It's 1993 in this thread and the 90s have really began. 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 summer we'll see there are no limits in:

Thread will start on Monday. I'll also post the first 4 weeks of 1994 here as little point in creating a new thread for them.

16TH JANUARY

1993 is upon us but nothing much changes at the top with Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” ruling the roost for a seventh week. It is now officially a million seller after shifting 63,615 to bring its collective haul to 1,023,630, it’s the second million seller ever by a female act and is now the second longest chart topper by a female solo act after Doris Day’s “Secret Love” spent 8 weeks there back in the 50s. The film is atop the box office and the soundtrack remains not only the top compilation of the week but the best selling album overall. A clean sweep.

At least there’s some new blood on the way through, Snap! rise 7-2 (29,760) and could have an outside chance at the top spot next week, Take That hold at No 3 (20,070) with a sales dip but will celebrate with “Take That & Party” which moves 3-2 with only Cher now standing in its way.

Faith No More fans will now be used to hearing their band’s cover of the Commodores classic “Easy” but they’ve now committed it to record and teamed with a cut from their “Angel Dust” album called “Be Aggressive”. Indeed the album is getting re-issued in a few weeks to include “Easy” but in the meantime it rockets 78-6 (15,495), that makes not only Faith No More’s biggest hit but the highest charting version of the song ever as the original only made No 9 in 1977 and No 15 on re-issue in 1988 when it featured on advert for Halifax Bank.

Formed in 1986 Pop Will Eat Itself have long been indie darlings generating 11 hit singles between 1988 and 1992 though only two reached the top 20. Taking full advantage of the barren release schedule the band have released a third single from their fourth album “”The Looks Or The Lifestyle” entitled “Get The Girl + Kill The Baddies!” and are rewarded with their biggest hit yet as it enters at No 9 (11,580). The band have recently departed from RCA but as they hit it big perhaps the label with re-evaluate?

Ploughing much the same ground as PWEI back in the late 80s, Jesus Jones have since become much larger than their fellow indie rockers after conquering America in 1990 and scoring a top ten single in January 1991 with “International Bright Young Thing”. Their third album is now ready to hit the shops and lead single “The Devil You Know” is doing brisk business rising 19-10 (11,340) following a TOTP performance.

Arrested Development are on the prowl rising 8-4 (18,150) but heading the wrong way are Michael Jackson 2-5 (16,035), The Shamen 5-7 (14,535) and Charles & Eddie 4-8 (13,335).


1- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (63,615)
2- EXTERMINATE- Snap! Featuring Niki Harris (29,760)
3- COULD IT BE MAGIC- Take That (20,070)
4- MR WENDAL/ REVOLUTION- Arrested Development (18,150)
5- HEAL THE WORLD- Michael Jackson (16,035)
6- I’M EASY/ BE AGGRESSIVE- Faith No More (15,495)
7- PHOREVER PEOPLE- The Shamen (14,535)
8- WOULD I LIE TO YOU- Charles & Eddie (13,335)
9- GET THE GIRL! KILL THE BADDIES- Pop Will Eat Itself (11,580)
10- THE DEVIL YOU KNOW- Jesus Jones (11,340)

I prefer the Jesus Jones song of the three new top 10 entries.

Take That good longevity.

Edited Monday at 20:154 days by TheSnake

That Snap song isn’t well known given its chart peak, but it’s really good!

23RD JANUARY

Whitney continues to be immovable at the top of the charts but she is, at least, looking vulnerable now, her sales of 51,990 were enough to defeat Snap! again but “Exterminate” shifted 36,030 as it cut the deficit in half week on week and sets up an interesting battle next week. “I Will Always Love You” is now in its 8th week at the top equalling the record for longest stay at No 1 by a female solo track but it does now become the biggest selling CD single ever in the format.

Dance trio West End have been formed by Denis Ingoldsby who is also a co-founder of 1st Avenue records who currently have Dina Carroll on their roster. They’ve taken the Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes 1974 #21 track “The Love I Lost” and recruited Sybil to provide the vocals. The song was the third biggest for Melvin and it’s worth noting that their two bigger hits “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” and “Don’t Leave Me This Way” have been turned into top 2 hits by Simply Red in 1989 and The Communards in 1986 so this could be heading right to the top. It marks Sybil’s first top 10 single in 3 years and is produced by Stock/ Waterman who seem to be back in the hit making mood after the WWF superstars, this track climbs 14-5 (18,480).

When “We Are Family” was written by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards it became the first song that the pair had written and given away to another act. That act was of course Sister Sledge and it became one of their four top ten singles between 1979 and 1985 as well as their signature tune. Remixed in 1984 it made No 33 and is now back in “Sure Is Pure” remix updating it for today’s dancefloor, it will be followed by a new best of album next month so expect other remixes as this one debuts at No 7 (16,005) one place higher than the original reached! It becomes the first single to chart three times in three different remixes folks!

