Ghoulian

“That’s My Goal” is an original composition but it’s so much a product of the winner’s song formula that it might as well not be. “You Raise Me Up” did indeed feel like it was perfect for Westlife. I’d probably put that as the higher of these two but it’s still very uninspiring. I got more from the George Best tribute version that charted around the new year.

A brilliant top 5 in this group, but it’s also well endowed with not so good stuff, with relatively little in-between. “Just The Two Of Us” may be a controversial top pick but I think it’s one of the best examples of its style ever. Amazing that Hazel O’Connor had 3 Top 10s but everything else missed the Top 40, including 2 #41 leakers. A fab final big hit from her anyway. 9 Grover Washington Jr Just The Two Of Us Only hit for this US saxophonist with Bill Withers singing: one of the most beautiful and dreamy smooth soul songs in existence 9 Hazel O'Connor Will You Her 3rd Top 10 and final Top 40: a beautiful high drama and emotionally performed ballad with an extraordinary saxophone solo 8 Kraftwerk Pocket Calculator Their 2nd Top 40 6 years after the 1st: a fab and innovative single, and I love the bleepy noises like tapping calculator buttons 8 Squeeze Is That Love A minor hit for them but a really special and beautifully performed bouncy Beatles-esque pop song about at troubled marriage 8 Siouxsie And The Banshees Spellbound They're back after a #41 and this is indeed spellbinding with their usual punchy vocals and swirling electronic accompaniment 7 George Harrison All Those Years Ago His 1st hit in a long time and a tribute to John: like most George tracks this has a lovely warmth and a familiar intimate feel to it 7 Vangelis Chariots Of Fire The film theme and the Greek composer's only solo Top 40: an iconic instrumental though has more impact alongside visuals 6 The Polecats Rockabilly Guy Their only other Top 40 after the double A of covers with an original Rockabilly song: this is well done with a strong guitar solo 5 Michael Jackson One Day In Your Life 481st #1: I used to think this was a dirge but I do like the soaring vocal lines, and it's an excellent performance from Michael 4 UB40 Don't Let It Pass You By/Don't Slow Down A 4th consecutive double A side hit from them: "Don't Let It Pass You By" does just that but the other side has more oomph 3 Champaign How 'Bout Us Only hit for this US soul bands: it gets a few points for the big production and rich vocal harmonies but overall it's quite sleepy 3 Coast To Coast Let's Jump The Broomstick A 1959 song which Brenda Lee had covered earlier: there's nothing wrong with this version but it doesn't feel very necessary 2 Kate Robbins And Beyond More Than In Love Only hit for this "Crossroads" actress who had appeared in Eurovision with her sister last year: this is a dull and soppy track 2 Paul Shane And The Yellowcoats Hi-De-Hi (Holiday Rock) The theme to the "Hi-De-Hi" sitcom: it's very far from good but an inoffensive and chirpy little 1950s style rock and roll number 1 Enigma Ain't No Stopping A project by UK producer Nigel Wright: this is a bloated medley of clips of various tracks that doesn't give me any enjoyment 1981 Group 10: #462 06/06/1981 The Jam Funeral Pyre 4 {4}-4-12-24-38-54->6 #463 30/05/1981 Odyssey Going Back To My Roots 4 44-23-8-6-5-{4}-5-9-17-27-42-58->12 #464 30/05/1981 Kool And The Gang Take It To The Top 15 55-33-24-22-{15}-18-25-31-62->9 #465 06/06/1981 Ultravox All Stood Still 8 46-17-9-{8}-11-20-24-37-65-73->10 #466 13/06/1981 Red Sovine Teddy Bear 4 22-{4}-4-9-19-35-54-75->8 #467 06/06/1981 Bucks Fizz Piece Of The Action 12 57-25-17-{12}-13-15-16-34-53->9 #468 30/05/1981 Phil Collins If Leaving Me Is Easy 17 58-44-29-27-{17}-23-31-36->8 #469 16/05/1981 Imagination Body Talk 4 68-54-45-43-31-19-11-7-6-{4}-5-8-13-20-34-43-65-73->18 #470 06/06/1981 Elaine Paige Memory 6 66-34-15-9-{6}-7-10-19-28-38-53-75-69R(23)-70-67->15 #471 30/05/1981 Dead Kennedys Too Drunk To f*** 36 65-41-{36}-42-57-72->6 #472 06/06/1981 Whitesnake Would I Lie To You 37 60-{37}-37-48-50-67->6 #473 06/06/1981 Third World Dancing On The Floor (Hooked On Love) 10 64-38-31-27-25-13-12-{10}-10-12-17-24-38-60-67->15 #474 20/06/1981 The Specials Ghost Town 1 21-6-2-{1}-1-1-2-5-12-22-30-47-56-73->14 #475 13/06/1981 Linx Throw Away The Key 21 51-32-23-{21}-22-22-31-38-74->9 #476 20/06/1981 Gillan No Laughing In Heaven 31 33-32-{31}-34-60-73->6

