6TH AUGUST

 

 

No reprieve from the Wet, Wet, Wet onslaught this week as the double is once again completed. “Love Is All Around” actually increased sales again at No 1 to 88,000 meaning of course that it becomes the third million seller of the 90s on sales of 1,082,000 but the first of the decade, and indeed the first since Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “Relax” to reach the golden mark in a week where it increased sales.

 

 

Perhaps equally amazing is that the track’s lead over the rest of the field has become stronger in recent weeks and this week is 44,000 ahead of All-4-One’s “I Swear” which spends a record equaling 6th week at No 2 itself though it is badly fading, it’s also finally deposed from the top spot in the US after 11 weeks itself. Indeed the top end of the charts is looking stale at present with The BC52’s “Meet The Flintstones” staying at No 3 for a third week (42,000) with its sales slashed and Let Loose remaining frozen at No 4 (41,000). It’s closely packed so they could end up in any order next week.

 

China Black rise at No 5 (40,000) to become the greatest prospect of next week’s runner up at least, and Warren G & Nate Dogg slip 5-6 (36,000) feeling the impact of the album debut at No 25, below them are two tracks that refuse to die, Aswad lift 8-7 (25,000) and The Grid float 9-8 (21,000) though both weaken at retail so the climbs are illusionary.

 

 

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly first met on the set of Children’s BBC drama “Byker Grove” back in 1990 playing characters “PJ” and “Duncan”. and it was during a storyline for the pair in 1993 that they formed a band called “Grove Matrix” performing a track called “Tonight I’m Free” which got a subsequent release last year making No 62. The pair left the drama shortly before the release of the song and are now starting to forge a pop career proper with singles “Why Me” (No 27) and now “Let’s Get Ready To Rhumble” which nips 11-9 (19,000) under their television pseudonyms “PJ & Duncan”. It’s co-written by Nicky Graham who helped to pen many of Bros’s hits in the late 80s.

 

 

 

Their last single “Get-A-Way” scored Maxx a No 4 single back in May and they now offer up more with new single “No More (I Can’t Stand It)” debuts at No 10 (19,000). They’ll be hoping that it can revive their album “To The Maxximum” which arrived at No 66 then disappeared.

 

 

 

1- LOVE IS ALL AROUND- Wet, wet, wet (88,000)

2- I SWEAR- All-4-One (44,000)

3- (MEET) THE FLINTSTONES- The B-52’s (42,000)

4- CRAZY FOR YOU- Let Loose (41,000)

5- SEARCHING- China Black (40,000)

6- REGULATE- Warren G & Nate Dogg (36,000)

7- SHINE- Aswad (25,000)

8- SWAMP THING- The Grid (21,000)

9- LET’S GET READY TO RHUMBLE- PJ & Duncan (19,000)

10- NO MORE (I CAN’T STAND IT)- Maxx (19,000)

 

I like that Maxx song more than 'Get-A-Way' I think.

Bit of summer lull

That top10 needs a shake up

'Run to the Sun' is so so good :wub:

13TH AUGUST

 

 

We get a little movement in the top 5 this week at least but nothing is shifting Wet, wet, wet whose reign now extends to 11 wks, that’s the second longest continual run at the top beaten only by Bryan Adams’ 16 wk tenure back in 1991. Another 83,000 buyers paid for the song this week along with rumours that even the band themselves are getting tired of the track. Never before has a track spent 7 weeks at No 2 without making the top, but that changes this week as All-4-One’s “I Swear” remains the nearest challenger though it sold just 41,000, a mere matter of hundreds more than Let Loose who nudge 4-3 (40,000) and must now take advantage of “I Swear”’s weakness. China Black also edge up 5-4 (39,000) to take the initiative from the BC-52’s who drop 3-5 (36,000) but all the top 5 lose sales.

