2004: The Good Old Days? - May

Let's take a moment to recap the journey so far. I tested the theory that the quality of the charts plummeted in 2005. In truth there was a gradual decline and then in Oct 2007 we had the first month where I didn't like a single new entry. Then I decided to go back in time to 2004 to see if the charts were better than what followed. Prior to the slump in the run up to Christmas this generally proved to be the case. Also based on the Top 40 in the first week of July I found 2004 to be better than a lot of 20th Century years. Now I've gone back to May, this happened:

This was perhaps the last prolific month in the Top 40 for trance music. We're talking the commercial rubbish being churned out in large quantities, a sort of predecessor to EDM. I have however managed to find a point for Oceanlab with "Satellite", the rest all get zero. The only other dance music point goes to Armand Van Helden with "Hear My Name".

Rap wise we fare better with the best record going to Busta Rhymes & Method Man with "What's Happenin'". There's also full marks for Cassidy & R Kelly with "Hotel" whilst Chingy & J Weav get half a point for "One Call Away".

Onto R&B and it's actually quite tragic. The only point goes to The 411 & Ghostface Killah with "On My Knees" which I feel needs an explanation. I like the sampling and the sampling is the chorus plus it's a decent rap from Ghostface Killah. The singing from The 411 is terrible.

The worst record is also an R&B number from Christina Milian with "Dip It Low". Just a few months prior I'd seen her debut album in a record shop for just £2 which implied her brief music career was finished. Unfortunately that wasn't the case and she returned with this really poor effort.

The only other record to get full marks was one that wasn't from 2004 but was charting for the first time then. Nick Drake died in 1974 and had recorded the tune "Magic" in 1969 and was reworked by Richard Hewson.

There's also half marks for The Corrs with "Summer Sunshine" and for Kasabian with "Club Foot".

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: 14%

Here's a look at the chart:

2004 was starting to look consistent until this month. It's worse than much of 2005.

Top 30 in 1998 Reviewed: Week 42

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 Wednesday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.

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 top 30 from this week in 1998 with my verdict on each record:

30. Lutricia McNeal - Someone Loves You Honey

This was a cover of a country record from the 70s by Johnny Rodriguez. It was the 3rd Top 40 hit for Lutricia McNeal making it 3 out of 3 to make the Top 10, though none of her other hits made it. One of those records that's made to say rather than be any good musically.

Verdict - Rubbish

29. Fun Lovin' Criminals - Big Night Out (New)

My initial thought before pressing the play button is do I know this record. As I started listening I release that I do, it's the one about supermodels on his dick. I have no problem with the perhaps controversial nature of the lyrics, it's just not very good musically.

Verdict - Rubbish

28. Melanie B ft Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott - I Want You Back

Geri Halliwell had left the Spice Girls, but it was Mel B who was the first to start their solo career. this record was made for the biopic of Frankie Lymon and I could only imagine Frankie Lymon turning in his grave at this. Nothing good about this record at all.

Verdict - Rubbish

27. Blue Adonis - Disco Cop (New)

You may be thinking that you don't know this record, but if you give it a listen you will have probably heard it at some point in 1998. It was one of those records I recall hearing a lot without being obvious what it was. It's not bad, but nothing special.

Verdict - OK

26. Placebo - You Don't Care About Us

Placebo managed to score their joint highest charting hit with their previous Top 40 record which was the lead single from their yet to be released album. They followed up with this, their 3rd highest charting hit also helped by the album still not being out by this point. Once again I'm not a fan.

Verdict - Rubbish

25. Steps - One For Sorrow

The 3rd Top 40 hit for Steps. Whilst on their 2nd hit you wouldn't know any of the males were on it, on this song you wouldn't know anyone but Claire Richards was on it. Once again they've very much gone for the Abba sound and once again it's absolutely dreadful.

Verdict - Rubbish

24. Jennifer Paige - Crush

This was the only Top 40 hit for Jennifer Paige and it was huge at the time. The chorus is pretty catchy but the verses sound like they were written just to fill the time between choruses. Overall though I find it pretty cringeworthy.

