ThePensmith

It is on there now, got added a few months back!

The singles back catalogue of Lolly is on DSPs from today!

The digital singles are now complete as the 1999 releases are up as of today:

Couldn't see a topic for this yet but I thought I'd start it. Austin is a new BBC sitcom co-produced with ABC in Australia which started last Friday, although the full series is on iPlayer, and it's already got commissioned for a second series. It stars Ben Miller (Armstrong & Miller, Worst Week Of My Life) Sally Phillips (Miranda, Smack the Pony), and Michael Theo, who was one of the participants in an Aussie neurodivergent dating show called Love on the Spectrum, and this is his first acting role. He plays the title character, who is a 28 year old autistic man who finds out his birth dad is Ben's character, a highly egotistical British children's author who has just been on the receiving of a widespread media cancellation following inappropriate use of social media. I've watched the first three episodes so far. Firstly Michael is wonderful, and plays the character so true to life being neurodiverse himself, and a lot of the comedy actually comes from him. Ben Miller isn't as likeable or funny to be honest and his character and the whole being cancelled plotline is a tad shoddy. I'm sticking with it though (Sally is brilliant as always).

I treated myself to the deluxe Yearbook and Yearbook Extra 98 CDs. I mean 1998 has always been one of my favourite music years so I couldn't not really, even despite owning all the main Nows and Hits albums from this year. Really well compiled and comprehensive - it'll make good accompanying listening when BBC Four get to showing the 98 editions of TOTP in a couple of months' time! I must admit I'm excited whilst equal parts nervous for when they finally do one for 1999. Only in so far as they have had a rather nasty habit of compiling incorrect versions of hits from that year on other retrospectives (watch where my eyes fall, Shania Twain and ATB).

Just been listening to this tonight which I can highly recommend from Hits Radio, it's an in depth chat with the band with Fleur East (it's on the Rayo app but it's free to download and sign up): https://hellorayo.co.uk/hits-radio/shows/off-the-record-five/

I think if memory serves me correctly it was because the final three from the year before all got deals with SyCo (Leon Jackson, Rhydian and Same Difference) but none of them did very well compared to Leona or even Shayne. In hindsight, best thing that happened to them going with Epic because Nick Raphael there who then also signed Olly Murs after his series did wonders with them. I get the feeling we'll get more new material from them one day - still love 2.0, it was a wicked album - but it probably needs a strong marketing hook like an anniversary to hang from. I wouldn't be surprised if we get the 15th anniversary of the Outta This World album this year after the debut album celebrations last year.

Already several new dates added in Birmingham and Cardiff as presale sold out so quick! Got M&G VIP for the first O2 show. Couple of promo bits from Friday into Scott Mills' Radio 2 breakfast show and This Morning: InstagramBBC Radio 2 on Instagram: "A birthday treat for @realscot...17K likes, 94 comments - bbcradio2 on March 28, 2025: "A birthday treat for @realscottmills 🧡🥳 @samhairwolfryder • @jlsofficial". InstagramBBC Radio 2 on Instagram: "@realscottmills and the JLS bo...310 likes, 0 comments - bbcradio2 on March 29, 2025: "@realscottmills and the JLS boys go way back 😅 @jlsofficial". Oh and their first album has just been certified 5x Platinum!

Awesome and timely news given they've just got another tour on sale! I'm assuming the J15 anniversary edition of the album released last November has counted towards this happening?

Not strictly a second single but in both cases, they did get retrospectively added to the albums after: Never Had A Dream Come True was added to S Club 7's "7" album (along with the single mix of Natural and their cover of Stevie Wonder's Lately for Motown Mania) Similarly a few years later, they repacked Rachel Stevens' "Funky Dory" album when Some Girls became a hit (again, single mix of the title track and Breathe In Breathe Out were added, as was More More More - although annoyingly the single version was different from the album version just a couple of months later) Actually just thought of another one as I was writing this: they reissued Boyzone's "Where We Belong" just three months after release to add No Matter What after that went to #1.

The 1998 singles are now on DSPs from today. Crikey me "All That I Need" had a ton of remixes for a ballad! Also. I knew the Spice Girls did a Pepsi single back in the day - didn't know they did as well!

Yep! The Club Is Alive Tour in November up and down the UK. Example is supporting them on all dates. Tickets on sale next Friday (presale Wednesday):

Announcement at 7pm tonight. Seems to be pointing towards something to do with "The Club Is Alive". Maybe the 15th anniversary of the Outta This World album? InstagramJLS on Instagram: "Getting the wifi fixed tomorrow 👀"9,250 likes, 472 comments - jlsofficial on March 19, 2025: "Getting the wifi fixed tomorrow 👀".

An announcement is coming: InstagramJLS on Instagram: "👀"13K likes, 668 comments - jlsofficial on March 18, 2025: "👀".

Ricky Martin - "Livin' La Vida Loca" was mentioned - part sung, in fact - in Sisqo "Thong Song".

A handful of re-entries for Enya after her "at the BBC" special that was on last night: Enya - Orinoco Flow Enya - Caribbean Blue Enya - Only Time "Paint the Sky With Stars", her best of album is at #7 on the album chart.

The 1997 singles are now on DSPs - including the first time to digital for the single remix of "Isn't It A Wonder":

I was gonna say that and also "Whenever Wherever" were both snubbed. To add insult to injury with the latter they exorcised all but the last panpipe interlude on the version they played on the top 40 as well! They eventually playlisted her when "She Wolf" came out.

In hopes that their digital platforms get a tidy up, I have compiled a fantasy set of digital singles packages. I've consulted their Discogs and Wikipedia to try and get every remix and B-side accounted for, and this is what I've put together. Couple of pointers on each of these: 1) Doing this made me realise they had a hell of a lot of megamixes on their singles. They loved megamixes like Steps loved doing double-A-sides 🤣 2) Much like S Club had a version of "Alive" with Rachel doing lead vocal in place of Jo who was absent for its promo due to her back injury, so too did "Let's Dance" have a version with Ritchie taking Sean's lead vocal after his leave of absence during promo for the single. I don't think it's ever been commercially released but this would surely be the opportunity for it. 3) "Pour Some Sugar On Me" was a track recorded for the Kingsize album but ultimately didn't make the final cut. As the name suggests, it was a song that extensively sampled the Def Leppard song of the same name. Popjustice wrote about it here and said it was essentially "Everybody Get Up Part II". If not added to a single package, they could surely put it on a new version of the Greatest Hits ahead of the tour?

Nine more dates have been added and many are now sold out already after general sale this morning! Absolutely loving this for them. I have to say as well, watching all their interviews of the last week or so, it's so clear that they have a genuine bond again after their little Airbnb jaunt Scott arranged, and are just happy and enjoying it for what it is. And as a fan my hope had dimmed somewhat after The Big Reunion that we would ever see them all back again so I am buzzingwith joy. Long may that continue to the tour and beyond.

Couple more interviews from Hits Radio and Manchester Evening News from the last few days:

Got pit for second O2 date on AEG presale this morning ☺️🤘🏻🔥 They've also added two Irish dates in Belfast and Dublin:

A second O2 date has been added for Weds 12th Nov - on sale Friday!

No presale joy for me this morning 😒 Just hoping they add more dates ahead of general on Friday. On a positive tickets look to be quite decently priced!

BBC Breakfast interview this morning: