NME Singles/Albums Chart Breakers

[Metalweb]

8 Oct 83

51(54) The Singles 81-83 - Bauhaus (entered 5 Nov)
52 (-) Rockit - Herbie Hancock (had already charted)
53(47) Midnight At The Lost And Found - Meat Loaf
54(70) Incubbus Succubus - Xmal Deutschland
55(65) This Is The Day - The The
56 (-) London Town - Bucks Fizz (entered 22 Oct)
57(40) Club Tropicana - Wham!
58(34) Jam On Revenge - Newcleus
59(50) Boogie Down - Al Jarreau
60(48) Unconditional Love - Donna Summer
61 (44) Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
62 (-) Lest We Forget - Under Two Flags
63 (-) I Can Hear Your Heartbeat - Chris Rea
64 (-) Watching you Watching Me - David Grant (had already charted)
65 (-) Bad Day - Carmel (had already charted)
66 (-) I Need Someone Tonight - A Certain Ratio
67(57) I Think I Want To Dance With You - Rumple-Stilts-Skin
68 (-) Shame About The Boy - The McGanns
69 (-) Dance With Me - Lords Of The New Church (entered 22 Oct)
70 (-) One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx
71(43) Tears On The Telephone - Hot Chocolate
72 (-) Rainbow's End - Sergio Mendes
73(49) Someone Belonging To Someone - Bee Gees
74(45) A Step In The Right Direction - Truth
75(41) Warriors - Gary Numan

I vaguely remember "Shame About The Boy" - one of the McGann brothers was future Dr Who Paul!

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DHDRSC3

[Robbie]

The McGann's record sounds vaguely familiar. Perhaps it's just reminiscent of the sound of a few tracks from back then. The producer is the late Stuart Colman who worked for Radio 1 for a short period in the 1970s and later would produce hits for a wide variety of acts include Shakin' Stevens ('This Ole House', 'Green Door') and Cliff & The Young Ones ('Living Doll').

[Passing_Strang]

"One Thing Leads to Another" should've gotten a bit more appreciation from the British public. It was an interesting sound for the times and the song going Top 5 in North America should've rubbed off in some way. In fact the whole parent album "Reach the Beach" is great and very much recommended.

[Metalweb]

15 Oct 83

51(66) I Need Someone Tonight - A Certain Ratio
52(47) Shine - Play Dead
53(51) The Singles 81-83 (entered 5 Nov)
54 (-) We Don't Talk Anymore - Dion
55(56) London Town - Bucks Fizz (entered 22 Oct)
56 (-) Mama's Boys - Too Little Of You To Love
57 (-) Only You - Commodores
58 (-) Boys - Mary Jane Girls
59(41) Dr Heckyll & Mr Jive - Men At Work
60 (-) Blind Ambition - Partisans
61(50) Riders On The Storm - Annabel Lamb
62(67) I Think I Want To Dance With You - Rumple-Stilts-Skin
63(38) Song To The Siren - This Mortal Coil
64 (re) Every Breath Of The Way - Melanie
65(45) You Don't Need Someone New - Lotus Eaters
66(62) Lest We Forget - Under Two Flags
67 (-) Over And Over - Shalamar (entered 22 Oct)
68 (-) Please Don't Make Me Cry - UB40 (entered 22 Oct)
69(54) Incubbus Succubus - Xmal Deutschland
70(30) Confusion - New Order
71(70) One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx
72 (-) Reilly - Olympic Orchestra (entered 26 Nov)
73 (-) The Cabaret - Time UK
74(42) Gold - Spandau Ballet
75(37) Wings Of A Dove - Madness


I didn't remember the Dion single but it's pretty good (and not a Cliff Richard cover!)

