2001 Artists Page--Year in Review

    On this page, you will find several charts that outline the successes of artists on Craig's Top 50 in the year 2001.  The charts include (in order of appearance on the page):  Top 20 Artists By Total Points, Top 20 Artists by Average Points Per Song Charted, Top 5 Artists by Number of Songs Charted, Craig's Top 10 Personal Fave Songs (not based on chart performance), Craig's Top 10 Body-Moving Hits (not based on chart performance), Craig's Top 10 New Artists (not based on chart performance), Craig's Top 10 Fave Artists (not based on chart performance), Craig's Top 10 Albums (based on chart success), Craig's Top 10 Fave Albums (not based on chart success), and Craig's Top 10 Fave Covers/Reissues (not based on chart performance).  Each chart has commentary associated with it.

TOP 20 ARTISTS BY TOTAL POINTS

        Madonna takes Craig's Top 50 Artist of 2001!!  After placing fourth last year, Madonna scored eight top 10 hits--seven from her MUSIC album and the other a remixed track from the soundtrack to THE NEXT BEST THING.  Two of these songs hit #1 in 2001--"What it Feels Like for a Girl" spent three weeks atop the chart and finished #2 for the year, while Madonna ended the year for the second consecutive time in the #1 spot--"Don't Tell Me" hit #1 the final week of 2000 and "Impressive Instant" hit #1 the final week of 2001.  Madonna saw two top 5 hits with "Gone" and "I Deserve It" and two top ten hits with "Amazing" and "Runaway Lover."  "Time Stood Still" from her aforementioned movie charted in the top 10 fueled by a terrific remix--definitely one of Madonna's best tunes.

    Kristine W, who was Craig's Top 50 Artist of 2000 lands at #2.  Dance diva W had yet another banner year on the Top 50, spending eight weeks in total at #1--three weeks with "Let Love Reign" and five weeks with "River Divides" (both songs finished in the top 5 for the year).  Kristine also scored with some 2000-holdovers including "Lovin' You" and "Stronger" while she teamed with Elton John on the Bruce Roberts track "When the Money's Gone" from the movie FLAWLESS.  **NOTE:  CHER COVERED THE TUNE ON LIVING PROOF AND IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TRACKS**  Kristine W debuted #1 songs on the first weekly charts in both 2000 and 2001 ("Clubland" in 2000 and "Let Love Reign" in 2001), however with her latest--and lowest charting single to date--"Shower the People (Remix)" at #50 and no new tune ready to debut on the Top 50, it looks like 2002 will offer a chart break for the artist (since January 2000, she has only been absent one week from the Top 50--the weekending June 9, 2001).

    Two pop superstars follow are dancing divas--Gabrielle lands at #3 and Kylie Minogue is at #4, both up from #9 and #7, respectively, in 2000.  Kylie Minogue spent more weeks at #1 than any other Top 50 artist in 2001.  "Your Disco Needs You" logged sevens week atop the chart while "Can't Get You Out of My Head" scored three weeks.  Minogue also offered two top 5 hits, and a top 10 hit.  Gabrielle scored two #1 hits as well, spending a total of five weeks in the pole position, as well as two top 10 hits and two top 20 hits.  Gabrielle has scored the #1 song for the last two years with "Rise" in 2000 and "Out of Reach" in 2001.

    Much of the Top 20 Artists list is new artist, or relatively new artists.  Of those who were not on the list last year, four made their Top 50 debut in 1999, four made their Top 50 debut in 2000, and two were new to the charts in 2001 (French Affair and S Club 7). 

    The Top 20 Artists According to Total Points has changed a lot from 2000's year-end ranking.  Here's how the remainder of 2000's list scored in 2001 (parenthetically, their ranking in 2000 and their 2001 point total):  Everything But the Girl (#20-248); Deborah Cox (#19-311); Shannon (#18-0); Erasure (#17-1101); Ricky Martin (#16-839); Pink (#15-1005); 'N Sync (#13-608); Melanie C (#12-987); Savage Garden (#11-0); The Pet Shop Boys (#10-189); Whitney Houston (#8-0); Enrique Iglesias (#6-494); and Tina Cousins (#2-500).  Of these artists, Erasure and Pink scored the closest to their totals last year, both just missing the Top 20 list:  Pink was down 294 points while Erasure was down 64 points.  If you look at the Artists list from a per charted song point average, however, the list is quite different.

