It's 1991 in this thread and a new decade has begun. We'll count down all the sounds of the year and hopefully generate a few "almost forgotten gems" along the way. As always thanks go to MFR, Vas tariner, Youtube, Wikipedia, MW, popscene, James Masterton and a few other sources who have helped over the years. Here's the links to previous threads if this isn't your year!

Gallup sales Index

Actual weekly sales have recently come to light, my thanks go to Robbie and kobyhadrain for sourcing the information and presenting it. So sit back and enjoy every top 10 hit of the year (eventually), before Christmas we'll see if you're too sexy for:

I am so looking forward to this - I think '91 is a better year for chart music than 1990.

Will commence over the weekend..

12TH JANUARY



The first chart of the year is traditionally one that sees not much action at all and 1991 is not upsetting that trend. Iron Maiden’s smash and grab on the No 1 spot sees “Bring Your Daughter….To The Slaughter” retain the pole position though sales are off 21% to 32,032 and the song almost certainly won’t be No 1 next week.

Naturally sales are off all around with all tracks except two recording a decrease, and those two are new entries to the big 10. First up is Seal who you may recall as the vocalist on Adamski’s “Killer”, he’s gone solo and enrolled Trevor Horn to produce his debut solo single “Crazy” which deals with the rather weighty topic of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tiananmen Square and the major world events of the last few years. Whilst Adamski’s career seems to have slipped in reverse with his last single “Flashback Jack” faltering at No 46 it seems that Seal may end as the bigger act as “Crazy” moves 11-4 (20,272). Expect his debut album "Deep Water" in the spring.

With a name taken from their initials, Robert Clivilles and David Cole are C & C Music Factory who together with Freedom Williams are responsible for one of the hottest dance records around, “Gonna Make You Sweat”. It also features the vocals of Martha Wash on the chorus though she’s uncredited and doesn’t appear in the promo a fact which is becoming a regular occurrence after the singer was similarly slighted on all Black Box’s 1990 hits though not “Ride On Time” which of course was rather “forgetful” to Loleatta Holloway. Regardless the track soars 25-10 (12,160)- that's the lowest tally for the top 10 since 1980 at least.

Everything is in the mire this week, so though Enigma climb 4-2 (26,224) sales are actually off by 22%, similarly John Travolta & Olivia Newton John move 5-3 (21,808) but with a decrease of 30% in sales, The Farm rebound 7-6 (17,200) but are hit by a 32% sales loss, and MC Hammer climbs 10-8 (12,976) but even he’s down by 40%. Some real losers are Vanilla Ice who drops 2-5 (19,312), the Righteous Brothers who dip 6-7 (15,664) and Snap! who hold at No 9 (12,608) but there should be a heap of new entries next week when 1991 really starts. In addition to C & C Music Factory, new lows for positions in the top 10 are created by MC Hammer and Snap! at No's 8 & 9- an indication of sales to come? Incidentally The Righteous Brothers pass New Kids On The Block as the biggest selling singles act of the 90s so far and it took just 2 singles!


1- BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE SLAUGHTER- Iron Maiden (32,032)
2- SADNESS PART ONE- Enigma (26,224)
3- THE GREASE MEGAMIX- John Travolta & Olivia Newton- John (21,808)
4- CRAZY- Seal (20,272)
5- ICE ICE BABY- Vanilla Ice (19,312)
6- ALL TOGETHER NOW- The Farm (17,200)
7- YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING/ EBB TIDE- Righteous Brothers (15,664)
8- PRAY- MC Hammer (12,976)
9- MARY HAD A LITTLE BOY- Snap! (12,608)
10- GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT (EVERYBODY DANCE NOW)- C & C Music Factory (12,160)

Not a fan of that #1.

Seal - Crazy though is just so brilliantly produced as you would expect from Trevor Horn, together with Seal's strong vocals.

Everybody Dance Now does owe a lot to Snap! - The Power with its production - great vocal from the sadly uncredited at the time Martha Wash.

