I'm sure I've read somewhere that Gallup, Radio 1 and the music industry all treated the chart announced on Boxing Day as being the official Christmas chart, despite it not being out on Christmas Day itself.

I remember Bruno Brookes on the Radio 1 top 40 countdown the previous week trying to explain that the Christmas chart would be announced on Boxing Day although he got himself in a bit of muddle when trying to do so!

30 December 1989

 

Twk	Lwk	Wks	Panel	Market	Title	Artist

1 1 2 12339 209,763 Do They Know It's Christmas? Band Aid II

2 2 3 6144 104,448 Let's Party Jive Bunny And The Mastermixers

3 3 4 4653 79,101 When You Come Back To Me Jason Donovan

4 6 4 3920 66,640 Donald Where's Your Troosers? Andy Stewart

5 7 3 3427 58,259 Dear Jessie Madonna

6 4 4 3339 56,763 Get A Life Soul II Soul

7 5 13 3239 55,063 Lambada Kaoma

8 8 7 2555 43,435 I Don't Wanna Lose You Tina Turner

9 9 8 1833 31,161 Don't Know Much Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville

10 12 3 1795 30,515 Sister Bros

11 14 6 1631 27,727 Got To Get Rob 'N' Raz featuring Leila K

12 13 3 1593 27,081 Getting Away With It Electronic

13 25 2 1549 26,333 The Magic Number / Buddy De La Soul

14 10 9 1507 25,619 You Got It (The Right Stuff) New Kids On The Block

15 15 5 1424 24,208 In Private Dusty Springfield

16 11 11 1368 23,256 The Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix) Jeff Wayne

17 16 6 1340 22,780 Deep Heat '89 Latino Rave

18 33 2 1317 22,389 Words The Christians

19 23 4 1307 22,219 Broke Away Wet Wet Wet

20 20 4 1284 21,828 Whenever God Shines His Light Van Morrison With Cliff Richard

21 18 4 1177 20,009 Sit And Wait Sydney Youngblood

22 17 6 1171 19,907 Can't Shake The Feeling Big Fun

23 22 4 1009 17,153 You Surround Me Erasure

24 19 4 1006 17,102 Hit Mix (The Official Bootleg Mega-Mix) Alexander O'Neal

25 26 4 998 16,966 20 Seconds To Comply Silver Bullet

26 21 7 994 16,898 Homely Girl UB40

27 36 3 881 14,977 Touch Me 49ers

28 30 4 833 14,161 Going Back To My Roots / Rich In Paradise F.P.I. Project Present Rich In Paradise

29 24 6 793 13,481 Fools Gold / What The World Is Waiting For The Stone Roses

30 32 4 769 13,073 Listen To Your Heart Sonia

31 39 5 716 12,172 I'll Sail This Ship Alone The Beautiful South

32 29 10 646 10,982 All Around The World Lisa Stansfield

33 27 9 592 10,064 Another Day In Paradise Phil Collins

34 42 2 548 9,316 Inna City Mamma Neneh Cherry

35 40 4 503 8,551 Living In Sin Bon Jovi

36 31 3 492 8,364 Burning The Ground Duran Duran

37 28 4 430 7,310 The Amsterdam EP Simple Minds

38 46 4 405 6,885 La Luna Belinda Carlisle

39 47 4 404 6,868 Smoke On The Water Rock Aid Armenia

40 34 3 385 6,545 December All About Eve

41 35 9 367 6,239 Never Too Late Kylie Minogue

42 37 7 360 6,120 Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin' Inner City

43 45 4 348 5,916 When Will I See You Again Brother Beyond

44 38 8 344 5,848 Comment Te Dire Adieu Jimmy Somerville With June Miles-Kingston

