Please no personal charts in here, there are other threads for that, this is about the real charts

13TH APRIL

 

 

It’s Easter and the traditional mini slump kicks in with shops shut an additional day. The charts reflect this with the top two of The Prodigy and Mark Snow repeating their tussle for a third week with exactly the same outcome meaning that “Firestarter” grabs another week at the top with sales off just slightly at 78,000 but its lead is closed to just 8,000 over “X Files” so it seems far from over especially given that Mark Snow was ahead in midweek flashes. Mark Morrison injects a bit of change in the top three as he continues to edge ever closer 4-3 (61,000) and has an outside chance at the top spot if the top 2 collapse.

 

 

 

Highest new entry this week rests at No 6 (39,000) for US rapper 2Pac (real name Tupac Shakur) featuring Dr Dre who you may be more familiar with as a producer for Snoop Doggy Dogg. "California Love" is culled from 2Pac’s 4th album “All Eyez On Me” which is co-produced by Dr Dre and samples several records including a Joe Cocker track from 1972, it becomes Dre’s biggest hit and 2Pac’s first in the UK. The promo was filmed at the same location as the “Thunderdome” from the Mad Max movie.

 

 

 

Up to now Rage Against The Machine’s biggest claim to fame in the UK in when Radio 1 played their single “Killing In The Name” in an unedited version in 1993 including expletives! They’re back though with a second album “Evil Empire” and lead single “Bulls On Parade” which is new at No 8 (27,000) and a stroke becomes their biggest single.

 

 

Gina G shows sticking power with “Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit” lifting 6-5 (42,000) almost catching Robert Miles at No 4 on the same sales. Gabrielle finally gives up the battle and drifts 5-7 (35,000), DJ Dado eases 8-9 (23,000) with Take That bringing up the rear 9-10 (21,000) whilst remaining No 1 on the album charts.

 

 

1- FIRESTARTER- The Prodigy (78,000)

2- THE X FILES- Mark Snow (70,000)

3- RETURN OF THE MACK- Mark Morrison (61,000)

4- CHILDREN- Robert Miles (42,000)

5- OOH AHH JUST A LITTLE BIT- Gina G (42,000)

6- CALIFORNIA LOVE- 2 Pac Ft Dr Dre (39,000)

7- GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE TIME- Gabrielle (35,000)

8- BULLS ON PARADE- Rage Against The Machine (27,000)

9- X FILES- DJ Dado (23,000)

10- HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE- Take That (21,000)

 

20TH APRIL

 

 

After a record 10 consecutive chart toppers which have debuted there we finally break the spell in the most unexpected of ways with long stayer Mark Morrison ascending 3-1 on a sale of 90,000. “Return Of The Mack” has sold 319,000 already in its 6 weeks around, the last song to take as long before making the top was Celine Dion’s “Think Twice” last year, he also gives Leicester their first chart topping act since Showaddywaddy twenty years ago.

 

 

 

Morrison wasn’t the midweek chart topper though, that was Michael Jackson gunning for his third No 1 song in a row with “They Don’t Care About Us” which ultimately failed, entering at No 4 (65,000) instead. The song has already been the centre of controversy firstly over its lyrics which gave rise to accusations of anti-semitism then over a promo (directed by Spike lee) shot in Rio which the Brazilian government tried to prevent in case scenes of poverty may affect its Olympic games application for 2004. This is Jackson’s 34th top 10 single.

 

 

 

Meanwhile the makeover of Everything But The Girl continues apace from indie/ acoustic to dance and now to jungle (kind of) with new single “Walking Wounded”. Their previous release “Missing” became their biggest hit selling almost 900,000 to date here, it’s been even a bigger hit in the US where it just leaves the top 10 after peaking at No 2 behind Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, in the meantime their new album showcasing the new sound is out next month and the single is new at No 6 (44,000).

