In 1999 I finished primary school and started at the local comprehensive, as such it stands out more than most years of my childhood and I didn't need to consult the retro chart listings too much to compile this top ten. In fact, it was hard to whittle it down to ten because so many tracks seem iconically 1999, from S Club Seven to Steps to Shania Twain to Christina Aguilera's Genie in a Bottle...
Blue (Da Ba Dee) - Eiffel 65
This was my little brother's favourite song and I heard it over and over and over again. And I still love it!
Mambo No 5 - Lou Bega
Awesome track, forever tainted with the cringetastic memory of my year 7 form tutor taking the register while singing 'a little bit of Jessica, here I am'. Ugh. Still, while writing this post I learned that a) Lou Bega is German, and b) this was a cover of a 1950 track by Dámaso Pérez Prado.
2 Times - Ann Lee
I love the video for this so much, I thought those cargo pants and little butterfly clips made her a total style icon... It was like, wow, when I grow up I totally want to look just like that!
Livin' la Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
#1 hit that stands the test of time.
Boom Boom Boom Boom - Vengaboys
Vengaboys had two #1 hits in the UK that year, this and We're Going To Ibiza, plus a #3 with Kiss. I thought the girls looked so chic.
Viva la Radio - Lolly
The first single I ever bought on CD. No shame.
Sleeping Beauty - Hepburn
Hepburn were a short lived girl group who scored a #8 hit with I Quit. This was the B-side and was also included on one of those free CDs all the teen magazines used to give away back in the day. (TV Hits in this instance, IIRC.) I played it, and this track in particular, over and over. (And Say'n I Love U by The Moffatts. Basically my entire musical taste was molded by the free CDs I got that summer!)
Hey Boy Hey Girl - The Chemical Brothers
I think this is actually the first time I've ever seen the video! I remember the song playing everywhere that summer though, and it always brings back a scent memory of store air conditioning mixed with the small of new stuff when we went shopping for school uniform, etc.
Doodah - Cartoons
It really was a great year for kid friendly dance music!
If Ya Gettin' Down - 5ive
Everybody has a first boyband, and 5ive were mine. They're debut album was the first I ever owned too - I think I had it for Christmas '98, along with a discman I thought made me super cool.
What was your favourite hit of 1999? Let me know in the comments. :)
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