Gezza

112. WHEN LOVE TAKES OVER- David Guetta Featuring Kelly Rowland (447,855) YEAR: 2009 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 20 A song that started life as an instrumental which Guetta played at a gig in the summer of 2008 and which Rowland was present. She loved it and later asked Guetta if she could write lyrics to it to which he obliged. Despite that Rowland’s record company were not keen on it and it was left there until Guetta started work on his “One Love” album in early 09 when it got dusted down and became the first single to be taken from it. It became Guetta’s first No 1 and Rowland’s 2nd solo one, indeed it entered at No 7 due to a midweek release to tackle an early instance of a copy version which had been issued.

113. PAPARAZZI- Lady Gaga (458,555) YEAR: 2009 PEAK POSITION: 4 WKS ON CHART: 35 Of course she’s on this list- the undoubted star of 2009 even makes the rundown with a song that only made No 4. The lady herself best describes what the song is about “What am I really trying to say here? What will the act of me writing this song really do? Me making a conscious decision to write about the paparazzi – I thought about performance art and shock art and how Paris Hilton and her sister and Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie are shock artists in their own way. They're not necessarily doing fine arts – something they put in the museums – but it's an art form. That's what this song is trying to say”- loving those 00s references!

114. INDEPENDENT WOMEN PART ONE- Destiny’s Child (445,300) YEAR: 2000 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 15 The first UK No 1 single for an American all girl group in 11 years when it hit the top in late 2000, this was of course used in the film “Charlie’s Angels” and the last single by the group to feature the vocals of Farrah Franklin who had left that summer to see the group become a trio.

6TH JUNE KWS were under considerable pressure this week at the top but “Please Don’t Go/ Game Boy” held on in the end despite a loss of 6% week on week to register 59,115 copies, but that’s enough to increase its total to 314,955 and overtake “Goodnight Girl” in the YTD chart but it is around 180,000 short of overtaking Shakespears Sister at present. Last time out they sampled Gwen Guthrie now the Utah Saints turn to Kate Bush for inspiration and her 1985 #20 hit “Cloudbusting”. Unlike Shut Up And Dance (who fall 2-15) they got clearance from the woman herself to use the track on “Something Good” which debuts at No 9 (16,065) as it immediately becomes their biggest hit as it arrives one place higher than their last hit “What Can You Do For Me” peaked. Written allegedly about Madonna, “Midlife Crisis” marks a new high point in the career of Faith No More who crash straight in at No 10 (14,565). Their previous best was 1990’s “From Out Of Nowhere” (No 23) but with their fourth album out this month it seems that Faith No More’s time has come in the UK, Madonna’s thoughts on the single are still unknown…. Kris Kross move 4-2 selling 50,790 in the process, that’s a new best for the runner up spot this year and as often as not good enough to be No 1, and Ugly Kid Joe leap 5-3 (28,290) as “Wayne’s World” does wonders at the cinema to assist. Guns N Roses fall 2-4 (27,600) and fend off two climbers, Richard Marx 10-5 (21,375) and the Cure 8-6 (19,035), meanwhile SL2 hold at No 7 (18,825) and En Vogue tumble 6-8 (18,780). 1- PLEASE DON’T GO/ GAME BOY- KWS (59,115) 2- JUMP- Kris Kross (50,790) 3- EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU- Ugly Kid Joe (28,290) 4- KNOCKIN ON HEAVEN’S DOOR- Guns N Roses (27,600) 5- HAZARD- Richard Marx (21,375) 6- FRIDAY, I’M IN LOVE- The Cure (19,035) 7- ON A RAGGA TIP- SL2 (18,825) 8- MY LOVIN- En Vogue (18,780) 9- SOMETHING GOOD- Utah Saints (16,065) 10- MIDLIFE CRISIS- Faith No More (14,565)

115. CALL ON ME- Eric Prydz (444,900) YEAR: 2004 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 25 Where softcore porn meets pop- well that’s how if was painted in 2004 at any rate. Yes another suggestive video put to a dance track was nothing too unusual at the time but this one was maybe a little more risque that usual- but it clearly worked with this song become the 4th biggest seller of the year with 5 weeks at No 1 in two different stints even if it recorded the lowest tally for a No 1 at the time (with 21,749 sales).