 

 

 

After breaking through in January with “Lump” The Presidents Of The United States hit it even bigger with follow up “Peaches” which is new at no 8 (25,000). It was inspired by a real life event when the lead singer sat under a peach tree waiting for a girl to arrive whom he liked, and the track borrows the riff from the 1975 track “Feel Like Makin’ Love” by Bad Company.

 

 

 

Suggs’ solo career has been an overall success thus far, first release was a Beatles cover “I’m Only Sleeping” (No 7) and follow up “Camden Town” fared slightly worse at No 15, his third release from his debut solo album is a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Cecilia”. It was never a single in the UK though it made No 4 stateside in 1970, Suggs’ version features Louchie Lou & Michie One who finally get a second top 10 single themselves after a version of the Lulu classic “Shout” made No 7 in 1993. Their reggae tinged version flies 33-9 (25,000) after a performance on the National Lottery Live last Saturday, once again proving the importance of the show.

 

 

Gina G leaps 5-2 (72,000) as radio cottons onto it, it now equals the peak of Bardo back in 1982 and bodes well for its performance in Eurovision next month, The Prodigy Complete the top 3 as they fall 1-3 (66,000) but ironically were the biggest selling singles act last week after a slew of their previous singles which were re-released, 7 of which all re-enter the top 75.

 

Three other fallers to cover, Mark Snow dips 2-5 (59,000), Robert Miles drifts 4-7 (32,000) and Gabrielle drops 7-10 (24,000).

 

 

1- RETURN OF THE MACK- Mark Morrison (90,000)

2- OOH AAH JUST A LITTLE BIT- Gina G (72,000)

3- FIRESTARTER- The Prodigy (66,000)

4- THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT US- Michael Jackson (65,000)

5- THE X FILES- Mark Snow (59,000)

6- WALKING WOUNDED- Everything But The Girl (44,000)

7- CHILDREN- Robert Miles (32,000)

8- PEACHES- Presidents Of The United States Of America (30,000)

9- CECILIA- Suggs Ft Louchie Lou & Mitchie One (25,000)

10- GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE TIME- Gabrielle (24,000)

 

I can't believe 2 Pac's 'California Love' charted only for one week inside Top 10 :o

 

It's such a classic nowadays and probably one of the biggest rap songs!!!

Rage Against The Machine in the Top 10 :o the pinnacle of their singles chart hitmaking, surely...

Have to mention Alanis Morissette - Ironic at #11 in the latter week!

Edited June 21, 20241 yr by jimwatts

Oh wow at MJ being a midweek #1 with that. It landing at #4 in the end must have came as a shock?

 

Also totally didn't know 'Missing' did so well in the US!

Edited June 22, 20241 yr by Jessie Where

Walking Wounded is the best pick out of these 2 weeks, wonderful bit of chill out plus drum n bass.

We have had the provisional BBC4 schedule for the 12th July.

 

No 1996 episodes that night - We have test cricket highlights at 7pm then a retro hour of 1983 and 1977.

 

On the following Friday, the 19th July, it will be the first night of the proms plus we will also have test cricket and open golf highlights across bbc2 and bbc4.

 

We will then have proms concerts every Friday on BBC4.

 

 

 

We have 1 episode from 1996 this Friday then 2 on Friday week, the 5th July.

 

I think that will probably be the end of the 1996 episodes until the 20th September.

Edited June 25, 20241 yr by mrpopquiz

love love Walking Wounded both the single and the parent album. It's easily EBTG's best album ever by miles and miles, a masterpiece!

Looks like they won’t quite get to the end of 1996 by Xmas then.

 

Probably be about 2030 by the time we get to 2006 haha.

Looks like they won’t quite get to the end of 1996 by Xmas then.

 

Probably be about 2030 by the time we get to 2006 haha.

I’ve been watching these re-runs since they were at the end of 1986, and I’m sure that was 2018/19 so probably.

