The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 12)

Here once again, we cast our eyes and ears back over the UK singles chart as it sounded and looked 25 years ago this week, with The Story of Pop: 1998. And here comes yet another big hit from 1998…

• Artist: Tin Tin Out feat. Shelley Nelson
• Song: Here’s Where The Story Ends
• Released: 16/03/1998
• Writers / Producers: David Gavurin / Harriet Wheeler / Tin Tin Out
• Highest UK Chart Position: #7
• Weeks on Chart: 10

Formed in 1993, Darren Stokes and Lindsay Edwards – otherwise known as Tin Tin Out – were an electronic dance outfit that were always on the verge of critical and club success, if not commercial success.

Though they were much in-demand as remixers for the likes of Pet Shop Boys, TLC and Erasure, they were having a hard time being recognised of their own accord.

And despite having worked with a variety of collaborators, including Espiritu’s Vanessa Quinones and Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley, their chart career to this point had consisted of a modest set of top 40 hits.

The most surprising underperformance of all had been their most recent single, the euphoric sounding “Strings For Yasmin”, in September 1997, which despite its use on a Sky Sports TV advert for the new Premier League football season, could only debut and peak at #31.

It was clear that a change of tack was needed, and with their second album Always, they started to progress into being a proper band that just happened to have pop-dance influences at their core.

Originally a top 5 hit for alternative rockers The Sundays eight years previously in 1990, their cover of “Here’s Where The Story Ends” was the single that marked this transition.

Complete with guest vocals from Shelley Nelson, it caught the imagination of the public, who upon its March 1998 release, duly sent in soaring into the top 10 at #7.

But such was it’s appeal on the airwaves that it eventually went onto not only top the radio airplay chart, but it was also an Ivor Novello winner, picking up the prize for Best Contemporary Song at the 1999 ceremony.

They followed it up with another Shelley Nelson collaboration on “Sometimes”, which hit the top 20 in September. But “Here’s Where The Story Ends” would only be their biggest hit for the next 18 months.

For as we’ve already covered on The Story of Pop: 1999, their cover of Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians‘ “What I Am” with Baby Spice herself, Emma Bunton, would – thanks in part to having a Spice Girl on guest vocals, and being involved in a chart battle with Emma’s former colleague Geri Halliwell – peak at #2. And as we’ll see later on this series, their remix work would continue to get bigger yet too…

Don’t forget to follow our brand new playlist on Spotify – updated weekly so you never miss a song from the story of pop in 1998. And you can leave your memories of the songs below in the comments, Tweet us or message us on Instagram, using the hashtag #StoryofPop1998.