Alesha Dixon – Lipstick
Alesha Dixon was fired up to release her debut single in 2006, but would ‘Lipstick’ deliver on her obvious potential as a solo artist?
Shayne Ward – That’s My Goal
‘That’s My Goal’ isn’t a particularly unique song, but it does have the redeeming quality of being one of the few X Factor winners’ singles not to be a cover.
Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson – The Best Things In Life Are Free
‘The Best Things In Life Are Free’ brought Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson together for a soundtrack single that’s become enduringly popular in its own right.
911 – Love Sensation
‘Love Sensation’ helped 911 land a major record deal and even enjoyed success in America after being added to the soundtrack of ‘Casper: A Spirited Beginning’.
Cleopatra – Come and Get Me
After enjoying success in the UK and America with their debut album, Cleopatra stepped out for the follow-up with an invitation to ‘Come and Get Me’.
S Club 7 – Never Had A Dream Come True
S Club 7 had enjoyed consistent success since their debut, but ‘Never Had A Dream Come True’ is a pivotal moment that commenced the group’s imperial phase.
Bellefire – Perfect Bliss
Louis Walsh’s first major foray into managing a girl group resulted in Bellefire, whose debut single was a perfect slice of blissful bubblegum pop.
Geri Halliwell – Calling
The third single from ‘Scream If You Wanna Go Faster’ marked a change of pace for Geri Halliwell as she slowed things with a tender, heartfelt ballad.
The Corrs – Breathless
‘Breathless’ is a product of The Corrs’ most mainstream, pop-orientated material and helped consolidate their success with a #1 single.
Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love
‘Bleeding Love’ was always destined to be big, but Leona Lewis’s first ‘proper’ single became a seminal moment for ‘00s pop music and TV talent shows.
a1 – Ready Or Not
a1’s third single adopted a reliable formula, with the retro-inspired uptempo ‘Ready Or Not’ forming one half of a double-A side…just in time for Christmas.
The Parade – Terrorize The Dancefloor
The Parade threatened to ‘Terrorize The Dancefloor’ (and the charts) with their debut single but it was cancelled before they even had a proper chance.
Gareth Gates – Say It Isn’t So
‘Say It Isn’t So’ found Gareth Gates in familiar territory with a soaring ballad intended to rescue what was proving to be a difficult second album campaign.
Sugababes – Soul Sound
‘Soul Sound’ probably wasn’t the best song to release as a make-or-break Sugababes single, but it is a superb showcase of the group’s talent, nonetheless.
Ashlee Simpson – Pieces Of Me
Ashlee Simpson kicked off her debut album campaign with a massive hit. But ‘Pieces Of Me’ soon ended up being overshadowed by something far bigger…
Kelly Clarkson – I Do Not Hook Up
With Kelly Clarkson back atop the chart, what better way to keep her there than releasing a song co-written by Katy Perry? It seemed like a foolproof plan…
Point Break – What About Us
The fifth – and final – single from Point Break’s underappreciated debut album posed a very valid question: ‘What About Us’?
911 – Bodyshakin’
Despite 911 having released ‘Bodyshakin’ once as a B-side, the track proved popular enough to become a single in its own right.
Sister2Sister – Sister
Sister2Sister’s debut might have seemed like a turn-of-the-century gimmick, but this was a concerted attempt to establish the sisters as a major pop act.
Michelle Branch – Everywhere
Michelle Branch’s debut single proved true to its name in the early ‘00s because – in America, at least – her music was ‘Everywhere’.
Paris Hilton – Stars Are Blind
More than two years after announcing plans to record an album, Paris Hilton finally released ‘Stars Are Blind’ as her debut single in 2006.