Ghoulian

The great: 10 Dannii Minogue - I Begin To Wonder 9 Busted - Year 3000 8 Darkness - Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) 7 Black Eyed Peas - Shut Up 6 Justin Timblerlake - Rock Your Body

The really good: 15 Sinead Quinn - I Can't Break Down 14 Ultrabeat - Pretty Green Eyes 13 Kevin Lyttle - Turn Me On 12 Rachel Stevens - Sweet Dreams My LA Ex 11 Girls Aloud - No Good Advice

The quite good: 20 Benny Benassi PTS The Biz - Satisfaction 19 Madonna - Hollywood 18 Jay-Z ft. Beyonce Knowles - 03 Bonnie & Clyde 17 Beyoncé - Baby Boy 16 Lumidee - Never Leave You (Uh Oooh Uh Oooh)

The OK: 25 Lisa Maffia - All Over 24 Girls Aloud - Jump 23 Madonna - American Life 22 Jennifer Lopez ft. LL Cool J - All I Have 21 Kelly Rowland - Stole

The fairly poor: 30 Kym Marsh - Cry 29 Lemar - Dance (With U) 28 Blazin' Squad - Flip Reverse 27 Craig David and Sting - Rise And Fall 26 Fast Food Rockers - Fast Food Song Yes I genuinely prefer the Fast Food Song to all 10 below!

2003 produced the lowest number of #1s in a year since the 1990s. However with this there was a strong trend for the biggest new release of the week to stall behind a multi week #1, and it produced an astonishing 36 #2 hits, the highest ever. Therefore I’m now going to take a break from the main countdown to rank these. First the rubbish: 36 Shane Richie - I’m Your Man 35 Big Brovaz - Favourite Things 34 S Club - Say Goodbye / Love Ain't Gonna Wait For You 33 DJ Sammy - The Boys Of Summer 32 Blue - Guilty 31 Britney Spears ft. Madonna - Me Against The Music

The Script now for me - just boring.

Driven away in 15 cars are Nickelback. “Rockstar” was a huge sleeper hit, first charting in October 2007 but peaking at #2 in early 2008 and spending 50 weeks in the Top 75. It appears here thanks to its early sales from 2007, but was the 5th biggest seller of 2008 and also finished 9th in the #5 survivor. 9th: Nickelback - Rockstar 11/31 votes (35%) 10th: Orson - Bright Idea 8/27 votes (30%)

Aqua now, but it’s actually a well written song and I’m glad it’s made the top half.

Has to be Coldplay for me - although I do hope it leaves the current Top 40 soon!

Snow Patrol have been sent back to Belfast. This was the lead single from their fifth album about Gary Lightbody’s love for the Northern Irish capital, and reached #6 in October 2008. It was their 5th, and to date their final, Top 10 hit. 6th: Snow Patrol - Take Back The City 9/30 votes (30%) 7th: Tweet - Oops (Oh My!) 14/29 votes (48%) 8th: Tweenies - I Believe In Christmas 21/30 votes (70%) 9th: Blazin’ Squad - We Just Be Dreamin’ 14/31 votes (45%) 10th: Steve Brookstein - Against All Odds 11/25 votes (44%)

Rolling out of the contest is Amy MacDonald. This was her highest peaking hit, reaching #12 in July 2007. However “This Is The Life” managed a longer Top 40 run despite only peaking at #28. 3rd: Amy MacDonald - Mr Rock And Roll 18/31 votes (58%) 4th: Anastacia - One Day In Your Life 11/31 votes (35%) 5th: Wombats - Moving To New York 13/35 votes (37%) 6th: Janet Jackson - Doesn’t Really Matter 12/31 votes (39%) 7th: The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York 8th: A1 - No More 15/29 votes (52%) 9th: Akon - Belly Dancer (Bananza) 10/26 votes (38%) 10th: Ronan Keating - The Long Goodbye 18/28 votes (64%)

The Top 10 Girls Aloud - Sound Of The Underground David Sneddon - Stop Living The Lie t.A.T.u - All The Things She Said Christina Aguilera - Beautiful Gareth Gates and the Kumars - Spirit In The Sky Room 5 featuring Oliver Cheetham - Make Luv Busted - You Said No Tomcraft - Loneliness R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix) Evanescence - Bring Me To Life Beyoncé featuring Jay Z - Crazy In Love Daniel Bedingfield- Never Gonna Leave Your Side Blu Cantrell featuring Sean Paul - Breathe Elton John - Are You Ready For Love The Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love? Sugababes - Hole In The Head Fatman Scoop featuring The Crooklyn Clan - Be Faithful Kylie Minogue - Slow Busted - Crashed The Wedding Westlife - Mandy Will Young - Leave Right Now Ozzy Osbourne & Kelly Osbourne - Changes Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules - Mad World

