gooddelta

Agreed that P!nk was a surprise No.1, although looking at that week it beat Busted (not sure I was expecting them to get to No.1 with their debut, No.3 seemed about right), Eminem's Cleanin' Out My Closet (was more expected from this perhaps?) and the outgoing Atomic Kitten who I don't think were expected to last for a fourth week. So I can't really remember what I expected to be No.1 that week!

Been great fun and nostalgia to follow along, thanks Rob! Afrer some deliberation, I think my top 10 for 2002 would be: Heaven Sound Of The Underground Lose Yourself If You're Not The One Just A Little More Than A Woman Round Round The Tide Is High (Get The Feeling) The Ketchup Song (Asereje) Just Like A Pill Without Me and Freak Like Me just outside.

Definitely the number one I'd have predicted, knowing Roba. It's a great song, no arguments there. Good (and unusual) for her to get a No.1 from such a memorable era after the first two singles missed out.

Rather flopping with my Evanescence-inspired number, oops.

My favourite cover of all-time, easily my favourite No.1 of 2002, and with 12 weeks at No.1 in my chart in 2002. I first heard Heaven in late summer 2002 and splashed out quite a sum for the import single, on which I found the beautiful Candlelight Mix, which I loved just as much as the original in a different way, such a tender and beautiful tone to Do's voice and sparkling piano playing. This is the version I learnt in my keyboard lessons originally, but I found it too hard as Yanou used notes all over the scale, including a very high intro. So I switched to learning the Bryan Adams original, and then had to play that in my music class live in front of the group (luckily I managed that without messing up, it's way easier to play). But DJ Sammy and Yanou's production really worked so well on the main version, transforming an MOR rock ballad into a really wonderful dance track, 80s Eurodance covers were everywhere in 2002 but this was absolutely and by far the best one. It was a really clever choice of song (the original wasn't much of a hit here, unlike many of the other 80s covers that year) and the production has so many special flourishes throughout. The middle eight with the guitar is so special. Do's voice elevates it so much though. I remember starting year 11 in the September by raving about this song to everyone, so much so that a girl I knew (and showed the song to) sung the Candlelight mix as part of another group music project in an assembly, way before it received a UK release, so it was all over my school very early. I remember the single finally coming out the same week as Madonna's Bond theme and Craig David's lead single but still kept the faith it would be a UK No.1, and was delighted it followed through. Great to see it so high here Rob!

Still missing Q and X. I'm on 22 S's now.

Fortunately I'm able to listen to music at work which helps (and is where I do 80% of my music listening each week as on my commute I tend to watch the soaps 😂), so really this playlist is just background noise until something stops me in my tracks and I make a mental note to add it to my playlist of songs to check again. Tbf, Midnight Sun was one such song when I first heard it!

Anastacia.

Snow Patrol is probably the one I'd be least likely to play from choice, all are good though.

Orson, a bit of a slog of a song for me.

LSL - cool debut from her. Samantha’s is a lovely ballad though.

Not public per se, apart from the gathered music fans at the pub. But nothing on any scale. I think it’s just seen as a low key fun thing for the site.

MGMT, a classic. And I'm not much a fan of Robbie and Kylie's.

The guy who runs the site chooses the list. And then they hold an event (often in a pub, with invited pop fans/forum members) to eliminate songs one by one until they vote on a winner at the end.

Yes, I have a folder saved of just over 20 countries' NMF playlists that I check each week and skim through them (it ends up being about 1,000 tracks weekly so I can't listen to even half of them in full even if I wanted to). Occasionally as I'm skimming through something really catches my ear (like Korku) and I'll save it to another playlist to properly listen, and this particular song ended up staying with me and getting repeat plays. I don't find all my BJSC entries this way, but since I don't really keep an eye on blogs anymore I would say that maybe 50% come from this method. Other times I have found my entries through YouTube recommendations - I think Voryva was for example. NADA and f*** IT were from Popjustice NMF, Loss Is Not Infinite was on NMF UK, Indian Spirits was from an old 90s German compilation CD, so a bit of a mix.