2000: The Good Old Days? - September

In September I would have described my main music taste as being dance music but here we see the origins of me getting into R&B. I was really into garage at this point in time and one of my favourites from my garage tapes was "Tell Me It's Real" by K-Ci & Jojo which this the best record this month. I would later find out this started life as an R&B record and was by the same people who did "All My Life" a couple of years earlier. If I had to pick a favourite R&B act then they would probably be it.

All the UK garage this month was good. Happy hardcore DJ's Sy & Unknown started doing garage under the name Trick or Treat and did a garage remix of "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" by Baby D. There was also the best version of "Freak Like Me" which came from Tru Faith & Dub Conspiracy.

House music was pretty good this month too. We had the excellent "Scorchio" by Sasha and Darren Emerson. The latter was a member of Underworld when they did "Cowgirl" which was originally made in 1994 but wasn't a Top 40 hit until this month. The only house record I don't like this month is "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)" by Modjo.

There were 2 techno new entries this month, "Kernkraft 400" by Zombie Nation and "Ubik" by Timo Maas & Martin Bettinghaus and again both are decent records.

It's the trance music that's letting down the dance genre this month generally speaking. The decent ones are "Hudson Street" by Agnelli & Nelson and "Bullet In The Gun 2000" by Planet Perfecto whilst "On The Level" by Yomanda is OK. The rest are either vocal rubbish e.g. "Ordinary World" by Aurora & Naimee Coleman or lazy e.g. "Big Brother UK TV Theme" by Element Four.

The R&B tunes were generally solid this month. We had "Wifey" by Next and "Unleash the Dragon" by Sisqo which are both good and "Whatever" by Ideal US & Lil Mo which is OK. The only one letting the genre down is "Most Girls" by Pink.

Rap wise it's those mixing with rock music that are good. They are the double a-side "Can't Get The Best Of Me / Highlife" by Cypress Hill and the excellent "American Bad Ass" by Kid Rock. I have the feeling I owned "The Marshall Mathers LP" album by Eminem because I remember seeing Richard Blackwood on Top of the Pops and identifying it as the sort of rap music that I don't like.

I was really into Green Day at the time who had seemed to disappear some point in the 90s but this month they were back with the single "Minority". I like it but found the album to be very disappointing. 

I also hadn't heard anything from the Foo Fighters since the 90s but they were back with "Breakout" this month which is possibly the best thing they've ever done.

Onto the worst record then which comes from Vanessa Amorosi. Who's that? I hear you say. She's one of those short lived pop acts from around this time where I seem to be the only one to remember them. Her one and only Top 40 hit was "Absolutely Everybody" and I'm jealous of all those people who have forgot it.

Here's a list of the records with the best on top, worst at the bottom and the good ones in green, OK ones in amber and rubbish ones in red (and in no particular order):

Score: 44%

Here's a look at the chart:

The best month so far and it certainly is feeling more like the good old days.

January Charts: 1972

Here are the new entries ranked from best to worst:

1. The Chi-Lites - Have You Seen Her

2. Don McLean - American Pie

3. Fortunes - Storm In A Teacup

4. Al Green - Let's Stay Together

5. The Bee Gees - My World

6. Martha Reeves And The Vandellas - Bless You

7. Donnie Elbert - Where Did Our Love Go

8. Stevie Wonder - If You Really Love Me

9. Sly And The Family Stone - Family Affair

10. Pioneers - Give And Take

11. Badfinger - Day After Day

12. Bread - Baby I'm A Want You

13. Greyhound - Moon River

14. T.Rex - Telegram Sam

15. Chicory Tip - Son Of My Father

16. Barry Ryan - Can't Let You Go

17. Shirley Bassey - Diamonds Are Forever

18. Sonny And Cher - All I Ever Need Is You

19. Melanie - Brand New Key

20. Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken

21. Neil Reid - Mother Of Mine

The first week of 1972 gave us 3 new entries which end up being the bottom 3 in this list. At the bottom we have Neil Reid with "Mother Of Mine". He was a 12 year old who had just won opportunity knocks, so the 70s equivalent of an X Factor winner who sings a dreary winners record and is never seen again.

Just above we have "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens. I just can't get my head round the fact an artist who sung quite ground breaking records like "Matthew & Son" and "I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun" in the 60s thought it would be a good idea to cover a song I used to sing in school assembly and at church.

Then we have Melanie with "Brand New Key". The fact it inspired "Combine Harvester" by The Wurzels don't do it any favours, but even on it's own it's very much a novelty record that's rather irritating.

On a more positive note we have the excellent "Have You Seen Her" by The Chi-Lites at the top of the table. It could be argued that the spoken verses provided some inspiration for rap music a few years later. 

