I am going to listen to every UK No.1 in the charts ever

Macklemore and "Downtown" is a cert for number one.
Contains the immortal lyrics" If I only had one helmet I'd give it to you" and " Tiramisu, tearing my suit"
Even FACTS will be dancing to this!


http://youtu.be/JGhoLcsr8GA

That Sigala song is quite catchy, a worthy number one.
One of the better songs this year?

Easy Love - Sigala

11th September
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozx898ADTxM

Yes,JB,this is quite good. The xylophone is one of the underused instruments in pop music so it's good to hear a xylophone based track get to no.1. I thought the sample of ABC by the Jackson 5 was speeded up but having just listened to the original,it's not,Jacko's voice really was that high when he was that age. Sigala is a DJ from Norfolk. His real name is Bruce Fielder.

What Do You Mean? - Justin Bieber

18th September

Anubis7 doubles up as Santa at this time of year so I'll just continue the updates til he's finished his deliveries.

Sam Smith ~ Writings On The Wall

http://youtu.be/8jzDnsjYv9A

2nd Octber
Poxy ballads aren't my bag, it's from the new Bond movie,

KDA ~ Turn The Music Louder (Rumble)~ Tinie Tempah and Katy B

http://youtu.be/vh44zE-hlL4

16th October

Chit chatters who regularly visit nightclubs will be familiar with this beat.
Katy B, or Kathleen Brien is on a mission.

Hello by Adele

http://youtu.be/YQHsXMglC9A

30th October.

Blimey, this has had 700,000,000 views so I think you've probably heard it,
Adele and Lionel Richie had this as their first song at their recent wedding.

Sorry ~ Justin Bieber

http://youtu.be/fRh_vgS2dFE

20th November

Love him or hate him?
Sorry but he's just a to****
Listen and judge for yourself.

Love Yourself ~ Justin Bieber

http://youtu.be/oyEuk8j8imI

4th December
Blimey, this is his fourth number one in as many months, must be some sort of record, pardon the pun.
It's the same as all his other songs.
Please make those Elves work faster Anubis7

Thanks for stepping in JB. I'm in between houses at the moment and don't have regular internet access so you can carry on holding the fort for a bit longer. I should be back on here in Feb or March. You're a brave man having to listen to two Bieber songs back to back.

While I'm here,I'll just throw in one of my amazing chart facts. Justin Bieber is the first living act since The Beatles in 1963 to replace himself at no.1. John Lennon and Elvis Presley have done it since then but they were dead.

Some great pop/r'n'b songs this year.
Unfortunately hardly any reached No.1

NHS CHOIR ~ A Bridge Over You

http://youtu.be/T8qHXlShfUQ

25th December 2015

A mash-up of Simon & Garfunkel/Coldplay songs, pleasant to the ear with some good vocals in the holiday season.
The choir consists of doctors, nurses and other NHS staff from the Lewisham and Greenwich area and they rehearse on Tuesday evenings after work.
All proceeds going to charities. (MIND, SAMH, NIAMH & Carers UK)
A junior doctor had the idea of releasing this song as a single after they'd appeared on Gareth Malones "Sing While You Work" show on BBC 2.
Sold 127k copies.
I love the NHS too!

Pop music fans on Chit Chat may be excited to know that Justin Bieber has set a new record in today's Top 40 singles chart announced a few minutes ago.
He is the first act since the charts started to have songs at number 1, 2 and 3.
Number 1 ~ Love Yourself
Number 2 ~ Sorry
Number 3 ~ What Do You Mean?

Shawn Mendes ~ Stitches

http://youtu.be/VbfpW0pbvaU

22nd Jan

After 6 weeks in the chart this finally replaces Bieber at number one. Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that it is another Bieber song though!
He's only 17 years old and is from Canada, probably got a big future.
A catchy melodic tune, pleasant on the ears but instantly forgettable.

Zayn ~ Pillowtalk

http://youtu.be/C_3d6GntKbk

5th Feb

23 year old ex one directioner Zayn Malik bags number one with the fastest selling single of the year barely 12 months after leaving the supergroup because of musical differences. I've put the link for you but my advice is don't waste 3 & 1/2 minutes of your life listening to this soft ballad, it's awful!
Let's hope the DMA's claim top spot  soon.

