List of UK Number 1 Songs of the 1980s

Posted in Music

W/E  artist title weeks # comments
19 Jan 1980 Pretenders Brass In Pocket 2 Only No 1 (1st for Chrissie Hynde) Rock band led by British-based American Chrissie Hynde.  She also had No 1 success with UB40 in 1985.
2 Feb 1980 The Special AKA (Specials) The Specials Live EP
(main track: Too Much Too Young)
2 1st No 1 Two-tone ska band from Coventry.
16 Feb 1980 Kenny Rogers Coward Of The County 2 2nd & last No 1 He had a few more hits in the UK, but remains a major star in the US.
1 Mar 1980 Blondie Atomic 2 3rd No 1 Third track lifted from their album "Eat To The Beat".
15 Mar 1980 Fern Kinney Together We Are Beautiful 1 Only No 1 Beautiful song from an American lady, but she became a UK One-hit Wonder.
22 Mar 1980 Jam Going Underground 3 1st No 1. Led by Paul Weller, they were the most successful UK new wave band.
12 Apr 1980 Detroit Spinners Working My Way Back To You 2 Only No 1 Former Motown act with a remake of an old Four Seasons hit.
26 Apr 1980 Blondie Call Me 1 4th No 1 From the film "American Gigolo", it was produced by Giorgio Moroder.
3 May 1980 Dexy's Midnight Runners Geno 2 1st No 1 Led by the unpredictable Kevin Rowland, who wrote the song in celebration of US soul singer Gino Washington.
17 May 1980 Johnny Logan What's Another Year 2 Only No 1 Second Eurovision winner for Ireland.  Logan won it again in 1987 and wrote a further winner in 1992.
31 May 1980 Mash Suicide Is Painless
(Theme from M*A*S*H)
3 Only No 1 Theme from the US tv series, by a group of studio session musicians.
21 Jun 1980 Don McLean Crying 3 2nd & last No 1 Old Roy Orbison song that had been recorded by McLean two years earlier.
12 Jul 1980 Olivia Newton John & Electric Light Orchestra Xanadu 2 3rd & last No 1 for Olivia; Only No 1 for ELO From Olivia's unsuccessful film "Xanadu".  She became a superstar in the US.  Led by Jeff Lynne, ELO had 14 Top 10 hits out of 28 from 1972 to 1986.
26 Jul 1980 Odyssey Use It Up And Wear It Out 2 Only No 1 US disco group who had reasonable success in the UK.  This failed to make the US Top 100.
9 Aug 1980 Abba The Winner Takes It All 2 8th No 1 Back at No 1 after 2? years - from their "Super Trouper" album.   By this time, both couples were divorced.
23 Aug 1980 David Bowie Ashes To Ashes 2 2nd No 1 Continues the story of Major Tom from Bowie's "Space Oddity" No 1.
6 Sep 1980 Jam Start 1 2nd No 1 They were immensely  popular with new wave fans, but never really crossed over to mainstream popularity, as Blondie did.
13 Sep 1980 Kelly Marie Feels Like I'm In Love 2 Only No 1 Written by Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry.  Scottish Kelly faded after three more hits.
27 Sep 1980 Police Don't Stand So Close To Me 4 3rd No 1 From their album "Zenyatta Mondatta".  Best selling single of 1980.
25 Oct 1980 Barbra Streisand Woman In Love 3 Only No 1 US film and music super star.  Song written by the Bee Gees, and taken from her Barry Gibb-produced album, "Guilty".
15 Nov 1980 Blondie The Tide Is High 2 5th No 1 Written by reggae star John Holt.  This was their last No 1 until they made a surprise come-back in 1999.
29 Nov 1980 Abba Super Trouper 3 9th & last No 1 Within two years they had split up, and the guys then concentrated on stage musicals (see 9/2/1985).
20 Dec 1980 John Lennon (Just Like) Starting Over 1 1st No 1 From his come-back album "Double Fantasy".  He had been shot dead in New York a week earlier.
27 Dec 1980
Xmas No 1
St Winifred's School Choir There's No-one Quite Like Grandma 2 Only No 1 (but see 8/4/1978) School choir with a song which, like "Grandad" in 1971, captured the sentimental Christmas market.
