1991 in British music

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1991 in music

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This is a summary of 1991 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

Summary[]

Like 1990, this year saw 17 songs at number 1. The first number 1 of the year surprisingly came from heavy metal band Iron Maiden, scoring their first and only number one "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter" which stayed at the top for 2 weeks. The next number one was a track right at the opposite end of the musical spectrum – Enigma, with the calm and hypnotic "Sadness Part 1". Known as "Sadeness Part 1" almost everywhere else with its strong references to Marquis De Sade, Enigma redefined the new age, chill out genre. Romanian-German producer Michael Cretu mixed repeated trance-like dance beats with gregorian chants and whispered, erotic vocals provided by his wife, Sandra, who was also a popular artist in her own right at the same time throughout most of Europe, but never managed to crack the UK market. Enigma's debut concept album MCMXC ad also went straight to the top of the UK Album Chart in January.

In the album charts Simply Red entered with Stars which would prove to be the second best selling album of the 90s and the best of 1991 and 1992. Although none of its singles reached no.1, title track "Stars" did make the top ten.

February saw The Simpsons (specifically Bart) reach No. 1 with "Do the Bartman",^[1] from the album The Simpsons Sing the Blues which reached #6. The show had premiered on UK screens on the satellite channel Sky One in 1990, though it wouldn't premiere on terrestrial TV until 1996, on BBC One. The family became the first cartoon characters to hit No. 1 since The Archies did so in 1969, with "Sugar Sugar", and the follow-up ("Deep, Deep Trouble") also did well, peaking at No. 7 in April.

In March, The Clash received their first number 1 with "Should I Stay or Should I Go", after being used in a commercial for Levi's. A month later, Cher scored her first UK solo No. 1 with "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", taken from the film Mermaids.

Bryan Adams also reached No. 1 for the first time in July with "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", from the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Breaking the record held since 1955, it stayed there for sixteen consecutive weeks, a record that remains to this day. It also became the biggest selling single of the year, selling over a million copies.

The Christmas number one single this year was Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", re-issued after the death of Freddie Mercury in November, coupled with "These Are the Days of Our Lives". As "Bohemian Rhapsody" had previously hit the top in 1975 (also becoming the Christmas number one) it became the first song ever, not counting re-entries, to hit number 1 twice.

The death of Joy Finzi, who had founded the Finzi Trust in 1969 to commemorate her husband Gerald, was one of the most notable events on the classical music scene. Harrison Birtwistle's opera, Gawain, with a libretto by David Harsent, was performed for the first time on 30 May at the Royal Opera House.

Events[]

• 14 January – Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine's single "Bloodsport for All" is released on the day the Gulf War officially starts, and is banned by the BBC due to its lyrics about racism and bullying in the army.
• 15 January – A new all-star rendition of the John Lennon song "Give Peace a Chance" is released, featuring Yoko Ono, Lenny Kravitz, Peter Gabriel, Alannah Myles, Tom Petty, Bonnie Raitt and many more, billed as "The Peace Choir". The single is rushed to market in response to the imminent Gulf War.
• 11 February – Massive Attack release their single "Unfinished Sympathy" but have to temporarily shorten their name to "Massive" to avoid a radio ban of the word "attack" during the Gulf War.
• 15 May – Richey Edwards of Manic Street Preachers carves the words "4 Real" into his arm with a razor blade during an interview with NME journalist Steve Lamacq, after Lamacq questions the band's authenticity. The incident results in Edwards requiring 18 stitches.
• 28 June – Paul McCartney's classical composition, the Liverpool Oratorio, receives its premiere at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral.
• 18 August - Oasis play their first ever gig at the Boardwalk Club in Manchester. Noel Gallagher, who was at the time roadie for Inspiral Carpets, went with them to watch his brother's band play.
• 27 October – Fruitbat of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine rugby tackles presenter Phillip Schofield at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party after the group performs their single "After the Watershed".
• November – The Rolling Stones sign a new contract with Virgin Records.^[2]
• 1 December – George Harrison plays Yokohama, Japan. The brief Japanese tour with Eric Clapton marks his first set of formal concert performances since 1974.

Publications[]

• Moura Lympany (with Margot Strickland) – Moura – Her Autobiography^[3]

Charts[]

Number-one singles[]

Chart date (week ending)	Song	Artist(s)
5 January	"Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter"	Iron Maiden
12 January
19 January	"Sadness (Part I)"	Enigma
26 January	"Innuendo"	Queen
2 February	"3 a.m. Eternal"	The KLF
9 February
16 February	"Do the Bartman"	The Simpsons
23 February
2 March
9 March	"Should I Stay or Should I Go"	The Clash
16 March
23 March	"The Stonk"	Hale and Pace
30 March	"The One and Only"	Chesney Hawkes
6 April
13 April
20 April
27 April
4 May	"The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"	Cher
11 May
18 May
25 May
1 June
8 June	"I Wanna Sex You Up"	Color Me Badd
15 June
22 June
29 June	"Any Dream Will Do"	Jason Donovan
6 July
13 July	"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You"	Bryan Adams
20 July
27 July
3 August
10 August
17 August
24 August
31 August
7 September
14 September
21 September
28 September
5 October
12 October
19 October
26 October
2 November	"The Fly"	U2
9 November	"Dizzy"	Vic Reeves and The Wonder Stuff
16 November
23 November	"Black or White"	Michael Jackson
30 November
7 December	"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"	George Michael and Elton John
14 December
21 December	"Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are the Days of Our Lives"	Queen
28 December

