tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20679302364445690452024-03-13T16:34:28.695+05:00Chart collections for various artists and countriesVlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-10503966383002782072024-03-04T19:28:00.001+05:002024-03-04T19:28:09.570+05:00Chartography - Wang Chung<p>There's not much to say about Wang Chung, really. A minor band in the grand scheme of things with only a couple of outstanding (at least commercially) songs to their name. What, perhaps, distinguishes them the most is the fact that, while originating in Britain, they found their biggest and most enduring success across the ocean, in the USA. For some reason their ideas were better appreciated there (as was the case with quite a few bands over the decades), which of course was ultimately for the better - both financially and as regards longevity in the collective memory of the masses: the US success is, for better or worse, the ultimate in showbiz and you seem to only need one fair-sezed hit to be fondly remembered by many and referenced regularly. Wang Chung had a string of successes (even the often UK-centric Canada appreciated them quite a bit), which enabled them to go strong for years of inactivity (through soundtracks, commercials, video broadcasts etc) and even to reform, make new music and tour on a regular basis, with much love being thrown their way every time. Little in a way of chart showing recently, but why bother when your place in history is secure?</p><p>Let's have a look at their achievements:</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1__RDjJ1Kjoqs0lfVRZU0spaU6njy2Lxy/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">Wang Chung</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-88304043730254522262024-01-22T19:49:00.000+05:002024-01-22T19:49:07.552+05:00Chartography - Men at Work<p>Here's the list of successes from, probably, the biggest commercial sensation of the early 1980s - Australian band Men at Work. Their rise was nothing short of meteoric and knew no bounds, reaching all parts of the globe. For a couple of years they were the trusty hitmakers on a worldwide scale, but after a well-deserved break from late 1983 to early 1985 things were never the same again. In fact their comeback went nearly unnoticed and they couldn't deal with it, breaking up soon afterwards, with various band members attempting solo carriers to little returns. Such is a price of a total early success, it seems. Still the Men are fondly remembered and their <i>grandes exitos</i> are an indelible part of mass culture. That's some achievement and should not be taken lightly.</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w9d2-YhrSkmO7pbLxgRal5QWbLwn-ejB/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">Men at Work</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-77208150724448053822024-01-15T19:32:00.002+05:002024-01-22T18:34:31.182+05:00Chartography - Howard Jones<p>Here's a peculiar case of a performer who at the top of his game seemingly appealed only to English-speaking market. Howard Jones, one man band of a synth variety, hit big immediately in the fall of 1983, taking by storm first his home country then the USA. His ascendancy was somethin to behold, and yet, the mainland Europe barely took notice, for some reason. Still he could safely ignore that, having secured the most lucrative market in the world. His fall, unfortunately, was equally as fast, he was no longer a going concern in the UK by the end of 1986 already, while in the US he continued to score hits up until (and including) 1992. During the 1990s, conversely, it was Europe that provided him with any kind of commercial acceptance, which only goes to show that mass attention moves in mysterious ways. Nowadays he's an esteemed senior gentleman of (synth)pop, still filling arenas, releasing albums and even having chart entries here and there, while his "one of a kind" legacy is proven and universally recognized. Let's see how he went about chart-wise.</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iVieDh-Qlu4_oDRiOlQVxKj7TlepumHQ/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">Howard Jones</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/howard-jones.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-79879768526148227962023-12-17T19:00:00.004+05:002023-12-18T00:20:31.479+05:00Chartography - Berlin<p>With the recent mammoth success of a sequel to "Top gun" it's interesting to take a look at the band that became almost inseparable from the original movie. One of the most successful US purveyors of synthpop, they had a long and illustrious carrier, releasing the best-selling EP in the US music history, working with Giorgio Moroder on several occasions (including releasing his song "Take my breath away" that went on to score heavily chart-wise all around the world), disbanding and reforming on several occasions, reuniting the "golden era" line-up (to very mixed results), establishing the brand as a touring force, creating songs that turned out to be enduring cult and mainstream successes etc. Judging by the charts they are close to "one hit wonder" status, with <i>that song</i> trumping everything else, but locally they were going strong for several years, not only in their homeland but in other markets too. Overall an interesting, if not wholly original band, and their story deserves attention - its twists and turns are truly remarkable.