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Posted by: AH Gold 29th April 2020, 03:22 AM

My Top 40 Fave Top 40 Hits Year By Year...

Thanks to lockdown and a whole lot of time on my hands, I thought I'd do something original. An idea, which I've absolutely not stolen from anyone else on Buzzjack (sorry Jade }. I've compiled my own lists of favourite Top 40 hits of each year starting from when I was born. UK Top 40 hits only (otherwise the lists would be much bigger) and the hit must have reached its peak position within the year. I also planned on doing in-depth commentary for every track, until I realised I couldn't be arsed.

So, 1981 then.

At the start of the year, my parents were busy preparing for my entrance into the world and were full of hope, dreams and optimism. Even in the womb I must have realised this and would go on to set out on a heroic journey of dashing all these hopes and dreams at every given opportunity. In June, after many hours of painful labour, I was expelled from my mother's womb, two months earlier than planned, screaming and crying my little eyes out. Mum and Dad were overjoyed. It's just as well, as I continued screaming and crying for the next five years. There were complications surrounding my birth, which explains a lot. Still, my parents' dreams of starting a family became a reality, and off we went to settle in Walthamstow of all places.
Mum and Dad loved music and followed the charts, a love I inherited early on. I also inherited IBS, psoriasis and bipolar, (I would have preferred money). Even today, my Dad will phone me, raving about a new Calvin Harris song and wondering if Heart FM has any records on its playlist not by Ed Sheeran. Pop, and Top Of The Pops especially, was something that bonded us, and without meaning to sound all soppy, they're memories I'll always cherish.

So, these are my favourite Top 40 hits of 1981

1. Human League - Don't You Want Me
2. Visage - Fade To Grey
3. Teardrop Explodes – Reward
4. Yoko Ono – Walking On Thin Ice
5. Tenpole Tudor – Swords Of A Thousand Men
6. Abba – One Of Us
7. Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
8. Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood
9. Blondie – Rapture
10. Godley & Crème – Under Your Thumb
11. Kim Wilde – Cambodia
12. Spandau Ballet – Musclebound
13. Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver
14. Soft Cell – Bedsitter
15. Human League – Love Action (I Believe In Love)
16. Roxy Music – Jealous Guy
17. Adam & The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier
18. Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime
19. Dollar – Hand Held In Black And White
20. Abba – Lay All Your Love On Me
21. Spandau Ballet – Chant No.1 (Don’t Need This Pressure On)
22. Ultravox – Vienna
23. Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes
24. Toyah – Thunder In The Mountains
25. Kim Wilde – Chequered Love
26. Phil Collins – In The Air Tonight
27. Freeez – Southern Freeez
28. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Souvenir
29. Human League – Sound Of The Crowd
30. Olivia Newton John – Physical
31. Odyssey – Going Back To My Roots
32. Landscape – Einstein A Go Go
33. Adam & The Ants – Prince Charming
34. Kim Wilde – Kids In America
35. Aneka – Japanese Boy
36. Madness - Grey Day
37. Kiki Dee - Star
38. Michael Jackson – One Day In Your Life
39. Specials – Ghost Town
40. Shalamar – Make That Move

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th April 2020, 12:32 PM

Hi AH, awww love the little autobiog intro Sorry you started with so many probs to deal with for a littlun, but music is the be-all in life, so say I!

That's a pretty-much flawless choice of records there! Musclebound wouldnt feature near my top 100 of 1981, Bedsitter and Make That Move would just miss out, but the majority would also make my top 40 of 1981 too. Fab!

Posted by: Jade 🐠 29th April 2020, 01:04 PM

QUOTE(AH Gold @ Apr 29 2020, 04:22 AM)

An idea, which I've absolutely not stolen from anyone else on Buzzjack (sorry Jade }

Posted by: Steve201 29th April 2020, 09:23 PM

Great list mate some amazing pop hits in 1981!

Jade, was the Human League performance the one from the Xmas edition when they were getting covered with party poppers at the end of the performance?

Posted by: King Rollo 30th April 2020, 01:44 PM

I don't remember the Yoko Ono and Shalamar songs but otherwise I like every song on that list. As I did with Jade's thread,I will add my own top 20 from the year of songs that made the UK top 40.

1. Ultravox - Vienna
2. ELO - Twilight
3. Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight
4. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Souvenir
5. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Joan Of Arc
6. Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure
7. Visage - Fade To Grey
8. Ultravox - All Stood Still
9. Abba - One Of Us
10. Ultravox - The Thin Wall
11. Hazel O'Connor - Will You
12. Ultravox - The Voice
13. Godley & Creme - Under Your Thumb
14. Landscape - Einstein A Go-Go
15. Human League - Open Your Heart
16. Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin - It's My Party
17. Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime
18. Teardrop Explodes - Reward
19. New Order - Everything's Gone Green
20. Kim Wilde - Cambodia

Posted by: AH Gold 1st May 2020, 03:14 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Apr 29 2020, 01:32 PM)

Hi AH, awww love the little autobiog intro Sorry you started with so many probs to deal with for a littlun, but music is the be-all in life, so say I!

That's a pretty-much flawless choice of records there! Musclebound wouldnt feature near my top 100 of 1981, Bedsitter and Make That Move would just miss out, but the majority would also make my top 40 of 1981 too. Fab!

Posted by: AH Gold 1st May 2020, 03:16 AM

QUOTE(Jade 🐠 @ Apr 29 2020, 02:04 PM)

the impact *.* no worries, I'm excited to see what comes up for each year!

My favourites from this first list:

1. Human League - Don't You Want Me
2. Visage - Fade To Grey
6. Abba – One Of Us
7. Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
13. Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver
16. Roxy Music – Jealous Guy
20. Abba – Lay All Your Love On Me
22. Ultravox – Vienna
26. Phil Collins – In The Air Tonight
30. Olivia Newton John – Physical
33. Adam & The Ants – Prince Charming
34. Kim Wilde – Kids In America
35. Aneka – Japanese Boy
38. Michael Jackson – One Day In Your Life
39. Specials – Ghost Town

Some proper classics in that line-up *.* I recently bought a TOTP dvd that showed a performance from every year between its inception and 2004, as an anniversary thing and it really reignited my love for 'Don't You Want Me' all over again! Fantastic #1 <3

'Lay All Your Love On Me' is my fave ABBA song *.*

Posted by: AH Gold 1st May 2020, 03:18 AM

QUOTE(Steve201 @ Apr 29 2020, 10:23 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 1st May 2020, 03:21 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ Apr 30 2020, 02:44 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 1st May 2020, 03:38 AM

On to 1982 then.

Each year will have an indulgent mini autobiography I'm afraid. Good news for this year though, I was only 1, so no amazing or inspirational anecdotes here you'll be pleased to hear. Except that I have seen several photos of me from that time. I'm not smiling in any of them. Funnily enough, neither are my parents. I was just giving them a taste of things to come. Even then I was obviously very thoughtful.

Narrowing down my faves to a Top 40 for 1982 was much harder than 1981. I got it down to 54 tracks. The final cull was quite painful, so sadly there's no room for The Jam, Yazoo, Stranglers, New Order, Human League, Shalamar, Hall & Oates, Bow Wow Wow, Madness, Eddy Grant, Japan or The Associates. You may balk at what did make it in, but then again it is my list.

My Favourite Top 40 hits Of 1982

1. Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
2. Blancmange - Living On The Ceiling
3. ABC - The Look Of Love
4. Abba - The Day Before You Came
5. Culture Club - Time (Clock Of The Heart)
6. Visage - Damned Don’t Cry
7. Sheena Easton - Machinery
8. Bucks Fizz - My Camera Never Lies
9. Abba - Under Attack
10. A Flock Of Seagulls - Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)
11. Belle Stars - Iko Iko
12. Soft Cell - Where The Heart Is
13. Carly Simon - Why
14. Monsoon - Ever So Lonely
15. Dollar - Videotheque
16. Sharon Redd - Never Give You Up
17. Philip Lynott - Yellow Pearl
18. Soft Cell - Say Hello Wave Goodbye
19. Kim Wilde - View From A Bridge
20. Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger
21. Pigbag – Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag
22. Adam Ant – Friend Or Foe
23. Soft Cell – Torch
24. Dollar – Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour)
25. Kraftwerk – Computer Love/The Model
26. Duran Duran – Hungry Like The Wolf
27. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Message
28. Rockers Revenge Ft. Donnie Calvin – Walking On Sunshine
29. Tight Fit – Fantasy Island
30. Imagination – Just An Illusion
31. Adam Ant – Goody Two Shoes
32. Bardo – One Step Further
33. Mobiles – Drowning In Berlin
34. Mari Wilson – Just What I Always Wanted
35. Depeche Mode – Leave In Silence
36. Toto Coelo – I Eat Cannibals
37. Dionne Warwick – Heartbreaker
38. Dollar – Give Me Back My Heart
39. Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King – Love Come Down
40. Bucks Fizz – Land Of Make Believe

Posted by: Popchartfreak 1st May 2020, 10:30 AM

Your entire top 4 topped my charts of the time, so no complaints from me!

Great to see Machinery so loved, John Peel also liked it, as did I, Sheena's best record to date until her Prince-period. There are 10 chart-toppers, oodles of top 10 faves, but a few more random ones than 1981 in terms of tracks that passed me by a bit (Belle Stars, Mobiles, Toto Coelo) though there's nothing I didn't chart on your list

At least half your list would also be in my Top 40 of 1982, so it's not like I much need to list mine...

Posted by: King Rollo 2nd May 2020, 01:46 PM

Here's my top 20. I only had to go as far down as number 823 in my top 1000 to find 20 songs from this year. For 1981,I went down to number 873 so that's a useful way to measure the quality of top 40 chart hits for each year. I kept to your rule of when a song peaked so the Jon & Vangelis song is here even though it entered the chart in 1981.

1. Thomas Dolby - Windpower
2. Abba - The Day Before You Came
3. Dire Straits - Private Investigations
4. Queen - Las Palabras De Amor
5. ABC - The Look Of Love
6. Dollar - Give Me Back My Heart
7. Soft Cell - Say Hello Wave Goodbye
8. A Flock Of Seagulls - Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)
9. The Associates - Club Country
10. Visage - Damned Don't Cry
11. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Maid Of Orleans
12. Monsoon - Ever So Lonely
13. Duran Duran - Save A Prayer
14. Dollar - Videotheque
15. Tears For Fears - Mad World
16. ABC - All Of My Heart
17. Spandau Ballet - Instinction
18. Jon & Vangelis - I'll Find My Way Home
19. ELO - Ticket To The Moon/Here Is The News
20. New Order - Temptation

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd May 2020, 04:16 PM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 2 2020, 02:46 PM)

Posted by: King Rollo 2nd May 2020, 05:28 PM

Party Fears Two is a classic certainly. If I had carried on,it would have been at number 22,so it just missed out. I've always slightly preferred Club Country.

Posted by: AH Gold 3rd May 2020, 02:32 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 1 2020, 11:30 AM)

Your entire top 4 topped my charts of the time, so no complaints from me!

Great to see Machinery so loved, John Peel also liked it, as did I, Sheena's best record to date until her Prince-period. There are 10 chart-toppers, oodles of top 10 faves, but a few more random ones than 1981 in terms of tracks that passed me by a bit (Belle Stars, Mobiles, Toto Coelo) though there's nothing I didn't chart on your list

At least half your list would also be in my Top 40 of 1982, so it's not like I much need to list mine...

Posted by: AH Gold 3rd May 2020, 02:35 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 2 2020, 02:46 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 3rd May 2020, 02:59 AM

Onwards to 1983.

Once again, a short bio, as I was only 2 and I can barely remember last week, let alone (gasp and ) 37 years ago. All I know is we moved from Walthamstow to Welling, Kent which would be my home until 2007. You're probably thinking "these stories about a toddler are absolutely riveting, what do you mean no one's bought the movie rights???" Anyway...

1983 was an easier list than 1982 for me. Just four I had to lose this time. (I know I said the songs had to peak in the year they're featured in, but there are exceptions. Blue Monday peaked at No.3 in 1988 as a remix of course, which may still feature in that year's Top 40. But there's no denying the classic original, so that's why it features here.)

My Favourite Top 40 hits Of 1983

1. Blancmange - Blind Vision
2. New Order - Blue Monday
3. Bucks Fizz - When We Were Young
4. Orange Juice - Rip It Up
5. Public Image Ltd - This Is Not A Love Song
6. Wah! - The Story Of The Blues
7. Depeche Mode - Everything Counts
8. Altered Images - Bring Me Closer
9. Tracey Ullman - They Don’t Know
10. Assembly - Never Never
11. Belle Stars - Sign Of The Times
12. Eurythmics - Love Is A Stranger
13. Rocksteady Crew - (Hey You) The Rocksteady Crew
14. Altered Images - Don't Talk To Me About Love
15. KC & The Sunshine Band - Give It Up
16. Depeche Mode - Get The Balance Right
17. Bananarama - Cruel Summer
18. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Dear Prudence
19. Malcolm McLaren - Double Dutch
20. Bucks Fizz - London Town
21. Wham! - Wham! Rap (Enjoy What You Do)
22. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart
23. Eurythmics - Who's That Girl
24. Gary Byrd & The GB Experience - The Crown
25. Rod Stewart - Baby Jane
26. Genesis - That's All
27. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
28. Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together
29. Bananarama - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
30. Rockers Revenge Ft. Donnie Calvin - The Harder They Come
31. Malcolm McLaren & The World's Famous Supreme Team - Buffalo Gals
32. Freeez - I.O.U
33. Elton John - I'm Still Standing
34. Tears For Fears - Pale Shelter
35. Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
36. Tracey Ullman - Breakaway
37. Herbie Hancock - Rockit
38. The Cure - The Walk
39. Kissing The Pink - Last Film
40. Haysi Fantayzee - Shiny Shiny

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd May 2020, 09:28 AM

6 chart-toppers for me in that batch, great to see under-rated gems like When We Were Young, Story Of The Blues, Dear Prudence (the definitive version is better than the Beatles, and that's not easy!), and the two Tracey Ullman pop classic covers are also the definitive versions. There's nothing there I dislike, and much I love

By the time I was 2 I was moving from Mansfield to Germany and my earliest memories would be around age 3 and involved trauma - though they are just images (dad ran off with me after a fight with mum, leaving her with baby brother, and me in the car on a dark and torrential night - I just remember huge puddles and being confused and a bit scared. Another family day out, a woman seemed to screaming by a car that seemed broke down at the side of the road or an accident. So not many memories either!

Posted by: King Rollo 3rd May 2020, 02:21 PM

Many of my favourite singles from 1983 didn't make the top 40 so I could only find 19 songs from my top 1000 that qualify for this. I've thrown in Waiting For A Train as my 20th song,just pipping Africa by Toto. From your list,Last Film,When We Were Young and IOU are all great songs as well.

1. Genesis - Mama
2. New Order - Blue Monday
3. Howard Jones - New Song
4. Depeche Mode - Everything Counts
5. The Lotus Eaters - The First Picture Of You
6. Ultravox - Visions In Blue
7. Yes - Owner Of A Lonely Heart
8. Robert Plant - Big Log
9. Tears For Fears - Pale Shelter
10. Wah! - The Story Of The Blues
11. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart
12. Ultravox - Hymn
13. David Sylvian & Riuichi Sakamoto - Forbidden Colours
14. Mike Oldfield and Maggie Reilly - Moonlight Shadow
15. Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance
16. New Order - Confusion
17. Echo & The Bunnymen - The Cutter
18. Malcolm McLaren - Buffalo Gals
19. Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding
20. Flash And The Pan - Waiting For A Train

Posted by: Steve201 3rd May 2020, 06:09 PM

QUOTE(AH Gold @ May 1 2020, 04:18 AM)

Cheers Steve

I have the same DVD, and it is the same performance with the party poppers

Posted by: Steve201 3rd May 2020, 08:00 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 1 2020, 11:30 AM)

Your entire top 4 topped my charts of the time, so no complaints from me!

Great to see Machinery so loved, John Peel also liked it, as did I, Sheena's best record to date until her Prince-period. There are 10 chart-toppers, oodles of top 10 faves, but a few more random ones than 1981 in terms of tracks that passed me by a bit (Belle Stars, Mobiles, Toto Coelo) though there's nothing I didn't chart on your list

At least half your list would also be in my Top 40 of 1982, so it's not like I much need to list mine...

Posted by: Steve201 3rd May 2020, 08:12 PM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 2 2020, 02:46 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 4th May 2020, 09:47 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 3 2020, 10:28 AM)

6 chart-toppers for me in that batch, great to see under-rated gems like When We Were Young, Story Of The Blues, Dear Prudence (the definitive version is better than the Beatles, and that's not easy!), and the two Tracey Ullman pop classic covers are also the definitive versions. There's nothing there I dislike, and much I love

By the time I was 2 I was moving from Mansfield to Germany and my earliest memories would be around age 3 and involved trauma - though they are just images (dad ran off with me after a fight with mum, leaving her with baby brother, and me in the car on a dark and torrential night - I just remember huge puddles and being confused and a bit scared. Another family day out, a woman seemed to screaming by a car that seemed broke down at the side of the road or an accident. So not many memories either!

Posted by: AH Gold 4th May 2020, 09:50 PM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 3 2020, 03:21 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 4th May 2020, 09:51 PM

QUOTE(Steve201 @ May 3 2020, 07:09 PM)

Posted by: dandruff* 4th May 2020, 10:42 PM

Hello AH Good. My favourite on your list for 1982, my favourite year for music in the 80s is Wishing (If I had a Photograph) by Flock of Seagulls, Mobiles -bDrowning In Berlin nd Damned Don't Cry by Visage. All three are brilliant. Wishing... was ahead of it's time and sounds more late 80s rather than early 80s in my opinion, I mean it could have easily fitted in with the likes of Deacon Blue -Real Gone Kid in the charts of 1988.

Would add the one hit wonders by Classix Nouveaux and Blue Zoo to my faves from 1982 alongside some of your faves along with Club Country by The Associates. Yes I do like the more quirky chart songs of the early 80s! Talk Talk's two 1982 hit singles are great too.

Posted by: AH Gold 4th May 2020, 11:26 PM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 4 2020, 11:42 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 4th May 2020, 11:48 PM

1984 then - (I would throw in some George Orwell terms to show how clever I am, but I'm far too tired). This was the year of my first ever memory.
My parents were frantic with worry and had me looked over by doctors and specialists due to the fact I couldn't speak. This went on for some time, until one day my Mum was crying her eyes out in our front room. Her friend, Mary, was comforting her when at the corner of her eye she saw me smirking. "YOU CONNIVING LITTLE S**T!". Turns out I could speak, I just relished the attention. I was such an angelic child.
I also remember pushing Mum off her bed and sticking a Wham! cushion up my jumper, just so I could look pregnant. Fortunately, in just a few short years, I wouldn't need the cushion to do this . It was also this year my parents decided they wanted a brother or sister for me. Christ knows why.

Compiling the Top 40 for this year was tough. I initially got my longlist down to 57. The cull was brutal. Cutting down the 57 hits down to just 40 was almost impossible. Those missing out include Sade, Slade, Bananarama, Chaka Khan, Frankie's Two Tribes & The Power Of Love, OMD, Human League & Cyndi Lauper

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1984

1. Malcolm McLaren – Madam Butterfly
2. Divine – You Think You’re A Man
3. Propaganda – Dr Mabuse
4. Jocelyn Brown – Somebody Else’s Guy
5. Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax
6. Hazell Dean – Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go)
7. Laura Branigan – Self Control
8. Depeche Mode – Blasphemous Rumours/Somebody
9. Freddie Mercury – Love Kills
10. Billy Idol – Eyes Without A Face
11. Nik Kershaw – Wouldn’t It Be Good
12. Madness – Michael Caine
13. Eurythmics – Sex Crime (Nineteen Eighty Four)
14. Smiths – Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
15. Howard Jones – What Is Love
16. Eugene Wilde – Gotta Get You Home Tonight
17. Sister Sledge – Lost In Music
18. Sandie Shaw – Hand In Glove
19. Depeche Mode – Master And Servant
20. New Order – Thieves Like Us
21. Adam Ant – Apollo 9
22. ZZ Top – Gimme All Your Lovin’
23. Depeche Mode – People Are People
24. Sister Sledge – Thinking Of You
25. Style Council – Shout To The Top
26. Queen – Radio Ga Ga
27. Echo & The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
28. Tina Turner – What’s Love Got To Do With It
29. Limahl – Never Ending Story
30. Eurythmics – Here Comes The Rain Again
31. Madonna – Lucky Star
32. Howard Jones – Like To Get To Know You Well
33. Nik Kershaw – I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
34. Kim Wilde – The Second Time
35. Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey – Together In Electric Dreams
36. Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)
37. Ozzy Osbourne – So Tired
38. Duran Duran – The Reflex
39. Flying Pickets – When You’re Young And In Love
40. Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy

Posted by: Popchartfreak 5th May 2020, 01:33 PM

7 chart-toppers, 5 number 2's, and a host of other big hits in that batch Malcolm McLaren, Billy Idol, propaganda, Madness, are among the less-obviously-classic singles from what is a majorly-popular year with huge singles sales. I preferred Divine's Walk Like A Man to the first hit, Ozzy's Paranoid to So Close, but again there's nothing I don't like...

Posted by: King Rollo 5th May 2020, 04:44 PM

Good to see Madam Butterfly at the top of your list. It's an overlooked 80s classic. I only had to go as far down as number 789 in my top 1000 to find the best 20 chart hits from 1984.

1. Propaganda - Dr Mabuse
2. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes
3. Queen - Radio Ga Ga
4. Ultravox - Lament
5. Nik Kershaw - Human Racing
6. Howard Jones - Hide And Seek
7. Queen - Hammer To Fall
8. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - The Power Of Love
9. Depeche Mode - Master And Servant
10. Billy Joel - An Innocent Man
11. Tears For Fears - Mother's Talk
12. Depeche Mode - Blasphemous Rumours/Somebody
13. Freddie Mercury - Love Kills
14. Malcolm McLaren - Madam Butterfly
15. Blancmange - The Day Before You Came
16. Grandmaster and Melle Mel - White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)
17. Heaven 17 - This Is Mine
18. New Order - Thieves Like Us
19. Queen - It's A Hard Life
20. Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good

Posted by: dandruff* 5th May 2020, 07:11 PM

Dr Mabuse is a great dance tune, I like how dramatic it is, pity their follow up wasn't anywhere near as interesting.

Self Control is a great song, Stock, Aitken and Waterman were on top form with their production of Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go) (definitely not cheesy yet), the electronic dance and classical combo Here Comes The Rain Again (one of my faves from Eurythmics) is a bit like Clean Bandit in style but 30 years before, the catchy Like To Get Know You Well shows tropical pop is not just a 2010s thing and The Second Time is my favourite track from Kim Wilde. People are People and Master and Servant are both interesting production-wise, Depeche's industrial era is my favourite era from them.

Would add Thomas Dolby - Hyperactive, Shannon - Give Me Tonight (even better than 'Let The Music Play' imo) and Bronski Beat - Why to my faves from 1984 that you haven't mentioned.

Posted by: Steve201 5th May 2020, 09:50 PM

Love 1984 as a musical journey so many instant classics that are still all well known today, culturally important songs!

Posted by: AH Gold 6th May 2020, 10:08 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 5 2020, 02:33 PM)

7 chart-toppers, 5 number 2's, and a host of other big hits in that batch Malcolm McLaren, Billy Idol, propaganda, Madness, are among the less-obviously-classic singles from what is a majorly-popular year with huge singles sales. I preferred Divine's Walk Like A Man to the first hit, Ozzy's Paranoid to So Close, but again there's nothing I don't like...

Posted by: AH Gold 6th May 2020, 10:10 PM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 5 2020, 05:44 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 6th May 2020, 10:13 PM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 5 2020, 08:11 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 6th May 2020, 10:14 PM

QUOTE(Steve201 @ May 5 2020, 10:50 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 6th May 2020, 10:38 PM

Onto my 4th year on Earth, 1985. No major dramatic Oscar-worthy winning film moments in my life this year, except I made my first true friend - a cuddly toy called Freddie The Fox (or was it Mike?). Poor thing had a hard life. He was my constant companion for a few years. By the time he, wisely, abandoned me he was little more than fluff and a severed head. As you can tell, the more interesting sex, drugs and cheesy pop era is still many years away, which will be weird to revisit considering the nun I am now Anyway, I digress.

Don Henley, Godley & Crème, Killing Joke, Bruce Springsteen, Colonel Abrams, Animotion & Madonna’s Crazy For You just missed the cut. Killing Joke's Love Like Blood, in particular, came so close, but it was between that and a novelty one hit wonder. And in my heart of hearts, I couldn't deny it a place in my 40.


