Herbs

Sorry + Erasure

This is hard because obviously there are the bonafide hits from long time established artists But there are also some beautiful songs in there - I’m looking at you Ruel, Conan Gray, Rosalia & The Chicks

And so is anyone surprised with my top 3? And who will rank number one from the final 3? Girls Aloud vs The Ting Tings vs Leona Lewis

And in news that Paddington James will like, here is my number 4! 4 Pink So What #2s held off #1: Geraldine - The Winner's Song Those of a certain age will remember Pink's RnB infused debut album. And we liked it. But we weren't prepared for what was to follow. Follow up album Misunderstood marked Pink as a popstar with an edge. Here was a cool singer who could flit between emotive ballads and out and out rock/pop songs. She'd hit the top spot previously with 'Lady Marmalade' and the tune that is 'Just Like A Pill' (back in the day that was a great treadmill song for me). Numerous hit singles and albums followed, but it would take six years for Pink to return to the top spot. 'So What' hits you with an almighty empowered punch. Some people labelled the chorus as child like and bratty. Those people are wrong! The video famously featured the antagonist of the songs lyrics. At the time Pink had separated from husband Carey Hart, putting the response to this event into her music. Carey returned the favour by appearing in the music video. What a legend. Considering how big Pink is, it's a shame she is stuck at three number ones. But I will always remember an interview she did right before 'What About Us' was released. Pink told the interviewer that her record label, upon her turning 30, had sat her down and told her she was too old to be a singles artist now. They would have to promote her as an albums artist and move away from chasing hits. Having none of it, Pink smashed the charts once more with her return, proving that age is nothing but a number....

5 Estelle ft Kayne West American Boy #2s held off #1: Flo Rida ft T-Pain - Low, Sam Sparro - Black & Gold Next up is London born R'n'B singer Estelle with her one and only number one single 'American Boy'. In fact it's one of only five top 40 hits she's had in her career and her sole top 10 appearance. Which seems mad considering how big of a hit this actually was & how much critical acclaim she'd received up to the point American Boy was released. Estelle's debut album had been released four years prior, featuring top 20 singles 'Free' and '1980'. Her semi-successful debut led to her receiving Best Newcomer at the MOBO awards. I remember the buzz that was around her at the time, with many predicting her follow up would do well. Skip to four years later and this song came out. Featuring an appearance from the absolute bell-end that is Kanye West, the song had a rather odd entrance to the charts. It entered at #72 and then disappeared the following week. Yet one week later, the song achieved a rare feat of re-entering straight to number one. There it remained for four weeks. It was so big that it held off some cracking songs from number one. Flo Rida's 'Low' has been keeping people checking their ability to bend their knees since, errm, 2008. And Sam Sparro's 'Black & Gold' is just an excellent demonstration of a great pop song. But neither could budge Estelle from the top. I love this song for it's chorus, sung many a times in clubs & at home. It's such a shame to me that she has barely dented the charts since.

So I should be good to do my #5 post today What do people want to see come up? What do people think I’ll put as number five?

I’ll let you off for the last sentence!

Has anyone seen Mothers Pride - I kind of want to watch it but the trailer makes me think I’ll find some of the characters annoying/frustrating

Yeah I always felt the treatment of Duffy fit the tired trope of raise a female artist up with the intention of knocking them back down (I’ll actually be referring to that trope in a future reveal!) Agree on Halo - I’m sure that’s actually one of her biggest sellers and would have challenged for my top spot had it been a number one

Just re-listened to my song and oh how I adore it (was always going to be my save me song) Fully expect 0 votes but here’s hoping for more

Damn - but I try so hard to impress you

I'm use to my faves going out early - but I need people to explain why they don't like Torn On The Platform vs other songs

