UK Rock/Metal Charts (1980s and early '90s)

[Metalweb]

^

Same tracks in the Top Ten for once - just in a different order!

[jimmypages59]

When it came out I loved State of Euphoria, the album which housed Anthraxs Make Me Laughs. Bizarrely, considering how much I enjoyed it and still do (had it on a few months back), as a band they are bit like Metallica, in as much as, nothing else in their catalogue has ever really grabbed me. Their Among The Living album was probably the only other thing by them, that I've listened to more than once.

[Metalweb]

24 Sept 88

01(01) Make Me Laugh - Anthrax [52]
02(03) Sweet Child O'Mine - Guns N' Roses [39]
03(06) Turn On The Night - Kiss [60]
04(04) I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett [68]
05(07) Edge Of A Broken Heart - Vixen [65]
06(05) Running All Over The World - Status Quo [49]
07(02) Harvester Of Sorrow - Metallica
08 (-) Ship Of Fools - Robert Plant [83]
09(09) The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden
10(08) Superstitious - Europe
11(10) Dr Stein - Helloween
12(11) When It's Love - Van Halen
13 (-) Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick [78]
14 (-) Always Be There For You - Stryper [96]
15(12) Damn Good - David Lee Roth
16(14) All Fired Up - Pat Benatar [99]
17(13) Love Bites - Def Leppard
18(17) The Ultimate Sin / Bark At The Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
19(15) Gypsy Road - Cinderella
20 (-) Rooty Toot Toot - John Cougar Mellencamp
21(20) Can I Play With Madness - Iron Maiden
22(18) The Flame - Cheap Trick
23(21) Creeping Death - Metallica
24(19) Rock Me Now - Vow Wow
25(25) Jump In The Fire - Metallica
26(23) It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses
27(16) What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come
28(22) Mary Jane - Megadeth
29(26) Just Like Paradise - David Lee Roth
30 (re) Pie Taster - Macc Lads

[Blondini]

It's probably more useful to give UK chart positions from 2 weeks before the Kerrang! date. EDIT: now it's 1 week behind again!

https://www.officialcharts.com/chart...19880911/7501/

Plant debuted at 76, Anthrax were still top 30 in their second week.

[Metalweb]

^

Yes, I noticed that too! Cheap Trick and Stryper were also new entries in the prior week. All very confusing....

[Metalweb]

1 Oct 88

01 (-) Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi [17]
02(02) Sweet Child Of Mine - Guns N' Roses [52]
03(01) Make Me Laugh - Anthrax
04(03) Turn On The Night - Kiss
05(05) Edge Of A Broken Heart - Vixen
06(13) Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick [77]
07(06) Running All Over The World - Status Quo
08(08) Ship Of Fools - Robert Plant
09(09) The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden
10(14) Always There For You - Stryper [92]
11(04) I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett
12(10) Superstitious - Europe
13(12) When It's Love - Van Halen
14(11) Dr Stein - Helloween
15(07) Harvester Of Sorrow - Metallica
16 (-) Fight To Be Free - Nuclear Assault
17(16) All Fired Up - Pat Benatar
18 (-) Ninety In The Shade - Little Angels
19(17) Love Bites - Def Leppard
20(15) Damn Good - David Lee Roth
21 (-) Here With Me - REO Speedwagon
22(19) The Ultimate Sin / Bark At The Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
23(28) What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come
24(21) Rooty Toot Toot - John Cougar Mellencamp
25(20) Gypsy Road - Cinderella
26(30) Just Like Paradise - David Lee Roth
27(23) The Flame - Cheap Trick
28(24) Creeping Death - Metallica
29(26) Jump In The Fire - Metallica
30(27) It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses

[Metalweb]

8 Oct 88

01(01) Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi [19]
02 (-) Don't Walk Away - Pat Benatar [45]
03(02) Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses [64]
04(06) Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick [77]
05(05) Edge Of A Broken Heart - Vixen
06(04) Turn On The Night - Kiss
07(11) I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett
08(03) Make Me Laugh - Anthrax
09(10) Always There For You - Stryper
10(18) Ninety In The Shade - Little Angels
11(09) The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden [85]
12(16) Fight To Be Free - Nuclear Assault
13(12) Superstitious - Europe
14(07) Running All Over The World - Status Quo
15(13) When It's Love - Van Halen
16(14) Dr Stein - Helloween
17(08) Ship Of Fools - Robert Plant
18 (-) Black Leather - Kings Of The Sun
19(15) Harvester Of Sorrow - Metallica
20(19) Love Bites - Def Leppard
21(21) Here With Me - REO Speedwagon
22(20) Damn Good - David Lee Roth
23(17) All Fired Up - Pat Benatar
24(28) Creeping Death - Metallica
25(25) Gypsy Road - Cinderella
26(24) Rooty Toot Toot - John Cougar Mellencamp
27(23) What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come
28(22) The Ultimate Sin / Bark At The Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
29(26) Just Like Paradise - David Lee Roth
30(30) It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses

[Robbie]

I've noticed that for some time now the turnover of new hits has been very low. I thought there was more of a dynamic rock scene in 1988? That said I didn't listen to rock music as much in 1988 and was still listening to the London pirates which were more dance / rap / electro oriented. There was one pirate that played rock and pop which started broadcasting around September /. October 1988 (I forget the name of the station) that I could pick up in the NW10 area where I worked but which faded out as I got home to NW11 (which despite looking like they should be next to each other were actually miles apart). Indeed picking up the pirates in NW11 - Golders Green - was quite problematic. I'm guessing as the area is quite built up and also quite hilly in places the signals were being blocked as most stations were broadcast from east London by this point. The DTI had raided so many pirates in west and north west London by mid 1988 that many had gone off air.

[Blondini]

Here's the MRIB / Chart Show top ten from 23rd September 88 - i'm not bothering to do a date match-up

The Dogs D'Amour STILL ignored by Kerrang! then.

The next clip is from the switch to ITV for the show in early 89...

[Metalweb]

^

Agree Dogs D'Amour should be in the Kerrang! chart, probably in place of that unimaginative Cheap Trick cover of Don't Be Cruel.

[jimmypages59]

I've noticed that for some time now the turnover of new hits has been very low. I thought there was more of a dynamic rock scene in 1988? That said I didn't listen to rock music as much in 1988 and was still listening to the London pirates which were more dance / rap / electro oriented.

I said as much last week, when I commented about Whitesnakes Give Me All Your Love still charting, so many months after it had left the UK Singles Chart. I can't understand how anybody would still be buying it, in July/Aug 88. I could understand members of the public still buying Here I Go Again, Is This Love or perhaps even Still Of The Night, as these three tracks clearly crossed over into the mainstream, in a way that Give Me All Your Love never did or has. The other thing that springs to mind about the issue, is just how little a single was selling to be included, could we even be talking about single digit figures?

With regards to the "Rock Scene" of 1988, it kind of depends on what you mean, Rock music in general or the more specific scenes of Hard/Soft Rock and Heavy/Glam/Hair/Thrash Metal, that all used to get lumped together. IMO, in the UK, heavier/harder styles of music have never been as relatively popular as they are in other territories, such as North and South America, Scandanavia, Eastern Europe etc. Although there were many successful heavier/harder acts in the Mid to Late 80s, in the UK, we never seemed to ensconce it the way the US did, where between 84 and 89 Van Halen, Def Leppard, Heart (2), Whitesnake, Poison, Bon Jovi (4), Guns N Roses all scored #1 singles. In contrast, I can only really think of two tracks that could be classed as heavier/harder, that landed at #1 in the UK, Eye Of The Tiger and The Final Countdown.

[Metalweb]

Another static week!

15 Oct 88

01(01) Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi [27]
02(02) Don't Walk Away - Pat Benatar [43]
03(04) Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick [85]
04(03) Sweet Child O'Mine - Guns N' Roses
05(07) I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett
06(08) Make Me Laugh - Anthrax
07(05) Edge Of A Broken Heart - Vixen
08(10) Ninety In The Shade - Little Angels
09(11) The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden
10(09) Always There For You - Stryper
11(06) Turn On The Night - Kiss
12(13) Superstitious - Europe
13(19) Harvester Of Sorrow - Metallica
14(23) All Fired Up - Pat Benatar
15(16) Dr Stein - Helloween
16(20) Love Bites - Def Leppard
17(12) Fight To Be Free - Nuclear Assault
18(17) Ship Of Fools - Robert Plant
19(14) Running All Over The World - Status Quo
20(18) Black Leather - Kings Of The Sun
21(15) When It's Love - Van Halen
22(21) Here With Me - REO Speedwagon
23(23) Gypsy Road - Cinderella
24(24) Creeping Death - Metallica
25(27) What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come
26(26) Rooty Toot Toot - John Cougar Mellencamp
27(22) Damn Good - David Lee Roth
28(30) It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses
29 (re) It Must Have Been Love - Magnum
30(29) Just Like Paradise - David Lee Roth

[jimmypages59]

Forgot about The Kings of the Sun. Was never that into them, had their self titled debut and really enjoyed their previous single Serpentine but Black Leather didn't and still doesn't, do it for me.