45 41 5 284 4,828 This Woman's Work Kate Bush

46 44 4 253 4,301 The Miracle Queen

47 51 12 246 4,182 That's What I Like Jive Bunny And The Mastermixers

48 48 6 245 4,165 Get On Your Feet Gloria Estefan

49 52 3 243 4,131 Wig Wam Bam Damian

50 73 2 238 4,046 Could Have Told You So Halo James

51 43 7 236 4,012 Pacific - 707 808 State

52 59 3 227 3,859 FX / Eyes Of Sorrow A Guy Called Gerald

53 53 4 227 3,859 Leningrad Billy Joel

54 50 7 226 3,842 I'm Not The Man I Used To Be Fine Young Cannibals

55 49 12 220 3,740 I Feel The Earth Move Martika

56 58 6 201 3,417 Madchester Rave On E.P. Happy Mondays

57 65 3 197 3,349 Beautiful Love Adeva

58 55 14 196 3,332 Girl I'm Gonna Miss You Milli Vanilli

59 54 3 191 3,247 Italo House Mix Rococo

60 56 6 188 3,196 Starting Over Again Natalie Cole

61 57 7 179 3,043 With God On Our Side The Neville Brothers

62 63 21 168 2,856 Ride On Time Black Box

63 61 20 163 2,771 Blame It On The Rain Milli Vanilli

64 79 2 162 2,754 Different Air Living In A Box

65 67 6 160 2,720 Roni Bobby Brown

66 60 13 159 2,703 Street Tuff Rebel MC And Double Trouble

67 64 7 155 2,635 Woman In Chains Tears For Fears

68 76 3 146 2,482 Heading West Cyndi Lauper

69 NE 1 145 2,465 Destiny / Autumn Love (Future 3) Electra

70 70 9 145 2,465 Grand Piano The Mixmaster

71 72 6 139 2,363 Happy Endings (Give Yourself A Pinch) Lionel Bart

72 75 4 134 2,278 White Christmas Max Bygraves

73 69 3 131 2,227 Coldcut's Christmas Break Coldcut

74 *** 7 130 2,210 Infinite Dreams (Live) Iron Maiden

75 62 5 127 2,159 My Love (Remix) London Boys

76 68 2 123 2,091 Everyday Jam Machine

77 74 11 120 2,040 C'mon And Get My Love D Mob Introducing Cathy Dennis

78 *** 7 118 2,006 The Arms Of Orion Prince With Sheena Easton

*** 66 5 116 1,972 Brite Side Deborah Harry

79 *** 6 112 1,904 Ouija Board, Ouija Board Morrissey

80 82 2 111 1,887 Neighbours Theme (Episode 2001) Neighbours

81 *** 10 109 1,853 Encore Tongue 'N' Cheek

82 122 25 106 1,802 Sally Cinnamon The Stone Roses

83 *** 8 103 1,751 Tainted Love Impedance

*** *** 18 101 1,717 Pump Up The Jam Technotronic featuring Felly

84 80 3 99 1,683 From Me To You Jonathon Morris

*** *** 4 98 1,666 Uninvited Guest Marillion

85 *** 15 95 1,615 Room In Your Heart Living In A Box

86 *** 11 94 1,598 Eye Know De La Soul

*** *** 4 89 1,513 Right Before My Eyes Patti Day

*** *** 12 87 1,479 The Road To Hell (Part 2) Chris Rea

*** 71 4 87 1,479 It's Over Now Ultra Naté

87 77 4 86 1,462 Old Fashioned Christmas Anne Charleston & Ian Smith

88 *** 9 84 1,428 Don't Ask Me Why Eurythmics

89 93 4 80 1,360 You Used To Distant Cousins

90 85 2 80 1,360 When The Night Comes Joe Cocker

91 86 5 80 1,360 Volare The Gipsy Kings

92 *** 10 80 1,360 Never Too Much (Remix '89) Luther Vandross

*** *** 7 79 1,343 When I See You Smile Bad English

93 96 2 78 1,326 Take Good Care Of You And Me Dionne Warwick With Jeffrey Osborne

94 *** 44 77 1,309 The King Is Here / The 900 Number The 45 King

*** *** 4 77 1,309 Catwoman Cat

95 78 5 75 1,275 Hey Santa Claus Kevin Bloody Wilson

96 *** 7 74 1,258 I Second That Emotion Alyson Williams (featuring Chuck Stanley)

97 106 16 72 1,224 W.F.L. Happy Mondays

98 NE 1 69 1,173 Dextrous Nightmares On Wax

99 *** 5 69 1,173 Warm Love The Beatmasters featuring Claudia Fontaine

100 *** 13 68 1,156 Wishing On A Star Fresh 4 (Children Of The Ghetto) featuring Lizz E.

