In April 2000 Sara Cox took over the Radio 1 breakfast show, one of those out with the old in with the new moments in this new century we entered. Here's the music I was enjoying:
Blink 182 - All The Small Things
In April 2000 Sara Cox took over the Radio 1 breakfast show, one of those out with the old in with the new moments in this new century we entered. Here's the music I was enjoying:
Blink 182 - All The Small Things
The number of indie records in the Top 40 peaked in 2005. Whilst the actual number of indie hits declined in the years that followed, the number of actual Top 40 hits also declined thanks in part to the change in rules that allowed downloads.
In 2008 there were less than half the number of Top 40 hits there had been in 2005 but proportionately there was slightly more indie music. The Wombats were one of the later bands to join the indie movement in the Top 40 having made their debut the previous year.
This was Top 40 hit number four for them and all 4 hits were taken from their "A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation" album. The fact people who wanted this would have probably had the album would explain it only making number 40.
When the Wombats returned to the Top 40 2 years later the charts had moved on to being full of electropop music so the Wombats reacted to that by making an electropop record. Perhaps the title of this record gave some sort of indication towards that move.
Hercules & Love Affair may sound like it should be a collaboration between someone who goes by the name Hercules and the 60s band. It isn't though, Hercules & Love Affair is just one person who is Andy Butler.
This was his only UK Top 40 hit and it featured vocals from Anohni who had previous had a number 39 single in 2005 under the name Antony & The Johnsons.
It was an electronic record that was on DFA records which was the big label at the time for releasing electronic records that appealed to both the dance and rock crowds.
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:
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%. That ever familiar just below 50% score.
These were the new entries in the Dutch Top 40 that never made the UK Top 40:
Cheers - Alice Ik Geef Geen X Om Alice (Living Next Door To Alice)
It seemed liked everyone was jumping on the Alice bandwagon in 1995. I cannot find any information about Cheers but I gather they were Dutch and this is the only thing they seemed to do. It's exactly the same song as "Living Next Door To Alice" but with Dutch lyrics.
Captain Hollywood Project - Find Another Way
We've already learned that Germany based America Captain Hollywood was having hits in Holland after his UK Top 40 career had ended. This record is the end of his chart career in the Dutch Top 40. It's a shame really because he's doing a happy hardcore record here. Yes a cheesy sped up Eurodance type happy hardcore record, but no more cheesy than you're average Bonkers record really.
We say hello to Dutch rock band De Dijk again having previously seen them in the 3rd week. It will be the last time we see them too with their next hit coming in 1997.
Corry Konings - Schenk Me Deze Ene Nacht
I guess all countries have their artists who have quite a prolific chart career in their homeland but are virtually unknown elsewhere. Here's an example of this, Corry Konings make her Dutch Top 40 debut in 1969 and her most recent hit came in 1999. This was her only effort of 1995. It's reminding me of the first time I saw live music at the pub. When I say live music, I mean 1 singer and a tape machine.
Koos Alberts - Amsterdamse Hitmedley
They sure like their medleys in Holland and here's another one. It was the only Dutch Top 40 hit of 1995 for Koos Alberts. He had a solitary hit in 1994 too with a medley. Go back to the 80s and he was having hits with Corry Konings above.
When we reached the first zero points chart in 2007 we were past the time I said my music taste was dance, rap and R&B. It had changed to anything that's good. As we approach the start of 2002 we are possibly getting to before the time I declared that as my music taste.
In February though all the full marks come from the dance, rap and R&B genres.
Dance wise we have "Drill" by Dirt Devils and "To Get Down (Rock Thing)" by Timo Maas getting full marks whilst "What Ya Got 4 Me" by Signum and "So Lonely" by Jakatta both get half marks. Just the one UK garage record this month which is "Bring It On To My Love" by De Nada which I don't like, mainly because I can't stand the singing on it much like their other hit.
The best record is a rap record which is "Worst Comes To Worst" by Dilated Peoples. I remember hearing it first on the Top 40 countdown and instantly fell in love with it and eventually went to see Dilated Peoples in concert.
Also from the rap world is "Always on Time" by Ja Rule & Ashanti. This lead to me buying the "Pain Is Love" album which a remember listening to quite extensively come Easter time. The final rap tune getting full marks is "Got Ur Self A" by Nas which is taken from another album that I own.
R&B wise we have a record that was ridiculed at the time and long forgotten now. That record is "Ride" by Ana Ann. She was UK based but her accent suggested she wasn't British and she came from a rich family who set up a record label to release her music. She then promptly disappeared off the face of the earth and there's very little about her on the internet. The song itself featured a male vocalist who sounded a bit like R Kelly. I have to say though, I do like the record.
One single I did buy at the time was "Moi Lolita" by French singer Alizee which was sung in French so I had no idea what it was about. It was cheesy and rubbish but I liked it. Then I had enough and eventually sold it on eBay a few years later. I'm giving it half a point for nostalgia reasons putting aside the fact she looks pretty scary these days.
Onto the worst record then which goes to Britney Spears with "Overprotected". It was on the music channels all the time and I can clearly picture the start of the video where she has her back to the camera which at the time was a sign to change the channel.
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):