23. BANANARAMA (3,310,000)

16 TOP 40 HITS

BIGGEST SELLER: IT AIN’T WHAT YOU DO IT’S THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT (399,000)

 

Without doubt the biggest girl group of the decade, they had the fortune of using the most successful producers of the decade (at first Jolly & Swain, then Stock Aitken & Waterman) to help them remain successful.  In 1988 they entered the Guinness book of records for most chart entries by an all female group and rounded off the decade with a Platinum Greatest Hits album.

22. KYLIE MINOGUE (3,337,500)

8 TOP 40 HITS

BIGGEST SELLER: ESPECIALLY FOR YOU (844,000)

BEST SELLING SINGLES ACT OF 1988

 

Of course she’s here and only on the strength of 8 singles (only one act is higher is on fewer hits), yes Kylie was unstoppable in 88-89 outselling even Madonna for the period.  She was the best selling singles of 88 and topped it with another 1.2 million the year after, that opened the way for other Neighbours stars to make the transition to popstars.  Three No 1 hits plus 4 No 2 hits formed part of her opening tally of 11 straight top 5 hits, in 1988 she sold over 2 million singles in the UK, one of only 6 acts to reach that level in any particular year in the decade but the first on this list.

21. THE HUMAN LEAGUE (3,381,100)

11 TOP 40 HITS

BIGGEST SELLER: DON’T YOU WANT ME (737,000)

 

Just missing out on the top 20 are these guys who were early pioneers of synth pop before breaking through in 1981 and even cracking the US with a couple of chart toppers.   The promo for “Don’t You Want Me” is credited for heralding the second invasion of the US charts for British acts thanks to being an early MTV favourite and is of course considered a synth pop classic now, they sold over a million in both 1981 and 1982.

Recap 21-50

50. LEVEL 42 (2,105,700)

49. PAUL YOUNG (2,112,700)

48. A-HA (2,118,400)

47. BAD MANNERS (2,170,500)

46. ROD STEWART (2,214,600)

45. JASON DONOVAN (2,261,500)

44. SIMPLE MINDS (2,271,800)

43. ABBA (2,297,500)

42. WHITNEY HOUSTON (2,368,700)

41. TEARS FOR FEARS (2,554,500)

 

40. ELTON JOHN (2,558,000)

39. PRINCE (2,622,100)

38. BAND AID (2,671,600)

37. JOHN LENNON (2,674,800)

36. ULTRAVOX (2,702,200)

35. DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS (2,735,500)

34. SOFT CELL (2,764,100)

33. ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (2,765,100)

32. GEORGE MICHAEL (2,804,100)

31. DEPECHE MODE (2,837,100)

 

30. PET SHOP BOYS (2,849,000)

29. KIM WILDE (2,894,200)

28. EURYTHMICS (2,932,000)

27. LIONEL RICHIE (2,962,000)

26. THE POLICE (3,080,900)

25. BUCKS FIZZ (3,277,500)

24. STATUS QUO (3,293,600)

23. BANANARAMA (3,310,000)

22. KYLIE MINOGUE (3,337,500)

21. THE HUMAN LEAGUE (3,381,100)

oh I thought In the Army Now was Status Quo signature song!

3 great acts that all 3 deserved top 20, especially Bananarama

loved Bananarama and one of my 1st albums I bought as a kid was Bananarama-Wow, which houses 3 of their best songs ever,

I heard a rumour, Love in the first degree and I want you back. Her early 80s singles were also great, Cruel Summer, Robert de Niro, and also love thir take on Venus. After Wow, I don't think I liked anything anymore sadly.

crazy how high Kylie considering she did it in 2 years

don't know Human League that much. Don't you Want me is of course a classic of clasics but their other singles have never clicked, like them but not love them.