That list does look about right to me. I think even at the time and the album release taking away sales, Love To Hate You was a bigger single than Chorus (although I await Gezza informing me I am wrong about that!)

No you're right, LTHY outsold it in 1991.

For 3 Erasure albums in a row (The Innocents, Wild, Chorus) the best selling on each album was not the first single (A Little Respect, Blue Savannah, Love to Hate You)

does anyone have the total sales for Chorus vs Love to Hate You?

I was going to say Always strikes me as something close to a ‘signature hit’, behind A Little Respect and Sometimes.

 

I wasn’t overly familiar with Chorus either but it’s a great track and the TOTP performance was genius.

I never trust those Spotify lists to look at popularity cos they can be very biased if a song is in a soundtrack or a given playlist

 

I'd tend to agree A Little Resect is their #1 song but sure Sometimes is #2

and I wouldn't have put Oh l'amour even in their top 10 most popular

10TH AUGUST

 

http://bp0.blogger.com/_IZi_mm5896s/R8295QGsFpI/AAAAAAAAAQo/ApL8LHI7fYI/s400/11007~Bryan-Adams-Posters.jpg

 

As you were at the top of the charts this week but Bryan Adams is finally starting to fade….slowly, just 4% in fact to 114,000, that also means it has sold 579,000 and thusly becomes 1991’s best seller as it powers past Cher and is also the 5th biggest seller of the decade to boot. Extreme are once again runners up despite another 35% sales improvement to 59,000, in reality they are a world away from deposing Adams.

 

 

 

Brothers Richard & Fred Fairbrass and bassist Rob Manzoli make up Right Said Fred who are providing this year’s big novelty hit by the looks of it, “I’m Too Sexy” in a tongue in cheek homage to the fashion industry and the song lifts 12-3 (37,000) this week. The band lied to their bank manager to get the funding together to make the record but can be assured of paying it back now, their name is taken from the Bernard Cribbins 1962 hit of the same name and the song is not without a sample, this time the instrumental break is taken from Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone From The Sun”.

 

 

 

Fourth album “And Justice For All” proved to be Metallica’s breakthrough in the UK and provided them with their biggest hit “One” which made No 13 in 1989. Now comes the fifth album (which will be self titled) and a first release from it “Enter Sandman” which at a stroke becomes their biggest hit as it smashes in at No 5 (32,000). The album is out in a fortnight to strike whilst the iron is hot.

 

 

http://www.muzines.co.uk/images_mag/articles/mt/MT_91_07_bomb_the_bas_large.jpg

 

1991 has been a trying year for Tim Simenon, with a second Bomb The Bass album ready to go earlier this year the lead single “Love So True” fell victim to Radio 1’s ruling that some band names were too contentious, given the gulf war, to promote (see also Massive Attack’s renaming) and so the track went largely without airplay and even a re-pressing using Simenon’s own name couldn’t save the single. However second single “Winter In July”, which has a sample of Japan’s “Ghosts” running through it, provides a 5th top 10 single lifting 14-7 (24,000) pre album release to salvage things.

 

 

 

Talking of salvaged eras, Deacon Blue’s third album “Fellow Hoodlums” was launched with the single “Your Swaying Arms” which stiffed at No 23 but did the job enough to see the album debut at No 2 behind Seal in June. “Twist & Shout” is not a cover of the Beatles track but a new composition which gives the album a boost in the arm as it re-climbs 14-9 this week as the single advances 15-10 (18,000).

 

 

The Shamen hold at No 4 (36,000) after the surprise arrival of Right Said Fred, and Heavy D & The Boyz drop 3-6 (31,000) but their album debuts at No 40, and reaching a new peak of No 8 on that album chart means bad news for C & C Music Factory as “Things That Make You Go Mmmm” drops 5-8 (20,000) and OMD dive 7-9 (18,000) but once again the album charts provides the answer as “Sugar Tax” reaches a new peak 11-4 thirteen weeks after its release.

 

 

1- (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (114,000)

2- MORE THAN WORDS- Extreme (59,000)

3- I’M TOO SEXY- Right Said Fred (37,000)

4- MOVE ANY MOUNTAIN- The Shamen (36,000)

5- ENTER SANDMAN- Metallica (32,000)

6- NOW THAT WE FOUND LOVE- Heavy D & The Boyz (31,000)

7- WINTER IN JULY- Bomb The Bass (24,000)

8- THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO MMM- C & C Music Factory (20,000)

9- PANDORA’S BOX- OMD (18,000)

10- TWIST AND SHOUT- Deacon Blue (18,000)

 

17TH AUGUST

 

 

Becoming the first chart topper to spend 6 weeks at the top in two years, and thusly the longest chart topper of the decade so far, Bryan Adams; “Everything I Do” sold 111,000 copies to almost top the 700,000 mark and only has The Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” ahead of it in terms of the decade to date list. It’s descent in sales is so small that it remains ahead of the field with over the double the sales of the runner up, which is now Right Said Fred’s ” I’m Too Sexy”, that sold 56,000, just 3,000 more than Extreme who slip 2-3 as their challenge fades. With nothing in sight you have to fancy Adams to remain at the top for a 7th week, the longest stay in 7 years!

