How galling that 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' was A) beaten by a pile of absolute shit and B) missed by such a small amount.

…and I’ve realised that it also finished higher on the year end chart. How annoying!

'Don't You (Forget Me)' is brilliant.

Tears For Fears missing out by less than 7% again!

oh very unlucky for TFF

 

really like the Simple Minds tracks but disappointed they didnt write it

 

not a fan of Bronski Beat, Jimmi Sommerville and his falsetto might be my least fav singer of the 80s

I always loved aul Jimmy and his falsetto lol!

 

Yup Simple Minds reaching their absolute peak with this single, they were all so different when they broke through and by the mid decade it was pure pop brilliance from them!

4TH MAY

 

 

Taking 11 weeks to ascend to the top Phyllis Nelson can finally celebrate as “Move Closer” makes the final move 3-1 (85,102). The song has now sold a healthy 289,561 as it reaches the summit and should be breaching the top 10 on the YTD list in the next few weeks, it outpaced USA for Africa quite easily ultimately and was 14,000 clear of its nearest rival. Some chart observers have been surprised by the relatively poor performance of “We Are The World” compared to “Do They Know It’s Christmas” given the calibre of stars on the record, it didn’t have the assistance of the Christmas market nor the novelty that the latter record had going for it, indeed not to mention that big UK stars featured on it, so perhaps it is not that big a surprise, still after 4 weeks on sale the song has sold just 244,868 and therefore already trails “Move Closer” in the YTD list, perhaps one of a handful of cases (re-issues aside) when the incoming No 1 was already ahead of the outgoing chart topper in terms of total sales. "Move Closer" is just the second track to be written and performed by the same woman after "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush, and just the fourth ever no 1 to be written by a solo female. Its rise so far of 28-19-14-8-4-3-1 is the first in the 80s never to feature a double digit climb within the top 40 where it was possible.

 

 

 

Debuting at No 4 is a record that will take some by surprise, especially if you haven’t been in a nightclub in a while, Paul Hardcastle has until now had four charting singles here but nothing that has managed to penetrate the top 40, now his track “19” debuts in the top 5 after selling 46,172. As noted, it has built up demand thanks to plays in the clubs and some radio support, most notably from Tony Blackburn on Radio London. The title refers to the average age of a soldier in Vietnam and has passages of dialogue lifted from the film “Vietnam Requiem” which inspired Hardcastle to make the track, it is an example of a new form of dance music using samples to construct a new song, it was further aided by the publicity around the 10th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. The success has even surprised the record company who haven’t even made a promo for the song yet, it was used on a recent documentary on ITV which helped with promotion after it flopped on first release back in January this year.

 

 

 

Topping the charts with two albums so far in their career, U2 are rapidly turning into a stadium filling act even though their singles record isn’t stunning. That’s starting to change now as their last single “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” became their biggest hit peaking at No 3 and selling almost 350,000 copies to date, and now the follow up single “The Unforgettable Fire” repeats the initial success of "Pride" by debuting at No 8 (33,235), it's the title track of their latest album and becomes their 3rd top 10 single.

 

 

Moving up this week are Bronski Beat and Marc Almond 7-5 (45,220) and Simple Minds 8-7 (37,638) but it’s bad news for Tears For Fears who slip 2-3 (56,848), Phil Collins ebbs 4-6 (44,370), Rah Band move 6-9 (32,878) and David Grant & Jaki Graham tumble 5-10 (32,453).

 

 

 

1- MOVE CLOSER- Phyllis Nelson (85,102)

2- WE ARE THE WORLD- USA For Africa (70,941)

3- EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD- Tears For Fears (56,848)

4- 19- Paul Hardcastle (46,172)

5- I FEEL LOVE (MEDLEY)- Bronski Beat/ Marc Almond (45,220)

6- ONE MORE NIGHT- Phil Collins (44,370)

7- DON’T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME- Simple Minds (37,638)

8- UNFORGETTABLE FIRE- U2 (33,235)

9- CLOUDS ACROSS THE MOON- Rah Band (32,878)

10- COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE- David Grant & Jaki Graham (32,453)

 

'19' is genius :wub: on paper a song about the average age of combat soldiers in the Vietnam War doesn't sound like the recipe for a club hit, but there we go :lol:

I was very surprised to find out that Paul Hardcastle wasn't American.

glad Move closer made it to 1

It's rise so far of 28-19-14-8-4-3-1 is the first in the 80s never to feature a double digit climb within the top 40 where it was possible.