Edited October 18, 2025Oct 18 by TheSnake

11 minutes ago, TheSnake said:

Everybody Dance Now does owe a lot to Snap! - The Power with its production - great vocal from the sadly uncredited at the time Martha Wash.

I almost can't forgive it for birthing the Bob Sinclar version!

Iron maiden keeping Enigma off the top just wont do! One of those is brilliant and the other one is very cartoon annoying. Gonna Make You Sweat is a good dance track though.

19TH JANUARY



Sales are a little better this week though hardly stellar, but that does means we have a new No 1 and Germany’s Enigma can celebrate as “Sadness Part One” makes its expected rise 2-1 yet it sold a measly 41,936 to take the crown, that’s even less than the 50,320 posted by “Hangin Tough” this time last year! Seal is the new challenger, “Crazy” threatens 4-2 (33,760) and could take advantage of an Enigma slip next week, watch out also for C & C Music Factory, they power 10-3 (25,656) and stand an outside chance of taking pole position.

Rapidly gaining a devoted fanbase The KLF struck gold last year with “What Time Is Love” which peaked at No 5, it was a reworking of an earlier 12” single, and in much the same way they’ve reworked a further old 12” only track “3AM Eternal”, another song which failed to impact the charts when issued this time in May 1989. It’s been substantively reworked for a mainstream release and finds itself debuting instantly at No 5 (19,968) to become a second top 5 hit on the trot, this version contains a rap by Ricardo Da Force and vocals by Maxine Harvey, and judging by the reworkings we should see a pop version of “Kylie Said To Jason” as their next single- that should be something of an event.

Indie band Jesus Jones are another act that have grown steadily with their first 3 singles just missing the top 40 before “Real Real Real” made No 19 last May. They’ve taken advantage of the new year sales slump to release new single “International Bright Young Thing” which has easily and quickly become their biggest hit as it rises 15-7 (19,248) following a TOTP slot. You can pick up their second album “Doubt” next month which will feature their last three singles.

Following on from the first terrestrial TV showing of “Dirty Dancing” on New Year’s Day we’ve got the re-issue of “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” from Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes, it was only a hit three years ago when it peaked at No 6 but is back again moving 13-10 (17,856) For Medley it marks his third top 10 appearance in just two months after the two recent Righteous Brothers singles.

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John drop back 3-4 (24,656) even with a sales increase whilst Vanilla Ice continues to fade 5-6 (19,904), The Farm collapse 6-8 (18,880) but the big news of the week comes from the outgoing chart topper by Iron Maiden who experience the biggest drop from the No 1 position in 7 years. That was delivered by The Flying Pickets who fell 1-10 in January 1984, now “Bring Your Daughter….To The Slaughter” plummets 1-9 (18,384) and has only sold 93,120 copies in total so far, unless its fall isn’t arrested soon it may fail to trouble even the 100,000 mark, a feat not seen yet by a chart topper since before 1980.


1- SADNESS PART ONE- Enigma (41,936)
2- CRAZY- Seal (33,760)
3- GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT (EVERYBODY DANCE NOW)- C & C Music Factory (25,712)
4- THE GREASE MEGAMIX- John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (24,656)
5- 3 AM ETERNAL- The KLF (19,968)
6- ICE ICE BABY- Vanilla Ice (19,904)
7- INTERNATIONAL BRIGHT YOUNG THING- Jesus Jones (19,248)
8- ALL TOGETHER NOW- The Farm (18,880)
9- BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE SLAUGHTER- Iron Maiden (18,384)
10- (I’VE HAD) THE TIME OF MY LIFE- Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (17,856)

Fantastic top 3 there (and a great number 5).

Agree, that’s a brilliant top 3 and one of my favourite chart toppers <3

We didn't really need songs from Grease and Dirty Dancing back in the top 10!

Love Enigmas sadness, it was so different at the time and still holds up well today, not sure which i prefer between sadness and return to innocence.

