not much going on in the top 10

but looks of action in the top 20:

11 NEW Duran Duran - Ordinary World

12 NEW East 17 - Deep

13 21 Bon Jovi - Bed of Roses

14 NEW Lulu - Independence

15 NEW The Cult - She sells Sanctuary'93

19 NEW Def Leppard - Heaven is

20 NEW Dinosaur Jr - Start Choppin'

 

but my fav new of the week was new at 30:

30 NEW Sugar - If I can't change your mind

 

Are we into the era where most of these new entries peaked here?

Well at least the top 2 of them climb next week so I’d say not.

 

In fact we’re years away I think

1995 was when it became the norm for #1s to enter there, and more Top 10 songs started to enter at their peak positions than climb there. Lower down the chart it may have already started at this point - certainly by the time I started tracking the chart in early 1994 more of those songs would peak in week 1.

Yeh true, even from 1989 songs would enter then climb once which would be the peak.

1995 was when it became the norm for #1s to enter there, and more Top 10 songs started to enter at their peak positions than climb there. Lower down the chart it may have already started at this point - certainly by the time I started tracking the chart in early 1994 more of those songs would peak in week 1.

 

What was the reason for the change in 1995, was it some agreement between the record companies on held back releases?

 

And if so what was the reason for the change lower down the charts happening one or two years before that?

I think it was a combination of that and marketing targeted at week 1. Singles which entered lower became less likely to sell to a larger audience in week 2, partly because of lack of exposure as there were more new entries in a week to get through, but there were possibly more of these singles charting on small labels or limited budgets too.

It generally always was the case that indie and alternative acts charted high in week one anyway going back to the early 80s.

I've noticed Top of the Pops was less rigidly sticking to the charts at this point and showing things like hits from the US that had yet to smash here, exclusive pre-release performances (Duran Duran sang Ordinary World on there a couple of weeks before it charted), all of which I guess also helped to build up steam for songs to have a decent debut. Was airplay already happening pre-release at this point too?

didn't singles became cheaper in week 1 in like 95?

They did around about that time… however during the 90s there was also a notable change to having a bigger run up of promotion before a release, rather than release and then promote.

Yes, a combination of held back releases, cheap first week CD singles and higher sales generally helped change the market to chart high then flash in the pan hits.

And I would add certain artists/songs charting high due to this whereas if they were released like previously they would have flopped!

There was loads of marketing going on in 1993, vinyl singles were 99p to get a boost first week, Cd singles had bonus tracks, and often old hits to make a mini-hits cd. I used to buy loads of crap lead tracks to get the old hits on CD, and 99p vinyl till the quality got so cheap and tacky that it stopped being worthwhile. Radio played records for longer and longer ahead of release so by 1995 it started to get very silly, but by then vinyl was dead for singles and CD's started to get more reasonable first weeks, like £1.99. By the time of Baby One More Time they were down to 99p and everybody rushed to buy them week one before they shot up in price, at which point records climbing became a rarity.

 

The situation in the USA by this stage had become even worse. Big radio tracks didn't get released at all (Hello No Doubt!) in order to boost album sales, and CD singles were becoming either kiddie-pop single-track picture cardboard sleeves for 99cents, maxi-singles costing 4 or 5 dollars, usually dance remixes of the A and B sides included, or most likely of all as we move into the 21st century, no singles at all. The fate of the CD single was terminal once the cost became half that of an album (usually 9 or 10 dollars, and way cheaper than UK CD albums). In the UK CD singles lasted longer until album prices dropped. And then downloads finished them off.

I've fallen out with 'No Limit' for the time being after having to do a very fast-paced workout to it at a class yesterday in the sweltering heat -_- but, prior to that, I did appreciate its energetic contribution to the TOTP episode last week. Felt like a "look, we've arrived!" moment.

6TH FEBRUARY

 

 

Whitney makes it ten weeks and writes herself into the record books, no female singer can claim as long a chart topper as “I Will Always Love You” and in all honesty it was never really under threat until the end of the week when 2 Unlimited started to play catch up. In the end Houston sold 44,000 and was just 6,000 ahead of the incoming “No Limit” setting up an interesting battle next week, but more than that Houston now passes Jennifer Rush to make “I Will Always Love You” the biggest selling single ever by a female solo act. West End Featuring Sybil hold at No 3 (35,000) unable to keep their runner up position till the weekend and with its sales down it now looks unlikely to be a chart topper.

 

 

 

The debut album from East 17 is out at the end of the month but in the meantime their third single “Deep” proves to be their biggest hit as it soars 12-5 (25,000). It again comes from the hand of vocalist Tony Mortimer and makes up for the disappointment of their last single “Gold” only making No 28, now with 2 top 10 singles they can legitimately say they are rivals to the current teen champs Take That who themselves release a new single in a fortnight. It was originally given to clubs under the moniker “Levi & Friends” to gain substantive credibility pre release after record company concerns that the band had failed to ignite commercially.

