This is a summary of 1989 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

List of years in British music
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Summary

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The very beginning of the year saw compilation albums excluded from the UK Albums Chart, and spun off into the new UK Compilations Chart from the week commencing 8 January 1989. Albums such as the Now series had regularly dominated the chart since 1983, with often up to 4 of the Number 1s each year being hit compilations. Now 13 was knocked off the top spot of the albums chart as a result of this new implementation.

In the UK Singles Chart, eighteen singles reached number one. The first was a duet between teen idols Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, "Especially for You", which had narrowly missed out on being 1988's Christmas number one single. The two would continue their success throughout the year, with Minogue getting her third number-one single, "Hand on Your Heart", in May followed by "Wouldn't Change a Thing", which peaked at number two in August; "Never Too Late" peaked at number four in October, and then her second number-one album, Enjoy Yourself, came in November. Donovan fared even better getting two number-one singles ("Too Many Broken Hearts" in March, and "Sealed With a Kiss" in June) and one number-one album (Ten Good Reasons in May). The two enjoyed a highly publicised romance throughout the year until Minogue ended the relationship and began dating Michael Hutchence from the band INXS.

Like many artists this year, Minogue and Donovan were produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, who were at the peak of their popularity in 1989. This year saw the production team re-launch Donna Summer's career, and she scored her first Top 10 hit for 10 years with "This Time I Know It's for Real", which made number three, and followed it up with two more Top 20 hits ("I Don't Wanna Get Hurt" and "Love's About to Change My Heart") both from her album Another Place and Time, written and produced entirely by the trio. Also, the Reynolds Girls and Sonia both got the Stock Aitken Waterman treatment with their respective top 10 singles "I'd Rather Jack", which reached number eight in March, and "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You", which got to number one in July. Big Fun kick-started their short-lived pop career with a Stock Aitken Waterman produced cover of "Blame it on the Boogie", which got to number five.

After a break the previous year, Madonna returned to number one for the sixth time in March with "Like a Prayer", though the music video caused controversy. Her album, from which this was the title track, also topped the charts and became one of her most critically acclaimed worldwide. The single was followed by three further top five hits in 1989: "Express Yourself" (number five), "Cherish" (number three) and "Dear Jessie", which peaked at number five over the Christmas period.

May saw the Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden and producers Stock Aitken Waterman reach number one with a charity cover of the Gerry & The Pacemakers song "Ferry Cross the Mersey", released in aid of the Hillsborough disaster the previous month. The original reached number eight in 1964.

Two sounds dominated the summer and autumn. The first came from Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers: several old songs from the 1940s to 1960s were joined together to create a megamix, with "Jive Bunny" (an animated rabbit) featuring in the music videos. "Swing the Mood" topped the charts for five weeks from July, "That's What I Like" for three weeks in October, and "Let's Party" for one week in December. Unlike the first two, the last one sampled Christmas songs from the 1970s and 1980s. Jive Bunny became the third artist ever to have their first three singles reach number one, after Gerry & The Pacemakers and Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

The second was the italo house sound of Black Box, whose "Ride on Time" was the biggest-selling single of the year, and, at six weeks, spent the longest time at number one. Though the song heavily sampled Loleatta Holloway's "Love Sensation" from 1980, the music video featured a different singer miming to Holloway's vocals. This prompted legal action, so later pressings of the single featured a different singer – the then little-known Heather Small, who later went on to fame as the lead singer of M People in the 1990s. The same production team behind Black Box also reached number nine under the group name Starlight with the hit single "Numero Uno". The italo house sound continued with top ten hits from Mixmaster "Grand Piano" and FPI Project went to number nine with their version of "Going Back to My Roots/Rich in Paradise".

Along with italo, the House music genre was still going strong in 1989. Inner City released numerous house hits during the year, which all entered the Top 40, the biggest being "Good Life", which reached number four in January. Coldcut introduced Lisa Stansfield with her debut single "People Hold On", which reached number 11 in April and stayed in the Top 75 for 9 weeks. This was followed by her first solo hit, "This Is the Right Time", which hit number 13, but in October, she made it all the way to the top with "All Around the World", which stayed at number one for two weeks.

