I really like 'Living On Video' (sounds a lot like 90s eurodance instrumentally)

 

'Round and Around' is a really lovely song.

 

'Into The Groove' is very catchy and a good dancing track.

 

Not really a fan of the Tina and Dire Straits songs, both artists have way better songs.

"Money For Nothing" is certainly a song you couldn't release today! :D

10TH AUGUST

 

 

After Live Aid and a very public furore over some revealing pictures shown in Playboy last month. the Madonna bandwagon rolls on with a further week at No 1 with “Into The Groove” selling a mighty 139,060 copies last week, some 71,825 clear of the Eurythmics who hold the No 2 spot. Both Madonna albums are re-issued this week with her debut eponymous album re-titled “The First Album” it only peaked at No 37 during 1984 but it has already been selling well recently advancing 39-15 this week to reach a new peak and is also being helped by a re-issued “Holiday” which originally made No 6 last year and is now back 32-5 (35,955) to reach a new peak itself (though not a record tally in terms of weekly sales). It’s the second time this year that Madonna has achieved two top 10 hits simultaneously but the first that she’s had 40% of the top 5 to herself.

 

 

 

Talking about re-issues of old hits, former Generation X lead singer Billy Idol originally released “White Wedding” back in 1982 when pretty much no-one was interested, it gets a new lease of life now as it is used to promote Idol’s best of album “Vital Idol” which itself powers 53-32 on the album charts to achieve new heights. The single meanwhile does brisk business flying 11-6 (35,309) this week to easy outpace his only previous top 20 hit “Eyes Without A Face” last year.

 

 

 

UB40’s sixth album “Baggeriddim” is out next month and will be, in the main, re-recordings of their previous work with guest vocalists, to promote it they’ve also recorded a version of the Sonny & Cher 1965 No 1 single “I Got You Babe” which features the vocals of long time supporter of the group, Chrissie Hynde. The song rockets 22-7 (30,498) this week to become the band’s 8th top 10 single in 5 years.

 

 

Tina Turner holds at No 3 (60,469) but increased her sales significantly and could pose a threat to the top next week, Dire Straits leap 8-4 (36,992) but are way off the pace of the top 3. Three fallers to mention briefly, Kool & The Gang fall 7-8 (26,486), Opus fade 6-9 (26,418) and Sister Sledge are down 4-10 (25,194).

 

 

 

1- INTO THE GROOVE- Madonna (139,060)

2- THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART)- Eurythmics (67,235)

3- WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER HERO (THUNDERDOME)- Tina Turner (60,469)

4- MONEY FOR NOTHING- Dire Straits (36,992)

5- HOLIDAY- Madonna (35,955)

6- WHITE WEDDING- Billy Idol (35,309)

7- I GOT YOU BABE- UB40 & Chrissie Hynde (30,498)

8- CHERISH- Kool & The Gang (26,486)

9- LIVE IS LIFE- Opus (26,418)

10- FRANKIE- Sister Sledge (25,194)

 

crazy that Holiday went back into the top 5

I kinda like that I Got You Babe cover but only cos of Chrissie Hynde

not a big fan of Billy Idol

I love White Wedding! It’s so fun to dance to, completely OTT

Love Billy Idol!

17TH AUGUST

 

 

She’s getting married this week, and there can’t be many more gifts better than presenting her with a No 1 single? Yes the UK has a Madonna double this week on both charts, “Into The Groove” spends a third week at the top shifting a further 111,792 copies to bring its four week tally to 411,638 copies, she also has a new challenger to her throne, but don’t worry it’s only herself! Yes “Holiday” advances 5-2 (59,381) to become a much bigger at the second time of asking as she becomes the third act in the 80s to hold the top 2 positions after John Lennon and Frankie Goes To Hollywood, but the first female to have the honour ever! In addition to all this re-issued and repackaged “Like A Virgin” sprints 17-2 and “Madonna/ The First Album” also springs 15-10 to jointly reach new peaks- it seems that at this point in time she can do no wrong! WEA have revealed that the original plan for the album was to release 5 singles with "Angel" "Pretender" and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" all slated for release but the addition of "Into The Groove" along with the recent Jimmy Nail cover of the track has meant that "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" has now been scrapped as a UK single.

