It's absolutely not the start of trance... trance had been around for ages by this point, see Jam and Spoon in the early 90s for example

Ah right I just didn’t know so was asking the question as it sounded like the first song which sounded like that in the top 10, sorry didn’t mean to offend if I did.

Not offended in the slightest Steve, don’t worry… I can see why you asked, it’s probably commonly believed that it was born in the late 90s. Top 10 singles wise, it’s possibly Children that was the earliest one - but that’s very much off the top of my head and I could well be wrong.

 

Café Del Mar is another good example, although it didn’t chart until later years it was originally from 1993

Yeh it sounded a lot different to other dance tracks in this thread so far and it sounds amazing of course. And yes forgot about ‘Children’ it has trance elements to it as well.

Surprised to see Breakfast at Tiffanys at #1, kinda thought it would stall at #2 for some reason

 

Some nice ones, my fav is probably the Circle from OCS, great for a 4th single from the album to do so well

 

Love it when a UK artist gets a hit in the US first and only afterwards it's a hit in the UK. I don't mind the Donna Lewis song but don't super love it.

 

I remember I was quite disappointed with the Dina Carroll single. She's been gone for a while and that was a very tame and safe comeback. Same for Phil Collins, actually amazed he went top 10 with such a lacklustre effort.

Edited November 2, 2024Nov 2 by Bjork

Phil must have been a fan base position he had had a 20 year career by this stage.

 

Funny how Phil looks a lot older in 90s era than even in the 1990 release (which very much felt 80s still)!

Interesting to call that Dina Carroll song safe, as it does rather sum it up!

Seemed to be the end of Dina Carroll's big success, the next single really flopped. Without Love deserved better in 1999 though, that was decent.

 

Love the climb for Donna Lewis, one of my favourites from 1996 - really interesting how much the US took to it compared to here (at least we made it a hit in the end), shame with Nicki French the year before who also reached No.2 there.

 

BBE is decent, I've never absolutely loved it but that's an impressive showing for a trance single in 1996.

 

Celine is my favourite, a monster of a single, and a classic still today. Amazing writing by Jim Steinman and a huge vocal by Celine. Really makes me miss this sort of massive production and big vocal in pop, everything is so subdued these days.

In 92/93 she got more famous cos of the Don't be a Stranger ballad but the first 4 singled from So Close were all uptempo nice poppy numbers

so Escaping was not it

I keenly remember the Donna Lewis song in the late 90s being played in a shopping centre. Great atmospheric synthpop song.

 

The BBE tune is quite good but not one of my favourite trance tunes.

12TH OCTOBER

 

 

Another week another chart topper and this time The Chemical Brothers saunter past the opposition to enter at the top, the 11th time this year that a track has managed it. Their last single “Loops Of Fury” became their biggest yet when it made No 13 but suddenly they get a huge upsurge in support- the reason? Well of course the appearance of Mr Noel Gallagher on guitar and vocals. Such is the current demand for anything new Oasis related that a similar Gallagher association helped Ocean Colour Scene to a top 10 single a few weeks ago and indeed both OCS and The Chemical Brothers supported Oasis at the recent Knebworth concert in August. Lyrically Gallagher has used an old unused lyric to a song called “Comin’ On Strong” to give the track a vocal and the package sold 99,000 last week to take the crown.

 

 

As for the Chemical Brothers they started out as the Dust Brothers (after the US producers who worked with the Beastie Boys) and have undertaken many remixes under the moniker until forced to change their name in 1995.

 

 

Babybird only formed last year and have already released a couple of albums of demos which led to a major label deal and a hit single when “Goodnight” made No 28 earlier this year. Follow up “You’re Gorgeous” is a much bigger hit as it smashes in at No 3 (77,000) but don’t go thinking this is a love song, it actually tells the story from a woman’s perspective of a photographer who exploits her for adult photos!

 

 

 

Despite racking up an impressive 15 hit singles The Beautiful South can only claim three top 10 hits, albeit “A Little Time” hit the top in 1990, they’re back now and since we last encountered them on these reports (1990) they’ve gotten themselves a new female vocalist (Jacqui Abbott) and seen their greatest hits album “Carry On Up The Charts” sell over 1.8 million in the UK alone. New single “Rotterdam” is their most immediate hit as it storms in at No 6 (39,000) and is the introductory single to their 5th studio album “Blue Is The Colour” out next month.

