The Top 100 Singles of the Decade : Part 4

Finally, the finest of the finest. The 25 best singles to have existed in the 00s...

• -25. JUMP Madonna (2006) [#1 x 3 wks]
• -24. SUMMER MOVED ON a-ha (2000) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -23. SONG 4 MUTYA Groove Armada (2007) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -22. CAN'T SPEAK FRENCH Girls Aloud (2008) [#1 x 7 wks]
• -21. MAYBE Emma Bunton (2003) [#1 x 3 wks]
• -20. DON'T GIVE UP Chicane ft. Bryan Adams (2000) [#1 x 5 wks]
• -19. SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW Keane (2004) [#1 x 3 wks]
• -18. PRECIOUS Depeche Mode (2005) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -17. RUN FOR COVER Sugababes (2001) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -16. THE FEAR Lily Allen (2009) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -15. THE SCIENTIST Coldplay (2002) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -14. SOMEBODY TOLD ME The Killers (2004) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -13. BACK WHEN YOU WERE GOOD The Hours (2007) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -12. ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID t.A.T.u. (2003) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -11. THE NIGHT STARTS HERE Stars (2008) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -10. TAKE ME OUT Franz Ferdinand (2004) [#1 x 5 wks]
• --9. RABBIT HEART Florence + The Machine (2009) [#1 x 4 wks]
• --8. CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD Kylie Minogue (2001) [#1 x 4 wks]
• --7. HEAD The Cooper Temple Clause (2007) [#1 x 4 wks]
• --6. TIME TO PRETEND MGMT (2008) [#1 x 9 wks]
• --5. NO GOOD ADVICE Girls Aloud (2003) [#1 x 5 wks]
• --4. NO CARS GO Arcade Fire (2007) [#1 x 8 wks]
• --3. HERE WITH ME Dido (2000) [#1 x 18 wks]
• --2. WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani (2004) [#1 x 7 wks]
• --1. RIPPIN KITTIN Golden Boy with Miss Kittin (2002) [#1 x 8 wks]

And there we have it. The greatest record of the decade is one that probably very few people actually know. Some of the others listed above have started careers, ended careers, been absorbed into the cultural mainstream (how posh), or just completely ignored (see: The Hours and Cooper Temple Clause).

2000-2009 gave Depeche Mode their biggest-ever single on my charts (and this a band who have had 22 #1s thus far), saw Bryan Adams contribute towards a classic electronic pop anthem, and provided Madonna with the Best Single Of 2006 award after 5 years of underwhelming releases which often failed to trouble my weekly Top 40s.

See you in 2010.

The Top 100 Singles of the Decade : Part 3

We're getting closer...

• -50. NOT GONNA GET US t.A.T.u. (2003) [#1 x 1 wk]
• -49. BOHEMIAN LIKE YOU The Dandy Warhols (2001) [#1 x 3 wks]
• -48. RECONECT Director (2006) [#2]
• -47. BLEEDING LOVE Leona Lewis (2007) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -46. HARDEST BUTTON TO BUTTON The White Stripes (2003) [#3]
• -45. BLACK + WHITE TOWN Doves (2005) [#1 x 3 wks]
• -44. LAURA Scissor Sisters (2004) [#1 x 3 wks]
• -43. POINT OF VIEW db Boulevard (2002) [#1 x 3 wks]
• -42. RUBY Kaiser Chiefs (2007) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -41. SILENCE Delerium ft. Sarah McLachlan (2000) [#2]
• -40. FINE LINE Paul McCartney (2005) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -39. METHOD OF MODERN LOVE Saint Etienne (2009) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -38. FOUNDATIONS Kate Nash (2007) [#1 x 1 wk]
• -37. SOME VELVET MORNING Primal Scream (2003) [#1 x 5 wks]
• -36. BLACK BALLOON Goo Goo Dolls (2000) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -35. NAUGHTY GIRL Holly Valance (2002) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -34. MR. BRIGHTSIDE The Killers (2004) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -33. HERE TO STAY New Order (2002) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -32. INNER SMILE Texas (2001) [#1 x 5 wks]
• -31. NEW IN TOWN Little Boots (2009) [#1 x 5 wks]
• -30. LOVE MACHINE Girls Aloud (2004) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -29. KIDS Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue (2000) [#2]
• -28. PARIS IS BURNING Ladyhawke (2008) [#3]
• -27. LONG TIME COMING Delays (2004) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -26. REMIND ME/SO EASY Royksopp (2002) [#1 x 3 wks]

As the business end of this list approaches, time for a little commentary.

Weekly personal charts are a transient thing, at the mercy of temporary madness and/or lapses in taste..so using them as the basis for a retrospective list of the decade's best is fraught with danger. Hence what appear to be oddly disparate rankings for long-running #1s and singles which at the time didn't even reach the top.

Ultimately, what's below the #1 record at any time and challenging its dominance will determine how long it may remain in pole position; in the case of, say, Kids it had the cruel misfortune to be forever denied by the longest-running chart topper in the 25-year history of these things. Meanwhile, there is some mitigation in Paris Is Burning's rather lofty position, since it has been charting continuously now for more than a year thanks to both the original 2008 release and a nicely-tweaked 2009 reissue.