</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cmh2p0-l-iM-j7m2uo0anuRIX321nfiV/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">Berlin</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-29200028462917405652023-02-06T22:07:00.002+05:002024-01-22T18:35:41.294+05:00Chartography - The Thompson Twins<p>Sadly the blog goes stale more often than not which is a shame as I have quite a lot of stuff to share. If I only had as much time and will... Well, let's try to change the situation. Here's a new chartography - for The Thompson Twins. This interesting bunch started off as underground noisemakers but within a couple of years proceeded to reinvent themselves, both in numbers and image, to become one of the brightest "New Pop" stars of their era. They impacted North America especially and managed to have bona fide hits there right into the late 1980s, while their success in other regions had waned already. It's there where TT's main man Tom Bailey still headlines the stadium-sized shows and he even managed to resurrect his recording carrier in the process, releasing his first solo album in 2018. The band occupies a curious position in the history of the 1980s pop music, being among performers who milked the opportunities presented by MTV to the fullest and yet not being much talked about from the creative angle. Yet their place is firmly established and from the chart file, I think, you can see why.</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bJPvOJr1K3h3cEW5Pl9d4kMIzN-kpc4l/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">The Thompson Twins</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/thompson-twins.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-5963003532363920562022-10-10T06:05:00.004+05:002024-01-22T18:38:13.542+05:00Chartography - Ultravox/Midge Ure/Visage/John Foxx<p>In the newest UK official album Top 100 there's a new entry at #48 - a deluxe reissue of the LP "Rage in Eden" by <b>Ultravox</b>. Midweek chart showed an even better result - #16! I'm sure we all agree that's more than respectable for the album that only recently celebrated its 41th anniversary. That also gives me a chance to present the chart collection of my favourite musicians. Ultravox are perhaps the most underrated band of their era, constantly trashed or overlooked by the press and "tastemakers" and yet they are among the very influential, perhaps <i>the </i>most influential of the bunch, be it music, cover design, videos <i>etc</i>, creating templates, setting the bars and so on. It's really quite hard to overstate their importance to the music of the last 50 years or so.</p><p>And they even managed to become pretty successful commercially almost all around the world. Their main undoing was not being able to conquer the all-important US market - much lesser bands are much better known and celebrated for having a string, or even one or two hits there. Still, their legend lives on and resonates with generations of listeners - first the 2020 reissue of "Vienna" entered the UK Top 50, now "Rage in Eden", their most artistic and experimental album. That's quite a feat.</p><p>I also included in this file chart information about the satellite acts. First for their frontmen, <b>John Foxx</b> and <b>Midge Ure</b>. The former himself created at least one highly influential album ("Metamatic"), which is now rightly praised as a milestone in the development of electronic music, while the latter had an illustrious carrier that yielded him several international hits and a growing respect with both colleagues and the public. Also, there's an info on <b>Visage</b>, an act of, if not equal, then clear and distinct importance and influence itself, despite sharing members with Ultravox. Of course here is the case of one huge hit trumping everything else, but their first two albums are widely held in high regard and their reissues still meet with waves of appreciation. Even their reappearance in early 2010s as a touring and recording act drew attention and received quite a bit of praise.</p><p>All in all, a very creative bunch of guys that did more than their fair share to change the music as we knew it, for better and for worse, but undoubtedly with all the best intentions in the world! Let's see how they fared in their day and beyond.</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/19dAWeZeTvIuvmWShPHMARAFwqyO_FLrU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true">Ultravox & Co.</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. Discographies: <a href="http://discog.info/ultravox.html" target="_blank">Ultravox</a>, <a href="http://discog.info/ultravox-midge-ure.html" target="_blank">Midge Ure</a>, <a href="http://discog.info/visage.html" target="_blank">Visage</a>, <a href="http://discog.info/foxx.html" target="_blank">John Foxx</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-39855636269964872872022-05-21T02:04:00.004+05:002024-01-22T18:39:03.250+05:00Chartography - Vangelis<p>Sad news of Vangelis's passing. One of the most esteemed and long-standing figures of electronic music, creator of some of its best pieces, with carrier spanning close to six decades, at several points he had tremendous commercial success in every part of the world. To honour his memory I'd like to offer an overview of his (sometimes quite stunning) chart action.</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bfz9BpMLcWvKHwi2SjpdRdiAh2_YHV51/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true">Vangelis</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/vangelis.