Verdict - Rubbish

23. Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You

Few would argue that this was the biggest dance record of 1998. It was everywhere at the time. It was a one off side project by Daft Punks Thomas Bangalter along with Alan Braxe. I wasn't impressed when I first heard it, I thought it was too repetitive. It did manage to grow on me eventually though after hearing it for maybe the 100th time.

Verdict - Good

22. Afrika Bambaataa Vs Carpe Diem - Got To Get Up (New)

This takes me back to the days when I used to record tunes I liked off of Dave Pearce's Dance Anthems. The problem was the beginning would often be cut off which revealed what the tune was. Therefore there was a period of time I'd be listening to this not knowing what it was. The beginning bit is a giveaway though.

Verdict - Good

21. Dee-Tah - Relax

When I first heard this I thought that Sweetbox were back with a follow up single. It wasn't though, it was Dee-Tah who was a Chilean rapper based in Sweden. The fact I thought it was Sweetbox along with how much I liked the Sweetbox record tells you how much I thought of this record. It's one that takes me to my own little world again.

Verdict - Good

20. Savage Garden - To The Moon And Back

One day in 1998 I got a lift from someone with a modified Ford Fiesta with a fancy stereo system. He turned it on and a tune with an electronic sounding intro came on. I was expecting it to turn into a dance record that you were likely to hear blasting out of these cars at the time, but no it was "To The Moon And Back" by Savage Garden. When "I Want You" by Savage Garden came on next it confirmed he was playing their album and not the radio. I found it hilarious, but at the same time I realised I actually quite like this record too.

Verdict - Good

19. UB40 - Come Back Darling

UB40 were back doing what they were best known for, the cover version. This was the lead single from their "Labour of Love III" album and was their 35th Top 40 hit and last Top 10 hit to date. They'd long had that formula perfected. The original was by Johnny Osbourne.

Verdict - Good

18. Boyzone - No Matter What

What this record now reminds me of was the time a friend of mine tortured me with it on the way home from a Nelly Furtado concert. He agreed to go to the concert without being familiar with Nelly Furtado and decided he didn't like it so I figure playing this repeatedly on the way home was his act of revenge. I do question why he had it on tape though, but then again his taste in music was very questionable.

Verdict - Rubbish

17. The Honeyz - Finally Found

This was the Top 40 debut for The Honeyz and British R&B music at its finest. The bit of the chorus where Celena sings "It's always been you" is second to none. I was a big Honeyz fan for a period of time and considered myself pretty clued up on them, but I've only just discovered now that this was written by Henry Binns of Zero 7. 

Verdict - Good

16. Daniel O'Donnell - The Magic Is There (New)

Once again I'm questioning who was buying these Daniel O'Donnell singles in the 90s. This was hit number 9 for him and he wasn't finished yet.

Verdict - Rubbish

15. Garbage - Special (New)

This was the 3rd Top 40 hit from their 2nd album. The first 2 hits both made number 9 but this one only managed number 15 before they made 9 again with their next single. I certainly have a much higher opinion of Garbage now than I did prior to doing these posts. They had some good hits.

Verdict - Good

14. The Cardigans - My Favourite Game (New)

In 1998 I was a big fan of formula one to the extent that I'd get up at stupid hours to watch the grand prix live. The final grand prix of that season was the Japanese Grand Prix and at the end of the coverage they had a montage of the seasons highlights with this song playing over the top. It worked really well and probably helped me to like this record. Also as a result this record reminds me of Martin Brundle.

Verdict - Good

13. Robbie Williams - Millennium

In the summer of 1998 Robbie Williams appeared as a pundit for the World Cup  where Martin O'Neill told him the he thought he'd struggle with a solo career because he couldn't write songs or play an instrument. His solo career had taken another step up with this record giving him his first number one. It samples "You Only Live Twice" by Nancy Sinatra and is simple but effective.