DC - that really took them to another success level.

“Thong Song” is Sisqo’s 1 great song, but “Freestyler” to win.

Week 43: 1 1 Taylor Swift The Life Of A Showgirl 503,000 2 2 Sabrina Carpenter Short n' Sweet 467,000 840,000 3 3 Ed Sheeran +-=÷x (Tour Collection) 347,000 450,000 4 4 Oasis Time Flies... 1994-2009 328,000 2,360,000 5 5 Fleetwood Mac 50 Years: Don't Stop 298,000 1,770,000 6 6 The Weeknd The Highlights 283,000 1,520,000 7 7 Oasis (What's The Story) Morning Glory 262,000 5,560,000 8 10 Alex Warren You'll Be Alright Kid (Chapter 1) 234,000 250,000 9 9 Sam Fender People Watching 232,000 10 8 Chappell Roan The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess 232,000 530,000 11 11 Elton John Diamonds 228,000 1,880,000 12 12 Sabrina Carpenter Man's Best Friend 217,000 13 13 Billie Eilish Hit Me Hard And Soft 214,000 560,000 14 14 SZA SOS 212,000 690,000 15 15 Charli XCX Brat 212,000 500,000 16 16 Noah Kahan Stick Season 208,000 680,000 17 17 Michael Jackson The Essential 205,000 2,040,000 18 18 Tate McRae So Close To What 202,000 19 19 ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits 199,000 6,100,000 20 20 Fleetwood Mac Rumours 190,000 3,500,000 21 21 Arctic Monkeys AM 186,000 2,280,000 22 22 Oasis Definitely Maybe 184,000 2,980,000 23 23 Taylor Swift The Tortured Poets Department 183,000 970,000 24 24 Eminem Curtain Call: The Hits 182,000 3,500,000 25 25 Linkin Park Papercuts 181,000 350,000 26 26 Olivia Rodrigo Guts 172,000 660,000 27 27 Lady Gaga Mayhem 170,000 28 28 Olivia Rodrigo Sour 167,000 1,220,000 29 29 Gracie Abrams The Secret Of Us 162,000 300,000 30 30 Central Cee Can't Rush Greatness 149,000 31 31 Calvin Harris 96 Months 141,000 210,000 32 32 Queen Greatest Hits 139,000 3,180,000 33 33 Post Malone The Diamond Collection 138,000 470,000 34 34 Benson Boone Fireworks & Rollerblades 136,000 260,000 35 35 Ariana Grande Eternal Sunshine 136,000 320,000 36 36 Pitbull Greatest Hits 134,000 600,000 37 37 Billy Joel Piano Man: The Very Best Of Billy Joel 132,000 1,670,000 38 38 Ed Sheeran ÷ 132,000 4,460,000 39 39 Fontaines D.C. Romance 127,000 240,000 40 40 Maroon 5 Singles 124,000 960,000 51 68 Olivia Dean The Art Of Loving 112,000 68 71 Ed Sheeran Play 98,000 I’m pretty confident “Play” has done 98-99k, so not sure how it’s already gone gold.

Not convinced actually, but “Birds Of A Feather” might just get there. It’s selling 12k per week right now and needs 11k per week average.

We’re saying the hit can be from whenever.

Oops missed that out

I had underestimated “How It’s Done” by 10k or so, mainly based on tracking its weekly Audio Streaming positions. I realised when it re-charted that its weekly sales were actually quite healthy relative to that position.

