The Re-view

Whilst it’s not unusual for singles to be canned following a big flop, videos had been produced and money had already been invested in these corkers. 

Left for diehards to stumble upon on YouTube, here are five of my favourites.

Abs: 7 Days

He scored three blinding UK top twenty hits from his debut solo album ‘Abstract Theory’, but Abs’ finest moment was cruelly denied a single release after the LP stalled at #28 on the album chart and a publicised dispute between the singer and his record label led to it being shelved. 

A shame because the single version included an additional rap too. 

Abs - 7 Ways by luckystarmusic

All Saints: Chick Fit

Taken from their 2006 comeback album ‘Studio 1’, the follow up to All Saints’ underrated ‘Rock Steady’ was cruelly withdrawn from release following, yes…you guessed it, poor album sales and a dispute with their label.

‘Chick Fit’ is awesome. Had the funky, attitude-laden single been given the promotion it deserved, things could have been so different. 

Honeyz: Talk To The Hand

The girl group who scored five consecutive top 10 hits from their debut album which itself couldn’t even scrape in to the Top 30, returned in 2001 with their new single ”I Don’t Know’. 

It was set to be the first cut from the girls’ sophomore album ‘Harmony’ but the single peaked at #28, before quickly dropping out of the charts. As a result the album was shelved along with the planned second single, ‘Talk To The Hand’. 

At the time the Almighty Mix of the track was being played to death in my local clubs, and it was going down an absolute storm. A music video was filmed but has never seen the light of day. But here is what the label ridiculously chose not to let you hear. 

Kellé Bryan: I Wanna Know

Having been reportedly fired from Eternal via fax, Kellé Bryan must have been rather smug when her debut solo single ‘Higher Than Heaven’ managed to chart at #14 on its release in 1999, two places higher than Eternal’s later release ‘What’cha Gonna Do’.

‘I Wanna Know’ was due to be the second single to be lifted from her album ‘Breakfast In Bed’, but due to lack of airplay both the track and the album were pulled. 

Gwen Stefani: Early Winter

Not only the standout track on Gwen’s sophomore solo release, ‘Early Winter’ is one of the most emotional pop moments of the last decade. Co-written by the No Doubt frontwoman and Tim Rice-Oxley from Keane, the big ballad from the album was due to be the final release from ‘The Sweet Escape’ but it was eventually sidelined as a digital release in the UK, receiving no promotion.