I like that Chris Rea track. I don’t really know many others aside from Road to Hell and Auberge but both of those are good.

The Lisa Stansfield song is okay. It’s not particularly stand out in terms of that style of song though - even though I can see why it probably sounded different to most of the other pop in 1989

'If I Could Turn Back Time' feels like such a HUGE song today that most people would probably assume it was a top 3, but really it was only a whisker away in sales!

Living In A Box's fab Room In Your Heart topped my charts as did Lisa Stansfield's Barry-White-ish All Around The World, loved 'em both. What might once have been called Easy Listening, but cool, smooth and emotional. Albert hammond was a prolific hitmaker for many acts in the late 60's and 70's, including himself, so it's great to see he hasnt lost his touch in 1989. It Never Rains In Southern California was his best record, and never the UK hit it should have been. I saw Albert in concert a few years back, still good, and back in the day I saw Lisa - still wish she had done a version of All Around The World in a Rochdale accent, though not quite as smooth sounding or global a hit for sure 😄

The Road To Hell is still one of Chris Rea's great records, anyone who's been stuck in traffic for hours can relate!

11TH NOVEMBER

Lisa Stansfield is crowned the new chart queen this week with “All Around The World” rising 3-1 (78,744) and marks a vote of confidence in her former Blue Zone band members who wrote the song with her, the parent debut album “Affection” will be out in just 3 weeks. Its rise puts another nail in the coffin for Milli Vanilli’s chances of reaching the top, they do cling onto the No 2 spot for a third week but they sold just 45,560 to do so the lowest tally for 8 weeks, the outgoing chart topper for Jive Bunny plunges 1-3 (44,404) but has now sold 346,868 copies so can be considered a success.

Her second album “Enjoy Yourself” topped the charts 4 weeks ago and hasn’t left the top 3 yet so there’s little reason to suspect that the Kylie bubble has burst just yet but certainly on the surface the No 17 debut last week of “Never Too Late” caused alarm to some in the press. The truth of course is that it is easily explained, the single was available only on 12” and CD but not on 7” single owing to a factory mix up, the 7” inch is still the preferred format for younger fans of music and certainly for those who ply their trade in the out and out pop field of music hence it found the going tough. This week however all formats are available and the single duly thrusts 17-4 (40,154) however given PWL’s mishandling of “Hand On Your Hand” earlier in the year it does seem they need a tighter rein on the handling of formats of their biggest star. If the single progresses no further then they only have themselves to blame, however no act has ever placed their first 8 hits in the top 5 so she is already a record holder.

Martika seems to have found her way into our hearts, her second single “I Feel The Earth Move” hits it big lifting 12-7 (34,034) to rest one place lower than the original reached 18 years ago for Carole King. Her debut album has underperformed this far peaking at No 24 but it does bounce 52-28 this week so has a good chance of re-peaking.

Phil Collins’s tenth top 10 single sees him get serious and address the issue of homelessness, something which hasn’t earned him unanimous praise in the press but “Another Day In Paradise” seems to have won over the public at least as it cruises 22-8 (33,830) to become a 5th top tenner on the trot, a streak which extends back to 1985! It’s the lead single to his fourth solo album “But Seriously” which is up against the new Lisa Stansfield album in three weeks time.

Double Trouble continue to slip gently down the charts 4-5 (37,026), Living In A Box ebb 5-6 (35,020), Belinda Carlisle tumbles 6-9 (25,058) and Cher is on her way out 7-10 (25,007).


1- ALL AROUND THE WORLD- Lisa Stansfield (78,744)
2- GIRL I’M GONNA MISS YOU- Milli Vanilli (45,560)
3- THAT’S WHAT I LIKE- Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers  (44,404)
4- NEVER TOO LATE- Kylie Minogue (40,154)
5- STREET TUFF- Double Trouble Featuring Rebel MC (37,026)
6- ROOM IN YOUR HEART- Living In A Box (35,020)
7- I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE- Martika (34,034)
8- ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE- Phil Collins (33,830)
9- LEAVE A LIGHT ON- Belinda Carlisle (25,058)
10- IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME- Cher (25,007)

It's a pity they didn't release Never Too Late a couple of weeks before the album instead of afterwards

easily the best thing on Enjoy Yourself. Single 2 had been in July so would have made sense to have a 3rd before the album in Oct

don't mind the Martika cover but it's not one of my fabs from hers

Phil Collins deserved the stick he received, multimillionaires writing about poor people...

