I'm going to post my top tracks of 1991, as per my total chart sales as of 2024. I never get around to sorting the 90's pre-1997, and it's still ongoing, but this is the first time I've done 1991. So 101-200 will be in batches of 2 with no comment, and 51-100 will be in 10's before I get down to doing them individually. Positions in brackets will where they came in my end-of-year totals by the end of 1992, and this chart excludes all oldies: they go back to the year they were released, except those from 1990 that peaked in 1991 (I get annoyed by records released 31st december not being included as the following 1st january charts, for example, when that was the year I was loving them the most).

 

The 2 figures at the end of each track are highest position in my chart/weeks on chart, in that order. I won't include "sales" as I still havent finished my all-time Top 1000 (it is now) so don't want to give too much away as to where they end up in that one.

 

 

So. Here We Go! And in the bottom 10 there's reggae, US boyband pop, Madchester, synth soul, Indie, SAW pop, Midge Ure in his 3rd decade of charting, the first of 2 for Banderas, an album I bought, and Goth-punk Legend Siouxsie also on her 3rd decade and the first of two on the rundown. I still like them all, but which one do Iike the most in 2024? Answer is below..

 

 

200 ( 197 ) ALL 4 LOVE Color Me Badd 30 6

199 ( 196 ) JUDGE FUDGE The Happy Mondays 17 6

198 ( 195 ) HOUSECALL Shabba Ranks featuring Maxi Priest 20 6

197 ( 194 ) FAMILY AFFAIR B.E.F. featuring Lalah Hathaway 16 7

196 ( 193 ) EVERY BEAT OF THE HEART The Railway Children 17 5

195 ( 192 ) HAPPY TOGETHER Jason Donovan 19 6

194 ( 191 ) ROMANTIC Karyn White 28 7

193 ( 190 ) COLD COLD HEART Midge Ure 20 6

192 ( 189 ) SHE SELLS Banderas 25 6

191 ( 188 ) SHADOWTIME Siouxsie & The Banshees 16 6

 

 

Batch 2: a champagne socialist who once chatted to my brother over politics, a Jon & Vangelis cover with the main Pretender into her 3rd decade of chart hits, synthpop from Erasure the first of 2 from Vince n Andy, 70's soul hitsters back as Londonbeat, early Britpop from Blur, the great Stevie Nicks bitching, US soul, Tom Petty a la Jeff Lynne and some rap. It's a pretty good bunch actually, so who edges it? Check out the video...

 

 

190 ( 187 ) SEXUALITY Billy Bragg 20 6

189 ( 186 ) SPIRITUAL HIGH (STATE OF INDEPENDENCE) Moodswings featuring Chrissie Hynde 25 6

188 ( 185 ) AM I RIGHT? Erasure 23 7

187 ( 184 ) A BETTER LOVE Londonbeat 23 6

186 ( 183 ) STREET OF DREAMS Nia Peeples 15 6

185 ( 182 ) THERE’S NO OTHER WAY Blur 17 6

184 ( 181 ) YOU MESMERISE ME Maureen 21 5

183 ( 180 ) SOMETIMES IT’S A BITCH Stevie Nicks 21 7

182 ( 179 ) THE PRESSURE Sounds Of Blackness 15 5

181 ( 178 ) LEARNING TO FLY Tom Petty 15 6

180 ( 177 ) CAN I KICK IT A Tribe Called Quest 27 6

 

 

Batch the 3rd: Rod The Mod is still around, The Ladies Love Cool James, and his early stuff like this was kinda cute, Gloria's best stuff was behind her by and large, but still doing the ballad and latino alternating, The Go-go's were a decade in and Cool Jerk was fun. Kylie's sis was getting a piece of the dancepop action, not without Success, Michael Jackson did a novelty track for The Simpsons, Bryan Adams got a follow-up surge to a monster (see much higher in this chart), Cher was also knocking about into her 4th decade of hits.... One I didn't rate at the time, and one which has never peaked higher than 50 in my charts, wiped out 80's metal pop in one fell swoop (give or take Bon Jovi) and started off the 90's Grunge revolution. But will I pick it as the best of the bunch?

 

 

179 ( 176 ) BROKEN ARROW Rod Stewart 15 6

178 ( 175 ) AROUND THE WAY GIRL LL Cool J 17 6

177 ( 174 ) REMEMBER ME WITH LOVE Gloria Estefan 17 6

176 ( 173 ) COOL JERK The Go-go’s 18 6

175 ( 172 ) SUCCESS Dannii Minogue 16 6

174 ( 171 ) DO THE BARTMAN The Simpsons featuring Michael Jackson 33 9

173 ( NEW ) SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT Nirvana 50 14

172 ( 170 ) CAN’T STOP THIS THING WE STARTED Bryan Adams 25 8

171 ( 169 ) SAVE UP ALL YOUR TEARS Cher 17 7

 

 

Next up New old Wave, 70's reggae 80's & 90's hitsters from the Double-deckers actor, 70's soul 90's stylee Kenny Thomas, Mariah emoting, Kim Appleby still doing well, Sonia covering Northern Soul, World Party, Beats International vocalist Lindy, and the soul classic from Omar well-underperforming. Spoiler alert: the "under-performing" gives it away - should be top 100 at least.

