1991 in British music
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| 1990s in music in the UK | |
| List of number one singles | |
| Summaries and charts: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 |
|
| ←1989 | 2000→ |
This is a summary of 1991 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
Like 1990, this year saw 17 songs at number 1. February saw The Simpsons (specifically Bart) reach #1 with "Do the Bartman",[1] from the album The Simpsons Sing the Blues which reached #6. The show had premiered on UK screens on the satellite channel Sky One in 1990, though it wouldn't premiere on terrestrial TV until 1996, on BBC One. The family became the first cartoon characters to hit #1 since The Archies did so in 1969, with "Sugar Sugar", and the follow-up ("Deep, Deep Trouble") also did well, peaking at #7 in April.
In March, The Clash received their first number 1 with "Should I Stay or Should I Go", after being used in a commercial for Levi's. A month later, Cher scored her first UK solo #1 with "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", taken from the film Mermaids.
Bryan Adams also reached #1 for the first time in July with "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", from the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Breaking the record held since 1955, it stayed there for sixteen consecutive weeks, a record that remains to this day. It also became the biggest selling single of the year, selling over a million copies.
The Christmas number one single this year was Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", re-issued after the death of Freddie Mercury in November, coupled with "These Are the Days of Our Lives". As "Bohemian Rhapsody" had previously hit the top in 1975 (also becoming the Christmas number one) it became the first song ever, not counting re-entries, to hit number 1 twice.
The death of Joy Finzi, who had founded the Finzi Trust in 1969 to commemorate her husband Gerald, was one of the most notable events on the classical music scene. Harrison Birtwistle's opera, Gawain, with a libretto by David Harsent, was performed for the first time on 30 May at the Royal Opera House.
[edit] Charts
[edit] Number-one singles
| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 January | "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" | Iron Maiden |
| 13 January | "Sadness (Part I)" | Enigma |
| 20 January | "Innuendo" | Queen |
| 27 January | "3 a.m. Eternal" | The KLF |
| 3 February | ||
| 10 February | "Do the Bartman" | The Simpsons |
| 17 February | ||
| 24 February | ||
| 3 March | "Should I Stay or Should I Go" | The Clash |
| 10 March | ||
| 17 March | "The Stonk" | Hale and Pace |
| 24 March | "The One and Only" | Chesney Hawkes |
| 31 March | ||
| 7 April | ||
| 14 April | ||
| 21 April | ||
| 28 April | "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" | Cher |
| 5 May | ||
| 12 May | ||
| 19 May | ||
| 26 May | ||
| 2 June | "I Wanna Sex You Up" | Color Me Badd |
| 9 June | ||
| 16 June | ||
| 23 June | "Any Dream Will Do" | Jason Donovan |
| 30 June | ||
| 7 July | "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" | Bryan Adams |
| 14 July | ||
| 21 July | ||
| 28 July | ||
| 4 August | ||
| 11 August | ||
| 18 August | ||
| 25 August | ||
| 1 September | ||
| 8 September | ||
| 15 September | ||
| 22 September | ||
| 29 September | ||
| 6 October | ||
| 13 October | ||
| 20 October | ||
| 27 October | "The Fly" | U2 |
| 3 November | "Dizzy" | Vic Reeves and The Wonder Stuff |
| 10 November | ||
| 17 November | "Black or White" | Michael Jackson |
| 24 November | ||
| 1 December | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" | George Michael and Elton John |
| 8 December | ||
| 15 December | "Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are the Days of Our Lives" |
Queen |
| 22 December | ||
| 29 December |
[edit] Number-one albums
| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 January | The Immaculate Collection | Madonna |
| 13 January | ||
| 20 January | MCMXC a.D. | Enigma |
| 27 January | The Soul Cages | Sting |
| 3 February | Doubt | Jesus Jones |
| 10 February | Innuendo | Queen |
| 17 February | ||
| 24 February | Circle of One | Oleta Adams |
| 3 March | Auberge | Chris Rea |
| 10 March | Spartacus | The Farm |
| 17 March | Out of Time | R.E.M. |
| 24 March | Greatest Hits | Eurythmics |
| 31 March | ||
| 7 April | ||
| 14 April | ||
| 21 April | ||
| 28 April | ||
| 5 May | ||
| 12 May | ||
| 19 May | ||
| 26 May | Seal | Seal |
| 2 June | ||
| 9 June | ||
| 16 June | Greatest Hits | Eurythmics |
| 23 June | Love Hurts | Cher |
| 30 June | ||
| 7 July | ||
| 14 July | ||
| 21 July | ||
| 28 July | ||
| 4 August | Essential Pavarotti II | Luciano Pavarotti |
| 11 August | ||
| 18 August | Metallica | Metallica |
| 25 August | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | London Stage Cast |
| 1 September | ||
| 8 September | From Time to Time - The Singles Collection | Paul Young |
| 15 September | On Every Street | Dire Straits |
| 22 September | Use Your Illusion II | Guns N' Roses |
| 29 September | Waking up the Neighbours | Bryan Adams |
| 6 October | Stars | Simply Red |
| 13 October | ||
| 20 October | Chorus | Erasure |
| 27 October | Stars | Simply Red |
| 3 November | Greatest Hits II | Queen |
| 10 November | Shepherd Moons | Enya |
| 17 November | We Can't Dance | Genesis |
| 24 November | Dangerous | Michael Jackson |
| 1 December | Greatest Hits II | Queen |
| 8 December | ||
| 15 December | ||
| 22 December | ||
| 29 December | Stars | Simply Red |
[edit] End of Year Charts
[edit] Top 40 Singles of 1991
[edit] Top 10 albums
| Position | Song Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stars | Simply Red | ||
| 2 | Greatest Hits | Eurythmics | ||
| 3 | Greatest Hits II | Queen | ||
| 4 | Dangerous | Michael Jackson | ||
| 5 | Love Hurts | Cher | ||
| 6 | Out of Time | R.E.M. | ||
| 7 | Time, Love & Tenderness | Michael Bolton | ||
| 8 | The Immaculate Collection | Madonna | ||
| 9 | From Time to Time - The Singles Collection | Paul Young | ||
| 10 | Simply The Best | Tina Turner |
[edit] Music awards
[edit] BRIT Awards
The 1991 BRIT Awards winners were:
- Best British producer: Chris Thomas
- Best classical recording: José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti - "In Concert"
- Best soundtrack: "Twin Peaks"
- British album: George Michael - "Listen Without Prejudice"
- British breakthrough act: Betty Boo
- British female solo artist: Lisa Stansfield
- British group: The Cure
- British male solo artist: Elton John
- British single: Depeche Mode "Enjoy the Silence"
- British video: The Beautiful South "A Little Time"
- International breakthrough act: MC Hammer
- International female: Sinéad O'Connor
- International group: INXS
- International male: Michael Hutchence
- Outstanding contribution: Status Quo
[edit] References
- ^ "The official UK charts company" (html). http://www.theofficialcharts.com/zoom.php?id=660. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