 

 

 

Spandau Ballet are back, a new greatest hits collection is due and their biggest hit “True” is getting a re-issue next week, but far the biggest promo for it is the new PM Dawn single “Set Adrift On Memory Bliss” which is based extensively on the 1983 track and improves substantially on the No 36 peak of their first hit by slamming in at No 5 (29,000). Tony Hadley actually appears in the promo for the track which also samples the beat from Erik B & Rakim’s “Paid In Full” and must be fancied to become the main threat to Bryan Adams in the forthcoming weeks.

 

 

 

Following up the massive No 1 “I Wanna Sex You Up” seems to have been no problem for Color Me Badd, their new single “All 4 Love” moves 11-6 (28,000). It may find further progress is checked by the release of their first album this week.

 

 

 

Already an American No 4 hit DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime” is appropriately riding high in the charts over here in August wafting 13-10 (19,000). Once more it has a sample at heart this time Kool & The Gang’s “Summer Madness”, the duo’s only other chart hit was the 1986 No 21 hit “Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble” which can also be found on the CD version of the single, but since then Will Smith (“Fresh Prince”) has landed a prime acting job on the comedy “Fresh Prince Of Bel Air” which has been a hit in the US and is now showing on BBC2 here.

 

 

The Shamen spend a third week at No 4 but they are fading fast with 30,000 takers this week and Bomb The Bass finding the going tough further down holding at No 7 (23,000), heavy D & The Boyz continue south 6-8 (23,000) and Metallica beat a hasty retreat 5-9 (21,000).

 

 

1- (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (111,000)

2- I’M TOO SEXY- Right Said Fred (56,000)

3- MORE THAN WORDS- Extreme (53,000)

4- MOVE ANY MOUNTAIN- The Shamen (30,000)

5- SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS- PM Dawn (29,000)

6- ALL 4 LOVE- Color Me Badd (28,000)

7- WINTER IN JULY- Bomb The Bass (23,000)

8- NOW THAT WE’VE FOUND LOVE- Heavy D & The Boyz (23,000)

9- ENTER SANDMAN- Metallica (21,000)

10- SUMMERTIME- DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince (19,000)

 

Oh I did enjoy that “Monsters and Angels” track from Voice of the Beehive - I only knew them for their The Partridge Family cover of “I Think I Love You” from later in 91 which was on Now! 20.

 

Had a pretty impressive chart run too for a #17 hit: 60-38-27-24-20-18-{17}-25-38-62-> 10

 

 

 

Oh and PM Dawn the highest new entry at number 5! *.*

Oh my you need to hear more Voice of the Beehive!

 

I Say Nothing and Don't Call Me Baby were the best two :wub:

I always thought of Voice of the Beehive being at their peak in the late 80s!

Oh my you need to hear more Voice of the Beehive!

 

I Say Nothing and Don't Call Me Baby were the best two :wub:

 

Amazing songs.

their 1988 album Let it Bee is amazing, my fav tracks are I Say Nothing and

I Walk the Earth, which I think just peaked outside the top 40

 

nice to see Metallica having a hit single

‘Enter Sandman’ is iconic!

I agree with the comments above Voice Of The Beehive 80s hits are best. Tracy & Melissa Belland of the group are daughters of Bruce Belland of 1950"s group The Four Preps - probably most famous now for including member Ed Cobb who wrote Tainted Love.

Loved the De La Soul Saturday track just out the top 10!

 

Plus wonderful to see PM Dawn and the Fresh Prince popping up.

 

Oh and I never realised Blur’s Bang was ever on TOTP. Tune!

The PM Dawn track is great, such chilled out hip hop was fairly unusual at this time.

 

Fun fact: I'm Too Sexy is not the only 1991 hit to parody the fashion industry, Genesis' I Can't Dance does so to, in its case adverts for jeans.

Set Adrift On Memory Bliss is great, PM Dawn are so underrated as they quite a few good singles.

Brothers Richard & Fred Fairbrass and bassist Rob Manzoli make up Right Said Fred who are providing this year’s big novelty hit by the looks of it, “I’m Too Sexy” in a tongue in cheek homage to the fashion industry and the song lifts 12-3 (37,000) this week. The band lied to their bank manager to get the funding together to make the record but can be assured of paying it back now, their name is taken from the Bernard Cribbins 1962 hit of the same name and the song is not without a sample, this time the instrumental break is taken from Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone From The Sun

I didn't know about the Jimi Hendrix song. I recognise the same melody from Dance With The Devil, Cozy Powell's top 5 hit from 1973.

 

24TH AUGUST

 

 

 

“(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” spends a seventh week at No 1 and is now the longest chart topper since “Two Tribes” ruled for 9 weeks in the summer of 1984. It is fading but still only slowly, another 16% to 93,000 bringing its haul to 783,000 and it will, in all likelihood, become the biggest selling single of the 90s so far next week, a million may not be beyond it ultimately.

 

 

Right Said Fred wait patiently at No 2 again but they are eating into the lead Adams has albeit slowly, they sold 68,000 copies enough to outpace PM Dawn who climb 5-3 (60,000) with a 107% sales increase and may yet prove too much for Adams.