In 2nd place we have "American Pie" which I listened to the whole almost 9 minutes of because I like it. I remember the rerelease in 1991 and I didn't know it was an old record but it's one I'd sing along to.

The 3rd placed record "Storm In A Teacup" by the Fortunes also holds some nostalgia circa 1991 for me thanks to a 70s compilation that was often played at home at the time. They were primarily a 60s band who had this as their final Top 40 hit.

Motown was still producing the goods in 1972. Martha Reeves & the Vandella had their final Top 40 hit with "Bless You" whilst Stevie Wonder had a solid record with "If You Really Love Me". We also have a Motown cover but this time it's a decent one. Donnie Elbert recorded a cover of "Where Did Our Love Go" in the 60s and became part of the Northern Soul movement in the 70s.

When I think early 70s one of the first think that springs to mind is glam rock. We have our first example here from T Rex with "Telegram Sam" but to be honest I find it average at best.

A record of note in this batch is "Son Of My Father" which was the first chart topper to use a synthesizer. Unfortunately I just can't get into it.

I'll end with an interest chart stat for you. Badfinger had precisely 3 Top 40 hits, each one a year apart from each other, all released in January and all reached the Top 10. The one in this batch was their final hit "Day After Day" and I'd say are 3 a decent records.

After a terrible start to the year the records generally improved as the month went on.

Score: 43

UK Number 40s: Paolo Nutini - Better Man (2014)

 

Paolo Nutini was a big name in the mid to late 00s. His biggest hit was his debut "Last Request" in 2006 which made number 5. By the end of 2009 he'd clocked up 6 Top 40 hits.

5 years later he came back with "Scream (Funk My Life Up)" which became his 2nd highest charting single reaching number 12. Then came this which is his final Top 40 hit to date.

On paper it looks as if his hey day was over by this point and that's why this only made number 40. However, this was not officially released as a single so reached number 40 via enough people downloading it as an individual track so therefore this could be considered a success.

UK Number 40s: Nina Nesbitt - Selfies (2014)

 

We all know that success in music in a mainstream sense is more to do with who you are than the music itself. Sometimes who you are can be seen as both a help and hinderance at the same time which looks to be the case for Nina Nesbitt.

Just about the biggest name in modern music by 2014 was Ed Sheeran. Nina Nesbitt was Ed Sheeran's girlfriend at the time, so association with the biggest current name in music no doubt helped but at the same time some will say the only reason she's made it is because she's Ed Sheeran's girlfriend.

Her Top 40 debut came almost a year prior to this with "Stay Out" which made number 21. She was only 18 at the time. Her follow two singles failed to make the Top 40 and then came this which is a final Top 40 hit to date.

She's still remained active in music and has released many non-charting singles since.

80s in the 90s: 1981

Continuing the look at whether 80s acts succeeded in the 90s here's a look at the 1981 debutants:

Phil Collins: His solo career is certainly something you'd place in the 80s but precisely half of his Top 40 hits came in later years. He didn't have any chart toppers in the 90s but he had 3 Top 10 hits that were all quite memorable. Additionally you have "Something Happened On The Way To Heaven" which seemed big at the time and "You'll Be In My Heart" on the Tarzan soundtrack. 

Verdict: Hit

Depeche Mode: Just over a decade ago I went to see Depeche Mode in concert. They had a new album out so that was the one that provided the most songs. The album that provided the 2nd most was 1990 album "Violator" which includes arguably their signature tune "Enjoy The Silence". Overall the concert had 9 songs from 90s albums and just 3 from 80s ones. The fact they can sell out stadiums would imply demand for their 90s material is there.

Verdict: Hit

Kid Creole & The Coconuts: They debuted in 1981 with minor hit "Me And Pop I" and then in 1982 came their 3 Top 10 hits. By 1983 they looked to be finished from a Top 40 perspective until in 1990 when they returned for the first time in 7 years with "The Sex Of It" which made number 29 and then they were finished.

Verdict: Miss

New Order: Although they were big in the 80s their Top 40 record doesn't exactly suggest this. Only "Blue Monday" and "True Faith" made the Top 10 and amazingly "Bizarre Love Triangle" didn't even made the Top 40. In 1990 they had their only number one with "World In Motion" under the name Englandneworder and had a Top 10 with "Regret" in 1993. Although their remaining 90s hits didn't have too much impact on the charts you can't really overlook a chart topper and an equal number of Top 10s for both decades.