Lucas Graham ~ 7 Years

http://youtu.be/LHCob76kigA

12th Feb

A lovely song that's well worth a listen, this is actually a 4-piece band from Belgium and not a solo artist as the name suggests. its a powerful ballad that could bring a tear to the eye of a chit chatter, you've been warned! They're quite big over there having had 5 number 1 singles.

Mike Posner ~ I Took A Pill in Ibiza

March 18th

After about 7 years at number one Lucas Graham have been dislodged by a song that has steadily gained popularity over the last four weeks or so.
Mike, real name Micheal Henrion is an American singer songwriter, strikes me as a one hit wonder, but what do I know?
It's  supposedly anti drugs, I've heard it a few times, didn't like it at first but it's growing on me now.

Excellent work JB. Thanks for keeping things up to date. There weren't too many singles for you to listen to. The chart seems to have reverted back to the way it was in the 70s with most no.1s taking a few weeks to climb the chart first and then staying at the top for a while.

I have moved in to my new house now and have just got broadband connected so I'll take the next song if that's alright with you.

No probs

One Dance - Drake featuring Wizkid & Kyla

15th April
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJN4RIYf7EI

Canadian rapper with his 2nd no.1. I don't like rap music but he's not shouting the lyrics and there's some melody in there so it wasn't too bad. This is the first no.1 this year to have a female singer on it. It's not officially on youtube yet but I managed to find it on there. Drake might take it down if he sees it.

One Dance by Drake has now been no.1 for 11 weeks,making it the longest running no.1 single since Love Is All Around by Wet Wet Wet which you might remember topped the charts in 1994 for 15 long weeks.

11 weeks at no.1 and ive never heard it once-unreal if you think about it

This has got beyond a joke!
12 weeks at number one and it's only a mediocre song.
How can Kungs be number one in the midweek chart for the last three weeks then slip to number 2?
Something fishy going on.

It's all down to streaming. Based on the old chart rules,Drake would only have been no.1 for three weeks. Now they've included streaming figures as well,it's virtually the same top 10 every week.

Just looking at the sales only chart now. Kungs are no.1 and Drake is no.9. The good news is that Mr Blue Sky by ELO is a re-entry at no.89.

Cold Water - Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MO

29th July
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a59gmGkq_pw

This is a load of rubbish. I don't know why it took eight people to write it and four people to produce it. At least Drake's 15 week run at no.1 is at an end. MO's real name is Karen Marie Aagaard Orsted Andersen. I can see why she wanted a shorter name to record under. In Danish,mo means virgin.

Closer - The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey

2nd September
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT2_F-1esPk

Five weeks in the top 40 for this one. It's an improvement on the last two no.1s. I wouldn't choose to listen to it again but I didn't find anything particularly annoying about it. The Chainsmokers and Halsey are both American and this is no.1 in the USA as well.

Anubis, we are going to have to review your remuneration package now that you're part-time on this thread

I have my feet up on the table every Friday.

Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur

30th September
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yW7w8F2TVA

An unlikely comeback by the 2012 X Factor winner who was dropped from his record label after he made some controversial Twitter comments. It's a soppy love song on acoustic guitar which is more likely to appeal to female record buyers. This is only the second single by a British act to reach no.1 this year and both of them are by former X Factor contestants.

Your stamina at listening to all this puerile dross is something else.

Shout Out To My Ex - Little Mix

21st October
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFDzhKdrN9M

Straight in at no.1 after just 5 days of sales. Only the third chart topper this year to be a new entry. It's a formulaic pop song with a country twang to it and a rather shouty chorus. Little Mix's fourth no.1.

Rockabye - Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie

11th November
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=papuvlVeZg8

Up two places from no.3,Clean Bandit's second no.1. Not as good as 'Rather Be' but still quite good,I like it. It's an anthem for single mothers everywhere. I had to read the lyrics to understand it as Sean Paul's accent is difficult to decipher. Anne-Marie has won gold medals for GB at karate while Sean Paul has played for the Jamaican water polo team.

Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran

13th January
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dK2tDK9grQ

A close battle for the no.1 spot this week between Ed Sheeran and himself. He is the first act ever to have new entries at no.1 and no.2 in the same week. It's a fairly good R&B song but not of the quality to justify its huge sales/streaming figures. He wrote it for Rihanna but decided to keep it for himself as he thought it unlikely she would want to listen to Van Morrison on the jukebox.

Who are the last group/ artist to be No 1 &2 in the chart Anubis?
My guess would be The Beatles in 67 or FGTH in 84 but there's probably been a few more recent ones.

Justin Bieber was No.1,2 and 3 one week last year. I can't think of any groups other than those two you have mentioned.

Also John Lennon in 1981.

Sign Of The Times - Harry Styles

14th April
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0GKGpObgPY

At last a new no.1 for me to listen to. I had to go back to page 17 to find this. 'Sign Of The Times' is an Oasis type rock ballad which is a departure from what you would expect from a member of One Direction. His falsetto is decent enough but he struggles with his vocals towards the end. As no.1s these days go,the song isn't too bad.

Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran

21st April

Symphony - Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson

28th April
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aatr_2MstrI

This isn't as good as Clean Bandit's other two no.1s,there's nothing very memorable in it. It's been in the top 10 for 6 weeks now,queueing up behind Ed Sheeran. Zara Larsson won the Swedish equivalent of Britain's Got Talent at the age of 10.

Sign Of The Times - Harry Styles

The 1981 song of the same name by The Belle Stars is better by far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOKJfQpbsL0

Great work btw.

I'm The One - DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber,Quavo,Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne

5th May
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weeI1G46q0o

With that cast list,this was always unlikely to be a favourite of mine even if I haven't heard of some of them. Not surprisingly,it's a load of rubbish. DJ Khaled's full name is Khaled Mohamed Khaled.

Despacito (remix) - Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber

12th May
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q-m-Zml6UA

Another week,another Justin Bieber no.1. This is a bit better than last week's. It has a Latin American sound to it. The original version doesn't have Bieber on it but after he said he liked it,they did a new version including him. A good way to make some money. Luis Fonsi is the first Puerto Rican to get to no.1 since Ricky Martin in 1999 and this is the first foreign language no.1 since Gangnam Style in 2012.

Despacito Despacito , best number 1 in about 20 years for me. For somebody who spends a lot of time in Spain hearing one of these songs crossover feels quite strange.

The big Latin songs always get heavy youtube views this has 1.3 billion but outside of the Revolution De Cuba clubs you don't usually get them crossing over to English speaking charts. Not buying the Justin Bieber affect either as he's had plenty of flops and this was a massive burner way before his lamer version came out.

Bridge Over Troubled Water - Artists For Grenfell

23rd June
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O1CcwYf79I

After hastily being put together by Simon Cowell,this surges to no.1 after just two days on sale. It's great seeing some money raised for those in need,but my job is to review the song. Some of it was quite painful to listen to with a total of 51 acts and two choirs all battling to get a line. How Louisa Johnson's screeching made the final cut is a mystery. The best part was the kids' choir near the end. I think this is the fifth song to have three or more different versions get to no.1,the others being Unchained Melody,Do They Know It's Christmas,Spirit In The Sky and You'll Never Walk Alone.

Despacito (remix) - Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber

30th June

Wild Thoughts - DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller

21st July
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyaI4-5849w

Despacito is still the most bought and streamed song this week but the chart rules were recently changed to prevent singles clogging up the top part of the chart for years on end so a complicated mathematical formula which I won't go into has deemed that Wild Thoughts takes its turn at no.1. Brassneck will be seething. This also has a Latin American sound to it. There is an electric guitar being played on it which is quite unusual for a no.1 these days but I see it's just a sample from a Santana song called Maria Maria. The song is alright but Rihanna pronouncing wild as wah is irritating. It's Rihanna's ninth no.1 and her first since 2013.

Despacito lost it's UK number 1 chart status last week due to the silly new charts rules meaning 300:1 streams per sales for songs over 10 weeks old and 3 consecutive weeks of slow down.

The Rihanna tune that went number 1 was still on a ratio of 150:1 streams per sale, even then only just made it.

