Well hello there, we're doing some step back in time action as we rewind to the beginning of the 80s!

The British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) were in charge of collecting data and compiling the charts from 1969 to 1982 and panel sales for the 1980-1982 period have recently come to light so I bring this thread for your entertainment. Be prepared to finally have some light thrown on the mysterious pre-Gallup era! Thanks as usual go to Robbie and Kobyhadrian for the raw data.

The Multiplier and panel sales

There is some debate over the exact multiplier used for the years 1980-1982 as these were compiled by BMRB and not Gallup. Therefore there is some element of guestimation involved here on what we do with the raw panel sales, we also don’t have weekly panel sales like we do for post 1982. Instead we do have monthly panel sales so whilst we can’t be sure on the weekly front we do know the monthly figures which is more accurate than ever before.


So sit back and enjoy the delights of the year when we all wondered what was behind the green door in

Look forward to seeing what sales 1981 will stand to deliver!

❤️ ah my favourite chart year ever!

 

Can’t wait to see how much a certain ‘best no2 record ever’ sold!

^but Madonna-Live to Tell wasn't released til much later? :)

 

great to have this thread back

1981 is potentially my favourite year for chart hits ever including my definite favourite consecutive run of #2 hits ❤️

 

Excited :cheer:

Can’t wait to see how much a certain ‘best no2 record ever’ sold!

 

My favourite UK # 2 was released in 2003.

❤️ ah my favourite chart year ever!

 

Can’t wait to see how much a certain ‘best no2 record ever’ sold!

We already know what Common People sold from the 1995 thread :P

My favourite UK # 2 was released in 2003.

 

Is it Benny Benassi?

Is it Benny Benassi?

It’s Sinead Quinn :P

It’s Sinead Quinn :P

 

Yes, you are right. :)

Edited May 31, 20241 yr by Last Dreamer

I'll start later this afternoon!

17TH JANUARY

 

 

1981 begins and the only single that is selling in any kind of quantity this week remains Lennon's "Imagine" which this week sees sales soar to 142,000 as the public farewell doesn't seem to be satiated yet. The re-issue has so far sold 338,000, but that doesn't seem to be sapping sales of Lennon's other tracks as again he maintains three singles in the top 5, "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" slumps 2-3 (46,000) and "Starting Over" holds at No 5, that track has now sold 600,000 copies including a near identical sale last week of 41,000.

 

 

With total sales now at 294,000 "Antmusic" climbs 4-2 though its sales of 71,000 are half of "Imagine" and so it poses a challenge on paper only. In better news parent album "Kings Of The Wild Frontier" climbs 9-3 this week and "Dog Eat Dog" also climbs 66-56 and has now sold 309,000 so should be overtaken by "Antmusic" next week.

 

 

Hoping for a re-run of last year's smash and grab on the No 1 spot the Specials are back with "Do Nothing/ Maggie's Farm" which powers 15-4 (45,000) and is a fifth straight top 10 hit for Terry Hall and the boys, it should profit due to the fact that "Maggie's Farm" isn't on the album "More Specials"- it seems that Britain is always eager to escape the winter blues with some SKA/ 2Tone.

 

 

 

 

 

It's worth noting of course the political connection to the current prime minister in the Specials hit (as you may know the song was composed by Dylan back in the mid 60s, well before Mrs Thatcher's premiership) but it doesn't seem to have hampered the performance. Unlike the Beat who return to the top 10 with "Too Nice To Talk To" up 20-7 (34,000) after the blip of their last single "Best Friend/ Stand Down Margaret" which only made No 22 becoming their first single to fail to make the top 10.

 

 

 

Help up temporarily over the Christmas period "Rabbit" finally becomes the first top 10 hit for Chas & Dave. Pushing their own brand of "Rockney" the phrase comes from Rhyming slang for "talk" and is a tale of the battle of the sexes, some may not be too happy at the track lyrically but it's done the trick for them.