10 Jan 1981 John Lennon Imagine 4 2nd No1 Originally made No 6 in 1975, but rose to the top in the wake of the tragedy.
7 Feb 1981 John Lennon Woman 2 3rd & last No 1 Everyone wanted John Lennon records at this time.  This was another track from the "Double Fantasy" album.
21 Feb 1981 Joe Dolce Music Theatre Shuddup You Face 3 Only No 1 Italian-American who found comedy success in Australia. One-hit Wonder.
14 Mar 1981 Roxy Music Jealous Guy 2 Only No 1 Led by Bryan Ferry, the group recorded this John Lennon song as a tribute to the musical genius.
28 Mar 1981 Shakin' Stevens This Ole House 4 1st No 1 Rock 'n' Roll revivalist who remade this Rosemary Clooney No 1 from 1954.
18 Apr 1981 Bucks Fizz Making Your Mind Up 3 1st No 1 Fourth UK Eurovision winner.  They surprised everyone, by developing a successful chart career.
9 May 1981 Adam & The Ants Stand And Deliver 5 1st No 1 Theatrical act with flamboyant clothes and bizarre makeup. Immensely popular in the early 1980s.
13 Jun 1981 Smokey Robinson Being With You 2 2nd & last No 1 Written by Robinson in the late 60s, this new recording stalled at No 2 in the US.
27 Jun 1981 Michael Jackson One Day In Your Life 2 1st No 1 Taken from the Motown archives, this gave Jackson his first solo No 1, and Motown two No 1s in a row.
11 Jul 1981 Specials Ghost Town 3 2nd & last No 1 The two-tone ska act got their second No 1 just as three members were leaving to form Fun Boy Three.
1 Aug 1981 Shakin' Stevens Green Door 4 2nd No 1 Another 50s revival which had reached No 2 for Frankie Vaughan in 1956.
29 Aug 1981 Aneka Japanese Boy 1 Only No 1 Scottish folk singer who dressed and made up Japanese style to perform her only Top 40 hit.
5 Sep 1981 Soft Cell Tainted Love 2 1st No 1 (for Marc Almond) Marc Almond was the main component of this early New Romantic duo.   Best selling single of 1981, and was also a No 5 hit in 1991.
19 Sep 1981 Adam & The Ants Prince Charming 4 2nd No 1 Extravagant promo videos, directed by Mike Mansfield, accompanied Adam's hits.
17 Oct 1981 Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin It's My Party 4 Only No 1 This pair came from Hatfield, Herts, to record this 1963 Lesley Gore hit.
14 Nov 1981 Police Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic 1 4th No 1 The promo video was shot at George Martin's Montserrat studio, but he didn't produce the record.
21 Nov 1981 Queen & David Bowie Under Pressure 2 2nd No 1 (Queen); 3rd No 1 (Bowie) Written and recorded when both parties met up in a German studio.   The intro was sampled on Vanilla Ice's 1990 No 1.
5 Dec 1981 Julio Iglesias Begin The Beguine 1 Only No 1 Cole Porter song from 1935 with Spanish lyrics by this MOR heart-throb performer.
12 Dec 1981
Xmas No 1
Human League Don't You Want Me 5 Only No 1 New Romantic band led by Phil Oakey.  The recording was also No 1 in the US.
16 Jan 1982 Bucks Fizz Land Of Make Believe 2 2nd No 1 Defying the critics, and appealing to a broad audience, the Euro winners hit the top again.
30 Jan 1982 Shakin' Stevens Oh Julie 1 3rd No 1 This was one of his own songs, but the Welshman still recorded some revivals over the next few years.
6 Feb 1982 Kraftwerk The Model 1 Only No 1 German synthesiser and computer duo with a track recorded in 1978.
13 Feb 1982 Jam A Town Called Malice 3 3rd No 1 Another Paul Weller song that came straight into the chart at No 1.
6 Mar 1982 Tight Fit The Lion Sleeps Tonight 3 Only No 1 Zulu folk tune that had charted several times in the past.   The singers on the record were not the same ones who promoted it on tv.
27 Mar 1982 Goombay Dance Band Seven Tears 3 Only No 1 Group of Caribbean singers led by the fire-eating German, Oliver Bendt.  Still working in Germany in 2000.