11Kylie Minogue - SlowScore: 7/10 15/11/2003 Kylie Minogue Slow Peak: 1 Chart run: {1}-4-12-17-26-45-56-53-58-61->10 From the highest selling chart topper of the year we go straight to the lowest. Her 6th chart topper, although it was a low seller it did scrape the year end Top 75. It also went silver this year so it’s obviously reasonably well streamed for a hit of the time. This was the lead from her ninth studio album “Body Language”. It’s an electropop song with quite a similar minimalist to “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”, that takes the sensuality even further. Kylie named it as her favourite song of her career and cited it as an inspiration for the recent “Tension” album. I do think it’s a really great track and doesn’t sound like it dates from theearly ‘00s. If I have a criticism it’s maybe that I’d like to get a bit more from the vocals which are a bit one note, but maybe that’s deliberate.

12Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love?Score: 7/10 13/09/2003 The Black Eyed Peas Where Is The Love? Peak: 1 Chart run: {1}-1-1-1-1-1-3-4-4-5-8-17-29-44-56-65-54-61-71->19 The Black Eyed Peas had actually existed since 1995 but this marked the moment they transitioned from underground hip hop group to commercial megastars. The track became the biggest selling single of 2003. It was also their first single with Fergie, and was co-written by and included uncredited vocals from Justin Timberlake, who had heard and liked will.i.am’s instrumental loop. The song was inspired by 9/11 induced anxiety rather than being about the Iraq war. The Black Eyed Peas were certainly hit and miss in quality over their decade or so of hit making. This was a really strong breakthrough single though: it’s genuinely rousing and the message comes over sincerely without being forced or trite. I actually prefer the punchy follow up “Shut Up” and a few of their tracks from later in the decade. But although I don’t adore this I do think it largely deserved its success.

13Elton John - Are You Ready For LoveScore: 6/10 06/09/2003 Elton John Are You Ready For Love {2003} Peak: 1 Chart run: {1}-3-5-11-13-12-19-26-40-47-59-61-66->13 This was originally part of an EP release in 1979 with soul producer Thom Bell. The project was low key and the song only reached #42. This version was remixed by house producer Ashley Beedle and gave Elton his 6th #1. Elton getting a late career #1 was great to see (though this was nothing compared to him getting 3 #1s in 2021). In general the 2000s was fruitful for him getting hits with new versions of old songs as he also had Top 5s that way with Alessandro Safina, Blue, 2Pac and Ironik. This song has some lovely parts and the production on the remix is good. I love the verses and the build up to the chorus, but then find the chorus itself a big let down. He just asks a question and answers it himself. It seems such an anticlimax.

I used to hate “Earth Song” but have mellowed on it. “Never Forget” is pretty glorious actually.

14R.Kelly - Ignition RemixScore: 6/10 17/05/2003 R. Kelly Ignition Remix Peak: 1 Chart run: {1}-1-1-1-2-2-3-4-7-9-12-12-16-24-32-38-53-57-75-73->20 I thought I’d give @RabbitFurCoat some solidarity by also doing the awkward reveal this evening. Despite being called a remix it’s a completely different song that just happens to have the same title as an earlier track called “Ignition”. This was one of the biggest hits of his career though in the US it actually stalled at #2 for 5 weeks. With much of R.Kelly’s work there’s no art VS artist dilemma as the songs are rubbish anyway. Most of his hits are plodding or turgid or both: however this one is vibrant and catchy. Is it so good that it’s essential to revisit it? No. In fact by the time you get to the bridge the lyrics are taking what in hindsight is a rather sinister turn about taking people to bed once the party’s over. His hit with Cassidy, “Hotel”, the following year, has a similar theme. And while it was a good tune of its time, it’s still better forgotten.

“Iris” coming to overtake “Mr Brightside” is a significant moment. I don’t think the latter’s been beaten in the year end chart during the streaming age by an older song that isn’t a Christmas song and hasn’t had a one off boost.