 

 

 

Another act that supported Oasis at Knebworth reaps some rewards at No 9 (30,000) and that’s Manic Street Preachers. Third single from “Everything Must Go” is called “Kevin Carter” and is inspired by the Pulitzer Prize winning photographer of the same name who committed suicide in 1994, its lyrics are composed entirely by former member Richey Edwards who remains missing and continues the hot streak for the band who now have three top 10 singles on the trot!

 

 

Outgoing chart topper “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” dips 1-2 (84,000) with only a minimal drop in sales as it tops the airplay chart.

 

In the battle of the diva’s Celine Dion comes out on top lifting 6-4 (50,000) which leaves Donna Lewis stuck at No 5 (46,000) though both are up at retail and may continue to climb. Three songs that are unlikely to climb past their current peaks are BBE who slide 3-7 (38,000), The Fugees collapse 2-8 (38,000) and Dina Carroll hurtles 4-10 (29,000).

 

This week sees the first Boyzone single since the death of Take That- will it top the charts?

 

1- SETTING SUN- The Chemical Brothers (99,000)

2- BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S- Deep Blue Something (84,000)

3- YOU’RE GORGEOUS- Baby Bird (77,000)

4- IT’S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW- Celine Dion (50,000)

5- I LOVE YOU ALWAYS FOREVER- Donna Lewis (46,000)

6- ROTTERDAM- The Beautiful South (39,000)

7- SEVEN DAYS AND ONE WEEK- BBE (38,000)

8- READY OR NOT- The Fugees (38,000)

9- KEVIN CARTER- Manic Street Preachers (30,000)

10- ESCAPING- Dina Carroll (29,000)

 

'Rotterdam' I remember so much on the radio from childhood. I really like it.

 

I remember 'You're Gorgeous' too but not really a fan of it in comparison - it has been used on too many TV shows/adverts.

Edited November 8, 2024Nov 8 by TheSnake

19TH OCTOBER

 

 

Confidence was so high at Polydor that some thought that the release date of the new Boyzone single should have been moved to next week to go head to head with the Spice Girls but in the end it wasn’t to be. In the event Boyzone cruise to an easy No 1 today with their cover of the Bee Gees 1968 No 8 hit “Words” selling an impressive 232,000 copies in 6 days- a real step up for them with the song selling more copies on Monday alone than the rest managed in a whole week. It should answer the query about heir apparent’s to the crown that Take That vacated at the beginning of the year without doubt but with a new East 17 single out in a fortnight we’ll see. For the Gibb Brothers it marks an 8th chart topper as composers having last been there with Take That (no coincidence that Boyzone chose one of their songs?) in March.

 

In debuting at No 1 it is the 12th track of the year to do so making 1996 a record breaking year.

 

 

 

Mark Morrison slows it down for his new single “Trippin”, it’s a fourth cut from his “Return Of The Mack” album and becomes a third top 10 hit as it debuts at No 8 (34,000). The album disappeared from the charts last month and has yet to re-emerge but Morrison has clearly had a phenomenal year so far.

 

 

 

Shooting up to No 4 in the US this week is a record called “No Diggity” by Blackstreet Featuring Dr Dre, it’s the first release from the outfit’s second album “Another Level” and now their first UK top 20 single as it makes a splash at No 9 (32,000). The group’s first album delivered up four hits though only 2 made the top 40 with debut release “Baby Be Mine” the biggest at No 37 but they appear now to be on the cusp of bigger things. The current single samples Bill Wither’s “Grandma’s Hands” as its base and was originally offered to 2Pac.

 

 

Deep Blue Something hold at No 2 (60,000) creating the second biggest difference between the top 2 in sales for the year, but Celine Dion actually loses sales as she climbs 4-3 (47,000) punters clearly preferring her album which soars 10-2 after being re-promoted. The Chemical Brothers and Noel Gallagher tumble 1-4 (45,000) as sales half and they were lucky for such a gentle fall after TOTP caused a minor surge in sales with The Beautiful south (6-5, 44,000) and Baby Bird (3-6, 44,000) both ahead pre the show.