 

 

170 ( 168 ) THE OTHER SIDE OF SUMMER Elvis Costello 17 6

169 ( 167 ) GET READY Roachford 24 7

168 ( 166 ) BEST OF MY LOVE Aswad 18 7

167 ( 165 ) TENDER LOVE Kenny Thomas 14 6

166 ( 164 ) EMOTIONS Mariah Carey 17 7

165 ( 163 ) MAMA Kim Appleby 20 7

164 ( 162 ) BE YOUNG BE FOOLISH BE HAPPY Sonia 16 6

163 ( 161 ) THANK YOU WORLD World Party 18 8

162 ( 160 ) ECHO MY HEART Lindy Leyton 20 8

161 ( 159 ) THERE’S NOTHING LIKE THIS Omar 17 7

 

 

The last stroll down Nineties memory lane today, starts with a Neil Young cover from the fabulous Saint Etienne, and the first Top 10 track on the chart, and a far-too-short chart run of only 5 weeks I can only put down to lack of airplay, Martika's Prince-era stab at chart success, Sabrina Johnson's souldance anthem, a decent Kylie with better to come on the list, OMD back and ditto, 3 more higher than this one, all from a great album, BoyzIIMen with a Florida-holiday 50's cover that wasn't a UK single, annoyingly, the one that lost Eurovision on a tie, outrageously, ELO minus Jeff Lynne, and Vic & Bob covering the first record I ever bought with my own money. Which sounds the best now, though...?

 

 

160 ( 158 ) ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART Saint Etienne 9 5

159 ( 157 ) MARTIKA’S KIT-Spamalert-CHEN Martika 17 8

158 ( 156 ) PEACE Sabrina Johnson 15 7

157 ( 155 ) WORD IS OUT Kylie Minogue 20 8

156 ( 154 ) CALL MY NAME Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 17 7

155 ( 153 ) IT’S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY BoyzIIMen 16 7

154 ( 152 ) C’EST LE DERNIER QUI A PARLE QUI A RAISON Amina 14 8

153 ( 151 ) LIFE PARTY 2 Deep 10 7

152 ( 150 ) HONEST MEN E.L.O. Part II 10 7

151 ( 149 ) DIZZY Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff 20 8

 

This one obv!

 

 

 

Into the 150 and most of these made my top 20, but Right Said Fred managed a long run aided by the powerful Jocelyn Brown despite peaking at 29, while Chris Rea went top 10 but dropped out pretty quickly with Auberge, as did The Wonder Stuff. Scritti Politti returned with a Gladys Knight cover, Kenny Thomas is on his second blue-eyed retro soul track with Outstanding, and Kylie is Shocked she ended up so low down. Me too! But she's higher than her sister's Success, ironically. Celine hasn't really caught on yet in the charts, so it's a surprise to see her at 145. EMF keep the streak going, I Believe, and Pet Shop Boys very much on a surprise failure to make the year-end 100 with DJ Culture, very much their least-commercial single to date. Finally, U2's chart-topper, bringing on a more experimental phase, is at 141 - The Fly is actually pretty good, so I suppose expectations were being disappointed by it not being The Joshua Tree Part 2. So which is the best track from a 2024 ear?

 

 

150 ( 148 ) AUBERGE Chris Rea 9 6

149 ( 147 ) DON’T TALK JUST KISS Right Said Fred featuring Jocelyn Brown 29 11

148 ( 146 ) TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS Scritti Politti featuring Sweetie Irie 12 7

147 ( 145 ) OUTSTANDING Kenny Thomas 12 7

146 ( 144 ) SHOCKED Kylie Minogue 17 8

145 ( 143 ) WHERE DOES MY HEART BEAT NOW Celine Dion 17 8

144 ( 142 ) THE SIZE OF A COW The Wonder Stuff 9 6

143 ( 141 ) I BELIEVE EMF 14 8

142 ( 139 ) D.J. CULTURE Pet Shop Boys 13 7

141 ( 140 ) THE FLY U2 18 9

 

This is:

 

 

 

2 Unlimited announce their Eurodance chart presence with Get Ready For This at 140, and one higher Black return with another tasteful ballad I havent heard in 33 years - Feel Like Change is rather nice but it's no Wonderful Life. Kim Appleby is doing OK still with the singles, If You Cared quite the 90's House-styled pop bop and a deserved top 10 chart placing. Boy George is on a bit of a revival as Jesus Loves You, After The Love a bit of a follow-up flattered chart placing though, and that was the year I and much of the audience walked out on his gig as he was doing 3-hour versions of some tracks as the band went full-on muso show-off and the audience had buses to catch and work the next day to think of.

