UK Number 40s: Lil Tjay & Polo G & Fivio Foreign - Headshot (2021)

 

The question I always have for a number 40 record is why did it only make number 40? Is it an artist of yesteryear clinging on to their chart career? Is it someone yet to reach the peak of their popularity? Is it something quite niche?

This is a record by 3 rappers. The week this entered the Top 40 at it's number 40 peak, Lil Tjay was at number 9 with his debut single "Calling My Phone" which had peaked at number 2. Polo G was at number 7 with his debut single "Patience" which had peaked at number 3. Fivio Foreign was making his Top 40 debut.

All new artists then, but given how recent this was we still don't know whether any of them are yet to reach the peak of their popularity. A logical reason for this number 40 placing is that the sheer quantity of rap in the Top 40 meant we would inevitably get rap records in the lower reaches.

Top 30 in 1999 Reviewed: Week 45

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:

29. Scooch - When My Baby

With Pete Waterman enjoying success with Steps, Matt Stock and Matt Aitken started writing records for their own version of Steps. This was the Top 40 debut for Scooch and it's much the sort of formula that Steps used and could just as easily be a Steps record. Obviously it's shit then.

Verdict - Rubbish

26. Shola Ama - Still Believe

Shola Ama was back with a 2nd album and this was the lead single. It was just the 2nd Top 40 hit written by Norwegian songwriting duo Stargate who had written "S Club Party" which was still in the Top 40 one place below this record. It's not a great comeback and it flopped. 

Verdict - Rubbish

25. Semisonic - Closing Time

In the UK I would say that Semisonic are best known for "Secret Smile" but in America this one was their big hit. I would put both records on a par when it comes to how catchy they are, but neither record is really my cup of tea.

Verdict - Rubbish

23. Ian Brown - Love Like A Fountain

Whilst his former Stone Roses band mate John Squires only managed one album with his post Stone Roses band The Seahorses, Ian Brown had managed to make it to a 2nd solo album of which this was the lead single. It's more of the same really and not to my liking.

Verdict - Rubbish

21. Cher - Dov'e L'Amore

It had been over a year since Cher topped the charts with "Believe" and this was the final single to be taken from the album of the same name. It's another dance record, but this time there's a Latin flavour to it and it sounds like it could be a Gloria Estefan record.

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 7.5/30, or 25%. An improvement but still poor.

Dutch Top 40 1995: Week 45

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

Marco Borsato - Kom Maar Bij Mij

This has an unusually low chart peak of 20 for Marco Borsato who's had more Dutch number ones than anyone else besides the Beatles. I can sort of see why though, whilst his other songs I've heard are quite catchy this is a pretty forgettable ballad.

Benny Neyman - Scherven Van Je Leven

Benny Neyman was a Dutch singer from the 80s who was now in the latter stages of his Dutch Top 40 career with this being his penultimate Dutch Top 40 hit. We have a pretty forgettable ballad again, not what one would expect from a country that gave us gabber.

La Bouche - Sweet Dreams (Ohla Ohla Eh)

I keep thinking this is a DJ Scott record because he had a UK Top 40 hit in 1995 with "Sweet Dreams" but this was a cover of the Eurythmics record and I keep forgetting that. La Bouche had just the 1 UK Top 40 hit with "Be My Lover" but I'd say this ones pretty well known despite it not making the UK Top 40.

January Charts: 1983

Here are the new entries ranked from best to worst:

1. Marvin Gaye - My Love Is Waiting

2. Men At Work - Down Under

3. The Stranglers - European Female

4. Prince - 1999

5. Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out

6. China Crisis - Christian

7. The Thompson Twins - Love On Your Side

8. Rocker's Revenge - The Harder They Come ft Donnie Calvin

9. Billy Griffin - Hold Me Tighter In The Rain

10. Icehouse - Hey Little Girl

11. Dire Straits - Twisting By The Pool

12. Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue

13. Echo & The Bunnymen - The Cutter

14. Sharon Redd - In The Name Of Love

15. Melba Moore - Mind Up Tonight

16. U2 - New Year's Day

17. Joe Cocker And Jennifer Warnes - Up Where We Belong

18. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

19. Central Line - Nature Boy

20. Level 42 - The Chinese Way

21. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy

22. Wham! - Wham Rap

23. Haysi Fantayzee - Shiny Shiny

24. Toto - Africa

25. Indeep - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life

26. The Belle Stars - Sign Of The Times

I think the best word to describe this batch of records generally speaking is funky. 

Lets begin with the top record which is "My Love Is Waiting" by Marvin Gaye. A lot is said about his big 80s comeback with "Sexual Healing", a great record by the way. This follow up barely gets acknowledged but is one of the best things he's done and showed not all former Motown artists were past their best.