Not listened to Helloween in donkeys years but just gave Dr Stein a listen, I'd forgot it sounded that Maiden like. I do remember there being similarities but listening 30 or so years later, to untrained ear, it could easily pass as being Maiden, with Kiske sounding scarily like Bruce Dickinson.

[Metalweb]

^

Helloween were a real breath of fresh air at the time - I still regularly listen to the two "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" albums today.

I remember Michael Kiske was rumoured to be in line for the Iron Maiden job when Bruce Dickinson left, but Steve Harris wouldn't countenance a singer who wasn't British....

[jimmypages59]

Can't say I was ever their biggest fan, quite liked what I heard but it didn't make me want to delve much deeper than one of 7 Keys albums, I think the 2nd one. By the early 90s I'd all but forgotten about them.

[Metalweb]

22 Oct 88

01(01) Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi [40]
02(02) Don't Walk Away - Pat Benatar [42]
03(03) Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick
04(04) Sweet Child O'Mine - Guns N' Roses
05(10) Always There For You - Stryper
06(07) Edge Of A Broken Heart - Vixen
07(06) Make Me Laugh - Anthrax
08(11) Turn On The Night - Kiss
09(08) Ninety In The Shade - Little Angels
10(05) I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett
11(16) Love Bites - Def Leppard
12(18) Ship Of Fools - Robert Plant
13(09) The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden
14(13) Harvester Of Sorrow - Metallica
15(14) All Fired Up - Pat Benatar
16(15) Dr Stein - Helloween
17(20) Black Leather - Kings Of The Sun
18(12) Superstitious - Europe
19(19) Running All Over The World - Status Quo
20 (-) Cult Of Personality - Living Colour
21(21) When It's Love - Van Halen
22(22) Here With Me - REO Speedwagon
23(23) Gypsy Road - Cinderella
24(28) It's So Easy - Guns N'Roses
25(17) Fight To Be Free - Nuclear Assault
26(26) Rooty Toot Toot - John Cougar Mellencamp
27(25) What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come
28(24) Creeping Death - Metallica
29(27) Damn Good - David Lee Roth
30(29) It Must Have Been Love - Magnum

[Metalweb]

29 Oct 88

01(02) Don't Walk Away - Pat Benatar [73]
02(01) Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi [62]
03(04) Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
04(03) Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick
05(10) I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett
06(06) Edge Of A Broken Heart - Vixen
07(13) The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden
08(11) Love Bites - Def Leppard
09(07) Make Me Laugh - Anthrax
10(14) Harvester Of Sorrow - Metallica
11(09) Ninety In The Shade - Little Angels
12(05) Always There For You - Stryper
13(08) Turn On The Night - Kiss
14(15) All Fired Up - Pat Benatar
15(18) Superstitious - Europe
16(19) Running All Over The World - Status Quo
17(12) Ship Of Fools - Robert Plant
18(25) Fight To Be Free - Nuclear Assault
19(17) Black Leather - Kings Of The Sun
20(21) When It's Love - Van Halen
21(16) Dr Stein - Helloween
22(29) Damn Good - David Lee Roth
23(28) Creeping Death - Metallica
24(23) Gypsy Road - Cinderella
25(22) Here With Me - REO Speedwagon
26 ???
27(24) It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses
28(27) What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come
29(26) Rooty Toot Toot - John Cougar Mellencamp
30 ???

Still very static....

[Metalweb]

5 Nov 88

01(re) Welcome To The Jungle - Guns N' Roses [25]
02(01) Don't Walk Away - Pat Benatar
03(02) Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi [73]
04(03) Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
05(04) Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick
06(05) I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett
07(07) The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden
08 (-) Easy Livin' (Live) - Uriah Heep
09(13) Turn On The Night - Kiss
10(06) Edge Of A Broken Heart - Vixen
11(08) Love Bites - Def Leppard
12(12) Always There For You - Stryper
13(14) All Fired Up - Pat Benatar
14(15) Superstitious - Europe
15(11) Ninety In The Shade - Little Angels
16(21) Dr Stein - Helloween
17(09) Make Me Laugh - Anthrax
18(19) Black Leather - Kings Of The Sun
19(16) Running All Over The World - Status Quo
20(10) Harvester Of Sorrow - Metallica
21(25) Here With Me - REO Speedwagon
22(20) When It's Love - Van Halen
23(17) Ship Of Fools - Robert Plant
24(18) Fight To Be Free - Nuclear Assault
25(22) Damn Good - David Lee Roth
26(27) It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses
27(23) Creeping Death - Metallica
28(24) Gypsy Road - Cinderella
29(28) What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come
30(29) Rooty Toot Toot - John Cougar Mellencamp

[Metalweb]

A flurry of movement this week - six new entries in the Top Ten!