 

Scritti Politti gets cover number 2 on the list, as Green does a Beatles B side cover, I bought I Feel Fine on 45 in 1976 and got into She's A Woman too, so it was nice to see the song a hit, and done very differently. 135 is a under-appreciation. Voice Of The Beehive meanwhile cover one of my 12-year-old-john faves, mad on The Partridge Family TV show and especially I Think I Love You, what a great record - the original that is. Belinda Carlisle was still trotting out monster pop singles, interspersed with lesser album cuts, but as I'd been to see her live I was inclined to over-rate them occasionally. Vision Of You being a pleasant one. Billy Bragg has his second of '91 on the list, his best recording I think, the Country-styled You Woke Up My Neighbourhood. It was all downhill from here. Finally, what on Earth is Rozalla doing this low with a dance classic?! Everybody's Free is an anthem, no argument, Top 100 of 1991 for sure, and arguably top 50.

 

 

140 ( 138 ) GET READY FOR THIS 2 Unlimited 12 7

139 ( 137 ) FEEL LIKE CHANGE Black 11 8

138 ( 136 ) IF YOU CARED Kim Appleby 9 8

137 ( 135 ) AFTER THE LOVE Jesus Loves You 9 7

136 ( 134 ) NO SON OF MINE Genesis 8 12

135 ( 133 ) SHE’S A WOMAN Scritti Politti featuring Shabba Ranks 20 10

134 ( 132 ) I THINK I LOVE YOU Voice Of The Beehive 12 8

133 ( 130 ) VISION OF YOU (REMIX) Belinda Carlisle 9 8

132 ( 131 ) YOU WOKE UP MY NEIGHBOURHOOD Billy Bragg 10 7

131 ( 129 ) EVERYBODY’S FREE Rozalla 13 8

 

Couldnt pick any but this one!

 

 

 

 

Extreme had a smash with the rather tuneful ballad More Than Words, very singalong and radio friendly, and U2 have a second under-performing single with Mysterious Ways as I still preferred the 80's stuff, but it did hang around a bit at least, ditto Roxette's Spending My Time, but they'll have bigger ones a bit higher. Prince is back in naughty mode, Cream indeed, and no Raspberry Beret to make a fruit salad either. Comedian Vic Reeves, meanwhile, fancying himself as an old crooner, decides to cover Matt Monroe's fab 60's movie song Born Free. I rather love that song, and Vic's version is fine. Saw him in concert around this time (comedy show plus a bit of music, with added Bob Mortimer of course)

 

Beats International aka Norman Cook hanging in with the pre-Freakpower, Pre-Fatboy hits, wants us to spend cash on where The Sun Doesn't Shine. Oooerrr! Missus! Jason Donovan is looking for an RSVP, I'dve given him one if he promised not to sing anything from Joseph, and Gary Clail pushes Human Nature in some hot house dance vibes. Tell me why? It's human nature!! I tend to agree, especially those flogging their own virtue and tolerance by demonstrating anything but. Great record! Just ahead, it's Jesus Jones with another great single, I liked everything they did, pretty much, annoyingly they went out of fashion after a couple of years. International Bright Young Thing at 122, leaving a Rugby squad showing footie teams how to do an ancient song decently - Swing Out Sweet Chariot. It's between Jesus Jones and Gary Clail, ooh both are great....

 

 

130 ( 128 ) MORE THAN WORDS Extreme 10 7

129 ( 127 ) MYSTERIOUS WAYS U2 20 12

128 ( 126 ) SPENDING MY TIME Roxette 16 10

127 ( 125 ) CREAM Prince & The New Power Generation 19 10

126 ( 124 ) BORN FREE Vic Reeves & The Roman Numerals 8 5

125 ( 123 ) THE SUN DOESN’T SHINE Beats International 10 7

124 ( 122 ) R.S.V.P. Jason Donovan 9 7

123 ( 121 ) HUMAN NATURE Gary Clail & The On-U Sound System 11 7

122 ( 120 ) INTERNATIONAL BRIGHT YOUNG THING Jesus Jones 16 9

121 ( 118 ) SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT England Rugby Squad 7 8

 

this pipped it..

