Week 5: Forever 21

Songs that stalled JUST outside the Top 20. Such a shame.

- Much more grown up than 'Candy' it seems none of you enjoyed her mincing around in a ballet room being a little more grown up. I loved it, personally.

Bizarre Inc - Surprise

- It probably shocked the hell out of their fans that following the acid-tinged dance success of previous singles, they went moody on the new album with some jazzy influences on 'Keep The Music Strong' and a total retro vibe on this. Killer song though.

Björk - Bachelorette

- How, with a video this fantastic did the "lead" track from 'Homogenic' not break Top 20? I think it's one of her best songs and videos, and deserved a Top 20 placing. Contest if you will, but on mute.

David Bowie - Diamond Dogs

- Like Prince, you'd assume that all the songs you know and love were big hits right ... not so. Deciding to let the shame of missing Top 20 befall this song ... you went and did it.

Fugees - Fu-Gee-La

- Just before the monster explosion of the Fugees' album 'The Score' this song ALMOST cracked Top 20. Not quite though. Until Lauryn's perfect voice took a Roberta Flack classic to no.1.

Kate Bush - The Red Shoes

- Singles from 'The Red Shoes' fared pretty poorly in the UK Charts after 'Rubberband Girl'. This one ALMOST went Top 20, but that sad Forever 21 badge tarnishes a super bizarre and fun slice of musical genius from a very underrated album.

Britney Spears - Till The World Ends

- This is SUCH a massive song and it's CRAZY to me that this missed Top 20!! One of the fan favourites to this day, what happened?!

Moloko - Pure Pleasure Seeker

- I remember one of the major music magazines saying "well, chart success doesn't seem to suit Moloko after all" when this missed Top 20 after two magnificent Top 10 songs. It's one of my favourite tracks behind 'Indigo' (which missed Top 40) from 'Things To Make And Do' and should have been a glorious, stomping Top 20 hit.

Sneaker Pimps - Spin Spin Sugar

- Like the hit '6 Underground', released multiple times, even the fantastic single remix couldn't get this into the Top 20, which I am still really sad about. Kelly Ali's vocals are so great on this track. The lyrics are typically 90s/00s abstract cool, and the production is so tight. Damn you!

Roxette - The Big L

- Not one of their best, admittedly, but I think ALL Roxette songs should have been Top 20 AT LEAST due to Marie's incredible voice.

Bonus:

Donna Summer - Melody Of Love

- I wanted to start the playlist with this but it's not on Spotify sadly. HOW did this gorgeous track miss Top 20? Donna's voice sounds incredible on it and the chorus is divine.