Impressive sales for George Michael, all 5 singles have had great opening weeks and most with the album already available

An historic week as the first Top 3 of all new entries. A shame none of them were particularly great, considering the artists involved at least. The Cardigans were unlucky to outsell all the previous week's Top 3 and still be stuck at #4.

Such a non number 1 from Barlow.

I was very young at the time, but I do remember seeing this particular episode of TOTP and Barlow perform this at #1. I remember my dad remarking that it was "nothing special at all"

at least t was better than his debut Forever love

but can't recall the story proper, cos back in the day I thought Madonna had written it for Barlow or specifically given it to him

but looks like it was a Madonna demo that Barlow randomly found in some label folder or something?

 

never realised the Take That guys did a 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, that's hilarious kinda

 

my fav from the newbies is Jamiroquai-Alright, great single from a great album

Star People I also like it

but Love is the Law, what a disappointing start after how much I loved The Stone Roses, don't think Seahorses released anything I liked a tiny tiny bit

17TH MAY

 

 

The charts throw up one of those surprises that keep us hooked on it this week as from nowhere Olive debut at No 1. Olive who? The three piece contain two members of former charting acts, Robin Taylor-Firth was formerly in Nightmares on Wax and Tim Kellett was in Simply Red for 10 years. They’ve combined with singer Ruth-Ann Boyle to form Olive and first single “You’re Not Alone” made it No 42 last Autumn followed by “Miracle” making No 41 in March. That debut single has now been remixed with help from Paul Oakenfold which has proved popular with Radio 1 and in the clubs to generate substantial interest in the track which enables it to land at No 1 with sales of 75,000.

 

 

 

Damage continue to grow in stature as a chart act, a carefully chosen cover of the Eric Clapton classic “Wonderful Tonight” provides them with their biggest hit yet as it arrives at No 3 (46,000). It’s the bands third top 10 in a row and makes up for the relative failure of the album “Forever” which at 5 weeks old still lingers outside the top 50.

 

 

 

A high profile music Svengali Tom Watkins has already helmed the careers of Pet Shop Boys, Bros, and East 17 and has now created the band North And South who have been promoted via the Children’s TV show “No Sweat”. The programme follows the band as they struggle to make it in the industry and it looks like they’ll not be struggling any more as first single “I’m A Man Not A Boy” debuts at No 7 (37,000).

 

 

 

Primed and ready to release their fifth album “Vanishing Point”, Primal Scream are back in the top 10 for only the second time in their 7 year chart career. “Rocks” made No 7 back in 1994 and now “Kowalski” is new at No 8 (34,000), it comes with a promo by Irvine Welsh and features Kate Moss which only seems to have helped sales.

 

 

 

Going one better than their debut single, Eels’ “Susan’s House” is new at No 9 (31,000). It features a sample of Gladys Knight’s “Love Finds Its Own Way” at its start, both Eels singles can be found on their album “Beautiful Freak” which is back in the top 30 this week but has yet to sell 100,000 copies.

 

 

The Cardigans may look like a potential chart topper as they climb 4-2 but in fact they lost 31% week on week to record a sale of just 47,000 in making that move, that’s the lowest sale for a runner up since Michael Jackson’s “Earthsong” 15 months ago!

 

Similarly Shola Ama reaches new heights 7-4 (46,000) but it losing ground at retail, and R Kelly maintains No 5 (42,000). Gary Barlow drops 1-6 (40,000) and DJ Quicksilver holds on 9-10 (30,000), all eyes will presumably be on Katrina & Waves track after they won Eurovision- could it become the first Eurovision winner to make the top since Nicole in 1982? It darts 50-13 this week.