116. THE WAY I ARE- Timbaland Featuring Kerry Hilson & D.O.E. (442,700) YEAR: 2007 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 36 Timbaland was (probably) the king of the charts during 2006 and 2007, this being his second chart topper in a row. It famously defeated Kate Nash’s “Foundations” to the top by just 16 copies and bought the mighty “Umbrella”’s run at the top to an end. The promo was filmed in Salford (randomly).

117. THE BAD TOUCH- Bloodhound Gang (439,400) YEAR: 2000 PEAK POSITION: 4 WKS ON CHART: 14 Already on album number 3 by the time this track broke them internationally, “The Bad Touch” was part of an all new top 5 for only the second time in chart history. It came with a mildly controversial promo which had to be edited by MTV and some suggestive lyrics which was pretty much their stock in trade. Surprisingly given its peak position it spent 8 weeks in the top 10 which for 2000 was something of a noteworthy reign!

30TH MAY Well it turned into a rather eventful week in the end, but the headline reads that KWS score a fourth week at No 1 with sales finally on the downward trend to 63,315 raising its overall tally to 255,840 and places it at No 3 for the YTD with only Shakespears Sister and Wet, Wet, Wet still ahead of them. But it wasn’t the midweek chart topper, that belonged to dance act Shut Up And Dance, “Raving I’m Raving” samples Marc Cohn’s “Walking In Memphis (#22, 1991) and was not authorised for clearance leading to a court injunction being issued last week which meant that not only would all proceeds from the single go to charity but that no new copies would be made. Fortunately 35,000 copies had already been sent to shops which meant that the single flew into a midweek lead but ultimately the track sold 40,245 copies in total in the week. That figure is of course higher than the copies available highlights a deficiency in the Gallup methodology of taking sales in shops and extrapolating over an entire market, sound enough for a normal release but not a limited release! The album has been put back a month as it was due to be released next week but will now include a new version which the group will perform on TOTP this week. Without that sample we’ll see how well it can do next week. It’s the duo’s 4th hit but first time in the top 40. original (banned) version En Vogue hold at No 2 in the US but drop 4-6 (24,465) whilst posting a sales increase, they are holding behind the current 6 week chart topper over there by rap duo Kris Kross who are just 13 years old. They were discovered in a shopping Mall and have the gimmick of wearing their clothes back to front, “Jump” debuts here at No 4 (32,310) and is one of the most eagerly awaiting singles this year. It contains samples of James Brown, OPP, Jackson 5, and the Ohio Players, they’ll also be supporting Michael Jackson on his Dangerous tour later this year. “Wish” became the Cure’s first chart topping LP earlier this month, and now second single from it “Friday I’m In Love” charges 31-8 (18,330) to become their 4th in total but first back to back top ten single. Richard Marx has only previously had one excursion into the top 20 and that was back in 1989 when “Right Here Waiting” made No 2 behind Black Box, but three years later “Hazard” is proving his most popular offering since as it inches 12-10 (16,920). It’s the second single to be pulled from his third album “Rush Street” and has already done better than the first cut “Keep Coming Back” which peaked at No 55 last November, it comes with a much talked promo which deals with the narrative story, namely a murder and whether or not the character played by Marx is responsible for it or not, there are reputedly three versions of the promo which all reveal different parts of the story- get guessing! Guns N Roses fall 2-3 (39,600) whilst posting a sales hike and can count themselves unlucky not to have caught Shut And Dance at the death. Ugly Kid Joe hold at No 5 (31,875) whilst SL2 drop 3-7 (23,700) and Shakespears Sister won’t have a second chart topper with “I Don’t Care” as it reverses 7-9 (17,700). Sales are up all around and much healthier with the top 5 all clearing 30,000 for the first time this year! 1- PLEASE DON’T GO/ GAME BOY- KWS (63,315) 2- RAVING I’M RAVING- Shut Up And Dance (40,245) 3- KNOCKIN ON HEAVEN’S DOOR- Guns N Roses (39,600) 4- JUMP- Kris Kross (32,310) 5- EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU- Ugly Kid Joe (31,875) 6- MY LOVIN- En Vogue (24,465) 7- ON A RAGGA TIP- SL2 (23,700) 8- FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE- The Cure (18,330) 9- I DON’T CARE- Shakespears Sister (17,700) 10- HAZARD- Richard Marx (16,920)

118. 7 DAYS- Craig David (439,200) YEAR: 2000 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 15 Back in 2000 Craig David was the great hope of the UK record industry famously picking up 6 BRIT nominations in 2001 but not winning any of them. His 2nd solo release, this maintained his 100% strike rate of chart toppers and came with a “groundhog day” inspired promo and also made the top 10 in the US.