101 *** 7 67 1,139 I Don't Know Why I Love You The House Of Love

102 89 15 66 1,122 Drama! Erasure

103 *** 4 66 1,122 The Food Christmas EP 1989 Various Artists - Food

*** *** 5 65 1,105 House Of Fire Alice Cooper

104 81 3 65 1,105 Shadowmix The Shadows

105 90 3 64 1,088 Go Go Now Marines

106 *** 9 63 1,071 The Theme Unique 3

107 *** 9 63 1,071 Rhythm Nation Janet Jackson

108 *** 22 63 1,071 If Only I Could Sydney Youngblood

*** *** 4 63 1,071 Little Dreamer Status Quo

*** *** 5 62 1,054 Stories Izit

*** *** 5 60 1,020 Heaven The Chimes

*** 83 4 59 1,003 That's What They Always Say (Remix) Chris Rea

109 *** 8 57 969 This Old Heart Of Mine Rod Stewart featuring Ronald Isley

*** *** 7 56 952 Janie's Got A Gun Aerosmith

110 88 4 56 952 Mixed Up Classics The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

*** *** 6 56 952 Figure Of Eight Paul McCartney

*** *** 13 56 952 I Want That Man Deborah Harry

111 *** 12 55 935 Restless Days (She Screams Out Loud) And Why Not?

112 104 3 55 935 Someday We Will All Be Together Claire Hamill

113 *** 12 54 918 The Sun Rising The Beloved

114 *** 7 54 918 Free Fallin' Tom Petty

115 *** 5 53 901 Fool For Your Loving Whitesnake

*** *** 4 53 901 Peaceful Face Hue & Cry

116 *** 9 52 884 Born To Be Sold Transvision Vamp

117 84 2 52 884 All Through The Night Sybil

*** *** 9 51 867 A New South Wales / The Rock The Alarm featuring The Morriston Orpheus Male Voice Choir

*** *** 13 51 867 Leave A Light On Belinda Carlisle

*** *** 6 48 816 Rappers Delight (Ben Liebrand Hip Hop Remix 1989) The Sugarhill Gang

*** *** 5 48 816 Superbad, Superslick Redhead Kingpin And The F.B.I.

118 *** 5 47 799 Come Home James

*** *** 7 47 799 Move Inspiral Carpets

119 87 2 47 799 Dig This K. Alexi Shelby & MCD-TA Of The K.A. Posse

120 102 30 46 782 Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler

121 *** 5 46 782 First Place Curiosity Killed The Cat

*** *** 8 46 782 Angelia Richard Marx

*** *** 6 45 765 Prayer For You Texas

*** *** 14 45 765 We Didn't Start The Fire Billy Joel

122 91 3 45 765 Heart The Hunter Great White

123 105 3 44 748 Christmas Alvin Stardust

124 94 3 44 748 Lay Me Down Easy Sinitta

125 98 13 43 731 Chocolate Box Bros

*** *** 11 43 731 I Thank You Adeva

126 99 3 42 714 Merry Xmas Everybody Slade

*** *** 21 42 714 If I Could Turn Back Time (Remix) Cher

127 159 11 41 697 Wicked In Bed Shabba Ranks

128 *** 7 41 697 Head On The Jesus And Mary Chain

129 127 18 41 697 Sowing The Seeds Of Love Tears For Fears

130 92 36 41 697 Up Where We Belong Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes

131 172 18 40 680 Nightrain Guns N' Roses

132 118 15 40 680 I Am The Music Man Black Lace

133 *** 9 40 680 7 O'Clock Quireboys

134 113 14 40 680 Sweet Surrender Wet Wet Wet

135 *** 7 40 680 Sun King / Edie (Ciao Baby) The Cult

136 *** 6 40 680 It Takes Two, Baby Liz Kershaw, Bruno Brookes, Jive Bunny And London Beat