TOP 20 ARTISTS BY AvERAGE POINTS PER SONG CHARTED

    With only one song charting each during the calendar year, Abigail and Malina easily steal the top 2 positions on this Artist Chart.  Abigail, with the #4 song of the year--"You Set Me Free"--racked up an amazing 1250 points.  Malina wasn't far behind, but not that close either, with "By Your Side" and 1081 points--the song is at #6 for the year.  Malina was the highest ranking debut artist on the Top 50.  Abigail was at #11 last year with "If It Don't Fit."  

    Kylie Minogue takes a solid third place on the chart, but is way behind the top 2.  Her ranking is one higher than last year's position with five songs charted and an average point per song of 719.  As reported throughout the year-end commentary, Kylie spent more weeks at #1 than any other artist.  The rest of the top 10 are pretty close with a point range of 29.  Another chart week could have completely changed positions 3 through 10.

TOP 5 ARTISTS BY NUMBER OF SONGS CHARTED

    Steps takes the #1 position on the Artists by Charted Songs chart for the second consecutive year.  They even scored two more hits than they did last year (however, two of them were holdovers from 2000).  Madonna runs in second with eight chart hits--seven from MUSIC and a remix of the incredible "Time Stood Still" from THE NEXT BEST THING.  Madonna held the #2 position last year with seven charted songs, including tracks from RAY OF LIGHT, THE NEXT BEST THING, and MUSIC.  Kristine W edges up a notch to #3 with eight charted songs as well.  She comes under Madonna on the chart because "Shower the People (Remix)" peaked at #22 late in 2001.  Last year, Kristine W placed at #4 with five charted hits (Tina Cousins was at #3 last year but she only charted in 2001 with two holdovers from 2000).  Gabrielle comes in at #4 with seven charted tunes, two that didn't hit the top 10 ("Should I Stay" and "Give Me A Little More Time") and a holdover from 2000 ("Rise").  New to this chart is DaBuzz who scored a whopping six chart hits in their first Top 50 year.  They scored two #1 hits with "Let Me Love You" and "Believe in Love," as well as three top 10 hits with "Do You Want Me" (#3), "Paradise" (#10), and "Out of Words" (#5).  "Tell Me Once Again" also hit the chart, peaking at #18.

CRAIG'S TOP 10 PERSONAL FAVE SONGS

(What I Will Still be Listening to in 2002)

    This particular chart probably deserves a lot of commentary as one would think it would represent my actual year-end top 10 but it really doesn't.  Two of the songs on the list actually began their chart run in 2000.  At #5, Leann Rimes' "Can't Fight the Moonlight" was just one of those remixed tunes that I couldn't escape even if I tried.  "Rise" by Gabrielle lands at #6 and is still a fixture on my playlist.  The song charted on the fuel given by the Matt Darey Remix, but 2001 has led me to the album version of the tune and both the original and remixed version can be heard coming form my cd player quite frequently.  The 2001 #1 song of the year is at #2 on my faves list.  "Out of Reach" is Gabrielle at her finest.  A sweet ballad about a one-way relationship from the soundtrack to BRIDGET JONES DIARY.  The song is still in the top 20 after forty weeks on the chart.

    The #1 song on my Personal Favorite list is a no-brainer.  Kylie Minogue has maintained her crown as international pop queen for more than twelve years now and in 2001 she recorded what is probably her best tune to date called "Can't Get You Out of My Head."  Who could resist that infectious "LALALA LALALALALA..." that plays throughout the song--separating the verses and the choruses.  Minogue also takes the #7 position with a seven-week #1 hit from 2000's LIGHT YEARS (the song charted exclusively in 2001) called "Your Disco Needs You."  Now, the song is almost haunting with the line "...war is over for a while..."

