Sleeping Satellite is selling quite gently for a number one but I'm glad it made it.

Bizarre Inc had a pretty catchy track, definitely more pop focused than their early stuff but still works. The Madonna song I like more now than I did at the time, I do prefer Justify My Love out of her more raunchy efforts. Arrested Development is a good new one, I quite liked their singles from this album - although at the time I didn't realise how heavily they sampled as I'd never heard the originals.

31ST OCTOBER



It loses a few hundred sales but Boyz II Men finally ascend to the top spot on sales of just 32,520. It’s the 8th week on the chart which means it has taken longer than any other 90s chart topper to make the top and indeed if you wanted to find a song that took longer in a continuous run then you’d have to go back to the Bangles in 1989 who took an almighty 9 weeks from debut to No 1. The Bangles however accelerated quickly to No 1 once inside the top 40 (33-13-5-1), Boyz II Men have been in the top 40 since debut and to find a longer climb to No 1 whilst in the top 40 you have to go back to John Denver in 1974! It is also still No 1 in the US for a 12th week breaking a 36 year record held by Elvis Presley.

Their album also debuts at No 12 significantly four places lower than the debut album by Tasmin Archer, which may have played a factor in the destination of the top slot, “Sleeping Satellite” falls 1-2 (31,680) sales off 15% week on week. Archer thusly is the only track to spend as little as a fortnight at the top all year, the last year to feature no solitary week chart toppers was way back in 1971. Just below Archer, Madonna and Bizarre Inc trade places selling 27,645 and 24,945 respectively though it looks like neither will now challenge the dominance of Boyz II Men, and Bon Jovi stick it out at No 5 (23,625) with a tiny sales hike.

The blessing of having your song feature on the “Levi 501” ads strikes again, this time they’ve used Erma Franklin’s “(Take A Little) Piece Of My Heart” which failed to chart here though a cover by Sammy Hager did make No 67 in 1982, 15 years after the original. You might be wondering if she’s related to Aretha? Yes she’s her older sister and had a brief solo career in the late 60s notably providing backing vocals on her more famous sister’s recordings including “Respect”. She can finally celebrate a top 10 UK hit herself now with the song expanding 21-9 (15,015).

Already a hit across Europe Rage’s version of Bryan Adams’ “Run To You” a No 11 hit 7 year ago. The group have run into trouble over their name as there is also a German heavy metal act recording under the name and have had to release the track as En-Rage in some countries. The song has been produced and updated by Barry Leng who produced Amii Stewart’s “Knock On Wood/ Light My Fire” and remixed them back in 1985. This update immediately betters Adams’ original by powering in at No 10 (14,970) and also features a sample of a track called "Let The Words Flow" by MC Chill Rob G which was also lifted as a secondary sample (albeit with Turbo B re-recording it) on Snap!'s "The Power" and on "Devotion" by Nomad meaning it is a top 10 single (In some form) for a third year in a row!

Arrested Development leap 10-6 (23,190) and right behind them Take That improve 9-7 (16,290) whilst Dr Spin flip 6-8 (15,995). This week sees the release of two follow up to chart toppers going head to head Erasure Vs The Shamen!


1- END OF THE ROAD- Boyz II Men (32,520)
2- SLEEPING SATELLITE- Tasmin Archer (31,680)
3- EROTICA- Madonna (27,645)
4- I’M GONNA GET YOU- Bizarre Inc. Angie Brown (24,945)
5- KEEP THE FAITH- Bon Jovi (23,625)
6- PEOPLE EVERYDAY- Arrested Development (23,190)
7- A MILLION LOVE SONGS- Take That (16,290)
8- TETRIS- Dr Spin (15,995)
9- (TAKE A LITTLE) PIECE OF MY HEART- Erma Franklin (15,015)
10- RUN TO YOU- Rage (14,970)

Ugh Boyz II Men, shame 'Erotica' couldn't sell a few thousand more and get there instead.

