UK Singles Chart: 1985

Frankie Goes To Hollywood were the biggest success story of 1984, but how did they fare in 1985?

Well they failed to reach number one with their fourth single "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" which reached number two, and that was their only hit of the year. So not as good as 1984, but one hit which reached number two is pretty good generally speaking.

No act managed more than one number one this year, but the success story of the year would have to be Madonna. She scored her first number one with "Into the Groove" and also had two number twos, a number three, a number four and two number fives.

Meanwhile, the so called big four didn't seem that big anymore from a chart perspective. Having had lower charting singles the previous year, both Culture Club and Spandau Ballet failed to score a top 40 hit this year.

Duran Duran did have the one hit with "A View To Kill" which reached number two. This would however be the final hit of the decade from them with the classic line up. The band went on hiatus which spawned two groups, Power Station and Arcadia. Power station failed to make the top ten with their two hits, "Some Like It Hot" and "Get It On". Arcadia did reach the top ten with their hit "Election Day" but their follow up at the beginning of the following year, "The Promise" didn't.

After a hugely successful 1984, it wouldn't be until the end of November we'd see Wham! back in the charts, but they did manage a number one with "I'm Your Man". They also rereleased "Last Christmas" which reached number six this time. Also back in the charts at Christmas time was Band Aid who reached number three. It was Shakin Stevens though who had the Christmas number one this year with "Merry Christmas Everyone".

The year is perhaps best known as being the year of Live Aid and the set that is most talked about was the one from Queen. In the charts though they had just the one hit with "One Vision" which reached number seven. Prior to Live Aid, Freddie Mercury had a solo hit with "I Was Born To Love You" but following Live Aid failed to make the top 40 with his two follow ups, the record buying public seemingly only interested in Queen rather than Freddie Mercury as a solo act.

Once again Cliff Richard was the only 50s debutant to have hits this year. He had just the one hit bringing his total to 84.

David Bowie continued his streak of hits every year since 1972 adding three to his total including the number one cover of "Dancing in the Street" with Mick Jagger, which brought his total to 39 hits keeping him in third place.

Still in fourth was Elton John who had four hits this year bringing his total to 37. Stevie Wonder remained fifth having two hits bringing his total to 34. Elton John and Stevie Wonder shared one of their hits this year, both being on the record "That's What Friends Are For" along with Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight. Dionne Warwick was the second earliest chart debutant to have a hit this year after Cliff Richard having debuted in 1964. This would however be her last top 40 hit.

Frank Sinatra remained sixth with 31 whilst Lonnie Donegan and Status Quo remained seventh with 30 but were now joined by Paul McCartney who had one top 40 hit this year with "Spies Like Us".

As well as Stevie Wonder, we had Lionel Richie charting for Motown with "Say You Say Me". We also had Lionels former group, The Commodores, return to the charts after a five year absence with their final hit "Nightshift". We also had Debarge score their only top 40 hit with "Rhythm of the Night".

Stock Aitken & Waterman had their first number one this year with "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" by Dead Or Alive. They also produced the other three hits for Dead Or Alive this year. We also had Princess make her debut with "Say I'm your Number One" and followed up with "After The Love Has Gone". These were the only Stock Aitken & Waterman hits this year, so their chart domination was yet to begin.

So I've already mentioned hits for Queen and Princess, but it was also a good year for Prince who released "1999" and "Little Red Corvette" as a double a side which reached number two, the latter failing to make the top 40 on first release.

To complete the royal family, we had the debut of King with "Love and Pride" which made number two. They would have a further three hits this year and their final hit at the start of 1986.

There was still a strong presence of Synth Pop in the charts, but there would be several acts who would have their final top 40 hits this year including Nik Kershaw having only made his debut the previous year. Also bidding farewell was the Thompson Twins and Blancmange.

For the first time this decade there was no Ultravox in the charts. We did however have two solo hits from Midge Ure including the number one "If I Was".

We did have the debut of Go West this year with "We Close Our Eyes" and they followed up with a further three hits, but this would be the last we'd see of them until the 90s.

A band that we would very much see the rest of the decade making their debut towards the end of this year was the Pet Shop Boys with "West End Girls". We also had the debut of A-ha with "Take On Me" and followed up in the final week of the year with "The Sun Always Shines On TV". Both Pet Shop Boys and A-ha would go on to score number ones with these records in 1986.

There was a notable presence of Funk and Soul music in the charts this year including the debut of Loose Ends with "Hangin' On A String (Contemplating)" and the return to the charts after a 11 year absence for Aretha Franklin with "Who's Zoomin' Who".

On the pop side of this though came the debut of Whitney Houston who reached number one with "Saving All My Love For You". Her future husbands group New Edition returned to the charts with the follow up to their 1983 number one "Candy Girl" with "Mr Telephone Man".

Having debuted the previous year, this would be the year Jimmy Somerville would leave Bronski Beat with his final hit with them being a cover of "I Feel Love" with Marc Almond. He would then make his debut with the Communards with "You Are My World". Bronski Beat would continue without Jimmy Somerville with "Hit That Perfect Beat".

Having been an influence on Sophisti-pop music, Bryan Ferry would have a couple of hits within that genre this year with "Slave to Love" and "Don't Stop the Dance".

We had the debuts of Simply Red with "Money's Too Tight to Mention" and Prefab Sprout with "When Love Breaks Down" whilst the likes of the Style Council, Sade, Matt Bianco and Level 42 would continue to have hits.

There wasn't much Hard Rock or Heavy Metal in the charts this year with just "Out in the Fields" by Gary Moore & Phil Lynott plus a couple of live rereleases from Iron Maiden keeping it going.

This is perhaps in part to do with the emergence of Gothic Rock. Whilst not new to the charts, it did seem to have a greater presence this year. Most notable from this was the return of The Damned who had originally come from the Punk movement in the 70s. They would have hits with "Grimly Fiendish", "The Shadow Of Love" and "Is It A Dream".

Siouxsie and the Banshees would also be considered as part of this having also emerged from the Punk movement, but they hadn't been away having had hits every year since 1978 and this year having a hit with "Cities In Dust".

Also taking advantage of the emergence of the scene was former Generation X singer Billy Idol who rereleased "White Wedding".

In terms of debutants, we had Killing Joke with "Love Like Blood", The Cult with "She Sells Sanctuary" and New Model Army with "No Rest".

It was the last time we'd see the Clash in the charts with new material with the hit "This Is England".

Despite Rap/Hip Hop music starting to get more of a chart presence in 1984, there was just the one Rap/Hip Hop record which charted in 1985 which was "The Show" by Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew.

Having seen Freestyle music in the charts last year with Shannon, this year saw Freestyle producers Full Force chart twice, first alongside Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with "I Wonder If I Take You Home" and followed by "Alice I Want You Just For Me".

We have a new nationality on the charts this year. Jan Hammer became the first act from what was then known as Czechoslovakia to have a hit with "Miami Vice Theme". He would have one further hit with "Crockets Theme" in 1987.


So that was 1985 and a sign of what is to come when they start rerunning Top of the Pops for that year in a few months time.