 

 

1- YOU’RE NOT ALONE- Olive (75,000)

2- LOVEFOOL- Cardigans (47,000)

3- WONDERFUL TONIGHT- Damage (46,500)

4- YOU MIGHT NEED SOMEBODY- Shola Ama (46,000)

5- I BELIEVE I CAN FLY- R Kelly (42,000)

6- LOVE WON’T WAIT- Gary Barlow (40,000)

7- I’M A MAN NOT A BOY- North & South (37,000)

8- KOWALSKI- Primal Scream (34,000)

9- SUSAN’S HOUSE- Eels (31,000)

10- BELLISSIMA- DJ Quicksilver (30,000)

 

http://i.imgur.com/q5DvLjB.jpg

Olive one of the best number 1s of the 90s! :wub:

Olive one of the best number 1s of the 90s! :wub:

Wholeheartedly agree with this :wub:

Another historic week, this remains the only Top 40 in history to contain as many as 20 new entries :o (albeit one of them was the aforementioned climber from #50).

 

Olive were unlucky to miss the Top 40 with the original releases of 'You're Not Alone' (it went 42-44-44...) and 'Miracle' which reached #41 (and a later re-release also made #41!) so had some overdue good fortune in reaching #1 when the sales bar was relatively low for 1997.

Olive

 

I was so surprised when You’re Not Alone made #1, but totally deserved and a very welcome change in sound from most huge hits that year

You're Not Alone :heart:

 

Also showing a bit of love for North & South.

 

Wow at how close 2, 3 and 4 are :o That could've ended up in any order!

Amazing #1 - I have long loved that song

You're not alone is one of the best #1s of the 90s for certain <3

it's a great top 2 with Lovefool at #2

also really like Kowalski from Primal Scream, but so weird cos their 91 album Screamadelica was all dance, then for the followup in 94 they went all fake Rolling Stones and now in 97 they're back to dance :D

24TH MAY

 

 

Against expectations Olive are No 1 for a second week and sales of “You’re Not Alone” off just fractionally at 74,000 as it shows remarkable consistency in the charts of 1997. It led from the off and indeed increased its lead as the week progressed which bodes well for a third week at the top next week.

 

5W3bf-wfdHQ

 

 

Highest new entry of the week goes to Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli, “Con Te Patiro” appeared on Bocelli’s 1995 album “Vivere” and was picked to be used for promotion of the final fight by boxer Henry Maske last year when it was turned into a duet with Sarah Brightman with some re-written lyrics in English. The pair performed the track at the fixture and it shot to No 1 in Germany by the year end where it stayed for 13 weeks and has since become the biggest selling single there ever! Since then its topped charts in many European countries and now threatens to repeat here as it smashes in at No 2 (60,000) marking Bocelli’s first appearance in the singles chart and the highest placing for Brightman who scored 5 previous top 10 singles but none as big as this.

 

g3ENX3aHlqU

 

 

Onto that Eurovision winner then, yes a fortnight ago Katrina & The Waves broke the UK’s 16 year wait for a winner and took top honours in Dublin romping home to an easy victory. It marks a return, not only for the UK in the competition, but also Katrina & The Waves who have only been in the top 20 once before, 12 years ago with “Walking On Sunshine”, so they must be thankful that they got involved in the competition. The track debuted at a rather lowly No 50 before shooting to No 13 in the tun in to the big day itself but now with its winning status it moves 13-3 (45,000) this week, all the UK’s previous outright winning entrants (Sandie Shaw, Brotherhood Of Man, and Bucks Fizz) took their tracks to No 1 but it looks as though “Love Shine A Light” may not follow in their footsteps as it slackened from its early No 2 midweek position. If it goes no further it will become the lowest peaking UK winning entrant to the competition!

 

k6gDNlkS5fo

 

 

No Mercy’s “Where Do You Go” remains one of the year’s biggest sellers which makes their follow up single all the more likely to be a substantive hit. “Please Don’t Go” duly obliges as it launches straight in at No 4 (43,000), the boys album is out next month and will be the real test of their popularity.

 

9IfZpngch6g

 

 

R Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” tumbles 5-8 (28,000) but is now well past the 500,000 mark, but he’s got another top 10 hit on his hands now though he isn’t the artist credited. Toni Braxton’s follow up to “Un-Break My Heart” is “I Don’t Want To” and yes it is produced and written by R Kelly who also provides all instrumentation and backing vocals for the track but its Braxton’s 4th top 10 hit and third within the last 10 months as it debuts at No 9 (26,000).