Never Too Late is fab from Kylie, should’ve been top 3.

So Never Too Late would probably have been a new entry higher than #4 if all formats had been released in the same week?

It's a good Kylie song, but felt weak at the time for me.

Love the Martika song. Can't remember if I bothered with the album though.

I like Another Day in Paradise. Appreciate why people slated Phil for the theme to a certain extent, but I've read that he collected money for homeless at his concerts and then doubled the donations.

Was that damage control after the bad press?

^never heard that, only thing I recall is he moved to Switzerland to pay less taxes, less money to the homeless etc etc cannot be more hypocritical

18TH NOVEMBER

Continuing to dominate, Lisa Stansfield holds the premier position for a second week and increases her sale to 85,068 and should make at least another week at the top before her album arrives. Playing runner up this week is Phil Collins whose “Another Day In Paradise” shoots 8-2 (42,959) but is way behind Stansfield for the time being at least.

Already boasting 6 US top 10 singles including two No 1 hits in 1989 are New Kids On The Block, the newest US sensations to reach our shores. Conceived by Maurice Starr as a white version of New Edition, the group he helmed to the top in 1983, their first album was roundly ignored by the US but a second album “Hangin Tough” started the hits rolling in 1988 and the title track became a US chart topper but only peaked at No 52 here when it was released in the summer.  “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” was first released in the Spring bowing out at No 115 but on re-release it does much better hurtling 23-3 (38,709) this week after the group performed the track at the Smash Hits Poll Winner’s Party a few weeks ago and getting Radio 1 support ever since, the single made No 3 in the US back in March. The album is out here in a fortnight and after the underperformance of the second Bros album “The Time” (at No 32 in its 4th week of release now) the UK might be ready for the next big thing?

Chasing NKOTB all the way however are two acts who have been releasing music since the 60s but have never been as high in the charts as they are this week. Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville are the acts in question and the song “Don’t Know Much” powers 25-6 (32,368), it was co-written by Barry Mann who recorded the original song on his 1980 album though it was never a single until performed by Bette Midler and Bill Medley (in separate versions) later in the decade under the title “All I Need To Know”. It was introduced to Ronstadt as she was recording her recent album who thought it might sound better as a duet and here’s the final version, Ronstadt’s previous best was in 1987 on “Somewhere Out Here” (No 8) but it’s the first hit for Neville.

Black Box founders Davoli/ Semplici and Limoni have already scored significant hits this year with “Ride On Time” and “Numero Uno” under the Black Box and Starlight moniker’s and now they get a third top 10 single under their third pseudonym Mixmaster. The song is called “Grand Piano” and is the usual fare of Italo house music which is hugely popular in the UK clubs at present and rises 12-9 (25,602), no act has ever had a quicker succession of top 10 hits under varying nom de plume’s. It features “Love Sensation” (again), along with Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel”, Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative” and Coldcut’s recent hit “People Hold On” among others.

Kylie holds at No 4 (36,652) and looks unlikely to progress meaning that “Never Too Late” is set to become her smallest hit ever though “Enjoy Yourself” is back at No 2 this week, and Milli Vanilli finally give up the chase dropping 2-5 (33,643). Martika is held up at No 7 (29,138) as Jive Bunny fall 3-8 (28,951) and Double Trouble are down and out 5-10 (24,548).


