UK Number One Singles in the 90s

The ***UK Singles Chart*** (currently entitled Official Singles Chart) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-selling singles in the United Kingdom, based upon physical sales, paid-for downloads and streaming. To be eligible for the chart, a single is currently defined by the Official Charts Company (OCC) as either a 'single bundle' having no more than four tracks and not lasting longer than 25 minutes or one digital audio track not longer than 15 minutes with a minimum sale price of 40 pence.

The OCC website contains the Top 100 chart. Some media outlets only list the Top 40 (such as the BBC) or the Top 75 (such as Music Week magazine) of this list. Around 6,500 British retail outlets contribute sales data, as well as most UK online digital-download stores. Unlike charts in the United States, no airplay statistics are used for the official UK Singles Chart. The chart week runs from 00:01 Friday to midnight Thursday, with most UK physical and digital singles being released on Fridays. From August 3, 1969 until July 5, 2015, the chart week ran from 00:01 Sunday to midnight Saturday.

The Top 40 chart is first issued on Friday afternoons by BBC Radio 1 as The Official Chart from 16:00 to 17:45, before the full Official Singles Chart Top 100 is posted on the Official Charts Company's website. A rival chart show, The Vodafone Big Top 40, is based on downloads and commercial radio airplay and is broadcast on Sunday afternoons from 16:00 to 19:00 on 145 local commercial radio stations across the United Kingdom.

The UK Singles Chart began to be compiled in 1952. According to the Official Charts Company's statistics. The precise number of chart-toppers is debatable due to the profusion of competing charts from the 1950s to the 1980s, but the usual list used is that endorsed by the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and subsequently adopted by the Official Charts Company. The company regards a selected period of the New Musical Express chart (only from 1952 to 1960) and the Record Retailer chart from 1960 to 1969 as predecessors for the period prior to February 11, 1969, where multiples of competing charts (none official) coexisted side by side. For example, the BBC compiled its own chart based on an average of the music papers of the time; many songs announced as having reached number one on BBC Radio and Top of the Pops prior to 1969 are not listed as chart-toppers according to the legacy criteria of the Charts Company.

The first number one on the UK Singles Chart was "Here in My Heart" by Al Martino for the week ending date November 14, 1952.

## UK Number One Singles in the 90s

###  Aqua

Danish eurodance group Aqua, formed in 1989, are best known for their 1997 breakthrough single "Barbie Girl". They have had three No1 UK singles in the 20th century.

#### November 1, 1997: "Barbie Girl"

* Four weeks, 3x Platinum
* US #7
* Released October, 1997
* From *Aquarium* (1997)

#### February 7, 1998: "Doctor Jones"

* Two weeks, Platinum
* US #20
* From *Aquarium* (1997)

#### May 16, 1998: "Turn Back Time"

* One week, Silver
* US #49
* From *Aquarium* (1997)

### All Saints

***All Saints*** are a British girl group formed in London, England, in 1993. It was founded as All Saints 1.9.7.5 by members Melanie Blatt, Shaznay Lewis and Simone Rainford. The group struggled to find commercial success and were dropped by their label shortly after Rainford left the group. In 1996 the group were joined by sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton and shortened their name.

The group's debut album, All Saints (1997), peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and went on to become the third best-selling girl group album of all time in the UK. The album contained three UK number ones.

#### January 17, 1998: "Never Ever"

***"Never Ever"*** is a song by British-Canadian girl group All Saints, released as the second single from their debut album, All Saints (1997). Lyrically, the song talks about the girls feeling their first expressions after a sudden break-up, where the girls query what they did wrong in the relationship.

Two music videos were shot for the single; the European and Australian version, and an American version, due to the mass success in those countries. The North American featured the group in a church, while the European/Australian version featured the group near a swimming pool and in their homes. At the 1998 Brit Awards, "Never Ever" won two Brit Awards: Best British Single and Best British Video.