*** *** 6 40 680 (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me Paula Abdul

137 *** 7 39 663 Youth Gone Wild Skid Row

138 *** 8 38 646 Golden Green / Get Together The Wonder Stuff

139 *** 18 38 646 The Best Tina Turner

140 107 3 38 646 At This Moment Tom Jones

141 *** 6 38 646 So Sorry, I Said Liza Minnelli

*** *** 20 38 646 Planet E (Remix) KC Flightt

*** *** 5 38 646 Don't Pray For Me Little Angels

*** *** 6 37 629 Rock And A Hard Place Rolling Stones

142 152 15 36 612 Love And Regret Deacon Blue

143 110 4 36 612 When Will There Be Peace LCO (The London Chamber Orchestra)

*** 95 4 36 612 Another Christmas Song Jethro Tull

144 *** 10 35 595 You've Got It Simply Red

145 NE 1 34 578 Now That We've Found Love '89 Love In Effect

146 128 14 34 578 The Sensual World Kate Bush

147 103 25 34 578 Swing The Mood Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers

148 *** 7 33 561 Hide Your Heart Kiss

149 *** 10 33 561 Git On Up Fast Eddie featuring Sundance

150 117 16 33 561 Wanted Halo James

151 109 11 33 561 The First Man You Remember Michael Ball & Diana Morrison

*** *** 4 33 561 When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky The Jeff Healey Band

152 150 2 32 544 Love Is All I Had Foxy Brown

153 121 11 32 544 Scandal Queen

154 115 17 32 544 Every Day (I Love You More) Jason Donovan

155 119 39 31 527 Love Changes Everything Michael Ball

*** *** 24 31 527 Don't Make Me Over Sybil

*** *** 4 31 527 Magic Atto II (The House) DJ Lewelel

156 RE 8 30 510 Inside Out Gun

157 *** 8 30 510 Space Gladiator Renegade Soundwave

158 *** 12 30 510 Lean On You Cliff Richard

*** *** 5 30 510 The Way You Love Me Karyn White

159 97 7 30 510 With Every Beat Of My Heart Taylor Dayne

160 *** 7 29 493 Waterfall 89 Wendy & Lisa

161 *** 13 29 493 Can't Forget You Sonia

162 *** 13 29 493 Bed Of Nails Alice Cooper

163 112 2 29 493 Touch The Fire Icehouse

164 100 20 29 493 The Time Warp (PWL Remix) Damian

165 *** 14 28 476 The Real Wild House Raul Orellana

166 *** 11 28 476 For Spacious Lies Norman Cook featuring Lester

167 *** 10 28 476 Drive On Brother Beyond

*** *** 6 28 476 World's Apart Roger Christian

*** *** 5 28 476 Move Your Body Tyree featuring J.M.D.

168 NE 1 27 459 House Of Calypso K-Tronics Ensemble (featuring Double J. Flash)

169 144 22 27 459 Mistletoe & Wine Cliff Richard

170 *** 6 27 459 I Can't Wait Danny Wilson

171 126 21 27 459 Blame It On The Boogie Big Fun

172 *** 13 27 459 Your Love Frankie Knuckles

173 *** 16 26 442 Mantra For A State Of Mind S'Express

174 140 2 26 442 You Give Me Hic Up Tiger & Gregory

175 137 17 26 442 Personal Jesus Depeche Mode

176 120 10 26 442 Dread A Who She Love Macka B & Kofi

*** *** 9 26 442 Sacrifice Elton John

*** *** 5 26 442 For Those Who Like To Groove Twin Hype

*** *** 6 26 442 Save The Last Dance For Me Bruce Willis

*** *** 4 26 442 Just Another Dream Cathy Dennis

177 *** 11 25 425 The Message Is Love Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples featuring Al Green

178 *** 12 25 425 Good Lovin' Regina Belle

*** *** 6 25 425 This Side Of Love Terence Trent D'Arby

*** *** 7 25 425 House Of The Blue Danube Malcolm McLaren And The Bootzilla Orchestra

*** *** 6 25 425 Just Wanna Touch Me Fidelfatti featuring Ronnette

*** 108 3 25 425 Dirty Cash Adventures Of Stevie V

*** *** 10 25 425 Tell Me When The Fever Ended Electribe 101

179 RE 13 24 408 Harlem Desire London Boys

180 194 4 24 408 Got To Have Your Love Mantronix (featuring Wondress)