17 Apr 1982 Bucks Fizz My Camera Never Lies 1 3rd & last No 1 The hits continued until 1986, but soon after the four went separate ways.
24 Apr 1982 Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder Ebony And Ivory 3 2nd No 1 (Paul);
1st No 1 (Stevie).
From Paul's "Tug Of War" album.  Stevie had accrued 34 hits since 1966, before reaching the top.  Produced by George Martin.
15 May 1982
500th No 1
Nicole A Little Peace 2 Only No 1 Eurovision winner for Germany, and third winner in a row to hit the UK No 1.
29 May 1982 Madness House Of Fun 2 Only No 1 The "Nutty Boys" from north London had 24 hits between 1979 and 1988, 15 of which made the Top 10.
12 June 1982 Adam Ant Goody Two Shoes 2 3rd & last No 1 Slight change of name, but business as usual.  His final Top 10 was in 1983, but he soldiered on into the 1990s.
26 June 1982 Charlene I've Never Been To Me 1 Only No 1 This 1976 recording was dusted off and reissued by Motown in 1982, by which time the American had retired to England.  Fame was short-lived and she became a One-hit Wonder.
3 July 1982 Captain Sensible Happy Talk 2 Only No 1 Rodgers & Hammerstein song from "South Pacific", sung by a member of punk band, The Damned.
17 Jul 1982 Irene Cara Fame 3 Only No 1 From the film "Fame", which was based on the hit tv series about a New York drama school.
7 Aug 1982 Dexy's Midnight Runners Come On Eileen 4 2nd & last No 1 Most of the group had been replaced since "Geno" in 1980, but success was not sustained.  Best-selling single of 1982.
4 Sep 1982 Survivor Eye Of The Tiger 4 Only No 1 US rock band with the song from Sylvester Stallone's boxing movie, "Rocky III".
2 Oct 1982 Musical Youth Pass The Dutchie 3 Only No 1 Birmingham school boys, aged 11-16, with an old Jamaican reggae hit.  Success was short-lived.
23 Oct 1982 Culture Club Do You Really Want To Hurt Me 3 1st No 1 Led by the flamboyant cross-dresser, Boy George, who attracted much media attention for the group.
13 Nov 1982 Eddy Grant I Don't Wanna Dance 3 Only No 1 Former lead singer of the Equals who had a No 1 in 1968.   Solo, he enjoyed much success in the 1980s, and charted with a remix in 2001.
4 Dec 1982 Jam Beat Surrender 2 4th & last No 1 They split in 1983, and leader Paul Weller formed the Style Council which had 7 Top 10s in the 80s.  Weller went solo in the 90s and became a cult figure.
18 Dec 1982
Xmas No 1
Ren?e & Renato Save Your Love 4 Only No 1 UK-based Italian tenor and English girl, with a slushy song that captivated the Christmas record buyers.
15 Jan 1983 Phil Collins You Can't Hurry Love 2 1st No 1 Lead singer of Genesis who had a simultaneous solo career.   Former Motown hit for the Supremes.
29 Jan 1983 Men At Work Down Under 3 Only No 1 Australian act who found international fame in the US.   Success was brief.
19 Feb 1983 Kajagoogoo Too Shy 2 Only No 1 Led by Limahl, they had four hits in 1983, but faded quickly after that.
5 Mar 1983 Michael Jackson Billie Jean 1 2nd No 1 From his multi-million selling album "Thriller".   His first No 1 away from Motown.
12 Mar 1983 Bonnie Tyler Total Eclipse Of The Heart 2 Only No 1 Welsh singer who had hits in the 1970s, with a song from Meatloaf's writer and producer, Jim Steinman.
26 Mar 1983 Duran Duran Is There Something I Should Know 2 1st No 1 Most successful of the New Romantic groups.  Led by Simon Le Bon.
9 Apr 1983 David Bowie Let's Dance 3 4th No 1 A break from his previous complex material gave Bowie a new impetus in the singles and albums charts.
30 Apr 1983 Spandau Ballet True 4 Only No 1 New Romantic act, with lead singer Tony Hadley, who went solo in the 90s, and brothers Martin and Gary Kemp, who became actors.
28 May 1983 New Edition Candy Girl 1 Only No 1 US school-boy band which included Bobby Brown, who had solo hits from 1988, and married Whitney Houston.
