30 (68) JOHN LENNON (2,389,000) 1981 2.9306

 

http://www.mybeatlescollection.com/images/BROWart/101008browimage.jpg

 

The events of December 1980 are of course the reason for John Lennon’s phenomenal sales year of 1981, his death stimulated a huge desire for his back catalogue which saw three tracks in the top 5 in January 1981 and three No 1 singles within the space of 8 weeks as he went on to sell 1.6 million singles in the year supplemented by his final studio album “Double Fantasy”- a- suitable farewell for the former Beatle.

 

I thought Celine would have had 1995 as her biggest year.

29 (79) JIVE BUNNY AND THE MASTERMIXERS (2,240,000) 1989 2.9744

 

http://cdn.discogs.com/d_JsJGyAJRMy6QYq7lqHf6NcvC8=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/A-81645-1191718584.jpeg.jpg

 

Ah Jive Bunny! The “brainchild” of Andy Pickles and Ian Morgan who took the idea of mashing up old rock N roll records and inventing a cartoon rabbit to help with the promotion, and for 6 months in 1989 it certainly worked! Their first three singles all made No 1 within 16 weeks of each other equalling the (then) record held by Gerry & The Pacemakers and Frankie Goes To Hollywood of getting their first releases to the top of the tree. A singles act? Not really, the debut album spent the last 5 weeks of the 80s at No 2 being kept out by just Phil Collins, selling well over 600,000 copies that Christmas.

 

28 (42) BRITNEY SPEARS (2,773,000) 1999 2.9861

 

http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users16/irenekaulitz90/default/1999-herb-ritts-set-2--large-msg-137787700518.jpg

 

Exploding onto the pop landscape in 1999 with the million selling “Baby One More Time” Spears immediately created something of a media sensation with a suggestive video for a 16 year old and was the first of three top 5 hits during the year for her. Her debut album shifted 600,000 during the year, a moderate success in terms of the sales climate, but set her up as a star who has commanded press interest, if not massive sales, to this day.

 

ALSO BIG IN: 2000, 2004

 

I thought Britney would be higher as she was the top selling singles artist of that year though she was moderately behind in albums. Still happy to see her here though. :cheer:

27 (21) STEPS (3,287,000) 1999 3.0208

 

http://38.media.tumblr.com/aef9233b2e62d3d3c9c43ef9338a556f/tumblr_inline_n07wqujbrd1rlvje4.jpg

 

A growing fanbase throughout 1998 saw Steps reach the peak of their popularity with the double A-Side “Heartbeat/ Tragedy” which became their first chart topper and sold a million into the bargain, it was followed by four hits throughout the year, all of them top 5 hits. Both of their albums ended the year in the top 20 best sellers moving over 1.2 million between them as the group attempted to break the US by supporting Britney on tour, not that it mattered as within 24 months they were no more.

 

ALSO BIG IN: 1998, 2001

 

STEPS. BEST BRITISH GROUP EVER !!! :wub:

a suggestive video for a 15 year old

 

Slight nitpick - she was 16 when the song was recorded.

Quite blown away that an act like jive bunny was so successful lol

26 (51) ABBA (2,669,000) 1980 3.1754

 

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/20862135/ABBA%201980session.jpg

 

They doubtless had better years in the 70s but in the scope of this rundown 1980 is as good as it got for the Swedish superstars with the group crossing the million mark on both the singles and albums front. It was the year of their final No 1 single “Super Trouper” and with both couples now divorced the writing had to be on the wall and just a year later they would produce their final studio album before the solo careers kicked back in.

 

25 (59) WET WET WET (2,456,000) 1994 BIGGEST ACT 3.2106

 

http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/29/2970/6R9QD00Z/posters/pop-group-wet-wet-wet-in-studio-may-1994.jpg

 

1994 and Wet, wet, wet can mean just one thing- the 15 week reign at No 1 of “Love Is All Around” which was of course taken from the surprise cinematic hit of the year “Four Weddings and a Funeral”. The band had come a long way from the days when they courted a clean cut image and a penchant for turning up on the front page of Smash Hits, but Pellow’s burgeoning drugs addiction would split the group by 1998

.

ALSO BIG IN: 1988

 

I presume the also big in for ABBA would be 1992 and 1999?

24 (20) THE FUGEES (3,290,000) 1996 3.2142

 

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the-fugees_4802.jpg

 

Producing only two albums in their time together the Fugees “Killing Me Softly” was one of the songs of the summer of 1996 spending five weeks at No 1 and becoming the best selling single of the year after selling 1.3 million alone. They ran into trouble with their next single “Ready Or Not” which contained a sample from Enya’s “Boadicea” which hadn’t been cleared resulting in a court case settled out of court for a writing credit and a cut of the royalties.

 

I presume the also big in for ABBA would be 1992 and 1999?

Afraid not they didn't clear 1.5 million in either year :(

Tomorrow we'll have the fifth highest placed female on the list and a firm BJ favourite......

ROBYN? :o

1994 Tori Amos - surely!

Nah! Tori is higher than 23rd isn't she? :unsure:

Spoilers people! :lol:

Sophie Ellis-Bextor :P