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-83349929155465256092022-03-04T18:17:00.005+05:002024-01-22T18:40:24.659+05:00Chartography - Tears for Fears<p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 13px;">Tears for Fears have reunited and released their new album "The Tipping Point" recently. Now there's a success story that in theory was highly unlikely, if not impossible - two aloof young lads singing mightily depressing songs about childhood traumas, </span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 13px;">neuroses</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 13px;">, death. And yet millions of records sold all over the world, triumph in the, possibly, hardest market in the world to break - the USA, legendary status and numberless tributes. There must be a lesson or moral here, but let's not go there now. Instead let's have a look at their chart victories and marvel at the sight of them:</span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 13px;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QVZeJDjKjhLMZqZCii2bvQkOmHFM62QY/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">Tears for Fears</a></b></span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 13px;">(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 13px;">Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/tears-for-fears.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></span></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-61942674063702404962022-02-19T19:13:00.001+05:002024-01-22T18:41:03.125+05:00Chartography - Propaganda<p>Seeing how there's a new album out by frontwomen of the German synth band Propaganda - under the title xPropaganda, let's see how they fared chartwise originally. This band is something of a footnote in music history of the 1980s, being overshadowed by their ZTT labelmates - Frankie Goes to Hollywood and (The) Art of Noise, but is arguably the must musical of the whole bunch, with their debut album "A secret wish" held in high regard to this day and re-released numerous times over the decades. Interestingly, for a seeming "flash in the pan" they had quite a bit of success in their time, impressing over countries and continents with varied, even clashing tastes. I wish the frontladies luck with their new venture and invite dear readers to check their past glories.</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pJPpyyJGPI59x0EZO5YF4PQsdOJQVbEE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true">Propaganda</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/propaganda.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-15904412325701403592022-01-10T19:39:00.002+05:002024-01-22T18:41:41.620+05:00Chartography - OMD<p>Not only Soft Cell are aiming for a restart. The last year saw a new compilation release from OMD in preparation for their new album in 2022. Looks like just the time to check how they did over more than four (!!!) decades of their carrier. Overall they did marvelously, remaining a presence in the international charts for an enviable stretch of time. To add to that their status as pioneers of popular electronic music - and we have an outstanding band deservedly hailed among the most important of their era. Personally I had a bit of a hard time getting into their body of work (beyond hits, that is), mainly because of the vocals, but things progressed eventuallyâş Nowadays they are highly regarded and respected and perhaps their stature is at its all-time peak. So, a good time to check the lengths and breadths they went</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/13ud721mKEVeAaGXUI6LS4M_2bcayFqQ9/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">OMD</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/OMD.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-62280513651699973832021-11-29T05:52:00.004+05:002024-01-22T18:43:14.924+05:00Chartography - Soft Cell<p>Soft Cell reactivated recently for a new album. The duo seems to undergo a wave of reappraisal recently, spurred by the 40th anniversary of their influential debut "Non-stop erotic cabaret" (a very interesting article about the creation of which you can read <a href="https://thequietus.com/articles/30878-soft-cell-non-stop-erotic-cabaret-oral-history-dave-ball-marc-almond-interview" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">here</a> and less interesting but more upfront one <b><a href="https://www.electricityclub.co.uk/is-non-stop-erotic-cabaret-best-album-1981/" target="_blank">here</a></b>) and accompanying tour. So it seems a good time to cast an eye over the carriers of the duo itself and, as usual, of its members separately. And a good way to restart this blog after too long an absence!</p><p>Oh yeah, there's also chart info on Marc Almond, The Grid etc. Thought it should be mentioned toođ</p><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MQH1FBi_asvIagbek6nc92dVmT8M-sUI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102010922492891548578&rtpof=true&sd=true">Soft Cell</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/softcell.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-11594104978697158602021-04-20T05:10:00.005+05:002024-01-22T18:44:52.845+05:00Chartography - Falco<p>Only a third act from Europe on this blog (but thankfully not the last one). This time it's Falco - the original white rapper who took (most of the) the world by storm, and twice at that, in early-mid 1980s. Far from a one- or two-hit wonder, he's still fondly remembered. His autobiography, though, is a heartbreaking reading - story of an artist haunted by his inner demons, unable to get to grips with success, freewheeling soul unwilling to conform and do what's right. In some ways an archetypal "New Wave" guy - outsider who chanced upon worldwide success but wasn't ready and didn't know how to exploit and prolong it (and probably cared little). Still, for a guy from Austria to break so many barriers is unprecedented and he's deservedly a national hero of the country to this day.