Italian dance act Usura are responsible for the single that debuts at No 8 (13,275) entitled “Open Your Mind” which has a promo featuring morphing heads of various famous people including Thatcher, Reagan, Mussolini, Stalin, and Mary Whitehouse among others! It samples Ashford & Simpsons “Solid”, Simple Minds “New Gold Dream” along with dialogue from the film “Total Recall”.

Scoring 5 top 75 singles in 1989 and 1990 the Beloved have since split with founding member Jon Marsh retaining the name and allowing his wife to join in time for their third album “Conscience” which is in shops next month. Previously the single “Hello” was their biggest hit (No 19, 1990) but “Sweet Harmony” trounces that peak immediately smashing into the charts at No 9 (12,765) and comes with a mildly controversial video featuring mostly naked bodies.

Peter Gabriel’s most recent album “Us” debuted at No 2 last October behind R.E.M but only spent 9 weeks in its initial run dampened by lead single “Digging In The Dirt” only making No 24. It’s back now rising 30-21 with second single “Steam” gaining airplay and sales as it moves 17-10 (11,310) and comes with another innovative video courtesy of Stephen Johnson who also directed “Sledgehammer”, and a remix of “Games Without Frontiers” on the reverse to entice you.

Faith No More race 6-3 (28,500) and push Take That down 3-4 (18,540). Arrested Development slide 4-6 (18,390) despite registering a sight sales increase, their album also charges 10-4 to reach a new peak.


1- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (51,990)
2- EXTERMINATE- Snap! Featuring Niki Harris (36,030)
3- I’M EASY/ BE AGRESSIVE- Faith No More (28,500)
4- COULD IT BE MAGIC- Take That (18,540)
5- THE LOVE I LOST- West End Ft Sybil (18,480)
6- MR WENDAL/ REVOLUTION- Arrested Development (18,390)
7- WE ARE FAMILY (93 MIXES)- Sister Sledge (16,005)
8- OPEN YOUR MIND- Usura (13,275)
9- SWEET HARMONY- The Beloved (12,765)
10- STEAM- Peter Gabriel (11,310)

so many 70's covers and remixes in early 1993! Nice they got a new audience and they are mostly OK, but none of them beat the originals for me. My top track is Sweet Harmony, that's fab, unusual and lush. Exterminate and Steam are pretty decent and Arrested Development sweet enough.

I was just listening to "Sweet Harmony" again and I always get reminded of how good it is whenever I hear it. Could have been a top 10 hit in the later 90s easily I suspect.

Sweet Harmony utterly amazing!

That remix of 'We Are Family' is so tacky.

Open Your Mind (with its Total Recall sample) and Sweet Harmony are both superb.

Open Your Mind and its video are great. The 90's eurodance sound is here; I really like how following the success of Snap!'s Rhythm Is A Dancer and Felix's Don't You Want Me, dance music was becoming more synth based at this time, I prefer it to piano house.

Sweet Harmony is very good, the production really reminds me of Lady Gaga's Alejandro actually!

'The Love I Lost' has a lovely vocal but the production is a bit cheesy and dated being very 1990 Stock Aitken Waterman in production style.

'Steam' is an inferior 'Sledgehammer', the muscly body suit that Peter Gabriel wears is the most interesting part of it.

Edited Wednesday at 16:122 days by TheSnake

30TH JANUARY




Another week gone and still Whitney Houston can’t be moved, 9 weeks and counting for “I Will Always Love You”, another 48,330 sold bringing its total to 1,123,950 making it the second biggest seller of the 90s so far lagging only behind the 1.5 million posted by Bryan Adams. With Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching it could yet overcome it, its reign at No 1 should continue at any rate, its gentle decline, 7% this week, means its lead over Snap! in the No 2 position, which came in with 33,585 sales, is barely dented and Snap are now unlikely to topple Houston.

The only new song in the top 10 comes in as a new entry at No 4 for 2 Unlimited. Their fifth single, it becomes their most instant and has, for its UK release, again been stripped of Slijngaard’s rap with only the world “Techo!” retained, it is the first release from their second album due in the spring. The song has rather disparagingly been labelled as “No Lyrics” given its limited and over repeated vocals but it hasn’t put buyers off as it achieved sales of 23,715.

Also having a good week this week are West End Featuring Sybil who climb 5-3 (30,420) and were unlucky not to overtake Snap! at the death, Sister Sledge lift 7-5 (22,740), Usura nudge 8-7 (21,630) and The Beloved move 9-8 (21,285).


Heading out are Faith No More 3-6 (22,605), Arrested Development 6-9 (17,115) and Take That 4-10 (16,500).


1- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (48,330)
2- EXTERMINATE- Snap! Featuring Niki Harris (33,585)
3- THE LOVE I LOST- West End Ft Sybil (30,420)
4- NO LIMIT- 2 Unlimited (23,715)
5- WE ARE FAMILY (93 MIXES)- Sister Sledge (22,740)
6- I’M EASY/ BE AGGRESSIVE- Faith No More (22,605)
7- OPEN YOUR MIND- Usura (21,630)
8- SWEET HARMONY- The Beloved (21,285)
9- MR WENDAL/ REVOLUTION- Arrested Development (17,115)
10- COULD IT BE MAGIC- Take That (16,500)

No no, no-no-no no there's nothing wrong with No Limits. Fun. 🙂

I remember as a very young kid I pestered my parents to buy me the "no no no no" song without knowing exactly what it was

Unpopular opinion i know but I never could stand 2 unlimited.

Sweet Harmony is one of my favourite songs of the decade, absolutely wonderful track. The production is so perfect.

7 hours ago, dandy* said:

Sweet Harmony is one of my favourite songs of the decade, absolutely wonderful track. The production is so perfect.

Im a huge fan of the song aswell, loved it back then and still do now and time has been very kind to it.

Sweet Harmony is undated indeed as shown by the similarities of production in Lady Gaga's Alejandro.

No Limit yes definitely one of the most striking of 2Unlimited's songs.

6TH FEBRUARY




Whitney makes it ten weeks and writes herself into the record books, no female singer can claim as long a chart topper as “I Will Always Love You” and in all honesty it was never really under threat until the end of the week when 2 Unlimited started to play catch up and she ends up topping only the Cassingle format this week (2 Unlimited have the biggest selling 7", M People the top 12" and Faith No More the biggest CD single). In the end Houston sold 45,600 and was just 2,970 ahead of the incoming “No Limit” setting up an interesting battle next week, but more than that Houston now passes Jennifer Rush to make “I Will Always Love You” the biggest selling single ever by a female solo act. West End Featuring Sybil hold at No 3 (38,475) unable to keep their runner up position till the weekend but it is still improving at retail and may yet challenge for the top.

The debut album from East 17 is out at the end of the month but in the meantime their third single “Deep” proves to be their biggest hit as it soars 12-5 (26,910). It again comes from the hand of vocalist Tony Mortimer and makes up for the disappointment of their last single “Gold” only making No 28, now with 2 top 10 singles they can legitimately say they are rivals to the current teen champs Take That who themselves release a new single in a fortnight. It was originally given to clubs under the moniker “Levi & Friends” to gain substantive credibility pre release after record company concerns that the band had failed to ignite commercially.

Talking of teen fave’s that’s a description which would have fitted Duran Duran ten years ago but their stock has somewhat fallen since then with their last top 10 hit back in the 80s, indeed their last single “Serious” became their first to fail to hit the top 40. The emergence of “Ordinary World” as a hit is therefore something of a surprise, it climbs 11-6 (26,715) to become their biggest hit in 8 years with an album to follow which was also go head to head with East 17 in a few weeks! It’s their 13th top 10 single for the group which are now a quartet.

M People’s debut album “Northern Soul” generated four top 40 singles in 1991/92 but none made it beyond No 29 and one of those songs “How Can I Love You More” has been remixed by DJ Sasha and turned into a chart hit finally as it debuts at No 9 (18,240). The album actually failed to chart despite strong sales in the north of the UK but will be re-issued next month to include the new mixes of this single.

Also seeing their album re-issued are Snap! but “Exterminate” is already fading 2-4 (28,185) while both Usura and Beloved hold tight at No ‘s 7 (21,570) and 8 (20,265) respectively while Sister Sledge slump 5-10 (17,925)


1- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (45,600)
2- NO LIMIT- 2 Unlimited (42,630)
3- THE LOVE I LOST- West End Ft Sybil (38,475)
4- EXTERMINATE- Snap! Featuring Niki Harris (28,185)
5- DEEP- East 17 (26,910)
6- ORDINARY WORLD- Duran Duran (26,715)
7- OPEN YOUR MIND- Usura (21,570)
8- SWEET HARMONY- The Beloved (20,265)
9- HOW CAN I LOVE YOU MORE (REMIXES)- M People (18,240)
10- WE ARE THE FAMILY (93 REMIXES)- Sister Sledge (17,925)

Ordinary World is a good ballad I used to like it more than I do now.

Deep by East 17 is OK I suppose but I much preferred House of Love.

M People's production is very muted and poppy compared to the rest of the more rave influenced British dance scene before it. But a great soulful vocal from Heather Small as ever.

Edited Thursday at 15:111 day by TheSnake