Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.
Here is the Top 40 in full.
Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.
Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.
So this is the top 30 from this week in 1994 with my verdict on each record:
When a particular kind of music is popular, you get your big names that are forever remembered and those lesser known ones who are long forgotten. In this case I'm talking about female R&B groups. This particular one doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. Do I like it though? I feel like I should but I can't say I do really.
Verdict - Rubbish
This record appears on a pure swing compilation I acquired years later. The person who introduced me to said compilation told me they saw Wayne Marshall at a bar in Northampton back in the day. I assumed he was American and relatively big over there so thought that it was quite odd that he'd play at a bar in Northampton. Turns out he was the only British act on the compilation and has done nothing of note apart from this record. I've since seen him myself supporting K-Ci & JoJo at IndigO2. In more recent years he's been playing at a nightclub opening in Dunstable. You get the picture, but anyway this is a great record.
Verdict - Good
When Big Mountain hit the charts I knew this record would be just around the corner because there was also no avoiding this record at the time and it used to annoy me in equal measure. It was originally a country song by John Michael Montgomery. It wasn't the only Top 40 hit for All-4-One though, they would return with another John Michael Montgomery cover but fortunately that never made the Top 30 so I won't have to listen to it.
Verdict - Rubbish
The Top 40 debut and biggest hit for China Black. It was one of those records that I hated at the time but have grown to like via nostalgia for the 90s. I do remember at the time hearing someone singing that and saying what the fuck are you doing? to him. It's easy on the ears I guess.
Verdict - Good
Although Roger Taylor had 5 solo Top 40 hits he only made the Top 30 with 2 of them so this is the 2nd and last time he'll feature. Lets just say I'd rather see him behind a drum kit than singing this rubbish.
Verdict - Rubbish
There's a video I've seen of someone trying to listen to modern rap music but the facial expressions implies they find it all shit. They eventually resort to this record and breath a sigh of relief. That pretty much sums up how I feel.
Verdict - Good
The penultimate Top 40 hit to date for Bomb The Bass and the final time he'll feature as his last Top 40 hit never made the Top 30. There is a Kruder & Dorfmeister remix of this which is far better and that's the problem. I struggle with the original because of it, so it gets half a mark.
Verdict - OK
The Top 40 debut for Let Loose and the record they're best known for. I remember this being universally hated at the time and rightfully so because this is an absolutely dreadful record. It's annoying and cringeworthy and hopefully I'll never hear it again.
Verdict - Rubbish
I knew this record would be appearing soon after "Yesterday When I Was Mad" by the Pet Shop Boys hit the charts. This record came on the radio all the time when it sounded like it could be the Pet Shop Boys for the first couple of seconds. I hate it as a result, but now I can listen at my leisure I'm actually quite liking this.
Verdict - Good
One memory of this song that particularly stands out for some reason is it being on the car radio when it was my friends birthday in the middle of August. What does it for me with this song is what I assume to be the steel drums. I also like the 2 different styles of Brian and Tony Gold (not their real names).
Verdict - Good
20. The Cranberries - Zombie (New)
I was always a big critic of The Cranberries. To me their music was too namby pamby for the rock crowd to be listening to. Then along came this record to contradict what I was saying. I tried really hard to not like this record because it's The Cranberries but I have to admit I do like it.
Verdict - Good
This is a song that gets better with age. I do remember liking it at the time but a few years ago I heard it for the first time in years and realised just how good it was. It's 90s pop music at its finest and records like this which made the 90s great.
Verdict - Good
By this point some grungers were saying the only rave they like is The Prodigy. That was basically because of this tune which featured the guitar. I was still keeping my new found love for rave music under wraps at this point, but it came as a bit of a relief that I could openly admit to liking this tune and not be subject to criticism.
Verdict - Good
17. 2 Unlimited - No One (New)
With 8 of their first 10 Top 40 hits reaching the Top 10 they never made the Top 10 again after that. This is Top 40 hit number 11 and was their lowest charting Top 40 hit to this point. Now the demise of 2 Unlimited has began they finally have a Top 40 hit that I actually like. It's different to their previous material and nowhere near as cheesy. It's proof that most music acts have one good record in them.
Verdict - Good
I remember at the time learning that this was a cover of a 60s number one by The Equals. When I asked my mum if the original was a reggae tune she said no, there was no such thing back then. Well actually there was. I also remember people singing the "CD collection of Bob Marley" part thinking that was just a piss take not realising that was actually part of the lyrics. I think it's also worth pointing out that this also features Ali and Robin Campbell from UB40 who I think do more singing in it that Pato Banton. Anyway its a good bit of reggae pop.
Verdict - Good
This was the comeback single for Kylie Minogue which was her first Top 40 after the Stock Aitken & Waterman era. Amongst the songwriters are Steve Anderson and Dave Seaman aka Brothers in Rhythm who had a lot more credibility. Despite this, I couldn't stand this record at the time and still don't think much to it now.
Verdict - Rubbish
Neneh Cherry has often been said to be edgy and cool and here she is collaborating with African singer Youssou N'Dour in an attempt to back up these credentials. To me though she's just a pop singer and the only positive thing I have to say about her is that she isn't as bad as her god awful daughter.
Verdict - Rubbish
Another Top 40 hit from Erick Morillo's commercial dance project. You pretty much knew what you were getting by this point, though this time he added some female vocals just to make it a little bit different but not too much.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the lead single from their "Monster" album and one of their best known hits. It's quite a catchy record, it's pleasant enough and by no means a bad record and it doesn't irritate me either. At the same time though I don't like it enough to give it full marks.
Verdict - OK
I would call this a good representation of everything that was naff about the 90s. I think of it as the sort of record that Andi Peters would like. At the time I remember finding this record painfully slow and when I heard it years later I was reminded of what a poor record it was.
Verdict - Rubbish
Jungle had arrived in the Top 40. The rave music that was hitting the charts in 91/92 was reflective of the rave scene but once the rave hits dried up the music was changing in the underground branching off into jungle and happy hardcore. This evolution wasn't seen in the Top 40, just straight from the original rave sound to jungle with a gap in between. I was initially gearing towards jungle when I first got into rave.
Verdict - Good
This was really "End Of The Road" part 2. Once again it's a Babyface penned ballad and know by many as their other hit. I guess it worked wonders for them the first time round so why not do the same again. It didn't quite hit the same heights as "End Of The Road" in the UK but it topped the charts in America.
Verdict - Rubbish
Aside from a chart topper in 1992, the 90s hadn't been a great decade to this point for Wet Wet Wet from a Top 40 perspective with the rest of their singles of the decade so far failing to reach the Top 10. This was all about to change with this record after it spent 15 weeks at number one and could have beaten Bryan Adams record had they not pulled it from sale. Obviously this topped the charts due to it being from "Four Weddings and a Funeral" but it's also a decent song and definitely revitalised them after some pretty poor singles.
Verdict - Good
7. East 17 - Steam (New)
I've sang pretty much every East 17 hit at karaoke at some point, but this ones my favourite to sing. I'd also say this is probably my favourite East 17 hit. As I transitioned to a raver this record made me think that maybe I could now get away with admitting to liking East 17. I did hold off a few years until I did that though.
Verdict - Good
The only Top 40 hit for Lisa Loeb and also the only record of hers that I've ever heard. I don't want to ruin my perception by hearing any of her other songs. A great bit of 90s pop and they don't make them like this anymore.
Verdict - Good
In order to promote her greatest hits album, Cyndi Lauper returned with a reggae style remix of her debut hit. It samples "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone. It sounds very cheesy, even more so than the original which is really saying something.
Verdict - Rubbish
Luther Vandross is one of the best singers of all time. At the same time though he put his voice to some pretty terrible records. To make thinks worse he duets with Mariah Carey on this Lionel Richie and Diana Ross cover. I absolutely hate this record whatever the version.
Verdict - Rubbish
I hated this record at the time. Bon Jovi had become the rock band for people not into rock music and releasing this ballad which became their biggest hit didn't do them any favours in that respect. A few years later though I realised that I actually like this song. I knew someone who had their greatest hits and I borrowed it just to tape this song which then got regularly played in my car.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for Corona. What I remember about this record what it came about was there was lots of eurodance about and I thought oh no not another sodding eurodance record. It summed up everything I was hating in music at the time. Listening now I have to say it's not aged very well.
Verdict - Rubbish
I first came across this record via someone singing it at school. I heard her singing the "be my baby" part initially thinking she was trying to sing "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", but it wasn't long before I was hearing this everywhere. Once the hype had died down I remember hearing it on holiday a couple of years later for the first time in while and was thinking how badly it had aged already, it was sounding far too slow.
Verdict - Rubbish
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 16/30, or 54%. For the first time in 1994 we go above 50%.
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