</p><p><i>A necessary note: there were so many posthumous releases under Falco's banner that charted only in Austria (compilations of various kinds) that I dispensed with those and only included the releases that at least charted in Germany and Switzerland too.</i></p><p><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i284AXYpJbRZUi6C433EzdUpRyVEEJOQ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Falco</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/falco.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-69659141879554087472021-04-03T18:06:00.003+05:002024-01-22T18:46:28.576+05:00Chartography - Men Without Hats<p>Now a band from the other side of the globe - Canada. Men Without Hats shone briefly but brightly, releasing one of the catchiest songs of the decade ("The safety dance") and one of the finest synthpop albums ever ("Rhythm of youth"). As with too many of the early MTV favourites they weren't able to capitalize on this sudden surge in popularity, yet unusually they didn't simply disappear, but gained considerable traction with their second biggest hit ("Pop goes the world") and album of the same name. And while worldwide they only had two hits, in their homeland they were more consistent throughout the 1980s. After a break two two decades they returned in 2012 with a new album "Love in the age of war", which easily rivaled their finest work. More of a live proposition nowadays, they are fondly remembered and consistently referenced in the media (like A Flock of Seagulls and some other distinctive 1980s bands). Not much of a world charts-busting machine, still it's interesting to check how they fared commercially.</p><p><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/16BjXzN8t8bRuwYoJgKkAvrn_C1Qjl7sc/view?usp=sharing">Men Without Hats</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/men-without-hats.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-57626769516984881882021-02-22T20:38:00.002+05:002024-01-22T18:47:11.697+05:00Chartography - Icehouse<p>Striving for geographical variety, here's a band from outside the world's main music markets of the 1980s - Icehouse from Australia. The country usually neglected, during the 1980s it became the source of constant stream of great music and definitely put itself on the music map. Many of those successes proved to be short-lived but quite a few artists endured. Icehouse were among them, having hits outside of their home base on a regular basis during the decade. And fine hits they were, too! The band usually described as a Roxy Music copy - but that's far from the truth and anyway, what a fine model to copy (or take inspiration from). Icehouse made some of the great music of the 1980s, excelling at ballads, but also doing superb mid-tempo atmospheric stuff and not shying away from engaging faster stuff. All-round professionals, in short, and their regular worldwide success was completely justified. Of course they faded at the dawn of the 1990s, like so many fine bands, but their legacy is still alive and invites a regular revisits. Here's what I've been able to find regarding their chart successes, of course the bulk of them is in Australasia, but quite a few songs had success, sometimes in rather surprising places. Let's see!</p><p><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VRZ-FTb2RbRuz988J2QPy5z_Ofj4WD1b/view?usp=sharing">Icehouse</a></b></p><p>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</p><p>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/icehouse.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-44435622163985350282021-02-12T19:48:00.001+05:002024-01-22T18:47:53.286+05:00Chartography - Grace Jones<p>Time to restart the blog. New chart file is for Grace Jones - one of the most outstanding and outrageous performers in a decade filled with colourful individuals. Starting out in music as a disco singer, she was able to reinvent herself for the new era and accomplish two not at all easy tasks at once - creating some groundbreaking work and gaining widespread success, including a couple of worldwide hits (apart from the US, where she was only a minor star on the market, eclipsed by her own celebrity status and acting successes). By the end of the 1980s it was over, of course, like with so many of her peers from late 1970s, but she remained an illustrious figure in show business and her comeback in late 2000s was met with both critical and commercial acclaim. And she's a figure of a massive influence to lots of modern-day female performers and pop culture is littered with references to her image(s).</p><div><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Qz-B5_Wj5YJRQUlEm1meAi49dGeCO2C/view?usp=sharing">Grace Jones</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</div><div><br /></div><div>Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/grace-jones.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></div>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-62097355238699221492020-08-31T04:21:00.002+05:002020-08-31T04:22:55.140+05:00Chart collection - RAI Top Parade (Italy)<p>As a continuation of <a href="https://chart-collector.blogspot.com/2020/04/chart-collection-rai-hit-parade-italy.html" target="_blank">this post</a> - a second part of the Italy's RAI chart collection. In July 1985 Hit Parade has been renamed Top Parade and stayed that way until October 1990, when the size of the chart scaled down from Top 20 to Top 10 for both singles and albums (probably because of the general slowing down of the sales, especially on singles market). Below is the link to almost all Top Parade charts (except for those that weren't published in the magazine).</p><p>The renaming went with the revision of the charts' presentation - concurrent lists from UK's Music Week and USA's Billboard were added for both singles and albums. The look was quite messy until November 1987, when it became more defined, but the inclusion of the foreign info meant that the chart info spread out on two pages - one for albums and one for singles. Oh, and all scans are in black & white, instead of original full colour, which makes the initial years rather tiresome to look through. Still, a great bit of chart history!</p><p>I have a <a href="https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/10378846-rai-hit-parade-1979-1985" target="_blank">thread on UKMix</a> dedicated to foreign entries on the RAI singles chart during Top 20 years. Soon I'll start updating it with Top Parade info, please have a lookâş</p><p><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PWcUlRu7Bu7inlqpQIByXa3Li4vhEQr5/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">RAI Top Parade (1985-1990)</a></b></p>Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-14605900072145335892020-07-29T04:11:00.000+05:002020-07-29T04:11:02.624+05:00Chartography - Johnny Hates Jazz<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Johnny Hates Jazz seem to be seen as one of the better (if not the best) bands that sprung from "sophisti-pop" movement of mid to late 1980s. They certainly were the most commercially successful - the string of successes for their first singles is practically unparalleled, encompassing numerous countries, and the first album became a big seller worldwide. They were poised for superstardom, but the pressures of success were too much for their vocalist and main writer Clark Datchler, and his leaving practically stopped their progress. The remaining members tried to soldier on with a new singer, a noted producer Phil Thornalley, but all their effort resulted in very little. Not that Datchler's carrier took off in any way, though. The name has been briefly resurrected in early 2010s and the band seems to be ready to get back on track once again, but of course no one expects them to better their excellent results of 1987-1988.<br />
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vb7JZozupP7QGU6ryqZUkBZoeudRcDG8/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Johnny Hates Jazz</a></b><br />
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(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</div>
Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-57019695920987292392020-06-26T02:00:00.001+05:002024-01-22T18:49:01.872+05:00Chartography - Adam Ant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Adam Ant became the UK's biggest pop sensation of the early 1980s. Yet it's interesting how a man with such a counter-cultural background, playing a rather strange kind of music, and in unenviable circumstances (sneered at by the press, dumped by the manager and band-mates etc), could become a teen idol with such a strong impact on the pop culture. What's more, he actually managed to transfer his homeland success outside, resulting in several years of full-on international stardom - including the USA, usually resistant to the UK's latest fads. It didn't last, of course, and the decline was rather rapid, not helped by the artists's attentions wandering elsewhere (not to mention his too-well-publicized mental health struggles). But unusually he managed a couple of comebacks (with varying, but decent success) and is still on the scene. A truly unique figure that stood out in an era full of unique figures and remains a source of inspiration and respect.<br />
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NKzH51aU18hKd_WEyzYFFlJVFoXj2t3X/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Adam Ant</a></b><br />
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(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/adam-and-the-ants.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></div>
Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-16318140112160247692020-05-07T21:00:00.000+05:002020-05-07T21:00:07.179+05:00Chartography - The Stranglers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sad news of The Stranglers' keyboardist Dave Greenfield passing prompted me to finish and publish the chart file on his band. I had a hard time with them, to be honest, and to me they started to be consistently listenable only as the 1980s progressed, from about 1982 onward. I know this is not a very popular opinion and not going to dispute their input in the punk/post-punk movement, which is considerable, to say the least. What's more interesting in the context of this blog is how they actually started their recording carrier with biggest impact and success (albeit mostly limited to their homeland). Progressively their stature in the UK declined - but by lightening their sound they were able to break into some important international markets, so their overall chart count in the 1980s is much bigger then in the 1970s. Of course the 1990s weren't very kind to them, but still they survived and are now seen as an important heritage act. Greenfield's keyboard sound and playing prowess were always an important, indispensable part of the band's music so it's a big loss to them and the world of music. To his memory I dedicate this entry.<br />
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NX6FkoSzggDj1BR37PNePtqDeOKuvHPC" target="_blank">The Stranglers</a></b><br />
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(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</div>
Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-34460900548793078652020-04-12T18:16:00.003+05:002020-04-25T17:51:28.346+05:00Chart collection - RAI Hit Parade (Italy)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Time for another chart collection. This time it's Italy - which didn't have an official chart until 1995! So three charts battled for domination (the story is covered in my <a href="https://chart-collector.blogspot.com/2019/01/chart-guide.html" target="_blank">chart guide</a>). Books on album and single charts from "Musica e Dischi" and "TV Sorrisi e Canzoni" are published by Italian researcher Guido Racca and are available through <a href="https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=guido+racca&type=">Lulu.com</a>. However the third important chart, RAI Hit/Top Parade, is still mostly obscure (Guido did a book on singles chart, but that included info only for Top 10, whereas during 1979-1990 the chart has been Top 20). Happily, the scans of RAI magazine, "Radiocorriere TV", are <a href="http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Archivio.aspx?data=AQAAANCMnd8BFdERjHoAwE/Cl">available on the net</a>, so I managed to copy the charts from them.<br />
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So here goes the first post on them. It covers a time when the chart was called RAI Hit Parade and presented a Top 20s for singles and albums (from February 1979 to July 1985). These charts were also basis for a famous and influential Italian TV show "Discoring" - and <a href="https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/123915-italy-charts-books-and-so-on-summary" target="_blank">Mr Racca told me</a> that what was broadcasted and the published lists sometimes differed. You'll be able to see that for yourself in the scans, how songs appear with the "previous week" date when the previous chart doesn't feature them (not many such instances, though). But the magazine's issues are all I have, so... Note also that the names of the files cover a whole week, not one definite date - but that's how it was on the covers. Finally, there are a couple of gaps for 1983 and 1984, but that's because the charts simply weren't published. That's all for now, enjoy!<br />
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FcJPqz49LfF8dwIUzt6FuAT1Sp1xe5cF" target="_blank">RAI Hit Parade (1979-1985)</a></b><br />
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Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-90011612573366355532020-04-05T00:29:00.002+05:002024-01-22T18:49:41.945+05:00Chartography - ABC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Interesting how many (if not most) of the big successes of the "New Wave" era fall on debut albums. And usually the bands and artists were unable to built on those foundations, spending their whole carriers trying to recapture the spirit of their first full-format outing. One of the bands to whom this applies the most is ABC. They really did a perfect pop album with "The Lexicon of love" - and were rewarded with worldwide success almost instantly. But they didn't want to repeat themselves and strayed from this style - with immediate (and disastrous) commercial results. So on many of their later albums they tried to write "The lexicon of love part II", to bridge the gap and recapture the audience. And predictably failed. Still, along the way they did manage some notable successes, especially building a fan base in the USA - which many of their contemporaries failed to do. They actually did write "The lexicon of love part II", though of course it wasn't a patch on "part I". Anyway, let's check their way through the world charts.<br />
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AcBKmAulacq3ElUcyJemnfWfrgr-_sGu" target="_blank">ABC</a></b><br />
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(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/ABC.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></div>
Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-2517114207314897982020-03-30T00:27:00.003+05:002024-01-22T18:50:34.865+05:00Chartography - Dead or Alive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If there's a band whose overall output is completely dwarfed by the one hit song it surely must be Dead or Alive. "You spin me round" has such longevity and popularity it rivals "Take on me" and "Sweet dreams" as the ultimate 1980s song in the eyes (ears) of millions. So far it had been a hit in three successive decades (1980s, 1990s and 2000s - twice!), while in 2010s it's inescapable in video mash-ups and so on. It really is a part of a cultural landscape - which is a great achievement. But while it's a good song, not only it's by no means the only one the band recorded, in some countries it's not even their biggest hit (chart-wise). Actually they had quite a protracted carrier, spanning the 1980s and, to lesser extent, 1990s, having success all over the world - USA, Japan, Australia all guaranteed them audiences for years. I personally never could quite warm to them - too one-dimensional musically and the vocals are an acquired taste, - but plenty of people have found them very much their cup of tea. It all came to a halt eventually, and in a new century DOA's front-man Pete Burns became more famous for his non-musical exploits and problems, while music too a very distant second place. Now both mainstays of the band - Burns and his trusty sidekick Steve Coy - are no longer with us, but the legacy of that one song lives on. So let's check what they achieved commercially.<br />
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VINck4CwP5oCuDqgDO0RXfnxkc7smFfd" target="_blank">Dead or Alive</a></b><br />
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(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Nb. <a href="http://discog.info/deadoralive.html" target="_blank">Discography</a></div>
Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-72804594172193728842020-02-16T23:56:00.001+05:002024-01-22T18:52:42.109+05:00Chartography - Bronski Beat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The early 1980s were a truly peculiar time in pop when everything seemed possible. Just to imagine a pop band singing openly about gay issues and having widespread, worldwide success - it was unbelievable before that and seldom happened since. Yet here we are with such a band simply owning the charts between 1984 and 1986, having hit after hit with very sharp statements. Of course it didn't boil down to only "gay stuff" - they wrote about the variety of sociopolitical topics, setting them to uptemto synthpop with sometimes very catchy melodies. "Smalltown boy" is the obvious masterpiece, of course - a complete package of song and presentation (video, first of all). Their time in the spotlight proved to be limited, though - a classic case of the band struggling almost as soon as their distinctive member (a singer in this - and so many other cases, some of which we'll meet along the way) leaves. BB practically serves as a springboard for Jimmy Somerville's carrier - and yet they managed to find their own sound and leave their own mark. So here they are:<br />
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oB57rqwYqDdIaGFw2yjXDBTW7mBHDaMA" target="_blank">Bronski Beat</a></b><br />
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(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Nb. Discographies: <a href="http://discog.info/jimmy-somerville.html" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="http://discog.info/bronskibeat.html" target="_blank">2</a></div>
Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-15672271741484441782020-01-24T21:50:00.001+05:002020-01-24T21:50:44.507+05:00Chartography - Nik Kershaw<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, finally, another installment - a chartography of Nik Kershaw. One of the biggest teen sensations of 1984, and not just in his homeland - all of Europe and most of the countries abroad fell to his appeal. And yet, very little appreciation in the USA, something even his record label couldn't comprehend. A bit too Stevie Wonder-y in the vocal department, maybe. Anyway, massive hits for year and a half, ones that are pop classics to this day - "Wouldn't it be good?", "I won't let the sun go down on me", "The riddle". All of this - with songs of substance and unusual subjects, barely a straight love song among them all. "Only in the 1980s". Unfortunately the plug was pulled rather harshly: having started in early 1984, by the end of 1985 Nik started faltering and then disappeared as a commercial force in the space of a year. Another mystery, though he never felt comfortable as a teen pop star and perhaps started to write less catchy, more grown-up songs in no small part to escape the image and adulation. In the 1990s he had another carrier as a pop hit writer, quite successful at that, but then started to perform again, of course on a much smaller scale, but still writing, releasing and playing live. Still, he's an important part of the 1980s culture (especially mid-decade), and had his fair share of hits to warrant a list.<br />
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<b><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1A2AhsF4CIfsKBkufJy3KDicb0My2HqHC" target="_blank">Nik Kershaw</a></b><br />
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(Download and open in Microsoft Word for the bestest viewing experienceđ)</div>
Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2067930236444569045.post-70697845727596008302020-01-06T00:11:00.002+05:002020-01-06T00:11:32.454+05:00Stop-gap<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello! First of all, let me wish anyone who visits here a Happy New Year, let's hope 2020 will be nice and encouraging to all of us!<br />
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Next, I feel I owe an explanation for the prolonged silence. Of course there was work to do, and demands such as this are quite hard to ignore. But the main thing is the recent (thankfully ongoing) attempt to recreate the weekly charts of France - <a href="http://chartssinglestop40france.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>here it is</b></a>, and let me say I'm most impressed with the amount of work put in it and recommend paying attention to it! I could, of course, use the existing chart info for a time, but I became so fascinated with that chart that I decided to use its info exclusively. Hopefully the updates will be as pacey as they are now, so quite soon we'll see the rest of it online.<br />
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However, not all of the performers I'm going to feature need to wait until the conclusion of the aforesaid project. So there'll be updates very soon and things will hopefully get in their stride henceforth âş<br />
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And, of course, each and any contribution to this blog is most welcome!</div>
Vlad The Chart Collectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787337456748193986noreply@blogger.com0