 

 

Not much else happening with Jona Lewie stumbling 3-6 (36,000) the Police drop 7-9 (33,000) and Queen hold at No 10 (33,000)

 

1- IMAGINE- John Lennon (142,000)

2- ANTMUSIC- Adam & The Ants (71,000)

3- HAPPY CHRISTMAS (WAR IS OVER)- John Lennon & Yoko Ono (46,000)

4- DO NOTHING/ MAGGIE’S FARM- The Specials (45,000)

5- (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER- John Lennon (41,000)

6- STOP THE CAVALRY- Jona Lewie (36,000)

7- TOO NICE TO TALK TO- The Beat (34,000)

8- RABBIT- Chas & Dave (34,000)

9- DE DO DO DO, DE DA DA DA- The Police (33,000)

10- FLASH- Queen (33,000)

 

Rabbit is iconic. :cheeseblock:

Aside from All the Young Dudes, possibly the only top ten hit to reference a major British supermarket until Lily Allen’s LDN…

'Do Nothing' is another gem for The Specials, with its social commentary undercutting the uplifting reggae and trombone.

Great to see 'Antmusic' up to the silver podium spot, the start of my favourite run of #2s already begins here :wub: didn't realise the gap was as large as 'Imagine' doubling the sales of Adam.

Aside from All the Young Dudes, possibly the only top ten hit to reference a major British supermarket until Lily Allen’s LDN…

 

Ok now you've made me want an exhaustive list of such hits. :lol: :lol:

Are we done with all the iconic Abba songs now ‘Super Trouper’ has edited the top 10 in Jan 81?

Depends what you consider iconic! There are a few more hits to come in 81 but I'll avoid spoilers.

24TH JANUARY

 

 

Good news for those waiting for the fall of "Imagine" from the top spot! Though it holds at No 1 its sales start to decline and recorded 108,000 purchases last week off 24% week on week as its sales accumulate to 441,000 for this issue of the single.

 

 

Bad news though is that it will probably be deposed by another John Lennon track! "Woman" becomes the second single to be lifted from "Double Fantasy" and should therefore be seen technically as the follow up to "Starting Over" (which itself dips out of the top 10 this week) and was Lennon's express wish for the second single. His ode to wife Yoko Ono (and moreover woman in general) explodes this week to debut at No 3 (65,000) and could pose a serious threat to "Imagine" next week, Lennon incidentally therefore maintains three entries in the top 10 with "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" still in the fray dropping 3-9 (35,000).

 

 

It's a week of mixed feeling for Adam & The Ants whose "Antmusic" holds at No 2 with 78,000 copies sold, an increase of 10% but is well off the pace, but to compensate the track has now sold over 350,000 copies to become their biggest selling single to date, and if that doesn't cheer them up then over on the album charts "Kings Of The Wild Frontier" jumps past Lennon 3-1 to top the charts (and end ABBA's 9 week reign with "Super Trouper") in a reversal of the single situation. Incidentally "Double Fantasy" now spends its sixth week in the runner up position, he also charts albums at No 7 and No 11.

 

 

Phil Collins is doing a "Gabriel" and striking out as a soloist from Genesis and this week sees his efforts rewarded as "In The Air Tonight" shoots 36-4 (49,000) and also has an outside shot at No 1 next week. Written about his divorce in 1979 he has attracted mostly positive reviews for the single and his solo album "Face Value" which is due next month, he's already out peaked Genesis' peak (No 7) and equals Gabriel's solo peak, though it should be noted that Collins has confirmed he has not left Genesis.

 

 

 

 

Hailing from Ely, The Look are also celebrating today with their debut single and a top 10 single to boot. "I Am The Beat" which ascends 14-6 (43,000). The single has a unique gimmick as it is manufactured with a blip in the groove of the single which replays the final line "Beat" over and over again until you take the stylus off the single!

 

 

 

From slightly further afield (Dallas, Texas to be exact) Yarbrough & Peoples also have their debut single in the top 10 as "Don't Stop The Music" registers at No 8 (39,000) from No 19 proving there is still some room for disco in the UK.

 

 

Not already mentioned The Specials fall 4-5 (43,000), The Beat hold at No 7 (41,000) and Queen hold for a third week at the bottom rung (34,000)

 

1- IMAGINE- John Lennon (108,000)

2- ANTMUSIC- Adam & The Ants (78,000)

3- WOMAN- John Lennon (65,000)

4- IN THE AIR TONIGHT- Phil Collins (49,000)

5- DO NOTHING/ MAGGIE’S FARM- The Specials (43,000)

6- I AM THE BEAT- The Look (43,000)

7- TOO NICE TO TALK TO- The Beat (41,000)

8- DON’T STOP THE MUSIC- Yarbrough & Peoples (39,000)

9- HAPPY CHRISTMAS (WAR IS OVER)- John Lennon & Yoko Ono(35,000)

10- FLASH- Queen (34,000)