Despacito (remix) - Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber

28th July

Feels - Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams,Katy Perry and Big Sean

11th August
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozv4q2ov3Mk

After 8 weeks in the top 30,this finally gets to no.1. There's a Dreadlock Holiday vibe running through this song. Having so many people contributing stops it from getting boring so this is one of the better chart-toppers from the year. It's Calvin's 8th no.1,putting him second behind Cliff Richard for most no.1s by a British solo artist. All together,these four now have 18 no.1 singles between them.

New Rules - Dua Lipa

18th August
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2qgadSvNyU

I thought Dua Lipa was some sort of made up name but it is her real name,she has Albanian parents. This is a forgettable 'tropical house' song which I wouldn't want to hear again. It's the first no.1 by a female solo singer since Hello by Adele in October 2015.

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

1st September
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tmd-ClpJxA

Taylor Swift finally has her first UK no.1 single. This has already smashed the records for most Youtube views and Spotify streams in the first week. The song has a fairly unpredictable structure to it but is nothing really special. The unlikely people to make some money out of this are Right Said Fred. After someone pointed out to Taylor that her song bears an uncanny resemblance to 'I'm Too Sexy',she agreed to credit them as co-writers.

Too Good At Goodbyes - Sam Smith

15th September
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX8-YzMKZhQ

Sam Smith's sixth no.1. It's an unadventurous piano and strings ballad with a gospel choir joining in the chorus. If an unknown singer had released this,it probably wouldn't have got any attention.

Rockstar - Post Malone featuring 21 Savage

6th October
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_209r9TMB4M

There seem to be a lot of swear words in this one so I wouldn't think daytime radio 1 will be playing it much. Melodically,it's just the same line all the way through. It's certainly different to most no.1s but not in a good way. Post Malone's real name is Austin Post.

I was bored with this song after about 40 seconds.
Turned it off after a minute.
Awful song.
Rap is crap.
I’m a better rapper than he is

Havana - Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug

3rd November
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ0mxQXmLsk

The current popularity for Latin American music continues. The song is alright,the piano and brass instruments give it a 20th Century sort of sound. Camila Cabello was born in Cuba and was part of the girl group Fifth Harmony who were put together on the American version of the X Factor in 2012. Proceeds from this single should just about pay for Young Thug's Christmas shopping. He has ten brothers and sisters and already has six children of his own by four women.

Perfect - Ed Sheeran

8th December
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vv-BfVoq4g
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=817P8W8-mGE

Ed's fourth no.1 single. This originally got to no.4 in March as an album track and became an official single in August. It finally reaches no.1 after a new version featuring Beyonce was released this week. Sales/streams of the two versions are added together which is why I have included two links for those of you who would like to listen to the song twice. I wouldn't recommend either. It's a bog standard love song which is what I expected from such an over-rated musician. He breaks his own record (set by Thinking Out Loud) for most weeks in the top 40 before reaching no.1. This is Perfect's 22nd week in the top 40 (not consecutive).

River - Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran

19th January
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BXDsVD6O10

Eminem's ninth no.1. The first six of those were on his own but since 2005 he's needed a bit of help to get there and the last three have all been collaborations. I don't like this song. Eminem still sounds angry and Ed Sheeran still sounds like Ed Sheeran. The latter follows The Beatles,John Lennon,Elvis Presley and Justin Bieber as someone who has replaced himself at no.1.

God's Plan - Drake

26th January

No link for this song as it is not on youtube. I have listened to it on Spotify which means that I have now unavoidably made a small contribution to it staying at no.1 next week. It's a pretty poor piece of rap music. It sounds like he's singing it while lying in bed with a cold. God Only Knows by the Beach Boys and God Save The Queen by the Sex Pistols both reached no.2 but this is the first song with God in the title to get to no.1.

These Days - Rudimental featuring Jess Glynne,Macklemore and Dan Caplen

30th March
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjTj-_55WZ8

This has been stuck at no.2 behind Drake for seven weeks. It finally moves up one place,such is the glacial movement of the singles chart these days. It has broken the record for the most consecutive weeks at no.2 before ascending to no.1. The song has a fairly laid back feel to it with some piano,trumpet and a gospel choir. It's a sixth no.1 for Jess Glynne which means she now has more no.1s than any other British female. It's also a third chart-topper for Rudimental and a second for Macklemore.

