2005: The End? - February

We had 50 new Top 40 hits in February 2005 and once again quite a significant number I can't remember. 20 of them appeared on Top of the Pops. I count 13 which fall under the indie/garage rock genre but the only ones that made it onto Top of the Pops were Doves and Embrace which is just about as boring as it gets. 

That said none of the other indie records are to my liking either. Amongst them was a double a-side from 2 different bands, Amsterdam and Ricky. Neither troubled the charts again and the latter isn't even properly on YouTube, just a video of it being played whilst the band get interviewed. 

Sticking with the guitars, there's 2 boy bands with guitars who could be described as poundland Busted or McFly. There's Freefaller who were led by Marcus from Byker Grove who were terrible. Then there was Noise Next Door with "Calendar Girl" which was a bit of a guilty pleasure at the time but can't say I enjoyed listening to it this time round.

Like mentioned previously though my music taste at the time was dance, rap and R&B so let's look at these.

It's full marks for Lemon Jelly with "The Shouty Track", Lovefreekz with "Shine" which heavily samples "Shine A Little Love" by ELO, and Commander Tom with "Attention" which is a bit cheesy and could do without the vocals but I do quite like it. Not getting any points is "Destroy Rock & Roll" by Mylo which is the only track on the album of the same name that I don't like. Then we have generic Euro cheese from Angel City with Sunrise which gets no points.

Rap wise, I've picked the double a-side "Roll Call / What U Gon' Do" by Lil Jon as the best record. It's from the "Crunk Juice" album which I was listening to a lot at the time. We also have Lil Jon featuring on "Let's Go" by Trick Daddy which is another good record. Just missing out on best record is "Like Toy Soldiers" by Eminem which is one of his best records in my opinion.

Getting half marks are Xzibit and Cam'ron, both solid but unspectacular records which could have done without the female singers on the chorus and examples of newer music becoming less inspiring. Getting no points are The Game and LL Cool J, never could get into the former and the latter has always been a bit pop for my liking.

R&B wise I do quite like "Ain't Nothing Wrong" by Houston. We have "Only U" by Ashanti which was really her last big hit, not bad but jumping on the guitar bandwagon a bit much for my liking. Then we have quite possibly the worst R&B group to ever exist in Destiny's Child with the absolutely dreadful "Solider" which gets my pick as the worst record.

More Elvis rereleases were in the chart including "Wooden Heart" which is the best Elvis record I've heard.

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: 21%