Would need something to have a very random re-set I suppose. Not impossible given recent OCC form. Poor Tame Impala only becoming eligible the week before last, and becoming ineligible the following week.

Week 43: 1 1 Alex Warren Ordinary 1,868,000 2 2 Lola Young Messy 1,325,000 1,500,000 3 3 Chappell Roan Pink Pony Club 1,242,000 1,690,000 4 4 Rosé and Bruno Mars APT. 1,230,000 1,580,000 5 5 Gracie Abrams That's So True 1,070,000 1,510,000 6 7 Benson Boone Beautiful Things 1,007,000 2,800,000 7 6 Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars Die With A Smile 1,005,000 1,640,000 8 8 Ravyn Lenae Love Me Not 988,000 1,000,000 9 9 Chrystal The Days 913,000 1,080,000 10 10 Billie Eilish Birds Of A Feather 902,000 2,120,000 11 13 Huntr/x, Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami & KPop Demon Hunters Cast Golden 893,000 12 11 Chappell Roan Good Luck, Babe! 885,000 2,090,000 13 12 Teddy Swims Lose Control 847,000 2,680,000 14 14 Sabrina Carpenter Espresso 783,000 2,530,000 15 15 Gigi Perez Sailor Song 774,000 1,370,000 16 16 Sabrina Carpenter Taste 762,000 1,550,000 17 17 Teddy Swims Bad Dreams 758,000 1,000,000 18 18 Teddy Swims The Door 734,000 1,400,000 19 22 Sombr Back To Friends 733,000 20 21 Sombr Undressed 731,000 21 20 Tate McRae Sports Car 728,000 22 19 Myles Smith Nice To Meet You 725,000 830,000 23 23 Myles Smith Stargazing 708,000 1,720,000 24 24 Shaboozey A Bar Song (Tipsy) 687,000 2,020,000 25 25 WizTheMc & Bees & Honey Show Me Love 679,000 26 28 Sabrina Carpenter Manchild 657,000 27 27 Alex Warren Carry You Home 656,000 960,000 28 26 Hozier Too Sweet 655,000 2,110,000 29 29 Noah Kahan Stick Season 637,000 3,160,000 30 31 Goo Goo Dolls Iris 617,000 4,430,000 31 30 Ed Sheeran Azizam 614,000 32 32 The Killers Mr Brightside 610,000 6,670,000 33 40 Olivia Dean Man I Need 602,000 34 33 Fleetwood Mac Dreams 600,000 3,820,000 35 34 Sonny Fodera, Jazzy & D.O.D. Somedays 590,000 1,060,000 36 35 Sabrina Carpenter Please Please Please 568,000 1,710,000 37 37 MK featuring Chrystal Dior 564,000 38 36 Kendrick Lamar Not Like Us 560,000 1,180,000 39 38 Lady Gaga Abracadabra 556,000 40 39 Calvin Harris And Clementine Douglas Blessings 555,000 41 43 Olivia Dean Nice To Each Other 544,000 44 48 Disco Lines & Tinashe No Broke Boys 526,000 49 57 Saja Boys, Andrew Choi Neckwav, Danny Chung, Kevin Woo, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast Soda Pop 503,000 58 62 Sam Fender & Olivia Dean Rein Me In 471,000 63 67 Saja Boys, Andrew Choi Neckwav, Danny Chung, Kevin Woo, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast Your Idol 460,000 65 66 Ed Sheeran Sapphire 453,000 88 92 Justin Bieber Daisies 395,000 93 95 Fred Again…, Skepta and PlaqueBoyMax Victory Lap 387,000 98 - Huntr/x, Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami & KPop Demon Hunters Cast How It's Done 379,000 - 100 Sonny Fodera & Clementine Douglas Tell Me 371,000

