1987 in British music

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This is a summary of 1987 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

Contents

Summary

The start of the year saw an important milestone in electronic dance music, when Steve "Silk" Hurley's song "Jack Your Body" became the first house music track to reach number 1 in the UK charts. This was despite Hurley refusing to promote the song, and the 12-inch single technically breaking chart rules as it was longer than the allowed 25-minute play time. House music had been steadily growing in popularity since it started underground in the early 1980s, and another number 1 would follow in September, the huge selling "Pump Up The Volume" by British act M|A|R|R|S which was one of the top ten biggest selling songs of the year.

For most of the 1980s, the main musical format in the charts was the gramophone record, with songs being released on both 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl singles. However, in 1987 two new formats started to appear. The first was the digital CD single, where songs are put on a Compact Disc. These were first made eligible for the UK Singles Chart this year, and the first number 1 to be released as a CD single was Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" released in May. The second was the cassette single where the song is released on an audio tape - the BPI began recording their sales this year, but they would not become eligible until 1989. Both formats would dominate the chart throughout the 1990s.

Synthpop bands Pet Shop Boys and Erasure continued their success from their breakthrough year in 1986, with the Pet Shop Boys achieving their second number 1 single ("It's a Sin") in the summer, and two more top ten singles with "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", a collaboration with Dusty Springfield, which peaked at number 2, and "Rent", which peaked at number 8. Their album "Actually" also sold well and peaked at number 2. Erasure's album The Circus was their first charting album and peaked at number 6, and had two top 10 hits this year with the eponymous title track and "Victim of Love", as well as the number 12 charting "It Doesn't Have to Be" and their big hit from the previous year, "Sometimes". Both bands would continue to have huge success into the early 1990s.

The sound of producers Stock Aitken Waterman continued to grow in popularity, as they moved from their previous Hi-NRG sound to one more pop-based. It gave them big hits with girl group Bananarama, with their song "Love in the First Degree" becoming their biggest hit ever when it peaked at number 3, and American singer Sinitta with "Toy Boy", the successful No.4 followup to the big selling song "So Macho" from 1986. They also achieved two number one's, one being girl duo Mel and Kim's "Respectable", and created a huge star with the baritone-voiced singer Rick Astley. In 1987 he had a number one album with "Whenever You Need Somebody", and several high charting singles including the title track and the biggest selling single of the year, his number 1 breakthrough song "Never Gonna Give You Up".

Madonna continued her long run of Top Ten hits throughout the year, scoring two number one's, "La Isla Bonita" in April and "Who's That Girl" in July; the former was her third number one single from the multi-million selling album True Blue and the latter was taken from the film of the same name in which Madonna herself starred. Although the film was critically panned, the soundtrack album hit a respectable No.4 and generated two more Top 10 hits for Madonna; "Causing a Commotion" (No.4, September) and "The Look of Love" (No.9, December).

Soul singer Ben E. King got a surprise number 1 with a re-release of 1961's "Stand by Me", which was used in an advert for Levi Jeans. Long running band The Bee Gees also got their first number 1 of the decade with "You Win Again", their fifth overall in a 20-year career, and Michael Jackson released the multi-million selling "Bad" one of the highest selling albums in UK chart history. It spawned the number 1 single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (a duet with Siedah Garrett), the number 3 title track and the number 3 "The Way You Make Me Feel". The year also saw George Michael launch his solo career post-Wham! with the album "Faith" and its title track, which reached number 2.

The race for the Christmas number one single had many contenders this year. Rick Astley released a cover of "When I Fall In Love", and the 1956 Nat King Cole version was re-released at the same time, while 'Mel & Kim' released a cover of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" - however, this referred to comedian Mel Smith and singer Kim Wilde rather than the girl group of the same name; proceeds went to the charity Comic Relief. A very popular Christmas song released this year was a collaboration with Irish band The Pogues and singer Kirsty MacColl, with the song "Fairytale of New York". With its bitter tale about the breakup of two lovers, it was very different from other Christmas songs around.

In the end, it was the Pet Shop Boys who had the Christmas number one of 1987, with their cover of Elvis Presley's "Always on My Mind". The Pogues peaked at number 2 and has been re-issued several times since, reaching the top 10 in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

In the world of classical music Nicholas Maw's new work Odyssey made an impact, and veteran composer Malcolm Arnold produced his Salute to Thomas Merritt, Op. 98, whilst Michael Nyman and Judith Weir both brought new operas to the stage. The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition was won by Italian soprano Valeria Esposito, and the Lieder prize was introduced into the competition for the first time.