My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1985

1. Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)
2. Talking Heads – Road To Nowhere
3. Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
4. Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday
5. Kirsty MacColl – A New England
6. Prefab Sprout – When Love Breaks Down
7. Propaganda – Duel
8. Paul Hardcastle – 19
9. Phyllis Nelson – Move Closer
10. Midge Ure – If I Was
11. Kate Bush – Cloudbusting
12. Madonna – Into The Groove
13. Madonna – Angel
14. Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
15. Dead Or Alive – My Heart Goes Bang (Get Me To The Doctor)
16. Red Box – Lean On Me (Ah-Li-Ayo)
17. Divine – Walk Like A Man
18. Princess – Say I’m Your Number One
19. Limit – Say Yeah
20. Art Of Noise – Close (To The Edit)
21. A-ha – Take On Me
22. Madonna – Dress You Up
23. Mai Tai – Body And Soul
24. Maria Vidal – Body Rock
25. Depeche Mode – Shake The Disease
26. Simply Red – Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)
27. Madonna – Material Girl
28. Feargal Sharkey – A Good Heart
29. Fine Young Cannibals – Johnny Come Home
30. David Grant & Jaki Graham – Mated
31. Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out For A Hero
32. Madonna – Like A Virgin
33. Whitney Houston – Saving All My Love For You
34. Go West – We Close Our Eyes
35. UB40 – Don’t Break My Heart
36. Tina Turner – We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)
37. Madonna – Holiday
38. Sister Sledge – Frankie
39. Amii Stewart – Friends
40. Baltimora – Tarzan Boy

Posted by: Popchartfreak 7th May 2020, 07:18 AM

QUOTE(AH Gold @ May 6 2020, 11:08 PM)

Thanks John What were your 7 chart toppers and 5 near-misses?

Posted by: dandruff* 7th May 2020, 06:21 PM

Some great songs in your top 40 of 1985 chart hits. 1985 is my second favourite year of the 80s music-wise after 1982 . Art of Noise and Paul Hardcastle both paved the way for house music making a big impact on the charts later in the decade. If I was and Tarzan Boy are great epic 80s anthems (the latter I would say is much more than a 'novelty hit') and Madonna's Into the Groove is one of the catchiest songs of the 80s and has a great dance groove to it too. Crazy for You I would have put in my top 40 from 1985, lovely song. Go West's We Close Our Eyes has a great chorus - it was made into a remix in 2005 by Groove Cutters which I remember from when I was younger.

Other tracks you don't have on your list that I would have included are Jaki Graham - Round and Around, I'll Be Good by Rene and Angela, It's Called A Heart by Depeche Mode (for its futuristic Oliver Heldens-esque production alone), and Animotion - Obsession. Bronski Beat - Hit That Perfect Beat I would also have included - a real precursor to 90s eurodance that one in terms of style. Interesting that you chose Mai Tai's Body and Soul rather than History. History would be among my favourite tracks of 1985. Oh and like King Rollo I would have included Godley and Creme - Cry too.

Posted by: King Rollo 7th May 2020, 06:24 PM

There are some great songs in your list that I couldn't fit into my top 20. I have found room for Godley & Creme and Don Henley which you said just missed out. I know 'The Whole Of The Moon' peaked much higher in 1991 but I've included it here as it belongs in the 80s. I always think of 1979-1984 as being the golden era of the top 40 singles chart so it surprises me that I only had to go down to number 719 in my all-time chart this time which makes 1985 the best year so far using that as a measurement.

1. Propaganda - Duel
2. Godley & Creme - Cry
3. Art Of Noise - Close (To The Edit)
4. Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm
5. Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World
6. The Rah Band - Clouds Across The Moon
7. Tears For Fears - Shout
8. The Smiths - How Soon Is Now
9. The Waterboys - The Whole Of The Moon
10. Marillion - Heart Of Lothian
11. Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels
12. Red Box - Lean On Me (Ah-Li-Ayo)
13. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
14. Prefab Sprout - When Love Breaks Down
15. The Cars - Drive
16. Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
17. Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer
18. Phil Collins - Take Me Home
19. Midge Ure - If I Was
20. U2 - The Unforgettable Fire

Posted by: dandruff* 7th May 2020, 07:49 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 7 2020, 08:18 AM)

That includes tracks that topped my charts after 1984 so it won't add up to 52 weeks , and Lost In Music topped my charts that year but is included as a chart-topper for 1979 in my system

Posted by: Steve201 8th May 2020, 12:14 AM

1985 for me is a real great year too even if 1979-84 was my favourite time watching totps repeats. It felt like a real in between year in terms of bands from the early new wave/romantic eras reaching their commercial peak before disappearing quite quickly such as Spandau Ballet/Duran Duran/Human League/Wham/Culture Club

As Snake pointed out Art of Noise and Paul Hardcastle were bringing new unique sounds into the chart which paved the way for Chicago house a year later. But the quality although excellent became VERY mainstream which for me leads the way for the SAW take over between 1987-90. For example big power ballads were at their peak and new wave bands stopped being unique and became commercial enterprises which isn't a criticism as such simply they aimed for the top!

Posted by: AH Gold 9th May 2020, 12:28 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 7 2020, 08:18 AM)

These are the tracks from 1984 to have topped my charts....

1984
Nobody Told Me John Lennon 1
Relax Frankie Goes To Hollywood 3
Radio Ga Ga Queen 3
Somebody's Watching Me Rockwell/ Michael Jackson 3
It's A Miracle Culture Club 2
Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) Scritti Politti 4
The Lebanon The Human League 4
You're The Best Thing The Style Council 3
Two Tribes Frankie Goes To Hollywood 6
Life On Your Own The Human League 2
Eyes Without A Face Billy Idol 1
Careless Whisper George Michael 2
I Just Called To Say I Love You Stevie Wonder 1
Madame Butterfly Malcolm McLaren 1
The War Song Culture Club 4
Drive/ (Orchestral Version) The Cars 7
The Wild Boys Duran Duran 2
Sex Crime (1984) Eurythmics 1
The Power Of Love Frankie Goes To Hollywood 3
Do They Know It's Christmas Band Aid 1
Last Christmas/Everything She Wants Wham! 6
It's My Life Talk Talk 2
Holiday Madonna 1
Young At Heart The Bluebells 3
When Doves Cry Prince 1
The Killing Moon Echo & The Bunnymen 2

That includes tracks that topped my charts after 1984 so it won't add up to 52 weeks , and Lost In Music topped my charts that year but is included as a chart-topper for 1979 in my system

Peaking at 2:

Dr Mabuse
Self Control
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
What Is Love

Loads of others peaked at 3,4,5

Posted by: AH Gold 9th May 2020, 12:34 AM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 7 2020, 07:21 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 9th May 2020, 12:36 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 7 2020, 07:24 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 9th May 2020, 12:39 AM

QUOTE(Steve201 @ May 8 2020, 01:14 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 9th May 2020, 01:15 AM

1986 will always be a hugely special year for me. Firstly, I bought my very first single this year at Cruisin' Records in Welling. It was Farley Jackmaster Funk's Love Can't Turn Around, which I'm sure you'll agree is very credible for a 5 year old. The next single was Sinitta's So Macho. Make of that what you will. Both feature here, in Sinitta's case, mainly for Cruising, which is the superior track in my opinion.
Secondly, 1986 saw the arrival of my little sister. Mum suffered a miscarriage the previous year, so was obviously overjoyed I now had a sibling. She was born to the sounds of Europe's The Final Countdown blaring from the hospital radio. I always felt Ave Santini from The Omen would have been far more appropriate. As happy as Mum was, she had no inkling her daughter would go on to cause her just as much headaches and agony as me! And little did I know, that in our 30s we'd end up living together (No one else would tolerate living with her I'm afraid, so she was dumped on me....I'm only joking. Ish. I love her really. Ish.)
I also started primary school this year. All throughout my childhood, I had adults constantly tell me whenever I moaned (was, shockingly, was often) that "you'll look back on your school days as the best years of your life." Even then I knew they were lying. See, I was clever and observant, despite what all my school reports said.

As this was such a special year for me as a first time record buyer and as more memories begin to form, this was the hardest Top 40 to compile. My initial longlist was 67 tracks! I won't list all of them, but the ones I had to cut out include Communards, Steve Winwood, Falco, Jim Diamond, Bangles, Alexander O’Neal, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Grace Jones, Janet Jackson, Smiths, Simply Red, Billy Ocean, Kate Bush, Jaki Graham, Erasure & Madonna’s True Blue.

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1986

1. Kim Wilde – You Keep Me Hangin’ On
2. Dead Or Alive – Brand New Lover
3. A-ha – The Sun Always Shines On TV
4. Nu Shooz – I Can’t Wait
5. Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)
6. Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk – Love Can’t Turn Around
7. Mel & Kim – Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend)
8. Pete Wylie – Sinful
9. Pet Shop Boys – Love Comes Quickly
10. Gwen Guthrie – Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But The Rent
11. Status Quo – In The Army Now
12. Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart
13. Bananarama – Venus
14. Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
15. Human League – Human
16. Madonna – Borderline
17. Queen – Who Wants To Live Forever
18. Madonna – Live To Tell
19. Sinitta – So Macho/Cruising
20. Debbie Harry – French Kissin’ In The USA
21. Princess – I’ll Keep On Loving You
22. Wham! – The Edge Of Heaven
23. Madonna – Papa Don’t Preach
24. Madonna – Open Your Heart
25. Depeche Mode – A Question Of Time
26. Sly Fox – Let’s Go All The Way
27. Doctor & The Medics – Spirit In The Sky
28. Prince & The Revolution – Kiss
29. Pet Shop Boys – Suburbia
30. Madness – (Waiting For) The Ghost Train
31. Bucks Fizz – New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)
32. Cameo – Candy
33. Amazulu – Too Good To Be Forgotten
34. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – (Forever) Live And Die
35. Paul Hardcastle – The Wizard
36. Red Box – For America
37. Five Star – Rain Or Shine
38. Housemartins – Think For A Minute
39. Berlin – Take My Breath Away
40. Swing Out Sister – Breakout

Posted by: Bjork 9th May 2020, 07:15 AM

not a fan of early 80s, was too young, but really started enjoying music from 86 on. These are my favourites from your list with the #1 being Live to Tell. Wanted to pick 10 but ended up with 12.

1. Kim Wilde – You Keep Me Hangin’ On
7. Mel & Kim – Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend)
11. Status Quo – In The Army Now
13. Bananarama – Venus
14. Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
16. Madonna – Borderline
17. Queen – Who Wants To Live Forever
18. Madonna – Live To Tell
23. Madonna – Papa Don’t Preach
28. Prince & The Revolution – Kiss
39. Berlin – Take My Breath Away
40. Swing Out Sister – Breakout

Posted by: King Rollo 9th May 2020, 07:12 PM

From your list,I couldn't find room for Opportunities,In The Army Now,A Question Of Time and New Beginning. This is my top 20 for the year:

1. Queen - Who Wants To Live Forever
2. Pet Shop Boys - Suburbia
3. Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush - Don't Give up
4. Depeche Mode - Stripped
5. Mike and the Mechanics - Silent Running
6. Mr Mister - Broken Wings
7. A-ha - The Sun Always Shines On TV
8. Daryl Hall - Dreamtime
9. Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
10. It's Immaterial - Driving Away From Home
11. Dire Straits - Your Latest Trick
12. Pet Shop Boys - Love Comes Quickly
13. A-ha - Hunting High And Low
14. Depeche Mode - A Question Of Lust
15. Paul McCartney - Press
16. It Bites - Calling All The Heroes
17. Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It
18. Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
19. ELO - Calling America
20. Pete Wylie - Sinful

Posted by: dandruff* 9th May 2020, 07:25 PM

The Kim Wilde cover is such a tune, her brother did a great job with the production, late 80s dance-pop production at its best. So Macho by Sinitta I don't like much - too cheesy, but Cruising the B side is a very good hi-NRG track. Papa Don't Preach - another good Madonna track. Love Don't Turn Around is an iconic track, first house track in the charts and it has a brilliant bassline., Mel and Kim had the second house track to make the charts with Showing Out - I like the production on it, one of Stock Aitken Waterman's best. 'Breakout' is cheesy - a precursor to cheesy late 80s pop but still a good track. West End Girls I thought was more 1985 than 1986, but deservedly a classic, and The Sun Always Shines On TV is a lovely song. In The Army Now is much different to Status Quo's usual style but a very good song anyway.

Of those that haven't made your list, I would add another hit by Jaki Graham to my faves from 1986, this time Set Me Free. Also Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Warriors Of The Wasteland, Genesis - Land Of Confusion and The Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way and Disenchanted (which I prefer of the two).

Posted by: dandruff* 10th May 2020, 06:31 PM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 9 2020, 08:12 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 12th May 2020, 12:38 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 9 2020, 08:15 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 12th May 2020, 12:41 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 9 2020, 08:12 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 12th May 2020, 12:47 AM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 9 2020, 08:25 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 12th May 2020, 01:12 AM

It's strange that I still have some vivid memories of 1986, yet hardly any of the following year. All I do know is that I was bullied mercilessly at primary school by a boy in my year. He'd pick on me every chance he'd get, which is probably not too surprising considering I was still dragging my cuddly toy Freddie The Fox around with me 24/7. That and the fact I cried. A lot. I hated him. I'm pretty sure he hit me with a ruler too.
Apparently this sort of thing happened very regularly. So much so, my Mum and his Mum were called up to the school on a weekly basis. They were there so often they found they got on and became lifelong best friends in the process. As a result of this, me and bully boy were forced to spend time in each other's company outside of school which neither of us appreciated...Anyway, 33 years on, we're still best friends too. Strange how things turn out eh?

My longlist was just a mere 49 tracks this time round. Those missing out on the Top 40: Prince, Rick Astley, Run DMC, Erasure, Westworld, Communards, George Harrison, Madonna's La Isla Bonita & Pet Shop Boys' It's A Sin

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1987

1. M/A/R/R/S - Pump Up The Volume
2. Scarlet Fantastic - No Memory
3. A-ha - Manhattan Skyline
4. Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind
5. Mental As Anything - Live It Up
6. Bananarama - Love In The First Degree
7. Carly Simon - Coming Around Again
8. Mel & Kim - Respectable
9. Samantha Fox - Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now
10. Heart - Alone
11. T'Pau - Heart And Soul
12. Bee Gees - You Win Again
13. Steve 'Silk' Hurley - Jack Your Body
14. Spagna - Call Me
15. Madonna - Who's That Girl
16. Eurythmics - Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)
17. Genesis - Land Of Confusion
18. Man 2 Man Meets Man Parrish - Male Stripper
19. Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies
20. Bananarama - I Heard A Rumour
21. Elkie Brooks - No More The Fool
22. Alexander O'Neal - Criticize
23. Pet Shop Boys Feat. Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This
24. Wet Wet Wet - Wishing I Was Lucky
25. The Smiths - Girlfriend In A Coma
26. Taffy - I Love My Radio
27. UB40 - Rat In Mi Itchen
28. Living In A Box - Living In A Box
29. Fleetwood Mac - Big Love
30. Mel & Kim - F.L.M
31. Pet Shop Boys - Rent
32. Alison Moyet - Weak In The Presence Of Beauty
33. T-Pau - China In Your Hand
34. Five Star - The Slightest Touch
35. Gap Band - Big Fun
36. George Michael - I Want Your Sex
37. Dead Or Alive - Something In My House
38. Steve Winwood - Valerie
39. Blue Mercedes - I Want To Be Your Property
40. Suzanne Vega - Luka

Posted by: Popchartfreak 12th May 2020, 07:09 AM

Exactly one quarter of 1985 top 40 topped my charts, and many others came close, so pretty much as I'd expect

5 years old is very early for a first record! We didnt even have a record player (a portable one) until I was 9 Sex n drugs n rock n roll? I didnt hit that phase until I was 43 - 2001 onwards (apart from the drugs phase which I have entirely missed so far)

1986: 9 chart-toppers, I've never heard Sinitta's Cruisin' - though I might have approved of it around about 2001

1987: I was also often bullied at school, right through to being 15 years old (14 years olds are the absolute worst), cos I never fought back, except for one occasion when I lost it and grabbed the git who was bothering me again by the clothes and swung him round and round me till he fell over in front of everyone and looked like a tit. Oddly enough I don;t recall him bothering me again, don't know if it's co-incidence..

A mere 6 chart-toppers (though the ones that just missed your 40 included some number 1's), plus some classic tracks that would have topped my charts in a year where they didn;t clash with some all-time faves, like MARRS/ T'Pau/ Heart/ Genesis etc.

Posted by: dandruff* 12th May 2020, 10:46 AM

This continues to be a brilliant thread through musical history.

So for 1987 some brilliant songs in your top 40. Living In A Box and Criticize really do represent late 80s pop at its best, both epic. Spagna Call Me is very good, it sounds both cheesy and at the same time somewhat also relevant to today's music in its structure - the instrumental 'drop' instead of the chorus is a big thing these days in pop music.

More and more dance music was appearing in the charts at this time which is great as I am a big fan of dance music and your #1 song Pump Up The Volume is completely different to anything else in the charts at the time. Must have sounded incredibly futuristic at the time. 'Jack Your Body' is also an iconic track - those rhythms are brilliant. Male Stripper - cheesy lyrics but the production is great (good enough to be sampled in a popular dance song by Purple Disco Machine recently), I should have mentioned the quite similar in style instrumentally Love Missile F1-11 by Sigue Sigue Sputnik as being one of my 1986 favourites. Also in the Hi-NRG genre (albeit mixed with house influences), Respectable by Mel and Kim is a good catchy song - I am sure 'Take Take T-T-T-T-Take' was stuck in a lot of peoples heads at the time!

That Wet Wet Wet song is easily their best in my opinion - such a unique sounding pop song and while some of their later songs were still good, I wish they would have stayed in that sort of style of music. Something In My House is my favourite of Dead or Alive's singles. You Win Again is very nice, I do like the late Bee Gees era and it and For Whom The Bell Tolls are great songs.

Of those you didn't include, I would have included A-ha - Cry Wolf, Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin, Communards - Tomorrow and Never Say Goodbye ('Tomorrow' being higher on my list), John Farnham - The Voice, Hue and Cry - Labour of Love, Robbie Nevil - Dominoes, Karel Fialka - Hey Matthew (this one is a bit like Ace of Base with the production, isn't it) and Gary Numan and Radio Heart - Radio Heart in my top 40. A good year for chart music, better than 1986 in my opinion.

Posted by: Bjork 12th May 2020, 11:19 AM

87 was my first year proper following the charts
favourite tracks: the 2 T'Pau singles (China in Your Hand and Heart and Soul, Heart-Alone, the 2 Bananarama singles (I Heard a rumour and Love in the First Degree, Kim Wilde - Another Step, Pepsi & Shirlie - Heartache but the 2nd single was good too, Janet Jackson - Lets wait awhile, PSB - Always on my Mind, Madonna - La Isla Bonita and Who's That Girl, Whitesnake - Is this Love, Suzanne Vega - Luka, Mel & Kim - Respectable, Level 42 - It's over, Black's Wonderful Life and Sweetest Smile, all Terence Trent D'arby songs, the 2 Johnny Hates Jazz singles

I was also into some indie bands, my fav being All About Eve - Flowers in Our Hair and In the Clouds, The Smiths - Girlfriend in a coma, Depeche Mode - Strangelove, The Cure - Just like Heaven.

Posted by: King Rollo 12th May 2020, 05:41 PM

This is my top 20 from the year. Never Let Me Down Again is best heard in its 9 minute 'Split Mix' version while the original 9 minute album version of Tonight,Tonight,Tonight is better than the truncated single release.

1. Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again
2. Genesis - Tonight Tonight Tonight
3. Marillion - Sugar Mice
4. Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin
5. Black - Wonderful Life
6. Pet Shop Boys - Rent
7. Genesis - Land Of Confusion
8. New Order - True Faith
9. A-ha - Manhattan Skyline
10. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Watching The Wildlife
11. Cliff Richard - Some People
12. Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind
13. Steve Winwood - Valerie
14. U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name
15. Paul McCartney - Once Upon A Long Ago
16. ABC - When Smokey Sings
17. Eurythmics - Beethoven (I Love To Listen)
18. Karel Fialka - Hey Matthew
19. George Harrison - Got My Mind Set On You
20. Wax - Bridge To Your Heart

Posted by: AH Gold 13th May 2020, 12:53 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 12 2020, 08:09 AM)

Exactly one quarter of 1985 top 40 topped my charts, and many others came close, so pretty much as I'd expect

5 years old is very early for a first record! We didnt even have a record player (a portable one) until I was 9 Sex n drugs n rock n roll? I didnt hit that phase until I was 43 - 2001 onwards (apart from the drugs phase which I have entirely missed so far)

1986: 9 chart-toppers, I've never heard Sinitta's Cruisin' - though I might have approved of it around about 2001

1987: I was also often bullied at school, right through to being 15 years old (14 years olds are the absolute worst), cos I never fought back, except for one occasion when I lost it and grabbed the git who was bothering me again by the clothes and swung him round and round me till he fell over in front of everyone and looked like a tit. Oddly enough I don;t recall him bothering me again, don't know if it's co-incidence..

A mere 6 chart-toppers (though the ones that just missed your 40 included some number 1's), plus some classic tracks that would have topped my charts in a year where they didn;t clash with some all-time faves, like MARRS/ T'Pau/ Heart/ Genesis etc.

Posted by: AH Gold 13th May 2020, 01:00 AM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 12 2020, 11:46 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 13th May 2020, 01:03 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 12 2020, 12:19 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 13th May 2020, 01:06 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 12 2020, 06:41 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 13th May 2020, 01:40 AM

Coming up with heart-rendering and truly inspirational anecdotes from each of my early years is proving to be quite tough. My memory clearly isn't as sharp as I thought it was. However, according to a family album, I had a girlfriend in 1988. Teresa, her name was, and all I can remember is that she could only write backwards and would also become the girlfriend of my best mate. Slag. (Only joking. Actually, did we even know the word when we were 7?). Granted, this isn't exactly Hollyoaks stuff but I'm sure at that age I was livid. This would be the only time me and Tim, my best mate, would share the same girlfriend. Mainly because, not surprisingly, I became a gay. Although a few of his future girlfriends had crushes on me first before they settled on him - something I love to remind him of on a regular basis. I'm such a good friend.

My shortlist for 1988 was just 45 songs surprisingly. Quite a few of my favourites never made the Top 40. The five just missing out: Vanessa Paradis, Deacon Blue, Salt-N-Pepa, Enya & New Order


My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1988

1. Adventures – Broken Land
2. Kim Wilde – You Came
3. Eighth Wonder – I’m Not Scared
4. Ofra Haza – Im Nin’Alu
5. Desireless – Voyage Voyage
6. Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is A Place On Earth
7. Siouxsie & The Banshees – Peek-A-Boo
8. Jane Wiedlin – Rush Hour
9. Fleetwood Mac – Everywhere
10. Yello – The Race
11. Pet Shop Boys – Heart
12. Belinda Carlisle – Circle In The Sand
13. Transvision Vamp – I Want Your Love
14. Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing
15. Sinitta – I Don’t Believe In Miracles
16. Krush – House Arrest
17. Taja Sevelle – Love Is Contagious
18. Timelords – Doctorin’ The Tardis
19. Eurythmics – You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart
20. Bananarama – Love, Truth And Honesty
21. Bomb The Bass – Beat Dis
22. Humanoid – Stakker Humanoid
23. Everything But The Girl – I Don’t Want To Talk About It
24. Bananarama – I Want You Back
25. Sabrina – All Of Me
26. Dollar – O L’Amour
27. Erasure – A Little Respect
28. INXS – Need You Tonight
29. Kim Wilde – Never Trust A Stranger
30. Prefab Sprout – The King Of Rock ‘N’ Roll
31. Climie Fisher – Love Changes Everything
32. Kylie Minogue – Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi
33. Belinda Carlisle – I Get Weak
34. Cher – I Found Someone
35. Kylie Minogue – Got To Be Certain
36. Wee Papa Girl Rappers – Wee Rule
37. Bananarama – I Can’t Help It
38. Rick Astley – Take Me To Your Heart
39. Fairground Attraction – Perfect
40. Taylor Dayne – Tell It To My Heart

Posted by: Popchartfreak 13th May 2020, 07:19 AM

The decline of chart-toppers in your top 40 continues (as you predicted by the 90's ) at 6 - but there are loads of number 2's (in a good way) at least 5. Adventures should have been a chart-topper TBH but peaked at 4, tut tut! I never had a girlfriend - but my best friends were usually girls until I turned 10 Looking back, the sci-fi, the pop music, the brushing of my mum's hair, the arts & crafts, playing with my friends dolls with the hair that grows, the lack of interest in football, I might as well have had a huge arrow hanging over my head inviting the world to assume I was probably never going to be a top sportsman

Posted by: Bjork 13th May 2020, 07:58 AM

love 1988 musically (despite Madonna taking the year off)
my fav pop artist at the time was Debbie Gibson, who I thought was 1000 times better than Kylie, well, at least the US did agree

fav songs of the year: Debbie Gibson - Shake your Love and Foolish beat, Krush - House arrest, Pebbles - Girlfriend
Transvission Vamp - I want your love, the first 3 Belinda Carlisle singles, Taja Sevelle - Love is contagious,
Salt'n' Pepa - Push it, Terence T D'arby - Sign your name, Kim Wilde - You came, Taylor Dayne - Shake your love,
all the Voice of the Beehive singles, Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana and Another part of me, Bruce - Tougher than the rest

and from the indie world:
All About Eve - Martha's harbour (song of the year), Primitives - Crash, Morrissey - Everyday is like Sunday
Sinead O'Connor - Mandinka, Tracy Chapman - Fast car

EDIT: Forgot Tracy Chapman, her album is easily the album of the year for me, still right now I can remember all the lyrics

Posted by: King Rollo 13th May 2020, 05:32 PM

Great to see Broken Land at the top of your list. It makes it into my top 5 as well. As with 1987,my top 2 are best heard in their longer versions. The Race has a thirteen minute 12 inch version while the album version of Left To My Own Devices is much better than the remixed single.