 

 

 

Kate Bush’s first single in 3 years was always guaranteed to generate a lot of attention and so it has proved, “Running Up That Hill” becomes her first single to debut inside the top 20 powering in at No 9 (26,843). Originally titled “A Deal With God” EMI asked Bush to alter the title fearing adverse publicity for the use of the word God and she relented, the album “hounds Of Love” is out next month and should be a big seller, many remarking that this is a commercial return to form for the singer who has always been experimental in her output.

 

 

 

Nik Kershaw continues his impressive singles run with a third single from “The Riddle” entitled “Don Quixote” which on the rise 11-10 (23,545) to enable a 100% top 10 hit rate for singles in this era as well as his 5th top tenner in total.

 

 

The Cars are also back, used extensively in coverage from Ethiopia during the Live Aid concert “Drive” revs 32-8 (27,268) this week with proceeds this time around going to the Band Aid fund, the original last year went all the way to No 5 you might recall.

 

UB40 & Chrissie Hynde are the only other climbers to mention as they slide unnoticed 7-3 (56,253) but are for the moment blocked out by the Madonna stranglehold. Falling this week are Tina Turner who dips 3-4 (52,581), Dire Straits retreat 4-5 (44,965) though they are still in favour at retail as also cede the top spot on the album charts to Now 5, and the former No 1 from Eurythmics tumbles 2-6 (41,599) with Billy Idol completing the run down 6-7 (39,406) again with an increased sale.

 

 

 

1- INTO THE GROOVE- Madonna (111,792)

2- HOLIDAY- Madonna (59,381)

3- I GOT YOU BABE- UB40 & Chrissie Hynde (56,253)

4- WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER HERO (THUNDERDOME)- Tina Turner (52,581)

5- MONEY FOR NOTHING- Dire Straits (44,965)

6- THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART)- Eurythmics (41,599)

7- WHITE WEDDING- Billy Idol (39,406)

8- DRIVE- The Cars (27,268)

9- RUNNING UP THAT HILL- Kate Bush (26,843)

10- DON QUIXOTE- Nik Kershaw (23,545)

 

amazing to have a Madonna top 2 even though Holiday is kinda shitty :)

great top 10 overall, also nice to see RUTH at #9

and that Nik Kershaw song is great too.

Ooooo I wasn’t expecting RUTH to appear yet. A new entry in the top 10 seems really strong, especially after the previous album wasn’t a huge success. Maybe that mattered less in the 80s?

 

Love the artwork to the single too

Madonna repeating the FGTH top 2 feat (I had forgotten about John Lennon doing the same though)

 

'Running Up That Hill' by Kate Bush is certainly iconic although I prefer 'Hounds of Love' (song).

 

The Nik Kershaw song I don't know well but its lively and interesting enough.

Edited August 30, 20231 yr by TheSnake

24TH AUGUST

 

 

Now she’s officially Mrs Sean Penn, but on the charts Madonna is still untouchable though she’s definitely in retreat, “Into The Groove” sold 84,371 copies last week a 24% dip and makes a fifth week highly questionable, especially given UB40 & Chrissie Hynde’s climb 3-2 (69,275) which put in a strong show after TOTP at the weekend.

 

 

 

Only one new entry into the big 10 this week, so far the 80s have given us King, Queen, Prince, and now it gives us Princess (real name Desiree Heslop). Her debut track “Say I’m Your Number One” was originally written with Dee C Lee and Bucks Fizz in mind, Princess did the demo as she was one of the session singers used by Stock Aitken & Waterman (the producers) but they were so impressed they offered it to her as a solo record. It becomes the third top 10 single they have produced as Princess rises 11-10 (26,656).

 

 

Kate Bush powers 9-4 (49,181) as “Running Up That Hill” becomes her biggest hit since her No 1 debut “Wuthering Heights” seven years ago. The Cars are not far behind as the rejuvenated “Drive” advances 8-5 (46,512) but there’s little good news elsewhere, Madonna ends her top 2 lockdown with “Holiday” slipping 2-3 (55,845), Dire Straits tumble 5-6 (40,664), Tina Turner trips 4-7 (36,176), Billy Idol dips 7-8 (30,413) and Eurythmics falter 6-9 (27,659).

 

 

 

1- INTO THE GROOVE- Madonna (84,371)

2- I GOT YOU BABE- UB40 & Chrissie Hynde (69,275)

3- HOLIDAY- Madonna (55,845)

4- RUNNING UP THAT HILL- Kate Bush (49,181)

5- DRIVE- The Cars (46,512)

6- MONEY FOR NOTHING- Dire Straits (40,664)

7- WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER HERO (THUNDERDOME)- Tina Turner (36,176)

8- WHITE WEDDING- Billy Idol (30,413)

9- THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART)- Eurythmics (27,659)

10- SAY I’M YOUR NUMBER ONE- Princess (26,656)

 

That Princess track is not good. I couldn't get through it all when I tried to listen just now, it's so boring for what seems like a record that was aimed at clubs?

