UK Chart Analysis, 2005 Year-End

Top singles:
1. (Is This The Way To) Amarillo - Tony Christie (7 weeks @ #1)
2. That's My Goal - Shayne Ward (2 wks @ #1)
3. Axel F - Crazy Frog (4 wks @ #1)
4. You're Beautiful - James Blunt (5 wks @ #1)
5. All About You - McFly (1 wk @ #1)
6. Lonely - Akon (2 wks @ #1)
7. Don't Cha - The Pussycat Dolls (2 wks @ #1)
8. You Raise Me Up - Westlife (2 wks @ #1)
9. JCB Song - Nizlopi (1 wk @ #1)
10. Hung Up - Madonna (3 wks @ #1)

Top Albums:
1. Back to Bedlam - James Blunt (9 wks @ #1)
2. X&Y - Coldplay (4 wks @ #1)
3. Intensive Care - Robbie Williams (1 wk @ #1)
4. Employment - Kaiser Chiefs
5. Demon Days - Gorillaz (1 wk @ #1)
6. Face to Face - Westlife (1 wk @ #1)
7. Eye to the Telescope - KT Tunstall
8. Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
9. Curtain Call: The Hits - Eminem (5 wks @ #1)
10. Forever Faithless: The Greatest Hits - Faithless (1 wk @ #1)

Click below for analyses of the year and top 10 charts.

This year marked a significant change in the way the UK singles chart was formulated: for the first time, downloads were counted in single's sales tally, but only after an official physical single was released. This created some unusual circumstances. Gorillaz, for example, released "Feel Good Inc." as a limited maxi-single ahead of the standard single release, but because it was already being downloaded, it charted fairly high and then vaulted up to #2 upon official release. Kaiser Chiefs re-released "I Predict a Riot" in August, but since its initial release occured within a year of that time, the single started to chart based on downloads before the physical release. And finally, the last week of the year posted some very unusual upward moves of older singles, based mostly on downloads.

Singles:

1. (Is This The Way To) Amarillo - Tony Christie

And so ends the 6th year of this decade, and for the fourth time the top seller of the year was a novelty track. In fact, the top 3 were novelty tracks. Tony Christie wasn't meant to be the official Comic Relief single (that honor was to go to the track at #5, McFly), but his rendition of "(Is This The Way To) Amarillo," performed live with comedian Peter Kay, became so popular that it far outpaced McFly's track to not only become this year's Comic Relief single but the biggest hit of the year, spending an inexplicable 7 weeks at #1, the most weeks a single has spent at the top since Cher's 1998 smash, "Believe." The single is actually a re-release; Christie first put it out in 1971, and peaked at #18 early in 1972. Thus a 33 year-old song is 2005's biggest seller.

2. That's My Goal - Shayne Ward

Reality music competitions are still alive and well, and no one is more pleased about that than Shayne Ward, who just 2 weeks ago was crowned winner of the 2005 Simon Cowell competition, The X Factor. Over the last 5 years, these types of shows have generated a surprising number of viable music acts, including Will Young, Liberty X, and Girls Aloud. Of course, there are were also the less-than pack: Gareth Gates, Hear'Say, Michelle McManus, etc. Time will tell which group will welcome Mr. Ward. By my count, 9 of the 60 singles that have been in the year-end top 10 lists this decade were by acts that were the products of such contests.

3. Axel F - Crazy Frog

Time will hopefully hold this up as a monumental embarassment: A bland remake of instrumental track "Axel F" over which unintelligible bleeps from an electronic frog were superimposed. The frog in question, Crazy Frog, was first an annoying computer pop-up and then a ring tone. Why why why???

4. You're Beautiful - James Blunt

Finally, a proper single, and 2005's biggest success story. James Blunt first appeared on the music scene at the end of 2004, but failed to generate much heat with his first singles, "High" and "Wisemen." Things changed dramatically in May 2005 when this track, an earnest unironic love song, was released. In an era when 99% of all singles debut at their peak position, this track really bucked the trend. The single debuted outside the top 10 (at #12), climbed into the top 10, and hit #1 in its 7th week, where it stayed for 5 weeks. The single also vaulted the album to #1, where it spent 9 weeks at the top and became the year's top seller. Without a doubt James Blunt is 2005's biggest new artist.

5. All About You - McFly

McFly first launched in 2003 and returned this year with this #1 Comic Relief single, which although overshadowed by Tony Christie, was still a major hit in its own right. The ballad was followed-up in August with another #1 hit, "I'll Be OK" and the release of their second album, Wonderland.