The Rebel MC created a second wave house craze in October 1989 with his number-two hit "Street Tuff", and from Belgium, genre-defining Technotronic stormed to number two in November with their huge debut hit "Pump Up the Jam". Like Black Box, there was minor controversy over who was the actual singer of the track. The label officially credited French model Felly as the vocalist (who also appeared in the video); however, it was, in fact, American rapper Ya Kid K providing all the vocals. A third scandal involving credited vocalists also continued this year with the duo Milli Vanilli, who hit the headlines when it was revealed that neither of them had performed vocals on any of their debut singles, including this year's number two smash from November "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You".

The teen-sensations of 1988, Bros, lost momentum and a band member this year, so a new boyband took their title. From the United States came New Kids on the Block and they soon became the latest pop sensations in Britain. Their debut single, "Hangin' Tough", initially stalled early in the summer, but it was the follow-up "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" that went straight in at number one in the autumn. It would stay there for three weeks, paving the way for a re-release of "Hangin' Tough" in January 1990, and the multi-platinum success of their debut album of the same name.

The year's Christmas number one single, and, indeed, the final number one of the 1980s, went to a new version of 1984's Christmas number one "Do They Know It's Christmas?". Produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, Band Aid II, like the original Band Aid, featured numerous famous music stars of the day, including both Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, giving them the credit as appearing on both the first and last number one singles of the year. Donovan would also achieve the honour of the biggest selling album of the year with his "Ten Good Reasons" album going multi-platinum before the end of the year.

One of the highlights of the Proms was the première of John Tavener's The Protecting Veil, performed by Steven Isserlis and the London Symphony Orchestra. Two new works by John McCabe were also premièred during the year: Sam Variations for violin, viola, cello, doublebass and piano, commissioned and performed by the Schubert Ensemble of London, and String Quartet No 5, performed by the Gabrieli Quartet at the Fishguard Festival. A choral work by McCabe's, Proud Songsters, was written to celebrate the 70th birthday of Stephen Wilkinson.

Events

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Charts

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Number-one singles

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[5]

Chart date
(week ending)
Song Artist(s)
7 January "Especially for You" Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
14 January
21 January
28 January "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" Marc Almond with Gene Pitney
4 February
11 February
18 February
25 February "Belfast Child" Simple Minds
4 March
11 March "Too Many Broken Hearts" Jason Donovan
18 March
25 March "Like a Prayer" Madonna
1 April
8 April
15 April "Eternal Flame" The Bangles
22 April
29 April
6 May
13 May "Hand on Your Heart" Kylie Minogue
20 May "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey" The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney,
Gerry Marsden and Stock Aitken Waterman
27 May
3 June
10 June "Sealed With a Kiss" Jason Donovan
17 June
24 June "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler
1 July
8 July
15 July
22 July "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" Sonia
29 July
5 August "Swing the Mood" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
12 August
19 August
26 August
2 September
9 September "Ride on Time" Black Box
16 September
23 September
30 September
7 October
14 October
21 October "That's What I Like" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
28 October
4 November
11 November "All Around the World" Lisa Stansfield
18 November
25 November "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" New Kids on the Block
2 December
9 December
16 December "Let's Party" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
23 December "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid II
30 December

Number-one albums

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Chart date
(week ending)
Album Artist
7 January Now 13 Various Artists
14 January The Innocents Erasure
21 January The Legendary Roy Orbison Roy Orbison
28 January
4 February
11 February Technique New Order
18 February The Raw and the Cooked Fine Young Cannibals
25 February A New Flame Simply Red
4 March
11 March
18 March
25 March Anything for You Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
1 April Like a Prayer Madonna
8 April
15 April When the World Knows Your Name Deacon Blue
22 April
29 April A New Flame Simply Red
6 May Blast! Holly Johnson
13 May Street Fighting Years Simple Minds
20 May Ten Good Reasons Jason Donovan
27 May
3 June The Miracle Queen
10 June Ten Good Reasons Jason Donovan
17 June
24 June Flowers in the Dirt Paul McCartney
1 July Batman Prince
8 July Velveteen Transvision Vamp
15 July Club Classics Vol. One Soul II Soul
22 July A New Flame Simply Red
29 July
5 August Cuts Both Ways Gloria Estefan
12 August
19 August
26 August
2 September
9 September
16 September Aspects of Love London Stage Cast
23 September We Too Are One Eurythmics
30 September Foreign Affair Tina Turner
7 October The Seeds of Love Tears for Fears
14 October Crossroads Tracy Chapman
21 October Enjoy Yourself Kylie Minogue
28 October
4 November Wild! Erasure
11 November
18 November The Road to Hell Chris Rea
25 November
2 December
9 December ...But Seriously Phil Collins
16 December
23 December
30 December