 

 

 

Looking around for the next No1? Well you might consider Jamaican DJ Red Dragon who has teamed up with in demand session singers Brian and Tony Gold (unrelated) to bring us “Compliments On Your Kiss”. It rides on the coat tails of the reggae movement as it climbs 12-7 (29,000).

 

 

 

Ever thought the charts lacked a dance version of 4 Non Blondes hit “What’s Up”? It doesn’t anymore as a new version of the No 2 hit from 1993 arrives straight in at No 10 (19,000) for Italian DJ Monier Quartararo Gagliardo who is known as DJ Miko for this track. The song has already been turned into a dance track thanks to a German outfit called Minnesota who had a minor European hit with the hit at the end of 1993 but bombed here, Miko’s version comes with vocals from English singer Louise Gard.

 

 

Warren G & Nate Dogg are showing great tenacity as they hold at No 6 (33,000) but Maxx must be disappointed as they can only move 10-8 (22,000).

 

 

1- LOVE IS ALL AROUND- Wet, wet, wet (83,000)

2- I SWEAR- All-4-One (41,000)

3- CRAZY FOR YOU- Let Loose (40,000)

4- SEARCHING- China Black (39,000)

5- (MEET) THE FLINTSTONES- The B-52’s (36,000)

6- REGULATE- Warren G & Nate Dogg (33,000)

7- COMPLIMENTS ON YOUR KISS- Red Dragon with Brian & Tony Gold (29,000)

8- NO MORE (I CAN’T STAND IT)- Maxx (22,000)

9- LET’S GET READY TO RHUMBLE- PJ & Duncan (19,000)

10- WHAT’S UP- DJ Miko (19,000)

 

DJ Miko version definitely not great although it likely inspired the much later 'Heyyeyaaeyaaaeyaeyaa' meme online, which of course was another eurodance version of the song.

Edited May 1, 20232 yr by TheSnake

Really dislike the dance cover of What's Up.

 

Iconic to see PJ and Duncan top 10 there, who knew what the future would hold for those two! I like all of the top five there although some of them are getting a bit long in the tooth at this point.

 

How on earth did Love Is All Around have such consistently high sales for so long!?

That dance version of What’s Up is bonkers. Literally never heard it before!

That dance version of What’s Up is bonkers. Literally never heard it before!

 

Not as bonkers as Adam ft Amy's dance version of The Cranberries' Zombie in 1995 but alas that only made #16.

Edited May 1, 20232 yr by TheSnake

In your summary of the 13th August you say that " never before has a track spent 7 weeks at number 2 without making the top" however

 

Pat Boone spent 7 weeks at peak of number 2 with Love Letters In The Sand in 1957

 

In 1953 Frank Chaksfield and his Orchestra spent 8 weeks at peak of number 2 with Terry's Theme From 'Limelight'

Think that was the first 7 consecutive week run at #2

ouch that version of Whats Up :/

 

was the success of Love is all around due to the movie? cos I really cannot see its appeal

Yeah that cover of 'What's Up' really wasn't necessary. I had no idea they had released a couple so soon after the Non Blondes one tbh.

ouch that version of Whats Up :/

 

was the success of Love is all around due to the movie? cos I really cannot see its appeal

Yes. The song and the movie were omnipresent at the time!

I can totally see why it caught on in such a big way, even if I don't personally like it myself.

20TH AUGUST

 

 

If you’re getting sick and tired of seeing “Love Is All Around” at the top then there’s little solace in this week’s chart, they’ve done the double for a fourth week on the trot and sales of the single are amazingly heading back up! In its 12th week at the top it sold 89,000 copies to being its cumulative haul to 1,254,000 with its sight set firmly on the only two singles to outsell it in the 90s so far, Whitney’s “I Will Always Love You” (1.36 million) and Bryan Adams “Everything I Do” (1.53 million).

