JHME - Chart Chat

Steps are this weeks biggest artists to release a new single. Rumours have been abound that Lee, Faye, Lisa, H and Claire are about to go their separate ways following their greatest hits album released later in the year but I am happy to confirm that the band are back stronger than ever and are writing their fourth studio album as I write this. 'Here And Now / You'll Be Sorry' is a double a-sided single which has been getting plenty of attention on the radio and TV. Shaggy will pose stiff opposition, but the band will still be hoping for a third number one hit after 'Stomp' and 'Heartbeat / Tragedy'.

Making a welcome return this week are dance act Faithless who are now famous for having Dido's brother amongst their numbers. 'We Come One' is a thought provoking return to form and with a video which featurings stone hurling rioters and police vans overturning the band are not afraid to court controversy. Don't get bogged down in debating the video as this is top quality music. Every bit as good as 'Insomnia' and 'God Is A DJ', this should enter inside the top ten on Sunday afternoon.

Just as Spiller's 'Groovejet' was last years Summer dance anthem, Boris Dlugosch featuring Roissn Murphy with 'Never Enough' could be this years classic. Roisin is best known for her work with Moloko while Dlugosch is relatively unknown to the UK. This song has been going down a storm in clubs and their has been keen interest on its white label and import releases. Now available in the shops officially this should be top five on Sunday afternoon, if not top three.

Being a household name is no guarantee of success. Louise was recently sent packing from EMI following poor album sales, while if the press are to be believed Stephen Gately has also lost his contract. The latest big name to face the heave ho is Mel B who releases 'Lullaby' this week. It's a shame really as I feel she has done some of her best work lately, but this particular song is not up to scratch. While it means a lot to her as it is written about her daughter Phoenix Chi, it doesn't quite translate into a pop classic and I suspect this will miss the all important top five. Better start ringing those record companies Miss Brown...

'Love Is All Around' spent an amazing fifteen weeks at number one, a feat unlikely to be repeated again. That track was taken from 'Picture This', which turned out to be Wet Wet Wet's last album. Lead singer Marti Pellow confessed his addiction to cocaine, and after a long hard battle is delighted to be back in the music business doing what he does best - singing great ballads. 'Close To You' would sit well amongst his old groups material and is a positive start to his solo career. It's hard to estimate his popularity after such an absence but one would like to think he would be back inside the top twenty with this, if not the top ten.

Following their relatively low debut positions for their last singles (8 and 9 respectively), Manic Street Preachers return with 'Ocean Spray', the first song of theirs to feature lyrics from lead singer James Dean Bradfield. It tells the tale of Bradfields Mother's dying days in hospital drinking Cranberry juice, but despite its morbid theme this is one of the highlights of their excellent album 'Know Your Enemy'. The Manics were a band who had gone off the boil but this single demonstrates that 2001 has been a real rebirth for them. Top ten possibly, though may just miss out.

Wannabe Radiohead act Muse return this week with 'New Born'. There is nothing worse than a tribute band making it into the charts and for my money that is all Muse are. Read the interviews and cry about how hard their life his, how ridden with angst they are and how they channel their anger into their music. Try doing a nie to five guys or bringing up a child on the breadline, then tell me how hard life can really be. The song is no better than a Thom Yorke b-side but with current trends pointing towards success for the band this will be a top twenty hit without a doubt.

With 'Red Alert' and 'Rendez-vu' being such huge hits back in 1999, Basement Jaxx soon established themselves as one of the best dance bands around. Hoping to re-establish themselves in that bracket in 2001 the band release 'Romeo'. It's not quite as outstanding as its predecessors but that was always going to be a hard act to follow. Watch out for it crashing the top ten though.

Few people can be more surprised than Phil Collins himself at the decision of some of the worlds leading r'n'b stars to record a tribute album to him. 'Urban Renewal' is the album and the first single to be taken from it is 'Another Day In Paradise' by Brandy and her brother Ray J. It doesn't vary wildly from Phil's original though with mixes from the likes of Black Legend and Stargate it does look set to appeal to a new and younger audience. The single should be top twenty and I look forward to the album coming soon.

Well there are a few good contenders for top ten or maybe even top twenty positions on Sunday it is my opinion that Shaggy will stay there for a second week in a row. See you back here in seven days time to see if I am correct or not.