 

 

 

Stars was the top album of 1991 and Simply Red were unavoidable - Something Got Me Started was decent enough though, always liked Mick's throwback soul vibes and lefty views. Jocelyn Brown's back again, this time with Incognito on the bangin' dance tune Always There. Natural Selection was a Florida holiday radio track for me, think Roxette done a little bit dance, Do Anything is not bad, and I spot suddenly Ive got 2 Unlimited on twice as Get ready For This charted again during my Florida holiday and pumped up it's sales - so let's just pretend number 140 doesn't exist! Meanwhile, Florida holiday strikes again at 116 as 70's soulstress Roberta Flack gets a comeback with reggae star Maxi Priest on Set The Night To Music, a UK flop. It's pleasant.

 

Sonia covers The Real Thing 1976 classic You To Me Are Everything, who starred on the radio 1 roadshow in the 1986 revival remix, along with me. I saw them in the 00's I think, in a club setting. Sonia's version is fine. R.E.M. were peaking commercially in 1991, Shiny Happy People borrowed B52's Kate Pearson for a jolly-sounding singalong that got on your nerves after blanket radio airplay, and on their nerves too it seems. Salt 'n' Pepa covered the 60's Turtles US hit You Showed Me. They won't be the last to do that. The original version is better, I think. East Side Beat cover Christopher Cross dance-stylee, and finally, Well Almost, showtune megastar of stage Elaine Paige returns with a track I rather liked, as it confounded expectations. It's showtune rock Abba-stylee. Co-Written by Mike Chapman of Glam Rock icons Sweet, Mud, Quatro and Blondie producer fame, among many, and Holly Knight, her of Love Is A Battlefield, Tina Turner hits, Aerosmith and others.

 

 

120 ( 117 ) SOMETHING GOT ME STARTED Simply Red 14 10

119 ( 116 ) ALWAYS THERE Incognito featuring Jocelyn Brown 17 12

118 ( 115 ) DO ANYTHING Natural Selection 9 8

117 ( 114 ) GET READY FOR THIS 2 Unlimited 12 11

116 ( 113 ) SET THE NIGHT TO MUSIC Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest 5 7

115 ( 112 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING Sonia 7 7

114 ( 111 ) SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE R.E.M. 14 10

113 ( 110 ) YOU SHOWED ME Salt ‘n’ Pepa 11 9

112 ( 109 ) RIDE LIKE THE WIND East Side Beat 10 8

111 ( 107 ) WELL ALMOST Elaine Paige 8 8

 

 

 

Living Colour had a one-off rock hit, Love Rears It's Ugly Head was good enough, and Seal had a cracker of a year, expect higher tracks than Future Love Paradise, all Trevor-Horn-produced quality, Yo Yo Honey had a pretty good single called Get It On, soul-shuffle stylee, but sadly she didn't get the hit it deserved to be. Pity! Smooth. C+C Music Factory were big with the dance grooves for a while, as well as aka Clivilles & Cole, before a tragic accident ended that partnership. Gonna Make You Sweat is a goodie. And of course we have Chesney Hawkes, 3-hit wonder of 1991 (well 1 and 2 minor at any rate), the Nik-Kershaw written The One And Only. A fondly remembered biggie of 1991 these days, and I liked it but never loved it.

 

Prince grabs his 2nd name-check with the stomping Get Off! He had better tracks on the album, IMHO though. Soho scored a one-off with the funky Hippychick, an unusual and fab production, very Madchester vibes. Ex-Smiths' Johnny Marr and part of New Order Bernard Sumner, Electronic return with the good Feel Every Beat, while Kenny Thomas makes it a hat-trick of good singles not to make the top 100, doh! Thinking About Your Love, this time. That leaves Salt 'n' Pepa with their second on the list, the much better Let's Talk About Sex. Innovative song, that one, as r'n'b and rap music exclusively talk about sex pretty much 30 years on. But not in a playful sense, like here, more in a graphic, bragging, self-obsessed sense.

 

 

110 ( 106 ) LOVE REARS IT’S UGLY HEAD Living Colour 10 10

109 ( 105 ) FUTURE LOVE PARADISE Seal 7 8

108 ( 104 ) GET IT ON Yo Yo Honey 7 9

107 ( 103 ) GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT C+C Music Factory 13 12

106 ( 102 ) THE ONE AND ONLY Chesney Hawkes 7 12

105 ( 101 ) GET OFF Prince & The New Power Generation 14 11

104 ( 99 ) HIPPYCHICK Soho 11 11

103 ( 98 ) FEEL EVERY BEAT Electronic 8 7

102 ( 97 ) THINKING ABOUT YOUR LOVE Kenny Thomas 10 11

101 ( 96 ) LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX Salt ‘n’ Pepa 10 9

 

Ooh, which would I rather hear agin...? Hmm. Actually, the one nobody will know, and it's my party and I'll cry if I want to...

 

John, "Well Almost" is great personal discovery for me. :wub:

This single wasn't in any official charts, so I didn't hear it before when compiled my retrospective 1991 charts.