Verdict: Hit

Duran Duran: This is a tough one to judge. They were one of the big four pop groups of the early 80s along with Wham!, Culture Club and Spandau Ballet and the popularity of all of them declined after 1986. However Duran Duran had a solitary Top 10 in the 90s with "Ordinary World" which many say was their finest moment. It's also worth noting that they were on the final episode of youth TV show The Word in 1995. On the other hand by the end of the 90s Nick Rhodes was the only original member left and it wasn't until 2001 when the classic line up reunited. If it wasn't for "Ordinary World" then it would be a miss.

Verdict: Hit

Human League: Another group whose popularity went into decline after 1986. They also had a solitary Top 10 in the 90s, "Tell Me When". It raises the question should 1 big hit equate to a successful decade? Another perspective is that in the case of Depeche Mode, New Order and Duran Duran their big 90s hits sounded like they belonged in the 90s, "Tell Me When" seems more 80s nostalgia. I'm really torn on this, I remember this big if short lived comeback at the time but it just doesn't seem quite enough.

Verdict: Miss

Kirsty MacColl: A much easier one to judge. She had 4 Top 40 hits spread between 1981 and 1989 with the biggest being "Fairytale Of New York". In 1991 she adopted the Madchester sound and had a number 23 with "Walking Down Madison" which was co-written by Johnny Marr. No more Top 40 hits followed and of her 5 Top 40 hits this ones easily the most obscure.

Verdict: Miss

Level 42: You may be thinking "Level 42 had Top 40 hits in the 90s?" They had 4 and got no higher than 17. I remember a comedy show called Early Doors where 2 characters who would of been young adults in the 80s telling a character who would of been a teenager in the 90s about Level 42 and he'd never heard of them. Although I'm a 90s teenager myself I get the point.

Verdict: Miss

U2: They had more Top 40 hits in the 90s than 80s, just. They also had 2 number ones in the 90s but only had 1 in the 80s. I don't think you ever need to look at their chart stats to figure out that they were pretty big in the 90s.

Verdict: Hit

Sharon Redd: Her biggest hit came in the 90s which should in theory make her 90s chart career a hit. However this is more to do with her 80s hits not charting particularly high. Also her solitary 90s hit was her providing vocals for the DNA cover of her Top 40 debut "Can You Handle It". 

Verdict: Miss

Bruce Springsteen: Once again we ask the question can one big hit equate to a successful decade? Bruce Springsteen had his biggest hit in 1994 with "Streets Of Philadelphia" which made number 2. It was his only Top 10 of the 90s but then he only had 3 in the 80s. Couple that with the fact his non-Top 10 90s hits include "Secret Garden" and "Human Touch" which I'd say are better remembered than his cover of "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" which was one of his 80s Top 10s I'd say he had a pretty successful decade.

Verdict: Hit

Kim Wilde: All I really remember about Kim Wilde in the 90s was that Chris Evans was a big fan. She did however have 3 Top 40 hits with the biggest one being the final one with her cover of "If I Can't Have You" making number 12. Not sure too many people remember that one.

Verdict: Miss

Lionel Richie: Another one who seemed done after 1986 but had a solitary big hit in the 90s. That big hit was "My Destiny". I remember being surprised when I retrospectively saw it came out in 1992 as I would of had it down as being from the 80s. I have no recollection of his 3 other 90s Top 40 hits. It's a tough one but I don't think that one hit is quite enough.

Verdict: Miss

Echo & The Bunnymen: When I hear the name I think of Chris Evans introducing them on TFI Friday. This was my introduction to them, I wasn't aware of their string of hits in the 80s at the time. "Nothing Lasts Forever" came out in 1997 and was their joint biggest hit. 2 more Top 40 hits followed but didn't have the same impact on the charts. The way they blended in with the other TFI Friday bands at the time makes me inclined to think this was a successful comeback.

Verdict: Hit

Top 30 in 1999 Reviewed: Week 33

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 26 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

I've decided against repetition from previous weeks moving forward so will only feature the records I'm reviewing for the first time. I also won't repeat the reviews from the Top 20 in 1999 Reviewed posts.

Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.

So this is the records new to the top 30 from this week in 1999 with my verdict on each record:

26. Ellie Campbell - So Many Ways

Ellie Campbell won a competition on GMTV to find the next big pop singer. The fact you're probably thinking Ellie who? will tell you it didn't quite work out that way. She failed to make the Top 40 with her debut and this became her only Top 40 hit. It was written by Pete Waterman, need I say anymore.

Verdict - Rubbish

25. Eclipse - Makes Me Love You

Eclipse were an Italian house duo and this was their only Top 40 hit. It samples "Thinking Of You" by Sister Sledge. That record lends itself very well to be sampled in house music and there is also minimal vocals in this which makes for a good record.

Verdict - Good

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 15.5/30, or 52%. Back above 50%, will this be the last time?