Number-one albums[]

Chart date (week ending)	Album	Artist(s)
5 January	The Immaculate Collection	Madonna
12 January
19 January
26 January	MCMXC a.D.	Enigma
2 February	The Soul Cages	Sting
9 February	Doubt	Jesus Jones
16 February	Innuendo	Queen
23 February
2 March	Circle of One	Oleta Adams
9 March	Auberge	Chris Rea
16 March	Spartacus	The Farm
23 March	Out of Time	R.E.M.
30 March	Greatest Hits	Eurythmics
6 April
13 April
20 April
27 April
4 May
11 May
18 May
25 May
1 June	Seal	Seal
8 June
15 June
22 June	Greatest Hits	Eurythmics
29 June	Love Hurts	Cher
6 July
13 July
20 July
27 July
3 August
10 August	Essential Pavarotti II	Luciano Pavarotti
17 August
24 August	Metallica	Metallica
31 August	Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat	London Stage Cast
7 September
14 September	From Time to Time - The Singles Collection	Paul Young
21 September	On Every Street	Dire Straits
28 September	Use Your Illusion II	Guns N' Roses
5 October	Waking Up the Neighbours	Bryan Adams
12 October	Stars	Simply Red
19 October
26 October	Chorus	Erasure
2 November	Stars	Simply Red
9 November	Greatest Hits II	Queen
16 November	Shepherd Moons	Enya
23 November	We Can't Dance	Genesis
30 November	Dangerous	Michael Jackson
7 December	Greatest Hits II	Queen
14 December
21 December
28 December

Year-end charts[]

Best-selling singles[]

^[4]

No.	Title	Artist	Peak position
1	"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You"	Bryan Adams	1
2	"Bohemian Rhapsody"/"These Are the Days of Our Lives"	Queen	1
3	"The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"	Cher	1
4	"I'm Too Sexy"	Right Said Fred	2
5	"Do the Bartman"	The Simpsons	1
6	"Any Dream Will Do"	Jason Donovan	1
7	"The One and Only"	Chesney Hawkes	1
8	"Dizzy"	Vic Reeves & the Wonder Stuff	1
9	"Insanity"	Oceanic	3
10	"I Wanna Sex You Up"	Color Me Badd	1
11	"Get Ready for This"	2 Unlimited	2
12	"3 a.m. Eternal" (Live at the S.S.L.)	The KLF featuring the Children of the Revolution	1
13	"Black or White"	Michael Jackson	1
14	"Let's Talk About Sex"	Salt-N-Pepa	2
15	"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"	George Michael and Elton John	1
16	"More Than Words"	Extreme	2
17	"When You Tell Me That You Love Me"	Diana Ross	2
18	"Sunshine on a Rainy Day" (remix)	Zoë	4
19	"Should I Stay or Should I Go"	The Clash	1
20	"Sit Down"	James	2
21	"Wind of Change"	Scorpions	2
22	"The Stonk"	Hale and Pace and the Stonkers	1
23	"(I Wanna Give You) Devotion"	Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom	2
24	"Now That We Found Love"	Heavy D & the Boyz	2
25	"Baby Baby"	Amy Grant	2
26	"Charly"	The Prodigy	3
27	"Justified & Ancient (Stand by the JAMs)"	The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette	2
28	"World in Union"	Kiri Te Kanawa	4
29	"Promise Me"	Beverley Craven	3
30	"Last Train to Trancentral" (Live from the Lost Continent)	The KLF	2
31	"You Got the Love" (Erens Bootleg Mix)	The Source featuring Candi Staton	4
32	"Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee)"	Crystal Waters	2
33	"Thinking About Your Love"	Kenny Thomas	4
34	"Rhythm of My Heart"	Rod Stewart	3
35	"Set Adrift on Memory Bliss"	PM Dawn	3
36	"Love to Hate You"	Erasure	4
37	"Sadness (Part I)"	Enigma	1
38	"Crazy"	Seal	2
39	"Move Any Mountain"	The Shamen	4
40	"Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)"	Rozalla	6
41	"Saltwater"	Julian Lennon	6
42	"Sailing on the Seven Seas"	Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark	3
43	"Wiggle It"	2 in a Room	3
44	"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"	Monty Python	3
45	"All 4 Love"	Color Me Badd	5
46	"Crazy for You" (remix)	Madonna	2
47	"Joyride"	Roxette	4
48	"Get Here"	Oleta Adams	4
49	"Gett Off"	Prince and the New Power Generation	4
50	"You Could Be Mine"	Guns N' Roses	3

Best-selling albums[]

^[5]

