It’s Beatles time all over again

It is once again time for us to look back at what the year that will soon come to pass offered us by way of recorded music. Billboard Magazine, the bible of the international music industry has released its best of lists and of the biggest sellers of the year. A check on these yielded several interesting points.

There are no buts about it, the US pop charts is dominated by R&B music of various types. There’s rock and rap and dance, etc. etc. They are all pop but they are also R&B. The top male act is Shaggy with the big sellers It Wasn’t Me and Angel and the blockbuster of an album Hotshot. The top female act of the year is the lovely Jennifer Lopez with the hit I’m Real with Ja Rule. Janet and her All for You is a close second. And the top song is Hangin’ by a Moment by Lifehouse.

The top newcomer is Alicia Keys with her song Fallin’ and album Songs in A Minor. The top new group is Staind with the single It’s Been a While and the album Break the Cycle. And the top group of the year, which only incidentally, happens to be female is Destiny’s Child with the hits Independent Women Part I from the Charlie’s Angels motion picture soundtrack and Survivor from the album of the same title. Take note, Destiny’s Child was also number one last year.

Happiest guys in the list are surely the Backstreet Boys. The group managed to withstand frontal assault from strong rivals like ‘N Sync and O Town and landed on the third spot in the top album list. In second place is Shaggy, who should have been in the top rung of the hit ladder if the Beatles did not decide to come up with another hit compilation this year.

That is the truth. The top selling group of 2001 in the US of A is the Beatles with the album 1, which as all of you already know by now is made up of big selling songs from 30 years ago. So the BSB should not mind being number three, when they come after the Beatles and Shaggy. As for the Beatles, the hot sales of 1 happened early this year and is therefore not an off-shoot of the worldwide grieving over the death of Beatle George Harrison. It is ironic but it is the truth. The death of an artist sends the demand for his work rising to the sky. And this time was no different.

Top 20 singles

The top 20 singles of the year are Hanging by a Moment by Lifehouse; Fallin’ by Alicia Keys, All for You by Janet Jackson; Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) by Train; I’m Real by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule; If You’re Gone by matchbox twenty; Let Me Blow Ya Mind by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani; Thank You by Dido; Again by Lenny Kravitz, Independent Women Part 1 by Destiny’s Child; Hit ’em Up Style (Oops) by Bin Cantrell; It Wasn’t Me by Shaggy featuring Ricardo (RikRok); Ducent; Stutter by Joe featuring Mystikal; It’s Been a While by Staind; U Remind Me by Usher; Where the Party At by Jagged Edge with Nelly; Angel by Shaggy featuring Rayvon; Ride wit Me by Nelly featuring City Spud; Follow Me by Uncle Kracker; and Peaches and Cream by 112.

The top 20 albums of the year are: 1 by the Beatles; Hotshot by Shaggy; Black & Blue by the Backstreet Boys; Now 5 a hit compilation by various pop artists; Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water by Limp Bizkit; Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park; Break the Cycle by Staind; a Day Without Rain by Enya; Celebrity by ‘N Sync; Country Grammar by Nelly; Human Clay by Creed; Survivor by Destiny’s Child; Songs in A Minor by Alicia Keys; Lovers‘ Rock by Sade: Now 6 another hit collection from the popular series; Stankonia by Outkast; No Angel by Dido; TP-2. Com by R. Kelly; and Everyday by the Dave Matthews Band.

Aside from George Harrison, some of the others who left for the great beyond in 2001 were R&B singer and rising actress Aaliyah in a plane crash; great country music producer, songwriter and guitarist Chet Atkins; Les Brown of Sentimental Journey fame; crooner of countless hits Perry Como; Mrs. Roy Rogers, singer, actress and country legend Dale Evans; jazzman Joe Henderson; blues legend John Lee Hooker; Village People biker Glenn Hughes; father to Chynna and former husband to Michelle, John Phillips of the ’70s pop group Mamas and the Papas; innovative producer and punk music pioneer Joey Ramone; and master violinist Isaac Stern.