Hello again,
As originally published on Twitter in the first week of Straight In At...'s existence back in late-May 2021, if memory serves. Here are all of the new entries for the official singles chart of May 30th 1999, including a trance-pop staple; a Muppetational video; at least one next big thing (who ultimately weren't); and one boy band's final wheeze of life.
Yes, there were 25 new entries inside the top 100 that week. Such was the way of things around that time, and I don't believe this is even close to a record. Enjoy.
J xx
Click on the video or link to play each tune (links last checked as all working 18/05/2026).
New at #100. One of around a zillion aliases of German producer Thorsten Stenzel (owner also of Planet Love and six other record labels), on IIRC a one-off collaboration with Taucher (Ralph Armand Beck) on this occasion. A perfectly pleasant trance track.
Fungus – Astronaut
New at #93. The second of five bottom-end top 100 hits for these Swedish pop-punkers. Food picked them up for their sophomore album, but their fortunes didn’t especially improve over here for that.
Super Motor Funk - Put Your Arms In The Air (Get Down On It)
New at #89. Would this have classed as Big Beat back in the day? A Kool & The Gang sample as expected, albeit you’ve got to wait over two minutes to get to it in this version; I’d have liked to have found the radio edit.
Jonny L – Raise
New at #83. Ubiquitous drum and bass guy, though with enough pop sensibilities to work with S Club, Dane Bowers and Victoria Beckham on occasion. Clattering, skittish beats, disembodied samples… I could listen to this sort of stuff all day.
Phil Fuldner – The Final
New at #82. A top ten hit in Germany and Austria, based on the soundtrack for the German redub of the 1978 Japanese anime version of the 1940s American pulp magazine hero Captain Future. Are you keeping up?
Doves – Sea EP
New at #80. The artists formerly known as Sub Sub, with to my mind still the best Doves track by absolute miles. A lot going on in the background – harmonica, 6-8 time, samples, dubby outro – but it all works. Claustrophobia done deftly. The dedication to the late Rob Gretton on the sleeve was a nice touch.
Six By Seven – July, August and Winter
New at #79. The enduring sound of Nottingham, on and off for 27 years now. Love the fact frontman Chris Olley once exhibited the photos he took from the back of a bike of every single English football league ground.
Fountains of Wayne – Red Dragon Tattoo
New at #78. From an ill-starred album based thematically on the Kinks and Springsteen, but which their label Atlantic didn’t understand on any level – more fool them. As with most Fountains tracks, way better than Stacy’s Mom. You know it is.
Aurora – Hear You Calling
New at #71. This would go top 20 on re-release a year later, albeit still before their hit cover of Duran Duran’s Ordinary World rather than off the back of it. Apparently Aurora hailed from Rotherham, giving the town something else by which to be remembered musically other than just Jive Bunny.
Younger Younger 28s – We’re Going Out
New at #61. Very briefly touted as a turn of the century Human League, but not the only act in this week’s lineup who fell foul of a record label losing interest in them quickly.
New at #78. From an ill-starred album based thematically on the Kinks and Springsteen, but which their label Atlantic didn’t understand on any level – more fool them. As with most Fountains tracks, way better than Stacy’s Mom. You know it is.
Aurora – Hear You Calling
New at #71. This would go top 20 on re-release a year later, albeit still before their hit cover of Duran Duran’s Ordinary World rather than off the back of it. Apparently Aurora hailed from Rotherham, giving the town something else by which to be remembered musically other than just Jive Bunny.
Younger Younger 28s – We’re Going Out
New at #61. Very briefly touted as a turn of the century Human League, but not the only act in this week’s lineup who fell foul of a record label losing interest in them quickly.
Further reading: Ashley Reaks of YY28s in his own words. https://www.electricityclub.co.uk/missing-action-younger-younger-28s/
A – Old Folks
New at #54. Old folks “can’t work computers”, apparently, which will come as a surprise to my 78 year-old mum who coordinated and delivered a sermon via Zoom the other day. As for A themselves, thank heavens for the “A (disambiguation)” page on Wikipedia.
3rd Storee – If Ever
New at #53. An early period support act for Britney Spears, with a debut eventually bound for the top ten. They all sound very young in this, almost as young as the following act had seven years earlier…
Ultimate Kaos – Anything You Want (I’ve Got It)
New at #52. The final sighting of the former boy (in the actual sense) band which included a son of Maxi Priest. Far less irksome than the likes of Some Girls, but rather less successful also.
Reef – Sweety
New at #46. A ninth single for Reef, but the first to miss the top 40. That's all you're getting on that one.
Mavericks – Someone Should Tell Her
New at #45. Another two Trampoline album-derived singles further down the road from Dance The Night Away, and diminishing commercial returns duly applying.
Jose Nunez ft Octahvia – Hold On
New at #44. New Jersey house from a gentleman known on occasion to have recorded under the name of Constipated Monkeys. Ouch.
Mike & The Mechanics – Now That You’re Gone
New at #35. The final top 40 hit, and with longstanding members leaving or – in the case of Paul Young – tragically passing away suddenly, not the happiest of times for this particular project.