1- ALL AROUND THE WORLD- Lisa Stansfield  (85,068)
2- ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE- Phil Collins (42,959)
3- YOU GOT IT (THE RIGHT STUFF)- New Kids On The Block (38,709)
4- NEVER TOO LATE- Kylie Minogue (36,652)
5- GIRL, I’M GONNA MISS YOU- Milli Vanilli (33,643)
6- DON’T KNOW MUCH- Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville (32,368)
7- I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE- Martika (29,138)
8- THAT’S WHAT I LIKE- Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers (28,951)
9- GRAND PIANO- Mixmaster (25,602)
10- STREET TUFF- Double Trouble Featuring Rebel MC (24.548)

25TH NOVEMBER

It’s official, with a Smash Hits cover and the No 1 single in the land New Kids In The Block have arrived in the charts and on the walls of teenage girls up and down the land. “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” won a very tight race indeed for the top spot as it wins by just over 500 copies from Lisa Stansfield’s “All Around The World” exact sales last week were 60,996 to 60,435, and with an average of 18 they are the youngest group to top the UK charts since, fittingly enough, New Edition 6 years ago.

Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville climb 6-3 and sold 54,927 in doing so, inching past Phil Collins who, though he dips 2-4, also increased his sales to 51,697.

The highest new hit in the top 10 comes from Iron Maiden with a live track recorded on their world tour last December. “Infinite Dreams (Live)” pushes 12-6 (22,950) and has been issued to support their new video “Maiden In England” which was filmed at Birmingham, it becomes the groups 4th top 10 single on the trot, they are without doubt the biggest UK Rock band in the world at the present time.

UB40’s decision to release an album of covers under the title “Labour Of Love” back in 1983 provided them with their best selling single “Red Red Wine” and their best selling album so far, so perhaps their decision to do it all over again isn’t surprising. “Labour Of Love II” is out in a fortnight and the first single “Homely Girl” sees them take on the Chi-lites 1974 No 5 hit and do it justice by moving 24-7 (22,185) in its second week, it isn’t the first Chi-lites top 10 hit to be covered and be a top tenner all over again, Amazulu took “Too Good To Be Forgotten” to No 5 three years ago.

Kylie dips 4-5 (25,245), Milli Vanilli slump 5-8 (21,947), Martika finally eases 7-9 (20,842) and Mixmaster ebb 9-10 (20,366).



1- YOU GOT IT (THE RIGHT STUFF)- New Kids On The Block (60,996)
2- ALL AROUND THE WORLD- Lisa Stansfield  (60,435)
3- DON’T KNOW MUCH- Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville (54,927)
4- ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE- Phil Collins  (51,697)
5- NEVER TOO LATE- Kylie Minogue (25,245)
6- INFINITE DREAMS- Iron Maiden (22,950)
7- HOMELY GIRL- UB40 (22,185)
8- GIRL I’M GONNA MISS YOU- Milli Vanilli (21,947)
9- I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE- Martika (20,842)
10- GRAND PIANO- Mixmaster (20,366)

Before we go time to look at the runners and riders for the festive top spot!



JASON DONOVAN- WHEN YOU COME BACK TO ME- Firmly the bookies favourite at present from the man who has already scored 4 top 2 singles so far in 1989 and is bolstered by the fact that it isn’t on the million selling “Ten Good Reasons”.

JIVE BUNNY & THE MASTERMIXERS- LET’S PARTY- Going for a record equalling third No 1 single from their first three releases expect a medley of Christmas hits on this one with Gary Glitter, Slade and Wizzard all present

LIONEL BART- HAPPY ENDINGS (GIVE YOURSELF A PINCH)- an early runner for the title thanks to a use on the current Abbey National advert- it debuts at No 64 this week.

MADONNA- DEAR JESSIE- A fourth release from “Like A Prayer” might make its chances slim but Madonna has been in the festive top 10 on 3 occasions before.

ERASURE- YOU SURROUND ME- Last year they were top 5 on the big day can they do even better this year with a cut from the new “Wild!” album.

ANDY STEWART- DONALD WHERE’S YOUR TROOSERS- Currently being pushed by Simon Mayo on his breakfast show- should have support north of the border at least.