 

 

If you’re hoping for Let Loose to unseat them then you’ll be disappointed, “Crazy For You” does indeed finally dislodge All-4-One from the No 2 spot after a record breaking 7 weeks but it only sold 52,000 to perform the feat, it itself has sold 267,000 copies already so have may have reached as far as its going.

 

As mentioned All-4-One drop 2-3 (39,000) but celebrate their 500,000th sale as they do, China Black hold at No 4 (37,000) and Red Dragon rise 7-5 (36,000).

 

 

Perhaps for the first time ever a song has reached the top 10 which is sung in three dialects, in this case French, English, and Wolof, a North African language. The song in question is “7 Seconds” which is sung by Youssou N’Dour and Neneh Cherry, N’Dour rose to fame as a featured artist on Peter Gabriel’s “So” album after rising to prominence in his native Senegal, for Cherry it marks a return to the top 10 for the third time but the first in four years. Her second album “Homebrew” was something of a commercial failure after the mighty “Raw Like Sushi” but she now finds herself on a major hit, in an age of increasingly faster hits where songs debut in the top 10 with regularity it is also something of an old fashioned climber having moved 40-35-36-26-24-24-18-11-8 over the last two months selling 25,000 in the last frame.

 

 

 

The term “Brit Pop” has been used over recent months to identify the sound of a group of bands such as Blur and Suede which have all at times been the next big thing in indie circles. Add to those names Oasis, the Manchester band have been scoring increasingly bigger hits as “Supersonic” made No 31 then “Shakermaker” went to No 11 and now third single “Live Forever” debuts at No 10 (18,000). All three are housed in their forthcoming debut album “Definitely Maybe” due next month.

 

 

DJ Miko rises 10-6 (25,000) as he rises above Warren G & Nate Dogg who fall 6-7 (25,000) and The BC-52’s who dive 5-9 (19,000).

 

 

1- LOVE IS ALL AROUND- Wet, wet, wet (89,000)

2- CRAZY FOR YOU- Let Loose (52,000)

3- I SWEAR- All-4-One (39,000)

4- SEARCHING- China Black (37,000)

5- COMPLIMENTS ON YOUR KISS- Red Dragon Ft Brian & Tony Gold (36,000)

6- WHAT’S UP- DJ Miko (25,000)

7- REGULATE- Warren G & Nate Dogg (25,000)

8- 7 SECONDS- Youssou N’Dour Ft Neneh Cherry (25,000)

9- (MEET) THE FLINTSTONES- The B-52’s (19,000)

10- LIVE FOREVER- Oasis (18,000)

 

27TH AUGUST

 

 

Wet, wet, wet are finally dethroned at the top of the charts, of the album charts at least where they succumb to Prince. In the single charts however “Love Is All Around” continues to dominate the chart for a 13th week with sales down just 7% to 82,000, its consistency is truly bewildering and quite where it is generating buyers from is beyond me now but at 1.3 million it really is a phenomenon.

 

 

Below them Let Loose hold at No 2 (50,000) but they are receding, Red Dragon are the new challengers regent as they move 5-3 (44,000) but aren’t increasing at the kind of rate to worry the Wets, but keep an eye on the outsiders Youssou N’Dour & Neneh Cherry who march 8-4 (36,000) after that long wait to get into the big 10.

 

 

Available on white vinyl at the beginning of the year and lifting the rift from Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, Tinman (real name DJ Paul Dakeyne) had a club hit with the dancetastic “Eighteen Strings” though naturally it fell foul of the lawyers and had to be re-recorded this time using the very similar riff from the Monkees “Stepping Stone” which is apparently just one note away! The track moves 11-9 (21,000) this week.

 

 

China Black dip 4-5 (34,000), All-4-One slide 3-6 (30,000), DJ Miko reverses 6-7 (27,000) and Warren G & Nate Dogg resign 7-8 (25,000). Oasis find themselves unable to move despite the critical praise at No 10 (21,000).