 

uesdoK4Mji4

 

Cardigans drop 2-5 (36,000) but stay slightly ahead of Damage who retreat themselves 3-6 (34,000) and Shola Ama who slides 4-7 (29,000). DJ Quicksilver remains anchored to the top 10 after selling 25,000 copies last week.

 

 

1- YOU’RE NOT ALONE- Olive (74,000)

2- TIME TO SAY GOODBYE- Sarah Brightman & Andre Bocelli (60,000)

3- LOVE SHINE A LIGHT- Katrina & The Waves (45,000)

4- PLEASE DON’T GO- No Mercy (43,000)

5- LOVEFOOL- Cardigans (36,000)

6- WONDERFUL TONIGHT- Damage (34,000)

7- YOU MIGHT NEED SOMEBODY- Shola Ama (29,000)

8- I BELIEVE I CAN FLY- R Kelly (28,000)

9- I DON’T WANT TO- Toni Braxton (26,000)

10- BELLISSIMA- DJ Quicksilver (25,000)

 

http://i.imgur.com/q5DvLjB.jpg

R. Kelly being so dominant and unstoppable during this period seems WILD now.

Especially if you consider how meriocre his songs were

I love Toni Braxton hut thats a weak single

 

Poor week for newbies

Carbon copy follow up for No Mercy there :lol: Awful.

31ST MAY

Who said 13 was an unlucky number? Certainly not for Eternal who finally get a chart topper with their thirteenth release, “I Wanna Be The Only One” features gospel legend BeBe Winans but it isn’t their first collaboration, Winans wrote and co-produced the girls hit “Crazy” (No 15, 1994) meaning that he has helped the girls to both their smallest and biggest hit. The song sold an impressive 149,000 copies last week the fourth highest 7 day tally of 1997 so far and easily swept all competition aside, it also sent parent album “Before The Rain” soaring 36-14.

Michael Jackson retains the top spot on the album charts but this week’s top 3 singles are now all available on albums which evens the playing field a little. Andrea Bocelli’s “Romanza” is new at No 10 whilst Olive’s “Extra Virgin” opens at No 15, on the singles front it is the same result between the two “Time To Say Goodbye” retains No 2 (120,000) whilst “You’re Not Alone” dives 1-3 (59,000). You’ll note the huge sales difference there, no single so far in 1997 has sold as many copies as the Brightman/ Bocelli collaboration and not been No 1 so they can feel somewhat aggrieved not to be sitting at the top this week.





Former backing singer for Prince and a member of the New Power Generation Rosie Gains has long conducted a solo career whilst not singing with the purple one though it didn’t generate much interest. In 1995 she released her album “Closer than Close” and scored a minor hit with “I Want U” (#70) but the title track missed the charts. Now remixed and re-promoted it has finally caught on in the clubs and make its berth at No 4 (54,000).

Proving that you can’t keep a good TV Theme down The Rembrandts “I’ll Be There For You” is of course the theme to “Friends” and was a No 3 hit just 2 years ago when the show was first shown on Channel 4 selling over 400,000 copies. Re-released now to coincide with the first two series being re-aired in preparation for season 3 later this year (plus the video release of season 1) the song has become a hit all over again lifting 11-5 (47,000) this week. It is the fourth song to be a top 10 hit twice in the 90s but only the second straightforward re-issue to do so.

Otherwise it’s a quiet week in chartland, The Cardigans drift 5-6 (34,000), Shola Ama holds steady at No 7 (29,000), Katrina & The Waves ebb 3-8 (26,000), Damage glide 6-9 (25,000) and R Kelly dips 8-10 (22,000) but has sold 574,000 copies making it the 3rd biggest hit of 1997 so far.



Next week sees the entry of three brothers called Hanson- prepare yourselves!


