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So Madonna triumphs for a
tenth time making her the most prolific female
solo artist in history. Only Cliff Richard
(14 chart toppers), Elvis Presley (17) and The
Beatles (also 17) are ahead of her.
Technically both Melanie C (8 with the Spice
Girls + 2 solo) and Geri Halliwell (7 with the
Spice Girls + 3 solo) match her success but as
neither has achieved the success purely solo or
across a seventeen year chart career you cannot
really compare the three.
The lack of original ideas shone
through in the chart last week with only one new
entry in the top ten. Last weeks top ten
moved down just one place each leaving the second
highest new entry as Daphne & Celeste who
were in at number 12 with their cover of 'Schools
Out'. At least D & C have breathed new
life into an old song which is more than can be
said for Baby D's remixed 'Let Me Be Your Fantasy'
or Glamma Kids sample of 'Rapture' to back his 'Bills
2 Pay' single. 'Bang' by Robbie Riviera
bears more than a passing resemblance to last
years 'Get Get Down' by Paul Johnson while the
only true new songs in the top twenty were
Bloodhound Gang's 'Ballad of Chasey Lane' and the
truly awful Toploader with 'Just Hold On'.
If they are the future of rock n roll then we are
all finished - 'Just Hold On' is a bad attempt at
country and western and nowhere near the quality
of 'Achille's Heel'.
This week's main contender is the
delayed release of A1's 'Take On Me'. I
have already highlighted the hugely expensive
video and it seems that as the record company had
so much riding on it the last thing they wanted
to do was run head to head with Madonna.
There are no real major challengers from the rest
of the pack this week and with Madonna's lead
being less than 1,000 at the close of play on
Saturday you have to fancy the boys to make the
13th change at the top in as many weeks.
Whatever you make of this version to see it at
number one would be unfair on the original which
only got as far as number two back in late 1985.
A1 are not the only reason you
could be forgiven for thinking you were back in
the mid 1980's this week. Lolly is back
with her version of the Cyndi Lauper classic 'Girls
Just Wanna Have Fun'. Believing firmly in
the old "get a winning formula and stick to
it" theory this is exactly what you would
expect from her - bright, bubbly harmless pop
which is bound to appeal strongly to the 13 - 16
age group who were not even born when Cyndi had
the original out.
And it does not stop there.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood return for another stab
at chart action with another remix of 'Two Tribes'.
It's hard to better the original remixes back in
1984 when the constant release of new 12"
mixes saw the record top the chart for nine weeks
and the new 2000 mix drops well short on that
score. That said it would be good to see
the lads back in the charts, if only for me to
remember when they were the most popular band in
my life!
Bon Jovi return this week fresh
from last weekends triumphant sell out gigs at
Wembley stadium - the last concert before the
great venue is rebuilt. 'Say It Isn't So'
is run of the mill Bon Jovi fodder, though I have
to confess that was my initial reaction to 'It's
My Life' which grew on me and eventually wormed
its way into my record collection. I expect
to see them back in the top ten this week.
The surprise success of Channel 4's
Big Brother programme looks set to translate into
major chart success this week. While
further down the line we can expect a Nasty Nick
solo single (he is rumoured to have been voice
tested regarding a £150,000 solo album deal)
this week sees the release of the theme from Big
Brother. DJ's Paul Oakenfold and Andy Gray
are the main masterminds behind the song which
looks all set for a top five success. More
success for fairly anonymous DJ's! That
brings me on to...
Tru Faith and the Dub Conspiracy
look set to have a massive hit on their hands
with 'Freak Like Me'. Coming from the same
stables as Spiller, Alice Deejay and DJ Sakin can
only serve as a recommendation and I expect to
see this within the top five, if not the top
three. You're certain to have heard this
record if you have been clubbing of late and if
clubs are not your think then your radio will
soon let you in on the secret.
What else can I add other than to
say I will see you in seven days when we will be
looking at possible success for Kelis, Richard
Blackwood, Toni Braxton, Aaron Carter, Cypress
Hill, TQ, ATFC, Sonique, Slipknow and all new
singing dancing girl band Sugarbabes.
For this week though it's the boys
that rule again. I expect A1 to be taking
on allcomers with 'Take On Me' reigning supreme
at the top of this weeks chart.
JHME Music Correspondent
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