Freaky Friday - Lil Dicky featuring Chris Brown

6th April
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZla1ttZHaw

Lil Dicky is an American comedy rapper. The video for this was reasonably funny which made listening to the song bearable. It's Chris Brown's second no.1,six years after his first.

Nice For What - Drake

13th April
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9BwWKXjVaI

A fourth no.1 for Drake. This is equally as horrendous as the other three. It's filled with the n word and mf word.

One Kiss - Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa

20th April
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm8rz-llMhE

A new no.1 for the third consecutive week which is unusual these days. It's also quite old fashioned to have "and" instead of "featuring" between the two names of the collaborators. This is an improvement on the last two no.1s as it has some sort of tune to it but it's still quite uninspiring. Calvin Harris becomes the 11th act to have 9 or more no.1 singles.

I'll Be There - Jess Glynne

15th June
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQp1_GfDhwQ

Yet another no.1 for Jess Glynne,her seventh in under five years. She virtually yodels her way through this one. I don't she is doing it deliberately,otherwise I could have declared this to be the first yodelling no.1 since Rose Marie by Slim Whitman in 1954. The song is reasonable but nothing to get excited about. She certainly has an admirable long mane of ginger hair these days.

Solo - Clean Bandit featuring Demi Lovato

22nd June
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JnfIa84TnU

Clean Bandit's fourth no.1. They are also the first act since Girls Aloud in 2008 to have seven consecutive top 5 singles. This has a summery sound to it and there is some heavy use of the vocoder. Demi Lovato looks like a slightly chubbier version of Meghan Markle. Her first hit single was ten years ago and her best chart position up to now was no.3.

Has it been pointed out that if you don't live forever, you can't listen to ever number 1 ever? :)

Maybe the singles chart will be scrapped before I die.  The I in the thread title refers to E L Wisty anyway so I have made no such promises. 

Shotgun - George Ezra

29th June
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAiVsqfbn5g

Just before reviewing this,I noticed a Chit Chat thread called 'The most irritating "song" I have heard in ages' only to find that it's the same song. I can see why twizzle22 would find it irritating and I wouldn't want to hear it again. I have never heard it before which just shows you how often I listen to 'pop' radio nowadays. He rhymes "hot sun" with "shotgun" a few times which at least makes it an appropriate no.1 for the current heatwave. The song ends with with a rather sudden fadeout. George has got to no.3 and no.2 before but this is the Hertford singer's first no.1

Three Lions - Baddiel & Skinner & Lightning Seeds

13th July
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJqimlFcJsM

England's unexpected run to the World Cup semi-finals has propelled this song back to number 1. Sales and streams of the 1996 and 1998 versions have been combined. It's the first song by the same act to get to no.1 in three seperate chart runs. Out of the well known England football songs,I prefer 'World In Motion' but it's good to see this one back at number 1.

In My Feelings - Drake

20th July
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WSgJCYIewM

'Three Lions' breaks the record for biggest fall from number 1,dropping 96 places to number 97. The previous record was a fall of 28 places for the Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Choir. Instead we have another dreadful 'song' by Drake,his third number 1 of the year. Apparently some sort of dance craze is mainly responsible for this topping the chart.

Anub......can't believe you are still carrying on this masochistic torture in the century that music died .

I thought the 80s were crap from about 1984 (from memory) but there's an 80s channel on Virgin, and probably Sky and some were pretty good.. After the 80s though, apart from the likes of Nirvana, oh  dear.

Shotgun - George Ezra

17th August

Eastside - Benny Blanco,Halsey and Khalid

31st August
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56WBK4ZK_cw

I had never heard of Benny Blanco before but I see he's written or produced twelve of the number 1s I've been listening to. This is a real nonentity of a song. There's nothing unpleasant about it but nothing to make it stand out either. It's instantly forgettable. Halsey is the only one of these three to have a previous no.1 (in 2016 with The Chainsmokers).

Promises - Calvin Harris & Sam Smith

7th September
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkLk2XWMBf8

A tenth number 1 for Calvin Harris and a seventh for Sam Smith. Calvin now has eight no.1s this decade,more than anyone else. This is another one to pass me by,it never really gets going.