Week 38: 1 1 Alex Warren Ordinary 1,669,000 2 2 Lola Young Messy 1,246,000 1,420,000 3 3 Rosé and Bruno Mars APT. 1,168,000 1,520,000 4 4 Chappell Roan Pink Pony Club 1,142,000 1,590,000 5 5 Gracie Abrams That's So True 1,013,000 1,450,000 6 6 Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars Die With A Smile 941,000 1,570,000 7 7 Benson Boone Beautiful Things 914,000 2,700,000 8 8 Ravyn Lenae Love Me Not 882,000 890,000 9 9 Chrystal The Days 858,000 1,020,000 10 10 Billie Eilish Birds Of A Feather 840,000 2,060,000 11 11 Chappell Roan Good Luck, Babe! 822,000 2,020,000 12 12 Teddy Swims Lose Control 764,000 2,600,000 13 13 Sabrina Carpenter Espresso 730,000 2,480,000 14 14 Gigi Perez Sailor Song 720,000 1,320,000 15 15 Sabrina Carpenter Taste 712,000 1,500,000 16 16 Teddy Swims Bad Dreams 705,000 940,000 17 17 Teddy Swims The Door 677,000 1,340,000 18 18 Myles Smith Nice To Meet You 671,000 780,000 19 19 Tate McRae Sports Car 667,000 20 20 Myles Smith Stargazing 654,000 1,670,000 21 21 Shaboozey A Bar Song (Tipsy) 636,000 1,970,000 22 22 WizTheMc & Bees & Honey Show Me Love 632,000 23 23 Sombr Undressed 628,000 24 26 Sombr Back To Friends 607,000 25 24 Hozier Too Sweet 607,000 2,060,000 26 25 Alex Warren Carry You Home 599,000 900,000 27 27 Noah Kahan Stick Season 580,000 3,100,000 28 37 Huntr/x, Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami & KPop Demon Hunters Cast Golden 567,000 29 28 Ed Sheeran Azizam 562,000 30 29 Sonny Fodera, Jazzy & D.O.D. Somedays 551,000 1,020,000 31 35 Sabrina Carpenter Manchild 546,000 32 30 The Killers Mr Brightside 542,000 6,610,000 33 33 Goo Goo Dolls Iris 536,000 4,350,000 34 31 Kendrick Lamar Not Like Us 534,000 1,150,000 35 34 Fleetwood Mac Dreams 531,000 3,750,000 36 32 Sabrina Carpenter Please Please Please 530,000 1,670,000 37 36 Lady Gaga Abracadabra 516,000 38 38 Sabrina Carpenter Busy Woman 500,000 39 39 Chappell Roan Hot To Go! 491,000 1,150,000 40 44 MK featuring Chrystal Dior 486,000 41 43 Calvin Harris And Clementine Douglas Blessings 486,000 59 61 Skye Newman Family Matters 395,000 61 65 Benson Boone Mystical Magical 392,000 69 83 Olivia Dean Nice To Each Other 376,000 71 90 Disco Lines & Tinashe No Broke Boys 374,000 81 86 Sam Fender & Olivia Dean Rein Me In 367,000 82 87 Ed Sheeran Sapphire 366,000 97 - Saja Boys, Andrew Choi Neckwav, Danny Chung, Kevin Woo, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast Soda Pop 328,000 - 100 Disturbed The Sound Of Silence 322,000 1,930,000

25/9: 1 1 Golden (1) 2 2 Man I need (2) 3 4 Ordinary (1) 4 5 Soda Pop (4) 5 3 Tears (3) 6 6 No broke boys (3) 7 8 Your idol (7) 8 9 Nice to each other (8) 9 11 12 to 12 (9) 10 7 Manchild (1) 11 10 When did you get hot? (9) 12 12 Back to friends (7) 13 14 How it’s done (13) 14 15 Love me not (2) 15 18 Daisies (2) 16 13 House tour (11) 17 20 Rein me in (7) 18 32 Sapphire (8) 19 23 Undressed (4) 20 21 What it sounds like (18) 21 17 Nobody’s son (14) 22 24 Pink pony club (2) 23 26 The subway (1) 24 25 The dead dance (24) 25 29 Takedown (22) 26 19 Dior (2) 27 16 My man on willpower (8) 28 30 Beautiful things (1) 29 33 Free (28) 30 22 Go go juice (15) 31 36 Messy (1) 32 31 Victory lap (5) 33 28 Goodbye (17) 34 35 Eternity (5) 35 34 Blessings (5) 36 27 Sugar talking (12) 37 38 Lose control (2) 38 39 Iris (3) 39 - Azizam (3) 40 - Camera (40) 41 44 Mystical magical (18) 42 47 Just keep watching (6) 43 45 Survive (1) 44 - Dive (44) 45 46 Die with a smile (3) 46 - Sports car (7) 47 41 APT. (2) 48 49 Yellow (4) 49 48 Sparks (46) 50 - Birds of a feather (2)