 

Donna Lewis falls 5-7 (42,000) but is No 2 in the states for an amazing 9th week, and BBE slip 7-10 (30,000).

 

So now is crunch time for The Spice Girls- can it topple a very strong chart topper from Boyzone- let battle commence.

 

 

1- WORDS- Boyzone (232,000)

2- BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S- Deep Blue Something (60,000)

3- IT’S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW- Celine Dion (47,000)

4- SETTING SUN- The Chemical Brothers (45,000)

5- ROTTERDAM- The Beautiful South (44,000)

6- YOU’RE GORGEOUS- Baby Bird (44,000)

7- I LOVE YOU ALWAYS FOREVER- Donna Lewis (42,000)

8- TRIPPIN- Mark Morrison (34,000)

9- NO DIGGITY- Blackstreet Ft Dr Dre (32,000)

10- SEVEN DAYS AND ONE WEEK- BBE (30,000)

 

Was gonna say where have East 17 gone!!

 

Great sales for Boyzone and great to see Chemical Brothers at no1 too.

 

Did Beautiful South get R1 playlisting by this era?

Did Beautiful South get R1 playlisting by this era?

Yes

oh my insane sales x Boyzone, was such a low moment musically though, coming back with album 2 with a Bee Gees cover, completely soul-less and basic

 

but the previous week we got 4 insanely good newbies, love them all. Setting Sun is a masterpiece, perfect hybrid of dance and indie that Chemical Brothers did so well. I actually didn't know it did so well, neary 100K. I also love the Babybird song, pure pop and very catchy. Kevin Carter was also great, incredible the Manics could get easy top 10s now even with the 3rd single from the album...and Rotterdam is another classic from BS, the chorus is very pop and catchy and kinda gets in your brain.

I really detested the Beautiful South at this stage. Loved them so much until 1994.

I had no idea Words sold so much in week 1. It’s definitely not a great cover, but I always forget how huge they were after Take That split - the extremely loud screaming girls in the crowd gave a good indication.

 

Interesting commentary about Spice Girls considering how big Say You’ll Be There was. I take it it wasn’t expected to be as huge as it was if there were still question marks the week before release about it being in competition with week two Boyzone.

 

Setting Sun is a very uncommercial sounding No.1 single for 1996 although it’s a good track and I like the video. I suppose anything the Gallaghers did in the mid 90s was a success.

 

I love You’re Gorgeous - one of Britpop’s finest big hits for me. And that was a great performance on TOTP, a strong vocal.

 

 

I really detested the Beautiful South at this stage. Loved them so much until 1994.

Why the change?

 

 

I was still a fan and thought Blue is the Colour was a reasonably decent album. I liked some of Quench too. I kinda lost track after that but some of his songs with Jacqui Abbott have been catchy

 

 

 

 

Loved that Setting Sun made #1, the first single from one of my favourite albums of all time

I had no idea Words sold so much in week 1. It’s definitely not a great cover, but I always forget how huge they were after Take That split - the extremely loud screaming girls in the crowd gave a good indication.

 

Interesting commentary about Spice Girls considering how big Say You’ll Be There was. I take it it wasn’t expected to be as huge as it was if there were still question marks the week before release about it being in competition with week two Boyzone.

Sorry I may not have been clear here, it was Boyzone's record company that were so confident that they toyed with the idea of pushing the single back a week to go head to head with the Spice Girls. I suppose no one really knew how "Say you'll be there" was ultimately going to be received in terms of first week sales, after all the Fugees had just followed up a million seller with a track which did under 100k in week one although they did have an album to affect its sales. But there was still an element of the unknown about them at this stage.

 

I recall thinking at the time of "Words" that Ronan looked slightly uncomfortable on the TOTP performance as though he didn't realise that with TT now gone they were the heir apparent to the boyband crown and it did feel that the amount of adoration they got there was a definite step up, as though teenage girls were looking for the next big thing and it was them...