119. RIGHT ROUND- Flo Rida Featuring Ke$ha (436,215) YEAR: 2009 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 19 With a very hefty “interpolation” of Dead Or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round” this was the first No 1 for Flo Rida and the first release to feature Ke$ha before she became a popstar in her own right. Co-written by the Smeezingtons (including a pre fame Bruno Mars), it sent Buzzjack into meltdown on release as it came from behind to overturn a midweek lead by The Saturdays- those were the days.

120. SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING ON IT)- Beyonce (435,700) YEAR: 2008 PEAK POSITION: 7 WKS ON CHART: 34 Another release from “I Am….Sasha Fierce”, this one came with a promo which garnered a host of awards from the MOBO’s and the MTV awards as well as two Grammy’s for the song. It became one of her most iconic video’s for sure and I’m pretty convinced Kanye West agreed with the sentiment! Despite only making no 7 it becomes her 4th track on this rundown drawing her level with Rihanna on most appearances the list so far.

23RD MAY Another great week for KWS with “Please Don’t Go/ Game Boy” selling a massive 71,235 and again creating a record for the year, that also puts them on a grand tally of 192,525 as it climbs into the big 10 for the YTD with an eye on the top spot currently occupied by Shakespears Sister but more on them in a moment. The rather impressive sales for KWS put paid to any chances of a Guns N Roses chart topper though their version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin On Heaven’s Door” does enter at No 2 (29,580) a position it occupied from the off. Written by Dylan for the 1973 film “Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid” it made No 14 in the UK and produced many cover versions over the years though only Clapton’s version did any business in the top 40. GNR started covering the song live in 1987 becoming a B-side to “Welcome To The Jungle” before doing a studio version for the soundtrack to “Days Of Thunder” three years later, they’ve tinkered with it again for the current version lifted from “Use Your Illusion II”. You’ll doubtless recall the group performed it at the recent Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert a few weeks ago and all proceeds go to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, it’s the group’s 8th top 10 hit but their biggest beating the No 3 peak of “You Could Be Mine” last summer. Opening this week is the new Mike Myers film “Wayne’s World” and it contains the track “Everything About You” by Ugly Kid Joe. The band got their name whilst on tour with Pretty Boy Floyd and realising they were the antithesis of that group they got their name, the single first surfaced on an EP late last year though it sold minimally but the promo for the film bolsters the single 15-5 (19,875). Their album returns to the top 10 rising 14-8 and their new single “I Don’t Care” is also on the move 16-7 (18,165) for Shakespears Sister. “Stay” only dropped off the charts last week and was immediately replaced by this which looks like it could replicate the chart topping experience of that hit though it won’t have TOTP to help it this week. Released in the US at the end of last year the newest Disney film “Beauty & The Beast” has been a hit (it’s due here in October) and generated a hit single with title track from the soundtrack. It should be noted that the film version is sung by actress Angela Lansbury but was re-recorded by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson for single release which hit No 9 stateside last month. Bryson has only hit the charts once before on the No 2 hit “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” in duet with Roberta Flack (1983) whilst it marks the debut for Canadian singer Dion whose only previous brush with fame was winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 for Switzerland (beating the UK by one point!), she’s had hits in most of the major markets in the world with only the UK holding out so far but that’s over as the song rises 14-9 (14,070). In just under 5 months Ce Ce Peniston has accrued three top 10 singles as her new single “Keep On Walkin’” debuts at No 10 (12,870). It is written by Steve “Silk” Hurley (who also produces it) and Kym Sims who herself has two top 20 hits to her name in the last 5 months. The album lifts 57-50 but has really struggled to make any great inroads despite the impact of the singles. SL2 are down 2-3 (26,820) and just stay above En Vogue who jump 8-4 (22,800) as they score their biggest hit yet and double their sales, down go Curiosity 3-6 (19,425) and 2 Unlimited 4-8 (16,575) but both sold more than last week! 1- PLEASE DON’T GO/ GAME BOY- KWS (71,235) 2- KNOCKIN ON HEAVEN’S DOOR- Guns N Roses (29,580) 3- ON A RAGGA TIP- SL2 (26,820) 4- MY LOVIN- En Vogue (22,800) 5- EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU- Ugly Kid Joe (19,875) 6- HANG ON IN THERE BABY- Curiosity (19.425) 7- I DON’T CARE- Shakespears Sister (18,165) 8- WORKAHOLIC- 2 Unlimited (16,575) 9- BEAUTY AND THE BEAST- Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson (14,070) 10- KEEP ON WALKIN- Ce Ce Peniston (12,870)

From memory no- the price of the album was reduced by the cost of the track so when the rest of the album arrived it just looked like you had downloaded the album in full (but then of course you could buy the track seperately) but I could be wrong. In short it counted as an album sale.