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DHDRSC3

[Metalweb]

22 Oct 83

51(23) Body Work - Hot Streak
52 (-) Till You Come Back To Me - Leo Sayer (entered 29 Oct)
53(50) Tears On The Telephone - Hot Chocolate
54 (-) Whiter Shade Of Pale - Ochi Brown
55(25) Soul Inside - Soft Cell
56(71) One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx
57(38) Rebel Run - Toyah
58(43) You Really Got Me - Kinks
59 (-) Michael Jackson Medley - Ashaye
60(31) Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry - Heaven 17
61(40) Never Say Die - Cliff Richard
62 (-) Motormania - Roman Holliday
63(27) What I Got Is What You Need - Unique
64(62) I Think I Want To Dance With You - Rumple-Stilts-Skin
65 (re) Don't Forget To Dance - Kinks
66(28) Walking In The Rain - Modern Romance
67 (-) Eyes That See In the Dark - Kenny Rogers (entered 29 Oct)
68(56) Too Little Of You to Love - Mama's Boys
69(36) Kicker Conspiracy - Fall
70(47) The Sun Goes Down - Level 42
71 (-) Cool Running - Tik & Tok
72(51) I Need Someone Tonight - A Certain Ratio
73(46) What Am I Gonna Do - Rod Stewart
74 (-) Stone Heart - I Level
75 (-) Dancing The Night Away - Cheap Trick

[Robbie]

Was 'Kicker Conspiracy' the first The Fall record to appear on the NME charts? I can never remember if 'Fiery Jack', from early 1980, charted anywhere other than on the Indie charts in Sounds.

[Metalweb]

The Man Whose Head Expanded made NME #49 on 16 July '83.

Fiery Jack didn't chart but NME were only running a Top 30 plus breakers back then, so probably not so surprising....

[Metalweb]

29 Oct 83

51 (-) Guns For Hire - AC/DC (entered 5 Nov)
52 (-) Can't Shake Loose - Agnetha Faltskog
53 (-) 007 - Musical Youth (entered 5 Nov)
54 (-) You Don't Need Someone New - Lotus Eaters (had already charted)
55 (-) My Perfect Cousin - Undertones
56 (-) Reilly - Olympic Orchestra (entered 26 Nov)
57(31) Big Apple - Kajagoogoo
58 (-) Far From Over - Frank Stallone
59 (-) Heaven Above Me - Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack
60(46) I Want You - Curtis Hairston
61 (-) Wildstyle - Time Zone
62(45) Love Reaction - Divine
63 (-) I Will Love You All My Life - Foster & Allen
64(65) Don't Forget To Dance - Kinks
65(42) Teddy Bear - Booker Newbury III
66(35) Me Or You - Killing Joke
67 (-) The Captains & The Kings - Philip Chevron
68(63) What I Got Is What You Need - Unique
69(41) Dance With Me - Lords Of The New Church
70 (-) Till I Can't Take Love No More - Eddy Grant (entered 19 Nov)
71(58) You Really Got Me - Kinks
72 (-) Puss 'n Boots - Adam Ant (entered 5 Nov)
73 (-) Can't Take That Love Away - Waysted
74(39) Zulu Beat - King Kurt
75 (-) Mauritia Mayer - Sex Gang Children

Can't Take That Love Away was the B-side of Waysted's Women in Chains - maybe NME objected to that title....

Also looks like they confused King Kurt's Zulu Beat (issued in '82) with Destination Zululand (which they had at No.30 this week)….

[Metalweb]

5 Nov 83

51(55) Reilly - Olympic Orchestra (entered 26 Nov)
52(59) Heaven Above Me - Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack
53(62) Love Reaction - Divine
54 (-) This Charming Man - The Smiths (entered 12 Nov)
55(35) Love On A Farmboy's Wages - XTC
56(70) Till I Can't Take Love No More - Eddy Grant (entered 19 Nov)
57 (-) Wildstyle - Time Zone
58(50) Working With Fire And Steel - China Crisis
59 (-) Jealous Love - Joboxers
60(49) Eyes That See In The Dark - Kenny Rogers
61(48) Till You Come Back To Me - Leo Sayer
62 (-) I Just Can't Walk Away - Four Tops
63(45) Gypsy Girl - Cruella Da Ville
64(56) My Perfect Cousin - Undertones
65(46) Mama - Genesis
66 (-) Heaven Is Waiting - Danse Society (entered 12 Nov)
67(71) You Really Got Me - Kinks
68(52) Can't Shake Lose - Agnetha Faltskog
69(42) Dolce Vita - Ryan Paris
70(75) Mauritia Mayer - Sex Gang Children
71(37) Autodrive - Herbie Hancock
72(63) I Will Love You All My Life - Foster & Allen
73(44) Break Dancin' - West Street Mob
74(36) Go Deh Yaka - Monyaka
75(47) Chance - Big Country