1. Yello - The Race
2. Pet Shop Boys - Left To My Own Devices
3. Black - Paradise
4. Depeche Mode - Behind The Wheel
5. The Adventures - Broken Land
6. Robbie Robertson - Somewhere Down The Crazy River
7. Kim Wilde - You Came
8. Icehouse - Crazy
9. Scritti Politti - Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)
10. Bourgeois Tagg - I Don't Mind At All
11. INXS - Never Tear Us Apart
12. Aztec Camera - Working In A Goldmine
13. The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother
14. Traveling Wilburys - Handle With Care
15. Eighth Wonder - I'm Not Scared
16. Bomb The Bass - Beat Dis
17. Eurythmics - You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart
18. George Harrison - When We Was Fab
19. Aztec Camera - Somewhere In My Heart
20. Robert Palmer - She Makes My Day

Posted by: dandruff* 13th May 2020, 07:21 PM

My favourites from your top 40 are I'm Not Scared (much less cheesy than most pop around at the time thanks to the Pet Shop Boys' production), Rush Hour (really nice song this), Heart, A Little Respect, House Arrest (really liked this from when I first discovered it a few years ago, sounds great for a song made in 1987), Beat Dis (that breakbeat after 'music please' is a highlight for me of this track), Stakker Humanoid (really futuristic dance track) and All Of Me (the best of her two 1988 charting tracks for me and a real precursor to 90s eurodance).

Would have chosen Taylor Dayne - Prove Your Love rather than Tell It To My Heart to go in my top 40 as the production I find more interesting in it (although Kelly Llorenna's version of TITMH which I keenly remember from the time would probably make my top 40 for 2002)

I would have also added Def Leppard - Love Bites (easily their best song imo) and Magnum - Days of No Trust and Heart - These Dreams for rock tracks from the year and D-Mob ft Gary Haisman - We call it Aciieed, Coldcut, Yazz and Plastic Population - Doctorin' The House and S'Express - Theme From S'express for dance tracks.

Dance tracks aside though 1988 maybe isn't one of the best years of the 80s as Steve201 hinted at some of the pop in the charts did become a bit cheesy and generic by this stage. Having said that I do have a soft spot for Together Forever by Rick Astley (the original is way better than that acoustic cover in an advert recently) so that would make my top 40 for 1988.

Posted by: AH Gold 15th May 2020, 01:20 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 13 2020, 08:19 AM)

The decline of chart-toppers in your top 40 continues (as you predicted by the 90's ) at 6 - but there are loads of number 2's (in a good way) at least 5. Adventures should have been a chart-topper TBH but peaked at 4, tut tut! I never had a girlfriend - but my best friends were usually girls until I turned 10 Looking back, the sci-fi, the pop music, the brushing of my mum's hair, the arts & crafts, playing with my friends dolls with the hair that grows, the lack of interest in football, I might as well have had a huge arrow hanging over my head inviting the world to assume I was probably never going to be a top sportsman

Posted by: AH Gold 15th May 2020, 01:24 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 13 2020, 08:58 AM)

love 1988 musically (despite Madonna taking the year off)
my fav pop artist at the time was Debbie Gibson, who I thought was 1000 times better than Kylie, well, at least the US did agree

fav songs of the year: Debbie Gibson - Shake your Love and Foolish beat, Krush - House arrest, Pebbles - Girlfriend
Transvission Vamp - I want your love, the first 3 Belinda Carlisle singles, Taja Sevelle - Love is contagious,
Salt'n' Pepa - Push it, Terence T D'arby - Sign your name, Kim Wilde - You came, Taylor Dayne - Shake your love,
all the Voice of the Beehive singles, Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana and Another part of me, Bruce - Tougher than the rest

and from the indie world:
All About Eve - Martha's harbour (song of the year), Primitives - Crash, Morrissey - Everyday is like Sunday
Sinead O'Connor - Mandinka, Tracy Chapman - Fast car

EDIT: Forgot Tracy Chapman, her album is easily the album of the year for me, still right now I can remember all the lyrics

Posted by: AH Gold 15th May 2020, 01:28 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 13 2020, 06:32 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 15th May 2020, 01:31 AM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 13 2020, 08:21 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 15th May 2020, 02:10 AM

I don't remember ever having believed in God. I come from a Catholic family and went to a Catholic school, so I must have done at one point. A classmate excitedly told me "if you pray to God every day, all your wishes come true!" Going by this I can only assume I got down on my hands and knees and prayed "Dear God. I'm not being picked on enough. Please do something that ensures I become a complete laughing stock. Oh, and if you can make sure I suffer especially at school, that'd be great. Amen." I'm beyond thrilled to tell you, he listened.
Earlier on in 1989....how can I put this?.....I got an infection in my willy (I've no idea why or how). I'll spare you the gory details except I bled. A lot. I had to have an operation which resulted in me getting circumcised. The downside to this was I wasn't allowed to wear trousers when I went back to school. On my first day back I was hauled up by a teacher in front of the assembly. There I was dressed in my white shirt, school tie...and green tracksuit bottoms. The teacher thought it'd be wise and kind to explain to everyone why I was dressed like this...I'm sure you can imagine where this is going. Three months I was in those disgusting dark green tracksuit bottoms. Why the parents couldn't have got me a black pair, I'll never know.

Anyway, with that beautiful Jane Austin-esque story out of the way with, here's 1989. You probably have noticed, in previous years, cool and credible acts such as The Smiths and The Cure have featured. This year: Big Fun, Sonia & Brother Beyond. On a positive note, no room for The Reynolds Girls (they're at No.41. Don't judge me).

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1989

1. Donna Summer – This Time I Know It’s For Real
2. Liza Minnelli – Losing My Mind
3. Black Box – Ride On Time
4. Kylie Minogue – Hand On Your Heart
5. Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance
6. Beautiful South – Song For Whoever
7. Kon Kan – I Beg Your Pardon
8. Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work
9. Boy Meets Girl – Waiting For A Star To Fall
10. Electronic – Getting Away With It
11. Jeff Wayne – Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix)
12. Technotronic Feat. Felly – Pump Up The Jam
13. Belinda Carlisle – Leave A Light On
14. Big Fun – Can’t Shake The Feeling
15. Tom Petty – I Won’t Back Down
16. Madonna – Like A Prayer
17. Dusty Springfield – Nothing Has Been Proved
18. Neneh Cherry – Manchild
19. Starlight – Numero Uno
20. Brother Beyond – Be My Twin
21. Depeche Mode – Personal Jesus
22. Stone Roses – Fools Gold
23. Lil’ Louis – French Kiss
24. Deborah Harry – I Want That Man
25. Sydney Youngblood – Sit And Wait
26. Kate Bush – The Sensual World
27. Marc Almond & Gene Pitney – Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart
28. Paula Abdul – Straight Up
29. Raul Orellana – The Real Wild House
30. Transvision Vamp – Baby I Don’t Care
31. Will To Power – Baby I Love Your Way – Free Bird
32. Ten City – That’s The Way Love Is
33. Fuzzbox – Pink Sunshine
34. A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray
35. Robert Howard & Kym Mazelle – Wait
36. Jason Donovan – Too Many Broken Hearts
37. Cyndi Lauper – I Drove All Night
38. Sonia – Can’t Forget You
39. Sydney Youngblood – If Only I Could
40. Madonna – Express Yourself

Posted by: Bjork 15th May 2020, 06:33 AM

1989 definitely not as good as 87/88
but still some decent pop songs on the 1st half of the year
was not a fan od Techonotronic/Black Box and even less of a fan of the Jive Bunny domination

fav pop songs: Debbie Gibson - Lost in your eyes, Madonna - Like a prayer, Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don't Care,
Paula Abdul - Straight up, Cyndi Lauper - I Drove all Night, FYC - She drives me Crazy, Sam Brown - Stop
Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance and Manchild

indie: The Stone Roses, loved the album and Fools Gold, big into Pixies too

Posted by: Popchartfreak 15th May 2020, 09:10 AM

Ouch!! 1989 was also not a great year for me, for different reasons - my grandma fell ill over Xmas 88, and died in April. The song that reminds me of driving to Liverpool for the funeral is Donna Summer's This Time.. - a chart-topper for me with lots of emotions mixed up in it.

So 5 chart-toppers for me: Donna, Dusty's Nothing Has Been Proved, Kate Bush This Woman's Work, Madonna Express Yourself, Sydney's If Only.

Again of lots of number 2's though: Liza, Black Box, Madonna Like A Prayer, Depeche Personal Jesus.

OK, here's a treat I'm going to piggy-back on your thread:

Number Ones for the years I've digitised already: 1984-1989, includes new tracks only for the time, and tracks from that period that topped my charts in later years being added in. Year of release except for those tracks that topped in January/Feb of the year after a late-previous-year release. So no year will add up to 52 weeks.

1984
Nobody Told Me John Lennon 1
Relax Frankie Goes To Hollywood 3
Radio Ga Ga Queen 3
Somebody's Watching Me Rockwell/ Michael Jackson 3
It's A Miracle Culture Club 2
Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) Scritti Politti 4
The Lebanon The Human League 4
You're The Best Thing The Style Council 3
Two Tribes Frankie Goes To Hollywood 6
Life On Your Own The Human League 2
Eyes Without A Face Billy Idol 1
Careless Whisper George Michael 2
I Just Called To Say I Love You Stevie Wonder 1
Madame Butterfly Malcolm McLaren 1
The War Song Culture Club 4
Drive/ (Orchestral Version) The Cars 7
The Wild Boys Duran Duran 2
Sex Crime (1984) Eurythmics 1
The Power Of Love Frankie Goes To Hollywood 3
Do They Know It's Christmas Band Aid 1
Last Christmas/Everything She Wants Wham! 6
It's My Life Talk Talk 2
Holiday Madonna 1
Young At Heart The Bluebells 3
When Doves Cry Prince 1
The Killing Moon Echo & The Bunnymen 2

1985
Since Yesterday Strawberry Switchblade 1
I Want To Know What Love Is Foreigner 2
It's...It's The Sweet Mix The Sweet 2
You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) Dead Or Alive 2
The Last Kiss David Cassidy 3
Cry Godley & Creme 2
Everybody Wants To Rule The World Tears For Fears 6
Megarex 1 T.Rex 1
19 Paul Hardcastle 3
Obsession Animotion 2
So In Love Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 2
Getcha Back The Beach Boys 3
There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) Eurythmics 2
Running Up That Hill Kate Bush 2
You And Your Heart So Blue Bucks Fizz 1
Dancing In The Street David Bowie/ Mick Jagger 1
Lean On Me (Ah-Ti-Ayo) Red Box 3
If I Was Midge Ure 2
Take On Me a-ha 2
Cities In Dust Siouxsie & The Banshees 1
A Good Heart Feargal Sharkey 2
I'm Your Man Wham! 2
West End Girls Pet Shop Boys 3
The Whole Of The Moon The Waterboys 1
Living On My Own (Remix) Freddie Mercury 1
Boys Of Summer Don Henley 2

1986
The Sun Always Shines On TV a-ha 6
Hounds Of Love Kate Bush 3
Calling America Electric Light Orchestra 2
E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite 1
A Different Corner George Michael 9
(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena Sandra 2
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) Pet Shop Boys 3
New Beginnings (Mamba Seyra) Bucks Fizz 4
Papa Don't Preach Madonna 3
Human The Human League 7
True Blue Madonna 1
Suburbia Pet Shop Boys 3
Take My Breath Away Berlin 2
Sometimes Erasure 3
Open Your Heart Madonna 3
Love Is All That Matters The Human League 4
Silent Running Mike + The Mechanics 1

1987
The E.P. live (How Can I Be Sure) David Cassidy 1
I Knew You were Waiting (For Me) Aretha Franklin/ George Michael 3
La Isla Bonita Madonna 3
Don't Dream It's Over Crowded House 2
Living In A Box Living In A Box 2
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For U2 2
It's A Sin Pet Shop Boys 3
Who's That Girl Madonna 1
What Have I Done (To Deserve This) Pet Shop Boys/ Dusty Springfield 5
Little Lies Fleetwood Mac 4
You Win Again The Bee Gees 4
Bad Michael Jackson 1
The Way You Make Me Feel Michael Jackson 1
Always On My Mind Pet Shop Boys 3
Fairytale Of New York The Pogues/ Kirsty MacColl 3
True Faith New Order 1

1988
Shame Eurythmics 2
Tell It To My Heart Taylor Dayne 2
Man In The Mirror Michael Jackson 2
Love Changes (Everything) Climie Fisher 2
Joe Le Taxi Vanessa Paradis 1
Heart Pet Shop Boys 5
Theme From S Express S Express 2
One More Try George Michael 2
Alphabet Street Prince 2
Circle In The Sand Belinda Carlisle 3
Dirty Diana Michael Jackson 2
Monkey (Single remix) George Michael 2
You Came Kim Wilde 4
Another Part Of Me Michael Jackson 1
Domino Dancing Pet Shop Boys 1
What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) Information Society 2
I Wish U Heaven Prince 1
Left To My Own Devices Pet Shop Boys 4
Keeping The Dream Alive Freiheit 1
When The Love Is Good Big Trouble 1
Driving Home For Christmas Chris Rea 1

1989
Four Letter Word Kim Wilde 3
You Got It Roy Orbison 2
Stop Sam Brown 2
Nothing Has Been Proved Dusty Springfield 1
This Time I Know It's For Real Donna Summer 3
Ordinary Lives The Bee Gees 2
Rooms On Fire Stevie Nicks 1
Every Little Step Bobby Brown 1
My Brave Face Paul McCartney 1
Sweet Child 'O' Mine Guns 'n' Roses 1
Express Yourself Madonna 1
Liberian Girl Michael Jackson 1
It's Alright Pet Shop Boys 1
101 Sheena Easton 2
Don't Wanna Lose You Gloria Estefan 4
Healing Hands Elton John 3
Sowing The Seeds Of Love Tears For Fears 7
If Only I Could Sydney Youngblood 1
Sacrifice Elton John 2
Room In Your Heart Living In A Box 1
All Around The World Lisa Stansfield 4
This Woman's Work Kate Bush 1
Dear Jessie Madonna 1
You Used To Distant Cousins 3
In Private Dusty Springfield 1
Listen To Your Heart Roxette 2
Love Shack B52's 1
There She Goes The La's 3

Posted by: dandruff* 15th May 2020, 01:27 PM

Black Box - Ride On Time is great, Kon Kan - I Beg Your Pardon is a great song to sum up the 80s near the end of the decade, Jeff Wayne - Eve of The War is wonderfully dramatic, Madonna - Like A Prayer I really liked when I was younger (It was still shown a lot on music channels such as VH1 in the late 90s) and still sounds good (I also remember liking the 2002 cover by Mad'house from the time, thought this was a remixed re-release and that Madonna was singing on it but it is actually someone who sounds a lot like Madonna instead), the Technotronic/Felly - Pump Up The Jam is good but I much prefer Rockin' Over The Beat by them. For Neneh Cherry I don't know that song Manchild but would have included Buffalo Stance in my top 40 for 1989, and for Sydney Youngblood - If Only I Could (which sounds more mid 90s than late 80s).

For 'I Drove All Night' I prefer the Roy Orbison version. Pet Shop Boys - It's Alright I would also add high up in my top 40 for the year too along with Inner City - Good Life. I would have also included Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy, Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire and London Boys - London Nights.

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 15 2020, 10:10 AM)

Posted by: Popchartfreak 15th May 2020, 03:34 PM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 15 2020, 02:27 PM)

Posted by: King Rollo 15th May 2020, 07:14 PM

My top 20 from the year:

1. Tears For Fears - Woman In Chains
2. Mike & the Mechanics - The Living Years
3. Yello - Of Course I'm Lying
4. Tears For Fears - Sowing The Seeds Of Love
5. Pet Shop Boys - It's Alright
6. Freiheit - Keeping The Dream Alive
7. Queen - The Miracle
8. Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning
9. New Order - Round And Round
10. Madonna - Like A Prayer
11. Kon Kan - I Beg Your Pardon
12. Queen - The Invisible Man
13. Chris Rea - The Road To Hell
14. Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus
15. Neneh Cherry - Manchild
16. Malcolm McLaren and the Bootzilla Orchestra featuring Lisa Marie - Something's Jumpin' In Your Shirt
17. The Lightning Seeds - Pure
18. Martika - Toy Soldiers
19. Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire
20. The Bangles - Eternal Flame

Posted by: dandruff* 16th May 2020, 02:49 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 15 2020, 04:34 PM)

It was a hit in 1990 and again later on a minor hit in 1999, but was covered by Sixpence None The Richer around that time and that was a bigger hit, so it was pretty well known by 2000

Posted by: AH Gold 17th May 2020, 01:59 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 15 2020, 07:33 AM)

1989 definitely not as good as 87/88
but still some decent pop songs on the 1st half of the year
was not a fan od Techonotronic/Black Box and even less of a fan of the Jive Bunny domination

fav pop songs: Debbie Gibson - Lost in your eyes, Madonna - Like a prayer, Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don't Care,
Paula Abdul - Straight up, Cyndi Lauper - I Drove all Night, FYC - She drives me Crazy, Sam Brown - Stop
Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance and Manchild

indie: The Stone Roses, loved the album and Fools Gold, big into Pixies too

Posted by: AH Gold 17th May 2020, 02:06 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 15 2020, 10:10 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 17th May 2020, 02:11 AM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 15 2020, 02:27 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 17th May 2020, 02:14 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 15 2020, 08:14 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 17th May 2020, 02:40 AM

As we enter a new decade, a quick re-cap of my thrilling existence so far: purposely didn't speak until I was nearly 4 years old just to drive my family to despair and get attention, was friends with a toy fox, briefly dabbled in heterosexuality (and not for the last time I'm sorry to say), had an operation on my willy and was, generally, just an infuriating, snotty, constantly crying, little git of a child. So what memories and personal events of 1990 could possibly top that?......er………......erm……….....I think I went to Wales for two weeks?
Edit: Something big did happen in 1990. My mum had her first book published. Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries by Anna King if anyone cares. That's what happens when you do these lists at 2 in the morning. And if you're a tad self-obsessed.

Anyway, on to 1990. Before we go any further I should explain that whenever I compile my shortlist for each year I only include songs I love, rather than just like. I like loads of songs, so if I went by that criteria I could easily do a Top 200 for most years. All my lists of most loved tracks of the 80s exceeded 40 songs and cutting them down has been quite tough. I suppose this is a long-winded way of saying I struggled finding 40 songs I loved for 1990! In fact my original list was just 34 songs. Is this a trend that will continue into '91? (Spolier - no.)

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1990

1. Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence
2. Human League – Heart Like A Wheel
3. Londonbeat – I’ve Been Thinking About You
4. Julee Cruise – Falling
5. Talk Talk – It’s My Life
6. Lonnie Gordon – Happenin’ All Over Again
7. Beautiful South – A Little Time
8. Pet Shop Boys – So Hard
9. Black Box – I Don’t Know Anybody Else
10. Kylie Minogue – Better The Devil You Know
11. Belinda Carlisle – (We Want) The Same Thing
12. Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring
13. Blue Pearl – Naked In The Rain
14. DNA Feat. Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner
15. Deee-Lite – Groove Is In The Heart
16. Yazoo – Situation
17. Erasure – Blue Savannah
18. Chris Isaak – Wicked Game
19. Technotronic Feat. Ya Kid K – Get Up (Before The Night Is Over)
20. Inspiral Carpets – This Is How It Feels
21. Bananarama – Only Your Love
22. The Farm – All Together Now
23. Madonna – Justify My Love
24. Adventures Of Stevie V – Dirty Cash
25. Primal Scream – Loaded
26. EMF – Unbelievable
27. Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
28. Sinitta – Hitchin’ A Ride
29. Kim Appleby – Don’t Worry
30. Wilson Phillips – Hold On
31. Sting – Englishman In New York
32. Adamski – Killer
33. Madonna – Vogue
34. Beats International – Dub Be Good To Me
35. Happy Mondays – Step On
36. Jimmy Somerville – Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough)
37. Belinda Carlisle – Runaway Horses
38. The Cure – Close To Me
39. Maria McKee – Show Me Heaven
40. Roxette – It Must Have Been Love

Posted by: Popchartfreak 17th May 2020, 09:48 AM

QUOTE(AH Gold @ May 17 2020, 03:06 AM)

Awww that's sad about your Grandma. Coincidentally, This Time also has bittersweet memories for me - it was my Mum's favourite song (spoiler alert - she died. But we're still quite a few years away from that. I will try to keep that mini-bio more light-hearted I promise). I'm always fascinated by your own lists - that T.Rex Megarex sounds interesting! The only song I don't like is Liberian Girl. Otherwise, some amazing songs which topped your chart.

Thanks John

Posted by: Popchartfreak 17th May 2020, 09:57 AM

QUOTE(dandruff* @ May 16 2020, 03:49 PM)

Posted by: Steve201 17th May 2020, 05:32 PM

QUOTE(AH Gold @ May 9 2020, 01:39 AM)

I must confess, I am a bit of a S/A/W fan I'm afraid so there'll be quite a lot appearing over the next few years. Regarding the TOTP repeats, as a show I always felt it was at its strongest in the '81-'84 years.

Posted by: King Rollo 17th May 2020, 06:04 PM

Good to see Enjoy The Silence at the top of your list. I agree 1990 wasn't as good for chart hits as the previous 10 years and only eight songs from my list are from my all-time top 1000 chart.

1. Chris Rea - Tell Me There's A Heaven
2. Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
3. Fish - A Gentleman's Excuse Me
4. Phil Collins - I Wish It Would Rain Down
5. Tears For Fears - Advice For The Young At Heart
6. Marillion - Easter
7. Propaganda - Heaven Give Me Words
8. The Farm - All Together Now
9. Talk Talk - It's My Life
10. The KLF - What Time Is Love?
11. Del Amitri - Nothing Ever Happens
12. They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul
13. Englandneworder - World In Motion
14. Aha - Crying In The Rain
15. Madonna - Dear Jessie
16. Aztec Camera and Mick Jones - Good Morning Britain
17. Pet Shop Boys - So Hard
18. Erasure - Blue Savannah
19. Primal Scream - Loaded
20. Human League - Heart Like A Wheel

Posted by: Bjork 17th May 2020, 06:38 PM

Bad year for albums but some great singles...

fav songs of 1990: Nothing compares 2 U, Betty Boo - Doin' the Do and Where are you Baby,
Vogue and Justify my Love, Enjoy the Silence, EMF- Unbelievable, Killer, Wicked Game
Jesus Jones - Real real real and Right here, right now, A-ha - Crying in the rain, Primal Scream - Loaded, Tom's Diner,
Roxette - It must have been love, Mariah Carey - Vision of Love and Love Takes Time (but she lost me quickly as a fan)
Del Amitri - Nothing ever happens, The Cure - Never enough, Alannah Myles-Black velvet

Posted by: The Snake 17th May 2020, 07:22 PM

Enjoy the Silence is a great song to listen to in the car, it is one of those 'driving songs' I think. The Londonbeat track has been a long time favourite of mine from the 90s and the singer really sounds like the singer from Fine Young Cannibals. It's My Life and A Little Time are lovely tracks. The dance music of 1990 in general wasn't the best and some other years in the 90s were in general better for chart dance music, but the Blue Pearl, Adamski and Adventures of Stevie V tracks are all great, particularly the Blue Pearl one which sounds like an 1991-2 rave track come early. For Technotronic, I would have chosen Rockin Over The Beat rather than Get Up as one of my top 40 for 1990. Tom's Diner is a good quirky mix of indie and dance. The new remix of it (Pour the Milk by Robbie Doherty & Keees) is good enough but doesn't beat the original. Adamski and Seal - Killer is still a good dance tune.

Chris Isaak - Wicked Game is very good, much better than that cover of it a few years ago. Why was that Yazoo track rereleased in this year, maybe they wanted to make a point that they were still relevant after the success of the similarly named Yazz?! Either way the song is another good one from them.

All Together Now is such an anthem (the synths sampling a great classical tune too), it used to be one of the definitive pop songs of the 90s for me, along with Nothing Compares 2 U, one of the best ballads to ever make the chart. Englishman in New York I like particularly because of the instrumentation on it - great chillout track.

Jimmy Somerville Read My Lips (Enough is Enough) reminds me a bit of Erasure in style. Finally Maria McKee and Roxette are of the synthpop-power ballad style that seems to have been popular at the time - see also Elton John's Sacrifice. All nice songs though. I think Starship back in 1987 might have made this style popular.

Not much would have made my chart that you haven't already included - the aforementioned Elton John - Sacrifice, KLF - What Time Is Love, the two 49ers hits and maybe Betty Boo - Where Are You Baby (just for the chorus as the rest of the song isn't that great).

Posted by: Bjork 18th May 2020, 06:12 AM

I think Situation was used in an ad or a film or something but not sure...

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 02:20 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 17 2020, 10:48 AM)

Oh that's so sad AH, no-one should lose their mum while young. Losing Grandma was difficult enough.

