... Lange featuring Skye

Drifting Away by Lange featuring Skye debuts at no 9 on January 14th, 2002. Stuart Lange has been remixing for the likes of Sash, Pet Shop Boys and Faithless and has also produced some solo material most notably Follow Me in the Kevin & Perry Go Large film and You Take My Breath Away under the moniker SuReal in 2000. He also remixed DJ Sakin's no 3 hit 'Protect Your Mind' in 1999. Currently a monthly resident at Passion the DJ has recently travelled to sets in Japan and Finland.
Lyrics: Drifting Away (UK:9)

... Liberty X

Liberty X debut at no 5 in the UK on September 30th, 2001 with Thinking It Over. Unfairly termed flopstars in the press as the five-piece group is made up of the five losing finalists from the UK Popstars television show, they have never-the-less produced a fair attempt at garage pop led by the ex-half of Artful Dodger Pete Devereux. The group members are Kelli Young, 19, Kevin Simm, 20, Tony Lundon, 22, Michelle Heaton, 20 and Jessica Taylor, 20.
Lyrics: Doin' It, Just A Little, Thinking It Over

... Lifehouse

Los Angeles band Lifehouse peak at no 2 in the US with Hanging By A Moment for a second time on 14th July, 2001. Led by singer/guitarist Jason Wade, the band line-up is completed by bassist Sergio Andrade, drummer Rick Woolstenhulme and touring guitarist Stuart Mathis. Their debut album is No Name Face a mixture of pop and grunge. Wade believes an almost gypsy-like childhood in the far east and his parents' divorce has been responsible for the soul searching topics on his songs... The band have toured with Pearl Jam and Matchbox Twenty...
Lyrics: Hanging By A Moment (US:2, Aus:10)

... The Lighthouse Family

The Lighthouse Family return to the UK chart after a gap of almost three years with Free, a cover of the Nina Simone song with some of U2's One thrown in. It debuts at no 6 on November 18th, 2001. The track is from the duo's forthcoming album Whatever Gets You Through The Day. Based in Newcastle, Tunde Baiyewu and Paul Tucker formed the group in 1993 and first hit the top 10 with a re-issue of Lifted in 1996. Other top 10s include Raincloud, High and Lost in Space while albums Ocean Drive and Postcards from Heaven were commercial successes.
Lyrics: Free (UK:6)

... Lil' Bow Wow

Bow Wow (That's My Name) debuts at no 6 on April 8th, 2001. At thirteen you would think Lil' Bow Wow is too young to be in the dark and at times shady world of rap, but in fact Shad Moss was signed to Death Row records at the age of six, and guested on his mentor's Snoop Dogg's 1993 album Doggystyle as well as Will Smith's Wild Wild West soundtrack. Co-managed by his mother, he recorded his debut album last year. The video features cameos by Snoop Dogg and rap-video groupie Fred Durst...
Lyrics: Bow Wow (That's My Name) (UK:6)

... Limp Bizkit

Cool as a cover of Frank Sinatra's My Way might have been, Limp Bizkit's song of the same name is their own. It debuts at no 6 on June 17th. The video features the boys in a number of unflattering guises such as fat bikers, fat cavemen or just fat and bald. Now we know why Fred wears the red cap... Fred Durst and the Limp Bizkit boys scored their first British no 1 when Rollin' debuted at the top on January 21st, 2001. Strangely the song was perhaps one of their least memorable, and not on the same par as Take A Look Around which was a no 3 hit in the UK on July 9th, 2000 or even their version of George Michael's Faith. However January is not a big time of year for single buying and the track stayed at the top for another week. The album Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavoured Water achieved the double and becomes the biggest selling album of the week... On the single Fred tells the competition that they should get "better rhymes" but how many times can you use the words "duck", "pluck" or "truck" to complete rhymes before they sound contrived? Limp Bizkit were formed in 1994 in Jacksonville USA and features Fred Durst, Wes Borland, Sam Rivers and John Otto who were joined by ex- House of Pain member DJ Lethal in 1998. Their first two albums were a success in the states with 1999's Significant Other debuting at no 1. Their mix of hip hop and aggressive hard rock have yet to make any significant impact on the British album market... Last year they toured in the US giving free concerts in a sponsorship deal with internet "baddies" Napster...
Lyrics: My Way (UK:6), Rollin' (UK:1), Take A Look Around (UK:3)