181 *** 15 24 408 Rock Wit'Cha Bobby Brown

182 *** 5 24 408 Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll Michael Monroe

183 *** 4 24 408 Arc-Lite (Sonar) Loop

*** *** 4 24 408 Mega-Glitter-Rock-A-Live (EP) Gary Glitter's Gangshow

184 RE 16 23 391 I Just Don't Have The Heart Cliff Richard

185 155 18 23 391 Let The Day Begin The Call

186 145 4 23 391 I Wanna Be Adored The Stone Roses

187 *** 13 23 391 Rescue Me Debbie Malone

188 124 119 23 391 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' The Righteous Brothers

*** *** 7 23 391 Somebody In The House Say Yeah! 2 In A Room

189 RE 16 22 374 Mixed Emotions Rolling Stones

190 RE 19 22 374 On And On Aswad

191 RE 8 22 374 Dr. Feelgood Mötley Crüe

192 RE 10 22 374 Run Silent Shakespears Sister

193 166 43 22 374 Voodoo Ray A Guy Called Gerald

194 164 3 22 374 Jingle Bells The Macc Lads

195 *** 7 22 374 Beat The Bullet Vain

196 135 10 22 374 Take Care Of Yourself Level 42

197 *** 7 22 374 Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) Robert Palmer

198 129 15 22 374 You Keep It All In The Beautiful South

*** *** 18 22 374 Bring Forth The Guillotine Silver Bullet

*** *** 7 22 374 Diamond In The Dark Chris de Burgh

199 116 2 22 374 When You Wish Upon A Star Olivia Newton-John

200 101 3 22 374 Standing In The Shadows Britny Fox

 

Is the Sheena Easton Christmas song that was in the low top 200 in 1986 from Santa Claus the movie?

 

Also Chris De Burghs now Xmas classic must have peaked the week after Xmas?

Is the Sheena Easton Christmas song that was in the low top 200 in 1986 from Santa Claus the movie?

 

Also Chris De Burghs now Xmas classic must have peaked the week after Xmas?

Sheena easton's single is taken from Santa Claus: The Movie.

 

'A Spaceman Came Travelling' did peak on the following week's chart, at #40. This chart was based on sales from 22 December to 27 December 1986.

 

It has been close to making the main chart when first released in 1976. I posted the 1976 Christmas chart at haven yesterday and forgot to post it here. It's in the Breakers part of the chart.

***BONUS***

 

25 December 1976

 

TW	LW	Wks	PS	x17	Title - Artist - Cat

1 2 7 8440 143,480 When a child is born – Johnny Mathis [CBS 4599]

2 1 8 7552 128,384 Under the moon of love – Showaddywaddy [bell BELL 1495]

3 5 6 4597 78,149 Money, money, money – Abba [Epic EPC 4713]

4 3 5 3956 67,252 Somebody to love – Queen [EMI EMI 2565]

5 9 5 3614 61,438 Portsmouth – Mike Oldfield [Virgin VS 163]

6 4 7 3457 58,769 Livin’ thing – Electric Light Orchestra [united Artists UP 36184]

7 6 8 2800 47,600 Love me – Yvonne Elliman [RSO 2090 205]

8 18 4 2694 45,798 Doctor Love – Tina Charles [CBS 4779]

9 12 4 2651 45,067 Living next door to Alice – Smokie [Rak RAK 244]

10 11 4 2503 42,551 Bionic Santa – Chris Hill [Philips 6006 551]

11 37 2 2482 42,194 Don’t give up on us – David Soul [Private Stock PVT 84]

12 7 5 2315 39,355 Lean on me – Mud [Private Stock PVT 85]

13 22 11 2113 35,921 Fairytale – Dana [GTO GT 66]

14 14 6 2087 35,479 Little does she know – Kursaal Flyers [CBS 4689]

15 20 4 1950 33,150 Grandma’s party – Paul Nicholas [RSO 2090 216]

16 8 12 1937 32,929 If you leave me now – Chicago [CBS 4603]