* One week; 2x Platinum
* Released November 10, 1997

#### May 9, 1998: "Under the Bridge"/"Lady Marmalade"

* One week, plus one further week on May 23, 1998; Gold
* Released April 27, 1998

#### September 12, 1998: "Bootie Call"

* One week; Silver
* Released August 31, 1998

### Céline Dion

***Céline Dion*** (born March 30, 1968) is a Canadian singer and businesswoman. Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record. Dion first gained international recognition in the 1980s by winning both the 1982 Yamaha World Popular Song Festival and the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest where she represented Switzerland. Following a series of French albums during the 1980s, she signed on to Epic Records in the United States.

During the 1990s, with the help of Angélil, she achieved worldwide fame after releasing several English albums. Dion's music has been influenced by genres ranging from rock and R&B to gospel and classical.

#### February 4, 1995: "Think Twice"

* **Released** October 10, 1994
* Seven weeks, Gold

#### February 21, 1998: "My Heart Will Go On"

***"My Heart Will Go On,"*** also called the "Love Theme from Titanic," is the main theme song to James Cameron's blockbuster film Titanic. Its music was composed by James Horner with lyrics were written by Will Jennings. Originally released in 1997 on Dion's album *Let's Talk About Love* and the *Titanic soundtrack album*, the romantic song went to number one all over the world.

The song became Dion's biggest hit, and one of the best-selling singles of all time, and was the world's best-selling single of 1998. Due to the song's widespread popularity when it was released, it is considered to be Dion's signature song.

* **Released** February 9, 1998
* Total two weeks
	+ February 21, 1998, one week
	+ March 14, 1998, one week
* 2x Platinum

### Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band. Pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s. After several line-up changes, the band went on to be considered one of the most successful heavy metal bands in history.

#### December 30, 1990: "Bring Your Daughter...to the Slaughter"

Bruce Dickinson said "We're going to release this as a single on Christmas Eve to scare the living daylights out of Cliff Richard". It is the only UK No. 1 single for the band to date, in spite of the fact that it received very little airplay on the BBC.

* Two weeks
* From *No Prayer for the Dying* (1990)

### Oasis

***Oasis*** were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Developed from an earlier group, the Rain, the band originally consisted of Liam Gallagher (vocals and tambourine), Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs (guitar), Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan (bass guitar), and Tony McCarroll (drums, percussion). They were later joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher (lead guitar and vocals) as a fifth member, becoming the band's settled line-up until April 1995.

Oasis released their record-setting debut album Definitely Maybe (1994). The following year the band recorded (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) with drummer Alan White, in the midst of a chart rivalry with Britpop peers Blur. Along with Suede, Pulp, Blur and others, Oasis came to be regarded as one of the major bands of the Britpop movement, and in many respects, eclipsed their peers in terms of commercial success and their influence on British culture, and the Gallagher brothers being featured regularly in tabloid newspapers for their sibling disputes and wild lifestyles. In 1997 Oasis released their third album, Be Here Now (1997), and although it was the fastest-selling album in UK chart history, the album's popularity tapered off quickly.

#### May 6, 1995: "Some Might Say"

* One week; Gold
* Released April 24, 1995

#### March 2, 1996: "Don't Look Back in Anger"

* One week; Platinum
* Released February 19, 1996

#### July 19, 1997: "D'You Know What I Mean?"

* One week; Platinum
* Released July 7, 1997

#### January 24, 1998: "All Around the World"

***"All Around the World"*** is a song by the English rock band Oasis, written by the band's lead guitarist and principal songwriter Noel Gallagher. The album version, twice the length of the single edit at nearly ten minutes long, is embellished with string and horn pieces, and is followed by the two-minute-long instrumental "All Around the World (Reprise)". As with many Oasis songs (such as "Whatever", "Acquiesce", "Live Forever") it sends the message that "everything's gonna be okay".

* One week; Silver
* Released January 12, 1998
* From *Be Here Now* (1998)

### Spice Girls

The ***Spice Girls*** were an English pop girl group formed in 1994, originally consisted of Melanie Brown ("Scary Spice"), Melanie Chisholm ("Sporty Spice"), Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"), Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"), and Victoria Beckham, née Adams ("Posh Spice").

Measures of their success include international record sales, a 2007/08 reunion tour, unprecedented merchandising, record-breaking achievements, iconic symbolism representing "girl power", and a film, Spice World. The group became one of the most successful marketing engines ever, earning up to $75 million per year, with their global grosses estimated at $500–800 million by May 1998.