[Metalweb]

12 Nov 83

51(47) Love How You Feel - Sharon Redd
52(40) This Is The Way - Bruce Foxton
53(72) I Will Love You All My Life - Foster & Allen
54 (-) Tonight - Steve Harvey
55(67) You Really Got Me - Kinks
56 (-) Pop Goes My Love - Freeez (had already charted)
57 (-) All My Life - Major Harris (entered 19 Nov)
58 (-) Be A Star - David Joseph
59(62) I Just Can't Walk Away - Four Tops
60 (-) Say It Isn't So - Hall & Oates (entered 19 Nov)
61 (-) Dancing In The Dark - Kim Wilde
62(51) Reilly - Olympic Orchestra (entered 26 Nov)
63 (-) Metal Dance - SPK
64 (-) Flaming Sword - Care (entered 26 Nov)
65(53) Love Reaction - Divine
66 (-) Gods Zoo - Death Cult
67 (-) How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye - Dionne Warwick & Luther Vandross
68 (-) London Town - Bucks Fizz (had already charted)
69(58) Working With Fire And Steel - China Crisis
70 (-) Union Showdown - Bob Dylan
71 (-) I'm Sorry - Hot Chocolate
72 (-) Really Glad You Came - Ian Dury
73(49) Micro Kid - Level 42
74(24) Temple Of Love - Sisters Of Mercy
75(56) Till I Can't Take Love No More - Eddy Grant (entered 19 Nov)

[Robbie]

'Temple Of Love' had been number 24? A high NME chart entry for a record that failed to make the Gallup top 100.

Death Cult was the short lived name of Ian Astbury's band that he formed after the breakup of (The) Southern Death Cult in February 1983. In January 1984 the Death part of the name was dropped and the band's name became The Cult.

[Metalweb]

Yup, Temple Of Love was at 24 on 5 November - it's 4th week in the Top 50.

[Robbie]

Yup, Temple Of Love was at 24 on 5 November - it's 4th week in the Top 50.

Interesting. I would imagine that by 1983 the NME was sampling mainly independently owned shops with perhaps a few shops that formed part of a small chain. However, on the whole the chart, especially the top 30, still largely reflected what was selling on the Gallup chart. It makes me wonder how a record that missed the Gallup top 100 could chart so high.

[Metalweb]

19 Nov 83

51(72) Really Glad You Came - Ian Dury
52 (-) Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood (entered 3 Dec)
53 (-) Willow Weep For Me - Carmel
54 (-) The Lifeboat Party - Kid Creole & The Coconuts
55 (-) The Beauty Of Poison - Specimen
56(51) Love How You Feel - Sharon Redd
57 (-) Islands In The Stream - Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton (entered 26 Nov)
58 (-) Rebels Rule - Stray Cats
59 (-) Jealous Love - Joboxers
60 (-) The Vow - Toyah (entered 10 Dec)
61 (-) Dressing Up - Street Angels (entered 26 Nov)
62(63) Metal Dance - SPK
63(62) Reilly - Olympic Orchestra (entered 26 Nov)
64(70) Union Showdown - Bob Dylan
65 (-) Rainbow In The Dark - Dio (had already charted)
66 (-) Twist Of Fate - Olivia Newton John
67 (-) When I Leave The World Behind - Rose Marie
68(59) I Just Can't Walk Away - Four Tops
69(29) Over And Over - Shalamar
70(48) New Dimensions - Imagination
71(25) Dear Prudence - Siouxsie & The Banshees
72(42) Can't Let You Go - Rainbow
73(34) White Light White Heat - David Bowie
74(47) Love In Itself - Depeche Mode
75(66) Gods Zoo - Death Cult

[Metalweb]