 

 

 

Talking of teen fave’s that’s a description which would have fitted Duran Duran ten years ago but their stock has somewhat fallen since then with their last top 10 hit back in the 80s, indeed their last single “Serious” became their first to fail to hit the top 40. The emergence of “Ordinary World” as a hit is therefore something of a surprise, it climbs 11-6 (25,000) to become their biggest hit in 8 years with an album to follow which was also go head to head with East 17 in a few weeks! It’s their 13th top 10 single for the group which are now a quartet.

 

 

 

M People’s debut album “Northern Soul” generated four top 40 singles in 1991/92 but none made it beyond No 29 and one of those songs “How Can I Love You More” has been remixed by DJ Sasha and turned into a chart hit finally as it debuts at No 9 (15,000). The album actually failed to chart despite strong sales in the north of the UK but will be re-issued next month to include the new mixes of this single.

 

 

Also seeing their album re-issued are Snap! but “Exterminate” is already fading 2-4 (27,000) while both Usura and Beloved hold tight at No ‘s 7 (18,000) and 8 (17,000) respectively while Sister Sledge slump 5-10 (15,000)

 

 

1- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (44,000)

2- NO LIMIT- 2 Unlimited (38,000)

3- THE LOVE I LOST- West End Ft Sybil (35,000)

4- EXTERMINATE- Snap! Featuring Niki Harris (27,000)

5- DEEP- East 17 (25,000)

6- ORDINARY WORLD- Duran Duran (25,000)

7- OPEN YOUR MIND- Usura (18,000)

8- SWEET HARMONY- The Beloved (17,000)

9- HOW CAN I LOVE YOU MORE (REMIXES)- M People (15,000)

10- WE ARE THE FAMILY (93 REMIXES)- Sister Sledge (15,000)

 

13TH FEBRUARY

 

 

Britain has its first Dutch born chart topper in 17 years today as 2 Unlimited grab the top spot from Whitney Houston after ten weeks at the top. “No Limit” was never challenged as it brought in 51,000 buyers to give the duo their first chart topper after 5 singles two of which peaked at No 2, their second album is currently being worked on but should now be a substantial hit given this fine start.

 

 

For the outgoing No 1 from Whitney Houston she can boast sales of 1,208,000 as it goes double platinum in the week it gets demoted and selling 38,000 last week, “The Bodyguard” remains at No 1 on the compilation chart and also houses Whitney’s new single” I’m Every Woman” which will in all likelihood be in the top 10 next week.

 

 

No 1 on the box office charts at present is “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and these days you can’t have a film without a hit single, cue Annie Lennox’s “Love Song For A Vampire” which has been teamed with “Little Bird” a cut from her “Diva” album. To be fair she’s filmed promos for both sides including the latter track which features Lennox re-enacting her previous images. The Utah Saints remix of “Little Bird” has been going down a storm in the clubs all of which help the song debut at No 3 (36,000) and posing an immediate threat to 2 Unlimited. It becomes her biggest solo it and highest placed single to feature her since Eurythmics hit the top in 1985.

 

 

 

Ever wanted to have 12 interpretations of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”? Well if so try to catch the new Rolf Harris album as it will contain just that, it is of course a cover of the 1971 Led Zeppelin original which was never a single for the band though it made No 8 in a version by Far Corporation 8 years ago. Rolf’s version was one of 26 interpretations performed on the Australian chat show “The Money Or The Gun” and on release plows straight in at No 9 (16,000) and marks Harris’s first chart hit since “Two Little Boys” made No 1 24 years ago and fourth top 10 hit overall.

 

 

M People inch 9-8 (18,000) but there’s no other good news in the top 10, West End Featuring Sybil drop 3-4 (32,000) but keep East 17 (31,000) and Duran Duran (25,000) at bay directly below them. Beloved drop 8-10 (15,000) and Snap! drop 4-7 (19,000) as their re-issued album “Madman’s Return” gets a berth at No 8.

 

 

1- NO LIMIT- 2 Unlimited (51,000)

2- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (38,000)

3- LITTLE BIRD/ LOVE SONG FOR A VAMPIRE- Annie Lennox (36,000)

4- THE LOVE I LOST- West End Ft Sybil (32,000)

5- DEEP- East 17 (31,000)

6- ORDINARY WORLD- Duran Duran (25,000)

7- EXTERMINATE!- Snap! Featuring Niki Harris (19,000)

8- HOW CAN I LOVE YOU MORE (REMIX)- M People (18,000)

9- STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN- Rolf Harris (16,000)

10- SWEET HARMONY- The Beloved (15,000)

 

Another chart tomorrow

Love this Annie Lennox era, she really burst back to the top with her solo material!

I thought they'd skipped an episode yesterday and wasn't sure why. The post above makes it clear...

 

Little Bird is my favourite by Annie, great song. Also No Limit is a classic, it really bangs with intent, what a bassline *.* It just sounds like a No.1, so not surprised it got there.

Edited June 18, 20223 yr by gooddelta

Absolutely adore the AA of Little Bird and Love Song For a Vampire, was a great single and I was definitely a fan of the Utah Saints mix at the time