Top 40 has been the main hit list in the Netherlands since 1965. In the Today section we look back at events in pop music that happened exactly X years ago. In this episode of Today: the split of British band The Verve.

On April 27, 1999 English band words Spirit separated. According to the press release, all band members supported the decision, but no reasons were given. Singer Richard Ashcroft Responding to the media a day later: “The decision to part ways has not been an uncomfortable one for me. I have always given everything to this band and would continue to do so if circumstances did not make it impossible.”

The band, which was founded in 1990, had previously gone on hiatus in 1995. However, two years later the group reunited and scored a number 11 hit with Bitter Sweet Symphony. Although the song was a major breakthrough, it also caused a lot of misery. The group lost a lawsuit from The Rolling Stones’ former record company, because Bitter Sweet Symphony contained a sample of the orchestral version of The Last Time. In addition, Ashcroft fell out with guitarist Nick McCabe, as in 1995. In 1998, McCabe left the group during a tour, after which The Verve continued as a quartet for a few more months.

The group met for the third time in 2007. Once again, Ashcroft and McCabe did not last more than two years together. McCabe explained that Ashcroft used The Verve reunion to get his solo career on track. If that’s true, then Ashcroft has failed miserably. The Verve’s lead singer announced on July 7, 2010 that the end of the band was final, although he did not rule out a reunion a few weeks later. However, the fourth series of The Verve has not yet become a reality.

Here’s what else happened on April 27:
Mr. Enter Porbz April 27, 2014 reached number 1 on the UK charts.

Waves was released in the Netherlands on 26 April 2013 – a year earlier – as a single from the EP Against The Stream. In the summer of that year, the song spent three weeks at number 6. International success took quite a while until Robin Schulz took over the Dutchman’s song. Remix Waves earned a spot on Tipparade, but did not advance to the Top 40.

In the UK, Waves managed to reach number 1 on the UK singles chart from the start with no less than 127,000 units sold in the first week. By the end of 2014, Waves was in the top 4 most streamed songs and biggest selling hits in the UK with 32 million streams and over 800,000 copies sold respectively.

The Waves remix became a number 1 hit not only in the UK. The song also reached first place in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway, among others. Waves was also a hit in the US. There the song reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Waves also hit number 1 on the Flemish Ultratop 50, but in its original version without Robin Schulz.

The fact that Mr. Probz had not yet scored a number 1 hit in his own country, they made up for it in the fall of 2014. Then he still reached number one in the Dutch Top 40, but with the long-awaited successor, Nothing Really Matters.

Also today:
1968: Although Cliff Richard had just missed out on winning the Eurovision Song Contest, his song Congratulations rose to number one in the Top 40. He repeated this feat in 1973. With Power To All Our Friends he also failed to win the Eurovision Song Contest that year. But the record became the British act’s second number one hit.
1991: With Losing My Religion, REM scored its first number 1 hit. This makes this American band a great debut. This lineup didn’t score more number 1 hits, although Everyone Hurts (#4 in 1995) was an absolute classic.
1996: Party Animals led off with Hava Naquila. It was the second number 1 hit for the Amsterdam happy hardcore band, after Have You Ever Been Mellow topped the Top 40 for a week in February 1996. Later in 1996, Aquarius became Party Animals’ third number 1 hit.
2002: Billy Crawford reached number one with his debut single Trackin’. It was the only major success for a Filipino-born artist. He is the only number one artist from the country. His compatriot Freddie Aguilar remained at number two in 1980 with Kid.
2006: Tiësto will perform in front of a thousand students at the Binnenhof in The Hague. As a Dance4Life ambassador, he wants to draw attention to the problem of HIV and AIDS in third world countries.
2007: Frans Bauer begins his concert series at Ahoy’ Rotterdam. The series was supposed to start on December 30, 2006, but was postponed due to polyps on the folk singer’s vocal cords. Belgian singer Belle Perez appears as a guest.
2015: Diplo and Skrillex opened their dressing room windows for a surprise performance. Amsterdam police quickly decided to end the show due to traffic disruption.

Born today:
1947 – Pete Ham, when he died 27 years old, Badfinger
1948 – Kate PiersonB-52
1949 – Murrell’s PotionStylistics
1951 – Ace FrehleyKiss
1953 – Joost WitteToontje Lager | Captain Gumbo
1958 – Bert MeulendijkEdwin Evers Band
1959 – Marco PironiAdam and the Ants
1959 – Sheena Easton,
1960 – Gerda Van Den OutenaarBlessing
1962 – Robin S,
1964 – Rowin SchummA lighter Laaie
1969 – Mika Paris,
1972 – Bob CoombesSuper Grass
1979 – Roberta De BritoChico and Roberta
1979 – Will BoydEvanescence
1980 – David Goncalves,
1984 – Yonah HigginsCleopatra
1984 – Patrick StumpFall Out Boy band
1984 – Eva SimonsRafish | Rebel Rebel
1988 – Lizzo,
1991 – Jay Hardway,
1994 – cmc$,
1996 – QG

Today at number 1:
1968 – 1 (3) Happy– Cliff Richard (Columbia), 1 week at number 1
1974 – 1 (1) Be My Day– The Cats (EMI), 2 weeks at number 1
1985 – 1 (1) We are the world– USA for Africa (CBS), 2 weeks at number 1
1991 – 1 (2) Losing faith– REM (Warner), 1 week at number 1
1996 – 1 (2) Naquila Night– Party Animals (Mokum), 1 week at number 1
2002 – 1 (3) Track– Billy Crawford (V2), 1 week at number 1
2013 – 1 (1) Blurred lines-Robin Thicke achievements. TI + Pharrell (Star Trak), 2 weeks at number 1
2019 – 1 (5) SAUCE– Avicii (Avicii), 1 week at number 1

(27-04-2024)