6. Lonely - Akon

A Bobby Darin sample from "Mr. Lonely" was resonsible for this year's biggest rap hit, Akon's "Lonely." The track was Akon's third single and his biggest to date.

7. Don't Cha - The Pussycat Dolls

More Spice Girls than Sugababes, The Pussycat Dolls were this year's big new "girl group," although it's recently come to light that only 1 of the 6 girls actually does any singing--the rest just provide sex appeal. "Don't Cha," spent 3 weeks at the top and was followed by the #1 hit "Stickwitu."

8. You Raise Me Up - Westlife

By all accounts, Westlife's popularly should be long gone by now--the boyband craze now 5 years past its peak. Yet they endure, and had a major hit this year in "You Raise Me Up," their 13th #1 single, which spent more weeks in the top 10 than any of their previous hits. The track is only their second to land within the year-end top 10, after 2001's "Uptown Girl."

9. JCB Song - Nizlopi

It seems almost every track within the top 10 has a good story, and this is no exception. Nizlopi formed 3 years ago and released this track in May, where it failed to find an audience. Then comes the holidays and a clever video, and suddenly "JCB Song," a sentimental rock ballad about a 5 year-old and his dad, was a massive #1 hit. Go figure.

10. Hung Up - Madonna

The top 10 is bookended by veteran acts, and the woman at #10 is surely the biggest thing in pop music around. "Hung Up" was Madonna's 11th #1 hit and it spent 3 weeks at the top and 8 weeks in the top 10 (so far), making it one her biggest hits ever and the first to land in the year-end top 10 in many years (probably since "Vogue," but I can't verify what 1990's top 10 was).

Albums:

1. Back to Bedlam - James Blunt

James Blunt's Back to Bedlam was 2005's biggest album, and his brilliant debut album is this year's biggest seller, eclipsing Coldplay's X&Y, which was expected by many to be on top. Blunt in fact knocked X&Y from #1 in June, and spent more than twice as long at #1. The stately collection of pop/rock generated the #1 smash, "You're Beautiful," the top 10 hit "Goodbye My Lover" and top 40 hit "High."

2. X&Y - Coldplay

Coldplay's 4th appearance in the year-end top 10 is their biggest. X&Y continued their winning streak winning over fans and critics and generating three more top 10 hits, the #2 "Speed of Sound" and "Fix You" and "Talk."

3. Intensive Care - Robbie Williams

The former Take That band member is now a veteran of pop music in his own right. Intensive Care, his 7th album (including last year's Greatest Hits), and 8th appearance in the year-end top 10, generated two top 10 hits: "Tripping" and "Advertising Space."

4. Employment - Kaiser Chiefs

They were dubbed this year's Franz Ferdinand--the retro/indie band was hot this year, and had the best-selling album of the year not to top the chart. Top 10 hits included "I Predict A Riot," "Everday I Love You Less and Less," and "Oh My God."

5. Demon Days - Gorillaz

Damon Albarn of Blur started Gorillaz in 2001 as a creative outlet for his desires to fuse hip-hop with rock and other genres. Promoted as a "cartoon band," it was seen as a vanity project that yielded positive results. But who'd have predicted he'd release a second, even better album under the moniker and score one of the year's most enduring hits, "Feel Good Inc." The album also generated the #1 hit "Dare" and top 10 hit "Dirty Harry."

6. Face to Face - Westlife

It sold surprisingly well on the back of #1 single "You Raise Me Up," and is their fourth album in the year-end top 10. Also includes the top 10 hit with Diana Ross, "When You Tell Me That You Love Me."

7. Eye to the Telescope - KT Tunstall

Tunstall was 2005's biggest new female artist and her album won many accolaides. Expect big success for her in the U.S. in 2006. Includes the hits "Suddenly I See" and "The Other Side of the World."

8. Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson

The American Idol champ found a massive UK fanbase this year with her second album, which generated 3 top 10 hits, "Since U Been Gone," "Behind These Hazel Eyes," and "Because of You."

9. Curtain Call: The Hits - Eminem

Eminem's last album was his third to land in the UK year-end top 10. Contains all his biggest tracks, such as "Stan," "Lose Yourself," "Without Me," and "Like Toy Soldiers."

10. Forever Faithless: The Greatest Hits - Faithless

The top 10 closes with Faithless, an underground dance act started by a man named Rollo, who's famous sister Dido got her start singing on some of the band's tracks. Includes such hits as "Insomnia" and "One Step Too Far."