7TH DECEMBER

 

 

December rolls around and an unexpected close race for the top spot resulting in a new entry at No 1 for Peter Andre’s ballad “I Feel You”. It becomes his second chart topper in a row but a first for ex-popstar Glen Goldsmith, Andre’s album “Natural” barely flickers in any interest however moving 24-23 this week. The single sold just 87,000 well down on the 129,000 opening of “Flava” and had there been one more day of sales it would have doubtless ended up at No 2, then again “Earthsong” opened at No 1 last year and improved week on week to take the festive top spot so don’t write it off too quickly.

 

 

That’s because the outgoing chart topper from The Prodigy registered only a 9% sales decrease to 86,000 and caught Andre up rapidly.

 

 

Michael Jackson’s back though this time he provides uncredited backing vocals on the 3T single “I Need You” which is a cover of a track by Frankie Valli in 1975 and written by Eric Carmen, he of “Hungry Eyes” fame. It gives the Jackson clan a third top 3 single of 1996 with the current single shifting 64,000 to do so.

 

 

Two stalwarts of the top 10 complete the top 5, Toni Braxton has her worst week yet at retail but rises 5-4 (44,000) and even Robert Miles & Maria Naylor are losing ground with the public but finally rise 6-5 (43,000)- sometimes the charts are odd. By the way Braxton finally climbs to No 1 in the US.

 

 

Jamiroquai’s last single “Virtual Insanity” became the band’s biggest hit during the summer and their back with flash cars in the promo for “Cosmic Girl” which wastes no time in becoming their fourth top 10 hit and smashing in at No 6 (41,000). It may struggle to progress given big hits released this week.

 

 

 

It isn’t all Spice Girls in the world of girl groups however and Eternal remind us all that they are a chart force with “Secrets”. It’s released just one week after former bandmate Louise’s single “One Kiss From Heaven” and enters at exactly the same position- No 9- a slightly smaller sale of 36,000. This is now their 9th top 10 single just one less than Bananarama and 4 less than leaders on the list of girl groups with the most top 10 hits- The Supremes.

 

 

Elsewhere Warren G & Adina Howard slacken 4-7 (40,000), The Fugees dive 2-8 (40,000) and East 17 & Gabrielle remain at No 10 (35,000).

 

This week sees the release of a new Boyzone single and with such a weak chart topper sales wise surely it has a good chance at the top?

 

 

1- I FEEL YOU- Peter Andre (87,000)

2- BREATHE- The Prodigy (86,000)

3- I NEED YOU- 3T (64,000)

4- UN-BREAK MY HEART- Toni Braxton (44,000)

5- ONE & ONE- Robert Miles Ft Maria Naylor (43,000)

6- COSMIC GIRL- Jamiroquai (41,000)

7- WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT- Warren G Ft Adina Howard (40,000)

8- NO WOMAN NO CRY- The Fugees (40,000)

9- SECRETS- Eternal (36,000)

10- IF YOU EVER- East 17 Ft Gabrielle (35,000)

 

14TH DECEMBER

 

 

It opens with a mere 39% of the sales that “Words” managed but Boyzone’s 7th single “A Different Beat” still manages to become their second No 1 in just 8 weeks. The single is co-produced by Trevor Horn and comes with a “green” message which attracted 90,000 sales and keeps the No 1 album ,from which it is the title track, in the top 10 for a 6th week. It is the 22nd chart topper of 1996 and the 17th to debut at the top- that’s a record- we’re in the era of the instant chart topper it appears. 1996 is also a record year as 6 acts have scored multiple chart toppers with George Michael, Spice Girls, Fugees, Prodigy and Peter Andre joining the boys.

 

 

The Prodigy prove they have sticking power by holding onto the No 2 spot (71,000) and selling 447,000 copies of “Breathe” so far, rapidly turning into major hits both Toni Braxton and Robert Miles/ Maria Naylor continue to put in sturdy performances. “Un-Break My Heart” reaches a new peak 4-3 (53,000) and crosses the 375,000 mark whilst “One And One” also reaches a new high 5-4 (53,000) whilst getting a new best weekly sale and having a total of 245,000 sold so far, Peter Andre however fades fast 1-5 (46,000), the biggest fall from the top since Iron Maiden in 1991.

 

 

3T tumble 3-10 (37,000) but the rest of the top 10 are new entries. They might disagree with the label of boyband but Damage are a 5 piece from London who have been scoring bigger hits as the year has gone along with their previous single “Love II Love” just missing out on a top 10 slot at No 12. It’s rapidly approaching Christmas and that must be ballad time and right on cue here’s “Forever” which is new at No 6 (46,000) and will feature on the boys first album next year. Touring with Boyzone clearly helped!

 

 

 

1996 has been an amazing year for Manic Street Preachers and they crown it with a 4th top 10 single in just 8 months. “Australia” was chosen as the title for the song to reflect the band’s desire to travel as far as possible to escape the emotional turmoil of losing band member Richey Edwards and flies into the charts at No 7 (42,000).

 

 

 

They had to re-edit the song to get it past the radio censor but The Beautiful South are certainly going through a purple patch again with new album “Blue Is The Colour” topping the charts and now a second top 10 pulled from it in the shape of “Don’t Marry Her”. The lyrics paint a less than rosy picture of married life and obviously has hit a nerve with the UK public as it effortlessly moves in at No 8 (41,000)

 

 

 

Luciano Pavarotti’s series of concerts in aid of various charities continued in 1996 with a benefit concert for “War Child” which Elton John appeared as one of the guests. Their track “Live Like Horses” was taken from it and is new at No 9 (39,000), the CD also includes a version of “Step Into Christmas” just to keep the whole affair suitably festive, For Pavarotti it is only his second top 10 single following 1990’s #2 version of “Nessun Dorma” which peaked behind, ironically, Elton’s chart topping “Sacrifice/ Healing Hands”! It’s Elton’s 22nd top 10 single.

 

 

Surely Boyzone will only get a week at the top given that the Dunblane Charity single is out this week but we’ll see.

 

 

1- A DIFFERENT BEAT- Boyzone (90,000)

2- BREATHE- The Prodigy (71,000)

3- UN-BREAK MY HEART- Toni Braxton (53,000)

4- ONE & ONE- Robert Miles Ft Maria Naylor (53,000)

5- I FEEL YOU- Peter Andre (46,000)

6- FOREVER- Damage (46,000)

7- AUSTRALIA- Manic Street Preachers (42,000)

8- DON’T MARRY HER- The Beautiful South (41,000)

9- LIVE LIKE HORSES- Elton John & Luciano Pavarotti (39,000)

10- I NEED YOU- 3T (37,000)

 

'A Different Beat' reminds me a bit of Enigma - Return to Innocence.

 

The censored version of 'Don't Marry Her' I remember a lot on the radio at the time, like Rotterdam, very nostalgic. I didn't know the original was rude with sexual references, ahead of its time then, not that I approve of it.

Edited December 6, 2024Dec 6 by TheSnake

Might post the next two next weekend just so everything is not rushed now

after the amazingness of Breathe at #1 comes two terrible #1s in a trot, both a 0/10 for me

 

but great songs from Jamiroquai, Manics and Beautiful South

Of the 6 other chart toppers in 1996 did they all enter at 2 and move up to no1?

Shame that Breathe didn't hang on to beat Peter Andre, such a non-number one

I think both of his number 1s in 1996 were non-number 1s, following on the coat tails of Mysterious Girl.

 

Cosmic Girl, Australia and Don't Marry Her are my pics from the last 2 weeks.

what was the appeal of Peter Andre, never understood that, 2 #1s in a row + Mysterious Girl

what was the appeal of Peter Andre, never understood that, 2 #1s in a row + Mysterious Girl

Mysterious Girl is a catchy good song (not massively to my taste) and I can see the appeal.

 

The others? Who knows.

Flava at least sold reasonably well - I couldn't tell you even a note of how it goes but it was pretty easily a #1, I Feel You on the other hand seems to have only just scraped it before falling fast so definitely as close to a non-number one as you can get

 

 

As for his appeal - Mysterious Girl was undeniably pretty catchy, but his popularity outside of that was solely down to a combination of his looks and a pretty relentless promotion campaign across nearly every tv show available.

I definitely couldn't hum I Feel You, one of those annoying songs that was No.1 only because of somebody's high profile at the time. Flava had a bit more bite to it at least, even though I didn't care for that either.

 

A Different Beat was kind of in the same boat, Boyzone were huge at this point. A Different Beat is probably their strangest single for me, it sounds straight out of The Lion King, not very boyband-esque at all, musically or thematically.

 

Good to see Robert Miles and Maria climbing to a new peak as the weeks went on.

 

Australia is my favourite of the new entries, a blistering track by the Manics, have always loved it.

 

I can't remember how the Eternal song goes, whoops. Quite like the 3T song, another lift by MJ though - I suppose their whole career was essentially riding on his success.

Shame Breathe couldn't hold on to prevent those two DIRE and instantly forgettable chart toppers.

I don't think I've ever heard 'I Feel You' before, it's absolutely dreadful and his voice is so annoying.

Of the 6 other chart toppers in 1996 did they all enter at 2 and move up to no1?

Sorry it was the 22nd, not 23rd No 1 of the year so only 5 hadn't debuted there.