30/10: 1 1 The fate of Ophelia (1) 2 2 Man I need (1) 3 3 Golden (1) 4 5 Where is my husband! (3) 5 4 Opalite (2) 6 7 Ordinary (1) 7 10 Soda Pop (4) 8 15 So easy (8) 9 6 Elizabeth Taylor (3) 10 14 Nice to each other (5) 11 19 12 to 12 (8) 12 16 No broke boys (3) 13 20 Your idol (7) 14 9 The life of a showgirl (5) 15 8 Father figure (4) 16 22 Back to friends (7) 17 25 How it’s done (13) 18 26 Rein me in (7) 19 24 Tears (3) 20 12 Wi$h li$t (11) 21 30 Pink pony club (2) 22 28 What it sounds like (13) 23 31 Undressed (4) 24 29 Love me not (2) 25 32 Manchild (1) 26 11 Actually romantic (7) 27 13 Wood (9) 28 33 Beautiful things (1) 29 27 Tit for tat (7) 30 18 Eldest daughter (8) 31 21 Ruin the friendship (13) 32 17 Cancelled! (10) 33 35 Takedown (22) 34 36 Lose control (2) 35 34 When did you get hot? (9) 36 37 Baby steps (36) 37 40 Iris (3) 38 41 Sapphire (8) 39 45 Messy (1) 40 38 Daisies (2) 41 - Die on this hill (41) 42 43 Dreams (22) 43 47 Eternity (5) 44 23 Honey (14) 45 48 Mr Brightside (10) 46 39 Let alone the one you love (31) 47 44 Free (28) 48 46 Victory lap (5) 49 42 Something in the heavens (3) 50 - Mystical magical (18)

Ooh love both of these. Went for “Music” narrowly.

I think lead hits and features count the same. So your first example is disqualified but your second is fine. If you search for the artist on Polyhex there should be exactly one result with a Top 40 peak.

A great varied group here that feels full of ‘80s possibilities. 9 Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes A US #1 and the only Top 40 here for this US singer: it's an astonishingly good piece of storytelling with brilliant husky delivery 9 The Human League The Sound Of The Crowd 1st Top 40 after several misses for the UK group with a brilliant pulsating, catchy and quintessentially early '80s electro track 8 Adam And The Ants Stand And Deliver 479th #1: their 1st chart topper and the usual style with the Burundi beat and gung ho high testosterone feel, but a great track 8 Toyah I Want To Be Free Just a single track from them this time about her frustrations being dyslexic at school: excellent with a heartwarming energy 7 Duran Duran Careless Memories Their 2nd single and a very small hit, but it's another great and emotionally performed new wave track with punchy rhythms 7 Kim Wilde Chequered Love Another track written by her father and brother Marty and Ricky, and another strong and exciting slice of pulsating '80s pop 7 Tenpole Tudor The Swords Of A Thousand Men 1st hit for this group who came to prominence through the Sex Pistols: it's another testosterone laden song but very good fun 6 The Teardrop Explodes Treason (It's Just A Story) This was re-released following the success of "Reward": I think the riff and verse are very strong but the chorus a slight letdown 6 The Undertones It's Going To Happen! Their last Top 40: this has a frenzied excitement to it and is an enjoyable new wave song inspired by the 1991 hunger strikes 5 Thin Lizzy Killers Live EP This includes "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" which was a 1980 hit and the punky "Bad Reputation", but I prefer the studio versions 4 Level 42 Love Games 6 of their first 8 hits were non Top 40s but this scraped in: the track feels like it's building to something that never really comes 4 Smokey Robinson Being With You 480th #1: impressive for him to have reached the top more than a decade after "Tears Of A Clown" but I find the track laboured 3 Shakin' Stevens You Drive Me Crazy "Quay-ay-zy": a month stuck at #2 thanks to Adam And The Ants; good to get an original song from him but it's rather lightweight 2 Sheena Easton When He Shines A love ballad with a musical theatre feel, and it appeared in the "Miami Vice" film: it's saccharine and does very little for me 2 Tottenham Hotspur F.A. Cup Final Squad Ossie's Dream (Spurs Are On Their Way To Wembley) It's certainly a tune that's still heard today so iconic in its way, but why do they always have to sing so deliberately obnoxiously? 1981 Group 9: #447 09/05/1981 Champaign How 'Bout Us 5 74-42-28-11-6-6-{5}-7-10-18-28-42-64->13 #448 23/05/1981 Enigma Ain't No Stopping 11 32-17-16-{11}-13-19-37-50->8 #449 09/05/1981 Vangelis Chariots Of Fire 12 56-44-34-25-19-{12}-14-21-30-45-69R(41)-46-41-49-63-57-52->17 #450 23/05/1981 UB40 Don't Let It Pass You By/Don't Slow Down 16 35-{16}-21-19-18-25-36-53-69->9 #451 16/05/1981 Paul Shane And The Yellowcoats Hi-De-Hi (Holiday Rock) 36 69-{36}-38-45-57->5 #452 16/05/1981 The Polecats Rockabilly Guy 35 72-38-36-{35}-46-67->6 #453 09/05/1981 Kraftwerk Pocket Calculator 39 73-43-{39}-48-53-72->6 #454 16/05/1981 Squeeze Is That Love 35 59-40-43-40-{35}-36-47-71->8 #455 23/05/1981 George Harrison All Those Years Ago 13 58-{13}-15-15-20-37-66->7 #456 23/05/1981 Hazel O'Connor Will You 8 51-23-10-9-{8}-10-19-29-45-74->10 #457 23/05/1981 Michael Jackson One Day In Your Life 1 42-24-12-3-2-{1}-1-2-5-13-22-31-54-70->14 #458 30/05/1981 Kate Robbins And Beyond More Than In Love 2 28-13-{2}-3-3-8-17-29-40-67->10 #459 23/05/1981 Coast To Coast Let's Jump The Broomstick 28 65-30-30-{28}-28-39-49->7 #460 30/05/1981 Siouxsie And The Banshees Spellbound 22 32-29-23-23-{22}-32-37-74->8 #461 16/05/1981 Grover Washington Jr Just The Two Of Us 34 74-46-{34}-34-40-60-72->7