Dutch Top 40 1995: Week 33

These were the new entries in the Dutch Top 40 that never made the UK Top 40:

Marco Borsato - Je Hoeft Niet Naar Huis Vannacht

Marco Borsato was one of the most prolific artists in the Dutch Top 40 in the 90s and into the 21st century. He had 2 records in the Top 40 at the start of the year so I'm surprised it's taken till August until we see him again. This ones not as catchy as the other 2 records mentioned and the record buying public probably agreed as this failed to top the charts. He'll be back later in the year though.

Playahitty - The Summer Is Magic

I'm inclined to agree with this record given the era because 1995 is possibly the best summer there has ever been. There's a very 90s video to remind us how much better the world was back then and I can almost guarantee we'll never have a summer as good again. Playahitty were an Italian Eurodance act and their only other Dutch Top 40 effort was a 2008 version of this. I can almost guarantee that version will be shit so I'm not going to listen to it.

Michele - I Can Feel

Michele is a Dutch singer and this was her 2nd and final Dutch Top 40 hit. I guess this record is best described as a Eurodance ballad, similar in style to "Nothing Like The Rain" by 2 Unlimited which charted in Holland earlier on in the year but not the UK. These days Michele is the female vocalist for 2 Unlimited.

2000: The Good Old Days? - October

I can almost pin point this as being the time when I first properly got into rap music. It began with my purchase of "The Marshall Mathers LP" by Eminem and I already knew "The Way I Am" prior to purchasing which was a new entry this month. The only other rap new entry was "Nursery Rhymes" by British rapper Iceburg Slimm which wasn't so good.

The beginning of me properly getting in R&B was the Honeyz who had a new entry this month with "Not Even Gonna Trip". It would be a few more months until that time came though. The only other R&B new entry this month came from R Kelly with "I Wish" which is amongst his best hits.

Another contributing factor for me getting in R&B was my love of UK garage. This month we had R&B group Damage jump on the bandwagon with "Rumours" which is OK but is also my least favourite UK garage new entry this month.

The best is also the best record overall this month which is "Body Groove" by Architechs & Nana. I was annoyed at this getting into the charts, I wanted it to stay underground. Another big garage record this month was "Dooms Night" by Azzido Da Bass. So big that when it came on a garage tape I was listening to in my car, my mate said that was the first time he'd heard a tune in my car that he actually knows.

The other garage records this month were "Ain't No Stoppin Us" by DJ Luck & MC Neat & JJ, "Sorry (I Didn't Know)" by Monsta Boy featuring Denzie and "Something In Your Eyes" by Ed Case. I feel like we're in a golden period of garage with these records.

Plenty of other dance music in the charts this month but not much of it was any good. We had "Pasilda" by Afro Medusa which is good and "The Lonely One" by Alice Deejay which I like despite it being of the vocal trance/eurodance variety which is the main reason a few of the other records were crap.

On the chill out side of things we have "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad" by Moby which I remember being on the advert for the TV show "Hearts & Bones" which I never watched but it still makes me feel nostalgic. We also had "Eternity" by Orion which was also on an advert at the time, I can't remember what it was for but like the tune.

Here's a list of the records with the best on top, worst at the bottom and the good ones in green, OK ones in amber and rubbish ones in red (and in no particular order):

Score: 38%

Here's a look at the chart:

Now we have the best October so far but not quite the best month overall.

January Charts: 1971

Here are the new entries ranked from best to worst:

1. Ashton, Gardner And Dyke - Resurrection Shuffle

2. Smokey Robinson And The Miracles - (Come 'round Here) I'm The One You Need

3. The Supremes - Stoned Love

4. George Harrison - My Sweet Lord

5. Badfinger - No Matter What

6. Elton John - Your Song

7. The Carpenters - We've Only Just Begun

8. Mixtures - Pushbike Song

9. Tom Jones - She's A Lady

10. Bobby Bloom - Heavy Makes You Happy

11. Edgar Broughton Band - Apache Dropout

12. Dawn - Candida

13. Tony Christie - Las Vegas

14. Elvis Presley - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me

15. Perry Como - It's Impossible

16. Weathermen - It's The Same Old Song

17. Cliff Richard - Sunny Honey Girl

18. Melanie - What Have They Done To My Song Ma

19. Jackie Lee - Rupert

20. Petula Clark - Song Of My Life

The first question I have to ask when looking at the list and listening to the records is have we gone back to the 50s?

Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Perry Como and Petula Clark all have records here and all were charting in the 50s. The worst of these was "Song Of My Life" by Petula Clark. She'd enjoyed a revival in the 60s by adapting to a Motown type sound but here for her final original Top 40 hit she's very much gone back to the 60s.

