Nicholas David Kershaw is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He came to prominence in 1984 as a solo artist. He released eight singles that entered the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart during the decade, including "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Dancing Girls", "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", "Human Racing", "The Riddle", "Wide Boy", "Don Quixote", and "When a Heart Beats". His 62 weeks on the UK Singles Chart through 1984 and 1985 beat all other solo artists. Kershaw appeared at the multi-venue benefit concert Live Aid in 1985 and has also penned a number of hits for other artists, including a UK No. 1 single in 1991 for Chesney Hawkes, "The One and Only".
Human Racing is the debut studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 27 February 1984 by MCA Records. Several songs like "Drum Talk" were based around improvisation; other songs, like "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", had a political message.
Radio Musicola is the third studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 20 October 1986 by MCA Records, just under two years after Kershaw's previous studio album, The Riddle (1984). It was the first studio album to be produced by Kershaw. It features guest backing vocalists, including Icehouse's Iva Davies, and Night's Stevie Lange, and Miriam Stockley.
The Riddle is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 19 November 1984 by MCA Records.
"Don't Lose My Number" is a song by the English singer Phil Collins from his third solo studio album No Jacket Required. The single was not released in the UK, though it peaked at No. 4 in the US in September 1985. The B-side, "We Said Hello Goodbye" was released as a bonus track on the CD for No Jacket Required. In Australia, the single was released with the title "(Billy) Don't Lose My Number".
"Wouldn't It Be Good" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 20 January 1984 as the second single from his debut studio album, Human Racing (1984). The release was Kershaw's second single, with the non-album track "Monkey Business" as its B-side; it was a bonus track on the 2012 re-release of the album. The music video was directed by Storm Thorgerson.
"I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw from his debut studio album, Human Racing (1984). It was his first single, released on 9 September 1983 to limited success. When re-released on 4 June 1984, the song became Kershaw's highest-charting single on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two. It features the non-album track "Dark Glasses" as the B-side, which was also released as a bonus track on the 2012 re-release of the album.
"Human Racing" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It was the title track for his hit debut studio album of the same name, released in September 1984 by MCA Records. It was the fourth hit single from the album, reaching No. 19 in the UK Singles Chart. It entered the chart in the week ending 15 September 1984, and remained within for seven weeks. An earlier version of the song, titled "Look Behind You", appeared on the studio album Till I Hear from You (1980) by Fusion, a band with Kershaw on lead vocals and guitar.
"Nikita" is a song by English musician Elton John from his 19th studio album, Ice on Fire (1985). It was released as the album's lead single on 4 October 1985, charting at number three on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number seven in the United States, and reaching the top 10 worldwide, topping the charts of eight countries. The song features George Michael on backing vocals and Nik Kershaw on guitar.
"Take It to the Limit" is a song by the Eagles from their fourth album One of These Nights from which it was issued as the last third single on November 15, 1975. It reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was also Eagles' greatest success to that point in the United Kingdom, going to No. 12 on the charts. Billboard ranked it as the No. 25 song for 1976.
"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" is a song by English musician Elton John, with music by John and Davey Johnstone and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, released as the first single from John's 17th studio album Too Low for Zero. It was the first single since 1975's "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" to feature the classic lineup of the Elton John Band.
"When a Heart Beats" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released as the lead single from his third studio album, Radio Musicola (1986)—although the song does not appear on the LP version of the album, only on the cassette and CD editions. Kershaw's eighth single overall, it features the track "Wild Horses"—which was originally included on his previous studio album, The Riddle (1984)—as its B-side.
"The Riddle" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released in 1984 as the lead single from his second studio album of the same name. Kershaw described the lyrical content as being nondescript to fill as a "guide vocal" for the production. It reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top 10 in countries like Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. An accompanying music video was made for the song and features references to Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865).
"Bring On the Dancing Horses" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 7 October 1985. It was the only single from their 1985 compilation album Songs to Learn & Sing and was recorded for the John Hughes film Pretty in Pink (1986). The song reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart and number 15 on the Irish Singles Chart.
"One Step Ahead" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 23 January 1989 as the lead single from his fourth studio album The Works (1989). It was written by Kershaw, and produced by Kershaw and Julian Mendelsohn. A music video was filmed to promote the single, and Kershaw also performed it on the Dutch TV show POP Formule.
The discography of Nik Kershaw consists of nine studio albums, three live albums, eight compilation albums, one extended play (EP) and 27 singles. His 62 weeks on the UK Singles Chart between 1984 and 1985 beat all other solo artists.
"Wide Boy" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It was his sixth consecutive top-20 single, peaking at No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart in 1985. It was followed by "Don Quixote" which was to become the last of his string of top-20 singles on the UK chart. "Wide Boy" also charted highly in Ireland and Australia, peaking at No. 5 and No. 7, respectively.
"Live It Up" is a song by Australian rock band Mental As Anything, released in May 1985 in Australia and then in Europe and the United States in 1986 and 1987 after the song's appearance in the film Crocodile Dundee. At the 1985 Countdown Australian Music Awards, the song won Best Single.
"Somebody Loves You" is a song from English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, which was released in 1999 as the lead single from his fifth studio album 15 Minutes. The song was written and produced by Kershaw. "Somebody Loves You" reached No. 70 in the UK Singles Chart.
Passengers is a 1984 song by English musician Elton John that appears on his 1984 album Breaking Hearts, released as the second single of the album. The song reached number five on the UK chart, and reached the top ten in Australia, but was not released as a single in the US.