It’s between Kylie and The Scissors for me on this one… went for the latter this time.

Falling to pieces are The Script. “Breakeven” was the follow up to “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” and initially failed to take off. However it became one of the biggest non Top 20 hits of the decade, charting in October 2008 but only reaching its #21 peak in early 2009, and notching up 31 weeks in the Top 75. 5th: The Script - Breakeven 12/30 votes (30%) 6th: Sarah Whatmore - When I Lost You 12/29 votes (41%) 7th: George Michael - Flawless (Go To The City) 10/28 votes (36%) 8th: 50 Cent - 21 Questions 10/26 votes (34%) 9th: Geraldine - Once Upon A Christmas Song 14/27 votes (52%) 10th: Brian Kennedy & Peter Corry - George Best - A Tribute 13/29 votes (45%)

I went for Boyzone, although it’s far from their worst effort.

The feeling isn’t so right as the kittens are eliminated. This cover of “Ladies Night” reached #8 in Christmas week 2003, one place higher than the Kool & The Gang original managed in 1979. It appears here on the strength of its 2004 sales. 8th: Atomic Kitten - Ladies Night 10/31 votes (32%) 9th: Lil’ Bow Wow - Bow Wow (That’s My Name) 13/30 votes (43%) 10th: Lostprophets - Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast) 23/33 votes (70%)

Sorry running a bit behind with the reviews. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes Human League - The Sound Of The Growd Grover Washington Junior featuring Bill Withers - Just The Two Of Us Kraftwerk - Pocket Calculator Hazel O’Connor - Will You?

I remembered both Jester and me giving “Don’t Look Back In Anger” 30 in Gezza’s favourite #1 of the 90s rate so that part wasn’t a surprise, but it was great to revisit all the rest. I’ve had a go at a ranking now (which certainly wouldn’t have been my ranking at the time). 1. Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger 2. The Prodigy – Breathe 3. The Fugees - Ready Or Not 4. George Michael - Fastlove 5. The Prodigy – Firestarter 6. Baddiel / Skinner / Lighting Seeds – 3 Lions 7. Spice Girls – 2 Become 1 8. Gina G - Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit 9. The Chemical Brothers – Setting Sun 10. Babylon Zoo - Spaceman Mark Morrison - Return Of The Mack The Fugees - Killing Me Softly George Michael - Jesus To A Child Spice Girls - Say You’ll Be There Deep Blue Something - Breakfast At Tiffany’s Spice Girls - Wannabe And then it suddenly drops off very dramatically so I think I’ll give up

Not 100% sure of my votes yet but Pocket Calculator - Is That Love? - All Those Years Ago - Will You? might be my favourite run of the series.

Surely Ophelia’s fate is to be knocked off next week, whether by a returner or a new entry.

Sombr’s biggest 2nd biggest song.