 

Only two songs from your 101-200 region were represented in my chart.

Stevie Nicks - Sometimes It's A Bitch (4-2-3-1-4-5-9-10-12-13-13-15-16-19-18-18)

Voice Of The Beehive - I Think I Love You (4-6-9-9-11-11-12-15-17-16-19)

John, "Well Almost" is great personal discovery for me. :wub:

This single wasn't in any official charts, so I didn't hear it before when compiled my retrospective 1991 charts.

 

Only two songs from your 101-200 region were represented in my chart.

Stevie Nicks - Sometimes It's A Bitch (4-2-3-1-4-5-9-10-12-13-13-15-16-19-18-18)

Voice Of The Beehive - I Think I Love You (4-6-9-9-11-11-12-15-17-16-19)

 

Hi Alex, fab, I'm glad you like Elaine Paige's :cheer: :) - it should have been a hit really, but it was too rocky for Elaine fans and not "1991" enough for anyone else I expect. Stevie topped your charts :cheer: The original I Think I Love You was a massive song for me when I was 12. I think there will be a few more you like in the top 100 :D

...and into the 100 we go!

 

The follow-up to the big hit outdoes More Than Words for Extreme, and the last single from Queen before Freddie passed away is at 99. The Show Must Go On is pure Freddie, wearing his heart on his sleeve and making it really obvious he was not in a good place or state. Tragic and touching, and Queen had been in my year-end 100's since 1974 bar the odd quiet year like 1982/83. Heavy D do a decent version of a great reggae version (Third World) of an O'Jays Philly-era original Gamble & Huff album track, not even a single! Dannii gets a second track on the 200, Baby Love, one I've not heard since. It's very 1991 and borrows Barry White's Love's Theme intro. Italian crooner Zucchero teams up with Paul Young to give Paul his biggest track since 1984, and Senza Una Donna is pretty classy.

 

I'm G.L.A.D. that Kim Appleby appears more than once on this listing, 95 is pretty decent. Very SAW, in a good "Better The Devil" way. Bomb The Base slot in with the first of 2, following a change in musical direction away from throbbing dance to mellower melodic-based dance, and The Air You Breathe is very nice. Zoe had a minor hit in 1990 with Sunshine On A Rainy Day, very catchy yet not a hit. Cue a punchier remix and massive hit in 1991. The combined chart "sales" move it up from 108 to 93. Praise and Only You was more World Music oddity, than an obvious chart hit, but it's really great, Spanish acoustic guitar, female vocalist, echo-drenched synths in the background, not a million miles away from Enigma. Seal is on his 2nd on the rundown with The Beginning, a little more dancey than I was expecting from memory. It's good.

 

 

100 ( 95 ) HOLE HEARTED Extreme 10 12

99 ( 94 ) THE SHOW MUST GO ON Queen 10 12

98 ( 93 ) NOW THAT WE’VE FOUND LOVE Heavy D & The Boyz 12 12

97 ( 92 ) BABY LOVE Dannii Minogue 5 7

96 ( 91 ) SENZA UNA DONNA Zucchero & Paul Young 7 11

95 ( 90 ) G.L.A.D. Kim Appleby 8 9

94 ( 89 ) THE AIR YOU BREATHE Bomb The Bass 6 11

93 ( 108 ) SUNSHINE ON A RAINY DAY (REMIX) Zoe 11 11

92 ( 88 ) ONLY YOU Praise 6 8

91 ( 87 ) THE BEGINNING Seal 10 9

 

I might have gone for Queen or Zucchero, but on balance I think this is the more interesting:

 

 

Only You is a great song, I’ve been tempted to send it to BJSC before but never have

Only You is a great song, I’ve been tempted to send it to BJSC before but never have

 

It's never too late :D It has a timeless quality to it, it's classy, and it's been unjustly forgotten by the world....

Back from a short pause...

 

And Slade grab their final Year-End Top 100 some 20 years after their first, that's pretty good going, and Radio Wall Of Sound was a decent farewell to promote their Greatest Hits before Noddy left to do TV work instead and give his singing voice a permanent rest. Good decision actually, it turned out. Still a legend. Prince is still mining the Diamonds & Pearls album, with the title track landing at 89. That beats both Cream and Gett Off, for his 3rd so far on the 200. It's tuneful enough. Cathy Dennis may yet turn up again, but for now her ballad Too Many Walls nestles at 88, quite nice and all that. She could do well as a go-to songwriter I predict!

 

OMD's big comeback hit Sailing On The Seven Seas, all glamrock electro-stomp, arrives in port but they will have at least one more listed higher. I must dig out my pirate cassette of Andy in concert one day, circa 1991. I hid it under my coat and the sound was awful. On the tape, not the gig. OMD were fab. INXS also still going strong, By My Side at 86, and INXS one of the greatest live acts I saw at Bournemouth International Centre - totally rocked out. Michael Hutchence was amazing. Addams & Gee borrowed a great tune from Vangelis' 1979 album China and hip-hopped it up. The original I bought on a charity compilation album and it's fabulous. This should have been a hit.