12 Nov 88

01(01) Welcome To The Jungle - Guns N' Roses [24]
02 (-) Fallen Angel - Poison [76]
03 (-) Waiting For The Big One - Femme Fatale
04 (-) Eternal Nightmare - Vio-lence
05(03) Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi
06 (-) I Want Out - Helloween [75]
07(02) Don't Walk Away - Pat Benatar
08 (-) Open Your Heart - Europe [86]
09(04) Sweet Child O'Mine - Guns N' Roses
10 (-) Suddenly - Angry Anderson
11(07) The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden
12(05) Don't Be Cruel - Cheap Trick
13(10) Edge Of A Broken Heart - Vixen
14(09) Turn On The Night - Kiss
15(06) I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett
16(08) Easy Livin' (Live) - Uriah Heep
17(17) Make Me Laugh - Anthrax
18(11) Love Bites - Def Leppard
19(16) Dr Stein - Helloween
20(26) It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses
21(20) Harvester Of Sorrow - Metallica
22(18) Black Leather - Kings Of The Sun
23(14) Superstitious - Europe
24(12) Always There For You - Stryper
25(27) Creeping Death - Metallica
26 ???
27(15) Ninety In The Shade - Little Angels
28 ???
29 ???
30(22) When It's Love - Van Halen

[jimmypages59]

For all the new entries, there's not one that floats my boat.

Femme Fatale I remember being on the cover of Kerrang or at least having an article and fold out poster in an issue. The main selling point, seemed to be a reasonably sexy woman as the lead singer, was it Suzanne or Lorraine something, rather than the music.

Vio-Lence was a name I knew but I never sought out any of their music or even listened to it...upon giving it a listen now, I can't say I regret that!

Easy Livin by Uriah Heep, although not this version, is probably my 2nd favourite track of theirs behind Gypsy.

[Metalweb]

^

Looking at the previous Kerrang! issue it appears "Waiting For The Big One" was released with a limited edition 34" by 23" colour poster of "the gorgeous Lorraine Lewis". She's sucking a lollipop.... Guess that's why it was such a high new entry....


Agree about Uriah Heep's Gypsy - that's my favourite track of theirs too.

It's ironic, really - they released more than twenty albums over half a century and never bettered the opening track on their debut album!

[jimmypages59]

Lorraine Lewis, that was it. Aye, I remember that fold out poster making a bit of an impressions with classmates, as I used to buy Kerrang on the way to school in 87 & 88. I actually never really thought she was all that, it was just the fact she was female, in such a male dominated musical genre, that made her stand out.

I have to say, although Gypsy is my favourite track of Heeps, Demons and Wizards is my favourite album by them, love stuff like Traveller in Time, The Wizard and of course Easy Livin. I only had there albums up to Return To Fantasy, never really thought much of their later 70s and onward stuff.

[Metalweb]

^

Agree they went into decline later in the 70s but their 80s output (especially Abominog and Raging Silence) was much stronger.

More recently, I was very much impressed by Into The Wild (nearly ten years old, already....)

[jimmypages59]

Actually, I did also have Raging Silence on Picture Disc, picked up for something like 50p, but I've got to admit it didn't do much for me. That was the last of their output I've heard.

[Robbie]

^

Looking at the previous Kerrang! issue it appears "Waiting For The Big One" was released with a limited edition 34" by 23" colour poster of "the gorgeous Lorriaine Lewis". She's sucking a lollipop.... Guess that's why it was such a high new entry....


Agree about Uriah Heep's Gypsy - that's my favourite track of theirs too.

It's ironic, really - they released more than twenty albums over half a century and never bettered the opening track on their debut album!

I've never heard of Lorraine Lewis and after a Google search I'm still none the wiser. Though I think I've found her colour poster where she's sucking on a lollipop! It's not exactly what I'd describe as NSFW but take care where you view it! https://musiclegends.ca/lorraine-lew...ale-interview/