13TH MARCH It can’t match the opening sales of either “Words” (232,000) or “No Matter What” (277,554) or the previous Comic Relief single from the Spice Girls (248,000) but Boyzone’s Charity single “When The Going Gets Tough” still does enough to depose Britney Spears with a sale of 213,000. A fifth chart topper for the Irish boys, you’ll know the song as the 1986 #1 hit for Billy Ocean which has been carefully replicated here, with the big day itself at the end of the week it would be a surprise if this only lasted 7 days but with Steps out today it isn’t a given. It is a fifth No1 for the charity too, and now only Take That and Spice Girls have more chart toppers in the 90s than Boyzone- little did we suspect back in 1994 that they would be quite as successful as they have! Vengaboys are serving up another slice of Europop and we seem to love it as second single “We Like To Party” goes one spot higher than debut hit “Up And Down” by entering at No 3 (139,000). Their debut album “The Party Album” hits the shops in 3 weeks if you want to hear more from the Dutch quartet. George Michael had an eventful 1998 to say the least, after the public outing in April he returned to the charts with “Outside” in October before seeing his greatest hits selection “Ladies & Gentleman” spend 8 weeks at No 1 over the festive period on its way to sales of 1.6 million so far. Second release from it is the song “As” a duet with Mary J Blige which is a Stevie Wonder track from his 1976 album “Songs In The Key Of Life” which was a never a single here but a #36 hit in the US. The Blige/ Michael version is being released globally with the exception of the US where the song has been pulled at the insistence of Blige’s record company who made the decision after the events of last April fearful that US audiences would not be keen on the association with Michael. Here at any rate it matters little as it debuts at No 4 (96,000)- that’s Blige’s third and biggest top 10 single here but Michael’s 19th top 10 solo hit and a 12th in a row, his figure of 13 in the 90s makes him the second most successful male soloist of the decade behind Michael Jackson. While 19 top ten singles is impressive it isn’t a patch on 44 and that’s how many Madonna now has with new single “Nothing Really Matters” entering at No 7 (63,000). A fifth cut from the “Ray Of Light” album it comes with dance remixes by Club 69 which have been a hit on the dancefloor and help maintain the album’s current top 20 status despite already having sales of 1.1 million. US rapper Ginuwine is back with his second album “100% Ginuwine” hoping he can score four top 20 hit singles again as he did with his debut era. He starts off well with “What’s So Different” equaling his best ever showing at No 10 (42,000), the track comes with a sample of The Monkees “Valleri” (#12, 1968) if you think it sounds familiar. Britney Spears is toppled 1-2 but sells another 170,000 in the process and could reach the million as soon as next week at her current rate! Whitney Houston dips 3-5 (92,000) but her album finally makes the top 10, Blur hurtle 2-6 (77,000), Cher weakens 5-8 (47,000) and The Stereophonics trip 4-9 (43,000). 1- WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH- Boyzone (213,000) 2- BABY ONE MORE TIME- Britney Spears (170,000) 3- WE LIKE TO PARTY- Vengaboys (139,000) 4- AS- George Michael & Mary J Blige (96,000) 5- IT’S NOT RIGHT BUT IT’S OKAY- Whitney Houston (92,000) 6- TENDER- Blur (77,000) 7- NOTHING REALLY MATTERS- Madonna (63,000) 8- STRONG ENOUGH- Cher (47,000) 9- JUST LOOKING- Stereophonics (43,000) 10- WHAT’S SO DIFFERENT?- Ginuwine (42,000)