Yay Enigma and Crazy! ❤️3am remains epic, and I'm still waiting for the 1991 remix treatment for Kylie Said To Jason, if only...! Dirty Dancing, didnt watch it, but the soundtrack is great, though too soon for a re-birth I thought.

26TH JANUARY



“Innuendo” is Queen’s 19th top 10 hit, only two of those track ever made it to the top “Under Pressure” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” and neither of them debuted there, but now “Innuendo” becomes their fastest seller and their first to ever debut at No 1. It is the first release from the album of the same name due next month and comes with a rather epic promo to support its 6 minute + soundtrack, all of which makes it a rather triumphant return to the charts for the group who have been absent for 2 years. The fact that the song enters at the top on a sale of 45,936 owes a large debt of thanks to events in the Middle East which of course escalated to a full war on Thursday causing BBC to dedicate several hours to the coverage and meant that TOTP got delayed until Saturday night thusly denying airtime to both KLF and Enigma who would otherwise have had exposure and a larger sales boost. In the event “3AM Eternal” rises 52-2 (42,016) whilst Enigma drop 1-3 (41,952) all with sales bumps , so it really was a close fought race, Enigma can console themselves on the album charts with MCMXC.AD” toppling Madonna after 9 weeks at the top of the charts.

Currently tearing up the clubs, 2 In A Room have one of the hottest tracks around at present in “Wiggle It” which arrives instantly at No 6 (20,320) to warm up the cold winter. The duo had only previously got a No 66 hit to their name with “Somebody In The House Say Yeah!” but the clubs are now an equally valid entry point into the charts these days, and to some extent more influential than radio airplay for dance records.

And speaking of dance records, here’s German Production duo Off-Shore and their track “I Can’t Take The Power” which flies 11-7 (18,224) to deliver them a top 10 smash. The song samples Class Action’s “The Weekend” and Jocelyn Brown’s “Love’s Gonna Get You”, the latter sample was of course also sampled on Snap!’s chart topper “The Power” so has already has chart credentials.

For the second time in his career Robert Palmer has back to back top 10 hits, he follows his No 6 hit “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” with the medley of Marvin Gaye tracks “Mercy Mercy Me- I Want You” neither of which were ever UK hits though they are familiar to many. The single floats 13-9 (17,456) as the parent album “Don’t Explain” rebounds 21-16 with sales of over 100,000 to date.

Outside of the new songs Jennifer Warnes & Bill Medley are the only climbers 10-8 (17,664) as everything else falls away, that includes songs that many thought were future chart toppers such as Seal 2-4 (32,128) and C & C Music Factory 3-5 (28,464) which is harsh on the latter given its continued improvement at retail. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John complete the ten as they fall 4-10 (17,328). Next week should see top 10 debuts for the new Vanilla Ice and Kylie Minogue singles- Can they challenge Queen?


1- INNUENDO- Queen (45,936)
2- 3 AM ETERNAL- The KLF (42,016)
3- SADNESS PART ONE- Enigma (41,952)
4- CRAZY- Seal (32,128)
5- GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT (EVERYBODY DANCE NOW)- C & C Music Factory (28,464)
6- WIGGLE IT- 2 In A Room (20,320)
7- I CAN’T TAKE THE POWER- Offshore (18,224)
8- (I’VE HAD) THE TIME OF MY LIFE- Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (17,664)
9- MERCY MERCY ME- I WANT YOU- Robert Palmer (17,456)
10- THE GREASE MEGAMIX- John Travolta & Olivia Newton John (17,328)

Everything from # 2 to # 7 is awful.

Malandra Burrows - Just This Side Of Love deserved to have a better peak than # 11 in UK.

Edited October 20, 2025Oct 20 by Last Dreamer

Innuendo is epic, glad it made #1.

Of the two new dance tracks 'I Can't Take The Power' has definitely aged better than 'Wiggle It'.

24 minutes ago, TheSnake said:

Innuendo is epic, glad it made #1.

