It was the same in the 1970s. Genesis, ELO, Queen and 10cc released one album pretty much every year and still went on world tours.

the only redeeming factor is that most 80s albums are short, many even have 8-9 tracks

so maybe easier to make than the bloated 16-track alums we have nowadays

Edited September 10, 20231 yr by Bjork

2ND NOVEMBER

 

 

Sometimes it’s all about timing, had A-ha sold 101,558 in most weeks this year it could easily have been a chart topper, but as it is it has come up against a phenomenon hit in the shape of Jennifer Rush's "Power Of Love". It therefore languishes still in the runner up spot after Rush sold a mighty 133,484 (a reduction of a mere 17%) and in truth A-Ha have halved the deficit on the No 1 in a week. Rush meanwhile also moves 5-2 on the YTD chart and should easily become the biggest seller of 1985 next week and the million doesn’t look beyond it either as it almost crosses the 750,000 mark.

 

 

 

Duran Duran may be a hiatus at present but the group members have been very active with Andy and John Taylor forming Power station and scoring two top 30 singles with a third out this week, meanwhile the other half (Simon Le Bon, Roger Taylor, and Nick Rhodes) have formed Arcadia which, though slower to deliver the music, have now scored the bigger hit of the two splinter groups as “Election Day” thunders 14-7 (35,428) this week. An album “So Red The Rose” will be out at the end of November and features guest spots from Sting, Dave Gilmour, Herbie Hancock, and Grace Jones who provides the backing vocals and spoken interlude on the current single.

 

 

 

The album “World Machine” can’t move in its second week at No 10 but Level 42 aren’t disparaged as they score a second top 10 single with “Something About You” this week. Their only previous trip into the big 10 was back in 1983 with “The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)” peaked at No 10 but they go better now with the current hit bursting 13-9 (34,102) and thusly becomes their biggest hit. The video features a guest role for actress Cheri Lunghi for those with an interest.

 

 

Colonel Abrams maintains the No 3 position in a static top 3 but he takes a heavy hit sales wise 15% to 61,642 and is pushed this week by a fast climbing Elton John 9-4 (54,485), the only other song to avoid falling is John Parr who holds at No 6 (38,658). Those falling are Madonna 4-5 (48,382), Jan Hammer 5-8 (35,156) and Simple Minds 7-10 (29,274) but they do score the No 1 album today with “Once Upon A Time”.

 

1- THE POWER OF LOVE- Jennifer Rush (133,484)

2- TAKE ON ME- A-ha! (101,558)

3- TRAPPED- Colonel Abrams (61,642)

4- NIKITA- Elton John (54,485)

5- GAMBLER- Madonna (48,382)

6- ST ELMO’S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION)- John Parr (38,658)

7- ELECTION DAY- Arcadia (35,428)

8- MIAMI VICE THEME- Jan Hammer (35,156)

9- SOMETHING ABOUT YOU- Level 42 (34,102)

10- ALIVE AND KICKING- Simple Minds (29,274)

 

I only like some of Level 42s songs they were a bit generic but 'Something About You' is one of their best.

 

I kinda agree, even True Blue or Like a Virgin are 1/2 filler

 

but the release speed was insane

bands like Eurythmics or Depeche Mode for instance they were releasing 1 album every 12 months

just checked and Elton John released 9 proper studio albums in the 80s, 9 studio albums in 10 years is bonkers

 

Dont know about albums but the singles chart doesnt seem as fast as late 90s/early 2000s.

 

The singles chart has never been as fast as 1996 - 2006 (ish).

 

Can’t say I have ever liked The Power Of Love.

9TH NOVEMBER

 

 

The top 2 again form a stranglehold on the top of the charts which no-one can yet pass but they are both in retreat and certainly won’t be there next week. The headline however is that “The Power of Love” becomes the joint longest chart topper of 1985 (“19” is the other track) as it makes it 5 weeks atop the pile, it also sells 103,343 (a drop of 21% week on week) and also brings its total to 847,450 making it easily the best seller of the year and indeed the 15th biggest seller of the 80s so far! Its also the longest running female solo No 1 in 15 years! Once again her main challengers were A-ha who themselves took a sales drop of 11% to 89,726 but have now sold 356,099 and should clear half a million before the year end.