26 Nov 83

51 (-) I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Nik Kershaw
52 (-) Sunshine Playroom - Julian Cope
53(60) The Vow - Toyah (entered 10 Dec)
54(39) Red Red Wine - UB40
55(67) When I Leave The World Behind - Rose Marie
56(54) The Lifeboat Party - Kid Creole & The Coconuts
57(49) Till I Can't Take Love No More - Eddy Grant
58(50) Say It Isn't So - Hall & Oates
59 (-) Love's Gonna Get You - Freeez
60(64) Union Showdown - Bob Dylan
61(44) This Is Not A Love Song - PIL
62 (re) I'm Sorry - Hot Chocolate
63(34) Lick It Up - Kiss
64(66) Twist Of Fate - Olivia Newton-John
65(45) Guns For Hire - AC/DC
66(23) New Song - Howard Jones
67(52) Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood (entered 3 Dec)
68(38) Star Fleet - Brian May
69(53) Willow Weep For Me - Carmel
70(40) Song To The Siren - This Mortal Coil
71(41) The Singles 1981-83 - Bauhaus
72(42) Superstar - Lydia Murdock
73(47) All My Life - Major Harris
74(62) Metal Dance - SPK
75 (-) I Will Love You All My Life - Foster & Allen

[Metalweb]

3 Dec 83

51 (-) I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
52 (-) Mutiny! - Birthday Party (entered 10 Dec)
53 (-) Rock The Midnight - David Grant (entered 10 Dec)
54(56) Lifeboat Party - Kid Creole & The Coconuts
55(51) I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Nik Kershaw
56 (-) Fedora - Caramba
57 (-) Inside Love - George Benson
58 (-) Punish Me With Kisses - The Glove
59(52) Sunshine Playroom - Julian Cope
60 (-) My Melancholy Baby - Chas & Dave (entered 10 Dec)
61(55) When I Leave The World Behind - Rose Marie
62(42) Happiness Is Just Around The Bend - Cuba Gooding
63(69) Willow Weep For Me - Carmel
64 (-) The Beauty Of Poison - Specimen
65 (-) Jeopardy - Greg Kihn
66 (-) Rules Of The Game - Bucks Fizz
67 (-) Time For Some Fun - Central Line
68 (-) What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
69(41) White Lines - Grandmaster Flash
70 (-) You're In My Heart - David Essex
71 (-) On A Sunday - Nick Heyward (entered 10 Dec)
72(39) Dressing Up - Street Angels
73(46) Flaming Sword - Care
74(40) Thank You For The Music - Abba
75 (-) Push Out The Boat - Higsons

[Robbie]

It'll be interesting to see the chart run for 'White Lines' in the moinths leading up to the record becoming a top 40 hit. On the Gallup chart it had a short chart run in November / December 1983 before returning in the new year for an amazing chart run in the 41-75 part of the chart before breaking into the top 40.

Did NME credit the single to Grandmaster Flash? Some international releases of the single did carry the credit of Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel (though not on the UK release) and I believe Grandmaster Flash had to threaten legal action to prevent Sylvia Robinson, co-owner of Sugar Hill Records, from crediting the record as such but many people at the time still thought the Grandmaster on the record was Grandmaster Flash when in fact the track is a solo Melle Mel record.

Edit to add: The OCC archive credits 'White Lines' to Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel.

[radcl]

Chart run (4 weeks / 12.11.1983 - 03.12.1983)
= Highest Position
= This Week

85, 60,63,75

Chart run (42 weeks / 14.01.1984 - 27.10.1984)
= Highest Position
= This Week

93 93 77 84 74 59 52 53 52 49 57 55 56 58 55 52 56 52 48 51 52 46 36 21 12 10 9 8 7 7 10 9 10 13 18 20 23 31 39 41 52 55

https://www.officialcharts.com/artis...and-melle-mel/

It'll be interesting to see the chart run for 'White Lines' in the moinths leading up to the record becoming a top 40 hit. On the Gallup chart it had a short chart run in November / December 1983 before returning in the new year for an amazing chart run in the 41-75 part of the chart before breaking into the top 40.

[Metalweb]

^

Checking the NME chart book the first entry on 26/11/83 is indeed credited to "Grandmaster Flash".

Subsequent entries (to the Top 50) on 14/1/84, 24/3/84 and 23/6/84 are credited to "Grandmaster and Melle Mel".