 

 

1- LOVE IS ALL AROUND- Wet, wet, wet (82,000)

2- CRAZY FOR YOU- Let Loose (50,000)

3- COMPLIMENTS ON YOUR KISS- Red Dragon Ft Brian & Tony Gold (44,000)

4- 7 SECONDS- Youssou N’Dour Ft Neneh Cherry (36,000)

5- SEARCHING- China Black (34,000)

6- I SWEAR- All-4-One (30,000)

7- WHAT’S UP- DJ Miko (27,000)

8- REGULATE- Warren G & Nate Dogg (25,000)

9- EIGHTEEN STRINGS- Tinman (21,000)

10- LIVE FOREVER- Oasis (21,000)

 

They skipped one last week, so one more to come (with Parklife at 10)! Thanks Gezza!

 

No idea why one was skipped?

3RD SEPTEMBER

 

 

A chink has at last appeared in the otherwise ever persistent “Love Is All Around” as it loses a further 5% to record 77,000 sales last week, the first time it has sold under the 80,000 mark since it was No 2 way back in May. It has now sold a breath taking 1,413,000 as it moves past Whitney Houston in terms of 90s singles with only Bryan Adams ahead of them and even he is only 120,000 in the lead. With a 14th week at the top for “Love Is All Around” this week, the Wets have now spent 22 weeks at No 1 in their career more than any group apart from ABBA and The Beatles, and to top it all “End Of Part One- Their Greatest Hits” returns to the top!

 

 

Nothing currently in the charts looks like catching them yet, Red Dragon move 3-2 (49,000) replacing Let Loose (42,000) but they seem to have plateaued and even Youssou N’Dour and Neneh Cherry come to a halt at No 4 (42,000).

 

 

 

 

The current US chart topper makes a sensational debut at No 6 (30,000), yes Boyz II Men are back with a second album and lead single “I’ll Make Love To You” which is just the kind of ballad you’d expect from them. It’s written and produced by Babyface and the and will doubtless hoping to emulate the success of 1992’s “End Of The Road” which spent 3 weeks at No 1.

 

 

 

When the indie press isn’t praising Suede and Oasis they’re praising Blur who have been the surprise package of the year. The album “Parklife” became their first chart topper and has thus far sold over 200,000 copies without dipping out of the top 15 in 18 weeks, lead single “Girls & Boys” became their biggest hit earlier this year when it made No 5 and though follow up “To The End” stopped at No 16 the title track of their album goes much better debuting at No 10 (21,000) this week. It comes with a rather memorable video featuring actor Phil Daniels which has already become something of an anthem for the “Britpop” movement which seems to be gaining strength in terms of chart impact.

 

 

China Black show consistency at No 5 (34,000) whilst All-4-One continue their gentle descent 6-7 (28,000) and also slipping a place are DJ Miko 7-8 (23,000) and Warren G & Nate Dogg 8-9 (23,000) but “Regulate” has now spent 7 weeks in the top 10 without going higher than No 5 with sales now totaling almost 200,000.

 

Next week promises to be a very interesting one with Boyz II Men pushing hard and a certain Kylie Minogue returning to the fray!

 

1- LOVE IS ALL AROUND- Wet, wet, wet (77,000)

2- COMPLIMENTS ON YOUR KISS- Red Dragon Ft Brian & Tony Gold (49,000)

3- CRAZY FOR YOU- Let Loose (42,000)

4- 7 SECONDS- Youssou N’Dour Ft Neneh Cherry (42,000)

5- SEARCHING- China Black (34,000)

6- I’LL MAKE LOVE TO YOU- Boyz II Men (30,000)

7- I SWEAR- All-4-One (28,000)

8- WHAT’S UP- DJ Miko (23,000)

9- REGULATE- Warren G & Nate Dogg (23,000)

10- PARKLIFE- Blur (21,000)

 

7 Seconds, Live Forever and Parklife are 3 of my favourite songs of all time. Good to see 1994 picking up after a bit of a slump.