gooddelta

Bodies for me, despite peaking at No.2 it's quite overlooked in Robbie's catalogue, it's a great track.

Big congrats Josh, it was written in the stars for Rebecca to win one of these eventually, I was amazed she didn't win with TRUST! So close for FARC, what an amazing entry and discovery that was, ahh, nice to see my 18 do so well even if it wasn't quite a win. Most of my odds went ok in the end, not too far off on any apart from Mothertopia lower than expected and some (pleasant) surprises in the top 10, omg at Macromia making it. So deserved, such a unique song! Very nice to see Dandy's subtle song make the top ten too, a lovely track. It was a very strong final so I'll take 19th with that last gasp 15 from our amazing host, thank you! I definitely did hope this one would go top 15 but I guess it wasn't too far away on balance although did get some big overhype oops. Very surprised Kathaldazia and Aeroche missed the top 20! An extremely strong bottom five there, gosh, shows how good the contest was, I voted for three of those and liked the other two. Huge huge thanks and congratulations to Klumzee and Leww for providing such a beautifully formatted and presented contest, I'll happily come back here again any time soon!

Rontvian update after 173 finals: République d'Áskorza 625 Altyr Muunilinst 594 (+10) Aeroche 499 (+7) Hendinia 458 Danæviia 410 FARC 381 (+18) Cor Lupus 379 (+6) Summericia 374 (+4) New Lexico 350 Kluminican Republic 323 (+13) Quintessa 317 Bøtanikkä 304 Fljótavík 296 (+8) Ramrynia 286 Ojnoj 251 Séyetana 250 Tartford 234 Numayania 231 Kathaldazia 228 Qärenfanghoney 227 Jadakissnia 226 Lookylion 211 Terra Avium 205 Greenfroze 198 Espen 198 Unovia 197 Hushkanukia 196 Dobago 193 Cumulonimbia 182 (+11) Land of DW 178 Trifoski 178 St. Burbia 176 (The Actual Republic of) Bellamia 173 #00274E 168 Yehesi 163 Vülkyria 158 Bhangra 156 Helgon 156 Kylienips 156 Persephonia 155 Elëdan 152 Singerpurear 147 Thelonia 147 D'yermak'er 145 Zanmatony 144 (+3) Cadelicia 143 Skall 142 Daehun 139 Oslol 137 (+12) Jupiterdonia 138 (+2) Caerfyrddia 128 Lotunia 125 Mdiče 120 Tinnmark 119 Utopia 114 Mulgracia 114 N DNTN 107 Suedeonia 105 Ultraviolenceland 104 Wholune 104 Harmonica 100 Aelandor 100 East Rukahavian 99 Rolloland 98 United States of Jack 97 Herzebania 90 Aquafina 88 Beaverdonia 85 Pupok 83 Holland-Oats 80 Xanaga 76 Sovarasma 72 Torchwood 71 Bignia-Zaragovina 70 Batidas 69 Niceland 68 Sangria 67 Angelicland 65 PRoJ 64 POPHub 63 Republic of Adonia 63 Isconia 59 Aesthetica 56 B.a.N.G 56 The Spodic Empire 53 (+9) Kyriatine 53 N-Lazone 52 Ben's Sanctuary 50 (+5) Kingdom of Shadow 49 Sandebörg 48 Yuxhaaq 48 Eastovka 45 Avalonia 45 Medhelnia 45 Kingdom of Horanius 43 Florina 43 Nonsuch 43 Quotosibb 42 Zechonia 42 Neliönoir 41 Ingermanlandia 41 Pestolia 40 Triangledonia 40 Desbuanda 39 Scherzland 38 Flynnonda 38 Scotland 2 37 Bronzil 36 FNT Nickodonia 36 Land of Jack 36 Ajanaeda 35 Deandria 35 Sandénia 34 Lorikeet 31 Taahino 30 Dalisska 29 Simondly 29 Buzzjack Mountain 28 Sergeistan 27 Lotopialand 26 M.K.L. 25 Abeltesfayeton 24 Yobnedorica 21 Cowtermont 21 Triodopolis 21 Rivandia 20 UnoShake 20 Varakë 19 Ethanola 19 Tapatilandia 19 Macromia 17 (+15) Brechtoria 17 Greenland 17 Azure 16 Järkangel 16 Liechenstaan 15 Cascadia 14 Alteria 13 Joedonia 13 Euphoriffith 12 Farahtyn 12 Umiiruka 12 Hinterlandia 13 Bokia 11 Frandoot 11 Phlumptopia 11 Zaminton 11 Britmasu 10 Juranabaijan 10 Conoria 9 Arcodesia 9 Fervorosia 9 New Caprica 9 Faztickle 8 Frahliso 8 Jayrusalem 8 Lievant 8 Palmyra 8 Tyronosaurusland 8 Astoria 7 PoisonVine Bay 7 Pagasa 6 Aprogonia 6 Jamora 6 New Alba 6 Priceville 6 Budtar 5 Jukianië 5 Cheiron 3 Enty 3 Spila 3 Camdonia 2 Inner Massivia 2 Llewandia 2 Herbilore 1 (+1) ChrIseland 1 With their best entry and deservedly highest score in a very long time, second placers FARC take our gold medal and jump up to 6th place on our overall leaderboard, a contrast to our silver medallist Macromia who had before now only scored 2 Rontvian points in finals but now add a further 15 to their tally! We’ve been pointing them consistently for years now, especially recently, and our esteemed hosts Kluminican Republic finally break into the top 10 overall after bagging another Rontvian podium finish and 13 points this month! It was a good month overall for nations in our all-time top 10, with Altyr Muunilinst’s 10 points taking them closer to the 600 points mark, while 7 points for Aeroche means they are just a single point away from the magical 500 mark! Cor Lupus and Summericia also continued to impress us once more, meanwhile. Finally, after voting for several of their DNQ entries when we shared a semi, Herbilore finally make it onto our final scorecard as they bag a point for sending Zaho De Sagazan, who came 4th for FSR Rontvia back in 2023. A more veteran former Rontvian artist, Elsiane who finished 7th in 2010 for us, impressed us enough again to award 9 points for The Spodic Republic.

