how the hell did the manics get to #2?!?!

*the people*

It was because the Elvis block prevented them getting to number one that week.

But, as you see, it can be done.

This week, the "Grief never gets a cold" single. (Number 44 with a bullet! Actually, it'll probably get to number 13 now)

Next week, the Eminem single.

La.

well, they made #2 with 12,573 sales. i'd have to think that any big UK tour they could announce would sell at least that many tickets in a week.

It went down to 27 this week, so I guess they still have enough of a rabid fanbase to propel whatever shit they release to a high position briefly.

the new b sides were spread across 3 formats.u had to buy all 3 to get them all. one of these formats is the big fan-winner the single dvd, which alongside the video for the single contained a new film also. a combination of the recnt tour/holy bible re-issue hype-orama, the 10th anniversarry of the disappearance of richey edwards, and the fact that the first 2 or 3 weeks in january have always been big in terms of indie-ish bands getting big sales mean bingo bango! in with a bullet. the manics are not soft, they scored another januray number one in 2000 with ;masses against the classes' the first number one of the new millenium. it would have been amusing to see such slick trickery gain them the 1000th number 1 but it was not to be.