Megarex was a mix of the hits, there were so many of these artist hits mash-ups in the 80's, this one was quite late to the party - I think the fan club bought up the EMI Bolan rights, but not the early Fly label stuff, so they were free to do all sorts of stuff the labels wouldn't think about.

Librarian Girl was surely a song in favour of books? What's not to approve of

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 02:23 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 17 2020, 07:04 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 02:26 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 17 2020, 07:38 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 02:30 AM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 17 2020, 08:22 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 03:05 AM

Ah. my tenth year of existence and the start of my last year at dreaded primary school. I don't remember much of what I learnt, but that was probably because I spent most of the term in the corridor. I do remember hating my form teacher with a passion (I'm sure the feeling was mutual). She sent me out of class quite often due to my new found hobby of swearing. F this, F that. I was a chav years before it was fashionable. I had ditched Freddie The Fox by this point, who by now was looking broken and shattered. Not unlike a couple of future boyfriends actually now I think about it.
I was also rushed to hospital again this year. We were in Wales visiting friends we made on holiday in Majorca in 1989. They had a brand new cat. Turns out I was deadly allergic. Even then all the signs were telling me to stay away from pussy. (I'll get my coat).

Anyway, on to 1991's hits. A much better year than its predecessor for me. The initial shortlist was 45 tracks. Offshore, Beverley Craven, Salt-N-Pepa, Amy Grant & Sabrina Johnson are the ones missing out this time. You'll also notice a couple of oldies here, particularly The Clash, who of course originally charted in 1982 with both entries on this list. Both peaked much higher in '91, hence why they're here.

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1991

1. Enigma – Sadness Part 1
2. The Clash – Rock The Casbah
3. Belinda Carlisle – Do You Feel Like I Feel
4. Belinda Carlisle – Summer Rain
5. Cola Boy – 7 Ways To Love
6. R.E.M – Losing My Religion
7. Kirsty MacColl – Walking Down Madison
8. Frances Nero – Footsteps Following Me
9. Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
10. Saint Etienne – Only Love Can Break Your Heart
11. Belinda Carlisle – Live Your Life Be Free
12. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Sailing On The Seven Seas
13. Divinyls – I Touch Myself
14. Cathy Dennis – Touch Me (All Night Long)
15. Monty Python – Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life
16. Xpansions – Move Your Body (Elevation)
17. Rozalla – Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)
18. Jason Donovan – R.S.V.P
19. Erasure – Love To Hate You
20. Bizarre Inc – Playing With Knives
21. Bassheads – Is There Anybody Out There?
22. Kylie Minogue – What Do I Have To Do
23. Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch Feat. Loleatta Holloway – Good Vibrations
24. Queen – I’m Going Slightly Mad
25. Crystal Waters – Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee)
26. Oceanic – Insanity
27. Waterboys – Whole Of The Moon
28. Billy Bragg – Sexuality
29. Pet Shop Boys – Jealousy
30. 2 Unlimited – Get Ready For This
31. C & C Music Factory Feat. Freedom Williams – Gonna Make You Sweat
32. The Clash – Should I Stay Or Should I Go
33. Slade – Radio Wall Of Sound
34. Congress – 40 Miles
35. Erasure – Am I Right?
36. Moby – Go
37. Utah Saints – What Can You Do For Me
38. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
39. KLF Feat. The Children Of The Revolution – 3 A.M Eternal
40. Bananarama – Preacherman

Posted by: Bjork 19th May 2020, 06:48 AM

One thing I think it's very different is if you look at those charts as an adult right now and say what songs do I like...
or if you think what songs did I like back then in 91 when I was a kid...
cos I mean I look at the list right now and I immediately think Massive Attack what a tune, but as a kid, it totally passed me by
and was more into Chesney Hawkes - The one and only than into Unfinished sympathy

as a kid I remember discovering REM and Nirvana in 1991 so my fav songs of the year would probably be
Losing my Religion and Smells like Teen Spirit.
I remember I was also obsessed with Beverley Craven- Promise Me, despite being quite AOR
and I even learned to play the song, I remember it was super hard to play and also very difficult to sing
Sadly I tried recently to play the song again and cannot seem to recall it :/

Posted by: King Rollo 19th May 2020, 05:49 PM

My top 20 from the year:

1. Queen - Innuendo
2. Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
3. The KLF - Last Train To Trancentral
4. Mike and the Mechanics - Word Of Mouth
5. Queen - These Are The Days Of Our Lives
6. Pet Shop Boys - Jealousy
7. OMD - Sailing On The Seven Seas
8. Genesis - No Son Of Mine
9. Pet Shop Boys - Where The Streets Have No Name-Can't Take My Eyes Off You
10. Marillion - Dry Land
11. Queen - I'm Going Slightly Mad
12. Enigma - Sadeness Part 1
13. Martika - Love...Thy Will Be Done
14. The KLF - 3am Eternal
15. Pet Shop Boys - DJ Culture
16. Marillion - Cover My Eyes (Pain And Heaven)
17. PM Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss
18. Chesney Hawkes - The One And Only
19. OMD - Pandora's Box
20. James - Sit Down

Posted by: The Snake 19th May 2020, 06:48 PM

-

Posted by: The Snake 19th May 2020, 06:48 PM

Some great dance tracks that year, the Xpansions, 2 Unlimited, Crystal Waters and the Utah Saints ones are good tunes (I prefer 'Something Good' by Utah Saints though), but the Oceanic, Moby, Rozalla (really nice vocals with this one and the rave synth bit is also a highlight), KLF and Bizarre Inc ones are my favourites from your list along with of course the epic Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack. I don't know that Loleatta Holloway song but Cappella ft Loleatta Holloway - Take Me Away is a good tune in early 1992.

That Cathy Dennis song I know best from a cover by Angel City that was a hit in 2004, the cover wasn't as good as Angel City's chart debut which makes my top 40 for 2003. The Divinyls song is a good pop rock song, for Queen I would have added Innuendo to my top 40 for 1991. The Nirvana track is great too.

Would have added KLF - Last Train To Trancentral (prefer this to am Eternal but would have added both to my top 40 for the year. Would also have added Nomad - (I Wanna Give You) Devotion, Bizarre Inc - Such A Feeling and Eastside Beat - Ride Like The Wind.

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 19 2020, 06:49 PM)

Posted by: Popchartfreak 19th May 2020, 07:14 PM

1990:

11 chart-toppers for me out of 40, and again loads of runners-ups and tracks that should have topped my charts, so 1990 from my point of view is a huge improvement on the late 80's

I'm not quite so keen on Sinitta's destroying, I mean cute bubblegum SAW version, of Hitchin' A Ride - I'm sure I'm the world's only online fan of the Frank Ifield version, which is not even on youtube, though I recorded it off the radio in Singapore in 1971, and also Paper Lace's flop 1975 version, which I bought. I would happily put £100 on no-one knowing both those versions!

1991:

A mere 6 chart-toppers this time, wot-no-KLF's (bar one) act of the year for me!

Not a huge fan of the naughty Divinyls, the image that girls could do that very notion was one I tried to get out my head! We're also starting to part ways on some of the non-pop club tracks listed, some of which I barely recall at all! I'd need to re-acquaint myself with the likes of Bassheads, Bizarre Inc, Moby, and so on, though on the plus lots of forgotten gems in there to compensate.

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 11:36 PM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 19 2020, 07:48 AM)

One thing I think it's very different is if you look at those charts as an adult right now and say what songs do I like...
or if you think what songs did I like back then in 91 when I was a kid...
cos I mean I look at the list right now and I immediately think Massive Attack what a tune, but as a kid, it totally passed me by
and was more into Chesney Hawkes - The one and only than into Unfinished sympathy

as a kid I remember discovering REM and Nirvana in 1991 so my fav songs of the year would probably be
Losing my Religion and Smells like Teen Spirit.
I remember I was also obsessed with Beverley Craven- Promise Me, despite being quite AOR
and I even learned to play the song, I remember it was super hard to play and also very difficult to sing
Sadly I tried recently to play the song again and cannot seem to recall it :/

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 11:38 PM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 19 2020, 06:49 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 11:44 PM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 19 2020, 07:48 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 19th May 2020, 11:49 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 19 2020, 08:14 PM)

1990:

11 chart-toppers for me out of 40, and again loads of runners-ups and tracks that should have topped my charts, so 1990 from my point of view is a huge improvement on the late 80's

I'm not quite so keen on Sinitta's destroying, I mean cute bubblegum SAW version, of Hitchin' A Ride - I'm sure I'm the world's only online fan of the Frank Ifield version, which is not even on youtube, though I recorded it off the radio in Singapore in 1971, and also Paper Lace's flop 1975 version, which I bought. I would happily put £100 on no-one knowing both those versions!

1991:

A mere 6 chart-toppers this time, wot-no-KLF's (bar one) act of the year for me!

Not a huge fan of the naughty Divinyls, the image that girls could do that very notion was one I tried to get out my head! We're also starting to part ways on some of the non-pop club tracks listed, some of which I barely recall at all! I'd need to re-acquaint myself with the likes of Bassheads, Bizarre Inc, Moby, and so on, though on the plus lots of forgotten gems in there to compensate.

Posted by: AH Gold 20th May 2020, 12:24 AM

Finally I left my excruciating and horrid primary school and progressed to an excruciating and horrid secondary school. To prove what a wonderful and well-behaved boy I was, I remember I was booted out of class on the very last day of primary. According to my dad, it was because I called the teacher an "f-ing evil fat cow." I was observant, if nothing else. Come secondary school I seemed to have developed a brand new personality. Or rather I lost all personality altogether. I was so painfully shy, although I do remember, for reasons which escape me, telling people my name was Trevor and that I had a (imaginary, obviously) girlfriend in another school.
Sadly, there is video evidence of me in 1992. My sister's 6th birthday party was captured on film for eternity, where I'm seen stuffing my face with ice cream and jelly and dancing and "singing" along to T-Rex's Hot Love, whilst wearing a matching green tracksuit and being very overweight. Pure sex appeal right there.

The task this time was cutting 48 loved singles down to 40. The eight missing out: Cyndi Lauper, Jimmy Nail, Electronic, R.E.M, Annie Lennox, Shamen, Ce Ce Peniston and KLF's America: What Time Is Love.

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1992

1. Felix – Don’t You Want Me
2. Snap! – Rhythm Is A Dancer
3. Hyper Go Go – High
4. Opus III – It’s A Fine Day
5. Sophie B Hawkins – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
6. Buffy Saint-Marie – The Big Ones Get Away
7. Vanessa Paradis – Be My Baby
8. Jon Secada – Just Another Day
9. Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You
10. East 17 – House Of Love
11. KLF Feat. Tammy Wynette – Justified And Ancient
12. Manic Street Preachers – Motorcycle Emptiness
13. The Farm – Don’t You Want Me
14. Kylie Minogue – Give Me Just A Little More Time
15. Kim Wilde – Love Is Holy
16. Vanessa Williams – Save The Best For Last
17. SL2 – On A Ragga Tip
18. Utah Saints – Something Good
19. Was (Not Was) – Shake Your Head
20. Saint Etienne – Join Our Club/People Get Real
21. Shakespear’s Sister – Stay
22. Stereo MC’s – Connected
23. Bjorn Again – Erasure-Ish (A Little Respect/Stop)
24. Rozalla – Are You Ready To Fly
25. The Smiths – This Charming Man
26. Altern 8 Feat. P.P Arnold – Evapor 8
27. Bizarre Inc Feat. Angie Brown – I’m Gonna Get You
28. Prodigy – Everybody In The Place
29. Saint Etienne – Avenue
30. Genesis – Jesus He Knows Me
31. Right Said Fred Feat. Jocelyn Brown – Don’t Talk Just Kiss
32. Prodigy – Out Of Space
33. Erasure – Who Needs Love Like That
34. Kym Sims – Too Blind To See It
35. Son’z Of A Loop Da Loop Era – Far Out
36. Sunscreem – Love U More
37. Future Sound Of London – Papua New Guinea
38. Doctor Spin – Tetris
39. Smart E’s – Sesame’s Treet
40. Belinda Carlisle – Little Black Book

Posted by: Bjork 20th May 2020, 10:38 AM

^many great tracks on that list,
love Shakespear's Sister - Stay, Stereo MC's - Connected, Belinda Carlisle - Little black book, Sunscreen - Love U More
Opus III – It’s A Fine Day, Sophie B Hawkins – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover, the Manics - Motorcycle emptiness
and all the St Etienne singles, was a big fan at the time.

other songs I liked not on your list:
Tori Amos -Winter, Silent all these years and Crucify, with Little Earthquakes being my album of the year
The Cure- High and Friday I'm in Love, love the album Wish
all the singles from Pearl Jam, Nirvana and REM
Sleeping Satellite, Would I Lie to You, Des'ree - Feel so high, Del Amitri - Always the last to know

Posted by: King Rollo 20th May 2020, 05:27 PM

1992 was a better year compared to 1990 or 1991. My top 20 from the year:

1. Guns N' Roses - November Rain
2. The KLF - America:What Time Is Love
3. Fish - Credo
4. The Lightning Seeds - The Life Of Riley
5. Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballe - Barcelona
6. Prefab Sprout - If You Don't Love Me
7. Elton John - The One
8. Flowered Up - Weekender
9. Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness
10. U2 - One
11. Richard Marx - Hazard
12. Marc Almond - The Days Of Pearly Spencer
13. Thomas Dolby - Close But No Cigar
14. The KLF and Tammy Wynette - Justified & Ancient
15. Sophie B Hawkins - Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
16. Marillion - Sympathy
17. Genesis - Jesus He Knows Me
18. Thomas Dolby - I Love You Goodbye
19. Marillion - No One Can
20. Brian May - Too Much Love Will Kill You

Posted by: The Snake 20th May 2020, 07:50 PM

Agreed that 1992 was better musically than 1990 and 1991.

Felix – Don’t You Want Me is quite an epic and a real precursor to later big synth driven dance music such as Swedish House Mafia. Snap - Rhythm Is A dancer - good tune and certainly different and more synth based than the piano house sound which dominated dance at the time. Opus III - It's A Fine Day - lovely song, Sophie B Hawkins - don't know that one but'Right Beside You is probably my favourite chart hit of 1994. I didn't know East 17 started off as a dance music group until recently - House of Love is a good track and certainly very different to their later material. Justified and Ancient - rather cheesy but a interesting collaboration that works well, Save The Best For Last cheesy too but a lovely song, Something Good by Utah Saints - the original with rave synths is definitely better than the 2008 remix in my opinion. Shakespear's Sister - Stay - a dramatic and beautiful song, This Charming Man - I like the guitar melodies in it particularly, Evapor8 - prefer it to Activ8, I'm Gonna Get You and Everybody In The Place add to the list of good dance hits for 1992.

Genesis were still creating good tunes at this later stage with Jesus He Knows Me one of their best tracks I think. Prodigy - Out of Space is certainly quirky with the boing sounds, Far Out I know from the car advert a few years ago and is a good rave tune, and the Future Sound of London track is a nice atmospheric track, the first trance hit too.

Would add KLF - America : What Time Is Love (mixing hip hop, dance and rock into one song is quite something), Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite, Felix - It Will Make Me Crazy, Guns N Roses - November Rain, CeCe Peniston - Finally, Shamen - Phorever People (and maybe Ebeneezer Goode too), Isotonik - Different Strokes, Oceanic - Controlling Me and Rage - Run To You to my top 40 for 1992. And yes Wet Wet Wet - Goodnight Girl, which was my birthday #1.

Posted by: AH Gold 22nd May 2020, 01:24 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 20 2020, 11:38 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 22nd May 2020, 01:25 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 20 2020, 06:27 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 22nd May 2020, 01:30 AM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 20 2020, 08:50 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 22nd May 2020, 02:02 AM

After being a tragic loner in my first year of Secondary, I finally made friends (two of which are still my best mates to this day). We were all weird outcasts and never in with the popular crowd, despite my desperate and pathetic efforts. No major shocking revelations here in '93, although I do remember getting whacked across the head with a ruler by the aptly named Mr Pratt. I'm sure there was a good reason. It was around this time that I started realising I was "not like other boys". This was no doubt helped by the constant cries of 'gay boy' and 'homo' echoing around the playground. Happy days. Actually, two of the loudest name-callers would also turn out to be 'gay boys'. I ended up sleeping with one of them years later. The other, I despised with a passion - he made my life a misery. Hope he's suffering somewhere. (I really should be over this stuff by now )

1993 then, and this time 11 tracks just missed the final cut: Kim Wilde, Kate Bush, Prince, OMD, New Order, KD Lang, K-Klass, Janet Jackson, Dina Carroll, Roxette & Meat
Loaf.

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1993

1. Sybil - When I'm Good And Ready
2. Freddie Mercury - Living On My Own ('93 Remix)
3. Kate Bush - Moments Of Pleasure
4. Leftfield Lydon - Open Up
5. Saint Etienne - I Was Born On Christmas Day
6. Doobie Brothers - Long Train Runnin' (Sure Is Pure Remix)
7. Bananarama - More More More
8. Saint Etienne - Who Do You Think You Are/Hobart Paving
9. Pet Shop Boys - I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
10. 2 Unlimited - No Limit
11. Captain Hollywood Project - More And More
12. West End Feat. Sybil - The Love I Lost
13. Usura - Open Your Mind
14. Belinda Carlisle - Big Scary Animal
15. House Of Pain - Jump Around
16. Deborah Harry - I Can See Clearly Now
17. Snap! Feat. Niki Harris - Exterminate!
18. Manic Street Preachers - La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh)
19. Pet Shop Boys - Can You Forgive Her
20. Robin S - Show Me Love
21. Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven
22. Undercover - I Wanna Stay With You
23. Spin Doctors - Two Princes
24. Goodmen - Give It Up
25. Saint Etienne - You're In A Bad Way
26. Jade - Don't Walk Away
27. Sub Sub Feat. Melanie Williams - Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)
28. The Beloved - Sweet Harmony
29. M People - One Night In Heaven
30. Pet Shop Boys - Go West
31. Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead
32. Snow – Informer
33. M People – Don’t Look Any Further
34. Chaka Demus & Pliers – Tease Me
35. Haddaway – What Is Love
36. Tina Turner – I Don’t Wanna Fight
37. Ace Of Base – All That She Wants
38. Bee Gees – For Whom The Bell Tolls
39. Gabrielle – Dreams
40. Bjork - Human Behaviour

Posted by: Popchartfreak 22nd May 2020, 08:05 AM

Well that was a memorable last day at Primary School! Mine just fizzled out I think, we were moving to Singapore so I remember my first day at Secondary School very well

1992 - down to 3 chart-toppers, a bunch of number 2's, some fab little minor hits like Buffy Sainte-Marie, Sophie B, Kim Wilde, Manics, ... and a host of dance stuff I don't know/remember. Hyper Go Go? No idea! This is probably going to be a thing until 1998 as I've never got round to reviewing the period from Spring 1991 through early 1998 and playing my old cassettes of recorded stuff off the Chart show and radio. By then I stopped recording everything that charted and just recorded those I knew I liked cos the sheer volume of new entries each week was getting out of hand!

Playing High now, it's not bad, sounds very 1992.

First year of Secondary in the UK is quite different from the first year of RAF schools abroad - I don't recall hearing anything about gay or homo until I was in the third year and back in the UK. I literally had no idea what it was and had to look it up in a dictionary. RAF schooling was fab, no bullying, I enjoyed being at school, I did very well in classes. UK civilian school was like being tossed into a pit of snarling vipers and walking a line of abuse each day. Quite the culture shock. Only "gay" meant happy in those days and the word of choice was "Pouf" or "Poufta"

1993 - a much better 6 chart-toppers here, I prefer 1993 to 1992 generally anyway, and the number of tracks I don't know or don't rate is a mere one - Undercover. I never forgave them destroying my all-time fave record (Baker Street) oops! Still haven't.

Posted by: Bjork 22nd May 2020, 08:25 AM

@AH Gold, didn't you forget St Etienne - You're in a Bad Way song of the year for me

Posted by: The Snake 22nd May 2020, 02:15 PM

When I'm Good and Ready - a rather cheesy SAW produced track but a good song anyway. The Freddie Mercury remix is great, his second hi-NRG track after Love Kills in 1984. The Doobie Brothers remix is also a good tune, No Limit is of course a classic, I prefer the UK release with 'techno techno techno techno' in it, and its weird that with it and Cappella hi-NRG came back after it looked like it was gone after house took over.

More and More by Captain Hollywood, only discovered that a few days ago while looking up 90s archive charts on the OCC website and I really like that sort of 'deeper' more emotive 90s eurodance, Real McCoy - Run Away is another example. Usura - Open Your Mind is great - sometimes dance is better without a vocal and I really like the video for it. Exterminate! is a good follow up to Rhythm Is A dancer, it is different and a more chilled and atmospheric dance track. Robin S - Show Me Love is good too, good vocal and those bassline and iconic organ synths. I think I prefer Luv 4 Luv though. Spin Doctors - Two Princes is one of my favourite 90s indie records - such a feelgood track.

I like both Give It Up and Fairground by Simply Red that sampled it, Sweet Harmony and One Night In Heaven are nice chillout tracks, PSB's Go West I prefer to the original. Snow's Informer is a catchy tune, for Haddaway I prefer Life to What Is Love, although both are good. Urban Cookie Collective Feels Like Heaven is a rather sweet dance track, bit like a dancier version of Yazoo - Other Side of Love a decade earlier. Would have added The Key The Secret too to my list. Mr Vain has lots of energy to it. For Whom The Bell tolls is a lovely song and one of the Bee Gee's best in my opinion, should have been Christmas 1# in 1993 imo instead of that other track!

Would have added Cappella U Got 2 Know, Culture Beat - Got 2 Get It and Meatloaf to my top 40 for 1993 too.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 22nd May 2020, 04:51 PM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 22 2020, 09:25 AM)

@AH Gold, didn't you forget St Etienne - You're in a Bad Way song of the year for me

Posted by: Popchartfreak 22nd May 2020, 04:53 PM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 22 2020, 03:15 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 22nd May 2020, 05:24 PM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 22 2020, 09:25 AM)

@AH Gold, didn't you forget St Etienne - You're in a Bad Way song of the year for me

Posted by: King Rollo 22nd May 2020, 07:29 PM

1993 wasn't a great year for chart hits. I'm expecting 1994-95 to be the same. Things will improve from 1996 when the genres of dance music that I like start to emerge. There are many acts who started in the 70s or 80s in my top 20.

1. Depeche Mode - Walking In My Shoes
2. Radiohead - Creep
3. OMD - Dream Of Me
4. Jesus Jones - The Devil You Know
5. Pet Shop Boys - Go West
6. Phil Collins - Both Sides Of The Story
7. Tears For Fears - Break It Down Again
8. OMD - Stand Above Me
9. New Order - Ruined In A Day
10. REM - Everybody Hurts
11. Duran Duran - Ordinary World
12. New Order - Regret
13. St Etienne - Who Do You Think You Are?
14. Depeche Mode - I Feel You
15. Peter Gabriel - Steam
16. Prefab Sprout - Life Of Surprises
17. Freddie Mercury - Living On My Own (Remix)
18. Depeche Mode - Condemnation
19. Genesis - Tell Me Why
20. Pet Shop Boys - I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing

Posted by: Bjork 23rd May 2020, 10:21 AM

Radiohead-Creep was probably my song of the year 1993
loved all the St Etienne, REM, PJ Harvey and Bjork singles too
so more into indie than pure pop, cannot recall a single pop song that I truly liked, maybe All That She Wants but that's it...

Posted by: The Snake 23rd May 2020, 11:40 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 22 2020, 08:29 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 24th May 2020, 12:20 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 22 2020, 09:05 AM)

Well that was a memorable last day at Primary School! Mine just fizzled out I think, we were moving to Singapore so I remember my first day at Secondary School very well

1992 - down to 3 chart-toppers, a bunch of number 2's, some fab little minor hits like Buffy Sainte-Marie, Sophie B, Kim Wilde, Manics, ... and a host of dance stuff I don't know/remember. Hyper Go Go? No idea! This is probably going to be a thing until 1998 as I've never got round to reviewing the period from Spring 1991 through early 1998 and playing my old cassettes of recorded stuff off the Chart show and radio. By then I stopped recording everything that charted and just recorded those I knew I liked cos the sheer volume of new entries each week was getting out of hand!

Playing High now, it's not bad, sounds very 1992.

First year of Secondary in the UK is quite different from the first year of RAF schools abroad - I don't recall hearing anything about gay or homo until I was in the third year and back in the UK. I literally had no idea what it was and had to look it up in a dictionary. RAF schooling was fab, no bullying, I enjoyed being at school, I did very well in classes. UK civilian school was like being tossed into a pit of snarling vipers and walking a line of abuse each day. Quite the culture shock. Only "gay" meant happy in those days and the word of choice was "Pouf" or "Poufta"

1993 - a much better 6 chart-toppers here, I prefer 1993 to 1992 generally anyway, and the number of tracks I don't know or don't rate is a mere one - Undercover. I never forgave them destroying my all-time fave record (Baker Street) oops! Still haven't.