This week saw a bunch of great songs charting in the 11-20 region

 

first Alanis going in at #11 with Ironic, which was her highest at the time and 1st top 20 but seems too little too low in perspective

 

then Cranberries go in at #13 with Salvation, which again considering the success of Zombie, Linger etc and how this song was absolutely everywhere back then, not going top 20 is shocking

 

and then at #18 it's this beauty by The Wannadies, You & Me Song

 

I think Alanis was always much more of an album seller (well, for one album anyway)

I think* Jagged Little Pill only reached #1 after Ironic

You & Me Song

 

Such a cute track, I liked the Wannadies quite a lot at the time

I had long assumed "You and Me Song' was another Britpop song really but no its Swedish.

 

'California Love' is an iconic song.

Edited June 27, 2024Jun 27 by TheSnake

yes Wannadies were Swedish!

Swedish indie pop bands were doing great in the mid 90s, with Cardigans being the frontrunners

 

think both The Wannadies and Cardigans featured on the soundtrack to Romeo and Juliet?

'You And Me Song' is such a classic. It was one of those songs I was so hugely familiar with as a kid, that when I started becoming interested in the charts years later I was astonished to find out it only peaked at #18!

27TH APRIL

 

 

For a second week in a row Mark Morrison overturned a hefty midweek deficit to grab the top spot, “Return Of The Mack” registering an almost identical sale to last week of 90,000 as the disc goes silver (400,000). Morrison’s debut album is in shops this week and may prove fatal to the reign of the track even if it can withstand the new George Michael single.

 

 

 

When guitarist and writer Richey Edwards disappeared in February last year the future of the Manic Street Preachers looked in question but they continue as a trio and their new single “A Design For Life” built up a large lead initially looking like becoming their first No 1. The song has a title inspired by Joy Division and takes up themes of class conflict and social identity, it is the first release from their fourth album “Everything Must Go” which is out in a few weeks. In the end it debuts at No 2 (83,000), their second top 10 single but certainly their biggest to date! Its arrival spells bad news for Gina G who registers her own sales increase of 10% to 79,000 but still falls 2-3.

 

 

 

Gearing up to the release of their first album (they have already released a mini album back in 1994) Ash are the newest Britpop act to get their breakthrough. They hail from Northern Ireland and are all teenagers and got their big break thanks to Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamaq back in 1995, they haven’t looked back grabbing two top 20 singles and now finally a top 10 single with “Goldfinger” new at No 5 (52,000).

 

 

 

One of the hottest dance tracks around for the past few months has been the Lisa Marie Experience remix of Musique’s 1978 track “Keep On Jumpin’”. The outfit consist of two English DJ’s Neil Hinde and Dean Marriott and their version is one of two competing versions the other by the more famous Todd Terry but this is the version that hits the charts first entering at No 7 (31,000).

 

 

Michael Jackson holds at No 4 (72,000) with increased sales thanks to a second CD with a remix of “Beat It” on it, further down Suggs Featuring Louchie Lou & Michie One continue their upwards trajectory 9-6 (37,000) to become both acts biggest hit.

 

Three former big dance hits on their way out clog up the bottom of the top tier. The Prodigy limp 3-8 (30,000), Mark Snow drops 5-9 (30,000) and Robert Miles lingers 7-10 (26,000) but the total of all three hits is now 1.2 million!

 

 

1- RETURN OF THE MACK- Mark Morrison (90,000)

2- A DESIGN FOR LIFE- Manic Street Preachers (83,000)

3- OOH AAH JUST A LITTLE BIT- Gina G (79,000)

4- THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT US- Michael Jackson (72,000)

5- GOLDFINGER- Ash (52,000)

6- CECILIA- Suggs Ft Louchie Lou & Michie One (37,000)

7- KEEP ON JUMPIN- Lisa Marie Experience (31,000)

8- FIRESTARTER- The Prodigy(30,000)

9- THE X FILES- Mark Snow (30,000)

10- CHILDREN- Robert Miles (26,000)

 

'A Design For Life' is a contender for my favourite Manics single :wub: shame it didn't quite beat 'Return of the Mack' this week!