4 Jun 1983 Police Every Breath You Take 4 5th & last No 1 They split in 1984, and Sting became a highly successful and respected musican, particularly in the US.
2 Jul 1983 Rod Stewart Baby Jane 3 6th & last No 1 Becoming US-based, he had hit singles and albums to the end of the 90s, and remains immensely popular.
23 Jul 1983 Paul Young Wherever I Lay My Hat 3 Only No 1 His first 6 releases went Top 10, and he remained successful through the 80s.
13 Aug 1983 K C & The Sunshine Band Give It Up 3 Only No 1 Good-time disco hit from the band led by Harry Wayne 'KC' Casey.
3 Sep 1983 UB 40 Red Red Wine 3 1st No 1 British mixed race reggae band with a song written in the 1960s by Neil Diamond.
24 Sep 1983 Culture Club Karma Chameleon 6 2nd & last No 1 Best-selling single of 1983.  They broke up in 1986.  Boy George went solo, gaining a No 1 in 1987.  They reformed and charted again in 1998.
5 Nov 1983 Billy Joel Uptown Girl 5 Only No 1 New York singer-songwriter whose success was mainly in the album charts.
10 Dec 1983
Xmas No 1
Flying Pickets Only You 5 Only No 1 They were actors, who formed this A-Cappella sextet, and scored with a former Yazoo hit.
14 Jan 1984 Paul McCartney Pipes Of Peace 2 3rd No 1 Paul's 1st true solo No 1 (his first was as Wings). Was his 25th No 1 as a writer, and producer George Martin's 27th No 1.
28 Jan 1984 Frankie Goes To Hollywood Relax 5 1st No 1 The song, famously banned by the BBC, remained on the chart for 48 weeks.  Produced by Trevor Horn.
3 Mar 1984 Nena 99 Red Balloons 3 Only No 1 German band with an English translation of their European hit.   The German version was a US No 2.
24 Mar 1984 Lionel Richie Hello 6 Only No 1 The former lead singer of the Commodores had great 80s success, especially in the albums chart.
5 May 1984 Duran Duran The Reflex 4 2nd & last No 1 Despite line-up changes and long breaks from the studio, they were still going at the end of the 1990s.
2 Jun 1984 Wham! Wake Me Up Before You Go Go 2 1st No 1 George Michael and Andrew Ridgely became hugely popular with the teenage record buyers.
16 Jun 1984 Frankie Goes To Hollywood Two Tribes 9 2nd No 1 Led by Holly Johnson, the group scored a second chart topper, aided by a strong video.  Another Trevor Horn production.
18 Aug 1984 George Michael Careless Whisper 3 1st No 1 Despite Wham! success, George issued this solo track, which remains a love song classic.
8 Sep 1984 Stevie Wonder I Just Called To Say I Love You 6 2nd & last No 1 Stevie's international success was not reflected in chart toppers.   From 1966 to 1998 he had 54 UK hits.
20 Oct 1984 Wham! Freedom 3 2nd No 1 George Michael wrote and produced all of the Wham!,  and his solo, No 1s.
10 Nov 1984 Chaka Khan I Feel For You 3 Only No 1 US soul diva who was much bigger at home than in the UK.   Prince wrote the song and Stevie Wonder played harmonica.
1 Dec 1984 Jim Diamond I Should Have Known Better 1 Only No 1 Scotsman who started with the band PhD.  He failed to maintain the success.
8 Dec 1984 Frankie Goes To Hollywood The Power Of Love 1 3rd & last No 1 Their first three releases made No 1 - not bettered until 1997 (Spice Girls).  Holly Johnson went solo later and had hits in 1989.
15 Dec 1984
Xmas No 1
Band Aid Do They Know It's Christmas 5 1st No 1 Charity record for famine relief in Ethiopia, featuring a host of top UK stars.  It was the brain-child of Bob Geldorf, and sold 3 million copies.
19 Jan 1985 Foreigner I Want To Know What Love Is 3 Only No 1 New York soft rock band led by London-born Mick Jones, who wrote the song.
9 Feb 1985 Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson I Know Him So Well 4 Only No 1 From the musical "Chess", written by Tim Rice with Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of Abba.  It gave Benny and Bjorn their 10th No 1 as writers.