17 19 3 1584 26,928 Wild side of life – Status Quo [Vertigo 6059 153]

18 13 6 1581 26,877 Get back – Rod Stewart [Riva RIVA 6]

19 27 3 1504 25,568 Things we do for love – 10 c.c. [Mercury 6008 022]

20 16 7 1442 24,514 Stop Me (If you’ve heard it all before) – Billy Ocean [GTO GT 72]

21 17 7 1425 24,225 Sorry seems to be the hardest word – Elton John [Rocket ROKN 517]

22 29 2 1120 19,040 I wish – Stevie Wonder [Tamla Motown TMG 1054]

23 26 4 1070 18,190 Side show – Barry Biggs [Dynamic DYN 118]

24 10 9 1008 17,136 You make me feel like dancing – Leo Sayer [Chrysalis CHS 2119]

25 33 3 918 15,606 Haitian divorce – Steely Dan [ABC ABC 4152]

26 25 18 915 15,555 Mississippi – Pussycat [sonet SON 2077]

27 15 9 882 14,994 Lost in France – Bonnie Tyler [RCA Victor RCA 2734]

28 41 3 866 14,722 Ring out Solstice bells – Jethro Tull [Chrysalis CXP 2]

29 24 5 832 14,144 You’ll never get to Heaven – Stylistics [H & L STYL 001]

30 23 9 741 12,597 If not you – Doctor Hook [Capitol CL 15885]

31 49 2 670 11,390 Daddy cool – Boney M [Atlantic K 10827]

32 47 2 647 10,999 You’re more than a number in my little red book – Drifters [Arista ARISTA 78]

33 36 3 635 10,795 Keep it comin’ love – K C & the Sunshine Band [Jayboy BOY 112]

34 42 3 635 10,795 Sing me an old-fashioned song – Billie Jo Spears [united Artists UP 36179]

35 46 2 587 9,979 Every man must have a dream – Liverpool Express [Warner Bros K 16854]

36 31 4 561 9,537 Maggie May – Rod Stewart [Mercury 6160 006]

37 NE 1 558 9,486 Don’t cry for me, Argentina – Julie Covington [MCA MCA 260]

38 38 3 552 9,384 Anarchy in the U K – Sex Pistols [EMI EMI 2566]

39 21 7 492 8,364 Don’t make me wait too long – Barry White [20th Century BTC 2309]

40 30 8 488 8,296 So sad the song – Gladys Knight & the Pips [buddah BDS 448]

41 50 2 488 8,296 Flip – Jesse Green [EMI EMI 2464]

42 34 4 482 8,194 Hey, Mr. Dream Maker – Cliff Richard [EMI EMI 2559]

** Play that funky music – Wild Cherry [Epic EPC 4593]

43 44 5 461 7,837 Hang on Sloopy – Sandpipers [satril SAT 114]

44 NE 1 444 7,548 Here’s to love – John Christie [EMI EMI 2554]

45 NE 1 442 7,514 Winter melody – Donna Summer [GTO GT 76]

46 NE 1 441 7,497 Car wash – Rose Royce [MCA MCA 267]

47 40 28 410 6,970 Sailing – Rod Stewart [Warner K 16600]

48 NE 1 403 6,851 Smile – Pussycat [sonet SON 2096]

49 NE 1 383 6,511 Suspicion – Elvis Presley [RCA RCA 2768]

** Rock ‘n Me – Steve Miller Band [Mercury 6078 804]

50 NE 1 367 6,239 Lost without your love – Bread [Elektra K 12241]

 

BREAKERS

1 335 5,695 The Champion, part 1 – Willie Mitchell [London HL 10545]

2 307 5,219 You + Me = Love – Undisputed Truth [Warner Bros K 16804]

3 287 4,879 Don’t believe a word – Thin Lizzy [Vertigo LIZZY 001]

4 287 4,879 You – Randy Edelman [20th Century BTC 2253]

5 281 4,777 Save me – Clodagh Rodgers [Polydor 2058 804]

6 278 4,726 Fighting for strangers – Steeleye Span [Chrysalis CHS 2125]