Verdict - Good

12. 4 The Cause - Stand By Me

The only Top 40 hit for Germany based American R&B group 4 The Cause who were all teenagers at the time. Best known for their association with R Kelly these days but I'll say no more on that. It's a cover of the Ben E King record and is fuckin terrible.

Verdict - Rubbish

11. Ace Of Base - Cruel Summer

Ace Of Base have gone back to the dance music formula with this record which was a cover of the Bananarama record. It would be their final Top 10 hit. They generally did a good job of making pop records that are easy on the ears, but I can't really take to this one. The fact I'm not keen on the original probably doesn't help.

Verdict - Rubbish

10. Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)

We'd had the solo Top 40 debuts as lead artists of fellow Fugees members Wyclef Jean and Pras. Now it was time the the debut of Lauryn Hill whose solo career was just as brief as the Fugees. Once again though it's something different and I remember I'd reached the point of openly admit to liking music that wasn't rave because I openly admitted to liking this.

Verdict - Good

9. T-Spoon - Sex On The Beach

T-Spoon had previous had a Top 40 hit with "Coco Jamboo"....oh wait that wasn't T-Spoon. It was by German group Mr. President and T-Spoon were basically a Dutch version i.e. one male and two females with a very cheesy record. The lyrical content upset a few people which helped it to sell records. 

Verdict - Rubbish

8. Brandy ft Mase - Top Of The World

After Brandy scored a number 2 with her duet with Monica, she teamed up with Mase and achieved the same again. It was also written by Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins and LaShawn Daniels. I would however say it's probably the most obscure number 2 of the year as I don't remember it first time round. If I had then I may have thought twice about buying Brandy's "Never Say Never" album.

Verdict - Rubbish

7. The Beautiful South - Perfect 10

When the Beautiful South revival happened in 1996 they had 2 hits where Jacqui Abbot did the entire lead vocals and 1 where Paul Heaton did. Around 18 months after that last hit they were back with a record where both singers shared lead vocals. On a personal note I remember walking one wet Sunday afternoon with this record going round my head. It was in a good way though.

Verdict - Good

6. Monica - The First Night (New)

After Brandy was able to score another number 2 with her follow up to "The Boy Is Mine" Monica was unable to do the same getting to number 6 with this. She had Jermaine Dupri behind this record. To be fair she'd not even been in the Top 20 prior to her big hit. This would be her final Top 40 hit to date. Like with the Brandy follow up though, not my cup of tea.

Verdict - Rubbish

5. Natalie Imbruglia - Smoke (New)

After having a blip with her previous hit "Wishing I Was There", Natalie Imbruglia was back in the Top 10 with this record. It would be her final Top 40 hit of the 90s, but unfortunately she'd be back in the 21st century. It's a record that never really gets started.

Verdict - Rubbish

4. Aerosmith - I Don't Want To Miss A Thing

Imagine that you are a songwriter in a band with varying degrees of success over the years but still await you first US Number 1 or your first UK Top 10. Then 28 years later you finally achieve both with a song written by somebody else, not just anybody else, but Diane Warren who's written shit loads of hits for other people. That's exactly what happened to Steve Tyler. Aerosmith were described as a blues-based hard rock band when they formed in 1970 but by the 90s their style was more Rock Music for people who aren't into Rock Music. The guitars are so discrete in this song you would question whether this is even Rock Music at all even if Wikipedia describes it as being "Hard Rock". I'm not one to shy away from ballads by Rock bands but this seems a step too far. Despite this though, I can't help but like it.

Verdict - Good

3. Fatboy Slim - Gangster Trippin (New)

Whilst "Praise You" is credited with making Fatboy Slim a household name, he was definitely someone people were talking about by the time this record came out. I was loving this record at the time and it's quite possibly my favourite of the Fatboy Slim hits. It also appears on "Kiss Anthems 98" prior to the Norman Cook remix of "Brimful Of Asha" so I find myself drawn to that once it ends. 