    I think everyone knows how I feel about Aubrey's "Stand Still," with it breaking the longevity record at #1 on the Top 50 this year.  I've always been a fan of introspective songs.  "Stepped outside myself today...took a walk around...wandered from path to path..."  These lyrics with a Hex Hector beat to back them up, catapulted this club hit to the top of my chart.  I'm anxious to hear more from Aubrey and anticipate that 2002 will see a new single from the hottest new artist on the NYC scene.

    Kristine W amazes me.  She records a song like "One More Try" (from LAND OF THE LIVING) and when I think she can't possibly match it, there is a song like "Let Love Reign" on the US STRONGER release.  With the Japanese release of STRONGER, Kristine W introduced "River Divides," the first song she has ever charted on the Top 50 without a remix.  "River Divides" is a song about someone trying desperately to be with the one they love and how they will do anything to be there for that distant person.  "River Divides" was radio-ready and should have been an international hit.  Thanks to RCA's lack of real promotion of the STRONGER album, it didn't have a chance in the US--or anywhere for that matter.

    Abigail has been releasing a single per year since 1999.  In 1999, "Let the Joy Rise," a spiritual romp into clubland marked the return of my favorite cover queen.  2000 led way to "If It Don't Fit," one of Abigail's most successful club hits to date.  In 2001, she started performing "You Set Me Free" at live shows and the response was absolutely overwhelming.  The song went on to become her second consecutive #1 Billboard Dance Hit and her third #1 hit on Craig's Top 50.  This woman is long overdue for a new album and with her success in the past two years, now would be the most opportune time to release it.

    Finally, Love Inc.--who impressed me in 1999-2000 with "You're A Superstar"--returned to the charts this year in a big way.  Of their three top 10 hits, "Broken Bones" was my favorite and is a tune that I still listen to fairly frequently.  The song is at #9 on my favorites list, while at #10 is the most unique song on the list.  Dolly Parton's rendition of Collective Soul's "Shine" is superb.  I've always been a fan of Parton's voice as it's packed with raw emotion and feeling, unlike any other artists I've ever heard.

    CRAIG'S TOP 10 BODY-MOVING HITS

(what did I Dance to the Most in 2001)

    The Top 10 Body-Moving Hits chart is based on what I heard when I was out in the clubs.  Remember that much of the music I charted throughout the year didn't get a lot of exposure in the US so this isn't necessarily a list of my favorite dance songs of the year.  These are the songs that I most remember dancing to while I was out (which wasn't very often in the past year).  By far, Leann Rimes' "Can't Fight the Moonlight (Remix)" takes the top position.  The song has had the club life of Toni Braxton's "Un-break My Heart" and Deborah Cox' "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" and it keeps on going.

    While Amber's latest didn't reach the #1 position on my chart, it was definitely one of those songs that pulled me to the dance floor and got the body grooving.  "Yes (Remix)" wasn't the strongest song out there, but it was certainly one with a great beat.  Amber never fails me.  Abigail gets a lot of support in the clubs in this area--she always has.  "You Set Me Free" was no different.  

    While Kylie ruled the pop charts and my personal charts for the year, clubs rarely--if ever--gave her music a shot.  A DJ at The Hippo in Baltimore, however, would always play her tunes for me when I asked.  This year, it seemed to have the remixes for "Please Stay" over all of the other great LIGHT YEARS singles.

    An artist that I would never have thought I'd be dancing to a year ago flooded the dance charts with great remixes.  I don't care what anyone says, "You Make Me Sick (Remix)" was fantastic and was a staple until "Get the Party Started" was released.  At #6, probably the most overplayed song, I finally stopped going to the dance floor for the thirteen minute adventure into the world of Barry Harris and Pepper Mashay.  I think it's quite funny how long it took "Dive in the Pool" to take off in Baltimore considering QAF was everywhere.

    In an attempt to copy the Toni Braxton and Deborah Cox success of ballads turned dance anthems, Tamia scored big with "Stranger in My House (Remix)," to the point where I finally started liking the song.  It peaked at #11 on my personal chart but this was is still burning up the dance floors in good ole B'more--and the lesbians seem to like it a lot too?!?!

    Melanie C's "I Turn to You (Remix)" is originally from early 2000, however as usual, the US was slow to jump on the boat and this tune will even get me up on the speakers at the club.  Madonna's "Don't Tell Me" held onto clubplay as long as its predecessor "Music."  Finally, Information Society's "Running 2001" seemed to be the song that I was always dancing to first in the night.  While it never saw clubplay at the night's climax, it was certainly one of those tunes that represented the transition from filler music to a packed dance floor.