 

 

The only new song in the top 10 comes as a new entry at No 9 from dance act The Prodigy. Their first single “What Evil Lurks” stopped short at No 118 earlier this year but “Charly” has much more success, it’s helped by utilising the BBC series of child safety adverts in the 70s “Charley Says” which featured a young boy and his cat (voiced by Kenny Everett) set to a rave backing. It convinced 22,000 buyers in its first week on the charts.

 

 

Improving this week are Color Me Badd who lift 6-5 (36,000) as their album debuts at No 8, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince lift 10-8 (23,000). Bomb The Bass hold at No 7 (23,000) on identical sales from last week, but it’s all over for Extreme who slip 3-4 (37,000), while The Shamen also surrender the No 4 spot 4-6 (24,000) and Heavy D & The Boyz drop 8-10 (19,000).

 

 

1- (EVERYTHING I DO)- I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (93,000)

2- I’M TOO SEXY- Right Said Fred (68,000)

3- SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS- PM Dawn (60,000)

4- MORE THAN WORDS- Extreme (37,000)

5- ALL 4 LOVE- Color Me Badd (36,000)

6- MOVE ANY MOUNTAIN- The Shamen (24,000)

7- WINTER IN JULY- Bomb The Bass (23,000)

8- SUMMERTIME- DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince (23,000)

9- CHARLY- The Prodigy (22,000)

10- NOW THAT WE FOUND LOVE- Heavy D & The Boyz (19,000)

 

31ST AUGUST

 

 

 

Eight weeks in and Bryan Adams shows no sign of faltering just yet suffering a mere 9% sales loss to haul in another 84,000 copies last week to become the biggest seller of the 90s to date and indeed the last song to sell more was Jennifer Rush’s million seller back in 1985. It’s losing sales at such a gentle rate that the million is now entirely possible, even probable, incredible given his previous best was the No 11 track “Run To You”, sales last week were 84,000. Right Said Fred and PM Dawn also complete the static top 3 but all singles are fading in popularity, “I’m Too Sexy” dipping to 62,000 and “Set Adrift On Memory Bliss” sold just 46,000, neither will topple Adams it seems.

 

 

 

 

Two songs with better hopes are the Prodigy who fly 9-4 (41,000) and our highest new entry, Prince & The New Power Generation with “Gett Off”. The song charted at No 114 last week on sales of cassette and 7” of the import, the 12” and CD versions of the same import of the US release are too long in length to chart in the singles chart so move 74-33 on the album charts instead. Now with a full set of UK releases it becomes the second time in Prince’s history that he’s debuted in the top 5, the first time was with “Batdance” in 1989 which entered at No 3. The song is a last minute addition to his new album “Diamonds & Pearls” replacing “Horny Pony” which gets relegated to the B-side here, it sold 41,000 copies last week just getting defeated by the Prodigy.

 

 

 

Zoe auditioned and failed to become the lead singer of the band Brilliant, not to be deterred she started dating producer and band member Youth who is responsible for the singer providing the backing vocals on Bananarama’s “Pop Life” album and the remix of “Sunshine On A Rainy Day” currently climbing 14-8 (25,000). In its original form it made No 53 last November but has been brought to a more wide audience through its use on an advert for Amiga 500 computers this year causing a remix and now a hit.

 

 

 

If Right Said Fred thought they had the tag “novelty hit of the summer” all to themselves then the song which explodes 32-9 (19,000) this week proves a challenger. “I’ll Be Back” is officially credited to Arnee & The Terminators and is an ode of sorts to “The Terminator” film series starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, if you’re a regular listener to Radio 1’s Steve Wright show then you’ll know that Steve and the boys are behind the track in reality who timed the release with the new “Terminator 2” film and because they wanted to see if they could have a hit single. Job Done.

 

 

 

It’s the end of an era as the final Jason Donovan single to be produced by PWL is released, rather disappointingly it’s a cover again, this time of the 1967 No 12 track “Happy Together” which has been recorded for the forthcoming “Greatest Hits” album next month which brings his contract to an end, Clearly his involvement with “Joseph” has told Donovan that his future interests are better served away from the Stock and Waterman stable (Matt Aiken left this summer) and as if to ratify that opinion the soundtrack to the show duly debuts at No 1 on the album charts. The single struggles 12-10 (18,000) this week so at least the chapter closes on a high with his 10th top 10 single.

 

 

Color Me Badd drop 5-6 (29,000) and Extreme fall 4-7 (25,000).

 

 

1- (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (84,000)

2- I’M TOO SEXY- Right Said Fred (62,000)

3- SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS- PM Dawn (46,000)

4- CHARLY- The Prodigy (41,000)

5- GETT OFF- Prince/ NPG (41,000)

6- ALL 4 LOVE- Color Me Badd (29,000)

7- MORE THAN WORDS- Extreme (25,000)

8- SUNSHINE ON A RAINY DAY- Zoe (25,000)

9- I’LL BE BACK- Arnee & The Terminators (19,000)

10- HAPPY TOGETHER- Jason Donovan (18,000)