 

Amy Grant isn't just Baby Baby. She's also That's What Love Is For at 84, but it's not as memorable. Still, it's her first of 2 on the rundown, Erasure Love To Hate You at 83, one of their top tunes and their best of 1991. Simply Red took over the world with Stars, the album, and the title track is at 82. MOR but qwait naice. That leaves Boy George at 81 with his comeback hit aka Jesus Loves You on Bow Down Mister which was pretty good. Oddly, the flop follow-up's are even better.

 

So...do I go for the best hits (OMD, Erasure) or the best flop...

 

Oh what the H, one of each!

 

The flop:

 

 

 

90 ( 85 ) RADIO WALL OF SOUND Slade 8 10

89 ( 86 ) DIAMONDS AND PEARLS Prince 8 11

88 ( 84 ) TOO MANY WALLS Cathy Dennis 11 11

87 ( 83 ) SAILING ON THE SEVEN SEAS Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 9 10

86 ( 82 ) BY MY SIDE INXS 7 11

85 ( 81 ) CHUNG KUO (REVISITED) Addams & Gee 8 13

84 ( 79 ) THAT’S WHAT LOVE IS FOR Amy Grant 8 14

83 ( 78 ) LOVE TO HATE YOU Erasure 5 9

82 ( 76 ) STARS Simply Red 11 14

81 ( 75 ) BOW DOWN MISTER Jesus Loves You aka Boy George 9 12

 

and the hit:

 

 

Two out of last 20 for me.

 

Cathy Dennis - Too Many Walls (8-7-7-5-4-3-6-5-8-10-15-16-17-19) and original version of Zoe - Sunshine On A Rainy Day (18-15-18) from the previous year.

 

 

Edited July 23, 20241 yr by Last Dreamer

Two out of last 20 for me.

 

Cathy Dennis - Too Many Walls (8-7-7-5-4-3-6-5-8-10-15-16-17-19) and original version of Zoe - Sunshine On A Rainy Day (18-15-18) from the previous year.

 

Too Many Walls is very nice, I can see why you like it, and I liked the original version of Sunshine too, but the remix sounded more 1991 I guess thats why it didnt become a hit in 1990. It's a more straightforward pop song I think, pre-remix.

At 80 it's Definition Of Sound's Wear Your Love Like Heaven, I rather liked their brand of Deee-Liteful playful rapshuffledance pop, very Daisy Age, and this one was inspired by 60's folkpop UK icon Donovan's US hit that flopped in the UK, of the same name. Both re gloriously colourful. Belinda's Summer Sand was getting early plays on a Florida holiday ahead of a UK release, one of her mid-league goodies, and a 4th consecutive year of year-end top 100's, and her 2nd and highest on this list. George Michael was releasing even less commercial tracks off his 1990 album Listen Without Prejudice by this stage, with Cowboys And Angels the lower of two from it, slow, jazzy, sad and classy at 78. Not in any way a hit single, so quite a brave move. I miss George.

 

At 77 the very first remix of You Got The Love, a good dance mix of Candi Staton's original acapella recording, and thus only the third time she'd made my year-end 100, since 1976's Young Hearts Run Free. Much as I rate this version, the definitive remix was still to come. Pet Shop Boys always make my year end 100 if they release something, and Was It Worth It? is no exception, and it falls between the lesser DJ Culture at 141 and 2 monsters still to come. Talking of Chris & Neil, they wrote and produced Daydreaming for Dusty's Reputation album, Dusty raps as stylishly as one might expect, and the boys didn't push for it to be a single, sadly. It's better than both of their singles so far.

 

Cher's UK chart-topper pops in at 74, but I still prefer the 1975 disco Linda Lewis version of It's In His Kiss, which took the song into that year's top 100 from me. Cher had a much-better follow-up to this movie song, which I'm still a bit fed up with hearing. Blue Hotel popped into my 1990 chart briefly before Wicked Game got it noticed, and it's got that 50's vibes that Chris Isaak specialises in, Roy Orbison could easily have covered (or written) this one. Bananarama were still chucking out credible dancepop tunes 10 years on, now as a duo, and Preacher Man had 60's girlgroup vibes to the song, but a very 90's production. First of 2 on the list. Talking of Cher, Love And Understanding was a proper single from her next album, and much better than Shoop Shoop, landing at 71.

 

So, which to highlight on video? It's getting hard to pick now. The flop/non-single is between George & Dusty:

 

Dusty! Fabulous...