Week 38: 1 1 Sabrina Carpenter Short n' Sweet 438,000 810,000 2 2 Ed Sheeran +-=÷x (Tour Collection) 308,000 410,000 3 3 Oasis Time Flies... 1994-2009 290,000 2,320,000 4 4 Fleetwood Mac 50 Years: Don't Stop 268,000 1,740,000 5 5 The Weeknd The Highlights 243,000 1,480,000 6 6 Sam Fender People Watching 218,000 7 7 Chappell Roan The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess 213,000 510,000 8 8 Oasis (What's The Story) Morning Glory 211,000 5,510,000 9 9 Elton John Diamonds 207,000 1,860,000 10 10 SZA SOS 198,000 680,000 11 11 Alex Warren You'll Be Alright Kid (Chapter 1) 196,000 220,000 12 12 Billie Eilish Hit Me Hard And Soft 196,000 540,000 13 13 Charli XCX Brat 192,000 480,000 14 14 Noah Kahan Stick Season 185,000 660,000 15 15 Tate McRae So Close To What 183,000 16 17 Michael Jackson The Essential 178,000 2,020,000 17 16 ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits 178,000 6,080,000 18 18 Taylor Swift The Tortured Poets Department 168,000 950,000 19 19 Fleetwood Mac Rumours 168,000 3,480,000 20 20 Arctic Monkeys AM 165,000 2,260,000 21 21 Eminem Curtain Call: The Hits 163,000 3,480,000 22 22 Oasis Definitely Maybe 162,000 2,960,000 23 23 Linkin Park Papercuts 157,000 330,000 24 24 Lady Gaga Mayhem 155,000 25 25 Olivia Rodrigo Guts 153,000 650,000 26 26 Gracie Abrams The Secret Of Us 149,000 290,000 27 27 Olivia Rodrigo Sour 149,000 1,200,000 28 28 Central Cee Can't Rush Greatness 144,000 29 34 Sabrina Carpenter Man's Best Friend 143,000 30 29 Calvin Harris 96 Months 127,000 200,000 31 30 Queen Greatest Hits 124,000 3,170,000 32 31 Benson Boone Fireworks & Rollerblades 123,000 250,000 33 32 Ariana Grande Eternal Sunshine 122,000 310,000 34 35 Post Malone The Diamond Collection 121,000 450,000 35 33 Pitbull Greatest Hits 118,000 590,000 36 36 Ed Sheeran ÷ 117,000 4,440,000 37 37 Billy Joel Piano Man: The Very Best Of Billy Joel 117,000 1,660,000 38 38 Fontaines D.C. Romance 115,000 230,000 39 39 PartyNextDoor & Drake $ome $exy $ongs 4 U 113,000 40 40 Kendrick Lamar GNX 112,000 170,000 87 89 Morgan Wallen I'm The Problem 71,000 92 - Ed Sheeran Play 68,000 - 100 Adele 25 65,000 4,120,000

I think it’s always good to nominate and increase the variety and not worry too much how well it does. I do try and listen to what I don’t know but only get time to do it once so I can’t promise I always give it fair consideration if it doesn’t stand out immediately. Again no playlist does make it more effort, otherwise I might be able to listen more, but that’s certainly not a criticism of Dan as I know it’s a lot of work for him (and I think he tried to find a co-host but couldn’t this time).

15Room 5 Featuring Oliver Cheatham - Make LuvScore: 5/10 05/04/2003 Room 5 Featuring Oliver Cheatham Make Luv 1 Chart run: {1}-1-1-1-4-9-16-25-24-37-45-48-61-53-58->15 Room 5 is an alias for Italian DJ Vito Lucente, better known as Junior Jack, who had a few hits in the early 2000s. Oliver Cheatham was an American soul singer whose only hit prior to this was “Get Down Saturday Night”, which reached #38 in 1983 and forms the basis of “Make Luv”. “Make Luv” became a huge dance #1 on the back of being featured in a Lynx advert. Afterwards Room 5 and Oliver collaborated on another track called “Music And You” later in 2003, but lightning didn’t strike twice and it only reached #38, funnily the same position as “Get Down Saturday Night”. If you listen to Oliver’s original song you realise just how little work Vito did here - he basically took a few of the strongest lines of the song, enhanced the beat which was already there, and that’s it. Nonetheless it did result in a catchy and memorable track that very much did the business at the time.

16Busted - Crashed The WeddingScore: 5/10 22/11/2003 Busted Crashed The Wedding Peak: 1 Chart run: {1}-4-8-12-23-31-28-31-43-46-54-64->12 After a successful eponymous debut album and 4 Top 3 hits Busted wasted no time in moving on to their 2nd album, from which this was the lead. It gave them a 2nd chart topper with more respectable sales than “You Said No”, though the #2 “Year 3000” remained their biggest seller. I think Busted were iconic more for their style in general than for their songs. They showed that all male groups didn’t have to be all about overblown ballads and that you could bring an energetic rock and roll inspired sound to a pop orientated audience. Still I enjoy this quite a bit more than “You Said Know” and it felt like they sold it as a lead single. I like the wedding theme intro and the lyrics. It’s nothing I would actively listen to but it’s fun.