16 November 1962 Knowing that the Beatles asteroid was hurtling through deep space already at this point, the impulse here is to fear for the future of a variety singer whose trademark was yodelling. However, plenty of easy listening cabaret crooners saw out that putative extinction event; one of them even pips the best Beatles … Continue reading Frank Ifield – ‘Lovesick Blues’ →

24 January 2008 Was the nation of 'Maniac 2000' finally losing its taste for Euro-dance anthems? Certainly there used to be more of these records at number one in Ireland. And since in my 'Maniac 2000' treatise I linked the prevalence of Euro-house-trance bangers at number one to a feel-good factor of Irish society, their … Continue reading Basshunter – ‘Now You’re Gone’ →

2 November 1962 Telstar was the first communications satellite, enabling live TV links and transmissions from around the world. I'm not sure how much use Irish broadcasters made of it in 1962, but there it was in the sky over Ireland, replacing God. 'Telstar' as a record is futuristic too - up to a point. … Continue reading The Tornados – ‘Telstar’ →

5 October 1962 Here's the very first official Irish number one single, sitting on an Irish top ten—no Top 30 Hits on the fledgling RTÉ in its first year of service—compiled by future sports commentator and factoid maven Jimmy Magee. And our first Irish number one act is none other than Elvis, who at that … Continue reading Elvis Presley – ‘She’s Not You’ →

10 January 2008 New year, same old problems for Britney. Today, having seen many other famous young women being chewed up and spat out by tabloid paparazzi Internet frenzy, we hopefully have a bit more empathy and understanding for her and what she lived through in the '00s. Still, it's with a heavy heart and … Continue reading Britney Spears – ‘Piece Of Me’ →

25 October 2007 Insofar as any pop music analysis can be methodologically sound, I remember having a lightbulb moment at a small local gig in November 2007. There, I heard the support act—a hipster guy with a ukulele, naturally—play their version of 'Bleeding Love', then number one in the charts. Ironic or condescending cover versions … Continue reading Leona Lewis – ‘Bleeding Love’ →

27 September 2007 The final three months of 2007 see the Irish number one spot taken by three winners of The X Factor in a row, making it four Irish chart-toppers for UK TV talent show winners that year alone. And there'll be three more in 2008 and four in 2009. To put that in … Continue reading Shayne Ward – ‘If That’s OK With You’ →

30 August 2007 Content warning: self-harm. Regular readers will recall me mentioning how I spent a good part of the '00s and '10s living in Paris. One of the novelties of French music radio and TV was that they'd air the sweary version of English-language hits uncensored. For instance, I'd be hunting-gathering in my local … Continue reading Sean Kingston – ‘Beautiful Girls’ →

26 July 2007 Helping the grammar police with their enquiries here: superstar US electro-R&B producer Timbaland and singer-writer Keri Hilson, plus in the video (below) additional verses by rapper D.O.E. and Timbaland's brother Sebastian. That's a whole lot of people not to catch a typo. In fairness, though, that title is smart: it jolts this … Continue reading Timbaland ft. Keri Hilson – ‘The Way I Are’ →