Gay Dad – Joy!
New at #22. They were the future once… Charley Stone has at least compiled herself a fine portfolio as a guitarist gun for hire for the likes of Fosca, Linus, Desperate Journalist and Salad, to name just my favourites.
Underworld – Jumbo
New at #21. Subtler and more delicate than many Underworld tracks, and also like most Underworld tracks way less annoying than Born Slippy. You know it is.
Garbage – You Look So Fine
New at #19. Fifth and final single from the Version 2.0 album, and a set-closer for the duration of the accompanying tour. Orchestral addition inspired by the Titanic movie, I understand.
New at #54. Old folks “can’t work computers”, apparently, which will come as a surprise to my 78 year-old mum who coordinated and delivered a sermon via Zoom the other day. As for A themselves, thank heavens for the “A (disambiguation)” page on Wikipedia.
3rd Storee – If Ever
New at #53. An early period support act for Britney Spears, with a debut eventually bound for the top ten. They all sound very young in this, almost as young as the following act had seven years earlier…
Ultimate Kaos – Anything You Want (I’ve Got It)
New at #52. The final sighting of the former boy (in the actual sense) band which included a son of Maxi Priest. Far less irksome than the likes of Some Girls, but rather less successful also.
Reef – Sweety
New at #46. A ninth single for Reef, but the first to miss the top 40. That's all you're getting on that one.
Mavericks – Someone Should Tell Her
New at #45. Another two Trampoline album-derived singles further down the road from Dance The Night Away, and diminishing commercial returns duly applying.
Jose Nunez ft Octahvia – Hold On
New at #44. New Jersey house from a gentleman known on occasion to have recorded under the name of Constipated Monkeys. Ouch.
Mike & The Mechanics – Now That You’re Gone
New at #35. The final top 40 hit, and with longstanding members leaving or – in the case of Paul Young – tragically passing away suddenly, not the happiest of times for this particular project.
Gay Dad – Joy!
New at #22. They were the future once… Charley Stone has at least compiled herself a fine portfolio as a guitarist gun for hire for the likes of Fosca, Linus, Desperate Journalist and Salad, to name just my favourites.
Underworld – Jumbo
New at #21. Subtler and more delicate than many Underworld tracks, and also like most Underworld tracks way less annoying than Born Slippy. You know it is.
Garbage – You Look So Fine
New at #19. Fifth and final single from the Version 2.0 album, and a set-closer for the duration of the accompanying tour. Orchestral addition inspired by the Titanic movie, I understand.
DJ Sakin & Friends – Nomansland (David’s Song)
New at #14. Hit two of three for Turkish-German producer Sakin Bozkurt, and no surprise to read this fared no less well back in Germany being a cover of a track by The Kelly Family (whom I cannot adequately describe in a single Tweet).
New at #14. Hit two of three for Turkish-German producer Sakin Bozkurt, and no surprise to read this fared no less well back in Germany being a cover of a track by The Kelly Family (whom I cannot adequately describe in a single Tweet).
Shed Seven – Disco Down
New at #13. One of two originally planned releases from their singles collection. The non-release of the second, and the band’s refusal to acquiesce to a rerelease of another track barely three years old instead sped their departure from Polydor. Ah well.
Supergrass – Pumping On Your Stereo
New at #11. There were more interesting tracks on Supergrass’s third album than this, but oh, that video. Muppetational (for want of a better word) genius from the then prolific Hammer & Tongs, also responsible for the promos for Right Here, Right Now and Coffee & TV in the same year alone.
Chicane ft Maire Brennan – Saltwater
New at #6, and ever since a staple of tourist adverts and sporting events (horseracing adopted it as the Order of Merit on-course theme in the mid-late 2000s). That’s the old Gatecrasher One club in Sheffield in the video; already demolished just before my time in the city, unfortunately.
Jamiroquai – Canned Heat
New at #4. Finally, as also featured in the pre-assembly dance routine scene in Napoleon Dynamite. I could have prefixed that with “memorable”, only I’ve never seen the film…
New at #13. One of two originally planned releases from their singles collection. The non-release of the second, and the band’s refusal to acquiesce to a rerelease of another track barely three years old instead sped their departure from Polydor. Ah well.
Supergrass – Pumping On Your Stereo
New at #11. There were more interesting tracks on Supergrass’s third album than this, but oh, that video. Muppetational (for want of a better word) genius from the then prolific Hammer & Tongs, also responsible for the promos for Right Here, Right Now and Coffee & TV in the same year alone.
Chicane ft Maire Brennan – Saltwater
New at #6, and ever since a staple of tourist adverts and sporting events (horseracing adopted it as the Order of Merit on-course theme in the mid-late 2000s). That’s the old Gatecrasher One club in Sheffield in the video; already demolished just before my time in the city, unfortunately.
Jamiroquai – Canned Heat
New at #4. Finally, as also featured in the pre-assembly dance routine scene in Napoleon Dynamite. I could have prefixed that with “memorable”, only I’ve never seen the film…
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