Events

Charts

Number one singles

[4]

Chart date
(week ending)
SongArtist(s)Weeks
3 January"Reet Petite" Jackie Wilson 3
10 January
17 January
24 January"Jack Your Body" Steve "Silk" Hurley 2
31 January
7 February"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" Aretha Franklin and George Michael 2
14 February
21 February"Stand by Me" Ben E. King 3
28 February
7 March
14 March"Everything I Own" Boy George 2
21 March
28 March"Respectable" Mel and Kim 1
4 April"Let It Be" Ferry Aid 3
11 April
18 April
25 April"La Isla Bonita" Madonna 2
2 May
9 May"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" Starship 4
16 May
23 May
30 May
6 June"I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" Whitney Houston 2
13 June
20 June"Star Trekkin'" The Firm 2
27 June
4 July"It's a Sin" Pet Shop Boys 3
11 July
18 July
25 July"Who's That Girl"Madonna1
1 August"La Bamba" Los Lobos 2
8 August
15 August"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" Michael Jackson with Siedah Garrett 2
22 August
29 August"Never Gonna Give You Up" Rick Astley 5
5 September
12 September
19 September
26 September
3 October"Pump Up the Volume"/"Anitiиa (The First Time I See She Dance)" M|A|R|R|S 2
10 October
17 October"You Win Again" Bee Gees 4
24 October
31 October
7 November
14 November"China in Your Hand" T'Pau 5
21 November
28 November
5 December
12 December
19 December"Always on My Mind"Pet Shop Boys2
26 December

Number one albums

[5]

Chart date
(week ending)
AlbumArtist(s)Weeks
3 January Now 8 Various Artists2
10 January
17 January The Whole Story Kate Bush 2
24 January
31 January Graceland Paul Simon 3
7 February
14 February
21 February The Phantom of the Opera Original London Cast3
28 February
7 March
14 MarchThe Very Best of Hot Chocolate Hot Chocolate 1
21 March The Joshua Tree U2 2
28 March
4 April Now 9 Various Artists5
11 April
18 April
25 April
2 May
9 May Keep Your Distance Curiosity Killed the Cat 2
16 May
23 May It's Better to Travel Swing Out Sister 2
30 May
6 June Live in the City of Light Simple Minds 1
13 June Whitney Whitney Houston 6
20 June
27 June
4 July
11 July
18 July
25 July Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby Terence Trent D'Arby 1
1 August Hits 6 Various Artists4
8 August
15 August
22 August
29 August Hysteria Def Leppard 1
5 SeptemberHits 6Various Artists1
12 September Bad Michael Jackson 5
19 September
26 September
3 October
10 October
17 October Tunnel of Love Bruce Springsteen 1
24 October ...Nothing Like the Sun Sting 1
31 October Tango in the Night Fleetwood Mac 2
7 November
14 November Faith George Michael 1
21 November Bridge of Spies T'Pau 1
28 November Whenever You Need Somebody Rick Astley 1
5 December Now 10 Various Artists4
12 December
19 December
26 December

Year-end charts

Best-selling singles

[6]