Just catching up, thank you so much for all the votes and mentions ♥️ The odds were really over generous though for me ha, I thought I was being more realistic with my 13th place prediction but it’s so much lower 😂 Top of the leaderboard is looking great though (and quite similar to my odds!) and the presentation is flawless as ever!

Thank you for the votes so far <3 I can’t follow live sadly as driving for a couple of hours but look forward to checking later.0

I didn't have too many favourites in Week 14. 4 My People was probably my favourite, quite cool production on that from Basement Jaxx and was always nice to see Missy get a big hit. Shake UR Body was solid and catchy drum and base though, and I also liked One Day In Your Life and Flowers In The Window. Ha at LiL' Mo, I expect that made me chuckle at the time as Little Mo was in EastEnders back then...shame it's a crap song. Silent Sigh is decent, Badly Drawn Boy had some solid singles but I preferred his other 2001/2 material i think. Week 15...I must have had the pocket money out as I bought a few of these. My favourite being Temple Of Dreams by Future Breeze. They remixed Encore Une Fois into the version that was a hit in the UK so it was nice to see them get a hit of their own five years later, I absolutely loved the warm vocal and stabbing trance riff on this personally (as The Snake says, it was later clearly some inspiration for the club banger era in 2010-12). Sorry to say that the other one I really loved was I Can't Wait, with the disclaimer that I didn't know the Nu Shooz original at the time so it was basically a new song to me and I loved the garage production. Dreaming by Aurora I also bought, really nice track and very different to their earlier trance hits Hear You Calling and Ordinary World, this was more Corrs/Natalie Imbruglia-esque. They followed it up with an even better song which I'll comment on when it appears later in the thread. Soak Up The Sun is one of my go-to feelgood tunes (love Sheryl's long bridge/lead into the chorus) although I agree with The Snake that perhaps a summer release would have been better, I remember we went to a holiday park for a week in the UK around this time (I want to say in Weymouth) and it was actually pretty chilly still so maybe the wrong season. And Everywhere by Michelle Branch is one I've come to appreciate a lot more over time, bit of a pre-Avril template when I think about it and among the early signs that female guitar pop was on its way. I didn't get anything out of Lethal Industry unfortunately but In The Beginning is a really nice find indeed, not sure I remember that one from the time, kind of reminiscent of iio vocally. I don't mind I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman, I've always found it interesting that it was co-written by Dido as I couldn't imagine her writing for Britney at all. It was used well in the Max Martin jukebox musical & Juliet too. It's Goin' Down is the best rocky track here, I remember thinking that was quite a cool Linkin Park spin-off at the time. I've got very little memory of Vegas Two Times, no surprise as I didn't have that album and it had a very short chart run by Stereophonics' standards at this point. Listening back and that riff is sounding familiar to me, the vocal is a bit of a drone though. I also couldn't remember that Cliff song, it's very Disney, sounds like it belongs in Beauty and the Beast. Interesting to choose a song title that's the same as The Shadows' 1975 Eurovision entry, before listening I wondered if it might be a cover of that. Didn't recall that Aaron Carter was still having hits at this point, I can't say I remember this or that it does anything for me upon listening.