 

 

 

80 ( 74 ) WEAR YOUR LOVE LIKE HEAVEN Definition Of Sound 4 9

79 ( 77 ) SUMMER RAIN Belinda Carlisle 10 16

78 ( 72 ) COWBOYS AND ANGELS George Michael 7 11

77 ( 71 ) YOU GOT THE LOVE The Source featuring Candi Staton 12 14

76 ( 70 ) WAS IT WORTH IT? Pet Shop Boys 5 10

75 ( 69 ) DAYDREAMING Dusty Springfield 2 6

74 ( 68 ) THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT’S IN HIS KISS) Cher 7 11

73 ( 67 ) BLUE HOTEL Chris Isaak 8 13

72 ( 66 ) PREACHER MAN Bananarama 6 12

71 ( 65 ) LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING Cher 8 14

 

The hit is between Definition Of Sound, Candi Staton, or Chris Isaak.

 

The Source edge it...

 

Love to Hate You and You Got the Love are FAR too low. Plus your comment for the former also means that Chorus is way too low also.

 

Love and Understanding is the only Cher song I’d ever bought until Believe came along, it’s one of her best for me

 

 

Also DJ Culture >>>> Was it Worth it imo, the latter was their worst single to date for me

Love to Hate You and You Got the Love are FAR too low. Plus your comment for the former also means that Chorus is way too low also.

 

Love and Understanding is the only Cher song I’d ever bought until Believe came along, it’s one of her best for me

Also DJ Culture >>>> Was it Worth it imo, the latter was their worst single to date for me

 

Yes, both Love To Hate You and You Got The Love are under-appreciated in this list I'd say. Chorus I like more than I did at the time too (it was top 20 but not 10 I think) - I did consider whether the 1997 remix "sales" should be added to the 1991 remix for You Got The Love as it would have ended up top record of 1991 - but really it's the other way around, they should get added to the 97 remix as that was the monster for me. This early remix is more subtle and great in it's own way but for it to come top would be flattering it a bit.

 

Long-time Cher fan here obv :lol: :lol: From I Got You Babe onwards when I was a mere 7 years old, and Love And Understanding is one of her 90's top tunes, but prefer Just Like Jessie James, Believe. Cher will still feature in year-end 100's into the 2010's for me :cheer: (I Walk Alone is a biggie).

 

Both DJ Culture/Was It Worth It were comparatively low singles points for PSB I thought - at least until the revamps of Somewhere and Paninaro almost dropped to that level but at least you could sing along to them for a bit of cheesy fun :) I played Was It Worth It yesterday (and enjoyed it) but I still coudnt hum more than the title :lol:

76 ( 70 ) WAS IT WORTH IT? Pet Shop Boys 5 10

75 ( 69 ) DAYDREAMING Dusty Springfield 2 6

 

Dusty and Pet Shop Boys. Together again.

Well here's a surprise, in my head You Showed Me and Let's Talk About Sex are the 2 memorable Salt n Pepa tracks of 1991, but Do You Want out-performed both thanks to a longer chart run. Not heard it in decades, so how does it hold up? Ooh, it's a bit flattered, I must have liked the Janet Jackson production vibe. Donny Osmond last made a year-end with Soldier Of Love in 1988 and My Love Is A Fire was a US-holiday-boosted chart hit for me. It's got that early 90's dance production and a great chorus. The verses not so much, but should have been a hit. James have a big one still to come, but it's an appearance at 68 for a Sound song. 30 years since I heard this last. Builds nicely. Hasnt dated like the other 2 just below it. A goodie.

 

 

So here's one at 67 I under-estimated at the time, but it's a genuine classic and re-entries have pushed it further up the list to a more respectable slot, but it's still far too low. Yes R.E.M. and Losing My Religion isn't in the top 50! At least it beats Shiny Happy People. What can I say? That's me, in the corner, that's me in the spot. Light. Oh no I've said too much! Belinda's already had her Summer Rain, and here's Do You Feel Like I Feel at 66, another singalong anthem, but one that never gets radio plays, unfairly. It's got a great melody, but not the monster hookline of her famous hits. Quality pop. Under-rated. Which brings me to MC Mikee, Mikee and Nomad. Devotion is a big dance tune for 1991, it's all about sweaty clubs, raves and clubbing and still sounds great.

 

 

And Belinda's back already with her 3rd singalong anthem of the year, Live Your Life Be Free does get radio plays and has the hookline to boot, give in, singalong and enjoy is my advice. 64th and her highest of the year. A great record. The rate she could bung out great tunes for 4 years or so, non-stop is quite impressive. Still does actually, no exaggeration. Kylie meanwhile goes for a genre change with soul singer Keith Washington, If You Were With Me Now sounds aimed at US radio plays, presumably designed to break her again in the USA - never mind, come back in another 10 years Kylie! Sounds dated now, though it's nice smooth soul. Enya's back with her brand of gentle folksy synth on Caribbean Blue, all very nice but lacks the sweeping backdrop of Orinoco Flo. I think she was a Womble? Finally, Voice Of The Beehive had a nice run and peaked with Monsters & Angels I felt, everything just clicked on this track. Great song, love the famous painting homage at the video intro.

