Chart Review 23rd May 2005 with DJ Chris Plant (1/3)	(1/3), (2/3), (3/3).
www.djchrisplant.co.uk

Ten years is a long time, whichever way you look at it. Musically speaking it is a whole world away, the summer of 1995 now regarded as the golden summer of Britpop, when the likes of Pulp, Supergrass, Blur and of course Oasis battled it out side by side at the top of a revitalised singles chart. Ten years on, the game has changed apparently forever but it seems one thing remains consistent - a new Oasis release is awaited with fevered anticipation.

Of course, every new Oasis album seems to follow the same pre-release pattern. One or both of the Gallagher brothers will admit that the previous one didn't live up to expectations, the new single hints at a return to old inspiration and the album itself is greeted with ambivalent reviews that suggest they just aren't as good as they used to be. Consistently however, the singles always rocket up the charts and true to form Lyla explodes upon release to give the boys yet another Number One single.

They are amazingly consistent, new album Don't Believe The Truth becomes their fifth official release in a row to see its lead single fly to the top of the charts, Morning Glory, Be Here Now, Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants and Heathen Chemistry all having their promotion kicked off by a Number One single. The latter of course, spawned The Hindu Times which was their last Number One single in April 2002.

Overall, Lyla is their seventh Number One hit, a total that reaffirms their status as one of the most successful British acts of all time. Their next target is the total of 8 chart-toppers notched up by both Take That and the Rolling Stones although there may be a wait for this as their last album to spawn two Number One hits was 1997s Be Here Now which saw both D'You Know What I Mean and All Around The World hit the top.

Oh yes, and to complete the consistency, Lyla does indeed hint at past glories as well as suggesting new inspiration with Noel Gallagher admitting that they are now borrowing elements of classic Who tracks as well as their usual Beatle-esque undertones. The single is nothing less than very, very good, but you can hear the reviewers sharpening their pencils ready for when the album itself hits their desks.

Also making their long-awaited chart return this week are the Black Eyed Peas who after years of steady slog found themselves turned into superstars thanks to their 2003 album Elephunk and its lead single Where Is The Love which topped the charts for an impressive six weeks two years ago. Three more hits and two further Top 10 singles followed and this now sets the stage for brand new single Don't Phunk With My Heart to debut at Number 3 on the new chart.

It becomes their third Top 3 hit single, just short of the Number 2 peak of Shut Up which charted in December 2003 as the follow-up to Where Is The Love.

Continued ... next page

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