7 272 4,624 I wanna go back – New Seekers [CBS 4786]

8 270 4,590 Dance ti thi Daddy – Alex Glasgow [bBC RESL 31]

9 241 4,097 Monty Python on song – Monty Python [Charisma MP 001]

10 236 4,012 M & O Band’s Christmas Disco – M & O Band [Paladin PAL 13]

225 3,825 Ooh love – David Essex [CBS 4842]

219 3,723 Morning glory – Wurzels [EMI EMI 2568]

188 3,196 Put your money where your mouth is – Rose Royce [MCA MCA 259]

186 3,162 Happy days – Pratt & McClain [Reprise K 14435]

176 2,992 A Spaceman came travelling – Chris de Burgh

162 2,754 Life is a fight – J A L N Band [Magnet MAG 78]

148 2,516 The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald – Gordon Lightfoot [Reprise K 14451]

126 2,142 Sleep well my son – Frank Topping [President PT 458]

120 2,040 Nights are forever – England Dan & John Ford Coley [Atlantic K 10866]

108 1,836 Save me – Peters & Lee [Philips 6106 545]

The multiplier to convert panel sales into market sales in 1976 was appropximately 17

Edited December 23, 20231 yr by Robbie

Sheena easton's single is taken from Santa Claus: The Movie.

 

'A Spaceman Came Travelling' did peak on the following week's chart, at #40. This chart was based on sales from 22 December to 27 December 1986.

 

It has been close to making the main chart when first released in 1976. I posted the 1976 Christmas chart at haven yesterday and forgot to post it here. It's in the Breakers part of the chart.

 

Class thanks Robbie really enjoying these rundowns!

 

Johnny Mathis out 7 weeks before Xmas in 1976!

Class thanks Robbie really enjoying these rundowns!

 

Johnny Mathis out 7 weeks before Xmas in 1976!

It took a while to chart, having been released on Friday 1 October 1976. It charted initially on the Breakers chart at #6, dated 06/11/76 then entered the top 50 the following week at #45. Its run to the top: B6-45-43-28-14-8-2-1.

 

Nice, one of the best Xmas No1s for me! Always reminds me of when I was younger!

Sheena easton's single is taken from Santa Claus: The Movie.

 

'A Spaceman Came Travelling' did peak on the following week's chart, at #40. This chart was based on sales from 22 December to 27 December 1986.

 

It has been close to making the main chart when first released in 1976. I posted the 1976 Christmas chart at haven yesterday and forgot to post it here. It's in the Breakers part of the chart.

 

Unfortunately Chris De Burgh's Christmas single never got played on the Radio 1 Top 40 show. Although the station unveiled that new chart on Tuesday 30 December, it was not broadcast the following Sunday (4 Jan 1987) as Bruno counted down the top 30 best sellers of 1986 instead.

Wonder if they playlisted it?

Wonder if they playlisted it?

They did. According to the Air Play feature in Music Week issue dated 03/01/87 the single was A listed at Radio 1 during Christmas week with 11 plays the previous week.

 

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-...-1987-01-03.pdf (page 10)

 

 

That MW is fascinating reading for me, the airplay chart is always interesting back then especially round Xmas. One big thing that jumps out is that old Xmas hits didn’t dominate to the extent they do now. Why is this? Because we are further into chart music history so more nostalgic each December? Because new Xmas hits were expected and dominated? It’s hard to tell. But R1 were giving regular spins to the old favs including new ones bubbling under like Waitresses (5 plays) and Chris Rea got a decent position on the airplay chart but no R1 support. And for some reason Shakys recent future classic didn’t seem to get any R1 spins the December following it’s no1 debut, was he uncool by 1986? But Gary Glitters 1984 top 10 got a lot of support 2 years later!

 

Did R2 not have any influence in the 80s?