1 1 The Vaccines - Headphones Baby (CR: 1-1) 2 2 Bella Poarch - Build A Bitch (CR: 1-2-2-2) 3 3 Olivia Rodrigo - Good 4 U (CR: 1-3-3) 4 5 Conor Maynard - Crowded Room (CR: 37-48-51-43-19-14-9-7-8-5-4-1-1-1-2-3-5-4) 5 NE Agnes - 24 Hours 6 NE Tones And I - Won't Sleep 7 6 Imanbek & Cher Lloyd - Baddest (CR: 3-4-5-5-6-7) 8 4 Surf Curse - Freaks (CR: 4-8) 9 7 Martin Garrix ft Bono & The Edge - We Are The People (CR: 7-9) 10 8 Cheryl - Sexy Den A Mutha (CR: 2-3-4-8-10) 11 10 Jake Bugg - Lost (CR: 2-3-4-6-10-11) 12 11 Anton Ewald - DeLorean (CR: 3-6-6-6-7-11-12) 13 9 Lukas Graham - Happy For You (CR: 9-13) 14 NE Leon Bridges - Motorbike 15 NE Will Young - Elizabeth Taylor 16 12 Katy Perry - Electric (CR: 8-12-16) 17 14 Keiino - Summer Of My Life (CR: 14-17) 18 17 Bebe Rexha ft Lil Uzi Vert - Die For A Man (CR: 1-3-3-5-7-8-10-10-12-17-18) 19 13 Emily Barker ft Frank Turner - Bound For Home (CR: 9-13-19) 20 15 Rain Radio & DJ Craig Gorman - Talk About (CR: 15-20) 21 20 Bebe Rexha - Sabotage (CR: 7-5-6-6-8-2-3-5-5-5-7-6-7-9-11-12-13-16-20-21) 22 16 Coldplay - Higher Power (CR: 1-2-5-5-7-10-16-22) 23 NE The Rasmus - Bones 24 19 Pink - All I Know So Far (CR: 4-7-8-11-19-24) 25 21 The Kid Laroi & Miley Cyrus - Without You (CR: 1-1-2-4-7-9-11-13-21-25) 26 25 Winona Oak - Old Insecurities (CR: 38-44-47-30-21-13-14-18-25-26) 27 18 Elton John and Years & Years - It's A Sin (CR: 18-27) 28 24 Hayley Kiyoko - Found My Friends (CR: 2-2-3-5-9-11-12-15-24-28) 29 23 DJ Khaled ft Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby & DaBaby - I Did It (CR: 8-9-14-23-29) 30 NE OneRepublic - Run 31 27 Slayyyter - Over This! (CR: 21-22-27-31) 32 NE Anne-Marie & Niall Horan - Our Song 33 22 Leftwing & Kody ft Hexe - Gold (CR: 22-33) 34 30 Mark Knight & Beverley Knight ft London Community Gospel Choir - Everything's Gonna Be Alright (CR: 14-14-15-20-30-34) 35 29 Jack Wins & Joe Stone - Light Up My Life (CR: 17-29-35) 36 26 Marina - Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land (CR: 26-36) 37 32 Rina Sawayama & Elton John - Chosen Family (CR: 1-2-4-4-6-8-12-18-20-24-32-37) 38 33 Ben Platt - Imagine (CR: 1-1-1-3-3-4-6-9-11-14-19-21-23-25-33-38) 39 28 Jay B ft Sokodomo - Switch It Up (CR: 28-39) 40 35 Cassadee Pope ft Karen Fairchild & Lindsay Ell - What The Stars See (CR: 6-10-15-19-23-35-40) 41 41 The Veronicas ft Allday - The Life of the Party (CR: 1-2-3-5-8-9-11-15-19-25-30-41-41) 42 NE Erasure - Secrets 43 31 Texas - Mr Haze (CR: 19-31-43) 44 34 Manic Street Preachers - Orwellian (CR: 34-44) 45 40 Paul Anka & Olivia Newton-John - Put Your Head On My Shoulder (CR: 16-22-28-40-45) 46 46 Rag N Bone Man - Crossfire (CR: 10-12-15-20-24-29-32-46-46) 47 NE The Magician ft Two Another - Hippies 48 36 Kid Brunswick - When You Were Young (CR: 36-48) 49 61 Hybrid Minds ft Grace Grundy - Bad To Me (CR: 48-61-49) 50 NE Sam Fischer - Simple

Pussycat Dolls…. I mean Libertines…. I mean Katy Perry….. Ok go on then, Stereophonics

Craig David

What a surprise!

6 Beyonce If I Were A Boy #2s held off #1: None If you don't like ballads or someone gushing over them, this post is not for you! Next up is Beyonce's 4th number one. I actually find it crazy that in the 18 years since, she has only reached the summit two more times! For me, Beyonce fits into that bracket of artists who can effortlessly flit between genres and still produce cracking songs. This would be evidenced during her Sasha Fierce era with follow up releases including genre hopping hits in 'Single Ladies', the glorious 'Halo', 'Diva', 'Sweet Dreams', 'Broken Hearted Girl'. I actually didn't know before writing this that there is some controversy over 'If I Were A Boy'. The song was originally written by relatively unknown songwriters BC Jean and Toby Gad. Jean wrote the song post-break up, upon realising that thoughts of going on a diet would not even be considered if she were a boy. Jean presented the song to her record company, who rejected it. Beyonce then got hold of it, recorded it and released it as a single. Jean was initially hurt that something so raw and personal had been released in this way, expressing these views on social media. I adore this song and video - especially the black and white aesthetic, interspersed with the story of gender imbalance. As someone who loves a good story-telling ballad, I was pleasantly surprised that this song reached number one. And before I forget - Michelle Williams' solo output is soooooo underrated. 'We Break The Dawn' was also released in 2008 and just missed reaching the top 40. I firmly believe if Beyonce had released it, it would have been a big hit.....

All I can say is the Take That haters are all wrong! Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong 😜

Ouch - with Coldplay and Duffy then I've taken out some people's number ones

Let's do a protest vote!

Really looking forward to hearing one more song from lesser known artists. Although think it's obvious who is in contention to get through

The shock for me is Lily! I can guess who voted against her

Don’t be shy with the Take That hate guys!!!

One half of The Ting Tings as well!

Hang on so Duffy wasn’t your other song?!