Inspired by yesterdays post about being perceived as too young to know bands from before I was born it got me thinking: Who is the biggest chart act I only know because of the internet?
To quantify this I looked at the acts who with the most Top 40 hits who made their Top 40 debut prior to 1987 which is when my memories of the charts etc. begin. With each act I asked the question how did I first come across their music?
With some it's easy to pinpoint, others not so much though I clearly knew them way before the internet. Here we go:
Elvis Presley: I'd heard of Elvis Costello first but it wouldn't be long after that I was familiar with Elvis Presley. Songs like "Hound Dog", "All Shook Up" and "Blue Suede Shoes" were played a lot and it didn't take long to piece it all together.
Cliff Richard: I clearly remember "Mistletoe & Wine" being Christmas number one in 1988 but I remember "Summer Holiday" as far back as I can remember before knowing who it was.
Elton John: My first Now was Now 11 in early 1988 and "Candle In The Wind" was on it.
Madonna: I remember "Who's That Girl" topping the charts in 1987.
David Bowie: I knew "Under Pressure" by Queen and someone told me he was also singing on it.
Status Quo: Whilst my music memories don't properly begin until 1987 I have a vague memory of singing "In The Army Now" in the school playground in 1986.
Queen: First memory of band accompanied with song was "I Want It All" in 1989 but already knew "Thank God It's Christmas" from the Now Christmas Album and knew "A Kind Of Magic" with is still being relatively fresh in 1987.
Michael Jackson: Remember seeing the video to "The Way You Make Me Feel" and thinking Michael Jackson looked a bit like a woman.
Paul McCartney: Clear memory of "My Brave Face" coming out in 1989 but already knew "Wonderful Christmastime" from the Now Christmas Album and pretty sure I knew "The Frog Chorus" too.
Rod Stewart: I remember "Downtown Train" charting in 1990 but pretty sure I was already familiar with him by that point.
Rolling Stones: In 1989 when "Mixed Emotions" charted. I also remember The Stone Roses around the same time and thinking the bands had similar names.
Diana Ross: My mum was a fan and played her music quite extensively.
Depeche Mode: Remember "Personal Jesus" charting in 1989. It was around the same time I learned there was a band called Jesus & Mary Chain.
Pet Shop Boys: Easy to pinpoint, "It's A Sin" was the first song to have a real impact on me in 1987.
Stevie Wonder: I'm told that when I was too young to remember anything I used to get up in front of my family and sing "I Just Called To Say I Love You". It's a wonder I wasn't put off music for life.
U2: They had some big hits in 1987 that I may or may not remember at the time but I have a clear memory of "Desire" topping the charts in 1988.
Prince: In 1989 "Batdance" was the first song I taped off the radio without any assistance.
UB40: "Breakfast In Bed" was on Now 13.
Janet Jackson: Remember learning that Michael had a sister who also made music. Pretty sure "Lets Wait Awhile" was the first I know but the timeline would suggest this was after it charted, maybe in 1988.
Bon Jovi: Hard to pinpoint a particular song but clearly remember them as a long haired band with shouting songs in the late 80s.
Frank Sinatra: Even harder to pinpoint. By the time he died in 1998 I was yet to use the internet and I'd been familiar with him for a long time, when exactly I'm not sure.
Tom Jones: When "It's Not Unusual" got back into the Top 40 in 1987.
George Michael: Remember "Faith" being a hit in 1987.
Erasure: "A Little Respect" was on Now 13 but pretty sure that wasn't the first I'd heard of them.
Shakin Stevens: I don't find his music that memorable but very much remember him being around in the late 80s. "Love Attack" in 1989 stands out to me more than others.
Whitney Houston: When "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" topped the charts in 1987.
Nat 'King' Cole: I'd heard of Natalie Cole first and it was during her late 80s chart run that I'd learned of her father. I remember their duet "Unforgettable" in 1991.
Iron Maiden: "Can I Play With Madness" was on Now 12.
Simply Red: When "It's Only Love" charted in 1989.
Roy Orbison: My first memory of him was that he died and then "You Got It" came out shortly afterwards.
Beatles: Hard to pinpoint, they've just always been there. The first member I became aware of was John Lennon and that he was dead. Later I discovered the man who did "My Brave Face", the man who did "Got My Mind Set On You" and the man who narrated "Thomas the Tank Engine" were also members.
Bee Gees: Perhaps an obscure first memory here, it was when "One" appeared on The Chart Show in 1989. I remembered Metallica having a record called "One" at a similar time.
Tina Turner: Clear memory of "The Best" charting in 1989.
Lonnie Donegan: "My Old Mans A Dustman" is one of those records I've always known.
Duran Duran: First song I remember was "I Don't Want Your Love" in 1988 but pretty sure I'd heard records like "The Reflex" prior to that as it would be on the radio a lot.
Everly Brothers: Songs like "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up Little Susie" have been on the radio as far back as I can remember.
Supremes: "Baby Love" was on a Diana Ross compilation my mother used to play.
Frankie Vaughan: We've finally got there, someone I'd never heard of before the internet. 29 Top 40 hits in a career spanning well over a decade including 2 number ones yet he's not someone you really hear about when it comes to the history of music. The first time I came across him was in the early days of YouTube when I listened to every number one that I'd never heard before.
There you have it then, the biggest chart act I only know because of the internet is Frankie Vaughan.