BRUNO BROOKES & LIZ KERSHAW WITH JIVE BUNNY & LONDONBEAT- IT TAKES TWO BABY- Radio 1 breakfast show hosts team up for charity with the hottest rabbit in pop- how can this fail?

SOUL II SOUL- GET A LIFE- Finally following up “Back To Life” Jazzy B and the boys are back with a brand new song though it’s hardly festive.

KAOMA- LAMBADA- the dance sensation that’s sweeping Europe- with office parties in full swing don’t discount this.

CLIFF RICHARD AND VAN MORRISON- WHENEVER GOD SHINES HIS LIGHT- he was No 1 last Christmas as Cliff do it again, this time he’s got Van Morrison in to help.

MAX BYGRAVES- WHITE CHRISTMAS- Christmas standard, and some think this song still has legs?

ANNE CHARLESTON & IAN SMITH- OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS- AKA Madge and Harold from Neighbours- we can’t seem to get enough stars from the show into our charts so why not these two?

Triple hate there as I hated New Kids on the Block, Iron Maiden and UB40,

in my top least fav acts of the 80s

NKOTB we're okay, and The Right Stuff was decent enough.

I think I liked their later music more. They had an album called No More Games and Call It What You Want was their best song.

I appreciated UB40 a lot more when I was older than at the time.

The NKOTB's were never faves of mine, and they sound very dated and cheesy these days, but Right Stuff was their least annoying record bar one. Knocking Lisa off the top spot is unforgiveable though. Kylie's single was not one of her best and it looked like the bubble was about to burst at the time. Mixmasters? Nah, no memory of it, nor its Stars on 45 vibe.

I liked Phil's song, homelessness - regardless of his tax avoidance - is still a major problem, and much worse than it was in 1989, both in the USA and UK. Donating the proceeds to a homeless charity might have given it more credibility, lots of fellow pop stars managed to donate proceeds of hit singles to charities, either publicly or quietly - ABBA, George Michael to name but two that still generate cash 40 years later. UB40 did a decent job of covering one of my fave 70's soul bands, The Chi-Lites, Martika's was a tolerable version of a classic Carole King ballad, and Iron maiden are Iron maiden.

2ND DECEMBER

After last week’s wafer thin margin you would expect New Kids On The Block to accelerate away from the field but to the surprise of many they trailed most of the week to Linda Rondstadt & Aaron Neville’s “Don’t Know Much” only overtaking on Friday selling 71,961 copies in total, 16,439 clear of their unfortunate rivals. True enough that new albums arrived this week by both Phil Collins and Lisa Stansfield (debuting at No’s 1 & 2 respectively) which gave the NKTB some breathing space as both the acts lost sales on the singles front, Stansfield down 2-3 (35,904) and Collins slipping 4-5 (31,535) but there are new threats emerging.

Jeff Wayne’s “Musical Version of “The War Of The Worlds”” was released way back in 1978 and has since sold a million copies, it is of course a musical interpretation of the HG Wells classic book of the same title and spawned the No 36 chart hit “Eve Of The War”. That track has now been taken and remixed and remixed by Dutch DJ Ben Liebrand who last year saw his remix talents help Phil Collins and Bill Withers back into the top 10, “Eve Of The War” proves a much bigger hit now as it moves menacingly 24-3 (32,266) and could potentially be a shock No 1 next week unless it comes a cropper from the new Jason Donovan single. Liebrand you may recall remixed Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight" into the top 10 again just last year

The 1981 track “Llorando Se Fue” by Los Kjarkas isn’t a track you’ll be familiar with unless you keep in touch with the music of South America, it’s been covered by multiple artists including some who have quickened the pace of it and made it into an uptempo track most notably Marcia Ferreira’s 1986 version which forms the main basis for the current version of the track by Kaoma. The act are actually French but have hired a Brazilian singer by the name of Loalwa Braz to provide the Portuguese vocals, and now renamed “Lambada” it has seen a dance craze spark up to accompany the track as it has topped charts in virtually every European chart over the last 6 months including 12 weeks at No 1 in France. Once again the UK catches on late and the song only now moving 11-7 (27,047) in its latest frame.