Add Dawn to the mix who at this stage was basically Tony Orlando under a false name we are saying a quarter of the acts here were charting pre-Beatles. Speaking of The Beatles, George Harrison became the first band member to top the charts with a solo record with "My Sweet Lord". A decent record but has to settle for 4th place in this list.

The top record comes from Ashton, Gardner & Dyke with "Resurrection Shuffle", their only Top 40 hit. Ashton and Dyke had their routes in the mersey beat scene as part of The Remo Four and were part of George Harrisons backing band on his debut solo album in 1968.

Badfinger had their 2nd single in as many years with "No Matter What". This was written by band member Pete Ham as opposed to Paul McCartney who wrote their debut. 

Also up near the top are a couple of Motown records. We have "(Come Round Here) I'm The One You Need" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles which was a 1966 record revived by the Northern Soul movement. Then we have The Supremes who were now without Diana Ross in the group but could still make a good record. Down near the bottom we have a Motown cover by Jonathan King under the alias Weathermen which just sounds like a poor karaoke version.

In terms of new artists we have the debut of Tony Christie with "Las Vegas". Not a bad record but a bit old fashioned for the time. We also have the debut of Elton John with "Your Song", a song I do like but would put it in the easy listening category. I'd say the same for The Carpenters with their 2nd hit "We've Only Just Begun".

I could be said that the presence of The Beatles improved the overall quality of the music in the charts therefore the lack of The Beatles brought down the overall quality. Either way this is the worst score since The Beatles first came about.

Score: 37

UK Number 40s: Russ Chimes - Turn Me Out (2013)

 

In 1994 Praxis made the dance record "Turn Me Out" with Kathy Brown on vocals. Despite being quite a well known record it never made the Top 40 when first released. It finally made the Top 40 when it was rereleased in 1997 making number 35.

This record is a cover of the Praxis record done in a more modern EDM sort of way. It was the only Top 40 hit for Russ Chimes. According to his discogs page this was the 4th and final single he released.

Very little can be found about him on the internet. He has a Facebook page that hasn't been updated since 2020 where he posted an email address for people who want to enquire about remix, production or bookings which came a year after he'd previously posted about anything. I can only assume he's now given up on the music and gone back to the day job.

UK Number 40s: Amelia Lily - Party Over (2013)

 

Amelia Lily was a contestant on The X Factor in 2011 and ended up finishing in 3rd place. Her chart career went exactly the sort of way you'd expect an X Factor contestants career to go.

She made her Top 40 debut in September 2012 with "You Bring Me Joy" which reached number 2. Then in February 2013 she just missed out on the Top 10 with her follow up single "Shut Up (and Give Me Whatever You Got)" which made number 11. Then came this, her 3rd and final Top 40 hit in May 2013.She did release one further single, but it failed to make the Top 40.

This was a time when drum & bass was enjoying chart success, the week prior to this charting Rudimental were at number one with "Waiting All Night". This record was a drum & bass record, her first two singles weren't. What it had in common with her first two singles though is they were all written by the Xenomania songwriting team who have written for the likes of Girls Aloud and Sugababes. Additional songwriting on this record comes from Wayne Hector who wrote many Westlife hits.

Whilst Wayne Hector has still been charting as a songwriter in recent years, Xenomania were approaching the end of their Top 40 hits as songwriters.

80s in the 90s: 1980

In a Bee Gees documentary I once watched one of the members made a point that once a decade ends it's out with the old and in with the new in music terms i.e. if you were a successful music act in that decade you're old hat in the new one. He was referring to the Bee Gees dwindling popularly as the 70s began but in the end they had a pretty successful 70s.

It got me thinking about how 80s chart acts fared in the 90s. The 80s became uncool very early on in the 90s though there were certainly music acts who still had their credibility and chart success in the 90s and beyond.

To determine who was a hit or miss in the 90s I've come up with some rules. As this is based on the Top 40 it goes without saying each act I look at has to have Top 40 hits in both the 80s and 90s. Another rule is they need to have made their Top 40 debut in the 80s. Finally to qualify as an authentic 80s chart act you need to have at least 4 Top 40 hits in the 80s. If you made your Top 40 debut in December 1989 and then had a string of hits in the 90s then the 90s was your time really.

Determining whether they were a hit or miss in the 90s is based on the facts and not my opinions. 

I'm going to do these posts year by year beginning with 1980 so here goes:

Shakin Stevens: It could be argued that Shakin Stevens was already old hat when he made his Top 40 debut in 1980 given the 50s style music he was making. Chart wise though he managed to have a Top 40 hit every year in the 80s which included 4 number ones. However after he topped the charts in 1985 with "Merry Christmas Everyone" his Top 40 career was in decline with just 1 more Top 10 to his name. In the 90s he had 4 Top 40 hits. His biggest was "I Might" which reached 18 in 1990 followed by a long forgotten Christmas record the same year, another in 1991 and his final one of the decade was a collaboration with Roger Taylor in 1992 with "Radio" which just creeped into the Top 40 at 37. 