CRAIG'S TOP 10 FAVE NEW ARTISTS

(Based on My Personal Opinion and not my Chart)

    As I thought about this list, I considered making this a breakthrough chart rather than a new artist chart because there were several acts that debuted in 2000, but didn't make a dent in my charts until 2001.  However, I decided to leave well enough alone.  Aubrey takes the top of the list with the fantastic eight-week #1 smash "Stand Still" under her belt.  The ever-so-chart-successful Da Buzz steals the #2 place with their blend of great dance pop music.  LA-based Hypnogaja takes #3, while La Bouche's former frontwoman Melanie Thornton takes #4, a little over a month after her untimely death in a Swiss plane crash.  While a member of Kon Kan and as half of Thunderpuss, Barry Harris is no stranger to chart success.  However, he lands at #5 based on the first two songs where his actual name is top billing.  UK pop favorite Atomic Kitten scores at #6.  Maria Rubia hit #10 with Fragma and then charted her first solo single at #11.  Dance artist Malina scored big with "By Your Side" and earns herself a place at #8.  IIO is currently hitting it big with the top 10 hit "Rapture (Tastes So Sweet)."  Finally, Amanda Ghost made a breakthrough after a dismal beginning with "Filthy Mind."  

CRAIG'S TOP 10 FAVE ARTISTS

    There isn't too much I can add about any of these artists that I haven't repeated over and over again in 2001 Year in Review commentary.  All of these artists can be found in my cd changer at any given time and it's all I can do to decide which one to listen to first.

CRAIG'S TOP 10 ALBUMS (BASED ON SONGS CHARTED)

    The charts were flooded with tunes from these albums above.  In all, the artists named charted fifty songs.  Although Steps charted one fifth of those, some were tracks from older albums, single B-sides, or live tracks and were not featured on BUZZ.  Gabrielle's greatest hits package outcharts RISE as two of Gabrielle's seven chart hits this year were not from RISE but are both featured on DREAMS CAN COME TRUE.  Madonna's MUSIC was by far the most solid charter of, well, music as every track but the title track from 2000 and two others hit the top 10 in 2001.  While disappointing, LOVEBOAT by Erasure managed to chart four top 20 hits, including the 2000 release "Freedom."  Of these albums, only Gabrielle's greatest hits and Da Buzz' DA SOUND were actually released in 2001.  The other eight were all released in 2000.

CRAIG'S TOP 10 FAVE ALBUMS

    I think I had to change this list three times in the last hour.  It's so hard to decide what would be my favorite album as I tend to listen to certain albums based on my mood.  For example, when I'm mellow or maybe a little down, I'll pop in Gabrielle's greatest hits, but if I'm in a good mood and feeling energized, I may listen to the remixed RISE.  To absolutely 100% say that any one album is my fave would be impossible, but this is how I feel now.  We'll see how much I change it by the time I publish.

CRAIG'S TOP 10 FAVE COVERS/REISSUES

    There were lots of familiar songs on the radio and in the clubs this year with Dolly Parton's version of Collective Soul's "Shine" easily taking the cake.  I don't care what anyone says, I really enjoyed the late 2000 cover of Garth Brooks' "The Dance," which probably shouldn't be eligible for the list since it did peak in 2000, but it was on my chart and in my cd player into 2001.  Steps probably has the most right-on remake of them all with their excellent cover of Diana Ross' US-overlooked 1985 UK #1 "Chain Reaction."  Geri Halliwell gets the cover song video award for paying homage to such music films as FAME and FLASHDANCE in "It's Raining Men," from the BRIDGET JONES DIARY soundtrack.  Steps also scores with a live version of WHAM!'s "Careless Whisper."  Interestingly, Bananarama actually charted seven positions higher than Steps with the song in 2001 but their version grated on my nerves quite quickly (another interesting point..."Stranger in My House" artist covered the song on her first album).  The 2001 updates were just dance mixes of the songs but mixes that I enjoyed a great deal.

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