Posted by: AH Gold 24th May 2020, 12:21 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 22 2020, 09:25 AM)

@AH Gold, didn't you forget St Etienne - You're in a Bad Way song of the year for me

Posted by: AH Gold 24th May 2020, 12:25 AM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 22 2020, 03:15 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 24th May 2020, 12:30 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 22 2020, 08:29 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 24th May 2020, 12:31 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 23 2020, 11:21 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 24th May 2020, 01:04 AM

Well, what joys did 1994 bring for yours truly? A year's worth of Hollyoaks/Waterloo Road type drama no doubt...well no actually. My 13th year was pretty uneventful really. My mum got her 4th book published, I strengthened my bond with my new gang of geeks, 'Hole On The Wall' gang, as affectionately described by a teacher (we sat on the same wall every break time). 'Sad *****' as described by everyone else. But far more importantly the effects of puberty began to take hold. For years previously I had cleverly disguised myself as a fat kid surgically attached to sausage rolls, in order to ensure I had no friends. Mother nature decided to change all that, and I became skinny. Hoorah! Yes, for the second half of the year I was slim, had great skin and was happy. I knew it couldn't last. Come the new year I had a face like a pepperoni pizza that had been left out in the sun for eight days and I was as miserable as sin. I stayed slim though. Although lockdown is slowly starting to change that. I'll start Monday.

1994 was the year I first started compiling my own weekly charts (sadly I chucked them out when I moved, so I've no record of these), and even though I had been an avid TOTP viewer/Chart Show listener since 1986, it was in this year I became a fanatic. Which means I had a very long shortlist. Starting out at 65 tracks, I eventually got it down to 40. Those missing out include Morrissey, Cranberries, Gloworm, Absolutely Fabulous, Blur (End Of The Century), Whigfield, All 4 One, Rozalla & Michelle Gayle. You can't say my taste isn't eclectic I suppose. (P.S I make no apologies for including Doop.)

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1994

1. Sophie B Hawkins – Right Beside You
2. Erasure – Always
3. Enigma – Return To Innocence
4. Let Loose – Crazy For You
5. Pet Shop Boys – Yesterday When I Was Mad
6. Time Frequency – Dreamscape ‘94
7. Alison Moyet – Whispering Your Name
8. Kate Bush – And So Is Love
9. Kylie Minogue – Confide In Me
10. Saint Etienne – Hug My Soul
11. Corona – The Rhythm Of The Night
12. OT Quarter – Hold That Sucker Down
13. Kylie Minogue – Put Yourself In My Place
14. Eternal – Just A Step From Heaven
15. Eddi Reader – Patience Of Angels
16. Ace Of Base – The Sign
17. The Prodigy – No Good (Start The Dance)
18. Sophie B Hawkins – Don’t Don’t Tell Me No
19. Motiv 8 – Rockin’ For Myself
20. Blur – Girls And Boys
21. Frances Ruffelle – Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)
22. Saint Etienne – Pale Movie
23. Status Quo – Sherri Don’t Fail Me Now
24. Eternal – Save Our Love
25. China Black – Stars
26. Jocelyn Brown & Kym Mazelle – No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)
27. Youssou N’Dour Feat. Neneh Cherry – 7 Seconds
28. KWS Feat. Teddy Pendergrass – The More I Get The More I Want
29. Marcella Detroit – I Believe
30. Elastica – Connection
31. Blur – To The End
32. China Black – Searching
33. M-Beat Feat. General Levy – Incredible
34. Reel 2 Real Feat. The Mad Stuntman – I Like To Move It
35. Bruce Springsteen – Streets Of Philadelphia
36. Dawn Penn – You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)
37. Urban Cookie Collective – Sail Away
38. Haddaway – Rock My Heart
39. MC Sar & The Real McCoy – Another Night
40. Doop - Doop

Posted by: AH Gold 24th May 2020, 01:09 AM

* Double post

Posted by: Popchartfreak 24th May 2020, 11:48 AM

Not-apology for Doop accepted, Right Beside You is at 1

1994 - 10 chart-toppers for me, looks like the full-on onslaught of charting started to match you up with me. I was, cough, 36

Not surprised to see some dance tracks I couldnt hum to save my life, but Quo is a surprise! One I liked, but not quite in the same league as In The Army Now!

Hooray for those forced to go through life skinny! I was last chubby aged 2, and until Lockdown stopped exercise and increased confectionary consumption. I REALLY have to breath-in before I can face myself sideways in a mirror, and it's quite tough maintaining it outside in a far-too-small T shirt.... Something to look forward to in years to come!

Posted by: Steve201 24th May 2020, 05:42 PM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 23 2020, 12:40 PM)

Posted by: King Rollo 24th May 2020, 07:01 PM

Great to see Sophie B Hawkins at the top of your list. She appears twice in my top 20 for the year. I only just managed to find 20 songs that were worthy of inclusion.

1. Pink Floyd - High Hopes
2. Depeche Mode - In Your Room
3. Sophie B Hawkins - Don't Don't Tell Me No
4. Pink Floyd - Take It Back
5. Kylie Minogue - Confide In Me
6. Marillion - The Hollow Man
7. Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Philadelphia
8. Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry - 7 Seconds
9. Sophie B Hawkins - Right Beside You
10. Enigma - Return To Innocence
11. The Cranberries - Linger
12. Blur - To The End
13. Pet Shop Boys - Yesterday When I Was Mad
14. 2wo Third3 - I Want To Be Alone
15. D:Ream - Things Can Only Get Better
16. Pet Shop Boys - Liberation
17. Roger Taylor - Nazis
18. Phil Collins - Everyday
19. Celine Dion - Think Twice
20. Blur - Parklife

Posted by: The Snake 24th May 2020, 08:39 PM

Sophie B Hawkins - Right Beside You is also my favourite chart song of 1994. Another dance track credited to a female vocalist has my favourite chart hit of 1995. Any guesses?

Another Night would be higher in my list for 1994, Real McCoy were one of the better eurodance groups I think. Corona - Rhythm of the Night is good (although a bit overrated imo), and I also like the Debarge hit with the same name back in 1985 (have to do a poll of those two soon here on the Pre-2000s forum (although I think Corona would easily win)). No Good (Start The Dance) is certainly up there with Firestarter and Breathe as one of my favourite Prodigy tracks. Ace of Base - The Sign - good pop song and I prefer it to All That She Wants. Because it's from the later part of the 90s that I remember more musically from the time, Life Is A Flower is a favourite of mine from Ace of Base. 7 Seconds - lovely song, very atmospheric and I remember it from when i was younger. I Like To Move It, that's got to be one of the best remembered 90s eurodance songs, I think Nigel and Marvin may have been influenced by it for Follow the Leader in 2002. Haddaway - Rock My Heart is another good track from him. Rockin' For Myself by Motiv8 I know from the Aeroche BJSC entry and it is quite a good eurodance track, although not one of my absolute favourites from the genre.

Would have added Maxx - No More (I Can't Stand It) (better than the rather repetitive Get-A-Way and I like those synths which perhaps owe a lot to Trans-X back in the 80s). Capella U and Me I would have included too for that euphoric instrumental. I would have also included Toni di Bart - The Real Thing, the production is great particularly. Reminds me of a slightly more dancey version of the Icehouse hit 'Hey Little Girl' in 1983.

For the rest that I would have included, I refer to King Rollo's list. The Cranberries, D:Ream and Blur (Parklife) tracks are all very good, would have also included U R The Best Thing by D:Ream.

Posted by: Bjork 25th May 2020, 07:22 AM

1994 was a great year. The star of the year for me was Tori Amos, with her song Cornflake Girl being the single of the year
and Under the pink being album of the year for me. Cornflake Girl was such a quirky crazy song, so unusual, with those cryptic lyrics.
I still remember thinking as a kid that I would someday as an adult end up understanding those lyrics, but obviously never did

Also loved the Cranberries. Nit many bands can release 2 killer albums in 6 months and with such great singles like Linger, Zombie or Dreams.

was also a big Counting Crows fans, Mr Jones should've been #1 in the UK for 4 months instead of the insipid Love is all Around.

Also a big fan of Smashing Pumpkins, especially Disarm.

Also Sheryl Crow. All I Wanna Do was amazing and so was her debut album.

And of course the start of britpop with Oasis and Blur. Much prefer Parklife the album to Definitely Maybe, but Live Forever was better than all the Blur singles. Also liked Pulp, especially Babies, Suede, the Manics...

Other songs I liked: Des'ree - You gotta be, Mariah - Without you, Another night, the Ace of Base singles, and 7 Seconds.

Posted by: dandy* 25th May 2020, 03:22 PM

Agreed re Cornflake Girl, definitely my favourite of 1994

Posted by: AH Gold 26th May 2020, 01:22 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 24 2020, 12:48 PM)

Not-apology for Doop accepted, Right Beside You is at 1

1994 - 10 chart-toppers for me, looks like the full-on onslaught of charting started to match you up with me. I was, cough, 36

Not surprised to see some dance tracks I couldnt hum to save my life, but Quo is a surprise! One I liked, but not quite in the same league as In The Army Now!

Hooray for those forced to go through life skinny! I was last chubby aged 2, and until Lockdown stopped exercise and increased confectionary consumption. I REALLY have to breath-in before I can face myself sideways in a mirror, and it's quite tough maintaining it outside in a far-too-small T shirt.... Something to look forward to in years to come!

Posted by: AH Gold 26th May 2020, 01:27 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 24 2020, 08:01 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 26th May 2020, 01:32 AM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 24 2020, 09:39 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 26th May 2020, 01:36 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 25 2020, 08:22 AM)

1994 was a great year. The star of the year for me was Tori Amos, with her song Cornflake Girl being the single of the year
and Under the pink being album of the year for me. Cornflake Girl was such a quirky crazy song, so unusual, with those cryptic lyrics.
I still remember thinking as a kid that I would someday as an adult end up understanding those lyrics, but obviously never did

Also loved the Cranberries. Nit many bands can release 2 killer albums in 6 months and with such great singles like Linger, Zombie or Dreams.

was also a big Counting Crows fans, Mr Jones should've been #1 in the UK for 4 months instead of the insipid Love is all Around.

Also a big fan of Smashing Pumpkins, especially Disarm.

Also Sheryl Crow. All I Wanna Do was amazing and so was her debut album.

And of course the start of britpop with Oasis and Blur. Much prefer Parklife the album to Definitely Maybe, but Live Forever was better than all the Blur singles. Also liked Pulp, especially Babies, Suede, the Manics...

Other songs I liked: Des'ree - You gotta be, Mariah - Without you, Another night, the Ace of Base singles, and 7 Seconds.

Posted by: AH Gold 26th May 2020, 01:37 AM

QUOTE(dandy* @ May 25 2020, 04:22 PM)

Agreed re Cornflake Girl, definitely my favourite of 1994

Posted by: AH Gold 26th May 2020, 02:10 AM

1995 was the real start of my teenage years, and the beginning of my weekly charts which I've still kept. I remember everyone else in our year having lots of fun going to house parties, fighting each other, getting pregnant...you know all the joyous activities 14 year olds participate in. Me? Well, myself and my gang of geeks and misfits spent most of the year making our own 'TV shows and concerts' (one of them had video cameras and loved 'editing') I still have these VHS tapes buried deep into the far reaches of the cupboard. I must destroy them before I die. Can't have those seeing the light of day!
This was also the year I fell in love for the first time. Or lust. By now, hormones were raging. I already had crushes on a few teachers, but this was different. A new boy joined our year. He was a Geordie. He was perfect as far as I was concerned. Love at first sight etc. Though not for him obviously. For the next four miserable years he occupied every single waking thought. When everyone else threw things at me, bullied me or called me names I'd get angry. When he did it, I would be overjoyed. Tragic really. At least I never went on to do anything so pathetically stupid like only taking certain A Level classes because I knew he was taking them...Oh no wait, I did do that. Looking back it's incredible he never cottoned on. I mean I was hardly subtle. I practically salivated every time he was in the same room as me. Shockingly, we never did hook up romantically or otherwise. I can't think why.
Oh, one more thing. Because my greatest talent is making a complete tit of myself, I should tell you about when I went on holiday to Spain. It was karaoke night at the hotel. Mum and Dad egged me on to do it. I did 'Dreams' by Fleetwood Mac (recently covered by Wild Colour, which I adored). Five lines in, I caused a power cut. They wouldn't let me do karaoke again.

Anyway, on to the soundtrack to my despair. A massive 77 songs made my shortlist for '95. Some more famous ones end up outside the 40 than inside, and they include Madonna, Green Day, Prodigy, Weezer, Oasis, Blur, Portishead, Strike, Def Leppard, Pulp, Supergrass, Whigfield & Scatman John.

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1995

1. Sparks – When Do I Get To Sing ‘My Way’
2. Edwyn Collins – A Girl Like You
3. Wild Colour – Dreams
4. Everything But The Girl – Missing
5. Livin’ Joy – Dreamer
6. Grace – Not Over Yet
7. Saint Etienne Feat. Etienne Daho – He’s On The Phone
8. Crescendo – Are You Out There
9. Jam & Spoon Feat. Plavka – Find Me (Odyssey To Anyoona)
10. Billie Ray Martin – Your Loving Arms
11. Garbage – Only Happy When It Rains
12. Kingmaker – You And I Will Never See Things Eye To Eye
13. Rappin’ 4 Tay Feat. The Spinners – I’ll Be Around
14. Deuce – Call It Love
15. Garbage – Queer
16. Bucketheads – The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind)
17. Lightning Seeds – Change
18. Jinny – Keep Warm
19. Human League – Tell Me When
20. Jam & Spoon Feat. Plavka – Right In The Night (Fall In Love With Music)
21. Erasure – Stay With Me
22. E’voke – Runaway
23. N-Trance – Set You Free
24. Sophie B Hawkins – As I Lay Me Down
25. De’Lacy – Hideaway
26. Scarlet – Independent Love Song
27. Those 2 Girls – All I Want
28. Corona – Baby Baby
29. Nightcrawlers Feat. John Reid – Push The Feeling On
30. Ace Of Base – Lucky Love
31. Erasure – Fingers And Thumbs (Cold Summer’s Day)
32. Bobby Brown – Two Can Play That Game
33. Boo Radleys – Wake Up Boo
34. Isha D – Stay (Tonight)
35. Corona – Try Me Out
36. Tyrell Corporation – Better Days Ahead
37. Alex Party – Wrap Me Up
38. Moby – Everytime You Touch Me
39. Ruffneck Feat. Yavahn – Everybody Be Somebody
40. 20 Fingers Feat. Gillette – Short Short Man

Posted by: Bjork 26th May 2020, 11:23 AM

from your list I like: Missing, A Girl Like You, He's on the Phone,
Your Loving Arms and Independent Love Song plus the Garbage songs

fav 1995 songs for me: Portishead - Glorybox, Massive Attack - Protection,
Pulp - Common People and Disco 2000, all the Bjork singles,
all the Radiohead singles especially Fake Plastic Trees,
all the Tricky singles, all the Alanis Morissette singles,
Oasis - Wonderwall and Some Might Say

Posted by: King Rollo 26th May 2020, 05:49 PM

Good to see Sparks at no.1 in your list. I think their last top 40 hit before this year was in 1979. My top 20 from the year:

1. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
2. Massive Attack - Protection
3. Passengers - Miss Sarajevo
4. Lightning Seeds - Perfect
5. Radiohead - High And Dry
6. Mike & the Mechanics - Beggar On A Beach Of Gold
7. Sophie B Hawkins - As I Lay Me Down
8. Queen - A Winter's Tale
9. Marillion - Beautiful
10. Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way'
11. New Order - 1963 (remix)
12. Lightning Seeds - Change
13. Saint Etienne - He's On The Phone
14. Annie Lennox - No More 'I Love You's
15. The Human League - Tell Me When
16. Mike & the Mechanics - Over My Shoulder
17. Queen - Heaven For Everyone
18. Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You
19. Suggs - I'm Only Sleeping
20. Radiohead - Just

Posted by: Popchartfreak 26th May 2020, 07:36 PM

1995:

Ooops just 3 chart-toppers (Edwyn Collins, Bobby Brown, Human League) for me, bit of a drop from 10!! I notice some of me others listed as outside the 40 though.

To be fair, Sparks hit 2, and should have topped my charts, as should Missing, Grace, Garbage.

I'm guessing the hormone-raging dance tracks pushed out the other chart-toppers for me, poor you, it's hard to be in love with someone who doesn't belong to you. TBH I've only ever been in that situation if you don't count part-time semi-relationships. Though I can beat yours, mine was a close friend in the early 90's, and last talked to him, oooh, yesterday. Took about 6 or 7 years, but I came to my senses eventually

Posted by: The Snake 26th May 2020, 08:20 PM

Posted by: AH Gold 28th May 2020, 01:07 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 26 2020, 12:23 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 28th May 2020, 01:09 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 26 2020, 06:49 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 28th May 2020, 01:15 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 26 2020, 08:36 PM)

1995:

Ooops just 3 chart-toppers (Edwyn Collins, Bobby Brown, Human League) for me, bit of a drop from 10!! I notice some of me others listed as outside the 40 though.

To be fair, Sparks hit 2, and should have topped my charts, as should Missing, Grace, Garbage.

I'm guessing the hormone-raging dance tracks pushed out the other chart-toppers for me, poor you, it's hard to be in love with someone who doesn't belong to you. TBH I've only ever been in that situation if you don't count part-time semi-relationships. Though I can beat yours, mine was a close friend in the early 90's, and last talked to him, oooh, yesterday. Took about 6 or 7 years, but I came to my senses eventually

Posted by: AH Gold 28th May 2020, 01:19 AM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 26 2020, 09:20 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 28th May 2020, 01:50 AM

1996 proved to be a monumental year for me. As well as me pointlessly pining away for a straight Geordie 24/7, I made a life-changing decision. I had it all planned. It would take place on my 15th birthday, at school. I would round up my the other six members of my social group and break the news to them during the hour long lunch break. They would be aghast, shocked even, and say things such as "Is this a sick joke?" whilst choking on their sandwiches.
After many second thoughts, I decided to go ahead with my plan. They were all sat on our favourite wall and I whispered (so no one else could hear) "I'm gay."
I looked down, with my head in my hands waiting for the inevitable gasps. Silence. I looked back up and they were all still engrossed with their sandwiches. "Didn't you hear me," I said. "I'm gay!" Without looking up, one of them said "Oh we knew that before you did! Anyway when does the essay on Himmler have to be in?"
Not even a slap! I was livid.

66 tracks made it onto my shortlist of favourites this time. Among the more well known missing out on my Top 40 for the year: Space, Sheryl Crow, Oasis, Joan Osborne, Celine Dion, JX, Robert Miles & Madonna.

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1996

1. E’voke – Arms Of Loren
2. Faithless – Insomnia
3. Dubstar – Not So Manic Now
4. Menswear – Being Brave
5. Belinda Carlisle – In Too Deep
6. Underworld – Born Slippy
7. Wink – Higher States Of Consciousness
8. Stretch ‘N’ Vern Present Maddog – I’m Alive
9. Bjork – Hyperballad
10. Susanna Hoffs – All I Want
11. CJ Bolland – Sugar Is Sweeter
12. Dubstar – Stars (Motiv 8 Remix)
13. Klubbheads – Klubbhopping
14. Mansun – Wide Open Space
15. Everything But The Girl – Wrong
16. Cast – Walkaway
17. Wannadies – You And Me Song
18. Belinda Carlisle – Love In The Key Of C
19. Hysteric Ego – Want Love
20. Tina Arena – Sorento Moon (I Remember)
21. Duke – So In Love With You (Pizzaman Remix)
22. Chicane – Offshore
23. Pet Shop Boys – Se A Vida E (That’s The Way Life Is)
24. Cher – One By One
25. Strike – Inspiration
26. B.B.E – Seven Days And One Week
27. Everything But The Girl – Driving
28. Helicopter – On Ya Way ‘96
29. Grace – Down To Earth
30. Gina G – Ooh Aah…Just A Little Bit
31. Luniz – I Got 5 On It
32. Chemical Brothers – Setting Sun
33. Prodigy – Firestarter
34. Dana Dawson – Show Me (Motiv 8 Mix)
35. Alisha’s Attic – I Am I Feel
36. Gat Décor – Passion
37. Bedrock Feat. Kyo – For What You Dream Of
38. Pet Shop Boys – Before
39. Porn Kings – Up To No Good
40. Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life

Posted by: Bjork 28th May 2020, 06:00 AM

when I think 96, I think of all the great dance tracks by UK alt-dance acts
Firestarter, Breathe, Insomnia, Setting Sun, Born Slippy

other fav tracks of mine:
Robert Miles - Children, Oasis - Don't look back in anger
Alanis - Ironic, Tori Amos - Caught a lite sneeze
Sheryl Crow - If it makes you Happy, Bjork - Hyperballad, Lush - Ladykillers
Joan Osborne - One of us, Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight tonight and 1979
Suede - Trash and Beautiful ones, all the Manics singles, all the Fu-Gees singles

overall a great year both in singles and albums too

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th May 2020, 07:38 AM

1996 - well we have 5 chart-toppers for me, a slight increase on 1995! Chemical bros, PSB's Se a Vida Es/ Before, Cher, EBTG Wrong. Plus side, Duke, mansun, Wannadies all faves too, among the more obvious biggies, but the dance invasion make it the least-agreed chart to date!

My faves not in your list? Ironic, Wonderwall, Spinning The Wheel, Fastlove, Woman, Hallo Spaceboy, Jesus To A Child, Govinda, Single Bilingual, Don't Look Back In Anger, Neighbourhood, female Of The Species, Tattva, Return Of The Mack, 6 Underground, Children, Say You'll Be There, Stupid Girl, X Files....and many more...

Loved the dramatic wall confession and reaction. I was shocked - what on Earth was your school doing making you write essays on Himmler!

I was also blissfully unaware I was anything less than straight-appearing, and I'd had some girls fancying me to keep me deluded, till I eventually bumped into a work acquaintance (and later friend) who I had no idea was otherly-leaning in a gay bar. He wasn't surprised at all either, so I asked why not. "Something about your manner" he tactfully suggested. I presume he meant I was skipping and mincing through the flower beds a lot when I was checking on stuff in the various Parks & gardens (my job then).

Posted by: The Snake 28th May 2020, 08:27 AM

E'voke - Arms of Loren as your #1, its one of my favourite dance songs but not the original (its still good though), its all about the Ferry Corsten remix for me, which I discovered a while back and was a low top 40 hit in early 2002.

Faithless Insomnia I have long considered the most iconic track in dance music, even when I was younger. I remember liking it too when it was re-released with a slight remix in 2005, even though I didn't usually like the trance side of dance music much back then.

Underworld - Born Slippy, unique mix of indie and hard dance music, the buildup is great in it. Higher State of Consciousness is certainly a very different sounding dance track to anything else around in the charts at the time. I'm Alive is one of the best hits from the disco house genre. Klubbhopping is quite similar in style with the rap influence, good tune too, Klubbheads have two other reasonably well known tracks under different artist names, E by Drunkenmunky which just missed top 40 in 2003 and then Hi-Tack Say Say Say in early 2006.

Seven Days And One Week - good trance track, Ooh Ahh Just A Little Bit is cheesy but a good track.

A Design for Life was one of the first songs I ever liked, remember it from the music channels and i really liked how dramatic it was. I also remember Firestarter from the time from its video on the music channels, still a brilliant track.

Porn Kings, what an artist name! The high voiced rap does remind me of the Klubbheads and Stretch N Vern songs. The production reminds me a bit of Public Domain - Operation Blade (Bass in the Place) from 2000. I also know Shake Ya Shimmy from Porn Kings and Flip & Fill - quite a fun track.

Loads of tracks that miss your top 40 to add to my personal list of favourite top 40 track of 1996. Here we go then, in no particular order. Donna Lewis - Love You Always Forever and Joan Osborne - One Of Us both lovely songs. Also would add Stupid Girl by Garbage, Ocean Colour Scene - Day We Caught The Train (one of the best Britpop songs imo), JX - There's Nothing I Won't Do, Robert Miles - Children and One and One (I prefer One and One of the two I think as I do like a vocal on a dance track), Livin Joy - Don't Stop Movin' and Follow The Rules, and from popchartfreak's list: George Michael - Spinning The Wheel (great mix of jazz and pop this!) and Space - Female of The Species (a quirky song I have liked for a long time). Also Deep Blue Something - Breakfast At Tiffany's, Rotterdam and Don't Marry Her by the Beautiful South. This sort of music of these last three was what I was most familiar with on the radio in the late 90s - must have been the station my parents listened to, but lots of this indie pop sort of stuff. Good memories.

Posted by: King Rollo 28th May 2020, 09:01 PM

My top 20s for each year have not included much dance music but 1996 is when that all changes. The shift to a more electronic sound of dance music in the charts was more to my liking.

1. Underworld - Born Slippy
2. Faithless - Salva Mea
3. The Chemical Brothers - Setting Sun
4. Faithless - Insomnia
5. BBE - Seven Days And One Week
6. OMD - Walking On The Milky Way
7. Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life
8. Mike and the Mechanics - All I Need Is A Miracle (remix)
9. Radiohead - Street Spirit (Fade Out)
10. Robert Miles featuring Maria Nayler - One & One
11. Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over (peaked 2 places higher than it did in 1987)
12. Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight
13. Wink - Higher State Of Consciousness
14. Manic Street Preachers - Kevin Carter
15. Pet Shop Boys - Single
16. Baddiel & Skinner and the Lightning Seeds - Three Lions
17. Presidents of the USA - Peaches
18. Space - Female Of The Species
19. Pet Shop Boys - Se A Vide E (That's The Way Life Is)
20. Queen - You Don't Fool Me

Posted by: Steve201 28th May 2020, 09:12 PM

Love 1996. I mean you have the new sounds of dance listed above, britpop was still at its peak and legends like George Michael came back with two of the biggest hits this late in his career, 'Jesus To A Child' is one of the greatest Soul songs in uk chart history for me.