The Top 100 Singles of the Decade : Part 2

Continuing my countdown of the Noughties' finest 45s....

• -75. ADDICTED TO BASS Puretone (2002) [#1 x 1 wk]
• -74. DANIEL Bat For Lashes (2009) [#1 x 5 wks]
• -73. VALENTINE Delays (2006) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -72. BLACK HORSE & THE CHERRY TREE KT Tunstall (2005) [#13]
• -71. SOME GIRLS Rachel Stevens (2004) [#1 x 5 wks]
• -70. COME WHAT MAY [REMIX] Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor (2001) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -69. THE WORLD IS OUTSIDE Ghosts (2007) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -68. ONE WORD Kelly Osbourne (2005) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -67. VIOLET HILL Coldplay (2008) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -66. NO ORDINARY MORNING Chicane (2000) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -65. SHELTERED LIFE Erlend Oye (2003) [#1 x 3 wks]
• -64. TRAINS TO BRAZIL Guillemots (2006) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -63. A THOUSAND MILES Vanessa Carlton (2002) [#1 x 1 wk]
• -62. NUMBER 1 Goldfrapp (2005) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -61. CHERRY BLOSSOM GIRL Air (2004) [#2]
• -60. MS. JACKSON Outkast (2001) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -59. LYRA Kate Bush (2007) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -58. POWER OUT (NEIGHBOURHOOD #3) Arcade Fire (2005) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -57. TRY AGAIN Aaliyah (2000) [#3]
• -56. BEING NOBODY Liberty X vs. Richard X (2003) [#1 x 4 wks]
• -55. MANEATER Nelly Furtado (2006) [#1 x 2 wks]
• -54. EVERYBODY'S CHANGING Keane (2004) [#1 x 5 wks]
• -53. FREAK LIKE ME Sugababes (2002) [#2]
• -52. DRUMMING SONG Florence + The Machine (2009) [#1 x 6 wks]
• -51. I PREDICT A RIOT Kaiser Chiefs (2005) [#1 x 2 wks]

The Top 100 Singles of the Decade : Part 1

The first installment from #76 to #100, in reverse order to create an illusion of excitement as we work towards the top.






• 100. ROMEO Basement Jaxx (2001) [#1 x 1 wk]


• -99. SOPHIA (REMIX) Nerina Pallot (2006) [#1 x 3 wks]


• -98. THIS TRAIN DON'T STOP THERE Elton John (2002) [#1 x 2 wks]


• -97. BRING ME TO LIFE Evanescence (2003) [#1 x 1 wk]


• -96. I BRUISE EASILY Natasha Bedingfield (2005) [#1 x 2 wks]


• -95. MEDDLE Little Boots (2008) [#1 x 2 wks]


• -94. MINIMAL Pet Shop Boys (2006) [#1 x 3 wks]


• -93. BEDSHAPED Keane (2004) [#1 x 4 wks]


• -92. EMPIRE STATE OF MIND Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (2009) [#1 x 2 wks]


• -91. EASY LUCKY FREE Bright Eyes (2005) [#1 x 4 wks]


• -90. STAY THE NIGHT Ghosts (2007) [#1 x 4 wks]


• -89. BLESSED NIGHT Howling Bells (2006) [#1 x 3 wks]


• -88. WE ARE THE PEOPLE Empire Of The Sun (2009) [#1 x 3 wks]


• -87. TOXIC Britney Spears (2004) [#1 x 2 wks]


• -86. NEVER MISS A BEAT Kaiser Chiefs (2008) [#1 x 1 wk]


• -85. SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS The Postal Service (2003) [#2]


• -84. SEWN The Feeling (2006) [#2]


• -83. STUCK ON REPEAT Little Boots (2009) [#1 x 1 wk]


• -82. DO YOU WANT TO? Franz Ferdinand (2005) [#1 x 1 wk]


• -81. GIRL WHO FELL THROUGH THE ICE A.I.M. (2002) [#1 x 2 wks]


• -80. THE BLACK HIT OF SPACE Sarah Nixey (2007) [#1 x 1 wk]


• -79. CLUB FOOT Kasabian (2005) [#2]


• -78. HURT/PERSONAL JESUS Johnny Cash (2003) [#2]


• -77. STAN Eminem ft. Dido (2000) [#2]


• -76. THAT'S NOT MY NAME The Ting Tings (2008) [#1 x 2 wks]

The other three parts will appear each day from now until the New Year. Figures in ( ) s refer to the date of UK release and/or their first appearance on my weekly Top 40. Figures in [ ]s denote a single's peak position on said chart.

The end of a decade, the start of....a blog.

So, this is it. The plan...assuming there is one...will be to put lots of charts, lists, charty stuff and listy stuff all on here. Together in perfect charty-listy harmony.

First up will be a fascinating rundown of the best 100 singles from the years 2000 to 2009. According to me.

Which makes it about as definitive as you can get.