9 Mar 1985 Dead Or Alive You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) 2 Only No 1 The Liverpool group was led by Pete Burns.  First No 1 for producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman.
23 Mar 1985 Philip Bailey & Phil Collins Easy Lover 4 2nd No 1
(Collins)
Only No 1
(Bailey)
Bailey was a former vocalist with Earth Wind & Fire.   Collins produced, drummed and sang on this.
20 Apr 1985 USA For Africa We Are The World 2 Only No 1 US artists' answer to Band Aid.  Written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, who performed with Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Diana Ross and many others.
4 May 1985 Phillis Nelson Move Closer 1 Only No 1 US soul singer who wrote the song herself.  She became a One-hit Wonder, but Tom Jones returned the song to the charts in 1989.
11 May 1985 Paul Hardcastle 19 5 Only No 1 British producer and synth player with his commentary on the age of US service men in the Viet Nam war.
15 June 1985 Crowd You'll Never Walk Alone 2 Only No 1 Charity record, fund raising for the Bradford football fire.  Gerry Marsden returned, with others, to remake his 1963 No 1.
29 Jun 1985 Sister Sledge Frankie 4 Only No 1 Long-established soul trio from Philadelphia, produced by Nile Rodgers from Chic.
27 Jul 1985 Eurythmics There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) 1 Only No 1 Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart were one of the most successful acts of the 1980s, with 22 hits in that decade.  They split in 1991, but reformed in 1999.
3 Aug 1985 Madonna Into The Groove 4 1st No 1 (of 10 by 2000) From her movie "Desperately Seeking Susan".  Often controversial, she became an international mega star.
31 Aug 1985 UB 40 & Chrissie Hynde I Got You Babe 1 2nd No 1 for both acts A No 1 hit for Sonny & Cher exactly 20 years earlier.   This collaboration also had a No 6 hit in 1988.
7 Sep 1985 David Bowie & Mick Jagger Dancing In The Street 4 5th & last No 1 (Bowie); Only solo No 1 (Jagger) The video was featured on Live Aid and the record went straight to No 1 upon release.  All royalties went to the Live Aid Trust for famine relief.
5 Oct 1985 Midge Ure If I Was 1 Only solo No 1 He had a No 1 in 1976 with Slik, and in 1984 with Band Aid.   His association with top act Ultravox took him only as high as No 2.
12 Oct 1985 Jennifer Rush The Power Of Love 5 Only No 1 New Yorker, recorded in Germany.  This million seller became the biggest single ever for a woman in the UK.
16 Nov 1985 Feargal Sharkey A Good Heart 2 Only No 1 Ulsterman who had been with the Undertones.  He gave up music and became a UK Radio Authority executive.
30 Nov 1985 Wham! I'm Your Man 2 3rd No 1 Back at the top after their "Last Christmas" was held at No 2 by the Band Aid hit (on which they performed).
14 Dec 1985 Whitney Houston Saving All My Love For You 2 1st No 1 She came from a musical family in New Jersey, and launched a major career with this debut solo single.
28 Dec 1985
Xmas No 1
Shakin' Stevens Merry Christmas Everyone 2 4th & last No 1 He was a major UK star at this time.  Hits continued into the 1990s and he performed into the 2000s.
11 Jan 1986 Pet Shop Boys West End Girls 2 1st No 1 This duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe produced a series of catchy pop tunes which made them stars.
25 Jan 1986 a-ha The Sun Always Shines On TV 2 Only No 1 Norwegian band who became teenage heart throbs for a couple of years.
8 Feb 1986 Billy Ocean When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going 4 Only No 1 He had disco hits in the 70s, but enjoyed greater success in the 80s.  Boyzone took the song to No 1 in 1999.
8 Mar 1986 Diana Ross Chain Reaction 3 3rd & last No 1 (1st was with Supremes) Written and produced by the Bee Gees.  She was in the Top 10 in the 90s, and remained a major act into the next century.
29 Mar 1986 Cliff Richard & The Young Ones Living Doll 3 11th No 1 Anarchic charity remake (for Comic Relief) of his 1959 No1, with the cast of the tv show "The Young Ones".
