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Craig's TOP 50 2000:
The Year in Music
So, what a year it has been! Over on Billboard's charts, we've seen a #2 song finish in the pole position for their chart year (Faith Hill's "Breathe") and another country song finish top 10 (Lonestar's "Amazed"). We saw Madonna reach the #1 position on both the album and singles charts for the first time since 1989 and 1995, respectively, with MUSIC and its title track. We saw new artists break through in a big way. Pink scored two major hits with "There You Go" and "Most Girls." Nina Gordon broke from Veruca Salt and scored herself a successful solo career. We saw boy vocal group 'N Sync score their first chart topper with "It's Gonna Be Me" and they had record first weeks sales of their third album NO STRINGS ATTACHED. All in all, it's been an interesting chart year.
The same is true for Craig's Top 50. The year has been packed with excitement, and it was definitely the year of the women! During 2000, we saw two Spice Girls strike gold as solo artists. Geri Halliwell had a top 20 hit in 1999 with "Look at Me," but in the first week of 2000, she debuted SCHIZOPHONIC's second single, "Mi Chico Latino." The song went on to spend twenty-one weeks in the Top 50 and scored a #3 hit for Ginger Spice. Halliwell also charted with two other singles from the album. "Lift Me Up" scored a third top 20 hit for the songstress, while "Bag It Up" stalled at #36. Even more successful was Mel C and three singles from her debut solo project NORTHERN STAR. In two separate chart lives, "Never Be the Same Again" spent twenty weeks in the Top 50 and eventually peaked at #5. Her second hit, "I Turn to You" logged four weeks at #4 in its fifteen-week chart run.
We saw the return of some favorites as well. Kristine W had the most successful year with three chart-topping hits and the longest running #2 song ever on the Top 50. In the first chart week of 2000, "Clubland" made its debut on the Top 50 and easily scored Ms. W a #1 hit in only six short weeks. The follow-up was the club-anthem "Stand in Love," which easily took the pole position for six consecutive weeks. The song also recharted and returned to #14 for two weeks after the release of the album STRONGER. The first official single from the album, the title track, was released in late summer and spent an amazing seven weeks at #2. The song ended 2000 by reentering the top 10 fueled by the Napster-available ballad version of the song. Holding "Stronger" out of the top spot was the album's fourth charting club hit and second official single "Lovin' You." It comfortably stole seven weeks in the top position, the most of any song in 2000 and twenty consecutive weeks in the top 10. Kristine W is also featured, with Elton John on Bruce Roberts' current top 20 hit "When the Money's Gone," from the movie FLAWLESS. Ms. W is poised to chart with more hits from STRONGER throughout 2001.
Kylie Minogue, after almost a decade's absence from my charts, returned with a vengeance. She first appeared on the Top 50 with the Pet Shop Boys and their album NIGHTLIFE's second single "In Denial." The song landed a #4 hit for both artists and Kylie soon surfaced with the first single from her new album LIGHT YEARS. "Spinning Around," a song penned by 80's popster Paula Abdul, earned Minogue a second top 10 hit and peaked at #7. Soon after, her second single from the album took her to the top spot on the weekly chart. "On a Night Like This" was Kylie's first #1 hit on the Top 50 since "I Should Be So Lucky" in 1988. At the same time, she was charting on a duet with Robbie Williams called "Kids" which went on to peak at #12. Her latest single from LIGHT YEARS is moving quickly toward the top 20 and "Please Stay" should easily score her a third top 10 from the album in 2001.
Gabrielle made her mark in 2000 as well. After scoring a #1 with "Dreams" in 1994, the international pop superstar scored a #1 hit with "Rise," which went on to spend a twenty non-consecutive weeks in the Top 10 alone. Gabrielle also saw two other Top 50 charters from RISE with "When A Woman," which spent a single week on the chart at #49, and "Sunshine," which moved into the top 10 on the December 30 chart.
Tiffany, who hasn't seen a song on the Top 50 since 1992's two-week #1 "It's the Lover (Not the Love)," from 1988's HOLD AN OLD FRIEND'S HAND, returned to the Top 50--and in a big way. The first single from her first studio album in about six years THE COLOR OF SILENCE, featured a rap by Krayzie Bone. "I'm Not Sleeping" moved into the #1 position from #12 and secured the top spot for three consecutive weeks.
Another 80's pop teen queen enjoyed chart success in 2000. Deborah Gibson had two top 10 hits from her upcoming MYOB album. "You Belong to Me" spent two weeks at #5 and "What You Want" spent a single week at #8 (Deborah scored a top 5 hit with "Just Wasn't Love" in 1999 and a #1 hit with "Only Words" in 1998).