It's fun seeing the 190s of the chart and them having less than 15 chart sales, I'm curious what the lowest numbers of sales has been, has there ever been a song with just 1 sale to make it into a chart wow

That MW is fascinating reading for me, the airplay chart is always interesting back then especially round Xmas. One big thing that jumps out is that old Xmas hits didn’t dominate to the extent they do now. Why is this? Because we are further into chart music history so more nostalgic each December? Because new Xmas hits were expected and dominated? It’s hard to tell. But R1 were giving regular spins to the old favs including new ones bubbling under like Waitresses (5 plays) and Chris Rea got a decent position on the airplay chart but no R1 support. And for some reason Shakys recent future classic didn’t seem to get any R1 spins the December following it’s no1 debut, was he uncool by 1986? But Gary Glitters 1984 top 10 got a lot of support 2 years later!

 

Did R2 not have any influence in the 80s?

There wasn't the Christmas takeover on radio like there is now. Even just 10 years ago the airplay chart was largely contemporary hits. The top 20 of the airplay chart this week in 2013 contained 7 Christmas themed songs. The current airplay top 20 has 16 of them.

 

incidentally there's lots of scans of Music Week issues at the above worldradiohistory.com website: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Music_Week.htm

 

Also Record Mirror: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Record_Mirror.htm

 

Plus Hit Music, a 1990s chart magazine that was published by the same company that published Music Week. The magazine was published from 1992 to 2001. From November 1994 to May 2001 it included the weekly top 200 singles charts plus top 150 albums and specialist charts: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Hit-Music-UK.htm

 

Billboard magazine from 1894 to 2021! (the music charts only start to appear in the 1930s and the newspaper was an outdoor entertainments publicationand not a music newspaper until then): https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-A...rd-Magazine.htm

Edited December 24, 20231 yr by Robbie

It's fun seeing the 190s of the chart and them having less than 15 chart sales, I'm curious what the lowest numbers of sales has been, has there ever been a song with just 1 sale to make it into a chart wow

I think from memory the lowest sale for a number 200 was around 10 or 11 panel sales. Gallup suggested that a record selling about 10 panel sales would have national sales in all shops of around 170 sales.

 

The surprising thing is that even though singles sales declined quite quickly after 1985, the number 200 single sold a consistent amount throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. It was usually around 10 to 20 per week. The decline was more noticeable among singles at the upper end of the chart.

 

There wasn't the Christmas takeover on radio like there is now. Even just 10 years ago the airplay chart was largely contemporary hits. The top 20 of the airplay chart this week in 2013 contained 7 Christmas themed songs. The current airplay top 20 has 16 of them.

 

incidentally there's lots of scans of Music Week issues at the above worldradiohistory.com website: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Music_Week.htm

 

Also Record Mirror: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Record_Mirror.htm

 

Plus Hit Music, a 1990s chart magazine that was published by the same company that published Music Week. The magazine was published from 1992 to 2001. From November 1994 to May 2001 it included the weekly top 200 singles charts plus top 150 albums and specialist charts: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Hit-Music-UK.htm

 

Billboard magazine from 1894 to 2021! (the music charts only start to appear in the 1930s and the newspaper was an outdoor entertainments publicationand not a music newspaper until then): https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-A...rd-Magazine.htm

 

Yeh thanks Robbie, I’ve saved them to my favourites to have a read of!

I think from memory the lowest sale for a number 200 was around 10 or 11 panel sales. Gallup suggested that a record selling about 10 panel sales would have national sales in all shops of around 170 sales.

 

The surprising thing is that even though singles sales declined quite quickly after 1985, the number 200 single sold a consistent amount throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. It was usually around 10 to 20 per week. The decline was more noticeable among singles at the upper end of the chart.

I'll guess the reason for that is that the ties make up 1 position, then the next position would just be 1 lower as opposed to the normal way of being however many songs in that ties below it, leaving much more than 200 songs, so than at some point in each chart it's just counting down 1 position and down 1 sale, which'd probably be more likely to have about the same number of sales at the bottom per week, as opposed to the #200 exactly if you counted which might change on stronger and weaker weeks

Just checking the Christmas 87 chart there and ‘Christmas in Hollis’ deserved so much better! So close for the Pogues in the post Xmas chart too!

The Pogues weren’t really that close. They were still about 20K behind and would have needed to sell 25% of their total that week again. That’s a reasonable margin.

Yeh true they only closed the gap in the days leading to Xmas day but we’re too far off to make a difference!