19 Apr 1986 George Michael A Different Corner 3 2nd No 1 He was still with Wham!, but produced a further solo chart topper, and another love song classic.
10 May 1986 Falco Rock Me Amadeus 1 Only No 1 Falco was the individual Johann Holzel, and was the first Austrian act to have a UK No 1.
17 May 1986 Spitting Image The Chicken Song 3 Only No 1 The voices of a satirical tv puppet show made this parody of Mediterranean holiday disco hits.
7 Jun 1986 Doctor & The Medics Spirit In The Sky 3 Only No 1 Remake of the 1970 No 1 from Norman Greenbaum.  He is a One-hit Wonder, and subsequently, this act failed to get higher than No 29.
28 Jun 1986 Wham! The Edge Of Heaven 2 4th & last No 1 They split soon after this, and Ridgely faded away.  Michael went on to become an international superstar.
12 Jul 1986 Madonna Papa Don't Preach 3 2nd No 1 From her album "True Blue".  She was now on the way to super stardom.
2 Aug 1986 Chris de Burgh The Lady In Red 3 Only No 1 He had been a successful album artist since the 70s, and this love song classic did not change the pattern.
23 Aug 1986 Boris Gardiner I Want To Wake Up With You 3 Only No 1 Jamaican, who had reggae hits in the 70s.  This lovers' rock ballad was his only major success.
13 Sep 1986 Communards Don't Leave Me This Way 4 Only No 1 Led by Jimmy Somerville, formerly of Bronski Beat.  Dance remake of Harold Melvin's 1977 Top 5 hit.
11 Oct 1986 Madonna True Blue 1 3rd No 1 Title track from her album.  She co-wrote and co-produced all her No 1s during this time.
18 Oct 1986 Nick Berry Every Loser Wins 3 Only No 1 "EastEnders" star with a song featured in the show.   In 1992 he hit No 2 with music from "Heartbeat".
8 Nov 1986 Berlin Take My Breath Away 4 Only No 1 US rock band with the love theme from film "Top Gun".   Written and produced by Giorgio Moroder.
6 Dec 1986 Europe The Final Countdown 2 Only No 1 Swedish rock band who took this to No 1 throughout Europe.
20 Dec 1986 Housemartins Caravan Of Love 1 Only No 1 Christmas season 'A-Cappella' hit by the group from Hull.  They soon broke up to form several other successful acts.
27 Dec 1986
Xmas No 1
Jackie Wilson Reet Petite 4 Only No 1 Originally a 1957 Top 10 hit for Wilson.  Reissued on a minor label, it captured the seasonal party-record sales.
24 Jan 1987 Steve 'Silk' Hurley Jack Your Body 2 Only No 1 First US 'house music' recording to make it to the UK No 1 spot.
7 Feb 1987 George Michael & Aretha Franklin I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) 2 3rd No 1 (George)
Only No 1 (Aretha)
First No 1 for George that he did not write or produce.  The legendary soul diva had Top 10 hits 1967 to 1994.
21 Feb 1987 Ben E King Stand By Me 3 Only No 1 This was a minor hit for the former Drifters lead singer in 1961.   Reissued after use in a Levis jeans tv ad.
14 Mar 1987 Boy George Everything I Own 2 Only solo No 1 Culture Club singer with his first solo hit.  It was a note-for-note remake of Ken Boothe's 1974 chart topper.
28 Mar 1987 Mel & Kim Respectable 1 Only No 1 London sisters with a Stock, Aitken & Waterman (SAW) song and production.
4 Apr 1987 Ferry Aid Let It Be 3 Only No 1 Charity record, fund raising for the Zeebrugge Ferry disaster.   Beatles song that had peaked at No 2 for them.  Produced by SAW.
25 Apr 1987 Madonna La Isla Bonita 2 4th No 1 This 4th chart topper gave her more No 1s than any other solo female artist.
9 May 1987 Starship Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now 4 Only No 1 With lead singer Grace Slick, they had been around as Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship since 1967.  At 48, she was the oldest female to reach No 1.  (This was broken by Debbie Harry who, with Blondie, hit No 1 in 1999, aged 53).
6 Jun 1987 Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) 2 2nd No 1 Taken from her second album "Whitney".  Her mother, Cissy, in Sweet Sensations in the late 1960s, sang on the album.
