February 3, 2001

COMMENTARY ON THIS WEEK'S TOP 50:

    Happy February everyone!!!  Can you believe it--February 2001!!!??  How insane is this?  It seems like just the other day I was graduating from high school (back in 1990).  So a few things to note before we get to the chart commentary...

**I wrote a pretty decent review (the review was excellent, it's the wording I'm talking about) at www.americanmusiconline.com  (click on new singles reviews archive and select last week's reviews) for Kristine W's "Lovin' You."  It's nothing to rush to--just something I'm proud of because the review flows well and I think it sounds excellent!!

**My chart and my web opera "Mt. Vernon Square" are linked to a great site created by a family member of one of my best friends.  www.assaultonline.com is worth a peak so if you get a second, check out the amazing work this group of talented youths have created.  I was truly amazed and appreciate the exposure the site has given mine.

Anyway...on with the chart...

    THE TOP 50 GETS A LITTLE 'SPICEY'...After two weeks at the top spot, Robbie Williams' biggest chart hit allows room for another British fave's biggest chart hit.  "If That Were Me" by Sporty Spice Mel C skips into the #1 position from #3.  As of this week's move into the #1 on the Top 50, Mel C takes over the title of Solo Spice.  She outdoes last year's two-week #3 hit by former Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell, "Mi Chico Latino."  Mel already had the honor of being the most successful charter of the five Girls (Mel B hasn't made the Top 50 yet--with a single with Missy Elliott or her first solo release "Tell Me" and Baby Spice (whatever her name is) will release her solo project later in 2001).  Halliwell hit #14 with "Look at Me," #3 with "Mi Chico Latino," and #36 with "Bag it Up" in 1999 and 2000.  Mel C has three top 5 hits under her belt with "Never Be the Same Again" (#5), "I Turn to You" (#4/4wks), and her current chart topper.

    LOVE COULD REIGN...Next week, however, Kristine W could easily snag the top spot from Mel C with her fifth top 3 hit from STRONGER.  "Let Love Reign" moves up to #3 this week and is within striking distance of the pole position.  Elsewhere in the top 10, Kristine W's seven-week #1 hit from 2000 "Lovin' You" continues its move within the top 10, up a notch to #7, and scores a twenty-second non-consecutive week in the top 10.  The aging charter will likely face stiff competition some powerful records entering or closing in on the top 10 this week and could struggle to continue moving up the chart next week.

    YOU'RE A HIT...matchbox twenty steals the biggest point gain this week and the COMBO HIT title and sweeps through the top 20, landing at #9 with "If You're Gone."  The song easily snags an eleven position move from #21 and scores twenty its first top 10.   S Club 7 are also hitbound as they tie the chart peak of their first Top 50 single this week with "You're My Number One," which moves up eleven to #11 ("Natural" spent one week at #11 in 2000).  The song should easily make room for itself in the top 10 next week.  

    NOBODY WANTS TO BE LONELY...so Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera team up on the Top 50's biggest chart mover this week.  "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" sweeps from #26 to #13 this week and takes the AIRPLAY HIT award as the third biggest point gainer.  This song also should easily take a spot in the top 10 next week, giving Martin his fifth top 10 (first since the #1 "Private Emotion" in 2000) and Aguilera her second top 10 single (her first since 1999's "Genie in a Bottle" hit #3).  

    Sonique scores her second top 10 this week as "I Put a Spell on You" skips two places to #10.  She hit #6 in 2000 with "It Feels So Good," but fell short of that hit status with the #22 charter "Sky" late in the year.  It is possible that after the success of "..Spell.." that her second single "Sky" will resurface and have another shot at the charts.  Cyndi Lauper easily slides eight positions to #12 with "Higher Plane."  Aurora scores a top 20 hit with its cover of Duran Duran's "Ordinary World" featuring Naimee Coleman on vocals.  The song bolts to #18 from #28 this week.  

    CALL IT THEIR BEST...Backstreet Boys will likely break their #11 peak of their two highest charting singles as "The Call" makes another great move to #20 and snags the second place point gainer award SALES HIT.  This is the BSB's fastest charting single, besting the quick moving "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" which peaked at #15 and was only at #22 in its fourth week when it charted last year ("Show Me.." debuted on the Top 50's second 2000 chart week and "The Call" hit the Top 50 its third 2001 chart week).

    SHE'S JUST HER AND THAT'S ENOUGH...Kina takes the DEBUT HIT award this week with her second charting Top 50.  "Me" debuts at a strong #39 this week as her former #1 hit "Girl from the Gutter" slips to #19.  Kina should continue "Girl.."'s success as "Me" is available as a groovy promo mix and is currently pumping out of speakers in America's clubs.  Westlife also scores a second Top 50 with their latest ballad called "My Love."  Sheena Easton makes a return to the countdown for the first time in a decade with her international disco smash "Giving Up, Giving In," coming in at #45 this week.  Billie Myers scores a fourth Top 50 with "Should I Call You Jesus" at #47.  And finally, the Spice Girls make an appearance with the second, and likely final, single from FOREVER called "Let Love Lead the Way" at #48.  I find this like this very ironic...what do I mean??  The album is called FOREVER and rumor is that it will be the last Spice Girls album (at least until they tour with Steps, Westlife, and The A*Teens in a reunion tour in twenty years).  The same type of thing happened to Mariah Carey a few years back.  Didn't anyone else find it ironic that her greatest hits album titled #1's was her first album not to actually hit #1 (I laughed out loud).

    WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE CHART?...Da Buzz manages to hold onto the #2 spot for the third consecutive week with their recent #1 hit "Let Me Love You."  At the same time, their second Top 50 and last week's top debut moves up to #24 this week.  German-based ATC's "Around the World" continues moving up the chart and this week lands at #22.  The more I hear this song, the more it gets into my head and the more I sing and the more I love it.  Steps makes a healthy move from #43 to #35 this week with the second single from BUZZ called "It's the Way You Make Me Feel."  At the same time, two other British artists move up the chart, but not nearly as quickly.  M People frontwoman Heather Small's "Proud" moves from #46 to #42 while The A*Teens first non-ABBA cover "Bouncing Off the Ceiling (Upside Down)" inches from #45 to #41.  I don't expect either of these songs to make huge chart stars out of either of these artists.

    AS ALWAYS..WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN...And these charters do just that this week.  Reina and Kylie Minogue slip to #5 and #6 after peaking last week at #4 and #5 for a second week with "Miss the Way" and "Please Stay," respectively.  Donna Summer's latest "The Power of One" stalled at #13 last week and falls back to #14--stiffed by strong top 20 competition on the chart.  Also suffering the same fate is Fragma's "Everytime You Need Me," which hit #9 last week and falls to #16 this week and Sade's comeback hit "By Your Side," which hit #16 last week and falls to #17 this week.  Elton John and Mary J. Blige's live version of "I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues" also seems to be losing steam as it moves up to #23 without gaining any points but rather holding steady in airplay.  Roxette has yet another top 10 miss as "Stars" falls to #25 after hitting #19 last week.  It is possible, however, that "Stars" could being moving up the chart again in the coming weeks as I think I am becoming more interested in the song.  Finally, the Thunderpuss and Jocelyn Enriquez collaboration of "So Fabulous, So Fierce" hit #27 last week and plummets to #46 this week.

Don't forget to send me your reviews to post for February.  I have received some from Matt already and they will be posted sometime later this weekend (along with two new episodes of "Mt. Vernon Square").  As always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated...be safe and enjoy...until later...

Craig

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