So every #1 which entered outside the Top 10 in 1980-84 had at least one double-digit climb? I'd never given that a thought! A few only just managed one (e.g. Careless Whisper 12-2-1) but for a song entering as low as #28 to be the first without any in the 1980s is quite impressive. I wonder if any #1 in history has climbed from #40 without any, or entered lower without any on its way to #1 even below or when entering the Top 40...

19

I certainly think there's a bit of Ultravox and The Associates - Party Fears Two influence in the epic nature of that U2 track.

 

19 is certainly iconic.

Edited August 15, 20231 yr by TheSnake

Oh my post bothers me that it’s also an incorrect numerical statement

19 <333

Fixed it for you

:wub:

11TH MAY

 

 

Phyllis Nelson’s “Move Closer” increases sales by 18% to 100,113 yet it still yields to Paul Hardcastle who was unstoppable this week with “19” which increased by a much more impressive 207% to 141,950 as it sails past Nelson, radio support is also growing for the track after it was initially snubbed by many. That sale is the highest yet of 1985 incidentally, as is Nelson's sale for the runner up spot.

 

 

 

Former drummer and backing vocalist for US funk group Slave, Steve Arrington left the group in 1982 before branching out as a solo act and now gets his first taste of UK Chart action in the form of “Feel So Real”. The track moves 11-7 (32,912).

 

 

 

After the huge success of Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder Motown are on a roll currently and their newest stars, on the UK charts at least, are Debarge whose members are all siblings. The group achieved wide fame in the US after appearing on the “Motown 25” special which led to a support slot on the recent Luther Vandross tour and the recording of their current single “Rhythm Of The Night” which features on the new Motown film “The Last Dragon”. The song shoots 17-9 (30,294).

 

 

Marc Almond and Bronski Beat continue to improve 5-3 (40,953) as do U2 8-6 (34,714) but that’s the only real good news. Tears For Fears continue to slide gently 3-4 (37,876), USA For Africa dip 2-5 (37,247) as they fade quickly, Simple Minds ebb 7-8 (32,232) as they hit the top 3 stateside while Phil Collins is almost out 6-10 (29,699).

 

 

1- 19- Paul Hardcastle (141,950)

2- MOVE CLOSER- Phyllis Nelson (100,113)

3- I FEEL LOVE (MEDLEY)- Bronski Beat/ Marc Almond (40,953)

4- EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD- Tears For Fears (37,876)

5- WE ARE THE WORLD- USA For Africa (37,247)

6- UNFORGETTABLE FIRE- U2 (34,714)

7- I FEEL SO REAL- Steve Arrington (32,912)

8- DON’T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME- Simple Minds (32,232)

9- RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT- DeBarge (30,294)

10- ONE MORE NIGHT- Phil Collins (29,699)

 

Gah it's a shame Tears For Fears were denied the #1 by such a small margin.

 

19. :wub:

19 really is an iconic number 1!

Paul Hardcastle - the Calvin Harris of 1985

Taking 11 weeks to ascend to the top Phyllis Nelson can finally celebrate as “Move Closer” makes the final move 3-1 (85,102). The song has now sold a healthy 289,561 as it reaches the summit and should be breaching the top 10 on the YTD list in the next few weeks, it outpaced USA for Africa quite easily ultimately and was 14,000 clear of its nearest rival. Some chart observers have been surprised by the relatively poor performance of “We Are The World” compared to “Do They Know It’s Christmas” given the calibre of stars on the record, it didn’t have the assistance of the Christmas market nor the novelty that the latter record had going for it, indeed not to mention that big UK stars featured on it, so perhaps it is not that big a surprise, still after 4 weeks on sale the song has sold just 244,868 and therefore already trails “Move Closer” in the YTD list, perhaps one of a handful of cases (re-issues aside) when the incoming No 1 was already ahead of the outgoing chart topper in terms of total sales. "Move Closer" is just the second track to be written and performed by the same woman after "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush, and just the fourth ever no 1 to be written by a solo female. Its rise so far of 28-19-14-8-4-3-1 is the first in the 80s never to feature a double digit climb within the top 40 where it was possible.

 

 

Incredible information :wub: