The U.K. 80s Singles & Albums Chart General Discussion Thread.

A companion piece for this thread.

The U.K. 70s Singles & Albums Chart General Discussion Thread.

I loved the 70s charts, but the 80s ones weren’t far behind. I’m focussing on the U.K. charts as they’re often so wonderfully bizarre, they deserve their own retrospective. I hope this thread will do them justice.

There’s no rules or form to follow. The thread is indeed very ‘general’. Obviously I’d like people to talk about their favourite records from this period. I was an avid chart watcher, and am sure I wasn’t alone.

It will be nice to discuss important records as they enjoy their chart journey. Occasionally I (and hopefully others) will post charts, reviews and info from certain years. Obviously if you seen any of the artists live or have met them, it would be great to hear about it.

The 70s version of this thread has gone down well. Hopefully this will too. Everybody likes a bit of nostalgia, don’t they?

 

To start us off, here’s the #1 from 40 years ago today. Adam Ant’s Goody Two Shoes. His final chart topper and last great single (IMO). As usual, they spared no expense when making the video.



It was knocked off the top spot 2 weeks later by Charlene’s I’ve Never Been To Me.

 

Good idea, Bobby!

I remember looking at my first album of the 80s, marvelling at the copyright notice for 1980. I mean, an 8, not a 7! Lovely.

The first time I noticed was the single for this one... And ask for your forgiveness in advance:

 

No forgiveness required. Or jacket, for that matter.

One of Cliff’s best 80s singles from one of his best 80s albums!

 

Great single, but followed by the equally wonderful Desperate But Not Serious.
Just love that intro with the horn section.....and the instrumental break a bit later......

Actually......as a complete 80s freak, I can honestly say that what I probably love the most
about the majority of pop releases during at least the first part of the decade is the horn section - as an integral part of sooo many releases......even the ones you wouldnt expect to have horns would feature them at some point.......example - Kajagoogoo - Big Apple & The Lions Mouth singles......

 

You know I won´t argue with you there.

And I see what you did with your second sentence. Another very good album of the 80s. (And now we´re even allowed to say it out loud. Pop can be good.)

 

I used to work with a girl who was a big Adam Ant fan. We teased her when she bought the Friend Or Foe album (on LP and cassette) saying that he was on his way out. Which he kind of was.

I bought a handful of his albums (including Friend Or Foe) when they were reissued on CD about 15 years ago.

 

Expect lots of Record Mirror, Smash Hits and Number One clippings when this thread gets going!

 

Apollo 9 still sounds great to my ears (production wise).......but the song itself seems more like a gimmick than a really serious effort......

 

From a purely production point of view, there are records that have certainly stood the test of time much much better than others
and ZTT releases from 1984/1985 - especially FGTH & Propaganda 12" singles are among the finest pieces of pop-music as art ever produced.....

 

Am I right in thinking that the first UK number 1 of the 8os was The Pretenders' Brass In Pocket? It was all downhill from there.

 

I think it was Another Brick In The Wall. Which was a holdover from 1979, of course. But yes, The Pretenders were next to top the charts.

 

.....anyone remeber this one.....




.....a one-hit wonder in the truest sense of the word.....

This is actually filed under "synth-pop" on discogs, but every time I think about it, what I remember most is actually the bass line......

Apparently released in october 1980, it actually peaked at no.21 on the UK singles chart in february 1981.....

 

I do remember that. It cropped up on a repeat of TOTPs a few years ago. First time I’d heard it since it came out originally!

 

The other one-hit-wonder-Sue from the 80's

 

And also expect lots of quarter-by-quarter looks of what made #1 on the New Musical Express (NME) and Melody Maker charts, as on the '70's thread. We start with the first quarter of 1980 (except where noted in terms of dates), with #1's that only made one "other" chart in bold, and those that topped both "other" charts in bold italics. So without hesitation:

NME #1's

15 Dec 1979: "Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)" by Pink Floyd
19 Jan: "Brass In Pocket" by the Pretenders
2 Feb: "My Girl" by Madness (BMRB #2)
9 Feb: The Special A.K.A. Live! (EP) by The Specials Featuring Rico
16 Feb: "Coward Of The County" by Kenny Rogers
01 Mar: "Atomic" by Blondie
22 Mar: "Together We Are Beautiful" by Fern Kinney
29 Mar: "Going Underground" by The Jam


Melody Maker #1's

22 Dec 1979: "Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)" by Pink Floyd
19 Jan: "Brass In Pocket" by the Pretenders
2 Feb: "My Girl" by Madness
9 Feb: The Special A.K.A. Live! (EP) by The Specials Featuring Rico
23 Feb: "Coward Of The County" by Kenny Rogers
01 Mar: "Atomic" by Blondie
22 Mar: Together We Are Beautiful" by Fern Kinney
29 Mar: "Going Underground" by The Jam

All seven of the "official" #1's in this stretch also topped both the NME and Melody Maker charts.

 

One wonders, if any U.S. label took this record, which one would it be. Given that RCA distributed this in the UK, I reckon likely RCA itself would have put it out . . . with a 'CHEAPSKATE RECORDS' logo at lower left below the producer's credit.

 

A shame this outstanding number would be Mr. Richard's last-ever U.S. Top 10 (he would continue to have the occasional Top 40 hit through 1982).

 

From this chart posted up thread, it’s interesting to note that the US and UK top 30 singles charts don’t share one record. That wouldn’t happen now!

 

Since there was a favourite twenty Top 40 singles on the 1970s thread I thought I might as well post my equivalent for the 1980s.

In no particular order; one per artist:

Stone Roses - She Bangs The Drum
Jam - That's Entertainment
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
Specials - Ghost Town
Fun Boy Three & Bananarama - It Ain't What You Do
Prince - Sign Of the Times
Siouxsie & Banshees - Christine
Grandmaster Flash - The Message
Suzanne Vega - Luka
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams

Katrina & The Waves - Walking On Sunshine
Culture Club - War Song
The Smiths - Girlfriend In A Coma
Rhoda Dakar - The Boiler
Jesus & Mary Chain - April Skies
Alice Cooper - Poison
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Kate Bush - Babooshka
The Bangles - Manic Monday
Soft Cell - Say Hello Wave Goodbye

 

Surprised to see I have 8 out of the top 10 in that UK chart (including I'm slightly embarrassed to say, Fiddlers Dram, though they did evolve into one of my all time favourite bands, Oysterband). The song that was really obsessing me that week was My Girl by Madness.

And at the risk of being a pedant, Please Don't Go features in both top 30s, both top 10s in fact.

 

I don't know . . .
- "Please Don't Go" - #7 UK, #5 U.S.
- "No More Tears" - #29 UK, #24 U.S.
- "Better Love Next Time" - #31 UK, #14 U.S.
- "Babe" - #37 UK, #10 U.S.
- "The Second Time Around" - #69 UK, #67 U.S.
- "Escape" - #72 UK, #1 U.S.
- "Still" - #74 UK, #6 U.S.
(among others, if I missed any please feel free to add on)
Plus a few onetime UK mainstays on the U.S. charts, a few months to a few years later.

 

Love that.

 

A sort of forgotten hit from early 80, The Buggles - Living In The Plastic Age

Despite going Top 20 it never seems to crop up on any 80s compilations.

 

So, as far as I know, every UK single & album chart released available thus far has been up to Top-100, easily available also online here:

Ultimate Music Database

But, is it often quoted and said, especially when referred to some rare / obscure releases, they they have only reached a chart position lower than Top-100 and when that particular position has been quoted, it would have sometimes even closer to Top-200.

So, I was wondering, if anyone know if there is a Top-200 UK singles chart available anywhere ?

The latest official chart books published are yet again only Top-75, like this one from 2019:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1724491857/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_2?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1