Verdict - Good

2. B*Witched - Rollercoaster

The 2nd Top 40 hit and 2nd chart topper for B*Witched. On thing they had over their girl group rivals the Spice Girls was they went straight into number one with their first 2 hits whereas the Spice Girls climbed to number one with their first. To rub it in further, they knocked Spice Girl Mel B off the top. Musically though they were still just as bad as each other. 

Verdict - Rubbish

1. Billie Piper - Girlfriend (New)

The 2nd Top 40 hit for Billie Piper and her 2nd chart topper, though this would be her last. I do remember making a point at the time that her music was always going to have limitations given she was only 15 but then someone pointed out that she'd just turned 16. It's very much music for kids though.

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 13.5/30, or 45%. Now we've dropped.

UK Number 40s: Delays - Hey Girl (2003)

 

At the start of the 21st century dance music was massive and one was more likely to take up DJing than play the guitar. By the mid-00s guitars and bands were back in fashion and taking over the charts. 

When this record came out we were starting to move into that new era. For every big name indie band having big hits there were some lesser known indie bands charting in the lower reaches. Delays were one of those bands.

This was their Top 40 debut. It was written by their lead singer Greg Gilbert and was taken from their then upcoming debut album "Faded Seaside Glamour". They did better with the next Top 40 hit "Long Time Coming" which reached number 16 and became their highest charting single.

They had a total of 6 Top 40 hits with just the one making the Top 20 and their final hit coming in 2006. Lead singer Greg Gilbert died in 2021.

Top 30 in 1994 Reviewed: Week 42

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

Here is the Top 40 in full.

Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.

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 top 30 from this week in 1994 with my verdict on each record:

30. Reel 2 Real ft The Mad Stuntman - Can You Feel It?

Another Top 40 hit from Erick Morillo's commercial dance project. You pretty much knew what you were getting by this point, though this time he added some female vocals just to make it a little bit different but not too much.

Verdict - Rubbish

29. The Rolling Stones - You Got Me Rocking

The charting of this record meant that The Rolling Stones had 2 Top 40 singles in the same year for the first time since 1980. In reality though few people remember anything by The Rolling Stones which came after their solitary 1981 hit "Start Me Up". This isn't a very memorable one.

Verdict - Rubbish

28. Juliet Roberts - I Want You (New)

This was originally part of a double a-side earlier on in the year with "Again" which made number 33. This is slower than I remember it being. Like with her hits generally it's pleasant enough without being outsstanding.

Verdict - OK

27. Aaliyah - (At Your Best) You Are Love (New)

The 2nd Top 40 hit for Aaliyah which is a cover of an Isley Brothers record. It was this version that was sampled in the happy hardcore record "12" of Love" by Sy and Eruption which is one I particularly liked. That in turn makes me like this record if anything.

Verdict - Good

26. Purple Kings - That's The Way You Do It (New)

The only Top 40 hit for the Purple Kings which is a eurodance record that heavily samples "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits. According to Discogs this is the only thing that Purple Kings or any of its members ever did, though one of them is called Dodo so could be anyone. I too would want to put my real name to this.

Verdict - Rubbish

25. Manic Street Preachers - She Is Suffering (New)

This was the 14th Top 40 hit for the Manic Street Preachers and the last before the disappearance of Richey Edwards. Some have the opinion that they went too soft in the post-Richey Edwards era but records like this imply they were already going soft beforehand.

Verdict - Rubbish

24. M-Beat ft General Levy - Incredible

Jungle had arrived in the Top 40. The rave music that was hitting the charts in 91/92 was reflective of the rave scene but once the rave hits dried up the music was changing in the underground branching off into jungle and happy hardcore. This evolution wasn't seen in the Top 40, just straight from the original rave sound to jungle with a gap in between. I was initially gearing towards jungle when I first got into rave.