 

Beehive vs Belinda...

 

 

 

70 ( 63 ) DO YOU WANT ME Salt ‘n’ Pepa 10 14

69 ( 62 ) MY LOVE IS A FIRE Donny Osmond 6 14

68 ( 61 ) SOUND James 8 13

67 ( 119 ) LOSING MY RELIGION R.E.M. 10 25

66 ( 60 ) DO YOU FEEL LIKE I FEEL Belinda Carlisle 4 13

65 ( 59 ) (I WANNA GIVE YOU) DEVOTION Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom 6 15

64 ( 58 ) LIVE YOUR LIFE BE FREE Belinda Carlisle 6 10

63 ( 57 ) IF YOU WERE WITH ME NOW Kylie Minogue & Keith Washington 5 16

62 ( 56 ) CARIBBEAN BLUE Enya 4 13

61 ( 55 ) MONSTERS AND ANGELS Voice Of The Beehive 4 13

 

and the overall winner of these 10, not even worth pretending really...

 

Ralph Tresvant was a Bobby Brown wannabee by this stage, but more smooth soul end of Jack Swing sort of a younger Alexander O'Neal - both of which are appropriate comparisons given Jam & Lewis are behind the track, and Ralph is also an ex-teen-star former-member of New Edition. I like Sensitivity, it sounds like a Janet Jackson track. Ce Ce Peniston took 2 goes at the chart to get Finally a big hit, and subsequently immortalised in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. So those two runs are combined here for a more appropriate year-end of 59. Great dance track. Bros are one place higher with one of their fade-out career tracks after the tweenies had abandoned them chart-wise. I liked the new music direction, myself, funkier, and a bit Michael Jackson with a good gospel-tinged message for the world, but the tweenies disagreed. They were wrong. It's one of their best tracks.

 

 

Happy Mondays were still going Madchester strong, and Loose Fit was one of their low-key jangly grooviest vibes, but sadly not much remembered these days compared to their bigger hits. I still like it though. If it's pre-1994 and post 1983 it never hurts to have Prince donating a song and production for you - and so Martika benefits from another low key track that doesn't have the Big Song touch of Toy Soldiers. It builds a bit but never climaxes, which is unusual for Prince. Sultry. Cathy Dennis is back with her 2nd track of the 100, dance mode, and one I've not heard in yonks. It's Cathy so it's obv pretty good but it's overshadowed by 2 other dance essentials. Pity!

 

 

What does Kylie have to do to get another slot in a year-end chart? Just chuck out a glorious dance pop track, and What Do I Have To Do is just that, better than almost all her previous singles bar Better The Devil and Step Back In Time. Kylie's former PWL label-mate, Sonia (dropped and getting the hits without them) pops up with a 60's Motown vibes Only Fools (Never Fall In Love). It's clearly Supremes-influenced, and borrows the rhythm track of You Can't Hurry Love, but then who hasn't? It's decent enough and better than her SAW solo stuff, bar the brilliant You've Got A Friend. Amy Grant brought her huge US hit across the Atlantic, and Baby Baby is very catchy, nothing wrong with that song at all, probably the strongest actual song in this batch, but not necessarily the best record, though it's a nice production. Finally, another female singer makes it 6 in a row, Lisa Stansfield with her biggest of '91 for a 3rd consecutive year inside the 100. Change is soulful, classy, smooth, subtle as usual, but it also has a good song behind it, the Rochdale lass was non-stop for 3 or 4 years. Strangely non of her hits get a lot of airing these days, bar 2 from 1989, perhaps a little too laid back for radio outside a hot summer's day.

 

 

 

60 ( 54 ) SENSITIVITY Ralph Tresvant 5 17

59 ( NEW ) FINALLY Ce Ce Peniston 7 19

58 ( 52 ) TRY Bros 3 9

57 ( 51 ) LOOSE FIT Happy Mondays 3 11

56 ( 50 ) LOVE... THY WILL BE DONE Martika 7 15

55 ( 49 ) EVERYBODY MOVE Cathy Dennis 4 13

54 ( 48 ) WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO Kylie Minogue 5 15

53 ( 47 ) ONLY FOOLS (NEVER FALL IN LOVE) Sonia 5 14

52 ( 45 ) BABY BABY Amy Grant 7 14

51 ( 46 ) CHANGE Lisa Stansfield 5 15

 

 

and so the best track of the bunch. Yeah it's Kylie of course!