20 Jun 1987 The Firm Star Trekkin' 2 Only No 1 Novelty song parodying the characters of "Star Trek", the long running tv series.
4 Jul 1987 Pet Shop Boys It's A Sin 3 2nd No 1 From their album "Actually", which established the duo as a major music force.
25 Jul 1987 Madonna Who's That Girl 1 5th No 1 From her movie of the same name.  She was now a major music star, but her films always disappointed.
1 Aug 1987 Los Lobos La Bamba 2 Only No 1 Written by Richie Valens, and from a film about the singer who died in the plane crash that also claimed Buddy Holly.
15 Aug 1987 Michael Jackson
with Siedah Garrett
I Just Can't Stop Loving You 2 3rd No 1 From his album "Bad".  Siedah is a studio singer who backed Madonna on some of her No 1s.
29 Aug 1987 Rick Astley Never Gonna Give You Up 5 Only No 1 Stock, Aitken & Waterman prodigy with a strong soulful voice.   Best selling single of 1987.  His next 7 singles made the Top 10.
3 Oct 1987 M/A/R/R/S Pump Up The Volume 2 Only No 1 Dance hit that heavily sampled other recordings which resulted in litigation.
17 Oct 1987 Bee Gees You Win Again 4 5th & last No 1 20 years after their first No 1, they had their last.  They remained recording stars and producers into the 21st century.
14 Nov 1987
600th No 1
T'Pau China In Your Hand 5 Only No 1 UK band led by Carol Decker which found success in the US first.
19 Dec 1987
Xmas No 1
Pet Shop Boys Always On My Mind 4 3rd No 1 Elvis hit ballad from 1972, which the PSB made into a dance smash.
16 Jan 1988 Belinda Carlisle Heaven Is A Place On Earth 2 Only No 1 First solo hit for former member of female band The Go-Gos.   Her success continued into the 1990s.
30 Jan 1988 Tiffany I Think We're Alone Now 3 Only No 1 Californian teenager with a Tommy James & The Shondells song from 1967.
20 Feb 1988 Kylie Minogue I Should Be So Lucky 5 1st No 1 Aussie soap star who made a successful music career with help from ace producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman.
26 Mar 1988 Aswad Don't Turn Around 2 Only No 1 British reggae band with their first major hit.  They continued into the mid 90s.
9 Apr 1988 Pet Shop Boys Heart 3 4th & last No 1 They enjoyed Top 10 hits throughout the 1990s and even into 2000.
30 Apr 1988 S'Express Theme from S'Express 2 Only No 1 London DJ Mark Moore with a major House dance track.
14 May 1988 Fairground Attraction Perfect 1 Only No  1 Scottish band led by folk/jazz songstress, Eddi Reader.  She quit in 1990 for a solo career.
21 May 1988 Wet Wet Wet With A Little Help From My Friends 4 1st No 1 They were teeny bopper heart-throbs at the time.   Lennon/McCartney song that had been at No 1 in 1968 (Joe Cocker).
18 Jun 1988 Timelords Doctorin' The Tardis 1 Only No1 Scottish duo Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty, who formed KLF and had a No 1 in 1991 .
25 Jun 1988 Bros I Owe You Nothing 2 Only No 1 Boy band comprising twins Luke & Matt Goss and Craig Logan.   Popular for a couple of years with 8 Top 10 hits.
9 Jul 1988 Glenn Medeiros Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You 4 Only No 1 18 year old from Hawaii.  One of the youngest males to reach the top, but almost a One-hit Wonder.
6 Aug 1988 Yazz & The Plastic Population The Only Way Is Up 5 Only No 1 London singer Yasmin Evans, who started as a vocalist with Coldcut.   Her initial popularity soon waned.
10 Sep 1988 Phil Collins A Groovy Kind Of Love 2 3rd & last No 1 From his film "Buster".  He remained an international star throughout the 1990s.
24 Sep 1988 Hollies He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother 2 2nd & last No 1 Originally No 3 for them in 1969, but shot to the top after use in a Miller Lite tv ad.  They were still touring at the end of the century.
8 Oct 1988 U2 Desire 1 1st No 1 Highly revered, and internationally famous Irish rock band led by Bono.
15 Oct 1988 Whitney Houston One Moment In Time 2 3rd No 1 This song was recorded to celebrate the Seoul Olympic Games of 1988.