 

The others were:

 

Ready Or Not- 2-1

Wannabe 3-1

Breakfast At Tiffany's 3-2-1

Return Of The Mack 6-6-6-4-3-1

Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit 6-5-2-3-3-3-2-1

found this quote FB from Peten Andre, kinda sums it all up :D

 

1996 was a crazy year

I was young, at times stupid, at times arrogant, happy, sad, determined, buzzing, tired, scared and excited. All that aside damn I had some good abs 😂😂

#funtimes #abs

For me "Breathe" is the worst UK # 1 from 90s decade.

^^

 

Is there a dislike button?!!

Sorry it was the 22nd, not 23rd No 1 of the year so only 5 hadn't debuted there.

 

The others were:

 

Ready Or Not- 2-1

Wannabe 3-1

Breakfast At Tiffany's 3-2-1

Return Of The Mack 6-6-6-4-3-1

Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit 6-5-2-3-3-3-2-1

 

Thanks, so still 2 proper risers this late in the decade, plus a fair few that never got to no1!

21ST DECEMBER

 

 

Predictably the UK has a new chart topper in the form of the Dunblane charity disk “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door- Throw These Guns Away”. The events of March 13th this year are well documented but the murder of 16 children and a teacher by Thomas Hamilton was officially Britain’s biggest mass murder and resulted in a campaign for the ban of private ownership of guns in the UK. Musicians from the area wanted to record a tribute to the victims so they sought and obtained permission from Bob Dylan to not only record one of his most famous compositions but also to alter the lyrics to personalise it for the events of the tragedy and so we have the current track. This version features brothers and sisters of the victims on the chorus in addition to Mark Knopfler on guitar, the song itself has now been a hit four times with Dylan’s original making No 14 in 1973, two years later Eric Clapton took it to No 38 and of course the biggest of all was Guns N Roses who made No 2 four years ago.

 

The Dunblane version scorches into the No 1 spot this week on sales of 189,000 copies and is the 15th Charity chart topper since Band Aid kicked it off 12 years ago.

 

 

With the Dunblane track out this week several releases (including Spice Girls and Madonna) were put back a week to avoid competition and ensure the track made No 1. Another consequence of the quiet week sees Toni Braxton and Robert Miles & Maria Naylor get new peaks as they climb 3-2 (60,000) and 4-3 (59,000) though both are genuinely improving at retail as you’d expect with Christmas next week.

 

 

There are some new entries however. Mark Morrison is back with a fourth top 10 hit of the year with the unseasonal “Horny”, he’s been in the papers over the past few months for his exploits and brushes with the law but he’s now back at the day job with another cut from the “Return Of The Mack” album which has naturally been remixed for single purposes. It debuts at No 5 (51,000), his 2nd biggest hit ever.

 

 

 

Along with Morrison and Manic Street Preachers, Celine Dion is the only other act to score a quartet of top 10 hits in the year and she’s done it with another cover. Eric Carmen’s 1977 #12 single “All By Myself” which ran into problems when it was claimed (successfully) that the melody in the verses was lifted from Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No 2 in C Minor”. Dion’s version is all that you would expect with the song reaching greater heights chartwise, with her vocals on it as it cruises in at No 6 (42,000) to become her 9th top 10 single.

 

 

 

Yes you’d have hoped the Smurfs would have had their 5 minutes back in the limelight but Christmas was too tempting to let it pass and so we got a “Christmas Party” album which is currently in the top 10 and another hit with “Your Christmas Wish” which is new at No 8 (44,000). It is, at least, not a cover of a recent chart hit, and it’s also the only expressly Christmas related hit in the charts at the moment.

 

 

 

Following the breakthrough of “Insomnia” Faithless have gone for another release of a previous minor release. “Slava Mea (Save Me)” was originally a No 30 hit in August 1995 as their first release, it went on to become a major hit across Europe and gets another shot in the arm for Christmas with some new mixes, it debuts at No 9 (41,000) to make it all worthwhile.

 

 

Boyzone fall 1-4 (57,000) and another former chart topper falls 2-7 (40,000) for The Prodigy who finally fall out of favour, Damage round it off falling 6-10 (40,000).

 

So next week is the big one- Are either Madonna or The Spice Girls strong enough to depose Dunblane?

 

 

1- KNOCKIN ON HEAVEN’S DOOR- THROW THESE GUNS AWAY- Dunblane (189,000)

2- UN-BREAK MY HEART- Toni Braxton (60,000)

3- ONE & ONE- Robert Miles Ft Maria Naylor (59,000)

4- A DIFFERENT BEAT- Boyzone (57,000)

5- HORNY- Mark Morrison (51,000)

6- ALL BY MYSELF- Celine Dion (42,000)

7- BREATHE- The Prodigy (40,000)

8- YOUR CHRISTMAS WISH- The Smurfs (44,000)

9- SALVA MEA- Faithless (41,000)

10- FOREVER- Damage (40,000)