Retail Singles was a weekly music chart compiled and published by Canadian magazine The Record from 1983 to 1996 that ranked the best-selling songs in Canada. Whereas the singles chart of rival magazine RPM was based solely on radio airplay after September 1988, [3] Retail Singles was based on a national sample of single sales reports given by Canadian retailers and rack jobbers. [4] It was regarded in the music industry as the premier Canadian single sales chart for the duration of its publication. [4] [lower-alpha 1] The chart was associated with Canada in the Hits of the World section of American magazine Billboard and was featured in Canadian newspapers such as the Montreal Gazette , Winnipeg Sun , and Edmonton Journal . [6]
Retail Singles was first published in the January 10, 1983, issue of The Record, and was dated seven days later. The chart contained thirty positions through the week ending October 24, 1983. It expanded to forty positions on the week ending October 31, 1983, and to fifty positions on the week ending February 11, 1985. From the week ending January 22, 1990, until its discontinuation after the week ending April 1, 1996, Retail Singles contained forty positions. [4] After thirteen years, 2,500 entries, and 193 number ones, The Record ceased publishing the chart due to a lack of sales reports owing to declining single sales in the country. [7] It was succeeded in October 1996 by the Canadian Singles Chart, compiled by SoundScan. [4]
American singer Madonna achieved the most Retail Singles number ones (12), followed by Phil Collins (6), Paula Abdul (5), Michael Jackson (5), and Mariah Carey (5). Five songs tied for the most weeks at number one, with 12: "Faith" by George Michael (1987–1988), "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" by Bryan Adams (1991), "Said I Loved You...But I Lied" by Michael Bolton (1993–1994), "The Power of Love" by Celine Dion (1994), and "Fantasy" by Carey (1995–1996). [2] Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" is the best-performing song of the 1980s [8] and Dion's "The Power of Love" is the best-performing title in Retail Singles history. [9]
† | Indicates a song debuted at number one |
re | Indicates a song returned to number one |
Indicates a song designated as Canadian content by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission |
"Because of Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson from her fifth album, Janet (1993). It was released in January 1994 by Virgin as the album's fourth single. The track is a love song written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. A remix of the song, the Frankie & David Treat Mix, appears on Jackson's second remix compilation Janet Remixed (1995). Its music video was directed by Beth McCarthy.
Nanda Layos Lwin is a Canadian author, music historian, journalist, civil engineer, and educator. He wrote the weekly ChartTalk column, a commentary of the current Canadian music charts; it appeared on canoe.ca from 1997 to 2002 and in The Hamilton Spectator from 2003 to 2006. He is the author and publisher of eight books including Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide (1999) and Top Albums: The Essential Chart Guide (2003), primarily documenting the chart history of the Canadian music magazine The Record.
"All by Myself" is a song by American singer-songwriter Eric Carmen released in 1975. The verse is based on the second movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's circa 1900–1901 Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18. The chorus was taken from the song "Let's Pretend", which Carmen wrote and recorded with the Raspberries in 1972. The slide guitar solo was performed by studio guitarist Hugh McCracken.
"Knocked Out" is the debut single by American singer Paula Abdul, released on May 4, 1988. It was the first song from her debut album, Forever Your Girl. It was written by Babyface, L.A. Reid and Daryl Simmons and produced in 1987 by the former two.
The Canadian Singles Chart was a chart compiled by the American-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan, which began publication in November 1996. It was published every Wednesday and also published on Thursday by Jam!/Canoe. In March 2006, it was replaced by the Canadian Digital Songs Sales chart, before it was succeeded by the Canadian Hot 100 in 2007.
"The Power of Love" is a song co-written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Jennifer Rush in 1984. It was released as the fifth single from her debut album, Jennifer Rush (1984), and has since been covered by Air Supply, Laura Branigan, and Celine Dion.
"Because You Loved Me" is a song performed by Canadian singer Celine Dion on her fourth English-language studio album, Falling into You (1996). It was released on 19 February 1996 as the first single in North America, and as the second single in the United Kingdom on 20 May 1996. "Because You Loved Me" was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, and served as the theme song from the 1996 film Up Close & Personal, starring Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer. Billboard ranked it as the 14th Top Love Song Of All Time.
