Our new series brings you on a trip down memory lane through the Irish singles charts
If there's one thing we love, it's a dander down memory lane – especially where music is involved.
Granted, the accompanying realisation of 'That song is X years old?! Oh sh*t, I'm old' isn't always pleasant - but there's a lot to be said for a comforting wallow in nostalgia.
With that in mind, we're bringing you a new 'Throwback Thursday' series where we look at the best-selling singles in Ireland from a random year – the good, the bad and the plain awful.
We'll be swinging headlong into boyband territory, veering left for a smidge of indie-rock and going downhill for the 'men-with-acoustic guitar' era, but it's all part of the fun.
Last week, we saw what happened in 2001 when Ireland's music-buying public was in the vice-like grip of pop mania.
This week, we'll rewind to 15 years ago and take a look at the 10 best-selling singles of 2006.
The most striking thing about this list is that there is not one, but TWO Shayne Ward singles on there. The X Factor had a lot to answer for. That also explains the presence of Leona Lewis with 'A Moment Like This'; she won the show in 2006 with that song.
It's also interesting how the charts were still very much dominated by pop just five years later – although at least songs like 'SexyBack' and Gnarls Barkley's 'Crazy' came with a little more credibility than the likes of Shaggy.
There are also a couple of one-hit-wonders in the mix in 2006: Scottish folk-pop singer Sandi Thom and German dance act Cascada's 'Everytime We Touch'. We'd love to classify Akon's 'Smack That' as a one-hit-wonder, but we all know that unfortunately, that wasn't the case. As for the songs that are still 100% certified bangers? 'Hips Don't Lie' is an evergreen pop song, to be fair.
And when it comes to the number one spot? We Irish love a novelty pop song, don't we? Pat Shortt's 'Jumbo Breakfast Roll' spent six weeks at the top in 2006, but outsold Shakira by a relatively small figure – just 500 copies separated them. Try explaining 'Jumbo Breakfast Roll' the – a song about the merits of a Frankenstein's Monster of a breakfast food – to someone of any other nationality and watch as they try to decipher the lyrics:
“Two eggs, two rasher, two sausage, two bacon, two puddins, one black and white
All placed like a tower on top of each other and then wrapped up good and tight
If you're having some tea, the milk's over there and you'll find sugar in the bowl
Says she 'Do you want some sauce on that?' says I, 'I do in my roll”
Sorry, Shakira.
10. Shayne Ward - 'No Promises'
*
9. Akon feat. Eminem - 'Smack That'
*
8. Justin Timberlake - 'SexyBack'
*
7. Leona Lewis - 'A Moment Like This'
*
6. Sandi Thom - 'I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)'
*
5. Gnarls Barkley - 'Crazy'
*
4. Cascada - 'Everytime We Touch'
*
3. Shayne Ward - 'That's My Goal'
*
2. Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean - 'Hips Don't Lie'
*
1. Pat Shortt - 'Jumbo Breakfast Roll'