand out in a competitive year.

Jake at least got to number 1 where his father failed though (deservedly with the ghastly cover of I’m Your Man) – clearly he takes after his mum!

love me and my broken heart

Totally apt title for that Cheryl effort. Did not care.

'Tsunami' is pretty decent but nothing too overly special and the Rixton one is ok but had also forgotten as soon as it left the chart.