Posted by: AH Gold 31st May 2020, 04:39 PM

QUOTE(Bjork @ May 28 2020, 07:00 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 31st May 2020, 04:47 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ May 28 2020, 08:38 AM)

1996 - well we have 5 chart-toppers for me, a slight increase on 1995! Chemical bros, PSB's Se a Vida Es/ Before, Cher, EBTG Wrong. Plus side, Duke, mansun, Wannadies all faves too, among the more obvious biggies, but the dance invasion make it the least-agreed chart to date!

My faves not in your list? Ironic, Wonderwall, Spinning The Wheel, Fastlove, Woman, Hallo Spaceboy, Jesus To A Child, Govinda, Single Bilingual, Don't Look Back In Anger, Neighbourhood, female Of The Species, Tattva, Return Of The Mack, 6 Underground, Children, Say You'll Be There, Stupid Girl, X Files....and many more...

Loved the dramatic wall confession and reaction. I was shocked - what on Earth was your school doing making you write essays on Himmler!

I was also blissfully unaware I was anything less than straight-appearing, and I'd had some girls fancying me to keep me deluded, till I eventually bumped into a work acquaintance (and later friend) who I had no idea was otherly-leaning in a gay bar. He wasn't surprised at all either, so I asked why not. "Something about your manner" he tactfully suggested. I presume he meant I was skipping and mincing through the flower beds a lot when I was checking on stuff in the various Parks & gardens (my job then).

Posted by: AH Gold 31st May 2020, 04:51 PM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 28 2020, 09:27 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 31st May 2020, 04:55 PM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ May 28 2020, 10:01 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 31st May 2020, 04:56 PM

QUOTE(Steve201 @ May 28 2020, 10:12 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 31st May 2020, 05:32 PM

Onto my GCSEs year. 1997. To the shock of many, I actually passed some exams! Not too many, of course, but enough to get me into sixth form. I also said goodbye to my braces (I'd had them for four years by this time), all the spots which plagued my face and erm...my virginity. Don't worry though, it's grown back now though
The losing of my virginity occurred on holiday in Spain (I'll keep it P.G don't panic). It was deathly dull. Nothing to do except play I Spy with the family in dreadful cafes. One night I lied and said I was ill and needed to go back to the apartment and lie down. Staying in the next apartment was a very drunk slightly older girl. I sensed something was about to happen. I'd heard so much about sex with girls, I thought I'd might as well see what all the fuss was about. Long tedious story short, she dragged me into her room, I struggled and just laid there like a stunned gazelle. Help was at hand though. There was a poster of Robbie Williams on the wall behind her. I kept telling her to move her head.
Of course when I returned to sixth form I bragged to everyone I met. I assumed many didn't believe me. I was hardly a hunk in them days, and I was a geek. Still, it happened. I had finally hit adolescence. Just two years later I'd become a total slag. Happy days.

Another 66 tracks to whittle down this time. Those missing out on the Top 40 include Skunk Anansie, Sheryl Crow, Source Feat. Candi Staton, Louise, Natalie Imbruglia, Kylie Minogue, Bjork, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Republica, Apollo 440, Divine Comedy, Dario G, Rosie Gaines & Sneaker Pimps.

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1997

1. White Town – Your Woman
2. Submerge Feat. Jan Johnston – Take Me By The Hand
3. Tori Amos – Professional Widow (It’s Got To Be Big) (Armand Van Helden Remix)
4. Pet Shop Boys – A Red Letter Day
5. Sash! – Encore Une Fois
6. Depeche Mode – Home
7. Dubstar – No More Talk
8. Monaco – Sweet Lips
9. Daft Punk – Da Funk/Musique
10. Dannii Minogue – All I Wanna Do
11. Disco Citizens – Footprint
12. Tina Moore – Never Gonna Let You Go
13. Todd Terry Feat. Shannon – It’s Over Love
14. Basement Jaxx – Fly Life
15. Lisa Stansfield – The Real Thing
16. Monaco – What Do You Want From Me
17. Age Of Love – The Age Of Love
18. Tin Tin Out – Strings For Yasmin
19. BT – Flaming June
20. The Verve – Lucky Man
21. North & South – Tarantino’s New Star
22. Smoke City – Underwater Love
23. Propellerheads Feat. Miss Shirley Bassey – History Repeating
24. Red 5 – I Love You…Stop!
25. Elate – Somebody Like You
26. Mrs Wood – Joanna
27. Eels – Susan’s House
28. The Verve – The Drugs Don’t Work
29. Lithium & Sonya Madan – Ride A Rocket
30. PF Project Feat. Ewan McGregor – Choose Life
31. Brainbug – Nightmare
32. Echo & The Bunnymen – Nothing Lasts Forever
33. Olive – Outlaw
34. Alisha’s Attic – Indestructible
35. JT Playaz – Just Playin’
36. Chicane – Lost You Somewhere
37. Primal Scream – Star
38. Daft Punk – Around The World
39. DJ Supreme – Tha Wild Style
40. David Bowie – Dead Man Walking

Posted by: The Snake 31st May 2020, 08:18 PM

White Town - Your Woman is a good #1 in your list, and rather like Space - Female of The Species it has a quirky vocal. I like Naughty Boy, Wiley, Emeli Sande and Shy FX's version in 2010 too. Encore Une Fois - great synth melody, the Tori Amos remix is certainly a fierce dancefloor track, that Dannii Minogue song is her second best one imo after Who Do You Love (Stringer) with Riva in 2001. Flaming June is one of the best late 90s trance hits, Never Gonna Let You Go by Tina Moore is a good start to the UK garage genre, strange it took another two years or so for the genre to become a major chart trend. The Verve - Drugs Don't Work is epic. Don't know that Olive song but their 'You're Not Alone' has long been one of my favourite dance tracks.

Would add Alone by the Bee Gees, Belissima by DJ Quicksilver, Closer than Close by Rosie Gaines, Free by Ultra Nate, England ITV football theme Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve, Todd Terry, Martha Wash and Jocelyn Brown - Something Goin' On (In Your Soul), Karma Police by Radiohead and Sunchyme by Dario G.

Posted by: Bjork 1st June 2020, 08:52 AM

from your list I really like Your Woman (amazing #1), the Daft Punk singles, Depeche Mode - Home, Underwater Love, The Verve singles

surprised you have Olive's Outlaw but not You're not Alone, the latter being a dance classic of classics and one of the best dance songs ever. Also surprised you don't have Bittersweet Symphony.

Other singles that I liked were Radiohead- Karma Police and Paranoid Android, Depeche Mode - It's no Good, Bush - Swallowed, Texas - Say what you want, Robbie - Angels, Natalie Imbruglia - Torn, All Saints - Never ever, Blur's Beetlebum and Song 2 (they really out-did Oasis in 97), No Doubt - Don't speak, Block Rockin' Beats, George Michael - You have been loved, Paula Cole - Where have all the cowboys gone

funnily, despite Tori Amos being my #1 singer, I do hate Professional Widow, in its original form the song is already bad, but that remix made it even worst, a 0/10 for me :/

Posted by: Popchartfreak 1st June 2020, 09:04 AM

Continuing the trend, 1997 has a mere 4 chart-toppers for me (PSB, Monaco & 2 from The Verve), with my faves that came close being Dannii Minogue - yes I also was dancing along to dannii, albeit in my bedroom where no-one could see me, and using my unique dancing style where it was all about gyrating on the spot (my bedroom has 1 metre clearance space and wooden floors ) - and Eels, Monaco, Smoke City.

MY tippety top others of 1997 include Sarah Brightman/Andrea Bocelli (admittedly not one I dance to in clubs), Texas' Halo/Put Your Arms Around me/Say What You want/ Black Eyed Boy, Torn, Alone, Perfect Day, Sunny Came Home, Where Do You Go (No Mercy), Tubthumping, You Got The Love, Where Have All The Cowboys Gone, Discotheque, Everybody (Backstreets Back), Spice Up Your Life, I Want You. My top rated dance track very much The Source/candi staton, then Salva Mea (Faithless), and you have to get outside my top 50 before others start popping up (Blue Boy, Ultra Nate, Sash!)

I guess the moral of your story is not under any circumstances to get involved in I Spy, it'll just lead to young people experimenting with Robbie Williams posters! That "stunned gazelle" look is one I've perfected over my lifetime. Brings out the mothering instinct in women

Posted by: King Rollo 1st June 2020, 04:36 PM

Good to see Your Woman at number 1. It just misses the top 10 on my list. 1997 was another very good year for chart music.

1. Radiohead - Paranoid Android
2. Depeche Mode - Home
3. Massive Attack - Risingson
4. The Orb - Toxygene
5. Olive - You're Not Alone
6. Eels - Susan's House
7. Radiohead - Karma Police
8. Prefab Sprout - A Prisoner Of The Past
9. The Chemical Brothers - Elektrobank
10. Pet Shop Boys - Somewhere
11. White Town - Your Woman
12. Republica - Ready To Go
13. The Chemical Brothers - Block Rockin' Beats
14. Daft Punk - Da Funk
15. Echo and the Bunnymen - Nothing Lasts Forever
16. Bentley Rhythm Ace - Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out!
17. The Source featuring Candi Staton - You Got The Love (remix)
18. Monaco - What Do You Want From Me?
19. The Future Sound Of London - We Have Explosive
20. DJ Quicksilver - Bellissima

Posted by: The Snake 2nd June 2020, 04:41 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Jun 1 2020, 10:04 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 6th June 2020, 12:53 AM

QUOTE(The Snake @ May 31 2020, 09:18 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 6th June 2020, 12:59 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ Jun 1 2020, 09:52 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 6th June 2020, 01:05 AM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Jun 1 2020, 10:04 AM)

Continuing the trend, 1997 has a mere 4 chart-toppers for me (PSB, Monaco & 2 from The Verve), with my faves that came close being Dannii Minogue - yes I also was dancing along to dannii, albeit in my bedroom where no-one could see me, and using my unique dancing style where it was all about gyrating on the spot (my bedroom has 1 metre clearance space and wooden floors ) - and Eels, Monaco, Smoke City.

MY tippety top others of 1997 include Sarah Brightman/Andrea Bocelli (admittedly not one I dance to in clubs), Texas' Halo/Put Your Arms Around me/Say What You want/ Black Eyed Boy, Torn, Alone, Perfect Day, Sunny Came Home, Where Do You Go (No Mercy), Tubthumping, You Got The Love, Where Have All The Cowboys Gone, Discotheque, Everybody (Backstreets Back), Spice Up Your Life, I Want You. My top rated dance track very much The Source/candi staton, then Salva Mea (Faithless), and you have to get outside my top 50 before others start popping up (Blue Boy, Ultra Nate, Sash!)

I guess the moral of your story is not under any circumstances to get involved in I Spy, it'll just lead to young people experimenting with Robbie Williams posters! That "stunned gazelle" look is one I've perfected over my lifetime. Brings out the mothering instinct in women

Posted by: AH Gold 6th June 2020, 01:08 AM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ Jun 1 2020, 05:36 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 6th June 2020, 01:50 AM

September 1998 saw the start of my last year at sixth form. I was still totally besotted with the straight Geordie who by now had a girlfriend. They seemed to be all over each other all the time. What made it even worse for me was that she was really lovely, so I couldn't hate her. Which was rather inconvenient for me. I'd also started going out a lot by this time with my best mate from primary school who took me under his wing and got me into all kinds of trouble. His mum was getting worried about his behaviour. She confided in my mum about him smoking, and figured (correctly) that if he was doing it, I would be too. Proving her eternal trust in me, my mum immediately went snooping around my coat pockets. She found the ciggies. She confronted me, saying how much she was disappointed in me, how disgusting smoking was and how much I'd let her down, whilst having a fag in her mouth, obviously. I didn't know how I was going to get out of this one and without thinking I blurted out "I'm gay!" I've no idea why I thought this was a smart move, but it did the trick. It shut her up.
It goes without saying me and my mum loved each other and we were very close. We were very very similar. I thought about how she'd react to my coming out all the time. I figured she'd be fine with it. She loved Johnny Mathis and Lily Savage after all. Boy, did I misjudge that!
She had absolutely no idea. I couldn't think why, I dropped more than enough clues over the years. She did hug me when I blurted it out and she did try to understand, but the truth is she never really accepted it, sadly. Still, at least now she could save herself a trip to the newsagents by nicking fags off me instead, so you know, every cloud.

59 tracks made the shortlist this time, including hits from Catatonia, Five, Energy 52, Storm, Another Level, Honeyz, Des’ree, Tatyana Ali, Placebo & Shawn Colvin, which miss out on my Top 40 of the year.

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1998

1. Karen Ramirez – Looking For Love
2. Lucid – I Can’t Help Myself
3. Madonna – Frozen
4. Cher – Believe
5. Kylie Minogue – Breathe
6. Dannii Minogue – Disremembrance
7. Saint Etienne – Sylvie
8. Stars On 54 – If You Could Read My Mind
9. Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You
10. Maria Nayler – Naked And Sacred
11. Ace Of Base – Life Is A Flower
12. Wildchild – Renegade Master
13. Beastie Boys – Intergalactic
14. Electrasy – Morning Afterglow
15. Madonna – The Power Of Goodbye/Little Star
16. The Corrs – What Can I Do
17. Run DMC vs Jason Nevins – It’s Like That
18. Sash! Feat. Tina Cousins – Mysterious Times
19. Ruff Driverz Presents Arrola – Dreaming
20. Emilia – Big Big World
21. Tina Moore – Nobody Better
22. Madonna – Ray Of Light
23. Tin Tin Out Feat. Shelley Nelson – Here’s Where The Story Ends
24. DJ Rap – Bad Girl
25. Garbage – I Think I’m Paranoid
26. Lodger – I’m Leaving
27. Nalin & Kane – Beachball
28. Electribe 101 – Talking With Myself ‘98
29. Solid Harmonie – I’ll Be There For You
30. S-J – I Feel Divine
31. Green Day – Time Of Your Life (Good Riddance)
32. O.R.G.A.N – To The World
33. Fat Les – Vindaloo
34. Del Amitri – Don’t Come Home Too Soon
35. Aqua – Turn Back Time
36. Fatboy Slim – Gangster Trippin’
37. Natalie Imbruglia – Smoke
38. Skinny – Failure
39. Melanie B Feat. Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott – I Want You Back
40. Gomez – Whippin’ Piccadilly

Posted by: Bjork 6th June 2020, 08:15 AM

not the best year, nothing amazing in singles or albums
the year was saved by Madonna (Frozen) and Massive Attack (Teardrop)
and of course Tori Amos but by now she was a cult act already. Her single Spark just spent a week in there top 20 but deserved much more.
other singles I liked were Alanis - Thank U, Catatonia - Mulder & Scully, Brimful of Asha and Rockefeller Skank,
the Corrs singles, Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight, Billie Myers - Kiss the Rain, all the Placebo singles
God is a DJ, Cardigans - My Favourite Game, all the Garbage singles
all the Air Singles, the 2 Manic singles

Posted by: Popchartfreak 6th June 2020, 10:16 AM

ooh, 1998 down to a mere 2 chart-toppers from me there - Madonna's Power of Goodbye, Cher. Though lots of goodies, more madonna, Ramirez, Stardust, Ace Of base, Tin Tin Out (stood next to Shelly Nelson and her mum backstage at Radio 1 roadshow that year. Didn't say anything, too shy), Garbage, Green Day.

T'others I loved: Millennium/Let Me Entertain You, If You Tolerate This..., To The Moon & Back, Push It, Stay (Bernard Butler), Human beings (Seal), Uninvited, Carnaval De Paris, Last Stop: This Town (Eels), Alane, When You're Gone, Robyn's Show Me Love and many more

My mum sorted the whole smoking issue with me when I was 10 - she and dad both smoked, and gave me one to try. Totally hated it and never touched one again in my life, also got fed up breathing in second-hand smoke for the first 30 years of my life. I'm sure that's why I'm so short (compared to 21st Century generations that is, I was quite tall for the Middle Ages)

My mum also had me do the fag running from a young age, Liverpool 1966, 8 years old and earlier, she gave me a fiver to go and buy some from the local Newsagents (and that was like half the week's rent on the flat in those days, a huge amount of money) and I lost it (or was diddled by the shop-owner, hard to remember now, I was so upset and worried about it). Still, she gets her own back these days, refusing to do what I need her to do when she needs showering.

Posted by: King Rollo 7th June 2020, 05:39 PM

I like your no.1 by Karen Ramirez but it doesn't make my top 20. Your no.2 & no.3 are here. For 1998 by Binary Finary,the Matt Darey mix is the best one to listen to while for Cafe Del Mar,it's the Three 'N One mix.

1. Binary Finary -1998
2. Massive Attack - Teardrop
3. Energy 52 - Cafe Del Mar
4. Radiohead - No Surprises
5. Faithless - God Is A DJ
6. Massive Attack - Angel
7. Madonna - Frozen
8. Faithless - Take The Long Way Home
9. Pulp - This Is Hardcore
10. Rest Assured - Treat Infamy
11. Eels - Last Stop This Town
12. Air - Sexy Boy
13. BT - Flaming June
14. Lucid - I Can't Help Myself
15. Air - All I Need
16. Depeche Mode - Only When I Lose Myself
17. Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
18. Paul Van Dyk - For An Angel
19. Air - Kelly Watch The Stars
20. Da Hool - Meet Her At The Love Parade

Posted by: Steve201 8th June 2020, 05:31 PM

Some great tracks in both charts guys!

I always for some reason thought 'Teardrop' by Massive Attack was released in like 1992 or something!

Posted by: The Snake 8th June 2020, 06:29 PM

The Karen Rameirez track is very nice and makes a good #1. Mysterious Times is so relevant lyrically at the moment and easily my favourite of Sash's songs. Ace of Base - Life Is A Flower I already mentioned but brings back good memories of hearing it on the radio when I was younger, likewise the Tin Tin Out and Shelley Nelson song I remember a lot from when I was younger, liked it back then and its still a good chilled dance track. Remember It's Like That too from the time, it still sounds like a fierce dancefloor track. I also really like Jason Nevins follow up featuring Holly James I'm In Heaven in 2003, which is a really nice chilled dance track. The Corrs and Nalin and Kale tracks are good, Green Day's brief experiment with folk music turned out to be one of their best songs in my opinion. Aqua's Turn Back Time is a really nice song, its like a completely different group to their other songs!

Would add Flaming June, Meet Her At The Love Parade (although I think I prefer the 2001 version), Frozen and God Is A DJ from King Rollo's list to my 1998 favourites and When You're Gone by Mel C and Bryan Adams and the excellent To The Moon And Back by Savage Garden (which is like their sort of version of Wet Wet Wet - Wishing I Was Lucky in being more interesting than most of their other hits imo - the production also reminds me of it a bit in style too come to think of it) to my favourites from popchartfreak's list.

Would also add Camisra - Let Me Show You (it reminds me of the Cha Cha Slide for some reason too ), Encore - Le Disc Jockey and also Touch and Go - Would You because I remember that great brass instrumental from when I was younger.

Also remember Horny by Mousse T at the time and hated it because I was only 6 at the time and embarrassed me as I knew it was a rude song. Same with Sex On the Beach by T-Spoon.

Posted by: Bjork 9th June 2020, 06:21 AM

the Karen Ramirez hit was originally an EBTG b-side right?

Posted by: The Snake 9th June 2020, 01:41 PM

QUOTE(Bjork @ Jun 9 2020, 07:21 AM)

Posted by: Bjork 9th June 2020, 02:23 PM

The Sundays were one of my favourite bands ever, the singer voice was heaven and they made great melodies
so for me to see one of their best lost jewels (Here's where the story ends) turn into a dance track
with lacklustre production and mediocre vocals was a massive let down :/

Posted by: AH Gold 10th June 2020, 07:07 PM

QUOTE(Bjork @ Jun 6 2020, 09:15 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 10th June 2020, 07:24 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Jun 6 2020, 11:16 AM)

ooh, 1998 down to a mere 2 chart-toppers from me there - Madonna's Power of Goodbye, Cher. Though lots of goodies, more madonna, Ramirez, Stardust, Ace Of base, Tin Tin Out (stood next to Shelly Nelson and her mum backstage at Radio 1 roadshow that year. Didn't say anything, too shy), Garbage, Green Day.

T'others I loved: Millennium/Let Me Entertain You, If You Tolerate This..., To The Moon & Back, Push It, Stay (Bernard Butler), Human beings (Seal), Uninvited, Carnaval De Paris, Last Stop: This Town (Eels), Alane, When You're Gone, Robyn's Show Me Love and many more

My mum sorted the whole smoking issue with me when I was 10 - she and dad both smoked, and gave me one to try. Totally hated it and never touched one again in my life, also got fed up breathing in second-hand smoke for the first 30 years of my life. I'm sure that's why I'm so short (compared to 21st Century generations that is, I was quite tall for the Middle Ages)

My mum also had me do the fag running from a young age, Liverpool 1966, 8 years old and earlier, she gave me a fiver to go and buy some from the local Newsagents (and that was like half the week's rent on the flat in those days, a huge amount of money) and I lost it (or was diddled by the shop-owner, hard to remember now, I was so upset and worried about it). Still, she gets her own back these days, refusing to do what I need her to do when she needs showering.

Posted by: AH Gold 10th June 2020, 07:26 PM

QUOTE(King Rollo @ Jun 7 2020, 06:39 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 10th June 2020, 07:30 PM

QUOTE(The Snake @ Jun 8 2020, 07:29 PM)

The Karen Rameirez track is very nice and makes a good #1. Mysterious Times is so relevant lyrically at the moment and easily my favourite of Sash's songs. Ace of Base - Life Is A Flower I already mentioned but brings back good memories of hearing it on the radio when I was younger, likewise the Tin Tin Out and Shelley Nelson song I remember a lot from when I was younger, liked it back then and its still a good chilled dance track. Remember It's Like That too from the time, it still sounds like a fierce dancefloor track. I also really like Jason Nevins follow up featuring Holly James I'm In Heaven in 2003, which is a really nice chilled dance track. The Corrs and Nalin and Kale tracks are good, Green Day's brief experiment with folk music turned out to be one of their best songs in my opinion. Aqua's Turn Back Time is a really nice song, its like a completely different group to their other songs!

Would add Flaming June, Meet Her At The Love Parade (although I think I prefer the 2001 version), Frozen and God Is A DJ from King Rollo's list to my 1998 favourites and When You're Gone by Mel C and Bryan Adams and the excellent To The Moon And Back by Savage Garden (which is like their sort of version of Wet Wet Wet - Wishing I Was Lucky in being more interesting than most of their other hits imo - the production also reminds me of it a bit in style too come to think of it) to my favourites from popchartfreak's list.

Would also add Camisra - Let Me Show You (it reminds me of the Cha Cha Slide for some reason too ), Encore - Le Disc Jockey and also Touch and Go - Would You because I remember that great brass instrumental from when I was younger.

Also remember Horny by Mousse T at the time and hated it because I was only 6 at the time and embarrassed me as I knew it was a rude song. Same with Sex On the Beach by T-Spoon.

Posted by: AH Gold 10th June 2020, 07:30 PM

QUOTE(Steve201 @ Jun 8 2020, 06:31 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 10th June 2020, 07:32 PM

QUOTE(Bjork @ Jun 9 2020, 07:21 AM)

Posted by: AH Gold 10th June 2020, 08:42 PM

Coincidentally, I'm posting the 1999 list on a special anniversary. 10/06/1999 was the day I met my first boyfriend, and was the first time I ventured out, alone, to a gay bar. Queer As Folk had just been shown on C4 and had a huge impact on me, which gave me the bottle to hop on the train to Charing Cross. It took over an hour of pacing up and down the road before I finally stepped in. My first thought when everyone inside turned around and stared at my visibly terrified and shaky self was "oh, how friendly they all seem." Of course, now I realise I was just "fresh meat", but I had a ball regardless. There is a funny story about how I got with my first boyfriend that night, but it's not exactly family friendly, so let's move on.
A couple of months prior to this I was on holiday in Cyprus with my best mate from primary school and our families. One night, we had a stupid row over something and I stormed off (or minced off, whichever way you look at it) to our apartment. Having finished chatting up every available female that night, he came back and caught me...erm...having fun....alone, if you know what I mean. And that's how he found out I was gay. I remember it well. I was crying "please don't hate me" whilst he kept going "f**king hell!" After 20 minutes of this, he said "right, dry your eyes. We're going Bubbles (a bar)". Britney Spears' Baby One More Time was playing when we got there. He took my hand and led me to the dancefloor and danced with me. "You're still my best mate and always will be." Bless him, he was right. And I've not been able to get shot of him ever since.
Many things happened to me this year. Some good, some bad. This thread would be much longer if I listed them all. I left school and somehow passed my A Levels (only just). I came out to my Dad, who took it very badly. I thought that was it for our relationship. Happily, he eventually accepted me and we have a close and fantastic relationship now. Otherwise in this year, I went from geeky shy simpleton to a total slag. Honestly, I was easier than the alphabet in those days. Oh youth, how I miss thee.