There were 2 more former Motown artists entering the charts this month. Former Miracles member Billy Griffin had his only solo hit with "Hold Me Tighter In The Rain" which is a decent effort. Michael Jackson had one of his biggest hits with "Billie Jean" which isn't bad but I've heard it far too many times in my life.

In 2nd place is "Down Under" by Men Of Work, a record I've also heard many times but I never tire of it. In 3rd we have the largely forgotten "European Female" by The Stranglers where they're again illustrating they can do other things besides punk.

Prince made his Top 40 debut with "1999" which had little impact on the charts this time but would find greater success when it was reissued 2 years later. It's a surprise really because it fits in well with other records around this time.

Joe Jackson had his final hit with "Steppin Out" which sees him moving in a synth pop direction and works really well. Speaking of which we have debuts from China Crisis with "Christian" and The Thompson Twins with "Love On Your Side", both showing the good side of synth pop.

The same can't be said for fellow synth pop debutants Kajagoogoo with "Too Shy". This to me is the cheesy jump on the bandwagon style of synth pop but you're probably more likely to hear it at an 80s night than the other synth pop records mentioned.

Wham! were on their 2nd Top 40 hit with "Wham Rap" which is their attempt at a rap record. They bucked the normal trend of having their big hits later on in their existence rather than this beginning and I don't think this one is fondly remembered by many.

Haysi Fantayzee were what Jeremy Healy did before he became a big name DJ. Their 2nd and final hit was "Shiny Shiny" and I find it cheesy and crap. A bit like his DJing really.

"Africa" by Toto is a very marmite record and I'm one of those who hates it. It's always bugged me. Likewise "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" is another thing that bugs me, I find it very cringeworthy.

The worst record though is "Sign Of The Times" by The Belle Stars. It was the biggest hit for them and I find it really irritating. It also proves there were shit girl groups before the Spice Girls.

One thing I've found with a few years now is that the first week is great and it almost looks like it could be the best year, but then the quality starts to decline in subsequent weeks. This was one of those years, but it still finds itself near the top of the leaderboard for now.

Score: 49

UK Number 40s: Keith Urban & Pink - One Too Many (2020)

 

With a name like Keith Urban you may expect him to be a rapper or an R&B singer. He's neither though, he's a country singer from Australia who's lived in America for the last 30 years.

There have been several big name country singers who have enjoyed great success in America but haven't had much of a chart career over here and Keith Urban fits that category. At the time of writing he's had 20 US Country Chart number ones with his first one coming in 2000. This record is his one and only UK Top 40 hit at the time of writing which came 29 years after he released his first album.

We've never really been fans of country music here in the UK although it would appear in more recent years it has been gaining in popularity and this is probably why this record made the Top 40.

Pink made her Top 40 debut in 2000 and this was her 34th Top 40 hit. She is another artist who has had both a number 1 and a number 40.

UK Number 40s: Blackpink - Lovesick Girls (2020)

 

At the end of 2019 The X Factor had a short lived spin off show called "The X Factor: The Band". A boy band and a girl group was formed on the show and they collectively had zero Top 40 hits between them.

The youth were no longer watching the TV to find the next big thing in pop, they were looking further afield on the internet. Most notably they were looking at Korea whose brand of pop music had become the biggest in the world. The biggest girl group from Korea were Blackpink.

However, when you look at their Top 40 record it doesn't suggest biggest girl group in the world. At the time of writing they've never got higher than 17 in the charts. When you're big on the internet though, why would the charts of one country matter.

Amongst the songwriters on this record is David Guetta. In theory this should have helped it up the charts, but he was having a lull in Top 40 hits himself at the time.

Future Top 40 Heavyweights: 3 Years Later

3 Years ago I made this post about who could be the next Drake or Ed Sheeran i.e. clock up a ridiculous amount of Top 40 hits that nobody knows. To keep it simple I looked at all acts to debut after Ed Sheeran to have 15 or more Top 40 hits to their name. A year later I looked at how things were progressing and added another 6 acts who now fitted the criteria. Then last year I did another update.

It seems the mythology from last year has done little to cut down the list but I'll stick with it for now. 

Here's how it's looking then:

The Weeknd (41) (LY 38)

I said last year he looks the most likely of these acts to reach 50 Top 40 hits first. He's already the first to make 40. It seems like he's on his way.

Ariana Grande (41) (LY 35)

6 Top 40 hits in the past year which essentially came in 2 batches of 3. The first was due to being in a film and the second was having Max Martin as songwriter. As long as this continues to be the case I suspect the hits will keep coming.

Central Cee (35) (LY 30)

We're now in an era where UK rappers presence in the Top 40 has plummeted. Bucking this trend is Central Cee who has added 5 to his total in the last year. He's clocked up his first 35 Top 40 hits in the same amount of time Elvis Presley did it and nobody has done it quicker.

Dave (34) (LY 30)

Another UK rapper bucking the trend of UK rappers not getting the hits. One of those 4 Top 40 hits in the last year was a collaboration with Central Cee. If they can buck the trend then maybe there's more to come from them.

Little Mix (32) (LY 32)

They're still on hiatus so no further Top 40 hits.

Stormzy (32) (LY 32)

No longer leading the way for British rappers and with no Top 40 hits in the last year have we seen the last of Stormzy in the Top 40?

D-Block Europe (30) (LY 30)

Now 27 Top 40 hits in their first 4 years but just 3 in the last 3 years and none in the last year. They might be back but for now it looks like they're finished

Kendrick Lamar (30) (LY 26)

Kendrick Lamar continued his batches of Top 40 hits in November last year and then added another to his total as a featured artist in February. No doubt another 3 will come all at once in the future, or maybe they won't now I've said that.

Dua Lipa (26) (LY 26)

She seems to be in the news all the time but no Top 40 hits in the last year. Maybe she's enough of a celebrity now that she doesn't bother with music. We can only hope.

Post Malone (25) (LY 25)

Nothing in the last year for Post Malone. Maybe he's just waiting for the new trend before jumping on the bandwagon.

Billie Eilish (23) (LY 23)

Last year I said her number of Top 40 hits exceeds her age just. With no Top 40 hits in the last year she has a month until her age overtakes her number of Top 40 hits.

Rita Ora (22) (LY 22)

If I come up with a new methodology it should be one to take Rita Ora off this list. That said she'll probably have a big comeback if I do.

Sam Smith (22) (LY 22)

13 artists in and 8 of them have had no Top 40 hits in the last year, it's starting to sound more like past Top 40 flash in the pans. With Sam Smith though I get the feeling he's not finished yet.

Charli XCX (21) (LY 20)

In the last year somebody told me about Charli XCX and how she loves her old skool rave music and makes tunes to reflect that. I was however warned she also sings on them in autotune. She's added 1 to her total in the last year with something I've fortunately never heard.

KSI (20) (LY 19)

He's a YouTube person and it seems he was most prolific during Covid when that's all we had to amuse ourselves with. Now he's more occasional, but as long as YouTube is around he'll probably keep going.

Travis Scott (20) (LY 19)

He was a new addition 2 years ago but has had just one further Top 40 hit in the past year. 

Doja Cat (20) (LY 17)

One of the newer Top 40 debutants on this list so more potential to go further. 

Aitch (20) (LY 18)

It only took him 3 years 4 months to clock up 18 Top 40 hits, then over 2 years of nothing before adding 2 to his total in the last year.

Raye (20) (LY 16)

Her average has now gone above 2 a year but again the question is will she have the longevity?

Fredo (19) (LY 19)

Last year I said it's unlikely he's going to add much to his total in the future and that's accurate so far.

One Direction (18) (LY 18)

If they don't reunite and get back in the Top 40 in the next year they'll drop off this list.

Anne-Marie (18) (LY 18)

Nothing in the last year though you feel that David Guetta and co may keep her Top 40 career going in the future.

Becky Hill (18) (LY 18)

Nothing in the last year though you feel that David Guetta and co may keep her Top 40 career going in the future.

AJ Tracey (18) (LY 17)

After more than 3 years away he's added 1 to his total.

Headie One (17) (LY 17)

Nothing in the last year, perhaps one of the victims in the decline of UK rap in the Top 40.

Tion Wayne (16) (LY 16)

Another British rapper who appears to have run out of steam for clocking up Top 40 hits.

J Hus (16) (LY 16)

Another British rapper who appears to have run out of steam for clocking up Top 40 hits.

Jax Jones (16) (LY 16)

I'm sure he'll drop off the list in the future.

Camila Cabello (15) (LY 15)

Ditto.

Cardi B (15) (LY 15)

Ditto.

J Cole (15) (LY 15)

A new addition last year but nothing to add this year.

We have some new additions to the list this year:

SZA (17)

Just outside the criteria last year and helped onto the list this year by her collaborations with Kendrick Lamar.

21 Savage (15)

Just outside the criteria last year and helped onto the list by a collaboration with Central Cee this year.

Sabrina Carpenter (15)

After making her Top 40 debut in Jan 2021 she had her 2nd in Jan 2023 and 3rd in Jan 2024. Then from Apr 24 she clocked up 12 in 18 months.