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The Niche Reference

A new name, inspired by all influences…

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Category: UK Charts

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 32)

Aug 10, 2023Apr 28, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

For all their adulation and avid fanbase, Boyzone still lacked a huge selling crossover single. That was until Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber entered the equation...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 31)

Aug 3, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

No other dance DJ and producer felt quite so keenly the pain of being the eternal chart best man - and never the groom - as Sash! did in the 90s...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 30)

Jul 27, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

"Viva Forever" is widely recognised as one of the Spice Girls' most accompolished ballads - even if it became the unofficial soundtrack to external circumstances around its release...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 29)

Jul 20, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Jamiroquai had gone six years deep into their career without earning a number one single. It took a film of monster proportions to do so...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 28)

Jul 13, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

Deep diving into the great big songbook of 90s R&B baby-making jams paid dividends for many - as it indeed did for Another Level on their freaky second single...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 27)

Jul 6, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

Offering a positive yet rebellious statement of intent, Billie Piper launched off the pages of Smash Hits as its advert girl to become a smash hit in her own right...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 26)

Jun 29, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Coming from a long line of musical lineage might have had most crying "nepotism". But not in the case of Eagle-Eye Cherry, releasing one of the summer's biggest radio hits...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 25)

Jun 22, 2023Aug 31, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Described by one critic as "the sound of plastic chairs being thrown at policemen", "Vindaloo" certainly bought some rowdy, unfettered riotousness to that year's World Cup in France...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 24)

Jun 15, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

"Three Lions" had already become an anthem for England fans at Euro 96. It's resurrection for France 98 and the World Cup affirmed it once and for all...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 23)

Jun 8, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

What "Horny" lacked in subtlety, it made up for in being one of 1998's most enduring dancefloor anthems for Mousse T...

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