Voted! Definitely such a strong final, I had loads of commiserations, but at the same time I had a very definitive top three, which I really love.

They really did a great job on 1998 Extra, I thought they would screw it up with not getting the single mixes but only a few are wrong (including Robbie's songs, but I haven't seen the radio edits of those on compilations for years). Very pleased to see e.g. the Tin Tin Out mix of What Can I Do, the Rude Boy edit of End Of The Line, the 7" version of High, the UK mix of La Primavera etc...Stranded is listed as 'Original Copy' which is a strange credit, but then I'm not aware of any UK compilation it's been on since the 90s, so maybe they had to really dig around the labels for that one. The Clubland CD is really good, very inspired and it's great to see the Clubland brand back, I really hope this sells well and we get a follow up. I'm so glad it's not mixed as I don't have a lot of these songs unmixed. A few wrong edits here and there (the 2001 version of True Love Never Dies is an interesting choice, and what is that inro on Martin Solveig's Hello?) but generally very well put together and a good recap of the past 25 years of Clubland style dance. Avicii probably deserved a song on here, there's a Faithless remix of his and a cover of Seek Bromance but nothing by Avicii himself). Many of these never made a Now though, so it's a great concept. Also very interested to see that they had the license for Energy 52's Café Del Mar, yet didn't include it on the 1998 Extra?

RontBet odds: Winner contenders 3/1 FARC ✦ Sumner - Stranded 4/1 Kluminican Republic ✦ anamē - Anywhere (Road Trippin') 5/1 Ajanaeda ✦ Rebecca Black - Twist The Knife 7/1 Neliönoir ✦ Ninajirachi - All I Am 8/1 Mothertopia ✦ SASAMI - I'll Be Gone Top 10 contenders 9/1 Jadakissnia ✦ Kraftwerk - Europe Endless (100th Anniversary) 9/1 Cor Lupus ✦ CHUNG HA - STRESS (100th Anniversary) 9/1 Altyr Muunilinst ✦ flowerovlove - I've seen ur ex 12/1 Kathaldazia ✦ Nuxx Vomica - No Money (TRIGGER WARNING GUNS) 12/1 Danæviia ✦ Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler 12/1 Bøtanikkä ✦ Sam Quealy - Watch Me Now (Queen Of The Night) 12/1 POPHub ✦ Lu.Re - Take Me Up 14/1 FSR Rontvia ✦ PUNCHBAG - f*** It 14/1 Summericia ✦ David Holmes - It's Over, If We Run Out Of Love (feat. Raven Violet) 14/1 Aeroche ✦ ABSOLUTE. - Stuck In Love 16/1 Elëdan ✦ Ohota - Everything Is As It Should Be 16/1 Oslol ✦ Deane - Keep Dancing To The Music 20/1 Cumulonimbia ✦ Regularfantasy - So Sweet (Spriitzz Radio Edit) 22/1 Land of DW ✦ Greg Willen & M¥SS KETA - GUTEN MORGEN 25/1 Hendinia ✦ Nova May - BIG FAT MONSTA TRUCK 25/1 Jupiterdonia ✦ John Summit - Focus (feat. CLOVES) I'll leave it there but can't rule out big things for loads of others, like The Spodic Empire, Trifoski, Kylienips, Singerpurear...

