15 June 2002 Housekeeping note: Yes, I intend to go back and do the Irish number ones of the 1960s and '70s. I started with the '80s partly on a whim, partly because the data is more reliable, but also from fond memories of the '80s chart pop of my childhood, little realising I would … Continue reading Elvis Vs JXL – ‘A Little Less Conversation’ →

25 May 2002 Is this the first Irish number one we can attribute to bantz? Certainly l'affaire Keano of the time made Eminem's 'Without Me' topical, or at least an easy reach for the same breakfast radio presenters who pre-Saipan had been regaling us with their World Cup-flavoured comedy songs and skits. Of course, Eminem … Continue reading Eminem – ‘Without Me’ →

18 May 2002 Yes, I know we can take issue with the song title, and with good reason: the good times are already here. Welcome to May 2002 and Celtic Tiger Ireland, baby! Like a neverending 'Maniac 2000', Ireland is still on one almighty buzz. The initial shock of 9/11 has eased, and besides, Ireland … Continue reading The Irish World Cup Squad – ‘Here Come The Good Times’ →

13 April 2002 I'm sure that if you took a random selection of people and asked them if Nickelback's 'How You Remind Me' is good or bad, they'd all say it's bad. Its badness was apparent even in 2002. And yet Nickelback with this song spent three months in Ireland's top ten, including five weeks … Continue reading Nickelback – ‘How You Remind Me’ →

23 March 2002 Oh great, it's 'Unchained Melody' again. Look, I have no problem with the principle of TV talent show personalities; after all, this time next chart-year we'll see the greatest pop act of the decade, who go on to sing the most exciting and innovative chart pop music of the decade, all thanks … Continue reading Gareth Gates – ‘Unchained Melody’ →

16 March 2002 Shakira's 'Wherever, Whenever' is really weird. Actual pan pipes! Shakira's strange nasally singing, especially in the "I'll be there and you'll be near" of the chorus, a vocal choice she only seems to make on her English-language tracks. The Google Translate lyrics, including the key line about non-mountainous cleavage. The clompy Irish-showband … Continue reading Shakira – ‘Whenever, Wherever’ →

16 February 2002 In fairness, who among us hasn't ever mislaid their passport and mistakenly given their correct date of birth instead of a fake one while being filmed for national television? As an Irish pop culture moment, Nadine's mix-up with her date of birth was magic stuff. If only that had been the series … Continue reading Six – ‘There’s A Whole Lot Of Loving’ →

2 February 2002 His papa Julio Iglesias, the Pepé Le Pew of shiny-floor light entertainment Euro-pop, had stunk and slunk his way skunk-like to number one in Ireland in 1981 with 'Begin The Beguine'. Now here's one of his many children carrying on the family business of monetising the Latin lover stereotype through the medium … Continue reading Enrique Iglesias – ‘Hero’ →

26 January 2002 Strangely, considering we'd already seen Pink at number one the previous year as one part of Moulin Rouge merchandise 'Lady Marmalade', 'Get The Party Started' always feels to me like her first 'real' hit. We've already seen its writer-producer at number one too: Linda Perry, lead singer of 4 Non Blondes and … Continue reading Pink – ‘Get The Party Started’ →