#### December 28, 1996: "2 Become 1"

"2 Become 1" became the Spice Girls' first Christmas number-one, selling 462,000 copies in its first week, making it the fastest selling single of the year.

* Three weeks, Platinum
* Released December 16, 1996
* US #4, Platinum

#### December 27, 1997: "Too Much"

***"Too Much"*** is a song written at the same time as the group was filming scenes for their movie Spice World. The song appears on the group's second album Spiceworld.

"Too Much" is a pop ballad with influences of R&B. It features instrumentation from a guitar, brass and string instruments, and is structured using doo-wop records as a template. The music video features each Spice Girl in their own individual scene playing different characters, inspired by their own movie fantasies. The song received mixed reviews from music critics, with many of them criticising the R&B-infused production.

* Two weeks, Platinum
* Released December 27, 1997
* US #9, Gold

#### December 26, 1998: "Goodbye"

***"Goodbye"*** was intended to be on Spiceworld. However, due to time constraints it was not recorded in time. It was later included on their third studio album Forever. The song became the group's first song without the vocals of Geri Halliwell. It was released as a Christmas single, along with the B-side, "Christmas Wrapping", which was only recorded by Mel C and Emma due to the pregnancies of Mel B and Victoria.

"Goodbye" was a commercial success, and made the Spice Girls the first act to have three consecutive Christmas number-one singles since The Beatles in 1965.

In the Spice Girls' autobiography, "Forever Spice", Melanie C said "Goodbye" was originally about a relationship ending, but now it's about Geri and it's really sad.

* One week, Platinum
* Released December 14, 1998
* US #11, Gold

### Take That

***Take That*** are an English pop group formed in Manchester, in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the group's lead singer and primary songwriter, with Owen and Williams initially providing backing vocals and Donald and Orange serving primarily as dancers. Now though both Owen and Donald act as backing vocals. Williams left the band in 1995 while the four remaining members completed their world tour and released a final single before splitting up in 1996. The group re-formed in 2005 as a four-piece. Williams briefly re-joined in 2011.

#### December 18, 1993: "Babe"

***"Babe"*** is a song by boy band Take That. It was the fourth single from Take That's second album, Everything Changes. Written by Gary Barlow, it features Mark Owen on lead vocals. The song was featured in the Only Fools and Horses episode "Fatal Extraction" broadcast on December 25 1993, the day that the song had been knocked off number one in the singles chart. The music video involved the members acting out a story running parallel to the song's lyrics showing Owen trying to track down a loved one after coming back from war. Later it emerges Owen has fathered a child.

* One week, Silver
* Released December 6, 1993
* From *Everything Changes* (1993)

### Usher

***Usher*** Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978), is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. In 1994, he released his self-titled debut album, *Usher*. He rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his sophomore album *My Way* (1997).

#### January 31, 1998: "You Make Me Wanna..."

***"You Make Me Wanna..."*** is a song by American recording artist Usher. It was released as the lead single from Usher's second studio album, *My Way*. An R&B, soul and pop ballad in C minor, it makes use of acoustic guitar, hi-hat and bell instrumentation. The song focuses on a love triangle relationship, with the protagonist wishing to leave his girlfriend for his erstwhile best friend, with a hook in which Usher states, "You make me wanna leave the one I'm with and start a new relationship with you".

An accompanying music video, directed by Bille Woodruff, shows Usher dancing in various coloured rooms and backgrounds, and uses an effect which creates several clones of Usher.

* One week; Gold
* Released January 19, 1998
* From *My Way* (1997)

###  Various Artists

#### November 29, 1997: "Perfect Day"

    In 1997, a version of ***Lou Reed's song*** was showcased by the BBC in a lengthy corporate promotion of its diverse music coverage which was broadcast on BBC channels and in cinemas. It featured Reed himself and other major artists in what the Financial Times described as "an astonishing line-up of world class performers".

Prompted by huge public demand the track was released as a charity single for Children in Need, and Reed said, "I have never been more impressed with a performance of one of my songs." The record contributed £2,125,000 to the charity's highest fundraising total in six years.

* Total three weeks: two weeks from November 29, 1997, and a further week from January 10, 1998; 2x Platinum
* Released November 17, 1997