Easily Sergio, this version is really annoying. I quite liked the Echobeatz top 10 dance version in 1998.

Max Graham now I think. A decent version though.

Sean Paul again, it used to be quite fun in a clubbing setting but I'd never put it on out of choice.

Some of the previously vastly overpriced Corrs records have dropped in price on Amazon if anybody is still looking. White Light and Home a steal at little over £13, Borrowed Heaven and Jupiter Calling around £20, In Blue £32 and Talk On Corners still over £50 for some reason.

Going for Eva, I really like her version of that, it's very tender. That's not the first cover of Dreams I would choose to listen to on the other hand.

The usual absences of Madonna, MJ, Depeche Mode etc but this is a very solid effort. A lot more cheese to fit on than usual so they've packed out the back end of a few of these discs. Interested at the lack of Jive Bunny, only re-records of their big hits are available now, but Now have traditionally used those on compilations anyway.

Out on 25th April apparently...

Vote for the siblings from FSR Rontvia, their mother would be so proud on such a momentous day!

Just for fun, I was just thinking how different the 1998-2008 era could have been with juries in the mix. It was a bit of a wild west era for Eurovision, with televote magnets being the name of the game for many years, loads of novelty entries and more elaborate staging and presentation with bigger and bigger hosting venues, turning the contest on its head and sowing the seeds for what it's like today. As an example, I've been listening to 2002 today and came up with the following possible revision if juries had been voting. But for anyone watching at the time (e.g. @Last Dreamer or who has watched any of these contests back), I'm interested in what you think could have changed in the televote era if it had always been a 50/50 split. Televote (we know how this turned out): Latvia: Marie N - I Wanna Malta: Ira Losco - 7th Wonder United Kingdom: Jessica Garlick - Come Back (joint 3rd) Estonia: Sahlene - Runaway (joint 3rd) France: Sandrine François - Il Faut Du Temps Cyprus: One - Gimme Spain: Rosa - Europe's Living A Celebration Sweden: Afro-dite - Never Let It Go Romania: Monica Anghel & Marcel Pavel - Monica Anghel & Marcel Pavel Russia: Prime minister - Northern Girl Croatia: Vesna Pisarovic - Everything I Want Israel: Sarit Hadad - Light A Candle Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maja - Na jastuku za dvoje Belgium: Sergio & the Ladies - Sister Slovenia: Sestre - Samo ljubezen Turkey: Buket Bengisu & Safir - Leylaklar soldu kalbinde Greece: Michalis Rakintzis - S.A.G.A.P.O. Austria: Manuel Ortega - Say A Word North Macedonia: Karolina - Od Nas Zavisi Finland: Laura - Addicted to You Germany: Corinna May - I Can't Live Without Music Switzerland: Francine Jordi - Dans le jardin de mon âme Lithuania: Aivaras - Happy You Denmark: Malene - Tell Me Who You Are Jury (rough assumption): France: Sandrine François - Il Faut Du Temps United Kingdom: Jessica Garlick - Come Back Sweden: Afro-dite - Never Let It Go Malta: Ira Losco - 7th Wonder Estonia: Sahlene - Runaway Germany: Corinna May - I Can't Live Without Music Israel: Sarit Hadad - Light A Candle Spain: Rosa - Europe's Living A Celebration Romania: Monica Anghel & Marcel Pavel - Tell Me Why Latvia: Marie N - I Wanna Austria: Manuel Ortega - Say A Word Switzerland: Francine Jordi - Dans le jardin de mon âme Finland: Laura - Addicted to You Croatia: Vesna Pisarovic - Everything I Want Turkey: Buket Bengisu & Safir - Leylaklar soldu kalbinde Lithuania: Aivaras - Happy You Denmark: Malene - Tell Me Who You Are North Macedonia: Karolina - Od Nas Zavisi Cyprus: One - Gimme Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maja - Na jastuku za dvoje Russia: Prime minister - Northern Girl Slovenia: Sestre - Samo ljubezen Belgium: Sergio & the Ladies - Sister Greece: Michalis Rakintzis - S.A.G.A.P.O. Overall: United Kingdom: Jessica Garlick - Come Back Malta: Ira Losco - 7th Wonder France: Sandrine François - Il Faut Du Temps Latvia: Marie N - I Wanna Estonia: Sahlene - Runaway Sweden: Afro-dite - Never Let It Go Spain: Rosa - Europe's Living A Celebration Israel: Sarit Hadad - Light A Candle Romania: Monica Anghel & Marcel Pavel - Tell Me Why Croatia: Vesna Pisarovic - Everything I Want Cyprus: One - Gimme Germany: Corinna May - I Can't Live Without Music Austria: Manuel Ortega - Say A Word Russia: Prime minister - Northern Girl Turkey: Buket Bengisu & Safir - Leylaklar soldu kalbinde Finland: Laura - Addicted to You Switzerland: Francine Jordi - Dans le jardin de mon âme Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maja - Na jastuku za dvoje Slovenia: Sestre - Samo ljubezen Belgium: Sergio & the Ladies - Sister Denmark: Malene - Tell Me Who You Are North Macedonia: Karolina - Od Nas Zavisi Greece: Michalis Rakintzis - S.A.G.A.P.O. Lithuania: Aivaras - Happy You Thoughts: UK and France did so well anyway on the public vote and clearly would have dominated a jury vote. Both were fanastic singers, Jessica with a belting voice and Sandrine in the Celine mould would likely have won the jury, with UK squeaking past overall due to the higher televote. I still think Malta would have been high in the mix for the jury, as it was a charming, well delivered song with a strong performance. Latvia wouldn't not have done hugely well on the jury, but probably fine enough for her televote win to only drop her to 4th overall. With Sweden and Estonia clearly being jury favourites too. Germany were the favourites going into 2002, even up to the night of the contest and I think juries would have listened to that hype enough to put them high, as they'd have no knowledge of the cool public reception to it. Personal ranking of 2002: Amazing: Malta: Ira Losco - 7th Wonder (still an all-time favourite, this was Malta's time to shine, robbed!) United Kingdom: Jessica Garlick - Come Back (One of the UK's best 21st century entries, Jessica sung the hell out of this and managed top three even despite performing 2nd, I always wonder where it would have been with a late draw like Latvia and Malta had!) Germany: Corinna May - I Can't Live Without Music (poor robbed Corinna, I was happy with its odds and couldn't believe how the public treated this fine schlager </3) Estonia: Sahlene - Runaway (I Believe I Can Fly part 2, but who can resist infectious Sahlene) Great: Croatia: Vesna Pisarovic - Everything I Want (loved this, Croatia had some great pop in the 90s and 00s) France: Sandrine François - Il Faut Du Temps (So classy, just like 2001 although not quite as good) Denmark: Malene - Tell Me Who You Are (last place? This was one of the few actually strong songs of the night, very slick track) Good: Spain: Rosa - Europe's Living A Celebration (good fun although Rosa deserved a more impressive song really) Sweden: Afro-dite - Never Let It Go (not a Sweden fave of mine to be quite honest, but still decent in a weak line-up overall) North Macedonia: Karolina - Od Nas Zavisi (I quite liked most of Macedonia's early-mid 00s entries) Switzerland: Francine Jordi - Dans le jardin de mon âme (quite a charming schlager ballad) Finland: Laura - Addicted to You Slovenia: Sestre - Samo ljubezen Average: Latvia: Marie N - I Wanna (one of the worst winners...fun performance and an early example of staging helping somebody to victory imo, the song doesn't have a lot going for it) Israel: Sarit Hadad - Light A Candle Cyprus: One - Gimme Lithuania: Aivaras - Happy You Austria: Manuel Ortega - Say A Word (All Right Now wants its melody back) Turkey: Buket Bengisu & Safir - Leylaklar soldu kalbinde Russia: Prime minister - Northern Girl Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maja - Na jastuku za dvoje Romania: Monica Anghel & Marcel Pavel - Tell Me Why (very dull, overwrought, dated ballad, surprised it went top ten on the televote) Awful: Greece: Michalis Rakintzis - S.A.G.A.P.O. (so awful) Belgium: Sergio & the Ladies - Sister (yet not as terminal as this, Belgium had some horrors in the 00s and 10s)