... Linkin Park

Fourth single from Hybrid Theory but first to make the UK top 10 is In The End by Linkin Park. It debuts at no 8 on 14th October, 2001. The Californian band are comprised of Chester Bennington on lead vocals, Mike Shinoda vocals and MC, Brad Delson guitar, Rob Bourdon drums, Phoenix bass and DJ Joseph Hahn. Originally named Xero and then Hybrid Theory the group finally settled on Linkin Park, a spelling variation of the Santa Monica landmark, Lincoln Park. One Step Closer, their debut single was an Australian top 10 and US top twenty hit. Incidentally the video for In The End features some pretty nifty computer graphics...
Lyrics: In The End (UK:8)

... Lock' n' Load

Having aleady been a huge hit around Europe Blow Ya Mind debuts at no 6 in the UK on April 9th, 2000.

... Lonyo

Summer of Love by Lonyo (who used to go by the name of Comme Ci Comme Ca) debuts at no 8 in the UK on July 2nd, 2000. He's been around on the UK garage scene for a few years as a DJ and his fans include Jamiroquai. He also provided the music for the launch party of Janet Jackson's last album. However he says he's influenced as much by Barry White and Frank Sinatra as the garage movement...

... Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez climbs to no 1 in the US on September 8th, 2001 with I'm Real while in the UK she debuts at no 3 on August 12th with latino styled Ain't It Funny. The talented actress and singer has recently married Cris Judd, a dancer who she met on the set of Love Don't Cost A Thing. The latest album J-Lo has provided a UK and US chart topper in Love Don't... and a US top 20 in Play. Outside the US, the Latino Ain't It Funny has also scored high. Jennifer may film an updated version of the Cinderella story, The Chambermaid, in 2002 and is currently developing a TV special based on J-Lo.
Lyrics: Ain't It Funny (UK:3), I'm Real (US:1, UK:4), Remix featuring Ja Rule, Love Don't Cost A Thing (UK:1), Play (UK:3)

... Louise

Former member of the now disbanded Eternal, Louise debuts at no 4 in the UK on 2nd September, 2001 with Stuck In The Middle With You. The original was a hit in May 1973 for Stealer's Wheel, the scottish duo featuring Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty, and was rediscovered by film audiences when used famously in the film Reservoir Dogs, something Louise makes use of in the song's video. The track is taken from her Best of which is released later in the month. Her last major hit was 2 Faced which debuted at no 3 on 23rd July, 2000. Louise is married to footballer Jamie Redknapp but unlike another celebrity pop/football duo, they keep their life together fairly private.
Lyrics: Stuck In The Middle With You (UK:4), 2 Faced (UK:3)

... DJ Luck & MC Neat

The third hit of 2000 in the UK for the London garage duo DJ Luck & MC Neat is Ain't No Stoppin' Us which debuts at no 8 on October 1st. Their previous hit, Masterblaster (Jammin), Stevie Wonder's 1980 hit tribute to Bob Marley debuted at no 5 on May 21st beating A Little Bit Of Luck which peaked at no 9 on 23rd January. Their earliest track sold over a quarter of a million in an uncharacteristic chart run. Masterblaster needed and was given approval by Mr Wonder himself. Vocals are by JJ. The duo's real names are Joel Sanuels and Michael Rose, the latter getting his MC name from his catchphrase "neatly".

... Lyte Funkie Ones

Managed by the man who first brought the Backstreet Boys and then 'NSync to the world, the Lyte Funkie One's Girl on TV debuted at no 6 in the UK on 30th of January, 2000. Varying the winning formula Manager Lou Pearlman created the Lyte Funkie Ones, a three-piece rather than five-piece group, after both of the other boy bands left his company.
Lyrics: Girl On TV (UK:6)