64 tracks to whittle down this time including Madonna, Melanie C, Geri Halliwell, Mariah Carey, S Club 7, New Radicals, Bran Van 3000, A1, Chemical Brothers and Britney (despite the sentiments attached to BOMT, I've heard it way too much).

My Favourite Top 40 Hits Of 1999

1. Chicane Feat. Maire Brennan Of Clannad - Saltwater
2. ATB - 9pm...Till I Come
3. Babybird - Back Together
4. Humate - Love Stimulation
5. DJ Jurgen Presents Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone
6. Manic Street Preachers - Tsunami
7. B*Witched - Blame It On The Weatherman
8. Semisonic - Secret Smile
9. Three 'N' One Presents Johnny Shaker Feat. Serial Diva - Pearl River
10. Placebo - Every You Every Me
11. William Orbit – Barber’s Adagio For Strings
12. Mr Oizo – Flat Beat
13. Groove Armada – At The River
14. Alena – Turn It Around
15. Beth Orton – Central Reservation
16. Greece 2000 – Three Drives
17. Pet Shop Boys – I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It Anymore
18. All Seeing I Feat. Phil Oakey – 1st Man In Space
19. Lucid – Stay With Me Till Dawn
20. Cuban Boys – Cognoscenti Vs Intelligentsia
21. Cher – All Or Nothing
22. Len – Steal My Sunshine
23. Phats & Small – Turn Around
24. Pete Heller – Big Love
25. Tin Tin Out Feat. Wendy Page – Eleven To Fly
26. Eminem – My Name Is
27. Doolally – Straight From The Heart
28. Yomanda – Synth & Strings
29. Supergrass – Moving
30. Tina Cousins – Killin’ Time
31. Cassius – Cassius 1999
32. Shanks & Bigfoot – Sweet Like Chocolate
33. Semisonic – Closing Time
34. Catatonia – Karaoke Queen
35. Lucid – Crazy
36. All Seeing I Feat. Tony Christie – Walk Like A Panther
37. Jennifer Lopez – Waiting For Tonight
38. Blondie – Maria
39. Blur – Tender
40. Catatonia – Dead From The Waist Down

Posted by: Bjork 11th June 2020, 07:32 AM

from your list my fav is ATB-9pm, I loved that song and was totally obsessed with it. From your list I also loved the Chicane song,
Blur - Tender, the Manics - Tsunami and the Placebo song.

When I think 99, first thing that comes to mind is Britney - Baby one more time and Christina - Genie in a bottle, surprised they're not on your list. Pop perfection debut singles and both classic and iconic. Pop divas were doing very well cos 99 was also Shania Twain's year, That Don't Impress Me Much is still a crazy fantastic song... and we also had the return of Whitney, with My Love is your Love, possibly her best single ever.

Best Indie music in 99 for me was Travis, The Man Who is a classic album and my fav song of theirs is Why Does it Always Rain On Me. Best indie dance was The Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl, also possibly their best single ever.

Other songs I really liked were Lauryn Hill - Ex-Factor, Drinkin in LA, Better off alone, Cranberries - Promises, Robbie - Strong
Skunk Ananasie - Secretly, anything by Beverly Knight, and EBTG - Temperamental (even if it flopped)

but 99 also had lots of acts I hated at the top of the charts, Westlife, Geri Haliwell, 5ive, Vengaboyz, Eiffel 69, Steps, B'witched, that kind of pop was not really my thing...

Posted by: King Rollo 11th June 2020, 11:16 PM

Saltwater is a great song as your no.1 and it's in my top 20 as well. 1999 was a good year for The Chemical Brothers and they have three of my top 4.

1. Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl
2. Chemical Brothers - Out Of Control
3. Moby - Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?
4. Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be
5. UNKLE featuring Ian Brown - Be There
6. William Orbit - Barber's Adagio For Strings
7. System F - Out Of The Blue
8. Humate - Love Stimulation
9. Supergrass - Moving
10. Solar Stone - Seven Cities
11. Groove Armada - At The River
12. Underworld - Push Upstairs
13. Fatboy Slim - Right Here Right Now
14. Travis - Writing To Reach You
15. Chicane featuring Maire Brennan - Saltwater
16. The Cardigans - Erase/Rewind
17. Pet Shop Boys - New York City Boy
18. Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)
19. Mario Piu - Communication (Somebody Answer The Phone)
20. Bryan Adams - Cloud Number 9

Posted by: Popchartfreak 12th June 2020, 07:57 AM

1999, oops just one chart-topper for me on your list! (Pet Shop Boys natch).

My biggies, 4 Texas tracks, You Get What You Give, That Don't Impress Me Much, Larger Than Life, Unpretty, You Don't Know Me, Give It To You, Baby One More Time, Drinking In LA, She's In Fashion, Beautiful Stranger and many more

I did see Semisonic in concert around that time, and Blondie.

Your journey was a bit similar to my 2001 journey, that was the start of my clubbing and bars days, only I was more matured (but just as shy) fresh meat Not nearly as in demand as fresh chicken The big shock to me was how not-in-demand being nice is, but how very-much-in-demand physical attributes are. Who knew men were so shallow!? Who knew gratuitous behaviour was so easy!? Who knew everyone on local gay scenes knew everyone else's business and slagged them off behind their backs!? Many illusions shattered....

Posted by: The Snake 12th June 2020, 11:44 AM

Saltwater is great, remember it from when I was younger. ATB's song is a great summery dance tune. Oh I do I wish trance would return as a chart trend soon....with other great trance tracks from Three Drives and William Orbit there in your top 40. For trance tracks I would also add DJ Sakin and Friends - Protect Your Mind and System F - Out Of The Blue.

I also like Flat Beat, the first ever electro house song making making the UK chart before the excellent Azzido da Bass - Dooms Night in 2001. At The River by Groove Armada is a great chillout track, likewise Moby - Why Does My Heart... from King Rollo's list. Doolally Straight From The Heart is a good funky garage tune and for garage I would also add Shanks and Bigfoot - Sweet Like Chocolate which I remember from the time. Yomanda Synth and Strings is a very different sounding dance track, I also like his track Sunshine from 2000 and his cover of Ultra Nate's You're Free from 2003.

Jennifer Lopez - Waiting For Tonight I remember liking when I was younger, it, Vanessa Amorosi - Absolutely Everybody and Kylie's On A Night Like This from 2000 really is dance-pop at its best.

I notice Bryan Adams Cloud Number Nine from King Rollo's list too, nice song from him, Ultrabeat's song Feelin' Fine from 2004 really reminded me of that whenever it came out and still does, like a dance version of it almost. That will make my 2004 list as it is a nice track too.

I always used to think Blondie - Maria sounded like a Christmas song as it has bells in it! Was surprised to learn recently it wasn't released at Christmas after all. One of their best songs though, I think.

Would add The Offspring - Pretty Fly (I really liked that one when I was younger), New Radicals - Get What You Give which I also remember from the time, and the euphoric You Don't Know Me by Armand van Helden and Duane Harden. Would also add Two Times by Ann Lee and Bus Stop - Jump and from King Rollo's list - Chemical Brothers - hey Boy Hey Girl.

Posted by: Steve201 14th June 2020, 12:50 AM

Some great dance songs in 1999 especially 'Out Of Control' by the Chemical Brothers!

Posted by: DalekTurret32 19th June 2020, 12:55 AM

Greece 2000.
That song was part of my rave.dj mashup with Disclosure's Bang That back in 2017.

Posted by: mick745 21st June 2020, 08:45 AM

QUOTE(AH Gold @ May 9 2020, 02:15 AM)

Posted by: mick745 21st June 2020, 08:53 AM

To add to my above post just think if this forum had been around in the late 1980s i dont think i would have got any school woek done at all!!!!

Posted by: jszmiles 5th July 2020, 09:31 PM

oh Chicane <3 fantastic tune! Karen Ramirez did really god job with EBTG song (my ultimate best band of alltime).

Posted by: AH Gold 18th August 2020, 02:54 PM

Before I eventually move on to the 21st century, let's go back to the years I didn't exist. The good news being there'll be no dreary mini autobiographies! Hoorah!

Starting with the first half of the 60s. Just my Top 5 for 1960 and Top 10 from 1961-1964.

1960

1. Percy Faith – Theme From ‘A Summer Place’
2. Everly Brothers – Cathy’s Clown
3. Johnny Kidd & The Pirates – Shakin’ All Over
4. The Shadows – Apache
5. Drifters – Save The Last Dance For Me

1961

1. John Leyton – Johnny Remember Me
2. Shirelles – Will You Love Me Tomorrow
3. Del Shannon – Runaway
4. Craig Douglas – A Hundred Pounds Of Clay
5. Johnny Tillotson – Poetry In Motion
6. Bobby Vee – Take Good Care Of My Baby
7. Dion – Runaround Sue
8. Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs – Stay
9. Rick Nelson – Hello Mary Lou
10. Roy Orbison – Cryin’

1962

1. B. Bumble & The Stingers – Nut Rocker
2. Chris Montez – Let’s Dance
3. Billy Fury – Once Upon A Dream
4. Gene Pitney – Town Without Pity
5. Susan Maughan – Bobby’s Girl
6. Everly Brothers – Cryin’ In The Rain
7. Dion – The Wanderer
8. Sam Cooke – Twistin’ The Night Away
9. Chubby Checker – Let’s Twist Again
10. Brenda Lee – Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

1963

1. Ronettes – Be My Baby
2. Gerry & The Pacemakers – You’ll Never Walk Alone
3. Skeeter Davis – The End Of The World
4. Crystals – Da Doo Ron Ron
5. Billie Davis – Tell Him
6. Chiffons – He’s So Fine
7. Beatles – She Loves You
8. Crystals – Then He Kissed Me
9. Four Seasons – Walk Like A Man
10. Four Seasons – Big Girls Don’t Cry

1964

1. Dusty Springfield – I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself
2. Honeycombs – Have I The Right
3. Shangri-Las – Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand)
4. Dionne Warwick – Walk On By
5. Cilla Black – Anyone Who Had A Heart
6. Gene Pitney – Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa
7. Petula Clark - Downtown
8. Doris Day – Move Over Darling
9. Beach Boys – I Get Around
10. Dusty Springfield – I Only Want To Be With You

Posted by: Colm 18th August 2020, 03:39 PM

QUOTE(Bjork @ Jun 1 2020, 09:52 AM)

Posted by: Flopiday 20th August 2020, 06:09 PM

Runway by Del Shannon and Ronettes - Be My Baby are great. Probably my favourite songs you have posted of the 60s ones so far (of the ones I know that is).

Cryin by Roy Orbison is good (I knew the song but I didn't know it was by Roy Orbison) but my favourite from him is his cover of I Drove all Night, which I prefer to the Cyndi Lauper version that was recently in the TOTP catchups.

Two entries for the Everly Brothers. I am hoping a song by another set of brothers make your list for 1967.

Cilla Black Anyone Who Got A Heart I only discovered through Sheridan's Smiths version of it on the ITV Cilla drama that was on a few years ago. Its a very good song. Walk On By is a great jazz pop song, her voice in the song actually is quite similar in style I think to Sade's quite a bit later.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 21st August 2020, 08:36 AM

Fab 60's choices, many of them huge when I was a kid, many of them huge faves still.

Records that have topped my personal charts since 1968 (as reissues or oldies):

Summer Place (lined up to be a BJSC entry at one time )
Nut Rocker
Be My Baby
Apache
You'll Never walk Alone
I Just Dont Know What To Do
Walk On By
Anyone Who Had A Heart
Downtown
Move Over Darling

Your number one choices for 1960, 1963, 1964 are probably the same as mine - though I'd need to check on that

Many of the rest have hit my number one spot in a "My Number Ones Of The 60's" feature I'll run shortly. These are the tracks I liked during the 60's when I was a kid, songs I remember being mad on - so it will have some really bizarre and unexpected and unknown tracks to anyone who wasn't around at the time - and also some classics.

Posted by: diva thin muffin 21st August 2020, 02:31 PM

There's a few songs I like there and some big sellers that will feature on my own chart. Will say that these get better as the year progress for sure. My two favourite tracks here are in 1962 and 1964 respectively

Posted by: AH Gold 2nd September 2020, 02:45 PM

QUOTE(Flopiday @ Aug 20 2020, 07:09 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 2nd September 2020, 02:46 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Aug 21 2020, 09:36 AM)

Fab 60's choices, many of them huge when I was a kid, many of them huge faves still.

Records that have topped my personal charts since 1968 (as reissues or oldies):

Summer Place (lined up to be a BJSC entry at one time )
Nut Rocker
Be My Baby
Apache
You'll Never walk Alone
I Just Dont Know What To Do
Walk On By
Anyone Who Had A Heart
Downtown
Move Over Darling

Your number one choices for 1960, 1963, 1964 are probably the same as mine - though I'd need to check on that

Many of the rest have hit my number one spot in a "My Number Ones Of The 60's" feature I'll run shortly. These are the tracks I liked during the 60's when I was a kid, songs I remember being mad on - so it will have some really bizarre and unexpected and unknown tracks to anyone who wasn't around at the time - and also some classics.

Posted by: AH Gold 2nd September 2020, 02:46 PM

QUOTE(diva thin muffin @ Aug 21 2020, 03:31 PM)

There's a few songs I like there and some big sellers that will feature on my own chart. Will say that these get better as the year progress for sure. My two favourite tracks here are in 1962 and 1964 respectively

Posted by: AH Gold 2nd September 2020, 03:12 PM

Carrying on with the 60s then. 1968 onwards will have a much longer list of faves, so until then it's a Top 12 for each of '65, '66 and '67.

1965

1. Walker Brothers – Make It Easy On Yourself
2. Four Tops – It’s The Same Old Song
3. Chris Andrews – Yesterday Man
4. Moody Blues – Go Now
5. Gerry & The Pacemakers – Ferry Cross The Mersey
6. Dusty Springfield – Some Of Your Lovin’
7. Unit Four Plus Two – Concrete And Clay
8. Animals – We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
9. Marianne Faithfull – This Little Bird
10. Beatles – Help!
11. Them – Here Comes The Night
12. Supremes – Stop! In The Name Of Love

1966

1. Beach Boys – God Only Knows
2. Ike & Tina Turner – River Deep Mountain High
3. Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin’
4. Walker Brothers – The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore
5. Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black
6. Small Faces – All Or Nothing
7. Supremes – You Can’t Hurry Love
8. Dusty Springfield – You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
9. Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running
10. Bobby Fuller Four – I Fought The Law
11. Chiffons – Sweet Talkin’ Guy
12. Los Bravos – Black Is Black

1967

1. Martha & The Vandellas – Jimmy Mack
2. Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)
3. Kinks – Waterloo Sunset
4. P.P Arnold – First Cut Is The Deepest
5. Beatles – Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever
6. Nancy Sinatra – Sugar Town
7. Rolling Stones – Let’s Spend The Night Together
8. Spencer Davis Group – I’m A Man
9. Gene Pitney – Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart
10. Aretha Franklin - Respect
11. Foundations – Baby Now That I’ve Found You
12. Sandie Shaw – Puppet On A String

Posted by: Popchartfreak 4th September 2020, 03:05 PM

well, 1965 tracks that have topped for me: Walker Brothers, Dusty, Supremes, while tracks I loved as a kid that prob would have topped my chart: Chris Andrews, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Beatles. I like them all though!

1966 No 1's: Beach Boys, Walker Brothers (both among my all-time faves, perfect tracks), Ike & Tina, Nancy Sinatra, Rolling Stones, Dusty, Chiffons (or 7 of the 12) while Supremes, Los Bravos were also big faves.

1967No.1's: Scott, KInks, Beatles, Foundations while Sandie Shaw would have topped my charts of the time, and maybe Gene Pitney. Jimmy Mack, Sugar Town, First Cut all fab though.

Posted by: AH Gold 5th September 2020, 03:50 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Sep 4 2020, 04:05 PM)

Posted by: AH Gold 5th September 2020, 04:05 PM

Speeding through the pre-being born years before I finally get round to the 21st century. Here's my Top 25 of the final two years of the 1960s.

1968

1. Isley Brothers – This Old Heart Of Mine
2. Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Fire
3. Brenton Wood – Gimme Little Sign
4. Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity – This Wheel’s On Fire
5. Equals – Baby Come Back
6. Mama Cass – Dream A Little Dream Of Me
7. Amen Corner – Bend Me Shape Me
8. Nina Simone – Ain’t Got No – I Got Life
9. Manfred Mann – Mighty Quinn
10. Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay
11. Love Affair – Everlasting Love
12. Foundations – Build Me Up Buttercup
13. Scott Walker – Jackie
14. Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
15. P.P Arnold – Angel Of The Morning
16. Andy Williams – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
17. Dusty Springfield – I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten
18. Mary Hopkin – Those Were The Days
19. Alan Price Set – Don’t Stop The Carnival
20. Monkees – Daydream Believer
21. Aretha Franklin – I Say A Little Prayer
22. Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band – I’m The Urban Spaceman
23. Gary Puckett & The Union Gap – Young Girl
24. Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – The Legend Of Xanadu
25. Aretha Franklin – Think

1969

1. Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman
2. Jackie Wilson – (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher
3. Cilla Black – Surround Yourself With Sorrow
4. Simon & Garfunkel – The Boxer
5. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising
6. Archies – Sugar Sugar
7. Zager & Evans – In The Year 2525 (Exordium And Terminus)
8. Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg – Je T’Aime…Moi Non Plus
9. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – The Tracks Of My Tears
10. Bobbie Gentry – I’ll Never Fall In Love Again
11. Desmond Dekker & The Aces – The Israelites
12. Temptations – Get Ready
13. Peter Sarstedt – Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)
14. Thunderclap Newman – Something In The Air
15. Frank Sinatra – My Way
16. Beatles – Something/Come Together
17. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – Dancing In The Street
18. Nilsson – Everybody’s Talkin’
19. Hollies – Sorry Suzanne
20. Edwin Starr – 25 Miles
21. Fleetwood Mac – Albatross
22. Dusty Springfield – Son Of A Preacher Man
23. Nina Simone – I Put A Spell On You
24. The Who – Pinball Wizard
25. Beatles - Get Back

Posted by: AH Gold 5th September 2020, 05:34 PM

And now onto the 1970s, and back to a Top 40 for each year from here on. (N.B I make no apologies for placing Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep so high )

1970

1. Freda Payne – Band Of Gold
2. B.J Thomas – Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head
3. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – The Tears Of A Clown
4. Melanie – Ruby Tuesday
5. Four Tops – I Can’t Help Myself
6. Carpenters – They Long To Be Close To You
7. Black Sabbath – Paranoid
8. 5th Dimension – Wedding Bell Blues
9. Chairmen Of The Board – Give Me Just A Little More Time
10. Vanity Fare – Hitchin’ A Ride
11. Kinks – Lola
12. Moody Blues – Question
13. Rattles – The Witch
14. Dave Edmunds – I Hear You Knocking
15. Bob & Marcia – Young, Gifted And Black
16. Norman Greenbaum – Spirit In The Sky
17. Edison Lighthouse – Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
18. Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
19. Christie – Yellow River
20. Beatles – Let It Be
21. Free – All Right Now
22. Deep Purple – Black Night
23. James Brown – Get Up I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine
24. Desmond Dekker – You Can Get It If You Really Want
25. Tams – Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy
26. Diana Ross – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
27. Jethro Tull – The Witch’s Promise
28. Shocking Blue – Venus
29. Hotlegs – Neanderthal Man
30. Joni Mitchell – Big Yellow Taxi
31. Edwin Starr – War
32. Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
33. Dana – All Kinds Of Everything
34. Bobby Bloom – Montego Bay
35. Jackson 5 – The Love You Save
36. Gilbert O’Sullivan – Nothing Rhymed
37. CCS – Whole Lotta Love
38. Jackson 5 – ABC
39. Badfinger – Come And Get It
40. Mungo Jerry – In The Summertime

1971

1. Barbra Streisand – Stoney End
2. T. Rex – Hot Love
3. Carpenters – Superstar/For All We Know
4. Carpenters – We’ve Only Just Begun
5. Slade – Coz I Luv You
6. Isaac Hayes – Theme From ‘Shaft’
7. Dave & Ansil Collins – Double Barrel
8. George Harrison – My Sweet Lord
9. Carole King – It’s Too Late
10. Cher – Gypsys, Tramps And Thieves
11. Middle Of The Road – Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep
12. Elton John – Your Song
13. Sweet – Co-Co
14. Gordon Lightfoot – If You Could Read My Mind
15. Stephen Stills – Love The One You’re With
16. T. Rex – Jeepster
17. Dawn – Knock Three Times
18. T. Rex – Ride A White Swan
19. Jackson 5 – I’ll Be There
20. Supremes – Stoned Love
21. Tom Jones – She’s A Lady
22. Slade – Get Down And Get With It
23. James Taylor – You’ve Got A Friend
24. Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
25. Diana Ross – I’m Still Waiting
26. Delfonics – La-La Means I Love You
27. Sweet – Funny Funny
28. Partridge Family – I Think I Love You
29. John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band – Power To The People
30. Tams – Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me
31. Doors – Riders Of The Storm
32. Al Green – Tired Of Being Alone
33. The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again
34. Supremes – Nathan Jones
35. Diana Ross – Surrender
36. T. Rex – Get It On
37. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – I Don’t Blame You At All
38. Ringo Starr – It Don’t Come Easy
39. Sweet – Alexander Graham Bell
40. Kinks – Apeman

Posted by: Popchartfreak 7th September 2020, 06:25 PM

Sorry not been able to comment yet AH, im in barcelona getting sunburnt and wearing a mask for a 4 day break, my first getaway in a year. No tourists much in the city, 21 people on the flight, deserted airports mostly, and flew over 4 parked ocean liners in poole bay and the church in girona where they filmed some of game of thrones. For a bizarre alternate universe its quite fab...

1968: 16 chart toppers and none i dont like!
1969: 12 chart toppers and none i don't like...
1970: 10 chart toppers and the only one ive never been fussed about is jethro tull
1971: 16 chart toppers and several more that will top my chart when i do my retro 1971 charts ie what i like now from that period and none i dont like

Posted by: AH Gold 9th September 2020, 02:50 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Sep 7 2020, 07:25 PM)

Sorry not been able to comment yet AH, im in barcelona getting sunburnt and wearing a mask for a 4 day break, my first getaway in a year. No tourists much in the city, 21 people on the flight, deserted airports mostly, and flew over 4 parked ocean liners in poole bay and the church in girona where they filmed some of game of thrones. For a bizarre alternate universe its quite fab...

1968: 16 chart toppers and none i dont like!
1969: 12 chart toppers and none i don't like...
1970: 10 chart toppers and the only one ive never been fussed about is jethro tull
1971: 16 chart toppers and several more that will top my chart when i do my retro 1971 charts ie what i like now from that period and none i dont like

Posted by: AH Gold 9th September 2020, 03:36 PM

Moving on to '72 and '73 then. You'll notice a certain individual appears twice in '72. His unspeakable crimes and its damaging life-long effects on his victims aside, there's also the minor inconvenience of the decision on whether to include such despicable people in retro lists or not (a similar problem awaits in the '00s lists with Lostprophets). As a kid in the late 80s/early 90s I was into 70s glam rock in a big way, and I particularly loved the two tracks featured here. So, rightly or wrongly, I decided to separate criminal from art and included them. Fortunately, he won't appear again (I always found his post '72 output a bit too 'meh'). Of course, there's many musicians past and present who've been 'problematic', some more easily forgiven and condoned than others, but that's another debate for another time.

So with that cheery light-hearted disclaimer out of the way, here's my favourite Top 40 hits of 1972 and 1973.