 

 

 

Below them Elton John nudges 4-3 (79,781) but the far bigger climber is Feargal Sharkey whose “Good Heart” piles in 12-4 (59,517). It’s his third single since going solo from the Undertones and is written by Lone Justice singer Maria McKee about her relationship with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers keyboard player Benmont Tench, you can’t fault Sharkey’s choice of songwriters, his first hit came from the hand of Madness member Carl Smyth, his second by Human Leaguer Jo Callis and now we have this single. His previous songs peaked at No 23 and No 26 respectively so he seems to have struck lucky finally as this outperforms anything he made with the Undertones though of course he did make No 4 back in 1983 on The Assembly’s “Never Never”, the album is due in a fortnight! One more thing of interest seems to be the proliferation of big stars on backing vocals these days with Grace Jones featuring on the current Arcadia single (No 10, 27,914) coupled with George Michael on the Elton track and on Sharkey’s track backing vocals come with thanks to Boy George, and for extra credibility it is co-produced by Eurythmic David Stewart.

 

 

 

UB40’s last single “I Got You Babe” as their second chart topper, but in an unusual twist of fate the instrumental B-side to that single “Theme From Labour Of Love” has now been given lyrics and finds itself as their new single “Don’t Break My Heart” which accelerates 19-7 (33,269). Parent album “Baggariddim” peaked at No 14 but has performed badly spending just a fortnight in the top 20 though it does respond well to the current single success by climbing 45-33.

 

 

Level 42 have to be happy with “Something About You” shooting 9-6 (41,616) though it can’t catch Colonel Abrams 3-5 (49,317), other fallers are Madonna 5-8 (32,912) and John Parr 6-9 (28,526).

 

 

1- THE POWER OF LOVE- Jennifer Rush (103,343)

2- TAKE ON ME- A-Ha! (89,726)

3- NIKITA- Elton John (79,781)

4- A GOOD HEART- Feargal Sharkey (59,517)

5- TRAPPED- Colonel Abrams (49,317)

6- SOMETHING ABOUT YOU- Level 42 (41,616)

7- DON’T BREAK MY HEART- UB40 (33,269)

8- GAMBLER- Madonna (32,912)

9- ST ELMO’S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION)- John Parr (28,526)

10- ELECTION DAY- Arcadia (27,914)

 

Never been a fan of that Feargal Sharkey song :(

I always find myself singing it non stop when I hear it!

I have to say I only like a few UB40 tracks but DBMH is one of their finest and showed (when they put their minds to it) they could write a decent track themselves.

Agreed it’s probably my favourite after the Elvis cover!

16TH NOVEMBER

 

 

The UK, it seems, was ready for a new No 1 and even without TOTP “A Good Heart” has little trouble brushing “The Power Of Love” aside as it moves to the top on a sale of 86,139. It was aided by the arrival of two albums by acts with singles higher than Sharkey last week, namely Jennifer Rush and Elton John whose albums debut at No 7 and No 3 respectively which in turn affects their singles performance. Rush falls 1-2 (77,503) and John 3-4 (69,683), sandwiched in between are A-ha who start their own slow descent down the charts 2-3 (70,057) and UB40 complete the top 5 as they climb 7-5 (49,606).

 

 

 

Three new hits lower down the top 10 to interest us, first up is the Far Corporation. The name is a contraction of the Frank Farian Corporation, Farian of course was the man behind Boney M, he constructed the current group to promote a version of Paul Simon’s “Mother And Child Reunion” for charity and which has already been top 10 in some European countries though it flopped here. They’ve now covered the Led Zeppelin classic “Stairway To Heaven” which has somewhat unbelievably never been a hit single before in the UK in the main as the group never released it on 45, but in its current version it is now a UK top 10 single jetting 16-8 (27,370). The corporation incidentally includes some members of Toto if they look familiar!

 

 

 

Queen’s 15th top 10 single is only their 4th to debut in the top 10, debuting as it does at No 9 (26,503). “One Vision” is the first Queen single in 11 months and the first to be released from their as yet untitled album due sometime next year, the video recreates the promo in part from “Bohemian Rhapsody” recalling classic Queen, of course their turn at Live Aid is popularly thought to have been one of the standout moments and perhaps their high new entry is a reflection of their sterling performance.

