Best Song: Jodeci - Freek 'N You
I never paid much attention to this record at the time, but a few years later Jodeci would become one of my favourite groups. By the end of 1995 I was only really listening to rave music, then towards the end of the 90s UK garage was making it's way into the raves. One particular garage I liked was "Tell Me It's Real" by K-Ci & Jojo. I then discovered that started out as an R&B record and that K-Ci & Jojo were part of Jodeci which then brought me back to this record and I realised that I liked it.
Worst Song: ADAM ft Amy - Zombie
It had been less than a year since The Cranberries were in the chart with "Zombie" and already it was getting the cheesy eurodance makeover. A truly terrible record.
Top 40 Review
1995 is a year I've always looked back upon with fond memories. It was the year I finished my transition from grunger to raver and found myself liking music both sides of the fence in-between whilst also opening myself up to other music too. I'm also conscious there were some big acts of the time I couldn't stand such as Oasis, Take That and Robson & Jerome. After the disaster that was 1994, I'm only too aware 1995 could go the same way.
Fortunately of those acts I listed, only Robson & Jerome had a record in this particular Top 40, the number one record. The man behind Robson & Jerome was Simon Cowell and there was another novelty act in the Top 40 he was behind, Zig & Zag. There was also Ultimate Kaos, a boyband who were formed by Simon Cowell.
Away from the manufactured pop rubbish there was a pretty good spread of music. There is no single genre that really dominates. It's often remembered by critics as the year of brit pop thanks to the Blur vs Oasis battle, but I count only 3 records that fall under that category. There's "Yes" by McAlmont And Butler which is good, "Common People" by Pulp which is OK and "Daydreamer" by Menswear, a band that even brit pop fans didn't like.
The closest rival to Jodeci for best song was Jamiroquai with "Stillness In Time", the sort of music that can appeal to both rock and dance music fans. The most ravey record in there is "I Need Your Loving (Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime)" by Baby D.
There are a number of records that are a bit cheesy but good. There's "Boom Boom Boom" by The Outhere Brothers and "Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)", both 90s anthems I don't actually mind being played to death in a 90s bar. We also have a long forgotten Whigfield record "Think Of You" which I can't help but like. Then there's East 17 with "Hold My Body Tight", one of many records I like to sing at karaoke.
I could go through all the other records I like, but then this post could go on forever if I do that so I won't. Let's just say more than half the records get full marks.
Back when I reviewed 1969 I said it would be difficult for any year to beat that score. I also thought if any year could beat it, 1995 would be one of the most likely candidates. It falls one good record short though.
Score: 25
Table
1995 sits comfortably in 2nd place:
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