Here are the new entries ranked from best to worst:
In dance music history 1994 was the year of jungle. This didn't really translate to the Top 40 though, no jungle records in this batch and you can count the number of jungle Top 40 hits in 1994 on 1 hand.
Whilst there's always been the not so good commercial side of dance music in the charts there's been plenty of good stuff in there too. This time though I wouldn't say any of the dance records are underground ones that became successful, they all sound like they were made for the charts.
The best of those dance records is "Astral America" by Apollo 440 closely followed by "Blow Your Whistle" by DJ Duke. Not much to choose between them and both solid if unspectacular records. Other dance records have to settle for mid-table at best.
There's a case for saying "Whoomp! (There It Is)" by Tag Team is a dance record but Miami bass is more an offshoot of hip hop in America. Decent record nontheless.
Just above that is Enigma with "Return To Innocence". Although it didn't top the charts like "Sadeness" I would say this is the better known record and a good one for the chill out room.
Depeche Mode had very much made the transition to their darker sound with "In Your Room" and I like it. Almost another extreme is the cod reggae of Bitty McLean with "Here I Stand", very commercial but very fun at the same time.
Soul Asylum are seen by many as a one hit wonder with "Runaway Train". A decent record but I would say their other hits were better with "Black Gold" being one of those.
I must confess I have no recollection of "I'm In Luv" by Joe being in the charts in 1994 but a few years later when I went through my R&B phase he was one of the artists I'd listen to and this was amongst his best.
I've been aware for some time that the Inspiral Carpets were still having hits in 1994 but it did initially come as a surprise. I remember "Saturn 5" and like it but it does sound like it should of charted in 1990.
Dr Dre made his Top 40 debut with the double a-side "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang/Let Me Ride" which both came from his excellent 1992 album "The Chronic". It has to settle for 2nd place though.
The best record goes to Therapy? with "Nowhere". This was very much a reflection of my music taste at the time and it wasn't long before I owned the "Troublegum" album on which this was amongst my favourite tracks.
At the other end of the table we have Pauline Henry with "Can't Take Your Love". A sort of soul and rock crossover that's a bit of a non-entity but you have to put up with her singing voice. Aside from the crossover part the same could be said for 2nd bottom record "I'm In The Mood" by Ce Ce Peniston.
Cyndi Lauper manages to make a tune more dreary than Celine Dion with "Who Let In The Rain" which finishes just below Celine Dion with "The Power Of Love".
In later 1993 the Essential Mix started on Radio 1 with Pete Tong doing the first one. The first record he played quite surprisingly was "Save Our Love" by Eternal albeit a dance version. Always saw them as an example of why us Brits don't do R&B very well generally speaking.
I've previously been complimentary about "Breathe Again" by Toni Braxton mainly due to the man behind it being Babyface who I very much rate as a producer. Who am I kidding though, it's rubbish.
I've never liked the collaboration between Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart And Sting with "All For Love" though. To me it was find 3 blandest aging middle of the road musicians to collaborate on a bland middle of the road record.
This is the problem with this batch generally. There's a real lack of excitement or anything groundbreaking. Most have just played it safe, a problem that will only grow over time.
Score: 35
