Thirty years ago: UK Top 40 Singles Chart for Sunday 22nd December 1991

So this was the chart that Radio 1 DJ Mark Goodier broadcast from 4:30-7pm with data from the GALLUP computer based on record sales from Monday 9th to Saturday 14th December 1991.

This is how the charts USED to look with new entries, climbers and non-movers, all based solely on record purchases.
This week, thirty years ago, there were three new entrys, thirteen climbers and five non-movers! And it was announced like this…

40. Queen – “The Show Must Go On”
Will Queen be number one for Christmas? For now though, the show must go on and with nine weeks on the chart, this one is down eleven places.

39. Kenny Thomas – “Tender Love”
Kenny Thomas‘ latest has amassed five weeks in the top 40 and he takes a more leisurely descent of just two places this week.

38. The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl – “Fairtytale Of New York”
Just three new entries this week and the first is a chart return for The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl with their 1987 top ten hit, which comes back to the chart, four year later.

37. Tina Turner – “Way Of The World”
Down one this week is Tina Turner with the first new song to be released from her first best of album as a solo artist, “Simply The Best“.

36. Erasure – “Am I Right?”
With four weeks on the chart, Vince and Andy‘s latest release from “Chorus” is down five places, possibly proving they are not right all the time…!

35. Airhead – “Counting Sheep”
Our first true new entry this week is a top 40 debut for British band Airhead, who formed a year ago and have so far released three singles without much recognition. Today, however, they finally make it with number four.

34. Shakin Stevens – “I’ll Be Home This Christmas”
Shakin Stevens may not ben getting a Christmas number one this year but he does get this week’s highest new entry with his usual festive offering.

33. James – “Sound”
The ‘sound’ of James has been around the UK chart a lot this year and their latest has been for five weeks now, and drop five places to match.

32. Prince – “Diamonds And Pearls”
Prince, however, is on the up for the first time with the title track of his latest album, which goes back up the chart, if only by one place!

31. 2 Unlimited – “Get Ready For This”
And as usual for this time of the year, he’s not the only one as 2 Unlimited do the same with their monster chart debut, which is three places higher than last week.

30. Simon and Garfunkel – “Hazy Shade Of Winter”
Simon and Garfunkel continue to make small step in an upwardly direction with the re-release of their 1960’s number one, which is two places higher this week.

29. Cathy Dennis – “Everybody Move”
Opting for just one more place higher this week is Cathy Dennis with the single remix of a track from her debut album, “Move To This”.

28. U2 – “Mysterious Ways”
The second single from U2’s latest album, “Achtung Baby”, came onto the chart three weeks ago and peaked straight away. They fell last week and they do the same this week, seven places lower.

27. Pet Shop Boys – “Was It Worth It?”
Also peaking last week and with a new entry were the Pet Shop Boys, who slip back three places with their first single not to make the top twenty since they arrived on the scene with “West End Girls” in 1985!

26. Altern 8 – “Active 8”
Also down three places are Altern 8 with the song that became their very first top ten hit on the singles chart and their most successful to date.

25. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Quickly establishing themselves as the new stars of grunge rock are US band Nirvana. their very first single to chart here in the UK is a non-mover this week.

24. New Kids On The Block – “If You Go Away”
The brand new song from New Kids On The Block made its debut in the top ten two weeks ago but dropped seven days ago and drops nine places in week three.

23. Lisa Stansfield – “All Woman”
Lisa Stansfield is all woman this week as the second single from her new album goes up twelve places and is this highest climber of them all this week.

22. Vic Reeves and The Wonder Stuff – “Dizzy”
Fed up with being dizzy this week are Vic Reeves and The Wonder Stuff with their former number one, which parks itself in the same spot for a second week running.

21. Digital Orgasm – “Running Out Of Time”
Digital Orgasm are still running and not out of time as their joint highest climber from last week is up a further six places in their third week on the chart.

20. Salt’N’Pepa – “You Showed Me”
Salt’N’Pepa’s latest single, though not making the top ten for them, does stay in the upper half of the chart, down three places this week.