No.	Title	Artist	Peak position
1	Stars	Simply Red	1
2	Greatest Hits	Eurythmics	1
3	Greatest Hits II	Queen	1
4	Simply the Best	Tina Turner	2
5	Dangerous	Michael Jackson	1
6	Out of Time	R.E.M.	1
7	Time, Love & Tenderness	Michael Bolton	2
8	The Immaculate Collection	Madonna	1
9	Love Hurts	Cher	1
10	From Time to Time – The Singles Collection	Paul Young	1
11	Seal	Seal	1
12	Waking Up the Neighbours	Bryan Adams	1
13	We Can't Dance	Genesis	1
14	On Every Street	Dire Straits	1
15	The Very Best of Elton John	Elton John	1
16	Beverley Craven	Beverley Craven	3
17	Michael Crawford Performs Andrew Lloyd Webber	Michael Crawford	3
18	Achtung Baby	U2	2
19	Auberge	Chris Rea	1
20	Shepherd Moons	Enya	1
21	Joyride	Roxette	2
22	Voices	Kenny Thomas	3
23	Greatest Hits 1977–1990	The Stranglers	4
24	Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat	Original London Cast starring Jason Donovan	1
25	Greatest Hits	Queen	1
26	Essential Pavarotti II	Luciano Pavarotti	1
27	Diamonds and Pearls	Prince & the New Power Generation	2
28	Real Love	Lisa Stansfield	4
29	Chorus	Erasure	1
30	Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1	George Michael	1
31	Innuendo	Queen	1
32	The Commitments (Original Soundtrack)	Various Artists	4
33	Into the Light	Gloria Estefan	2
34	MCMXC a.D.	Enigma	1
35	The Definitive Simon and Garfunkel	Simon & Garfunkel	8
36	Discography: The Complete Singles Collection	Pet Shop Boys	3
37	Wicked Game	Chris Isaak	3
38	Use Your Illusion II	Guns N' Roses	1
39	Together with Cliff Richard	Cliff Richard	10
40	In Concert	José Carreras/Placido Domingo/Luciano Pavarotti	1
41	Real Life	Simple Minds	2
42	Use Your Illusion I	Guns N' Roses	2
43	Vagabond Heart	Rod Stewart	2
44	Sugar Tax	Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark	3
45	The White Room	The KLF	3
46	Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em	MC Hammer	8
47	Fellow Hoodlums	Deacon Blue	2
48	Serious Hits... Live!	Phil Collins	2
49	Timeless: The Very Best of Neil Sedaka	Neil Sedaka	10
50	The Greatest Hits	Salt-n-Pepa	6

Classical music[]

• Roy Douglas – Festivities and A Nowell Sequence for strings
• Michael Tippett – String Quartet No. 5^[6]

Music awards[]

BRIT Awards[]

The 1991 BRIT Awards winners were:

• Best British producer: Chris Thomas
• Best classical recording: José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti – In Concert
• Best soundtrack: Twin Peaks
• British album: George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
• British breakthrough act: Betty Boo
• British female solo artist: Lisa Stansfield
• British group: The Cure
• British male solo artist: Elton John
• British single: Depeche Mode "Enjoy the Silence"
• British video: The Beautiful South "A Little Time"
• International breakthrough act: MC Hammer
• International female: Sinéad O'Connor
• International group: INXS
• International male: Michael Hutchence
• Outstanding contribution: Status Quo

Births[]

• 12 January – Pixie Lott, singer
• 17 February – Ed Sheeran, singer-songwriter
• 16 June – Joe McElderry, singer
• 17 June – Shura, singer, songwriter and producer
• 30 July – Diana Vickers, singer
• 11 November – Emma Blackery, singer
• 19 December – Declan Galbraith, singer
• 24 December – Louis Tomlinson, singer (One Direction)

Deaths[]

• 8 January – Steve Clark, guitarist (Def Leppard), 30 (alcohol poisoning)
• 21 February – Margot Fonteyn, ballerina, 71
• 9 March – Denise Tolkowsky, pianist and composer, 72
• 24 March – Maudie Edwards, actress and singer, 84
• 10 April – Martin Hannett (Martin Zero), record producer, 42 (heart failure)
• 20 April – Steve Marriott, singer, songwriter and guitarist (Small Faces and Humble Pie), 44 (killed in house fire)
• 8 June – John Vallier, pianist and composer, 70
• 14 June – Joy Finzi, founder of the Finzi Trust, 84
• 30 July – Max Jaffa, violinist and bandleader, 79
• 6 August – Max Rostal, Austrian-born violinist and viola player, 86
• 25 September – Sydney MacEwan, singer of traditional Scottish and Irish songs, 82
• 14 November – Bryden Thomson, conductor, 63
• 24 November – Freddie Mercury, singer and songwriter, 45 (pneumonia brought on by AIDS)
• 12 December – Ronnie Ross, jazz saxophonist, 58

See also[]

• 1991 in British radio
• 1991 in British television
• 1991 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1991

References[]

External links[]

• BBC Radio 1's Chart Show
• The Official Charts Company