Number-one compilation albums

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Chart date
(week ending)
Album
14 January Now 13
21 January The Premiere Collection: The Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber
28 January
4 February The Marquee – Thirty Legendary Years
11 February
18 February
25 February
4 March The Awards
11 March The Premiere Collection: The Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber
18 March Deep Heat
25 March Unforgettable 2
1 April Now 14
8 April
15 April
22 April
29 April
6 May
13 May
20 May Nite Flite 2
27 May
3 June Hits 10
10 June
17 June
24 June
1 July
8 July
15 July Now Dance '89
22 July
29 July
5 August
12 August
19 August
26 August Now 15
2 September
9 September
16 September
23 September
30 September Deep Heat 4 – Play with Fire
7 October
14 October
21 October
28 October
4 November Smash Hits Party '89
11 November
18 November
25 November The 80s – The Best Album of the Decade
2 December Now 16
9 December
16 December
23 December
30 December

Year-end charts

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Best-selling singles

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[6]

No. Title Artist Peak
position
Estimated
sales[7]
1 "Ride on Time" Black Box 1 850,000
2 "Swing the Mood" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers 1 820,000
3 "Eternal Flame" The Bangles 1 500,000
4 "Too Many Broken Hearts" Jason Donovan 1
5 "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler 1
6 "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" Marc Almond featuring Gene Pitney 1
7 "That's What I Like" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers 1
8 "Pump Up the Jam" Technotronic featuring Felly 2
9 "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid II 1 450,000
10 "Hand on Your Heart" Kylie Minogue 1
11 "Like a Prayer" Madonna 1
12 "All Around the World" Lisa Stansfield 1
13 "If Only I Could" Sydney Youngblood 3
14 "Love Changes Everything" Michael Ball 2
15 "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You" Milli Vanilli 2
16 "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" Sonia 1
17 "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" New Kids on the Block 1
18 "The Living Years" Mike + the Mechanics 2
19 "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey" The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney,
Gerry Marsden and Stock, Aitken & Waterman
1
20 "Miss You Like Crazy" Natalie Cole 2
21 "Wouldn't Change a Thing" Kylie Minogue 2
22 "This Time I Know It's for Real" Donna Summer 3
23 "Don't Know Much" Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville 2
24 "Let's Party" Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers 1
25 "Street Tuff" Rebel MC and Double Trouble 3
26 "Belfast Child" Simple Minds 1
27 "Requiem" London Boys 4
28 "French Kiss" Lil Louis 2
29 "Sealed with a Kiss" Jason Donovan 1
30 "Right Here Waiting" Richard Marx 2
31 "Straight Up" Paula Abdul 3
32 "Especially for You" Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan 1
33 "You Got It" Roy Orbison 3
34 "Lambada" Kaoma 4
35 "Help!" Bananarama/Lananeeneenoonoo 3
36 "Stop!" Sam Brown 4
37 "When You Come Back to Me" Jason Donovan 2
38 "If You Don't Know Me by Now" Simply Red 2
39 "London Nights" London Boys 2
40 "Poison" Alice Cooper 2
41 "The Best" Tina Turner 5
42 "Love Train" Holly Johnson 4
43 "If I Could Turn Back Time" Cher 6
44 "Leave Me Alone" Michael Jackson 2
45 "Room in Your Heart" Living in a Box 5
46 "Another Day in Paradise" Phil Collins 2
47 "Song for Whoever" The Beautiful South 2
48 "Get a Life" Soul II Soul 3
49 "Baby I Don't Care" Transvision Vamp 3
50 "Leave a Light On" Belinda Carlisle 4