19. Kate Bush – “Rocket Man”
Taking a slow descent to earth is Kate Bush with her version of Elton John’s early 1970’s hit, which at the 0 hour this week, is down just one place.

18. Human Resource – “The Complete Dominator”
Human Resource returned to the chart last week with this re-booted version of their earlier top 40 entry and the continue to vastly improve upon its original chart peak with a climb of eight places.

17. Martika – “Martika’s Kitchen”
Martika‘s table is all set for Christmas dinner, the oven is hot, but she won’t be celebrating a number one with her guests as she climbs just two more places.

16. East Side Beat – “Ride Like The Wind”
Going the other way are East Side Beat with their UK chart debut and former top three rework of Christopher Cross’ 1980 smash, which is down four places this week.

15. Jason Donovan – “Joseph Megamix”
Jason Donovan continues to do well with his remixed megamix of all the songs from his stage musical, which is up five places, Jason’s twelfth UK top twenty hit.

14. UK Mixmasters – “The Bare Necessities”
The UK Mixmasters are looking for those bare necessities that come from the ‘Jungle Book’ but they won’t find anything different in the same position as last week.

13. Simply Red – “Stars”
Simply Red state they want to “fall from the stars”, and they do just that, down two places, with the title track of their fourth studio album.

12. Cliff Richard – “We Should Be Together”
Shock! Horror! NO Christmas number one for Cliff this year! His attempt for another seasonal chart topper backfires and goes back two places and out of the top ten!

11. Michael Jackson – “Black Or White”
Michael Jackson’s former chart topper also leaves the top ten, down three places, the first I am sure of many singles yet to come from his latest album, “Dangerous”.

10. Shaft – “Roobarb And Custard”
UK producers Shaft made their chart debut last week, making a rave/dance anthem out of this 1970’s children’s cartoon theme and take it top ten in week two, up three places.

9. Hammer – “Addams Groove”
(MC) Hammer was also a new entry last week in reduced form and claims his first UK top ten hit in twelve months with a climb of seven places.

8. Brian May – “Driven By You”
In all, Brian May has three songs on this week’s chart, two with Queen and one on his own. This one. Which reverses two places having been parked for the past two weeks.

7. Kym Sims – “Too Blind To See It”
Kym Sims has also been parked for two weeks in seventh place and seems to be happy doing the same for a third week running with her debut recording!

6. Guns’N’Roses – “Live And Let Die”
The latest single from Guns’N’Roses is a cover of Wings James Bond theme from 1973 and it came onto the chart last week, three places higher than the original reached. Could be that they peaked there and they drop one place and out of the UK top five.

5. Right Said Fred – “Don’t Talk, Just Kiss”
Right Said Fred and Jocelyn Brown would rather just kiss than talk and their collaboration, which brought both acts into the top ten for the second time last week, climbs four more places and into the top five.

4. The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette – “Justified And Ancient”
The KLF and Country singing star Tammy Wynette have been holding onto third place for two weeks now with their unlikely combination, which drops back one place having been as justified and as ancient as they are able.

3. George Michael and Elton John – “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
The most recent former number one from George Michael and Elton John, with a new version of another Elton 1970’s hit, slips back one more place, having been knocked off the top last week by Queen.

So…there are just two records to go, who will it be?

2. Diana Ross – “When You Tell Me That You Love Me”
Moving back to the number two spot is Diana Ross, who has now been vying between fourth and second place for a whole month. She goes back up two places (again) to become the second biggest seller this festive season.

1. Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
But the Christmas number one title for 1991 goes to Queen, with last week’s highest new entry, a double A sider with a new song, “These Are The Days Of Our Lives”, which stays on top for a second week running! Will they be able to make it three in a row, or will Diana Ross finally be able to go that one more place? There’s only one way to find out…

Make sure you come back in seven days time for next weeks chart!

Follow the latest ‘rewind’ chart below or click here to read about previous weeks.