[Metalweb]

10 Dec 83

51(61) When I leave The World Behind - Rose Marie
52 (-) Read 'Em And Weep - Barry Manilow (entered 17 Dec)
53 (-) Why Me - Irene Cara
54(55) I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Nik Kershaw
55(54) Lifeboat Party - Kid Creole & The Coconuts
56(75) Push Out The Boat - Higsons
57(re) Till I Can't Take Love No More - Eddy Grant
58(31) Only For Love - Limahl
59 (-) I Can Help - Elvis Presley (entered 17 Dec)
60(36) I'm Out Of Your Life - Arnie's Love
61 (-) Superstition/ Good Times - Clubhouse
62(re) The Singles 81-83 - Bauhaus
63(51) I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
64 (-) I Wanna Be With You - Armenta
65 (-) Uncertain Smile - The The
66 (-) Lost Again - Yello
67 (-) In The Mood - Robert Plant
68(29) A Mess Of Blues - Status Quo
69(57) Inside Love - George Benson
70(37) Unconditional Love - Donna Summer
71(49) Ready Steady Who EP - The Who
72(47) Reilly's Theme - Olympic Orchestra
73(41) Listen To The Radio - Tom Robinson
74(43) Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
75(45) Let The Music Play - Shannon

[Metalweb]

17 Dec 83

51(69) Inside Love - George Benson
52(48) The Vow - Toyah
53 (-) Law Of The Jungle/ Banner Of Hope - Abrasive Wheels
54(55) Life Boat Party - Kid Creole & The Coconuts
55(74) Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
56 (-) Price Of Silence - Discharge
57(re) What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
58(46) Thank You For The Music - Abba
59(54) I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Nik Kershaw
60(42) Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
61 (-) Multi Death Corporation EP - MDC
62(34) Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
63(51) When I Leave The World Behind - Rose Marie
64 (-) Straight Ahead - Kool & The Gang (edited 24 Dec)
65 (-) Love Is A Wonderful Colour (entered 21 Jan)
66(44) Rock The Midnight - David Grant
67 (-) Brighten Up Your Night - Ebony Bros
68(35) Puss n' Boots - Adam Ant
69 (-) Christmas Spectre - Jingle Belles (entered 24 Dec)
70(61) Superstition / Good Times - Clubhouse
71 (-) Too Late For Love - Def Leppard
72 (-) The Clap Clap Sound - Klaxons
73(re) Fedora - Caramba
74(47) Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
75(67) In The Mood - Robert Plant

[Robbie]

The chart run so far of 'Relax' is very volatile on the NME chart. On the Gallup chart it was more consistent.

[Metalweb]

Yes, same for several others too.

Looks like NME's sample size wasn't really high enough to justify a chart of this length...

[Metalweb]

24 Dec 83

51 (-) Terry - Kirsty McColl
52(75) In The Mood - Robert Plant
53(71) Too Late For Love - Def Leppard
54(re) Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood (entered 7 Jan)
55 (-) Duck For The Oyster - Malcolm McLaren (entered 14 Jan)
56 (-) I Am What I Am - Gloria Gaynor (entered 14 Jan)
57 (-) Dear Santa - Weather Girls
58 (-) I Believe In Father Christmas (entered 7 Jan)
59 (-) Strip - Adam Ant
60(51) Inside Love - George Benson
61 (-) Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
62(72) The Clap Clap Sound - Klaxons
63(57) What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
64 (-) Now - Carpenters
65 (-) A Night In New York - Elbow Bones (entered 21 Jan)
66(39) Metal Health - Quiet Riot
67 (-) True Love - Bing Crosby
68 (-) The Serenade Is Dead - Conflict
69 (re) Rules Of The Game - Bucks Fizz
70 (-) You're So Fine - Guana Batz
71(46) I'm Out Of Your Life - Arnie's Love
72(44) My Melancholy Baby - Chas and Dave
73(42) The Sun And The Rain - Madness
74(41) Owner Of A Lonely Heart - Yes
75(26) A Solid Bond In Your Heart - Style Council

[Robbie]

'Freebird' was making another return to the charts after being re-issued / re-pressed in both 12" black vinyl and picture disc formats. In his Record Mirror Chartfile column of 31 December 1983 Alan Jones mentions that cumulative sales of the single (in the EP version that dates back to 1976 and which had previously charted in 1976, 1979 and 1982) was now at 350,000 copies. It was at the time (and for a long time afterwards) the biggest selling single not to make the top 20.