Best-selling albums

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No. Title Artist Peak
position
Estimated
sales[9]
1 Ten Good Reasons Jason Donovan 1 1,500,000
2 A New Flame Simply Red 1 1,400,000
3 ...But Seriously Phil Collins 1 1,200,000
4 Anything for You Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine 1 1,050,000
5 Cuts Both Ways Gloria Estefan 1 900,000
6 Enjoy Yourself Kylie Minogue 1 800,000
7 The Raw and the Cooked Fine Young Cannibals 1
8 Foreign Affair Tina Turner 1
9 Like a Prayer Madonna 1
10 Club Classics Vol. One Soul II Soul 1 750,000
11 Don't Be Cruel Bobby Brown 3
12 The Road to Hell Chris Rea 1
13 When the World Knows Your Name Deacon Blue 1
14 Jive Bunny: The Album Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers 2
15 Appetite for Destruction Guns N' Roses 5 600,000
16 Street Fighting Years Simple Minds 1
17 The Miracle Queen 1
18 Wild! Erasure 1
19 The Twelve Commandments of Dance London Boys 2
20 We Too Are One Eurythmics 1
21 The Seeds of Love Tears for Fears 1
22 Raw Like Sushi Neneh Cherry 2
23 Affection Lisa Stansfield 2
24 Watermark Enya 5
25 Velveteen Transvision Vamp 1
26 The Legendary Roy Orbison Roy Orbison 1
27 Spark to a Flame: The Very Best of Chris de Burgh Chris de Burgh 4
28 Ancient Heart Tanita Tikaram 3
29 Holding Back the River Wet Wet Wet 2
30 Batman Prince 1
31 Pastpresent Clannad 5
32 Kylie Kylie Minogue 2[a] 360,000
33 The Best of Rod Stewart Rod Stewart 3
34 Bad Michael Jackson 4[b]
35 Kick INXS 9
36 The Innocents Erasure 1
37 Paradise Inner City 3
38 Stronger Cliff Richard 7
39 The Sensual World Kate Bush 1
40 2 X 2 Milli Vanilli 6
41 Everything The Bangles 5
42 Level Best Level 42 5
43 Mystery Girl Roy Orbison 2
44 Crossroads Tracy Chapman 1
45 Remote/Bitter Suite Hue & Cry 10
46 Runaway Horses Belinda Carlisle 4
47 Greatest Hits Billy Ocean 4
48 Welcome to the Beautiful South The Beautiful South 2
49 Blast Holly Johnson 1
50 Aspects of Love Original Cast Recording 1

Notes:

  1. ^ Reached number 1 in 1988
  2. ^ Reached number 1 in 1987

Classical music

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Film and incidental music

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Births

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Deaths

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Music awards

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BRIT Awards

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The 1989 BRIT Awards winners were:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Brecon Jazz: History of a festival with buzz". The Daily Telegraph. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  2. ^ BBC. The world premiere of John Tavener's 20th-century classic, The Protecting Veil
  3. ^ The New York Times Biographical Service. University Microfilms. 1990. p. 594.
  4. ^ "A tribute to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, the longest serving President of Making Music". Making Music. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  5. ^ "1989 The Number One Singles". Official Charts Company.
  6. ^ "Year-End Charts '89 – Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 3 March 1990. p. 16.
  7. ^ Jones, Alan (27 January 1990). "Chartfile". Record Mirror. London, England: United Newspapers. pp. 44–45.
  8. ^ "Year-End Chart '89 – Top 75 Artist Albums". Music Week. 3 March 1990. p. 12.
  9. ^ Jones, Alan (20 January 1990). "Chartfile". Record Mirror. p. 42.
  10. ^ Paul R.W. Jackson (15 July 2019). The Life and Music of Sir Malcolm Arnold: The Brilliant and the Dark. Taylor & Francis. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-429-61493-4.
  11. ^ John Gillespie; Anna Gillespie (30 September 1995). Notable Twentieth-Century Pianists: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-25660-8.
  12. ^ Ben Harker (20 October 2007). Class Act: The Cultural and Political Life of Ewan MacColl. Pluto Press. ISBN 978-0-7453-2166-0.
  13. ^ Peter Dickinson (2003). The Music of Lennox Berkeley. Boydell Press. p. 198. ISBN 978-0-85115-936-2.
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