 

 

 

The Eurythmics success story continues unabated with their eighth top 10 single from their last ten releases and this time they rope in soul legend Aretha Franklin on their new single “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves”. It’s a third release from the “Be Yourself Tonight” album which has sold over 300,000 copies and the track was originally penned by the duo with Tina Turner in mind but when she wasn’t available Aretha had to do! Relations in the studio were apparently not great between Franklin and Lennox with some lyrical rewrites having to be done before recording. Three members of The Heartbreakers provide instrumentation on the track including a certain Benmont Trench whose relationship with Maria Mckee is of course the inspiration for the current No 1 “A Good Heart”- small world Pop. The single charges 18-10 (24,225) this week.

 

 

Level 42 hold at No 6 (43,000) and Colonel Abrams dips 5-7 (28,645) to round the top 10 off. This is by the way the first top 10 in 24 weeks not to feature a Madonna single- an amazing feat.

 

 

1- A GOOD HEART- Feargal Sharkey (86,139)

2- THE POWER OF LOVE- Jennifer Rush (77,503)

3- TAKE ON ME- A-ha! (70,057)

4- NIKITA- Elton John (69,683)

5- DON’T BREAK MY HEART- UB40 (49,606)

6- SOMETHING ABOUT YOU- Level 42 (42,313)

7- TRAPPED- Colonel Abrams (28,645)

8- STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN- Far Corporation (27,370)

9- ONE VISION- Queen (26,503)

10- SISTERS ARE DOIN’ IT FOR THEMSELVES- Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin (24,225)

 

23RD NOVEMBER

 

 

Out in front from the off Feargal Sharkey romps home to an easy second week as the nation’s best seller selling 115,923 into the bargain, that figure might be less than you’d expect but it is impacted upon by the release if his debut solo album which hits the No 12 spot this week.

 

 

 

His reign is already in threat however from the highest new entry in the charts this week for a returning Wham! The group have been absent from the UK charts all year but as we all know they’ve been far from idle grabbing three consecutive No 1 singles in the US and making headlines becoming the first western band to play in communist China which was quite a sting for the band. There are rumours that the duo are in the fray for a certain soft drink advert, no surer a sign that the group may have even surpassed their old rivals Culture Club and Duran Duran over there. “I’m Your Man” debuts at No 2 equalling their best ever start when their last single “Everything She Wants/ Last Christmas” did the same, they’ll be hoping that this track doesn’t spend 5 weeks at No 2 though- it sold 73,202 last week.

 

 

 

The only other new track sneaks in 12-10 (27,200) for Talking Heads, it’s been a long time coming with the group forming in 1975, releasing their first single in 1977 and so far only one UK top 40 hit to their name, 1981’s “Once In A Lifetime” which made No 14. The group went on a temporary hiatus shortly after that hit with some members forming Tom Tom Club who of course scored two top 40 hits of their own, but the group are now together to score their biggest hit “Road To Nowhere”, it’s the second single from their sixth album “Little Creatures” which peaked at No 10 on release back in June and which shows little sign of being perked up by the single this week dropping 32-37. This release does however significantly improve on the performance of the first single from the album “The Lady Don’t Mind” which faltered at No 81.

 

 

UB40 bound upward 5-3 (56,423) and Queen follow suit 9-7 (41,956) though they would doubtless have hoped for better, and Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin nip 10-9 (28,594) so all three can celebrate. Making way for them are Jennifer Rush 2-4 (46,257) which brings her total to 971,210 and firmly on course for a million within a few weeks, A-ha dip 3-5 (43,367) as they near the half million mark, Elton John slips 4-6 (42,296) and Level 42 topple 6-8 (35,190). For John “Nikita” now becomes his biggest selling single of the decade as it hits 297,874,overtaking the former holder of the former leader “I’m Still Standing”- there’s life in the old dog yet.

 

 

 

1- A GOOD HEART- Feargal Sharkey (115,923)

2- I’M YOUR MAN- Wham! (73,202)

3- DON’T BREAK MY HEART- UB40 (56,423)

4- THE POWER OF LOVE- Jennifer Rush (46,257)

5- TAKE ON ME- A-ha! (43,367)

6- NIKITA- Elton John (42,296)

7- ONE VISION- Queen (41,956)

8- SOMETHING ABOUT YOU- Level 42 (35,190)

9- SISTERS ARE DOIN’ IT FOR THEMSELVES- Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin (28,594)

10- ROAD TO NOWHERE- Talking Heads (27,200)

 

 

We’re a month away from the Christmas chart so it’s time to take our traditional look at the hot favourites for this year’s title!

 

BAND AID- DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? Yes the bookies favourite by a mile this is getting re-issued in hopes it can again top the festive tree, a new artwork and a new b-side could entice new buyers.

 

WHAM!- LAST CHRISTMAS

PAUL MCCARTNEY/ FROG CHORUS- WE ALL STAND TOGETHER- Well if we’re re-issuing DTKIC then why not these two? Could it be the same top 3 as last year, it should be noted that Wham! are following Band Aid’s lead with a new b-side, the McCartney release is a straightforward re-issue of the 84 package.

 

ALED JONES- WALKING IN THE AIR- Already released and entering at a lowly No 85, watch out for this which is by Welsh Choir boy Aled Jones- could get the Kids vote as it features in the Channel 4 film “The Snowman”. It will be up against the Peter Auty version which is being re-issued.

 

MADONNA- DRESS YOU UP- The woman can do no wrong this year- this might be a release too far from the year old “Like A Virgin” album but then she’s broken so many records this year maybe another is possible?

 

SHAKIN STEVENS- MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE- A seasonal offering for Shaky who was the Christmas No 2 back in 1982, can he go one better this year?

 

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN- SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN TO TOWN- Another artist who’s made a big splash this year as what’s to say his festive take on this old favourite couldn’t be a surprise chart topper?

 

File under novelty/ outside bet:

 

 

WHITE CHRISTMAS- Keith Harris & Orville

LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS- Mud

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY- Slade

SO NEAR TO CHRISTMAS- Alvin Stardust

WHITE CHRISTMAS- Bing Crosby

OH BLIMEY IT’S CHRISTMAS- Frank Sidebottom

ABIDE WITH ME- Inspirational Choir

HOKEY COKEY- Black Lace

 

So um…take your pick?

Mud, Bing and Slade getting reissues?

30TH NOVEMBER

 

 

Wham! make it three No 1 singles from their last 4 releases as “I’m Your Man” makes the expected ascent to the top on a sale of 100,895, a marked comedown on the numbers of their last single, but then given the Christmas market it was released into then perhaps that isn’t a shock. The real story however the sterling defence of his crown that Feargal Sharkey put up when no-one expected it! "A Good Heart" lagged well behind as the week started but reduced the Wham! lead substantially day by day and ended up just 2,312 sales short on 98,583- a reduction of a mere 14%.

 

 

 

A very healthy intake of four new tracks this week to get through, the highest which comes from former Wham! backing singer Dee C Lee who left the band back in 1983 to become a solo act as well as becoming a semi regular in the Style Council as backing vocalist. She’s released three solo singles which all failed to make the charts but fourth time lucky as “See The Day” becomes a substantial hit rising 18-4 (37,213) and probably makes that debut album a reality now. She’s not left the Style council behind at any rate and to prove that fact the b-side is her version of the band’s “Paris Match” with Style Council supporting her including Weller who is of course her boyfriend into the bargain.

 

 

 

 

Sampling the theme from the Children’s TV show “Inspector Gadget” hip hop act Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew are also new as they jet 12-7 (29,920). Though some connoisseurs in the field have decried the single as novelty and throw away it’s clear the UK public love the song making that flight over from the states for TOTP all worth it for the boys.

 

 

 

Next up is an interesting one, Whitney Houston was raised in gospel circles in the US with a pretty star studied family line up with her mother being the gospel singer Cissy Houston, her first cousin Dionne Warwick, godmother Darlene Love and honorary godmother Aretha Franklin. Her industry routes led to a backing vocal on Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” before Houston found fame as a model in the early 80s, she’s now returned to music though her first two releases here failed to ignite. The sultry “Saving All My Love For You” certainly hasn’t failed though, it’s co-written by the great Gerry Goffin and was originally a 1978 release for Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr though it did nothing here, but now Houston’s version storms 23-9 (29,291) and has already hit the top in the US last month winning rave reviews for her clear ability to belt a note out!

 

 

 

Talking of Marilyn’s we’ve got another one at No 10 this time Marilyn Martin who has teamed up with Phil Collins for “Separate Lives” the current American chart topper incidentally. It’s taken from the film “White Nights” starring Helen Mirren which is also home to the song at No 11 this week Lionel Richie’s “Say You Say Me”. Collins’s history on film soundtrack’s is quite good given his theme “Against All Odds” went to No 2 last year and topped the US chart, well this one has already done likewise in the states so can this make No 2 here?