6TH MARCH It turned into a rather interesting week in the end with a record equaling 7 new entries in the top flight, but the headline remains that after 12 weeks of a different song at No 1 we finally get a single which holds the top spot and against the odds that’s Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time”. With sales cut by 50% to 231,000, still an extraordinary figure by most standards, total sales of the Spears track are already at 694,000 after just a fortnight- truly phenomenal. It didn’t make the running at the start of the week however, instead that was Blur’s new single “Tender”. Written about Albarn’s break up with Elastica singer Justine Frischmann, the song serves as the first release from their “13” album due at the end of the month and sold a very impressive 176,542 copies in the process, that’s the highest tally for a No 2 track that went no higher since “Vindaloo” last summer, and among their own hits only “Country House” has ever sold more in 7 days. They can count themselves very unlucky indeed, it is however their 11th top 10 single in the last 8 years. We’ve got Britney at No 1 and this week we get Whitney at No 3, the US superstar certainly has her mojo back after her last single “When You Believe” made No 4 just before Christmas and now follow up “It’s Not Right, But It’s Okay” goes one better after shifting a mighty 161,000 to make this week’s top 3 one of the best selling of the decade and indeed you’d have to go back to November 1995 to find a No 3 track to sell as much. Produced by Darkchild it has reactivated Houston’s new album “My Love Is Your Love” which has thus far sold poorly peaking at No 27 on release but this week surges 37-22 to reach a new peak after 15 weeks on release. The single has also benefited from remixes by Thunderpuss which have proved popular in clubs and at radio and of course a BRITS performance a few weeks ago. We’re also due a second Stereophonics album this month and now “Performance & Cocktails” will contain two top 5 singles as “Just Looking” makes its appearance at No 4 (77,500). Lead single “The Bartender & The Thief” made it No 3 late last year but shows that great things are expected from the Welsh boys in 1999, and their new single features on the opening credits of the film "This Year's Love" which is in cinema's now. Whilst “Believe” still lingers in the top 40 (it’s down 5 places at 35 in its 19th week and currently US #2) Cher is already on her next single “Strong Enough” which has more than a passing resemblance to “I Will Survive”. Selling 75,000 copies last week it enters at No 5 and gives Cher the first back to back top 5 singles of her long career as well as her 10th top 10 solo hit though she has three other singles that have made the grade in various guises. Last year’s “My Favourite Game” saw the Cardigans score a major radio hit even if it failed to make the top 10, follow up “Erase/ Rewind” does however feel the benefit as it debuts at No 7 (66,000). That’s only the band’s second top flight hit after 1997’s “Lovefool” made No 2 and it also pushes the parent album “Gran Turismo” 16-10 to make the top 10 for the first time! A slice of US folk next with Shawn Mullins and his hit “Lullaby” which was recently a No 7 hit in the states. It arrives at No 9 (56,000) here as a slight surprise, the singer cut his teeth on the US college circuit but has finally found international fame with this track. Our last new entries constitutes a duet with the third largest age gap between them on a top 10 single, Elton John is 51 and LeAnn Rimes is just 17 beaten only by Frank Sinatra/ Bono and David Bowie/ Bing Crosby at 44 years each. “Written In The Stars” comes from the forthcoming musical “Aida” which is itself based on the opera of the same name by Verdi and is written by Tim Rice and Elton himself which is due in the West End sometime next year. The marketing strategy of releasing hit singles to promote a musical was of course used to great effect in the mid 80s for “Phantom Of The Opera” which had three top 10 singles before it opened, this single cruises in at No 10 (44,000) to become Elton’s 25th top 10 single. Besides Britney the only survivors from the cull this week are The Corrs who fall 2-6 (71,000) and Lenny Kravitz though he slips 3-8 (59,000) in a week of very high sales all around. With Comic Relief approaching again all eyes are now on this year’s single from Boyzone- can it dethrone Britney? 1- BABY ONE MORE TIME- Britney Spears (231,000) 2- TENDER- Blur (176,542) 3- IT’S NOT RIGHT BUT IT’S OKAY- Whitney Houston (161,000) 4- JUST LOOKING- Stereophonics (77,500) 5- STRONG ENOUGH- Cher (75,000) 6- RUNAWAY (REMIX)- The Corrs (71,000) 7- ERASE/ REWIND- Cardigans (66,000) 8- FLY AWAY- Lenny Kravitz (59,000) 9- LULLABY- Shawn Mullins (56,000) 10- WRITTEN IN THE STARS- Elton John & LeAnn Rimes (44,000)

121. IT’S RAINING MEN- Geri Halliwell (435,100) YEAR: 2001 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 15 So the biggest selling solo spice record of the 00s? Here it is, Geri returned in 2001 with a new body and image and this fun cover of the Weather Girls classic #2, 1984 hit. It was actually an add on to the album which had already been recorded when Halliwell was approached to do the cover for the “Bridget Jones’s Dairy” film and the cover was done. Throw in a promo which played homage to “Fame” and bingo- a 4th straight chart topper for the singer.

122. I’M NOT ALONE- Calvin Harris (434,680) YEAR: 2009 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 23 After a successful debut era which gave Harris two top 10 singles, he teamed up with Dizzee Rascal to hit the top then set about his second album which saw this lead single become his first solo chart topper. “I’m Not Alone” was caught up in some controversy in 2010 when it was the “inspiration” for Chris Brown’s “Yeah x3“, so much so that Harris got a writing credit (eventually).

123. VIVA LA VIDA- Coldplay (432,900) YEAR: 2008 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART : 43 8 years into their chart career FINALLY Coldplay grabbed their first UK No 1. The track had actually been available as an exclusive on i-Tunes available immediately once the parent album had been pre-ordered, that of course meant it was not chart eligible for 3 weeks before the album was released. Constraints off and the track flew to the top despite not having any video made for it at that point but got further exposure after being used to promote iPod & iTunes.

That's what i meant- Tedder and Cowell have diffrerent recounts of what happened,

16TH MAY After a rather lacklustre year so far 1992 finally gets a sales injection this week with KWS at the spearhead, “Please Don’t Go/ Game Boy” accelerated away from the field to record a new high for the year so far at 66,510! It also leaves poor SL2 trailing in a distant second place for a third week in a row, they actually lost sales to 30,960 which gives them a tally of 125,205 so far which seems to illustrate that whilst dance music is dominating the charts at present it isn’t convincing huge numbers to invest at the moment. KWS have recorded a new promo for the track to replace the rather low budget production of the "live" performances which served as the video initially. More evidence of this is the record that drives 12-4 (15,435) this week by 2 Unlimited. “Workaholic” is the third cut from their debut album “Get Ready” and is now a third top 4 single, ideal promo for a hit album you’d thing but the album (which was out in March) debuted at No 37 and disappeared three weeks later and is yet to return and less than 20k for a No 4 track hasn’t been seen since January though of course Monday was a bank holiday which didn’t help. Anyway as is the norm with releases by the group the rap verses have been removed for UK release and the first line has been lifted from the 1987 film “Wall Street”- other than that it’s business as usual for the Dutch duo. Climbing 5-2 in the US this week are En Vogue with “My Lovin’” their first single from a second album “Funky Diva’s”, it only made No 69 when it was released here last month but the US success led to a TOTP appearance here and the song soared back to No 30 and now shoots to No 8 (11,280). The song is based extensively around James Brown’s “The Payback” which was also sampled on their first hit “Hold On” back in 1990 and was itself in the charts in remixed form back in 1988 when it made No 12. Wedding Present’s idea to release a new single every month of the year in a limited run of 10,000 copies seems to have been an inspired one. Prior to 1992 the group had scored 7 hit singles but all had failed to make the top 20, formed in 1985 they were initially championed by John Peel among others and faced some criticism in 1989 when they finally signed with a major label (RCA) contrary to their indie roots. The releases this year have peaked at No 26, 20, 14 and 14 but their newie “Come Play With Me” has a best showing yet by Debuting at No 10 (11,025) which marks a new low required for the top 10. The bank holiday doubtless helped them by giving a day’s less competition and clearly fans are getting more adept at making sure they purchase the singles in their first week but it a further symbol of how flat the market is at present. Incidentally the sales here are more than the 10,000 limited run but it is thought that the record label are dipping into the 5,000 copies produced for overseas demand to help fill pre orders. Curiosity climb 7-3 (17,670) to equal their best ever performance with “Down To Earth” five years ago but there’s a host of fallers beside that. Right Said Fred fall 3-5 (15,270) but will cross the 250,000 mark this week though that is only half of what “I’m Too Sexy” sold, Marc Almond trips 4-6 (12,030). Metallica dip 6-7 (11,685) and Curtis Stigers lingers 8-9 (11,055), No's 3 & 4 and 6 through to 10 are all record lows for their positions since at least 1980, unwanted records are being made weekly at present- can it get any worse? 1- PLEASE DON’T GO- K.W.S (66,510) 2- ON A RAGGA TIP- SL2 (30,960) 3- HANG ON IN THERE BABY- Curiosity (17,670) 4- WORKAHOLIC- 2 Unlimited (15,435) 5- DEEPLY DIPPY- Right Said Fred (15,270) 6- THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER- Marc Almond (12,030) 7- NOTHING ELSE MATTERS- Metallica (11,685) 8- MY LOVIN- En Vogue (11,280) 9- YOU’RE ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME- Curtis Stigers (11, 055) 10- COME PLAY WITH ME- The Wedding Present (11,025)

Sadly not- No 174

124. BULLETPROOF- La Roux (429,790) YEAR: 2009 PEAK POSITION: 1 WKS ON CHART: 20 “In For The Kill” laid the groundwork but “Bulletproof” was the duo’s moment at the top of the charts and even went top 10 in the US. It’s week of release of course coincided with the untimely death of Michael Jackson that Thursday night/ Friday morning which looked like it could have changed the course of the chart topper but they had built up such a lead that they weren’t to be denied.

125. HALO- Beyonce (428,295) YEAR: 2009 PEAK POSITION: 4 WKS ON CHART: 28 Song No 3 on the list for Beyonce and another which seems far too low given how much it has gone on to sell. You may recall that it was co-written by OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder and was rumoured to be composed with the intention of being offered to Leona Lewis but recollections vary. It also bore an uncanny resemblance to Kelly Clarkson’s single “Already Gone” which was also co-written by Tedder which created minor controversy but clearly didn’t stop the song becoming a major hit.

126. SANDSTORM- Darude (428,000) YEAR: 2000 PEAK POSITION: 3 WKS ON CHART: 15 The first act from Finland to grab a UK top 10 single fact fans (and only just beating Bomfunk MC’s in that respect) this was a hit all across Europe in early 2000 before venturing across the channel in the summer of 2000. With Trance music still very much the order of the day in the UK Charts, it’s a reminder of where dance music was at the start of the decade.

9TH MAY So a fortnight ago SL2 didn’t get any airtime on TOTP and paid the price and last week they got promo and again they came off second best. The nation has a new chart topper but it isn’t the boys from London who are celebrating but the lads from Nottingham, yes KWS rocket 9-1 (33,405) with their cover of “Please Don’t Go/ Game Boy” and to add to the insult Double You (the originator of the arrangement of this version) move 47-41 this week to narrowly miss out on a top 40 hit. KWS are only the 4th act to score a No 1 in 1992 in what is rapidly becoming a very slow year for turnover at the top, by this point (Wk 18) in previous years there were 6 in 1988, 6 in 1989, 7 in 1990, and 8 last year. SL2 did improve their sales by 20% to 31,200 but it wasn’t quite enough at the end of the day. Metallica lift 12-6 (17,955) with a third single from their eponymous album “Nothing Else Matters”. The group only made No 15 last time out with “Unforgiven” just before Christmas but they now have the second biggest hit of their career and comes with live versions of their biggest hits on the CD single. They opened the Freddie Mercury tribute concert a few weeks ago and are donating proceeds from the single to charity. Things haven’t been too great for Curiosity Killed The Cat since their first album generated three top 20 singles back in 1987, a second album gave them one hit but their label dropped them when the album bombed. A change of name to simply Curiosity and now a three piece with a new label they return with “Hang On In There Baby” a cover of the Johnny Bristol 1974 #3 track, it’s now their second biggest hit as it flies 15-7 (16,935) matching the peak of “Misfit”. The outgoing chart topper from Right Said Fred falls 1-3 (24,195), and Marc Almond holds at No 4 (19,245) just above a falling Sisters of Mercy 3-5 (17,955) who see their greatest hits also debut at No 5. Curtis Stigers goes the wrong way 6-8 (15,930) and Michael Jackson also slips 8-9 (15,720) but both sold more than last week!, Ten Sharp meanwhile spend a third week at No 10 increasing to 13,965 as their album arrives without fanfare at No 46! 1- PLEASE DON’T GO/ GAME BOY- KWS (33,405) 2- ON A RAGGA TIP- SL2 (31,200) 3- DEEPLY DIPPY- Right Said Fred (24,195) 4- THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER- Marc Almond (19,245) 5- TEMPLE OF LOVE (1992)- Sisters Of Mercy (17,955) 6- NOTHING ELSE MATTERS- Metallica (17,430) 7- HANG ON IN THERE BABY- Curiosity (16,935) 8- YOU’RE ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME- Curtis Stigers (15,930) 9- IN THE CLOSET- Michael Jackson & Mystery Girl (15,720) 10- YOU- 10 Sharp (13,965)