The much heralded arrival of Stone Roses has long been pronounced by NME who have been the main champions throughout 1989 but until now all they had to show for the critical acclaim and press coverage was the No 34 hit “She Bangs The Drum” and a No 32 debut album which has yet to shift 70,000 copies but it seems that the group’s wait for a sizeable hit (they first released a single three years ago) is over with the double A-Side “Fools Gold/ What The World Is Waiting For” debuted at No 13 last week and now climbs to No 8 (24,429) helped no doubt by the band’s “performance” on the BBC late show last week where the power cut out a minute into their track which drew expletives from lead singer Ian Brown and made some headlines for the group.

Following the No 4 success of their version of “Blame It On The Boogie” Big Fun are back with the S/A/W penned “Can’t Shake The Feeling” and soar 27-9 (18,734) in their second week to make it two out of two in terms of their releases. You may recall that the band had originally planned on a version of “I Feel The Earth Move” as their first single but that was changed at the last moment to “Boogie” and now that Martika has had a recent hit with the same song they’ve decided to scrap their version in its entirety, an album follows in the spring we’re told!

Manchester may very well be the new melting pot of musical inspiration at the moment with The Stone Roses at No 8, the Happy Mondays at No 19 and 808 State rising 12-10 (18,088) with “Pacific State” though of course they are a dance act as opposed to the indie music that the other groups are making. The city’s new found prominence on the chart landscape has naturally lead the music press to term the movement “Madchester” or “Baggy” music, we’ll see what sticks in the months to come. Back to 808 State who were a trio who take their name from the Roland drum machine they use, I use the term “were” as one member Gerald Simpson left earlier this year to form A Guy Called Gerald and hit No 12 with “Voodoo Ray” and thusly beat his former bandmates to the top 20 though they get the bigger hit now and owe some debt to Gary Davis who has playing this regularly on Radio 1.

An incredibly exciting week in the top 10 is topped off by UB40 who inch 7-6 (29,325). Next week sees new releases from Max Bygraves, Soul II Soul, Erasure, Andy Stewart, and Jason Donovan enter the race for the Christmas No 1 slot.


1- YOU GOT IT (THE RIGHT STUFF)- New Kids On The Block (71,961)
2- DON’T KNOW MUCH- Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville  (55,522)
3- ALL AROUND THE WORLD- Lisa Stansfield (35,904)
4- EVE OF THE WAR- Jeff Wayne & Ben Liebrand (32,266)
5- ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE- Phil Collins (31,535)
6- HOMELY GIRL- UB40 (29,325)
7- LAMBADA- Kaoma (27,047)
8- WHAT THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR/ FOOLS GOLD- Stone Roses (24,429)
9- CAN’T SHAKE THE FEELING- Big Fun (18,734)
10- PACIFIC STATE- 808 State (18,088)

Oh the Manchester acts are a breath of fresh air in the top 10 right now! 'Fools Gold' is of course a classic and '808 State' also great

Yay at Stone Roses and 808 State in the top 10!

yay Fools Gold is one of the best songs of the 80s

also like Pacific State although I had to check the YT to recall how it goes

@Gezza do you happen to know the opening figures for But Seriously? and Lisa Stanfield?

46 minutes ago, Bjork said:

yay Fools Gold is one of the best songs of the 80s

also like Pacific State although I had to check the YT to recall how it goes

@Gezza do you happen to know the opening figures for But Seriously? and Lisa Stanfield?

nothing was quoted at the time but I estimate 253k for Phil Collins (don't have an estimate for LS but i suspect it was under 100k).

Oh thats quite big for But seriously

'Fools Gold' is a classic and would go on to have a long and much-revived chart history to prove it, just like The Stone Roses' debut album. 'What The World Is Waiting For' is very good too, while 'She Bangs The Drums' (the only of these that's actually on their debut album) is my favourite of theirs.