1972

1. T. Rex – Metal Guru
2. Sweet – Wig Wam Bam
3. Olivia Newton John – What Is Life
4. Sweet – Little Willy
5. Elvis Presley – Burning Love
6. Slade – Mama Weer All Crazee Now
7. Slade – Look Wot You Dun
8. David Bowie – John, I’m Only Dancing
9. Hot Butter – Popcorn
10. Roxy Music – Virginia Plain
11. T. Rex – Children Of The Revolution
12. Gary Glitter – Rock And Roll (Parts 1 & 2)
13. Drifters – Saturday Night At The Movies/At The Club
14. Middle Of The Road – Soley Soley
15. David Bowie – Starman
16. Gary Glitter – I Didn’t Know I Loved You (Till I Saw You Rock And Roll)
17. Chicory Tip – Son Of My Father
18. Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes
19. Alice Cooper – School’s Out
20. Hot Chocolate – You’ll Always Be A Friend
21. Angelettes – Don’t Let Him Touch You
22. Al Green – Let’s Stay Together
23. Fortunes – Storm In A Teacup
24. Hawkwind – Silver Machine
25. Bill Withers – Lean On Me
26. Sweet – Poppa Joe
27. Don McLean – American Pie
28. America – A Horse With No Name
29. Osmonds – Crazy Horses
30. Rod Stewart – You Wear It Well
31. Chakachas – Jungle Fever
32. Lieutenant Pigeon – Mouldy Old Dough
33. Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair
34. Don McLean – Vincent
35. Roberta Flack – The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
36. Nilsson – Without You
37. Alice Cooper – Elected
38. 10cc – Donna
39. New Seekers – I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)
40. Michael Jackson – Got To Be There

1973

1. Suzi Quatro – 48 Crash
2. Sweet – Ballroom Blitz
3. Mott The Hoople – Roll Away The Stone
4. Moody Blues – Nights In White Satin
5. Moody Blues – I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock ‘N’ Roll Band)
6. David Bowie – Life On Mars
7. T. Rex – 20th Century Boy
8. 10CC – Rubber Bullets
9. T. Rex – Solid Gold Easy Action
10. Detroit Emeralds – Feel The Need In Me
11. Strawbs – Part Of The Union
12. Wizzard – See My Baby Jive
13. Carly Simon – You’re So Vain
14. Anne-Marie David – Wonderful Dream
15. Mud – Dyna-Mite
16. Linda Lewis – Rock-A-Doodle-Doo
17. Sweet – Blockbuster!
18. Carpenters – Yesterday Once More
19. Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
20. Suzi Quatro – Can The Can
21. Alvin Stardust – My Coo Ca Choo
22. Wizzard – Ball Park Incident
23. Lou Reed – Walk On The Wild Side
24. Osmonds – Let Me In
25. Billy Paul – Me And Mrs Jones
26. Sylvia – Pillow Talk
27. David Essex - Lamplight
28. Wings – Live And Let Die
29. Focus – Sylvia
30. Stealers Wheel – Stuck In The Middle With You
31. Electric Light Orchestra – Showdown
32. Timmy Thomas – Why Can’t We Live Together
33. Nazareth – Bad Bad Boy
34. Limme & The Family Cookin’ – You Can Do Magic
35. Slade – Cum On Feel The Noize
36. Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On
37. Temptations – Papa Was A Rolling Stone
38. Hot Chocolate – Brother Louie
39. First Choice – Armed And Extremely Dangerous
40. Carpenters – Top Of The World

Posted by: Popchartfreak 9th September 2020, 06:53 PM

QUOTE(AH Gold @ Sep 9 2020, 03:50 PM)

Oooh, sounds fab. I'm jealous. Hope you have had a great time in Barcelona.

A lot of chart toppers here. You mean, you even like Middle Of The Road?

Posted by: Popchartfreak 9th September 2020, 07:14 PM

1972: I agree Glitter was at his peak in 1972, and then his ego took over and became a huge cartoon glam rock star, albeit great fun for another 18 months or so. His first hit was virtually an instrumental, and I prefer to give credit to the late Mike Leander for his records, in the same way as I don't blame the poor Glitter Band who have been tarnished by association for the crime of naming themselves after him and actually playing the instruments on his early records. I don't see why they should be wiped from pop history due to Gadd.

15 number ones, a batch of sure-fire chart-toppers if they re-chart for me, and I genuinely love 37 of the 40, and really like the other 3! As this is my era, a quick list of the pop stars Ive seen in concert: Sweet, Hot Chocolate, David Bowie (twice), Gary Glitter (6 times), Alice Cooper, Sly & The Family Stone, 10CC (twice), Olivia Newton-John, Michael Jackson....


1973: 13 number ones, a batch of sure-fire chart-toppers etc, I love 36, like the other 4, and have seen Sweet, Olivia Newton-John, Suzi Quatro (twice), Moody Blues, 10CC, Wizzard/Roy Wood (3 times), Mud, David Essex, Wings, Temptations, Hot Chocolate

So, in summary still loving your choices!

Posted by: AH Gold 12th September 2020, 03:25 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Sep 9 2020, 07:53 PM)

It was good, ta, 17 on the plane coming back, it's so bizarre people not travelling anymore, even the Sagrada Familia, a major attraction for hordes of people, had virtually no-one there, maybe 20 or so, largely Spanish.

I ADORED Middle Of The Road, along with many young boys of that time. Sally Carr's hotpants were very popular with adolescent boys and I loved the records, especially the first 3 hits. I will be revealing just how much I loved them next year as I get into the 50th anniversary charts of then and what I like now from then - I'm going to run them side by side for contrast to show how what one loves at age 13 isnt necessarily what one loves 50 years later

Posted by: AH Gold 12th September 2020, 03:29 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Sep 9 2020, 08:14 PM)

1972: I agree Glitter was at his peak in 1972, and then his ego took over and became a huge cartoon glam rock star, albeit great fun for another 18 months or so. His first hit was virtually an instrumental, and I prefer to give credit to the late Mike Leander for his records, in the same way as I don't blame the poor Glitter Band who have been tarnished by association for the crime of naming themselves after him and actually playing the instruments on his early records. I don't see why they should be wiped from pop history due to Gadd.

15 number ones, a batch of sure-fire chart-toppers if they re-chart for me, and I genuinely love 37 of the 40, and really like the other 3! As this is my era, a quick list of the pop stars Ive seen in concert: Sweet, Hot Chocolate, David Bowie (twice), Gary Glitter (6 times), Alice Cooper, Sly & The Family Stone, 10CC (twice), Olivia Newton-John, Michael Jackson....
1973: 13 number ones, a batch of sure-fire chart-toppers etc, I love 36, like the other 4, and have seen Sweet, Olivia Newton-John, Suzi Quatro (twice), Moody Blues, 10CC, Wizzard/Roy Wood (3 times), Mud, David Essex, Wings, Temptations, Hot Chocolate

So, in summary still loving your choices!

Posted by: AH Gold 12th September 2020, 03:54 PM

Onwards to '74 and '75, and the start of struggling of narrowing my faves to just 40. 56 tracks were fighting for a place in 1974 compared to 46 for '75. One thing I noticed whilst researching the Top 40 hits of 1975 was while there were some undeniable classics, there was also a lot of absolute dross! I now completely understand why punk had to happen.

1974

1. Sparks – This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us
2. Barry Blue – Hot Shot
3. Javells Feat. Nosmo King – Goodbye Nothing To Say
4. Hot Chocolate – Emma
5. Lulu – The Man Who Sold The World
6. KC & The Sunshine Band – Queen Of Clubs
7. Rubettes – Sugar Baby Love
8. R Dean Taylor – There’s A Ghost In My House
9. Love Unlimited Orchestra – Love’s Theme
10. Pilot – Magic
11. Golden Earring – Radar Love
12. Glitter Band – Angel Face
13. George McCrae – Rock Your Baby
14. Andy Kim – Rock Me Gently
15. Marc Bolan & T. Rex – Teenage Dream
16. Mott The Hoople – The Golden Age Of Rock & Roll
17. Abba – Waterloo
18. Limme & The Family Cookin’ – A Walkin’ Miracle
19. Mud – Tiger Feet
20. First Class – Beach Baby
21. Stylistics – You Make Me Feel Brand New
22. Johnny Bristol – Hang On In There Baby
23. David Bowie – Rebel Rebel
24. Three Degrees – When Will I See You Again
25. Sweet Sensation – Sad Sweet Dreamer
26. Sweet – Teenage Rampage
27. Abba – Ring Ring
28. Paper Lace – Billy Don’t Be A Hero
29. Doobie Brothers – Listen To The Music
30. Cozy Powell – Dance With The Devil
31. Bachman Turner Overdrive – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
32. Hues Corporation – Rock The Boat
33. Alvin Stardust – Jealous Mind
34. Hello – Tell Him
35. John Denver – Annie’s Song
36. Mike Oldfield – Mike Oldfield’s Single (Theme From Tubular Bells)
37. Suzi Quatro – Devil Gate Drive
38. New Seekers Feat. Lyn Paul – You Won’t Find Another Fool Like Me
39. Commodores – Machine Gun
40. Roxy Music – All I Want Is You

1975

1. 5000 Volts – I’m On Fire
2. David Essex – Stardust
3. Kraftwerk – Autobahn
4. Sweet – Fox On The Run
5. Roxy Music – Love Is The Drug
6. Maxine Nightingale – Right Back Where We Started From
7. Gloria Gaynor – Never Can Say Goodbye
8. Status Quo – Down Down
9. Abba – SOS
10. KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It)
11. Natalie Cole – This Will Be
12. Silver Convention – Save Me
13. Sweet – Action
14. Carpenters – Solitaire
15. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
16. Pilot – January
17. 10CC – I’m Not In Love
18. David Bowie – Space Oddity
19. Jigsaw – Sky High
20. 10CC – Life Is A Minestrone
21. Carpenters – Only Yesterday
22. Shirley & Company – Shame Shame Shame
23. Abba – I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do
24. Kenny – The Bump
25. T. Rex Disco Party – Dreamy Lady
26. Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony – The Hustle
27. Art Garfunkel – I Only Have Eyes For You
28. Hello – New York Groove
29. Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
30. Rubettes – I Can Do It
31. Wigan’s Chosen Few – Footsee
32. Stylistics – I Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)
33. Slade – How Does It Feel?
34. David Bowie – Fame
35. Captain & Tennille – Love Will Keep Us Together
36. Susan Cadogan – Hurt So Good
37. KC & The Sunshine Band – Get Down Tonight
38. Carpenters – Please Mr Postman
39. Bee Gees – Jive Talkin’
40. Minnie Riperton – Loving You

Posted by: Popchartfreak 13th September 2020, 09:48 AM

QUOTE(AH Gold @ Sep 12 2020, 04:29 PM)

Thanks John. Thrilled that you approve of my choices.

I've only ever been to one concert. Shakira in 2002 (not my choice, my mate had a huge crush on her.) Didn't see much, as I recall, due to some very overly-excited people off their face on pills jumping up and down directly in front of me. Maybe that's what put me off

Posted by: Popchartfreak 13th September 2020, 09:58 AM

Yes, 1975 was full of dire rubbish in amongst the golden moments, at least in the UK charts - the US charts were on the whole pretty cool in the pre-punk era. 1974 was way better.

Ooh Barry Blue at 2! Peaked at 2 in my own charts that one, totally forgotten these days.
Fab choices for 1974, 12 chart-toppers, and at least another 10 that could easily top my chart as oldies. Great to see forgotten greats like Roxy Music, KC, First Class, and so on make the list. No Smoking & The Javelles was a fave of mine at the time

1975: 13 chart-toppers, and again lots of forgotten gems in there, Jigsaw (my first-ever live concert), Hello, Silver Convention, and more

Posted by: AH Gold 16th September 2020, 04:00 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Sep 13 2020, 10:58 AM)

Yes, 1975 was full of dire rubbish in amongst the golden moments, at least in the UK charts - the US charts were on the whole pretty cool in the pre-punk era. 1974 was way better.

Ooh Barry Blue at 2! Peaked at 2 in my own charts that one, totally forgotten these days.
Fab choices for 1974, 12 chart-toppers, and at least another 10 that could easily top my chart as oldies. Great to see forgotten greats like Roxy Music, KC, First Class, and so on make the list. No Smoking & The Javelles was a fave of mine at the time

1975: 13 chart-toppers, and again lots of forgotten gems in there, Jigsaw (my first-ever live concert), Hello, Silver Convention, and more

Posted by: AH Gold 16th September 2020, 04:25 PM

Moving on to '76 and '77 then. The former year, like '75, had an awful lot of tat to wade through in order to get to the stone cold gems. '77 was when, in my opinion, the overall quality increased significantly.

1976

1. Fox – S-S-S-Single Bed
2. Electric Light Orchestra – Livin’ Thing
3. Tavares – Don’t Take Away The Music
4. Billy Ocean – Love Really Hurts Without You
5. Linda & The Funky Boys – Sold My Soul For Rock ‘N’ Roll (Gave It For Funky Soul)
6. Abba – Money Money Money
7. Diana Ross – Love Hangover
8. Tina Charles – I Love To Love (But My Baby Loves To Dance)
9. Rod Stewart – The Killing Of Georgie
10. Abba – Dancing Queen
11. Andrea True Connection – More More More
12. George McCrae – Honey I
13. Harpo – Movie Star
14. Bay City Rollers – I Only Wanna Be With You
15. Abba – Fernando
16. Dolly Parton – Jolene
17. Abba – Mamma Mia
18. Isaac Hayes Movement – Disco Connection
19. Joan Armatrading – Love And Affection
20. Sailor – Glass Of Champagne
21. Chicago – If You Leave Me Now
22. Bryan Ferry – Let’s Stick Together
23. James & Bobby Purify – I’m Your Puppet
24. War – Low Rider
25. Real Thing – You To Me Are Everything
26. Tavares – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel
27. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Blinded By The Light
28. Four Seasons – Silver Star
29. Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
30. Silver Convention – Get Up And Boogie
31. Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow
32. Barry White – You See The Trouble With Me
33. Four Seasons – December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)
34. Glitter Band – People Like You And People Like Me
35. Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free
36. Elton John – Benny And The Jets
37. Donna Summer – Love To Love You Baby
38. Bee Gees – You Should Be Dancing
39. Sweet – The Lies In Your Eyes
40. Can – I Want More

1977

1. Donna Summer – I Feel Love
2. Abba – Knowing Me Knowing You
3. KC & The Sunshine Band – Keep It Comin’ Love
4. Giorgio Moroder – From Here To Eternity
5. Fleetwood Mac – Dreams
6. Barry Biggs – Sideshow
7. Blue – Gonna Capture Your Heart
8. Emotions – Best Of My Love
9. Baccara – Yes Sir I Can Boogie
10. Ram Jam – Black Betty
11. Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
12. Boney M – Ma Baker
13. Hot Chocolate – So You Win Again
14. Al Stewart – Year Of The Cat
15. Boney M – Belfast
16. Fleetwood Mac – Don’t Stop
17. Stranglers – No More Heroes
18. Space – Magic Fly
19. Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen
20. Rod Stewart – I Don’t Want To Talk About It/First Cut Is The Deepest
21. Carpenters – Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day)
22. Julie Covington – Don’t Cry For Me Argentina
23. Van McCoy – The Shuffle
24. Joe Tex – Ain’t Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)
25. David Bowie – Heroes
26. Abba – The Name Of The Game
27. La Belle Epoque – Black Is Black
28. Gladys Knight & The Pips – Baby Don’t Change Your Mind
29. Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better
30. Commodores – Easy
31. Stranglers – Peaches/Go Buddy Go
32. Boston – More Than A Feeling
33. Boney M – Daddy Cool
34. Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant
35. Boney M – Sunny
36. Brotherhood Of Man – Angelo
37. Barbara Dickson – Another Suitcase In Another Hall
38. Clash – White Riot
39. Drifters – You’re More Than A Number In My Little Red Book
40. Supertramp – Give A Little Bit

Posted by: AH Gold 16th September 2020, 04:56 PM

And wrapping up the 1970s with arguably the best two years for Top 40 hits within the decade (narrowing these lists down to just 40 was incredibly hard. I genuinely adore every track here.)

1978

1. Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)
2. Clout – Substitute
3. Sweet – Love Is Like Oxygen
4. Yvonne Elliman – If I Can’t Have You
5. Donna Summer – MacArthur Park
6. Undertones – Teenage Kicks
7. Electric Light Orchestra – Sweet Talkin’ Woman
8. Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
9. Blondie – Hanging On The Telephone
10. Kate Bush – The Man With The Child In His Eyes
11. Abba – Take A Chance On Me
12. Blondie – Denis
13. Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
14. Siouxsie & The Banshees – Hong Kong Garden
15. Abba – Summer Night City
16. Jilted John – Jilted John
17. Samantha Sang – Emotions
18. Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive
19. Olivia Newton John – Hopelessly Devoted To You
20. Rose Royce – Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
21. Rod Stewart – Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
22. Donna Summer – Love’s Unkind
23. Marshall Hain – Dancing In The City
24. Justin Hayward – Forever Autumn
25. Althia & Donna – Uptown Top Ranking
26. Chic – Le Freak
27. Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street
28. A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie
29. Blue Oyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper
30. Andrew Gold – Never Let Her Slip Away
31. Boomtown Rats – Rat Trap
32. Boney M – Rasputin
33. Odyssey – Native New Yorker
34. Suzi Quatro – If You Can’t Give Me Love
35. Eruption Feat. Precious Wilson – I Can’t Stand The Rain
36. Rose Royce – Wishing On A Star
37. Plastic Bertrand – Ca Plane Pour Moi
38. Brecker Brothers – East River
39. Sheila B Devotion – Singin’ In The Rain Pt. 1
40. Boney M – Rivers Of Babylon/Brown Girl In The Ring

1979

1. Judie Tzuke – Stay With Me Till Dawn
2. Sister Sledge – He’s The Greatest Dancer
3. Blondie – Heart Of Glass
4. XTC – Making Plans For Nigel
5. Amii Stewart – Knock On Wood
6. Three Degrees – The Runner
7. Rainbow – Since You’ve Been Gone
8. Sparks – The Number One Song In Heaven
9. Squeeze – Cool For Cats
10. Abba – Angeleyes/Voulez Vous
11. Flying Lizards – Money
12. Abba – Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)
13. Lene Lovich – Lucky Number
14. Dr Hook – When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman
15. David Bowie – Boys Keep Swinging
16. Tubeway Army – Are Friends Electric?
17. Dooleys – The Chosen Few
18. Racey – Lay Your Love On Me
19. Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
20. Dollar – Who Were You With In The Moonlight
21. Amii Stewart – Light My Fire/137 Disco Heaven (Medley)
22. Gibson Brothers – Que Sera Mi Vida (If You Should Go)
23. Lene Lovich – Say When
24. Voyager – Halfway Hotel
25. Fleetwood Mac – Tusk
26. Paul Evans – Hello, This Is Joanie (The Telephone Answering Machine Song)
27. Patrick Hernandez – Born To Be Alive
28. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Oliver’s Army
29. Viola Wills – Gonna Get Along Without You Now
30. Ian Dury & The Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
31. Jam – Eton Rifles
32. Edwin Starr – Contact
33. Dooleys – Wanted
34. Electric Light Orchestra – Shine A Little Love
35. Frantique – Strut Your Funky Stuff
36. Abba – Chiquitita
37. Donna Summer – Heaven Knows
38. Chic – My Forbidden Lover
39. M – Pop Muzik
40. Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand – No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)

Posted by: AH Gold 16th September 2020, 05:08 PM

And finally, the last year before I was expelled from my mother's womb and into this miserable word. Yep, 1980.

1980

1. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
2. Sheila & B. Devotion – Spacer
3. Blondie – Call Me
4. Roxy Music – The Same Old Scene
5. Diana Ross – My Old Piano
6. Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before
7. Specials – Too Much Too Young
8. David Bowie – Ashes To Ashes
9. Spandau Ballet – To Cut A Long Story Short
10. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Enola Gay
11. Abba – Super Trouper
12. Blondie – The Tide Is High
13. Teena Marie – I Need Your Lovin’
14. Change – The Glow Of Love/A Lover’s Holiday
15. Blondie – Atomic
16. Barbara Dickson – January February
17. Diana Ross – Upside Down
18. Queen – Another One Bites The Dust
19. Madness – My Girl
20. Dooleys – Love Patrol
21. Kate Bush – Breathing
22. Olivia Newton John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu
23. David Bowie – Fashion
24. Stacy Lattisaw – Jump To The Beat
25. Crown Heights Affair – You Gave Me Love
26. Jam – Going Underground/Dreams Of Children
27. Abba – The Winner Takes It All
28. Grace Jones – Private Life
29. Whispers – And The Beat Goes On
30. Brothers Johnson – Stomp!
31. George Benson – Give Me The Night
32. Sue Wilkinson – You Gotta Be A Hustler If You Wanna Get On
33. Jona Lewie – You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchemm At Parties
34. Pretenders – Brass In Pocket
35. Fern Kinney – Together We Are Beautiful
36. Nolans – I’m In The Mood For Dancing
37. Kelly Marie – Feels Like I’m In Love
38. Vapors – Turning Japanese
39. Randy Crawford – One Day I’ll Fly Away
40. Black Slate – Amigo

Posted by: AH Gold 16th September 2020, 05:34 PM

Before we head to the 21st Century (does that have to go to a different forum?}, here's a recap of my favourite Top 40 hit of each year so far:

1960 Percy Faith – Theme From ‘A Summer Place’
1961 John Leyton – Johnny Remember Me
1962 B. Bumble & The Stingers – Nut Rocker
1963 Ronettes – Be My Baby
1964 Dusty Springfield – I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself
1965 Walker Brothers – Make It Easy On Yourself
1966 Beach Boys – God Only Knows
1967 Martha & The Vandellas – Jimmy Mack
1968 Isley Brothers – This Old Heart Of Mine
1969 Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman
1970 Freda Payne – Band Of Gold
1971 Barbra Streisand – Stoney End
1972 T. Rex – Metal Guru
1973 Suzi Quatro – 48 Crash
1974 Sparks – This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us
1975 5000 Volts – I’m On Fire
1976 Fox – S-S-S-Single Bed
1977 Donna Summer – I Feel Love
1978 Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)
1979 Judie Tzuke – Stay With Me Till Dawn
1980 Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
1981 Human League - Don't You Want Me
1982 Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
1983 Blancmange - Blind Vision
1984 Malcolm McLaren – Madam Butterfly
1985 Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)
1986 Kim Wilde – You Keep Me Hangin’ On
1987 M/A/R/R/S - Pump Up The Volume
1988 Adventures – Broken Land
1989 Donna Summer – This Time I Know It’s For Real
1990 Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence
1991 Enigma – Sadness Part 1
1992 Felix – Don’t You Want Me
1993 Sybil – When I’m Good And Ready
1994 Sophie B Hawkins – Right Beside You
1995 Sparks – When Do I Get To Sing ‘My Way’
1996 E’voke – Arms Of Loren
1997 White Town – Your Woman
1998 Karen Ramirez – Looking For Love
1999 Chicane Feat. Maire Brennan Of Clannad - Saltwater

Posted by: Popchartfreak 17th September 2020, 09:16 AM

12 chart-toppers in your 1976 list - I generally agree it wasn't a great year, remove Abba and big american hits and the UK music scene is pretty lacking, but there's still some gems in your list. Linda & The Funky Boys is an interesting choice, one I liked but which I havent heard in decades. Other tracks which could or should have topped my charts: Diana Ross, Tavares, Harpo, Dolly Parton, Joan Armatrading, Real Thing, earthband, Bee Gees....

10 chart-toppers in 1977, but others that could or should: Ram jam, Fleetwood Mac, Al Stewart, Carpenters, Julie Covington, Gladys Knight.

13 chart-toppers for 1978 and a leap in quality in the music scene, loads of tracks denied a top slot due to sheer competition: Sweet, Undertones, Donna Summer, Kate Bush x2, Marshall hain, Althia & Donna, Olivia, Jilted John, Samantha Sang, Odyssey, Blue Oyster Cult, Suzi Quatro, Boney M x2, Rose Royce.

Only 8 chart-toppers for 1979, arguably the greatest year for pop music of that era, but then so much choice! Tracks that missed my top slot but deserved to top: XTC, Three Degrees, Sparks, Bowie, Gibson Brothers. More noticeable here is the missing Tragedy, Sunday Girl, my fave Lene Lovich Bird Song, several Police, Cars, Cliff's Talk Anymore, Boomtown Rats, Get It Right Next Time, Don't Bring Me Down, Confusion and many many more

1980: 7 chart-toppers, and a host that should have topped: Spacer, Upside Down, Queen, Crwon heights Affair,... but no John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Messages, Hot Choc, Crying, Night Boat To Cairo

Top tracks over the years: certainly good cases for agreeing with:

1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1990, 1991, 1994,

Phew! Well done, a marathon review!

Posted by: AH Gold 21st September 2020, 04:59 PM

QUOTE(Popchartfreak @ Sep 17 2020, 10:16 AM)

12 chart-toppers in your 1976 list - I generally agree it wasn't a great year, remove Abba and big american hits and the UK music scene is pretty lacking, but there's still some gems in your list. Linda & The Funky Boys is an interesting choice, one I liked but which I havent heard in decades. Other tracks which could or should have topped my charts: Diana Ross, Tavares, Harpo, Dolly Parton, Joan Armatrading, Real Thing, earthband, Bee Gees....

10 chart-toppers in 1977, but others that could or should: Ram jam, Fleetwood Mac, Al Stewart, Carpenters, Julie Covington, Gladys Knight.

13 chart-toppers for 1978 and a leap in quality in the music scene, loads of tracks denied a top slot due to sheer competition: Sweet, Undertones, Donna Summer, Kate Bush x2, Marshall hain, Althia & Donna, Olivia, Jilted John, Samantha Sang, Odyssey, Blue Oyster Cult, Suzi Quatro, Boney M x2, Rose Royce.

Only 8 chart-toppers for 1979, arguably the greatest year for pop music of that era, but then so much choice! Tracks that missed my top slot but deserved to top: XTC, Three Degrees, Sparks, Bowie, Gibson Brothers. More noticeable here is the missing Tragedy, Sunday Girl, my fave Lene Lovich Bird Song, several Police, Cars, Cliff's Talk Anymore, Boomtown Rats, Get It Right Next Time, Don't Bring Me Down, Confusion and many many more

1980: 7 chart-toppers, and a host that should have topped: Spacer, Upside Down, Queen, Crwon heights Affair,... but no John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Messages, Hot Choc, Crying, Night Boat To Cairo

Top tracks over the years: certainly good cases for agreeing with:

1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1990, 1991, 1994,

Phew! Well done, a marathon review!