Sean Paul! I love all of the others, great round.

Aurora, I adored that version. On paper it could have been a mess but it worked really well.

I always preferred Love Story at the time, and still do now, but happy that Kelly got her No.1! I just wish it had been with something from Breakaway.

Cool and Remedy were both brilliant. I think with Hunter the album had just sold too much for any other singles to be huge, but it’s a great song.

The fourth batch, my absolute favourite is Close Cover, such a stirring version. I loved it so much that I got my keyboard tutor (I was learning at the time) to write the sheet music up for me, which they did. I loved learning that. I sent the original version by Wim Mertens to BJSC in 2019 and it came top ten, which was nice, as it’s such a lovely piece. I’ve not got a huge amount of other favourites from that group but I did enjoy Sexual Guarantee although it relied very heavily on a disco sample that I’ve heard in loads of other songs. Alcazar had far better to come, but their best songs weren’t released in the UK (apart from Crying At The Discotheque). Been There Done That is one of those ten-a-penny cheap sounding pop/R&B girlband songs that were absolutely everywhere in the early 00s, surprised labels were still funding this sort of thing for so long! And gosh, that Rik Waller cover was blander than bland. I didn’t even think he had a particularly nice to listen to voice, the hype around him was way too much. Good to see On The Run top the fifth batch, I bought this at the time and still really love it, sadly Tillmann passed away in 2011. It deserved to peak so much higher. I must admit, I actually loved That Day, but agree it was a weird choice of lead single for Natalie and derailed that campaign, a slightly breathless and wordy song. Wrong Impression is super catchy and a clear radio hit, glad she got a top ten from it. A New Day Has Come was a lovely track from Celine, particularly the uptempo radio mix moreso than the ballad album version for me. It’s cool that Celine still managed such a successful album in 2002 (I’m Alive being more popular now than it ever was then too) as I just relate her to the 90s really (and her 80s Eurovision win). That J.Lo remix project was a curious beast, they were basically new songs with the same titles. I thought the Ain’t It Funny mix was pretty good though. Me Julie was a dire number, but a bit of an earworm too. Glad it didn’t get to No.1 though, Shaggy kept that 2001 renaissance going for a lot longer than I thought he would! And the final batch, yes I completely agree about the wonderful Mindcircus being best. I love this underrated track so much that I sent it to BJSC in March 2020, just as we were going into the Covid lockdown, it was quite comforting for me during that period, the song is like a nostalgic musical hug. It came 18th in BJSC. I think Fly By II and Insatiable tie as my second favourite. That is definitely one of Blue’s best and still one radio regularly rinse now. And that was a really solid solo hit for Darren Hayes, with an interesting chart run, it seemed to linger around the top 20 for some time and that helped it to a solid position on the end of year chart above some No.1s. I thought Home and Dry was a bit weak as far as PSB leads go, certainly not one of my favourites, nor was the parent album. And Freeek! was a very weak George Michael track for me musically, although clearly quite interesting lyrically and the production seemed quite futuristic sounding, inspired by US R&B of the time. And finally, Gareth Gates…an extremely poor, sanitised cover just like Robson & Jerome’s version. But clearly this was coming out one way or another as it was so popular for Gareth on Pop Idol. If he had won the contest and released Evergreen/Anything Is Possible, then presumably this would have been the follow-up single in short order to capitalise.