Love Rage's version, much better than the original for me.

End of the Road is so unappealing to me. Couldn't stand it at the time and still don't. Can't remember it getting to No.1. How very boring.

It's good to see that Erotica wasn't too far behind, as that single is generally considered to be a struggle up the charts for a Madonna lead.

Going back a few weeks... Hello to East 17. House of Love is a cracking tune.

Yeah Rage definitely had the best dance cover of 1992, stadium rock translated to stadium house.

I do like the original Bryan Adams track too.

En-Rage version of "Run To You" is stellar - one example where the cover version is better than the original.

7TH NOVEMBER

With a massive 79% increase in sales week on week “End Of The Road” takes firm control of the No 1 spot this week, renewed promotion and the film “Boomerang” getting a general release all contribute to the success of the single. The album climbs 12-7 knocking Tasmin Archer’s album out of the top 10 in the process, her single “Sleeping Satellite” falls 2-4 (26,670) as well, it is overtaken by Arrested Development who soar 6-2 (31,080) and Rage who surge 10-3 (28,455) though are no threat to Boyz II Men.

The Shamen win the battle with Erasure for the honours of the highest new entry, the title track of their new album “Boss Drum” starts brightly at No 6 (25,710) as it marks their 4th top 10 hit in a row and a third in just 5 months, an impressive release rate, and hot off the press news that they will have a another single out in time for Christmas! The single version has been remixed by the Beatmasters.

Speaking of Christmas Erasure will have their best of called “Pop” out in time for the big day and is widely expected to be a big festive seller. It couples together their first 20 singles and will also include the new mix of “Who Needs Love Like That” which comes in a new “Hamburg Mix” for 1992 courtesy of Dave Bascombe. The original only made No 55 in 1985 but this is of course is the follow up to the chart topping “Abba-Esque” and thusly debuts at No 10 (20,295) as it raises their tally of top 10 singles to thirteen in just six years. It’s also the 50th single to debut in the top 10 during the year beating the record of 43 established last year and a then record of 30 in 1989.

You might recall back in 1988 a certain Simon Harris who hit No 12 hit with “Bass (How Low Can You Go)”, well he’s been DJing and remixing since but now returns to the chart under the guise of Ambassadors Of Funk. He’s taken the Nintendo character of Mario and build a dance tune around the incidental music used in the game. Whilst “Tetris” peaked at No 6 last month “Super Mario Land” rises 14-9 (20,775), the promo is filmed at Chessington World Of Adventure.

Bizarre Inc slump 4-5 (25,920), Madonna falls 3-7 (21,585) as her album spends a third week at No 2 behind Simple Minds, and Take That fall 7-8 (21,135) with their best weekly sale yet for the single!.  It's the first time all the top 10 cleared 20,000 copies each in 22 weeks- indeed the last time was back in May when Take That were also in the mix!


1- END OF THE ROAD- Boyz II Men (57,030)
2- PEOPLE EVERYDAY- Arrested Development (31,080)
3- RUN TO YOU- Rage (28,455)
4- SLEEPING SATELLITE- Tasmin Archer (26,670)
5- I’M GONNA GET YOU- Bizarre Inc/ Angie Brown (25,920)
6- BOSS DRUM- The Shamen (25,710)
7- EROTICA- Madonna (21,585)
8- A MILLION LOVE SONGS- Take That (21,135)
9- SUPERMARIOLAND- Ambassadors of Funk (20,775)
10- WHO NEEDS LOVE LIKE THAT (REMIX)- Erasure (20,295)

I like Boss Drum.

Not a fan of the novelty rave songs it sort of killed off the genre's credibility.

Yeah, 'Boss Drum' is a banger. They were on a roll at this point.

I love pretty much every Shamen single from this period but I feel in retrospect that the Beatmasters need some credit, the remixed production on the single versions was definitely key to getting them hits.