1- I WANNA BE THE ONLY ONE- Eternal/ Bebe Winans (149,000)
2- TIME TO SAY GOODBYE- Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli (120,000)
3- YOU’RE NOT ALONE- Olive (59,000)
4- CLOSER THAN CLOSE- Rosie Gaines (54,000)
5- I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU- The Rembrandts (47,000)
6- LOVEFOOL- Cardigans (34,000)
7- YOU MIGHT NEED SOMEBODY- Shola Ama (29,000)
8- LOVE SHINE A LIGHT- Katrina & The Waves (26,000)
9- WONDERFUL TONIGHT- Damage (25,000)
10- I BELIEVE I CAN FLY- R Kelly (22,000)

7TH JUNE





And the records start to tumble….one of the most anticipated records of the past few months finally hit the shelves and as most predicted flew back off them. Hanson are three brothers from the US aged just 11,14, and 16, their debut single “MMMBop” is as catchy a piece of pop as you can envisage and is currently No 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. So to the records…

a) It is the first single to be No 1 simultaneously in the US and UK since Meat Loaf in 1993
b) The first debut hit to do since Rod Stewart in 1971 with “Maggie May”
c) The first debut release ever (Stewart having released unsuccessful singles prior to “Maggie May”)
d) The Youngest group to top the charts since St Winifred’s School Choir in 1980
e) The first family group to have a No 1 since the Bee Gees in 1987.

The single sold an outstanding 260,000 copies last week that’s the biggest weekly tally of the year! It also rules the airwaves showing that this is pretty much the only record in the land right now- or you can be forgiven for thinking that at any rate!

Having said that there was considerable interest in the first new Radiohead single in a few years, “Paranoid Android” takes its name from Douglas Adams’ character in “Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy” and was conceived as three different songs written by different members of the group then wielded together. The result has united critics and fans alike and becomes their biggest hit ever at No 3 (94,000) eventually falling behind Eternal’s “I Wanna Be The Only One” which slides 1-2 (98,000).  At over 6 minutes long it is the longest top 3 hit since Meat Loaf in 1993.

Re-released with new mixes, The Sneaker Pimps “Six Underground” is the latest beneficiary of being used in a film soundtrack. This time around the film in question is “The Saint” which has already provided a No 3 hit for Orbital and now gives the Sneaker Pimps a No 9 (28,000) an improvement of 6 places on its original showing last year. It’s helped by a new collection of mixes and even features a sample of “Golden Girl” from the Goldfinger soundtrack to add that magical touch.

George Michael’s mother died in February this year and in response he has co-written “Waltz Away Dreaming” with new artist Toby Bourke. The track is the first song released on George Michael’s own label Aegean with Bourke his first signing and was promoted via the Sun newspaper who offered readers the opportunity to hear it via a pay per listen deal when calling a number. Whether that helped with sales or not the song debuts at No 10 (27,000) to become Michael’s 16th top 10 solo single and 9th consecutively in a run that extends back to 1991.

Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli slip 2-4 (66,000) and Rosie Gaines drifts 4-5 (63,000). Former chart toppers Olive drop 3-6 (49,000) The Rembrandts retract 5-7 (44,000) and The Cardigans are spent 6-8 (31,000).

In other news we've had 102 new entries into the top 10 year as it is on track to be another record setter with the tally of 170 set last year to beat.


1- MMMBOP- Hanson (260,000)
2- I WANNA BE THE ONLY ONE- Eternal Featuring BeBe Winans (98,000)
3- PARANOID ANDROID- Radiohead (94,000)
4- TIME TO SAY GOODBYE- Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli (66,000)
5- CLOSER THAN CLOSE- Rosie Gaines (63,000)
6- YOU’RE NOT ALONE- Olive (49,000)
7- I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU- The Rembrandts (44,000)
8- LOVEFOOL- Cardigans (31,000)
9- SIX UNDERGROUND- Sneaker Pimps (28,000)
10- WALTZ AWAY DREAMING- George Michael & Toby Bourke (27,000)


 

94K for Paranoid Android is a huge amount. Such a shame they didn't release in a different week as it could have been a #1

Eternal finally getting a #1 was nice to see, and it is probably their best song too so it deserved it. Never liked the Hanson track that dethroned it, just found it a bit annoying.

Rosie Gaines is a great addition, I didn't love it immediately back then but it really grew on me. Sneaker Pimps also excellent, I bought it first time around on a whim as it was only 99p but it was a great track to take a chance on.

Also impressed by the sales in week 2 for Time To Say Goodbye, never knew it had a week over 100K. It's also used in the best ever episode of Inside no.9 so it now acts as a lovely memory of that for me.