29 Oct 1988 Enya Orinoco Flow 3 Only No 1 Originally with family act, Clannad, she went solo and specialised in Celtic and New Age recordings.
19 Nov 1988 Robin Beck First Time 3 Only No 1 Studio singer from New York.  Like the New Seekers' No 1 of 1971, this started as a tv jingle for Coca Cola. 
10 Dec 1988
Xmas No 1
Cliff Richard Mistletoe & Wine 4 12th No 1 His first solo No 1 for 9 years, and the first to associate him with Christmas chart toppers.  This late starter was the best selling single of 1988.
7 Jan 1989 Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan Especially For You 3 2nd No 1
(Kylie);
1st No 1 (Jason)
They were popular co-stars in an Aussie soap, and this duet from the Stock, Aitken & Waterman team grabbed the Xmas/New Year sales.
28 Jan 1989 Marc Almond with Gene Pitney Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart 4 2nd & last No 1 (Marc); Only No 1 (Gene) Marc recorded this old Pitney hit (1967, No 5) in London.   Gene recorded his bit in the US.  They did meet up for tv promos.
25 Feb 1989 Simple Minds Belfast Child 2 Only No 1 Scottish band led by Jim Kerr.  They had 29 hits over two decades.  Kerr was married to Chrissie Hynde.
11 Mar 1989 Jason Donovan Too Many Broken Hearts 2 2nd No 1 By the time of this first solo chart topper, he was already a major teeny-bopper heart-throb.   A SAW production.
25 Mar 1989 Madonna Like A Prayer 3 6th No 1 Taking an anti-catholic stance, the controversial video brought much condemnation in the US.
15 Apr 1989 Bangles Eternal Flame 4 Only No 1 US all-girl band, who were much bigger at home.  Led by Susanna Hoffs who had solo hits in 1991.
13 May 1989 Kylie Minogue Hand On Your Heart 1 3rd No 1 Sticking to the same SAW formula, she got her hat trick of chart toppers.
20 May 1989 Gerry Marsden, Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson & Christians Ferry 'Cross The Mersey 3 Only No 1 Liverpool artists' charity record, fund raising for the Hillsborough football disaster.  Marsden's second football charity No 1 - both remakes of his former hits.
10 Jun 1989 Jason Donovan Sealed With A Kiss 2 3rd No 1 Remake of the Brian Hyland hit from 1962 (No 3) and 1975 (No 7).   SAW production.  First Australian act to enter at No 1.
24 Jun 1989 Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler Back To Life 4 Only No 1 London dance/soul band led by Jazzie B.  One of the most successful UK black acts with US hits as well.
22 Jul 1989 Sonia You'll Never Stop Me Loving You 2 Only No 1 Effervescent songstress from Liverpool, produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman.
5 Aug 1989 Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers Swing The Mood 5 1st No 1 Yorkshire DJs who put together a string of old hits (including Glenn Miller's "In The Mood"), overlaid with a dance beat.
9 Sep 1989 Black Box Ride On Time 6 Only No 1 Italian producers who heavily sampled Loleatta Holloway's song "Love Sensation".  She objected, and further pressings had a different singer.  Best selling single of 1989.
21 Oct 1989 Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers That's What I Like 3 2nd No 1 Back with more of the same, this time based around the theme from "Hawaii 5-O".
11 Nov 1989 Lisa Stansfield All Around The World 2 1st No 1 British R&B singer from Rochdale who also had her first hit with Coldcut.  She cracked the US and remained popular through the 90s.
25 Nov 1989 New Kids On The Block You Got It (The Right Stuff) 3 1st No 1 US boy band from Boston, which became hot property for a couple of years.
16 Dec 1989 Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers Let's Party 1 3rd & last No 1 The inevitable Christmas edition.  Their first three releases made No 1, equalling Gerry & The Pacemakers (1963) and Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1984).
23 Dec 1989
Xmas No 1
Band Aid II Do They Know It's Christmas 3 2nd & last No 1 Remake of the Xmas No 1 from 1984, with different artists, headed by Cliff Richard.  This bridged Cliff's solo Christmas No 1s of 1988 and 1990.

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