Funky Friday - Dave featuring Fredo

12th October
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxns_n9q0f4

This is not Dave from Chas and Dave embarking on a new career without Chas,it's Dave the rapper from Streatham whose full name is David Omoregie. Fredo is also a rapper. I don't know why Dave couldn't have rapped the whole song himself,it's pure laziness to get someone in to rap a verse. This is the second number 1 this year with Friday in the title.

Promises - Calvin Harris & Sam Smith

19th October

Well done Anubis for keeping this going.
No 1s with a day in the week.
I'm guessing there's not been that many, but I'm sure you'll put me right on this one.
Off the top of my head, apart from the two this year
Sunday Girl
I don't like Mondays
Manic Monday?
Saturday Night

Hi MMM,yes I think it's just the ones you listed (Manic Monday got to number 2). Jess Glynne is a new entry this week at number 24 with a song called Thursday so she's doing her bit to get one of the three remaining days of the week to number 1.

Shallow - Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

26th October
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo_efYhYU2A

From the soundtrack of A Star Is Born which is also this week's number 1 album. This is certainly an improvement on the last few chart toppers. It has a proper tune to it and is well sung by both singers. It's Lady Gaga's fifth number 1 and her first since 2010. Bradley Cooper is the first Hollywood actor to have a UK number 1 single since Nicole Kidman duetted with Robbie Williams in 2001.

Thank U,Next - Ariana Grande

9th November
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEhZAHZQyf4

Ariana Grande's third number 1 but her first as a solo singer. It's a history of her past relationships. I suppose her avid fans might find that interesting but it does nothing for me and the melody to the song was lifeless. Thank you,next.

tt

We Built This City - Ladbaby

21st December
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iEB8bfP7wE

So this year's Christmas number 1 is a novelty song about sausage rolls. It's great to see that in a chart era dominated by streaming,not sales,that something like this can still get to number 1. The quality of the vocals is debatable but I enjoyed the humour in the lyrics. Ladbaby is 'dad blogger' Mark Hoyle from Nottingham. The song was written for Starship by four people in 1985,one of whom is Bernie Taupin. With profits going to food bank charity The Trussel Trust,I hope that they will be waiving their share. This was backed as high as 100 on here. I never thought it could do it until it was odds on so I missed out. Congratulations to all those who made a decent amount from this.

Sweet But Psycho - Ava Max

28th December
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXBHCQYxwr0

There are 27 Christmas songs in this weeks top 40 including All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey which peaks at number 2 for the third time. It had more than double the streams of this week's number 1 but songs which are more than three years old now have a different streams to sales ratio compared to new songs so Ava Max has a slightly false number 1. She is an American singer of Albanian descent. Her real name is Amanda Ava Koci. Her single is a bog-standard dance/pop song.

7 Rings - Ariana Grande

25th January
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYh6mYIJG2Y

Ariana's fourth number 1 uses the melody from My Favourite Things from The Sound Of Music so Rodgers and Hammerstein are down as co-writers. It breaks the UK record for most streams in a week. I'm not sure why the streamers are so keen on it,it's another disappointing effort from her. The lyrics are basically "I'm rich,I can have anything I want". It's the fourth number 1 with 7 in the title,the others are Seven Tears,7 Days and 7 Years.

Break Up With Your Girlfriend,I'm Bored - Ariana Grande

15th February
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH4Y1ZUUx2g

Ariana replaces herself at number 1 (the first female singer to do so) with another mundane song. She's not the only one who is bored. So was I when I listened to it. She's the second female singer to hold the no.1 and no.2 chart placings in the same week (the first being Madonna). Based on sales alone,neither song is in the top 5. It's more down to her album,which is out this week,being streamed millions of times by people with nothing else to do.

7 Rings - Ariana Grande

22nd February

Someone You Loved - Lewis Capaldi

1st March
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCuhuePlP8o

This is a piano ballad with some rather shouty vocals but at least it's a proper tune getting to number 1 which doesn't happen often nowadays. Lewis Capaldi is a distant relative of Peter Capaldi who stars in the video. With Calvin Harris at no.2,this is the first time since November 2011 that the top 2 chart positions have been held by Scottish acts.