Verdict: Miss

Whitesnake: Although they debuted in 1980 their glory days from a chart perspective came in 1987 when they reach number 9 with both "Is This Love" and "Here I Go Again 87" which were their only Top 10s. Their 2 Top 40 hits in 1990, "The Deeper The Love" and "Now You're Gone" didn't reach the Top 30. All that remained for them in the 90s was a re-issue of "Is This Love" as a double a-side with "Sweet Lady Luck" in 1994 which made number 25.

Verdict: Miss

UB40: Like Shakin Stevens they had a Top 40 hit every year in the 80s and their music didn't exactly have that 80s sound. Whilst Shakin Stevens sound was very much 50s, UB40s sound could be any decade really and that perhaps helped them succeed in the 90s. They topped the charts in 1993 with "(I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You" and had a further 4 Top 10 hits. Several more made the lower reaches but that happened in the 80s too,

Verdict: Hit

The Cure: They're one of those bands whose chart positions don't exactly reflect the popularity of them. For example "Boys Don't Cry" only made number 22 in 1985. They finished the 80s with 13 Top 40 hits to their name with just 2 making the Top 10. They doubled their number of Top 10s in 1992 alone with "High" and "Friday I'm In Love" and that alone is a reason to say they did fare well in the 90s.

Verdict: Hit

Iron Maiden: Ask someone to name an Iron Maiden song and there is a good chance they'll say "Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter". That charted in 1991 and became their only chart topper thanks in part to them playing the system. They also reached number 2 with follow up "Be Quick Or Be Dead" and number 3 with prior hit "Holy Smoke" in 1990. Even the not so fondly remembered Blaze Bayley era gave them a Top 10 with "Man On The Edge".

Verdict: Hit

Robert Palmer: Although he debuted in 1980 his 3rd hit and first Top 10 didn't come until 1986 with his biggest hit "Addicted To Love". He finished the decade with 6 Top 40s of which 3 were Top 10s. In the 90s he had 4 Top 40 hits with 2 Top 10s, "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" with UB40 and "Mercy Mercy Me - I Want You" which peaked at 6 and 9 respectively, the same numbers his other Top 40s of the 80s made. 

Verdict: Hit

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark: They had a Top 40 hit every year between 1980 and 1986 and then nothing for the rest of the decade. However in 1991 they were back with the number 3 hit "Sailing On The Seven Seas" which became their joint highest charting single along with "Souvenir". Another Top 10 followed with "Pandora's Box". Their final 3 hits failed to make the Top 10 and they were finished Top 40 wise after 1996. This presents me with a dilemma, should a brief but successful comeback count as success in the 90s? Not always but in this instance as they managed their joint biggest hit and 2 Top 10s I'll give them a pass.

Verdict: Hit

Top 30 in 1999 Reviewed: Week 32

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 26 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

I've decided against repetition from previous weeks moving forward so will only feature the records I'm reviewing for the first time. I also won't repeat the reviews from the Top 20 in 1999 Reviewed posts.

Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.

So this is the records new to the top 30 from this week in 1999 with my verdict on each record:

28. Cast - Magic Hour

Cast had a pretty remarkable chart record in 1996/1997 after they scored 6 Top 10 hits in a row. One of the big successes of Britpop. By 1999 though the Britpop era was over and the wheels had fallen off the Top 40 career of Cast with this being their final Top 40 hit to date. I never really thought much of them to be honest.

Verdict - Rubbish

25. Culture Club - Your Kisses Are Charity

This was the final Top 40 hit to date for Culture Club. They'd left a bit of a gap between their comeback single "I Just Wanna Be Loved" and this which would have meant the hype around their comeback would have died down. Personally speaking I wanted to be hearing Boy George DJing in 1999 rather than reuniting with Culture Club.

Verdict - Rubbish

23. Cliff Richard - The Miracle

The penultimate Top 40 hit of the 90s which came before his final chart topper to date at the end of the year. Have no recollection of this and will hopefully never hear it again.

Verdict - Rubbish

22. 702 - Where My Girls At?

Missy Elliott wrote this record for TLC for their "Fanmail" album but TLC rejected it. Instead it was passed on to fellow female R&B group 702 which was their Top 40 debut. I don't blame TLC for rejected it, very cringeworthy. 

Verdict - Rubbish

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 12/30, or 40%. Think we're going to hover round here for some time.

Dutch Top 40 1995: Week 32

These were the new entries in the Dutch Top 40 that never made the UK Top 40:

Nance - Love Is

Generally speaking the faces of Eurodance acts in the 90s were a male rapper and a female singer. In Dutch Eurodance act Twenty4Seven you famously had Captain Hollywood as the male rapper in the beginning. What wasn't so well known was who the female singer was. As you may have now guessed, that singer was Nance and she had been in the Dutch Top 40 a few months prior as part of Twenty4Seven with "Keep On Tryin". This was the beginning of her solo career which was more of the same minus the male rapper.

Marcel De Groot - Mag Ik Naar Je Kijken

Before I looked up Marcel De Groot I assumed he was Dutch and had been charting since the 80s. I was half right, he is Dutch but this was his only Dutch Top 40 hit. It's a guitar record that wouldn't of sounded out of place in the 80s.

Rowwen Heze - Zondag In 'T Zuiden

It's the band from America who seemed to only chart in Holland again. That's because it's a village in Holland called America they are from rather than the country America. It's their usual folky style but the speed of this particular record could give happy hardcore a run for it's money. Perhaps that was intentional.

January Charts: 1970

Here are the new entries ranked from best to worst:

1. The Fifth Dimension - Wedding Bell Blues

2. The Temptations - I Can't Get Next To You

3. Contours - Just A Little Misunderstanding

4. Canned Heat - Let's Work Together

5. Peddlers - Girlie

6. Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Grows)

7. Mary Hopkin - Temma Harbour

8. The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back

9. Chicago - I'm A Man

10. Arrival - Friends

11. Boris Gardiner - Elizabethan Reggae

12. The Kinks - Victoria

13. Badfinger - Come And Get It

14. Shocking Blue - Venus

15. Steam - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

16. Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane

17. Jonathan King - Let It All Hang Out

18. Jethro Tull - The Witch's Promise/Teacher

19. Sacha Distel - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

20. Judy Collins - Both Sides Now

It would seem that 1969 was a good year all round but the first week of January 1970 is only a week after 1969 so are we going to see the same standards or an almighty drop.

Well we have something in 1970 that we didn't have in 1969, a record that scores 5. This is "Wedding Bell Blues" by Fifth Dimension that I picked as my record of the year for 1970. Easily the best record I've listened to so far in this series.

Almost getting a 5 was "I Can't Get Next To You" by The Temptations. This was a record where we get to hear all the members sing their own lines including Otis Williams. What stops it from getting a 5 is that it's not quite as good as "Since I Lost My Baby".

It's another Motown record in 3rd place with "Just a Little Misunderstanding by The Contours. This was originally from 1966 and the group had split up by this point but it got a new lease of life from being part of the Northern soul scene.

Another Motown record we have is The Jackson 5 debut hit "I Want You Back" which may have come higher had I not heard it so many times in my life.

The Beatles were on their way out but we have a couple of records from their Apple label. There's "Temma Harbour" by Mary Hopkin which I found myself enjoying more than I expected to. Then we have the debut of Badfinger with "Come and Get It" which despite it's low placing is a record I like.

The only truly awful record in this batch is "Both Sides Now" by Judy Collins which I find really dreary and irritating. We have 1 of 3 versions of "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head" to chart, the Sacha Distel version. It sounds a bit of a piss take version but not bad enough to score zero.

Jethro Tull are now into their progressive rock phase with the double a-side "The Witches Promise/Teacher". Neither are bad but I'd probably need to give them 100 listens to get it.

We have 2 records that Bananarama covered in the 80s by groups who had no other Top 40 hits. As a result I've got them mixed up before. They are "Venus" by Shocking Blue and "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam. "Venus" just about scrapes a 3 whereas "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" scores a 2.

Although 1969 remains top of the table 1970 is comfortably 2nd so far.

Score: 60

2000: The Good Old Days? - November

One of the notable things about dance music by the year 2000 was the sheer quantity of sub genres there were within it. We had many different variants of house music e.g. deep house, funky house etc. Garage was going the same way too, the most notable sub-genre of UK garage around this time was 2-step.

My favourite record for this month brings another sub-genre of garage to the table, break step. It's "138 Trek" by DJ Zinc who at the time was best known for being a drum & bass DJ. I do notice how this differs from your average 2-step record but I cannot think of another record that fits under the break step genre so I guess you can say this record is so good it has it's own genre.

The other UK garage record this month was "Please Don't Turn Me On" by Artful Dodger. This ones also a little different being a bit more mellow and more for listening to at home than in the club. A decent record nonetheless.

Narrowly missing out on best record is Laurent Garnier with the double a-side "Greed/The Man With The Red Face". It's very much a record for the underground that made it's way into the Top 40.

We have a hard house record from 666 with "Devil" and a French house record from Alan Braxe & Fred Falke with "Intro" which both get full marks. One that I still like despite hearing too many more times is one of the best known French house records "One More Time" by Daft Punk. 

De La Soul had their final Top 40 hit with "All Good" which I like, but there is a UK garage version of it that I find better. Wu-Tang Clan had their only Top 40 hit in their own right with "Gravel Pit" which was very much one I was enjoying at the time.

Little known indie band JJ72 are one I've got into retrospectively and they had a new entry this month with "October Swimmer". That's all the decent indie music for this month though.

Onto the worst record and that goes to Martine McCutcheon with "I'm Over You". It was a reminder that her music career was still going just about and it got played a lot at the time. I've not heard it since and didn't bother listening today because I can still hear it perfectly in my head and still think it's crap.

Here's a list of the records with the best on top, worst at the bottom and the good ones in green, OK ones in amber and rubbish ones in red (and in no particular order):

Score: 32%

Here's a look at the chart:

We're yet to reach the heights of 2001 but it's the best November.

UK Number 40s: Hot Natured & Ali Love - Benediction (2012)

 

Music genres can be a controversial topic and can often lead to a debate as to whether certain music should be categorised as a certain genre. During the EDM boom in the early 2010s one genre that started being widely used was deep house. However that genre was being used to describe different music as far back as the 80s.

This record was one those records that fell under the deep house genre by it's new definition. It's basically dance music that's more mellow than your typical EDM tune. These were the early days for this genre in the charts, had this been released a year later it may have got a higher chart placing as a few records in this genre topped the charts.

Hot Natured was a British-American group of producers and Ali Love is a singer who's also considered to be part of the group. They've been on hiatus since 2015 but the group members continue to be active in the EDM scene as individuals. This was their only Top 40 hit.

UK Number 40s: Frank Turner - I Still Believe (2012)

 

When punk first broke through to the mainstream in the 70s it was seen amongst other things as the voice of the working class. The aspect turned out to not be all as it seems when it came to light that there were members of The Clash and The Stranglers who were private school educated.

Punk as a genre in the charts died out in the early 80s but enjoyed a revival in the 90s up until we last saw Green Day in the Top 40 in 2009. Since then we've been in an era where acoustic guitars are seen more favourably in the mainstream than electric ones. As such, the nearest you get to punk in the charts in the modern era is someone like Frank Turner.

It's fair to say that Frank Turner is about as far away from working class as they come. He's the son of an investment banker and head teacher and the grandson of a bishop. To top all that though, he was a class mate of Prince William at Eton.

This was his sole Top 40 hit to date which is described as being folk punk. It was originally released in 2010 but didn't chart until 2 years later. It was perhaps helped into the Top 40 by it's appearance on the 2012 Olympics soundtrack.

Top 30 in 1999 Reviewed: Week 31

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 26 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

I've decided against repetition from previous weeks moving forward so will only feature the records I'm reviewing for the first time. I also won't repeat the reviews from the Top 20 in 1999 Reviewed posts.

Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.

So this is the records new to the top 30 from this week in 1999 with my verdict on each record:

25. Earth, Wind And Fire - September 1999

Phats & Small had made quite and impact with their Top 40 debut "Turn Around". Now here they are remixing "September" by Earth, Wind And Fire. I can't help but think they missed a trick by not waiting another month until they released it. Another disco remake house style that's quite good.

Verdict - Good

24. Smash Mouth - All Star

I feel like I've said this a number of times before for other records, but this sounds like the ultimate American high school record and not in a good way. There's something about a lot of these American high school type records that if anything made me grateful that I never went to an American high school.

Verdict - Rubbish

23. MAW Presents India - To Be In Love

When I was doing my yearly chart reviews I picked this as my record of the year for 1999. It's one of my all time favourites, a great bit of soulful house music that really can't be beaten. All I can say is give it a listen and get lost in the groove.

Verdict - Good

22. James - I Know What I'm Here For

This record has quite a distinct intro to it and gives the sense that this is going to be a good record. Unfortunately the intro is as good as it gets, one the record properly kicks in it just sounds average at best. I'll reflect that in the score.

Verdict - OK

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 14.5/30, or 48%. Back to that ever familiar score.

Dutch Top 40 1995: Week 31

These were the new entries in the Dutch Top 40 that never made the UK Top 40:

Offspring - Gotta Get Away

Just the one record this week and quite a surprise one really. The Offspring were reasonably popular in the UK in 1995 but that didn't translate to the charts as the only UK Top 40 hit they had at the time was "Self Esteem" and even that only made number 37.