Oops, didn’t realise I’d fallen six weeks behind. In the first batch, The Middle was a really good top choice, Kelly Clarkson seems to have been inspired by the melody of that for her hit Heartbeat Song in 2015! That week where Mary J Blige was the highest new entry was a bit odd as a chart follower who had only been religiously watching since 1998, it felt like such a slow period and clearly enabled a few songs to climb to new peaks. I wonder why nobody major scheduled singles for that week? I love Bring It Onto My Love, I think I mentioned in the 2001 thread that I loved Denada’s previous single Love You Anyway too, very sweet, melodic garage and they just disappeared after a couple of middling hits. I like Hey Baby quite a lot but I think Hella Good and Underneath It All were actually more to my taste. Still, it was an infectious comeback single. Point of View was my favourite of that second batch, such a wonderful dance hit and really it still sounds fresh today, such a cool song to be a big hit. Moi… Lolita was definitely another huge highlight though. What a fantastic and inspired top ten hit, I remember it being on the TV music channels all the time. That Dilated Peoples song is one of my favourite hip-hop songs of 2002, lovely bassline sample in that. You is catchy but I’m surprised S Club 7 went back to pushing such corny material after the success of Don’t Stop Movin’, I expected them to continue down the cooler route which is where pop music was moving generally at this point. What About Us was quite a cool track, although I do agree there is something slightly weird about the vocal production that grates. Couldn’t really remember that O-Town song, but it sounded ok, doesn’t sound anything like their earlier stuff. I also checked that Ana Ann song, I do recall that from some compilations I had at the time, a very plain track. Yeah, Shakira is definitely the best of that mega third batch, what a couple of weeks for the charts that was! So frustrating that she released that on the same week as the biggest seller of the decade, it’s such a classic that did not deserve to stall at No.2. Crazy it took her so long to have a hit here when she’d been having great hits since the mid-90s in South America and Spain. Lasgo and Kylie’s singles were both wonderful, also classics from their genres, and How You Remind Me was by far and away the best Nickelback song. All over the radio all year but it was a very stirring song, shame they went off the boil so quickly. Hands Clean was a really good Alanis track, agreed, it deserved to go top ten. And that was certainly a big career highlight for Beverley Knight too, a lovely track although I prefer Greatest Day from her overall. World Of Our Own was definitely one of the better Westlife singles – generally they did uptempos quite well (Uptown Girl, When You’re Looking Like That), so it’s a shame they were so ballad heavy most of the time. Not a fan of either side of Anything Is Possible or Evergreen really, the former is twee and the latter generic and overblown in the usual reality winner’s single way. But Will sounded good on them, and those sales he had were spectacular, the absolute peak of reality TV was Will vs. Gareth (and X Factor in 2008-2010). I remember liking that Time After Time cover at the time, although it sounds a bit limp now. And I do remember finding Bad Babysitter quite abrasive at the time although I found it more funny to listen to than anything.

Westlife, one of their few I'd put on by choice, not a bad cover at all with a fun video. Fyfe is perfectly fine though, typical John Lewis fare.