Old Town Road - Lil Nas X

19th April
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ho88VXJTBg

This is a country/rap crossover so a bit different from any previous no.1. I wouldn't go as far as saying I enjoyed it but it was interesting enough and didn't go on too long. It's only one minute 53 seconds long which makes it the shortest song to get to no.1 since the 60s. Most of the sales/streams are in fact for the slightly longer remix which features Billy Ray Cyrus who emulates his daughter Miley in reaching no.1.

Vossi Bop - Stormzy

3rd May
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ClYy0MxsU0

I think most of us on Chit Chat would at least have heard of Stormzy. This is his first no.1 single. I had to use google to find out what a Vossi Bop was. I am not the only one to do this as when I typed "what does" into the search,"what does Vossi Bop mean" was the first thing that came up on the list. Anyway,it's a dance that involves leaning forward. This is a rap song with lots of London street slang in the lyrics. I like the fact he rhymed Vossi Bop with coffee shop.

I Don't Care - Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber

17th May
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y83x7MgzWOA

Ed Sheeran's sixth no.1 and Justin Bieber's seventh. It's about as poor as I expected it to be,the production is basic and the melody is lifeless. This is only no.1 because of who's singing it.

Senorita - Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello

12th July
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkh8UtuejGw

A second no.1 single for both singers. It's a latin influenced tune with some acoustic and bass guitars. It was pleasant enough but not very memorable.

Beautiful People - Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid

19th July
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj0XInqZMHY

When Ed Sheeran released his last album,his songs occupied nine of the top 10 positions on the singles chart. To prevent this happening again,a rule was introduced limiting the number of songs any act could have in the chart at one time to three. With his album of collaborations released last week,he has to settle for numbers 1,3 and 4 on this week's chart. 'I Don't Care' which was no.1 for 8 weeks and was at no.2 last week has disappeared from the chart completely as it didn't sell/stream as much this week as the other three songs. 'Beautiful People' wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I wouldn't choose to listen to it again but it's one of the better songs I've heard from him.

Senorita - Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello

26th July

Take Me Back To London - Ed Sheeran featuring Stormzy

30th August
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehQcuKhO5n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJQy_R9CYR4 (remix)

Chit Chat's favourite two artists collaborate for this one,Ed Sheeran's eighth no.1 and Stormzy's second. It was a new entry at no.3 a few weeks ago but dropped out completely the next week due to the maximum of three songs by one act rule. This week,it storms up from no.11 after the release of a remix which adds two more rappers to the track,Jaykae and Aitch. It's another song packed full of street slang ruminations.

Dance Monkey - Tones and I

4th October
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0hyYWKXF0Q

Tones and I is the Australian female singer Toni Watson. She is the first Australian to reach number 1 since Iggy Azalea five years ago. She has a very squeaky voice and a strange way of pronouncing her words so I found the whole thing to be rather irritating but it has a catchy chorus that you might sing along to if you were drunk at a party.

I Love Sausage Rolls - LadBaby

20th December
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-WCAEwMJhI

For the second year running,the Christmas no.1 is a song about sausage rolls. This time the Joan Jett song "I Love Rock'n'Roll' is given the sausage roll treatment. Her version is not actually the original. For that you have to go back as far as 1975 when it was recorded by the English/American rock group Arrows. LadBaby is the third act after The Beatles and The Spice Girls to have consecutive Christmas no.1 singles. All proceeds again go to the Trussell Trust. As a novelty song,this is certainly preferable to the alternative which would have been Stormzy.

River - Ellie Goulding

27th December
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8IoUoH3-EE

So this is the last no.1 of the decade despite being exclusive to the Amazon streaming service. Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' has to settle for the no.2 position for the third year in a row as well as peaking at no.2 when it was first released in 1994. As it's an old song,its number of streams are reduced (by 50% I think) when the chart is compiled. 'River' was originally written and recorded by Joni Mitchell for her 1971 album 'Blue'. Ellie Goulding's cover features just her voice and a piano and is a decent enough effort. It's her third no.1 single.

I have decided that will be the last no.1 single I will review for this thread. The end of the decade seems to be an appropriate time to finish.

If anyone wants to take over the job,they would be very welcome to do so.

anubis7, thanks for your reviews, I’ve appreciated your thoughts on number 1 singles, I’ve even offered my opinions on some occasions but in line with popular opinion my interest in pop has waned, I follow indie more closely, and I think your decision is for the best.