4 minutes ago, 777666jason said:

Good old OCC and not combining the discographies when its the same person 🙈

Although I have just learnt another novelty act had 13 top 40s in the 90s im guessing they missed the top 100 sales though as the highest only got to 9 (sorry random tidbit I thought they released something under their real names so wanted to see of the OCC was consistent like with Will )

Ant and dec by any chance?

Just now, Gezza said:

Ant and dec by any chance?

Your on the ball

No 103 in fact! So close

50 minutes ago, 777666jason said:

Your on the ball

What a pun 🤣

NO 16- WET WET WET (3,361,200)

19 UK TOP 40 HITS

BIGGEST SELLER: LOVE IS ALL AROUND (1,793,000)

 

BEST SELLING ACT OF 1994

 

The Wet’s were, unsurprisingly, the biggest selling act of 94 thanks to “Love Is All Around” which ends up making a solid 50% contribution to their decade total. The band had been heart throbs originally back in the 80s but the quest to be a “serious” band took off in the 90s as they struck the AOR bandwagon and headed for radio friendly blandness. In their favour they clearly made their money, a split in 97 probably cost the band a place in the top 10 on our rundown by curtailing their hits.....

NO 15- STEPS (3,472,400)

9 UK TOP 40 HITS

BIGGEST HIT: TRAGEDY/ HEARTBEAT (1,149,000)

 

Yes of course they were going to be here. Over 1.4 million singles sold in BOTH 98 & 99 made them one of the biggest acts of the late 90s and the leading lights of the “ultra pop” movement (ok I made that term up). The band enjoyed continual success right up until their split in 2001 when the obligatory solo careers followed with minimal success, still few could match the singles success the band had in those two years...

Of Course they later reformed and whilst they only scored 1 top 75 hit they retain a firm fanbase.

Well, Eternal are higher than expected, and generally not a fan so I guess their number of hits seems less to me due to that. Aqua are better than they get credit for, but Barbie Girl has flattered their position somewhat. Robbie not being top 20 is a shocker, even allowing for his chart sales being second half of the 90's only. That said, appearing twice on the list is pretty good and album big sales will have lost a few singles sales!

The Prodigy doing well going top 20, though only just, is mildly surprising. But not as suprising as Janet. A huge star in the USA but her bigger hits in the UK seemed to be more in the 80's, but non-stop hits for 10 years is still pretty impressive and she would def make my top 20 acts of the 90's for the first half of the 90's stuff more than the bigger-selling second half. Rhythm Nation album was her creative peak but the UK dance music changes of 1988 onwards didnt sit well with her 80's-sounding and polished Jam & Lewis stuff, which utterly dominated the US charts, to the extent that the UK label had to resort to less-good remixes for single releases to try and fit in to the scene.

Will Smith was great in the 90's musically and as a movie and TV star, which is not bad going for the little cheeky rapper kid that charted in 1986. Fun, though maybe a handful of big hits boosted the lower-charting ones for toal sales. George Michael might well have struggled to make the top 20 if not for the 1996 big sales, his 1990 album sold well but the singles didn't by and large, despite being quality, due to his decision to not release videos with him featured and being more low key. Never prolific, so it's a testament to his quality music.

Not surprisingly so high, Wet Wet Wet and Steps flattered by one huge seller each, but if I ever tot up my Artist "sales" from my personal charts for the 90's both would struggle to be top 50, but probably would be top 100.

Steps selling a million more than I estimated!

NO 14- ROBSON & JEROME (3,484,300)

3 UK TOP 40 HITS

BIGGEST SELLER: UNCHAINED MELODY/ (THERE’LL BE BLUEBIRDS OVER) THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER (1,843,000)

 

BEST SELLING ACT OF 1995

 

Bet you were worried they were going to make the top 10 weren’t you? Well they aren’t far off, only 3 singles provide them with their 3.4 million sales, all of them No 1’s and they handsomely outsold every other act in 1995. They did of course start out in “Soldier Soldier” when Simon Cowell convinced them that they could shift records they recorded an album for him which also sold in outstanding quantities becoming the 7th biggest album of the decade.

 

 Their first single, a double A Sided hit “Unchained Melody/ White Cliffs Of Dover” sold 1.8 million and became the 2nd biggest selling single of the decade, to give them their due at least they quit when they were ahead.....

NO 13- CHER (3,564,700)

17 UK TOP 40 HITS

BEST SELLER: BELIEVE (1,669,000)

 

There are just five females left on this rundown and here’s the first of them, Cher had a great 90s, probably the best decade of her career, in which she was the only woman to collect three chart toppers. She benefitted enormously from the sales of “Believe” which was the bestselling single of 98 and contributes considerably to her tally. The singer has now retired from touring (again) but showed just a few years ago that she can still get a top 20 single!

So it Love Is All Around sold more than half of Wet Wet Wet's 3.3million singles, and Goodnight Girl spent 4 weeks at No.1 and must have sold a bucket load as well, the remaining 17 of the UK top 40s must have sold quite badly.

Robson and Jerome are evil. Thank God they stopped after 3 singles.

And look at Steps, eh. Gotta love it 😀

1 hour ago, ChrisJK said:

Robson and Jerome are evil. Thank God they stopped after 3 singles.

I dunno i think they could still sell out an arena tour 😮

Get in cher though 🙌🙌🙌

So close to top 10 for Cher, I did wonder if she might sneak in off the back of believe and shoop shoop song!

'Shoop Shoop Song' and 'Believe' were massive indeed!

Elsewhere, not really a fan of Wet Wet Wet's 90s songs but their debut hit 'Wishing I Was Lucky' from 1987 is really good.

Edited July 28Jul 28 by TheSnake

I think another established legend who also scored 2 solo #1s in the 1990s might win this one…

26 minutes ago, chartjack2 said:

I think another established legend who also scored 2 solo #1s in the 1990s might win this one…

I think 5 spicy girls are taking the 1990s top spot. 😍

I was going to say that @Spiceboy would be coming for you... .

On 16/07/2026 at 09:26, Gezza said:

NO 47- THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH (1,834,500)

15 UK TOP 40 HITS

BIGGEST HIT: A LITTLE TIME (382,000)

Often overlooked, the Beautiful South quietly racked up a succession of hits throughout the 90s, evenly spreading the hits throughout the period. A return to form in 96 never really looking back for the remainder of the decade, but much like Erasure, they experienced some degree of longevity despite only claiming one chart topper. The group of course formed from the remnants of “The Housemartins” in 1988 and named themselves in irony, and sold more singles than I would have given them credit for.

Ok that suprised me as their biggest hit

Im guessing perfect 10 and dont marry her must of been close ?

On 15/07/2026 at 14:11, Spiceboy said:

It's not her fault people don't have taste! 😎

This tears on my pillow should of been a lot lot bigger 🥲

Also bwitched not suprise they are so high with 4 iconic number 1s shame it went down hill for album 2 jessie hold on should of at least been a number 1

My monies on the spice girls only being number 2 a bit like wannabe only being the number 2 best selling girl group track of all time 😁

Edited July 28Jul 28 by 777666jason

1 hour ago, Gezza said:

I was going to say that @Spiceboy would be coming for you... .

Moi!?!? Never!!! 🤭