 

 

 

Also, I don't think I'd realised before today that Madonna did Live Aid

Holiday, Running Up That Hill and Drive back to back in the Top 5 is a something of a coincidence, as all three were Top 5 hits in two different years (and in the case of the first two, in two different decades - as well as there being a third different year where they reached #6).

I forgot to mention in my commentary that there had been (to this point) 26 tracks which had made the top 10 twice for the same artist (excluding the time when the charts were a top 12 way back in the 50s) but only 1 by a female artist, "Holiday".

Great that we've reached the Hounds of Love era now, definitely one of my very favourite 80s albums and what a classic song to kick it off with.

That Princess track is not good. I couldn't get through it all when I tried to listen just now, it's so boring for what seems like a record that was aimed at clubs?

 

Hard to know what was considered dance/aimed at clubs in the early to mid 80s, obviously 19, You Spin Me Round and Into The Groove were but not sure about Princess as you say or Jaki Graham's Round and Around (a way better record imo which I am a big fan of but still quite slow).

the Princess song was terrible but the track was SAW, so no surprises there :)

31ST AUGUST

 

 

It ended up as one of the closest races to the top of 1985 but in the end just 4,947 copies separated the top 2 with UB40 and Chrissie Hynde emerging as the victor with their cover of “I Got You Babe”. That song now follows in the footsteps of such songs as “Singing The Blues” as songs which have reached No 1 for more than one artist. In fact it is only the 8th track to do so in UK chart history but follows just 2 months after the 7th "You'll Never Walk Alone". Parent album “Baggariddim” is out in a fortnight for those interested but it now has the perfect Launchpad. Even with TOTP help it only increased its sales by 14% to 78,795 and will hope better next week.

 

 

So bad news then for Madonna, “Into The Groove” dips to No 2 on a sale of 73,848 but has sold 569,857, enough to make the song the fifth biggest seller of 1985. She’s also falling 3-6 (36,992) with Holiday and holds at No 2 & No 6 on the album chart ensuring that she’s got no reason to be complaining at present!

 

 

Already a major European hit topping the charts in Spain, Holland and Belgium and rising fast in other charts, Baltimora are actually fronted by Brit Jimmy McShane the rest of the group are Italian and composed the track “Tarzan Boy” which has moving people to the dancefloor for the better part of the summer. Here in the UK we aren’t immune either as the track has flown 51-33-11-5 over the last few weeks selling 42,517 in its most recent frame.

 

 

 

Back with a second album King have already scored two top 30 singles from re-released flops from 1984 (“Love & Pride” #2, “Won’t You Hold My Hand Now” #24) and are now in the position of hitting it big first time around with “Alone Without You”. Album “Bitter Sweet” is due in November but the single launches 13-9 (26,656).

 

 

Kate Bush continues to improve 4-3 (53,261), she’s again followed by The Cars 5-4 (51,782)who now go one position higher than they managed originally last year- all profits to a good cause of course, and Princess shows grit to climb 10-7 (31,025). Two fallers to quickly mention, Dire Straits continue to spiral downward 6-8 (29,835) and Tina Turner is almost out 7-10 (25,585)

 

 

1- I GOT YOU BABE- UB40 & Chrissie Hynde (78,795)

2- INTO THE GROOVE- Madonna (73,848)

3- RUNNING UP THAT HILL- Kate Bush (53,261)

4- DRIVE- The Cars (51,782)

5- TARZAN BOY- Baltimora (42,517)

6- HOLIDAY- Madonna (36,992)

7- SAY I’M YOUR NUMBER ONE- Princess (31,025)

8- MONEY FOR NOTHING- Dire Straits (29,835)

9- ALONE WITHOUT YOU- King (26,656)

10- WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER HERO (THUNDERDOME)- Tina Turner (25,585)

 

That Baltimora song must have been a great summer anthem for 1985, I really like it and generally like Italo-disco anyway.

 

That King song is definitely a bit more rock/indie from them compared to Love and Pride. I like it anyway.

 

Baltimora! :lol: It's such a guilty pleasure of mine, I know I shouldn't like it but it's just so impossibly catchy and camp *.*