"If You Asked Me To" is a song written by American songwriter Diane Warren. It was originally recorded by American singer Patti LaBelle for her ninth studio album, Be Yourself (1989), and also for the soundtrack to the James Bond film Licence to Kill. The lyrics are from the point of view of a woman who pleads to her significant other: "If you asked me to, I just might change my mind, and let you in my life forever". Three years later, Canadian singer Celine Dion covered the song for her 1992 self-titled second English-language studio album. Released as the album's second single, Dion's version topped the Canadian charts and peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Romantic" is a song by American singer Karyn White from her second studio album Ritual of Love (1991). It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 2, 1991, making it her biggest hit to date. "Romantic" was also White's fourth number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.
"Where Does My Heart Beat Now" is a song performed by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion for her ninth studio album and debut English-language album, Unison (1990). It was released by Columbia Records as the third single from Unison in Canada on 1 October 1990. It was also issued as the lead single in the United States in late 1990, and in other parts of the world in early 1991. "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" was written by Robert White Johnson and Taylor Rhodes in 1988, and recorded by Dion one year later. The song was produced by Christopher Neil. Dion premiered the song at the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 in Switzerland, where she performed it along with her 1988 winning song, "Ne partez pas sans moi".
"The Last to Know" is a song recorded by Sheena Easton for her 1987 album, No Sound But a Heart. It was written by Brock Walsh and Phil Galdston and produced by Nick Martinelli. In 1990, it was covered by Celine Dion.
"Love Can Move Mountains" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion, recorded for her second English-language studio album, Celine Dion (1992). Written by Diane Warren and produced by Ric Wake, it was released as the fourth single in October 1992. It is an up-tempo pop song drawing influence from gospel and dance music, and its lyrics detail the abilities that love has as an emotion. "Love Can Move Mountains" was later included on Dion's greatest hits albums, All the Way... A Decade of Song in 1999 and My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection in 2008.
"Water from the Moon" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion, recorded for her second English-language studio album, Celine Dion (1992). The song was commercially released in March 1993 as the fifth single in the United States. In Canada it was a radio single only. "Water from the Moon" was written by Diane Warren and produced by Guy Roche, with additional production by Walter Afanasieff. Warren also sang the background vocals.
"Did You Give Enough Love" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion from her eleventh studio album, Celine Dion (1992). It was written by Seth Swirsky and Arnie Roman, and produced by Ric Wake. In July 1993, "Did You Give Enough Love" was released as the last, but promotional only single in Canada. It entered the Canadian airplay charts, reaching numbers 17 on the RPM's Top Singles, 19 on The Record's Contemporary Hit Radio, 23 on the RPM's Adult Contemporary and 25 in Quebec.
"Misled" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion for her third English-language studio album, The Colour of My Love (1993). It was released as the second single from the album in March 1994 by Columbia Records. The song was written by Peter Zizzo and Jimmy Bralower and produced by Ric Wake. "Misled" topped the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and reached number four in Canada. It also peaked at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart and number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its music video was directed by Randee St. Nicholas.
"Think Twice" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released as the third single from her third English-language album, The Colour of My Love (1993) in North America in July 1994, in the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan in October 1994, and in other European countries in 1995. It was written by Andy Hill and Peter Sinfield, and produced by Christopher Neil and Aldo Nova. In this rock-influenced song with a guitar solo, the protagonist is telling her lover to "think twice" before leaving her. The song became one of Dion's most successful hits in Europe and Australia, topping multiple charts, including those of Flemish Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Remaining at the top of the UK Singles Chart for seven weeks, it eventually became the fourth single by a female artist to sell in excess of one million copies in the UK.
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Canadian singer Celine Dion has released 137 singles in both English and French discography as a lead artist. According to Billboard, Dion is the world's best-selling contemporary female artist of all time. As of 2021, she has reportedly sold around 200 to 250 million records worldwide. Referred to as the "Queen of Power Ballads", Dion has released a string of worldwide hits, with "My Heart Will Go On" being her career's biggest hit, with estimated physical sales of over 18 million worldwide, making it the 2nd best-selling physical single by a woman in history. It reached over 117 million radio impressions during its peak, becoming the most-played radio hit in history and became the best-selling single of 1998 worldwide. "Because You Loved Me" is her biggest hit on Billboard Hot 100, spending six weeks atop the charts and sold six million copies in its first six months of availability worldwide. "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" was the 4th biggest hit of the 1990s in France and has sold over four million copies worldwide.
"Lead Me On" is a popular song which was a hit single for Maxine Nightingale in 1979.