London - The Irish band Boyzone has jumped straight in at number one in the official Top 40 chart with the track You Needed Me, ahead of Geri Halliwell's debut single, Look At Me.
Boyzone's single is a cover of Anne Murray's 1970s hit and their sixth chart-topper. It is the ninth single by an Irish act to reach number one in the space of a year.
Geri Halliwell, who left the Spice Girls a year ago, had embarked on a high-profile publicity campaign in an effort to help clinch the coveted number one slot.
But a spokesman for the 26-year-old remained optimistic. "That is fantastic for a debut single," he said.