After finishing 1999 in the #1 position with her international smash "Sexual (Li Da Di)," Amber began 2000 charting the album's second single "Above the Clouds." The song spent five weeks on top of the chart in 2000 and was the first of five chart hits she would have in 2000, three of which are still charting on the Top 50. "Object of Your Desire" hit #9 and "Love One Another" spent three weeks at #4. "Love.." charted again after its official single release and moved up the charts to #11. Amber is currently charting with two other tunes, a cover of "Do That To Me One More Time" and the second release from her remix album "Taste the Tears." "...Tears" was also featured on the soundtrack from HBO's SEX IN THE CITY. "Object..." was also featured in an episode of the hit series, and "Above the Clouds" was the background music for the last scene of the show's season.
What would a year-end commentary be without Madonna. Ms. M (or should I say Mrs. Ritchie now) not only gave birth to her second child this year, but also scored a whopping seven Top 50 hits. She started off with the already charting "Sky Fits Heaven" (a 1999 #1) and "Skin," an import remixed single of the RAY OF LIGHT track. "Skin" stalled at a #9, but with the release of her cover of Don McLean's classic (I don't want to hear any grunts and moans about it--I loved it!) "American Pie," she quickly regained her #1 status. In late May-early June, Napster leaked "Music," the title track from Madonna scheduled fall release (I still believe that it was marketing ploy and not an accident!). "Music" went on to spend two weeks at #1 and charted on the Top 50 for six months (July to December and still at #49). A 2000 update of "Vogue" also scored Madonna a Top 50 hit, but quickly fizzled at #40--now this is where you say "you shouldn't mess with a classic." The second single from the album, actually due to stores in mid-January 2001, was 2000's final #1 chart topper. "Don't Tell Me" rose from #5 to #1 on the final chart of the year, just as the third Top 50 from MUSIC debuted at #45. "Runaway Lover" marked Madonna's seventh chart appearance for the year.
Another dance-pop artist scoring seven Top 50 hits in 2000 is Australia's sensational Tina Cousins. Tina made her debut in the first week of 2000, featured with SASH! on the club hit "Mysterious Times." The song took her to #14 and she soon followed its success with hit after hit. Cousins earned her first #1 with "Pray," which spent fifteen weeks in the Top 50 (it earned the record of biggest fall from #1--to #18), while another hit with SASH! called "Just Around the Hill" hit #8 and spent ten weeks on the survey. Next, Tina's "Angel" hit #13 and was followed by her second #1 smash "Forever." The latter has spent fourteen weeks in the Top 50 so far and is still charting. Also still charting is her fourth top 10 (sixth top 50) "Nothing to Fear." "...Fear" debuted the same week that "Forever" made the countdown and landed for two weeks in the #10 position. Her latest Top 50 is the #1 "Killin' Time." The song holds the records for the lowest number of weeks on the Top 50 before hitting the top spot--only four!! All of her chart hits can be found on her album KILLING TIME, except for "Just Around the Hill."
Women weren't the only heavy hitters of 2000. Steps takes the title of scoring the most Top 50 hits of any artist with eight. They began the year charting with the 1999 #1 hit "One For Sorrow." From STEP ONE, they also scored several other hits throughout the year. The album's second single "Tragedy" soared to #5 on the countdown and soon after "Deeper Shade of Blue" landed at #2 for two weeks. Next, Steps would score their second #1 hit with a cover of Kylie Minogue's early 90's hit "Better the Devil You Know." Steps scored their fifth top 10 hit with "Love's Got a Hold on My Heart" and their fifth top 5 (sixth top 10) with the #3 hit "Stay with Me." The group finished the year with two songs moving up the charts--"Heartbeat" and the first single from their latest album BUZZ, "Stomp."
Enrique Iglesias, after hitting #1 in 1999 with "Bailimos," had a banner year in 2000. His first English album's second single "Rhythm Divine" stalled at #19 for the singer, but he quickly rebounded with the #3 sensation "Be With You." The next song to chart was an album track (and my favorite song on the album) "I Have Always Loved You." The song also hit #3, spending two weeks in the position. The fourth charter of the year and fifth from the album, "Sad Eyes" spent two weeks at #17. Enrique also charted on the #15 duet with Whitney Houston, "Could I Have This Kiss Forever?"
The following links will give you the opportunity to see just what went on during 2000. I have included links to a couple different year-end charts I've compiled based on my weekly Top 50 and my personal favorites. There is also some commentary included with the charts. I hope you enjoy reading about the music I've enjoyed over the past fifty-two weeks, and maybe you will even see something that you can find and enjoy in 2001.
Shall we get to it...
--Craig in MD
CLICK
HERE TO CHECK OUT THE 2000 YEAR END CHART