No.TitleArtistPeak
position
Estimated
sales [7]
1"Never Gonna Give You Up" Rick Astley 1810,000
2"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" Starship 1740,000
3"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" Whitney Houston 1640,000
4"You Win Again" Bee Gees 1590,000
5"China in Your Hand" T'Pau 1570,000
6"Respectable" Mel and Kim 1570,000
7"Stand by Me" Ben E. King 1530,000
8"It's a Sin" Pet Shop Boys 1475,000
9"Star Trekkin'" The Firm 1470,000
10"Pump Up the Volume"/"Anitiиa (The First Time I See She Dance)" M|A|R|R|S 1450,000
11"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" George Michael and Aretha Franklin 1
12"Under the Boardwalk" Bruce Willis 2
13"Let It Be" Ferry Aid 1
14"Always on My Mind"Pet Shop Boys1430,000
15"Got My Mind Set on You" George Harrison 2
16"Can't Be with You Tonight" Judy Boucher 2
17"La Isla Bonita" Madonna 1
18"La Bamba" Los Lobos 1
19"Hold Me Now" Johnny Logan 2
20"Who's That Girl"Madonna1
21"Everything I Own" Boy George 1
22"Down to Earth" Curiosity Killed the Cat 3
23"When a Man Loves a Woman" Percy Sledge 2
24"Heartache" Pepsi & Shirlie 2
25"Always" Atlantic Starr 3
26"Whenever You Need Somebody" Rick Astley 3
27"Toy Boy" Sinitta 4
28"I Get the Sweetest Feeling" Jackie Wilson 3
29"Faith" George Michael 2
30"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" Michael Jackson featuring Siedah Garrett 1
31"Live It Up" Mental As Anything 3
32"Love in the First Degree" Bananarama 3
33"Crockett's Theme Jan Hammer 2
34"Alone" Heart 3
35"Wipe Out" The Fat Boys and The Beach Boys 2
36"Call Me" Spagna 2
37"Let's Wait Awhile" Janet Jackson 3
38"Jack Your Body" Steve 'Silk' Hurley 1
39"The Great Pretender" Freddie Mercury 4
40"Male Stripper" Man 2 Man meets Man Parrish 4
41"Lean on Me" Club Nouveau 3
42"What Have I Done to Deserve This?"Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield 2
43"Some People" Cliff Richard 3
44"A Boy from Nowhere" Tom Jones 2
45"With or Without You" U2 4
46"Wishing Well" Terence Trent D'Arby 4
47"Heart and Soul"T'Pau4
48"Fairytale of New York" The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl 2
49"Full Metal Jacket (I Wanna Be Your Drill Instructor)" Abigail Mead and Nigel Goulding2
50"When I Fall in Love"/"My Arms Keep Missing You" Rick Astley 2

Best-selling albums

[8]

No.TitleArtistPeak
position
Estimated
sales [7]
1 Bad Michael Jackson 11,650,000
2 The Joshua Tree U2 11,450,000
3 Whitney Whitney Houston 11,280,000
4 Now 10 Various Artists11,075,000
5 Hits 6 Various Artists11,050,000
6 Tango in the Night Fleetwood Mac 1920,000
7 Whenever You Need Somebody Rick Astley 1850,000
8 Bridge of Spies T'Pau 1780,000
9 The Phantom of the Opera Original London Cast1735,000
10 Hits 7 Various Artists2695,000
11 Running in the Family Level 42 2
12 Now 9 Various Artists1
13 Raindancing Alison Moyet 2
14 Graceland Paul Simon 1
15 Actually Pet Shop Boys 2
16 Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby Terence Trent D'Arby 1
17 All the Best! Paul McCartney 2
18 Invisible Touch Genesis 2 [lower-alpha 1]
19 Men and Women Simply Red 2
20 The Best of UB40 – Volume One UB40 3
21 True Blue Madonna 2 [lower-alpha 2]
22 Live in the City of Light Simple Minds 1
23 The Singles The Pretenders 6
24 Keep Your Distance Curiosity Killed the Cat 1
25 Faith George Michael 1
26 The Cream of Eric Clapton Eric Clapton 3
27 Solitude Standing Suzanne Vega 2
28 Always Guaranteed Cliff Richard 5
29The Very Best of Hot Chocolate Hot Chocolate 1
30Sixties MixVarious Artists3
31 The Circus Erasure 6
32 Give Me the Reason Luther Vandross 9 [lower-alpha 3]
33 Silk & Steel Five Star 5 [lower-alpha 4]
34 Hysteria Def Leppard 1
35 F.L.M. Mel and Kim 3
36 Brothers in Arms Dire Straits 11 [lower-alpha 5]
37 Popped In Souled Out Wet Wet Wet 2 [lower-alpha 6]
38 So Peter Gabriel 6 [lower-alpha 7]
39 Whitesnake 1987 Whitesnake 8
40 It's Better to Travel Swing Out Sister 1
41 Who's That Girl Original Soundtrack4
42Simply Shadows The Shadows 7
43 You Can Dance Madonna5
44 Dancing with Strangers Chris Rea 2
45 The Return of Bruno Bruce Willis 4
46 Bad Animals Heart 7
47 Hearsay Alexander O'Neal 10 [lower-alpha 8]
48Move CloserVarious Artists4
49 Tunnel of Love Bruce Springsteen 1
50 Licensed to Ill Beastie Boys 7

Notes:

  1. Reached number 1 in 1986
  2. Reached number 1 in 1986
  3. Reached number 3 in 1988
  4. Reached number 1 in 1986
  5. Reached number 1 in 1985
  6. Reached number 1 in 1988
  7. Reached number 1 in 1986
  8. Reached number 4 in 1988

Classical music

Opera

Musical films

Births

Deaths

Music awards

BRIT Awards

The 1987 BRIT Awards winners were:

Ivor Novello Awards

See also

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