Of the two new dance tracks 'I Can't Take The Power' has definitely aged better than 'Wiggle It'.

Not so sure on that one. I think "Wiggle It" instrumentally is pretty much mid 90s, i mean throw in some risqué lyrics and you basically have an Outhere Brothers single.

Never heard that Off Shore track before (or even heard of it I believe?). It's fairly good, although a bit repetitive and doesn't really go anywhere.

Queen, I understimated at the time as a Bo Rap wannabe, but these days I'd much rather hear Innuendo - it's subtle and still fresh, sad and fragmented parts that aren't quite as disjointed as Bo Rap's 3 fer 1. Wiggle It a bit of silly fun is my memory, but the Power track I have forgotten, oops. That doesnt bode well. Robert Palmer's Marvin Mash-up is just gorgeously sad, What's Going On is one of the greatest albums of all-time, and Mercy Mercy Me a key track that Robert does justice to, not reduced by the add on of the lesser known I Want You. Soulful and classy and sadly ever-relevant to the human race and the planet.

2ND FEBRUARY



For the second time in their career’s The KLF are No 1, the first time they were billed as The Timelords on 1988’s “Doctorin’’ The Tardis” but now they have their official title (to be technical the song is also credited to “The Children Of The Revolution”) and “3AM Eternal” lifts 2-1 (52,384). They were in the lead from the off but Queen did narrow the gap post TOTP on Friday and Saturday but in the end decline 1-2 (46,240) with a slight increase in sales, they must now be concentrating on their album due in a fortnight. In debuting at No 1, and failing to hold the top spot for a second week, “Innuendo” becomes the second single after Jive Bunny’s “Let’s Party” to fail to extend its run after the debut initial success.

With backing vocals by Michael Jackson (and some say he might have written it) The Simpsons are a cartoon family from the US who quickly become part of the national consciousness after starting life as an mini series on the “Tracy Ullman Show” in 1987 before securing their own series in 1989 and are now available in the UK on Sky TV only. They’re also now a chart act with “Do The Bartman” powering 11-3 (43,264) and a full album of the family’s thoughts will be available next month.

He’s back with a new image, long hair, and a new sound, yes Rick Astley has shrugged off S/A/W and returns with “Cry For Help” which is co-written and Co-produced by the man himself and precedes his third album “Free” which is doubtless how he must now feel. A more soulful and gospel approach reaps rewards with the song moving 14-7 (23,568) to keep his string of his top 10 singles intact with the count standing at 8, the song is also co-written by Rob Fisher one half of Climie Fisher.

Featuring a sample of The Smiths “How Soon Is Now?” Soho are sisters Jacquie and Pauline Cuff along with Tim London and their single “Hippy Chick” only made No 67 when first released last May. Come the new year and the song has been given a second chance and responds 16-8 (22,848), it’s already been a top 20 US hit at the end of last year.

EMF have been busy recording their debut album but second single “I Believe” arrives straight into the charts at No 9 (21,408) this week. Last Single “Unbelievable” hit No 3 on the way to sales of 280,000 and that from a lowly debut of No 55, this is therefore a bright start for the single as it beats new entries from Kylie Minogue and Vanilla Ice.

2 In A Room advance 6-4 (36,832) while Seal and Enigma are finding it hard to separate as they fall 4-5 (26,592) and 3-6 (26,256) respectively as C & C Music Factory dive 5-10 (20,992).



1- 3AM ETERNAL- The KLF (52,384)
2- INNUENDO- Queen (46,240)
3- DO THE BARTMAN- The Simpsons (43,264)
4- WIGGLE IT- 2 In A Room (36,832)
5- CRAZY- Seal (26,592)
6- SADNESS PART ONE- Enigma (26,256)
7- CRY FOR HELP- Rick Astley (23,568)
8- HIPPYCHICK- Soho (22,848)
9- I BELIEVE- EMF (21,408)
10- GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT (EVERYBODY DANCE NOW)- C & C Music Factory (20,992)