Verdict - Good

23. Gloria Estefan - Turn The Beat Around (New)

The 11th Top 40 hit of the 90s for Gloria Estefan and we're not even halfway through the decade. We're into the era of her doing covers with this being a cover of a disco record by Vicki Sue Robinson and is done disco style. I've not heard the original but I'd speculate Gloria Estefan didn't do much to make it her own.

Verdict - Rubbish

22. The Nightcrawlers - Push The Feeling On (New)

I remember watching this video. You had lots of strange looking people enter the photo booth, but then the last one to walk in was an ordinary looking bloke with long hair. Not only did I think the bloke with long hair was a bit out of place for looking normal, but I also thought long hair equaled rock music, and this was a dance record. I was therefore amazed to see the bloke with long hair was the bloke singing it, though in hindsight it makes a lot of sense. A bit overplayed now, but I still like it.

Verdict - Good

21. Wet Wet Wet - Love Is All Around

Aside from a chart topper in 1992, the 90s hadn't been a great decade to this point for Wet Wet Wet from a Top 40 perspective with the rest of their singles of the decade so far failing to reach the Top 10. This was all about to change with this record after it spent 15 weeks at number one and could have beaten Bryan Adams record had they not pulled it from sale. Obviously this topped the charts due to it being from "Four Weddings and a Funeral" but it's also a decent song and definitely revitalised them after some pretty poor singles.

Verdict - Good

20. 2wo Third3 - I Want The World

When Bad Boys Inc. had their final Top 40 hit to date I said that next up was Upside Down in the 3rd rate boy band world. I'd forgotten about the very brief chart career of 2wo Third3. It was just the beginning of a very successful music career for songwriting band member Richard Stannard who went onto write many of The Spice Girls hits. This record is just as bad.

Verdict - Rubbish

19. Jamiroquai - Space Cowboy

1994 seemed to be a pretty big year for acid jazz movement so it was only a matter of time before we'd see Jamiroquai back in the Top 40. This was the lead single from "The Return of the Space Cowboy" album and this has such a good groove to it that it doesn't really need anything else.

Verdict - Good

18. Boyz II Men - I'll Make Love To You

This was really "End Of The Road" part 2. Once again it's a Babyface penned ballad and know by many as their other hit. I guess it worked wonders for them the first time round so why not do the same again. It didn't quite hit the same heights as "End Of The Road" in the UK but it topped the charts in America.

Verdict - Rubbish

17. The Cranberries - Zombie

I was always a big critic of The Cranberries. To me their music was too namby pamby for the rock crowd to be listening to. Then along came this record to contradict what I was saying. I tried really hard to not like this record because it's The Cranberries but I have to admit I do like it.

Verdict - Good

16. Cappella - Move It Up / Big Beat (New)

The penultimate Top 40 hit to date for Cappella who use the word "Move" once again on one side and use a genre name that was just emerging for the other side. Nothing big beat about either of these tunes, it's the usual eurodance rubbish as their previous few hits.

Verdict - Rubbish

15. PJ And Duncan - If I Give You My Number

PJ & Duncan had now left Byker Grove and had made their name as pop stars following the success of "Let's Get Ready To Rhumble". I remember this being played a lot by the same people who'd been listening to "Baby I Love Your Way" and "I Swear". That tells you about who this was aimed at, not me.

Verdict - Rubbish

14. Luther Vandross And Mariah Carey - Endless Love

Luther Vandross is one of the best singers of all time. At the same time though he put his voice to some pretty terrible records. To make thinks worse he duets with Mariah Carey on this Lionel Richie and Diana Ross cover. I absolutely hate this record whatever the version.

Verdict - Rubbish

13. CJ Lewis - Best Of My Love

I found myself liking a lot of the reggae pop music that came out in 1993, but the ragga pop that was coming out in 1994 got tedious pretty quickly. This was the 3rd Top 40 hit for CJ Lewis which again was giving an old song a ragga pop makeover. It was the last of this formula he had a Top 40 hit with, he did a couple of original compositions afterwards but they failed to reach the Top 30.