 

 

The top 2 were well clear of UB40 who hold at No 3 (45,798) as they gently fade at retail, Jennifer Rush continues her slide 4-5 (31,297) but has now become the decade's 10th million seller!, and Queen dip 7-8 (29,835) but better news for Talking Heads as they advance 10-6 (31,280) with eyes on the top 3 next week.

 

 

 

1- I’M YOUR MAN- Wham! (100,895)

2- A GOOD HEART- Feargal Sharkey (98,583)

3- DON’T BREAK MY HEART- UB40 (45,798)

4- SEE THE DAY- Dee.C.Lee (37,213)

5- THE POWER OF LOVE- Jennifer Rush (31,297)

6- ROAD TO NOWHERE- Talking Heads (31,280)

7- THE SHOW- Doug E Fresh/ Get Fresh Show (29,920)

8- ONE VISION- Queen (29,835)

9- SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU- Whitney Houston (29,291)

10- SEPARATE LIVES- Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin (28,339)

 

Catching up:

 

'See The Day' is great, I used to think it was a 60s song.

 

'Imyourman' (as it is styled on the single cover) is quite good and also going down the 60s revival route in a different way.

 

'Saving All My Love For You' is a nice song.

 

'Road to Nowhere' is very good, the lyrical themes are interesting and the instrumental style reminds me of Dexy's Midnight Runners.

 

'Sisters are Doing It For Themselves' is iconic lyrically of course.

 

'A Good Heart' is quite good and Feargal Sharkey has a distinctive voice but the song's a bit slow and ponderous, almost another power ballad.

 

'Don't Break My Heart' is a good song.

 

'The Show' sampling the Inspector Gadget theme tune is like Toytown Techno 6 years early!

Edited September 14, 20231 yr by TheSnake

I have never heard The Show before :lol:

 

I guess it sort of works but I’m not totally sold on first listen

The Show is an…….experience! :lol:

love See the Day, great song

also nice to see the first ever Whitney top 10

7TH DECEMBER

 

 

Wham! hold at the top this week but they are fading sales wise with just 90,219 copies flying over the counter to bring its three week total to 264,316 which might cause some minor alarm with the group though they have hardly been all over television promoting it so that might explain it. They were also substantively clear of the field giving them a much easier gap at the top than last week.

 

 

 

Only one new entry in the big 10, and that’s from Lionel Richie who we mentioned last week. “Say You Say Me” rises 11-9 (22,763) and is another track featured in the “White Nights” film but is not available on the soundtrack album, Motown are apparently saving it for the next Richie album which was originally due in time for Christmas but has now been put back to spring 86 as some of the songs were scrapped. The song becomes Richie’s 6th top 10 single since leaving the Commodores but his first since “Hello” topped the charts 18 months ago.

 

 

So who could be Wham!’s successors? Well most likely is Whitney Houston who darts 9-2 (62,730) though she’ll be without TOTP this week, or Dee C Lee who only climbs 4-3 (60,707) both recording impressive increases of 116% and 63% respectively with Lee only pushed into third position at the death, Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin also climb 10-5 (46,206) whilst Doug E Fresh & Get Fresh Crew hold one place lower (30,600). Fallers this week include Feargul Sharkey 2-4 (58,497), UB40 3-6 (35,666), Talking Heads 6-8 (29,920) and lastly Jennifer Rush who falls 5-10.

 

She does however sell 22,644 in doing so and as noted last week, it is the tenth million seller of the decade but the first by a female soloist ever as she overtakes Julie Covington’s “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” as the biggest female solo record in UK chart history. It's double bad news from Tim Rice who co-wrote "I Know Him So Well" which was the best seller of the year until Rush overtook it, and the Julie Covington track which Rush has now eclipsed.

 

 

1- I’M YOUR MAN- Wham! (90,219)

2- SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU- Whitney Houston (62,730)

3- SEE THE DAY- Dee.C.Lee (60,707)

4- A GOOD HEART- Feargal Sharkey (58,497)

5- SEPARATE LIVES- Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin (46,206)

6- DON’T BREAK MY HEART- UB40 (35,666)

7- THE SHOW- Doug E Fresh/ Get Fresh Show (30,600)

8- ROAD TO NOWHERE- Talking Heads (29,920)

9- SAY YOU SAY ME- Lionel Richie (22,763)

10- THE POWER OF LOVE- Jennifer Rush (22,644)

 

That Whitney single has a really classically styled cover, it could be an old Billie Holiday or Nina Simone record