Verdict - Rubbish

12. Snap! ft Summer - Welcome To Tomorrow

I knew this record would be appearing soon after "Yesterday When I Was Mad" by the Pet Shop Boys hit the charts. This record came on the radio all the time when it sounded like it could be the Pet Shop Boys for the first couple of seconds. I hate it as a result, but now I can listen at my leisure I'm actually quite liking this.

Verdict - Good

11. Elton John - Circle Of Life

This was Elton John's other song from the "Lion King". It really just sounds like an inferior version of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight". As "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" only just scraped a half mark this record isn't going to get any.

Verdict - Rubbish

10. Madonna - Secret

This was the lead single from the "Bedtime Stories" album where Madonna was jumping on the R&B bandwagon. The man behind this record was Dallas Austin. He's a credible producer but he's wrote a lot of crap too and this is an example of the crap he's written.

Verdict - Rubbish

9. East 17 - Steam

I've sang pretty much every East 17 hit at karaoke at some point, but this ones my favourite to sing. I'd also say this is probably my favourite East 17 hit. As I transitioned to a raver this record made me think that maybe I could now get away with admitting to liking East 17. I did hold off a few years until I did that though.

Verdict - Good

8. Lisa Loeb And Nine Stories - Stay (I Missed You)

The only Top 40 hit for Lisa Loeb and also the only record of hers that I've ever heard. I don't want to ruin my perception by hearing any of her other songs. A great bit of 90s pop and they don't make them like this anymore.

Verdict - Good

7. Michelle Gayle - Sweetness

I would call this a good representation of everything that was naff about the 90s. I think of it as the sort of record that Andi Peters would like. At the time I remember finding this record painfully slow and when I heard it years later I was reminded of what a poor record it was.

Verdict - Rubbish

6. Corona - The Rhythm Of The Night

The Top 40 debut for Corona. What I remember about this record what it came about was there was lots of eurodance about and I thought oh no not another sodding eurodance record. It summed up everything I was hating in music at the time. Listening now I have to say it's not aged very well.

Verdict - Rubbish

5. Cyndi Lauper - Hey Now (Girls Just Want To Have Fun)

In order to promote her greatest hits album, Cyndi Lauper returned with a reggae style remix of her debut hit. It samples "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone. It sounds very cheesy, even more so than the original which is really saying something.

Verdict - Rubbish

4. Pato Banton - Baby Come Back

I remember at the time learning that this was a cover of a 60s number one by The Equals. When I asked my mum if the original was a reggae tune she said no, there was no such thing back then. Well actually there was. I also remember people singing the "CD collection of Bob Marley" part thinking that was just a piss take not realising that was actually part of the lyrics. I think it's also worth pointing out that this also features Ali and Robin Campbell from UB40 who I think do more singing in it that Pato Banton. Anyway its a good bit of reggae pop.

Verdict - Good

3. Bon Jovi - Always

I hated this record at the time. Bon Jovi had become the rock band for people not into rock music and releasing this ballad which became their biggest hit didn't do them any favours in that respect. A few years later though I realised that I actually like this song. I knew someone who had their greatest hits and I borrowed it just to tape this song which then got regularly played in my car. 

Verdict - Good

2. Whigfield - Saturday Night

I first came across this record via someone singing it at school. I heard her singing the "be my baby" part initially thinking she was trying to sing "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", but it wasn't long before I was hearing this everywhere. Once the hype had died down I remember hearing it on holiday a couple of years later for the first time in while and was thinking how badly it had aged already, it was sounding far too slow.

Verdict - Rubbish

1. Take That - Sure (New)

The comeback single for Take That which was the lead single from what proved to be their final album before splitting. They came back with a new look to mark the new era, Robbie had shaved his head, Marks hair was considerably shorter, Jason's hair was considerably longer, Howard had dreads and Gary looked exactly the same. Brothers in Rhythm were the producers on this record but don't let that fool you into thinking it's any good because it isn't.

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 11.5/30, or 38%. We remain below 50%.